Broken and Shattered

by KJtheGreat

Summary:

Naruto has done it. Sasuke is now home, and he has fulfilled his promise to Sakura. He isn't expecting anything in return for doing this, but what he receives shatters his soul.

Chapter 1: Don't Look Back in Anger

AN: This chapter has been updated to remove most honorifics based on feed back

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Konohagakure main hospital

There is a buzz in the air. Medical-nin are running back and forth between rooms healing the 6 young men that just arrived at the hospital. One of them, the chūnin, was lucky that he only had a dislocated finger and so elected to wait for his injury to be healed and would stay in said hospital till his friends at least woke up. The other 5 genin were not as lucky

The larger boy, Chōji Akimichi, is in an extremely critical situation. He is currently on the brink of death, having used his families 3 colored pills which are now poisoning him. Out of all the boys, he is in the worst shape necessitating having the best medical-nin in the village, Tsunade, to deal with him first.

In the room next to Chōji lay another 2 genin, Neji Hyūga and Kiba Inuzuka. The Hyūga boy's injuries were extensive. He had multiple puncture wounds all over his body and several organs were damaged, needing constant attention from the staff to prevent a slide into critical status. The Inuzuka boy had internal bleeding thanks to the stomach wound he currently has and was unconscious due to blood loss.

In another room above the 3 boys lay the final 2 genin, Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki. The Uchiha boy was currently in a coma due to the injuries he had received after fighting Naruto in the valley of the end. Sasuke had several broken bones, organ damage, internal bleeding and bruising all over his body. It's a miracle he's still alive.

The Uzumaki boy's injuries were the most peculiar of them all. When they all arrived, he was easily in the worst state. Within a few hours his body was miraculously healing itself outside the iryō ninjutsu applied to the boy. He had bruising and lacerations all over his body and several broken bones, but the worst damage was the giant gaping hole in the center of his body right next to his heart. This wound strangely had burn marks around it. He should have been dead on arrival, but Naruto refused to die. He now lies resting in his bed next to Sasuke with all his injuries healing up well. Even the hole in his chest was now tiny in comparison to what it used to be.

News started spreading quickly that the boys had returned from their mission successfully. It was only a day after they arrived home that word reached 3 certain kunoichi in the village hidden in the leaves. Hinata Hyūga was the first to arrive. She had wanted to see Naruto first but was persuaded to see her cousin first after a Medical-nin told her about her cousins' status. The second to arrive was Sakura Haruno. When she arrived at the hospital, she asked where Sasuke was and was directed to the room the boy shared with Naruto. Once she made it to door of the room, she opened the door and found that Naruto was awake on his bed laying down, staring at the ceiling.

Hearing a noise coming from the doorway, Naruto turned his head towards the entrance but had to blink a few times to adjust to the new light shining through the opened door.

"S-Sakura?" Naruto said weakly as his heart skipped a beat seeing his pink haired crush. After a little difficulty he was able to sit upright to get a better look at her beautiful face. He also tried to give her a weak smile but winced as his chest gave him a big stinging sensation. Sakura had heard Naruto speak but ignored it after finally seeing Sasuke for the first time since his defection. She gasped as she saw all the bandages and machines attached to his body.
"Sasuke!" Sakura muttered emotionally as she dashed over to the love of her life. She knelt next to his bed and took his hand into her own and started to fully grasp the condition that he was in.

How could this have happened? He was completely healthy when he left the village. How could he have arrived back in such a state? No, no, no, no, no, NO. This isn't how it was supposed to go.

A thousand thoughts like this raced through Sakura's mind, trying to come up with answers for all of them. She could only come up with one explanation for how this came about.

It was him! He did this to Sasuke. He promised me he would bring him back, not in this state though! How could he do this to him? To Her?

Naruto could only watch the scene in front of him. His heart broke a little upon seeing Sakura completely ignoring him. He should have expected it though, her precious Sasuke was finally home so she could go back to ignoring him like she always did. Maybe, that was for the best though. After making her that promise to bring Sasuke back, Naruto had come to the realization that Sakura would never see him the way he saw her. It felt like torture when he first came to it, but he eventually accepted it and hoped to at least be her friend and to see her happy. It was at this point that the third kunoichi entered the hospital with flowers.

It was after a few minutes of silence that Naruto heard crying. He looked over to Sakura and saw her and Sasuke's hand was collecting moisture. It broke him even more to see Sakura crying like this. He never wanted to see any of his friends suffering. Something was off, and Naruto knew it. He fulfilled his promise to Sakura so everything should be ok now, right?

Wincing through the pain, Naruto finally spoke, "I-I kept my promise to you Sakura. S-S-Sasuke is back by your side." The hurt was rising inside of him, making him repeat syllables but he tried his best to ignore the sensations in him. He had to put on a brave face for Sakura.

After hearing Naruto say those words, Sakura finally stopped her crying. She slowly took her hand from Sasuke's and put it by her side. Even more slowly she rose up from Sasuke's bed side. She then turned to Naruto, finally acknowledging his presence. After what felt like an eternity, she finally started making her way to Naruto's side of the room with a blank expression on her face. When she got close enough to him, she raised her hand.

Naruto's heart once again skipped a beat when she finally came by his side. Even though he knew they would never be together, he still sometimes dreamt of what could have been. The heart wants what it wants. At this point, he could see 3 shadows in the doorway in the periphery of his vision. He tried to turn his head so he could see the newcomers, but he didn't get a chance to finish his action.

SLAP

If Naruto thought he was in agony before, this was on a whole different level. The whole left side of his face was beat red, and it felt like his skin was burning all over again. This physical pain though was nothing to compared to the emotional anguish he was starting to feel. He turned his head back to see Sakura's face. What he noticed was that her eyes were filled with nothing but hate.

"S-Sakura, w-why?" Naruto responded in a quiet voice only Sakura could hear.

SLAP

Now the right side of his face matched the left side. The physical pain, although there, was a complete after thought to what his emotions were going through.

Why? Why did she slap me? I thought I was her friend. I gave her what she wanted and brought Sasuke back. Why did she do that? I thought she would finally be happy again!

Sakura was not done though. If the slaps were the first shots fired, her words were the main event. In a low roar, she finally spoke to Naruto.

"You kept your promise? JUST LOOK AT HIM! DOES HE LOOK OK TO YOU?"

Crack

"He looks like he's on the brink of death! How can you say you kept your promise after what you did to Sasuke?"

Crack

Naruto tried to get a word in "But I had no choice, he was trying to kil..." but Sakura was having none of it. She glared even harder at him now.

"I don't want to hear it from you! I asked one simple thing from you, and you somehow screwed even that up." She said with vitrail and hate.

Crack

"Some friend you turned out to be. You really are the dead last of us all. I was right to pick Sasuke, you will always be inferior to him"

CRACK

With that last line from Sakura, Naruto's heart finally broke completely. The pieces shattered so thoroughly there was no hope of gluing them back together. The love of his life just threw every insecurity he ever felt right into his face. The worst part about it was that not a trace of regret was on Sakura's face when she uttered those things. She meant every word of what she said, and he knew it.

Naruto thought he knew pain when he took the chidori through his chest. He was dead wrong. He would take that chidori going straight through him a thousand times over compared to what he was feeling now. He now wished the chidori had gone through his heart instead of feeling this hollowness inside himself. The small stream he thought divided him and Sakura was now a vast ocean. One who he knew he could never cross. At this point in time, there was only one thing Naruto could do.

SOB

Naruto could only cry in this moment in time. At first it was only a trickle, one or two tear drops here and there. Eventually the levee broke and soon a tsunami of tears started coming from the boy. He didn't care if Sakura saw him in this pathetic position. Hell, he didn't even care if the 3 people in the doorway saw. He was in so much misery, and he had to let it out.

His wailing started out quietly, barely a whisper in the air. It steadily rose in a crescendo until it was clearly audible even to the people outside the room. To those who heard it, they would never forget the pained cries that came from that young boy in that instant. It was the sound of a million lovers weeping as they parted, never to see each other again.

Hinata was feeling two extreme emotions at this time. She, along with Ino Yamanaka and Shikamaru Nara had arrived at the door right when the first slap happened. All were shocked at what had happened. Hinata felt utter sadness at the suffering the man she loved was currently going through, and volcanic rage at the pink hair kunoichi who caused said suffering. Her emotions caused her Byakugan to activate on its own and she decided on her course of action.

With a drive and determination she never knew she had in her, Hinata walked through the door first, blindsiding Ino and Shikamaru in the process. Before today, she never walked towards Naruto, only ever watching from a distance. Today though, she felt no fear in approaching the boy. She wanted so desperately to take Naruto's sadness away right this instant, but her rage was in the driver's seat. She walked over to Naruto's side in front of Sakura, finally making her presence known. She raised her hand just like Sakura did moments ago and then it happened.

SLAP

Hinata, the shy quiet girl full of kindness who gave everyone the proper respect in titles. The meek and timid Hyūga princess. The one that was the least confrontational out of the konoha 11, just slapped Sakura.

Stunned was the room except for the Uzumaki boy. What was just seen was a 10,000-year event and they all knew it. Sakura and the 2 people still in the doorway were even more shaken when Hinata finally spoke.

"Leave now Sakura, I don't want to see you in this room again!" The rest of the room minus Naruto noticed Hinata's face wasn't the kind one they were used to, This was a face was filled with wrath. Her pupilless orbs were giving a death glare to the pink haired kunoichi. Her mouth contorted in a snarl that could be mistaken for a wild animal. If the slap was a 10,000-year event, this outburst was a 100,000-year event.

"W-What was that for! Why did you slap me?!" Sakura articulated in a rage; her attention now turned to the dark blue haired girl in front of her.

"I will NOT say it again, leave now!" Hinata denoted with even more fire and fury than before, breaking the shock on the two in the doorway in the process.

"Or what princess? What are you going to do if I stay?" Sakura fired back trying to gain control of the situation but to no avail. She then felt 2 hands on her shoulders, and they turned her around. She was now facing a very pissed off Shikamaru and an extremely disappointed Ino.

"You better do what she says. You are being troublesome" Shikamaru told Sakura with a vigor he didn't know he had.

"let's go Sakura, the three of us need to talk." Ino asserted with a serious tone to her voice as she left the flowers and cards on a nearby table. Sakura was going to retort, but the looks she was getting from the 2 of them told her that she should follow the instructions laid out before her. Clenching her fists, gritting her teeth, and shutting her blue eyes, she only replied with "fine" and then left with the 2 of them.

Naruto was vaguely aware of what was happening around him. He could feel Hinata come to his side and in front of Sakura, but he was too busy wailing and weeping with more moisture freely flowing from his face down his whisker covered cheeks.

Once the pink haired kunoichi finally left with the other 2, Hinata let go of the wrath that had taken over her. She was now left with all the sadness she felt at seeing Naruto in his current state. It broke her heart in a million pieces to see Naruto in such anguish. He had always been the steady rock in her life. Never giving up and always seeing the bright side of everything, always willing to give a helping hand. Now here he was, in the middle of the stream with no rock to grab onto. Hinata would become that rock.

"Naruto, I-It will be ok. I-I'll be here for you as long as you need me to be." Hinata verbalized with as much affection as she could muster. Gradually, she reached out to Naruto, not knowing exactly what to do in this situation. Lucky for her she didn't need to do any more than that.

Naruto brought her in for a soul binding hug. Right before this hug, he had never felt more alone in his life. Not even that time on the playground were the other kid's parents told their kids to stay away from the demon child compared to the loneliness he was feeling now. This hug let him know that he wasn't alone in this. There was someone who would listen and help him through this. Once he brought her in for the hug, he started to bawl his eyes out on her shoulder. It was just easier now to let it all go.

At any other point in time, if Naruto had brought her in for hug, she would have lost consciousness at once. This wasn't just any point in time. This time he needed HER to be strong for him. SHE needed to be the one who he could rely on. Gracefully, she brought her arms around him and started to hug him back.

"It's Ok Naruto. I'm here for you. Let it all out." Hinata suggested with as much love as she could bring up. It did the trick as he started to let out more tears. Hinata was still feeling sad, but she was also feeling something else. She felt happy that she was finally bringing comfort to the man she loved with all her heart. They stayed this way for a long time until his crying finally ceased and Naruto was finally able to get some much-needed rest.

XxX

Training Ground 11, outside Konohagakure

After what had just transpired at the hospital, Shikamaru decided it would be best if this upcoming discussion would take place in a secluded area. The best and closest place he could think of was Team 10's first training ground outside Konohagakure. Traveling for 30 minutes, they finally arrived at their destination.

"Okay Shikamaru, why did you bring us all the way out here?" Sakura spoke aloud, finally breaking the silence that had befallen the group since there initial departure.

Fury started to rise in the Nara boy, but he held it in check. He needed her to understand just what she had done to their mutual teammate. Sluggishly he turned around to face his fellow 2 kunoichi, one who he knew quite well in Ino and the other who he didn't know but was already on bad terms with.

Raising his arm to his head, he rubbed his head as he answered back to Sakura, "This will be troublesome, but it needs to be done. You need to understand just what you did to Naruto." Shikamaru finished while bringing his arm back to his side.

Upon hearing this, Sakura took a step forward to confront the Nara boy and said, "What I did to Naruto? WHAT I DID TO NARUTO? Did you even see the state Sasuke was in? He could have very well died before I ever got to see him again." Sakura asserted as she once again balled her hands in anger, her knuckles becoming white from the strain.

Once again, Shikamaru had to bite his tongue at what he had heard. There would be no getting through to her if he lost his cool in this moment. Ino too was starting to lose patience with her friend, but she hid it as well. Shikamaru decided it be best if he told what happened while sitting on the tree stump he first saw all those months back with team 10.

After finally getting comfortable before telling his tale, he responded back to girl who caused this mess. "You have no idea what we, and specifically Naruto, went through to get your precious Sasuke back. If you did, then you would be crying in shame for what you said and did to Naruto." Shikamaru paused before continuing, "I saw you as you came into the hospital. After being told where your precious Sasuke was you immediately went to his room. You didn't even bother to ask how all of us were doing."

Shikamaru waited for just a bit before continuing but he did pick up something in Sakura's eyes. Was it knowing? Shock? Guilt? He could not say but he could tell that his words were starting to get through to her. Annoying as this was for him, he pressed on.

"We got our asses kicked out there Sakura. I won't go over the specifics with you on what exactly happened, but I will tell you how my team suffered." Shikamaru voiced, as he looked back in anger at the memories of just what his team went through to get the traitor back.

Ino for her part was listening with rapt attention. When she got to the hospital earlier, she saw her teammate in the waiting room and decided to talk to him first to get the details on what happened. He said to her that the mission was a success and that Sasuke was home. She first felt relief upon hearing that her crush was back home, but the look in Shikamaru's eyes told her things went terribly wrong during the mission. She wanted to press him for answers but instead insisted they go and see firsthand what happened to Sasuke during the retrieval. She would never forget what she saw or heard when she opened that door to Naruto and Sasuke's room.

After resting his voice for just a few moments, he continued uttering his tale. "I don't have to tell you how bad Sasuke was. You saw for yourself. Safe to say, the rest of the team didn't fare any better. I'd say a most of us got it worse than Sasuke." Shikamaru waited for a response to this. The only one he got was another look in Sakura's eyes. She still held wrath in her eyes, but it was no longer as potent as it had once been. Seeing as he still had both the kunoichi's attention, he pressed on.

"I got off by far the easiest, I have only a dislocated finger to show for my troubles. Neji suffered multiple puncture wounds, his diaphragm, left lung, and several points along his small intestine all had holes in them. If we had arrived much later than we did, he wouldn't be alive now." Shikamaru now was starting to ball his own fists in rage, thinking about how he almost lost his whole team on his very first chūnin mission.

"Kiba got it worse than even Neji did. His stomach was sliced through and he's suffering from major internal bleeding and is in a coma to spare him the pain of his injuries." Shikamaru professed to his fellow Konohagakure kunoichi. It made him sick to his stomach having seen Kiba in the dire circumstances he was in and knowing there was nothing he could do about it.

Sakura was now just starting to understand just how horribly the mission went. When she heard the team had arrived back with Sasuke in tow, she left at once for the hospital just to see the light in her eye. Perhaps this light blinded her to the situation, perhaps she should have stopped and talked to Shikamaru before heading to Sasuke's room. All that was in the past now and she would have to live with that. She slowly started unclenching her fists to relieve some of the pressure in her hands.

"Chōji, my best friend, is even a worse state. He used his families 3 colored pills to buy us time to get to Sasuke. He's on the verge of multiple organ shutdown due to the poison ravaging his body. I don't even know if he will wake up again but there is nothing I can do for him now." Shikamaru vocalized with melancholy.

Ino gasped and brought her hand to her mouth in surprise when she heard the predicament that her teammate was in. She had no idea that this mission would be so extreme that Chōji would use his families' secret pills to win. She knew from firsthand accounts just how dangerous using those pills could be, let alone all 3 and in someone so young. Once this talk was over, she was going to make a get-well basket for her teammate with all his favorite snacks she could think of.

Sakura's once seething fury was now very quickly getting smoothed. Her hands were now fully at her side, no longer curled in anger. Were all the boys in the hospital this badly hurt? How could a simple rescue operation go south so badly? There's no way this can all be true, could it though? I'm worried now, if Neji, Kiba, and Chōji were all in such plight, I can only imagine what Naruto's status was like.

"That leaves only Naruto and both of you steel yourself. Naruto did die out there." This floored the two young genin like nothing else. Ino fell to her backside and Sakura fell to her knees. This time it was Ino's turn to speak.

"D-Dead? Naruto died out there?" Shikamaru could only tilt his head up and down at the blonde's question. "Then how is he still alive back at the hospital?" Ino questioned again, hoping to get some more clarity on this situation.

Shikamaru brought his head up to them so they could hear perfectly what he was about to say. "Kakashi and I were their first to see the aftermath of Sasuke's and Naruto's battle. It was not a pretty sight. Both of them were on the ground not moving. Sasuke was only unconscious but stable for the most part it seemed." Shikamaru took a pause to collect himself for the next part.

"Naruto, his pulse was extremely weak and before we could even get going, it gave out. It was then we noticed why Naruto heart stopped beating. We removed his jacket, and we saw a fist size hole clear through his body right next to his heart." Shikamaru's emotions were now a maelstrom thinking back to seeing Naruto with an empty cavity in his chest. If Naruto had stayed dead, then he would have retired early from being a shinobi.

Sakura was starting to have a breakdown in her mind. Long gone was the rage she held in her eyes, now replaced with shame and guilt. She continued to sit on her knees contemplating what she had just heard. Naruto, one of her friends, had died because of her wishes. There was a lingering question on the tip of her lips but lucky for her, Ino spoke it first.

"How was he revived? I got to know!" Ino pleaded with Shikamaru to continue. She was now in a seated position, having rearranged herself after her fall from the earlier news. She didn't have to wait long for Shikamaru to continue.

"You can thank Kakashi for that. He stuck his hand in Naruto chest, found where his heart was, and used his electrical affinity to restart his heart."Shikamaru remarked to the both of them, not hiding any detail from them. He now thought back to the formation of his team and kicked himself for not including anyone who knew iryō ninjutsu.

"How is it possible that he was up speaking just before we came here? That should be impossible after that kind of injury." Ino asked in confusion.

Shikamaru sighed at this question as its one he didn't know the answer too. "I don't know how exactly but, on the way back to Konohagakure, his body started to heal itself. If I had to guess, it might have to do with that strange chakra we felt from him during the chūnin exams." Shikamaru theorized as that could be the only possible explanation. What exactly that chakra was though was a complete mystery to him.

Now it was Sakura's turn to ask a question. A question she didn't want to know the answer too but needed to all the same. "How did he get his injury? Please tell me Shikamaru!" Sakura verbalized in a tone barely above a whisper.

Shikamaru gave a frown to the pitiful girl in front of him before answering her question. "I think you can guess who did it." Sakura received the answer she dreaded hearing the most.

No, Sasuke would never do something like that. Sure, he had his moments of fury and tunnel vision, but he would never try and kill his teammate! Surely there must be another explanation... the curse mark! That's what made him try and kill Naruto.

While Sakura's mind was coming to grips with the grim news she had just heard. Ino was also going through her own mental struggles with Naruto's death and rebirth. Sasuke, the boy she had a huge crush on since her academy days. The same boy who both Sakura and her briefly ended their friendship over. The same boy who many considered the bright future of Konohagakure. He just tried to murder not just a fellow Konohagakure shinobi but his teammate as well. She could feel her brain shutting down trying to process this information.

Shikamaru let the silence hang between the 3 of them for a minute, trying to gage their reactions to what was just told to them, but not coming up with anything he didn't already expect. Finally breaking the silence, Shikamaru continued with his little speech.

"After reviving him, we were meet by members of the Medic Corp who had already gotten the others and brought them back home. From there you pretty much know everything you need to know." Shikamaru finished his story about the retrieval mission. It took a lot out of him retelling this, but he knew he had to do it one more time for the Godaime Hokage when she finished up healing his broken team.

Shikamaru was not done, not by a long shot. He had to make sure Sakura knew just how bad she screwed up earlier. With this thought in mind, he continued to enunciate specifically to the pink haired genin.

"Although I'm sure his pain was great after his fight with Sasuke, I'm positive Naruto would take that pain every day over what you just did to him not even an hour ago." Shikamaru was finally getting to the main reason of this whole impromptu meeting of the 3. He was glad that Ino came along as a witness to this proceeding.

"All of us in the class knew Naruto loved you. It was clear as day for all these years. We never understood why he did though as you treated him like garbage all these years." Shikamaru vented to his pink haired target. Shikamaru wasn't blameless though in this and so continued.

"I can't say the rest of us were blameless in Naruto's treatment. We barely treated him better than you did, and we will carry that shame with us till the end." Shikamaru declared in a tone that spoke of the disgrace he felt thinking back to his schooling days. Undeterred, he pressed on giving her his last thoughts on the matter.

"You were so blinded by your devotion to your precious Sasuke that you couldn't see what you were doing to those around you. Naruto would do anything thing for you, Hell he did EVERYTHING for you, and you repaid him by shattering his heart in the most sadistic way possible. You are troublesome and you disgust me Sakura." With these final words, Shikamaru could utter no more without getting physically violent. So, he left training ground 11 and left the blonde and pink kunoichi behind.

Ino, after the momentary shutdown of her brain, finally started to understand what had just been spoken to her. She was now seeing less of the light from Sasuke and more of the darkness that seemed to spread from the young shinobi. She too also started to feel guilty about how she and the others had treated Naruto for all those years.

Sure, he could be annoying at times, but it didn't justify the vitriol that came his way. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever remember him having any friends growing up. The only positive I can remember in his life was Iruka-sensei. Kami, we really did treat him badly.

Ino's thoughts were soon interrupted by a sound she didn't think she would hear again today, sobbing. Sakura was crying in front of her. One drop of moisture turned into many. There was no wailing yet, but Ino knew that would come soon. As much as she wanted to comfort her friend in this moment, Ino knew that Sakura needed to go through this alone to really understand just what she did. With these final thoughts, Ino left and followed her fellow team 10 shinobi away from this place.

Minutes went by in the training ground. Sakura by now was sitting against a tree with her legs held against her chest. Try as she might, Sakura just could not stop herself from crying. She started to pull memories back from when she first met Naruto and ran through all the moments they shared together up until their most recent encounter. It did not paint a pretty picture of her.

Why was I so harsh on him? I wasn't that mean spirited, was I?

She got no answers that made her feel any better. Her mind then switched to her last encounter with Naruto and all the suffering she put him through.

Kami, I wasn't focusing on it, but I can clearly see his eyes now as I broke his heart in the worst possible way imaginable. Could I actually cause that much agony in a person? I just don't understand why Naruto likes me so much. I thought he just had a crush on me due to his rivalry with Sasuke. Were his feelings genuine about me all along? Why can't this be simple?

Sakura felt truly alone for the first time in her life. Suddenly a thought came to her, and it instantly made her start bawling her eyes out even more.

This must be how he felt all throughout his life until he was promoted to genin. He had no one. No parents, no friends, the entire village treated him like crap, all save his teachers actively hindered his learning except Iruka-sensei. Kami, how could I have not seen it all this time?

A reply never reached her mind after her final question. Through her sobs, she uttered one final phrase before going silent the rest of the day.

"I'm so fucked up"

XxX

Hokage office, Konohagakure, 3 days later at sundown

Man, what a drag. Why does Tsunade have to be so good at her job?

Although it did annoy him, he was truly grateful that Tsunade WAS as good at iryō ninjutsu as she was, else, he might have lost all his team on his last mission. He really didn't want to give this report so soon after the emotional roller coaster he's been on in the last 72 hours. At the very least he knew his teammates were going to make it.

Due to Tsunade's and Shizune's efforts, everyone on the retrieval mission is currently in stable conditions. Granted all but one were still unconscious but they would wake up eventually. Shikamaru had never felt as light as he did when he had heard the good news this morning.

His thoughts though soon turned to his little conversation that he had with the 2 genin from yesterday. He could feel the same anger start to swell in him, but he kept it down. Part of the reason for his feelings was seeing how close this mission could have been catastrophic. Even though he knew life as a shinobi was dangerous and everyone accepted the risks, it didn't mean it was easy to see your comrades in such states.

No, the primary reason for his anger was the pink haired kunoichi. She was the one who begged them to bring the Uchiha boy home and made Naruto promise he would. After bringing the Uchiha back, she repaid Naruto by utterly breaking him. Shikamaru would never understand what Naruto had ever seen in the unsympathetic women.

Giving out a small sigh, steeling his nerves, and readjusting his chūnin jacket for the umpteenth time, He raised his fist up to the door and gave it 2 knocks. Barely a second later he heard a reply coming from inside and opened the door.

He closed the door behind him as he strolled into the room and went right to the desk in the center of the room and gave a crisp bow of his upper body and called out "Hokage, I'm here to give my oral debriefing of my latest mission."

Tsunade replied with "Hai, you completed your objective, but I am curious as to how things turned south the way they did." She knew this wouldn't be the full report for now, given how some of the details are only known by shinobi who she just recently treated. She would just need to get those details as her former patients started to wake up.

Straightening his back, Shikamaru dove into every detail of the mission. How it started with their choice of formation for optimal perception. How they soon ran into the Sound 4 and were forced to fight them one-on-one to keep pace with the escaping Uchiha boy. The briefing eventually got to the valley of the end aftermath and Shikamaru did his best to go over every detail he could think of.

When the story got to the part of Naruto's death and resurrection, Tsunade's heart stopped for just a second. The boy, who was the big reason she came back to take up the position of Hokage, had died and it was on the very first mission she gave to him. She felt a pit in her stomach steadily growing as she heard more and more. She was going to need some sake after hearing all this.

It didn't take much longer for Shikamaru to finish his report, and he finally concluded it with, "and that is all I have in the official report Hokage." He then waited to see what feedback Tsunade would give to him. He felt a huge relief falling on him as he finished his oral report. He had been dreading this ever since he returned but now it was over.

Tsunade took a few moments to collect her thoughts before finally saying, "Very good Shikamaru, you did well for your first mission as team leader. I'll be expecting a full written report after the rest of your team wakes up." Tsunade let her words sink in for a bit before she continues, "ANBU, you are dismissed from here. I need to talk to Shikamaru about something in private."

This caused the Nara boys eyebrow to raise slightly. What could she possibly want to tell him that's off the official report? He then heard shuffling from around the room as the hidden ANBU followed their orders and vacated the room. Once Tsunade saw it was just the 2 of them, she used a fūinjutsu seal right in the middle of her desk that would prevent any sound from leaving the room.

Bringing her arms back to a more relaxed state, she looks back up to Shikamaru and comments, "Now that the official report is over, I want your unofficial thoughts on the mission. You may speak freely." Tsunade knew for a fact there were things troubling the pineapple hair chūnin. You don't come back from a mission like that and not receive mental scaring.

This took Shikamaru by surprise. He had not expected Tsunade to pick up on his doubts about the mission so easily. It was going to be tiresome for him, but he knows he won't be leaving this office any sooner if he says nothing. With a heavy sigh, he says, "I never realized just how hard leading a team could be. I-I almost lost my entire team out there and would have if not for you and Shizune." Shikamaru took a small break before continuing. "I don't know if I'm fit to be a shinobi, much less a leader." He finally said the words out loud that had been bouncing around his head ever since he returned. It felt good to finally have them out in the open.

Tsunade took some time to soak in the Nara boy's final words before taking a sigh of her own. She decided it would be best to respond to the boy with a question, "Tell me Shikamaru, what do you think would have happened if I had made someone else the leader of the unit?"

Shikamaru was taken back a little at the question posed to him. He started to formulate responses in his mind. He was about to respond to the question when Tsunade put her hand up, stopping him before he could utter a single world.

"You don't need to answer it, I will tell you what would have happened." Tsunade asserted to the pineapple haired chūnin. She then put her hand down on the desk and divulged to him, "Your entire team would have more than likely have died if not for your tactics and strategy." She held up her next words before continuing.

"I put you in charge of this operation for a reason and you did not disappoint me. Take this as a learning lesson for next time. Look back on ways you can improve so that your team will come back in better shape next time. Know this though, they will be fine and it's all thanks to you." Tsunade finally took a breath after her long speech. Once she got her breath again, she noticed the boy's body was no longer as tense as it was during his official report. She was glad that her words seemed to be taking hold of him.

"You are a damn fine shinobi Shikamaru, one of the smartest I have ever seen and eventually I know you will be the top mind in Konohagakure. I have the utmost faith in your abilities." Tsunade said this and then noticed the Nara boy put his head down. She then saw moisture fall onto the carpet he was standing on.

Shikamaru only let a few tears roll down his face before he readied himself and said, "T-Thank you Hokage, I won't let you down!" Shikamaru said with another bow to his leader. Her words helped him with his new resolve. He would train even harder now, so his earlier mission never has a repeat. Yes, he would train vigorously now...as long as it wasn't TOO troublesome.

After hearing those words from him, Tsunade chooses to wait a few seconds before talking to the boy again. "Now then, is there anything else you want to say before I dismiss you?" She added as she put both her hands under her chin and used them to rest her head.

Listening to her words, Shikamaru racked his brain to think of anything else his Hokage needed to know. Eventually, he came across something that she needed to know. "It would be best if you kept Sakura away from Naruto for the time being."

Now this got Tsunade's attention. She raised her eyebrow in a questioning manner and replied, "and why should they be kept separate?" Not knowing why he would say such a thing, she waited for his answer with rapt attention. The answer she got was not to her full liking.

"It would be best if either of the 2 explained it to you over me. This is between the 2 of them." Shikamaru declared, hoping this would be satisfactory enough for Tsunade. He really didn't want to have to explain what he saw in the hospital to anyone.

Lucky for Shikamaru, his answer was good enough. Tsunade nodded her head and said to the Nara boy, "Alright then, I understand. You are dismissed now. I want you to take at least a week off before you take another mission." The boy needed some more time to recover from his very first mission Tsunade thought to herself. The Nara boy gave her one final bow before pivoting on his feet and walked out of her office, closing the door behind him.

Tsunade undid the fūinjutsu seal on her office and heard the ANBU members silently take back their positions to protect the Hokage. Tsunade simply sat in her chair, reviewing in her mind all the words that had just spoken between the Nara boy and herself. She especially thought about Naruto dying and coming back to life, and Shikamaru's final words to her. She couldn't lose another person close to her like that again. She needed him to get stronger and fast so he could protect himself, not just from the Akatsuki but any other future threats.

What could have happened between Sakura and Naruto that they needed to be separated? That boy loved that girl with all his heart, Jiraiya had told me all the things Naruto said on their journey to get me and one thing he kept bringing up was Sakura. You don't think about a girl like that and not have feelings for them. Maybe Naruto finally passed a line that pissed off Sakura majorly.

Tsunade was brought back to reality with another knock on her door. Thankful for the distraction, she replied that they may enter. It seems her drinking would need to be put on hold for just a little longer. She turned her head to the door as it was opening and was a little surprised when she saw Jiraiya enter her office.

"Oh, Jiraiya, I wasn't expecting to see you today, I thought you would be with Naruto by now." Tsunade remarked as Jiraiya closed the door behind him.

"Well, I was doing...research for my next book for a while after Naruto left for his mission. I only just returned to Konohagakure a few hours ago." Jiraiya said, hoping Tsunade wouldn't pry too much into the 'research' part as he walked to the desk in the center of the room.

Tsunade had an irritated mark on her head as she remarked, "I'm sure it was VERY important research then." Tsunade scoffed at her former teammates lecherous ways. Having now shown him her annoyance at his antics, she continued the conversation, "Honestly, I hope Naruto doesn't take after your ways. He's still a boy after all."

Jiraiya brought one hand behind his back and with a toothy grin said out jokingly, "Hey, I'm not THAT bad of an influence on the younger generation. I have a lot of good stuff I can teach them about being a shinobi and about life too."

Tsunade could only groan at his statement. She knew he was a good man and probably the best shinobi Konohagakure had right now. She just wished that he would act more professional like his station would suggest. Nevertheless, she then voiced her next question. "So, what brings you to my office? If it's a social call I need to pass, I have a lot of paperwork to do right now that can't wait." She remarked as she gestured over to the mountain of paperwork to her right.

Jiraiya brought his hand down back to his side, the grin left his face as he became more serious. "Actually, training the next generation is exactly why I'm here." This gave him a curious glance from Tsunade. Jiraiya was finally ready to become a sensei again. But to who she wondered. The last person he trained was Minato Namikaze.

Wait that's it! He wants to train Naruto. I need him to get stronger for what he's about to face and now this blockhead in front of me is giving me the perfect opportunity to enact this plan.

Showing no signs of what she was just thinking of, she muttered to Jiraiya, "I assume that means you want to train Naruto, is that right?" She was going to have to burn it into Jiraiya's mind to ONLY teach Naruto shinobi ways and not 'of the ways of life' as Jiraiya would put it. She then followed up with "How long do you want to train the boy for?"

This brought a pause to the conversation as Jiraiya thought it over and came up with his answer. "Given that Orochimaru and the Akatsuki can't do anything to Naruto for the next 3 years, I figured that's how long I would take to train him up."

"Hmm, I can see the logic in that. The boy does indeed need to be stronger than he currently is if he is to survive." Tsunade said with a gloom look on her face. She really hated what the boy has gone through in his life and it's not going to get any easier for him.

"Ok Jiraiya, I accept this offer. Remember this though, ONLY teach him in the shinobi ways. If I get even a whiff that you are teaching him extra-curricular activities, he's coming back home, understand?" Tsunade told Jiraiya this with a dark glare in her eyes, telling him how serious she was about this.

Jiraiya had a sweat drop on the back of his head as Tsunade finished her statement. He suddenly just laughed in an awkward way, trying to diffuse the tension in the room that had just been created. When he regained his composure, he replied, "You have my word Tsunade, he will become the finest shinobi this village has ever seen. I have that much faith in him."

Tsunade looked at the man in front of her, trying to see if anything he had just said was a lie. Seeing no deception on his face, she gave a big sigh and spoke out loud, "Before you start this training, I want you to ask Naruto first if he would like to be trained by you. I want him on board with this as well."

Jiraiya knew that Naruto would say yes but he understood Tsunade's trepidation. "Well, I should go ask him right now then. Do you know where he's at by chance?"

Tsunade gave him a sour look and stated to him, "He's still in the main hospital recovering from his injuries. He's fine now but it will take him a few days before he's cleared."

This made Jiraiya sting a little bit. He didn't want to see his God son being hurt but it came with profession of being a shinobi. "Thanks for that information, I'll be heading out now." Jiraiya then turned around, opened the door, and walked out of there, seeking his future student.

XxX

Konohagakure main hospital, later that night

Sleep did not come easy for the blonde genin named Naruto Uzumaki. The tears had stopped a few days ago but the pain did not go away. Shikamaru had stopped by after his first departure to tell him the news that the rest of his teammates were doing fine now and would make full recoveries. Naruto finally had some good news come his way and he felt joy again, if only briefly. Shikamaru chatted with him for a bit before he needed to head home or the Nara boy's troublesome mom would have a fit with him. Naruto could only chuckle when his team leader brought up his mom. He was glad to have a friend like Shikamaru by his side.

Naruto was bewildered at his next guest though. It was Ino Yamanaka who brought flowers from her parent's flower shop to give to him, hoping it would cheer him up a bit. From her, Naruto learned what happened after he lost consciousness fighting Sasuke. He was sickened to learn that he did die out there but was brought back to life by Kakashi. His hand unconsciously went to the scar on his chest that had now fully healed due to the demon fox inside of him.

Shacking off the feeling of dread he was feeling, he continued chatting with his fellow blonde. It surprised them both how much they had in common and how many similar experiences they shared. They both laughed at stories the other would tell and generally had a good time chatting. They could feel a nice friendship growing between them. Sadly, she too had to go to as her parents would be wondering where she was. With a wave of her hand, she bid Naruto farewell.

The last person who came to see him today was a face he was getting familiar with, Hinata Hyūga. After the incident with his teammate a few days ago, Hinata had stayed by his side for hours while he continued to sob. He would be forever grateful to Hinata for being there during his darkest moment. She wasn't judging him nor scolding him, she was just there for him, and it made him feel good.

He eventually fell asleep in her arms after a few hours on that first night and when he awoke, he was tucked in on his hospital bed. She returned the next day, and they started chatting about everyday life. He noticed at first, she was extremely shy around him and wouldn't initiate much conversation or pick topics. It was a miracle when she would make eye contact with him. He enjoyed talking with her though and getting to know her better. He learned more about the Hyūga clan from her and more about Neji as well. That was yesterday's conversations though.

Today, he could tell she was more confident speaking with him. She started to initiate the conversations more, if only slightly more, and she could hold eye contact with him for more than a second before needing to turn away. She giggled when he retold the story of how the bell test with Kakashi went. Naruto found the giggle extremely cute. They talked for hours getting to know each other before she, like the other 2, had to go home.

Hinata, she's such a wonderful person. She's so cute when I see her blush, and that giggle just feels right. I'm now just realizing how much I'm leaning on her to get through this mess I'm in. I'll need to pay her back 1000-fold for all she's done for me these past few days. I wonder if she likes ramen.

Alone with his thoughts, they eventually came back to a certain pink haired kunoichi he once considered a dear friend.

How could she do that to me? I did what she wanted and brought her precious Sasuke back. Why? Why did she have to slap me and shatter my heart? I always did what she wanted and that's how she treats me. I-It hurts so much still. Why Kami why? What did I do wrong? Maybe, maybe it's for the best if we stop being friends.

He felt the hole in his stomach start to get wider the more he thought about her. While these thoughts were going through his stream of consciousness, he grabbed his chest and pulled himself up from his pillow as he felt his heart beat racing. A panic attack was starting to take hold of the blonde boy, but he was able to get himself under control. He slowly rested his head against his pillow and tried to get some shut eye. Fate though is a cruel mistress.

From the hospital window came Jiraiya and he said to his future student, "Gaki, long time no see." His eyes were then laid upon the other bed holding a certain Uchiha boy. "I see your mission was a success then, good for you!" Jiraiya uttered with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

Naruto could only reply with, "Pervy sage, you are here!" Naruto said this with some happiness in his eyes. It quickly went away when he heard mention of the other person in the room. "Ya, we did, but he still hasn't woken up yet." He hung his head as he said that, not wanting to remember that battle and its aftermath so soon.

Now that's odd. I figured he would be ecstatic to bring back his best friend. There's something I'm missing here. I'll have to pry later though. He doesn't seem to be in the best of moods right now.

"What happened to the rest of your team? You must have been roughed up pretty bad if you have been here a few days." Jiraiya voiced with a slightly more serious tone than his earlier greeting. He had now hoped from the windowsill and walked towards his God son.

Once Jiraiya got next to Naruto, he put his hand on his shoulder, gesturing for him to talk. Naruto sat up from his pillow and told Jiraiya about the mission. How they were forced to leave someone behind at each hurdle to continue. Until finally he reached Sasuke. He went over the big parts of the battle but didn't mention the big hole in his chest he took from the chidori. That is still a soft spot for him.

Naruto then went on to explain the injuries his other teammates suffered. Thankfully, he could tell Jiraiya that they would all make full recoveries. Once he was finished, he finally laid his head back down on the bed. His energy reserves almost depleted.

Jiraiya took this all in, pondering what to say next, until it finally came to him. "Take this as a lesson going forward. Let it fuel you to get stronger over these next 3 years."

"3 years? What do you mean by 3 years pervy sage?" Naruto retorted with his nickname for the pervy sage next to him. Jiraiya could only scowl at Naruto before he replied.

"I hate that name you know." Jiraiya could only let out a sigh now. He took the boys form in front of him. Although still covered in bandages, he was not hooked up to any machines, leading Jiraiya to believe he should be let out tomorrow. Yes, most of Naruto looked fine to Jiraiya, except for Naruto's cerulean, blue eyes. Gone was that youthful optimism. Although hope remained in his eyes, it was eclipsed by a solemn, haunting look of a man who had just been utterly broken down to his soul.

Continuing from his earlier dialogue, "3 years is how long you have before Orochimaru and the Akatsuki can make another move on you and Sasuke. It's why I'm here talking to you now." Jiraiya announced to the blonde shinobi in front of him in a serious tone.

"So, I have 3 years to prepare myself is what you are saying?" Naruto received a nod from the Sage. Naruto further said, "How do you think I should train over these 3 years then?"

The sannin now had a huge hulking grin on his face, "That's the thing, I'll be the one training you!" Jiraiya exclaimed with vigor. "You will be learning from the best shinobi in all of Konohagakure!"

"Wait, REALLY?! I'll be with you for 3 years?!" Naruto almost shouted, sitting completely back up and his energy reserves suddenly filled up again. Naruto was already thinking about all the new jutsu he was going to learn and master. He had already mastered the Rasengan so anything else the pervy sage could teach him must be equally as cool.

There's that optimism I was missing. His energy can be infectious at times. I can only hope he keeps this up with what I'll be putting him through.

Jiraiya cut off his thoughts so he could tell Naruto some more important news. "I've already cleared it with Tsunade so the only thing I need from you is your ok. Now remember Naruto, you will be gone for a whole 3 years traveling with me. You won't be seeing any of your team or friends during this time. It will get lonely for you at times. Are you prepared for this?" Jiraiya needed to make sure the boy knew what he was signing up for so he wouldn't beg to go home in the middle of training.

Naruto's energy levels suddenly dropped back down to almost zero. He laid himself back down on the bed and thought long and hard about what Jiraiya just said.

3 years. That's a long time to be away from home. Do I think I can handle it? I think so. The Akatsuki won't be sitting around doing nothing, they will continue to get stronger, so I need to as well.

Suddenly his thoughts came back to his pink haired former crush. He thought of all the pain she put him through not just a few days ago but all the times before that as well. He feared that if he stayed here for much longer, the agony he was feeling would just continue grow. He needed to get away from this place to heal as much as possible. Time heals all wounds they say, maybe it will fix his broken heart caused by the love of his life.

"Pervy sage, I don't need to think about this decision any longer. I'll go with you and become the greatest Hokage this village has ever seen!" Naruto again almost shouted, showing the resolve of his decision.

This brought a huge smile to the mug of Jiraiya. "Well said gaki. Now, I need to spend 5 days in Konohagakure to finish up some personal items before we head out. Given how you look you should be out of here tomorrow. This will also give you time to say goodbye to all those you care about." Jiraiya affirmed his decision.

"Should we meet at the main gate at noon 5 days from now then?" Naruto spat out, starting to get excited for his new adventure.

"That sounds like a plan to me. Now get some rest gaki, you need to make sure you get out of here tomorrow." With that Jiraiya turned around and slowly walked away from Naruto right back the way he came. He gave one last look at his God son and went off into the night.

I have 3 years under pervy sage to get better. I hope that's enough time. Sasuke's brother and that shark man were uber powerful. I could never hope to beat them the way I am now. I really hope I will forget the anguish I felt a few days ago. It's for the best that I split with Sakura. She doesn't want me around anymore.

With these final thoughts, Naruto finally succumbed to the night and slept. Unknown to him though, his roommate was no longer in the realm of unconsciousness.

---

Authors notes

First things first. The basic premise from this is not my own. That idea belongs to Gravenimage from his story "Am I worthy to love you?". I did change though how naruto reacted in a big way because for me, it hurts way worse to remember how sad you made someone you cared about over them being angry at you. I really loved his premise from the beginning and really wanted to take it my own way. My story will be completely different from the one he wrote (He's actually given up on everything naruto for the past 9 years now and abandoned all his naruto fics). One last comparison between Gravenimages fic and mine. This one will NOT end up in a harem. Naruto will end up with ONE woman only.

I'll be up front with you all. This is the first time I have EVER written any fan fiction and the first time I have written at this length in my life. Not even my college papers were this long.

My current work is in the Computer Science field so I have very little writing experience outside the required classes I was forced to take. I'm hoping a few people will enjoy this first chapter. I have the next few chapters in my head with the scenes I want to write. I also have the story in broad strokes with what I want to happen as well. The ending I have in mind is similar to an old Evangelion fan fiction I read in my high school years (This fic was started and completed before 9/11 happened). I'm curious if anyone will guess this fic or not. Anyways please leave comments on how I can improve my writing. I'd really appreciate the help as I only do this in my free time.

Chapter 2: Say Hello 2 Heaven

Based on feedback from chapter one, I have decided to drop using honorifics going forward for the most part. I have also gone back and taken them out of the first chapter as well.

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Konohagakure main hospital, morning, 4 days till Naruto's departure.

Silence had finally fallen upon Sasuke Uchiha. The Medical-nin had come in earlier to discharge Sasuke's former roommate, which left him all alone with peace and quiet. Not that Sasuke noticed as he had returned to the land of unconsciousness after he woke up the previous night. This was a different kind of dream though.

He was standing in the middle of a vast shallow ocean. The water coming just to under his kneecaps. Surrounding him was a dense fog that he couldn't see through. A chill came to his body in this dreamscape, and he felt goose bumps starting to form. Slowly, he started treading water, looking to see if there was anything else in this god forsaken place. He was about to give up his search when he finally heard something.

"S-S-S-S-Sasuke" The Uchiha boy turned to the direction of the voice but saw nothing through the fog. After his brief pause, he started to walk again, this time towards where the sound had come from.

"S-S-S-S-Sasuke" There was the voice again, only this time it came from another direction. Sasuke was getting tired of this little game.

"Whoever you are, come out and face me!" Sasuke proclaimed, hoping this creature will accept the challenge. He then heard a large creature starting to move, but it wasn't walking. No, it was slithering to him. Eventually, out of the fog he saw a giant snake head appear. Its sharp yellow eyes trained on its target. Sasuke went into a defensive stance and tried to grab a kunai, but his hand found nothing.

"There's no need to be afraid Sasuke, I'm only here to help you." The snake hissed out. The voice of the serpent had changed. It sounded familiar to Sasuke now. It almost sounded like...

"Orochimaru?" Sasuke said questioningly. He soon got his answer. The snake looked like it was about regurgitate. When the giant snake finally did open its mouth, Orochimaru's head was there. He continued to slither further and further out of the snake until he finally landed in the water below. Once out of the snake, he turned on his back and kicked himself up from the ground. He then turned to Sasuke.

"Yes Sasuke, It's me, Orochimaru." The snake sannin said this with just a bit of theatrics. Before he could continue, Sasuke asked him a question.

"Is this the curse marks doing that's allowing you to communicate with me in my mind?" Sasuke deduced. He knew Orochimaru had a vast knowledge of jutsu and a trick like this would be right up his alley.

"Indeed Sasuke, it's the curse mark that is allowing me to be here right now." Orochimaru answered the black-haired boy. Seeing as Sasuke was satisfied with this answer, Orochimaru continued with a small chuckle.

"I see you had trouble leaving your pathetic village." He spoke in a mocking tone. Sasuke at first scoffed at the snake sannin in front of him before retorting.

"I would have made it out if it wasn't for that damned Naruto. That little shit just keeps getting in my way." Sasuke verbalized with a fire starting to burn inside him. Oh, how he wanted to wring the neck of the orange jacket wearing boy.

Orochimaru laughed to himself a little bit more. It seems Sasuke's and Naruto's relationship is starting to mirror his own past relationship with Jiraiya. Finishing his small laugh to himself, Orochimaru became more serious.

"We can't change the past; we can only move forward and adapt. That is why I'm here right now. To adapt your training." Orochimaru stated this as clearly as he could.

"How are you going to do that? I did not reach you and Konohagakure will certainly be watching me like a hawk, so I'll have no chance to escape that wretched place." Sasuke proclaimed this with anger at the situation, but mostly at himself.

"Oh Sasuke, you underestimate me. I had a plan thought up just in case you did fail to get to me. Tell me, what do you think this place is?" Orochimaru asserted to the Uchiha.

Sasuke at first scoffed at Orochimaru before retorting, "Obviously it's a realm inside my mind."

"Oh no Sasuke, that's not entirely correct. You see your mind is the catalyst for this, but this place was created by the curse mark. From here, I can train you as if I was there in the flesh." Orochimaru decided to let this sink in a bit, knowing that Sasuke would have questions.

"If you could do this all along, why have me escape?" Sasuke finally said after taking a few moments to gather his thoughts.

"There is a drawback to using the curse mark like this. I can only visit you twice a week and only for a few hours at most." Orochimaru frowned ever so slightly having to say this. He was going to have to work on this aspect of curse mark when he either fixed his arms OR gets his new body.

Satisfied with this answer, Sasuke nodded his head in understanding. "Well, if you only have a few hours then let's not waste any more time." Sasuke said this, wanting to get the ball rolling.

A grin suddenly formed on the face of Orochimaru as he said back to Sasuke, "Let's get started then shall we."

For the next few hours, Orochimaru laid out his plan for Sasuke. What he should do on the days they couldn't meet. How to prepare for these sessions. What items he will need to get. All this so Orochimaru would have the perfect vessel when he could swap bodies again. Near the end of this little session, Orochimaru gave Sasuke some parting words.

"Unfortunately for you, you are not strong enough yet to escape from Konohagakure on your own. You will have to bide your time until the right moment strikes and then you can be free from the claws of that place." With this said, Orochimaru faded away in front of Sasuke until the boy was all alone.

He soon woke up back in his bed, it was now afternoon. He rubbed his eyes with his hands, adjusting to the sunshine entering the room. Once they were adjusted, he took a glance around the room. His eyes fell upon a man who had not previously been here. This man had already seen that Sasuke had awoken and was already putting his book away in his pocket.

"I see you are finally awake Sasuke." The man spoke aloud as he strolled his way to Sasuke's side in a calm and relaxed manner. The boy in the bed was clearly irritated, he had not wanted to see the man next to his bed so soon after waking up.

"Why are you here Kakashi?" Sasuke questioned his uninvited guest. Kakashi responded to this inquiry by giving the boy an eye smile and a grin behind his face covering and vocalized.

"I had heard you finally awoke and wanted to be the first person to greet you. After all you are my student, and I have to look out for you." There was another meaning behind these words and Sasuke at once knew Kakashi wasn't being completely truthful with him.

"I'll ask you again, why are you really here?" Sasuke said again, showing a little antagonism in his tone. Dropping his eye smile and grin behind his clothed mask, Kakashi articulated.

"I forget sometimes how smart you are Sasuke. I wasn't lying when I said I was here to look out for you. The extent I will be watching out for you though has greatly increased." This got Sasuke's attention. He raised his brow in a confused manner, hoping Kakashi would continue with his dialogue.

Kakashi started to lean closer to his student. He had to make sure Sasuke clearly heard what he was about to say. "You know, a lot of your fellow shinobi got seriously hurt trying to get you back. The worst though was Naruto. I had to revive him after your little battle in the valley." Kakashi uttered solemnly, remembering just how close he was to losing another member of his team.

Mentally, Sasuke was extremely pleased with himself, hearing about he had managed to kill the blond genin, if only briefly. Sasuke didn't let this pleasure show on his face, it would only bring further questions, and he wanted to end this conversation as quickly as possible. Not seeing a reaction from the black-haired boy, Kakashi went on ahead.

"Just because you are back does not mean things will go back to normal. We have seen just how far you are willing to go for your vengeance." Kakashi paused for a moment before collecting himself. "You were never considered a missing-nin, officially it was called a kidnaping. It would be awkward if we imprisoned you as soon as you left the hospital."

Kakashi's tone turned even more serious as he ventured more into his speech. "That doesn't mean you are getting off the hook so easily though. The Hokage has decided that until we believe you are no longer an escape risk, you will be under house arrest and will not be able to leave Konohagakure unless escorted."

Sasuke's mood instantly soured at this news. He had expected it, but he still felt anger and frustration at his current circumstances. Sasuke remembered Orochimaru's final words to him before he woke up and relaxed ever so slightly. He would indeed leave this place on his own accord. He just needed time.

"Even inside the walls of this city, you will not be alone. If you are not being accompanied by me, you will be tailed by ANBU and if they even get a thought in their heads that you might be escaping again, they have been told to consider you a missing-nin and deal with you as such." Kakashi gravely said to the seated boy.

Sasuke didn't care though. Although Kakashi and the ANBU were formidable. Once he collected enough strength, there would be nothing holding him back on his quest. Calmly, he turned his head to his teacher and asked him, "I assume you will still be teaching me then?"

Kakashi nodded his head in agreement and told Sasuke, "Again, it would look weird if I didn't continue your education. Plus, this gives me an easy excuse to keep an eye on you and see if you will truly stay in Konohagakure this time."

At the mention of the village again, Sasuke felt fury rise in him. He smothered it and steeled himself for his next response. "I see, will there be anything else from this conversation? If not, I want you to leave."

Seeing as how the Uchiha boy was still connected to the machines in the room. In addition to the obvious pain Sasuke was still in but hiding it well. Kakashi knew he wouldn't even think of escaping for the time being.

"No, there is nothing else. I'll let you be then." Kakashi phrased as he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him. The adrenaline was starting to leave Sasuke's body, and he started to feel the pain return. Oddly though, despite this pain, Sasuke had a half grin on his face.

XxX

Streets of Konohagakure, late evening, 3 days until Naruto's departure

Sakura finally started to feel some joy return to her life after she heard that Sasuke had finally awoken. Her actions that she had done upon Sasuke's return still lived on in her mind, but she was able to push them back while she focused on Sasuke. That boy was the very reason she was currently in the streets of Konohagakure.

I wonder what I should get Sasuke. Flowers? No, Ino already left flowers for him. A card? Damnit, Ino beat me to that too. Come to think of it, despite all the time I've spent with him, I don't really know Sasuke all that well. He's always been so distant and cold. I need to break him out of that.

Coming up with nothing else to buy for the boy, Sakura decided to buy him some dango to change up his hospital diet a bit. What flavors does he like? Does he even like dangos? Of course he does! Who doesn't like dangos?

After making her food purchase, she made her way towards the hospital where the only light currently in her life was. As she was walking towards her destination, she saw Ino coming from the opposite direction. Sakura tried to avoid eye contact with Ino but failed. The blonde kunoichi quickly turned her head away in disgust from Sakura, clearly still mad at her. This once again started bringing back the memories of what happened only a few days ago but she quickly pushed them back down. She wasn't ready yet to fully confront what she had done.

She eventually arrived at the hospital and gingerly walked in. She was finally going to talk to the boy she was infatuated with after all these weeks again! She didn't need to ask for directions this time and so went ahead to the stairs to the second floor and now stood in front of the door of the room that Sasuke was in. She had already heard Naruto was discharged the previous day and so she had no fear that the Hyūga princess would make good on her earlier threat.

She was nervous and her body was trembling a bit. She needed to get through to Sasuke, get him to open up. Then everything could eventually go back to the way it was. In the darkest corners of her mind though, she knew that was an impossibility, but she easily ignored it. She clenched her hand, brought it up, and knocked on the door.

Silence

After a few seconds of hearing nothing coming from the room, she thought maybe he had not heard her or maybe he was still asleep. If he was asleep, she was going to stay in the room until he woke up. She then opened the door. Shadows formed in front of her due to the harsh light behind her and the darkness that was in front. Despite the lack of light, she was easily able to see Sasuke and he was sitting up, not even looking in her direction.

So, he is awake. Did he not hear me knock or is he deliberately ignoring me?

These thoughts swam in her head as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her as darkness once again ruled the room. She took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the blackness.

"Umm, I'm sorry if I woke you up. You must be tired and in pain still." She could still see the IV drip next to him, giving him fluids and pain killer medication. She strolled over to the table in the room with the flowers and card on them and placed her dangos down.

"I brought you some food, so you are not stuck eating this bland hospital crap." Again, no response from the black haired Uchiha. Not even a glance in her direction, if anything it seemed he was averting his face even more.

Why is he acting so strange? Does he perhaps feel shame or guilt about what he did? Did the curse mark perhaps make him forget what he was doing while escaping? Does he just want to be left alone right now? Or perhaps it's just me he doesn't want to see.

That last thought stung Sakura quite hard. She wanted to be there for Sasuke and help him get better. She needed this just as much as he needed it, she thought to herself. After placing the food on the table, she went to the boy's bed side. Hoping he would acknowledge her presence. Now that she was here, she was at a loss for what to say. All her earlier interactions she had in her head about this moment completely vanished from her mind, leaving her with no words to speak. For the first time since she stepped into the room, she wasn't the one to break the silence.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke muttered eerily the same way he asked the very same question to Kakashi. His head though never turned up to Sakura as he spoke this.

Delighted that the boy was finally acknowledging her, she retorted, "It should be obvious. It's because I love you and you are my teammate, and I wanted to see how you were doing." Sakura uttered with as much compassion as her voice could muster. If Sasuke noticed the tone change, he didn't make it known as he was still not looking at her.

Feeling irritated by her presence, Sasuke coldly replied, "You can see I'll be ok. Now leave." The annoyance he conveyed in his message struck Sakura hard. She was hoping for a little more conversation from her love, but it seemed he wasn't in the best of moods right now.

Sakura could now start to feel her heart break ever so slightly at his words. It wasn't a big break, but it was there. Something was telling her that this is how certain blonde-haired knucklehead felt when he was being sincere and rejected countless times. She decided that it would indeed be best if she left now.

"O-Ok Sasuke. I'll come by and see you tomorrow then." She muttered in a quiet voice that Sasuke could barely hear. She spun around and walked to the door and opened it. Letting golden light to once again flow into the room. She gave one last look at the light of her life and then slowly closed the door, leaving the boy to his darkness.

XxX

Yamanaka Flowers, afternoon, 1 day until Naruto's departure

Ino Yamanaka was bored. Super bored. So bored that she would rather her teeth be pulled out than to sit here for a minute longer. The early morning rush her families shop experienced was now in the rear view mirror and it left Ino alone holding down the shop while her mother went out for deliveries.

"ugggh" Ino exclaimed as her forehead hit the counter. "Could someone please show up, I'd take even forehead coming in for a chat." Her mind then started replaying the events of the past few days. From that fateful day with Sakura, to the discussion with Shikamaru, to her chats with her fellow blonde-haired shinobi, to finally her finally seeing Sasuke this morning before the shop opened.

Sasuke barely spoke to her when she arrived. It was like he was distracted by something but by what she hadn't the faintest clue. Getting fed up with the silence coming from the Sasuke, she left earlier than she had expected and opened the shop early with her mom. Her infatuation with the Uchiha has been slowly eroding away the more she got to see him. Fate had decided to relieve Ino of her boredom and she heard the front door open with the ring of a bell signaling the person's entrance.

Ino picked up her head from the counter, straightened her clothes, and shouted out with excitement, "Welcome to Yamanaka Flowers! What can we do...Naruto?" Her voice went from excitement to more sincere when she saw the boy with whiskers on his cheeks.

Naruto closed the door behind him and shouted back, "Hey Ino, how have things been going for you?" Naruto uttered in a surprisingly upbeat voice. Who wouldn't be excited when you were only a day away from beginning a whole new adventure!

"It's got much better now that you are here. You are the first customer we have had in over an hour. My mom is currently out doing deliveries so I'm stick here and can't leave till she comes back." She moaned out, getting the cobwebs out of her mind.

Naruto walked towards the counter that Ino was behind, chuckling as he proclaimed, "Well, I'm glad I was able to save you from your boredom." Naruto truly was glad he could help his fellow blonde kunoichi. There talk a couple of days ago did open his eyes to her. Not in a romantic way, he wasn't ready for that, perhaps ever. No, he was hoping they would become good friends when he returned from his little trip.

The two of them once again chatted for a bit, recalling academy stories, Naruto talking about the various pranks he used to pull, Ino talking about the strange rumors that went around the school. It was a very pleasant conversation that sadly had to come to an end as he remembered why he came here in the first place.

"Actually, there is something important I wanted to tell you Ino. Don't worry though, it's not a bad thing I promise." Naruto tried to get ahead of any feelings of dread Ino might have felt when he got more serious. It seemed to do the trick as she retorted.

"What is it Naruto?" She asked questioningly. She had no clue what important thing he wanted to talk about. Could it be another mission he was about to go on? Did he perhaps get promoted to Chūnin? It turned out none of these were correct.

"Tomorrow I'll be leaving with pervy sage to continue my training. He's planning on taking me everywhere with him for the next 3 years so I can learn from him." Naruto said with a mixture of excitement and seriousness. Ino had a clarifying question, one that needed to be asked as she heard his future teacher's title.

A chill started to enter the shop. It was emanating from Ino Yamanaka. Glaring at Naruto she said with a hint of danger, "You are going to leave for 3 years to learn from a man called pervy sage? Just WHAT will he be teaching you?"

Naruto gulped when he heard Ino speak. A sweat drop appeared on the back of his head.Oh, that's right. She doesn't know who pervy sage is. I need to clear this up quickly before I end up back in the hospital.

"That's what I call Jiraiya. Sorry about the confusion." Naruto pleaded with Ino, hoping to save his skin by clearing this up.

As quickly as the chill had come, it left just as fast. Ino now no longer giving Naruto a death glare, needed to be sure he was talking about the same Jiraiya that she was thinking of.

"Jiraiya? You mean the sannin Jiraiya? That's who's going to be training you?" Naruto nodded his head yes, confirming her suspicions. "I have to say Naruto, you sure get a lot of legendary teachers. Stop hogging all the good sensei's, would ya?" She said jokingly and giving him a light punch on the arm, all in good fun.

Naruto laughed when she gave him the punch and responded with, "I'll make sure to leave you with a good one as well."

"So, who else have you told so far?" Ino queried the blonde in front of her. She was genuinely curious at who he considered important enough in his life to tell them personally he was going away for 3 years.

"You are actually the first person I have told." Ino felt something hearing that she was the first person he had told, it quickly went away when he continued. "I was originally going to tell Hinata first, but Hiashi told me that Neji had finally woken up, along with the rest of the retrieval team. Hiashi said that Hinata had gone down to the hospital to see Neji. Your shop happens to be on the way to the hospital, so I figured I'd stop by and tell you first." Naruto took a moment to catch his breath after that long winded explanation.

If anyone knew Ino, they knew she loved to tease. It was one of her favorite past times. Unfortunately, the man she liked was never receptive to her advances. She wondered how her fellow blonde would react to what she was about to do.

In a VERY teasing tone, Ino spoke. "Ah, I wasn't the first girl on your mind? What do I have to do to be first next time Goldie?" Ino said as she leaned over the counter, giving him a better look at her figure.

Naruto's mind was stunned. This was the first time he had ever been teased like this, and he had no idea how to react. He knew for sure that he didn't want any romantic ties now, but he's also a growing teenager and was starting to get raging hormones in his system. Not only was this the first time he was being teased, but he was also being teased by the girl most of the other boys found to be the most pretty in the academy.

"U-U-U-U-hhhh" was all Naruto could stutter out before a huge blush came across his face. Ino could only give a full hearty laugh at what had just happened between the 2 blondes.

"I kid, I kid Naruto! Kami I needed that laugh." She exclaimed while trying to get herself under control. She soon leaned back to her original position. She felt wonderful right now. It was nice having a friend like Naruto around. She also just now learned that he was receptive to her teasing. Oh, she was going to enjoy this in the future. She did have to say though, he did look oddly cute while blushing with those whiskers on his face.

Naruto took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. I wonder if that was just a one-time thing. Kami, I hope it was. I don't know what I'll do if I get embarrassed like that again.Fate would show eventually that it had it out for the boy in this regard.

Just then, the backdoor opened and out stepped Ino's Mother. "Oh, who's this boy Ino?" Ino's mom queried her daughter.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki, he's the one I told you about who was on the mission to rescue Sasuke." She had to lie to her mom about the rescue part. She had learned from Shikamaru in the previous days that Sasuke had not been kidnapped but willfully left the village to seek out Orochimaru. The kidnapping part was a story concocted by the hokage at the behest of Naruto and Sakura so that he wouldn't be considered a missing-nin.

Ino's mother turned to Naruto and gave him a slight smile as she bowed slightly to him. "Thanks for rescuing Sasuke. Ino was worried sick about the boy and what could have happened to him."

"Oh, it was nothing. He's my friend and teammate so I would have done anything for him." Naruto uttered and then continued. "I was actually just about to head to the hospital to see how the rest of the team is doing. Thanks for having me here." Naruto bowed his head to the Yamanaka matriarch. After bringing his head back up, Naruto turned on his feet and started to march towards the front of the shop.

"Hold up Naruto." Ino articulated with an air of authority. It stopped Naruto in his tracks. "Mom, can I join him? I want to see how Chōji and the rest are doing as well. The shop has been dead for the past hour anyways and we don't have our usual rushes for the rest of the day."

Ino's mother thought through this for a few moments and then replied. "Normally I would say no, but since it is your teammate you are checking in on and I have completed all the deliveries already. Sure, you can go!" Ino's mother uttered this, hoping to bring up her spirits even more.

"YAY!" Ino shouted out and ran to her mom to pull her into a big hug. "Thank you so much! I'll be back in time for dinner!" Ino's mother could only chuckle at her daughter's enthusiasm.

Ino released her hug of her mom and strolled to Naruto. "Lead the way, Goldie!" Ino announced in a triumphant fashion.

It was only now that Naruto realized what Ino had called him now, was the same name she did earlier when she was teasing him. "Are you going to call me that from now on?" Naruto groaned out his question, and to his horror she told him

"You know it!"

Just what have I signed myself up for? Well at least I'll have company when I see the guys. It will be less awkward this way. And so, the 2 friends started making their way to the main hospital in Konohagakure.

XxX

Konohagakure main hospital, afternoon, 1 day till Naruto's departure.

Hinata Hyūga was now in front of Neji's room. When she heard that he and the others were finally awake and doing well, she rushed to the hospital to see how they were doing for herself. She had debated with herself all throughout her walk if she should stop and get something for all 3 boys but decided against it. It would have taken too long for her to come up with a personal gift for all 3 of them.

When she had arrived at the hospital, she saw that Shikamaru was leaving the hospital as well. He wanted to personally see how they were all doing and to ask forgiveness for his failings in the mission. Of course, they all said there was nothing to be sorry for but still forgave him none the less. After this exchange, he started walking back to his compound, muttering something under his breath about a troublesome woman. Hinata paid it no mind though as she was glad the boys were getting visitors from friends.

Now she stood in front of Neji's room. She could feel her nerves starting to get a hold of her. She knew what she was about to ask was highly unusual and against tradition, but it was the only way to help Naruto.

Hinata gained her confidence back upon thinking of the Uzumaki genin and proceeded to open the door to Neji's room. When she entered the room, her eyes first glanced to her teammate Kiba. She was glad to see that he was asleep and looked at peace. Her eyes then turned to her cousin's bed on the opposite side of the room.

Neji had been awake for a while. Contemplating his life until this stage. He looked back on how he acted and came to regret a lot of his actions. Would he take them all back? Some yes like attempting to kill Hinata but for the most part he wouldn't change what he had done. It made him who he was currently, and he quick liked his current situation... minus the whole hospital bit, that he wishes was changed.

When he heard the door open, his eye lids lifted and revealed his milky eyes to the world. He trained those eyes onto the visitor in the room. It was his cousin Hinata. He sat up from his bed to get a better view of the girl, ignoring the pain the action did to him.

"Please sit back down Neji, you are still in a great amount of pain." Hinata said with a worried tone to her voice. Neji was loath to admit but she was right, and so, he sat himself back down and spoke to her.

"Kiba's still resting. You should go into the waiting room." A tense air started forming between the 2 Hyūga. Neji did regret what he tried to do to Hinata, but not enough time had passed to heal the wounds. It would take a lot longer than a few months before he could fully let go of his animosity.

"Umm, actually, I'm also here to see you too." Hinata announced to the boy. Neji closed his eyes again and retorted to his cousin.

"I'm doing fine now, just in pain. You can leave now." Neji sternly said but to his surprise, not a lot of anger. He really didn't want to talk to the Hyūga princess right now as he was still dealing with his own issues.

Undeterred by his statement, Hinata elaborated. "I didn't come just to see how you are doing." Hinata uttered as she started to walk to his bed side. The caused Neji to open his milky eyes again and he gave a curious glance to the main branch Hyūga member. What else could she be here for if not just to see how Kiba and himself were doing?

Once she got close enough to Neji's side, she hardened her resolve to say what she was about to say. She bowed to Neji. "Once you are out of here, I ask that you train me please." She finally told aloud the words that had plaguing her thoughts for the past few days.

Neji took some time the think over what had just happened. The person who he had tried to kill in the exams those months back was now seeking his help to train. There truly had to be no fate if something like this could happen. Unfortunately, he knew he couldn't deny her request.

Neji, with some venom in his voice, uttered out. "Because of this," Neji said as he pointed to the seal on his forehead, "I can't deny your request even if I wanted to."

Hinata had not foreseen how this request could be misconstrued. In all her life she had never used the seal to force someone to do her bidding, it was completely against what she stood for. With her head still bowed to the boy, she continued.

"This isn't a demand from me. You are free to deny me if you wish." Hinata spoke. She could feel her will starting to crumble a little under her cousin's gaze but kept firm in her course of action.

Now this was truly a sight to behold for Neji. A main branch member was not ORDERING a side branch member to do something but instead ASKING and to top it all off, said main branch member was BOWING to the side branch member while doing so. If it hadn't been for Naruto shattering his views on destiny before, this moment may have very well also caused those views to crumble.

Neji felt something rise in him, whether hate or something else he didn't know but it was there. In this situation, Neji had only one question he could answer back with.

"And if I refuse?" Neji said with as much seriousness as he could muster. If he had a choice in this matter, then he didn't want to train her. Wounds still too fresh to his mind and ego, and he wasn't ready for it.

Hinata knew Neji would say something like this. She knew of his hatred to the main branch was still there despite the changes he had made in the past few months. She hoped that he would give her a chance to explain herself more thoroughly.

"Then I would ask you to hear my reasons for seeking you out." Hinata muttered, still bowing to her cousin. She wanted him to know just how serious she was in this request.

Neji was growing more curious as this conversation was going along. He knew Hinata's personality quite well and her current actions were at odds with what he pictured of the young princess. What could have possibly changed within her to act this way. He had a suspicion that it would lie within the reasons she wanted to tell him.

"Alright, I'll hear you out, but I offer no guarantees it will change my mind in the slightest." Neji said curtly. He didn't think anything Hinata could say would change his decision. He was simply curious as to why the Hyūga girl was changing.

Finally raising from her bow, Hinata took a deep breath before she began. "It's because of Naruto. I need to become better for his sake." Hinata blurted out to her cousin. There was no going back for her now and she pressed on. "I've cared about him for the longest time and seeing what happened to him changed me. I've seen how he never gives up, despite his circumstances and I admire him greatly for that. He's confident in everything he does, and I want that confidence too." She paused for a few seconds to catch her breath. As she was saying these things to Neji, she felt a warmth rising in her. It felt good. She tried to convey this warmth to Neji as best she could in her tone and inflections, and she hoped he could see that.

"I-I don't want to be the meek little girl I used to be. I need to become a strong woman for his sake, for my sake! Please Neji, I beg you to train me!" Hinata almost shouted out but kept herself in check. She was once again bowing to her cousin to show just how much she needed this. What felt like an eternity passed between the two Hyūga. Hinata was starting to lose her cool until she finally heard something from Neji. She had expected a myriad of responses to her reasoning. The one she was not prepared for was laughter.

Despite the feelings in his body, Neji Hyūga was giving the biggest laugh of his life. Hinata decided to stand straight up, confused at what Neji could have found so funny about her reasoning. He laughed for a good long while before he finally started to calm down and collect himself.

"What's with Naruto and our clan? First you, then myself, and finally your father Hiashi." Neji said this while wiping the tears from his face. He had never laughed for so long and boy did he need to feel this. "He's single handedly changing this clan for the better."

Hinata, though still confused, at least saw that Neji wasn't laughing at her but more at how much a single boy had affected their lives. She patiently waited for Neji to continue.

"So, you really mean it when you said you wanted me to train you?" Neji queried and got a nod of approval from Hinata.

Well, I do owe Naruto for showing me the errors in my philosophy. This training may also go a long way to helping me with my animosity toward the main branch.

Neji took a few seconds to figure out what he wanted to say. He eventually found the words and said, "Ok Hinata, I will train you. Make no mistake though, I'm mainly doing this for myself and for Naruto." Neji let that set in before further adding, "When I get out of here, I will seek you out and then we can begin. Do you understand me?"

YES! Neji accepted! I need to take this seriously. I can't let this opportunity go to waste.

With a huge grin on her face, Hinata responded with, "I understand. Thank you so much cousin." Satisfied with her response, Neji uttered out.

"Good, now if you don't mind, do please leave. I need to get some more rest now." Neji said this not with malice, but with a hint of warmth towards his cousin. Neji saw just what Naruto meant to her, and he was glad a good influence had come into the Hyūga clan's lives.

Hinata took another bow towards her cousin, and then walked out the door, shutting the door behind her. She had gotten what she wanted and couldn't be happier in this moment. She went down to the waiting room and sat in there, waiting for her teammate Kiba to awaken so she can see how he's feeling. She saw people coming and going through the main hospital doors but paid them no mind. That is, until 2 blondes walked through.

"Can you please stop calling me Goldie? It's embarrassing!" Naruto pleaded with his fellow blonde while looking up into the ceiling but to no avail.

Ino chuckled at Naruto's statement, but she was undeterred and turned her face to him. "But it's so fun seeing your reaction to it." Naruto groaned at her response. It was embarrassing but he found it becoming less so the more he heard it. It was also nice to finally have a non-negative nickname for the first time in his life. He brought his head down to look at his surroundings and he saw the very person who had had expected to meet first today.

"Hey, Hinata! Glad I could catch you before you left." Naruto exclaimed, remembering what Hiashi had told him this morning. Hinata had noticed Naruto when he first came in. She once again started feeling warm again just seeing him. Then she saw that Naruto wasn't alone.

I see he's brought someone along...and it's Ino. They seem to be getting along so casually. Wait, am I jealous of Ino? No, stop it Hinata, he's just being his usual self. I should be happy he's finally starting to make new friends. Still though...

"Uhhh, Hinata? Did you hear me?" Naruto questioned the dark blue haired kunoichi as he walked over to her in the waiting room. This brought Hinata out of her thoughts and she responded.

"S-Sorry about that. Ummm, what did you want to see me about?" Hinata questioned Naruto right back. Ino was now beside them both, only observing the proceedings. She already knew what he was going to say, and she wanted to see Hinata's reaction.

"It's actually some super cool news! I'm going to be leaving the village with Jiraiya for the next 3 years and he is going to be training me!" Naruto made sure to refer to pervy sage as Jiraiya just to avoid another Ino incident.

Hinata's heart sank when she heard the news. Three years? THREE YEARS? I'm not going to see him for 3 years!? No, no this can't be. He and I were finally starting to have a real connection and now I have to wait 3 years to build on that?

"Are you sure you are ok Hinata? You look gloomy all of a sudden." Naruto remarked about the Hyūga princess.

"Oh, sorry about that, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought." She replied in a nervous manner that went over Naruto's head but not Ino's. "W-Well I'm happy for you Naruto. I've heard great things about Jiraiya, and I know you will learn a lot from him." She further said but this time without the nervousness in her voice.

Suddenly another question came to her mind, and she had to know it's answer. "Ummm, when will you be leaving? I'd at least like to see you off." Hinata uttered. This would give her some time to prepare for his departure. The answer she got back was not to her liking.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow at noon from the main gate. I know it's really sudden, but I want to get started training as soon as possible." Naruto blurted out.

Again, Hinata's heart sank even further. That gives me only a little over 24 hours to prepare myself! I don't think I can do it that quickly!

Hinata quickly halted this train of thought before Naruto could worry about her again. "O-Ok then, I'll see you off tomorrow then?" Hinata queried him, hoping he would accept the invitation to see him again.

"Of course, Hinata! I'd be glad to see you again before I left!" Naruto exclaimed with vigor, causing the girl to blush, that again went by Naruto but not Ino. This brought a lot of joy to Hinata knowing the man she loved wanted to see her before he departed. Ready or not, she was going to be there tomorrow for him.

"W-Well I should go and see if Kiba is awake now. He went back to sleep before I got here." She said gloomily, not wanting to part from Naruto's presence. Fortunately for her, she wouldn't be out of his presence for a while.

"Why don't you join Ino and I and see Chōji? We can visit the others after that as well. What do you say?" Naruto asked Hinata, himself not wanting her to leave just yet. He didn't have to wait that long for an answer.

"YES, I-I mean yes I would like to join you." She said the first yes a little too loudly and felt embarrassed by it, especially as it got a chuckle from Naruto.

"Well then let's go, we don't have all day." Naruto sounded out excitedly as he started to make his way to Chōji's room. The blonde and dark blue haired kunoichi's flanked both sides of him as he was walking.

Oh, she has such a HUGE crush on Naruto it's adorable! They would make a pretty fine couple. Their strength's and weakness's in their personality's match up really well. It seems I have a new thing I can tease Naruto about as well as Hinata.

Ino was going to have a lot of fun with these 2 when Naruto comes back in 3 years' time. Although, she too felt the slightest hint of jealousy thinking of the 2 together.

XxX

Konohagakure main hospital, 30 minutes till Naruto's departure.

Today's visit was so far, a mirror image of all of Sakura's previous visits to her black-haired crush. She had shown up with a gift and placed it next to her untouched previous gifts. Her previous attempts to get him to open up either about himself or why he left in the first place had all ended in failure. Every time he gave her the silent treatment until he eventually told her to just leave. It had frustrated the pinkette.

Sakura was determined to make this time different. She had already placed her gift right next to the untouched other gifts she had given Sasuke. That same teenager was still in the bed but without the machines attached to him. It seemed he would be going home either tonight or tomorrow. She walked towards him and now stood in front of his bed. Sasuke had already turned his face away from his teammate.

Frustrated that all she had been doing for Sasuke seemed to go to waste. She stomped her foot on the ground and got mad at her love for the first time. "Look Sasuke, I've been trying my best to finally get you to talk to me these past few days. I have come every day since you woke up to talk to you and you have refused me every time!" She said with some anger in her voice. Even if she did love him, there was only so much of this a person could take.

"I hardly know anything about you! Why won't you open up to anybody? Why won't you open up to me?" Her anger was also starting to make her eyes tear up a bit. "I just want to get to know you better!" She truly knew almost nothing about the man she loved, and it was starting to scare her a bit.

This finally got a reaction from Sasuke. He sat up from his bed and turned his face towards Sakura. Glaring at her, he finally spoke. "You want to know something about me? Fine, I'll tell you something."

Finally, I'm making progress with Sasuke! Even if I had to get a bit mean to do it. It's worth it. She would soon come to regret these words.

"I hate everything about this village, Its people, its structures, its institutions. I hate it all because it is all holding me back!" This startled Sakura a bit. She knew he was still angry that he was brought back to the village, but she didn't expect this kind of hate she felt emanate from him.

"I hate how I'm stuck here now, not being able to seek the power I need to fulfil my revenge on Itachi. This village is denying me what is rightfully mine!" Sasuke said in a low roar with venom laced in his words. Sakura bravely held her ground as he continued his rant despite the anguish she was starting to feel.

"I don't need friendships, I don't need love, I don't need teammates. I need only power and I will never acquire the power I need if I stay in this village." Sasuke's voice was filled with wrath as he made sure his former teammate understood how far he would go for his vengeance.

Sakura had a single tear come down her cheek. "Why Sasuke? Does vengeance mean so much to you that you would forsake everything we have built together? Why can't we just go back to how things used to be in team 7. We were so happy then!" Sakura voiced her thoughts, and her words contained the hurt she was now feeling at the Uchiha teenager. Laughter was the last thing she was expecting to come from the man she loved.

Sasuke gave out a maniacal laugh as Sakura finished her statement. After collecting himself, he finally responded. "For the supposedly smartest girl in our class, you can be absolutely moronic at times. Let me tell you this just once. I was never happy with team 7, I never want to go back to what I was before. And, even if I did want to go back to how things were. That will be impossible with Naruto leaving soon." Sasuke's last sentence caught Sakura off guard.

"What do you mean he's leaving soon? For how long?" She hadn't been told by anyone that Naruto was leaving soon. Granted she really had not been interacting with anyone outside Sasuke and her parents. Ino, Shikamaru, and Naruto all seemed to be avoiding her ever since her blow up at Naruto those days ago.

"HAHAHAHA, I guess even he got tired of you! I overheard Jiraiya and Naruto talking a few days back. They will be leaving for 3 years so that Naruto can train with Jiraiya. I hate that yellow haired freak. He gets to leave and achieve power, and I'm stuck in this Kami forsaken village." Sasuke articulated with as much fury as he could muster.

Naruto's going to be gone for 3 years? That's too long! I know we are not on good terms right now, but I can't face him right now. It's too soon and the wounds too fresh for both of us.

"When is Naruto leaving? Please tell me!" She pleaded at Sasuke to give her an answer.

Sasuke looked at the clock in the room and smiled to himself. "He leaves in 20 minutes from the main gate. Better hurry if you want to see him again." Sasuke uttered this in a mocking fashion.

20 minutes? OH NO, I will barely have time to make it there. I need to leave right now! I'm not ready for this though! What will I say to him when I see him for the last time in 3 years?

The pinkette halted her thoughts for the moment. She left the foot of the Uchiha boys' bed and went to open a window and leapt out, using her kunoichi skills to leap roof top to roof top. All while a black-haired boy laughed from his hospital bed.

XxX

Konohagakure main gate, 5 minutes till Naruto's departure.

Naruto was feeling great. He was about to set out on a whole new adventure and get super strong while doing it. It did pain him to say goodbye to his friends though. He had already said goodbye to Tsunade and Iruka-sensei on account of them being busy with their official duties. He had also said goodbye to Teuchi and Ayame at Ichiraku Ramen. They were sad to see him go and decided to give him a free Ramen bowl to see him off. He was going to miss that place a lot on his travels.

The last group he previously said goodbye to where his teammates on the retrieval mission. They had all woken up finally, and he was able to tell them in person what he was doing. They were all happy for him and each vowed to get just as strong as Naruto did. He would hold them to that. He had also said goodbye to Sasuke. Naruto still considered Sasuke a friend, despite what the Uchiha had done. The two's conversation had been completely one sided though as Sasuke hadn't said a word.

That just left the group, who had decided to meet him at the front gate. They were all already at the main gate when Naruto and Jiraiya arrived.

Shikamaru was the first to step forward. "Man, you had to leave before I normally wake up. You can be a drag sometimes you know that." Shikamaru uttered as he sauntered over to Naruto.

Naruto had to grin at his friend's faux anger. Naruto knew Shikamaru would miss him and vice versa. Shikamaru extended his hand out to Naruto and said, "I'll miss you buddy. Don't think you will be the only one training. I'm going to be putting in more effort than normal...ok even I know that's lie." Naruto gave that statement the laugh it deserved and shook Shikamaru's hand.

"I can't wait to see how strong you become when I get back. We'll have to spar when I do." Naruto enunciated to the pineapple hair boy.

"I think I'll take a pass on that. That would be a pain to go through." Shikamaru replied as he retreated his hand and stood back with the others. Kakashi was the next to step forward.

"I see you are not late for once Kakashi-sensei." Naruto deadpanned out. Kakashi paid it no mind and simply replied with, "If I was late this time, I wouldn't be able to say I'm sorry for 3 years. Can't have that now." Kakashi said to his student as he too stuck out his hand to the blonde genin and gave him the biggest eye smile he could. Naruto eagerly shook his hand.

Kakashi then turned his head to Jiraiya and asked him. "When is the next Icha Icha book going to come out?" Kakashi was dying to know when that book would finally be coming, and he finally had a chance to get a concrete answer.

Jiraiya laughed for his part and leaned over to Kakashi. "I'll be writing it on this journey, and I can guarantee it will be twice as spicy as my last one."

"I'll be holding you to that." Kakashi said to Jiraiya as he stopped his handshake with Naruto and took a step back.

Next to come forward was Ino. She had her hands behind her back, holding a gift for her fellow blonde. "I know you are doing this for a very good reason. But it just sucks I won't be able to see you again for the next 3 years." Ino pouted to Naruto, giving faux sobbing sounds as well.

By now, Naruto was getting to know when Ino was being serious and when she was being playful, and thankfully this was her playful side. He was ecstatic to have gotten to know her over this past week and delighted in calling Ino a good friend even before he left. "Don't worry. These next 3 years will fly by faster than you know it. When I return, you will be one of the first people to know, I promise you that."

"I'll be upset if you don't." Ino retorted back in a joking manner. She then finally brought her hands in front of her. "Here you go, I wanted you to start your journey out on a good note with these dangos." She handed the box to Naruto and let her arms drop to her sides.

Naruto took some time to inspect the box and its contents. Satisfied, he put it in his pack. Ino then reached out to hug the boy. This was going to be the last time she saw him in years and didn't want to regret anything. This move brought curious glances from Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Jiraiya. They were not expecting for Naruto to be on the receiving end of such affection from a girl. Hinata had a different reaction, Jealousy. She couldn't deny that seeing Ino give Naruto that hug made her feel these emotions. She knew it was just platonic affection, but it effected Hinata all the same.

Naruto was initially surprised by such a gesture but quickly returned it. Yes, he was going to miss this very much. "Thanks for the treat. I know I'll enjoy them real soon!" Naruto remarked.

It's your turn now Hinata. I have set the bar. Now let's see if this will motivate you or not.Ino thought to herself as she finished hugging Naruto and went on back to the group.

Hinata was the last of the group to speak to Naruto. She was initially very hesitant, but seeing what Ino had just done, it hardened Hinata's resolve. She stepped forward towards Naruto with no hesitation. In her hands was the gift she had bought for Naruto, a chakra necklace.

She held out her hands in front of Naruto and spoke. "I bought you this chakra necklace, so you can remember me while you are gone. If you put your chakra in it. It will tell you what you are truly feeling in that moment." She was slightly blushing while saying this but was feeling extremely happy.

"Wow Hinata, that's so cool!" He let Hinata deposit the necklace into his hands and proceeded to put it on and poured some of his chakra into pendant attached to the chain. It turned yellow. "Do you know what this color means?" He queried the kunoichi in front of him.

Hinata shook her head no and articulated. "I'm sorry I don't, but I'm sure you will figure it out during your travels. I heard the same color can mean different things for different people." After finishing her statement, she too went in for a hug just like Ino.

That's my girl. I knew you just needed the proper motivation. Ino thought to herself.

This time it was only Jiraiya and Kakashi that gave more curious glances. Shikamaru had already seen what Hinata did for Naruto and so wasn't fazed a bit seeing this public display. Ino had a Chesire grin on her face.

"I'm going to miss you so much Naruto. When you come back, we will all go to Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate our trainings." Hinata uttered, squeezing the boy just ever so slightly more.

This time, when Naruto received the hug, he wasn't surprised at all and had immediately returned it. If one were paying attention to the necklace he just put on. One would have seen the pendant switch to orange. "Thank you so much for this wonderful gift, I'll treasure it forever."

With these last words, both released each other and Hinata took her step back much like the others. She still had a small blush on her cheeks.

"Well kid, are you finally ready to start your new adventure?" Jiraiya vocalized with enthusiasm.

"Yes, I'm ready. Let's go pervy sage!"

"You know I hate that nickname, right?"

"See you later Goldie!"

"You know I hate that nickname, right?"

Both Jiraiya and Naruto then turned from the group and started heading towards the gate. Both were halted when they heard a voice cry out "NARUTO!" It was a voice that made the whisker cheeked shinobi instantly freeze up. Why is she here? He thought to himself.

The person behind said voice was running towards them as fast as her legs could manage. A few seconds after her shout, she finally managed to get close enough behind the 2 departing was desperately afraid that she would be too late and not have her opportunity to say goodbye and at least heal SOME of the damage she had done. Sakura was about to learn how bad she had hurt Naruto that day.

Jiraiya turned around and he recognized her based on all the descriptions Naruto gave of her during their mission to get back Tsunade. Jiraiya had thought it odd that she wasn't there at the gate initially to see them off but chucked it up to Naruto already saying goodbye to her because she was going to be busy.

Now this is interesting. Why wasn't she here in the first place. Clearly, they hadn't said goodbye. Why didn't he say goodbye to her? He was madly in love with her.

"Ah, you must be Sakura, Naruto here told me all about you before and said many wonderous things about you." Jiraiya said, not knowing just how much hurt was between the pinkette and Naruto.

Sakura could only look at the ground in shame upon hearing that. She really didn't feel like a wonderous person for a while now. Jiraiya was going to continue until he was cut off by Naruto.

"Don't worry Jiraiya-sensei, I'll handle this." Naruto uttered aloud not using his sensei's nickname. Now both Jiraiya and Kakashi were viewing this scene with rapt attention. Clearly something big was about to happen and they wanted every detail they could get out of it. Both Ino and Shikamaru had to hold Hinata back before she went up and slapped Sakura again.

Ino whispered into Hinata's ear, "Just stay put, this needs to happen between the two of them." Hinata, clearly still angry at the situation, did as she was told and stayed put and silent. Not without gritting her teeth and bawling her fists mind you.

Naruto continued from his previous statement, without bothering to turn around to the woman who had utterly devastated him. "Why are you here?" Naruto said with a deep cold in his voice. The pendant was now gray.

Taken a little back by his tone, Sakura lifted her head and replied, "You are my friend, I had to see you off before you left!" She pleaded to the boy. She really wasn't ready to do this, but the alternative was way worse.

"You have seen me off. Now you can go back." Again, Naruto hadn't turned around to face Sakura. His tone though was carrying what Sakura thought to be anger.

Of course he would be angry with me. I wouldn't expect anything different if I were in his shoes. You can do this Sakura, at least he is talking to you. Just say the 2 words that need be said.

In an apologetic tone, Sakura started to speak again. "Before you go, I wanted to say that I'm..."

"DON'T, DONT FINISH THAT SENTENCE." Naruto said loudly, his whole body shaking now.

I underestimated just how bad I hurt Naruto. Who knew he could feel so strongly about me.

"Naruto, can you please let me finish?" She was starting to beg him now. She really needed to say these words now or else she was going to regret it for the next 3 years.

"No Sakura, I-I-I just can't. You have Sasuke back. You can go back to ignoring me!" His whole body was still trembling, and his hands were flat against his pants.

Sakura was getting desperate now. She needed to say these words to his face and so she started to walk around and stood in front of Naruto. It was at this moment that all his previous words took on a whole new meaning. Naruto hadn't been shaking in anger; no, it was a catastrophic sadness that caused his trembling. The pendant she noticed was now completely black.

Naruto had been silently crying this whole time. His eyes were shut, his cheeks red, and the tears kept flowing down his whiskers. All the memories rushed back to him and would not let go. He was once again broken and shattered.

Naruto slowly opened his cerulean blue eyes and they caught Sakura's jade green eyes. She finally understood the magnitude of what she had done to me. His eyes no longer had any trace of enthusiasm or affection. There was no love in his eyes. All that was left in his eyes was haunting sadness and hurt that she swore would envelope her and drown her. She gasped as she brought her hands to her mouth in horror. The sun shining down illuminated all his features crystal clear.

Oh Kami, what have I done to him? How could I cause so much pain in my best friend? How was he able to continue like this? Kami, I'm the scum of the earth, the lowest of the low. I've been so blind this entire time! Even after I blew up on him I was still blinded to magnitude of his suffering.

It was now Sakura's turn to cry. Though her tears paled in comparison to Naruto's, they felt no less pain. She had done that to her fellow human being, her teammate, her best friend.

Naruto couldn't stand it any longer, still feeling like the world was ending, he ran. He ran through the gate as fast as he could, nothing stopping him. The tears would not stop flowing even while he ran as fast as he could. Not even the cries of his former friend stopped him this time. Naruto then finally said the words he dreaded saying, if only to himself in this instant. "Goodbye, Sakura."

"NARUTO, WAIT!" Sakura tried to shout out at him and turned to face his slowly shrinking back side. She had utterly fucked up and just wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and rot for a bit. It's where she belonged.

Jiraiya had long since followed Naruto. He needed the details on why the previous interaction had happened. Kakashi for his part was also desperate for details on what exactly happened between 2 of his students. He too could hear the sobbing coming from Sakura and decided it best if he wait to ask for the details. Seeing the pink haired kunoichi friends seemed to know what was going on, he decided to leave the premise and leave them alone.

Shikamaru and Ino finally let go of Hinata. They could feel her anger had washed away upon seeing the boy flee the scene. Now, a profound sadness washed over the Hyūga princess. She thought it best if she simply returned home and let Sakura wallow in her misery.

Shikamaru and Ino for their parts tried to comfort the pinkette. They could tell she was going to be sincere with what she wanted to say, she just couldn't. It helped Sakura but only a bit. The words were on the tip of her tongue the entire time she was in front of Naruto, but she just couldn't say the words until now.

Sakura had fallen to her knees, her hands now holding her face as the water works continued to flow. Through the sobbing, she finally said the words.

"I'm sorry"

XxX

AUTHORS NOTES

First off, I want to assuage any fears again that this will be a harem ending. It will not be and Naruto will be paired with one woman at the end. I can also safely tell you that it will NOT be Ino. The furthest she might get is noticing all the good qualities in Naruto and how he would have made a great boyfriend and husband to her. She will also realize her chance with Naruto had long set sail and will be content with simply being one of his best friends.

When I first conceptualized this fic, I had originally only wanted Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Sakura to be the main focal points. As I was writing the first chapter though, I realized I wanted Naruto to have more than just a romantic life. I also wanted him to have 2 best friends who could give him different advice on all his lifes issues, one perspective male and one perspective female. Thats where Ino and Shikamaru come into play. They wont be featured as prominently as the main 4 but they will be there.

As for my chapter titles. I pick song titles for my chapter titles. They are songs I like and I think have some meaning to something in the chapter. Anyways thats all for now!

Chapter 3: Free Bird

 

---

Land of Fire, night, 0 days since Naruto's departure

It was a very quiet night. You could hear the wind blowing through the leaves, bugs chirping, owls hooting, the crackling and popping of fire. It should have been a peaceful affair, but it wasn't for either of the 2 sitting near the small inferno.

Jiraiya was looking at his new apprentice. Thinking about what he wanted to say after seeing that display earlier today. After a full hour of running, Naruto had finally started to slow down. His legs finally started to feel worse than his emotions. Jiraiya decided he would give Naruto the space he needed and would ask later that night. The two of them continued walking for the next few hours until night came. The two set up their camp for the night and once that was completed, they pulled out food from their packs and started preparing. At least Jiraiya did, Naruto decided he would just eat the dangos that Ino had given him, filling up his stomach and making him feel a lot better.

Naruto finally had time to just sit and think about all that had happened today. It had started off so well. He was so excited to finally begin his journey. He had already packed everything up the night before, so he could get going first thing in the morning. He had to say his goodbyes to some people he knew wouldn't be able to meet him at the gate and he was glad to see them one last time. The only goodbye from his morning that was awkward was the one with Sasuke. Sasuke didn't even say a word to him and eventually Naruto just left him as he was.

The next part of his morning also started out tremendously. Waiting at the main gates for him and Jiraiya were his sensei Kakashi and 3 of his newest friends. He had already known Kakashi for months now and was glad he was his sensei. Yes, his teaching and eccentricities were odd to say the least, but Naruto wouldn't be the shinobi he was now without his guiding hand.

Then came the next 3, who he had gotten to know very well in just a few short weeks. Shikamaru was the one he felt he knew the most about, given they had gone on a mission together. During that mission he came to know 2 things about Shikamaru above all else, He was the most intelligent shinobi Naruto had ever seen, and Shikamaru was as lazy as they come. Naruto greatly valued his ideas and strategies. They were the only reason everyone came back alive.

If you had told Naruto even just a month back that he would be friends with Ino Yamanaka very soon, he would have laughed at your face in the absurdity of that statement. If you would have also told Naruto that Ino would be teasing him, he would have taken you to the hospital for a checkup. Truth is stranger than fiction though. He had grown to like being with her, it was never a dull moment with her which he greatly enjoyed, and truth be told, a part of him liked the teasing.

Hinata was the last of the group to say goodbye to him. Truth be told, she was the one person he was going to miss the most. She was there when he needed her most and he will never forget that. Naruto needed to get stronger to protect all those he cared about, to protect Hinata.

Everything was perfect, yes, nothing could have ruined the day he had been having.

Until something did. The ONE person he didn't want to see had somehow found out when he was going to leave and the place he was departing from. He had thought he was recovering from her shattering of his soul the week prior. Hearing her voice undid all the healing the previous week had accomplished. Seeing her face made him remember just how much he loved her, and it obliterated him once again. Just being in her presence was too much for the boy. So, he ran. He ran for as long as he possibly could. He needed to get away from that place as fast as possible.

All throughout his run, the water works would not stop. The levee broke and there was nothing to do except to wait for the water to stop. He didn't know how long he ran for or for how long the moisture had been streaming down his cheeks, to him it felt like an eternity. Eventually his legs screamed at him to take a rest, and he obliged them. By that point the water had stopped, leaving him feeling empty and numb at that juncture. The Pendant gray.

Jiraiya decided it was time for this silence to end. "Tell me what happened back there." He said with an earnest tone. He set his eyes on his student, giving Naruto a warm but firm gaze. Jiraiya brought his knee to his chest, trying to get comfortable for this tale.

Naruto took a deep breath, his nerves no longer there. The void was his only companion. "She broke me, and she did it so quickly. All this time I thought we were friends. I thought I loved her. And she hurt me 1000 times more than what Sasuke did to me." Naruto uttered solemnly. He didn't bother to even look up. He just brought both his knees to his chest to make himself feel small. "I-I don't even know where to begin."

"How about from the beginning then. What made you first notice Sakura. How did your relationship evolve? How did she make you feel and what do you feel for her? And then you can end with how she hurt you." Jiraiya worded like a father to the genin.

"It's a long story, are you sure you want to hear it." Naruto muttered out in a soft voice. He didn't know why he was willing to speak to Jiraiya about this. Perhaps Naruto just wanted someone else to know everything he and her had gone through.

"We've got all night gaki, and I'm all ears." Jiraiya exclaimed to his God Son. Jiraiya took this momentary pause to put some more logs on the fire. He had a feeling this was going to be a long night.

Naruto followed the sage's advice and started from when he first met the girl. He told Jiraiya about how his feelings for her steadily grew over the years. He also mentioned his boneheaded attempts to woo her over, that often resulted in her giving him a lump on his head. He brought out the memory of being paired with Sasuke and her, and how that had been the happiest moment of his life. He then went on to tell all the missions they had went on, from the dredges of D-rank to their first C-rank that turned into an A-rank. It was during this time, he remarked, that he started to see that her infatuation for Sasuke might be the same as Naruto felt about her. This time also furthered his feelings for the pink-haired girl who was slowly maturing into a woman. The pendant had turned from its charcoal gray to bright orange.

Then came the Chūnin exams. It was at this point, he was telling Jiraiya, that he knew he didn't just care for her, he loved her. He loved her so much it hurt him. When fighting the One-tailed beast, he swore he would protect not Konohagakure. No, he would protect her! The pendant then turned to a cherry red upon remembering that statement. After he made that declaration is when he finally beat Gaara. From this point on Jiraiya knew most of the story, until it came to the point where Naruto returned to the village with Sasuke.

This part was particularly tough for the boy. The moisture did not return to his eyes as he recanted, he didn't have any left. He told Jiraiya ever detail he could remember. From the moment she walked into the room, to when he fell asleep in Hinata's arms. The crystal hanging from his neck went from its red color to void black to a healthy green by the end of the tale.

Oh gaki, you are so like me when I was younger. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a son I didn't know I had. I know what it's like to be rejected by the girl you love with all your heart. I also know he can't follow the same lonely road I've traveled. I need to get Naruto's mind off his love. He deserves a girl who respects him and knows him. Perhaps that other blonde or dark blue-haired girl would be good for him. They certainly seemed interested in him, and he seemed to get along with both pretty well.

Jiraiya's thoughts didn't show on his person. He simply stared at his young charge, letting him get it all out of his system. Once it seemed that Naruto was done giving voice to all his memories, that's when Jiraiya took his chance to speak. "You know, I too once had something similar happen to me. I know this pain well Naruto. I also know what path this could lead you down." Jiraiya muttered with a firm but warm voice. "I know what I'm about to say may be harsh, but I think it's best if you move on from your feelings for her. It will be best for her and you." It was better to get through the hurt now than to let it morph into a larger beast. Jiraiya would hate to see him go through this, but it was necessary.

"I don't know if I can sensei. Even now, despite what she did to me. I still feel I love her and it's eating away at me." Naruto vented out, finally admitting out loud these thoughts.

Jiraiya took a deep breath and exhaled. "She will always have a place in your heart. I can't deny that. But if you continue to pine for her after that rejection then you will end up like me. Alone in this world with no wife and kids to call his own." Jiraiya may be a pervert, but he would gladly have given up his ways if the woman he loved had returned his feelings. Sadly, Jiraiya never moved on and now had no hope things would change for him on this front.

For the first time since leaving the village, Naruto chuckled. He brought his knees down from his chest and stretched them out. "Oh please. You? A family man? Please tell me pigs haven't gained chakra and can somehow fly now. I can only take so much delusion!"

This got an irritated mark to appear on Jiraiya's head. "Hey, I'll have you know I would have made a great dad. My kids would have been the best around."

Again, Naruto could only chuckle at this assertion. "Whatever you say, pervy sage."

There's the boy I remember. I still don't like that nickname, but it seems that laugh is bringing him around. Jiraiya would have continued with this stream of thoughts, but Naruto continued from where he last left off.

"Do you really think I should move on from her. Even thinking about it is making the pit in my stomach grow." Naruto uttered out. He once again brought his knees to his chest. His laughter instantly stopped, and he changed his tone to a much darker place.

"I do gaki, and I know the perfect way to help you through this!" Jiraiya exclaimed with a toothy grin and a wink towards his charge. Hoping to get another chuckle from the boy.

In Konohagakure, a certain twin tailed blonde felt an urge to beat Jiraiya to a pulp.

Instead of a chuckle, Naruto gave Jiraiya a menacing glare after unfolding his legs once again. "I'm not a perv like you, I don't want 'help' that way."

Back in Konohagakure, that same woman from earlier now felt a rush of pride for the blonde genin Naruto. She still wanted to beat Jiraiya to a pulp though.

Jiraiya had a sweat drop form on the back of his head. "Alright, alright I understand. How about I help you move on by beginning your training tomorrow? I had originally planned to wait a few days till we got out of the land of fire, but I can tell you need something to focus on."

The rock around Naruto's neck was now a deep yellow. "Really!? Already!? YIPEE!" Naruto instantly leapt up from his seated was going to start his training early and he couldn't be happier at the news. A warmth then started to fill Jiraiya upon seeing how this news cheered up his God Son.

Jiraiya laughed at the outburst he just witnessed and said aloud. "Alright Naruto, if we want to start tomorrow, it's best if we get some shut eye now and begin bright and early in the morning." Naruto could only shake his head yes at this and immediately went to his tent to get some sleep, his thoughts going back to what his sensei said about the girl. Jiraiya followed suit and soon the camp was once again only filled with the sounds of the night.

The next morning, Naruto was the first up. He did a good stretch as he left his tent. The fire had burned itself out long ago, and all that surrounded him was the noises of nature. It would take Jiraiya only 20 minutes more to wake up. He left his tent, making sure to bring all the necessary equipment in his pack, and took him to a clearing in the trees close to their camp site

Naruto for his part was excited to finally begin training. "YIPEE! FINALLY, I'M GOING TO START TO LEARN COOL STUFF!" He shouted out while jumping in the air, not even bothering to hide what he was feeling. He was getting used to expressing himself it seemed.

"Slow down Naruto, before we begin, there are a few things I want to test with you." Jiraiya expressed in a firm voice. "And please be quieter, I don't want the whole Land of Fire knowing we are here."

"Oh, sorry pervy sage." Naruto sheepishly said as he started to calm down a bit and brought his hand behind his head and gave an embarrassed smile to the toad sannin. Jiraiya still hated that nickname.

Naruto brought his hand down and uttered out. "So, what did you want to test then?" Naruto questioned his new sensei. Jiraiya responded by taking something out of his pack and walking towards Naruto.

"This right here is a special paper, one that will determine your elemental affinity." Jiraiya exclaimed as he walked to Naruto. The paper was clearly visible in his hand. Once he got to Naruto, Jiraiya further said. "Stick out your hand, and when I put the paper in your hand, pour your chakra into it."

Naruto did as he was instructed and at first, nothing happened. He was about to question his sensei when he saw something happen to the paper. It cut itself into 2. That wasn't it though. The two halves then started to crinkle in his hand.

"Wow, that was cool! But what does it mean?" Naruto queried the sage

"It means you have 2 affinities gaki, wind and lightning, that's quite rare in shinobi." Jiraiya said, just slightly taken aback upon learning this information about the teenager. Interesting, he has both those affinities AND he's Minato's kid. I wonder...

Jiraiya was brought out of his thoughts by the squeals of his student. The sheer joy on Naruto's face was infectious and Jiraiya couldn't help a smile spread on his face.

"Well knowing this, I'm going to have to adjust your training a bit." Jiraiya stated, bringing his hands to his face in a thinking pose.

"What was the second thing you wanted to test pervy sage?" Naruto wondered aloud. He was still riding the high of knowing he had 2 affinities, even though he didn't know why that was a good thing.

Jiraiya brough his hands back down and retorted. "Right, so you know how shadow clones send you back information when they go away right?" The answer Jiraiya got back was shocking to say the least.

"Uhhhh, no pervy sage, I didn't know that. I only ever used them in fights, so I never noticed." Naruto said, genuinely confused at what his teacher was getting at.

Jiraiya responded with a deadpan stare. How could he react any differently? That was one of first things Jiraiya learned when he learned about the shadow clone jutsu. It was practically impossible to miss. Naruto though, was known to make the impossible possible.

"What? Did I do something wrong?" Naruto got a little worried at the stare he was receiving. It was giving off serious 'I'm disappointed in you' vibes. He was just a kid when he learned the technique. How was he supposed to know the clones could do that.

Coming out of his thoughts, Jiraiya responded. "How about a little demonstration then. We will each make one shadow clone. We will then send them into the woods far away and have them do rock, paper, scissors, and when they are done, they will unsummon themselves." Jiraiya finished his long-winded explanation, looking to Naruto to see if he understood. When he nodded his head yes, they each summoned their own shadow clone and sent them out into the woods. A few minutes later, each suddenly knew who won the game.

"Ah man, I lost. Wait, how do I know that?" Naruto pouted and then questioned his mentor. Jiraiya could only give him another grin and replied with. "See what I mean? You now know what your clone did. This makes it extremely helpful in scouting missions. For our purposes, we will use them to speed up your training." Jiraiya quipped back.

It took a few seconds for Naruto to process this new information. When he finally came to the same conclusion that Jiraiya had in mind, Naruto put on the biggest smile he could and shouted to the heavens. "OH YA! I'M GOING TO LEARN SO MUCH JUTSU THIS WAY!" Jiraiya hated to burst the kid's bubble, but it had to be done.

"Slow down there gaki. There is a style I'm going to have you try. In order to even attempt it though, you need 3 things. 1 is massive chakra reserves which you already have." Jiraiya put in a finger to illustrate his point. "2, you need to have exceptional chakra control which you are poorly lacking in, even with the rasengan mastered." He then put up another finger. "And finally, your body needs to be able to handle the stresses of this style." Jiraiya put up his last finger to emphasis these 3 points.

Naruto was instantly deflated upon hearing he wouldn't be learning anything right off the bat. "Ah, come on pervy sage! I was looking forward to learning all kinds of jutsu. I don't want to wait too long!" Naruto folded his arms in front of him and once again pouted to the sannin.

"The release I want you to eventually try is extremely dangerous. If you slip up on your control or if your body isn't ready for the stresses it will put on you, you will die using it." Jiraiya vocalized the seriousness of this new style. This got Naruto to stop his pouting and even made him gulp when he heard it.

"Good, you understand now it seems. The first thing I want your clones to master will be for them to each complete the rasengan on their own, without help from other clones." This should keep him busy for a while, even with clones speeding up the process it should take him at least a month. That will buy me time to come up with more chakra control exercises.

Naruto reacted in horror. It had taken him a long time just to master the rasengan with clones helping him. How was he supposed to do it on his own? That would take forever! Feeling down but not defeated, Naruto said. "Ok, I'll make the clones and have us all start training."

"I never said anything about YOU doing chakra control training. Only your clones will be doing that." Jiraiya corrected his student. I'm going to have the real you doing strength training and physical conditioning."

"Why can't my clones also do that? Why does it have to be me?" Naruto pondered out loud to his sensei.

"Because, unlike memories and techniques, your clones don't transfer over anything physical that happens to them. Else you would feel ever stab and death your clones did." Jiraiya explained and Naruto could only shudder to think if he did feel all those 'deaths'.

Jiraiya continued. "We need your body to be in top physical condition for when we try the new release. I think one year's time should be enough for your body to handle the basics. By the end of 3 years, it should be able to handle it fully."

Taking only a moment to grasp what was said, Naruto again came up with another question. "Alright, so how am I going to go about doing this physical training."

Jiraiya responded with his trademark grin and uttered. "I'm glad you ask" As he brought out a storage scroll and released the jutsu on it. Once the smoke cleared, there were a set of dumb bells on the ground, a bench press bar with weights, and some more weights that can strap onto a person. "All of these are chakra weights, the more chakra you put into them, the heavier they become. The strap on weights I'm going to have you put on when we are traveling or working on your stamina." Jiraiya waited to let this all sink in for the kid. He needed to be ready for this mentally and hopefully being tired all the time will help him move on from the pink haired kunoichi.

Naruto moved his head up and down. This made sense to him, except there was one more thing he needed to know. "You keep talking about this new style I can possibly use. What's it called?" Naruto asked questioningly.

With the biggest shit eating grin a man could muster, Jiraiya uttered out, "Have you ever heard of Swift Release?"

XxX

UCHIHA COMPLEX, KONOHAGAKURE, Afternoon, 6 Days since Naruto's departure

Ok Sakura, you can do this. You've been seeing him a lot these last 2 weeks. Don't get cold feet now. You've made a lot of progress over these past few days. This should be easy!

Sakura was trying to psych herself up before meeting Sasuke for the first time at his place. Ever since he was released from the hospital almost a week ago, Sakura had failed to meet him. The haunting look in Naruto's eyes was still too fresh in her mind to think about anything else but the whisker faced boy. A look that was specifically for her. A look she caused.
After her failed apology almost a week ago. Sakura went home and stayed in her room for 3 days, crying and reflecting on her actions she did to Naruto. Her parents had done their best to comfort her, and it did help, if only slightly. It was only after all the pain she felt had become dull to her, did she finally leave her room and try to correct some of the wrongs she had made previously.

Kiba, Neji, and Chōji had all returned home the day after Naruto had left her life, and she made a point to go and visit each one of them and thank them for all they did in bringing Sasuke back. She also made it a point to reveal to them how sorry she felt for not visiting them sooner and in general how she acted.

Her second encounter with Naruto had really opened her eyes to how blinded by Sasuke she was, and she was determined to make a change in her life for the better. Each of the boys had quickly accepted her apology and she chatted with them a bit about the details of the mission. She only knew about the aftermath of the battle in the Valley of the End and was curious about how the others had fared.

She was a little horrified at some of the details she heard about the encounters. When she heard about what her teammates had managed to accomplish in their respective battles, she felt a rush of pride for her fellow rookie shinobi. The village's future was in good hands.

That was yesterday though, and now she stood in front of the place where the boy she was once completely blinded by was. He's still a powerful light in her life, His light had simply dimmed a bit and honestly, she was a little happy for that. This past week of recollection had really shown her just how obsessed she was with her crush and how she ignored virtually everything but him. She feared what her life may have become if she had stayed on that path. It gave her goosebumps and chills even now. Despite all this, she still really cared for the boy. She didn't think anything, short of him trying to kill her, would ever make her give up on the black-haired genin.

This time, she brought no gift for the boy. He clearly wasn't interested in all the other gifts she had brought to him in the hospital, so she saw no reason to continue buying things he didn't want. It also had the added benefit of giving her more time with Sasuke. Normally she would have Glee'd in delight at the possibility of that but now she only smiled to herself.

With that smile on her face, she walked through the gateway of the compound. It was a desolate place. Virtually all the buildings in the area were in a decrepit state and looked on the verge of collapse. The lone exception was the main building in the back. It was a big house, big enough to hold multiple families in it by Sakura's reckoning. She figured that he might be in there, and so strolled her way through the compound to the main building.

KNOCK

...

KNOCK

...

"Sasuke are you in there? I'm coming in." Sakura announced as she opened the door and walked inside. She immediately noticed all the dust in the place. There wasn't any trash, or anything broken in the house, just lots and lots of dust. She thought maybe she could start dusting up the place in the future, trying to think of something nice to do for the boy.

She continued walking through the place and only found more dust. The only places where there seemed to be no dust were in what she could only think would be his bedroom, the kitchen, and the hallway that connected the 2. Giving up her search in the home, she vacated it and searched around the compound more. Strangely, she felt as if she was being watched. She had felt this way as soon as she entered the compound but now it felt stronger.

Shrugging off this feeling, she continued searching for the Uchiha. It didn't take her long to find him in a clearing with a single giant tree in the middle. He had his back to the tree, and its shadow completely enveloped him. He appeared to be meditating to the kunoichi. Wordlessly, she approached the boy under tree, only stopping just short of the giant tree's shadow.

"Why are you here?" He questioned her, not moving a single muscle in his body but his mouth. A hint of irritation was in his voice. He did not want to be disturbed, especially at this hour.

"I heard you got out of the hospital, and I wanted to see how you were doing." Sakura said in a caring tone. Yes, she could feel her love for the boy had dropped slightly but it was there. Still, a seed of doubt had been planted in her during her final hospital visit to the sharigan user.

Trying to end this conversation as quickly as possible. "I don't want you here right now, you are distracting me. Leave." Sasuke almost shouted out, letting his displeasure be known to his former teammate. Again, he didn't move a muscle.

His words cut into her; her face did not betray the emotions she was feeling in that moment. "Oh...Ok I'll come back at a better time then. What time works for you?" she asked, almost pleading with him. She received no answer.

She waited there for a few minutes, hoping he might say more. He did not. Sadly, she turned around and headed for the front of the complex. Unknown to her or anyone else, the Uchiha was in his own little mindscape, training with a certain snake sannin.

Pouting as she reached the front, she was completely oblivious to the man who was leaning against the gate. He was rereading his book for the 20th time, and it was the same masterpiece every time. He gingerly put the book back in his pocket and spoke. "I see you have seen Sasuke already." He said as a matter of fact. He already knew though; he had already been at the compound watching over the boy. His ANBU skills coming in quite handy.

Startled by the sudden voice, Sakura turned her head to the man. "Oh, Kakashi-sensei. What are you doing here?" She quizzingly asked her teacher. She had not expected to meet him here. Maybe he too was checking in on Sasuke?

"If you are here to see Sasuke, he's not in the talkative mood." Sakura stated in a neutral manner. She was not feeling good about the meeting she just had with Sasuke and didn't have the usual energy in her voice.

"I see." Kakashi replied. He noticed the girl seemed to be down still. Was it from her meeting with Sasuke just now or was it more from what he saw last week. It was time for him to get some answers on that matter.

Sakura started to march away when Kakashi spoke up. "Actually Sakura, I wanted to talk to you about what happened when Naruto left." Kakashi saw the girl flinch at the mention of that name. Clearly, she was still being eaten up by the ordeal.

Shaking as she spoke. "It's a long story sensei. I'd like to talk about it in private if that's ok with you." Sakura stated. She knew this talk was going to happen, no way Kakashi wouldn't want to know what happened between his two students.

Kakashi thought for a second and came up with an idea. "How about we head to training ground 3, it's nearby and no one uses it but us." He said reassuring his student.

Training ground 3. That's where we first became a team. Where we finally became genin. Where my infatuation with Sasuke really soared. It's also the place I started to really learn who Naruto was.

Thoughts of the Uchiha boy hurt her, but the thoughts of the Uzumaki boy hurt her even more. At least with Sasuke she had a chance to help him and herself since he was here. Naruto though, she had no way of showing how truly sorry she was for how she treated him, and she wouldn't get a chance for 3 years. She could feel herself starting to get sick at the thought.

"Hai, that's fine sensei." Sakura uttered aloud. Even though the memories of that place still clung to her, it would at least be a private place. Kakashi secretly signaled to the hidden ANBU to take over watch duties of Sasuke for now. Receiving an acknowledgement, he turned back to the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Then, lets get going, shall we?" He said, giving her his trademark eye smile. They both then set out, hoping through the trees to get to their destination. It didn't take them long to see the familiar clearing with 3 stumps in the middle next to a stream. Kakashi was the first to arrive, followed shortly by Sakura. Kakashi trotted to the center stump and sat down, facing her in the process.

"You can start whenever you are ready Sakura." He announced to comfort the girl. This wasn't going to be easy for her and he knew it. He knew there was even more pain between Sakura and Naruto than what he had already seen.

Sakura took a full minute to gather all her recollections of what happened prior to and after the retrieval mission. She didn't want to leave out a single detail. Once she was done collecting, she started her tale. She talked about how she tried to stop Sasuke herself, even going as far as to join him if he would be with her. This did get a small rise out of Kakashi, but he kept himself in check, there was more to come. She then spoke about the promise Naruto made to her to bring her Sasuke back.

Now came the part she most dreaded, the lowest point in her life. She could feel her face getting wet as she hung her head now, and told Kakashi what she did at the hospital after Naruto got the Uchiha boy back. How she repaid Naruto with 2 slaps to the face, and throwing every insecurity he ever felt right into his face, utterly devastating the poor boy. She recounted how Naruto didn't respond in anger but as a broken man. A man whose purpose was taken from him and had no idea what to do. She was still silently sobbing throughout this part of the tale, but she kept her voice as steady as she could. She finally ended things by going over some more details about when Naruto left and what she saw in his eyes.

Kakashi HAD to take a moment to take all that in. It was no wonder why his 2 students acted the way they did. He really wanted to scold Sakura for what she did, but it was obvious that she severely regretted her actions and was suffering a lot with the guilt. He chooses to get up from his stump and walk over to his crying kunoichi and put a hand on her shoulder.

"There, there Sakura, let it all out." Kakashi was not good at emotional situations like this. He had no idea how to help Sakura except just by letting her get it all out. Sakura didn't want a hand on her shoulder. She needed more.

Quicker than she had ever moved before, she put her arms behind her sensei and put her head to his chest and squeezed. The primal desire for a hug fueled her and would not stop. The waterworks did not cease.

"I fucked up sensei. I truly fucked everything up. How can I possibly seek his forgiveness? I'm not worthy of it! I mean, just look at where I am! I'm still seeing the boy who killed Naruto! What's wrong with me!?"

Kakashi was once again in unfamiliar territory. This time though, he had an idea of what to do. It just felt so natural to do. He put his arms behind his young student and returned her embrace. "There is nothing wrong with you Sakura, you just made a mistake. We all do. The question you have to ask yourself now is, what do I do from here?"

Sakura at first didn't have any idea how to answer this question. Where did she go from here? She had spent the past few weeks so far into the past that she had not even thought of her future. Her mind then started to formulate a plan.

"I need to show Naruto I've changed when he gets back. I need to show him I truly seek his forgiveness and want to start our friendship over again. I need to get stronger as well, so I won't be a burden on him." she said into Kakashi's chest. She meant every word she said from the bottom of her heart. For the first time in her life, all her thoughts were solely on the blond knucklehead, the Uchiha boy was nowhere to be seen.

Both released the hug. Sakura was still sniffling when they parted but the tears had mostly stopped now. "I'm your sensei Sakura. It's my job to train you to be the best kunoichi you can be." Kakashi said in a warm tone. "However, I think you should train with another teacher in addition to myself."

"Another teacher? Who did you have in mind? Kurenai? Asuma?" Sakura was puzzled at who Kakashi could be referring to.

Kakashi chuckled at himself when she said those names. While Kurenai and Asuma were both excellent Jōnin, He had a different person in mind.

"Not either of those 2, It's someone you are quite familiar with though."

XxX

Nara compound, late afternoon, 7 days since Naruto's departure

"Your move son." Shikaku said, seated across the board from Shikamaru.

"mmmmm." Shikamaru only hummed to himself. He was deep in thought. His father was a shogi master and not once had Shikamaru ever beat his father at this game. Shikamaru was improving though. It used to take his father only 10 minutes to beat him, now it took 30. Measuredly, he moves his pawn forward.

"Interesting." Shikaku responded. He took 30 seconds before he too moved a pawn forward. "Your skills at this game are improving Shikamaru." Shikaku said flatly but with a hint of pride.

"I may be improving, but I'm still no match for you." Shikamaru replied, now moving his knight into position. "I wonder how long it will be before I finally take a game off you."

"Well, at the rate you are going, I'd give it only a few years before that will happen." Shikaku muttered out as he moved his pawn up to block Shikamaru's plan.

"Tsk." Shikamaru was not happy with that move. He needed to rethink his strategy again. His father always seemed to be 3 steps ahead of him. After taking a full minute to ponder his options, he moved his bishop.

"I see." Shikaku stated, as he immediately moved his left side silver general. This brought a raised eyebrow out of Shikamaru. The move made no sense to him. Maybe his father was going easy on him? If he was, Shikamaru would make him pay for underestimating his son. Shikamaru decided his best move was to move his lance up and promote it.

Shikaku just sat there silently, contemplating the move without a hint of his thought process on his face. Eventually, he responded by taking a pawn with his knight. "You are too defensive son; you need to be the one pushing the initiative. You will never win a battle if all you do is fight defensively. At best you will end up in a stalemate."

"You've told me this already. Once I come up with a strategy to counter you, I will finally win a game." Shikamaru stated. Truth be told, he had come up with multiple strategies in this game, but they all had flaws in them that Shikamaru knew his father would exploit. So, he kept coming up with new strategies. Not liking the strategy he came up with, but knowing he had taken too much time to make his move, Shikamaru moved his gold general to the right.

"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week Shikamaru." Shikaku articulated trying to pass some more wisdom onto his son. Letting his words sink in, Shikaku moved his pawn and promoted it.

"Man, where do you learn these quotes from Dad?" Shikamaru queried his father, as he too moved a pawn to promote it.

"That one, you can attribute to a general from the warring states period. Long before the birth of the first Hokage." Seeing as his bishop was safe now, Shikaku took advantage of the situation and used it to take his son's knight.

"Tsk." Again, Shikamaru thought this was annoying. He just couldn't counterattack against his father's aggression. Shikamaru was always on the back foot. He took his newly promoted pawn and moved it back.

This is exactly what Shikaku expected Shikamaru to do, and he pounced. Making his final move of the game, Shikaku dropped the rook he captured earlier into the perfect place. "I do believe that's the game son." Shikaku announced. Now all that needed to be done was to wait for Shikamaru to analyze the board and see his king had nowhere to go.

Shikamaru grumbled to himself. There was no way out, his dad had caught him in a perfect trap. Looking up to find his father's knowing gaze, he uttered out. "I concede, you have won this match." Shikamaru felt a little dejected. He thought he had a chance this time to finally win a game against his father. Shikaku was still leagues ahead of him it seemed.

With a half grin, Shikaku retorted. "You did well this time son, better than any other time you have played. This time it took me 45 minutes to beat you instead of the normal 30."

"Maybe, it's still a lose though." Shikamaru said, rubbing his temple. Both Nara's just sat there, letting the silence permeate the area. Finally, the silence was broken by Shikamaru. "Father, I'd like you to train me."

These words gave him a curious glance from his father. "Asuma is your sensei, you can go ask him for training." Shikaku stated to the boy.

"Asuma is a great teacher, and I know I will learn a lot from him." Shikamaru responded, giving high praise for his Jōnin instructor. Before Shikaku could interject, Shikamaru continued, "But he's not as intelligent as you, nor does he know of our clans' secret techniques. Those I need to learn from you."

Shikaku brought his hand up and stroked his beard in a thinking manner. "I see, that's why you were especially prepared today for our shogi match. I was wondering why it seemed you were so driven. I started to think you were not my son seeing that drive." Shikaku said in a joking manner. His son took after him in the laziness department.

"I've changed since my first mission as a team leader. Or at the least I'm trying too. It's really troublesome at times." Shikamaru admitted to himself. He was still fighting against his nature, but he knew it had to be done.

"Yes, I have seen the change in you. How your mission turned out really has motivated you." Shikaku said with pride in his voice. His son was finally starting to see that there are more important things in the world than to be lazy. Still be lazy when you can though he thought.

Not hearing a response from his son, Shikaku unfolded his legs and stood up from the ground. "Alright then, I guess when I'm not bothered, I can teach you a few things. I had wanted to wait a little before I taught you some of the clans more advanced techniques. I can see though you are ready now."

Shikamaru mirrored his father and stood up. "When do you want to begin father?" Shikamaru was hoping he would say tomorrow. Old habits die hard. He wasn't disappointed with the answer he received.

"Let's start tomorrow late afternoon. That should be enough time for me wake up." Shikaku spoke. It would also give him time to think about how he could help his son as best he could.

"Doesn't sound too troublesome. I'll see you tomorrow then." Shikamaru declared this and walked away. He was glad his dad accepted his training request as easily as he did. Maybe Kami was looking out for him at times.

XxX

Streets of Konohagakure, afternoon, 10 days since Naruto's departure

Sakura was barely aware of her surroundings. She was too busy rehearsing what she wanted to tell her potential future sensei. Going over every possible point they would make against her and coming up with a rebuttal in kind. She almost bumped into a few people walking the streets.

Her talk with Kakashi was really needed. For these past few weeks, she was directionless. She was wallowing in her own self-pity and doing nothing of substance. The only real positive thing she did was to thank the boys, who retrieved Sasuke, how thankful she was for them. Even her visit to Sasuke only made her feel hollower. In the past, going to see Sasuke would have filled her life with joy and rainbows. Today though, for some reason it just wasn't doing it for her.

Kakashi gave her direction. He gave her the best advice she thinks she had ever received. It's what was driving her current actions. She wasn't walking aimlessly through the streets of Konohagakure. She was marching with a purpose.

One step, two steps, three steps. Everything was planned in her mind. This just had to work. She was prepared to do anything to seek training, even if it meant reliving her darkest moment again.

Eventually, she found herself in front of the building where her hopeful future master resided. This was it; she had finally gotten the courage over the past few days to finally say what she needed to say. It was now time to put these thoughts into action. She made her way through the entrance. The person at the front desk was too busy to notice the fluff of pink hair going past them and up the stairs.

Up she went. Heading to the office of the person who would help her become a better woman. Sakura would show Naruto she had changed and was worthy to stand by his side again. She reached her floor and stepped out. One woman she wasn't surprised to see there. The other girl though, Sakura was taken aback by.

"Ino? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked as she approached the platinum blonde standing next to the desk.

"Oh, hey Sakura. I didn't expect to see you to be up here as well." Ino answered back, moving the hair from her eye to get a better look at her friend. "To answer your question, I've come here to request her" she then gestured to the door beside her, "to take me on as her apprentice.

Wait, Ino wants to be her apprentice too? This was NOT planned for. What if she would only take on one apprentice? How can I show her that I'm the right candidate over Ino.

"So, why are you here forehead?" Ino questioned her friend with the nickname Ino knew she hated. This got an irritated mark to appear on Sakura's previously mentioned forehead.

"For you information Ino-pig. I'm also seeking to become an apprentice of her." She said also gesturing to the door next to Ino. This got the attention of the black-haired secretary at the desk. She knew her master had only ever taken her as an apprentice over these nearly 2 decades. Would she really take on 2 at the same time now?

The platinum kunoichi also got an irritated mark to appear on her forehead. She really hated that name Sakura came up for her. She was going to reply to her friend sarcastically, but she thought better of it. She knew Sakura was still feeling the aftermath of Naruto leaving as only 10 days had passed. Ino had already started missing the blonde idiot. There was never a dull moment with him around and she found that she enjoyed his company quite a lot.

Ino finally let out a long sigh and got off the wall she was leaning on to face Sakura, her arms no longer folded in front of her. "I hope she will take us both then. I'd hate for either of us to fall behind our teammates."

Ino's tone was hopeful. She knew this, along with her clan's secret techniques, would give her the best chance to become a kunoichi her team would be proud of. Sakura didn't have the luxury of a clan to fall back on, this might be Sakura's best and only chance to catch up.

Sakura's irritation was gone, replaced by a small amount of dread. She could feel all her plans start to crumble away that she spent so long preparing for. She tried her best to keep everything under control in her stream of consciousness. Unfortunately for the pink-haired kunoichi, she didn't have that long, as a man opened the door next to Ino and walked out down the hall.

"Well, Ino, I wish you the best of luck in there." Sakura smiled at her friend. Ino gave Sakura a nod of approval and started to enter the office.

"Actually, why don't you both go in and ask? Might be easier to convince her to take on both of you as apprentices if you are both in there at the same time. "The black-haired secretary said aloud. She hoped her master would take them both. They were deserving kunoichi.

Sakura was thrilled to hear this. It did make sense, and it would probably be her best chance to be accepted. Sakura looked at Ino again, who gave Sakura a shrug of approval. Tentatively, Sakura took a spot right next to Ino and then they stepped into the office.

No matter how many times Ino set foot in this place. She was in awe at how big it was. The mountains of paper forms piled high made her feel small in comparison. Seated at a desk near the back of the room was the most powerful person in Konohagakure and the strongest Woman on the planet, Tsunade.

"Ah, Sakura, Ino. I wasn't expecting you today." She looked up at the 2 kunoichi as they entered the office, shutting the door behind them. Looking at the clock and then turning her head back to the genin, she continued. "I have about 30 minutes before my next appointment so please make this quick. I have a lot of documents to review and sign."

The atmosphere in the room wasn't tense per say. It was more like a muggy feeling. Everyone felt a little uncomfortable, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. What felt like ages passed by between the three. Tsunade was about to dismiss them if they were just going to waste her time when Sakura gave her most polite bow in her life. "Please Hokage, we wish you to take us both as your apprentices." Sakura said with as much confidence as her voice could muster. Seeing Sakura prostrate herself like this, Ino followed suit.

Seconds passed by. The only sounds that could be heard was the wind blowing through the trees. Neither Sakura nor Ino knew what was going through Tsunade's head, they were too busy staring at the floor with anxious looks on their faces. The gears in Tsunade's head started turning. She needed to know why they decided to ask her this.

"Why are you asking me this? You know how busy I am as Hokage. I don't have time to train any genin, let alone 2." Tsunade announced as a matter of fact. Depending on their reasons, she might very well take them both. Unless it was to impress that brat Sasuke, then she would just kick them out.

Still staring at the floor, Ino decided she should be the one to answer this. "Your skills are legendary. You are the strongest shinobi in the village. We both have looked up to you all our lives and we know we will become the best we can be under your tutelage." Ino uttered out as professionally as her small body could.

Not a bad start. Flattery DOES get you places. I'm surprised no other genin has asked me to become my apprentice since I got here. I won't say yes to the 2 of them yet. I still need to know why they are asking.

"I see, so what has brought this initiative from the both of you? Was it how bad your teammates got hurt during their last mission?" Tsunade had her guess that this was the case. She needed to make sure though. The 2 kunoichi in front of her desk nodded their heads, eyes still glued to the floor. "You can both stand up now, I know how sincere you are with this request." Tsunade commented to them.

Both the platinum blonde and pink-haired girls rose from their prostration, meeting the gaze of their Hokage. Ino decided to elaborate on her reasons. "When I saw Chōji and the others in the hospital with their injuries. I never felt more useless in my life. My friends were out there ready to die for the mission, and I was stuck in the village twiddling my thumbs." She recalled those memories vividly. Nothing about that day would ever leave her.

"If I had spent my free time training like my teammates instead of my looks, trying to impress boys, I might have been able to join them and prevented what happened. That's why I'm asking you Hokage to take me as an apprentice. Please, I need to get better for teams' sake, for my sake." For Naruto's sake.

Tsunade was impressed with the impassioned pleas of Ino. She was clearly asking this for the right reason, and she had the perfect motivation. She turned her head to Sakura directly and spat out. "And what about you? Do you care to elaborate?"

"Hai, Hokage, I will." Sakura paused to collect herself before she went further on. "Ever since I was a part of team 7, I was always behind. It didn't help that I too was boy obsessed and didn't take the training as seriously as I should have."

At least they both admit what was holding them back. Tsunade thought to herself.

Sakura carried on despite Tsunade's thoughts. "Like Ino, I felt helpless when Sasuke defected. I could only use words to try and stop them and it failed miserably. Seeing what the team went through made me realize I too could have made a difference If I had been serious from the start about training." Sakura paused to catch her breath. She could feel confidence grow in her as she continued her speech.

"I don't want to be the same girl I used to be. I want to become a better Sakura Haruno. One who my team can rely on and not be a burden to!" Sakura finished speaking with more passion than she had ever said before.

Tsunade sat there silently. Her hands under her chin in a thinking pose, taking everything the two brave kunoichi had just told her. Outwardly, she was completely calm and collected. Inwardly, she had a shit eating grin on her face. This was the passion she wanted to see from the shinobi of Konohagakure. This passion will lead them all into a brighter tomorrow.

Tsunade rose to her feet. The 2 kunoichi stood at attention even harder now. "Alright, I've heard your reasonings. I want to say even just asking your Hokage for training took guts. Most people are too intimidated to ask for help, let alone from the most powerful person in the village." Tsunade could see a look of hope start to fill their eyes as she spoke to them.

Turning her attention to Ino, Tsunade uttered. "Ino, I will take you on as an apprentice of mine." While Ino was elated at the news, Sakura was not

She only said Ino. Am I too much of a lost cause to save? This can't be! I need this training! It's how I will become a better person, have a purpose in life. If I don't get this chance, I don't know what I'll do with my life!

"As for you Sakura, I can't take you on as an apprentice." Tsunade said seriously.

Sakura felt her life starting to shatter. This was it. This was her one big hope, and now it was gone. She felt hopeless. She was willing to completely change herself and it still wasn't enough in Tsunade's eyes. The color started to drain from the face of Sakura, her body reacting to how she was feeling in this moment.

"...Unless you tell me what happened between you and Naruto."

Sakura gave her Hokage a startled look. A look pleading with her to not have this be a joke. Color started to return to the Sakura's face. Her hands were no longer shaking. The goosebumps on her skin fading away.

"How do you know something happened between Naruto and I?" Sakura questioned her leader. The only people who were present during either of her last encounters already knew the full story. Wait, the leader of a mission always has file a report on their mission. It must have been...

"Shikamaru told me at the end of his mission report that the two of you needed to be separated for a bit. I was going to press him for the details, but he insisted it come from you or Naruto." Tsunade replied. This was information she needed for future mission planning. To see if the 2 of them plus Kakashi can work together or if she would need to send a 4th member along with them.

Hearing silence from the pink-haired genin, Tsunade thought that maybe Sakura would be willing to share her story in private. "Ino, you are dismissed. I think Sakura wants to do this in private." She gave the order to the platinum blonde.

"Actually Tsunade, Ino knows. She knows everything I did. It might be easier if she was here actually." Sakura retorted. She wanted Ino there to be with her. Ino saw the pain and damage firsthand and would be a good witness to corroborate her story.

Tsunade softened her gaze upon hearing this from Sakura. She then went back to her desk and sat down in her chair. "Very well then. Tell me everything that happened between you and the brat."

Sakura then once again recanted her history with Naruto much like she did with Kakashi. This time though the tears did not come. She had already told this story once, which made things a lot easier for her. Her anguish though didn't fade in the slightest.

She went through every gut-wrenching detail of the hospital scene with Ino nodding along in agreement the whole time. She even included Naruto's departure and how she had attempted to apologize for her actions. Only for her to rebuked upon finally understanding just what he felt for her and how her actions cut into him deeply.

Once Sakura was finished, another silence filled the room. This time an uncomfortable one. It started to eat at Sakura. Yes, she didn't cry this time recounting her deeds, but it still hurt like hell. Now Tsunade wasn't saying a thing to her, only judging her. She started to believe that she would never become Tsunade's apprentice.

"You really did screw up you brat. That might have been one of the most selfish acts I have ever heard of! And to do it to Naruto of all people! I have half a mind to just kick you out of my office and never see me again except for official business." The Hokage's words were not unwarranted. Sakura knew Tsunade wouldn't hear this tale and not be angry. Who would do such a thing to a good friend and teammate?

"The other half though, can clearly see you regret your actions and want to atone for them. As much as my other half just wants to have you leave my sight, I know taking you on as an apprentice will not only help you, but Naruto as well." Tsunade finally spoke what Sakura had been hoping for this whole time. She couldn't contain her excitement.

"THANK YOU TSUNADE! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Tsunade and Ino had to cover their ears due to Sakura's squeals. "Not so loud Sakura, geez. I get you are happy, but this won't be a picknick for you, for either of you." Tsunade said as she gestured to her 2 new apprentices. "I expect you both to be here at 8 AM sharp tomorrow. We will then begin both of your training in earnest. Are we clear on that?"

Ino and Sakura both replied with. "Yes Ma'am"

"Very well, you are both dismissed. Get some good rest tonight, it will be your last good one for a while I can promise you that." Sakura and Ino both felt a chill crawl up their spine when they heard their future sensei say that line. She had meant it.

It dawned on them now just truly what they had signed up for.

XxX

AUTHORS NOTES

Chapter 3 is here yall. This took me a little longer to write than the first 2 because I had the first 2 in my head for a long time. I had only started to plan for chapters 3, 4 and 5 about a week ago and so very little time compared to chapter 1 and 2.

I currently plan on only having the next chapter cover the 3 year time skip. I didn't like how the manga never really showed us what Jiraiya taught Naruto. In fact it seems Naruto didn't learn a whole lot from Jiraiya during there time together. In my fic I want to actually show Jiraiya teaching Naruto something.

As for the physical training Naruto will go through, I do plan on him developing a muscular physique. It will be needed for what I have planned for swift release. His body right now can't handle it and he needs AT LEAST one year of physical training his body to handle the stresses. As always, feedback in reviews is much appreciated! Until next time yall.

Chapter 4: Wish You Were Here

 

---

Hyūga complex, Morning, 182 days since Naruto's departure

"Stop trying to hit me and hit me!" Neji said, striking with both his palms into the chest of Hinata. The force of the attack made the Hyūga princess stagger back a few feet and fall flat on her back. She propped herself up on her elbow, gasping for breath to refill her lungs. She clutched her chest as air started racing into her. She then wiped the sweat off her brow and stood up.

They were standing in the middle of one of the clan's many training grounds. The sun had risen from behind the earth not 1 hour ago. The cool morning air surrounded them as they once again were doing this ritual. The sound of the morning was still ringing through the area, only interrupted by the groans from the Hyūga princess.

This ritual between the 2 Hyūga had been going on now for a month. Neji had first instructed her on the more basics of gentle fist. He said that mastering the basics would be a solid foundation to work on for the more advanced techniques he knew.

Neji had asked Hinata why she didn't ask her father for training, and she replied that Neji had learned the clan secrets simply through observation and not instruction. She believed Neji would give her better insights into gentle fist and the eight trigrams.

Seeing his cousin stand up from the dirt, Neji had a quick grin form on his face but quickly sent it away. He didn't want Hinata to see that, not yet at least. Neji took 5steps back and took his stance opposite the girl. "Again!" He barked out as he reignited his Byakugan.

Hinata followed her cousin's action, and she too activated the Byakugan. Dust kicked off the ground as she charged forward. She thrust her palm forward and Neji sidestepped it. He countered with precise strikes to tenketsu spots on her attacking arm. Ignoring the sharp pains in her arm, she turns to her target and brings her other palm down, seeking to strike him in the diaphragm. Neji swatted her attack down and like before, struck out with his palm to her chest. Pushing her back several feet but she remained standing.

Hinata felt some of the chakra points on her arm had closed. She knew she wouldn't be able to open them up again during this fight and so she had to come up with a new tactic against Neji. Neji was now in his defensive stance. Electric signals coursed through her body, down to her legs. Telling them to get moving and so they did. She lashes out with her good arm as she approaches her cousin. Neji is about to deflect the blow but it's a ruse, Hinata pulls her palm back at the last second and instead heaves a mighty kick to her opponent's side. Not being able to dodge nor deflect the blow, Neji instead catches the kick with both his hands, shocking Hinata. He pours chakra into his muscles and twists his arms, flipping Hinata in the air before she crashes down on her back. She was now acutely aware of the morning dew on the grass.

"Good, your execution leaves a lot to be desired, but your attempts are improving." Neji said as he jumped back from Hinata several feet away. "Again!"

The dust from Hinata's previous fall was now settling upon her. She took a few moments just lying on the ground, looking to catch her breath. Hinata raised her legs up and brought them to her chest, she then with all the force she could, kicked up and landed on her feet and dusted herself off. She then turned her head to her cousin and tried to get a read of him through her byakugen. Her attempt failed though, and she felt frustrated. Yes, she had been making amazing progress over these past few months. Both Hiashi and Neji marveled at the progress she had made in such a short time. but it felt too slow for her liking.

She now thought it best to bring out one of the techniques she had learned. One that she had gotten the hang of. Willing her legs to move forward, she closes the distance between them in less than a second. "Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms." She utters out. First came two strikes, which were blocked by Neji. Then came 2 more quick strikes which Neji dodged. After that came 4 more strikes. Once again, Neji dodged them all. Finally came the final 8 strikes, all in rapid succession. Neji simply swatted them all away. Seeing an opening after the attack, Neji thrust his palm forward, striking Hinata in the diaphragm. This caused the girl to gasp and fall forward onto her knees, clutching at her mid-section.

"I see you have at least shown proficiency with that move. Now you just need to build on it." Neji stated as he walked 20 feet away from Hinata before turning around to face her. "Again!"

Hinata was still in pain. Her whole body was aching, sweat covered her from head to toe but Neji didn't look tired at all. She would need to work on her stamina to keep up. Still gasping for air from Neji's previous attack, she slowly picked herself up from the earth, wiping away the sweat that was going into her eyes. She regained some of her lost breath and got into her attacking stance and stayed there for just a bit. Instead of attacking though, she changed to a more defensive stance. She turned her hand until her palm was facing the sky. She then gave Neji the universal sign to bring it.

Neji was all too happy to oblige. Rocks and dust kicked up in the air as Neji jumped from his location, heading towards Hinata while he was easily 15 feet in the air. His fist was behind him, ready to strike Hinata with all the power it could bring forward. The muscles in his arm taunt and ready. This wasn't gentle fist. It was going to be anything but gentle.

Hinata was stunned by this aggressive move, but it didn't stop her from reacting. Knowing she couldn't hope to block it, she simply dodged out of the way as Neji's fist connected with the ground where she just previously occupied. The sound of the impact was loud and there was a small crater where Hinata once wasting any time, Neji swung his leg out to catch the dodging Hinata, hoping she would do what he wanted her to do. Hinata jumped just to get out of the way, but this is what Neji wanted. He looked up to the airborne girl and she saw a smile on Neji's face.

"Eight trigrams vacuum palm!" Neji shouted out as he directed the attack to Hinata's chin. Chakra poured out of his hand and compressed itself into a dense form that was soon launched at the princess. He was rewarded for his efforts with a satisfying smack and seeing the girl fly higher into the air away from him.

The force of the blow rang Hinata's bell. While flying, she had forgotten why she was there for a second. The whiplash she felt from the attack finally registered and she felt a tremendous pain in her neck. The pain reminded her of why she was there and what she was doing. She was going through this for herself and the man she wanted to make happy. Her thoughts soon went away as more primal concerns took over, namely falling in a safe position. She put herself in such a position and soon hit the ground again, skidding to a halt.

That was a move that Hiashi had taught Neji. Neji had asked his uncle 5 months ago to train him more in the clan's secret techniques. Hiashi happily agreed to the request and during this time he learned of techniques that he had never seen or heard of. Neji wanted to get stronger just like Hinata so he would be ready next time. His pride as a teacher was also at stake and he knew that Hinata was a quick learner. She was learning faster than even he did. He didn't know if this was because she was gifted and her personality held her back all these years, or if it was because of his teachings. Regardless of the answer, Neji was proud of Hinata.

That is why he wasn't going easy on her today. She had earned the right for him to take the training wheels off and to really start the training. He saw her sluggishly rise from the dirt and take her defensive stance. Her stance wasn't perfect. Her exhaustion, bruises, anguish were all taking their toll on the dark blue-haired girl. Her clothes were not spared either, getting dirty and torn from this intense training. This time Neji simply charged forward, faster than Hinata had previously done. "Eight trigrams, 32 palms!" Neji said.

2 strikes, both blocked by Hinata. 2 strikes, both dodged by Hinata. 4 strikes, blocked by her leg. 8 strikes, all masterfully dodged. Final 16 strikes, she blocked all but the last one. The final one she surprised Neji by capturing his strike and twisting her arms just like he did to her earlier. Neji though simply twisted his body midair and landed on his feet, grabbing her arm in turn. He then pulled her over his shoulder and slammed Hinata on her back on the opposite side of where she was previously.

This was it, the final strike of this little spar of theirs. Neji quickly sent the signal to his right arm and told it to prepare for the final attack. It responded to him by reaching back as far as it could, the fingers together in a white-knuckle fist. Once everything was ready, he poured chakra into his fist to the point he could visibly see it surrounding his hand. He then unleashed the final blow.

She had nowhere to go, no way of dodging or blocking. So, she simply closed her eyes and waited for the pain to come. It never did. She slowly opened her eyes to see the fist just mere inches from her face. She looked past the fist and saw a smirk on her cousin's face.

"That last move you did was excellent, had it been any other shinobi you would have easily gotten them on the ground and won the fight." Neji uttered with pride in his voice. He unclenched his fist and offered her a hand to stand up. "Sadly though, you have me as a teacher and that won't work on me."

Hinata gladly took the outstretched hand and rose up from the ground. "I picked that up from you in this fight. It looked like a difficult move to do but I wanted to see if I could do it." Hinata spoke with a feeling of accomplishment. She had finally been able to do something to Neji, even if it wasn't a complete success.

"I'm impressed you were able to pick that up in such a short amount of time. I may have underestimated you at the start." Neji stated, giving praise to his now pupil. Hinata replied only with a small blush at the compliment.

Suddenly, Neji's face lit up. He had just come up with another form of combat. Neji knew of the weakness of gentle fist. He saw and experienced it firsthand against the sound 4. He was determined to fix that weakness now.

Raising his hand in a stopping motion, Neji spoke. "Wait Hinata. I need to go and retrieve some equipment. There is something I want to try with you, something no Hyūga has ever really excelled in."

This confused the poor girl. What could Neji possibly be talking about? Why did he need to leave and get equipment? She wanted to ask these questions but thought better of it and simply responded. "Ok, Neji, I could use a little rest anyways." It was only now that Hinata felt all the exertion she had been doing this morning.

Pleased with his cousin's answer, Neji turned about and marched back to the main complex. Hinata went to the edge of the clearing and sat against a tree, her legs fully extended in front of her. What felt like ages went by and all Hinata had to comfort her were her own thoughts.

I wonder what Neji thinks I can do that even he can't. He's a prodigy and I'm just Hinata. Still if he believes I can do it, I'll trust him and give it my all.

Eventually, her thoughts drifted to Naruto and a blush came to her cheeks.

I wonder what he's doing right now. It's only been 6 months, and I miss him dearly. I hope I'm doing enough for him. I can't wait to see him again. I wonder how much he will change during this time. I hope he keeps those cute whiskers at least. The dark blue-haired kunoichi didn't know if what she was feeling was love. She had never felt any type of love outside familial love. She did know that when she even saw him, she felt warm inside. His smile always brought a smile to her lips. His being happy brought her happiness. She truly would do anything for him.

So engrossed in her thoughts about the blonde genin she was smitten with, she completely missed that Neji had returned. With a bow in his hands.

XxX

Land of earth, afternoon, 270 days since Naruto's departure

Loud grunts and moans could be heard coming from the valley. If one had a dirty mind, they would think it was the sound of pleasure. Well, they would be right. Just not in the way they are thinking.

Naruto was having the time of his life. He'd grown to enjoy strength training. He loved the feeling of sore muscles the next day after a harsh workout. He loved the feeling of his muscles stretching and extending. He especially enjoyed the results he was getting.

He was getting leaner, and his frame was starting to fill out. Most of his baby fat was now gone, although he still couldn't see his abs, he knew he would soon. Not only did he look like he was getting stronger, but he also felt it too. He now had more energy than at any other point in this life. Every week he kept pushing himself to a new plateau and this week was no different.

His diet had also changed. Jiraiya knew that Naruto would never give up ramen, so he worked around it. He let Naruto do ramen every other day while the rest of his meals would include all his nutritional needs, plus enough protein to really get his muscles developed.

Naruto initially hated this arrangement but when Jiraiya said it would help his training, he grudgingly accepted. To his surprise, he found himself liking the meals that Jiraiya came up with. He felt he had more energy than before and wasn't nearly as tired when he woke up from sleeping.

"8" Naruto groaned out. Fully extending the bar above his chest with chakra weights on both sides of said bar. Slowly he lowered the bar back to his chest. He had discovered that he developed faster if he took a few seconds on the return of the weights and so he included it between each rep.

Now with the bar hovering just above his chest, he exploded again. "9" Naruto said out loud with more vigor than his last rep. Like before, he gently lowered the bar to his chest, making sure he was getting the full range of motion.

He was now in a position to do his final rep of his final set for the day. This was it, he just needed to press this 225-pound weight above him one more time and he would set a new personal best. He willed greater effort from his chest, shoulders and arms, gripping the bar tighter as he felt the surge of energy flow into him. Slowly the bar rose, much slower than his previous attempts. His muscles screamed at Naruto to stop but he kept pushing them beyond their limits. He could feel it, he was so close to finishing up the day. He just needed the extra push. He put just a little more effort into his muscles and was finally able to lock out.

"10!" Naruto shouted out loud, waking up the souls of the dead. The clone that was standing above him helped rack the bar. Naruto just laid on his back on a bench of earth he had created with his jutsu. He was gasping for air, heart pumping faster than it ever had before. He could feel the burn especially in his chest. A fire had been set alight in him and he wanted it to continue.

"Very impressive gaki, I didn't expect you to improve at this rate." Jiraiya said, himself sitting on a makeshift rock chair just to the side of Naruto. He was staring at his student and marveled at just how much Naruto has changed in these past few months. He was getting taller now and he was slowly getting to the golden ratio. He was going to catch the eye of the ladies when he returned to Konohagakure. For sure that blonde and dark blue-haired kunoichi.

"It helps when you have a healing factor that helps you recover quicker." Naruto stated, mentioning one of the few benefits he got from the nine-tailed fox sealed inside of him.

"Still, you have the will and discipline to stick with this and I'm more than pleased with the results. Your chakra control has also improved mightily since we started." Jiraiya uttered as he stood up and walked to Naruto's side, stretching out his hand to help pull Naruto up.

Naruto gladly took the hand and got up from his makeshift bench, his clone poofing out of existence. Now came his daily cardio. It sucked at the beginning, and it still sucked now. He was getting results at least; he could now run for a good 2 hours without having to slow down. "Well, pervy sage, I'll see you in a bit for dinner." Naruto spoke as he attempted to continue his daily ritual.

Jiraiya had other plans though. Before Naruto could get away from him, Jiraiya put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "Slow down there gaki. I know it's earlier than I told you, but I think you are ready to finally try swift release."

Naruto's face glowed when he heard that come from Jiraiya. He then turned his head to face his teacher. "Really!? You think I can do it now!?" Naruto again shouted out, unable to contain his joy.

"Yes, I know you can handle the basics now. Come with me." Jiraiya ordered his teenaged student. Naruto was more than happy to follow. Both walked down the river that had cut the valley, and they eventually came to a stretch of wetlands. "This should do fine; your control is more than enough to water walk and do this."

Naruto had calmed down now, if only slightly. He was all too excited to finally learn this brand-new release. "So how do I go about using this new release. I know the 5 basic ones, but I've never heard of swift. Is it a combination of the basic elemental ones?" Naruto questioned his master.

"Correct, it is a combination of 2. All shinobi are capable of using the 5 elemental releases. Virtually none of mastered all 5 though. The first 3 Hokage are on that list." Jiraiya stated.

"That's so cool! Back onto swift release though, what are its base releases and why do you think I can use swift?" Naruto again queried his teacher.

"It's because you have both lightning and wind affinities. Remember when I said you needed to have 3 things in order to use swift release?" Naruto nodded in remembrance. "Well, there are 5 actually. You also need wind and lighting affinities to use this release."

Before Naruto could ask his next question, Jiraiya continued. "Do you remember how I had your clones work on your wind and lightning transformations for 4 months?" Naruto shook his head yes, "It was to prepare you for this."

"Ok, that makes sense. So how many swift release techniques have you mastered pervy sage?" The questions just kept flying from the boy, but Jiraiya was willing to be patient with him. It's not every day you attempt to do a combination release.

"None." That's all Jiraiya said. Silence then filled the wetlands they were standing in. Only broken up by the movement of water and the wind blowing through the tall grasses poking out.

"None? Then how can you even teach me this new release if you have never done it before yourself?" Naruto's voice carried a hint of worry in it. He had been training so hard these past months to be ready and he feared it may have all been for nothing.

Jiraiya folded his arms in front of him, giving his god son a disappointed look. "Give me some credit gaki. I may not be able to do any combination release, but I've worked with plenty who could, and they all go through the same process to combine. As for the techniques. That was part of the reason for the many stops these past few months. I was picking up scrolls and texts on this release. There wasn't a whole lot of literature on this release." Jiraiya took a deep breath after giving that little speech.

That explanation put Naruto at ease. Jiraiya wouldn't lead him astray. The look of fear dropped from his face, replaced by content. "Alright, so how do I go about combining them?"

Jiraiya dropped both of his arms to his side. Disappointment was replaced with determination. "It's actually very straightforward, just extremely hard to do. Much like how you add nature transformation to your chakra for some of your jutsu. You simply just need to transform your chakra with both wind and lightning at the same time."

Naruto gawked at this. "It took me 4 months to just learn lightning and wind transformation. Combining them like that will surely take even longer than that." Naruto quipped; annoyance started to flood his emotions.

"Normally yes, but if you noticed, after you first learned wind transformation, it took you half the time to learn lightning transformation. Your clones really are the ultimate cheat code. I think you may actually be able to combine them in one months' time now." Jiraiya stated with pride for his god son. He started wondering if it was perhaps Naruto who was the boy of prophecy and not his other student.

Still irked that he was now going to have to wait again to try cool new stuff, he simply let out a sigh and said sarcastically, "Great, another month of my clones doing transformation training." Resigned to his fate, Naruto summoned 10 clones to begin the combination training. Although he didn't like the transformation training, it was still better than what he did normally at this time. Naruto tried to sneak off with his clones before he felt his progress stop just like before.

"Where do you think you are going gaki? YOU still have your run to do." Jiraiya articulated out loud.

"Ah, can't I join my clones just for today please?" Naruto pleaded with the sannin. He got no respite.

"Run, now"

XxX

Land of earth, afternoon, 300 days since Naruto's departure

Naruto was frustrated. He had been trying to combine his nature transformations this past month and he felt he barely made progress. He decided the best way to channel this frustration was with his squats.

He had wanted to use chakra to help with his lifts, but Jiraiya said its better if he trains his muscles in base form. Something about chakra multiplying effects and what not. So now, he was attempting a new personal best of 450 pounds. He had poured chakra into the weights until the bar showed him the correct number.

His clone spotters were all around him, encouraging him as only a Naruto could. He had long ago dispatched with his jacket. He sweats way too much to workout in it. His body was covered from head to toe in sweat. He relished it. He got under the bar on the rack and rapped his fingers around the bar and lifted. He took a step back to clear the catcher and did his squat. Once he got as low as he could go, he attempted to rise.

Attempted being the key word. His quads cried out to him, begging him to stop this madness. Naruto simply whipped them into submission. Naruto clenched his eyes shut and grinded his teeth. His whole body was shaking as he slowly rose up to full height, his clones cheering him on all the way. Once he was standing tall, he took a step forward and set the bar back on the rack. He let out a roar of triumph for his latest accomplishment.

A slow clap started to form behind Naruto. Jiraiya was once again impressed at Naruto for setting a new personal best. "Nicely done gaki. Now if only your clones could have this kind of success on a consistent basis."

Naruto turned around and grumbled back. "Don't remind me. I'm itching to finally start using swift release. I just..." Suddenly Naruto got a rush of memories all at once. He reviewed them in his stream of consciousness and a crystal-clear image had formed. His clones had finally done it. They had combined wind and lighting.

Slowly, a smile started to creep onto Naruto's face. It continued to grow until his face started to hurt. Jiraiya was about to ask why Naruto looked so happy, but the blonde broke the silence first. "Guess what pervy sage?" Naruto didn't even allow Jiraiya to guess, he was so wired up right now that he had to tell him. "I'VE DONE IT! I CAN FINALLY START USING SWIFT RELEASE!"

"Jeez, I'm right here Naruto! You don't need to shout." Jiraiya responded, covering his ears from the sudden outburst. He let Naruto settle himself down before the sannin spoke once again. "Show me"

Naruto responded by getting into his meditating pose. He slowly breathed in the cool air around him, sweat still dripping from his brow. Once he felt his heart rate get under control, he pulled from his mind the memories he needed to do this combination.

Outwardly nothing was happening for the longest time. Suddenly, Jiraiya could feel a rush of chakra emanating from the genin. It was a perfect mix of wind and lightning. This brought out more clapping from the toad sannin.

"That's perfect Naruto, just perfect!" Naruto was now finally ready to attempt swift release. There was only one more piece of the puzzle he needed, and it was the easiest one. "Now the only thing you need to know is the hand seal for the first technique."

Naruto shot up from his seated position and moved closer to his sensei. "Well don't keep me in suspense! What's the sign!?" Naruto said eagerly. Jiraiya then brought his hands together and formed the hare hand seal.

"The first technique you will be learning is Swift Release: Sprinting Hare." Jiraiya stated. He then saw Naruto close his eyes and get into a semi seated position. "Now before you attempt this release, make sure you only use just a little of the mixed chakra. If you put too much in too soon you might blow up your legs."

Naruto gulped when he heard this. He knew the techniques of swift release were dangerous, but he never really thought of the consequences as they felt so far away until this very moment.

Naruto quieted these thoughts and concentrated on mixing his chakra in small amounts. Once he felt he had an appropriate amount of fused chakra, he formed the hare seal and shouted out. "Swift Release: Sprinting Hare!"

...

...

...

Nothing happened, no fancy explosion, nothing popped into existence. Just silence.

Straightening his body, Naruto muttered to his teacher in confusion. "Uhhh, I don't think I did it right."

Smiling to himself, Jiraiya retorted. "Why don't you try and walk then." Jiraiya knew Naruto had done it correctly, the whisker cheeked boy just needed a demonstration. It just so happened that Jiraiya would enjoy this demonstration very much.

Not fully understanding why he just needed to walk, he took a step forward. His legs suddenly shot out for 2 steps in front of him, faster than he had ever seen them do. The rest of his body didn't respond fast enough, and Naruto fell back first into the wetlands.

Jiraiya was cackling with laughter at this sight, clutching his sides as he started gasping for air. These past 10 months had been worth it just for this moment.

"What the heck was that pervy sage!?" Naruto uttered aloud, embarrassed at his current situation.

Wiping the tears from his face, Jiraiya responded. "That was Sprinting Hare gaki. It makes you move at incredibly fast speeds. The more chakra you put in, the faster you become. Too much though and the chakra overwhelms your muscles, and it can sever the chakra pathways connected to them. Not even your healing factor can heal that."

Letting his previous statement hang in the air for just a bit, he started again. "You will eventually find your limits but for now, do the bare minimum until you get the hang of it. Now, instead of your normal cardio, you will simply walk with Sprinting Hare active."

Naruto picked himself up out of the water and responded with an affirmative "Right!" He then once again fused his chakra and did the seal. This time he was more conscious of his legs, and he could now feel the fused chakra surging through. Naruto then VERY slowly took one step forward. This time he was prepared for the whiplash and braced himself. If it wasn't for all his core workouts, he would not have been able to keep his torso upright. His abs were starting to feel the burn from the strain being put on them.

This 'walk' was about as fast as an average Chūnin running speed but for Naruto's legs, it felt like just a walk. The same though could not be said for his chakra. Keeping this technique active requires a lot of chakra. He figured at this current pace though; he could go a while before he needed to deactivate it. But if he wanted to increase his speed even a little bit, it required vast amounts of chakra to accomplish.

It also required a LOT of chakra control to keep the fused chakra at a constant flow. Too much and he fell back again on his back. Poured too little and he would end up on his face. Naruto got very wet very fast, and Jiraiya was having the time of his life.

Eventually Naruto came walking/running towards Jiraiya and he willed his legs to stop. The force exerted on his body just by simply stopping was immense. It strained his muscles, his joints, his bones. Nothing was spared. If he wasn't in shape, he knew something would have been broken. He needed to train his body more to handle these forces.

Coming to a full stop in front of the toad sage, Naruto said "Can't I have my clones do this too to get the hang of it faster?"

"You could, but as you can probably tell, you would be severely limited in the number of clones you could make and use this technique with." Jiraiya pointed out, causing Naruto to pout for a bit. "Speaking of which, starting tomorrow, I'm gonna have some of your clones switch up their routine. I'm going to have them start practicing a form of Jutsu that many consider the strongest in the world."

"What type of jutsu is that?" Naruto queried sannin.

Jiraiya was happy he asked. Naruto was now going to start learning what his namesake was famous for. So famous that the other nations banded together to destroy his clan and scatter the survivors to the wind.

"I'm going to be having them learn fūinjutsu."

XxX

Konohagakure main hospital, late afternoon, 301 days since Naruto's departure

It was a good day. None of the patients threw up on her, none tried to fight, none tried to escape. It had been a peaceful day for the pink-haired girl. The first one she can honestly say in months.

Sakura had been extremely busy these past 10 months. Tsunade had made sure of that. When not training with Kakashi, she would have Sakura do clinic hours or more chakra control exercises. Only giving her Sundays off. That went for Ino as well, only she also had to work with her father to learn more about the mind-body switch techniques famous to her clan.

Sakura could already see the results of all the training both she and Ino had been doing. They both were well on their way to jōnin levels of chakra control. Sakura was now helping with more major injuries in the hospital now than when she started and Ino wasn't far behind her in this regard. Last month, Tsunade had finally started to teach Ino and Sakura the Strength of a Hundred Seal. For this entire month they each had slowly started to pull chakra into their respective seals. Sakura decided to have hers on her forehead like Tsunade, and Ino had hers placed on her collar bone right below the neck. The effort it took to put the chakra into the seal had left Sakura drained and Ino as well. For Sakura it had been so exhausting that she had skipped some of her regular visits to Sasuke. She could just feel her younger self giving her a lump for missing anytime with Sasuke. She then briefly remembered all the lumps she used to give Naruto...

Sakura was grateful for all the training and little downtime. It kept her mind busy and thoughts away from her blonde knucklehead shinobi. When she did think about him, it only made her feel miserable. It had only been 9 months since he left, and she missed him dearly. Even visiting Sasuke every other day was starting to lose its shine if only slightly. It didn't help that he rarely said anything to her when she was there and would either just meditate or practice his shinobi skills.

"Hey Sakura, do you have any plans after we get out of here?" Ino brought Sakura out of her daydreams. Had she really been that lost in thought thinking of the 2 most important people in her life?

Startled, Sakura answered. "Oh, Ino. Sorry, I was just lost in thought. Can you repeat that?"

"I said, did you have plans for after our shifts end?" Ino phrased once again, a little irritated that she had to repeat herself.

Shaking her head no, Sakura said. "I don't have any plans, why?" Curious as to the blondes' question, Sakura found herself reflecting on her relationship with her fellow apprentice. Sakura had seen the tremendous growth in Ino and it motived Sakura to become even better. They had gotten closer over these past few months; misery does love company. Sakura had long ago apologized to Ino for how she acted that day 10 months ago. Ino had accepted the apology but said there was only one person who she should really apologize to.

During their mutual shifts, Sakura learned that Ino too had been visiting Sasuke, but her visits started becoming less frequent. In fact, Sakura thinks the last time Ino visited him was over a month ago. She had been so busy though that she never noticed it nor questioned it.

"Hello? Earth to Sakura." Ino said, putting her hand on her friend's shoulder and shaking her a bit.

"Oh, sorry I spaced out again." Sakura uttered out embarrassed that she zoned out twice in such a short amount of time.

"You need to quit doing that else something bad might happen to you." Ino stated as she folded her arms in front of her hospital gown, clearly still annoyed. Nevertheless, she continued, "I was saying would you like to go to Yakiniku Q with Shikamaru, Chōji, and myself. I know you haven't been getting out a lot and when you do, you spend it visiting Sasuke. I know how that normally turns out."

Sakura gave thought to the idea. She really hadn't seen the two boys in a long time and only ever saw Ino during their time in the hospital. Ino was right about Sasuke too, being the only person willing to talk in a conversation was starting to grind her down. She needed some socialization in her life.

Bringing her head back up from thought, she replied in a cheery. "That actually sounds fun. I haven't done much socializing in a while."

Ino barely held her squeal of joy upon getting her answer. She really did miss hanging out with Sakura and Ino knows that the pink-haired genin needed this. "Perfect! Meet you there at 8!" Ino said skipping off to do her final assignments.

Sakura laughed to herself a little at Ino's excitement. Now she had something else to occupy her thoughts. She wondered how the two boys were doing. She really hadn't seen either of them since she started her apprenticeship.

Her and Ino's shifts ended, and each headed back to their respective homes to shower and get ready. Both then started heading to Yakiniku Q. For Sakura though, this would be the first time she had been here. She knew it was a good place to eat, but when team 7 came together they ate exclusively at Ichiraku Ramen. She then thought of who was responsible for this and the hole in her soul grew ever slightly larger.

When Sakura arrived, she saw that she was the last to show up. Team 10 was busy chatting when she arrived before they stopped and greeted her.

Exchanging pleasantries outside, they then headed inside and took their table, Ino and Sakura on one side and Chōji and Shikamaru on the other. Once the waiter took their orders and returned with their drinks, they finally started catching up.

"So, tell me, what was your guy's last mission? Ino was tight lipped at the hospital about it." Sakura questioned the two boys.

"It was a B-rank mission, our first as a team actually. We were tasked with guarding a courier to the capital. She had valuable information for the Daimyo and there were many interested parties in that information." Shikamaru voiced out, thinking back on the mission. "It turned out there was a spy in the court that got wind of the courier. We ran into some trouble near the capital."

Now it was Chōji's turn to speak. "You should have seen Shikamaru out there. I thought he was smart before, but he's gotten even smarter these past months. His shadow possession jutsu has greatly improved as well. He can actually now hold them in place and not have them shadow his movements if he doesn't want to." Chōji exclaimed, proud of his best friend.

Feeling a little embarrassed by the high praise from his friend, Shikamaru retorted. "Your jutsu is also improving Chōji. You can expand much bigger now and you hit much harder than you used to."

"Geez, thanks Shikamaru." Chōji responded to the compliment with delight.

Sakura was delighted to know her friends hadn't been idle. They were making the effort to become the best shinobi they could be. Though, she had to admit that she was jealous that they were still a team working together while she didn't have that luxury.

Ino, wanting her friend to open a little, spoke up. "So, Sakura, outside what lady Tsunade has been having us do. What have you been up too lately?"

Sakura unfortunately didn't have to think long on her answer. "Oh, I mainly just train by myself and visit Sasuke."

She received deadpan stares from all 3 shinobi at the table. "I seriously don't get what either of you see in Sasuke. The guy has no interest outside avenging his clan. You do remember the lengths he's willing to go to, right?" Shikamaru took one glance across the table and the looks on the kunoichi's faces said it all.

Sakura spoke up, trying to defend her teammate. "It's because of the curse mark. It poisoned his mind when received it from Orochimaru. That's why he started going crazy right after the chunin exams."

Shikamaru decided it was best to give Sakura a taste of reality. "Think back Sakura, even before the curse mark. What drove Sasuke the most?" He quizzed the girl. The look of knowing on her face was all he needed to see before moving on. "I've heard of the curse mark from Anko. I was curious about it after getting the bastard back. She told me that the seal Kakashi put on Sasuke during the exams makes it so the curse mark will only work if Sasuke allows it." He was hoping that this might get through to her.

The weight of his statement was not lost on Sakura. She could feel a mighty pressure start to squeeze her, suffocating her. I never knew that much about the seal. Kakashi put that seal on Sasuke in the middle of the exams, right after he got the mark. Does that mean Sasuke willingly gave into the mark? Does that mean he did willingly leave the village? Oh Kami!

Sakura could start to feel sick to her stomach. This newfound information was too much for her body to handle. She excused herself to the bathroom and rushed there. Leaving a confused Chōji and Shikamaru behind. Ino decided to follow her friend, having a suspicion.

Sakura reached the thankfully empty bathroom and went to the furthest stall, spilling the contents of her stomach into the bowl. So focused on her task that she didn't hear the bathroom door open. Once the queasiness left Sakura, she stepped out of the stall and saw leaning against the wall was Ino.

"I see you didn't take that news well. I'll admit I had a similar reaction when Shikamaru told me before." Ino said remembering that conversation.

Wordlessly, Sakura went past Ino with a dead look on her face. She reached the sink, cupped some water into her hands, and splashed it on her face. Hands now gripping the sides of the sink, Sakura spoke aloud. "How long did you know?"

"Only a week now, Shikamaru told me right before we left for the B-rank mission." Ino stated.

"I don't understand you Ino, you seem fine with this information! Hell, you didn't even look distraught in the slightest." Sakura half shouted, her emotions starting to get the better of her.

"I've luckily had time to process this information. I came to the conclusion that Sasuke is not the boy we thought we knew in the academy." Ino said in a very serious tone.

In a shocked, almost angry tone, Sakura responded. "How can you say that? He's our friend! We need to help him get through this! I thought you were obsessed with him as I am."

Ino knew this was going to be tough for Sakura to accept. She was now no longer leaning on the wall and simply crossed her arms. "I do still consider him a friend, but I also know what he's become isn't because of some curse mark. He wants power, he willingly choose to leave us all behind. I still care for him but I'm no longer the stary eyed girl I used to be. I now see him for what he has become."

Sakura, now with fury in her eyes, walks right up to Ino. "You are wrong! Sasuke is still my Sasuke. He just needs to be reminded of how things used to be."

"Listen to yourself Sakura, you are still calling him your Sasuke. You want things to go back to the way they used to be because it's easier for you but guess what? People change, for the better and for the worse. Both your teammates exemplify that to a T." Ino said with conviction oozing out of her.

Hearing her blonde-haired teammates name made the pit she felt in her soul grow once again. "What does Naruto have to do with this?" She said, the fury gone from her voice. She cast her head down as she uttered that question.

Ino gave Sakura a disappointed look, the pink-haired genin none the wiser. "Everything! He's the reason Sasuke is back. He's the reason you have felt like utter shit since he left. Kami Sakura! You still see him as the annoying, loudmouth idiot he was back at the academy, not what he is now! Compare him to what Sasuke has become. I'm not saying to give up on Sasuke, but you need to accept him for what he is now and not what you want him to be." Ino finally concluded, going through a mixture of anger, sadness, and a small amount of hope. Seeing no response from her friend, Ino decided it was time to let Sakura be, and so went back to the restaurant and joined team 10 at the table.

Sakura just stood in the bathroom room with her hung low. She was thinking over everything that Ino had told her. It started to terrify her that Ino maybe right about what she said. Sakura DID want things to go back to the way they were. She WAS still seeing Sasuke from there time in team 7. Wanting to see if Ino was truly telling her the truth. Sakura left the restaurant and went to search for her answers.

XxX

Sakura's home, late evening, 301 days since Naruto's departure

Darkness filled the Haruno home. Mebuki and Kizashi were both out having a dinner date. They had left a note for their daughter telling her they wouldn't be back till past midnight. This was fine for Sakura. It allowed her to wallow in her misery alone.

She was currently on her bed, hugging her pillow as if her life depended on it. She hadn't even bothered to get under the covers, simply collapsing on the bed as soon as she entered her room. At first nothing happened. She was simply laid out on the fabric. Not a single sound could be heard from the teenager

This was only possible because she felt dead inside. Dead to the world, Dead to herself. She felt nothing, just emptiness. Sakura tried her best to keep this feeling, the alternative would have been much worse. She used all her will to fight back against the approaching emotions in her mind. She could only hold out for so long though.

Unlike her previous bits of crying that started slowly and gradually rose in crescendo, this time it started at full blast. The wall she had been building around her heart for almost a year now was blown to kingdom come. All her held back emotions now flooded her like a tsunami.

The sounds of Wailing now filled her room. They would have filled the whole house if she hadn't closed the door behind her when she got in. Her chest heaved as her body searched for more air. Her voice carried the sorrow of a year's worth of regret. Her eyes clenched as tight as they could, trying to keep back the emotions she was feeling, but to no avail. Her sheets were now stained with the tears she had so desperately tried to hold back.

She brought her knees to her chest, clutching her pillow even tighter and making herself as small as possible. Eventually, she simply surrendered to her emotions and let it all out it. She has been through so much tonight. First at the restaurant with team 10, and then later when she decided she needed to know the truth. She now came to regret this decision. It was only now that Sakura's thoughts turned to her most recent confrontation with the boy who she once considered her light in the darkness.

FLASHBACK

Sakura now stood in front of the gate of Sasuke's complex. She had stopped referring it by the Uchiha complex name because Sasuke was the only occupant left. Her heart was thundering in her chest. Goosebumps formed on her skin due to the cold air of the night. A wind flowed through her hair, revealing to the world her beautiful features. With determined steps, she entered.

As she walked past the ruins around her, it made her think that this place resembled her current thoughts. Everything around her was falling apart except for one thing. She continued her trek through the compound until she reached the one place still livable. She quietly opened the door and looked inside. This time there was no dust to meet her nostrils. She had taken to dusting the place up for him on her many visits to the place. Sasuke had never turned her down when she asked if she could dust so she took it as implicit permission. All she wanted to do was to help the boy.

"Sasuke, are you here?" She announced. She knew he was still up. He was the kind of person to stay up till past midnight, training or meditating. She was curious as to why he seemed to be doing a lot more meditating now than before. In fact, she never saw him meditate until he was brought back home. Our home.

She quickly saw that there were no lights coming from any of the rooms. A dead end. She once again felt as though she was being watched. This time she KNEW she was being watched. It took her some time to realize it during her many visits to this place, but it was obvious that the Hokage didn't trust Sasuke to not try and leave again. This meant him being under 24/7 surveillance. She had grown to just accept this shadowing of her as the price she needed to pay to help make Sasuke get better.

She then exited the building and closed it behind her, taking a step to the ground from the raised platform she previously occupied. She then marched to the familiar training grounds.

It can't be, it just can't be! Sasuke wouldn't give into the curse mark. It still has to be influencing him. There's no way he would act this way without something affecting him.

She was holding out for hope. Hope that her frequent visits might spark a change in Sasuke for the better. Hope he would accept her into his life. She knew there was nothing she could do for Naruto now that he was gone, but she could still help her Sasuke. His constant rejections of her were straining that hope to its breaking point. The silence he gave her every time she came to see him was steadily withering away her heart.

She had originally been attracted to his cold and distant demeanor. It gave him a cool and mysterious vibe that she ate up. Now though, she saw that they were not good traits to have. She now saw that being expressive and energetic were much better qualities to have, even if it could annoy others at times. Like Naruto

She continued strolling through the trees. Leaves crunching underneath her shoes. The nighttime air was still blowing through her hair and gave a howl through the forest. A full moon was out tonight. She eventually came to a clearing with a tree in the middle. It was a place she was all too familiar with. Sitting underneath the tree where no moonlight could reach was Sasuke Uchiha.

She treaded to the edge of where the moonlight was showing and simply sat on the ground cross legged. Normally Sakura would just stand there and try small take with him. He would always ignore her, hoping she would get the message and leave. Her sudden change of action did cause the boy to become curious. Not enough to acknowledge her though.

Sakura sat there for minutes, thinking about how to put words to her thoughts. Bringing up the courage to ask what she needed to know. Fortifying herself in case the answer she received wasn't to her liking.

"Is the curse mark still controlling you?" Sakura asked boldly, breaking the air of silence that hung there. The only response Sakura got was more silence from the black-haired boy. Undeterred, she continued. "Look Sasuke, I have some questions that I need answers to, so I'll make you a deal. You answer them and I'll stop bothering you so much."

Sakura was hoping a bargain might finally get him to talk to her more. It was her last resort after everything else she tried failed. It seemed to work though; she could see Sasuke visibly twitched when she made her offer. He was seriously considering it.

After a few minutes of thought, Sasuke gave his reply, "I accept" as he opened his eyes and peered into Sakura's. His eyes pierced hers as if looking through her. She had never gotten chills from looking at Sasuke until that very moment.

Thinking about her first question she asked before. Sasuke thought how best to answer this. The mark was affecting him, he was getting stronger every time he went into his dreamscape to train forbidden jutsu. The curse mark though was not controlling him, no, he was allowing the curse mark to take effect, making him stronger every time. He also knew that the ANBU were still watching and listening to everything he said.

"No, it is not controlling me." Sasuke stated in a neutral tone. Trying to make a case for himself with the hidden ANBU, he elaborated. "It hasn't been influencing me since I have returned."

Since his return. That means... "So, it was the curse mark that made you leave!" Sakura felt a rush of relief hit her. She knew it had been the mark that made Sasuke go mad and leave. Tonight was going to end well for her.

"You are mistaken Sakura; it wasn't the curse mark that made me leave the village." Sasuke corrected his former teammate.

Crack

..."What?" Sakura could only utter one word. Her strained hopes were now starting to snap.

"I left the village of my own will to seek power in order to kill Itachi." Sasuke announced to the world. He knew admitting this out loud wouldn't hurt his chances of getting less supervision, the village already knew he had left freely. The only one who was in denial was bizarrely one of the people he used to be somewhat close with.

"T-T-That can't be! The Sasuke I know would never betray his friends like that!" Sakura pleaded out, desperate for what he said to not be true.

"The Sasuke you knew is dead!" Sasuke shouted out from his meditating pose. His malice at the girl continued to grow the more she kept denying reality. "What you see before you now is no longer Sasuke Uchiha, you are now looking at an avenger."

Crack

"No, no, no, NO! My Sasuke is still here! You're still here! I know things can go back to the way they used to be!" Clinging desperately to her delusion, she said these words as her world crumbled.

"Cut it out with that 'My Sasuke' crap! It's so annoying!" Sasuke angrily shouted out, his sharigan active, giving him a menacing look from the shadows of the tree. The moon shone brightly on her face. He could now see every detail clearly of Sakura. Her lips were quivering. Her eyes were fighting tears back desperately. Her heart was racing at its limit. Her breath was short as she was gasping for air. She wasn't completely broken though.

Truthfully, this was hurting Sasuke a little too. While he didn't return Sakura's feelings, he still appreciated what she had done for him. He knew though that the path he was following would only lead her to heart break. He also knew she would more than likely just get in his way of his mission to kill Itachi. Sasuke needed her to get over him and so, resolved himself to shatter her.

"I was NEVER 'your Sasuke'. I am what I should have always been. I will NEVER go back to how things used to be. It disgusts me looking back on how I used to be. You are just a delusional girl with fantasies of a future with me by your side. Stop dreaming, I have never even liked you. I hate how you constantly impose on me. I hate how your hair looks. I hate how your forehead looks. Just get out of my life!"

CRACK

Her world was now in a million pieces. Her eyes lost all the life in them, dull, gray. Her soul had just been ripped to shreds by the boy she had loved so dearly. Her future ripped from her. Her past was lost to the void. Her present directionless.

Without uttering another word, Sakura slowly got up, and ran. Ran as fast as she could away from the scene. Her mind telling her if she stayed any longer that she would be swallowed by the earth. She didn't stop running until she made it back to her house.

END FLASHBACK

She replayed every little detail from her memory about the incident. Trying desperately to find any reason to doubt his words. She could only come to one conclusion. His words were true. Everything she thought she knew about the boy was false.

Sasuke had truly rejected her. There was no going back from this. Her dreams of team 7 going back to how it used to be, lost to time. She was all alone.

For reasons unknown to Sakura, her thoughts drifted to her blonde teammate. This is how he must have felt when I rejected him that final time. I knew I hurt him badly, but I didn't think it was THIS bad. Kami, now I understand why he wanted to leave so badly. He wants to forget about the person who caused him so much anguish.

These thoughts caused her to cry even harder. She felt the millions of pieces of her essence break apart thrice one person who could help her through this, she had pushed away, and he didn't want to be a part of her life anymore. More moisture now soaked the sheets under her. At least Naruto had Hinata to help him through his soul shattering. Sakura had no one and she could only blame herself.

She curled even harder into a ball. Hoping to become so small the world will ignore her. Despite the warmth coming from the house, Sakura felt cold. Colder than any other time in her life. Shivers ran down her spine. Her hands were shaking. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might be having a heart attack. Her lungs yelled at her to get deep breathes, her blood cells desperate for oxygen. Her eyes shut tight as they could get, holding back the flood. Her body was trying to reflect the turmoil going on inside her mind.

Eventually, her body could produce no more tears. Snot stopped pooling in her nose, and she could finally wipe it for good. It didn't stop the feeling she had. Her eyes filled with sorrow, looked over to the picture on her nightstand of team 7. How happy she looked back then. If only she knew back then what was to come. She thought she might have more tears come forth, but her body was tapped out.

She was now resorting to dry heaving. The sound of the heater was her only companion on this dark and lonesome night. Nothing seemed to be helping her. There wasn't a way to fix this. She didn't think anything could help her except for one thing.

She knew Naruto wanted her out of his life, so she couldn't hurt him like that again. Her mere presence caused him to lock up when she saw him last and then run away. It was probably for the best if he never saw her again.

...

...

But she needed him back! She knew she needed desperately to be a part of his life again. She was hoping that he would listen to her one last selfish request of him and give her a second chance.

I was such a fool! My life is spiraling out of control, and I don't know what to do. The one I love hates me and wants nothing to do with me. The one person who gave a damn about me I pushed away due to a blind obsession. Naruto, please come home. I need you. I will say... those words I could not when you left.

I-I-I

---

AUTHORS NOTES

Alright, I truly think I'm done with the Sakura bashing now. I think I finally got her into the state I want her in to build her back up. It was really hard to come up with her scenes in this chapter.

It was also hard to write my very first (somewhat) action scene. I know my first few will be rough but I hope I will get better at writing them each time.

It always bugged me how it seemed Jiraiya never really taught Naruto any new jutsu during the time skip. For this fic I wanted to give him a style that isn't manga canon but has alot of potential in swift release. For now I plan on it giving him alot of abilities similar to speedsters from comics. As for Hinata's training with a bow. I was always kinda shocked how the clan with eyes who could literally see everything for miles didn't think once to use that for long range attacks unseen. I'm going to try and rectify this.

Take care and have a happy thanksgiving to all my USA readers.

Chapter 5: Mama, I'm Coming Home

 

---

Hyūga grounds, afternoon, 983 days since Naruto's departure

Hinata was sweating, she had long ago discarded her jacket she wore around every. Now dressed only in her shoes, navy blue pants, and her mesh armor. She was currently running through the forest with her byakugan, locating every target she could find. It wasn't that the range of her byakugan was terrible, far from it in fact. It was more the fact she needed to be at the correct spot to hit the targets, her midair chakra corrections were still not up to snuff for her liking.

She kept running through the forest, hitting her targets as she ran. One hit, two hit, all with perfect accuracy thanks to her special eyes. Keeping her byakugan active this long used to cause her dizziness and chakra exhaustion. Her years of training under Neji had slowly reduced these effects and now she could keep it active for several hours on end if used for short distances.

The problem was that this exercise required her to do regular checks at long range to make sure she had not missed any targets. Her previous attempts at this training had all resulted in her inevitably missing a few targets. She was determined to change that this time around.

She eventually found a spot in the forest where the trees were not blotting out the afternoon sun. Deliberately, she pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back and nocked it to her bow. She pulled the string back and aimed it high into the sky. She then started to pour lightning chakra into the arrow. Before she let go of the taunt string, she said aloud the name of the technique "Lightning Arrow: Thunderclap" and then released her grip on the string. The arrow screamed just past her cheek as it flew far beyond the canopy of the forest, lost in the sun's gaze.

She didn't rest on her laurels, she immediately started sprinting to the next targets, huffing and puffing in the warm afternoon air. It didn't take long to know that her arrow had struck its target, both from the boom she heard in the distance and her byakugon confirming the target no longer stood.

A smug smirk of satisfaction was now plastered on the Hyūga princess's face, giving her a menacing appearance with the byakugon still active. She was having the time of her life. All the training she had been doing these nearly 3 years was finally paying off in spades.

She had initially balked at the idea of her using a bow and arrow. She had never heard of a Hyūga ever using a bow in combat before, most considered it beneath them due to the clan's strong tradition of Gentle Fist. Neji, and her father, were slowly withering away at the clan's traditions. Neji giving her the bow was a single step in this process.

Although Neji himself didn't know how to shoot a bow and arrow with much competency, he was far too into Gentle Fist to switch up styles so late. He took it upon himself to learn every bit of archery to help his student master this new weapon. He also brought in outside instructors to help with the training, most were shocked that a Hyūga was learning something that went beyond Gentle Fist for combat.

Her first few months with the bow had been rough to say the least. Her accuracy was pitiful, and she had almost no strength behind her shots. During one session, she failed to hit a single target even when they were brought forward to half the usual distance. Despite all the setbacks she had at the start, she never even thought of giving up. Her desire to become a worthy shinobi overruled any feelings of quitting.

By the 4th month of archery training, she was finally able to hit her targets, albeit not accurately but it was progress. She also found that her form had improved, no longer was the string slapping against her forearm and causing it to be tender after her hour's long sessions.

By the 10th month, she was able to have all her arrows hit their targets within the second ring surrounding the center. It was at this point that Neji started having her hit moving targets, which started as well as her first months of just still targets. Her byakugon gave her near 360-degree vision, but that did not matter after the arrow was let go, she was at the whims of the target and the wind.

The 17th month is when she was able to hit the stationary targets dead center every time and was able to hit moving targets at the 3rd ring around the center. She had also by this point had bought a custom bow imported from the land of Iron. It was a standard recurve bow made from bamboo. The string of the bow was a special kind, one that allowed for chakra to easily flow through it to allow for much stronger pulls and far greater accuracy. With this new bow in hand, her progress started moving much quicker

In the 20th month is when she could now hit moving targets near her with pinpoint accuracy and could even start hitting moving targets from far away, her byakugan giving her perfect information on the movements of the targets. She was also now able to infuse her arrows with her own chakra now, finally giving her some control over them in midair.

It was during the 24th month that she had graduated from moving targets to moving targets while she also was on the move. She found it quite taxing on her chakra reserves to both keep the byakugon active and moving her arrows midair, but she persevered.

Now in the current month, she was hitting her mobile targets while sprinting through the forest, dodging and weaving between the brush and trees, not once slowing down. She once again extended her range and found 2 targets lined up almost perfectly for her. The issue was that they were both low hanging targets and she had only one arrow left.

She pulled an arrow from her quiver and nocked it, her legs still running as she had a time to beat. This time instead of putting chakra into the arrow, she poured it into the string, pulling back as far she possibly could. Once close enough to her targets, she began to slide feet first on the ground. This allowed her to be level with both targets. Once her slide brought her into perfect alignment with her targets, she let go.

As she released the bow from her fingers, a mighty shutter ran through the bow, vibrating it to high frequencies. If not for the bow being made of high quality from the land of iron, it surely would have broken.

The arrow tore through the air, flying faster than it had any right to. The arrow hit the target dead center, another perfect shot from Hinata Hyūga. It wasn't done though. It ripped through the first target like it wasn't even there and continued onto the second target behind it. There too it also hit dead center and continued through. The arrow finally stopped its rampage when it hit the rock behind the target but still embedding itself3feet (1 meter) into the stone.

Neji Hyūga was nearby on a cliff, overlooking the training ground he had set up almost a year ago. He didn't bother to hide the look of happiness spread across his face. He stopped the timer as soon as he saw his cousin hit the final target of the day and looked down at the time. She had finally hit every single target in the time he set for her with seconds to spare.

He could not have been prouder of his student. He had continued training her in Gentle Fist during these grueling past 2 years and she had come a long way since their first sparing session. He had to use 65% of his skills now to beat her. He was also running out of things to teach her and soon she would know all the Gentle Fist techniques that he knew, not at the same level of proficiency mind you but it was still very impressive to him.

He was most proud of the work she had done to start a new tradition among the Hyūga. It had started slow but after she got her new bow, she took to her new combat style like a brand-new person. She could hit targets from miles away now, which against the enemy meant she could easily set ambushes without any fear of reprisal. The thunderclap arrow she had used just a few seconds ago was testament to that.

He was also astonished at how she was also able to use her bow in even close-range situations. She could pull out arrows and fire them at such a fast rate it was almost a blur. She could fire them so fast that Hinata received a special quiver with special fūinjutsu marking all over it. These seals contained hundreds of arrows and as soon as she pulled an arrow out of the quiver, another one would be unsealed and replaced the freshly drawn arrow.

She had turned out to be a perfect student and he was proud to have a hand in her development.

"Excellent work Hinata." Neji said with his grin still plastered on his face.

Hinata looked up to where her cousin was while she picked herself up from the dirt and responded. "Thanks Neji, but the important question is, did I complete this training in time?" Her eyes were filled with hope that today would finally be the day she could say she conquered this course.

Not wanting to keep his cousin in suspense any longer, he answered. "Yes, you did, with seconds to spare."

Upon hearing this news, Hinata jumped up and down with joy. Ever since Naruto left, Hinata had been opening up a lot more with her emotions. She had made more friends now outside team 8, namely Ino Yamanaka. The blonde and the princess really started to get to know each other well these past two plus years. They had even taken to training with each other from time to time, giving each other tips on how to improve and teaching one another new techniques they picked up. Hinata had seen her first movie with Ino as well, the latest Princess Gale movie. She was now no longer the shy timid girl she used to be.

Now that she finally conquered this course, she knew she could call herself a powerful kunoichi and could stand by Naruto's side. It was during this moment of triumph that an orange streak rushed through the Hyūga complex. Many byakugon were activated when they felt the rush of air following it, but their eyes saw nothing. None saw that there was now a note left on Hinata's bed.

XxX

Shikamaru's home, early evening, 983 days since Naruto's departure

Dinner at the Nara home was usually a quiet affair. It wasn't a bad quiet mind you. The occupants simply liked eating their meals in peace and quiet. That is, unless Shikamaru's mother, Yoshino, had something to tease any of her men on. Tonight, that happened to be her son

"So, son, tell me about this girl you were 'escorting' around today." She made sure to put up air quotes around the escorting part.

Shikamaru grumbled his reply. "First off, she's the official ambassador from Sunagakure. Second, I had the mission given to me directly from the Hokage to follow her around and be her bodyguard."

Yoshino wasn't satisfied with that. "I already know about that part; I want to know her name." She said twisting the noodles in her bowl around her chop sticks.

Being ever so slightly annoyed, Shikamaru retorted. "It's the same girl I faced during the Chūnin exams over 3 years ago."

He was trying to avoid saying her name, but his mother wasn't going to have that. "You still haven't answered my question son. Are you hiding something from me?" She said in a playful manner.

"Her name is Temari." He blurted out, hoping to satisfy his mother.

After eating some noodles, she responded in a thinking manner. "Temari, Temari, that name does ring a bell. Wasn't that the same girl who saved you on your very first mission Chūnin mission."

"Yes, the same one." Shikamaru said

"And wasn't she also with your during the Chūnin exams held in Sunagakure earlier this year?" She said in an even more teasing manner.

"Yes"

"My, my son. You have been running with her quite a lot these past 3 years. Tell me all about her!" Yoshino squealed out her question.

"This is getting troublesome mom. I don't really know a lot about her. She's pushy, she's loud, she can be a real pain to me." Shikamaru said, now slurping up some of his noodles.

Shikaku, for his part, was content that the teasing was going his son's way. He continued eating his meal in peace, observing the proceeding in front of him with a half grin.

"With how much you have been seeing her, I don't think she's a pain to you. Now tell me, did Temari specifically request that YOU be her chaperone?" Yoshino now had a huge Chesire grin on her face

Shikamaru took a moment to think about this. It was odd that it always seemed to be him that was escorting her. He had never seen any other leaf shinobi accompanying her. He easily concluded that she had in fact been requesting him. Armed with knowledge, and NOT wanting to give his mom more ammunition. He fell back to the tried-and-true method to get out of this situation. He lied.

"No, she hasn't." Shikamaru prided himself on being a good liar. All shinobi needed to be good liars. Lying to your own mother though? Now that was next to impossible.

"Oh, I HIGHLY doubt that son. She for sure has a thing for you." She was now leaning over the table more, giving her son a knowing look.

"She and I are just friends, nothing more." Shikamaru could just feel the embarrassment starting to come to his face. His mom could be relentless. He never understood what Shikaku saw in her to marry such a troublesome woman.

"If she's just your 'friend' then you should have no problem inviting her to dinner tomorrow!" She said once again putting up air quotes around the friend part.

"Ah, come on mom! That would be such a drag to bring her here." Yoshino noticed that he didn't flat out refuse the offer. Shikaku for his part, could only chuckle at his son's misfortune.

"I'm sure she would enjoy it very much. And I promise to only embarrass you a tiny bit." She giggled to her son, finally getting his cheeks to warm just a bit.

"Troublesome." Again, he hadn't denied her request. She was going to have so much fun preparing the night for her son and (girl)friend.

Deciding it was now the best time to stick up for his son, Shikaku finally spoke. "Alright dear, I think the boy is plenty embarrassed as it is. Let's go easy on him now."

Her bouts of giggling now behind her, she turned her head to her husband and addressed him. "Fair enough, why don't you talk about how the training between Shikamaru and yourself has been going. I haven't had a progress report in ages!"

A wonderful grin now graced the face the Shikamaru. Happy that his bout of teasing was over, and happy for what his father was about to say.

Scratching his beard in a small pause, Shikaku replied to his wife. "To start, his shadow imitation technique has continued to improve. He can now hold shadows for more than 10 minutes on a single target. The speed at which he can send his shadow out has also increased significantly. It's to the point where its hard even for me to keep away from it." Shikaku remembered briefly their latest training session this afternoon.

FLASHBACK

They were training in the woods near their home. Plenty of shadows for Shikaku to hide in to avoid his son. Shikamaru would lay excellent traps for his father. An explosive tag here, a fake one there. Forcing him out of his hiding places all along the way. The exercise was simple, Shikamaru simply had to get ahold of his dad once before he made it back to the compound.

Shikamaru's strategy was excellent. He always had 2 shadow clones out there searching for his father while he stayed close to the gate, ready to go whenever a clone would spot Shikaku. Shikaku would occasionally reveal himself to try and get his son to commit to chasing him or a clone of Shikaku. Shikamaru never took the bait, he was calm and collected and patiently waited for his dad to fully commit.

Even if Shikaku's lessons on being the aggressor still hadn't fully sunk in to his son, the fact that his shadow clones were attempting to force him out of the shadows of the tree's meant some of the lesson had stuck. Shikaku would just need to reinforce it more. Now was the time to strike.

Shikaku sprinted from his cover behind the tree's heading to the gate his son was guarding. Shikamaru saw him instantly as he left his cover. He first threw a kunai at his father which was deflected by Shikaku's own. Shikamaru followed it up with a fireball jutsu that was aimed directly at Shikaku. Instead of just dodging the move, Shikaku countered with the water bowl technique as a continuous stream of water left his outstretched palm, smothering the incoming fireball. If Shikaku had let the fireball simply go by and explode, it would have created a long enough shadow for Shikamaru to take advantage of.

It was a ruse. Shikamaru knew his father would dose the fireball, it was the logical thing to do. That is why he had prepared his next kunai with a flashbang tag. Even before the smoke could clear from the previous colliding jutsu, Shikamaru threw the kunai into the smoke where he knew his father was. It was met mid-air by another kunai.

Shikamaru scoffed at this, his father was once again one step ahead of him. Quickly, both raced to the gate, with Shikamaru sending out more fire blasts and his father quickly ending the flames. Shikaku was just about to reach the gate when he saw his son send out his shadow. He was taken aback at how far he could now send it out and with such speed. He knew he wouldn't make it in time with the sun behind him and shining on his son's face.

So he created another sun. Granted it lasted for a second but it was all he needed. He quickly threw his last kunai into the air behind him with a flashbang tag attached, just like his son did earlier. Blinded by this sudden development, Shikamaru failed to notice that his dad had made it past the gate

END FLASHBACK

"He almost got me earlier today. I had to pull out my last resort trick to come out on top." Shikaku said with pride in his voice. Shikamaru really had come so far since becoming a Chūnin.

Shikamaru was happy for the praise he was receiving on his latest performance. What he really wanted to hear though was his father admitting something happening for the first time. He glanced to his father with a knowing look, egging the elder Nara to say what the younger Nara wanted to hear.

Giving a heavy sigh, Shikaku gave into the unasked demand. "And he finally beat me at a game of shogi."

...

...

"Seriously, you finally beat your father in shogi dear!?" Yoshino was now staring at her son, eyes filled with stars at hearing something so marvelous.

"Yes, I did." He stated matter-of-factly. Internally though, he was ecstatic to have finally beaten his dad. It only took him nearly 16 years to do it, but it finally happened.

"He beat me ONE time. I beat him swiftly in the next 10 games." Shikaku uttered, trying and failing to get back some of his pride. Still though he was happy for his son.

Yoshino got up from her seated position and went over to her son. She then got on her knees next to him and pulled him in for the biggest hug of his life.

"My boy is becoming a man before my very eyes!" Yoshino said with an enthusiastic smile and tone.

"Geez mom, can you cut it out please? This is so embarrassing." Shikamaru grumbled out.

"I'm just so proud of you! Can you really blame me?" She uttered out in delight.

Shikamaru could only grumble in response until he was let go to finish his meal. The rest of dinner went pretty like that for the rest of the night. Yoshino kept asking the 2 of them questions and Shikamaru would inevitably get embarrassed by few of the answers. Eventually, he finished eating and excused himself.

As he left the dining room and started heading to his room, a rush of wind ran through the hallway. He also could have sworn he saw an orange streak go by him as well. This lasted only for a second and then everything was calm again. Shikamaru made a mental note to get his eyes checked out just to be sure.

When he arrived at his room, he noticed that it was open slightly. Odd, I know I closed it when I last left. He then entered his room, and something caught his eye. On his bed was a scroll. Written on the scroll was "Tomorrow, Noon, Main Gate, don't be late"

XxX

Streets of Konohagakure, evening, 983 days since Naruto's departure

Ino was on another date that was going bad. Granted, she had only been on 4 dates in the past 2 years, but she knew a bad date when she was on one by now. She was getting tired of this.

Her current date had started out well enough. The Chūnin named Kai had stopped by her house to pick her up, not before getting a stern lecture from her father though. Kai was 2 years older than her and had experience with this kind of talk and handled himself well enough.

They then walked quietly to the restaurant he had reservations for. One thing she noticed about Kai was that he would take occasional glances at some of the female civilians and kunoichi on their way to the steak house when he thought she wasn't looking. That was strike one.

Strike 2 came during their meal. It was there she realized that Kai was a little too self-absorbed. He wouldn't talk about his past missions, more like bragging about them and it was irritating. He constantly was putting over the 'heroics' he had done and trying to impress her. It had the opposite effect.

The final strike against Kai was when he took her to the latest kaiju flick. How this moron thought she liked this kind of movie over romantic ones she would never understand. It wasn't the fact that he had horrible movie tastes. She would have been ok with the movie if the date previously had gone swimmingly. It was what he did during the movie that ended the date prematurely.

During the movie, she could feel his hand slowly creep towards hers. She would readjust herself every time he did this to push him just a bit back each time. Eventually, he got bold (stupid) enough to try and put his arm around her. At this point she had enough of him and bonked him on his head, giving him a nice lump, and she then stormed out of the theater to the confusion of the patrons.

Now she was walking through the streets of Konohagakure, thinking back on the other dates she had been on. The first date she had been on was 2 years ago at this point. After trying for several months to talk to her first crush in Sasuke at his complex, she had finally given up hope that he would see her the same way she saw him. It was then she started to be more receptive to the advances of her fellow shinobi.

Her first date was awkward. Both Shinji and she had never been on a date before and neither knew what to do. He didn't even have a plan for the date, he just walked around aimlessly around the village for hours trying to find something to do but failed every time. His constant apologizing also was really grating to her nerves. Eventually she just asked him to take her home and just wanted to forget the meek black-haired boy.

The second date came just a few months after her first with a shinobi named Bakugo. Bakugo was a shinobi from Kumogakure. He was the opposite of Shinji in almost every way. Where Shinji was meek, Bakugo was loud and abrasive. Where Shinji had black hair with no styling, Bakugo had a mess of spikey blonde hair, much like another genin she knew. She had thought that going out with the opposite of Shinji would produce the opposite results as well. She was wrong.

Bakugo would not shut up about himself throughout their entire date. Not once did he ask a single thing about her and would constantly bring up another shinobi in his village who sounded a lot like Shinji except maybe having a bit more spine. She couldn't even remember this shinobi's name as Bakugo had turned her off so quickly. She believed his name started with a D.

She didn't even get through the dinner they had before she left early and walked home. Opposite personalities but same result. It was really frustrating for her that she was now 2 for 2 on bad dates.

Her third date came 6 months after her second one and this time she tried to pick her partner carefully. The shinobi's name was Bunta, and she initially picked him because he was a smooth talker. He had gotten to know her for several months after she healed him in the hospital and only asked her out when she felt comfortable around him.

The date with Bunta had gone well until the end. He met her promptly at her house. He asked about her interests during the meal. He had taken her to a club after dinner and could dance well. There was something in the back of her mind though that had prevented her from really connecting with the boy. He didn't do anything wrong on the date. She had enjoyed everything they did together. There was just something missing at the time. When he took her home finally, he tried to kiss her, but she politely turned him down. He was hurt by this but understood and left promptly after that.

Now with her 4th date going up in smoke, she was starting to think she wouldn't find somebody any time soon. Bunta had been the closest and she wasn't sure why things just didn't click with him. Maybe there was something wrong with her? Could she just have high standards? Or was it perhaps that she kept on comparing all the boys to her first crush and... her fellow blonde genin.

Comparing them to Sasuke was obvious to her. Although she had mostly moved on from the boy, she still found qualities in him endearing and hoped he would one day get over his avenger mentality. Despite the rejections Sasuke gave her, she still cared for him as a friend.

She couldn't understand though why she also compared all the boys she dated to Naruto. Granted, she did look back on the time they spent with each other fondly but why compare him to the other boys? Yes, he was annoying at times, but she got used to his attention seeking antics. He was also a very sweat boy who would do anything for the ones he cared for. He's funny, loyal, maybe a little naive but that was charming at times, and probably his best trait was that he never gave up on anything once he put his mind to it. He also looked kind of cute to Ino.

What are you even thinking about Ino? Stop that right now! Hinata's the one who likes Naruto. She's liked him since they began their time at the academy! Yes, I'll admit he does possess virtually all the traits that would make a great boyfriend but come on. It's Naruto for crying out loud! I'm sure when I see him again everything will go back to the way it used to be between us.

Ino continued her walk through the streets of Konohagakure. The lights from the shop illuminating the path before her with a variety of colors. Trying not to think about boys for the rest of the night, she reflected on all she has accomplished in the past two plus years.

Her iryō jutsu was proficient enough to the point where she regularly was helping in the ER and saved many lives. Her chakra control had skyrocketed under the tutelage of lady Tsunade and her once modest chakra reserve was now well above average. True, her iryō jutsu wasn't as good as her pink haired friend but Sakura wasn't that far ahead of her. Plus, Ino had something Sakura didn't, her clan's hidden techniques. She was now proficient enough with the mind body switch technique that she could control more than one person at a time.

As she was continuing through the streets, she eventually walked past Ichiraku Ramen and heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"Hey Ino, aren't you supposed to be on your date right now." Ino turned to the voice and saw the face of her old friend Sakura.

That's odd, I never see her here at Ichiraku Ramen by herself. She used to only ever come here when Naruto would drag her and team 7 there to eat.

In a huff, Ino said. "I WAS on a date, until he tried to get frisky with me. I gave him a good lump on the head and walked out."

"Well, did you want to sit with me and talk a bit? It's been a while since we really had a good conversation." Sakura said, inviting her friend to sit next to her in the stand.

"Well, I did leave the date early so I got some time." Ino happily took the seat next to her fellow apprentice and she told Sakura about all that had happened on the date. Initially cheery, a look of disgust was growing on Sakura's face as Ino told her about the horrible date.

"He deserved more than a single lump if you ask me. Why do men have to be such pigs?" Sakura voiced her thoughts.

"Well, not all men are pigs Sakura. Bunta was a real gentleman on our date." Naruto is also not a pig either.

"Then why didn't things work out between you 2?" Sakura questioned the blonde kunoichi, a look of depression soon formed on her as she began thinking about what she was going to do tomorrow.

"I can't say for sure. He did everything right during our date. I just didn't feel a connection with him." I can only think of 1 boy I felt a connection with that was real.

After Ino spoke, she finally saw the look on Sakura's face and spoke up. "You look down all of a sudden pinky. What changed?" She asked in genuine concern for her friend.

Sakura snorted at that name. At least it was better than forehead. "I'm just thinking about what I'm going to do tomorrow. I've been trying to prepare myself this past week, but it's done little to help me."

"What are you going to do tomorrow, Sakura?" Ino questioned her friend.

Sakura let out a huge sigh before she answered. "I don't really want to say it right now, but I promise you I'll talk about it after I get through with it, Deal?"

Ino still had a look of concern on her face but accepted the deal all the same. The rest of the conversation was about them catching up on each other's lives outside the hospital and sharing more stories during their apprenticeship. Ino was not home when an orange streak went through her house and into her room and left a note.

XxX

Uchiha complex, late evening, 983 days since Naruto's departure

Sasuke fished out his fūma shuriken from his pack. He unfurled it, infusing it with his lightning chakra, and tosses it at a tree on the opposite side of the clearing. He was standing in a clearing he had gotten to know quite well over these 2.5 years. If he wasn't eating or sleeping or doing a mission restricted to the village, he was here training. Beside him was his teacher Kakashi Hatake. He had been visiting his student more frequently as of lately. He was here now to gauge Sasuke's progress since his return to the village

Sasuke had slowly but surely started to win over the trust of the village, if by a tiny bit. He was finally starting to be given missions again. Albeit mostly those that took place entirely in the village. If a mission did require him to leave the village, he was always accompanied by Kakashi and Anko and hidden ANBU, no exceptions. The village thought that the years had finally started to break down the Uchiha boy's resolve to leave the village. They thought they saw it in his eyes and his actions.

They were wrong. If anything, the time spent 'home' had hardened his resolve to escape. He was simply switching tactics, and it was paying off. The only reason he had not escaped during those rare missions outside the villain was that he wasn't certain he could escape both Anko and Kakashi. He knew though as soon as either Anko or Kakashi left the village and left him alone, he would make his move.

During those missions outside Konohagakure, in addition to his normal prison guards, Sakura had also been accompanying him. He figured that she was volunteering to be with him, but he found out from the Hokage that it had been her own decision and not Sakura's. She didn't volunteer when given the chance. He had half expected the girl to keep trying to get him to change his ways but that wasn't the case. In fact, she was mostly quiet to the teenager. Speaking mostly the bare minimum to him. He had also noticed that she no longer kept staring at him all the time like she used to. She now only spared him the occasional glance when she thought he wasn't looking. He had to say it was a welcome change, he could now at least tolerate her presence for just a little bit longer.

The fūma shuriken he had thrown just a few moments ago was still slicing through the air. Electricity excited the air as it flew and cut through the tree like paper.

"I see your lightning transformation has improved. Very nice" Kakashi remarked.

"I still have a way to go. I've only got Lightning and Fire now. The other elements have proven more of a challenge." Sasuke replied.

"The fact you have even 2 now at your age is remarkable." Kakashi answered.

Sasuke scoffed at this faux praise. "I should have more than 2 by now."

"You will get there; you just need to be patient." Kakashi said, giving his trademark eye smile to his pupil.

This remark got under Sasuke's skin. He turned his head up towards his teacher and glared at him. "Patient? I've been patient for a long time now. I've been doing as the village has asked of me for over 2 years now and yet I'm still under house arrest. I think I've earned a little more freedom around the village at least."

Kakashi tilted his head down slightly and investigated his student's eyes. He was looking for any traces of deception. He was tempted to lift his headband to get a better look, but he didn't. He could see frustration and anger in the teenager's eyes. He knew this was coming from the injustice that Sasuke thought he was unduly being given. If it was either injustice for being returned or injustice for feeling his efforts were not being rewarded, the one-eyed shinobi could not say.

Regardless of the answer, Sasuke had indeed been slowly earning the trust of the Hokage and the village back. Even Kakashi himself was starting to have more hope for the boy.

"Hmmmm. I do have to agree with you. I'll talk to the Hokage and see what I can do." Kakashi replied after thinking about what Sasuke said for a minute.

This seemed to satisfy the raven hair teenager. Kakashi could see some of the tension in him upon hearing the words.

"Now then, why don't you show me how your fire transformation has come." Kakashi announced, folding his arms back in front of him. "I want to see this new jutsu I've heard you have been working on."

Damn ANBU.

Seeing the cat was out of the bag, Sasuke let out a sigh. He walked forward 10 paces away from Kakashi. He then proceeded to take out 3 kunai from his pouch and threw them up in the air high above his head. Soon enough the kunai reached their apex and started their descent to the earth. These kunai had a specific target they were being aimed at, a teenager named Sasuke Uchiha. Kakashi simply stood there with his arms still folded, passively watching the proceedings.

The kunai continued to speed down to the earth, where Sasuke was waiting. When the 3 kunai were about 5 feet from hitting their target, a bright inferno consumed the Uchiha. Red hot flames enveloped the boy, incinerating everything they encountered, namely the 3 kunai that were turned to ash when they passed the flames.

Sasuke though was un-affected. The flames whipped at his clothes and skin, but they remained undamaged. As soon as the flames arrived, they also vanished, leaving only ash on the ground. They boy had an air of calm around him, he had relished in the flames that had once surrounded him, it felt good.

"My, that's really impressive. Good for offense and defense I see." Kakashi said, unfurling one of his arms and giving his young student a thumbs up.

"Tsk, I can only do it for short bursts right now. I'm working on controlling the length and intensity of the flames to get around this weakness." Sasuke remarked at having to show his incomplete jutsu.

"Well, given how fast you have been growing, I'm sure you will have it soon enough." Kakashi uttered out, praising the boy. "Your fire transformation is further along than your lightning transformation. Although, that's understandable given your affinity for fire."

"It's still no excuse for my lightning being behind. I'll just need to work on it more." Sasuke stated. "Now if there is nothing else that needs be said. I think it's time I go and rest."

Sasuke didn't wait for a reply and turned around and headed back to his living quarters, leaving Kakashi in the clearing.

I can still feel the anger in him from having been kept here. Although those flames have diminished since I first started training him again after he got back. I wonder if having him only supervised by Anko will speed up his recovery. Deciding on his course of action for when he saw the Hokage next, Kakashi left the clearing and hoped through the trees back to his apartment.

Meanwhile, Sasuke had indeed gone back to living quarters and was now currently in his bedroom with the blinds shut. He wasn't sleeping though, he was again meditating and communicating with a certain snake sannin.

"Despite the setback we had almost 3 years ago, you have progressed beyond even my expectations Sasuke." Orochimaru said to his 'student' in the dreamscape concocted by the curse mark.

"I don't give a damn about your expectations. Killing Itachi is all the maters to me." Sasuke reiterated to his 'teacher'. "I'm now one step closer to that being a reality. I've convinced Kakashi to speak with the Hokage on my behalf to give me more freedom around the village."

"Oh, this is good news. Very good news indeed. That leaves me with one more thing I need to teach you before you leave Konohagakure." The sannin stated.

Sasuke raised his mental eyebrow and asked his 'sensei'. "What else can you teach me before I make my escape?"

"kukuku, It's another gift I have left for you in that village. It's a gift I left for you before we even met." Orochimaru said with a sinister smile.

"Enough with those cryptic answers, just tell me where this 'gift' is." Sasuke muttered out, clearly annoyed at the snake master.

"Why, I'm going to have you absorb another curse mark. Your body can handle 2 of them now with all the training I have provided for you." Orochimaru answered his 'pupil'.

Sasuke thought long and hard about this answer. He soon came to the most logical conclusion.

"Anko"

"That's right Sasuke. You will absorb her curse mark and increase your power exponentially. And then, you and I can meet again in person, and I can give you the final gift." The sannin stated with a hint of glee in his voice.

"What last gift?" Sasuke queried Orochimaru.

"kukuku, I've been having Kabuto working on a serum for these past few years to increase the curse marks effects. I can only give it to you in person though." The snake sannin answered back.

"Fine then, I assume taking the curse mark from Anko should only be done during my escape?" Sasuke questioned but with a hint of knowing.

"That is correct, the jutsu I will teach you will be quite painful for my former apprentice. You will have to do it right the first time. You won't get another chance." Although weak compared to himself, Orochimaru knew that Anko would slow Sasuke down enough for reinforcements to arrive and stop Sasuke's second defection.

"Very well, what is this jutsu then?" Sasuke uttered aloud.

With a wide smirk on his face, Orochimaru explained the jutsu that would allow Sasuke to absorb another curse mark and take it for himself.

Had Sasuke not been so absorbed into himself. He would have seen a note on his drawer. A note delivered by an orange streak.

XxX

Uchiha complex, early morning, 984 days since Naruto's departure

Sakura stood in front of the once familiar gate of the Uchiha complex. She had been dreading this upcoming 'talk' for a while. She had been reflecting on everything that had occurred between herself and her former light of her life.

She knew now that she could no longer run from this. It had to be done. Even if it hurt her tremendously, it would be the best for her. Steeling herself once again, she stepped through the gate and into the complex itself. Like she used to ritualistically do, she first went to the main house and opened the door.

Dust hit her nostrils as she opened the door, a reminder of how long it had been since she had last come here. Like every previous time, she saw no sign of the boy and so closed the door back with a satisfying thud. She then turned around from the door and sauntered off to where she knew he would be.

The morning air felt warm against her skin, yet she still felt cold. The fire that had been in her the last time she saw him was just a flicker of light. The sun was shining through the tree's but not above the canopy just yet. Her shoes crunched the foliage beneath her feet as she made her way to her destination. She came to the same clearing she used to frequent quite a bit.

Meditating in the shadow of the huge tree in the center of the clearing sat Sasuke Uchiha. She wondered if the only things he ever did at his complex were training or meditating. She had never seen the boy do anything else but those 2 things when she used to visit more often.

For a moment, her body was frozen at the edge of the area. Fear started to take hold of the pinkette. Doubt was creeping into her mind. She didn't know if she could go through with this, or even if she truly wanted to. She was about to do the second hardest thing she would do in her life.

Eventually, her will won out against the empty feeling inside her, and she strolled into the clearing. Once she got to the shadow of the tree, she stopped and got on her knees. Her face was not betraying the emotional turmoil she was currently feeling. To the outside world, she was calm and collected. Interestingly, she didn't feel the eyes of the ANBU on her.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked coldly, not looking up to the person who broke his serenity.

"This isn't going to be a conversation. I have things I need to say, and you will just listen. I don't want any responses." Sakura started as she rested her hands on her knees, her eyes were now shut off from the world.

Interesting, what could she possibly say? Will it be another love confession? This girl just can't take a hint.

Since the time he blew up on her almost 2 years ago, she had only come to see him thrice more. She came on both his birthdays and exactly one year to the date he told her off. Even during these visits, she remained quiet. Simply staring at him, as if she was desperate to say something but the words would not roll off her tongue. Each time she had given up and left without uttering a single sound. She had kept her word to him for the most part though. He had started to enjoy the silence around him without her being there almost every day.

A hush hung in the air, only the sound of the wind could be heard between the two teenagers. Sasuke was stoic and gave no hint at what he was thinking.

"When I first laid eyes upon you at the academy, I was instantly smitten. I had never seen a more perfect person in my life. When I found out that I was on the same team as you, it was the happiest day of my life." Sakura said as she looked back fondly at that memory. "Until I also learned that Naruto was also on the team." That she did NOT look back fondly on, wanting to shame her younger self.

"The bell test is when I think I slowly started to fall for you Sasuke. Despite not getting the bell, you still wowed me with how close you got to one on your own. If it wasn't the bell test that started me on my path, it was the land of waves mission. Seeing you put your life on the line for Naruto showed me you at one point did care for us." Sakura took a deep breath at this point and collected herself.

"Then the Chūnin exams happened and that's when the first cracks started to form, although I was blind to it. After you got that curse mark, you changed. Gone was the boy I loved and replaced with a boy obsessed with power. I wish I could have seen it sooner and perhaps I may have been able to help you out sooner." Sakura said, trying her best to keep her face neutral while her emotions were a raging storm.

"Is there a point to all this?" Sasuke said irritated at this history lesson.

"I said I wanted no responses!" Sakura shouted back furiously. This caught Sasuke off guard. He had never seen her get angry at him like that. What could possibly be so important for her to say?

Sakura didn't wait for a reply and continued. "When I saw you and Naruto fight on the roof, ready to kill each other, I now look back and realize that's when I should have started seeing the darkness in you. At the time, I wouldn't allow myself to see it, but time has only made that black void in your grow." She spoke with some of her anguish starting to show on her face. She could also start to feel herself shake a little bit.

"When I saw you were going to defect and I tried to stop you, I meant every word I said. I loved you, and for some kami forsaken reason a part of me still loves you now." More hints of emotions were now in her voice.

"If you would have accepted my offer to let me join you, you would have made me the happiest girl in Konohagakure. That's how much I loved you in that moment." Her voice now fully betrayed her mental state, but no tears were coming. Sasuke didn't want, nor deserve, her tears.

"If you did take me with you, I now realize I would have made a horrible decision. One I probably would never shed the guilt of. Sasuke, a love that blinds you so much to everything in world is not a good love to have. That's the kind of love I had for you, I see it now. That love I used to feel for you are a guilt and shame I do have to live with." Sakura felt like such a fool remembering all the times she praised Sasuke and all she did to get his attention.

"I had thought that after your return here, you might start to change your ways. You might come to love your friends and teammates and village as I have. I hoped I could stand by your side and watch you grow into a powerful shinobi and one day perhaps get married and have children." Her biggest dream at the time was to be the bearer of many sharigan children, she knew now it would have been a nightmare.

"I had built up a fantasy version of you inside myself. Over the years I built you up in my mind to be my near perfect vision of what a man should be. It was that man I was devoted and blind too all this time." Sakura explained.

"That Sakura Haruno projected this fantasy onto you and would not let it go. If you did anything that didn't match what this ideal version of that Sakura thought of you in her mind, she would explain it away. To that Sakura, you were in every meaning possible, perfect." It had taken Sakura over 2 years to come to this conclusion and had been horrified when she did. The mind can do twisted things to you if you are not careful about it.

"Even that Sakura knew on an unconscious level of your dark tendencies. They were in the back of her mind, but she always crushed them. Not willing to admit that maybe her dream had any cracks in it." Sakura uttered aloud and prepared herself for her next harsh truth.

"That Sakura also had convinced herself that you did love her in your own way. Your aloofness and distant stares were just proof to her that you had feelings for her and simply couldn't express yourself. She clung onto any little hint that you might have feelings for her and magnified them. Kami, that Sakura was such a fangirl. How she could let herself get like that makes me sick just thinking about it." Despite the bravery she was feeling in this instance, she could still feel small tremors in her body.

"That was the old Sakura." She stated. Her voice was no longer shacky but had a fierce confidence in it. Her will swelling within her.

"The new Sakura was born the day you were brought back, when I was shown just what a monster I had been like to those I cared for." Sakura now opened her eyes and looked at Sasuke. To her surprise he was looking straight into her eyes. His body gave no indication of what he was feeling now.

"It was Naruto who showed me the truth. I had to beat him down one horribly final time to understand just what I had become." She felt a single tear roll down her cheek upon remembering her darkest day.

"On that day, I decided to be better. Not just as a shinobi, but as a human being as well. To think that I would actually change for Naruto's sake and not yours. My old self would have kicked my new self's ass. Yet here we are." She was finally saying out loud the truths she had been hiding from herself. She wasn't done though.

"I realize now that all this time back in the village really hasn't changed you. You may be acting nice and friendly with the village watching, but I see how you are when you think no one is seeing you." She took another deep breath before trying to calm herself down. She could feel not sadness, but anger start to fill her. Anger at the situation, anger at Sasuke, but most importantly, anger at herself.

"I see you now for what you say you are, you are an avenger. A thing that seeks only power and will do whatever it takes to get it. As crazy as it sounds, I can't blame you for turning out like this. I can't imagine what it must have been like during the worst night of your life. I can only think of how you might have turned out if it didn't happen." She started to think of another universe where Sasuke was a normal teenager with much less angst. Perhaps in that universe her other self could be happy with Sasuke. Here though...

"But even if I can't blame you for how you are, I also just can't sit around forever while you gain power to take your brother down. And even if you do take down your brother, what then? Where will your fury go?" That last sentence got a twitch to form in one of the eyes of the Uchiha.

"Sasuke, I have a life too. A life worth living, as I can't atone for what I've done if I'm stuck here on you. That is why I'm telling you right now this will be the last time you see me until you turn away from this path of destruction." There, it was said. The statement she was terrified of saying was now out in the open.

"Sasuke, I still love you, but you are not right for me. I can't, I won't allow myself to be deluded by my fantasies of you anymore. The new Sakura has been tearing down her image of you for almost 2 years now. Revealing to me what you truly are, and I don't like what I see." Her voice was now shaking as she spoke. Her body was fighting her at every word she spoke, but her mind was winning the battle.

"I hope you do turn back from this path, and if you do, I will be there for you. As a friend, a comrade, a teammate, but no longer a lover. You will always have a place in my heart, but I can't let that cloud my judgement any further."

By this point, Sasuke's eyes had closed. His eyes were twitching. Sakura now finally stood up from her kneeling position and towered over the raven hair avenger.

"One last thing before I go. Don't think I'm changing just because of you. You are only a small part of the reason. I'm changing for myself, but mostly because of Naruto." Upon hearing the name Naruto, Sasuke started trembling in rage but kept his thoughts quiet for now.

"If I was a fool putting you on a high pedestal before, I'm a much bigger idiot for not seeing how good of a person Naruto was and is. I have never seen someone so devoted to another human being as he was too me. He'd walk through hell just to see me smile. And I rejected him, countless times. Yet he didn't give up on me, not until I hurt him beyond repair." Sakura feared she might start wailing again but she didn't want to give Sasuke the satisfaction of her weeping. So, she didn't cry. Those would be reserved for the boy when he came back in just a few months.

"I was so fucked up. I had the greatest friend imaginable right next to me who wanted nothing more than to just be a part of my life, and I rejected him.

"Naruto has always been better than you. As a human, as a shinobi, as a friend. " Lover? "He far outclasses you in every way. Not just now, but ever since we first formed as team 7. You have always been chasing him, and frankly I don't think you will ever catch him. His motivations are pure. Your motivations are poison to your existence. He brings light to everyone's life. You bring misery. Naruto was never the dead last, YOU were the dead last."

"GET OUT!"

Sasuke roared, showing more emotion in those 2 words than the past 3 years combined Sakura saw her. Being compared to Naruto was the final straw for the Uchiha. Never in his life outside his hatred for Itachi has he felt wrath this powerful. Nobody was better than Sasuke Uchiha!

Sakura didn't flinch at this sudden outburst. She had expected this reaction from the boy. She couldn't call him a man or teenager. He was still a boy, a boy stuck in an older body.

Sakura spun around, her back to the shadow covered boy, turning her back to her past self. She then took her first step into her future, her new self. She didn't know if it would be enough to get a second chance with her long-gone teammate. She could only pray it was good enough. Sakura did not receive a visit yesterday or this morning from the orange streak of Konohagakure.

XxX

Front gate of Konohagakure, near noon, 984 days since Naruto's departure

Shikamaru and Temari were the first to arrive at the main gate of Konohagakure. Shikamaru had asked around his clan estate if someone was pulling a prank on him with this note. None of the Nara clan admitted to writing the note. If there was one thing that could get the Nara boy off his ass, it was his curiosity.

Temari had joined him for a few reasons. One, they had to be together as he was her escort again as a mission. Two, she knew Shikamaru wanted to know who was able to sneak into his place and leave a note undetected. They may not be a sensor clan, but they had good patrols around the complex.

"So, who do you think we will meet here Shika?" Temari asked her friend

"You know I hate that name." Shikamaru grumbled out. His hands in his pockets as he rested against a wall with Temari to his side.

"I honestly don't know who could have sneaked into my room and leave without a trace. It's a real headscratcher." The pineapple hair boy continued from his previous statement.

"Well, it's almost noon now so we won't be waiting in suspense for too long Shika." Temari teased her good friend with her favorite nickname.

"You are troublesome you know that?" Shikamaru replied to the quad ponytail kunoichi.

Temari replied with a small chuckle. "Only with you Shika, only you." The two of them were then interrupted by the appearance of one Ino Yamanaka.

"Shikamaru? It was you who left the note?" She queried her fellow team 10 member as she approached the duo.

Temari and Shikamaru turned their heads to the uninvited guest and gave Ino a puzzled look. "Wait, why are you here Ino? And how do you know about the note left in my room?" Shikamaru responded.

This caused the Yamanaka girl to pause her previous train of thought. What does he mean by the note in his room? If he's here, then he's the one who left a note in my room. Then again, why would he though when he could just ask me himself to meet here.

Ino continued to ponder this for just a second before finally replying. "No, someone somehow got into my room and left a note. I couldn't find any trace of them. Are you telling me you were also left a note that said to meet here at noon?"

Shikamaru nodded his head yes and Temari finally spoke to her fellow blonde kunoichi. "So, if you received the same note as Shika did, then do you know who could have left them both?" The Sunagakure kunoichi asked.

"I have no clue who could have left it. My parents freaked out a little bit when I told them at first. Both had stayed at home yesterday after I left on my date and neither had heard a single noise come from my room. I had told them it was probably a message from a secret admirer, and it seemed to calm them down." Ino filled in the duo on a little bit of her home life.

"Shika told me you had a date last night. How did it go? Was he hot?" Temari giggled a little asking this of her friends' teammate.

"Uggh, it was a disaster. I didn't even get through 1/3 of the movie before he tried to get touchy feely. I gave him a right hand and marched out of there." Ino recalled the night before with disdain, at least until she met up with Sakura.

"Why do you need to call me by that name Temari?" Shikamaru uttered with a look of annoyance on his face.

"Because I enjoy you reacting to it!" Temari responded with glee

"Woman, such troublesome creatures." Shikamaru could only slump his shoulders, now knowing he had another woman in his life that liked to tease him.

Getting back on track, the pineapple haired boy commented. "Let's get back on track. So, if you didn't leave us the note, and we didn't leave you a note. Who left them?"

"Wait, you guys received a note as well?" Said a newly arrived guest. So engrossed were the 3 shinobi that they did not even notice the milky eyed Hyūga princess approach them. Startled by the appearance of Hinata, the 3 of them turned to the new arrival.

"Wait, we all received a note then?" Ino asked aloud, trying to get her bearings.

"It would appear so, I thought it may have been you Ino, but nobody back home saw you. In fact, none of the Hyūga guards noticed anyone suspicious entering the complex and for sure my room." Hinata stated to the now crowd.

"Wait, the Hyūga with their x-ray eyes didn't see anything amiss? How's that possible?" Shikamaru uttered out loud, the mystery of the situation just kept piling up.

Hinata nodded her head, answering the question. Had she been closer to her family's compound instead of training, she was sure she could have seen the perpetrator. The range of her byakugon had now reached just over 3 miles (5 KM).

"Ok then, let's think about this. What do the 3 of us have in common? Obviously, whoever left the notes had a reason for it." Shikamaru stated, trying to figure out what was going on.

Temari decided to chime in. "Well, you are all Konohagakure Chūnin. You 3 have gone on missions together before. From what I've seen out of your fellow rookie shinobi class, you have all progressed the most since the first exams. What else do you all have in common?"

The 3 Konohagakure shinobi racked their brains trying to crack this puzzle. There was no obvious thing that tied them together more than any of the fellow Konohagakure 11. What made them all stick out to this mystery person?

Suddenly, the orange streak rushed past them in the blink of an eye. Due to their shinobi training, the 4 of them had all been able to react to the streak but just barely. Temari brought her fan to bear, Ino and Shikamaru made the necessary hand signs for their respective clan techniques, and Hinata activated her byakugon as she readied her bow from her back.

The 4 were all poised and ready to strike at this mystery person. No attack came. Several seconds went by and nothing happened. "Hinata, can you pinpoint their location?" Shikamaru queried the Hyūga girl.

"Give me a minute, I'll find them." Hinata confidently answered. She maxed out the range of her byakugon and started doing a full sweep of the village in front of her. Too bad for her that the streak had now come to a stop behind them about 30 feet (9 m) away.

"You guys could actually react to my speed. I've encountered few who could over these past few years."

It was a voice the 3 Konohagakure shinobi knew extremely well. It was the voice of a person they all had missed dearly. It was the voice of someone who wasn't due back for almost 2 full months. The 3 of them plus the Sunagakure shinobi turned around to face the voice, varying levels of shock, joy, and confusion on all their faces.

"Did yall miss me?" said the mysterious black and orange clad stranger.

"Who's that?"

"Hey man!"

"GOLDIE!"

"NARUTO!"

---

AUTHORS NOTES

And another chapter bites the dust. Wanted end this on a little cliff hanger. I'm really appreciating all the favorites and follows I've been getting. It's been really motivating. I've been reading all the constructive feedback and trying to improve my writing given this is by far the most I have ever written. I know most first time fic writers start off with small one shots but I'm the go big or go home kind of guy.

Also if you haven't noticed but I enjoy long chapters. I always hated when I get a new chapter update notification and it turns out the chapter is only 2k words or less. The downside to long chapters though is getting a regular upload schedule. I'm going to TRY and do weekly or the very least every other week for these first few chapters. As I get deeper into the story and the butterfly effect becomes more severe I may need more time to think of the changes I made.

Also you may remember a previous chapter saying Ino would not be a love interest. Lets say I have softened my stance on this. Don't get me wrong, I still don't plan on her being a romance option for Naruto but god damn do I enjoy writing her scenes. Ultimately though it will be decided on what I feel these characters would do in this altered timeline.

Anyways. I'm going to Anime Frontier this upcoming friday-sunday so my next chapter may take a bit longer. Oh and one last thing, I'm curious what title chapters my readers would pick for each chapter. Like I said, all my chapter titles are songs which I think have some relevance to the chapter. Hell I even have a list of song titles for chapter names. You can leave a review with what song you think fits the chapter best. Take care yall and be safe!

Chapter 6: It's Been Awhile

 

---

Konohagakure, noon, 0 days since Naruto's arrival

As his friends turned to finally look upon him for the first time in nearly 3 years. He too was able to see how each of them had physically changed during this time.

Temari he was not expecting to be here. She had traded in her former threads for a short-sleeved, black kimono that reached down to her legs, with slits along the side and a more revealing neckline. She kept her red sash around her waist and now also sports black fingerless gloves.

Shikamaru looked the most professional out of all of them. He still has his flak jacket, but the clothes underneath was now the standard Konohagakure-nin threads. The only bit of customization that Naruto could see on Shikamaru was the mesh armor on his wrists and ankles.

Ino had now matured into a beautiful kunoichi in Naruto's mind. Her platinum hair now reached her hips with a bang that covered one of her eyes. She also grew a few inches, and her figure REALLY filled out. She now no longer sported bandages and now wore a purple sleeveless top that stopped at her stomach, letting her midriff show. The skirt she previously wore was now lengthened and went just below her knees. He also noticed some type of diamond just below her collar bone, but it wasn't being held up by anything.

Hinata had changed the most for sure in Naruto's opinion. She, like Ino, had grown a few inches but was no longer taller than him. She no longer wore her old sandals and now sported a nice pair of shoes. She still had on her navy-blue pants, but it was from the waist up that her looks had changed the most. She had long gotten rid of her overly big coat, and she now wore a cream and lavender shirt that fit the contours of her body and the mesh armor underneath. Much like Ino, Hinata's figure also filled in nicely, or maybe it was because she always wore that big coat, and no one noticed what lied beneath. None the less, Hinata looked gorgeous in his eyes like always.

After fully drinking in the appearances of the small group in front of him. Naruto, with his arms still folded in front of him, found that his smirk started to falter a bit.

"I was expecting another to be among you. I guess I'll go see them on their own later." Naruto uttered to the group.

There was supposed to be one more? Does he mean Sakura? I guess he wants to see her alone. Ino quickly thought.

"Anyways, I can't believe how much you all have changed!" Naruto exclaimed with joy in his voice.

Temari took a second to view the specimen in front of her and BOY was he a FINE specimen at that. Even though she was spoken for Shikamaru, she could still appreciate the male form from afar. "You have changed quite a bit Naruto. I didn't even recognize you since the last time I saw you." Temari finally said standing out from the group.

It was at this point that the 3 Konohagakure shinobi finally took in all the changes to Naruto's appearance. Gone were the orange coat and orange pants. He now sported a pair of combat shoes and black trousers. He now wore a black muscle shirt that was tight on his form. He complimented this shirt with a red coat that hung on his broad shoulders.

It just wasn't his clothes that drastically changed, it was his physical form as well. Naruto was now by every definition, a man. He had grown several inches taller and now stood above everyone in the group. His calves, quads, and hamstrings would be clearly shown if not for his trousers. His abs too would be showing if not for his muscle shirt. His pecs, delts, shoulders, biceps, triceps, every muscle in his upper body was clearly defined and gave him a v shape. His voice had also grown from its childish pitch before to one of a man. The only thing that had not changed much was his spikey blonde hair. In short, he was the man that other men wanted to be, and women wanted to be with.

The 3 Konohagakure shinobi had various internal thoughts on the blonde shinobi in front of them.

Damn, he's taller than me now. How could he change so much in just 3 years? Man, this is a drag. Shikamaru thought to himself

Kami! H-h-h-he's a hunk now! How did Naruto, the boy who was the smallest out of all the boys in the class and had virtually no attractive features outside his whiskers. Turn out to be this hot? I guess some people just need more time to bake. Ino couldn't help the blush that formed on her cheeks upon checking Naruto out. She could feel the droll pooling inside her cheeks.

I can't believe how much Naruto has changed. I always found him attractive but now he's drop dead gorgeous! I shouldn't be surprised though. It's Naruto after all! I always knew he was a special person! Hinata too had a blush on her face, though not as red as Ino's.

"Pervy sage worked me to the bone these past years to develop quickly. I sure hoped I changed!" Naruto stated to the group

"I'll say." Ino almost purred out. Wait, did I say that out loud? Calm down Ino. It's just Naruto. Hinata already has dibs on him, and you don't want to get in their way. Luckily for her, the rest of the group didn't seem to catch what she had said.

Shikamaru's curiosity about the conversation the 4 shinobi had before Naruto came into the picture was now too much for the Nara boy to handle. "Naruto how were you able to leave notes for all of us without anyone seeing you?"

"Oh that, it's one of the new jutsu I learned!" Naruto exclaimed with pride.

Shikamaru's brain racked upon hearing this. There was only one jutsu he could think of that would allow him to sneak in without any detection. A jutsu that only the 2nd and 4th Hokage's had mastered. "Don't tell me you mastered the Flying Thunder God."

There was a stir among the group. Everyone knew of the legendary jutsu the Flying Thunder God. It's what caused the 4th Hokage to be one of the few shinobi in history to have a 'run on sight' label attached to them.

"I wish I did. Flying Thunder God is beyond me though." Naruto corrects his friend.

"Well then, how did you do it?" Ino queried her fellow blonde.

Naruto now had a wicked grin on his face and replied. "Like this!" He then brings his hands up to his chest and forms the hare, horse monkey, and dragon signs in order. He then shouts out, "Swift Release: Swift Body!"

To the outside world, nothing changed at that moment. The wind was calm, the people were still milling about and gossiping, and the animals were following whatever nature set course for them. For Naruto though, time felt as though it had slowed down for everything else but himself. He poured just enough of the swift chakra into his muscles to get them moving, now that his mind was ready to go. With heavy steps he moved, every move forward was jarring to his frame. The human body was not designed to move at these speeds. Once he got near his friends, he could see them start to react to his movement. Even though to Naruto it looked like they were moving slowly, he knew they were reacting extremely quickly to the outside world.

To give them proof that this wasn't a time-space ninjutsu, he pulled out a marker and marked each of them on the palm of their hand. Even though he had only used this technique for a very short time, he could already feel his chakra reserves taking a massive hit, he knew he only had a few more of his 'seconds' before he would be forced to release the jutsu or else face exhaustion. Once his mark was left, he went behind them and released the jutsu on his body.

In the blink of an eye, Naruto was behind the 4-some. This time though, they were all ready for it and were able to at least see some of his movement, even if it was just a blur to their eyes. Naruto didn't have to announce where he was. The 4 of them were able to see where he had stopped.

"Why don't you each take a look at your hand. I left you a present." Naruto spoke out loud with the same wicked grin from before. Each person in turn looked at their hand, and on them was the familiar swirl pattern on the backs of every Konohagakure Chūnin vest.

"How did you do that Naruto?" Shikamaru asked his friend with a look of puzzled astonishment.

Gleeing with delight at finally being able to show his friends his new jutsu, Naruto responded. "It's called swift release. I'm able to do it because I have both wind and lightning affinities, and I have the chakra reserves to use it. Most of the techniques I have learned mainly help me go fast but it's still wicked cool!"

"I'm sure it must have some limitations though. You can't be moving that fast for long periods of time." Shikamaru replied.

"You got me there Shikamaru. I can't only go at max speed twice a day before my chakra becomes exhausted. I can use it at lower speeds as well but that still takes a lot of chakra." Naruto answered back, unfurling his arms to his sides.

"Interesting." The one worded retort given to Naruto's explanation from the Nara boy.

"Naruto, I'm so glad to finally see you again after all this time!" Hinata finally spoke up. A look of utter joy plastered on her as she put her bow on her back.

Sheepishly he put his hand behind his head and closed his eyes as he announced. "I really missed you all as well. I was dreaming of the day I would see you all again and now that it's here, it's better than the dream."

This caused a blush to form on the 2 Konohagakure kunoichi that was completely missed by the blonde knucklehead shinobi. Naruto finally opened his eyes and finally took full notice of the weapon that was on Hinata's back.

"Woah, I didn't know you could use a bow Hinata!" Naruto said excitedly as he brought his hand back to his side.

Finally, being addressed directly by her love, she felt herself grow small for just a bit, but she did not shy away. That was the old Hinata. This new Hinata was way more confident and could stand Naruto's gaze. "I can now. Neji has been helping me train with it for about 2 years now. He said it was time to start new traditions in the clan."

Naruto took joy in hearing that the Hyūga clan was finally changing. Perhaps one day they will finally get rid of the bird cage and the distinction between main and side branches as well. "You will have to show me how you use it when we get the chance next! I'm sure you have some cool moves with it!" Naruto said as he slowly approached the group and more specifically Hinata.

His words of praise and his approaching her, made Hinata squirm in place, still not quite used to the words Naruto had spoken. This was not missed by Naruto, but he filed it away into his memory for later. "Yes, I'd love to Naruto!"

Grinning to the group, Naruto made his announcement. "I'd love to stay and just chat with you all, but I have other people I need to see. Namely a surely miffed Hokage, a sensei, and a teammate. How about we meet at Ichiraku Ramen for dinner tomorrow at 7? My treat!"

The mention of Ichiraku Ramen gave rise to a small laugh from the 3 Konohagakure shinobi.

"I guess some things will never change about you, huh Goldie." Ino said and paused a little to catch her breath. "Sure, I can meet you tomorrow at 7."

Giving Ino a deadpan stare, Naruto replied. "I see you still are calling me that even after all this time."

"I see it's still quite effective against you Goldie!" Ino laughed which caused Naruto to bow his head in defeat.

"If Temari is fine with it, we will both join you." Shikamaru said and glanced at Temari who have an affirmative nod at the question.

"I'd love to come as well!" Hinata blurted out with glee.

His attitude now lifted by all the positive affirmation. Naruto raises his head and speaks. "Awesome! I'll be seeing you all tomorrow at 7 then!"

XxX

Uchiha complex, 2 pm, 0 days since Naruto's return

Even though he had not been back home for some time, Naruto still knew how to navigate Konohagakure like the back of his hand. He was still trying to keep his return a secret to all but those he wanted to tell first and so he put his stealth skills to good use. He worked his way through the village and now stood in front of the Uchiha complex.

Naruto now found it odd that he had never actually taken a step inside this place. Deciding he had already taken too long getting here, he ventures forth into the unknown. The first thing he noticed was just how badly maintained the buildings were. They looked worse than his old apartment did which was saying something.

He kept up his brisk stroll through the complex until he found the one building that looked like it was maintained somewhat. He went up to what he thought was the front door and opened it. He immediately felt the urge to sneeze as a wall of dust hit his senses. Pinching his nose to stop the sneeze from coming, he walked inside and yelled out. "Sasuke, you here?"

No answer came, not even wind was blowing through the house, just silence. It was a little off putting to the blond shinobi and he continued his walk of the building. He finally came across a space that didn't have dust everywhere and that was the kitchen. Naruto still had no luck finding Sasuke. He eventually gave up his search of the main home and went out of the backdoor that was situated in the kitchen.

Seeing his teammate was probably at one of the many training grounds located in the Uchiha clan, he figured he would start to search out those places. As he was walking, he had both his hands behind his head, and he was in deep thought.

I wonder if Mr. Angst has gotten over his anger issues by now. I'm also curious just how much stronger he has gotten. No doubt Kakashi sensei kept up his training. Sasuke was his favorite after all.

Naruto had to admit that having a sensei who took his training seriously these past few years had colored his views on Kakashi. Naruto would be forever grateful for what Kakashi did to get Naruto off the ground. But he couldn't look past the faults of Kakashi in terms of his training methods and obvious favoritism of the Uchiha prodigy.

It took Naruto another hour of searching around the grounds before he finally found who he had been looking for. Naruto found Sasuke in a small pit-like area in the middle of the ground. This pit was big, and it offered plenty of space to move around in and was deep too. A perfect place to train.

Naruto heard Sasuke before he saw the raven-haired boy. He heard explosions coming from the pit and so the whisker faced boy walked to the edge of the pit and looked upon his teammate.

Sasuke now wore black pants that came to the middle of his shins. His previous open toed sandals were now replaced with closed gray shoes. His hair was slightly longer than before, and it was wilder now. On his torso sat an open chested shirt that exposed his chest and stomach to the world. He also now sported a sword on his right hip. His figure had also filed out as well. He had leaned out much over the past few years and his body had many tight and compact muscles all over.

Naruto was happy to see his teammate again, despite what had occurred between the 2 all that time ago. Naruto was partially worried that Sasuke would have tried another escape attempt, but it appears his fears were unfounded. That was a good sign in Naruto's mind. Hopefully that meant that Sasuke would be willing to let the past go and start over fresh.

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto shouted from above on the lip of the pit. Sasuke immediately stopped what he was doing and flinched ever so slightly. The voice of Naruto still grated on his nerves even now.

Sasuke turns his head up to lock eyes with his 'friend' and utters out "Naruto." Sasuke was conflicted right at this moment. The 'talk' he had with Sakura this morning was still fresh in his mind, making him rage ever more. The fact that the subject of said anger was now right above him made him think fate either loved him or hated him. Whatever the case was, he was not going to pass this opportunity up before he pursued his goal.

Naruto jumped down into the pit and marched to his teammate. "Wow Sasuke, I thought you looked emo before, but you have really outdone yourself now!" Naruto chuckled as he talked to Sasuke, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Naruto, fight me." Sasuke announced in a deadpan voice.

Naruto stopped in his tracks upon hearing this. "What do you mean Sasuke?" Naruto asked confusingly.

"I said fight me Naruto, don't make me demand it again." Sasuke's deadpan voice spoke.

"Look Sasuke, I just got back and I'm not really in the mood to fight right now. Can we take a rain check?" Naruto sheepishly asked.

"No." Sasuke then went through several hand signs and released the Great Fireball technique at Naruto.

Stunned by the sudden attack, Naruto quickly went through his swift release signs and poured the chakra into his legs to get out of the way quickly. The fireball exploded right where he had just been a split second before.

"What is your problem idiot? I just said I don't want to fight right now!" Naruto shouted, almost pleading with the last of the Uchiha.

"I do." Sasuke replied as he pulled out a fūma shuriken and infused it with his lightning chakra before throwing it at his rival. Naruto was a little taken aback by how fast the shuriken was thrown at him but had just enough time to dodge it.

"Fine, but you asked for this!" Naruto then shot out air bullets from his mouth right towards his opponent.

Sasuke stopped the attack by raising a wall of earth in front of him with his jutsu. He then jumped up high from behind the wall and sent a stream of electricity straight towards Naruto.

Naruto rushed forward, avoiding the stream while getting into position. He then jumped high, forming multiple shadow clones while in mid-air. These clones were in a direct collision course with the Uchiha.

Sasuke countered these clones by bringing forth a wall of fire and hitting most of the clones who turned into a puff of smoke. The clones that did manage to get through tried to hit Sasuke with all the strength their legs and arms could muster but Sasuke dodged them easily even while falling. By the time Sasuke hit the ground, he was all alone with no Naruto in sight.

Suddenly a hand popped from under the ground, grabbing a hold of Sasuke. Naruto had taken the time to hide under the ground when Sasuke put up his fire wall. Naruto tried to drag his friend underground, but Sasuke remained firm and resisted.

This is exactly what Naruto wanted. 2 of Naruto's clones then popped out of the ground on either side of the Uchiha with Rasengan's formed in their right palms and charged forward.

Sasuke broke the grip of the Naruto under the ground at the last second and jumped back, forcing the 2 Rasengan wielding clones to hit each other and disappear in a spectacular explosion. Having had enough of the Naruto under the ground. Sasuke forced him out with a jutsu that caused the ground to rise at different heights, exposing the true Naruto. Catching the whisker cheeked boy off guard, Sasuke created a spear of pure fire in his hand and chucked it at his 'teammate', squarely hitting Naruto in the chest.

On impact a great fireball engulfed Naruto and obscured all vision of the boy. When the flames died away, all that could be seen was the charred remains of a boulder that Naruto had managed to substitute himself with.

"That would have killed me your jerk!" Naruto announced out loud, clearly pissed off that Sasuke still seemed to have anger issues. He then jumped down from his elevated position to the pit floor with Sasuke. He then formed 100 shadow clones all surrounding the emo teenager and each one charged.

Seeing himself being surrounded, Sasuke decided he would bring out a new toy of his. One he had been working with Kakashi for the past year now. He brandished his katana from his hip and coated it with lightning chakra, ready to strike the many Naruto. Clouds of smoke now surrounded the black-haired boy. The Naruto's would try to rush him down, jump him, kick him, punch him. All failed and would become victims to the end of Sasuke's blade.

Seeing as Sasuke also is well versed in lightning release, Naruto decides its time he joined his friend. Naruto leaps high into the air and surrounds his leg with lightning, ready to bring his heel down to end this charade. Sasuke, however, sees it coming in time and uses the body flicker technique to get out of the way. Naruto's heel crashes onto the ground, leaving a massive crater where his heel connected.

Seeing the opportunity, Sasuke runs through a series of hand signs and once again blows out a stream of fire from his mouth. This time though the flames don't go straight for Naruto, the flames swirled around him until he was completely inside a fire tornado.

Feeling the heat of the situation, Naruto takes a page from Sasuke's book and forms an earth wall around him that completely insulates himself. Leaving the flames to scorch only earth. Once he felt the tornado had fizzled out, he dropped his earthen dome and saw 2 kunai racing towards him in the air. He quickly activated swift body again but this time with more chakra. Time slowed down like earlier at the main gate. Naruto at that moment thought of the coolest thing he could do. He sidestepped the first kunai but instead of simply letting it go past, grabbed it by the handle. He then proceeded to spin around the second kunai and grabbed that one as well. At the end of his spin, he threw them back at Sasuke.

Sasuke was not expecting Naruto to be that fast and didn't have time to dodge or block his own kunai. He was forced to use one of his final defenses for such a case. Immediately a flame shield surrounded him. Outside it was burning hot and burnt to ash everything it met. Inside though it was cool, but Sasuke was anything but cool.

He was seething. The dead last had forced him to use this jutsu so early. He was forced to show his hand against someone who was beneath him.

The flame shield went away quickly and standing far apart from each other, both combatants simply stared at one another. Both were measuring each other's abilities that had been shown and figuring out who would make the next move.

This time Naruto took the initiative. With his swift body still active but almost running out, he blazed forward at such speed that Sasuke only saw an after image until he felt a fist in his gut. He was now bent over and coughing, trying to catch his breath.

"What...was...that?" Sasuke moaned out, his body still trying to get air into its lungs.

"Swift Release. I can move at incredible speeds but only for short periods of time. I wasn't expecting to use it twice today, but you forced me to." Naruto replied to his teammate.

Sasuke was still clutching his abdomen in pain, his wrath increasing every second and all directed toward his 'friend'. It was at this moment that Sasuke knew he had to leave as soon as possible. Being stuck in Konohagakure had stunted his development. Losing to the loser was proof of that.

Naruto after a minute put his hands in his red coat pockets and jumped out of the pit. "I'm going home now. I see you still have issues even after all this time."

"I...am...not...finished!" Sasuke shouted, having regained his breath, his voice carried the malice of his soul.

"Well, I am. Goodbye Sasuke." With these parting words, Naruto left the pitiful boy in the pit, who could only punch the ground in anger.

XxX

Hokage's Office, 5 pm, 0 days since Naruto's return

Tsunade was not in a good mood. For one, she knew Naruto had gotten back into town this morning. The letter sent by Jiraiya had confirmed their ahead of schedule arrival. Even though the 2 of them had arrived back home, NEITHER had come to see her yet. She had wanted them to report to her as soon as possible so she could see if Naruto was ready for what was to come. Even though the knucklehead aggravated her to no end, she cared for the boy more than she cared for anyone else in Konohagakure.

The second reason she was not in a good mood was all the damn paperwork. There was just no end to it, no matter how many forms she signed or rejected, 2 more would take its place. She had no idea how the previous Hokage managed such a workload AND took rounds across the village. She wished her sensei was still around so she could pick his brain but alas it wasn't meant to be.

The last reason she was in a foul mood only made the first 2 reasons worse. She had forgotten to resupply her stash, her secret stash, and her SECRET secret stash with sake. She was currently a stressed-out woman with no booze to help her for a few more hours at least. She pitied the next poor soul who ran afoul of her.

"Hey, Granny Tsunade!" Naruto announced from the Hokages window, ducking an empty sake bottle thrown his way. "Geez Granny, you need better aim." Naruto said sheepishly as he ducked his head again, only this time having to dodge a full sake set.

"You brat! It seems your time away hasn't improved your manners in the slightest." Tsunade said to the youth as he dropped down from the window and started heading to her desk.

Naruto gave his Hokage a shit eating grin and responded. "I calls thems as I sees thems."

Tsunade could only close her eyes and put her head on her desk groaning. "Can you at least explain why it took you so long to come see me?" She grumbled with her face doing its best to eat her desk.

"Hehe, well that's easy. I wanted to see Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru and Sasuke and see how much they have changed." Naruto said with joy.

No mention of Sakura. I guess Jiraiya's report on him moving past her was accurate. I hope it won't affect them working together in the future.

Not knowing the thoughts in Tsunade's head, Naruto continued. "I also stopped by to see Iruka sensei. Also ran into Konohamaru on my way to Ichiraku Ramen. He wanted to show me the progress he made on his jutsu."

"What jutsu did he want to show you?" Tsunade had now by this point lifted herself up from her desk and was lazing back in her chair.

Crap! shouldn't have said that. Tsunade would kill me if she ever found out about the Sexy jutsu or its ultimate form, harem jutsu!

"Oh, his jutsu was... incomplete. It was supposed to be a henge of some kind, but I don't know what the end goal was." PLEASE buy that.

"Hmmm, ok, so any reason why you headed to Ichiraku, or did you just HAVE to have it before you saw me?" YES, I live another day!

"I'm planning a get together tomorrow night at 7 and I'm inviting all my friends to Ichiraku. You are more than welcome to come Granny Tsunade." This time TWO sake bottles were thrown at the boy and the boy dodged.

Clearing her throat, Tsunade replies. "I'll see if I can make it. The paperwork for this job just seems to multiply. This job just keep's giving me more to do." Tsunade puts her hand on her forehead as she leans on her elbow.

At this moment, the two blondes got a new visitor. This one also was at the window, but he had silver hair. "Greetings Hokage." Kakashi said as he pulled himself through the window. Once he noticed Naruto was in the room he added. "I see you came home early. It's good to see you again my young student."

Tsunade grumbled under her breath about there being a door for a reason. Not paying any mind to what Tsunade said, Naruto uttered out. "It's good to see you too Kakashi sensei. Pervy sage and I thought it would do us both some good to get back home a little early."

"I see." Kakashi stated and then looked up and down his genin. "You sure have grown during this time. I wonder what Jiraiya has taught you."

Naruto with a snicker says. "I learned a lot from him. Despite his pervy ways, he knows his stuff. I can't wait to go on my first mission with you sensei, so I can show you what I can do now!"

"I'm looking forward to it Naruto." Kakashi said giving a big eye smile.

"Why are you here Kakashi?" Tsunade interjects, hoping to get back to work as soon as possible so she can get to her precious sake quicker.

Turning to face Tsunade, Kakashi replies. "I'm here because of Sasuke. He's earned a little more freedom around the village."

Naruto scoffs at this a little and retorts. "The jerk still has anger problems from what I saw when I visited him just a few hours ago."

Wanting clarification on the situation, Tsunade asks. "What has brought you to this conclusion Kakashi." She raises her eyebrow when speaking.

"So far, he has done everything asked of him since he returned. He's kept himself inside this village without any hint of another defection. Even on missions where he was required to leave the village, he never once took a chance to escape. Yet, he's still on the same leash we put him on since the start. I'm afraid if we don't throw him a bone so to speak, he might start regressing in his progress." Kakashi spoke at length, hoping to give his young charge a little more freedom.

Tsunade ponders this for a bit before asking another question. "Do you really think he will regress if we don't give him some more freedom?"

"Hai, I do. The anger that's rising in him now is because he thinks what he's doing isn't changing his circumstances. I'm not asking you too completely let him off the hook. Maybe have less surveillance on him." Kakashi further states his case.

Kakashi may be right. Inoichi's reports have been positive. Well as positive as they could be from Sasuke. It's true he's given no outward indication that he is wanting to defect again.

Tsunade thinks about this long and hard before coming to her conclusion. "Alright Kakashi, if you think this will help then I'm willing to loosen the leash on him. I'll think about it over the night on how I'll be doing that."

"Thank you, lord Hokage." Kakashi says with relief in his voice and bows his head.

"Great, now that the Mr. Sulking business is done, would you like to join the get together I'm planning tomorrow sensei?" Naruto asks his teacher.

"I'd really like to Naruto, but I have other plans already for tomorrow night." Kakashi replied.

"Don't tell me that pervy sage already gave you his new book. Kami I still don't get what you see in that smut sensei!" Naruto said this with conviction. Tsunade felt a rush of pride fill her upon hearing Naruto say this. It seems Jiraiya's perverseness had not rubbed off on the boy.

Kakashi could only sigh at that statement. "It seems Jiraiya wasn't able to teach you to respect art when it's there. For shame." This time, a brick came flying from Tsunade, but Kakashi easily dodged it.

"I'll take that as my queue to leave." Kakashi states as he heads back to the window. "It really is good to see you again. Our next mission will be a memorable one, I can feel it." He then hops out the window and across the rooftops.

"Honestly, we have a door for a reason. Am I going to have to weld the windows shut to stop you all from using them?" Tsunade says half joking on the welding part.

"We are shinobi, avoiding the front door is our thing." Naruto utters in a playful mood.

"Grrrr" Tsunade can only mutter out her frustrations. After letting her feelings wash out of her, she brought up a topic that would more than likely upset the boy.

"I noticed earlier you didn't mention Sakura on your people to visit." This caused the joyful expression on the blonde genin to turn downtrodden.

"I-I don't really feel like seeing her just yet." Naruto stuttered out.

"I know what happened between you two before you left." Tsunade said with care in her voice.

This caused the boy to flinch just a bit. The memories of that day still hurt him even now. He had done well to bury the hurt as best he could but sometimes it just rose up to torment him.

"I know she hurt you badly, probably more than any other person. I'm not saying to forgive and forget or to give her a second chance, but I will say she has changed dramatically since you left. It's because of you she has changed." Tsunade stated about her pink haired apprentice.

In truth, Tsunade was worried about Sakura. The pink haired medic-nin was good at hiding it but Tsunade saw the signs of depression in the girl, and it all started when Naruto had left. Her not being able to say sorry had eaten her from the inside out.

Naruto for his part had tried his best to forget about his former teammate. Jiraiya had told him he needed to move on as she had made her position very clear. Naruto now thought it foolish to think he could ever forget her. Still, he didn't want her close to him. She would just rip him apart again and he didn't think he had it in him to rebuild himself a second time.

"Even if she did change, I-I-I just can't deal with her yet. I-I need a few more days back with friends before I even think I could see her again." Naruto stated the hurt still in his voice.

"I mean, how could someone do that to a teammate, to a friend! How can you hurt someone so much when they have been nothing but kind to you!" Now a different tone came from Naruto, one of anger. His time reflecting during this past almost 3 years had replaced some of the hurt with wrath. He had to admit it did fuel his training to take him to greater heights.

Noticing Naruto starting to get angry, Tsunade thought it best to bring up some news to the boy. "Regardless of your feelings towards her, She and you are still part of Team 7, and you will be working together still. As long as you 2 can keep things professional at a minimum, I can accept that."

"Hai, I will be professional with her, but no more than that." Naruto didn't know if he could trust her again after what she did. He would need to trust her on some level during the missions though.

Saying her piece about one of her apprentices, Tsunade moved onto another topic. "Now why don't you tell me what Jiraiya had you doing all this time."

This got Naruto out of the funk he was in. Stroking his nonexistent beard in deep thought, Naruto responds. "Outside useful ninjutsu and Fūinjutsu, He also taught me a brand-new release that apparently I'm one of the few who can do it!"

This caused another raised eyebrow from the Senju princess. "What release is that Naruto?"

"Swift Release!" Naruto replied to his Hokage.

It took a few moments for Tsunade to grasp just what Naruto had said. She had heard of the release before but had never seen it in action.

"Show me."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Used it too many times today already."

"Of course you did you brat." Tsunade's head once again fell onto her desk with a thud.

Deciding to give his Hokage a break and some good advice, Naruto voiced out. "You know, I'm surprised you haven't thought up of a faster way to do all this paperwork."

"What do you mean faster?" Tsunade queried the young shinobi.

Knowing that Tsunade would be upset at his suggestion, Naruto started making his way to the window he came in. "You know the shadow clone jutsu right?"

"Of course I do!" Tsunade said in a huff, raising her head from her desk.

"And you know how clones share the memories and experiences with the original?" Silence greeted Naruto for a long time. Tsunade only had a stone-cold face for the longest time, till she put up the sign that Naruto knew all too well and produced her own shadow clones.

"Stupid, Stupid, STUPID!" Tsunade shouted as she pounded her fists on her desk, thinking about all that wasted time doing paperwork.

Once Naruto got to the window, he turned back to make one last quip at his fellow blonde. "Wow granny, and people call me stupid."

Naruto had just leapt from the window when he saw Tsunade's desk be thrown at him.

XxX

Konohagakure main hospital, 4 pm, 1 days since Naruto's return

"Thank you miss Haruno. I would be dead if not for you." A shinobi in Sakura's care said to her. She was checking in on one of her recent patients that had recently come through the emergency room. The shinobi had come back from a mission badly poisoned. She had been able to remove most of the poison from his system after a few hours of work, but she knew it would only buy her time.

She then spent the next few hours analyzing the poison, trying to come up with an antidote for the poison. Lucky for her the shinobi, Sakura was able to identify the compounds that would neutralize the poison and allow it to pass through his system without further damage. Once she synthesized the antidote, she gave it to her patient, and he finally came out of his coma.

"Oh, it was nothing really. That's what I'm here for. To save lives." Sakura started and continued. "I'm glad you are doing better. I need to go now though. I have other patients I need to check on."

With another thank you from the shinobi, Sakura left the hospital room and closed the door. She put her hand over her chest and left out the breath she was holding. The shinobi had no idea just how close he had come to death. She didn't want to scare him and so had put on a brave face when facing him. Now though, she could let the mask drop.

Moving on from her previous patient, she now moved onto her latest surgery patient. The procedure she had done was a kidney transplant and she had been nervous. She was always nervous during any surgery. Anything can go wrong with even 'simple' surgeries, and she always made sure to be 110% prepared.

The patient, Kento who was only 16 years old, got through the transplant without any complications and Sakura had made sure to make the scar not even noticeable. Sakura now reached Kento's room and stepped inside.

"Sakura, what brings you here?" Kento said, his brown hair unkept and partially obscuring his blue eyes on his hardened face.

"I'm just checking in on my patients to see how they are doing." Sakura said sweetly.

"I'm still in pain but it's better than it was yesterday. I have to say though, I think I may hate the food more than the pain." Kento chuckled while trying to make light of the situation. This caused him to gasp a little bit and grab his side in pain.

"You still have to take it easy Kento. You have gotten past the hard part and now just need to rest and recover." Sakura uttered as she checked the machines to make sure all Kento's vitals were in normal range.

"You should speak for yourself, those bags under your eyes are telling. Despite that, you still have a beautiful face." Kento tried to flirt with his doctor. Sakura wasn't interested. She didn't feel she deserved a man until she made things right with her past.

"I'll take your advice into consideration Kento. If you keep up this pace of recovery, I can see you out of here by the weekend." Sakura stated as she backed away from the machines and appeared by the bedside. "I'll see if I can up your dosage of pain killers in the meantime."

"Thanks Sakura, you deserve the best with how kind you have been to me." Kento uttered, trying to cheer up his physician.

Sakura knew he meant well but she didn't feel like she deserved kindness, not yet. Saving her patients was just a small act of atonement for her. She knew that she was suffering from depression, but she didn't think it to be that serious yet. If things turned out bad in the future though, she would seek out help she told herself.

"Now then, if there is nothing else, I'll be taking my leave. Take care Kento." She waved goodbye to the boy as she exited the door. Once the door was closed, she gave out a heavy sigh. It wasn't the first time she had been flirted with; it happened quite frequently. She just didn't want a romantic relationship yet.

Her scars still needed healing from her recent conversation with Sasuke and the realization she had finally come too. She didn't trust herself to yet to pick the right guy. She saw what happened with the last guy she picked. Even if she ever did find a guy she liked, she knew they deserved better than her. She still felt like the lowest of the low.

"Hey Sakura!" yelled Ino. She had just seen Sakura leave the room and wanted to talk to one of her best friends. She gingerly strolled up to Sakura with a smile on her face.

"Hey Ino, how are your rounds going?" Sakura put on a genuine smile as she spoke.

"Terrible, lots of pervs trying to flip my skirt. It's taking all my willpower to not extend their stays here." Ino retorted, raising her fist in the air to make her point.

"I've only had to deal with flirting, no one trying to flip up my skirt yet." Sakura replied

"That's because you don't wear skirts girl. You really ought to go on a shopping trip with me soon so we can get you a new wardrobe." Ino said excitedly, bringing her other hand to grasp her other in a pleading gesture.

"One day Ino maybe. Right now, though I'm not feeling all too great." Sakura said in a depressed tone

Ino picked up on the tone and went into her caring mode. "Did something happen Sakura? You weren't this down last time I saw you."

Fidgeting in place, not really wanting to have this conversation in the open. She motions to an empty patient room and walks there along with Ino. Once they were both inside and the door shut, Sakura finally spoke. "I went to Sasuke and talked to him yesterday morning."

"Oh geez, why would go and talk with him? He's not the best conversationalist. It's why I stopped visiting a long-time ago." Ino stated, folding her arms in front of her in annoyance.

"That's the thing, I didn't talk WITH him, I talked TO him." Sakura stated.

"What do you mean TO him?" Ino questioned her fellow apprentice.

Sakura now turned her gaze downwards. Not wanting Ino to see her eyes when she told Ino the truth. "I've done a lot of self-reflection since Sasuke came back. Especially after the last time we had a true conversation almost 2 years ago. I came to find some truths about myself. I finally understood why I was so obsessed with him." Sakura paused at this moment to strengthen herself before continuing.

"The Sasuke I said I loved wasn't the Sasuke in real life. I loved the version of him in my mind and projected my dream into reality. It was... not a pleasant experience to come to that conclusion. That's why I took off those 2 days last week. I had to come to terms with it. Yesterday was part of the process for me." Sakura finished for a bit to allow Ino some time to take it all in.

"What did you tell him then?" Ino asked as she unfolded her arms, curious at what her friend had told the last of the Uchiha.

"I told him that a part of me would always love him, but I needed to move on. I told him that when I'm with him I become a different person. A person I do not like. I told him that I needed to live my own life and stop chasing a childhood fantasy. I told him that the person he truly was frightened me. I also told him that I hoped he got off his path of vengeance and that if he did, I would be there for him, but as a friend only." Now a second person knew of Sakura's truth. For the pink haired girl in question, it felt much easier saying it the second time around than the first. For Ino, she had the biggest smile of her life plastered on her face.

Ino immediately, after Sakura was finished, brought her friend in for a big hug. "I never thought I would see they day you would tell off that jerk!" Ino lifted her friend up from the ground and twirled her around.

"H-Hey put me down please Ino!" Sakura said surprised at the sudden loss of gravity.

Ino gently put her down and spoke. "I mean wow, here I thought you would just be waiting for him forever and die as a spinster."

"HEY, I wasn't that bad...was I?" Sakura said at first mad but then getting embarrassed as Ino's words started to hit home.

"Yes, yes you were that bad. I mean, how long did you go visit the emo after he got back? Everyone thought there was no hope for you after visiting for a year straight." Ino replied to her friend's statement.

"Uggh, fine. Maybe I was that blind. At least I can admit it now though." Sakura said in a huff.

"And I'm so proud of you for doing so!" Ino spoke with delight. "But why were you down in the dumps today then? Shouldn't you be happy now that you know yourself more?"

Sakura was exasperated upon hearing that. "Ino, he was a big part of my life. A part I'm letting go of now. It feels like a hole now exists in me, wanting to take Sasuke back."

Ino glared at her friend. "You better not go after him again; you deserve so much better than him."

"That's the thing Ino, I don't think I'm deserving of anyone just yet. Even if I did think I was deserving, I don't trust myself to pick a guy that's right for me." Sakura said, doubts creeping into her.

"Well lucky for you, your bar for guys is set pretty low right with your last choice." Ino grinned now as she uttered this.

This brought a small laugh from the pink-haired medic-nin. "You aint wrong there girl."

Ino, still in a happy mood, decided she wanted to talk about the get together in a few hours. "So, you going to wear anything special for the get together tonight at Ichirakus?"

"What get together?" Sakura asked her friend in confusion.

Ino paused at this, herself now also confused. "Wait, you didn't know about the get together at 7 tonight? He didn't tell you?"

"No, I didn't know about this, and who didn't tell me?" Sakura stated in further confusion.

Wait, did Naruto mean he was expecting Sasuke to meet at the gate yesterday and not Sakura?

"Why, Naruto of course! He returned home yesterday!" Ino stated with great pleasure.

Hearing this caused Sakura's train of thought to derail. Naruto wasn't do back for a few months. That's how she had been planning her eventual reconciliation with him. Sakura HAD to know she wasn't hearing things. "You must be messing with me. It hasn't been 3 years yet."

As serious as she has ever been in her life, Ino responded with, "He's back early, and he invited all his friends to this get together."

So, I didn't hear Ino wrong. Naruto really is back. Ino said he was inviting his friends to this, but I was left out. I guess he doesn't see me as a friend anymore. I can't blame him though; I wouldn't want to be friends with me either if I were in his shoes. Damnit, I'm not ready for this! I wanted these next 2 months to think of what I wanted to say to him.

Seeing her friend went numb at hearing her best male friends name, Ino tried to reassure the pink haired kunoichi. "Hey, I'm sure he just got busy with something and expected me to invite you. Don't take it personally."

Sakura was taking it personally though, but she still couldn't blame Naruto at all. Sakura turned her face down once again, trying to hide the pain in her eyes from her best friend. She failed in this endeavor. Sakura was shaking and she couldn't hide it.

Ino took both her hands and held Sakura's shoulders still. "Look, I know you 2 didn't leave on the best of terms, but I think it would be best if you did show up tonight. You two need to work through this. Knowing Goldie as I do, I know despite the hurt you brought him, he still cares for you."

"Goldie?" Sakura questioned her friend as she lifted her head to meet her friend's gaze.

Did I call Naruto my pet name for him without him here? Why did I do that?

"Oh, it's just a name I gave him. He really hates it when I call him it and I get a kick out of it." Ino muttered out, covering up her thoughts.

"Must be nice being so close to him. You don't really know how good something is till it's gone." Sakura said downtrodden.

Ino let her hands fall from Sakura's shoulders back to her sides. "Ya, He's a really great guy. That's why I know he will at least hear you out."

"I'm worried though Ino. What if I show up and just hurt him again? I can't even think about what I'll do if I bring him anymore grief." Sakura blurted out.

"He might be hurt initially, but in the long run it will be best for both of you. I mean, you both are still on Team 7. You can't run from this forever and the longer you do, the harder it will be for the both of you." Ino stated as a matter of fact.

"I-I'll think about coming tonight. I just need some time to think." Sakura said still feeling blue about the situation. She knew Ino was right, they needed to come to some mutual understanding on where they stood with one another.

"If you don't come tonight, I'll make sure to kick your ass tomorrow." Ino said in a playful manner, trying to make Sakura feel a little better.

"Hehe, thanks for that Ino." Sakura said chuckling to herself just a bit, happy at the bit of distraction. "Regardless of my decision, we do need to finish our rounds and the sooner the better. See you later Ino."

"See you tonight, Sakura!" Ino shouted/pleaded to her friend before she left the room.

XxX

Ichiraku Ramen, 8pm, 1 days since Naruto's return

Naruto was having the time of his life. Most of his close friends were here and the only ones missing were Iruka sensei and Kakashi sensei. Even Tsunade had managed to make it. The shadow clone jutsu had sped up doing her paperwork to the point she had some free time.

"Another bowl Teuchi!" Naruto announced out loud, already on his 5th bowl.

"Coming right up Naruto!" Replied the store owner, preparing another bowl for his best customer.

"Man Naruto, you really can pack that ramen away. I don't know if I should be in awe or disgust." Temari smiled as she quipped her (boy)friends' friend.

"Chōji's eating is disgusting, this is tame in comparison." Shikamaru added in.

Leaning back and patting his cut stomach, Naruto bellowed out, "He's probably the only one who can out eat me in ramen.

"I see some things will never change about you Goldie." Ino gave a small laugh while saying this.

Hearing his pet name, Naruto grumbled out. "Seriously Ino? It's been 3 years, and you still insist on calling me that. Man, you are troublesome." This got a snicker from Shikamaru

"Might as well get used to it Goldie, I call it like I see it."

"Once Ino has made up her mind, you can't change it. I speak from experience on this Naruto." Chimed in Shikamaru.

"HEY TEUCHI! Another sake here!" Shouted Tsunade, already on her 3rd sake bottle in an hour.

"Umm, lady Tsunade, maybe you should slow down a bit?" Questioned Hinata.

Spinning on her stool to look at the young kunoichi, Tsunade says, "Honey, one day you will learn the true value of sake and how it makes your life better."

In a huff, Hinata retorts, "My life is already better now."

Sensing a perfect moment to tease one of her best friends, Ino did not pass up the opportunity. "Oh, and why is your life better all of a sudden?"

Hinata immediately recognized her mistake. Despite being much more comfortable around Naruto now, she still didn't want her feelings about the blonde to be public knowledge. If only she knew it was obvious to everyone except said the blonde knucklehead in question.

"U-U-Uhhh m-m-my training. Ya, it's been coming along extremely well."

Uh huh, training, ya. Definitely the training and not a certain blonde hunk who's with us right now.

"Speaking of your training Hinata. I heard from Neji you have completed all he's asked of you. I can't wait to see how a shinobi with a bow does in the field. Just be careful about them knee's." Tsunade spoke aloud while getting her next sake bottle and pouring herself another drink.

"Why's that Lady Tsunade?" the Hyūga princess questioned her Hokage.

"it's an old Samurai saying. You will learn from experience eventually." Tsunade says as she sips her sake.

Satisfied with this answer, Hinata swiveled in her chair to face the object of her desires. "So Naruto, you showed us a little of what you learned. Do you have any stories you want to tell us?"

Naruto took his time to think about a particular interesting story. Eventually he remembered one and started his tale. "Do you all know who Yukie Fujikazeis?"

"Isn't she the actor who plays princess Gale?" Ino answers with a question of her own.

"Yup, that's right. What would you say if I told you I got to meet her?" Naruto said, proud of this story.

"NO WAY!" Both Ino and Hinata exclaimed aloud.

"Yes way. We were contracted to be her bodyguards during the filming of the latest princess Gale movie. What we didn't know was that Yukie was an actual princess of the land of snow." Naruto stated, recounting his story.

"You can't be serious Naruto. Why would she hide the fact she was an actual princess?" Hinata queried her crush.

"Turns out that her uncle assassinated her father when she was little and was forced to flee. Her uncle thought her dead and so didn't search for her. The reason she returned to film her movie was so she could eventually take over leading the country. That's why she hired pervy sage and me." Naruto stated as Ayame put another bowl of ramen in front of him.

"The both of us decided to help her retake her thrown. We fought some guys who knew Ice Release, much like Haku. Lucky for pervy sage and myself, these shinobi the princess's uncle hired were nowhere near our level and we easily defeated him and restored her to her throne."

"Well Goldie, it seems you finally fulfilled your dream of saving a princess." Ino said back in astonishment.

"That's not the full story. She is still going to continue her acting career. The film crew asked us after we put her back on the thrown if we wanted to stay and help the filming and be paid accordingly. Since we had time, we decided to take them up on the offer. I had already by that time learned most of what I could from pervy sage so we had time." Naruto paused for a moment, a smile on his face as he started to eat some of his ramen

"What did they have you help with Naruto?" Hinata asked.

After he had swallowed his food, Naruto replied. "Hehehe, if you think me meeting a famous actor AND princess is unbelievable, then you won't believe this next part."

"Come on Goldie, just spill it already. I can't take the suspense!" Ino said, her attention fully on her best male friend.

After finishing slurping up some more ramen, Naruto continued. "Alright, I won't keep you waiting any longer. The director was so impressed with what I could do and coupled with the fact that the male lead quit early on because of the rouge shinobi. He put me in the lead male role."

"WHAT!?" said everyone in the shop, including the owner and daughter.

Tsunade got up from her seat and stepped in front of Naruto's, grasping his shoulders so he couldn't run away. "How did you manage that Naruto? You don't even have any acting experience!" She spoke.

Naruto closed his eyes and put his hand behind his head, his grin never leaving his face. "The director said the character in the movie was also a shinobi and he also said I acted exactly like the main character naturally. Plus, they were on a tight schedule and didn't have time for another round of auditions."

Tsunade somewhat satisfied with this explanation, let go of Naruto and went back to her chair, finishing her bottle of sake in record time.

Hinata, if you don't snag this boy soon. Some other girl will!

"Wow Naruto. I can't believe you are an actor now. I don't think I could handle having so many people staring at me." Hinata said, squirming at the thought.

"Goldie, you MUST take me to the premiere! I can rub it in all the other girls faces that I went to a real live movie premiere!" The blonde kunoichi spoke with stars in her eyes.

"Take me as well Naruto!" The lavender eyed kunoichi followed, not even thinking about all the eyes that would be on her at the premiere.

"Hehehe, I'll gladly take you both. Although it won't be for a while. They still need to edit the whole thing." Naruto uttered sheepishly.

The shock of Naruto's announcement by now had worn out. Everyone had gotten back to eating their ramen and catching up with friends once gone but here again. For Naruto, it was a perfect night. He was eating his favorite food, surrounded by the people he cared deeply about, and everyone was having a jolly good time. Yes, nothing could ruin this evening for the whisker cheeked boy.

"H-H-Hi Naruto."

---

AUTHORS NOTES

I do apologize for the lateness of this chapter. Anime Frontier messed up my writing schedule and truth be told; I wanted to take my time with this chapter. I'm REALLY looking forward to the next chapter and so I was worried I would be rushing this chapter. That's probably the biggest factor in why this chapter was late.

On that note, I can almost guarantee next chapter won't be posted in a week. I REALLY want to get next chapter right as it's finally time for Sakura and Naruto to have their conversation. I plan on that conversation to probably be my single largest scene I write for a while. There are a lot of things they need to work through and I'm excited as fuck to think about it.

Taking extra time for the next chapter will also give me more time to think about the changes to the canon I'm planning on doing. I plan on a major change in the next arc of my story which would be the first arc of shippuden. I have other major plans as well but those are aways away.

Another note, I know I'm focusing a lot on Sakura right now but that's because she needs the most work. Hinata didn't need to be broken down and rebuilt, she was already perfectly situated where she needed to be. Sakura has ALOT of baggage to sort through before she's where I need her to be. I'm hoping that will finally happen next chapter.

One last note, it was hard for me to come up with a song for this chapter title. I was going back and forth between It's Been Awhile by Staind, My Sacrifice by Creed, and The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash. Ultimately I went with It's Been Awhile but man it was hard. Anyways, merry Christmas to all my fine readers and take care yall!

Chapter 7: Love Hurts

 

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Ichiraku Ramen, 8:30 PM, 1 day since Naruto's return

"H-H-Hi N-Naruto."

The boy in question froze. His eyes wide open, his breath stopped, his body overcome with chills. He dares hope that the voice he heard was a trick of the wind. But he dares not turn around to find out. For if she was truly there and he had to look upon her, he did not know what he would do or feel. He sits there in silence, his mind racing on what to do if SHE was there behind him. He still wasn't ready to face her just yet. He wanted at least one more day with his friends before he felt comfortable enough to even consider interacting with her.

Even though Naruto was frozen in place, his compatriots were not. Hinata and Ino were the first to turn around on their stools. Ino had a look of delight, Hinata a look of disgust.

"Hey Sakura!" Ino said to her friend, somewhat oblivious to the rising tension emanating from the lavender eyed girl next to Naruto.

Naruto upon hearing confirmation that Sakura was indeed behind him, visibly flinched. He had thought that he would be better prepared for this moment. He thought that 1000 days away from her would make him numb to her. He thought he would forget her. He was wrong.

"What are you doing here?" Hinata said, resentment clear in her voice.

Sakura could feel the tension in the air grow. At least Shikamaru was indifferent to her being there. Ino and Tsunade were happy she was there. It was Naruto and Hinata though that made Sakura think she had made a mistake. Sakura could feel the coldness coming off the Hyūga girl. Sakura had never seen her this way. It was disconcerting to say the least. She knew why Hinata was giving off this aura. Sakura knew of the crush the dark blue-haired kunoichi had and still has on her blonde teammate. By this point Sakura could guess it was love and unlike the 'love' she had for Sasuke, Hinata's was genuine, pure, and Naruto deserved it. Naruto deserved that kind of affection in his life and Sakura knew he would cherish any woman who showed him that kind of fondness.

From Naruto she got... nothing. She felt nothing coming off the boy. That's what was scaring her the most. Naruto had always had a joyful aura radiate outwards from him and when it was Sakura he was talking or thinking about, it was devotion. Now, nothing came from the boy and for Sakura that was worse than if he had a cold aura like Hinata or just pure wrath.

"I invited Sakura, she should be here with us." Ino broke the silence that had sprung up since Hinata had spoken.

"Why would you do that Ino? Sakura isn't Naruto's friend after what she did to him." Hinata replied in a mixture of coldness and anger.

Sakura visibly shook when she heard she was no longer considered a friend of Naruto. She had expected as much but it hit differently to hear it come from someone else. She knew now it was a mistake coming here. Ino seemed to be the only one who really wanted her there. The rest were either indifferent or actively hostile to her. Before she could speak and say she would leave. She finally heard from Naruto for the first time in almost 1000 days.

"It's fine Hinata. Really, it is." Sakura heard the words, but she knew he wasn't fine. She finally could start to feel something come from the boy. For the first time in her life, she felt resentment come from the boy, all directed at her. He had never directed such feelings towards her. It was such an unsettling experience that she started to think it was better earlier when she felt nothing come from the boy. She crushed that thought. It was better that she felt SOMETHING come from him, it meant that on some level at least, he felt something for her which is better than indifference.

Naruto spun on his chair and finally looked upon Sakura. Gone was her red dress that she wore to impress the Uchiha boy and gone where nail polish and eye shadow she used to apply to make herself more feminine in said Uchiha's eyes. She now wore a red sleeveless top with black gloves and gray elbow pads. She replaced her sandals with knee high boots accompanied by a pair of black shorts and a small gray apron.

Physically she had grown taller a bit but was now shorter than Naruto. Unfortunately for her, she didn't fill out her figure quite like Ino or Hinata had. Her chest was only modest at best, but she did have a slim figure. A product of all the training she had been doing.

Sakura also now saw just how much Naruto had changed since she last saw him. He looked so mature now. The boy she once knew was now replaced by a man. She hoped though that his personality had not changed along with his body. If her mind wasn't so chaotic right now, she would have had a similar reaction to Ino's and Hinata's when they first saw Naruto yesterday.

"Hey Sakura, it's been awhile." Naruto said with a smile on his face. Sakura knew he was forcing this smile. Although his body language, his face, his tone all spoke in a friendly tone. His eyes betrayed what he was truly feeling in this moment, resentment. He resented how his perfect evening was now tarnished. Resentment at her for showing up at all. Resentment at just her personally. That look, the first time she had ever received it from Naruto, rocked her foundations. She knew if Naruto and herself were to get through this, she would need to be completely honest with him and not hide anything.

"Ya, it has. We all missed you so much." Sakura stated with a fake smile on her face, trying her best to keep her mask up.

"You have seen him Sakura. Now, you can go away." Hinata said, unconsciously intertwining her arm with Naruto's. Her words carried venom in them, making clear her stance on the girl Naruto previously had pinned for.

Well, it seems Hinata's feelings have only gotten stronger during this time apart. I'm happy she's in his life and is making him happy. I can only hope he will hear me out and let me back into his life in some capacity.

"I believe it's Naruto's decision if he wants her to go." Tsunade quipped. She was now just starting to feel something. She had not turned to take in the scene previously, the sake was calling her name, but now she did turn around. She saw Hinata's arm entangled with the now returned blonde boy and couldn't help but to tease to lighten the mood. "My, my, I see you are staking your claim Ms. Hyūga.

Hinata was about to scoff at her Hokage's words until everything the blonde bombshell said was fully digested by the kunoichi. She then realized that her arm was indeed completely wrapped around Naruto's. Her cheeks now matched that of a tomato, and she (reluctantly) untangled herself from him. She was so wrapped up in the situation that she didn't notice that Naruto's cheeks were of a similar color to hers.

"Sorry about that Naruto. I don't know what came over me." Hinata said after composing herself.

"Don't be sorry. You are just looking out for me, and I really appreciate it." Naruto uttered and gave Hinata a goofy smile which made her blemish just a bit. He then turned his head to Sakura, the smile vanishing. "Now tell me why you are here."

"I wanted to see you N-Naruto! Things have been difficult since you left." Sakura solemnly stated.

"Difficult how?" Naruto muttered, his anger now seeping into his voice.

Sakura didn't answer the question. She knew what she wanted to say right now, but this wasn't the right place to have this conversation. They needed to be alone so everything could flow freely between them. Right now, both were fighting to keep their masks on and that wouldn't do. All she could do was hang her head, no longer being able to look him in the eye. Naruto waited a dozen seconds to hear a response from the bubble gum haired girl. Not hearing anything, he decided to speak up.

"Look, you can stay. I know Ino and Tsunade want you here and I'll be damned if I let anything ruin this evening." Once he was finished with this statement he spun back around and dug back into his ramen.

"I appreciate it, N-Naruto." Sakura was thrilled with him letting her stay. It was a small step, but this was a marathon, and every step added up. She picked up her head, hoping to see his eyes again but he had already turned around. Saddened just a bit, she took an empty chair next to her master Tsunade.

"So, Goldie, when you left here, you were just a scrawny shrimp. You've got to tell me how you managed to change so much in such a short time." Ino remarked about her friend. She had wanted to say he glowed up but felt that was a little too on the nose.

Happy for a change in the conversation, Naruto turned his head towards Ino and smiled. "Discipline, lots and lots of discipline. Oh, and it doesn't hurt to have a few chakra weights as well."

"You mean like the weights we saw Rock Lee take off during the exams?" Hinata too was interested in just how Naruto had managed to chisel himself out.

"Bushy brow's weights were mainly to increase speed. I actually have a similar set to his on me right now. Only mine can store a lot more chakra and hence more weight than his ever could." Naruto stood up from his chair and took off his jacket so he could show the weights on his body and arms.

Ino and Hinata had similar reactions to seeing him take off his jacket. Both had to cover their noses so no one could see their nose bleeds. Sakura had a different reaction though.

He really has changed so much after all this time. He was always dependable before but now, I don't think there is anything he can't do when he puts his mind to it. I have so much farther to go before I feel like I can truly stand by his side.

"Tell us, did you have those weights on yesterday during your little demonstration for us?" Temari asked.

"Yup sure did Temari!" Naruto smirked, enjoying the reactions of his friends.

"Those look far too troublesome to be worth it." Shikamaru remarked.

"Hehe, that's because your lazy ass doesn't have even the motivation to wake up before noon." Naruto retorted in jest.

"And proud of it. Ouch, Temari, don't hit me in the arm like that."

"Just trying to give you some motivation."

"Women."

Naruto now put back on his jacket, much to the chagrin of 2 certain kunoichi and sat back down. "For strength though I have more specialized weights."

"It seems Jiraiya knew how to train you right at least, the big pervert." Tsunade slurred out just a bit, continuing her sake drinking and racking up quite a bar bill. "I don't understand why you shinobi focus so much on the jutsu side of training and don't develop your bodies. You wouldn't get injured as much if you did. It would make all the medic-nin's jobs easier as well."

"I agree with lady Tsunade on that point." Sakura finally chimed in. She still felt out of place here, but she was determined to go through with this. "So, N-Naruto, did you do anything else special for training?" Sakura further added on.

Naruto didn't take long to respond, his enthusiasm on the topic overriding the discontent he felt for the bubble gum haired girl. "Thanks to the shadow clone jutsu, I was able to perfect a couple of my nature transformations. I'm still working on combining it with my other jutsu but it's a start."

"Nature transformation is a jonin level skill Naruto. I'm impressed." Temari interjected.

"Thanks, Temari. I hope to get promoted to chūnin during the next exam. I know I'll make it this time!" Naruto announced for the whole world to hear.

"So, forehead, speaking of Lee and training weights. How has your training with team Gai been going?" Ino asked, hoping to get her friend more involved in the conversation.

"What? Sakura, you have been training with them?" Naruto said as he turned his head to the girl, the shock clear in his voice. Just from the little time Naruto had spent with team Gai he knew just how intense their training could get. Next to him, Hinata tensed at Naruto's sudden change in demeanor towards the emerald eyed girl.

Sakura turned her head as she replied. "Not just with Gai sensei, but I've also been training with Lady Tsunade to be a medic-nin. Team Gai has been letting me train my taijutsu with them since it was always my weakest aspect." Sakura uttered proudly. "To answer your question Ino-pig, the training has been going on extremely well. I may not be anywhere close to Lee in terms of taijutsu, but I can hold me own now against most people."

Is she exaggerating her training? This is Sakura we are talking about! She only cared about her precious Sasuke and getting his attention. Did he tell her to get stronger and she finally is? Or is she getting training for another reason?

"You both have worked your asses off to get where you are now. I'm proud to call you both my apprentices!" Tsunade blurted out, bringing both Sakura and Ino in for a hug, the alcohol clearly starting to get to her.

"L-Lady Tsunade, air!"

"Breath, I need to breath!"

This little scene caused laughter to overcome the group, minus the 2 unfortunate kunoichi. She eventually let the 2 of them go, but only so she could drink more. The night went on further like this. The group would ask Naruto questions about his journey, and he would tell his stories. A particularly interesting one involved his time in the land of demons and the priestess of that land Shion. Naruto could swear that he was getting jealous vibes coming from both Ino and Hinata whenever he brought up the priestess. Things got a little heated when he mentioned the last thing she said to him after he defeated Mōryō. The killing intent he felt from his 2 best female friends was undeniable. Naruto had no idea why they would be so upset at him.

It took a few more tales before Ino and Hinata were able to calm down and enjoy the evening once again, concluding that Naruto didn't know what this Shion person had meant by asking Naruto to father her children. Of course he would be oblivious to it.

The tension that had initially fallen upon the group when Sakura had arrived was long gone after an hour passed. Sakura started contributing more and more to the conversation and Naruto felt the resentment he felt towards her start to melt. Hinata's coldness to the girl though never went away.

Once it started getting late, everyone in the party paid their tab. Tsunade in her drunken state didn't realize just how much she had drank and was shocked when she got her bill. She now remembered why she bought her sake in bulk. Once everyone had paid their bill, they all got up and started walking out of the stall. Before everyone broke away towards their respective homes, Sakura spoke up

"N-Naruto, there is something I want to talk to you about. Could we go somewhere else?" she stuttered out. Her heart was pounding in her chest. The sound was ringing through her ear. Her stomach twisting in knots, fearing the worst possible outcome.

"Naruto's had a long night. He wants to go home and rest up." Hinata coldly stated as she turned to face the slug princess's apprentice, her hands on her hips.

"It's fine Hinata, I can handle this." Naruto stopped his procession and turned to his 'teammate'. "What did you want to talk about?"

"There have been a lot of things weighing me down N-N-Naruto. A lot of things I've wanted to say since you left. Please at least hear me out." Sakura pleaded with him. She could see the war going on inside him just by the look in his eye. Should he hear her out or should he let her stew in her misery.

"Is this why you came out tonight? Just to talk with me?" Naruto probed.

"Yes N-N-Naruto, I think it will do us both a lot of good. A lot has happened between us that hasn't been resolved." Sakura further stated her case to the blonde in front of her.

The war inside Naruto was still raging for a long time. Eventually one side won out and reluctantly he gave his answer. Where do you want to go?"

"Where we had our very first mission. I'll lead the way." Sakura nervously stated. Naruto took a few paces forward to address the full group properly.

"Thank you all for coming out with me tonight. I haven't had that much fun in a long time. Thanks for making tonight memorable." Naruto announced to the group.

"No problem, man. I hope you 2 come to some understanding in all of this." Shikamaru replied

"Just as long as you two brats can still work together after this, I don't care what ya do." Tsunade slurred out slightly as she continued onwards to the Hokage mansion.

"Just don't kill her Goldie. It will leave more work for me at the hospital." Ino jokingly said

"Naruto, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. You don't have to listen to HER." Hinata spoke as she pointed a finger at Sakura, seething as she did so.

"Hinata, you should know by now that I'm not a person who normally runs away from his problems. This is a problem I have been running from for a long time now, and I'm tired of running. Even if I get hurt more from it, I need this closure so I can move on. Please understand Hinata." Naruto said as he brought his confidant into a warm embrace.

Hinata rested her head on his shoulder and hugged him back, breathing in his scent as she spoke. "I understand Naruto. I hope you find the closure you so earnestly need and please remember, I'll be here for you, always." Hinata declared to the world, not caring who heard her.

"Always?"

"Always."

It feels so nice to have her by my side. Always looking out for me and never admonishing me. She will never back talk me and will only ever support me. Plus, she smells nice.

Naruto reluctantly broke his embrace with Hinata and gave one last nod to the group before turning around to face Sakura, gesturing for her to lead the way. The pendant around his neck went from a red to gray. Hinata followed their every movement with her byakugan as they jumped away.

XxX

Training Ground 3, 11:30 PM, 1 day since Naruto's return

It didn't take long for the 2 of them to get training ground three. The place where they truly had become a team. At least, Naruto had once thought that. Now he wasn't sure if they ever were a team to begin with. Naruto spotted the clearing ahead of them and saw Sakura land next to where he had been tied up all those years ago. Naruto landed about 20 paces from her and didn't move forward.

Sakura turned around to face Naruto. She couldn't even bring herself to look upon his face however, her head hung low. She still felt so shameful, and it wasn't going away.

Naruto stared at her for a full minute, expecting her to say something. His frustration was building up. She's the one who wanted to talk right now. If all she was going to do was stand there then he had better things to do.

"If you are not going to say something, I'm going home." Naruto spun about and walked 2 paces before Sakura finally uttered something.

"Thank you."

Two simple words. That is all that Sakura said, yet they carried a lot of weight. There was only one time that Sakura had ever given Naruto a heartfelt thank you and that was when he made his initial promise to bring Sasuke back.

"That's why you brought me out here? To say thanks for bringing back your precious Sasuke? Well, you are welcome." Naruto almost shouted back in anger. He marched another pace forward.

"No, that's not what I was thanking you for." Sakura paused before continuing. "I did want to thank you for that as well but that's not why I'm saying thank you now." This caused Naruto to pause his march. Now he was curious about why she was thanking him. He was still filled with ire, but he kept it in check for now.

"Then why are you thanking me?" Naruto asked, still turned away from Sakura.

"I wanted to thank you, for saving my life twice." Sakura said with a twinge of happiness in her. After waiting for a few moments for the blonde genin to say anything but hearing nothing, she continued. "The first time you saved me was during Gaara's attack. I originally had thought it was Sasuke, but he told me it was you who saved me. I was so caught up in myself at the time that I never properly thanked you." She stated, bowing to him as she did so. He kept his back to her.

"And the second time?" Naruto bellowed out, his voice just barely containing his irritation.

Sakura raised herself upright and spoke. "The second time wasn't a single event. It's been all the time since you left. It's led me to reflect on a lot of things about myself." A step forward.

Naruto was getting more tense the longer Sakura talked. "What did you reflect on?"

Sakura prepared her response and spoke. "Reflect on who I was back then, who I am now, and who I want to be in the future." She said this as she started to pour her heart out. A step taken.

Naruto huffed at this. "All I ever did for you was give you my heart and I saw what you did with that. Didn't seem to do a damn thing."

"That's not true N-Naruto." Sakura's voice broke in a sob. Even with all the anger inside him directed at the girl, Naruto was still hurt when he heard the sob. Despite what she has done to him; he couldn't stand to hear her shed tears. Nevertheless, he refused to back down. Sakura at this point further clarified. "It may have taken me some time, far too long I admit, but I see now what we had, and I threw it away."

"You mean what I had for YOU. Admit it, you never cared for me! I was just an obstacle in your way for your precious Sasuke. During our training, you only asked about Sasuke and how you could help him. How he was doing. Was he ok. What did you do for me? I remember you doing ONE thing for me, and that was to bring my head down when Zabazu threw his sword at us so I wouldn't be decapitated. I don't count you giving me food after the bell test. You were only following what Sasuke was doing. Other than that, you didn't care about my well-being at all. The ONLY reason you came crawling to me to bring your precious Sasuke back was because you failed to stop him yourself. It must have been humiliating for you. Asking the dead last for help. I guess your love for him outweighed any embarrassment you felt in coming to me for help. Believe me when I say I know all about not caring about being embarrassed, if it meant doing it for the one you love. You begged me to bring him back. You pleaded with me to rescue him from himself. When I kept that promise and was no longer of use to you, you threw me to the side to be with Sasuke. Although I can't say you didn't repay me. You did, 2 slaps to the face and all my insecurities thrown right in my face. Did you know I almost died out there? Scratch that I DID die out there. That bastard put a chidori right through my chest next to my heart and out the back. If not for Kakashi sensei I would have died for real. I probably should have, then you would have had nothing standing in your way on your pursuit of your precious Sasuke." Naruto growled out, his whole body shaking more and more as he continued speaking. He knuckles white as he dug his fingers into his hand. The pendant black.

To say that Sakura was crushed was an understatement. To finally hear what Naruto had felt all this time was devasting to the girl. She couldn't keep her mask up any longer and moisture started forming around her eyes even more now. There was a lot to unpack in what Naruto had just said, and she would do her best to try address them all. One more step forward as another tear fell.

"I did care for you N-Naruto. I always cared for you. I still care for you now even if you don't want me to. I was a stupid little girl who was too blinded by a crush to see a good thing in front of her. You were and still are, that good thing." One tear drop fell, one leg forward.

"The only 'good' thing in your life is your precious Sasuke. I bet you had SO much fun with him these past 1000 days. With me being out of the picture, no one else was in your way of your pursuit of him. It wouldn't surprise me if you two were already planning on his clan restoration. I wasn't good enough for you despite willing to do anything for you. Yet he didn't have to lift a finger, and you threw yourself at him. Seeing the way you hugged him in the hospital after I brought back Tsunade told me that I had lost to him." Naruto was still growling but unseen by Sakura was the fact that he too was forming tears in his eyes. Thinking back to seeing her and Sasuke in the hospital was a bitter pill to swallow. At the time he was crushed but he wanted her happiness above his own. Another foot in front of the other.

"Sasuke was not a good thing in my life, YOU were and still are Naruto!" Sakura could finally clearly say his name now. She needed him to know just how grateful she is for all he had done for her. She said this statement with utter confidence and no doubt in her mind. Another tear fell from her eye as she called out his name.

"I won't lie to you. After you left, I did try and build a relationship with Sasuke. After you left, I was lost and at the time I saw Sasuke as my beacon, my hope. I was a desperate, lonely girl clinging to the one thing she thought was good in her life." Sakura brought her hand to her chest to calm herself down. Her heart was beating so fast she could hear it in her ears. One more stride.

"The more time I spent with him, the more I saw my fantasy crumble. I saw more of the side I had refused to see. It scared me. The one thing I was so sure of in my life was unraveling before my eyes. I eventually got to my breaking point about a year after you left. I was tired of trying to get him to open up to me. I was frustrated that he was ignoring me. I was hurt that nothing I was doing he seemed to appreciate."

"Sounds like we have something in common then."

"...I went to him. I made him a deal that if he was honest with me that I would stop visiting him almost every day. He accepted." Sakura took a pause now to see if Naruto would turn around. He did not. Another pace forward.

"And?"

"And he proceeded to tear me down, break me down piece by piece. Once he was done, I felt so bear. I was completely exposed. The wounds open to the world and stinging me all over. Soon though, I felt numb, empty, like a piece of me had been ripped out. It wasn't until later that I finally felt all the hurt at once. I've never felt that kind of anguish in my life."

"Another thing we have in common now." One step.

"...I wouldn't say that. What I did to you was way worse than what happened to me. I repaid all your kindness by going after another boy and actively scorning you. He at least only ignored me." Sakura fell silent for a moment to see if the boy had any reaction to her assertion. He did not.

"After that day I only visited him 4 times, twice on his birthday, once on the 1-year date when he destroyed me, and yesterday morning. Can you guess what I told him yesterday?"

"..." Another stride.

"I told him I was done with him. That I had moved on from him. I said to him that I needed to move on and not be held down by my feelings for him. I couldn't wait for him to change."

"One last thing we have in common."

"..."

"Look, I don't believe that you told Sasuke any of that. The Sakura I know would have been visiting him day in and day out, regardless of his cold indifference. It wouldn't matter to the Sakura I know. She would blindly keep her devotion to the lunatic. Hell, I'd bet my life savings that you would have left with him if he had given you the opportunity."

"...you are right. The old Sakura would have done all those things." Step.

"..."

"The Sakura you once knew though is gone. I've spent the last 2 years rebuilding myself. Trying to be a better kunoichi. I've got Lady Tsunade, Kakashi sensei and Guy sensei to thank for making me the kunoichi I am today. Most importantly though, I want to be a better human being like someone I know. Care to take a guess?"

"..." Advance.

"It's you Naruto. You are the person I want to be like. Old Sakura would have cringed at the thought of any more Naruto's running around. Now though, I wish you could make your clones permanent; the world needs more of you around."

"..."

"Naruto, if I had known what I would be putting you through by having you make that lifetime promise to me. I would never have made you make it. It's brought nothing but suffering to you and me. Naruto, I hope you know that even the old me NEVER wanted you to die, even if it meant letting Sasuke go. Now, I can't stand the thought of losing you. It breaks my heart just thinking about how close you were to dying." Tears now poured down her face. Another step taken.

Sakura's face was now covered in her tears, she was bearing her soul to this man, and he kept his back to her. That hurt a lot. She didn't think her agony would reach these heights. Even confronting Sasuke and telling him off didn't come close to what she was feeling now.

Before Sakura could continue, Naruto needed to know something and spoke up. "When you said the 'old' Sakura would have done all those things, were you including the part of leaving with him?"

"...Hai." Sakura had already admitted this to Kakashi and Tsunade. This time admitting it was so much harder than to either of her sensei's.

A newfound emotion boiled up within Naruto. Anger was still in him, but there was something else in the mixture. A feeling he knew quite well.

"Sakura, how could you? How could you do that to your village? This is your home. You had your parents. You had friends. You were on your way to being a fine kunoichi. Why?"

"I thought I was in love with him. Love makes you do stupid, reckless things. I got a taste of it, and it was like a drug to me. I wanted more and more specifically from him. I was willing to throw everything away to feed my addiction." Sakura stated, disgusted with the thoughts of her old self.

Naruto didn't want her to continue just yet, he had to speak up. "You know what I'm most angry about? It's not the fact you were willing to betray the village, your family, your friends. It's the fact that you were willing to betray ME. Had I known you would have left with the traitor... I still would have made the promise. I still would have brought the jackass back. That's how much I wanted you to be happy. Even if it meant losing you forever!" He was once again shaking in place, anger taking over him. Soon though, another feeling came to the forefront.

"I should feel more anger than I am right now, but I don't. I can't believe you would do something like that. How can I trust or respect you again? Why do you have to keep hurting me? WHY? Weren't all the countless times before enough for you?" Streams of water were falling past Naruto's whiskers. Step forward.

Sakura didn't need to have him turn around to see the damage she had done. It was clear as day from the sounds he was producing and the tone of his voice. She didn't think she could have felt lower than the day she broke Naruto 1000 days ago, but now she had fallen so much deeper. There was no going back, however. She had to keep digging and not leave a single stone unturned.

"I won't excuse my past actions. They don't deserve to be excused. I'll live with that guilt and shame for the rest of my life. Nothing will be able to wash it away." By now the waterworks had stopped. The shame she felt prevented any moisture from collecting on her face.

"You haven't answered my questions."

"You're right. Actions speak louder than words. That's the only way I can regain your trust. I don't mean to hurt you right now. I'm just laying out everything about me to you. I don't want there to be anything about me you won't know after tonight. That way at least if you reject me, I know it won't be a misunderstanding." One more pace.

"You know something Sakura? I'm starting to think I deserved your treatment. It all started on the rooftop when you said I was the only thing you hated. That started what would become our 'relationship'. All those punches and insults thrown my way. I was just a punching bag for you to relieve all your stress from Sasuke's rejections. It was your way of saying I was always going to be the dead last in your life. I would've saved myself a lot of heartache if I had listened. I didn't though, I deluded myself into thinking you cared for me, even if only a tiny bit. I thought, maybe, just maybe, my attempts would someday get through to you. That I would finally no longer be the dead last in your world. What a shit dream that turned out to be. You weren't the only one living in a fantasy. Just another thing we share."

Naruto's words cut her deep. Every word he spoke was a laceration on her soul. She needed this though, if only to gain a small amount of empathy with him. He wasn't done though. It was only going to get worse before it got better. One solitary step

"Sakura, at the hospital, please tell me why you did it. Why bringing back Sasuke alive wasn't good enough for you. Why didn't you care what I had been through to bring your precious Sasuke back." Naruto uttered, afraid at what the answer would be. An eternity went by before Sakura brought forth the courage to speak.

"I didn't care at the time. I didn't care about the struggles you had gone through. I only cared about Sasuke and thought about how much you hurt him. I had nothing but Sasuke's well-being on my mind, nothing else mattered. I saw him unconscious on the bed and my brain immediately went to you as the culprit. I lashed out. I was hurt, and lashed out at the person who saved him just so I would feel better, at least I thought I would feel better. In my eyes you had not done enough to bring him back intact. Even if I had saw the wound on your chest, I doubt it would have mattered to me back then." This was extremely difficult for Sakura to put into words. It was the time she was at her absolute lowest as a human being. No, she was not even a human being at the time. She was a cold, heartless bitch.

It hurt, it hurt a lot. Naruto knew in the back of his mind why Sakura had done what she did. But to hear it from her mouth like this was different. It was definitive. No more guessing on his part. She truly cared for nothing at the time except for her precious Sasuke.

"Why did you have to hurt me and torment me so much Sakura. It was cruel of you. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, for you to smile at me. I would have pushed heaven and earth if it meant giving you even one ounce of happiness. There were no lengths I wouldn't have gone to see your life filled with joy. All I wanted in return was acknowledgment that I did a good job by you. Before I died, out rescuing Sasuke, do you know what my last thoughts were of? You. I had stopped Sasuke defecting for you. I had kept my promise to you. In that moment, despite death being so near. I was actually overjoyed. I had finally done something I thought would earn your acknowledgement. I had finally done right by you. I thought that if I were to die in that moment, I would have been satisfied with the life I had lived. Simply because I knew you would finally get what you wanted." He choked out, keeping his back to her but he was starting to lose that battle.

Each sentence he spoke drove her soul to lower and lower depths. To know that someone had cared about her so much would have sent her heart racing at any other moment. Now, her heart felt as if it was breaking. She had never even come close to having the same feelings for Sasuke at any point in her life, even when she pleaded for him to stay with her. The tears had again started falling and with greater fervor than ever. There was no other way to describe what his feelings for her were. It was...

"I truly loved you Sakura. I wanted to be by your side. I wanted to be in your life, no matter how small a part. At first, I didn't know what my feelings were but there is no denying it. Nothing could hurt me the way you did except if I did love you. I was pathetic back then. I was your dog, at your beck and call. Praying and wishing you would just give me a chance to be the one to make you happy. No, I should have seen it sooner and not wasted my time. Nothing was going to make you see me as anything more than dead last." Naruto spoke with sobs breaking up every other sentence. One footstep.

"You want to know the most pathetic part about me Sakura? Despite everything you have done to me. Despite all the pain and torment, I felt and currently feel. Somewhere, deep inside, buried in my soul, a part of me still loves you. I've tried so hard these past 1000 days to burn away all the love I felt for you. Thinking it would finally make the agony go away. When I thought I could finally do it, rid myself of the last of my feelings for you, I couldn't do it. I still don't know why I can't do it even now. It makes no sense to me. Honestly, the biggest mistake you ever made was when you saved me from Zabuza's blade. You would happily be with Sasuke if you had let me die."

"You are wrong Naruto!" Sakura spoke up, breaking whatever line of thought was going through the blonde genin's head. "The biggest mistake I ever made was pushing you away! Not accepting your friendship! You brought warmth to my life, and I only brought you coldness. If I had accepted your friendship, I have no doubt I would be happy right now." No tears came when Sakura spoke this. Too sure of herself that she wouldn't allow this message to not come across clearly.

"That leads me to what I truly want to say to you." Sakura announced to the person who she hopes will be her teammate again.

"What else could you possibly say to me? That this was all a joke? An elaborate scheme to make me feel sorry for you? I would say I can't believe you would do that but actually I DO think you would do that."

"I'M SORRY!" Sakura shouted with all the hurt in her voice, giving the deepest bow her body could muster. "I'M SORRY FOR ALL THE TIMES I PUNCHED YOU! KNOCKED YOU ON THE HEAD! I'M SORRY I NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED YOUR KINDNESS TILL IT WAS TOO LATE! I'M SORRY FOR WHAT I DID ON THAT DAY IN THE HOSPITAL! I'M SORRY FOR NEVER GIVING YOU A CHANCE. MOST OF ALL THOUGH, I'M SORRY I BETRAYED YOU!" She by now was wailing, trying her best to keep a straight voice but the sobbing was breaking up her speech. She now stood straight up

"You were the best thing I had in my life. I was too stupid to see it. I'm the knucklehead shinobi, not you. I hope you will forgive me, even though I'm undeserving of it from you. I don't deserve such kindness from you anymore. I want your friendship again despite never appreciating it before. I was never deserving of the love you showed me time and time again. It's impossible for things to go back to the way they were. I fucked up any chance of that." Now was the time for Sakura to make her request, one that had been strangling her, and she needed to say it now.

"As bad as it sounds, I want to make one last selfish request from you. I just want another chance to be in your life again. I'm not asking for friendship again, just being in your life somehow will be enough for me. Please Naruto!" One more step.

Before Naruto could speak, Sakura had a little more to add on. "Before you speak again, I just want to let you know that no matter what you may decide to do with me tonight. I will always cherish what you gave me. I will cherish all the time I spent with you. I will cherish every single date proposal you gave me; every compliment you gave me. I will cherish it all because you are worth it." One footfall ahead.

Nothing else was said for a while. The wind blowing and the owls hooting were all that greeted the ears of the 2 heartbroken shinobi. The full moon shining down on them. The cold night air on their skin. Then it started. It started out barely audible to Sakura, but it was there. It slowly started to grow louder and louder until there was no mistaking what it was. Laughter.

Naruto was giving the most fool hearty laugh he could muster. He needed to do this. The absurdity of the situation called for it. If he didn't laugh, he knew he would have just broken down on the ground and lost himself. When he arrived at training ground three tonight, he never in a million years would have expected to hear anything so funny.

"HAHAHA, that's even better than you just saying this was all a joke." he wiped a tear of joy from his eye. "Oh man, at the very least you have found a sense of humor after all this time so in that way you have most certainly changed. You say you want to be friends AGAIN? Please Sakura, I've done reflecting too all this time and I know we were never friends. Being friends requires efforts from both parties. What we had was a completely one-sided infatuation." Naruto said laughing the whole time till it eventually stopped. He now got more serious.

"Perhaps this is all I'll ever amount to. A laughingstock. At the very least I can do that with all my pranking experience. I know I can bring people laughter at least but that's the best I'll amount to. I'll just be the dead last Naruto, the conciliation prize. Never deserving of first place." Behind Naruto, he could hear 4 rushed steps. Sakura was now right behind him and doing something he was not expecting.

Sakura was embracing him like her life depended on it. Like she would be lost to the waves of time if she ever let go of her rock. She was crying her eyes out into his upper back. He really had grown up on her. Her wailing filled the air, drowning out every possible sound. Sakura put every bit of remorse she felt into this hug. She NEEDED him to know just how sorry she felt about all she had done to him. She needed to do something to assuage the torture she had put him through.

"YOU ARE NOT A CONCILIATION PRIZE NARUTO! DON'T EVER THINK THAT!" Sakura shouted from his back; her words only slightly muffled by his red jacket. "You have NEVER been dead last! I was the dead last! I was the one left in the dust by everyone, especially in comparison to you! You improved every single day of your life while I languished in an obsession! You deserve the first, second and third place prizes! You deserve everything good that life has to offer! You are everything to me that a true friend should be!" She continued bawling her eyes out. She knew this would be it. Depending on how he responded, she knew she would have something to live for or fall into her pit of despair.

"Please, PLEASE forgive me Naruto. I desperately need to be a part of your life. I need you as my teammate. I need you as my friend. I know I was a terrible person to everyone back then, and especially you. I have felt a hollowness inside me since the day you left. It grew day by day and despite being so close to you right now, it's not getting filled. Naruto, I missed you so damn much that I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand thinking you hating me all this time and there being nothing I could do to fix it. You are my precious Naruto. I know it's a selfish request, but I BEG you, PLEASE give me your forgiveness! I need it! I need YOU!"

Naruto for the longest time did nothing in response to the kunoichi. He didn't respond to her little speech. He didn't respond to the sudden embrace. Too stunned was he for his body to properly respond. His body finally decided to respond by putting his hands on top hers.

"Why are you willing to go to such lengths for my forgiveness? I have only ever made your life better twice and one of those times I just so happened to be defending the village as well. Why do you want forgiveness from someone you despised so much? I'm nothing special, just Naruto. "He said, barely above a whisper but Sakura could hear it clear as day.

By now she had recomposed herself, stopping her crying so she could whisper back to him. "Because you cared for me so much. I don't think I've ever seen someone be devoted as you were to me. Even I wasn't that devoted to Sasuke. I was foolish back then to hate you. Now, I could never despise you. You have changed me for the better. You are special Naruto. You are special to me. I don't ever want you thinking otherwise."

With a heavy and broken heart, Naruto squeezed Sakura's hand beneath his and spoke. "Sakura, I'm sorry, but I can't forgive you right now. Too much has happened between us to just forgive you like that. If it wasn't for Hinata helping me stitch myself back together after you broke me, I don't think I would have even heard you out tonight. I'm afraid to let you into my life again. I worry you will just hurt me even more next time and I can't rebuild myself a second time. It's just too much."

His words and his actions caused her to start melting down and embrace him even tighter. She had been afraid of this outcome and had done her best to prepare for it, but it was way worse than she could have imagined it. This was it for her. Her long shot of a gamble didn't pan out, and now she was left with nothing. She felt the void in her grow so much larger that it was now almost all encompassing.

"Despite me saying I can't forgive you yet, I don't hate you. I don't think I can ever truly hate you Sakura. I wish I knew why but it just feels wrong to try and hate you. More than anything else at this moment. I feel sorry for you. I know what falling in love with a person who doesn't return the same feelings is like. Hoping they might one day see the light, but that day never comes. Instead, they reject you and you become listless. Not knowing what to do with yourself. It's an anguish I wouldn't wish on ANYONE." As much as he agonized over it, having the most tender embrace of his life be broken up, he ended it and took a step away from Sakura.

"Sakura, I know I just destroyed your whole world. I would understand it if you never wanted to see me again. In fact, it might be for the best if we kept our relationship strictly professional." Sakura couldn't say a word in response. She was too busy breaking down to say anything or do anything but sob.

"But that's not what I want! I want you back in my life! I just can't let you in yet knowing you will just hurt me all over. I told you I couldn't forgive you yet and I meant every word of that statement. Yet being the key word."

Sakura's sobbing stopped upon hearing that final sentence. A hope, however small it started, was filling up the void inside her soul. Was this a dream? Could she allow herself to feel this way and risk being crushed all over again?

"If there is one thing you should know about me, is that I'm always willing to give people a second chance, no matter who they might be or what they have done to me." Naruto, for the first time in this entire conversation, turned around to face Sakura head on.

They both could now clearly see each other, never had they seen each other as thoroughly as they could now. All the past wounds had been laid bare. All the secrets each had, exposed for both to see. They may be wearing clothes, but they were naked to each other, and neither looked away.

"Y-Y-You mean?" Sakura brought her hands up in prayer in front of her. The pit inside her soul was filling in quickly every millisecond that passed. She just needed to hear a few more words from him, and she would collapse in joy. She saw a flash of green come from underneath his muscle shirt.

"Hai Sakura, I'm giving you a second chance." That's all she needed to hear. She threw herself into him, bringing him into an even bigger embrace than before, burying her face in his shoulder. Tears of joy flowed freely from her, not even caring she was staining his jacket. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Said the kunoichi with as much joy as she could possibly bring forth in this moment. Naruto quickly returned the embrace. He wasn't as overcome with emotion as his pink haired teammate, but he too felt incredibly light by finally getting past this. He also took note that she smelled just as good as he remembered.

"I don't give out 3rd chances Sakura. You better make the most of this opportunity." Naruto said half-jokingly and half serious.

"I will Naruto! You will never regret this! I'll earn your forgiveness. I'll show you just how much I have changed! I won't make the same mistakes again! It's the promise of a lifetime!" She affirmed with more determination in herself then at any point in her life.

After embracing for what felt like forever, Sakura managed to peel herself away from Naruto. Cerulean blue eyes stared into emerald green orbs. Her eyes spoke of untold gratitude for this second chance and a determination to never let him go. His eyes carried the warmth she had grown accustomed to ever since she was his teammate. She had not seen such eyes in such a long time that she burned the image into her mind, not wanting to forget it.

"And like a certain blonde I know, I always keep my promises." Sakura stated, giving Naruto a wink.

"Who? You mean Ino? I mean I don't know. She once promised to let me copy her homework on time if I gave up my seat so she could be next to Sasuke. I'm still waiting to see her homework." Naruto said with a chuckle.

Sakura snorted at this. Happy that the good feelings were now radiating from the blonde shinobi once again. "Ya sure, let's go with Ino." Sakura wanted to ask him if he considered them friends now, but she refrained for now. This is how he acts around almost everybody even non friends and she didn't want to ruin this moment for either of them.

Unbeknownst to the blonde or the pink haired shinobi, a dark blue haired kunoichi was behind a tree at the edge of the training ground. Her skills made it so neither Sakura nor Naruto knew she was there. Her byakugan was active so she could read their lips when she couldn't quite hear good enough. She had run through a gambit of emotions since she arrived shortly after the 2 of them.

First rage at the kunoichi who had hurt her love and by bringing up old wounds, hurting him more. She then felt empathy for the boy as he recalled all the suffering he had taken because of the bubblegum haired girl. Once he started dressing himself down, the Hyūga girl felt so despondent that she almost broke her cover just to comfort the blonde. After that came happiness as he said he couldn't forgive his teammate. The lavender eyed girl normally would have berated herself over being happy at someone else's misfortune. For Sakura she was willing to make an exception.

Next came shock as she embraced him from behind, begging him to give her another chance to make things right. The hidden kunoichi was mentally pleading for Naruto to tell her no and to go away. When Naruto broke the embrace, she felt her spirits lift for just a second until he started speaking. As much as she didn't want to see him give Sakura a second chance, she knew it was in his nature to do so. She loved that about him, even if it meant giving someone, she hated another chance. When she saw the medic-nin embrace him again, and he returned it, the princess felt now pupilless kunoichi had only ever seen her blonde shinobi embrace one other person like that, herself. She had only ever seen the look on his face light up like that with her, yet he was doing it for a person cut him so deeply.

She was happy that Naruto had closure on this. She also now felt fear. Fear he might leave her now that his old crush was back in the picture. Sakura could deny it all she wanted. She could say she only wanted to be friends with him again and be satisfied with that. But the dark blue haired kunoichi saw the signs as clear as day. Sakura, if she somehow did earn his trust back, would not be satisfied with 'just being friends.' How could she be? Naruto was everything a partner should be. And now that Sakura had finally seen the light and moved on from Sasuke, it would only be a matter of time before she saw in Naruto everything the Hyūga princess saw in him.

She was now on a clock. How long of a clock the Hyūga girl did not know. For as much confidence she felt she had around the boy. Admitting you loved someone took a lot of courage and confidence she didn't possess yet. Sakura possessed these qualities. Time was now of upmost importance for the byakugan user.

Once the 2 shinobi reconciled, she deactivated her dōjutsu and stealthily made her escape. Planning on what she needed to do to completely win her loves heart. The 2 shinobi never suspected she was even there.

After she had left, the 2 shinobi followed suit not too long after. Naruto and Sakura both went to their respective homes. Both with tremendous weights lifted from their souls.

For Naruto, he was glad that it seemed that Sakura was sincere in wanting to earn his trust back. It would take her some time before she earned it back, but he had no problems being on friendly terms with her. Not friends just yet but cordial at the very least. He was on guard with her. She did crush him once and he would be damned if he would let her do it again. Despite being on guard against her, he would now have no problem working with her again in the future. That night, He got the best sleep he had in a very long time.

Sakura was on cloud 9. She had laid bare her soul to someone, and they didn't reject her. It was such an uplifting feeling to have someone know all your secrets and not run away. She had never felt this way before, never.

The hole in Sakura's soul was now filled. She now finally felt complete for the first time ever. She didn't know how she was going to make up for all she had done to him. She honestly hadn't planned anything past this point. She may be winging it from here on out but that was fine by her. She had gotten her second chance and could finally put her darkest chapter to rest. She was back in Naruto's life. Kami's in his heaven, all's right with the world.

---

AUTHORS NOTES

WE ARE NOW DONE WITH THE FIRST ARC. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AS MUCH AS I DID. IT ONLY TOOK ME 3 DAYS TO COME UP WITH THE FIRST DRAFT OF THIS CHAPTER. A NEW RECORD FOR ME. I NORMALLY GO THROUGH 2 REVISIONS ON A CHAPTER BEFORE PUBLISHING BUT THIS ONE I DID A LOT MORE REVISING. I REALLY WANTED THIS CHAPTER TO BE SPECIAL. ITS JUST A SMIDGE SHORTER THAN MY OTHER CHAPTERS BUT THIS ONE ONLY HAS 2 SCENES TO IT.

WE NOW MOVE ONTO SHIPPUDEN PROPER. UPDATES WILL MORE THAN LIKELY BE SLOWER GOING FORWARD ONCE I GET PAST THE NEXT ARC. I NEED TO SPEND SOME TIME THINKING ABOUT MORE BUTTERFLY EFFECTS FROM THE CHANGES I MAKE. I DON'T WANT THIS TO JUST BE A COMPLETE RETELLING OF SHIPPUDEN. SOME BROAD STROKE'S OF SHIPPUDEN I WONT BE CHANGING. ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO NOT HAVE THE AKATSUKI OR MADARA BE THE MAIN VILLIANS BUT THEIR PLANS WILL BE CHANGING.

I CAN SAFELY SAY THAT THE SAKURA BASHING HAS BEEN COMPLETED FROM VIRTUALLY EVERYONE EXCEPT HINATA. I DON'T KNOW IF MY HINATA WILL EVER FORGIVE SAKURA FOR WHAT SHE DID. I'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW SHE CHANGES GOING FORWARD. I DO PLAN ON FOCUSING MORE ON HINATA AND NARUTO'S RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD NOW THAT I HAVE SAKURA WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE. I KNEW SAKURA WOULD TAKE UP A BUNCH OF WORDSPACE THIS ARC BUT IT WAS NECESSARY.

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BE A BETA READER, I'M LOOKING FOR ONE. OH AND I FINALLY HAVE MY PROFILES UPDATED WITH SOMETHING ON BOTH FF AND AO3. I FORGOT TO MENTION AT THE START BUT I'M POSTING THIS ON BOTH FF AND AO3. I WILL UPDATE BOTH AT THE SAME TIME SO DONT WORRY. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE 132 FOLLOWS AND 98 FAVSI HAVE ARE GOOD NUMBERS FOR A FIC THATS ONLY 1 MONTH OLD AND SAID FIC HAS 65K WORDS AND 6 CHAPTERS BEFORE THIS BUT I HOPE IT IS. AT LEAST I SEEM TO HAVE A FEW DEDICATED READERS AND THAT MAKES ME HAPPY.

ONE LAST NOTE. I KNOW SOME OF YOU MAY THINK SAKURA KINDA ADMITTED SHE LOVED NARUTO AND MAYBE SHE DID. SHE JUST DOESN'T REALIZE WHAT SHE'S FEELING RIGHT NOW. SHE JUST GOT OVER SASUKE AND IN TRUTH DOESN'T TRUST HER SENSE OF LOVE RIGHT NOW AS IT FAILED HER BEFORE. IT WILL TAKE HER TIME TO COME TO THE REALIZATION OF HER FEELINGS TO OUR FAVORITE KNUCKLE HEAD SHINOBI

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT

Chapter 8: In The Meantime

---

Konoha Main Hospital, 8 AM, 2 days since Naruto's return

Today is the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the new and improved Sakura Haruno!

To say Sakura was feeling good this morning would be an understatement of the greatest magnitude. She was thrilled, ecstatic, all the positive emotions she could think of. There had been a few moments where she had thought all hope was lost. At the time she didn't think that he would've given her a second chance. But thinking back on what she knew of Naruto, she should have known he always gives second chances.

Beaming as she entered the room of her first patient of the day, Izuku. The 15-year-old green haired, green eyed genin reminded her a lot of Rock Lee. Both were taijutsu specialists and trained themselves even more than she did which always made her shiver thinking about. They both had a drive to prove themselves to the world that was unshakeable. What separated them though was the boy in front of her could use ninjutsu, just not very much of it.

Izuku was back in the hospital again for what must have been the 4th time in these many months. Once again, he had broken bones to mend, this time though instead of the main bones in his arm, he also had somehow managed to break his fingers too. He claimed he was training some kind of taijutsu technique that was super-secret. Despite the injuries, whenever he came in to be mended, he always had a smile on his face.

The boy turned his head to the doorway and looked upon Sakura. "Wow, you sure are in a good mood today." He beamed out, matching the energy of the emerald eyed kunoichi.

Shutting the door behind her and turning back to her patient, she responded with "Let's just say I've been given an opportunity I was dreaming about and leave it at that shall we." She said while still giving him a big smile but not wanting to discuss what happened just yet.

"Anyways, lets see what I can do for your bones." She uttered as she walked towards his bed side.

Feeling it best not to press the issue on the origins of her good mood, the boy simply extended his arm out for Sakura to mend.

A small frown now appeared on her face as she was doing her work. "Honestly, you have to be more careful with what you are doing. We are not miracle workers and one day you might really overdo it and be out of commission for a while."

Izuku turned his head downwards, downcast at being chastised by his medic-nin. "I know, I keep trying different approaches, but they have so far ended like this." he says using his other arm to gesture to the broken one. "But I think I know what I'm going to try next time. Hopefully, this will be the last time you see me under such circumstances." He brought up his head as he finished what he was saying and had a small smile on his face.

"That's good. I hope to never see you in here again." Sakura replied with a smile of her own.

After completing her work, she sat his arm on the bed. "Now then, that's all I can do for now. A nurse will come in for your cast, but you should be back ready within a week."

"Thank you again! You should keep that smile of yours on a lot more. It really made my day." He received an even bigger grin from that comment. His eyes never left her until she left the room.

For the next few hours, she did her normal routine but with a burst of energy she didn't have before. It was almost infectious. Eventually, the other nurses took notice of Sakura's mood change.

"Is it me, or does Sakura seem different today?" One of the nurses said to her colleague.

"Now that you mention it, she does seem to have an extra spring in her step today. I wonder what happened?" Replied the colleague.

Sakura didn't hear her fellow nurses talking. Truth be told, even if she did, she would have ignored them. Not out of malice, but simply because of how light she felt now. For the first time in a long time, she was truly happy.

This caused her work to have noticeable improvement. She was seeing more patients then normal, helping her colleagues, not making any mistakes. Not that she wasn't a fantastic medic-nin before, but a switch had been turned on in her and she was much better than before. Not that Sakura had noticed, she was too busy working to notice the change in herself but everyone else did.

Her colleagues were at a loss for an explanation for the change. Some thought she might have finally gotten through to Sasuke, others thought it was simply getting a good night's rest, the naughtier minds thought she finally got laid and was in the afterglow. Only one person in the hospital had a reasonable hunch. The Gossip Queen herself, Ino Yamanaka.

The night before, Ino had trouble going to sleep. Thoughts of the meeting between 2 of her best friends were running through her mind. Every single bad scenario played out and she was dreading the next day.

To her pleasant surprise, she saw Sakura at work, and the bubblegum girl was glowing. Clearly the talk the 2 had last night had gone well. Ino knew them reconciling in some fashion would be good for her friend, but she had not expected there to be THIS big a change. Perhaps Sakura was in a much deeper hole before than the blonde had realized.

Ino HAD to know what happened last night. She wasn't going to let Sakura go this day without knowing what the two of them talked about. The Gossip Queen in her would not allow it!

When Sakura left a patient's room, Ino took the chance to approach her and ask her directly. "So, how did last night go?"

"...Huh? did you say something Ino?" Sakura was in her own little world for a bit when Ino asked her something.

"There you go spacing out again." Ino said in a huff. "I asked how did last night go?"

"Oh, it went well. Now please excuse me, I'm due for a surgery in 15 minutes." Sakura said, deflecting the question and attempting to leave.

Ino grabbed her by the shoulder stopping her movement. "Oh no you don't, by the end of today, I WILL know what happened. You will meet me at Yakiniku Q after work today. I'll even pay for you."

Sakura considered this for a second. She was in such a good mood this morning that she forgot to bring her lunch with her and had to use all her pocket change to get some meager rations. Ino willing to pay for her dinner would solve her future hunger problems. Plus, she hadn't hung out with just Ino in a long time so it might be good for her. She could also pick her friend's brain on something that has been bugging her today.

"Fine, I'll go with you later. I make no promises though on what I'll say. Deal?"

"Deal"

XxX

Somewhere in Nara Complex, 3pm, 2 days since Naruto's return

"How did your talk go last night Naruto?"

"Shhhhh, don't distract me. I'm thinking" Naruto offered his completely consumed by the task in front of him. Never in his life had he come across a challenge quite like this. He had prided himself on being able to overcome any obstacle in his path. Not even his training with Jiraiya had been as difficult as what he was trying to do now. He was frustrated, angry with himself. He was also embarrassed at just how bad he was doing his current task.

Brute strength and clones would not do it this time. Now, he had to rely on his brain. His small mushy brain that barely could contain the memories of the clones he oh so often created. This was a problem beyond what clones could help with. He was furrowing his brow in deep thought, trying to think of some way to beat this. After a few minutes, he finally came up with his strategy.

"Finally, you are doing something. I was getting bored"

"Don't you enjoy being bored?"

"I enjoy being lazy, not bored."

"I can vouch for Shika on that Naruto."

Temari was seated next to the 2 boys, watching intently on the proceedings. Temari's earlier question had still not been answered but she didn't mind. It was amusing to see Naruto in such deep thought. His face went through every contortion she could think of and some she didn't know were possible. She wasn't in rush to see this end anytime soon. All that was missing was popcorn.

"You spent all that time thinking and that's what you came up with? Man, this is a drag, it's not even a challenge for me." Shikamaru deadpanned out, hands in his face.

"HEY!" Naruto shouted with an irritated mark on his head. "I'm not very good at this still. Pervy sage was too busy perving during my rest days to show me the ropes."

"Then why did you challenge me? You know you can never beat me at this. I don't care how many clones you come up with and practice. Somethings just come naturally." Shikamaru grumbled out.

"Because I wanted to see how far you had come and see if I could at least hold out for a bit." Naruto said, folding his arms in front of him.

"You haven't even lasted 10 minutes if you exclude all your time thinking. Just give up Naruto." Shikamaru uttered, clearly annoyed at this point and moving one of his hands to his knee.

"Fine, If I don't win this game, I won't challenge you till I improve."

"Perfect." Shikamaru moves his final piece. "That's game."

"WHAT!?" Naruto shouted again, causing Shikamaru to cover his ears. Naruto looked at the board, desperate to see if there was a way out. There was none. Begrudgingly, Naruto stuck out his hand in defeat, his head down sulking just a bit. Clearly, he had a long way to go in shogi.

Shikamaru took the hand and shook it. "At least you take defeat well. My dad is a sore loser." Once the handshake was complete, he leaned back onto the floor with both hands behind his head

"You actually did last longer that last game compared to your previous ones Naruto." Temari spoke aloud, moving around in her chair to get some feeling back in her bottom.

"Perhaps, but it still wasn't even close." Naruto grumbled to himself, still not liking how easy it was for Shikamaru to beat him. He wasn't THAT stupid, was he?

"Be that as it may, it still took guts to challenge someone in a game you know you will lose." Shikamaru said to his friend while still on the floor. Shikamaru was under no delusion as to why Naruto had challenged him to shogi. Naruto did want to see how smart the Nara boy was now, but more than that, the blonde knew Shikamaru did enjoy the game. One of the few activities he derived joy from, and Naruto was willing to put up with the humiliation of losing often and quickly to entertain him.

"Now that's over with, mind finally spilling the beans on how your talk with Sakura went?" Temari asked again, attention now fully on her fellow blonde. Shikamaru had already informed her of everything he knew between the two teammates. Granted Temari had to ask quite a bit before he finally gave in, telling her she was troublesome all the time.

"What's there to say? We had a talk, and she didn't kill me. Pretty much tells you what happened." Although his tone was neutral, he had a smile on his lips. A smile not missed by Temari.

"Oh no you don't, I need more than that." Temari uttered in a huff, putting her hands on her hips.

"When did you become the gossip queen all of a sudden? Did Ino finally retire from the position?" Naruto gave a half chuckle as he responded to the pig-tailed blonde.

Temari scoffed at this accusation. "Oh please, you and I both know Ino will never lose that crown. Girl is far too stubborn when it comes to any and all gossip." Temari only knows about this from Shikamaru. He would complain about his loud opinionated teammate on days the platinum blonde got especially on his nerves. Shikamaru for his part was happy to just be a bystander in this conversation. He too was curious how it went but didn't want to bother with it himself.

After having his little bit of fun, Naruto replied. "Any particular reason why you are so curious about it? From what I heard you seem to spend most of your time with lazy bones over there and don't seem particularly close to Sakura." Naruto gestured to the young Nara who was still on his back but a half smirk on his face at Naruto's comment unseen by all.

"Two reasons actually. One, you not only saved my brother when he went on his rampage, you also changed him. He hasn't threatened to kill anyone in over 2 years now. He's actually gotten more sociable now, although he's still really awkward at it. That alone would make me consider you a friend. Second, you are one of Shika's best friends and he told me all about what happened with you and Sakura. He won't admit it, but he was worried about you when you were gone and hoped you would resolve your issues with your teammate." Temari finished her statement by glancing at Shikamaru and gesturing to him to see if he responded to her talking about him. He did not.

"Gaara changed?" Naruto asked with full attention to the sand kunoichi, hoping to keep Temari distracted with questions.

"He needed to change, after all he's the Kazekage now."

"WHAT!?" Naruto shouted for the second time today, pulling back in shock as he did.

"Geez Naruto, I was just getting comfortable, and you ruined it." Shikamaru grumbled in annoyance and turned onto his side.

"Ooops, sorry Shikamaru." Naruto apologized to his friend sheepishly. He then turned his head back towards Temari. "How long has he been Kazekage now?" Naruto queried.

"About 6 months now. The whole village respects him now, he's done an amazing job so far." Temari said with pride in her little brother, her arm now resting on the table next to her.

"I need to go see him soon and congratulate him. I'm a little angry though. He got to be Kage before me! It's not fair!" Naruto pouted but only half-jokingly.

"Next time you see him, you can do it then. I'm sure he would appreciate it." Temari beamed out. "Now then, spill the beans, what happened last night?"

Damnit, so close

"Fine, I won't go into details, but I'll give you the cliff notes version." Naruto sighed in defeat. Temari had a victory smile on her face.

Naruto took a deep breath; he turned his head down and in serious tone started. "We went to our old training ground, and she proceeded to dig up our past I had buried. She then went on about how she had changed and the reasons for it." Naruto took a pause before continuing. "She then apologized for everything she had done in our past and also thanking me for what I had done for her. She then asked me to forgive her." By the end his tone had went from serious to somber.

Temari heard the tone of Naruto but wasn't buying it. "Quit it with the false messaging Naruto. You were WAY to happy when you came over here too. Now out with it." Temari stated in a huff

Damnit, I wanted to surprise them.

"Fine, spoiled sport. I told her I didn't forgive her BUT I said I was willing to give her a second chance." Naruto grumbled out; clearly not happy his fun was taken from him.

"I can't blame you for not forgiving her, she needs to earn it." Shikamaru chimed in, still not in the land of sleep yet.

"I would have been disappointed in your Naruto if you didn't do that. I mean, you gave my brother another chance and he tried to kill you." Temari further interjected.

"Ya, she needs to earn it. I hope she does. Everything just feels better now." Naruto said honestly putting both his hands behind his head and giving a fine smirk.

Shikamaru debated putting the effort into asking his next question. He was curious about what he saw last night. His curiosity eventually won out and he now pulled himself up into a seated position. "Now that that is out of the way, I wanted to ask you something. What was that sealing formula I saw yesterday on the inside of your jacket."

"What seal?" Temari didn't notice it yesterday, she was too busy eating her ramen at the time when he showed off his weights.
"Hehe, so you noticed huh Shikamaru." Naruto uttered as he sported a look of embarrassment on his face.

"I did, but I was too lazy to ask at the time." Shikamaru truthfully said.

"Man, you really do love being lazy." Naruto uttered as he brought his hands back down to his sides.

"Only when it suits me, which is most times. Now then, what's the seal for?"

"It's mainly just a storage seal, except this one I have customized." Naruto said proudly.

"How is it customized?" Shikamaru asked intrigued.

"Well, when I release it, instead of popping out everything, it will only pop out what I want it and keep the rest stored." Naruto clarified

"So how much can it store and what do you have stored in there now?" Shikamaru probed by now had gotten up from her chair and was seated next to Shikamaru, hoping to get a good view of the seal.

"It can store 5 scrolls, and as for what those scrolls do. I'll bring one out and show it to you both." Naruto opened his jacket and pushed chakra into the seal and mentally thought of which scroll to bring out. He then reached for the seal inside his jacket and grabbed out the protruding scroll. He then unfurled out in front of him after clearing the shogi board.

This scroll had a special seal on the inside. While most of the scroll had the hallmarks of fūinjutsu, the center of the seal was blank and surrounded by an array of different pentagrams, all connected and directed towards the empty center.

"This right here is a special scroll. When I activate it, it can absorb any Fire Release technique and will remain sealed until I release it. I also have a similar scroll for all the other elements as well." Naruto beamed with pride.

Temari was impressed. She had heard about the crazy things you could do with sealing and being able to trap releases seemed up there. "Thats pretty impressive Naruto. Do you know if it has a limit on how big the jutsu can be?"

Naruto pondered for a bit, thinking back to what Jiraiya had told him. "As far as I know there is no limit, except that each scroll can only hold one jutsu at a time."

"I'm surprised you don't have more of those storage seals on you, sounds like it would be pretty handy." Shikamaru remarked as he looked over Naruto's jacket.

Naruto's smirk turned downed slightly as he replied to the comment. "I can only have so many seals on my outfit before it breaks apart. I also have seals to reinforce the armor and a one-time use barrier seal.

Satisfied with this answer, Shikamaru lies back down to stare at the sealing.

"So Temari, how long before you head back to Sunagakure?" Naruto questioned the kunoichi.

"I leave tomorrow morning. The other delegates are finishing up their business today and didn't need me around." Temari answered her fellow blonde back.

"Well, I'm glad I got to see you again before you left. Give my regards to Gaara when you get back if you can." Naruto said smiling, Glad to know his friend was doing alright.

XxX

Yakiniku Q, 6 PM, 2 days since Naruto's return

Yakiniku was busy tonight. There wasn't a special reason it was busy, simply the dinner rush. Shinobi and civilians alike were seated at most tables with only 2 open. Waiters and waitresses were busy seating customers, refilling drinks, taking orders, and delivering food.

The customers were all going about their business as usual. Some of them were talking about work. Others were catching up after not seeing each other. Mothers and fathers had to reign in their children less they cause an even bigger scene.

Being that it was busy and the mix of company in the establishment. There was nothing out of the ordinary seeing 2 young kunoichi now being shown their booth by their waiter. One of these kunoichi had long platinum blonde hair that reached her waist and a bang covering one of her eyes. The other kunoichi had pink hair with her forehead protector being used to hold her hair up.

"Man, today was rough for me. I hate it when the nurses call in sick. Just makes us remaining staff have to do so much more. Don't you agree Sakura?" The platinum blonde said to her friend across the table from her, resting her elbow on the table and her head in her hand.

"It does make things harder on us Ino, but honestly, I'm ok with it. We work with a lot of sick patients already and I wouldn't want even more sickness to spread." Sakura uttered stating her opinion to the blonde.

"Ya, I guess you're right. I still don't like it." Ino quipped back, not moving from her current position.

Their waiter then shows up and takes the drink order from the 2 kunoichi and hurries back. Once he leaves, Sakura starts talking again.

"How has your strength of 100 seal been coming along Ino?" Sakura asked after getting her drink.

Ino took a sip of her drink and answered, "It's still not to the same level as yours but I'm proud of it. I just pray I won't have to use it for a while."

"I agree with you on that, any situation that calls for using it just means shit has hit the fan in a major way." Sakura replied, drinking her drink when she finished.

"So, tell me girlfriend, how's the extra training with Gai sensei and his team been going along. I know Tsunade made you do it, so I hope you are at least getting something out of it." Ino queried, taking another sip of her drink.

"Only reason I'm with Gai sometimes and not you is because of your clan jutsu. Man, what I would give to have something like that. Then I would have saved myself all the speeches about 'youth'. You are lucky." Sakura muttered out with a look to Ino that said how grateful she should be.

"Ok, ok, I get it. Still, you must be learning something from him." Ino retorted.

Sakura didn't have to think very much about what she had been 'taught'. Yes, her conditioning had improved massively under Gai. Her speed had massively improved, and her reflexes were also razor sharp. That wasn't really teaching though. The only things she picked up were a few taijutsu combinations from Gai and also a technique she had been impressed with from Rock Lee. The boy had reservations about teaching her it but once she demonstrated her chakra control and her making promises to only use it in certain situations did he relent.

Although her time with team Gai really had eaten into almost all he free time in the past. At the time she was glad for the distraction. It kept her mind occupied when she wasn't with Tsunade or at the hospital. Now that she no longer needed the distraction, she felt a chill go up her spine. Necessity can power you through a lot of things, lack of it can just remind you of what you are about to do. By now the waiter had returned and taken their food order and refilled their drinks.

"I have learned a few things, but I'm gonna ask Lady Tsunade if I can take a break from all the training. I need some me time ya know?" Sakura stated as she took a sip.

"Alright, who are you and what have you done with my friend you imposter." Ino spouted out as she pointed to the person across from her.

"Geeze Ino, of course it's me. What would make you think otherwise?" Sakura questioned, stopping her drinking when being accused.

"Well let's see, one, you have been exceptionally more upbeat today than I have seen you in a long time. Two, we had to force you to take days off in the past. Hell, Tsunade had to order you to take time off before you actually would. Now, out of the blue, YOU say you need to take some time off." Sakura replied going through her reasoning.

"Oh, come on, I wasn't that bad...was I?" Sakura had not really noticed the change in her today and now that she looked back on it, she really had not taken any days off in a long time.

Continuing to point to the stranger across from her, Ino further stated. "Yes, you have been. You have been working and training yourself into complete exhaustion for a long time now. You have basically no social life outside of me and the other nurses at the hospital and you only interact with them there. I do hope you have been at least talking to your parents at home."

"Of course I've been talking with them." Sakura said in a huff. "And I've just been very busy trying to become a better kunoichi is all. I think I'm at a good point and can take off a day or two."

"Or could it be the third blonde in your life has returned?" Ino teased her friend.

"W-W-What? Of course not! Why would you even think that?" Sakura shockingly asked her friend.

"Easy, yesterday during our rounds you were even more gloomy than normal. Then you see Naruto, run off with him, and today you are shinning so bright I had to put on sunglasses." Ino quipped back but still teased her friend.

"Ah, have at it Ino-Pig. It's just time for a break, nothing else. And maybe I just had a good night's sleep last night." Sakura answered, trying her best to give a plausible explanation.

"Uh, huh, ya, sure forehead." The blonde kunoichi said now leaning back against the seat with a smirk on her face.

Sakura could only bang her head against the table in response.

"That reminds me, you still haven't talked about what happened last night after you left. I mean, I can guess the outcome, but I want the full details girl!" Ino uttered wanting all the juicy details of what happened between Naruto and Sakura last night.

Still with her head on the table, Sakura grumbled out. "He's giving me a second chance; that's the important thing."
"Oh no forehead, I want to know EVERYTHING. You know I will continue to annoy you till you do so save us both sometime and just spill it out already." Ino still had the smirk on her face as she was continuing to be a nuisance to her friend.

Seeing no way out of her predicament, Sakura blurted out. "Fine, I'll tell you. AFTER we eat though.

With an even bigger smile than before, Ino replied with, "I agree to these terms Sakura. Pleasure doing business with you."

"Uhhhh, why me?"

Eventually, there food did arrive, and both started chowing down on their selected dishes. Ino had a dinner salad for her entree while Sakura opted for the salted beef tongue the place was famous for. Once both were done eating, Ino popped the question again.

"I've been dying all day to know what went down with you 2 last night. Now it's time to spill girl."

Sakura let out a hefty sigh. There was no getting around this. Ino would just continue to bug her until she got what she wanted. It's not like anything embarrassing happened. It just felt private to her. But Ino was her best friend, and they shared similar hardships outside the Naruto situation.

"Ok, I'll talk, but not here in this crowded place. Let's walk and I'll talk then." Sakura suggested.

Ino was getting irritated by now. She kept on accommodating her friend and the emerald eyed kunoichi kept asking for more. "Fine, but this is the last concession I'm making. I swear if you don't tell me what I want in the next hour, I'll go into your mind myself and get the information that way." She declared.

Sakura knew she was joking about going into her mind. Although she knew what Ino might do instead could be just as bad for her. "I promise I will."

Ino paid for the 2 of them like she agreed to earlier and the two left. Once they got away from the crowds and headed towards the Hokage mount, it was Sakura who spoke up first. "Ok no one can overhear us now. This is really private to me, so I hope you understand I don't want this getting out. I know you love gossip, but I also know you value our friendship so I'm willing to trust you."

The two continued their trek while Ino replied. "Alright, as much as it pains me to keep this quiet, I will for you."

"Thanks, I guess I should start this from the beginning huh?" Sakura received a nod from Ino. "Well at the start I was actually too nervous to even speak. I wasn't ready last night just like I wasn't ready almost 3 years ago. Both times caused him to leave, this time though I stopped him by thanking him."

"You thanked him?" Ino questioned.

"Yes, for saving me. Not just during the invasion, but also for being the reason why I decided to change who I was for the better."

"I kinda figured he was a big reason for that. Anyways, continue please." Ino said with rapt attention.

"He then recalled all our past history together, mostly the bad stuff." Sakura uttered, still feeling the shame of her past actions. "Then he brought up Sasuke and compared how I treated them both. It wasn't a pleasant experience to hear him talk about it."

"I bet, you were a real bitch to him at times." Ino stated as they continued their trek.

"I hate to agree with you on that but it's true." Letting out another sigh, she continued. "After that, I told him about what I did while he was gone, especially with Sasuke. When I told him I had moved on from Sasuke, he didn't believe me."

"Can you blame Naruto? You were all up on that Uchiha boy since you first saw him at the academy. Kinda hard to shake that image of you after years of pining for Mr. brooding."

"No, I can't. He had every right to not believe me. I just hope I can show him I was telling the truth in time. Now, where did I leave off? Oh yes, I then told him how I regret him making that promise to bring Sasuke back to me and all the damage it did."

"Naruto isn't one to go back on his word. I can see why at the time you wanted him to make the promise but the only good thing it has done is keep Sasuke in the village." Ino muttered out in acknowledgment.

"Ya, it's one of his endearing qualities I'll say. After that, he started talking about his battle with Sasuke. How even if he died then, he would have been happy if it meant he kept his promise. He could die knowing he did something right by me." Sakura felt terrible remembering him say that. She never wanted him to think his life was that worthless again.

Ino had known that Naruto did technically die back then. She didn't know just how far Naruto would go for those he cared about. It both warmed her heart and filled her with sorrow. She was glad they were friends.

Not hearing anything come from the blonde beside her, Sakura elaborated further. "Then he said... he said... he said he loved me back then. Despite everything I did to him, he said he a small piece of him still loves me." There was a look now in the eyes of Sakura, hidden beneath the guilt and shame. She didn't know what that look was at the time but in the future, she would know what it was.

"No duh Sakura. That boy was so hopelessly head over heels for you that it was sad, but also charming. I hope one day to have a man be like that with me. Both you and I didn't know how good you had it." Ino said as she imagined her dream husband.

"I did have it good, didn't I?" She replied without expecting an answer. "I eventually told him how sorry I was for everything and how he was the best thing in my life. I asked him for forgiveness and to be his friend and for a second chance."

Before Ino could say what she wanted to say, Sakura interrupted her. "I got really upset when he didn't initially give me an answer. Instead, he started putting himself down. Saying he would always be dead last and never deserving of first place. He was speaking from the heart Ino, and it was ruining me." She hugged herself as the words left her.

Those words also struck Ino. Nobody should think of themselves that way. Least of all her best blonde friend.

Shaking off the coldness she felt, Ino got a word in. "That dead last name really got to him I see. I'll have to have a word with Kiba for starting that nickname in the first place." She said, raising her fist in anger.

Sakura laughed at Ino's anger, breaking the tension that had slowly formed. "Just make sure I get a piece of him when you are done girlfriend."

"Can do. Now, I'm glad he's forgiven you and you are both now friends. You looked so cheerful today that I swore puppies and rainbows were following you wherever you went." Ino chirped out.

Both had been walking for a while now and didn't really pay attention to where they were going. They now were at the top of the Hokage monument. Sakura stopped and let Ino walk a few paces ahead of her.

"He didn't forgive me, nor are we friends in his eyes." Sakura clarified.

Ino immediately spun around and looked her friend in the eye in confusion. "Then why were you so happy today?"

"Simple, he said he was willing to give me a second chance. It's all I could have expected." The pink haired kunoichi secretly wished that he would have forgiven her that night, but it was a pipe dream. Plus, if he did just immediately forgive her then would have felt like she didn't earn it. No, it was better that she earned everything he was willing to give.

In a serious tone, she went further on. "Ino, I will not let this second chance go to waste. I've fucked up too many things in my life. I will NOT fuck this up. I will not allow it. He deserves nothing less than the best of me."

Ino could see her friend wasn't lying. This wasn't a prediction of the future; it was a spoiler. Despite the seriousness in the emerald eyed kunoichi, Ino saw the passion in her words. Never had she said something as truthful as this. Ino could only smile wide at her friend's declaration.

"I have no reason to doubt you friend. I haven't said it to you yet but I'm proud of you. You have changed so much in a short amount of time. You have become a better kunoichi, a better person, a better friend. Naruto will undoubtedly see this and eventually forgive you and become your friend again." Ino couldn't have been much happier in this instance for her friend. The blonde knew just how much this second chance meant to her fellow apprentice. She saw the pink haired girl radiate positive energy all day, she could only imagine what it will be like when the bubblegum kunoichi and blonde shinobi truly become friends for the first time.

"Well, that's pretty much how it all went down. I hope that satisfies you." The pinkette mouthed out feeling a wave of relief wash over her.

"I'm more than satisfied. Thank you!" Ino beamed out a nice little smile for her friend. With those last words, the two friends departed back to their respective houses in high spirits.

XxX

Ichiraku Ramen, 7 PM, 2 days since Naruto's return

"Thanks for letting me take you out for ramen Hinata! I was looking forward to this ever since I made you that promise before I left." Naruto announced to the Hyūga princess seated next to him. Both Hinata and Naruto had just placed their order with Ayame and were waiting for the first bowls to arrive.

"It's my pleasure Naruto! I know you love this place, and I think it's growing on me as well." Hinata said in a peaceful manner. Finally, she was on a 'date' with Naruto, even if he didn't realize it.

"Be honest with him young one. You have been coming here at least once a week ever since he left, sometimes twice. We have more than grown on ya." Teuchi laughed while he was preparing their order. Hinata turned a light shade of crimson on being called out like that.

"You like Ramen like I do Hinata? That's great! Finally, another lover of the food from the Kami!" Hinata turned an even darker shade of crimson upon hearing his words. It seemed his praises could still get to her sometimes.

"Hai, I wanted to see why you always ate here and I found I liked it." She did like this place but in truth the only reason she initially came was so she could have something in common with the boy. Her liking ramen was simply a bonus.

"Not that I don't love talking about ramen, but I want to know how you and Neji have been getting along. I know you went to him for training and I'm glad he took you on." Naruto commented while looking to his partner.

Happy for the change of subject, Hinata returned to her normal color and answered the whisker cheeked boy. "He's been an excellent teacher. I'm still not close to his level in terms of Gentle Fist but I'm way further along than I was when I started. He's also the reason I took up the bow."

"I think it's really cool that you use one now! Do you know why Neji did it though? Isn't the Hyūga clan's whole thing Gentle Fist?" Naruto probed.

Hinata turned her head to Naruto now, her shyness threatened to return but she was able to overcome it. "He said it was time for new traditions to be born in the clan. Our byakugan gives us a huge field of vision, in some cases miles. He thought it was time we took more advantage of that fact."

"Woah, I didn't know you could see that far away with the byakugan. Man, I wish I had eyes like yours Hinata. They are so awesome." Naruto worded out with a wanting look on his face while looking back at his friend.

Hinata had to turn her head away for a second. She had to recompose herself. He likes my eyes!

"I hope I can join you on your next mission. I really want to show you just how much I have grown." Hinata said.

"Orders up you two." Ayame exclaimed while placing the pair's first bowls in front of them.

"Alright, time to dig in!" Naruto enthusiastically verbalized and proceeded to wolf down his ramen. As he was about to slam his bowl down the counter, he heard a similar thing right next to him. Hinata had eaten her bowl faster than he did.

Did she actually eat ramen faster than me? NO WAY! I mean I am super excited she likes ramen as much as I do but I have a title to defend!

"Teuchi, another bowl please." Hinata said in a quiet tone, much different from how she ate her food.

"Oh, I see, you are coming for my title of ramen king Hinata. Well, I won't give it up without a fight!" Naruto declared with determination in his eyes.

Hinata gave the boy a small smile in return. "That title is mine Naruto; you forfeited all rights when you failed to eat here in a year. I'm the ramen queen now." Hinata said in jest to the person she cared for most dearly.

"Teuchi, another bowl for me as well. I have a title that needs reclaiming!" Naruto shouted out to the owner.

"2 bowls coming up kiddos!" Teuchi replied.

"You are going down Hinata. I worked hard for that title and its coming home!"

"To be the shinobi, you have to beat the shinobi, I doubt you will."

With these fighting words, both teenagers went to war. Each attacked their bowls with an animalistic intent. For some it was a scary sight to behold. Both were evenly matched but, in the end, Naruto was able to reclaim his title.

Letting out a heavy belch, Naruto patted his stomach and gave praise to his opponent. "Oh man Hinata, I thought you had me there in the end. I haven't eaten this much in such a long time."

Hinata was close to being in a food coma. She was happy though; she knows Naruto loves competition and she could almost match him in this arena. She just needs some more practice and one day she can take back HER title.

"Don't get used to this Naruto. That title belongs to me and next time you won't be so lucky." She grumbled out, not having the energy quite yet to look at him.

"I swear you two, give us more forewarning next time you do this competition again. We had to go deep into our stocks to satisfy you both." Ayame scolded her two best customers.

"Hehe, will do Ayame. You and Teuchi are the best." Naruto then looks over to Hinata to discover she had her head on the table. "You feeling ok?" He said, concerned for the pale eyed girl's wellbeing.

A feeling of warmth started to crawl through the girl at hearing her man be concerned for her. "I'll be fine, just... just give me a few minutes." He gives her a nod in acknowledgement even though she can't see it.

Both sat in silence for a few minutes, taking in the sounds of the outside crowd, the smells coming from inside the stall, the fullness both were feeling. Both felt content and happy with life. For just these few hours at least, nothing else mattered.

Hinata eventually recovered from her near food coma and lifted her head off the table and turned towards Uzumaki. "Do you have any plans after this?" She asked, hoping the answer would be no.

After taking a second to think, he responded with a no. "If you don't mind then, would you mind if we went somewhere?" She quietly asked.

With no hesitation at all he blurted out. "Of course, Hinata, I like hanging out with you a lot!"

Feeling relief that he agreed to her proposal, the kunoichi stood up from her stool and put her money on the table to cover her portion of the competition. She then gestured for Naruto to follow her. He too stood up and paid for his 'meal' and soon started after the woman.

"So where are we going?" In truth he didn't really care, he was still riding high from reclaiming his title and could probably be convinced to do anything this night.

"That's a secret until we get there." She winked at him as the words came out. He could only give his goofy smile in response and put his hands behind his head.

The two walked in comfortable silence for the next 10 minutes, just enjoying each other's company. Hinata wished though that he had kept his arms by his sides. She would have been tempted to hold his hand but now never got the chance too. Eventually, she led them to her destination, the newly refurbished Cineplex. To celebrate their reopening month, the theater was running the Princess Gale movies that had currently been out.

"When you said you were going to be in the next Princess Gale movie, I looked to see if they were playing the first one tonight. Turns out they are. Do you want to see it with me Naruto?"

Once again, no hesitation on his part. "Of course! I'd love too!"

YES! Ok, time to put the plan into action!

With these thoughts, Hinata led them into the establishment and bought the tickets for both, much to the boy's chagrin at being paid for but she insisted. Once the tickets were bought, both headed to the correct theater and took their seats.

"There's a lot of people here. I didn't know these movies were that popular." Naruto looked around in genuine surprise. Now that he saw the crowd, he wondered what it would be like when his movie was released.

"It will be completely full when your movie gets released. I hope you are ready to become world famous." The kunoichi said as she got comfortable in her seat.

"You are talking to the prankster king of Konohagakure! I'm used to the attention by now." Naruto retorted, getting comfortable as well.

After a few minutes, the movie started. At first Naruto wasn't all that interested in the movie. To him it was boring but after the first 30 minutes it started getting intriguing. It was at this point the first action scene started.

"Alright now we are talking." Naruto said low enough for only Hinata to hear. This caused her to freeze what she was trying to do. She had been building up her confidence since the start of the movie to grab her loves hand. She was about to do it when he spoke. This caused all her built-up spirit to leave her. She would have to try again later.
It took another 30 minutes for her to steel herself to make another attempt. During that time, she noticed that her 'date' was a lot more interested in the movie, despite no action scenes going on.

"Hey, I'll be back Hinata. Gotta goes to the bathroom before the next action scene!" He uttered as he stood up to leave.

Damnit, not again! Ok, ok Hinata it's ok. You know the perfect scene is coming up soon. Use that one to take his hand in yours!

Naruto eventually returned to his seat. Now his entire focus was on the movie. This was way better than he was expecting when he came here. Near the end of the movie, right before the climax, came the scene where the princess sees off her retainer before the final battle. When princess Gale gave him a kiss to bring him back, Naruto noticed Hinata was fidgeting in her seat a little bit.

This was because she was losing her nerve. She thought this would have been the perfect moment to finally grab his hand. Seeing the affection on the screen though had caused her to think of similar things with her love and she just couldn't bring herself to go through with her plan. She cursed herself for missing this perfect chance.

Naruto turned his attention back to the screen, oblivious to his companion's sorrow. The movie unfortunately for Naruto had to come to an end eventually. Once the credits started rolling, the couple left the theater.

"Man Hinata, I'm glad you took me here. That was awesome! Thank you so much!" He tried his best to communicate his gratitude to his friend and partner for the night.

Despite not doing exactly what she wanted to do this evening, she still felt like she made very good progress. She finally got him out on a 'date', even if he didn't know about it. "I'm glad you liked it Naruto. Would you like to see the next one with me another day?" She hoped he would say yes.

For the third time tonight, there was no hesitation in the boy's response. "I'd love too! Can we do ramen before like tonight?"

Smirking at the boy's love of ramen, the pale-eyed kunoichi answered with. "Of course, I'd love that as well." The pair then walked in silence side by side, Hinata still leading the way back to her home. Once they got to the gate, they stopped in front of it.

"I guess this is where we split for the night. I had a great time. Thank you!" Naruto said as he looked down to the girl next to him, giving her a warm smirk.

"I had a great time as well." Hinata said gently.

Naruto was just turning around to leave when he felt something. Hinata had grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go.

"Hinata, is everything alright?" Naruto asked, worried he might have done something wrong.

Hinata brought her other hand up and placed it on top of his and her other hand before speaking. "Nothing is wrong, tonight was perfect. Thank you for spending time with me. You are truly wonderful and I'm glad to have you in my life."

She had finally done it. After almost giving up hope earlier she would get to hold him. She now finally got the courage to do it. Saying her words to him caused her to go lightheaded a bit but she pushed on through, not wanting to ruin the moment. In the pale moonlight night, the girl could have sworn she saw him blush ever so slightly when she was finished.

Now letting his hand go, she finished the night with these words. "I'll see you later Naruto. Have a good night!" She uttered as she skipped into the compound with absolute delight.

"You to Hinata." He shouted back as he turned and headed home.

Tonight was awesome! Got to eat a ton of ramen with someone who likes it almost as much as I do. A woman no less! Got to see an awesome movie. And, walked Hinata home like a gentleman. She even held my hand which felt really nice. I could get used to this. Wait a minute. Dinner, movie, walking her home. Was this a date?

XxX

Hokage Office, 5 PM, 3 days since Naruto's return

Tsunade was in a happy mood. Despite all the money she spent on sake during Naruto's return party, she had not felt this good in years. The only thing that could have made today better would have been a nice foot massage.

Naruto giving her the tip on shadow clones had made these past 2 days enjoyable. She and her clones were finally making significant dents into the mountains of paperwork she had to do as Hokage. She could take long breaks now and still make progress. That time to relax and drink sake was heaven to her. She thought that she might need to thank Naruto later, but decided his ego was already inflated enough as it was.

She allowed herself to hope. To dream if you will. She prayed to the Kami that her cursed bad luck would not show up any time soon to ruin this small amount of peace she had managed to get.

Knock Knock

"Lady Tsunade!"

Last time I pray for anything.

"An urgent message has arrived from Sunagakure." Shouted the person at the door

"Well come in already, don't keep me waiting." Tsunade grumbled out.

5 minutes, I couldn't even get 5 minutes more of peace and quiet?

The Jōnin opened the door and strolled inside. He walked up to the desk of the Hokage and handed over the scroll. Tsunade took the scroll from the Jōnin and opened it. Her sour mood took a turn for the worse by the time she had finished reading it.

"How long ago did this arrive?" She asked in her Hokage tone.

"About 15 minutes ago, Lady Hokage!"

Damnit, this is bad. That means it happened last night.

"Shizune! Get me a list of every experienced shinobi and kunoichi currently in the village!" She barked out to her assistant who had just arrived in the door.

"At once my lady!" Shizune quickly went back to her own desk and started taking out the necessary documents to find out who was in the village.

"You are dismissed, good work." Tsunade said to the Jōnin.

"Thank you, lady Hokage!" With these parting words, he left his Hokage in her office alone with her thoughts.

It seems the Akatsuki have finally made their first move after all this time. I hope we are ready for them. I'll need a drink after this.

After about 15 minutes, Shizune returned with a roster of experienced shinobi and kunoichi currently in the village.

"Thanks, Shizune." She uttered as she took the list and started pouring over it. She didn't like what she saw. "Is this all we have?" She queried her longtime friend.

"Hai, we are unfortunately running thin at the moment. My apologies." Shizune bowed to her teacher.

Grunting her acknowledgement, she continued searching the list for a good time. She then came across a name she had just been thinking of, and it gave her an idea. She took another look at the roster to make sure all the other pieces were there and to her delight they were. She took out her own scroll and wrote on it 4 names and handed it to her assistant.

"I want those 4 in my office 5 minutes ago, now go!" She worded out in authority.

"Hai my lady" and Shizune went back out and started the prep work to bring the 4 in.

As much as Tsunade wanted to drink after hearing this news, she stopped herself. She was the Hokage for crying out loud. She needed to set a good example for her village. She will drink after giving out the assignment like a good Hokage should.

Unfortunately for her, it took some time before even the first one showed up. "What up granny Tsunade?" Naruto chirped as he ducked an incoming paper weight and came through the window up to her desk.

"Damn brat. You are lucky I need you for a mission. Else I'd knock some sense into you." Naruto gave his sheepish grin in response.

The next one to show up was Sakura. "I'm here as requested my lady." Sakura said as she bowed to her sensei, entering the office from the proper entrance.

"See Naruto? THATS how you enter the office of your superior. Learn from her." The Senju muttered pointing her finger at the young blonde. Naruto gave only a shrug at the impromptu lesson.

The third person to show up was a little surprising to the blonde and pinkette. "Hinata? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked as he saw her come into the office.

"I ordered her here you brat. Now that just leaves one more." Tsunade announced to the 3 young shinobi in front of her.

Sakura stood on one side of Naruto and Hinata stood on the other side. Hinata would have glared at the bubblegum girl if she could, but Naruto was in the way. She was still not happy with everything she had done to her love and didn't know if she would ever forgive her. If Naruto would give her a second chance though, then she would begrudgingly do the same. She wasn't happy about it but much like the boy next to her, she too was a forgiving person. You just had to earn it and it was a lot more difficult now. That didn't mean the pinkette was out of the woods. Hinata would be watching her and thanks to her byakugan, that would be an easy task.

The last to arrive was, unsurprisingly, Kakashi. He would say he was fashionably late but that would mean he cared about fashion to begin with. "Yo, sorry I'm late. Someone had opened a ladder in front of my door, and I had to go around it by a couple miles."

"A likely story." Both Sakura and Naruto deadpanned.

"Good, now that you are all here. I can explain this mission to you all." Tsunade declared from her seat. "I'll get right to the point. The Kazekage, Gaara, has been taken by the Akatsuki."

His attention now fully on the Sannin in front of him, Naruto reiterates. "Gaara has been kidnapped?" Tsunade nodded her head in confirmation.

"We received this information just this evening. He was captured around this time last night. Meaning we are a day behind them. I want you 4 to head out within the hour for Sunagakure. Your mission will be to assist Sunagakure in any way you can to retrieve the Kazekage. This is being rated an S-Ranking mission. Kakashi, you will be team lead on this one. Any questions?"

"Hai Hokage, not that I'm against Hinata joining on this mission but is there a particular reason why Sasuke isn't here given the rest of his team is?" The cyclops Jōnin questioned his leader.

"Despite giving him more freedoms around the village and more missions outside here, I still don't fully trust him with such a highly sensitive mission. I don't want you to have any distractions by having to keep an extra eye on him. Especially if his brother is somehow behind this kidnaping."

Satisfied with this answer, Kakashi gave a nod of understanding. If Itachi was somehow behind this, Sasuke being there would more than likely undo all the progress Kakashi had made with his student.

"Umm, who are the Akatsuki exactly?" Hinata pipped in. Unlike the Hokage and team 7, she never had any run ins with the Akatsuki before nor had she ever heard of them.

"They are a group of S-rank criminals whose goal is to capture all of the jinchūriki and extract the tailed beasts inside of them. The beast you saw during the invasion a while back was the one-tail sealed inside Gaara." Tsunade clarified to the pale-eyed princess.

"Do we know why they want to extract the beasts?" Hinata asked further.

"We don't know their ultimate goal, but it can't be good. That's why we are helping out Sunagakure." Tsunade responded.

Hinata, having no further questions, stepped back. Seeing as there were no further questions, Tsunade gave them some final parting words. "I'm putting a lot of trust in you four. Get Gaara back, but most importantly come back alive. Konohagakure needs all the shinobi it can muster now."

"We will not let you down Lady Hokage." Kakashi said with confidence.

"Good, you are all dismissed." Tsunade announced.

Naruto was a bit distraught upon hearing his friend and fellow jinchūriki had been captured. The Akatsuki were already on the move and were now ahead of him. He thanked Kami he returned early, or he might not have been able to do anything.

Gaara buddy, just hang in there. We're coming for you. Don't you go dying on us!

As they left the office, Kakashi gave them their marching orders. "Ok, go home, pack for a 2-week journey, and meet me at the main gate in one hour. Don't be late." Once he finished his prep talk, he body flickered out of the building to get himself ready.

"Well Naruto, it seems I'll be able to show off for you much sooner than I expected. I hope you are ready." Hinata was hoping his reaction would be one of happiness. What she initially saw was a look of sorrow. She didn't know about the bond that Naruto and Gaara had, so she was taken aback just a little at seeing that look on his face.

Naruto recovered quickly and looked to Hinata before replying. "Ya, I just wish it was under better circumstances." He tried his best to mask the fear he was feeling but some of it was still visible on his face. "Anyways, I'll see you at the main gate."

Naruto then left the building as fast as his non swift release body could go, followed by Hinata. Sakura took a second to take everything in. She could see clearly what Naruto was feeling. She didn't know how Gaara was connected to him, but she knew it went beyond simply enemies turned friends. On the way to Sunagakure, she was going to ask him about it.

This was also her chance to prove she was no longer the useless girl he once knew. She would show not just him, but herself the fruits of her labors. This would be a step on her road of redemption, and she would not fail this endeavor.

---

Authors Notes

First off, Happy new year everyone. I know this chapter might feel like chapter, but I really wanted both a scene with Naruto, Shikamaru and Temari. I also really wanted to have a scene with Naruto and Hinata. Not to say the other scenes were not important, it's just I realized I haven't had scenes with just those pairings yet and wanted to rectify that.

As for an update schedule going forward. I'm going to try and do it every other week going forward. This allows me to do about 1k words a day at least and then 3 days of revisions. Now I won't hold myself to that. Some chapters may just require me to think more but I would still like to keep to bi-weekly as much as possible.

As for reviews. I do read all reviews, and I appreciate the feedback people have been giving me. As this is my first fic and legit critiques I learn from and try to implement them in future chapters.

Now then, not a whole lot will change with the Kazekage retrieval arc but I do have a few things that I'm going to change from canon. One just makes logical sense given how the characters have changed and the other change I'm making because it will make a much more impactful moment than what we got in the show and will echo throughout the rest of this fic. I also plan on having this arc be 4 chapters long including epilogue.

On a personal note, January 3 rd , 2025, marks me losing 170 pounds since I started losing weight on October 31 st , 2023. Also, down from near 50% body fat to now 22%. Can't stop, won't stop.

Chapter 9: Monster

 

---

Uchiha Complex, 7 AM, 1 day since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Sasuke sat in his room; legs crossed underneath him. He breathed in and out in 4 second intervals, clearing his mind of all thoughts to enter the place his mind had come to know quite well. Normally, he would be training out in one of the many training grounds of his family's complex. Today though, he didn't want to wait to hear from his 'master'. He knew he was close to escaping this place and was getting anxious.

He kept up his steady breathing and slowly a familiar sense started to overtake him. He felt as if he was leaving his body. With practiced ease, he was again in the mindscape facilitated by the curse mark. He didn't see his master quiet yet, this was normal though. It normally took the snake sannin a few minutes to connect with him and so much like his real body, his mental body also started meditating, thinking about how best to get his revenge on Itachi.

He reflected on the night his whole life changed forever. Leaving his room to find bloody bodies of his kin everywhere. The feeling of nausea hit him quite hard back then. His little body moving through the house, finding only more death in his wake. He then came across the bodies of both his mother and father, both freshly killed. They had died so quick that it looked like they didn't even have time to put up a struggle. Standing over them was Itachi, the monster he once thought of as a brother. Then, Sasuke looked into those eyes and relived that night for the next 3 days.

"Kukuku, you are early today, Sasuke. Eager to leave this place, are we?" Orochimaru had materialized in the tall grass a few meters away from him and had only now walked up behind his 'student'. Sasuke knew he was behind him for a long time though, he just didn't bother to acknowledge him until he spoke.

"It's been almost 3 years, there is nothing left for me here. What I want is out there." Sasuke said in a cold tone.

"I can feel your anger Sasuke, even as you try your best to hide it behind your mask. That wrath is too potent to hide. Let it flow through you and be the source of your strength." Orochimaru uttered as a matter of fact. He received only a grunt in response.

Slithering up even closer to the Uchiha, Orochimaru finally told him what he had been waiting for. "The time for your escape is near. Tomorrow night is when you will have your greatest chance of escaping. Don't waste it this time."

Sasuke turned his head to finally look upon the snake form of his 'teacher'. "What is so special about that time? Why can't I escape now?" Sasuke demanded to know.

"Kukuku, for several reasons Sasuke. For one, my spies tell me my former apprentice Anko will be back in the leaf tomorrow. Two, Kakashi and his team will be far away from leaf, making your escape undeniable."

"Where is Kakashi going to?" Sasuke raised his mental eyebrow in confusion.

"My agents in Sunagakure have informed me that the Akatsuki have finally made their first move and captured the Kazekage. Sunagakure sent a messenger hawk requesting aid from the leaf. The message arrived last night" The snake sannin told his soon to be vessel. "My old teammate will surely send Kakashi and the rest of your team out to aid them. After all, Kakashi is the only one with enough experience currently in the village who can deal with the Akatsuki."

Sasuke took a moment to think about what he just heard. Part of him should have been mad that the other two members of team 7 were doing a mission and he wasn't. Sasuke knew though that this was his opportunity. Kakashi had already told him that he wasn't going be supervised as much from now on, and now his mentor was going to be too far away to get him back. The same also applied to Naruto.

"So, 2 days and 2 nights is all I have to make my plans. Should be easy then." Sasuke gave an evil grin to his the sannin.

Orochimaru was pleased, extremely so. His wait period to switch bodies was almost complete. Soon, Sasuke would be in his grasp, and he could give him the serum to make his body much more powerful than before. "Remember, you need to get Anko's curse mark before you leave. The process will more than likely leave her dead or at the very least in a state where she won't be following you."

"I haven't forgotten Orochimaru. The only thing I don't know is where you currently are. If you are going to give me this 'gift' as you say. I need to know how to get to you in the flesh." Sasuke muttered.

Orochimaru's grin grew wider as he spoke. "When you make your escape, my right-hand man Kabuto will be meeting you. He will show you the way, and then, you will have the power you seek to destroy Itachi."

Yes, soon I will finally have what I need to get my revenge on my brother and avenge my clan. I've waited over 10 years for this moment, an extra 2 days to ensure my revenge is something I will just have to bear. I'll need to monitor the guard rotations and ANBU locations to see when I'll have an opening. Getting to Anko will be the toughest challenge but if I tell her I might have a way to get rid of the curse mark, that could be my ticket in. Yes, the next chapter in the life of Sasuke Uchiha begins soon.

The snake was extremely pleased with himself. It had been so easy to manipulate the child. Dangle any form of power in front of him and he would do as you asked. Soon, Orochimaru would have the sharingan. Once it was in his possession, immortality would be one step closer to reality.

XxX

Somewhere in the land of fire, 4 PM, 1 day since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Four leaf shinobi were moving quickly through the trees. Jumping from tree to tree at a high pace so they could try and make up for some lost time. The rate at which they were going would tire most shinobi out, for Naruto it wasn't fast enough. More than once he found himself too far ahead of the group.

"Naruto, I know how you are feeling, but you can't break formation. It could spell disaster if we were to get ambushed with you so far ahead." Kakashi shouted to the point man in Naruto.

Naruto reluctantly slowed his pace and soon got back into formation. "I'm sorry Kakashi sensei. I'm just so angry this happened to Gaara, and I want to save him." He said apologetically.

"I know you want to save him, but you can't let your anger get the better of you. Remember what Jiraiya said to you before we left."

FLASHBACK

As the 4 were about to head out after being seen off by Tsunade and Iruka, Jiraiya landed in front of the group. No one in the group had any clue the toad sage had been anywhere near them. Despite getting up in years, Jiraiya was still one of the top shinobi in the world.

He looked around and the group and was a little surprised to see Hinata among them. Despite not knowing exactly what mission the group was about to embark on, he had a strong suspicion. He would have thought that Tsunade would have sent just the 3 members of team 7 to see how they still fared as a team. Thinking now though, having a long-range scout with the byakugan would give them tremendous, long-range scouting in their immediate area. He would have complimented Tsunade if it wouldn't have gone to her head.

Jiraiya turned his head to the leader of the troop and spoke. "I see you are heading out on a mission Kakashi. Does it have to do with Sunagakure?" He got a nod in confirmation. He then turned his attention to Naruto.

"Naruto, don't force a fight with the Akatsuki unless you have to." Jiraiya said, now turning towards his godson.

"They are the ones coming after me. I say the sooner the better so we can kick their asses." He said defiantly.

Jiraiya crossed his arms before speaking. "Look gaki, you have undoubtedly gotten stronger since your time with me. You are still too quick to anger though. It's always been your weakness in the heat of battle. If you don't keep yourself under control, you will not only lose your life but those of your teammates as well."

He received no verbal response back, but the boy's body language did all the talking for him. He then turned back to the leader of the team.

"Kakashi, make sure to keep an eye on him for me, will you? I'd join you all, but I need to see who the Akatsuki's next target is and perhaps prevent them from doing this all over again."

"Hai, I will Jiraiya."

END FLASHBACK

Naruto shook his head of the memory and shouted back to his mentor. "I get it, I get it. I'll stay with the group now."

Naruto now attempted to simply focus on his surroundings and being aware of everything around him. The sun was shining through the trees onto their backs. The air was whooshing past their ears, making the sounds of the forest be drowned out. His teammates were behind him, Hinata in the rear with Sakura and Kakashi in the middle. Hinata's byagukan was being used to keep an eye on their rear while the 2 in the middle watched their sides. Naruto was on point, ready to deal with any possible threats head on.

Despite focusing on the rear, Hinata was doing periodic searches everywhere every 15 minutes or so. It would have been taxing on her eyes to keep this up for hours on end, so Kakashi asked her to only do it for 30 seconds at a time. For all their journey today, she hadn't picked up anyone else until this check. She saw someone who she wasn't close with but knew well enough.

"I see Temari up ahead about 4 miles, she doesn't seem to be in a rush. She must not know about her brother."

"Let's catch up with her then. She would want to know what happened and she could get us to Sunagakure faster." Naruto shouted to the group but not breaking formation this time. It took the group only a few minutes before they landed in front of them. Temari on instinct had whipped her fan out, ready to attack the newcomers. When she saw familiar faces, her body relaxed, and she put her weapon away.

"What are you 4 doing out here? I was told I would only have an escort while in Konohagakure, not to the border."

Naruto stepped forward and said to her. "Temari, we aren't here to escort you. Your brother has been taken."

Temari was taken aback upon hearing this. "How do you know this?"

"Sunagakure sent us a message requesting aid almost 2 days ago." He uttered

Temari clutched at her chest. No this can't be. Who could be powerful enough to kidnap Gaara?

Kakashi now stepped forward and added on further. "You should join us; you can show us the way and we can get to Sunagakure much quicker."

She nodded her head in agreement. "Let's go then, if we hurry, we might be able to make it tomorrow afternoon." She said with a hint of desperation in her voice.

With these words, the now five shinobi squad leapt through the trees at breakneck speed. A newfound determination was in the group now that the sister of the Kazekage was with them now. Once they got to the border with the land of wind, it was already dark.

"This is where we will make camp for the night." Kakashi said at the edge of the forest and looking out into the vast desert ahead of them.

Naruto looked at his teacher incredulously. "We need to get to Sunagakure as fast as possible. Every second we waste is another second the Akatsuki has to extract the bijuu from Gaara!"

Kakashi looked at his student and gave him an empathetic look. "We won't be of any use to Sunagakure if we arrive half dead just from exhaustion."

Temari further added on. "I want to save my brother even more than you do Naruto, but you should listen to your leader. Who knows what we will encounter when we get there. We all need to be in top form when we arrive so we can be ready for anything." She pleaded.

The boy was frustrated at the decision but couldn't find a big enough fault in the reasoning. Reluctantly, he grumbled out. "Fine, lets camp and rest."

"We will leave at first light Naruto, I promise you that. I'll be taking first watch as well so rest up you four." Kakashi said reassuringly.

It didn't take long for the fivesome to set up camp. Each 5 set up their own tents and soon everyone sans Kakashi was sitting around the campfire they had set up. For a while, they all simply sat there, afraid to shatter the silence of the night. Most of them didn't know what to say. Could they really say anything that would make things better? Eventually, one of them found the nerve to ask a question that had been nagging them today.

"Who are the Akatsuki?" Temari wondered aloud.

"They are a group of S-Rank terrorists who are wanting to capture the bijuu. Why? I don't know exactly but it can't be good." Answered her fellow blonde.

"That explains why they captured my brother. What good though would extracting the bijuu inside him do? Do they have some way of controlling them once extracted?" She asked, hoping they knew.

"I don't know. There are so many questions about them, and we are walking blindly into their hands. One thing I know for certain about them is they are extremely dangerous. I saw two of them fight before and even now I don't know if I come close to them." He said not happy at his lack of knowledge.

Now was the time that Hinata chooses to ask her own question as she turned to her love. "Before we left Konohagakure, you said the Akatsuki were coming after you as well. What did you mean by that?"

In response, Naruto hugged his legs to his chest. He had never told anyone about the bijuu inside him. He was always afraid that if he did tell someone, they would reject him and treat him with scorn. Would they be unable to distinguish between himself and the monster he walked around with? Even his closest friends, he was afraid of this result. Now that the Akatsuki had started their machinations, it was time to come clean to them so they knew the danger they would be in simply by being near him.

"Because Gaara and I are the same."

For a while, no one responded. Each of the kunoichi took time to digest what he just said. One of them wanted confirmation from the boy in question.

"What do you mean by that?" Hinata was clueless on what he was talking about. Gaara and him were nothing alike. From what little information she could recall, Gaara was an extremely disturbed individual. While Naruto was the most kind and wonderful person she could dream of. How could those two be alike in any way?

"Gaara, has a bijuu inside him, and I have the 9-tailed fox sealed inside of me." He uttered somberly.

Temari wasn't too surprised by this revelation. She knew that her brother and Naruto had some type of connection that went beyond friendship. Knowing it was a shared experience in being a jinchūriki made her feel a bit relieved. There was a positive influence on her brother's life that went through the same experience of being scorned by a village. She was even more grateful now to Naruto than before.

Sakura had her suspicions. She first grew curious during the land of waves mission when she saw his mysterious chakra firsthand. At the time she wrote it off as stress from her first real mission and the first time thinking she might die. Once she saw the same chakra during the exams, she knew it wasn't stress she felt during her first mission. There was something strange going on about the boy.

After he had left the village, she took it upon herself to learn more about her teammate and discovered he was born on the same day the 9-tails attacked the leaf. It didn't take much to connect all the dots together that her teammate harbored one of the biggest threats the village had ever seen.

Hearing it from him though felt different. It felt relieving surprisingly. There was no more guess work and the uncertainty of not knowing was gone.

Hinata was startled by the reveal. Naruto was carrying the thing that almost destroyed the village all this time. Why was it sealed inside him and not someone older? Why did it have to be him that it was sealed in? She had many questions about this revelation that she was sure he didn't know the answers to. There was one thing she didn't question though.

Her feelings about the boy hadn't changed at all, nothing would change that. She was startled because now she understood why he had been alone for so long. The adults must have known what was inside him and kept the kids in the dark.

Her feelings quickly turned to anger. How could they treat Naruto like they did? He should have been treated as a damn hero for keeping that monster at bay. He wasn't the monster; it was what was inside him, and they were certainly not the same.

She now understood the gravity of his situation. He was one of the Akatsuki's targets and he was willingly going to them. They would no doubt try to capture him as they retrieve Gaara. No, no they won't. It won't happen. She won't LET it happen. No one can have the whisker cheeked boy but her!

"Sasuke's brother, Itachi, he's part of the Akatsuki too." Sakura stated to the group.

Naruto raised his head from knees and looked at her direction in alarm. "How did you know?"

She turned to look at him before starting. "I read some of Lady Tsunade's reports, hoping to get any information on how you were doing." She paused for a moment before continuing. "He's the one that Sasuke wants to kill, he's the one that is preventing Sasuke from moving on with his life."

He had conflicting feelings once she finished speaking. He was touched that she wanted to know how he was doing and was willing to go to those lengths to find out. Another greater part though felt a simmering anger that maybe she was doing this mission more for Sasuke and herself than for Gaara and himself.

"So that's why you came, to help Sasuke get his revenge." Naruto uttered more coldly than he meant to.

Right, he still doesn't trust me yet.

"No, I'm here primarily for you and for Gaara. I figured out you hosted the 9-tailed fox while you were gone. The pieces I already had plus Lady Tsunade's report made connecting the dots easy." She stated truthfully.

"Then why bring up Itachi and Sasuke at all? I thought you said you had moved on from him?" He hoped that he was just being paranoid, and she had a good explanation coming.

"I have moved on from my previous love for him, but he's still a teammate and a friend. He's hurting and Itachi is what is keeping him from healing properly. I would like to be able to capture him so we can get answers out of him. Perhaps then our teammate can finally move on with his life like we have." she earnestly said.

Naruto couldn't sense any deception coming from her, she was being genuinely honest with him, and it felt really refreshing. Naruto then started to think about his missing teammate. Part of Naruto was still angry at his teammate for defecting in the first place. Honestly though, if he had gone through something similar, he didn't know what he would do. Perhaps he would have done the same thing as Sasuke. He saw a lot of himself in his missing teammate. He thought of him as a brother. Yes, he did get on his nerves quite a lot but that's what brothers do. Yes, he saw Sasuke more as a brother than anything else. He wanted to help his brother.

"As much as he irks me at times, if it will finally get him closure that he needs, we will try and capture Itachi." He wasn't going to make a promise this time, he knew how that turned out last time.

"What do you know about Itachi? Did you fight him previously?" Hinata said to Naruto, her full attention on the blonde shinobi.

"Hai Hinata, I faced him and his partner Kisame when I went with pervy sage looking for granny Tsunade. If it wasn't for pervy sage, I'd have been captured back then. I never felt more helpless in my life then I did then." He hugged his legs closer to himself when remembering that night. "You three have no idea just how strong these guys are. Even now I'm terrified of them, except now I know I can fight back."

Hinata gave him a worried look. She hadn't known that he already had encountered this group before. The look of terror she saw in his face spoke volumes to her. They were no joke and if she wanted to be of use to him, she would need to utilize all the skills at her disposal.

"I'd understand if you all don't want to continue further missions with me. I'm just a huge target and you might die simply being near me." He braced himself for their answers, it was the moment of truth.

"Naruto, nothing on this planet could stop me from being by your side, especially knowing now that you are in danger. Not even the Shinigami could pull me away from you." Hinata was the first to speak. She left no doubt in her conviction to stand by him. She loved this man and would be by his side till the end of time.

"I told you before I wanted your forgiveness, to be your friend, to be a part of your life. All the elemental nations could come after you and it wouldn't change anything for me. As long as you would have me, I'll be there for you." Sakura spoke from the heart. Just like Naruto said he would've pushed heaven and earth for her, she would now do that for him. She would have been surprised at how warm she felt saying this to him, but the heat of the campfire masked it.

"While I might not know you as well as these two, you have been a great friend to my brother and to Shikamaru. Once your mission is done, if you ever need me for anything, just send a bird and I'll come." Temari rounded out the trio's answers.

"...Thank you, all of you. It means a lot." It was a lot to take in for him. For one, he told his fellow shinobi his biggest secret, and they didn't reject him in the slightest. Secondly, they knew the danger they would put themselves in just by being near him, and with no hesitation they said they would be there for him. He stopped hugging his legs to his chest and spread them out, letting out a big sigh and taking in the cool night air.

It was a nice feeling to know he had people who cared enough about him to risk their own lives for him. He had no problem with Hinata or Temari standing by him. Sakura though he was still wary about. He still didn't trust her, but he was hoping she was more than just talk and as she said on an earlier night, actions speak louder than words.

XxX

Somewhere in the land of wind, 8 AM, 2 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Around a small pond situated near Sunagakure sat two elderly siblings. The man, Ebizō, wore a dark colored, loose-fitting outfit with a poncho-like top along with a turban wrapped around his head. His eye lids ever heavy, giving him the appearance of nearly falling asleep all the time. The woman, Chiyo, wore the same outfit as her brother, minus the turban. She has black eyes and grey hair tied in a bun and flabby cheeks. Both are fishing in the pond, trying to get the biggest catch.

"Sister." The elderly man says, trying to get her attention.

"Sister?" He asks again. She had no visible reaction and was hunched over, appearing almost death like.

"Hehe, looks like I'll win this by default due to your death." He chuckled to himself. Both had a running bet on who would kick the bucket first, and both did not like to lose.

"Not on your life. I've got this in the bag." She finally responds and turns her head up to her brother.

He brought his head back to the pound. "Don't do that sis, it aint right to get an old man's hopes up."

"Oh, come now." She uttered; her head too now returned to the pond.

From the side of them they saw a man approach. He wore the Sunagakure headband and a turban that covered half his face. "Honored siblings, we request your assistance." The man known as Baki said to the two of them.

Chiyo turned her head to the intruder and said flatly. "We are both retired. It's time your generation fixed its own problems and leave us to wither and die."

"This is an extraordinary circumstance, a group known as the Akatsuki have taken the Kazekage and plan to extract Shukaku from him." Baki retorted.

"Look, neither of us want to be bothered by this. Now if only I could see my grandkid again. Then I might come back." She said longingly.

"Well then you are in luck Lady Chiyo. Your grandson happens to be a member of the Akatsuki."

XxX

Somewhere in the land of waves, 12PM, 2 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Two figures stand in front of a torii gate next to the cliff face. The taller figure has their hair in a single ponytail underneath a straw hat. The shorter individual's mouth was covered in a bandana. Both were wearing the same type of cloak. All black with red clouds. The rock face behind the gate has a ninja tag on it to prevent any unauthorized guests.

"Gah, I hate waiting!" The shorter individual barks out. His time was valuable, and not a second of it should be wasted.

"Oh, don't be like that. We are on time. If you didn't want to wait, you could have taken some extra time in dealing with that puppet using kid." The tall blonde said to his partner.

"If there is one thing, I hate more than others wasting my time, it's when I waste my own time." The short one grumbles out.

It takes but a few seconds for the rock face to start to lift, allowing the two individuals entry along with their captive. Both stroll their way through the opening and head deep into the cavern. They eventually come across a large open space deep inside the cliff. Standing in the middle of the vast openness is a shadowy figure with purple eyes and black rings surrounding the center pupil.

"I'm surprised; you both are right on time." The shadowy figure said.

"This guy gave me a little trouble, but we made up time using my bird to get here faster hmmm." The taller individual said as he dropped his target in front of the shadow.

"Good, we can begin on schedule now." The shadow then performed a series of hand signs and finished by smacking the ground with his open palm. Behind him started to rise a partial statue of monstrous origins. It looked human except for its 10 eyes and its chained wrists in front of it.

The shadow then performs another hand sign and says "Materialize." Soon, 6 more shadowy figures appeared on the fingers of the statue. The two solid figures in the cave take their places on the remaining fingers.

"Good, we can now begin the extraction of the one-tailed beast Shukaku."

XxX

Sunagakure, 12PM, 2 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

It took the group from Konohagakure only 6 hours before they started seeing Sunagakure. Temari had taken this trek many times and knew the fastest way through the desert while avoiding the various traps that laid in wait for unsuspecting visitors. Naruto was secretly glad that Kakashi forced them to rest last night. If they hadn't, they would have collapsed as soon as they arrived.

As they started getting closer to Sunagakure, the 5-some noticed a figure running out to greet them. One of the gate guards had seen them in the distance and had been able to notice Temari among the group. Once he got closer, he noticed the Konohagakure headbands on the other 4 individuals.

"Lady Temari, Konohagakure delegation. Thanks for coming so quickly!" He shouted out.

"Tell me, do you have any news on my brother?" Temari said, stepping up from the middle of the group.

"No, I'm afraid. The situation has gotten worse since we last sent word to Konohagakure. Kankuro chased after the two that captured Gaara. He got into a fight with Sasori but was left extremely poisoned." The gate guard said.

"What!? Kankuro was poisoned?" She yelped out in fear.

"Badly too, we don't think he will make it past today." He muttered out in frustration at the situation.

From the middle of the pack, Sakura stepped forward and got closer to the guard. "Take me to him now. I'll see what I can do for him and try to save his life." She said almost ordering the foreign shinobi in front of her.

The guard did as asked of him and brought the group up to where Kankuro was in treatment room 3. Temari and Sakura were the first to come in through the door and rushed to his bedside.

"Kankuro!" The sand kunoichi shouted as she came into the room, all eyes now on her. Behind the first two guests came Naruto and Hinata side by side. They followed the first two inside the room but without as much urgency. The last to show up was Kakashi who came up behind Naruto lazily. Most people in the room didn't give a second glance to him. Baki, Ebizō, and the other shinobi paid him no mind. Chiyo though took a good long hard look at the cyclops jōnin.

"it's you! The white fang of Konohagakure!" She spat out and charged at her target. Hinata, thinking the elderly women was charging at Naruto, stepped in front of him to protect him. She was surprised to see the women go past the two of them and head for Kakashi. As Chiyo readied her punch, Naruto swiftly got in between the two of them and caught her punch. Momentarily stunned at being caught, she was unprepared when he then pushed her back several feet with a kick to the mid-section.

"You old hag, why are you attacking Kakashi sensei like that?" He shouted out to the assailant.

She didn't hear Naruto shout at her, she was too blind to hear him. "So, taking my son's life wasn't enough for you. I'll make sure you regret coming back here!" She says as she attempts to move forward. Her brother Ebizō sticks his hand out, preventing her from going forward.

"Sister, look closely. Though they may look alike, that is not the same person who took your son."

She then took a few seconds to look over Kakashi more. She started to note the differences from what she could recall of the white fang.

"Actually, the white fang is my father." Kakashi said sheepishly, trying to diffuse the situation.

Concluding that this indeed wasn't the white fang, she utters out. "Oh, nevermind then, hehe." she chuckles, her previous anger completely leaving her. All the Konohagakure shinobi minus Sakura sweat dropped on hearing this.

Naruto then took notice of something strange. At the previous moment he didn't really take notice of it, but the old hag was fast. He had to use his swift release to get in front of Kakashi to block her attack. His kick also didn't seem to faze her all that much either. This old hag was not to be underestimated.

"Everyone be silent, I need to concentrate while I remove the poison from Kankuro's body." Sakura boldly declared as green chakra started to mold itself around her hands. "Temari, I need buckets of water to put the poison in."

"Hai." She responds as she goes and fetches the water to help Sakura.

For the next 3 hours, Sakura works diligently to remove as much of the poison from her patient as possible. Bucket after bucket was used to accomplish this task. She did not once take a break during the whole procedure, despite all the sweat on her body and painful expressions on her face. She soldiered on through it all.

It took every bit of knowledge that Tsunade drilled into her, but she was able to get most of the poison out of his system. If she had been only an hour later, he may not have survived. She also doubted anyone else besides her or her master could have saved his life.

She wiped her brow and said in a relieved voice. "That's most of the poison from his body now. The worst of it is over."

Temari slumped back against the wall, grateful her brother was safe for now.

"I still need to neutralize what poison is left in his system. I'll need access to all the herbs and medical supplies in the city. We are dealing with a very complex antidote here." Sakura uttered.

Wow, she wasn't kidding when she said she changed. Nobody in this village could help Kankuro before we arrived, and she was able to help him in 3 hours. And this is only with less than 3 years training. I wonder if she could pass Granny Tsunade in a few years. I'm looking forward to seeing her in a fight even more now. Sakura, I'm glad you are with us.

He didn't realize it at the time, but he had been staring at Sakura for a while. unconsciously opening and closing his mouth as he did so. Hinata though didn't miss it. She felt pangs of jealousy tug at her. She wanted that look from him. She wanted him to look at her in awe and see what a fine kunoichi she was.

"I'll take you to our greenhouse where we keep our rare herbs." Chiyo said to Sakura. The girl gave a nod of approval and followed the elder out of the room.

It didn't take long for the 2 of them to make it to the greenhouse. Once inside, Sakura started working her magic. She ground up the correct herbs together in just the right portions to counteract the toxin she encountered. Chiyo was oddly silent during the whole ordeal, only looking at Sakura's work with pursed lips.

There's no doubt about it. This girl must be a student of Tsunade. Only someone of that lineage could have figured out the toxin so quickly and able to come up with counter measures. Has Sunagakure fallen so low that we need to ask for outside help now? We lost our old self-reliance and have become weak because of it.

"Alright, we have 3 antidotes here. One will be for Kankuro and the other two we will bring with us just in case." These words brought Chiyo out of her own head. "Let's head back. Thank you again for letting me use your herbs."
As the two kunoichi started heading back, one Naruto Uzumaki was getting restless. "Alright, when Sakura makes that antidote, we can get going after the Akatsuki!" Naruto utters as he starts stretching, standing around for a few hours had made him stiff. He was getting anxious about doing nothing while Sakura did her thing. His frustration at the situation was clear to see.

"Easy there Naruto, we don't even know where they went too. We will need to go where Kankuro fought them. Pakkun might be able to pick up their scent from there if we are lucky." Kakashi stated to his student.

Taking a hold of his hand as he finished his stretching, Hinata added on. "We will find the Akatsuki and when we do, we will make them pay. Please don't be reckless. I don't want you to put yourself in any extra danger than you already are in."

This did the trick for him. The frustration that had been growing in him had gone away as soon as he felt the reassuring grasp of Hinata's hand. It was warm and welcoming. Inviting him to let go of all his fears and doubts. He would have lost himself in the sensation if not for the pained voice that sounded through the room.

"You don't need to go that far" Kankuro slowly sat up on his elbows, his consciousness finally returning to him.

"BROTHER! You are awake!" Temari shot up from the wall and ran to embrace him, crushing him a bit with her arms.

"Lady Temari, please let him go, you are killing him all over again." Baki pleaded with his student to let his other student go.

"Temari, it hurts." Kankuro managed to get out while still being squished.

Realizing what she was doing, she let go and apologetically said. "Sorry about that. I'm just so glad to see you ok!"

"What do you mean by we don't need to go that far?" Kakashi pipped in and stepped towards the bed.

"My puppet." He then groaned and clutched his stomach. "I was able to rip a part of his cloak off. It's stored inside. You returned my puppets right Baki?" He looks to his teacher for confirmation.

"We did; I'll go fetch them right now." He then races out of the room to get the puppets.

"Even in a losing scenario, you still managed to gain something." Kakashi remarked.

"Tell me boy, was one of them men who attacked the village Sasori?" By now Chiyo and Sakura had returned to the treatment room. Chiyo had to know for sure if her grandson was one of the people behind the attack.

He looked towards the elder and confirmed her suspicions. "The one who I fought called themselves Sasori of the red sand."

Sakura takes a cup and fills it with water and mixes the antidote with it before heading to the bedside. "Here, drink this all up. It will neutralize what's left of the poison in your body." She hands him the cup. He gladly accepts it and drinks the bitter concoction. "Now the only thing you need to do isstay here and rest until the numbness goes away. You should be back on your feet in 3 days' time."

Kankuro was not happy to hear this. He wanted to go with them to rescue Gaara. He was family damnit. He was supposed to guard Gaara from danger and he failed. Why did he have to be so weak? Why did his body have to be so frail?

"Alright, once Baki comes back with the puppets and we get that cloth, we can finally go after those bastards." Naruto boasted, unaware that Chiyo had quietly slipped out of the room. This action was noticed by her brother though who himself also slipped away to go after her.

As the group was getting their packs ready, Kankuro spoke up. "Naruto." He waited until he saw him staring back at him. "Please save Gaara." He pleaded with him. Gaara had made so much progress ever since they left Konohagakure that it sickened Kankuro to think of the predicament his brother was in and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

"We will, don't you worry." Naruto proclaimed assuredly.

By now, Baki had returned with the puppets. Kankuro was able to open the puppet that had the cloth in it and Kakashi summoned his ninja dogs to track the scent.

"Pakkun, you will stay with us, the rest of you will head back in the general direction of Konohagakure."

"Why are you having most of them heading in that direction?" asked Hinata.

"Tsunade will undoubtedly be sending a reinforcement team as soon as possible." Kakashi said to the newest member of the team. He then turns his head back to his summons and finishes up. "If you find the team that will be backing us up, I want you to lead them to where the scent goes." He motions to the piece of cloth the dogs had sniffed. Each of them gave a nod in acknowledgement and headed out.

Once the dogs had left, Team Kakashi were not far behind, and they found themselves near the entrance they came through. "Make sure you have everything you need. We are about to confront some very dangerous people. Sakura, you have the antidotes still, yes?"

"Hai sensei, I have them secured against accidental breakage." She responds by patting her backpack.

"Wait, I'm coming with you." Came a familiar voice behind them. The four of them turn to see Temari running up towards them.

"Are you sure about this?" queried Kakashi as Temari stopped in front of them.

"She's not sure. She's going to stay here and guard the border. I'll be the representative for Sunagakure." Said another familiar voice, this one coming from the opposite direction of Temari and up above them.

The five on the ground looked up to the voice and saw Chiyo now standing at the gate above them. "What do you mean I'll be staying to guard the border? Gaara is my brother, and I need to save him!" Temari almost pleadingly said.

Chiyo jumped down from the gate and landed in front of the group, to the shock of the 3 younger Konohagakure shinobi. "The council won't let you go after what happened to both of your brothers. You know this girl."

"I'm guessing they are sending you then." She spat out, angry at being forced to stay at home.

"No, the council would have preferred it if no one joined them. Honestly it makes me sick seeing how far we have fallen, relying on another village to do what we ourselves should be doing." Chiyo uttered bitterly. "The council has no say on what I can do though. I'm a retired shinobi and they can't compel me to just sit by and guard. Sunagakure must have a hand in rescuing its own Kage and I'll be the representative."

"Are you sure you will be able to keep up with us old hag? I won't be carrying you if you fall behind. We don't have time to waste." Naruto shared his thoughts, still not happy at her for attacking Kakashi earlier and not apologizing for it.

"Don't you worry young one, I may look old, but I've kept my stamina up all these years. I won't be slowing any of you down. Plus, I have personal stakes in this matter."

"What do you mean by that?" Hinata pipped in.

"Sasori of the red sand. He's my grandson, and both my greatest apprentice and failure in puppeteering."

XxX

Hokage main office, 9PM, 2 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Tsunade was currently seated on the couch in her office. She had a few bottles of sake on the table next to her, all but two of them empty. Despite her and her clones putting more dents into her paperwork, she didn't feel good.

"Honestly my lady, I'd hoped you would have cut back on the drinking by now." Her attendant, Shizune, said to her. She was standing at the now closed door to the office.

"And what made you think I would cut back any time soon?" The Hokage uttered while pouring herself another cup.

"I had hoped the weight of the hat would have been enough incentive to sober up a bit. Clearly, I was wrong." Shizune lamented as she sat on the opposite end of the couch.

Tsunade snorted. "If anything, I need more sake to deal with the problems of this job."

"You and I both know you drink for a bigger reason than simply managing stress." Shizune quipped back.

"Watch it Shizune, I'm not in the mood for this kinda talk." she retorted to her assistant.

"Hai, my lady." she uttered in defeat; maybe next time. "So how did team Gai react to being told to back up Kakashi?"

"Gai was his usual Gung-ho self. I swear I don't know where he gets all that energy from. If we could harness that we would never have to worry about power again."

"It's good to have some people like that around, they really can lift the spirits of everyone around them." Shizune said back.

"That type of spirit can also freak people out if it's not contained. Gai understands this but when he's with Lee I swear those put a genjutsu on everyone around them when they get emotional." Tsunade recalled the one time she saw them going on and on about youth. She wouldn't want to wish such a sight on even Orochimaru.

"I'm glad Lee has made a full recovery. You spent a lot of time fixing him up and I know both he and Gai would do anything for you in return."

"Lee's a good kid, if he turns out even half as good as his sensei then I feel better about the future of the village." Tsunade remarked, slightly adjusting herself on the couch.

"What about Tenten and Neji? How did they handle the news?"

Tsunade laughed to herself quietly. "That girl, I don't know if she wants to worship me or wants to kill me. She really wanted to be my apprentice. This time though she managed to keep herself neutral throughout the briefing. Hell, she seemed happy to being put on such an important mission. Neji was his normal stoic self for the most part. I did see just a hint of a smile when he heard that Hinata was with team Kakashi."

"It's amazing how far those two have come. I had managed to hear how Neji used to treat her and how easily he had beaten her before the finals of the exams." Shizune stated.

"She's finally come out of her shell, while he's finally started to learn humility. I'm glad they are on good terms now." Tsunade agreeing with her assistant. Suddenly, the door to the office swung open, startling the two on the couch.

"Lady Hokage!" Said the ANBU captain as he rushed into the office, not even bothering to close the door behind him. At first, he was confused as the lights had been on, but nobody sat in the chair behind the desk. His attention was quickly grabbed by a voice behind him.

"Captain, what's the issue?" Tsunade said, putting her oddly full cup next to her and standing up.

"It's about Anko, and Sasuke!" Shouted the captain.

Tsunade got into her Hokage mode and went to close the door to the office. She then walked to her desk, did a quick succession of hand signs, and sealed the room from all outside purviews.

"Tell me everything."

XxX

Land of wind near border of Land of Waves, 10PM, 2 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

The quintet of Shinobi had been making excellent time after they left Sungakure. With Pakkuns keen sense of smell, he estimated if they kept up this pace, they would be at their target location around nighttime tomorrow. The Konohagakure shinobi's worries about Chiyo not keeping up were unfounded. She was currently in the middle of the four and didn't look out of breath in the slightest.

The group had been silently following Pakkun for a few hours now. All were focused on their specific area of concern. They didn't know the capabilities of those they tracked but being S-Rank was enough for them to be on guard. Once Hinata had done her periodic scan all around them, she decided to voice a question to the group.

"So, what are the bijuu?" she asked as they were moving through the trees.

"Tsunade sent you on this mission and you don't know anything about the tailed beasts? What was she thinking." Chiyo voiced her concerns aloud.

"In Konohagakure, all tailed-beast information is classified as S-Rank." Kakashi retorted back.

She scoffs at this. "Figures, I would have to be the one to inform Konohagakure on something like this." Her frustration clear in her voice. "The bijuu are living beings made purely out of chakra. Their incredible destructive power was coveted by all the villages long ago and eventually all the bijuu were sealed inside jinchūriki."

"You said all of them. How many bijuu are there?" Hinata asked further.

"There are nine. The sand has the one-tail, and the leaf has the nine-tails. Jinchūriki throughout history have always been treated as weapons for their respective villages. I've never personally seen 2 bijuu fight. That was before even more time. I know though that a fight between just 2 would level any of the shinobi villages. I could only imagine what would happen if a group somehow could control all 9 at the same time. They would be unstoppable." She said to the younger kunoichi.

"Speaking of this group, what can you tell us about Sasori of the red sand?" Kakashi queried the elder.

Chiyo frowned before she recalled information about her grandson. "I raised the boy myself after his parents were killed." She took a glance at Kakashi before turning back forward. "He took to puppeteering like no one had before. He could craft the highest quality puppets and wield them in ways only I could have before. He's the one who created the puppets used by Kankuro, I have no doubt that's how he beat him so easily."

Chiyo took a pause before continuing. "He's a boy who felt terrible loneliness and had attempted to fill in his need of parental love with puppets. Unfortunately for him it was a fool's dream and eventually he became cold. He got his moniker during the last shinobi war, so much blood was shed by his puppets that it stained the sand red. It was after the war that he eventually went missing."

Satisfied by this tale, the group continued their trek through the forest for another two hours until they finally crossed the border into the land of waves. Thirty minutes after they had crossed the border, Hinata picked something up from behind them.

"We are being followed." She replied to the group.

"How many do you see?" asked Kakashi.

"I see only one, but it's strange. It looks like it's 2 different bodies stitched together." Hinata added on. "What should we do about it Kakashi?"

"That doesn't sound like any backup from the leaf. Does the sand have any such person in their employ lady Chiyo?" Kakashi asks and receives a shake of the head no in response.

"Naruto, make a few clones and send them ahead and make it appear you are simply scouting ahead. Have them hide when out of sight and see if you can deal with our little spy."

"You got it sensei!" Naruto then made his signature hand sign and created 10 clones. With each knowing of the plan, they fanned out in front of the group. The rest of the non-clones continued as if nothing was a miss. Eventually, the clones got into position and waited for their uninvited guest to show their face.

The guest did arrive, and the Naruto clones agreed with Hinata's assessment of their follower. Not only did it look like 2 different halves bunched together, but it also looked strangely plant like. The upper half of its body was enveloped in Venus fly like trap. The creature's left side was white while its right side was black. The white side appeared human like while its black side had a single yellow eye while the black side simply had a solid-colored eye. Naruto may have been startled by a creature such as this if he had not already met the shark man in person before.

There was another strange thing about this creature. It had not landed on the branch like all other shinobi. No, it seemed to have just GROWN out of the branch itself, like it was a part of it. The Naruto clones took note of this and would have the original ask Kakashi later if there was a jutsu like that.

Once the guest was fully out of the tree, the Naruto clones sprang into action. Each one threw a kunai at the target. Each kunai multiplied from 1 to 50 in midair, leaving no room for escape.

"Oh dear." Was the only verbal response the creature gave. Seeing no way out and its cover being blown, the creature merged with the tree branch it was currently on and disappeared.

"Huh? Where did it go?"

XxX

Somewhere in the land of waves, 12:45 AM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"It appears we have a group of guests coming our way." The white half of the creature said to the assembled Akatsuki. It suddenly twitched and amended its statement. "Make that two groups."

"How long before they each of them arrive?" asked the leader of the Akatsuki.

The black and white creature thought for a second before answering. "Based on their current locations and speed, I estimate the group from the direction of Sunagakure will be here at sundown and the group from Konohagakure 30 minutes before that."

"Did you find out who is in each group?" The leader asked.

"Kakashi leads the group from Sunagakure and the nine-tails jinchūriki is with him as well. Aman named Might Gai leads the group from Konohagakure." The plant man responded.

"Who is Might Gai?" The leader eyes his subordinate.

"He is a taijutsu master. He's not to be underestimated." Itachi quips in.

"We need to slow them down." The lead shadow pondered for a bit, thinking about who would be best to deal with the groups.

"We wouldn't need to slow them down if you had replaced Orochimaru's spot. As much as I hate his guts, he would have made this sealing much easier." Sasori interjects further. He's bitter that more of his time is being wasted because of his leader's laziness.

"We'll have to make do in the meantime." The leader retorts.

"I'll go after Gai. I have a score to settle with him from a couple years back." Grinned Kisame, his shark features making him look even more menacing look.

"Use the body replacement jutsu, we are currently using 30% of your chakra. It's best if you go and deal with Gai."

"Finally, I get to do a little slaughtering."

"What about Kakashi and the jinchūriki hnnnn?"

"Itachi, the nine-tails is your responsibility. You deal with his group." The leader said.

"Understood." Replied Itachi.

With orders given, the two of them slowly faded from the chamber. Meanwhile, Gaara was floating in the middle of the chamber, his life force and the bijuu being taken from his body. He had no control over his physical body, but mentally and spiritually he was fighting with everything he had to keep Shukaku inside him. He knew if he failed in this he would surely die.

Inside the mindscape of Gaara, he sat in front of Shukaku meditating much like the bijuu. Both had been able to slow down the extraction process but that was it. They couldn't figure out a way to stop it completely. Both were hoping that it would be enough time for Sunagakure to rescue them both.

"It seems they have paused the extraction for a bit." Remarked Gaara. "We have a few minutes to recuperate if the previous pauses are anything to go by."

"You know, as much as I hate being a prisoner inside you, I much prefer it over being controlled by those bastards."

Fittingly, Gaara's mindscape was a never-ending desert. The sun shone brightly upon the 2 seated figures. There was no wind in this place which made it eerily quiet. Normally Shukaku would have had chains anchoring him in place, but for them to survive longer, Gaara had removed them. They were now forced to work together to survive.

"I'll thank you for the compliment after we survive this."

Despite everything Gaara was doing, he was slowly feeling himself drifting away. Every time he tried to clear his mind to stop the pull on his life force, one of the Akatsuki would meddle with him and break his concentration. If it had been only one of them doing it, he could have managed to hold onto himself, but their sheer numbers and abilities made that impossible. For now, he would need to trust that his village would make it in time.

"You know kid, this might the most civil we have ever been with one another." Shukaku remarked.

In truth, he didn't hate his jailer personally. He hated humans in general with one exception. Throughout the centuries, him and his 'siblings' had been demonized and either hunted to be killed or captured and used as weapons in humanities little games. His initial host was the only human he had ever respected. Shukaku had almost started to like humans again during his stint in his first jinchūriki. It was all downhill from there.

His hosts past his first had all treated him as a monster, good for nothing but power. He quickly found a way to fight back though. He had made sure to keep his hosts awake as long possible, threatening them by saying he would take over if they slept. Yes, it was petty revenge, but it was the only way he could get back at his captors. He had done the same with his latest host for a while. That is until after he was released on Konohagakure, when he felt something change in his host.

"Keeping me up all throughout my childhood didn't really endear us to one another."

"It was nothing personal kid."

He knew the kid didn't fully believe that. Both had been put with each other against their wills, but it was Shukaku who had started the dysfunctional relationship. As loath as he was to admit, Gaara was innocent in the cruelty had had experienced in the past. He didn't care though, least not until after meeting a certain jinchūriki.

After that fateful meeting, Gaara had changed drastically. Gaara had started to reach out to him, to try and get to know him better. Gaara allowed Shukaku to see through his eyes and experience the real world for the first time in decades. Shukaku for his part decided to lay off on the insomnia aspect he had been a fan of to show he at least was receptive to his jailors attempts. He still didn't like his jailor, but it was no longera vitriolic hatred.

"How much longer do you think we can hold out?" Gaara asked his reluctant partner.

Shukaku took a second to examine just how much of him was left and came up with an answer. "We have less than 18 hours at the current rate."

Gaara silently cursed the situation he was in. At the very least he had protected Sunagakure from the massive bomb the Akatsuki used. No, that wasn't correct, THEY had saved Sunagakure. Shukaku had lent him the chakra needed to save everyone.

"Why did you lend me chakra earlier before our capture?" Gaara had been puzzled by this, but he never found the right time to ask.

"Simple, if I hadn't you would have died, and no one will have the privilege of killing you except myself."

Gaara knew he wasn't telling the full truth. The two of them had been living with each other for so long that Gaara could just somehow tell when his bijuu wasn't being entirely honest. He wouldn't press the issue though. They both needed each other's full cooperation if they were to survive past this day.

"Why did you become Kazekage and save your village?" Shukaku wanted to see the village burn. He thought Gaara would have wanted it as well, given his childhood. Instead, he somehow grew to care for the village that only treated him as a weapon. How was this possible?

That was both a tough and easy question for Gaara to answer. "I initially didn't want to be Kazekage, I only wanted to prove my existence. I had thought I could do that simply by killing. After losing to Naruto though, I realized there was another way to prove myself."

"By becoming Kazekage." Shukaku finished Gaara's line of thought.

"Once I became Kazekage, the village's thoughts on me changed. They no longer viewed me with only fear. Now they respected me." They still feared him, but that was secondary. "If they were willing to change for the better, I would at least meet them halfway and protect them. It's what's expected of any Kage."

Suddenly, the mindscape started to quake, signaling the extraction process was about to begin again.

"We'll continue later kid. We fight for both our existences now."

XxX

With Team Kakashi, 12 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Team Kakashi was continuing their trek through the trees. They had taken only a short rest at dawn to recoup some energy and had headed back out. After the incident with the plant man, none in the group had spotted anything out of the ordinary.

Naruto had once again found himself out of formation with his team. This time though wasn't because of any anger or frustration. It was simply him being so focused on searching for what was ahead of him that he lost track of those behind him.

"Naruto, slow down a bit, you are breaking formation again." Sakura said to him. She knew she still wasn't completely in his good graces. She wasn't going to stand by quietly and let him do something stupid. She was more than willing to call him out when he was making a mistake. She just needed to word it better. If she was going to push herself to be better kunoichi, she was also going to push him to be a better shinobi.

Naruto turned his head back and saw that Sakura was right. He slowed himself down just a bit and got back into formation. "Sorry about that, too busy looking ahead."

"Make sure to stay with us, you are the powerhouse, and we will need you in case of an ambush." Sakura added on to her earlier statement. Hinata in the rear was a little annoyed at Sakura calling him out. Nobody could see the small scowl she had on her face seeing Sakura call him out. True, he was out of position, but it was only slightly. Nothing to nag him about though.

Eventually, one of Naruto's clones dispelled and sent the original Naruto its memories. "Heads up, we have company ahead of us."

"Akatsuki?" asked Hinata.

"Hai, and its someone we know." Naruto grimily relayed. After a minute of further travel, four shinobi landed on the edge of the tree line.

Lady Chiyo narrowed her eyes when she saw the person in front of them. "Red eyes, a slashed through Konohagakure forehead protector. I finally meet you in person."

"Itachi Uchiha." Sakura coldly remarked. She now stood in front of the person who wants to capture Naruto. Who's brought untold misery upon her teammates. She wasn't going to let the bastard go without paying for what he had done to those precious to her.

Itachi stared down the group, not even flinching when they landed before him. His cold eyes drifted from member to member until they rested on the blonde jinchūriki and his sensei.

"Naruto, Kakashi, it's been a while."

---

Author Notes

Before I get into my actual thoughts and notes, I want to congratulate my brother for his wedding on this day, January 18 th . Being your best man is an honor, and I hope too never do it again for you.

Title is from Imagine Dragons.

Now then onto my ramblings. We finally begin the Kazekage rescue arc proper. This arc will largely follow manga canon to a point. I don't foresee my changes to have fully matured until the pain and 5 Kage summit arcs. Most definitely after the 5 Kage summit arc will things take a drastic turn.

I got a comment on my latest chapter about using too many descriptives to talk about characters, so I purposely limited myself this chapter too see what everyone thinks Speaking of reviews. I really appreciate the feedback the previous chapter got. It makes writing so much easier when I know my audience enjoys what I'm doing as much as I do.

Another challenge I did was to have more scenes in a chapter than what I normally do. If you look back, you will notice I have about 4-5 scene changes in a chapter. This one I have over twice that amount. I want to get more practice with smaller scenes, so it doesn't feel like we are in the same place for too long. This will be helpful for the upcoming fight scenes

As for next chapter, I will keep to my every other week schedule, but chapter 10 may not be as long as my previous chapters. I have a place I want to end the chapter, and I won't purposely lengthen the chapter just to get to my normal length

And holy shit, after only 2 months I have over 200 followers on FF for this fic! Even more motivation to see this through to completion. I've already settled what my next fic will be, but I won't be starting it till this one is done. That will give me PLENTY of time to think of how it will change the Naruto world. Next fic will be AU.

As always, reviews and comments are much appreciated, and I'll see yall in 2 weeks!

Chapter 10: Nightmare

 

---

Somewhere in the land of waves, 12:10 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"Itachi and Kisame have made contact with their targets." said the plant man to the shadow leader.

The large cavern had not changed at all since the ceremony had started, outside Kisame and Itachi's shadow forms no longer there. Gaara still floated in midair in front of them, the bijuu slowly and excruciatingly removed from his person. The other shadows still had their hands up for the ritual, some a little more irritated now.

"We would have been done already if we had the right amount of people." Sasori drawled out. Making his feeling known again at this waste of time.

"Your feelings on the matter are noted Sasori, now focus on the task at hand." Said the lone female member of the Akatsuki.

"Speaking about the task at hand. How much longer until we are done here hnnnn?" Diedra uttered.

"We will be done in under 6 hours' time." The leader voices boomed inside the chamber.

"Itachi should have killed Orochimaru when the snake tried to steal the sharingan." Sasori coldly stated. "The snake still has his damn ring, and we can't make any more of them."

"He would make a great sacrifice to Lord Jashin, we just need to fucking find him first." Spoke another shadowy Akatsuki member named Hidan.

"We could collect the bounty that's on his head after we seal the seven and two tails." Replied Hidan's partner in Kakazu. "Then we can take his ring and finally replace his position."

"That will not be necessary. Orochimaru will be slain by his future replacement." The leader said aloud.

"And how are you so sure of this hnnnn?" Diedra queried his leader.

"He's weak and will be looking to switch bodies soon. He's been training his next body in secret. His replacement body is currently heading towards him. Orochimaru will not be able to complete the transfer and will die." The leader stated as if he had foreseen the future.

"I'm sure Itachi will appreciate not having that thorn in his side anymore." Replied the female Akatsuki member.

"Hidan, Kakazu, you still have the trail for the two tails. Once the sealing is complete, you will go and capture the two tails so we may extract it." the purple-eyed leader said.

"Shit, no rest for the wicked." Replied Hidan, moving his stiff neck around.

"Is there any rhyme or reason for the capture order of the bijuu?" quested Hidan's partner in Kakazu.

"No, the order doesn't matter except the nine-tails needs to be last." Replied the female member. "Now then, unless any of you have anything else you want to discuss, let's get back to the ritual." She announced to the group.

Unknown to the occupants of the room, Gaara had managed to start getting feedback from his body. He could now hear vague whispers inside his mind from the outside world. Still though, the inside his mind is where he now primarily resided.

Shukaku and himself had not moved any closer to each other for hours now. Both were sitting in the middle of the vast desert that was Gaara's mindscape with the suns intense heat scorching on their backs. Both were now hunched over a little though in comparison to when they started. The strain of fighting for their very existence was proving to be a taxing trial. For now, though, it appeared that the ritual had been paused.

"It seems we have some time until the ritual starts again." Gaara said to his counterpart.

Shukaku said nothing in response. The bijuu's pride was taking a hit at somehow being able to be extracted so easily and he had no power to stop it. He did not like being held prisoner inside this boy but it sure was much more preferable than whatever this crazy group had planned for him. After all, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't.

"We have 6 hours left before the ritual is complete." Gaara stated to the creature he hosted and was now working with.

"Man, this sucks, and I was just now thinking I would kill you quickly instead of slowly when I finally got out of here." The sand bijuu replied back, trying to make light of impending imprisonment outside his current cell.

"You may still get a chance to. The two members that left the chamber are now fighting our rescue teams."

"Teams?" Questioned Shukaku.

"Teams, one of them must be from Konohagakure."

"Why from that place?"

"Because they would be the only ones Sunagakure would trust to rescue us."

"You mean rescue you, I'm just a weapon to them."

"You are not a weapon to me."

Shukaku gave a huff to that last statement. "How far have I fallen that I need filthy humans to come and 'rescue' me. Oh, that nine-tails bastard will never let me live it down if I were to be captured AGAIN."

"Would it be so bad to be rescued by humans?" Gaara raised his mental eyebrow in response to Shukaku's outburst.

"YES, IT WOULD!" Shouted out Shukaku. "You have no idea the shame I will feel when they arrive and release us. Me, the strongest bijuu, not able to save themselves. I'd almost rather just be captured at this point."

"I never truly understood the depths of your contempt for us humans until now I suppose."

"Oh, you have NO idea just how humans treated me and how I feel about them. Look, I don't hate you personally and right now, I need to work with YOU and ONLY you to get out of here. I will not let any human EXCEPT my container help me get out of this situation, Understand?"

"Understood."

Suddenly, the ground started shaking, and clouds started forming up above. For the first time since this ritual had begun, it started raining on the two of them.

"Well, this is new." remarked Gaara.

"Let's just hope it'll help us to fight them off. Now get ready container."

XxX

With Team Kakashi, 12:10 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"Naruto, Kakashi, it's been awhile."

BOOM

The explosion took the 4 shinobi on the ground completely by surprise. Where Itachi had once been, there was now a fireball. The inferno sucked in all the air around it, creating a vacuum which caused the explosion to roar even louder. The shinobi on the ground took a step back to avoid getting singed from the fireball. The 4-some widened their eyes and looked to where the inferno had come from

Up on a branch behind them stood the 5th member of their group, Hinata Hyūga. She had elected to stay in the tree line to get a better vantage point when she first saw Itachi through the clearing. It also gave her a good first strike position.

The look she currently sported on her face was one of quiet rage. She finally could put a face to the enemy who wanted to hurt her Naruto. She could finally see what she was up against. Most importantly, she could now strike the ones who sought to hurt Naruto.

Here byakugan was fully active now, scouring the battlefield for her target. The others could not see it yet but her byakugan saw no body in the crater. Itachi had not been fooled apparently. He had been able to jump back too quickly for her arrow to have hit its mark. She found her target several dozen feet back from where he had previously stood. Slowly he raised his head to her, and she finally got a good look at his face.

Itachi was as stoic as ever. Nothing on his face betrayed any emotion he was feeling. Even being attacked seemed to have only been a nuisance. He simply kept his gaze up on the tree line, inviting her to try again.

Try again did she, over and over again she unleashed hell on him. Her lighting affinity had increased her reaction times and overall speed quite a bit. Not nearly as fast as Naruto's swift release but it still allowed her to fire multiple arrows a second. The constant stream of arrows forced the Uchiha to continue his dodging. Not being able to get a proper attack off just yet.

Naruto saw what was happening and joined the fray quickly, followed quickly by the rest of the shinobi. Naruto for his part was charging up his handy rasengan. Kakashi was raising his forehead protector to reveal his sharingan. Sakura had green chakra coating her hands, appearing as scalpel blades. Chiyo was pulling out her puppets from her scrolls.

Despite her teammates closing into close range combat with Itachi, Hinata kept firing. She only stopped when they had reached Itachi. She still didn't trust her mid-air redirection technique she had on the arrows to avoid her teammates, one day perhaps.

Kakashi was the first to get to Itachi. He had quickly charged his chidori in his right hand and was looking to end this fight quickly. He dashed towards the Uchiha and struck swiftly. Itachi was able to dodge to the side just in time and grabbed Kakashi's arm. Using the momentum of the attack, Itachi threw him onto the oncoming path of one of Chiyo's puppets.

Sakura had already jumped and was midair, attempting to pounce on her prey with a cocked fist. Itachi looked up and saw his incoming assailant and jumped back, avoiding the strike. Sakura's punch hit the ground and caused the earth to ripple and tear from the point of impact.

Naruto took his chance now to finally get even with the bastard for attempting to kidnap him once already. The rasengan was now fully ready and he moved towards Itachi. When he got close to his target, he started to outstretch his hand to make a hit. Itachi jumped over the hand and used both his feet to kick off the face of Naruto, sending both away from each other and Naruto cursing.

Before he could land though, Hinata had prepared her strike. She had been waiting for this moment to strike ever since the group had charged into combat. Now Itachi was in the perfect position, the trap had been set and now she needed only to spring it.

The bowstring on her fingertips was taunt as can be, begging for its tension to be let go. The wood frame pleading for the sweat release from the stress. Eventually, she obliged them. She let go of the string from her fingers and the arrow rocketed away, wobbling in the air as it screamed towards its target.

For this shot, she infused the string with her lightning chakra to give the arrow enough speed to break the sound barrier. She knew she would need the extra speed to pierce what she was aiming at. The arrow flew like a bullet and was heading to the dead center on Itachi.

Itachi wasn't an ordinary shinobi though. He had been keeping tabs on Hinata this entire time, making sure she didn't catch him off guard. This shot didn't catch him off guard and he was prepared for it, or so he thought.

Some of her shots had deliberately not been targeted at him but behind him. The trap was now sprung on the unsuspecting Uchiha. Lightning started coursing through him as he neared his landing spot, preventing him from casting his jutsu to know the arrow away from him. His limbs started twitching at random all over his body. His face was the sole exception, despite the pain and electrical impulses wreaking havoc all over his body, he never once lost his neutral expression.

The arrow hit straight and true through the heart of Itachi. It went straight through and exploded his heart before exiting the body. The sonic boom that came after would have been the last thing he had heard.

Hinata was ecstatic at the result. She had taken down an Akatsuki member. Perhaps with all 5 of them, they could take down the others just as easily. She broke her own train of thought and hopped down on the ground and walked towards where Itachi lay. Oddly she was the only one to approach the body, but she paid it no mind. Too focused she was on the task at hand.

When she arrived right beside her target, she saw the giant hole in his chest where his heart used to be. There was no visible twitching of the body, no indications life at all. The face though was still as stone cold as ever, as if it didn't even recognize its hosts death.

"Reckless."

Hinata heard the words and at first thought it was coming from one of her companions. That wasn't right though, the words didn't come from behind her. They had come from in front of her. She took another look at the body and saw that its eyes were now following her. Upon this recognition, Itachi burst into a murder of crows, all flying away in various directions. The terrain started twisting and forming into unnatural forms. There was only one thing that could cause this to happen.

"Genjutsu!"

Hinata followed her training she had received from Kurenai to dispel the illusion. She first tried using the release jutsu to end the illusions, it failed. She then attempted to disrupt her own chakra network by sending irregular bursts out, it failed. Finally, she brought out a kunai and stabbed herself in the leg. Pain shot up from the wound and she grit her teeth, shutting her eyes, trying her best to NOT block out the pain.

Once the pain started to subside, she slowly opened her eyes. To her relief, she saw the corpse of Itachi in front of her again. She let out a sigh of relief, releasing the breath that had been caught in her lungs. She quickly threw a kunai at the stomachs corpse to verify it was dead and not faking. No reaction came from the corpse. The relief she felt though was only fleeting, there was something off about this situation. Then it hit her.

Wait a minute, how was I under a genjutsu if he was dead?

"So, you figured it out." Came his voice, but not from the 'corpse' in front of her, it came from behind. She spun around to face him but all she saw was her companions.

"This is not an ordinary genjutsu girl." A voice came from Kakashi, one that was not his own.

To her horror, her team started to melt before her eyes. They tried to step towards her but pieces of themselves were trailing behind them. Each had a look of terror on their semi melted faces, but no sound came from them. Hinata brought her hand up to her mouth to stop the bile from leaving her. It was then she noticed that her skin started melting from her body.

White hot pain raced throughout her being, forcing her to shut her eyes tight. 1000's of tiny infernos raged on her person. She screamed as loudly as she could, falling to the ground and clutching up all over, trying to find any kind of relief. To her surprise, relief came. Suddenly she was no longer in pain. She opened one eye, dreading what she might find.

The landscape started changing around her again. The sun no longer shown down on her, instead a blood red moon had taken its place. Casting its red light down upon all it could touch. The smell of blood filled the air around her, suffocating her as she tried to get a breath of fresh air. The taste of blood filled her mouth with every breath. It took all her strength to avoid vomiting from the twin sensations of the crimson liquid. Sounds of cackling demons filled her ears, coming from every direction. They were ready to pounce on her, devour her.

She opened her other eye to see where she was now. She attempted to move her arm but found its movement impeded. She tried the same action with her other arm and found the same impediment. She lowered her head to see what was going on and found that she was now lying flat on a stone table, arms and legs chained down to prevent escape. The cold steel dug tightly into her wrists and ankles as she desperately tried to free herself.

She eventually turned her head to her left and right and found all her teammates were arranged in a circle, with Sakura to her left and Naruto to her right. At the foot of Naruto's table stood Itachi.

Itachi looked towards her. She returned his stare with a glare of her own. Crows started flying from the cloak of Itachi, each one circling above them. Each crow had a hunger in its eyes, as if they had not eaten in days and would eat anything. Itachi let them circle high above for a full minute before finally giving the signal to them. All at once, they descended, ready to strike and sate their hunger. Hinata shut her eye lids and tensed her body, trying to prepare for the incoming pain.

"AHHHHHHH!"

The painful scream pierced the air. Long and haunting it stayed in the air. Blood curling was it to those who heard it. It was the sound of a person being eaten alive.

It wasn't coming from Hinata though, it came from the person Hinata cared for most dearly. Her eyes flung open, now completely wide eyed as she gazed towards Naruto. The crows were starting their feast of one Naruto Uzumaki. First, they were tearing the flesh from his bones, making him scream even louder.

"Normally torturing of oneself brings the most pain. That is not true of you." Itachi said, his gaze not taking in the carnage in front of him but watching the shock and horror on the face of the Hyūga girl.

"NARUTO!" she screamed out, desperately trying to free herself and save him.

"IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" Naruto pleaded out, weeping as the crows ate at their unholy feast. They were now feasting on the fat underneath the skin, picking and tearing him apart. Hopelessly he tried to free himself from this torture, but he couldn't form any hand signs to save himself.

"HINATA! SAVE ME! IT HURTS!" He cried out to the woman next to him, looking into her eyes with pure agony. Blood was now pouring from every open wound, pouring onto the stone slab and down the sides. Naruto gave out another shriek of pain as one of the crows started to feast on his eyeballs.

Even with the knowledge that this was all just a result of a genjutsu did not stop the feelings flowing through Hinata. She felt utterly helpless. She couldn't stop Naruto's suffering; she couldn't even alleviate it. She couldn't even free herself from her confines or the illusion. All she could do was look on in horror.

"STOP IT! PLEASE! NARUTO!" She wailed out. She started sending out stronger and stronger chakra pulses throughout her system, but it had no effect on these illusions, if anything it made it feel more real. She tried to move her head from what she was seeing but a force kept her head in place. She tried to close her eye lids but found she had no control over them. As a last-ditch effort, she tried to simply look away with her eyeballs as best she could, but she couldn't look away no matter how hard she tried.

Now the crows were picking apart at the organs of the poor boy. Intestines, liver, stomach, every organ was open season for the hungry birds. Rip and tear, rip and tear, rip and tear, until there was nothing left. The cries from the boy steadily grew quieter and quieter. Eventually no sounds came from him, what's left of his body finally giving into the sweet embrace of death. Eventually, the slaughter stopped. The crows had sated their hunger for now and took off to the sky, circling up above once more.

Hinata, finally glad the demonic display beside her had ceased, found her voice again. "Why? Why are you doing this to me?" She choked out.

"To test how far I have come."

Hinata prayed this nightmare would end, and she would be back in the real world and hold onto Naruto. Sadly, for her, this was just the beginning. To her shock, Naruto's body started to reform itself. Organs, muscle, bones, skin, all slowly regenerated. It was a gruesome sight to behold, one the girl was forced to witness every agonizing second of.

Once his body had fully reformed, Naruto woke up with a gasp of air. He was now breathing heavy, finding himself somehow fully restored. "Hinata?" He questioned her. Not understanding what was going on.

She then heard the kaw's of the crows up above and she was finally allowed control of her bodily functions again. She looked up and saw they were still circling but something was different about them. Despite each and every one of them having had their fill before, they looked just as hungry and desperate as before.

"Round 2." Itachi stated coldly, still staring at Hinata.

With this command, the crows started their descent again. A death spiral the murder formed, looking for their next meal. Unfortunately for Hinata, it was her love they came for again. She realized then and there that she was going to be re-living this over and over again until someone saved her.

XxX

With Team Kakashi Non Genjutsu world, 12:11 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"Hinata? Hinata!" Naruto cried out to the woman on the branch.

She gave no response to Naruto's inquisition. She was mute to the world outside her subconscious. Her eyes were wide in terror and body stiff up in the tree's.

Naruto turned from Hinata and stared at Itachi. "You bastard, what have you done to Hinata?" He spat out in fury.

Itachi coldly replied to the enraged Uzumaki with, "She won't be bothering us now."

With these words, Naruto charged forward. He heard that Kakashi was yelling something, but he couldn't hear what it was. When he got halfway towards his target, he suddenly stopped. His body paralyzed and eyes wide like Hinata.

"Damnit don't look into his eyes you two. He can put you in a genjutsu simply by looking into his eyes." Yelled out Kakashi to the two remaining kunoichi.

"Then how do we fight him?" Asked Sakura as she cast her glance downwards.

Kakashi thought back to his conversation with Gai a while back and replied. "Watch his footwork, his body movements. Just don't look up into his eyes."

Sakura slowly brought her gaze upwards towards Itachi, she stopped looking up when she saw his chest.

"I haven't gone against an Uchiha in a long time. This should be fun." Lady Chiyo said as she cracked her old knuckles.

"Lady Chiyo, I want you to break Hinata out of her genjutsu, Sakura, you do the same for Naruto."

Chiyo looked like she was about to complain but held her tongue. Sakura had a question on her mind. "And what will you do Kakashi sensei?"

Kakashi raised his hand to his sloped forehead protector and raised it up, his eye still shut. "When the two of them are released from their genjutsu, I want you four to join the fight. I will hold him off while you release our comrades." His hidden eye now revealed the sharingan beneath.

"You got it sensei."

"Alright then."

Itachi had other plans though. "Do you think I'll let you go through with your plan?" His hands blurred in front of him as he prepared for his attack. "Fire release: Great Fireball"

From his mouth arose a great fireball, hurling towards the group. The three shinobi were able to quickly dodge out of the way before it exploded, leaving a crater in its wake. Once the dust settled, the rescue team saw that now three Itachi stood before them.

"Let's begin"

Chiyo started her dash towards Hinata's position, Sakura ran towards Naruto, and Kakashi went after Itachi.

Landing between Chiyo and Hinata, one of the Itachi's blurs through his signs and shouts out "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique" and several small fireballs flew forth and surrounded the elderly shinobi.

"You Uchiha and your fire techniques, learn some new tricks."

"..."

"Here, let me show you one." She taunts her opponent. "Earth Release: Earth Dragon". The ground in front of Chiyo started to bulge upwards. It soon started to split and eventually crumbled away, leaving a construct of earth in the shape of a thin dragon. Soon, the mini fireballs started rushing towards Chiyo. Those she didn't dodge were instantly swallowed up by the earth dragon as if it had a mind of its own.

Soon, all the fireballs were extinguished, and Chiyo could now go on the offensive. She sent her dragon ahead of her to attack her target. Itachi ducked the dragon's mouth and kicked its head, sending it flying to the side.

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet turned to thick mud. As he attempted to jump away from the pool of mud, arms shot out from its depths, holding him in place.

"Earth Release: Called by the grave" Chiyo spat out to the Uchiha. She then with whirlwind speed went through her hand signs and took a deep breath. "Wind Release: Air Bullets." and shot multiple projectiles to Itachi, hitting their mark. Once they hit, Itachi transformed into dozens of crows, scattering about.

"Crow Clone jutsu, should have figured." Still pleased with herself, she turns her attention to her original goal and jumps up to where Hinata is still in her genjutsu and wakes her out of it.

While this was going on, Sakura was having honestly the time of her life. Finally, she could see how she stacked up against these S-Ranked criminals and she was holding her own well. She initially had charged headfirst towards Itachi to engage him in taijutsu. They exchanged punches and kicks, back and forth. Neither getting a clean hit.

They were now separated, with Itachi making the first move. From his hand arose a great fire that swirled in front of him, coalescing into a magnificent horse. This fire horse charged towards Sakura, who had no time to come up with a jutsu to counter it. So, she punched the ground.

In front of her, giant slabs of earth shot up, turning the terrain into something unrecognizable. This did the trick as it stopped the flaming beast from getting to her but now, she had a new problem, where did Itachi go?

She heard him before she saw them. On pure instinct, she ducked and saw a kunai fly past her by inches. Another kunai came screaming at her from the tree line and she rolled out of the way. Quickly she pushed herself off of the dirt and looked towards his direction, her eyes still not making contact with his face.

He was charging at her now, silently. She only had time to take her defensive stance before he was upon her. His first strike aimed for her heart which she blocked to the side. He then brandished a kunai and struck for her head which he tilted back to dodge.

Shouldn't he be faster than this?

Green chakra glowed from her left hand as she formed it into a blade, looking to slice him open from naval to stern. Itachi jumped back to avoid being sliced open. He then sent another fireball at her. Sakura barely had time to raise an earth wall to deal with most of the blast, but it still sent her back a few dozen feet before skidding to a stop.

Itachi dashed towards her, and she threw up a dust cloud between them. Undeterred, he sprinted through the cloud and found himself right to her. He struck out with his kunai and hit her directly in the neck.

She poofed and in her place there was a log. "Body replacement." he coldly told himself. This gave her the window she needed. From behind him, she flew through the air, arm back and ready to strike. Her strike hit true on the small of his back, turning him back into the crows that made up the clone.

Now free of her Itachi, she was about to make her way towards Naruto when she caught sight of Kakashi and his duel with the real Itachi.

Something is off. His skills and fire release techniques seem to be missing something compared to the last time we fought. Kakashi thought to himself as he blocked a kick. This is when he saw that Sakura had dealt with her clone and was looking for a moment to end this fight between the sharingan users. Kakashi decided to take a risk and look into Itachi's eyes. As soon as he did, he felt his world go black. His body flattened, twisted and swayed in unnatural ways. Soon his new form started burning from the feet up, with Itachi simply standing in front of him taking in the sight.

"I see, no wonder the genjutsu isn't working as expected. After all, you are just a clone."

Back in the real world, the clone under the genjutsu was able to break the illusion and grab onto Itachi. From a hole in the ground away from the fight, the real Kakashi shouted out. "SAKURA, NOW!"

"You got it sensei!" Sakura coolly acknowledged the request. "Earth Release: Earth Spire!" In less than half a second, the ground between Itachi and Kakashi's clone became jagged and rumbled. Then, a huge spire shot out from the ground, Poofing the clone and impaling Itachi through the stomach high in the air. Before the life left Itachi's eyes, he finally showed some emotion and gave a smirk, before he too was surrounded in smoke.

Once the smoke and dust cleared, she could see the body clear as day.

"That's not Itachi." She announced, startled at the revelation.

"hmmm" Kakashi got out of his hole and started walking to the pillar the body was impaled on, getting a good look at the corpse. "You're right, It's someone from Sunagakure."

"But we saw him here, it wasn't a henge. That sharingan also couldn't be faked like that. It was too real." Sakura added to the mystery of the situation.

"Even his chakra felt like Itachi's. I don't know what type of jutsu this was, but I don't like it." He said as he put his hands back in his pockets.

Sakura now looked back towards Naruto's location and saw that he was now free from the genjutsu, if a little disoriented. She let out a sigh of relief and turned towards Hinata. The Hyūga was trembling from her genjutsu illusion. Sakura could swear her eyes were never that white even when she activated the Byakugan.

"Sakura, I'm going to have a chat with our newest little teammate. Can I trust you to have a chat with Naruto?" He asked with a knowing look, telling her what he wanted her to say.

"I got it sensei." She replied. With these words, she spun on her heels and strode towards Naruto's position.

"Naruto." She spoke.

"..."

"Naruto?" She inquired.

"..."

Naruto was still in a daze from the genjutsu. She took both her hands and placed them on his shoulders and gave him a good shake.

"Naruto!" She exclaimed louder now.

"...w-w-what?" Naruto fumbled out, finally coming to his senses.

"You were caught in a genjutsu. You and Hinata both." She uttered now stopping her shaking but keeping her arms in place.

"Right, Hinata! I need to save her! Where is that bastard Itachi. We need to stop him." Naruto almost shouted out.

"It's been dealt with, the fight is over thanks to Kakashi, Chiyo, and I." She said with a hint of pride in her voice.

"So Hinata's safe? Good, that's a relief. Now I just need to go see her and see if she's alright." He moved to look towards her and saw her shaken but aware with Kakashi right next to her. He attempted to move but Sakura kept him planted where he was.

"Kakashi is checking on Hinata, and he wants me to deal with you." She states coldly.

"Deal with me how?" His eyes now turned towards Sakura's and saw something in them he had not seen before, disappointment. A strange sensation started to stir in him seeing this look from her. He didn't know if it was anger or shame. Perhaps it was both.

"Naruto, if you had waited instead of charging in, you would have heard Kakashi say don't look into his eyes. Itachi has an ocular genjutsu with his sharigan." She said, firmly staring at him in the eyes.

Feeling a little off put at the look in her eyes, he tries to end this situation by trying to explain away what he did. "Good to know but it doesn't matter now since you 3 already killed him."

Getting a firmer grip on him now, she replies with, "No, that wasn't Itachi we defeated. He used a jutsu of some kind to give someone his powers and make it look like himself. And it does matter Naruto."

"You are right, next time I fight him I'll make sure not to look him in the eye. Now please let me go, I want to check on Hinata." He again tries to move but is prevented from doing so.

"Naruto, you are letting your emotions get to you again. You can't just attack like that again without hearing from Kakashi sensei. If you had waited, we could have gotten to Hinata sooner. You can't be reckless like that. What if one of us gets seriously injured because you charge in?" Sakura worded as best she could the seriousness of what Naruto has been doing. Despite this potentially angering him, she knows she must do this. She wants him to be a better shinobi just as much as she wants to be a better kunoichi. She would expect him to do the same if the roles were reversed.

Naruto initially was beside himself. Who was Sakura to say to not be emotional during a mission? She was the one who was always over Sasuke during the missions to the detriment of the team. She's the one who initially ignored training just to be with Sasuke. She should be listening to her own he realized something. She should be the person telling him this. She knows about it firsthand and the feeling of being a burden. She knows the ramifications of letting your emotions cloud your judgement in a fight and just how bad it can turn out.

Feeling a little shame in his actions, Naruto hangs his head and grumbles out so Sakura can just barely hear him. "Fine, I understand. I won't let it happen again. Now please let me go."

Feeling regret coming from him, Sakura gives him an unseen nod and releases her grip from him. Some parts of her felt sad at the lack of contact with the boy, but she ignored it. She decides to follow Naruto back to where Hinata was also getting a lecture from Kakashi. Both arrived near the end of said lecture. As soon as it was over and Hinata saw Naruto there, she launched herself at him in a soul crushing hug.

"Naruto! Thank Kami it wasn't real!" She held onto him for dear life, nothing could tear him away from her embrace. She needed this now more than anything else in her life. She needed to know he was safe and there in her arms. She didn't and wouldn't let go.

Naruto didn't know what Hinata must have seen inside her genjustsu, but he could figure out it had to do with him. He returned her embracing in kind and whispered to her that it was ok and that he was there for her and always would be.

Sakura looked at this display with a look of content. She was happy they could support each other like this in their dark moments. At one point she had foolishly thought a scene like this could have played out with her and Sasuke. She was glad it was Naruto who had someone to hold.

Believing the two teens have had enough lecturing for the day, Kakashi motions for Chiyo to follow him over to the corpse so she can identify it.

"That's Yūra." She says as he got to the base of the spire. "He's a Jōnin from our village. He's on the council as well."

"Looks like the Akatsuki has infiltrated us more than we realized. This is troubling news." Kakashi quipped back.

"Impossible, he couldn't have been a spy. He was on the council for 4 years. I would have picked up something if he was a spy."

"None the less, lets seal up his body and bring it back with us. Maybe your people can find out what happened to him."

"Before we do that, I have something I want to ask about Naruto. Why does he care so much about saving Gaara? They are not even from the same village and Gaara was part of the invasion force previously, so why?" Chiyo questioned the cycloptic jōnin.

Kakashi thought best about how to say this and how much information to give out. Given the Akatsuki's objectives, Naruto's status would eventually be outed even on this mission perhaps, so he decides to come clean to Chiyo.

"He sees Gaara as a kindred spirit. Someone like him. Naruto see's Gaara as another version of himself if his life had turned out differently. Naruto carries the nine-tails inside him. I think you can understand why he wants to save Gaara as much as he does."

Chiyo was a little surprised at hearing that Konohagakure was sending their own jinchūriki to save another villages own one. She would have never sent Gaara to save Naruto if the roles were reversed. She could understand now though why Naruto is acting the way he is. If he saves one jinchūriki then he has a chance of saving more of them.

Chiyo gave her approval for Kakashi's answer and started the sealing formula to wrap up the body. After sealing up the body and getting their nerves back in order. The group followed Pakkun once again towards what awaits for them at the end of the trail.

XxX

Akatsuki hideout in the Land of Waves, 12:30 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

In the cavern where the Akatsuki were performing their ritual, two shadows re-appeared after being away for a while.

"They have defeated the sacrifices." Itachi announced to everyone.

"It matters not, you two have bought us enough time to complete the ritual." The leader said to the two arriving members.

"You were right Itachi about that green one. He didn't use anything but taijutsu and still managed to beat the sacrifice." Kisame agreed with his partners earlier assessment of Gai.

"Remember you two, those were MY men used as sacrifices." Sasori angrily declared, focusing harder on the ritual at hand.

"Your sacrifice is noted Sasori. Now you two, what can you tell us about our arriving guests?" The woman inquired.

"Well, Gai's team is full of taijutsu specialists, those being Rock Lee, Gai himself, and a Hyūga named Neji. The female on the team is a weapons specialist but prefers to fight mid to long range. They all seem to work together as a unit quite well." Kisame utters, finishing his assessment of the group.

"Kakashi's group also has a Hyūga named Hinata who uses a bow. They have a medic in Sakura Haruno, and the nine-tails jinchūriki is with them as well. They also have a 5th member from Sunagakure named Chiyo who despite her age retains her skill in jutsu." Itachi comments on his group he fought.

Sasori visibly twitched when he heard the last name. "Are you sure it was an elderly woman named Chiyo with them?" He asked, looking for confirmation. He received a nod back. "So, you have finally decided to come face me yourself, you old bat."

"What's the history between you two partner hnnn?" Diedra asked.

"She taught me everything she knew about puppets and poison, but I surpassed her long ago. It seems she doesn't see the beauty in my arts and seeks to destroy it. I'll just have to make her into my next art project after this." Sasori retorted.

"While it won't be any better than my art, I'm still looking forward to seeing it partner." Diedra drawled out.

"There is one more bit of information that you will find useful." Itachi interjected himself once more into the conversation.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Sasori asked.

"Both the jinchūriki and the Hyūga are rash. Get their emotions going and they make easy mistakes. They both seem to have a thing for each other, harming one is the easiest way to get a rise out of the other." Itachi finalized his thoughts on the two.

"We'll keep that in mind if we don't get out of here in time." Diedra replied to Itachi.

"Enough chatter, we don't have much time left in the ritual. Focus." The leader loudly said. "Soon, we will have extracted our 3rd bijuu."

XxX

Outside Akatsuki hideout in the Land of Waves, 6:00 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"The trail ends here Gai." The nin-dog said to the group behind him. The group now stood in front of an impressive torii gate. Behind the torii gate was a giant boulder with a talisman of some kind on it.

"Neji, is Gaara behind that stone?" Gai inquiries to his student.

Neji wordlessly activates his byakugan and peers behind the boulder. His vision sweeps across the entire cavern inside, taking note of every feature inside. The statue, the three physical occupants, and several shadow occupants.

"Hai Gai sensei. He's without a doubt behind this stone."

"Perfect." Needing no further words, Gai charges at the stone and strikes it with a force that could shatter mountains. Instead, all he could feel is an invisible barrier, halting him before he can reach the stone.

"Not surprised they have a sealing barrier in place." Gai exclaims in minor defeat.

"Do you know what type of barrier it is sensei?" Tenten asks her teacher.

"It's a five-seal barrier." A distant voice replied to the question.

Team gai as one, faced the voice. They didn't take defensive postures though. The voice they heard was quite a familiar one.

"I see we beat you here Kakashi, my old rival!" Gai proclaims to the arriving team Kakashi.

"Naruto! Sakura!" Rock Lee shouts in delight.

"Hinata." Neji says with a ghost of a smile on his face.

Once team Kakashi came closer, Gai called out. "I see you have brought a companion with you."

Not one to let others speak for her, Chiyo steps forward and announces herself. "I'm Lady Chiyo. Someone from Sunagakure should be a part of rescuing their own Kazekage."

"I'm glad you joined us." Gai says to his elder before bringing his attention back to his rival. "Now how do we break this barrier?"

"Hinata, Neji. Look around the area for 4 talismans with the characters for forbidden on them." Asked Kakashi.

"Right."

"On it."

Both Hyūgas activate their byakugan and scour the area to find the talismans.

"Found two of them." says Hinata. "Ones on a rock about 500 meters northeast and the other is 350 meters southeast on a tree by a river."

"I see the other two." Neji follows up. "Ones on a cliff about 650 meters northwest and the last is 800 meters southwest of here in the forest."

"Good, we will need to remove those 4 remote talismans along with the one here at the same time to remove the barrier." Kakashi states to the combined groups.

"Perfect, those 4 remote ones are still within wireless range." Gai says as he pulls out 5 communication devices. "Kakashi, my team will deal with the 4 remote talismans. Your team will rush in once we have removed them. We will join you after that." Gai then tosses one of the communication devices to Kakashi who snatches it out of the air.

"Alright team Gai, radio me when you all get into position, and I will give the signal when ready."

XxX

Inside Akatsuki hideout in land of waves, 6:05 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"Both Gai's and Kakashi's groups have arrived." The plant man named Zetsu said aloud.

"It matters not; we will be done in 5 minutes. They are too late to stop the extraction." The leader booms out

"That's great for everyone not here, but the two of us need to get out of here. If we had been done earlier, we wouldn't have this issue!" Sasori pointed out their dilemma.

"Are you saying you can't handle those weak fools outside?" Konan questioning the duo's skills.

"It's just more a waste of my time is all. At the very least I'll be able to deal with that Chiyo woman." Sasori added onto his earlier statement.

"Remember, we need Naruto alive. The rest you can deal with as you see fit." The leader reminds the duo about their orders.

Meanwhile, in what's left of the mindscape of Gaara, both jinchūriki and bijuu are hanging on by a thread. The duo of Gaara and Shukaku had been fighting for the past two plus days and have very little if anything left to give. Shukaku was nearly fully extracted now and Gaara close to death. Both were no longer meditating and instead were simply on their backs, gasping and wheezing for any semblance of relief. The sun above them was now almost completely gone, only giving a flicker of light.

"...It...seems...this...might...be...the...end." Shukaku weakly says. There was no trace of arrogance or pride in his voice, only a resignation to its fate.

"...Un...For...tune...etly...I...agree...with...you." Gaara coughs out, his body and voice about to give out.

"...We...gave...them...one...hell...of...a...fight...in...the...end." Shukaku states, trying to find something, anything to look positively on.

"...Shu...ka...ku...can...I...ask...a...favor?" Gaara whispers out, hoping his final wish will be granted.

"...What...would...that...be?" The bijuu asks, willing to at least entertain his containers final wish.

"...If...you...make...it...out...alive...please...tell...my...siblings...that...I...loved...them." Gaara's labored breathing made it difficult for him to say his words properly, but Shukaku was able to hear the message.

"...Why...that...mes...sage?" Shukaku inquiries, cranking its head so it could try and see its soon to be former container.

"...I...ne...ver...told...them...how...I...felt." This was Gaara's one biggest regret he now had at the end of his life. Most of his life he had kept his siblings at a distance. Only recently had he started to let them in. He would have traded anything to have just one more day with them.

For the first time in generations, Shukaku felt an ounce of pity for a human. Just a drop but it was there, and it might has well been a giant ocean for the feat that was.

"...I...will...think...about...it."

"...Tha...anks...Shu...ka...ku."

Both now lay there. Their labored breathing the only sound coming from either of them for a long minute until both could feel the end coming for them both.

"...Shu...ka...ku...I...am...sor...ry...for...what...hap...pened...to...you."

"..."

"...It...has...been...a...pri...vil...ege...to...get...to...know...you."

"...It...will...be...an...hon...or...to...die...at...your...side."

With those last few words, the breathing of one Gaara ceased. His chest no longer rose and fell, keeping his body alive. Blood was no longer circulating through his veins. The last images that ran through the boys' mind were of his cherished brother and sister. Siblings who he regretted not appreciating more and not spending more time with.

Then, Gaara died. The mindscape started to shutter and break down, its host no longer being able to keep up the foundation and so it started to collapse on itself.

Shukaku would always deny it but before the remainder of its chakra was finally taken from it, the bijuu had a single human tear in its eye.

XxX

Outside Akatsuki hideout in land of waves, 6:12 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Kakashi was now perched above the talisman on the boulder in front of the Akatsuki hideout. The rest of his team were standing a close distance away so they can rush in when the barrier is down.

"When I remove this talisman Sakura, you will need to destroy the boulder quickly. Don't worry about me. I'll jump out of the way before you destroy it." Kakashi says as he goes over the plan one more time. "Once the way is clear, everyone will rush in and only engage when I give the order."

The group give shakes of their heads yes acknowledging the plan. Sakura was readjusting her gloves and building up chakra in her right fist. Chiyo was getting her strings ready. Hinata had her bow on her back but her hands on it, ready to strike. Naruto was cracking his knuckles and neck in anticipation of what is about to come and praying they were not too late.

"Team Gai, are you all in position?" Kakashi asked over the receiver.

"Hai."

"I'm in position."

"Ready when you are."

"I'm ready."

"Ok, on the count of 3, remove the talismans." Kakashi said to team Gai. "One, two, THREE!" and all at once, the 5 talismans were removed.

"AHHHHH" Sakura shouts as she rushes forth toward the boulder, willing her legs to run just a bit faster to gain more momentum.

Kakashi jumped away right before Sakura's strike hit the boulder with a loud crack. Bits of rock exploded into the air, leaving none of the original boulder in their wake. Immediately after the dust started settling, the 5 shinobi whooshed into the entrance. Five pairs of eyes were now staring into an almost empty cavern. The statue that once protruded from the center was now gone, leaving only behind a mass of earth.

Near the rear of the cavern were 4 figures. Sasori and Diedra were sitting on makeshift seats, appearing almost bored with their situation. To the side, towering over them was a bird of some kind but not a living one. It appeared to be made of some type of clay. In front of these 3 was the reason for the mission.

"GAARA!"

---

Author Notes

Song title is from Avenged Sevenfold. Current weight is 227.0

Well, I think I finally earned my M rating for this fic with Hinata's genjutsu. I won't be shying away from subject and material that many may be uncomfortable with. I don't want to be limited in what I want to write about. Oh and in case you didn't figure out the inspiration for her genjutsu. Look up the Greek myth of Prometheus and his eternal punishment. I expanded on that. I really love mythology and will probably be adding more homages to mythology that I'm familiar with.

As for the upcoming Sasori and Diedra fights. It's looking like I may need to split it up into 2 chapters to give each fight what it deserves. These next 2 chapters will be the hardest for me to write simply because there will be a lot of fighting and fight scenes are still what I'm not very good at but I want to get better at them. Given that's the case the next 2 chapters may take longer than 2 weeks to make so I do apologize for that. I will be using the manga as reference for some moments but I will try and make it more original than not.

I hope you all liked the Gaara and Shukaku scenes. We were never show just what the extraction process did to host and bijuu and I thought of this to add some character bonding between the two. I actually was sad writing Gaara's death. Gaara really deserved better than what he got

Still getting more follows and favorites which is always exciting! And now we are above the 100k word mark in 2.5 months. I feel happy with the progress I've made but I'm not gonna rest of my laurels. I will continue to improve based on feedback from yall. Speaking of which, please Comment/Review if you can, I really enjoy reading all the feedback! Until next time, see yall later!

Chapter 11: Master Of Puppets

Chapter 11: Master Of Puppets

---

Inside Akatsuki hideout in land of waves, 6:14 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

The rescue team now fully took in their surroundings, although there wasn't much. They had expected more Akatsuki members to be in this place, but they saw only two. A huge clay bird stood to the side of them and Gaara was at the Akatsuki members feet while they simply sat on earthen mounds. The rest of the cavern was bare, with only a pile of earth near the center that looked like it had just recently been placed there.

The members of the rescue team simply stood there for the moment, taking in the sight before them after the initial outburst from the blonde on the team.

"Gaara, what are you doing buddy? Come on get up." Naruto was internally pleading with Kami that they were not too late. That this was just a funny joke being played by Gaara.

There was no response from anyone or anything. It was as if the question was never asked.

"Quit fooling around man, this isn't funny anymore." He now openly pleaded out in a last-ditch effort to deny the truth that was in front him.

"Naruto, I'm sorry but he's not getting back up." Kakashi said, killing any hope Naruto had left of seeing his friend alive again.

Naruto clenched his fists in rage and started to grind his teeth. Never in his life had he felt this kind of wrath at another human being. No, no, they were not human beings, they were monsters. Naruto then felt the familiar tug of the bijuu inside himself, telling him to give over completely to his baser instincts and in exchange it would give him all the power he needed to slaughter the duo in front of him. He was tempted to give into this feeling but barely held himself back.

"You, BASTARDS!" He shouted out in defiance. Naruto wanted to so desperately to throw a kunai or shuriken in this moment. To just run up to the bastards and make them feel even an ounce of the pain he felt at this time. He kept himself under control though. Sakura's earlier words still bouncing around in his head. He didn't want to be the reason anyone else got hurt this day.

"Sasori, I think we found the short tempered one. What do you think?" Deidara mockingly asked his partner.

"Indeed Deidara, we haven't even said a thing and he's already in such a mood." Sasori commented back.

Deidara then sat up and started to reach towards the corpse of Gaara.

"Don't touch him!" Naruto shouted out.

"What will you do little boy if I do hnnnnn?" Deidara was just daring the jinchūriki to attack recklessly. He wanted the boy to make a mistake that he could easily take advantage of and knock him out of the fight early. After all, they needed him alive, and this would be the perfect opportunity to do so.

Both Hinata and Sakura then glanced towards Naruto, wondering what he might do with this provocation. Hinata would follow whatever course of action he did, while Sakura would heed her own words she said to Naruto and wait for what Kakashi had in mind.

Naruto was just about to take a step forward before he caught himself. He instead switched tactics and looked towards his sensei for guidance.

"What's the call sensei?" Naruto asked, trying his best to hold the spite he felt from his voice.

Good, it seems the lesson is finally setting in. I just hope he doesn't forget it again in the future.

Naruto, I'm here for you. I will follow you into the depths of the abyss if I must.

Before Kakashi could make up his plan, he received a call from his communication device.

"Kakashi are you there?" Gai said over the frequency.

Kakashi moved his hand to the device around his neck and activated its speaking function. "Yes Gai, what is it?" He inquired.

"My team and I are facing off against what seems to be clones of ourselves. We will be delayed in backing you up."

Cursing at his luck, Kakashi responded with "Ok, be careful and stay alive. I don't want to lose anyone else on this mission.

"...Understood."

Kakashi then deactivates his communications device and starts to think of a new plan without the backup from team Gai. Taking into consideration what he already knows from firsthand experience with Naruto and Sakura and what he has heard of about Hinata and Lady Chiyo, he comes up with a plan. He utters out to Naruto. "Jiraiya told me about a new release you have been working on. Can you use that to get Gaara's body?"

Naruto hit his fist into his palms before uttering. "For sure I can." He started converting his chakra into swift chakra and prepared for a mad dash towards his friend's body.

"Alright, when you get the body, we will split up and deal with them separately." Kakashi now said to the group. "Lady Chiyo, you will take Sakura and fight Sasori. Sakura's Iryōjutsu will be needed to deal with his poison. Naruto, Hinata, you both will be with me and will fight this Deidara character." The group all gave nods of affirmation and started to prepare for their tasks.

"Oh hoho, and what makes you think I'll just give up this beautiful corpse so easily?" Deidara declared as he reached for the body.

Right before he could touch the body, Naruto made his move. His swift release was fully active now and the world around him slowed to a crawl. He had not gone all out like this in some time and he could already feel the drain on even his massive chakra reserves and knew he had to make this quick.

He ran towards Deidara and even though Kakashi didn't say to do it, he also didn't say he couldn't do it. He gave Deidara a good punch to the face. Deidara's face now currently had an indent from the fist of Naruto and ripples started to emanate from the point of impact. Satisfied with himself, Naruto turned his attention to his main target and grabbed the body of Gaara and hoisted it onto his shoulder. Once secure, he sprinted back behind his team and placed the body of Gaara down gently before releasing himself from the strain of swift release.

"AHHHH" Deidara shouted as he was sent flying across the cavern before skidding to a stop.

"I got him sensei." Naruto barked out from behind him.

"Deidara!" Sasori was normally one to not show many emotions outside frustration and anger but here his tone carried a mighty big surprise. "What did you do boy?"

"I gave him a preview of what he can expect from me." Naruto spouts back.

Chiyo was also taken aback by Naruto's act, but she kept her composure, so no one knew.

That boy, how many more surprises do you have in store us?

"Good work Naruto." Kakashi praised his student for getting Gaara away from the Akatsuki. "Now then, I don't suppose you two would be willing to come quietly?"

Sasori was undeterred. "And give up my chance on dealing with that old bat Chiyo? You have only made my day."

Deidara had picked himself up from the dirt by now and had called over his giant bird. He then gave his own reply to the one-eyed man. "I rarely get to share my art with so many people on a personal level. I won't pass this chance up." He uttered as he rubbed his cheek from the impact of Naruto's punch and turned to address Naruto. "You pack one hell of a punch I'll give you that. Perhaps I'll share my art with you first you brat."

"Thats too bad. Everyone, get ready!" Kakashi barked out.

"Deidara, once I deal with my pests, I'll be coming to collect the jinchūriki. You already got one and now it's my turn, so don't screw it up with your so called 'art'." Sasori said to his junior.

"Master, you know how I get when I get inspired. I just can't help myself at times. Fine art should never be hindered. You of all people should know this." Deidara spoke aloud, ignoring the rescue team now.

"Fine art is made to last. It should be made eternal so future generations can look upon your master works." Sasori now too was ignoring the rescue team.

This only served to fuel the ire in Hinata. Who are they to just ignore us?

Given that Kakashi had given them the order to be ready, she felt it now appropriate to bring the Akatsuki's attention back to where it should be. Silently she nocked one of her arrows and pulled the string back, aiming at the shorter one and letting loose.

The arrow roared towards Sasori, heading directly for his head. From underneath the cloak he was wearing arose a tail of some kind. Its appearance giving off the look and vibes of a scorpion's tail, segmented and dripping with venom. In a blur, the tail swatted away the arrow as if it was nothing, allowing the two Akatsuki to continue their bickering.

"You are a little shit you know that? I try to impart wisdom on you, but it just washes away like rain on a raincoat." Sasori uttered to his junior once more, not even acknowledging the attack on him.

"We will just have to agree to disagree then, what do you say hnnn?" Deidara queries back to his master.

"Fine, just remember, I get the jinchūriki."

"Who are these people?" Sakura asked in confusion. She had expected a group of S-Class criminals to be all serious and all about business and professionalism. She didn't expect them to be bickering about 'art' and acting like children. Now that she thought of it, every powerful shinobi she knew was also excentric. Did power and quirkiness go hand in hand?

"I make no promises master; I'll be taking my leave from this place for now. I need to spread my wings a bit if you catch my drift." Deidara spouted out as he mounted his bird.

"Fine by me, gives me more room to work as well." Sasori drawls out, readying his primary puppet.

Hearing these final words, Deidara's bird took off. It took off with a speed a creature that size should not possess. It used this incredible speed to make a beeline for the entrance of the cave.

"Oh no you don't!" Shouted out Hinata as she launched what would turn out to be many arrows in this battle.

Sasori skillfully dodged the arrows barely, now behind the 5 shinobi and heading for the open air.

"Naruto, Hinata, lets move!" Kakashi announced to his now sub team. "Sakura, Lady Chiyo, good luck." Before leaving, Naruto took Gaara's body and when he left the cave, set it down next to the torii gate so it wouldn't get caught in the crossfire between Sasori, Chiyo, and Sakura.

Both kunoichi gave their thanks in return as they witnessed them sprinting out of the cavern to catch their flying prey.

In the cavern there were only 3 individuals. On one side stood the present, a shinobi in their prime. On the other side stood the past and the future, one who's prime had since come and gone, and the other who's prime was only starting to bloom.

"So, Grandmother, have I finally made you proud by surpassing you?" Sasori mocked the only family member he had left.

"Oh, so you think you have surpassed me, have you? The youth of today, so arrogant in themselves. It seems I have another lesson I need to teach you." Chiyo says this as she pulls out a multitude of kunai from her waist and throws them at her grandson with deadly accuracy. Her grandson responded by getting on all fours to make himself a smaller target. He then commanded his tail to intercept each kunai, and the tail headed its masters call, catching or swatting away every thrown weapon. Sasori's cloak ripped apart with these actions, revealing what looked like a giant mask on his back and whose mouth is where the tail sprouted from.

Sakura was starting to feel a little out of place in this arena. She could just feel the experience oozing from the two shinobi in front of her and the feeling of being just a burden slowly started to creep back into her.

"Sakura do not doubt yourself. If your sensei says you are ready for this then you are. Do not let doubt cloud your mind, it will get your killed." Chiyo said to the younger kunoichi.

These words seemed to help Sakura overcome the doubt that had been creeping into her. "I won't doubt myself anymore, you can count on me." She then looked at Sasori closely and made an observation. "That's not his real body. So where is it? I don't see any strings or the like coming from anywhere."

"hmmmm, his real body is probably inside that puppet, protecting him like armor and overcoming one of the main weaknesses of puppeteers." Chiyo answered the young kunoichi's question. "We just need to break it."

Sakura lifted her brow in response to that statement. "And how will we do that?"

Chiyo chuckled to herself before responding. "Why, you will of course. The way you destroyed that boulder out there tells me you have immense strength. More than enough to destroy his puppet."

Sakura felt a little embarrassed at such praise coming from her elder, but she also felt immense pride. "Not a bad plan, the only issue I see is how will I be able to get close enough to him to smash his toy. One sting from that tail and I'll be forced to use one of our antidotes." Sakura offered her rebuttal.

"Don't you worry about that deary, between the two of us he'll be more than distracted enough for you to get close." Chiyo reassures Sakura of the plan. She then removes the cap she has been wearing and lets her hair down and now focuses back on Sasori. "I have failed you, my grandson. The fact that you are on this path is on my soul. It is my duty then to stop your plans."

"You give yourself too much credit grandmother. This is how I would always turn out. The only thing you did was introduce me to the greatest art known to man. I'll enjoy turning the two of you into my latest pieces of art!" Sasori gloats, almost cheerful at the prospect of turning his former teacher into his greatest creation. "Now if you two are done, I'd like to get this started. Waiting is the absolute worst thing imaginable."

"Don't worry about that, we are done making you wait. It's time I smash that puppet of yours to bits." Sakura confidently says while readjusting her gloves.

Chiyo took this as her queue to start this fight properly. She takes off to flank Sasori with a speed someone her age should not possess.

"You stay right where you are!" Sasori shouts out as a hail of senbons fly from the gauntlet on his hand heading towards Chiyo. She crudely dodges the hail of weapons, her age starting to show in her reflexs.

Sakura was now also trying to flank the master of puppets. She pooled chakra into her legs and sprinted off. Sasori saw this and extended his stinger to deal with her. Sakura was able to duck under the stinger but only barely. So close was the stinger to her that she could easily see the poison dripping from it. Attempting to seize the moment, she cocked her hand back and struck out at the offending appendage. The stinger curled out of the way, a testament to Sasori's control over all aspects of his puppet.

"Wind Release: Cutting gale" Chiyo said as she unleashed a super condensed wave of air towards Sasori. Sasori leaped into the air to avoid damaging his precious puppet. He was starting to feel annoyance steadily growing inside him. He used this annoyance to power his next round of senbons, this time targeting the younger kunoichi. Sakura danced around the poisonous needles with grace and beauty rarely, if ever, seen. Her time with Gai was paying off and she was able to easily read the trajectory of the incoming attacks.

"Stop mocking me with that dancing and face me like a shinobi." The annoyance once again rose inside Sasori as he tried to provoke the young kunoichi.

"How about you face me like a kunoichi instead." Sakura mocked him right back.

Seeing her grandson being distracted for the moment seized the initiative. "Earth Release: Bedrock coffin." Dual giant slabs of earth now surrounded Sasori and attempted to crush him. Sasori again jumped into the air to avoid damage to his puppet. This time though, Sakura was ready. She was already soaring through the air, chakra collecting into her fist, readying to smash the puppet. Sasori brought his tail up and sought to impale the young girl on it. Before he could do that though, Chiyo sent air bullets towards his appendage and they collided, moving the tail away just enough for Sakura to slip by.

"AHHHHHH!" Sakura screamed as she unleashed all the chakra in her fist into the body of Sasori's puppet. A loud boom shook the cavern, loose dirt and rock were pushed away on the ground. Rocks from the ceiling started to fall as well due to the intensity of the attack. Sasori's puppet was now in total disarray. The poison stinger was a mangled wreck, and the mask had hundreds of cracks all over, offering no further protection for the human inside.

"Good job Sakura, now we just need to fight his real body." Chiyo exclaimed.

From the rubble jumped a black cloaked figure. The figure landed far away from the duo of kunoichi, crouched over so neither could see its face.

"I'm impressed." His voice no longer had the gruff it used to have. Now, it was almost childlike. "Despite only knowing each other for a few days. Your teamwork is impeccable. Looks like I'll be having fun this battle after all."

Chiyo scoffed at this comment. "We already broke your main puppet; any others you have will fall just as easily."

Sasori was not moved by this statement. "True, you did beat my main puppet, but you should know Chiyo that a master of puppets has many tools at their disposal." He now stood tall; his face no longer hidden by shadows.

"Thats...impossible." Chiyo uttered in shock. She could now clearly see her grandson for the first time in over two decades, and he looked like he had not aged a day. He still had his youthful appearance and didn't look any older than Sakura despite now being almost 40 years old.

"Grandmother, you have barely scratched the potential of puppets and just how they can be made. Here, let me give you another demonstration." Sasori then unfurls a scroll from his cloak and releases the seal in a cloud of smoke. "This one proved particularly challenging to acquire but, in the end, I could not be denied."

Once the smoke cleared, Chiyo could see the new puppet that Sasori had summoned forth. "No, you didn't Sasori. How could you do that to your own Kazekage?"

The puppet that now stood in front of Sasori was no ordinary puppet. Sasori had done a most horrible act. He went beyond the line every puppeteer before him had refused to cross. He had made a human puppet. A puppet made from the very flesh and bone of a once alive human being.

"Sunagakure was never my home, the Sandaime Kazekage meant absolutely nothing to me beyond what he could provide me in materials." Not only had Sasori made a human puppet. He had been able to kill the greatest Kazekage to have ever lived and transformed him into one of his single strongest puppets.

Chiyo didn't know exactly what you could do with a human puppet. Was this just a psychological trick on Sasori's part or was there something special about human puppetry. Could it be possible that a human puppet could somehow use jutsu the corpse knew of in life? Chiyo inwardly hoped that wasn't the case. If it was though, the abilities of the Sandaime Kazekage would prove exceptionally difficult to beat.

Sasori prepared his single greatest puppet for battle. "Well then, lets start round two, shall we?"

XxX

Outside Akatsuki hideout in land of waves, 6:17 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"I must say, I appreciate having 3 shinobi go after me instead of two." Deidara's compliment rolled off the 3 Konohagakure shinobi. "But you are a fool Kakashi, even I have to admit that Sasori is stronger than me for now."

Deidara was still on his bird, now hovering far above the torii gate with Kakashi, Naruto, and Hinata below him.

Hinata released an arrow at the giant bird just to tell Deidara what she thought of his thoughtfulness.

Deidara was able to maneuver his bird out of the path of the incoming arrow just in time for it to whiz by. "Ah, you must be the jinchūriki's girlfriend. Itachi told me you were just as quick to anger as your boyfriend is."

Hinata was not going to take the bait and respond with words. Although for a split second, the words 'Naruto's' and 'girlfriend' caused her heart to speed up and her body to warm up. She squashed this feeling for the moment. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts. Later though...

"There's no way we are going to just let you get away with what you did to Gaara you bastard!" Naruto cried out, his whisker marks growing ever bolder on his face.

"It's not up to you if I get away with it or not. I will simply kill your friends and capture you so you can join in the same fate as the jinchūriki back there." Deidara said as he pointed to the corpse of Gaara outside the entrance. "In fact, now that I think about it, why don't I give you a first-hand experience with my art hnnn?" Deidara drawled out as his hand spit out explosive clay. He took aim at the corpse of Gaara and threw the deadly projectile.

If not for the quick hands and the byakugan of Hinata, Sunagakure would have had to mourn its Kazekage's death with no body left. Instead, before the explosive could reach Gaara, an arrow intercepted the clay and caused it to explode prematurely.

"You again girl. How dare you interfere with my art!" Deidara angrily spats out, his attention now fully on Hinata.

"Looks like we are not the only ones quick to anger." Hinata replied in a mocking tone. Her byakugan still active to prevent another such attack.

That Hyūga bitch is going to be a real problem for me to get my art off. I'll need to tire them all out to even up this fight. Let's see if they can keep up with me while I'm flying. At the very least it will make it harder for them to hit me while running.

"You will have to catch me if you want to get your revenge." Deidara muttered. His plan now formulated in his mind, he willed his creation to start to fly away, just begging the three to take the bait.

"You aren't getting away from us!" Naruto screamed out. He was about to chase the Akatsuki member on his own before he remembered his promise. "Sensei, lead the way!"

Kakashi felt pride in his soul hearing those words from Naruto. His student was finally starting to control himself in the heat of battle. He would congratulate him later though. Now, they had a mission to complete.

"Lets go you two." With this command, the three shinobi started off after Deidara, leaping from platform to platform, keeping up with the explosive artist. "Hinata, you are on guard duty. I don't want any of that explosive clay to get anywhere close to us, got it?"

"Understood Kakashi."

"Naruto, I need you to be ready with your swift release when I get my own preparations done."

"What preparations are you doing sensei?" Naruto questioned his teacher and leader.

"I need to gather enough chakra so I can use my Mangekyō Sharingan."

XxX

Inside Akatsuki hideout in land of waves, 6:20 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"Lady Chiyo, do you know this puppet?" Sakura had found the previous exchange between the two Sunagakure shinobi to be a little confusing. Why are they talking about the Sandaime Kazekage?

"Thats not ordinary puppet Sakura. That is a puppet made from the flesh and bone of the Sandaime who disappeared a decade ago. Sasori turned him into a human puppet." Chiyo informed the young kunoichi.

Sakura was finding it hard to wrap her head around the concept of a human puppet. Why use a human at all to be a puppet? Do human puppets have any special qualities to them. "Why would he do that? Is it a psychological tactic?" She managed to blurt out.

"I don't know Sakura. I've only heard about human puppets in theory. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be done. Let alone done by one of my own flesh and blood." Chiyo answered before turning back towards Sasori. "You truly are the worst traitor in the entire history of Sunagakure. You have managed to kill three of your own Kazekage's."

Now Sakura was truly confused. "Wait, three times?" she questioned, hoping for an answer.

"Indeed, young one. He has directly killed Gaara and the Sandaime. Through Orochimaru, he killed Gaara's father as well." Chiyo laid out just some of the many crimes her son was guilty of.

"Now hold on there. Orochimaru may have been my partner for years before he left us, but it's my subordinate who's responsible for the Yondaime's death. I had no part in his demise." Sasori drawled out, starting to get bored with this conversation.

The name of Orochimaru awoke something in the mind of Sakura. This scum in front of her was partnered for years with Orochimaru. The same man who gave Sasuke the curse mark. The man who pushed Sasuke over the edge by promising the Uchiha the power to kill his brother.

"You...you know about Orochimaru." Sakura coldly roared out.

"Indeed, I do girl, but enough with this chit chat." Sasori says as he terminates this conversation and sends his puppet forward at Sakura.

This puppet is much faster than the last one. Sakura thinks to herself as she leaps back to try and put some distance between herself and the human puppet. From under the cloak of the left arm of the puppet came a multitude of blades attached to the forearm, all dripping with Sasori's special poison and ready to lash out when they came in range of the young kunoichi.

Before the blades could strike her, Sakura used her jutsu to bring up a stone pillar which the puppet sliced through but not before she put even more distance between herself and the puppet.

This girl is doing much better than I anticipated. I was just going to use my strings to give her a boost, but I can clearly see that won't be necessary. Chiyo thought to herself as she started to bring out the scrolls for her puppets.

So, she's finally going to fight like a true puppeteer. I need to deal with this pink hair nuisance quickly then.

The right arm of the puppet held several cannisters that opened and unsealed the fūinjutsu inside them, revealing one hundred arms and hands as it continued its charge towards Sakura. Chiyo quickly unsealed her puppets from their scrolls and sent them out to intercept the flying hands aimed at Sakura.

The puppets were able to halt half of the incoming appendages but that still left 50 hands looking to strike Sakura down. She twisted and contorted her body into many different shapes to avoid the incoming threats. The hands dug into the rock all around her, but none hit her person. Sakura made a mental note to thank Chiyo later for halving the amount of work she would have needed to do.

Once Sasori's attack was finished, green chakra formed around not just the hands of Sakura, but also her entire arms and legs as well. She made another mental note to thank Lady Tsunade for all the chakra control exercises. With four limbs of death, the young kunoichi was able to slice all the hands surrounding her and made her escape from the labyrinth that had formed around her.

"Throw everything you have at me Sasori. You can pierce my body, poison me, paralyze me, take a limb from me, but I will not stop coming for you till you are beaten. And when I do, you will tell me EVERYTHING you know about Orochimaru." Sakura promised this not just to herself, but to Naruto and Sasuke as well.

"Foolish girl." Sasori retorted back, as the remaining extra hands sent a wall of kunai at Sakura. Chiyo's puppets were able to get between Sakura and the incoming danger. With Chiyo's skills she was able to swat out the hail of kunai before they reached their target.

"I see you have brought them along grandmother." Sasori commented, now fully aware of the puppets that Chiyo had just released.

"Yes, I kept them as mementos from a better time. The puppets you made in the image of your parents." Chiyo uttered with a hint of regret.

"Do you really think you can beat me with my own creations? I know those two-inside out." Sasori derided his grandmother before sending his puppet towards the elder kunoichi.

After Sasori had lost his parents, he retreated into himself. It was a lonely existence and to help himself cope with his lose, he made his very first 2 puppets in the likeness of his deceased parents. He would control them and have them act like his real flesh and blood parents, having them hold him when he felt down. In the end though, even he knew they were just imitations. No will of their own. So, he discarded them, not wanting to look into their faces ever again.

Chiyo sent forth both her puppets into the fray, engaging her grandson, puppet master vs puppet master. Both master's expertly controlled their dolls with precision that could only come from decades honing their craft. Every swing of kunai, every string of wire, lunge of a blade was masterfully dodged or intercepted, with no puppet taking any damage so far.

Amazing, so this is what puppeteering can do. No wonder Kankuro likes it so much. Sakura thought to herself as she took a moment to catch her breath and take in the spectacle in front of her. Eventually, the three puppets were separated and landed by their masters' side. Both masters had a look of determination on their face, wanting to be the sole master of puppets after this fight.

Sasori decided he needed to reveal one of the secrets of human puppets. He now knew he couldn't take it easy on the two kunoichi. What looked like black sand now started to flow out of the Sandaime puppet's mouth, billowing in front of it.

"I see, my earlier suspicion was correct." Chiyo stated aloud.

"What's going on Lady Chiyo?" Sakura questioned as she turned her attention to her partner.

"It seems human puppets can use any jutsu the person knew in life. What you are seeing now is the famed iron sand of the Sandaime Kazekage. It can be made into any form, any weapon, anything that Sasori would need made, it can be done." Chiyo responded.

"I see, that's why he made human puppets, it's such a huge advantage over normal puppets." Sakura added her personal thoughts to the new development.

"You are both correct, and that is why he is my favorite puppet of all." Sasori

"Sakura, be extra careful now. I'm certain he's infused the iron sand with his poison. Make sure to avoid getting any cuts from his attacks."

"Now you are just ruining the fun grandmother. I'll need to put a stop to that." Sasori aired out as the iron sand now formed into small clumps before he shot them.

Chiyo unfortunately knew she had no way of dodging the incoming iron sand. She wasn't as flexible or nimble as Sakura was, so she did the only thing she could. She brought both her puppets in front of her and had them deploy the only upgrade she put on them, chakra shields.

Sakura knew it was possible to dodge all the incoming projectiles, but it was a long shot. Instead, she flew into her hand signs and cried out "Earth Release: Tentacle fury!" From the ground around Sakura sprang forth 8 earthen tentacles. Each one reached out to the oncoming onslaught and stopped most of the sand from hitting their master. What did manage to get through was easily danced around by Sakura.

Although the initial attack failed to fully take out either of his opponents, Sasori was still pleased with the results. As soon as Chiyo tried to move her puppets, they were prevented from doing so. Iron dust particles had gotten into the joints and crevices of her puppets. Sasori now had control of the puppets.

"You should have taken your own advice about dodging. Now your puppets are useless to you." Sasori gloated at his accomplishment. "I am impressed with you being able to give them chakra shields though. Quite a good upgrade."

Chiyo only gave a light chuckle at the faint praise. She couldn't deny though that she should have dodged. Not only had his iron sand gotten into her puppets, but it had also gotten into her own puppet arm. She was doing her best to hide it, but it wouldn't be long before her grandson figured out, she was down an arm.

"Sakura, I think its best if you run and catch up with your team. I can hold him off long enough for you to catch up with them. There is no sense in both of us dying here." Chiyo sadly stated, cursing the hells of aging.

Sakura wasn't going to listen to this advice. She had made a vow to Naruto to stand by his side against the Akatsuki. If she ran from this fight, she could never face him again, and that was unthinkable to her. What could the two of them do that will turn this fight around into their favor? Then, the idea hit her. It was staring at her right in the face.

Sakura body flickered to now stand in front of Chiyo. "Lady Chiyo, use me as your puppet." She boldly declares. "If a dead human puppet is this strong, imagine a live human puppet."

Chiyo was taken aback at this request, but she didn't disagree with the plan. She wanted to let Sakura know though what she was going to be in for. "Sakura, you should know I'm currently down to only one arm. Also, iron and steel weapons are useless against that puppet due to its control of magnetism. We will be limited only to your taijutsu and ninjutsu."

"Thats alright by me. If there are two things I inherited from Lady Tsunade after all this time, it's her contempt for losing and her unmatched strength. Taijutsu will be right up my alley." Sakura proclaimed as she punched her fists together.

With Sakura knowing full well what she was getting herself into, Chiyo now had no more qualms about attaching her strings to Sakura. With Sakura's youth and her experience feeding into the young kunoichi, they could very well take down the monstrosity of her grandsons' creation.

"Well Sasori, you took round two. Lets move onto round three."

XxX

Outside Akatsuki hideout in land of waves, 6:40 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Deidara wasn't one to anger quickly on a normal day. Even if you didn't appreciate his art or were actively trying to hinder him, at most you would only annoy him. For the first time in a long time, he could say he actively hated someone with a passion.

That bitch is ruining everything! All my precious art is being destroyed! I swear I'll make her death the slowest and most painful out of them all. No one messes with my art, NO ONE!

Deidara had been flying through the sky, just out of reach of any jutsu the trio below could cast. He was not out of reach though from Hinata. She was doing quite a good job of keeping him from not pulling too far ahead of the group.

The trio had been running and jumping through the valley for a while now. A river ran to their left and rock formations of all shapes and sizes were scattered along their route. If not for their training, they would have had difficulty navigating the maze of rocks.

Deidara was brought out of his thoughts as he had to, once again, evade the incoming projectile. If his art wasn't destroyed by Hinata, then he was evading her shots towards him. Even when he sent out multiple clay bombs down onto them, she was able to pick them all off.

This song and dance between Deidara and the Konohagakure shinobi had been going on ever since he first took flight from the hide out. There were no signs it would let up either, at least when it came from the shinobi team. If anything, they seemed to be catching up to him and her shots were getting closer and closer to hitting his mount. Deidara on the other hand was steadily depleting his reserves of clay. Deidara gritted his teeth in fury just thinking about it.

Deidara was even contemplating heading back to the hideout in hopes that his master had dealt with his own problem by now. If he did though, he would never hear the end of it, so Deidara decided to keep on this path for now. He needed to come up with something. Maybe if he made clones then he could at least split them up. No, then he would have less chakra to use for his art and that would not do. Then what?

BOOOOOM

The last arrow he had managed to dodge exploded in a ball electricity right after it had passed him.

Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me! Note to self, kill EVERY Hyūga you see from now on. No questions asked, just murder them. Can this get any worse? Kami heard the challenge from Deidara and accepted it. Soon, the artist felt moisture on his head. I hate my life.

Meanwhile, the group from Konohagakure were busy leaping from rock formation to rock formation, steadily gaining ground on the bombardier above them.

Damn, missed him with that shot. Now he knows it's in my arsenal. Also, why did it have to start raining? Hinata thought to herself as she reprimanded herself on missing her opportunity. At the very least she was doing an excellent job with her main task of keeping everyone safe.

She found picking off the little explosive clays thrown their way to not be too much of a challenge. Her training with Neji actively moving the targets in erratic ways had been harder than simple gravity assisted drops. She did find it a bit more challenging though when he would send a multitude at once. In those circumstances she needed to fire multiple at a time and in rapid succession as well, her byakugan greatly assisting her in aiming.

So far, she has been feeling pretty good physically. The constant byakugan activation wasn't wearing on her nearly as much as she thought it would, and her chakra reserves were still above half.

Mentally she was also cool and collected. She needed to be to make her pinpoint shots on the clay, less one gets through and ruins the preparation of Kakashi or worse, one hits Naruto.

Kakashi was still gathering chakra to activate his Mangekyō Sharingan. At times like this, he wished he had Naruto's chakra reserves. It was taking longer than he expected to gather the chakra but thankfully he wasn't in any danger from stray explosives. Hinata was doing an excellent job keeping them safe from the clay and he started to wonder if he could bring her along on more missions with the rest of team 7.

He had been practicing with his Mangekyō Sharingan these past few years to use it more often and effectively. He had neglected training initially because of his ANBU duties at the time. Once he was done with his stint in the ANBU, he found himself with a team of genin and didn't find the time to train and recover from his training. Once Naruto and Sakura found sensei to help train them was when he finally found the time to train his gift properly.

Unfortunately for him, he could only use his power three times. When he does though, he's usually out of commission for two weeks due to the chakra depletion and physical strain of using it. It had to be used though. Even with Hinata more than evening the playing field with her long-range attacks, at best it was just annoying Deidara for now. He was simply too far up and away to get a reliable shot on Deidara.

"Kakashi sensei, how much longer until your prep is done? I've got my chakra ready for another swift release burst at a moment's notice now." Naruto articulated to his teacher. He was having a hard time keeping the rage he felt under control. He knew he needed to follow his sensei's plan, and he would. Once he was off his leash though, he would make the blonde Akatsuki pay dearly.

"Soon Naruto. I don't have the chakra reserves you do. It takes time for me to build up the necessary chakra levels to activate my eye. If I were an Uchiha I would be done by now." Kakashi replied, still jumping from rock formation to rock formation.

"Speaking of the sharingan, you never told us how you got the eye. I was always curious, but I didn't want to push the issue till you were ready." Naruto stated as he looked towards his sensei.

Kakashi thought back to that tragic day. The day his life changed forever and how he lost his best friend. In a melancholic voice, Kakashi turned to his student and answered back with "I appreciate that Naruto. It's... a though story to tell. One that's deeply personal to me. I promise though, I'll tell you and Sakura and Sasuke how I got it when I'm ready."

"Alright, now then, let's hurry this up please. I'm itching for some action. Hinata is doing such a good job destroying his clay that I don't even need to evade." Naruto grumbled out, not noticing the slight color change on Hinata's face.

"Be thankful we have such a good defender on our side. It makes our mission that much easier." Kakashi reminded him.

"I could always let one of the smaller clays fall your way Naruto if you want some action." Hinata teased the young shinobi as the rain started to come down harder now.

"Nah, I'm good Hinata. Keep up the great work and we will have this wrapped up in no time."

Indeed, I'm getting close to activating the Mangekyō sharingan, just a few more minutes and we can end this little farce.

XxX

Inside the Akatsuki hideout, 6:40 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

For the past 10 minutes, Sakura and Chiyo acted as a perfect puppet and master. Chiyo with her decades upon decades of experience to draw from and Sakura being in peak physical and mental conditioning. Separate, they were quite formidable. Together, they felt like they could beat any obstacle in their wake.

That didn't mean beating Sasori was a cake walk, quite the opposite in fact. Through his puppet, he was making all sorts of weapons and constructs that he expertly wielded against the kunoichi duo. He had initially tried to just simply go after his grandmother, but Sakura had made that line of attack unattainable. When he switched tactics and focused on Sakura, he found himself hitting only earth or air.

Chiyo's experience feeding into Sakura proved to be quite a combo. The best Sasori could get at this point were near misses. He did notice a change in her. The girl tried to hide it, but he could see her starting slow down if only slightly.

"Sakura, how are you holding up girl?" Chiyo asked her living puppet.

"I'm right as rain, just keep directing me and victory will be ours soon." Sakura replied squinting her eyes and giving a thumbs-up gesture reminiscent of her blonde teammate.

The thing Sakura had not realized is that Chiyo had slowly been doing less and less directing of the young kunoichi's body. This girl doesn't even realize she's been dodging his attack on her own for a while now. At this point I barely need to give her any help. Tsunade, you choose well in an apprentice. This girl is one of the finest kunoichi I have ever seen and to think she's not even in her prime years yet.

Despite the bravado Sakura was showing, inwardly she could feel the fatigue starting to take a tool on her. At least I caught onto how to read his puppet. To make his puppet do anything, he needs to move his arms and fingers. It's the biggest weakness of any puppet user. Still though, I need to take a risk. I'll tire out faster than him. I need to smash this puppet but how?

Sasori meanwhile was busy gathering his iron dust, thinking about what next he could throw at the two of them. I thought grandmother would be the biggest problem here. It seems Konohagakure is training their kunoichi well. I can't let this farce continue though. Every second I waste here is another where Deidara could fall and then I'll have to deal with all of them on my own. If my conventional tactics won't work, I'll just need to improvise.

"I applaud you both. I never thought the two of you would push me to such measures, but you have. Take pride in that before I take your lives away." Once the iron sand was in front of him, he sent it out to do its task. The sand wasn't aimed at the kunoichi though. It was aimed at the ceiling. "Time to bring down the house." Sasori almost giggled out.

The sand formed into an ever-branching structure as it traveled forth. This tree of sand struck the roof of the hideout with a thunderous crack. The force of the impact caused the roof to start collapsing all around them. Boulders both large and small started to fall from the ceiling, forcing the two kunoichi to begin evading the falling debris less they be crushed. Sasori had kept a small amount of iron sand near him and put a dome over his and his puppet's head. The hardiness of the iron would provide more than enough protection against the falling debris.

As Sakura was busy staying alive, out of the corner of her eye she saw the iron sand start to move again, specifically towards her. "Iron Sand: World Model." She heard it come from Sasori. The branches of the tree twisted and turned as its 100's of limbs converged on the girl. So numerous were the branches that they blocked all hope of escape.

Now's my chance.

"SAKURA!" Chiyo cried out. She knew Sakura couldn't both evade the collapsing roof and the iron sand at the same time on her own. Despite the risk that she might be crushed, she still tried to help Sakura through her strings. She felt resistance in her strings attached to Sakura.

What?

Chiyo didn't have time to think much further, the roof was closing in on her fast and there was nothing else she could do for the girl except hope for the best. What stones she couldn't dodge she used earth release to destroy. Eventually she could see fresh daylight starting to shine inside the cavern from above. Right behind the sun came the rain.

The roof was now fully collapsed. The cavern was now simply an extension of the open valley now. Jagged rock and stone littered the area creating a hazard for those who would traverse it.

Chiyo coughed out as she breathed in a layer of dust into her lungs. She shut her eyes to the world to keep the particles out of her eyes. Her remaining good arm hung by her side, any attempt to move it causing sharp pains to radiate throughout her being. Eventually the dust finally started to settle and Chiyo was able to breathe normally again. She slowly opened her eyes and sought out her younger cohort.

She spotted her and found that Sakura was very alive and kicking. Except, she now had a few cuts on her body and was bleeding.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Chiyo shouted to the girl. She got no verbal response. Instead, Sakura now slumped over and hit the mud face first. The poison trying to take effect on her.

"Well then, now that she's been dealt with, lets finish this, grandmother against grandson." Sasori declared, seeing victory in his grasp. He commanded his puppet to fly forwards. Dodging both the terrain and the iron sand that went at odd angles.

This is the end. I failed you Sakura. I failed myself. Most importantly, I failed you, Sasori. Chiyo thought to herself, closing her eyes in recognition of her defeat and imminent death.

CRACK

A loud boom suddenly erupted from the battle ground. Chiyo opened her eyes to see what could have caused this. To her astonishment, Sakura was now fully standing, the remains of Sasori's puppet around her. A dome of air surrounded her free of any rain, the force of the impact pushing away all the moisture for just a few seconds. Once again, the young kunoichi defeated Sasori's puppet with a single blow.

"Sakura ho-" Before she could finish her sentence, Sakura answered. "I injected the antidote into myself while the roof was caving in and deliberately let myself get hit. It was the only way I could get close enough to this freak show puppet to smash it."

Bold idea girl. Risky but bold. I like your guts. Chiyo thought to herself, amused at such a tactic working.

"Lady Chiyo, you are hurt!" Sakura said seeing the blood come from the elder kunoichi's arm. The younger kunoichi weaved her way through the terrain and iron sand to get by Chiyo's side. Once there, she surrounded her hand in green chakra and began to heal up Chiyo's arm. "You didn't get hit by the sand, did you?" Chiyo shook her head in denial which eased Sakura's mind a bit.

Sasori was a little surprised at this newest development but more than that, he found himself enjoying this fight. "You were able to come up with that plan to destroy my puppet, and you are also a medical-nin. You have once again surprised me. I haven't been entertained this much in a long time. You will make a fine puppet after this battle is through."

Once her arm was healed, Chiyo thanked Sakura for the assistance which the young kunoichi accepted. "We don't have much time lady Chiyo, the antidote only works for 4 minutes, and I only have 2 more vials left. We must finish this fight before the last antidote wears off." Sakura uttered as she wiped her wet hair from her eyes and did her best to wipe the mud from her clothes.

Chiyo wasn't surprised by this assertion, Sunagakure didn't have the right materials to make enough of the antidote against Sasori's deadly poison. When she returned to the village, she wanted to change that. Chiyo didn't know if they could end this fight in time though. She could see that Sakura was exhausted now. After shattering two puppets, dodging, and healing both of them, Chiyo would have expected Sakura to be hunched over due to fatigue and chakra exhaustion. Yet, there she stood tall and proud, if a bit winded and muddied.

It's a shame I won't be able to pick her brain after this is done. To be able to come up with an antidote against my most powerful poison in such a short time is remarkable. Nevertheless, time to show them my next trick.

Sasori undid the strap holding his cloak on his shoulders, shrugging off the piece of wet clothing in the process.

"It's been a long time since I last had to use myself in a fight." Sasori had not only made human puppets. He had also turned almost the entirety of his being into a puppet as well.

"Let's continue this then, round 3."

XxX

Outside the Akatsuki hideout, 7:10 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Deidara was now starting to get just a tinge desperate. He would never admit it to anyone, especially to his master, but it was there. It didn't help that he was cold and wet as well.

Fine, if simply dropping multiple on you won't work. Perhaps I can bury you.

He made several more explosive clay bundles from his hand and tossed them down. This time though he wasn't aiming at just his pursuers but the terrain in front of them as well. Just like every other time he had done this, Hinata caused all the explosives heading towards them to detonate prematurely. This did give cover for the clay aimed at the terrain to hit its mark though. Deidara FINALLY felt some satisfaction that he had made some art the way he wanted.

Pillars of rock and stone all started falling through the canyon below. Platforms were being destroyed both by the falling debris and the exploding clay.

Dodging and weaving through the field of rubble wasn't too difficult a task for Kakashi but it did slow him down and forced him to open his sharigan eye, thereby forcing more chakra usage.

Naruto and Hinata were both together. Dodging and destroying all obstacles in front of them. What Hinata couldn't hit in time, Naruto was able to clean up. The two acted as if they had been working together for years when in truth this was the first time on a mission together.

Once all three of them made their way past the field, they were greeted by a swarm of clay insects. Deidara had used the chaos caused from his last maneuver to deploy 100's of the buggers.

That ought to buy me time at the very least. Deidara thought to himself.

He thought wrong. Before the swarm could start moving, Hinata's hand was a whirlwind of activity. Arrows flew left, right and center, exploding in huge fireballs that completely engulfed the entire swarm. This served as a chain reaction and soon 100's of tinier explosions filled the valley. Through the smoke came the charging shinobi, not losing a single step.

Amending my earlier mental note, don't kill every Hyūga you meet. Make them suffer THEN kill them!

"Great work Hinata! That was amazing!" Naruto stated aloud as he looked towards the girl next to him.

"Thank you, Naruto!" Hinata says back as she too looks at him.

It was only now that both realized something important. Both were soaking wet. The rain had not stopped for 10 minutes now, in fact it had increased in intensity, and both teens had not a single dry spot on them.

Wow! Either Hinata had a growth spurt while I was away, or she hid her figure well before I left. She's drop dead gorgeous!

Oh Kami! Oh Kami! Oh Kami! Just look at him. I thought I had a good look at him before but now I see just how truly wonderful he looks! And He's only going to look better from here on out!

Both teens' eyes met momentarily before each looked away, both embarrassed at having been caught looking. Each of them felt a fire on their cheeks and could swear they saw steam come off them. Naruto's anger he had feeling was completely forgotten at that moment.

The trio continued for a few more minutes with an awkward silence falling upon the 2 younger shinobi. Kakashi hadn't missed the way the two looked at each other and couldn't help the tiniest smiles form underneath his face covering.

I hope you two both find love and comfort in this life. Become the shinobi I wish I was strong enough to be.

Despite trailing just a bit further behind now, the group were still well within striking distance of Deidara. Good thing too, because not too long after the stunt, Kakashi reopened his eye, revealing the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Ok you two, I'm ready."

XxX

Remains the Akatsuki hideout, 6:45 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Sasori was now displayed in full view of the two kunoichi. On the right side of his chest held a compartment with a mechanism that allowed him to control his numerous chakra threads. From his stomach a large cable protruded that he could use for offense and defense. On his back were numerous scrolls that held his various puppets. From his hips came two poles that both had numerous blades attached to them that could spin at a rapid rate.

Unlike the previous rounds of combat, he didn't allow the duo the time to marvel at his creation for long, instead each of his palms parted, revealing a pipe in each which shot out flames directed at the two who each ran behind a fallen bolder for cover.

Sasori did not let up his fiery assault as he sent out the sharpened cable to strike at Sakura from behind her cover. She saw it coming at the last second and used her kunai to deflect the cable past her.

Close one!

Sasori was expecting this though. He had the cable continue further until it embedded itself into a rock behind the two kunoichi. Once it was firmly attached, he reeled himself in and was launched directly at his grandmother with his blades spinning by his side.

Chiyo moved into her defensive stance, ready to face Sasori head on. Once he was a foot from reaching Chiyo, his momentum suddenly stopped. Both puppet masters' eyes widened at this turn of events. Both twirled their heads to the end of the cable and found Sakura was reeling Sasori in.

Thank you, Lee and Gai. I wouldn't have had the strength to do this without you.

Sakura tugged Sasori towards her with all her might, sending him flying. She then rushed forward and prepared an attack combining what she had learned from Tsunade and team Gai. "STRONG FIST!" She yells out loudly.

BOOOOOOM

Sakura scored a direct hit. Breaking the puppet that was Sasori into his individual components which now lay scattered all around her. She looked up to the elder kunoichi, huffing and puffing as she did. "We did it Lady Chiyo, and with a minute left on this dose."

Their victory was short lived. Behind Sakura, Chiyo saw that Sasori was reforming behind the young kunoichi.

"Sakura, move!" Chiyo shouted out. Sakura didn't need to hear it twice; she could already see the pieces in front of her starting to move and so she moved next to Chiyo.

Once the two were together, Chiyo brought out her final scroll. Now that the Sandaime Kazekage puppet was out of commission, she was free to use her other arm again and so could use her trump card.

"I promised myself I would never use these puppets again. You leave me no other course of action grandson." Chiyo exclaimed before she undid the seal. "Secret White Move: Chikamatsu's 10 Puppets" In front of Chiyo were now 10 of her strongest puppets. Each individual puppet could take on one thousand puppets easily, combined they could take down a whole castle.

"So many puppets. You really are a master of puppets Lady Chiyo." Sakura praised her elder, thinking there was no way they could lose now.

Sasori by this point had fully reformed his puppet and stood across the battlefield unamused at the display. He held his head in the palm of his hand, disappointed.

"Is this the limit of your abilities Chiyo? Here, let me show you both a TRUE master of puppets!" He shouted out, as he unfurled a scroll from his back and released the seal on it. The right side of his chest opened, revealing the multitude of chakra strings from within. Once the smoke cleared, Chiyo and Sakura were now staring down 100 puppets. Both kunoichi stood aghast at the display of mastery in front of them.

"To think I would be pushed to use my ultimate technique. Be happy that I have deemed you worthy of such a technique. Fear not though. You two will make fine additions to my collection when this is done and will live on for eternity as my puppets."

Sakura took this brief respite to give herself the second to last dose of the antidote before she handed over the last one to Chiyo. "Here is the last one, I've got four minutes now for us to end this. You ready Lady Chiyo?"

As confident as she could say, Chiyo answered back with. "Of course I am, I'll deal with crowd control, you go for Sasori and this time, aim for the canister in his left chest. That's where what's left of him should be." Sakura nodded in approval of the plan.

"Well ladies, here it is, the final round. I'm going to enjoy this." Sasori shouted with an ounce of excitement in his voice.

Before the final battle could commence, Chiyo pulled out some type of small contraption from her pocket. "Sakura, catch." She said as Sakura turned and caught the incoming device. "When you get close enough, throw that at Sasori." Sakura gave her acknowledgement and turned around to meet her second toughest challenge in her young life.

Both Kunoichi readied themselves for the toughest part of this fight. Then, Sasori struck out with all 100 of his puppets. Chiyo's 10 puppets and Sakura all charged out to meet the challenge.

Chiyo's puppets were all not the same. The taijutsu puppets were smashing Sasori's puppets to bits with their mechanical fists and feet. The kenjutsu puppets were hacking and slashing a path straight through the middle of the onslaught. The ninjutsu puppets were burning, electrocuting, and blowing away the puppets in front of them.

On an individual level, Chiyo's puppets had the advantage. Unfortunately, the numbers were catching up to them. Try as she might, Chiyo was finding it impossible to deal with every single one of Sasori's puppets. She was now starting to lose some of her puppets due to shear overwhelming adversity. She prayed that Sakura would be able to get to Sasori soon.

Sakura was dodging, ducking, dipping, diving, and dodging as much as she could on her road to the enemy puppet master. Those that proved to be an obstacle in her way she was able to destroy with either a single punch or single kick. Sweat from her body mixed with the heavy rain that poured onto her, washing away much of the mud that remained on her body and clothes.

"AHHHH." Sakura heard Chiyo scream from behind her. Sakura swung her head around to see if Chiyo was alright. The puppet that had gotten to Chiyo had been dispatched but not before it got a cut on the elder kunoichi.

"CHIYO, use the antidote!" Sakura called out before her attention switched back to her main target. She rushed forward, destroying even more of Sasori's puppets until she found a clear line of sight towards her enemy.

Sasori was standing still for her, he couldn't move much while he was controlling so many puppets at once, another weakness to the art. With all the strength she could call forth, she chucked the device Chiyo gave her at her target. As it soared through the air, it transformed into a mask of some sort in the shape of a demon's head. Razor sharp teeth started gnashing as they headed for Sasori.

The mask device hit its target straight and true, its momentum not stopping as it stuck itself into the wall with Sasori still in its clutches. All of Sasori's puppets at once ceased all activity.

"We've won Sasori, that sealing jutsu stops all chakra from flowing out." Chiyo painfully said as she started to feel the effects of the poison start to take hold. She clutched her side with her arm to try and take away some of the pain.

Sakura was hunched over, panting, trying to catch her breath and regain some lost chakra. She took this momentary breather to also think about what just happened. Something feels off about this. Even controlling that many puppets, he should have been able to attempt to dodge my throw. At the very least he should have had some puppets just on defense. Why didn't he?

A thought suddenly came to her, a terrifying one. No, it can't be! She then looked up to where the device and Sasori were. There was no canister in its left chest. Sasori had used the same trick that Sakura used to defeat the Sandaime Kazekage puppet. Sakura whirled herself around and saw Sasori with a new body between her and Chiyo, readying his blade to strike at his grandmother.

Sasori charged forward, ready to strike down the final living member of his family. Sakura opened up somethings inside her and ran faster than she ever had in her life to try and intercept the incoming attack. Chiyo was in no shape to either dodge or defend herself. The poison robbed her of most of her options to escape the situation.

Chiyo closed her eyes, knowing this would most likely be the end of her. Her only hope was that it would be quick death. An eternity flew by for Chiyo. All the moments she shared and cherished of her grandson came to the forefront of her consciousness. The first time she laid eyes upon him. When she taught him about puppetry. Him making the puppets in the likeliness of his dead parents. Him trying to replace his parents with said puppets but only becoming sadder. Her grandson deserved better than what he got.

Curiously, death did not come for her. She cracked an eye open and saw between her and her grandson was Sakura, who had managed to catch the blade between her gloved hands. Sakura thanked Kami for wearing cut resistant gloves. The blade was mere inches away from impaling the young kunoichi, but the blade would not budge.

"I will NOT let you hurt Lady Chiyo any further!" Sakura declares in fury.

Sasori was not moved by this outburst, he had another trick up his sleeve, or in this case his arm. While Sakura was busy holding the blade from going forward, Sasori detached the arm holding the blade, making the girl lunge forward due to the sudden lose opposite pressure. From his other arm another blade came out resting on top of his hand and he moved to finally strike down his grandmother. Why is she moving her fingers?

He soon got his answer. From the corners of his eyes, he saw the puppets of his mother and father barreling towards him. Without his Kazekage puppet, he couldn't stop their movements toward him. Instead, he summoned a few of his remaining puppets to tackle Chiyo's puppets.

Your last trick grandmother. I'm insulted at how easy you made it for me to see. This is the end of you. Do not worry. I'll carry on the puppeteering legacy and transform it into its ultimate art form.

Before he could make the final blow on his teacher and grandmother, he took a last look at her face. He didn't see regret, sorrow, or sadness in her eyes. No, he saw pity. Pity at how low he had sunk himself. Pity at the mockery of human life he trounced over with his human puppets.

Pity at how easy it was to trick him when he thinks he has won.

A blade struck true, right through its target. A killing blow. The blade came from Sasori, but not the one he had control of.

Sakura had managed to regain her footing and seized the arm that been trying to stab her just mere moments ago. She had turned the arm around and dove towards Sasori from behind, piercing the last human bits remaining of Sasori.

This girl, one who he initially had thought of as nothing but a gnat at the start. This girl, who he had begrudgingly started to see as a minor threat at best. This girl, who he thought would be useless in this fight. It was this girl that finally put an end to his madness, not his grandmother. It was the girl who he underestimated from the start that had defeated him.

"Pathetic"

XxX

Outside the Akatsuki hideout, 7:15 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"Finally, what's so special about this new sharingan sensei?" Naruto quizzed his teacher.

"You will find out very soon Naruto, now be ready for when I bring Deidara down from the sky, both of you. Hinata, I need you to hold your shots for a few seconds. I can't have him evading while using this." Kakashi answered.

"Ok got it." She replied as she lowered her weapon. She had no idea what Kakashi was about to do but if Naruto trusted him, then she would as well.

For the first time this entire battle, there was silence. No bombs were thrown, no one talked, no explosions from either side. Just the solitude of nature to accompany all of them. A calm before the storm.

Hnnnn, what is this? The bitch finally stopped firing. Did she run out of ammo or perhaps she's simply exhausted? And what are the other two doing now?

Deidara then felt a small pull come from behind him. At first it was weak, barely worth a look. He was too distracted by his own thoughts to get out of the way before it was too late. The pull he felt suddenly increased in power one thousand times over, shocking the Akatsuki member. Barely clinging onto his mount, he spins his head to look towards the source of the pull and saw a sphere in the air, taking in air all around it. Deidara tried to will his creation to move away from it, but it was too late. In a fraction of a second, Deidara felt his leg separate from his body below the knee before it was sucked into the sphere to be lost to him forever.

"AHHHHH, BASTARD, MY LEG!" Deidara shouted out, blood squirting from the stump. Deidara tried to use what little fire jutsu he knew to cauterize the wound, less he dies from blood loss.

Damnit, I missed. I've got two shots left or else he might escape. Kakashi thought to himself, cursing his bad aim. He needed to work more with this new power in the future to make it more reliable.

I need to get out of here NOW! I'm down one arm and one leg. I need to regroup with Sasori and come up with another strategy. If I can't get out thought, I still have my ultimate trump card, the C0. Deidara tried to fly higher into the sky to make his escape. Once again, he felt that same pull from earlier above him. Oh, fuck me.

Deidara forced his mount down to avoid being sucked into whatever sphere that was. This time, he was able to put enough distance between him and the object to avoid losing anything this time. He was now right above the tops of the trees, a perfect opportunity for Naruto.

He unleashed the stored swift release energy from inside himself and felt the familiar sense of the world slow down around him. When he looked towards Hinata, he could see her blink in slow motion, his mastery of this technique was improving. He sprinted away from his group, making a clone to help him with making his rasengan. He made his way up to the tallest tree near Deidara and both Naruto's sprinted up its trunk, emerging up above the canopy.

The clone Naruto poofed out of existence, its job completed in forming the sphere of chakra. The remaining Naruto leapt up from the tree, the sphere of death still in his hand. He reached out and was able to hit the bird from underneath. Once he contacted his target, he cut off the swift release from his body, allowing himself to feel the normal flow of time once more.

BOOOM

The rasengan did its job, tearing through the bird with a titanic force, separating the thing into 2 chunks. Deidara was launched from the force of the explosion on its mount. What the hell was that technique from that blonde freak? I've never seen such a thing before. As for that stupid vortex trick, no doubt about it, that was a doujutsu on par with Itachi's. He's the one I should have been worried about, not the jinchūriki. Although that sphere does pack a mighty punch.

"Kakashi sensei, are you alright?" Naruto asked as he looked towards him with a sense of worry.

Kakashi was sweating profusely, his normal spikey hair now fell down across his face and forehead. He moved the hair out of his eyes and spoke to his student. "I'll be fine Naruto as long as I don't use that again soon. Now you two, finish him off." He directed the two young shinobi.

Deidara now found himself on a thick branch of giant tree. The force of impacting the branch had knocked the wind out of him and he was struggling to get his breath back. Too preoccupied with getting his breath back, he didn't notice the yellow flash that appeared in front of him until it was too late. He also didn't see the look of pure wrath on his attacker's face.

Naruto impacted Deidara's face once again, this time with a roundhouse kick that sent his foe flying away from him. Deidara righted himself in mid-air and was attempting to do one handed jutsu, but he was too slow. He felt a pain emanating from his back. Hinata had managed to get into the perfect position to catch him, her bow now stowed on her back. She too kicked Deidara with all her might, sending him back towards her teammate with a move she picked up from Neji.

Naruto was grateful for the assistance, now he didn't even have to move to hurt Deidara more. Once the Akatsuki member had flown close enough to Naruto, he reared his fist back and punched Deidara right in the stomach, sending him crashing downwards through the branches below. Naruto followed him down but had to wipe the rain from his eyes before he made his 3 clones.

The 4 Naruto's jumped down and caught Deidara before he could smack the ground, 2 grabbing his cloak and the other 2 grabbing into his remaining limbs. All 4 swung downwards, sending Deidara to the ground at an incredible rate.

He landed with a thunderous crash, causing him to cough out at the sudden impact. The Naruto's above him descended, looking like angels of death.

"U!"

"ZU!"

"MA!"

"KI!"

"AXE KICK!" All 4 Naruto's shouted as they brought there heals down and struck with a bone breaking force. Or it would have, if it was the actual Deidara. The clay substitute started to glow upon being impacted by the Uzumaki's strike. Sensing the incoming explosion, the clones as one grabbed onto their boss and chucked him away before he could be caught in the detonation.

BOOOOOOM!

The clones stood no chance and were poofed out of existence. Earth and tree debris flew through the air as the real Naruto covered his face to avoid any lasting injuries. A newly formed crater now adorned the forest floor. A couple dozen feet away from the center of the blast was the original Naruto, currently on all fours and seething in anger. His canines started growing larger. The whisker marks on his cheeks grew in thickness. His eyes now appeared like a fox's.

On top of all these changes, the teen was surrounded by a red chakra. Off his head the shroud appeared to give him elongated ears and from his back sprang two tails of chakra. He sprang up right, appearing to grasp towards the setting sun. The Kyūbi was starting to take over.

Despite the fatigue he was feeling after using the kamui twice, Kakashi sprang into action. This is bad, I can't let the nine-tails take over Naruto. He thought to himself. He dashed towards his student, pulling out the seal that Jiraiya had given him before they left on the mission. As he got close to Naruto, he could feel immense heat coming off the boy. The heat was so great that any rain drops that fell on him evaporated, causing him to be shrouded in a fine mist. This better work Jiraiya, or we will have an even bigger problem than the Akatsuki.

Kakashi felt his arm burn as he placed the seal on Naruto's head, ignoring the sensation to finish what needed to be done. Once it was set in place, the effect was immediate. Gone was the raging heat and chakra cloak. Naruto's facial features returned to their normal state. It seemed to work a little too well though. Naruto was currently in a daze, swaying back and forth on his feet until eventually he started to fall over.

Kakashi caught him before he could finish his fall and asked him. "Are you all right Naruto?"

It took a few more moments before the blonde regained his senses. He saw that he was currently being held up by Kakashi. "What happened sensei?" He queried.

"The nine-tails was trying to take over. You should be good now with that seal in place." Kakashi answered back.

From Kakashi's communication device, a static started to come through. Soon, a voice could be heard coming through, but it was a garbled mess.

"Ka...shi...here?" The garbled voice of Gai could be heard.

With his other arm, Kakashi reached for the device around his neck and replied. "Gai, can you hear me?"

Gai's voice started to come through clearer now. "Yes...can...did...defeat...akat..."

"Not yet, but he's on the run."

"Good, we...be there...Sakura and...are here."

"Sakura and Chiyo defeated Sasori?"

"Yes, we picked...up on our...back."

Turning off his receiver for just a second, he addressed his boy he was propping up. "Sakura and Chiyo won." He said with pride in his voice.

"They did it." Naruto had little doubt they would beat that freak. While he couldn't speak on Chiyo's abilities, from what he witnessed Sakura accomplish even during just this mission had forced his trust in her to grow more. She said she had changed for the better and she was proving it.

That old hag and that pink haired bitch actually beat master? Damnit, now I'm really screwed. I need to get out of here NOW while they are distracted.

Deidara was lying in the bushes just far enough away so he could barely hear the two shinobi talk. He was keeping a low profile after he had switched himself with a clay had fashioned himself a clay prosthetic leg so he could move at his full speed again. It was a very crude design, but he counted himself lucky he was amputated below the knee and not above or else he would have been screwed. That would be the last of his clay except for the C0, he was now completely spent. If he wanted to use any more of his art, he would need to get to his bird and consume some of it. He slowly started to crawl in the opposite direction of where the shinobi were.

"And where do you think you are doing?"

FUCK ME!

---

Author Notes

Song title is from Metallica (don't think I needed to say this but just in case)

I go from my shortest chapter to my longest chapter. I was thinking about splitting this chapter up into 2 but I figured you all would rather not wait for the second half of the fight to get released a week later. I can't guarantee that future battles will all take place in a single chapter but this time I could.

I hate that I had to focus a lot on Sakura again but the Kazekage rescue arc was her time to shine and so I was forced to put a big spotlight on her this chapter. I hope you all liked the changes I did with not just that fight but with Deidara as well. Deidara's fight isn't over yet but it's almost there and I felt that little cliffhanger was a good spot to end the chapter. Next chapter will see the aftermath of both fights.

I hoped you all liked those little moments between Hinata and Naruto. I really enjoy writing them together, it's such a blast. The rain idea I'll admit I put in initially just to spice up the environment and add a cool effect to a blow, I then realized I could use that rain with Hinata and Naruto and push them along even if just a tiny bit. As another note, I use these sections for my ramblings and as well to catalogue my thinking process while writing these chapters so I can go back and see what I should change in the future.

Anyways, Valentines Day was yesterday so I hope you all go out today and get your discounted chocolates! Until next time yall!

Chapter 12: Fix You

 

---

Remains the Akatsuki hideout, 6:50 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

The battle was over, Sakura and Chiyo won. It was a long and hard-fought conflict but the two of them had managed to take down an S-Ranked criminal. They should have felt a sense of elation in accomplishing this task and yet, neither felt like celebrating.

Chiyo had now picked herself up from the mud and was doing her best to clean herself off. Despite everything that Sasori had done, betraying the village in the worst way possible, crossing the line of morality with turning corpses into puppets, and attempting to kill her, she still felt pity for her grandson. Perhaps if he still had his real parents instead of his puppets, he would have turned out alright. That was a timeline that, sadly, she would never get to experience.

Sakura felt relief. Like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had helped take down one of the most dangerous criminals in the five elemental nations. She had proved, if to no one else but herself, that she had not just been talking these past three years. She finally had an affirmation on the fruits of her labor. She could say she was on the right path to be a powerful kunoichi. Now, she had no more doubts about her decision to become better. The vow she made to herself and him had been the right one. The water from the sky felt like a baptism, making her anew.

The pitter patter of rain was the only sound to emanate from the battlefield for a while. The victorious party simply taking in the spectacle of what just happened. They wouldn't deny that they needed a breather as well.

Chiyo took the antidote she had been given by Sakura and injected herself with it. She knew the girl could defeat Sasori and so had waited to use the antidote on herself in case Sakura needed it. Now with her grandson's defeat, she didn't have to worry about wasting the antidote on herself.

"Pity, I would have liked to die knowing my poison would have taken you both with me." Sasori mockingly said.

CRUNCH

Sakura's fist struck home on the face of Sasori. She couldn't put nearly as much power into it as she could before. The antidote was starting to weaken. She had the ingredients to make the full cure in her backpack, but it would take a dozen or so minutes to complete. She needed to make sure that the antidote's in her and Lady Chiyo's systems had run its course before either of them took the full cure. For now, though, she was fine putting off that task for a few more minutes if it meant releasing some of the anger she had kept bottled up till now.

Sasori's head spun around to face his attacker once again. "This body doesn't feel pain; you will only be hurting yourself if you continue on this track."

Sakura continued to glare at him before finally speaking to him. "Is Human life so worthless to you? She's your grandmother, your own flesh and blood. Do you not feel anything for her?" She growls out.

"No."

Sakura stood there, opening and closing her mouth, trying to find the right words to such a simple yet powerful answer. "Why, why do you value human life so little?" She finally managed to ask.

"Because human life and humanity are fragile and fickle things. Puppets are free of this. They do not decay, nor do they have life spans. You can make as many of them as you want. It was my dream to become a full puppet one day." Sasori took a moment to pause before he continued his speech. "It's my humanity that failed me this day. If I had been a full puppet, you both would have lost."

Chiyo now stood up next to Sakura. "No grandson, that is not why you lost this day." Chiyo voiced out. "You lost because you lacked humanity."

"Explain grandmother."

Chiyo wiped her rain-soaked hair from her face before going into the reason why Sasori was wrong. "Human life is about struggle. It's in that struggle that we grow and become better. Hai, pain comes along with that but without pain we would have no drive. It is as you said, your puppet body feels nothing. It can't feel pain, pleasure, or any sensation at all. You once tried to experience love before you mutilated yourself. If you had kept your humanity, you would have found that which you so desperately longed for. Love is a most powerful force indeed, and I'm so very sorry you never felt the love of your parents or any other type of love." Chiyo lamented to her grandson.

Sakura was silently taking in the scene between grandmother and grandson. She was processing the words Chiyo were saying. She would later come to understand the significance of what her elder was saying.

"You can explain this concept of love all you want, but I will never understand it. You value the now like my junior. I value eternity far more. Humans, humanity, love, all of it fleeting. None built to last. You would embrace death. I tried to avoid it. In the end, despite my best efforts, even I couldn't avoid it." Sasori stated. He then felt his spirit start slowly fade away from this plane. He could feel the tethers of his soul snaping away at the remains of his human half. "The end is near for me."

These words caused Sakura to speak up before it was too late. "Wait, tell us what you know about Orochimaru." She demanded her defeated foe.

Sasori pondered this with what little time he had left. In his final moments, he decided to give into spite. This spite was not directed at the two kunoichi though. With his last precious seconds left on this planet, he would, for the first time in a long time, do something very human.

"In two weeks' time at noon, go to the Tenchi bridge in Kusagakure. I'm supposed to meet my spy on Orochimaru at the time. You will have your answers then."

With those last words, the life of Sasori of the Red Sand was no more. Sakura would wait a few seconds before confirming for herself that Sasori had indeed passed into the afterlife.

"It's finally, truly over Lady Chiyo." Sakura said, she is now starting to let herself feel more the effects of the poison.

"Hai, it is." Chiyo started before falling to the ground on her butt. "I need a rest after that."

Sakura smiled to herself upon seeing the regal Chiyo simply sit on a rock. "You have earned it. Let me dig out the full cure and whip it up. Shouldn't take me too long now that I know how his poison works."

For the next several minutes, Sakura put her iryōjutsu to work and cooked up the full cure for the two of them now that they had the antidote inside them.

By the time both had taken the full cure, a friendly group of guests arrived.

"Sakura! So glad to see you alive and well!" Rock Lee shouted as he appeared from the tree line alongside his team.

"I see your youthful prowess helped carry this battle. Nicely done!" Gai said as he gave his trademark thumbs up and wink.

Normally Sakura would have cringed at the display, now though she couldn't have been happier. "Hai, Sasori is dead. What about Naruto and his team? Have you seen or heard them yet?" She asked worryingly.

"Not yet. I have tried to reach them, but they are out of range. If you know the direction they went, Neji will be able to locate them."

Sakura stood up from her rock before replying. "We do, we heard explosions starting outside and they eventually grew weaker and weaker. All we need to do is follow the trail of destruction and we should find them."

Tenten now made her presence known and spoke from the back of the group. "How did you two defeat him?" She asked wanting to know how their battle had gone.

Sakura started to move forward, her boots squishing in the mud as she did so. Chiyo was now following her as well. "We can talk about that on the way to find Naruto. Let me just get Gaara and we can head out." Sakura stated as she moved towards the body.

"No Sakura, let me carry him." Chiyo announced, now behind Sakura.

"Are you certain Lady Chiyo?" Sakura asking for clarification.

"He's the Kazekage. It should be someone from Sunagakure that should carry him back home." Chiyo was melancholic as she said this, wishing it had not come to this.

"...I'm sorry Lady Chiyo, his flames of youth were snuffed out far too soon. If you need any of us to help you with your burden, just ask." Gai voiced his empathy to the elder kunoichi.

Chiyo now had Gaara hoisted over her shoulder. "I appreciate the thought. Let's get going though, and make sure we don't have to bring back one of your friends like this as well."

XxX

Outside the Akatsuki hideout, 7:20 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"And where do you think you are doing?"

FUCK ME!

Before Deidara could even turn his head to the voice, he felt his side being kicked in. He was sent flying through the air and through the bushes before hitting into an outcropping coming up from the forest floor. He could feel that he now had a few broken ribs.

Spitting up blood and still on all fours, he pivoted his head to look at his assailant. Pale white eyes were upon him, slowly approaching, as if savoring this moment in time.

Deidara knew he was screwed. Without his bird he wouldn't be fast enough to get away from this place. His only hope was to buy himself enough time and get to what's left of his mount.

"What? Got tired of your bow or are you just out your kami forsaken arrows?" Deidara spat out. He wanted to make the girl suffer, BADLY. For every piece of art she destroyed, he wanted to repay her back tenfold. For now, though, all he could do was insult her.

"No, you tried to take away someone precious from me. This is personal." Hinata in a slightly menacing voice said aloud. She continued her slow walk towards her target, her eyes never blinking.

"Who? You mean the jinch..." He didn't get a chance to finish. Hinata dashed forward and her knee hit Deidara directly in the face, sending him tumbling away until he slid to a stop.

Damnit, now my nose is broken. Kami that hurt. She isn't messing around.

"Naruto."

"Huh?"

"His name is Naruto, don't forget it." She spat out and continued her menacing slow walk towards her prey.

Deidara used his remaining arm to stand up. He was almost in position, he just needed to entice her just a bit more.

"Like I care. He's just a weapon. He's only good for the nine-tails insi..." Once more, Hinata rushed forward to stop his profanity, this time punching him straight in the chest and sending him flying back.

"SHUT UP!"

Deidara managed to keep upright and slid to a halt a couple dozen feet from Hinata, with another broken rib or two. He ignored the pain for now because he was now in perfect position. He was confident he could get to the remains of his bird and make his explosive clone and fake his death. He had to make his move now.

His lungs breathed in agony against his broken ribs as he charged to his bird not even 100 feet to his side. His hair was getting into his eyes, but he soldiered on. He could hear Hinata's voice to his side as she sprinted towards him, but he couldn't make out what she was saying. The only thing that mattered to him was getting towards his big pile of clay.

It was so close now; the girl would not be able to make it to him in time. He was home free. He would live to fight another day

So busy was his focus on the girl and his bird that he had completely ignored his surroundings. He had failed to see the arrows in the tall grass in front of his bird before it was too late.

Electricity started to flow through him. A pain like no other shot through his body. Muscles all over twitching at random as he lost control of his body and feel to the ground just mere feat from his goal. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he completely lost control of himself. What felt like hours were in fact only a few seconds for Deidara. The twitching started to become less violent, he regained control of his eyes and limited control of his body.

He was just able to lift his head up from the ground to look at his target. Instead, he found the feet of the very girl who he hated more than anything else on this planet.

"You underestimated me. I'm used to it. It helps me get the advantage." Hinata declared. She was extremely pleased with herself. She figured there was a reason the bird didn't explode like all his other constructions when hit. So before confronting Deidara, she set up some quick traps around the bird just in case he tried something funny. Now she had confirmation and soon Naruto and Kakashi would join her, and they could figure out what to do with the monster before her.

Damn it, damn it, Damn it, DAMNIT! It can't end like this! I'm Deidara from the Akatsuki! The greatest artist on this planet! I will not be defeated by people so far beneath me!

"You think this is over? You are nothing, NOTHING! I WILL NOT GO OUT ON YOUR TERMS!" By now Hinata's teammates had arrived by her side with congratulatory looks on their faces.

"Nicely done Hinata." Kakashi gave praise to the girl which made her feel good inside. "Now then, why don't you start talking. Start with who are all the members of the Akatsuki."

Deidara was losing his mind. He gave a mighty laugh at such a ludicrous ask of him. This might be the very last chance he could produce his art and come hell or high water he was going to take it.

"Hey! What's so funny!?" Naruto thundered out.

"Do you think I would betray such a mighty organization to a bunch of insects like you hnnn? No." With his one remaining arm, he tore off his shirt, revealing his mangled wreck of a body. On the left side of his chest was a mouth, one he now fed with his most mighty of explosive clay. "You all will be part of my last masterpiece!"

With her byakugan still active, Hinata could clearly see that his chakra was gathering into a single spot. This could only mean one thing

"EVERYONE, GET BACK!" Hinata cried out. All three jumped far back, with Kakashi jumping back much further than the rest of them.

"Art, is an explosion!" Deidara declared. His body started growing in grotesque ways. Bulging and inflating all over. It was not a pleasant sight to behold. "You will all die as the final bits of my masterpiece. This explosion will leave nothing behind. You won't be able to escape me! I'm going to enjoy this!"

"Well then, enjoy your art, alone." Kakashi coldly started before he activated his kamui for the final time today. Deidara felt a familiar pulling sensation on his person. Now though, he couldn't get away. His massive form was too bulky to move with any speed and he was currently using every ounce of chakra he had left for his final C0 grand explosion.

The vortex only lasted for a few seconds before Deidara was completely swallowed up. It was an odd sensation to him. He didn't feel anything as he was being dragged in. It's as if he simply existed in one space and now existed here, wherever here was.

He was now standing on a metal platform of some kind. Surrounding him were other metal rectangular platforms of varying heights as far as the eye could see. Looking up all he could see was an inky pitch-black sky. Absolutely no sound could be heard coming from anywhere on this plane except for the movements of Deidara. That's what clued him in on a certain fact. He was alone

Now no one else would be a part of his greatest work, and to make things worse. There would be no witness's, no trace of his greatest work. As an artist, this was unacceptable. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. Once this process started, it couldn't be stopped, it needed to be seen through to the end.

He could feel it now, the explosive C0 inside himself starting to multiply in greater number. His form bloated to even greater proportions to compensate. He was now inching closer to a critical mass of C0 and once that line was crossed, BOOM!

"No, No, No, NO, NO!"

Deidara in his final moments cursed Kami, cursed fate, cursed whatever abstract concept or deity he could think of. He cursed his rotten luck, cursed his shot sightedness, cursed the three shinobi who arranged his downfall. Most of all though, he cursed Hinata. If he were to ever come back alive, he would haunt her for all eternity.

Then, it finally happened. His grand masterpiece was being made. The explosion rocked the dimension. A large flash was followed up with fireball that shot up into the inky blackness above, illuminating every platform around. The mushroom cloud reached up almost 10km. It was a glorious event to witness. Too bad no one was around. If an explosion happens but no one is around to see it, did it ever really happen?

Outside the Kamui dimension, Kakashi slumped forward, being caught by Naruto before he hit the mud beneath him.

"Kakashi sensei, what was that?" Naruto inquired as he adjusted his teacher so he could be held easier.

"Kamui, I sent him and his explosion to another dimension." Kakashi commented back. "Thats my limit though. I'm sorry but you will have to carry me for now Naruto. I won't be back to my normal for two weeks at least."

"Don't worry sensei, I gotcha." Naruto airs out as he whips his hair out of his eyes and gives out his trademark smile. With that complete, Naruto swings his head over to Hinata.

"If you hadn't been with us, that bastard would have gotten away. I'm glad you were with me." He flashed her an even bigger smile than the one he gave to Kakashi. Hinata thanked kami for the rain and the low light level now or else the blush on her face would have been very noticeable.

"*cough, speaking of being with us. Can you see how far away Gai is?" Kakashi asked the young kunoichi.

Hinata responded by activating her byakugan and scanning the whole area. "Yes, I see them, they are about two miles east of us. They should be here in just a few minutes.

"Good, Naruto, you can just lean me against a tree for now. I'd like to sit down now."

Naruto silently complied with the request. Now, he had some time to think about all that has just occurred. They had just defeated two of the Akatsuki. He should feel good about that, but he only feels hollow. His final desperate hope was that Sakura could pull a miracle and somehow bring Gaara back. Even more important than that though, he hoped that she was ok after her fight with Sasori.

In a few minutes, Naruto got his answer as she saw her arriving along with Team Gai and Chiyo, carrying Gaara on her shoulder.

"Is it over Kakashi?" Gai asked as he walked up to his rival.

"Hai, it's over, we won."

"Gaara, is he..." Naruto couldn't finish the sentence, it was too painful to think about it. This was his last thread of hope. He wanted someone to tell him Gaara was alive, that he would be fine. He prayed he would suddenly wake up and this was all just a nightmare and everything would be fine.

Chiyo set Gaara down against a tree and propped him up to allow Sakura a chance to look him over.

Sakura walked over next to the Kazekage and performed her scan with her jutsu. It was just as she feared. No pulse, no brain activity, warmth was leaving him as well. There was no doubt about it. Gaara was dead.

"Naruto, I-I'm sorry." Sakura stuttered out, hating the fates that she had to be the one to crush his heart again.

Naruto felt numb inside. The rain continued to pour down, a somber reminder that this was all indeed real. The words from his comrades failed to reach him, so lost was he in this moment. Every drop of rain that fell on his friend felt like a dagger in his own heart, piercing him over and over again, fracturing any hope he had left.

As this new reality dawned on him, he walked over to his fallen friend and reached out to him. Naruto embraced his friend and held on for dear life.

Hinata may not have been close to Gaara, but she knew Naruto's feelings all too well. His shuddering was all she needed to see to know that Naruto was silently crying, mourning the loss of one of his friends. There was only one thing she could do to help her love. She needed to be there with him.

She walked beside Naruto and knelt on the soft ground, wrapping him in her embrace. He didn't pull away from the sudden feeling, he found solace in her being next to him. The rain continued its ceaseless onslaught, mixing with Naruto's tears, masking the grief that consumed him.

Sakura could only stand by and watch this display. She wanted to comfort Naruto, but she knew she couldn't, not yet. He wouldn't want her to be there at this moment. He wanted, no needed, Hinata. As much as she agonized over it, she knew it was best if she just stood aside and observed.

"It doesn't feel like a victory friend." Gai laments to his rival, looking towards the saddening scene before him. Kakashi couldn't agree more now.

It was a terrible day for rain.

XxX

Remains of Akatsuki hideout, 10:00 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

The rain had finally ceased. The battlefield of the puppet masters was a complete wreck. The iron sand kept it shape, appearing like a twisted and mangled tree of metal. The floor was littered with rocks and the remains of dozens of puppets.

Tobi wasn't here for just any puppets. He was there for one certain puppet, or rather something it carried. Tobi was joined by his partner Zetsu, wanting to witness the aftermath of the Akatsuki's first true set back.

"This is truly unfortunate. To think even one of us could be defeated, let alone two." The white half of Zetsu said in a calm voice.

"Through their deaths, we become stronger. Addition through subtraction. If they couldn't kill such weaklings, they didn't deserve to be Akatsuki." The black half of Zetsu said to his other half.

"There are so many puppet bodies, how will we find the right one?" The white half questioned the black half.

"If necessary, we will search each and every one. We cannot afford to lose two rings tonight." The black half retorted.

As Zetsu was having this discussion with itself, Tobi was busy checking all the puppets for the ring. There wasn't hope to get Deidara's back, Kakashi had made sure of that. Tobi was praying that those damn shinobi had not taken Sasori's ring. He needed it to finally become a full-fledged member of the Akatsuki!

"Tobi will find it. Tobi will not be denied!" He said to himself in childlike determination. It was at times like this that he wished he could see in the dark.

Oh wait, I can!

Immediately he saw the entirety of the rubble field in full detail and clarity.

Perfect, now then, where is that ring?

With his dōjutsu finally activated, it didn't take long for Tobi to find what he was looking for. The puppet of Sasori had but a single blade going through his back. He found him alone on the battlefield, all his puppets were torn asunder far from him. This was the first time that Tobi had seen what Sasori really looks like. He was surprised at just how young he looked. From how Sasori talked, Tobi thought the puppet master surely was middle aged at least. He would have to ask him his secret!

Oh wait, I can't. Darn, oh well, now what finger did you put your ring on. Ah, there it is!

Tobi raised the ring high above him, admiring its beauty. "Zetsu, I found it!" He sang out in delight. "Now I can become a full-fledged member of the Akatsuki!"

Zetsu now appeared right next to Tobi, not surprising the childlike man in the slightest.

"That's not how that works you simpleton." The black half said, expressing its frustration.

"We can let him in, we need more members anyways." The white half calmly states.

Tobi wasn't listening to the two of them bicker, he was too busy affixing the ring to his finger and admiring it.

"Remind me again why we don't need to bring Sasori's body back? Tobi thought Kakazu would want to collect the bounty on him." Tobi questioned his partner.

Zetsu motioned to the puppet body of Sasori before saying "There is very little body of him left, no bounty collecting station would accept this as proof." The white side uttered.

"Now let's get going. We have an early meeting tomorrow." The black side said.

Tobi was jumping for joy now. He was finally a member of the Akatsuki! "Tobi is ready, oh boy I can't wait for my first meeting as an official member!"

XxX

In forest near land of wind/waves border, 11:00 PM, 3 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

The retrieval team was enveloped in darkness, no moonlight shined down upon them this fateful evening. The torrential rainfall that had besieged the group for hours beforehand had finally abated. Water now saturated the air, making it feel heavy to the group, mirroring how the group felt.

They had failed, they all realized it now. Yes, they did manage to take out two of the Akatsuki and hinder their plans for now. They had managed to defeat two S-ranked criminals, a testament to their skills and teamwork. Yet, it felt completely hollow. All gathered would gladly trade the lives they took today and the achievements to get Gaara back.

They had left the battle ground three hours ago and had set up their camp two hours ago. A fire crackled in the center of all the tents, the only source of illumination this night. No stars showed through the clouds above. Gai volunteered to take the first watch and Lee would replace him later. Kakashi, Chiyo, Tenten, and Lee had all went to bed about one hour ago.

Naruto had gone off on a hill above camp once everything had been made. The memories of the day were still very raw in his mind, and he needed to deal with them. So preoccupied with himself was that he failed to notice the sudden appearance of the person who he needed right now but didn't know it.

Hinata didn't say anything at first, she simply sat next to him on the log he found there. "Naruto, I don't know if there is anything I can say that can help you in your grief. What I can do though is be an ear for you to talk to or a shoulder to cry on. Whatever you need me to be, I will become that." She stated with determination in her heart.

He didn't need to hear any more. He embraced her as his lifeline. He couldn't find any words to say. Try as he might, nothing came out of his mouth except hushed weeping. He buried himself into the chest of Hinata, neither of the two caring if someone found them in such a predicament. One wanted nothing but comfort and the other was more than willing to give it.

Hinata simply held onto him as he continued to weep for his fallen friend. He still couldn't find the words he wanted to say. Hinata would occasionally rub his back and tell him to let it all out and that she was there for him. She wished she could do more for the boy.

For Naruto, just her holding him was all he needed. For one hour they sat like that, ignoring the cold of the night as they continued their embrace. They sat there in silent stillness for what felt like years to them. He was wallowing in his sorrow and her trying her best to abate those feelings as best she could. The chilly night air attempted to penetrate both of their persons but the warmth they shared with each other kept them toasty. The silence that was between them was a testament to the bond they shared. No words need to be spoken to understand one another. Naruto found it so easy to be vulnerable in the arms and bosom of Hinata.

"Thanks, Hinata, I needed this." Naruto sniffled out, saying the first words he found he could say to her this evening.

"You're welcome, Naruto." Hinata sweetly replied in a hushed tone.

A dozen or so seconds passed by before Naruto broke the momentary silence. "I still don't know what to say when we meet Temari and Kankuro. I still can't even get my head around the fact that my friend, their brother is gone. I wish I could speak to him one last time. If I could though, what would I even say?"

Hinata pondered these questions for a while. She wanted to give him the best advice she could possibly give. "I'd tell Temari and Kankuro that you gave it your 100% and you left nothing on the table. Let them know how truly sorry you feel for them. They will be devastated but they will come to understand and won't blame you."

She paused and took a breath of the chilly evening air. "If Gaara were alive and here, I'm sure he would want you to speak from the heart. He wouldn't care how long it took you to finish or even how much you spoke. As long as you mean it and have no regrets about things unsaid, he would want that."

Another sniffle came from Naruto. "Thanks again Hinata. What would I do without you?" It was a question he didn't want to know the answer to either. He was just eternally grateful that she was here for him now.

"It's getting late, you should go back down and get some rest." Naruto uttered out, slowly breaking the embrace.

"Are you coming down too?" Hinata asked in a slightly worried tone.

"I'll be down there soon. I just want to have some alone time to reflect." Naruto replied.

Hinata gave him a good long look, determining if he was serious about coming down soon. For her, it was a good thing he was a terrible liar, and she saw he was being serious. Their time spent together allowed her to pick up on his various tells, even without using her byakugan.

"Alright then, have a good night, Naruto." She says as she heads down the hill towards the camp.

Hinata really didn't want to leave without him. Any amount of separation between them caused her to feel just a little sorrow. She enjoyed the warmth of him. She wanted nothing more than to bask in it until the end of her days.

More than anything, she wanted to feel happy. If that meant he wanted some time alone then she would do it, as much as it would pain her to do so. She would always be there for him and support any of his decisions and stand by his side.

As she reached camp, she caught sight of Sakura lost in thought and of her cousin Neji staring into the fire. Whilst his tale of how he managed to defeat his doppelganger was harrowing, he didn't appear to have a scratch on him. She admired that about him. When she started her journey to become better, she had initially done it for Naruto's sake alone. Now though, she saw she wasn't just doing it for his sake. She was also doing it for her own sake, for Neji's sake, for team 8's sake. They were all what drove her to reach new heights.

She gave her cousin a small smile which he didn't seem to catch. She wondered just went through his head. A lot of the time he was an enigma to her. Still, she knew he cared deeply for her and she for him as well and she enjoyed the dynamic they shared. She now found herself inside her tent and prepared to get a good night's rest.

Naruto watched as her silhouette faded away towards the camp below, feeling both warm from their previous embrace and emptiness that it had to end. The campfire below crackled and flickered, its faint glow promising him some respite from his clouded mind, but he remained seated. The air of the night hung around him like a cold blanket now that she had left. He attempted to assuage this feeling by hugging himself, but it did little to stop himself from shivering slightly. This new reality of a world without his friend weighed heavily on his heart. He hoped that in the future he would be able to protect those he cared for; prevent any misfortune from happening to them. The thought of losing more people close to him was almost unbearable to think about. He didn't know if his heart could take it.

Now alone with nothing but his thoughts, his mind now reflected on everything that had happened from when he first received the mission from Granny Tsunade up till Kakashi teleported Deidara away. He went over every detail in his mind and what he could have changed that could have possibly saved Gaara.

His immediate thought went to the breaks they had taken as it was the most obvious to him. If they had taken fewer breaks, then maybe they could have gotten to Gaara in time. The more he thought about it though, the more he came to the realization that it wouldn't have worked out in the end. True, maybe they did get to Gaara in time to initially save him, but what about after? They all would have been too tired to have fought the two Akatsuki and all would have died, including Gaara. Plus, even if that were not the case, Gai's team needed to destroy the initial barrier seal, and they would have needed to wait for them anyways.

It was sad, dis-empowering for him to think it but it was true. He couldn't save Gaara from his fate. He was destined to die and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. The weight of losing Gaara is still entirely too fresh for his heart to bear.

"Damnit!" Naruto shouts as he punches the log he is sitting on, his knuckle now coated in splinters.

"You shouldn't injure yourself further. Hinata wouldn't take that kindly." Came a voice from behind Naruto.

The boy swung his head around to face the unexpected guest. Standing there was Neji, his face blank, not betraying any emotions he was feeling.

"Neji, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked, puzzled as to why he was here.

Neji stepped forward and sat on the log about a meter away from Naruto.

"To try and repay some of the kindness you have shown the Hyūga."

The blonde didn't know what to think about that statement. What exactly had he done? If anything, he owed Hinata for the times she was there for him, and he owed Neji for teaching her.

"Thanks man, but if anything, I owe you and Hinata for all you have done."

Neji raised his brow in genuine confusion as he looked towards his comrade. "Explain yourself."

Naruto took a long deep breath before starting to speak. "For one, if you hadn't been such an excellent teacher for Hinata, I doubt she would be half the kunoichi she is now. She really saved our asses against Deidara."

Naruto finished his line of thought on Neji before moving on to his reasons for Hinata. "For Hinata, its more personal. She was there for me when I really needed someone. Not just now but before today too. She will always be there for me, and I will never be able to repay that."

"You are wrong, there is a way to repay what she has done." Neji stated, eyes still staring forward.

"How?"

"You continue to be you. That's all Hinata or I want from you. You change people for the better. You make people want to be better. It's a gift I have never seen before."

Naruto didn't know what to say to this for a while. He had never felt special before, outside the nine-tails inside him but that was more of a curse. He simply always tried to do his best and work towards becoming the Hokage someday. Why was that special?

"Uhhh, thanks, I think."

"Don't worry, you will understand your effect on people one day, I know it."

The pair continued to just sit there for a while. Naruto is trying to find something to say, and Neji simply waiting for Naruto to speak or leave.

"I still can't stop thinking about Gaara. No matter what I think I could have changed, I keep coming back to the same conclusion that Gaara would still die. The horrifying thing is that I think the outcome we came out with was the best possible one given the circumstances. Sometimes, I do you may be onto something with that fate and destiny crap you preached during the chūnin exams. It feels like it was fated for Gaara to die." Naruto gravely put forth; his spirits started to sink upon thinking of his dead friend.

"You are wrong to think that Naruto." Neji uttered, swiftly turning his head to meet Naruto face to face.

"It sure doesn't feel like I'm wrong. It just feels like there was nothing I could do to prevent this. I felt so helpless when I first saw him lying there in that cave." Naruto lamented as he turned his head down to stare at the ground.

"That doesn't mean it was fated for him to die. We each make our own destiny. Whatever it is we choose. You make your own, I make my own, and unfortunately our opponents made their own. It was their choices, much more than ours, that lead to the result."

Naruto wanted to rebuke him, but he couldn't. Neji was speaking the truth; the truth Naruto himself had once preached to Neji himself. There was no set destiny for anyone, we choose how to live, and in some cases how we die. In his grief, he had almost forgotten that lesson.

"The question you have to answer for yourself Naruto, is how will you respond to this tragedy?" Compared to what Neji was saying before, this was easy for Naruto to answer.

"I'll keep moving forward. I'll continue to improve and live a life that Gaara would be proud of. I'll honor him in that way." Naruto declared while clenching his fist in front of his face.

"Good." Was all Neji said in response. Outwardly, his face never exposed his feelings. Inwardly, he was happy he could repay a little of the debt the Hyūga owed him.

Neji now stood up from the log and turned to Naruto once again. "We should get some rest; it will be a long trek tomorrow."

"You go on ahead, I'll be down in a minute." Naruto retorted back, wanting just a smidge more time to himself.

Neji silently approved of this and stepped back over the log before starting his retreat down.

"There is another." Neji cryptically says.

"Huh?" Naruto asks in confusion as he twists his head to look at Neji. He never got an answer as Neji had already retreated too far down the hill to hear anything else. He decided to brush off the comment and refocused himself on his own thoughts for the moment.

Back at the camp, Neji had just returned from his small talk with Naruto when he noticed that Sakura was still seated by the campfire. She had now changed her clothes from her muddy attire beforehand into a clean set of clothes now. She didn't say anything the entire night. Neji did see her though make quick glances up the hill as if checking on her teammate, making sure he was ok from afar.

Before he entered his tent to retire for the evening, He too looked back up that hill to see if Naruto was ok. He could see that the blonde was starting to come down the hill now. Satisfied with this, he fully enters his tent and ends his evening.

Sakura could feel the longing of sleep creeping up her. The longer she sat there, the more powerful its lullaby spoke to her. On a few occasions she found herself starting to nod off to sleep. She would shake her head awake each time and would refocus herself either on the fire or on her teammate up on the hill.

Even if he didn't want her close to him now, she wanted to make sure he was ok. Hinata had been up there with him for a long time. She couldn't hear what they had been saying but whatever the two of them were saying/doing seemed to calm the boy down. Hinata had that effect on him. He always seemed to just let it all out with her. Sakura was happy that someone was there for him, even if it wasn't herself.

She was surprised when Neji made his way up there after Hinata had left. She thought the most likely reason he went up there was to just give advice to her teammate. Now that he had gotten off his whole fate kick, his advice was good from what she had heard. There was a small chance though that perhaps he went up there not to give advice, but maybe it was him being an overprotective cousin, telling Naruto not to break Hinata's heart. Naruto and Hinata would make a great couple. Sakura knew it, Ino knew it, hell everyone except the two in question knew it.

Why don't I feel as happy as I should for the two of them?

Now Naruto had returned to the camp. Instead of going straight to bed, he stopped by the campfire and put his hands out to warm up. Sakura turned her attention to Naruto. Both exchanged a brief glance at each other before turning back towards the flames, neither knowing what to say, if anything at all. Concern crept upon the face of the kunoichi. Even though she had been sitting next to the fire, she still felt quite cold. She had already moved the log closer to the fire, but it did nothing to abate the iciness she felt.

"Naruto, I-I'm sorry about Gaara. I did everything I could to try and save him, but I just couldn't. I wasn't good enough." Sakura confessed to the boy. She continued to stare into the fire, hoping that the fire could somehow burn away this feeling inside her.

Naruto spared another glance towards his teammate. He could see it in her face, the guilt and sorrow she felt at failing to bring his friend back. For just the briefest moment, he felt a kinship with her. Both felt the weight of their collective failure in the mission. He also felt a resolve in both to not to let something like this happen again.

"It's ok, we both did what we could. I don't blame you, and I'm sure Gaara wouldn't have either. I blame those Akatsuki bastards. It was their actions that brought this on us." Naruto said over the popping of the flames. This made her feel a bit better. With Naruto here, she finally started to feel warm again.

Eventually, he put his hands down and started his trot to his tent, the fire casting shadows on his back and along his path. As she watched him head towards his tent, she felt the cold start to return slightly.

"And Sakura?" Naruto said as he reached his tent, he kept his head forward not looking back. Sakura turned her full attention onto her teammate. "Thanks... for everything you did these past few days. You were not all talk it seems. It means a lot."

There it was. Those were the exact kind of words Sakura needed to hear. For the rest of that evening, she no longer felt cold.

XxX

Undisclosed location, 6:00 AM, 4 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"So, Sasori and Deidara are dead." It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

The Akatsuki had gathered now to discuss the aftermath of the one-tail extraction. Half the members were currently in shadow form, not being close enough to join in the flesh. The ones physically there were Konan, Zetsu, a spiral masked man, and the leader. The other 4 were situated against the rocky wall looking towards the center. In the center of the large cavern was the statue that now housed the one, five, and seven tailed beasts.

"Indeed, it seems so." The shadowy figure of Itachi affirms.

"It doesn't fucking surprise me; they were the weakest of us." Hidan exclaims.

"Is there a reason you didn't retrieve the bodies Zetsu? We could have at least gotten some money from their corpses." Interjected Kakazu.

"Deidara was transported to a place I do not have access to. As for Sasori, there is very little human left to even retrieve." Zetsu replied in a quiet voice.

"I wonder how they were able to be defeated. Surely the intel we gave them wasn't wasted." Kisame said from his spot against the wall.

"Tobi thinks they didn't try hard enough. They should have been able to win easily." The spiral masked man says in a childlike way.

"Our intel was outdated, and now that has been corrected." Konan stated.

"Well, at least we don't have to hear that pair whining any more. They really got on my nerves during that last extraction." Kisame added to the current line of dialogue.

"What does this do to our plan?" Zetsu spoke again but this time his voice had a harder edge to it.

"Our schedule will be pushed forward." The leader announces to the assembled group. "Hidan, Kakazu, you two still have the trail of the two-tails. You will go after it immediately when we are finished here."

"Bout fucking time, I was getting bored out of my mind just sitting on my ass."

"Quit your whining, or will I have to remove some of your limbs again?" Kakazu replied to his partner.

"Konan, you will now be paired with Tobi and go after the three-tails. Our latest intel is that it's still in Kiragakure somewhere. Find the trail of the beast and bring it back."

"Oh boy, oh boy, this will be a blast!"

"As you wish, my lord."

"Kisame, Itachi, the four-tails is still your responsibility, find out where the Jinchūriki is hiding and bring them in."

"Understood."

"We are really moving quickly now. Has that blonde brat and his team really scared you this much?"

"If anything, it has shaken my trust in all of you. The sooner we capture the tailed beasts; the less time they have to hinder our plans further. That is all."

"Now then, when you have made your capture, contact Zetsu and we will arrange the extractions from there. Any questions." No one in the group raised their voice.

"Good, despite the setback of losing two members, we are still on track to reach our goal. Soon, this world will be remade in our own image, and we will be the instrument of that change."

XxX

Near Sunagakure, 4:00 PM, 4 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

The combined rescue team had awoken bright and early to pack up camp and head back to Sunagakure. Gai was helping (carrying) Kakashi along and Chiyo still held onto Gaara, stubbornly refusing to hand him over to anyone else in the group. Because there was no longer a need to be cautious in traveling, the group had made far better time returning than they did leaving.

Soon, they found themselves seeing Sunagakure on the horizon, the sun now behind them as they marched forward. They were hoping, begging that they wouldn't have a big welcome party. Kami, it seemed, still wasn't with them.

The scouts on the walls of the village had long seen the group coming and had alerted the council, the shinobi, Kankuro, Baki, and Temari of the groups impending arrival. They were all ready to welcome back their Kazekage with open arms and put this nightmare behind them.

"I wonder what Gaara thought when he first saw Naruto and them. The last time they saw each other was when that toad guy was with him. That was before Gaara was even a candidate for Kazekage."

"Do I look like a fortune teller sister?" Temari opened her mouth before Kankuro cut her off. "Don't answer that. I'm just glad to have him back. Sunagakure was just starting to prosper again under his leadership."

"Oh, come now brother, you missed him as a little brother more than a stinking leader and you know it. You don't need to keep up the false bravado with me."

"False bravado? I'll have you know I'm the genuine article!"

"Whatever you say Kankuro. Whatever you say."

The siblings quipped back and forth a bit, anticipating the return of their dear brother. It had only been four days since his kidnapping, but it felt like months to them. They had never been separated for so long in their entire lives.

"Come on you two, show some professionalism. The council and shinobi leadership are all here, and you are acting like children." Baki commented on the antics of two of his students.

"Alright Baki, we will behave. At least until Gaara arrives." Temari retorted back. Kankuro gave a grunt in understanding instead.

"Baki, let them be. They are still young. Let them enjoy life just a little longer before they are fully committed to the harsh realities of the shinobi." Ebizō said as he took a spot next to the three of them.

"Elder Ebizō please. Even if they are no longer under my wing, I still want to teach them the right way, so they are prepared for those realities." Baki replied, starting to feel exacerbated.

"You have done a fine job preparing them Baki, better than anyone else could have. Now it's time for them to find their own way in this world."

The sense of anticipation was steadily growing as they all looked towards the horizon and saw the rescue team grow larger and larger. Soon they could start to make out individual figures.

"Come on Kankuro, lets go meet them!" Temari exclaims happily as she starts running to meet the group.

"Hey! Wait up!" Kankuro calls out as he tries to catch up with his sister.

Temari didn't slow down, she wanted to see her brother again now that this nightmare of hers was over. After she gave him the biggest hug of her life, she was going to scold him to make sure he knew never to be so reckless in the future and to prioritize his life more from now on. Regardless of how he would react, she was just happy to have him back.

As she got closer to the group, she noticed something odd about them. None of them looked happy to see her. Some, it seemed, refused to meet her gaze.

Wait a minute, I don't see Gaara walking. She thought to herself as she continued to scan the group. At last, her eyes found Chiyo, and what she was carrying in her arms. Why is Chiyo carrying him?

She rushed up towards Chiyo and stopped in front of her. "Ok Gaara, enough playing around. Stop being lazy and get on your own two feet." Temari said, teasing her sibling.

No one in the group had the heart to directly tell her the truth. Lady Chiyo had made it very clear that it would be her to break the news to Gaara's siblings. "I'm sorry deary, that won't be possible." Chiyo said.

"What, you mean like his legs are broken?" Temari asked. She started to feel like something very wrong had happened.

"No." Chiyo uttered as she held onto Gaara, now positioning him in both her arms.

Temari took a step forward and gave Gaara a shove on the shoulder. "Hey, quit fooling around. This isn't funny Gaara." She got no response from the boy in Chiyo's arms. Now she was starting to understand the gravity of the situation. Still, she held onto hope.

She gave another shake. "Gaara?"

"..."

"Gaara!" She shouts as she takes Gaara away from Chiyo and holds him in her own arms.

"Gaara! Wake up! Please wake up!" She cries out, pleading for her worst fears to be unrealized.

"..."

She now falls to the ground, her knees too weak to hold her up. She could now feel the coldness of him. She investigated his face and could finally see no signs of life.

"Gaara." She whispers as she clings onto her sibling. The weight of the situation is now hitting her with the force of a tsunami.

Kankuro had managed to finally get to the group and was confused as to what was happening. No one was greeting him, none of them said a word to him. The only thing he could hear were the alarming words coming from his big sister.

"Gaara." He heard barely above a whisper. Thats when he saw it. His younger brother in the arms of his big sister. Her face was staring at Gaara, and he could see water collecting in her eyes. He could hear her voice quiver as she continued to say the name of their little brother over and over again.

"Gaara." Kankuro whispered out, too horrified to believe what he was seeing. He too knelt beside his sister and reached out for Gaara's hand. It was cold.

"No." he whispered again, his entire being going numb.

"Why!? Why Gaara!?" Temari shrieked out, pulling the corpse of her brother towards her, cradling his head as she did so.

Kankuro didn't know what to think. His brother was dead. He would never get a chance to tell him just how proud he was of him. Never again would he be able to see him moving around the village. All his hopes and dreams snuffed out before he could even truly live his life.

This isn't fair! He was finally starting to the respect and love of the village! He was doing so well and turning himself around! He would have become the greatest Kazekage of all time!

Kankuro just sat there, processing this new reality as best he could. He wanted to reach for his sister and comfort her. He didn't. He needed to let out this sadness and rage that was filling his being.

"You." He said while standing up, his head still staring at the sand beneath his feet. He felt the anger inside him swell. Raging like a typhoon. He couldn't control it even if he wanted to. All he knew was that he was lied to.

"You said you would save him!" He raged out, finally looking up and targeting the object of all his anger.

Naruto didn't flinch when Kankuro yelled at his direction. He could only imagine the pain of losing a brother like this. He didn't know what either Temari's or Kankuro's reactions would be, but he would help them in any way he could.

"YOU SAID YOU WOULD SAVE HIM!" Kankuro lunged at Naruto, the blonde not making any attempt to avoid the maneuver.

Both boys were now on the sand, Kankuro in prime position to let out his emotions.

"WHY!?" He lets his fist fly, striking Naruto below him straight in the face. Naruto could feel his nose break after just the first hit, blood squirted out and caught a bit of Kankuro's rage fueled fist. Kankuro could feel his eyes watering as he landed this first punch. Naruto let him vent his anger and sadness as long as possible, knowing this is what he needed.

Hinata and Sakura both managed to tear Kankuro away from Naruto after the fourth blow. They knew that the siblings would be emotionally charged after learning about their brother's fate. They didn't expect that one of them would lash out in such a way. As much as both wanted to hate the boy for hurting Naruto, they couldn't bring themselves too. They both knew that when the initial emotions came to pass that the distraught boy would ask for forgiveness from Naruto and that was enough for the kunoichi.

Kankuro tried his best to break the hold the two kunoichi had on him, but it was to no avail. He felt all the fight being sucked out of him, his strength waning until all he could do was sob. When he was finally released, he collapsed next to his sister, joining her in her grief and mourning.

Temari clung onto the corpse of her brother for dear life. She managed to raise her eyes, and they were filled with unimaginable pain. She silently pleaded for some kind of miracle, some kind of divine intervention. Something, anything to bring back what she had lost. All she received was the harsh reality of the desert.

By now, the rest of the welcoming delegation has shown up. Temari's cries and Kankuro's shouting had already told them what had happened. Baki joined his young students and gathered around the body of the Kazekage. He said nothing to them as the two of them loudly mourned, he simply wrapped them up and wouldn't let go.

Ebizō walked forward and took his place next to his sister. "So, this is what the world has come to dear sister."

Chiyo continued to look at the scene in front of her. Feeling the pangs of guilt tug at her heart. She barely noticed when her brother came up beside her. "Yes, it seems somethings never change."

The council and Jōnin from the village were now upon the scene as well. Word spread quickly among their ranks on the death of their Kazekage. Some were shocked, some were angry, a few even wept. All range of emotions was on display. One question would eventually come to all their minds. What now?

"We failed them brother, we were supposed to leave the world better than we found it. Instead, we left them with all our problems while we secluded ourselves." Chiyo lamented.

"I wish I could disagree with you." Ebizō says, agreeing with his sister's assessment.

"I shouldn't be surprised at this outcome. I never cared for the future of the village. If I did, I might have been able to prevent this." Chiyo regretfully said.

"That girl." She gestures to Sakura. "She was amazing, the most promising kunoichi I have ever seen. All because her village cared about her future."

"And that boy." gesturing towards Naruto's prone body. "He was willing to do anything to save Gaara. A person he barely knew but felt kinship with. They didn't belong to the same village, but it didn't matter to him. He wants to protect all those he cares for."

Ebizō had an idea on where his sister was going with this line of thinking but still asked. "What are you going to do now?"

Chiyo felt her resolve harden. The failure of the generation's past should not be carried by the current. If they did, the past generations had better do everything they can to prepare the current one.

"It's time you and I came out of retirement. We may not have much more time left on this earth, so lets put it to good use." Chiyo states to her brother.

"And dare I may ask, what will we do after coming out of retirement." Ebizō had a small semblance of a smirk on his face as he said this.

"We will pass on what we know to any in Sunagakure who are willing to learn. It's time we also stopped our isolationist approach, reach out to the other villages, especially Konohagakure. They were there for us even after we tried to invade them."

"Do you think that will be enough sister? Do we have time to prepare our home?"

"I don't know, but I do know is that we can give it our all. If we do that, then I will have no regrets, and can pass on knowing there was nothing else I could do. That too is a lesson we should teach the younger generations."

These were the final words spoken this evening by the honored siblings. They both could see the path forward was going to be challenging. The first order of business for them would be to convene the council tonight. A funeral for a young boy needed to be planned.

---

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Cold Play

Yes, Gaara is one hundred percent dead, no secret jutsu only Chiyo knows to bring him back. If you are going to kill off a character then do it, don't do a fake out like we got from kishimoto and then just bring them back by killing off a character we just met not too long ago. I want death to mean something. That being said, I actually like the Edo Tensai resurrection because it's not a true resurrection and the person brought back can't go against its summoners wishes.

With this, the Kazekage retrieval arc is complete, not withstanding a chapter on the group leaving suna but that's more epilogue territory. Next is the bridge arc and I have a few twists planned for that as well. Speaking of which, I wonder how Gaara's real death and Chiyo living will change things going forward. Immediately not a whole lot except for Naruto and how he views himself.

The scene with Temari and Kankuro I originally had going differently, Temari would have had the same reaction but I changed Kankuro to lash out. He seems like the kind of guy who would lash out when hurting like that.

Personal note, I'm now finally at 17% body fat so I'm considered healthy for the first time in 25 years, yay me. Now it's time to get the summer body I've always dreamed of. Oh and my chapter title idea just continues to grow week by week. Currently it sits at 69 titles with some I know exactly when I'll use them (Like the final 2 chapters) and others ill use when I feel like its appropriate

Till next time Yall!

Chapter 13: Wait And Bleed

 

Yamanaka compound, 7:00 PM, 5 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"You did good today princess."

"I'm still nowhere near your level."

"I've got decades of experience to draw from. Decades, plural. You haven't even been alive for as long as I have been a shinobi"

"True, and I don't want to have to grow up too fast if I don't have too."

"No matter how much you grow, you will always be my little pumpkin."

"uuuugh, ok, maybe I do want to grow up faster."

Inoichi gives a full hearty laugh, hearing his daughter speak to him. The two of them were currently seated in the main office of the Analysis Team reviewing Ino's progress since she started working with them. Inoichi sat behind the main desk, going over the reviews and data that Ino had collected. Ino sat on the opposite side of the desk with her hands held neatly in her lap.

She wasn't a full-fledged member yet, Inoichi still wanted his daughter to become more well-rounded as a kunoichi and not be pigeon-holed into his line of work. That is why she split her time between working with him, Tsunade, team 10, and still working at the flower shop. It filled him with pride to see Ino able to handle all the pressure and work and still be her normal self.

He was starting to wonder just what really drove his daughter. His initial thoughts went to that Uchiha boy, but he quickly dismissed that notion. Her daughter had not gone to see him in about two years now and he had not even heard her speak of him for a year now. Inoichi was well acquainted with Sasuke. He had been the one who did the initial psychological evaluations of the young boy right after the Uchiha massacre after all.

He had not spoken with the boy before the incident but from what he could gather Sasuke seemed like a normal happy child at the time. His teachers said before the massacre that Sasuke had a pretty good social life and was friendly. They did note that he seemed to seek his father's approval quite a bit but failed to get it until right before the clan's slaughter.

Sasuke's relationship with his brother both before and after the incident seems to be the biggest driving force in the young boy's life. Sasuke adored his older brother, to the point some of the school faculty thought it was bordering on obsession. Now in the present day, that obsession has only grown, except now hatred has replaced brotherly love.

The boy witnessed his entire clan being murdered by the person he idolized most. Not surprisingly, it broke the Uchiha. He completely changed after that event and Inoichi couldn't blame him. No young child should ever have to experience such a thing, and Sasuke had to witness it firsthand for three days thanks to his brother.

If there was one word, he could attach to the young Uchiha, it would be unstable. It was obvious to him even during their first session together. Understandably so, the boy wasn't very forthcoming with what he saw that night. One of the only concrete details Inoichi had managed to get from him in the following years was that Itachi forced him to relieve every single murder of that night repeatedly.

The sandaime Hokage had forbade him from using his clan techniques to attempt to help the poor lad. The only reason he ever gave was that he didn't want to give the boy any more reason to hate. Cryptic as that was, Inoichi obeyed the order and did what he could.

He would see Sasuke monthly for quite a while after the massacre. It was during one of these sessions that he was able to get one more concrete detail of the night, his brother had told the young boy that he never loved him and that he was weak and to get stronger for he was too below Itachi to even consider killing.

This line really puzzled Inoichi. He had also done psych evaluations on Itachi before he joined the ANBU, it was standard practice to make sure the members would be able to handle their future duties. He never told Sasuke, but he couldn't believe the line about his brother not loving him. During Itachi's evaluations, he always lightened up when he could talk about his brother. Now, he could have been hiding it, but Inoichi highly doubted it. Despite his reservations, it wasn't Inoichi's mission to investigate Itachi, only to help the last loyal Uchiha get better. At least he was loyal at the time.

The Yamanaka clan head was one of the few people in the village who knew the truth about the "rescue" of Sasuke. It was an outcome he was afraid of with how unstable the boy was. He was entirely focused on his goal of avenging his clan, to the detriment of his personal life. While his grades soared in school, he shunned all connections, choosing to be utterly alone. It seriously stunted his development emotionally. He didn't know how to react in any social situations outside grunting or ignoring it. It gave him a cold and brooding aura. It was just a mask though that hid all the pain and anguish he felt inside.

It was this aura of his that he knew initially drew his daughter to the boy. Young girls were always drawn to the handsome boys who looked like they didn't care about anything but themselves. For years, all he heard from Ino was how wonderful Sasuke was and how she would help him with his problems and one day become his bride.

Outwardly he would play along with his daughter but inside he always dreaded hearing her talk like that. He knew that Ino would have been miserable being with Sasuke. Ino was the type of girl who thrived off attention and was romantic at heart. Sasuke, with his stunted social skills, would not have been the type of person to give her what she wanted in life.

He thanked Kami every day for whatever force shown her the light on what Sasuke was truly like. The boy didn't need a wife or even a girlfriend. What he needed was serious help. As the old saying goes though, you can drag a horse to water, but you can't make them drink.

"So, daddy, do you think I'm ready for solo extractions yet?" The Yamanaka heiress spoke up, bringing Inoichi temporarily back to the real world. She leaned forward and put her head in her hands, trying to act as cute as she could.

"Oh, sorry honey, I didn't catch that, can you repeat it?"

"I was asking if you think I'm ready to do solo dives yet." Her mask of cuteness dropping slightly.

Inoichi had to think about this long and hard. Ino most had the skills to do solo dives on her own, there was no question on that front. The only problem he saw was a personal one. He didn't know if she was mentally ready to face what she would find in some of the minds out there. There were a lot of sick and twisted individuals out in the world. Even normal everyday shinobi had their fair share of traumatic experiences, and it wouldn't be a pleasant time to go into their minds and find out.

But the main reason he was tempted to tell her no is because he didn't want to see her become scarred. He was trying to tell himself she needed a few more years before she was ready to face the realities of this world. He tried to tell himself this was the best thing for her.

He knew he was wrong. He knew she had more than enough training to deal with anything thrown her way. He also knew if he tried to hold her back to protect her, she would resent him, and it would hinder her growth as a kunoichi. As much as it hurt him, he knew what he had to say.

"I think I can allow you to do some solo dives now."

"Yes!" Ino screeched as she threw a fist into the air. She had been wanting to hear this news for so long. She had put in all the hard work necessary in her clan techniques, but she felt her father was at times holding her back.

"On one condition." Inoichi said, deflating Ino just a bit to cause her to bring her fist back down.

"And what would that be?"

"You must promise me that you will take care of yourself first and foremost. When you dive you are alone in there and won't be able to rely on your teammates. Protect yourself and don't be afraid to get out if you think you can't complete the mission." He prayed to Kami that his daughter wouldn't be too reckless. She was the clan heir and his only child, and he knew she had to grow into the role. She wouldn't be able to do that with him holding her hand in everything she did. She would need to make mistakes on her own and learn from them. He only hoped she wouldn't make the big mistakes that couldn't be recovered from.

"Don't worry daddy, I'll be sure to be careful. I just want to help my friends. They have all put in just as much work as I have, and I want to show off what I can do." She replies thinking about team 10 and her other friends.

"Speaking of friends, how are they all doing?" Inoichi quizzes his daughter.

"Well, Shikamaru and Chōji have both been busy mastering their clan jutsu's. Last I saw they both seemed to be coming along quickly. Both Shikamaru's and Chōji's dad's say their sons are mastering the jutsu's faster than even they did." Now that the three of them were chūnin, they found that despite being part of the famed Ino–Shika–Chō team, they were not a team for every single mission. With their respective clan jutsu's in their back pockets, they found themselves being added to teams to round out specific needs for missions.

For important missions, the three were assigned together but those were getting rarer. It was even rarer for their trio plus Asuma to be on the same mission. Since all had been promoted to chūnin the 4 had only gone on three missions together, all A-Rank. It was difficult for the four to stay in touch, but they tried their best to meet up at least once a month.

"And what of Sakura and Hinata?" Inoichi questioned again.

"Hinata is doing great, last time we met she said her gentle fist has come a long way as had her usage of her bow. Not only that but I think she's finally gotten passed her shyness now. She's been much more assertive now and it's a good change in my book. Sakura is still ahead of me in Iryōjutsu, but don't you dare tell her I said that." She says pointing her finger at her father.

"No words will leave this room; you have my word." Inoichi assured her daughter while finding humor in his daughters and Sakura's rivalry.

"Good, now then. She's also been keeping her supplemental training with Gai sensei. I swear I don't know how she is able to keep up training with Kakashi, Lady Tsunade and Gai. She must be a secret stamina beast." Ino teased her friend. Although, she shouldn't be one to be talking about being a stamina beast. She too had been running ragged and yet she kept going. She wondered to herself what really drove her to new heights.

"Uh hu." Now a small smile appeared on his face. Ino caught it and knew what he was about to ask and inwardly she groaned. "And what of Naruto? I heard he got back not too long ago."

Ino rolled her eyes before responding to her father. "Yes, he made it back not too long ago. He didn't stay too long though, Lady Tsunade told me she sent him, Kakashi, Sakura, and Hinata on mission to Sunagakure. I wouldn't have to tell you this if you made it back home more often." Ino stated. Today was the first time she had seen her father in a week. She had been given a week off from her duties in the analysis team due to a couple reasons. One was her previous performances being stellar and two because Tsunade had requested some more time with her to catch her up with Sakura in Iryōjutsu. As for her father, there had been a sudden influx of prisoners that proved resistant to the torture teams methods. So, it fell onto Inoichi and his team to pick up the slack.

Inoichi frowned when her daughter called him out on not being there this past week. He felt bad having to miss dinners with his family. It was one of the few times he found himself now spending time with them. There wasn't much he could do though. It was his duty to protect the village in his own way and he would do it till his dying breath.

"I'll promise I'll make dinner tomorrow and we can have a nice family meal. How does that sound pumpkin?" Inoichi offered his promise in hopes his daughter wouldn't be angry with him.

"That sounds terrific, I know mom will love it!"

"Good, now then, back to the previous topic of conversation. How's Naruto changed since he left? I know for certain you have seen him." Inoichi teased Ino. He first noticed that Ino really started to take training seriously after the Sasuke 'rescue' mission. He figured seeing Chōji in the hospital almost dead and Shikamaru getting promoted quickly had lit a fire under her to improve. His intuition on that had been spot on, the fall of Sasuke in her eyes and witnessing the aftermath of what had befallen her teammates had caused her training to be taken seriously. If he had not seen her take her training seriously, he would have held back on training her in the more advanced clan techniques. He didn't have to worry though. She finally had the right motivation to improve.

It didn't pass the notice of him that the fall of Sasuke in his daughter's eyes also coincided with the rise of Naruto. Now she didn't talk about him as much asher training and missions, but when she did, he could just tell there was something she kept to herself. He knew little of the boy outside reports years ago on mischief being managed in the village or what his daughter said of him.

He seemed like a good kid like Sasuke used to be. Except, Naruto went on a different path. Where the path that Sasuke was dark and didn't have a good ending in sight. Naruto's path was much brighter with a brilliant end goal in becoming the Hokage. The Uzumaki was a much better influence on his daughter than Sasuke was. He shuddered to think about any girl obsessing over the Uchiha in his current state.

Damnit, he figured me out.

Ino was used to being teased about boys by her mother, they shared a love of gossip after all. Being teased by her father on such matters was entirely different. She didn't understand it either. Naruto was just a good friend and that was it!

"He's improved a lot while he was away. He even gave a small demonstration of one of the new things he learned while away. I'm glad he's back. It had been too long since I saw him."

"Yes, I'm sure you missed him." Inoichi said with a slight snicker

"And what are you implying with that father?"

"Oh nothing, just happy my baby finally moved on to someone who is much better for them."

"Father, it's not like that and you know it."

"Then why have you talked about Naruto more recently and have not even brought up Sasuke!"

"J-Just shut up dad!"

Inoichi let out another hearty laugh seeing her daughter be flustered. Tonight was truly a special evening for him.

Suddenly the door to the office slammed open. An ANBU member with a mask that resembles a cat's face covered in green, and red intricate markings made their way on through. Their katana fastened to their side as they walked in."The Hokage requests your audience."

Figures, I finally started to have some good father-daughter bonding time, and the world can't stand it.

"Alright, let me clean up here and I'll be right there." Inoichi sighs in resignation to another long night.

"Not you." The ANBU said, who now started to point to Ino. "You."

"Me? Why me and not my father?" Ino asked confused at the situation.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss, now please follow me miss Yamanaka." The ANBU stoically said.

Ino turned to her father and saw a worried look on his face. She put on a brave one to comfort him. "Don't worry daddy, I'm sure it won't be long. Besides, we have our dinner as a family tomorrow and don't you forget it!"

Sadly, for the head Yamanaka family. There will be no family dinner tomorrow.

XxX

Funeral chambers in Sunagakure, 7:00 AM, 5 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

The combined teams of Gai and Kakashi were inside the mausoleum holding the body of the Kazekage. Although the funeral wouldn't happen for a few days to allow for mourning, the teams couldn't stay that long. They had to report back to Konohagakure with the news of their failure.

The body of Gaara was laid out in a coffin at the rear of mausoleum. The wake was going to be held that night and the body was prepared quickly. All members from Konohagakure had packed black outfits for such an occasion, although they thought that they would be using them.

Kankuro and Temari were up at the front in black, still grieving at the loss of their little brother. Each member of the teams from Konohagakure left flowers near the casket of the fallen Kazekage, said a few words to Gaara, and offered their condolences to the brother and sister. Chiyo and Ebizō sat behind the siblings, also in their black gear.

The last person to see the body was Naruto Uzumaki. In his hands was the biggest bouquet of flowers he could buy with the money he had on him. Although he had come to terms with this new reality, it still pained his soul to see his friend dead like this.

"Hey buddy, it's me, Naruto." He said in a whisper as he stood next to the casket. He peered over the edge to look upon his friend. Gaara looked so peaceful just lying there. You could almost convince yourself he was simply sleeping, almost.

"You know, your brother gave me a pretty good beating the other day. He packs quite the punch." Naruto said trying to lighten the mood for himself.

"..."

"Damnit man, why is this so hard? I was thinking all last night about what I wanted to say to you. Now, I can't remember almost any of it." Naruto was frustrated with himself. This was his last chance to say something to his friend and he was failing Gaara even now.

"There is one thing I wanted to say to you, although I wish you were alive to hear it." Naruto said as he thought back to when he was with Shikamaru and Temari back in Konohagakure.

"Congratulations on becoming Kazekage buddy. You earned it."

"..."

"And I'll become Hokage before you know it, believe it."

"..."

"I-I just wish you would b-be there to see it." Naruto finally managed to let out the words he wishes he never had to say.

He placed his flowers next to the casket.

"I hope to s-s-see you again someday. Then I can tell you about all that's happened to me."

"..."

"Take care brother, I-I-I-I'm going to miss you so much!" Naruto couldn't hold it back much longer. If he stayed any longer or said another word to his departed friend, he would lose it. So, with a heavy heart, he stood back and said not another word to the departed.

He slowly made his way to Kankuro and Temari, keeping his head down as he did so. If talking to Gaara was hard, what he was about to do was way worse. He lost a brother he knew of for only a few years. They lost a brother they knew for their entire lives. No matter how close he thought he was to Gaara, these two would always be closer. They knew Gaara better than anyone else on the planet. What can you say to the people whose brother you failed to save?

"I'm sorry." Those were the best words he could come up with. No elaborate sentences or phrases would bring them any comfort with the pain still raw. So, he didn't try to come up with such things, only a few simple words but they carried a lot of meaning behind them. Naruto now thought it was time to see them eye to eye as best he could.

Temari unfortunately had her head down as well, silently crying and doing her best to keep her shaking to a minimum. Kankuro had his arm wrapped around his sister with a look of stoicism on his face. He was trying his best to be the rock his sister needed at this moment. Naruto could see it in his eyes though. Kankuro was hurt just as much as his sister.

His body had by now healed the physical pain that Kankuro had given him. Emotionally the pain was still there. He didn't blame Kankuro though, he never would. He knew the puppeteer had needed to release his hurt on something, and Naruto was the best target. It's what Kankuro required, and Naruto was more than happy to be the outlet of that frustration.

Kankuro slowly lost the stoicism in his face, replaced with a mixture of hurt, anger, sadness and other emotions Naruto couldn't quite pin down. Kankuro opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it soon after. Instead, he simply held onto his sister tighter.

The rest of Naruto's team was at the entrance to the mausoleum. Patiently waiting for him to finish what he needed to do. None would hurry up the blonde as they knew he needed this more than any of them and would give him all the time he needed.

Naruto took a step next to Kankuro as he consoled his sister. The blonde put out his hand and placed it on the puppeteer's shoulder with a loose grasp. Naruto tried to come up with more words to say to the two, but he still felt guilty at failing them, failing his team, failing himself. He wished to know what he could do in this situation to make anything better for the two.

Instead, he gave Kankuro a knowing look, no words needed to be said it seemed. He could see it in Kankuro's eyes that he wanted to apologize for yesterday, but he couldn't find it in himself to do it just yet. Instead, he gave him a nod of understanding. Naruto returned the gesture in kind.

He eventually let go of Kankuro and started to walk towards his group. He was about to return to his mostly intact reality and was leaving behind an utterly broken one. He eventually got halfway to his team when he heard a voice come from behind him.

"Naruto." He heard the voice in a low shout. At first, he didn't recognize the voice and so he turned around to see who said his name. It was Temari

She had now stood up and was standing next to Kankuro in the middle of the aisle. She still had her head down but was visibly shaking. She had her fists clenched by her sides, white knuckles betraying the emotions she had on her hidden face.

"Those BASTARDS in the Akatsuki did this, not you!" She said even more loudly now. Finding strength in something that wasn't sadness for the first time today.

"I won't ever blame you for Gaara's death. I just want you to promise me something." She pleaded with her brother's closest friend.

"What promise would that be?" Anything he could do to help her he would. It's the least he could do.

"Promise me you will make the fuckers pay for what they did to Gaara." She said as a seething venom filled her voice. She now finally made eye contact with Naruto. She still had tears running down her eyes, but her face was now one of complete wrath.

"I don't care if my village wants to help or not. If you need any help with the Akatsuki, I'll come by my kami forsaken self if I must so I can avenge my brother's death. Know you will always have at least one ally in Sunagakure." Temari meant every word of what she said. She wanted to see all those bastards in the Akatsuki pay for taking Gaara away. She wanted to play some part in their downfall, no matter how small or large it may be.

Her vow to Naruto is also her repaying him for all he has done for her family. He may not have gotten to Gaara in time, but she knew it wasn't for lack of trying. She knew Gaara wouldn't hold a grudge against his friend for his death and so she wouldn't either. Naruto is the reason that Gaara finally became more than a monster to the village. Naruto is the reason that Gaara finally started to find comfort and happiness in his life, however brief that may have been. Even if it meant forsaking her village, she would do it to help her fellow blonde in avenging her brother.

"You won't be alone child. I can assure you of that." Chiyo said, now standing next to her brother near the rear of the mausoleum.

Turning her head towards her elder, her face softened just a bit but retained its hard edge. "I appreciate the thought Lady Chiyo, but you are needed here in the village way more than I am."

Chiyo would have chuckled at the young kunoichi if it were any other circumstance. "Oh, I wasn't saying I would be going. Rather, I was saying that when the time comes, I'll make sure Sunagakure is ready to aid Konohagakure. My brother and I aren't just vaults of knowledge. We have many connections all over the village. This is the least we can do for you Temari and for those who came to our aid."

Temari now had a small amount of hope in her. She knew that Lady Chiyo wasn't lying. Temari had known of the honored sibling's vast array of connections around the village. Her father had drilled the politics of the village into her and her brother's head from a very early age. He said that the honored elders' influence was second only to the Kazekage themselves.

"Thank you, Lady Chiyo. I'll owe you a great debt if you do." Temari says as she bows to her senior.

"There will be no debt on your part deary. It is our generation that didn't prepare you enough for this world to come. This is simply us doing what little we can to make up for that fact." Chiyo declares, her brother silently agreeing as she spoke.

"Oh, and I almost forgot." Chiyo says as she pulls a file out from under her robe. "Here is the file you requested Sakura. I hope it will help." She continues as she moves on forward toward the front of the mausoleum.

"What file?" Naruto asked, puzzled at what this file could contain.

"Sakura requested a file on everything related to Sasori last night. Said it might come in handy to locate the other Akatsuki's whereabouts." Chiyo said as she handed the file to Naruto for safekeeping.

"Temari, Granny Chiyo, thank you both so much. We won't forget this." Naruto said with conviction. The weight of his failure stayed with his heart, but it felt that much lighter knowing that he had more allies in his upcoming fight. He knew they would be needed for what was to come.

XxX

Konohagakure, 6:15 PM, 5 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"So, the Kazekage is dead." Tsunade stated for her own record.

In her office stood all of team Gai along with most of team Kakashi. Her assistant Shizune stood next to her. When the teams arrived back in the village, the first place they visited was the hospital. Kakashi was suffering from chakra exhaustion still. Gai had been the one to carry Kakashi all the way back from Sunagakure. To lighten the mood just a smidge, he challenged his youthful student lee to a race once they got close to home. Lee was all too happy to accept the challenge and found himself a rock to carry that was similar in weight in Kakashi. Gai won the race and for his failure, Lee promised to run around the wall of the village ten times, much to the chagrin of team Gai.

After making sure the cyclops jōnin was in good hands, the rest of the party went straight to see Tsunade to give their reports. From Naruto's team it was mostly Sakura doing the talking with the occasional input from the blonde and Hinata. Sakura laid out every detail she could think of from the time they left Konohagakure till dropping off Kakashi.

Gai gave his verbal report from the time they left Konohagakure till the two teams met up outside the hideout. He made sure to include details on the fight with the Akatsuki member they faced before meeting up with Kakashi's team. Although for the life of him, Gai couldn't remember the guy's name.

Team Kakashi had just wrapped up giving their verbal report to Tsunade. They went over every relevant detail they could think of. Sakura also made sure to let Tsunade know about this Sasori's spy that was currently with Orochimaru and how they would have been meeting soon. She also gave her master the file on Sasori that Lady Chiyo had given her. Sakura hoped the file would be useful to them in the future.

"Hai, we were unsuccessful in rescuing him my lady." Sakura said at attention.

"Damnit!" She said in frustration. "at least you were able to get his body back. They can properly mourn now." Her tone softened as she spoke.

Tsunade then switched subjects slightly to the other news they told her. "Despite the main objective of the mission not being completed. I'm impressed with the teamwork you all showed as well as your individual skills. With two of their members dead, it will be harder for the Akatsuki to do what they want now. It should buy us some time at least."

"Thank you, Lady Hokage!" The assembled crowd said as they all bowed before their leader.

"And" Tsunade paused for just a second to compose herself before mentioning her former teammate. "We might finally have a solid lead on where Orochimaru is hiding."

"Hai my lady, Sasori's contact will be at Tenchi bridge in two weeks. Are you planning on following up with this lead?" Sakura asked her master, although she knew her well enough to know the answer.

"I am. Gai, Neji, Tenten, Lee. You are all dismissed for now. I want your written reports delivered within one week's time."

"Hai" the three said in unison before exiting the office.

"Please say you are sending us out to meet that person. Orochimaru still has to pay for what he did to us and Sasuke." Naruto boldly stated while holding his fist in front of him.

For just the moment, Tsunade ignored the boy as she went through the ritual to seal the room from outside ears.

"Hai, I will be sending you three out to meet with this source." Tsunade stated as she sat back in her chair.

Before any of them could get a word in, Tsunade continued. "It's not just this contact and Orochimaru you will be going after. You will have a third target as well."

"Is it another Akatsuki member Lady Tsunade?" asked Hinata. Her fight with Deidara was just the start. She now had full confidence in herself that she could stand alongside team Kakashi and put an end to the Akatsuki sooner rather than later.

"Unfortunately, no Hinata. I'm afraid your third target will be a lot more personal towards these two here." She says as she gestures towards Sakura and Naruto.

"Personal Granny?"

Tsunade would allow that personal affront to go for now, he was about to receive news that he would not take well. She wordlessly pulls a scroll from her top drawer and hands it to him. The poster in the scroll was supposed to serve as the template for mass reproduction. It had just been delivered to her one-hour prior.

Naruto unfurled the scroll and opened it up. Hinata had a look of shock on her face as she covered her mouth. Sakura had a similar look and reaction but added a soft "no" under her breath. Naruto was just completely stunned. This couldn't be true. This had to be a joke. Be it from Tsunade or Kami himself, this had to be a bad prank pulled on him. There is no way this could be real.

XxX

Konohagakure, 7:00 PM, 2 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

Sasuke at this moment is euphoric. Tonight was the night he would leave this kami forsaken village for good. He would finally start the process of claiming what was rightfully his all along. Tonight, he would finally start to acquire what he needed to surpass Itachi.

When Naruto finally returned to the village, Sasuke was happy. He wouldn't let anyone know it, but his former teammate was the closest thing to a measuring stick he had to gauge his power. His swift defeat at the hands of his rival triggered something in the Uchiha.

This was now the second time that Naruto had defeated him. Sasuke chalked up his first defeat at the hands of his teammate in the valley up to pure luck and nothing more. His second defeat he couldn't dismiss as casually. It looked like Naruto didn't even try and still Sasuke lost. It was humiliating, a scar on his psych that would never heal. That is why he was here now, to ensure that he would never again be surpassed by someone so far beneath him. He was here to take the curse mark from Anko.

It seemed that Kakashi made good on his promise to Sasuke to have the Hokage ease up on the ANBU surveillance of him. He first noticed it two nights ago, after Naruto had beaten him. The usual spots where the ANBU would observe him in his families' lands were gone. He had done his due diligence and scouted for any traces of them and found nothing.

It seemed that Orochimaru was correct as well. For the past two days he had no sight of his former teacher. Kakashi indeed was sent out on a mission with the rest of his former teammates. Perfect.

After that he went out into the village and simply toured around, something he rarely ever did except to buy supplies. Once again, he didn't feel the familiar presence of the ANBU watching over him. With that fact confirmed, he started to formulate his plan. He knew he couldn't just stalk Anko all day for two days. She was skilled enough to eventually find him out. So, he opted to simply find out where she lived and scout that out instead. It would serve his needs well. A place he knew she would go to eventually and a private place to do what needed to be done.

He knew that the woman was a night owl and would be out all night. He would need to strike when she was getting ready to head out. Patiently he waited for her. He was anxious to finally get out of this hell hole but if there was anything his time here taught him, is that patience can be rewarded in the long haul.

Soon, he finally saw her. She didn't look like she aged a day since the chūnin exams. Her hair was still in that spiky ponytail, and she still had on that tan overcoat over her body fitting mesh armor and dark orange mini skirt. Orange, how he had come to loath such a horrific color.

She was saying farewell to Kurenai, one of, if not only, friend she had. Sasuke couldn't make out what the two were saying but it mattered little. Kurenai had groceries in hand and wouldn't be following Anko back home nor would she be seeing her again for a while. Perfect.

The two kunoichi eventually parted ways and Anko made her way up to her apartment complex. She lived in one of the seedier parts of town where security was not a priority. Sasuke figured Anko either liked the danger or simply liked living close to where the 'entertainment' was.

Once she was inside, he would give her a few minutes to make sure he would catch her in the middle of undressing. Not because he was a pervert of anything. No, it was more practical than that. Her current outfit hid an array of ninja tools, and he wanted to minimize her access to said tools.

After waiting for his self-imposed timeout, Sasuke began his operation. He quickly and quietly opened a window that was hidden from the view of the street that he had rigged earlier today. Once inside he heard the water from the shower running. Perfect.

He crept his way through the domicile, looking and hearing for any signs of his target. It was strange, the more he went along the more it seemed like he was in there alone. Where could she have gone?

A weight suddenly fell on his back, causing him to go prone. This weight started shifting on his back, forcing his head onto the hardwood floor and forcing one of his arms behind his back.

"You little shit, so that was you stalking my place last night." Anko said atop Sasuke's back. She had felt something was off these past few days, like she was being watched. She had plenty of experience in that department, and it wasn't just from men looking to get into her pants.

The village never really trusted her after her former master Orochimaru's crimes were brought to light. She had been thoroughly interrogated for months after he abandoned the village to make sure she wasn't a sleeper agent. Even after she gave them everything she knew and proved her innocence from her master's crimes, she was still viewed with suspicion from everyone in the village baring very few select individuals.

Even the Hokage didn't trust her. She could feel the ANBU watching her for damn nearly a decade before they finally let her go in peace. It was by pure chance she spotted one of them right before she was promoted to Tokubetsu Jōnin. God how she hated their stupid masks and their stupid tantōs.

"What? You finally wanted to lose that precious virginity of yours kid? Well, too bad. You are way too young for me AND I hate you brooding types." Unfortunately, this also wasn't the first time she had been followed home due to her looks. Although, this was the first time someone managed to sneak in. It mattered not. She would deal with this Uchiha brat the same way she treated all those pathetic losers chasing her coat tails.

"Now then, why don't you be a good little boy and be still and quiet as I tie you up." She took a pause. "Kinda funny when you think of it. The Uchiha used to be the police of this town and now the last Uchiha will be brought in the same way his clan used to."

Hearing about his family lit a fire inside the boy. His entire family was gone, and she had the gall to use it as part of a joke? He would make her pay for that. With his free hand still available to him, he was able to form the necessary signs.

At first, he didn't think it worked. Perhaps he didn't do it correctly or perhaps Orochimaru taught him wrong?

"AHHHHH." No, it indeed was working. Anko immediately let go of the boy underneath her and lurched to her side, grabbing at the now active curse mark on her neck.

"You BASTARD!" Anko sneered out, staring daggers into the prone boy. "What did you do to me?"

Her question would go unanswered. The time for talking had long passed. Now was the time for action.

Sasuke used both his hands to stand himself up and now towered over his target. Try as she might, she couldn't stop the debilitating pain from radiating throughout her body. All she could do was writhe in anguish on the floor of her apartment. Sasuke took out a kunai from his holster and stared straight into Anko's eyes.

Wait, what is this kid going to do? Is he a sadist? Is he a necrophiliac?

She didn't have time to think of another thought as she felt another wave of pain flooding her senses. She could barely see the kunai slowly being raised upwards. Sasuke brought the kunai down and made a deep cut. Not on Anko though, his own hand. He knew the next part of his plan would be loud and so he sealed the immediate area from unwanted listeners. It wouldn't stop anyone from peering inside or invading but that was of no concern. No one would be coming to check on Anko for a long time inside her apartment.

With that completed, he peered over to Anko, who had by now managed to crawl a little bit away from him. She was desperately going through all the training and jutsu she knew to come up with a solution to this crippling pain, but it was no use. It was no genjutsu, she had already done her normal dispelling, and the kid didn't have his sharingan active. She thought simply cutting out the bit of flesh that was pulsating would free her from her torment, but whenever she reached for her kunai, she found her hands to be completely unresponsive to her instructions. She tried to form any sort of hand sign she could think of. Her hands did not acknowledge her silent commands.

Sasuke stalked over to his prey, going through his hand signs in a detached manner. Now he stood above Anko again and reached out towards her curse mark. Anko tried her best to swat his hand away and move away from his grasp, but it was of no use. His hand now rested on her version of the cursed seal of heaven. Now, the extraction began.

If Anko thought she was in pain before, that was paradise compared to what she felt now. Her bones now felt as if they were made of white-hot glass, slowly melting inside her. Her skin felt as if a thousand knives were tearing every bit of flesh off her excruciatingly slow. She had thought she should have easily passed out from the pain by now but tragically that didn't seem to be the case. Whatever Sasuke was doing, it kept her alive and conscious for the whole experience.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, but no sounds left the room. She fought back the tears of pain from coming forth. She would not give this bastard the satisfaction of seeing her tears. Blood filled her mouth as she bit into her tongue and started to pour from her. Her skin started to burn as an unseen heat scorched her. Crimson liquid soon started coming from her ears and eyes. There was nothing she could do. She was helpless.

For Sasuke, the process was only a few minutes. For Anko it felt like hours. She could feel her mind eroding away into nothingness. Only her utter contempt for Sasuke kept her from succumbing to the darkness.

Then suddenly, it stopped. It was finished. Anko had finally gotten the one wish she had dreamt of ever since receiving the foul curse mark, its removal. She didn't have long to savor it though. As soon as the extraction was done and the ritual completed, she was unconscious. The extraction needed her to be aware and since it was done, she could finally have some relief from the nightmare she was enduring.

She was now sprawled out on the floor. Only her chest rising and falling giving any indication that she was still alive. Her coat was now soaked in her blood but for the moment, the crimson liquid had ceased flowing.

Sasuke raised his gaze to the ceiling and waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing, he felt nothing. Nothing had changed. He knew he didn't do the ritual wrong; he wasn't careless like that. So why didn't he feel any more powerful at all? He could feel himself start to fill with anger, but he controlled himself. He would just have to ask Orochimaru to his face what was going on.

He brought his head down and considered the sorry state that Anko was in. She had lost a lot of blood and if she remained here for long, she would surely die. Try as Sasuke might, he couldn't bring himself to end her. The slight feeling of guilt seeing her like this had engrained itself into his conscious mind. His old self was still there, trying its best to guide him down a less destructive path. She was no longer in his way and so he didn't want her to die.

Deciding it would be best to quell that part of him, Sasuke checked the pulse of Anko and found that her heartbeat was erratic. Placing his hand on top of her chest right above her heart, he gave her a tiny dose of his lightning chakra. It seemed to do the trick. Her heart rate became normal once again.

His old self wasn't satisfied with just doing this and demanded more of him. As gently as he could, he picked up Anko and made his way towards the front door. He placed her down next to the frame and peaked his head outside, making sure no one was outside yet. He saw no one.

He ducked his head back inside and brought Anko out and closed the door. He then set her on the ground and propped her upper body against the door. As he left, he took one last look at Anko. She too had just been an obstacle in his road to power, much like he had been an obstacle in Itachi's. He felt the slightest sliver of kinship with the snake woman in not just that way but also having been trained and marked by the same master. On his way out, he made sure to knock on the doors of the other apartments on the floor so someone would come out and see Anko.

With this task done, he made for his escape. He stuck to the shadows and alley ways as he moved through Konohagakure. He could neither see nor feel the sign of ANBU following him. He now found himself in a particularly dark alley. The air felt cold and stale, trash littered the ground and strange liquids could be found in random places along the ground.

"Nice work there Sasuke." He heard a voice behind him.

The Uchiha whirled himself around and found a cloaked figure with its hood up. Sasuke immediately went for his katana on his belt and was drawing it from its scabbard. He had somehow been snuck up on.

"Don't worry, I'm here on lord Orochimaru's orders. I'm here to make sure you escape quietly. I do say I am impressed. You managed to get Anko's curse mark away from her and not a single soul from this village found out." The figure said, still not brandishing a weapon or preparing any signs.

Sasuke stopped drawing his katana and sheathed it. "Who are you?" Sasuke quizzed the mysterious figure.

The figure reached up and lowered its hood. Revealing a young man not much older than Sasuke. His gray hair is paired with onyx eyes and black rimmed glasses.

"My name is Kabuto. Now then, it's best if you follow my lead. We can make good use of your discretion but only if you follow my lead." Kabuto said to his newly acquired companion.

Sasuke gave a nod of understanding. Kabuto then took a step closer to Sasuke who took a step back, readying himself in case this was a trick.

"Before we go, I need to check to see if you are indeed carrying Anko's curse mark. Make sure the jutsu did what was needed. So, relax for me please?" Sasuke gave only a grunt in response in annoyance. He wouldn't argue with his escort though.

Kabuto went behind Sasuke and lifted his hair to inspect the mark. The three tomoe were there so that was a good start. Surrounding the tomoe was a segmented circle with a single spike lazily going away from the center. Surrounding the semi-circle was a pool of black flames wisping about.

"It seems you did the ritual perfectly. Everything is as it should be. Lord Orochimaru will be pleased. Now then, follow me."

Sasuke said nothing. He silently followed Kabuto as he began to reflect on what he had just done. His mission appears to have been a resounding success, despite him not feeling any different. The only person who knew of his second defection was unconscious outside her apartment. He will be long gone before she wakes up and tells the village about what he had done.

Now there was only one thing left to do, meet Orochimaru. It was only a matter of time until he confronted his brother again and ended him. He just needed to get his last gift of power from Orochimaru, and he can bring his suffering to an end.

XxX

Konohagakure, 6:20 PM, 5 days since Kazekage retrieval mission start

"One of the apartment residents found her bloody and unconsciousness outside leaning on the floor against her door. Because of the apartment's location, there wasn't a large ANBU presence nearby. The resident yelled out for help and some shinobi came to help. They rushed her to the hospital as fast as they could. Throughout the trip she started to regain her senses and kept on saying only one name, Sasuke. One of the shinobi reported it to the police force and they went to look for Sasuke. They couldn't find any trace of him in the village. It can only be concluded that he has once again defected." Shizune announced to the three young shinobi.

"How is Anko doing my lady?" Sakura asked, dreading the worst possible outcome.

"She's in a stable but still critical condition. If nothing else goes wrong, she will make a full recovery." Tsunade said with relief. "There is something else about her that you should know. Her curse mark is gone."

"Gone? How is that possible?" Sakura asked, relieved that Anko would be ok. Learning her curse mark was gone, added a new twist to this mystery though.

"I don't know Sakura. All I know is that it's 100% gone, and Sasuke more than likely knows what happened to it." Tsunade said straight forward with her answer.

Hinata wasn't so shocked at Sasuke defecting again. He had already tried to escape once. No, she was questioning just what happened between him and Anko

What did he do to Anko to leave her like that? Why did he leave her outside instead of just letting her die inside? What happened to this 'curse' mark and what is it? Apparently, Sakura knows. I'll have to ask her about it.

Many questions swirled inside the mind of Hinata. She wouldn't get any answers by standing around. Only action would get her the solutions she craved.

"Are you sure he's gone? And are you sure it was Sasuke who did that to Anko?" Naruto pleaded out, not wanting to think the worst of his friend.

"100% he is gone. As for the situation with Anko, Sasuke is as of now the prime suspect in her attempted murder. His leaving just further reinforces that conclusion." Tsunade factually states.

Sakura was stunned at him leaving again but she also felt a wave of relief that Anko should pull through. She knew Sasuke still had anger issues, but she thought that he was slowly getting over them. She had not seen him have any sort of outburst on the few missions they did together. His trauma went deeper than she could have ever foreseen. To think that he was patiently biding his time till he could escape again. It stung her.

Attempting to murder Anko was an even greater shock though. What could he have possibly gotten out of trying murder her? How was her curse mark gone? Something wasn't adding up. Whatever it may be, she was now going to be part of the team to retrieve him. This time, it wouldn't be a rescue or retrieval. They would be bringing him in to answer for his desertion as well to answer for what he did to Anko.

Naruto felt a part of his worldview shatter when he heard the tale from Tsunade and Shizune. He was on the team that brought Sasuke back. He's the one who wanted to give Sasuke a second chance so he could redeem himself. Naruto stubbornly refused to believe that Sasuke would have betrayed the village the first time. It was because that he saw Sasuke as his brother that made him refuse to believe the real Sasuke would defect. At the time, he thought the real Sasuke was simply hidden deep beneath an ocean of hatred and vengeance. Now, he was starting to question just who the real Sasuke was after this latest betrayal.

This time, Naruto didn't see it primarily as Sasuke betraying the village. This time, he saw it as a personal betrayal. It hurt him a lot to think that his teammate could do something like this not once, but twice. He knew Sasuke wanted to kill his brother more than anything, but to desert the village again. Why didn't he ask for his and Sakura's help? If he did do this to Anko, why would he do it?

If he did try to kill her then Naruto felt all the guilt should be his. Her near death would be a result of him bringing back Sasuke. If he had simply let him go, she wouldn't have had to go through what she did. He was responsible for this, and he would bring Sasuke in.

"As of the moment of us finding Anko Mitarashi, Sasuke Uchiha is now to be regarded as a missing-nin. There will be no hiding of his crimes this time. I want you three to be at the main gate at 8:00 AM sharp tomorrow morning. You will be joined by two other shinobi at that time." Tsunade says with the full authority of her position. "Hinata, as of this moment, you will be the replacement for Sasuke Uchiha on Team 7 until he has been brought to justice, and the Akatsuki threat has been dealt with."

"Hai Hokage." Hinata says while at attention. She finally got what she wanted, to be on a team with Naruto. Yet, it feels completely hollow with how it came to be. If it meant Anko didn't have to suffer, she would gladly give up this opportunity.

"Granny, who's taking care of Anko?" He wasn't particularly close to the kunoichi. The only times they interacted were during the second part of the chūnin exams. She did leave an impression though, first with her theatrical entrance and second when she threw a kunai at him and cut his cheek and then LICKING it. He was too freaked out and too young at the time to think of nothing else but how scary she was. Looking back though he had to admit, she was pretty good looking.

"Considering the delicate nature of the matter. I'm her primary attendant until she makes a full recovery. I can promise you she will not die under my watch" Tsunade replied with a conviction that left no room for rebuttals.

"Thank you, granny. That means a lot to me. Is she currently awake now? I'd like to see her before we head out." Naruto uttered, hoping he could at least tell her he was sorry and get some clarification.

"Unfortunately, no. She's currently in a coma as the damage done to her body was severe and the pain would be too much for her if we woke her up. When you get back from your mission though you can see her." Tsunade shared with the group.

"We will, I'd like to go with you two to see her." Hinata said, offering sympathy to her fellow teammates.

"Of course you can Hinata, after all, you are now an addition to our team." Sakura said, smiling to her new teammate.

"Now then, if there is nothing else, you three are dismissed." Tsunade states.

The three shinobi bowed their heads and the two kunoichi left through the door. Naruto went out the window as if on auto pilot. Tsunade let this go as his body language gave away his feelings. He wasn't doing this to mess with her.

Once the three left, Shizune turned towards her master. "My lady, are you sure it's wise to send out Naruto again? The Akatsuki could very well be using Orochimaru as bait to lure the boy into a trap." Shizune asks, worried about Naruto's well-being.

"Team Kakashi proved last mission they can handle the Akatsuki. Right now, they are our most experienced team in dealing with the group." Tsunade factually said as she spun in her chair to face her apprentice and lounged back.

"That maybe so my lady, but you had other options before, and yet, you still sent out Naruto and his team. I know Kakashi is one of our best but sending out the boy when we know he's a target doesn't make sense to me." Truth be told, Shizune saw Naruto like a little brother, and she was only looking out for his safety. She wasn't questioning his skills in the slightest.

"I sent him because of who he is and what's inside him. He's a jinchūriki. The only person who can understand what that all entails is another jinchūriki. He also has another power inside him, one you have seen firsthand my young apprentice." Tsunade utters.

"And what would that be my lady?" Shizune asks.

"He can inspire people, get them to be on his side. Part of me thinks he should have stayed in the village longer and tried to connect with Sasuke more. Perhaps this whole situation could have been avoided." Tsunade laments. Shizune is one of the few people she trusts. Shizune is also one of the few people she allows to question her orders. It keeps Tsunade grounded.

"You are right in that last statement. I still find it hard to believe that he convinced you to take the hat. Now if only I could get him to convince you to cut back on your drinking." Shizune chuckles to herself.

"Uuuugh, you are still on that?" Tsunade says as she spins her chair towards her desk and lightly hits her head on her desk. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't have a problem. Honestly sometimes I question if you are more like a daughter or mother towards me."

"I'm just looking out for you. You know that." Shizune words out.

Tsunade then tilts her head to the side while still on the desk. "Why are you all on me about my drinking and not my gambling. I'm way worse on that vice and you know it."

"Oh, that's easy my lady. I gave up hope for your gambling a long time ago. As it pertains to that, you are a completely lost cause. They don't call you the legendary sucker for nothing." Shizune beamed at her master. This received a groan and a louder bang on the desk curtesy of Tsunade's forehead.

Shizune was about to head out when she remembered something. "Oh, who are you going to be joining those three? I'll send word out to get them."

"I already have the two in mind and you won't need to worry about getting them. One of them is already here." She then gestures her hand to have the lone ANBU member in the room come out from the shadows. The ANBU member wore a mask that resembled a cat covered in green, and red markings were found throughout the facade. They carried their standard issue ANBU Katana on their left hip, ready to use at a moment's notice.

"Hai, lady Hokage, what need do you have of me." The member asked his Hokage.

Tsunade looked up and down at the ANBU that knelt on one knee before her. Out of members of the ANBU, she trusted no one more than the one in front of her. They were completely loyal to the previous Hokage, and that loyalty was also present to her as well. They always took every mission seriously and made sure the job was done.

Tsunade quickly took out a scroll from her desk and wrote on it before she stood up from her chair and walked towards the ANBU member.

"Please rise. I need you to go fetch this kunoichi for me and bring her here. She will be joining team Kakashi for this mission. It's important she is brought to me post haste." Tsunade said as she held out the scroll in her hand.

The shinobi rose from their knelt position and took the scroll in hand, reading it as they did so. "It will be done, Lord Hokage."

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Slipknot

I know a couple people are mad that I didn't revive Gaara and to those people... I understand. I know you really like Gaara as a character and you have every right to be mad at me for keeping him dead. In this fic though, I want death to be a heavy and long lasting consequence and his death reinforces that.

I had originally had Sasuke killing Anko for the curse mark but the more I read on Sasuke, the more I came to realize that Sasuke at this point in time wouldn't go out of his way to kill someone unless necessary. He doesn't go completely unhinged until he fights Danzo and right now still has some morality. Thats why I had him place Anko outside so she could be saved.

This Sasuke is also deeper into his pursuit of power than canon Sasuke. This Sasuke not only was brought back to the village, after years of training in the village, bidding his time, he got swiftly (pun intended) by Naruto. Right now, this Sasuke is desperate for any shred of power he can get his hands on. He still wont cross that killing line unless there is no other way, and there was another way here.

I originally had 5 scenes for this chapter but as I wrote it, I knew two of the scenes would have to be moved to next chapter and so they shall be. I really wanted to get across that I think Sasuke is more a product of what's happened to him than just pure maliciousness. That being said, you are still responsible for the consequences of your own actions.

It's going to be really interesting for me to think about how Naruto will take this second betrayal of Sasuke. We all know he is willing to give everybody a second chance, but what about a third chance? He's not stupid and wouldn't blindly keep on giving people chance after chance. Eventually something has to change

See yall next time!

Chapter 14: A Change Of Seasons

 

XxX

Underground facility in Konohagakure, 12:00 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"We should have had a bell around the Hokage." Said the elderly figure.

"We did have a bell. It just didn't ring." Replied the subordinate.

"A bell that doesn't ring has no use." Stated the elderly figure.

Two shinobi were in a cold bleak room with a desk in the middle. Sitting behind the desk was Danzō, one of the most powerful shinobi in Konohagakure and leader of ROOT. He sported shaggy black hair, and his right eye was covered in bandages. He is currently wearing a white shirt and a black robe covering one shoulder down to his waist. His right arm is hidden from view.

Torune Aburame was standing on the other side of the desk from his leader. He sports black hair and a mask that covers most of his face with his glasses built into it. He is wearing a short black jacket with red straps over the shoulders and an all-black outfit with red trimmings.

Torune was standing tensely. He knew Danzō did not like setbacks to any of his plans and would make sure mistakes like that never happened again. This was a unique situation though. The primary target of their conversation just happened to be the most powerful public figure in all Konohagakure.

The two were currently talking about Tsunade and the latest missions she had given out. Thanks to Torune's subordinate Sai, they had been able to infiltrate the Hokage's office and listen to her plans. Her privacy seal only prevented outside hearing, it didn't prevent those already inside and Sai had made sure his ink animals were there to hear everything.

This is how they learned about the Hokage's plan to send out the weapon, Sakura, Kakashi and Hinata to help their 'allies'. Danzō didn't have any problems with this plan except for the addition of Hinata. That was a variable he had not foreseen. He had expected the weapon to lose control during this mission and for Shizune to bring up her concerns to the council. This would have allowed him to put a ROOT member close to the weapon and observe him.

Things didn't go according to his plan. Shizune did not bring up anything to the council and Danzō himself had already brought up his concerns about the weapon but was put aside. Being told if the nine-tails leaked out of the weapon again, then action would be taken.

There was another wrench that had been thrown into his plans. Hinata was given high praise for her actions during the mission. If it wasn't for her, Deidara of the Akatsuki may have very well escaped and given the group vital knowledge on the shinobi from the village. Now she was to be a member of team Kakashi for the time being. Danzō now wished he had not made his deal with Orochimaru to let Sasuke leave the village. With the Uchiha gone, Tsunade could now replace him with Hinata as she already proved herself to be a perfect fit for the team.

This put a thorn in Danzō's plans. He needed his own inside man on the team. He needed to keep tabs on the Jinchūriki and make sure his loyalty was to the village first and foremost. He could try and confront Tsunade directly but that wouldn't get her to change her mind. The council also wouldn't side with him on account of them thinking highly of Sasuke's replacement.

"What of Koharu and Homura? Surely, we can get them to speak with the Hokage since Shizune failed to act as we thought she would." Torune wondered aloud. He was still standing and had a tense air about him. He didn't know how Danzō would react to Sai's report.

Danzō closed his one eye before speaking. "Tsunade has already made her decision. Those two only advice on future matters, not already decided ones." Danzo grumbled out in frustration.

"We will have to simply watch the Jinchūriki from afar for now. I always have contingency plans. This was not out of the realm of possibility." Danzō uttered as he put some of his papers away into his desk. "That is why I want you to fetch me Sai. I want him to follow the nine-tails vessel and report back to me anything that we can use against Tsunade and keep our weapon home."

"Are you sure that is wise Lord Danzō? Don't we need Sai to remain here to keep tabs on the Hokage?" Torune voiced his concerns. He didn't doubt Sai's skill to shadow the Jinchūriki, his spying on the Hokage meant he could easily hide from team Kakashi.

"Torune, do not question my decisions. Everything I do is for the good of the village. That is all you need to know." Danzō said as he stared at his subordinate with an icy glare.

Torune bowed his head in shame before replying. "Hai, Lord Danzō. I won't question you again."

"Good, now go fetch Sai. We don't have much time before team Kakashi leaves in the morning. I want Sai to know the importance of this mission." Danzō finished his statement by standing up from his desk. Torune immediately left and now Danzō was alone for the moment. His thoughts were the only thing keeping him company which is all he needed.

He walked over to the glass wall and looked over the organization he had built. Senior members were diligently training their pair of genin and younger students, preparing them for the graduation ceremony in which only one would survive. This way of training caused their numbers to be small but the ones who remained were fierce and loyal to him. Not to the Hokage or even the village, but to him and him alone.

He still cursed Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, for ordering ROOT to be disbanded after he had saved the village from the treacherous Uchiha. It forced him to hide his lifelong work even harder than before. Given the chance to do things over again with the Uchiha affair though, he would make the same decision every time. He didn't care how much work needed to be done. If it meant the security and prosperity of Konohagakure, he would do anything, anything at all.

XxX

Near Orochimaru's underground facility, 1:00 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

Kabuto and Sasuke had been traveling for a while now. Their escape from Konohagakure had gone smoothly after the two had met up, almost too smoothly in Sasuke's mind. It was as if the way had been deliberately cleared for the two. He wanted to question his escort about it but thought better of it. Sometimes it's best not to look at a gift horse in the mouth.

Once they had left the confines of the village, they found themselves making excellent timing heading towards Orochimaru. The two of them did not interact much outside the bare minimum of what needed to be said. Sasuke silently followed his escort to where he would get the final bit of power he needed to destroy his brother.

Now in the middle of the night, the two found themselves walking along the bottom of a cliff face. Kabuto was trailing his hand along the stone surface as if trying to feel and locate something.

"Ah there it is." Kabuto announced as he stopped walking. He then blurred through his hand signs taught to him by his master. Once completed, he poured chakra into the stone and suddenly a stone door appeared where his hand was touching the cliff. The door then swung open, almost as if to invite the two of them inside personally.

"Let us hurry shall we. I don't want to keep Lord Orochimaru waiting." Kabuto says almost mockingly as he gestured for Sasuke to follow him. He received only a grunt in response.

Once inside, the newly created doorway closed behind them and sealed them in. For but a moment the place was completely black. Sasuke was about to activate his sharingan until the lights lit up. They were currently in an earthen corridor with temporary light fixtures along the ceiling to guide their way.

Kabuto again started ahead of the duo, not bothering to check if Sasuke would follow. Sasuke got behind Orochimaru's assistant and walked behind him. There was an air of anticipation around Sasuke, he was so close to finally seeing Orochimaru again and completing his training. This is what he had been dreaming of since that night a long time ago.

Sasuke wasn't a fool though. He knew that Orochimaru wouldn't be doing this just out of the kindness of his black heart. His 'master' was looking to get something out of Sasuke. What that could be he didn't know but he knew he couldn't fully trust him. Whatever Orochimaru was planning, Sasuke would be prepared for it.

The pair kept up their march through the winding corridors, passing countless identical doors along the way. An eerie silence filled the hallways. No sounds came from any of the passing rooms to give any indication of any possible inhabitants. The hallways all started to blur together, and Sasuke started losing track of time before they finally encountered something different.

The latest hallway they exited from emerged into a large stone chamber, illuminated by torch light. Rock archways lined the sides of the room, and the ceiling reached high. Stone pillars littered the area, keeping the roof from caving in and trapping everyone inside. At the far end of the chamber was a throne carved out of stone. It was adorned with many intricate designs of a flowing nature, a testament to the user's skill with earth release.

Sitting on said throne was Orochimaru himself. His posture was of a person who was incredibly bored and was looking to pass time doing anything else. Seeing Sasuke enter seemed to do the trick as his bored expression was replaced with a sinister grin.

"Ah, the prodigal son has finally arrived. It is so good to finally see you again after all this time." Orochimaru uttered aloud as he stood up from his throne.

"Save the greetings and pleasantries. I'm here for this final gift as you call it. Let's not waist either of our times and get to it." Sasuke spoke with a hint of annoyance in his words.

"I see your patience is not one of your virtues. Very well Sasuke, let's go and set you up to receive the gift." Orochimaru said as he walked towards the duo. Both parted to let Orochimaru past them. Kabuto started following him first, giving Sasuke a knowing smile as he passed on by. Sasuke paid it no mind and followed the two of them.

Orochimaru led them even deeper into the mountain and the air started to get colder, almost to the point of being able to see their own breaths. It also felt stale, as if all circulation had ceased. The earthy smell penetrated Sasuke's senses but again, he ignored it. Too focused was he on watching Kabuto's and Orochimaru's every move.

Eventually, they came up to a door that looked completely identical to all the rest. For some reason though, Orochimaru stopped at this one. A snake came down from Orochimaru's arm and turned the handle for its master, opening the door. Orochimaru went through first, followed by his loyal assistant.

When Sasuke strolled on through, he initially encountered only darkness. The only light source coming from the hallway behind. He didn't bother activating his sharigan, it only helped him in dim light, not total pitch blackness.

"Are you still playing games with me Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked annoyed at his present circumstances.

"I do not play games, you know this. Kabuto, do it." Orochimaru said, hidden in the darkness.

Sasuke started to pull out his katana, readying himself for a fight when in an instant, his vision was filled with light, and he could finally see around him. He saw a large circular room made of stone. All around the walls stood stands with candles of various heights, now lit thanks to Kabuto's jutsu. In the center of the room were two mats, surrounded by ritualistic markings of various designs and detail.

"What is this Orochimaru?" Sasuke questioned again, less annoyed than before, keeping his grip on his katana.

Orochimaru started walking towards the center of the room while speaking. "This is where we will finish the merging of the curse marks. What you did earlier was merely contain it. I'm sure it didn't escape your notice that you felt nothing after the deed was done." The sannin said.

Sasuke said nothing as he brought his katana back fully into his scabbard. He had confirmation on why he didn't feel anything after completing the jutsu when he left Konohagakure. Now he had a different question though.

"Why did you have me contain it and not merge it when I had the chance?"

"Kukuku, It's simple Sasuke. The merger takes a while, and it causes excruciating pain." He said, reaching one of the mats and getting on both of his knees.

"How painful?" Sasuke asks as he starts walking towards the other mat.

"What Anko went through is a taste of what you can expect. Except your torment will be longer, much longer." Orochimaru states without a hint of remorse or hesitation.

Sasuke continues his walk undeterred. He knew the path to power wouldn't be easy nor painless. He was as ready as he ever would be. He could see the end of the road and was anxious to get there.

"No matter what I have to do, I'll do it. Let's not waste any more time and get this started." Sasuke says as he reaches his mat and gets on his knees.

"As you wish Sasuke. Don't say I didn't warn you though." Kabuto by now was at his master's side. Without prompt, he raised the arm of his master and brought it thundering down onto the markings on the floor.

Sasuke's world was replaced with nothing but white-hot pain in an instant.

XxX

Hyūga compound, 6:30 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

Hinata was busy going over her pack for her next mission. To get to Tenchi bridge stealthily will take at least a week if not more. Unlike the mission to Sunagakure, they didn't couldn't let any of Orochimaru's spies see them. She packed four weeks' worth of rations just in case inside her food scroll and one weeks' worth of outfits. She would make do with cleaning her clothes while out.

Her bow was on her bed next to her other weapons. She had replenished her lost ammo the night before and was fully stocked come whatever may. She made sure she had plenty of kunai sealed and explosive tags for traps and other purposes.

The final things to be checked were her miscellaneous items. Her tent was still sealed and ready to go. She had books and jutsu scrolls she could study from if they had any down time. Everything was in order and its proper place, and she had nothing else to do but wait. Now, she was finally alone and could let her guard down.

She started shaking and tearing up quietly. The haunting images of the genjutsu replayed in her mind, worse than any horror movie she could imagine. She could feel her breathing becoming shorter and her body heaving. She knelt on the ground and cradled herself, wishing the imagery would simply vanish from the recesses of her mind.

During the mission she had something to keep her mind off what she had seen. Even after the mission, comforting Naruto had been a priority for her and again the images didn't show up during the day. It was at night though when she went to bed that she found she couldn't keep away her nightmares.

Naruto's mutilated body kept popping up in her nightmares ever since the fight with Itachi. She didn't know how long she experienced it in the moment but to her it was a lifetime too long. She would regularly wake up in the middle of the night, silently screaming and clutching her sleeping bag to her chest and sweating all over. She thought perhaps some part of her mind was still under the genjutsu. Afterall, it had been a very strong one but the longer her visions stayed with her, the more she thought something else was at play.

She knew she should tell someone of her struggles, but she just couldn't. She didn't want to burden anyone with what she was going through, especially Naruto. If she was going through this horror, he must be going through his own and much worse than hers.

No, I have to be strong. I can deal with this, beat this. I need to show everyone I'm ready for what's to come. I need to do this by myself to prove to myself that I can do anything. Can I do it alone though?

Redoubling her resolve, she picked herself back up from the floor. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she wiped away the tears, reminding herself of the importance of the mission ahead. The sound of footsteps approaching her room brought her back to the present, and she quickly composed herself, knowing she couldn't afford to show any weakness now.

She then heard a knock on her door and a voice spoke through her wall.

"Hinata, may I come in?" The voice asked.

She didn't need to activate her byakugan, she instantly knew who it was from the voice alone. "Hai Neji, you may enter." Then she heard her door slide open.

"I see the Hokage is sending you out already." Neji spoke from behind her.

"Hai, it's a time sensitive mission and we leave in just over an hour."

"That's good. Your father has sent me specifically here to bring you to him."

"Do you know the reason?"

"I do not, only that I needed to bring you to him."

"Ok, give me a minute and I'll meet you outside my room."

Wordlessly, Neji turned around and left Hinata to her own devices and shut the door behind him.

This is strange, what could father want with me? And why send Neji specifically?

Deciding it would be best to see what her father wanted sooner than later, she puts all her scrolls inside her pack and straps her weapons to her person before heading out. Once out of her room, Neji led the duo to the courtyard where Hiashi the clan head was currently meditating. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady and calm as he readied himself for his day.

"Uncle, I have brought Hinata as requested." Neji said with a bow. Hinata took a step forward and sat on her knees in front of her father. Neji turned one foot around before he was interrupted.

"Stay Neji, I want you here as well." Hiashi said, still meditating. Neji stopped his turn and faced back towards his clan head and then took his place next to his cousin

"Father, why have you asked us here?" Hinata questioned with a puzzled look on her face.

Both young shinobi's relationship with Hiashi had gotten much better recently but neither could remember a time he had asked for both like this. He didn't seem to be in a bad mood, nor did his voice give any hints of disappointment. So, what could he want with them?

"I have not always been the best father nor uncle. I too often put the duties of being the clan head in front of everything else, including my own family." Hiashi said. His voice stern and carried the authority granted to him since birth.

Neither Hinata nor Neji spoke aloud just yet. They both simply listened to what Hiashi had to say. Both did agree with his assessment but neither fully blamed him. Yes, there was still lingering resentment on both parts, but those feelings had started to dull with the passage of time.

"Despite my failures with the two of you, you both have flourished." He kept his face stoic, but his voice started to carry a hint of pride.

"Neji." He now opened his eyes and met Neji's. "You are coming to embody everything a Hyūga should be. 'Nothing escapes our sight.' Never have I seen a Hyūga live by our clan's motto as strongly as you have. Your father would be proud of the man you have become. As am I."

Neji had never really sought validation from his uncle. Neji never needed it, and he thought he didn't want it. Even after learning the truth about his father, he still didn't seek approval from his uncle. Those thoughts started to change after he learned about what his father really did.

He started to see his uncle in a different light. A slightly more sympathetic one. He still bore a grudge against his clan head but that too became blunted through time and Hiashi's lessons. Neji had learned plenty of the Hyūga techniques on his on but there were some he would never have come to know if not for his uncle. He found it strange at first. Not only was it a main branch member teaching a side branch, but it was also the clan head himself doing the teaching.

Neji thought initially that perhaps Hiashi training him was a form of repayment for helping Hinata. That notion was quickly put to bed during their first few sessions together. As he continued his training, he began to understand Hiashi's dedication to the clan. He saw his uncle's stern demeanor was born out of a sense of duty and living up to the clan's legacy. Having seen this, as well as acquiring more skills, gave him a new respect for his clan head and he felt a new type of bond forge with his uncle. One unspoken and of mutual recognition. If he and his uncle could come to this understanding, the clan could be saved.

Hiashi now turned his head and stared down his eldest daughter. "If Neji embodies what a Hyūga should be. You embody what the Hyūga will become, my eldest daughter. You represent what the future of our mighty clan has to offer, and what a mighty bright future that will be. I've never been prouder of you than I am now." Hiashi's features softened as he spoke to his daughter. These past few years have softened him a bit. He was slowly becoming the man he used to be once upon a time ago.

Hinata's being was filled with a mix of emotions, pride, relief and uncertainty. In her father's gaze she caught a glimpse of the affection she had long sought after. She was having trouble though reconciling that with the man she knew of all her life. His words weighed on her greatly. Not a normal weight though, she was honored to carry these words on her shoulders. She had not begun this journey to be the future of Hyūga, she thought her sister better represented the future not too long ago. If her father though saw her as the future, then perhaps the doubts she felt about herself were for naught.

She glanced towards her cousin and felt a renewed kinship with him as he looked back at her. He, representing the present. Her, the future. If both of them worked together, then one day they can truly unite the clan, and get rid of its horrible legacy, the caged bird cursed seal.

Neji turned back to Hiashi and bowed his head. "Your words honor me uncle. I will not let you down and will continue to live up to your praise."

Hinata turned to her father as well and followed her cousin's lead. "Thank you, father, you honor me with such praise."

"Good, now then, I won't keep either of you any longer. I know you have a mission you are heading out for Hinata, and I know it's important. I wish you the best of luck." Hiashi said.

With these words, Both Neji and Hinata stood up left. Neji went towards the training grounds to work on his taijutsu and Hinata leaving for the gate.

As Hinata left the compound, she looked back on her previous failure of a mission with regrets. She vowed to do better this time and to make sure they take out Orochimaru and bring back Sasuke so he can answer for what he's done.

XxX

Konohagakure main gate, 7:45 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"No Sakura, I won't do it."

"Please Naruto, give me what I want."

"No is no Sakura."

"Come on please! I'm desperate!"

"I can't Sakura, I don't want to spoil it for you. You will just have to wait and see it."

"Alright then, keep your secrets my little teammate of mine."

"Little? I'm taller than you are now shorty!"

"No matter how tall you become, you will always be little Naruto to me."

"..."

"..."

"Hahaha."

The remnants of team 7 both laughed at this little line. It wasn't the first time they had laughed during this conversation either. They had arrived fifteen minutes ago at the gate and were leaning against a wall next to it. Naruto had his hands behind his head nonchalantly while Sakura held her hands behind her back.

The two of them had been talking to each other since they arrived, and they had momentarily forgotten the trials and tribulations they had just gone through the past week. Right now, they were not shinobi. They were simply two teenagers enjoying each other's company and building back up their friendship.

Naruto could honestly say that this was the first time since he left for Sunagakure that he felt any sort of normalcy. It was also strange that it was Sakura of all people who was here with him. It felt almost like how they used to hang out on team 7, except this time she was much more pleasant to him. She wasn't berating him or trying to tear him down or hitting him. She was just there, and both were enjoying each other's company.

Sakura had similar feelings to her partner. Granted nothing felt normal for years until the days after she reconciled with him. She hadn't planned on this happening. The two of them simply fell back into a sort of rhythm from her genin days. It felt natural and right.

"Well, if I do have to wait then I have a request of you." Sakura said as she stared up into the bright blue sky.

"And what would that be?" Naruto says as he turned his head toward Sakura.

Sakura pursed her lips. She then turned towards her companion and brought her hands in front of her face in a begging gesture and gave him her biggest and best puppy dog eyes.

"Please take me to the world premiere of Princess Gale 4! I love that series! It would mean a lot to me if you did take me. Pretty please!" Sakura unashamedly begged her companion.

Naruto was taken aback by this display. He had not realized just how much women seemed to also enjoy the Princess Gale franchise. "You just had to do the puppy dog eyes didn't ya?" She gave a nod to this question. "Alright, alright, I'll take ya. Geez" Naruto gave into his teammates request. Sometimes he could be too easy to push over.

"Yay!" Sakura shouts in delight, causing Naruto to plug his ears. "Oh, sorry about that. Got a little too excited there."

Naruto brought his hands down and closed his eyes as he leaned back against the wall again. "Man, how am I going to deal with you three on premiere night." Naruto lamented on his future difficulties.

"Three?" Sakura confusingly asked.

"Ya, Hinata and Ino already asked to go with me as well. I'm sure the producers won't mind if I bring three people." Naruto absent mindedly said.

"Oh, well I'm sure the four of us will have a wonderful time." Sakura had no idea Ino and Hinata had already asked him. She felt a little guilty now knowing she was imposing herself on their night. There was no going back though. Naruto would take her regardless of what she said now, simply because he now knew how much she wanted to see it. There was something else she was feeling but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

Oh well, I'm sure it's nothing.

A few moments after Naruto informed her of his future group date, Sakura remembered what was previously bugging her. There was one nagging question on her mind. With Kakashi being out of action and not scheduled to come back to active duty till after the meet up. Who will be leading us on this mission?

Sakura resumed her previous position against the wall before speaking. "So, who do you think will be replacing Kakashi sensei for the time being?" Sakura asked her teammate. Her words brought both back down to earth.

"I have no clue. You gotta remember Sakura, I have only been in the village less than a full week since I got back. I don't know which Jōnin's aren't busy with their own teams now." Naruto answered.

"It's probably someone we don't know. Asuma left on a mission of his own and will be back in the next few days. Gai still has his team to look after, and Kurenai is currently on leave due to her pregnancy." Sakura stated as she went through the list of jōnin she knew off the top of her head.

"Wait, Kurenai's pregnant? Hinata's sensei? The same one?" Naruto asked, turning his head, bewildered at the sudden news.

"Hai, she is. It's why Hinata could easily join us, there team is temporarily disbanded till she's back on active duty." Sakura replies as she looks up into the sky again.

With his shocked expression still on his face, he asks the most important question. "Well, who's the dad?"

Sakura looks toward Naruto and deadpans to him. "You seriously don't know?" He shook his head yes. "Honestly Naruto, everyone in the village knew Asuma and Kurenai were an item even before you left with Jiraiya."

Naruto now looked up and spoke. "Wow, Asuma and Kurenai. Who would have thought those two would be together."

Everyone in the village you... no. He's not an idiot. He's just dense at times, we all are at certain moments. Control your temper Sakura.

Sakura mentally chided herself for almost thinking of her teammate as an idiot. Old habits do die hard but at least she stopped herself. She's glad she only started to think about it and didn't vocalize it like she sure she would have before.

"Speaking of that team, I wonder how Kiba and Shino are doing. I still haven't seen them since I got back." Naruto wondered aloud.

"Last I heard, they were doing well and thriving. When Hinata shows up I'm sure you can ask her, and she can tell you."

As if she heard herself being mentioned, Naruto saw the figure of Hinata walking towards them. "Hey Hinata! Over here!" He shouts, trying to get her attention.

Hinata whirled her head around and saw Naruto waving at her with his trademark goofy smile as he started walking towards her. She couldn't help but laugh at his childishness sometimes, but she never wanted him to forget that side of himself. She waved back and ran the rest of the way towards the two.

"Naruto!" She happily exclaimed as he pulled up to Naruto and almost ran him over to hug him. Naruto was only slightly surprised by this but quickly returned the friendly gesture. While holding onto Naruto, her vision glanced towards Sakura. She gave the pink haired kunoichi a look that said back off. Sakura met her gaze and sweat dropped in response.

Why is she looking at me like I'm trying to take away her favorite toy?

Breaking the embrace, Naruto spoke up first. "Hinata, how are Kiba and Shino doing? I forgot to ask you earlier."

"Oh, my teammates? Both got promoted during the latest exams and are now starting to lead missions. Unfortunately, we haven't had a mission together in a while with Kurenai sensei being off active duty." Hinata said as she gestured Naruto to follow her as she led them to the wall, unconsciously putting herself between Naruto and Sakura.

"Ya, Sakura told me about how Kurenai is about to have a child. I want to see the kid when he's born!" He excitedly said to her.

"Sakura told you that?" Hinata asked sweetly. She too couldn't believe that Naruto didn't know about her sensei's and Asuma's relationship. Even she knew about it. She thought Naruto had to have known as well. She decided to hide her shock from him but would make a mental note to remember he could be dense at times.

"Yup, she did." Naruto stated, completely oblivious to the situation. "So Hinata, do you know who our leader will be?"

Hinata brought a finger to her chin in a thinking pose, racking her brain on the possible candidates. "I don't unfortunately. Sorry but I have no clue on who it could be."

"Ah, well no worries. We are just as clueless as you are." Naruto smiled as he said this.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" A familiar voice shouted as the source of the voice emerged from the morning crowd.

The three shinobi by the gate turned their heads as one and spotted Ino coming from the crowd. Tsunade had been very coy on who she would be joining for this upcoming mission. All she said was to meet by the gate at 8:00 AM and the team would be there.

Why are these three here?

"Ino! I'm so happy to see you!" Sakura shouted out as her face lit up in delight. She walked over to her best friend and gave her a quick hug.

Releasing the quick embrace, Sakura answered Ino's question. "We have a mission that we are leaving for in ..." She checks the time. "Five minutes."

Wait, this is the team I'll be supporting? HAI! I finally get to join Sakura on an actual mission!

Ino smiled wide before she replied. "It seems I'll be joining you all then." She said ecstatically. She had expected her new teammates to be happy about the news. They were more shocked than anything.

"Wait, YOU are our leader? You never told me you became Jōnin!" Naruto jumped back and pointed accusingly at his friend.

Now it was Ino's turn to be confused. "What do you mean? Tsunade only told me to be here at 8. She never said anything about being the leader!"

Oh kami, what do I do? I'm not ready for this! I knew Tsunade thought highly of me but to put me in charge of such an important mission is crazy. Breath Ino, breath. You got this girl. They are counting on you.

"Actually, I don't think Ino is the leader guys." Hinata spoke in an almost apologetic way. "Remember, we are not a genin squad anymore. We don't need to only have four of us on a mission anymore. I'm sure she's just here to help us out"

Ino analyzed Hinata's words and quickly came to the same conclusion. She felt silly now thinking that she was going to be the leader. Although now that she thought about it, she liked the idea of it.

"Oh, I'm glad you could join us Ino! Tsunade must be spoiling us if she is sending you with us." Naruto sheepishly said as he recomposed his body.

Ino felt a touch of warmth on hearing that. "Thanks Goldie." She then noticed something different about Naruto. "Hey, wait a minute. What happened to your clothes!? Why are you back in that hideous orange get up!?" She said horrified and pointed to him accusingly. While his pants were the same as before he left, his top was different but only slightly. The blue of his coat had been changed to black and was now more pronounced but that was really the only change.

"Ya, well, I wasn't really feeling my last outfit. I told Per...Jiraiya I would wear it for two weeks and see how I liked it. I didn't. So now I'm back to my old fashionable self!" Naruto beamed at Ino.

"Orange is not in Naruto, and it never will be. You won't catch anyone but yourself wearing so much orange." Ino dead-panned.

"Ya, ya, You and per... Jiraiya keep telling me that. Anyways, I'm still glad you are joining us." Naruto said and beamed at her once again.

"I'm happy as well. Now then, we still don't know who our leader will be though." Ino said glancing across the group. Both Sakura and Naruto had the same thought. They better not have the same sense of time as Kakashi sensei.

"We still have a few minutes before they should be arriving then. Let's relax for a bit and wait for them." Hinata interjected. The group gave a collective nod of approval and took positions either leaning on the wall or standing next to it.

At 8:00 AM on the dot, a shinobi started coming out from the morning crowd. This Shinobi stood at 5 feet 8 inches tall with short brown unkept hair and deep black eyes. He had on the standard combat boots and black trousers and flak jacket over a black long-sleeved shirt. His forehead protector was the most distinctive part of him. Not only did it go across the entirety of his forehead, but it also went down the sides of his cheeks, perfectly framing his face.

Wordlessly, the shinobi strolls along silently to the three kunoichi and sole shinobi. "I'm glad you are all hear on time. I was afraid the students of Kakashi might have picked up his habit of being late."

Naruto raises his head to the newcomer and speaks for the assembled group first. "Are you the one who will be leading us?" He quizzes

Ino instantly recognized the voice and interjected her thoughts. "Wait, you are the ANBU who came and got me last night!" She says as she, like Naruto before, jumped back and pointed accusingly at the new arrival.

Despite his normal seriousness to missions, the newcomer allows the smallest hint of a smile to reveal itself. "Hai Ino, I was the one to get you last night. And to the first question." He says as he turns towards Naruto. "I am the one who will be your captain for this mission. My code name for this little adventure is Yamato."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki!"

"I am Hinata Hyūga."

"I'm Sakura Haruno. Nice to meet you."

"You already know who I am but still. I'm Ino Yamanaka."

"It's a pleasure to work with you all. Now then, let's get a little way outside the gate before I discuss the mission details with you all. So, grab your packs and let's head out." The group gave a collective nod of approval as they gathered their things and headed outside the gate.

The group jumped through the trees outside Konohagakure for about 10 minutes before Yamato stopped on the ground with his four young shinobi behind them.

"Ok, that should be plenty far too avoid any prying ears." Yamato says as he turns around to address his team.

With all eyes on him, Yamato went over the mission details. "We are to proceed to Tenchi bridge in Kirigakure to meet up with Sasori's spy. While this trip would normally take 5 days travel, we will be traveling under the assumption that we are being looked for." He makes the briefest look at Naruto while saying the last sentence before continuing. "Once we get there, we are to capture the spy alive. Once we have done that, we will do a field interrogation. That is where your particular set of skills will come in handy Ino." He nods to her when saying this.

"Once we find out where Orochimaru's hideout is located and details about its inner workings, I will make the call onto if we should head there immediately or if we should report back to Lady Tsunade first. If we do make our way to the hideout, we will have two objectives while there. First will be to assassinate Orochimaru. Second will be to arrest Sasuke Uchiha and bring him back."

"Wait, Sasuke went rogue again!?" Ino asked, shocked at this revelation. As far as Ino knew, Sasuke was still brooding about in his compound. Not wanting to interact with the outside world.

"Hai Ino, and this time he did more than just go rogue." Yamato says as his attention turns to the Yamanaka kunoichi. "He's also wanted in the attempted murder of Anko Mitarashi."

Ino gasped when she heard this accusation. She hadn't been aware that Anko had been in any danger. Let alone from Sasuke.

She looked towards Naruto and Sakura. Both had their heads down. Neither wanted to look her in the eye just yet. "I'm so sorry you two." Ino sympathetically said, clutching a hand to her heart.

Naruto lifted his head and met the worried gaze of Ino. For now, he put on a brave face and replied. "Don't worry about us. It's not your fault. It's his fault he did what he did. We just need to bring him back again and this time, I'll pound the message into him even harder." He declares smashing his fist into his open palm.

Despite the bravado of Naruto, there was still tension and heaviness in the group. One that Yamato easily could see, and he only knew them for a few minutes. Pondering how to lighten the mood a bit, his mind quickly runs through some possibilities before settling on the one they would all enjoy.

"I have an idea. I know a hot spring resort that's on the way and that we could get there in three days even if we must move slowly. The people who run it are discrete with passing shinobi. Given your mission histories, I know none of you have had time to visit one lately." Yamato states to the group.

For the three kunoichi, a night at a hot spring sounded divine, there was only one possible problem. "Please say it's not mixed. I can trust Naruto but other males, no way!" Sakura said without even thinking.

"Don't worry, it's not mixed, and you don't have to worry about peeping toms either. One of the owners is a former shinobi of Konohagakure but he retired to run the hot spring with his wife. The man doesn't talk much. He's more the actions speak louder than words type. He's not a guy even I would want to mess with." Yamato affirmed.

This caused Naruto to sweat a little bit and freeze up for a second. He knew exactly the hot springs Yamato was referring to. The female owner had taken a liking to Naruto but not so much his master. Pervy sage had attempted to try and do some of his 'research' and before he could even look, he came face to face with male owner. After that day, they never went back. Jiraiya to this day says only Tsunade scares him more than that man.

Hinata noticed the freezing but chose not to bring attention to it. She knew Naruto would never stoop so low as to peak on women in the bath. He was a true gentleman in her mind.

I wonder though, what would he think if he saw me in a hot spring..."

"Phew, ok then. I'm good with that plan. It will be nice to have some girl bonding time, right girls?" Ino excitedly said.

"Hai." Replied the two other kunoichi.

"Well, it seems we are heading to the hot springs then." Naruto exclaimed. "Lead the way Captain Yamato!"

XxX

Undisclosed Akatsuki hideout, 10:03 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

In the center of a large chamber deep underground stood a mighty statue. It was the only object outside jinchūriki that could contain the power of tailed beasts. In fact, it held not just the power of a single tailed beast, but three so far. It has the one-tail, five-tails, and seven-tails. Soon, the three would be joined by another, the two-tails.

Kakazu and Hidan had managed after a bit of difficulty to beat and capture Yugito Nii. The kunoichi had managed to put up a pretty tough fight, to the point the two Akatsuki members had to go all out to capture her. It had started with her being the one to trap Hidan and Kakazu with her in a cave.

FLASHBACK

Rock and rubble now buried the entrance to the cave behind Hidan and Kakazu. The only way out for them now was to go forward.

"You shouldn't have done that girly." Kakazu laughs out.

"Ya, now you are fucking trapped with nowhere to go." Hidan lazily says out loud.

"Oh, I'm not trapped in here with you. You are trapped in here with ME!" Yugito proudly proclaims as her blonde hair falls in front of her face.

"Man, why did you have to interrupt my ritual. It's part of my schtick. I pray, I sacrifice you to Jashin, he's happy, I'm happy. Everyone wins." Hidan says as he raises his hands to the sky to get the blessing from his god.

"pffft, you are a fool if you think I'll let myself be a sacrifice to some heathen god!" Yugito barks out.

"Heathen god? Now you are really starting to piss me off. When I get pissed off, I can't control myself." Hidan angrily spouts.

"Oh, shut your hole Hidan. Even I get sick of all your Jashin talk." Kakazu annoyingly states.

"Hey, you are lucky I don't consider you close, or else I'd turn my destructive tendencies on you more often." Hidan says, glaring at his partner next to him.

"As long as you keep the goal in mind, you can do whatever you want. I could care less." Kakazu says also glaring at his partner.

"Fine, fine." Hidan says. His gaze softens before turning to the third member of this conversation. "Now, why don't you come quietly with us. If you do, I promise to make your death less painless than if you resist."

Yugito couldn't believe the arrogance of the two shinobi in front of her. She decides a demonstration is in order. "Oh, I'll do more than resist." She utters in disgust as she starts her transformation into her tailed-beast form. Slowly a dense blue fiery chakra started to envelope her person. This chakra started to mold itself around her till she resembled a large fiery blue cat.

"I see little miss jinchūriki has some fire in her. That's good." Hidan said with delight. Now he could properly follow his god's commandment.

"You're an idiot Hidan." Kakazu remarked.

Yugito had just enough out of her two would be captors and she charged forward on all fours. With her claws, she took a swipe at Hidan first who jumped back in surprise. Yugito wasted no time and from her tailed-beast mouth a stream of fire roared out towards Kakazu who also jumped back, startled at the attack.

Hai, keep building that rage. One slip up is all I need to get a taste of your blood.

Hidan pushes himself forward, his unconventional scythe in hand and ready to strike. Yugito switched her flame breath target from Kakazu towards Hidan who started running at an angle to avoid the flames.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty. I promise I won't bite." Hidan says. He continues to slowly close the gap between him and Yugito.

This only served to infuriate her even more. "Too bad, because I WILL bite!" She roars as she stops her stream of flames. Now she starts building up fire inside her into a gigantic fireball before releasing it towards Hidan.

Hidan smirked and didn't even try and avoid the attack. When it did finally strike him, a large explosion occurred, destroying the ground and singeing the sealing above with soot. Yugito was surprised that Hidan had not even bothered to dodge and wondered why. Soon she got her answer.

From the flaming fireball, emerged Hidan. His whole body was charred black from the intense heat, but it had not slowed down his pursuit one bit. In fact, he seemed to revel in the pain.

Hidan took this moment of surprise on Yugito's part to throw himself forward, slashing his scythe in the air as he did so. Yugito barely had time to dodge before the scythe impaled the ground on which she had just been standing on.

Taking advantage of the missed swing, Yugito lashed out at Hidan with her claws, forcing Hidan to jump back, barely getting his scythe back in time.

"Hey! Thats a dangerous weapon, don't play with it kitty!" Hidan laughed out loud, only further angering Yugito.

"I'll show you playing!" Yugito cried out as she started chasing Hidan down the cavern. Kakazu silently followed the pair, still building up his chakra.

The pair of Hidan and Yugito soon found themselves in a large temple room of some sort. Arches surrounded them on every wall and intricate stone pillars kept the ceiling up above from falling. A waterfall was in the back and its sound thundered throughout the room.

Hidan was content with this merry chase. He knew his part in the strategy and so did his partner. It was only a matter of time now till he completed his preparations.

"Quit running and fight me like a shinobi!" The voice of Yugito thundered inside the room, shaking the pillars and rustling the loose stone.

"heh, as you wish kitty." Hidan said as he slid to a stop and now faced the tailed-beast form of Yugito coming up on him on all fours.

From Yugito's mouth came forth several blue chakra projectiles. Hidan stood his ground and with scythe in hand, destroyed every single projectile. Each exploded around him and causing further damage to his person, but he seemed to not notice.

From out of the smoke charged Hidan, a determined look now plastered his face. He was enjoying this fight much more than he anticipated he would. He continued to cut his way through the explosive projectiles as he closed the distance between himself and Yugito, laughing maniacally as he did.

Now at his target, he swings his weapon low, forcing Yugito to hop to avoid losing her appendages. Using the momentum of the swing, he brings the scythe behind him and pulls off an overhead strike. Yugito lands and skids past the weapon, its blade missing her by mere inches as the blade impaled itself deeply into the ground.

It seemed a little too deeply, Hidan was having a little trouble pulling the scythe out of the ground. Yugito took this chance and made a grab at Hidan. He was too preoccupied with his scythe and noticed the grab just a little too late. Now, he was in her clutches, and she brought him closer to her.

"Any last words before I end your pathetic existence?" Yugito utters out, happy with what she has been able to do.

"Actually, I do. Hey Kakazu, are you finished yet?" Hidan lazily shouts out.

Kakazu had simply not been standing by ideally while his partner did all the work. They had perfected this combo long ago. Hidan would distract the opponent and Kakazu would build up his chakra for a massive attack. It didn't matter if Hidan was caught in the blast, he would survive it always.

"Wind Release: Open Destruction" Kakazu yelled out. Around Yugito and Hidan a dome of violent air started to form. Yugito had completely forgotten about Kakazu after the start of this fight, and she would pay dearly for this oversight. The dome of air rapidly expanded, causing destruction and mayhem to all it encountered.

Once the dust had settled, Hidan was on the ground, large slashes appeared on his charred body, mirroring the many slashes found on the ground.

"Ouch, I do like pain, but it is possible to have too much of a fucking good thing you know." Hidan drawls out.

"Oh, quit your whining, at least she's quiet now." Kakazu annoyingly remarked, pointing to Yugito.

While she was alive. She was barely so. The pressure of the attack had managed to knock her unconscious before she felt any real pain because like Hidan, slashes and blood completely covered her body.

Hidan rose from the soot covered ground and spoke. "Well, let's call the plant man and get started on this extraction."

From behind the two of them arose from the ground, the being in question.

"You called?"

END FLASHBACK

Zetsu had taken Yugito and now appeared in front of the statue, placing her barely living body in front of it. "We have captured another jinchūriki pain." The black half grunted out.

"Well done." A disembodied voice said. The sound came from all over the chamber at once as if chilling the air. Soon a shadowy body joined the voice from directly in front of the statue.

"How soon till the others join us?" The figure asked of Zetsu.

"They should be here in a minute." The white half of Zetsu calmly stated.

"Good." The leader replied. He was slightly impressed that Hidan and Kakazu had managed to capture the two-tails so quickly. He had expected them to take another week at least but this new development suited his plans quite well.

The first two figures to join in chakra form were the two captors, Hidan and Kakazu.

"Zetsu, when we are done here, send the body back to me. I need to complete my ritual after all." Hidan stated.

"I just want this over with so I can go back to bounty hunting. I'm low on cash." Kakazu grumbled out.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You are loaded and you barely spend your money. Why do you need even more?" Hidan was more than exasperated by this point with all this talk about money.

"You can never have enough money. Let's not forget that you are far worse about this Jashin crap than I am about money." Kakazu growls out.

"I said no more bad mouthing my god you ass munching butt fuck!" Hidan half shouted out.

"Enough you two. We have a job to do. You can try and kill each other later." The leader said, his voice full of authority letting them know what would come if they continued like this.

"You know, when I'm done killing my partner, I think I'll have a go at you oh fearless leader. What do you say to that?" Hidan barked out, challenging his leader's authority.

"You can try." The leader said calmly. He knew Hidan had no chance of defeating him. Hidan had his immortality and his trick but those were things the leader could easily work around. So, he decided to just humor him in the moment and see what Hidan will do.

Hidan's ears perked up at hearing this. "Just remember, when I find you that you asked for it."

Tobi and Konan soon arrived as well. Even in his chakra form, Tobi's excitement was easy to see, while Konan was calm and collected as ever. She had been given a task by her lord and would see his will be done.

"Tobi is so excited! My first extraction is finally here!" Tobi said with childlike glee.

"You were part of the last extraction you imbecile!" Kakazu spat out, still annoyed at his partner.

"Tobi wasn't a full member last time though, so it doesn't count!"

"... You know, I don't even know why I bother with you." Kakazu said defeated.

"My lord, we have been unable to find Yagura Karatachi. We have been following up on all leads, but he has remained elusive." Konan said, bowing in reverence to the leader.

The leader turns his head towards his right hand before speaking. "That is why I assigned you to capture the three-tails. He was the one we had the least intel on. I know I can trust you get the job done."

"Hai, my lord, I will not fail you." Konan said with pride, still bowing to him.

"Tobi will not fail you either. Tobi will prove his worth towards the Akatsuki!" Tobi interjected. Neither Konan nor the leader acknowledged what Tobi had said, leaving him to feel just a bit neglected.

Kisame and Itachi were the final two to show up.

"So, the zombie duo finally managed to capture their prey I see." Kisame said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Shut it Kisame. If I'm not mistaken, you and Itachi still haven't been able to capture the nine-tails." Kakazu uttered, clearly not liking his competency even vaguely being called into question.

"Now, now, don't get your panties in a bunch. I was legitimately praising you two." Kisame said with an unseen green on his face.

"Kakazu, I'm taking a rain check on your death. A bigger fish has shown up that I need to fry." Hidan states as his anger now shifts to one of the latest new commers.

"Get in the line like the rest of the riff raff. It's quite a long one but I'm sure you can simply wait them out." Kisame said, further egging on Hidan.

"Kisame, stop antagonizing our comrades." Itachi says to his own partner.

"Hai, hai. Has anyone ever told you that you are a stick in the mud?" Kisame quipped back.

"No"

"Oh, Well, you are."

The leader watched over the proceedings and started to feel something he had not felt in a while, annoyance. "If you are all done, we can begin the extraction process. I have honed it so despite losing two of our members, it should take the same amount of time as the one-tail."

"Meh, I guess I'll take it. Still gives me enough time to collect the bounties on the heads I already have." Kakazu retorts back.

"Tobi is just so excited, and Tobi just can't hide it!" Tobi exclaims, much to the chagrin of several members present.

With these last remarks, the leader started the ritual. The process of extracting the two-tailed beast had finally begun.

AUTHOR NOTES

Chapter title is by Dream Theater

The scene with Neji and Hinata with Hiashi was not originally a scene I had in my head when I did my original skeleton, but I felt it appropriate to include it for chapters way down the line.

The danzo scene was one I did originally have but it was completely different than what I had. I'm sorry if there are any Sai fans out there but I'm not planning on him being a big part of my fic. I can't justify his inclusion on the team in this universe over say Ino.

Speaking of Ino, I'm so glad to finally have her be a part of the expanded team Kakashi. Ino SHOULD be the last person I have joining this team in any official capacity. Shikamaru will be featured shortly but I don't plan on him having as much of the spotlight as he will down the line nor will he become a member of team Kakashi.

The Akatsuki scene and yugito scene were particularly fun to write. We barely got a glimpse into Yugito from the manga and so I had alot to play around with. As for the Akatsuki interacting within the organization, I have a blast writing them. Tobi is an especially joyful character to write for. It's a shame he doesn't stay around for too long.

Anyway, till next time yall!

Chapter 15: Fat Bottomed Girls

Chapter 15: Fat Bottomed Girls

XxX

Sakamoto Hot Springs, 8:30 PM, 3 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

The journey to the hot springs had been uneventful. Due to the group's careful movement, no one had spotted them so far. Yamato had so far proven to be quite capable of leading the four shinobi underneath him. It helped that the group didn't have any hang-ups working together. They all seemed to enjoy each other's company. Even Hinata seemed to be warming up to Sakura's presence now. She felt secure in her position after her date with Naruto. She had also seen the aftermath of what the bubblegum-haired girl had done to Sasori. She

Once they arrived at the hot springs, Yamato led them in. "Hey there, Mr. Sakamoto." He announced to the man behind the counter. Mr. Sakamoto is a tall, fat man in his late 20s with slicked-back gray hair tied in a ponytail and a small mustache. His clothing consists of an orange T-shirt and black pants with black sandals. A pair of glasses hides his eyes with its glare. The man stops his cleaning behind the counter and looks up to the group of shinobi and takes a once-over of them. He leans his broom against the corner and goes to the backroom.

"HA! See!? I told you. I wasn't the only one who liked orange! I told you all it was fashionable!" Naruto stated with pride as he pointed to the departing man. His fellow kunoichi felt embarrassed at this assertion. Even Hinata felt secondhand embarrassment from this situation. She would never, EVER say it to his face, but she didn't much care for all his orange clothing.

"Naruto, I swear to Kami, I WILL remove that orange from you. On that day, I will be the happiest I have ever been." Ino said as she put her hands on her hips in defiance of his words.

"You can try, Ino. You can try." Naruto spoke with confidence.

"Now, now you two. We are still professional shinobi. You can act your age when we get into the hot springs proper." Yamato stated to the two blondes.

The backdoor opened, and out came a woman in her mid-20s. She has long black hair. She usually ties it with a pin at the front and a bun at the back. Her bangs fall below her chin, with strands hanging down on the right side. She walked to the counter, with her husband coming next to her, resuming his cleaning.

"Welcome to Sakamoto Hot Springs. My name is Aoi. How long will you five be staying with us?" Said the woman in a chipper tone. Her gaze went around the group before setting her eyes on the youngest male shinobi.

"Naruto! It's so good to see you again." Aoi let out a joyful exclamation. Right after this greeting, her face turned dark before she added with a tone that spoke of danger. "Is that white haired sensei of yours here as well?" Mr. Sakamoto froze. He turned to Naruto, warning him without words to tread lightly.

Naruto could feel the hostility radiating from Aoi and tried his best to assure her and Mr. Sakamoto. "It's just us five, I swear pervy sage isn't anywhere near us." He said, scared of the woman as he put up his hands in front of him, trying to put some distance between the two of them.

"Hmmmmmm, alright, I believe you!" Aoi said, her tone returning to the sweetness it had at the beginning. This got a sigh of relief from Naruto, who took a glance towards the husband. The man had gone back to his sweeping, satisfied with the answer he had heard.

"Aoi, we will be here for only tonight, two rooms if you could please. And as always, we would appreciate the discretion." Yamato stated, drawing the attention of the woman in question.

"Ah, Tenzō, it's been awhile. I almost didn't recognize you without your mask. Can't mistake that voice though." Aoi said as Yamato walked towards the counter.

"It's Yamato for this mission. This is the first time we have all been on together, and I want it to start on a good note." Yamato said as he fetched his wallet to pay for the rooms.

Aoi accepted the money with a smile and placed it in the drawer. "Taro, please be a dear and show Yamato and Naruto to room 117. Ladies, if you will follow me, I'll show you to your room and the hot springs themselves." Aoi took a step before remembering a crucial question. "I assume you want the extra privacy seals in place, Tenzō, in both baths?"

"It's Yamato, and Hai, please set up the seals. I'm sure we will all want to discuss sensitive information." Yamato said, correcting the hot springs owner.

Taro again leaned his broom against the counter and fetched the keys to the men's room. He started down the right hallway and waved for the two shinobi to follow. Aoi went down the left-side hallway and showed the ladies the hot springs and their room as well.

Meanwhile, hidden in the lobby, two shinobi were coming out of the shadows. One of them was a bald old man with a large beard and mustache. Large glasses hid his eyes, and he was supporting himself with a large quarterstaff. He has on blue pants and a large orange overcoat. Over the coat was a large turtle shell.

The other shinobi was a lot younger than the old man, being no older than 15. The young shinobi was remarkably short, standing at a height of only 4 feet. He has short purple hair and 4 purple balls sticking out of his head, looking like a mohawk. His outfit consists of a simple black shirt and black pants.

Both emerged from the shadows and stood next to each other in the middle of the lobby. They had practiced this game plan at other hot springs. Today, it was this hot spring's turn to be the testing ground.

"Master Roshi, did you see those kunoichi? Especially the raven and blonde ones? Those might be the finest asses I have ever seen!" The young shinobi looked up and asked his teacher.

"Oh boy, did I, Mineta. Civilians are nice, but kunoichi are the cream of the crop. They always keep themselves in shape and their bodies toned. The pink-haired one could use some extra lift if you know what I mean." Roshi replied, looking down to his young pupil.

"Still, we can't let this chance pass us up. What's the plan, master?" Mineta asked, eyes now looking forward and ready to follow his master's plan.

Roshi now looked forward as well. "We blend in with the shadows again and wait for Aoi to return. When she does, and both she and Taro get distracted, we make a beeline to the female side. Once there, we put up our silence seals, and then we can conduct our 'research'." Roshi said as blood started to trickle down his nose.

Mineta crossed his arms in front of him with a grin on his face. "Once we have gathered enough research, you can finally make your magnum opus. "Then you'll take Jiraiya's spot at the top of the novel mountain."

Roshi soon found an irritated mark appearing on his head. "How many times have I told you not to bring him up? That man wouldn't know sophistication even if she flashed him."

Mineta continued with his shit eating grin. "I'll keep reminding you till you finally defeat him, and we can become rich!" He said, with dollar signs filling his vision along with certain female anatomy.

"Only if you follow my teachings, young one. Now then, let's continue our observation, and when the time is right, we will make our move."

XxX

Undisclosed Akatsuki hideout, 8:45 PM, 3 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

A brilliant flash illuminated the cavern. The body of Yugito Nii was floating high in the air, above even the statue that would soon be home to her bijuu. Her figure glowed a brilliant white light that would have blinded anyone not prepared for it. The bright light filled every nook and cranny of the cavern, chasing away the darkness. The power flowing from Yugito was palpable, almost suffocating to feel.

The ritual was now near its conclusion. The soul of the bijuu had a single tether left connecting it to its host. The transfer of her bijuu was a scene to behold, both spectacular and gruesome. The light beaming from her grew in intensity and switched from white to a kaleidoscope of colors. The cavern itself started to moan and shake. It seemed Kami himself was not a fan of the previous proceedings.

The ominous rumbling grew louder, echoing off the cavern walls. The air swirled around Yugito, crackling with raw energy. It felt electric, ready to shock anyone who got too close. The statue below her came to life. Its eyes turned white, and its mouth opened wide. It was ready to absorb the bijuu's immense soul.

Then, all it once, it ended. The rainbow of colors ceased. The rumbling no more. The groaning finished. All replaced with an eerie darkness and silence. Then, from Yugito's mouth, a small ball of light appeared. It hung in the air for a few seconds before the statues mouth drew it in and absorbed it into its being. It's eye then went back to their original form. The ritual was now complete.

Yugito's body then fell onto the cold stone floor, devoid of life. She had fought with great courage, much like Gaara. Unlike Gaara though, no one was there to try and save her. Or at least to avenge her. She was all alone and her spirit would not have its justice this day. No one would shed tears for her this day. Least not from those responsible.

Those who took part in this unholy ritual felt emotions from joy to indifference. Regardless of their individual thoughts on the ritual, it was over and done with. The Akatsuki was now one step closer to fulfilling its goal.

"Finally, it's fucking done. Man, that shit is really boring." Hidan exclaimed in boredom.

"I hate to agree with you, but this does get tedious." Kisame sighed in agreement.

"Hidan we are done here. There's a monk bounty I want to collect. He's got quite a price on his head, and I know exactly where to find him. We just need to get to the fire temple." Kakazu shouted to his teammate.

"A monk you say? Well then, I'm definitely down for that. I always enjoyed sacrificing monks to Jashin. It just feels extra special ya know?" Hidan said, now interested in his partners life.

"As long as there is a head left, you can do whatever you want to him. Now let's go." Kakazu said in a hurry as his visage soon disappeared.

"Hey! Wait up!" Hidan yelled as his shadow followed suit.

"That. Was. AWESOME! Tobi can't wait to do it again!" Tobi said as he jumped for joy.

"Tobi did good, right?" Tobi asked of the group. Not a single soul answered him back. Tobi hung his head in shame and pouted before fading out.

"Hey Itachi, I have a question to ask you." Kisame said.

"What is it?" Itachi asked, lowering his hands.

"Do you mind If I go after the four-tails myself? That fight with that Gai shinobi really got my blood pumping. I need to let off a little steam and clear my mind." Kisame uttered with an unseen grin on his face.

"It matters not to me. Do as you wish." Itachi said, giving the go ahead for Kisame.

"And that is why I like working with you. So understanding with me and my needs." He received not a word in 's shadow faded into nothingness without a sound, followed by Kisame.

The only ones left were now Konan, Zetsu, and the leader. With these members left, Konan could start calling the leader by his real name.

"Lord Pain, why are we still working with Tobi? You and I know both know who he really is." Konan asked her leader and lifelong friend.

"He still has his uses, namely capturing the three-tails with you. That is all I trust him with since I don't know his full goals yet. That is why I assigned you with him. You can keep a closer eye on him than I can." Pain said to his subordinate.

"You honor with such a task my lord. I will not let you down." Konan said as she got on one knee to bow to Pain.

"Rise Konan, you do not bow to me." Pain said.

"As you wish." Konan said, enjoying the little informality offered her way. "I wish he would have picked a different persona. His childishness is... disturbing."

"Tobi has his reasons, I'm sure." White Zetsu said in a whisper.

"Ya, idiotic reasons." Black Zetsu retorted.

"Regardless his reasons, it is because of him we have this plan in the first place. All the work we have done is leading us to a world without pain."

XxX

Sakamoto Hot Springs, 8:50 PM, 3 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"Ah, now this is what I needed. Some time to relax and take a good soak." Naruto said as he sank into the water across from Yamato.

Everyone had gotten to their room and took quick showers before heading to the hot springs. All were eager to relax and ease the tension in the bodies. For the upcoming mission would be challenging and times of rest may be few and far between.

"This is not just for relaxing. This is to build up our comradery." Yamato commented to the only other occupant on their side.

"You got nothing to worry about Captain Yamato. The four of us go back quite a bit. We won't have any issues working with one another." Naruto said as he further relaxed into the water.

"Captain Yamato. I like the sound of that." Yamato remarked as he stretched his arms behind his head.

"You know, you are a pretty nice guy. Nothing like Kakashi sensei or pervy sage." Naruto uttered as he peered across the water.

"I normally try and be nice to get the mission done, but don't take it for granted. I have no qualms over ruling through fear." Yamato said as he brough his arms back into the water.

"Oh please, you? Ruling through fear? That I have to see." Naruto laughed as he closed his eyes and raised himself out of the water a little.

"Is that so Naruto?"

"Ya, but it's not like you..." He stopped. He had started to open his eyes while speaking, and he was now staring directly at Yamato. Except Yamato's usual face was gone. What replaced it was a face covered in darkness with a pair of ghoul-eyes that pierced Naruto's very soul. Naruto swam to the farthest point he could reach in the water.

Oh crap! He's not kidding. He can easily rule through fear. That face is terrifying!

Yamato let the face drop and replaced it with his normal calm demeanor one. "Believe me now?" He received a shaky nod in agreement from Naruto. "Good, now then, why don't you tell me about yourself a bit and your comrades over there." He said pointing at the wooden wall separating the two sides.

Naruto lifted his fist from the water and rested his chin over its surface. He engaged in deep reflection on how to describe himself.

"Well, for one, I'm going to become Hokage, believe it! Ramen is the best food in the world. I have the stupid fox inside me. I suck at genjutsu. I know swift release. I know the rasengan. Oh, and I never give up, no matter what!" Naruto made a declaration filled with pride. He brought his fist back into the water, no longer needing to think because the next part was easy.

"Hinata is the sweetest girl you will ever meet. Don't let that fool you though. Underneath that sweetness is a woman I wouldn't want to mess with. She's been there for me through some of my darkest hours and I don't know where I would be if not for her." His cheeks would have turned red if they weren't already from the hot springs. "Oh, and she's wicked good with her bow. Saw it firsthand myself."

She's also so damn beautiful!

For the next kunoichi, he had to put on his thinking cap again. It wasn't that he had not paid attention to Ino. He had not observed her fight since the exams. "I can't comment on Ino's fighting skills beyond her clan jutsu and what she shared with me. I have complete trust in her abilities." She can be bossy at times but that's Ino being Ino. Of all my friends, she is the one I least expected to have. Before I left for training, she and I spent a lot of time together. It was nice. If you had told me during the academy that she would be my friend, I would have called you a liar." Naruto said, reflecting on his friendship with Ino with warmth.

Now came the last kunoichi. At first Naruto thought it was going to be tough to talk about his teammate. He found though it wasn't too difficult to think of her now. "How much do you know about Sakura and I captain Yamato?" Naruto asked looking him in the eye.

"Lady Tsunade told me to keep an extra eye on you two, she said that you two were not on the best of terms when you came back. It seems you two were getting along well at the gate before I revealed myself." Yamato revealed to his junior shinobi.

That made things a bit easier for Naruto. "Ya, it's a long story but to make it short, she hurt me, bad, before I left to train. She hurt me more than anyone else ever has. When I got back, she begged for a second chance, and I gave it to her." He rushed through his story as he spoke.

"Very mature of you Naruto. Not everyone would be able to give someone who wronged them a second chance." Yamato remarked. "Did you forgive her?"

Naruto dipped his head, with his mouth above the water. The rest of him was completely submerged. "Not yet. Since the last mission I've been thinking about it though. She wasn't lying to me when she said she had changed for the better. I saw it with my own eyes. It's hard to forgive someone who's hurt you deeply though. I still feel the pain of it even now." Naruto expressed his sorrow.

Yamato took a few seconds to think about the words he wanted to say to the blonde shinobi. He wasn't a psychologist like Inoichi but he did know a little about the workings of the mind. "I won't tell you to forgive her or not. You will know if and/or when you are ready and only you. Tell me though, how much do you trust her?"

Naruto contemplated this question and how to answer it. "If you had asked me before the last mission, I would have been a little warry to trust her. Now though, I would trust my back with her."

"That's a lot of trust to put into someone." Yamato said as he folded his arms in front of him. "At least you are giving her a chance to earn forgiveness. From the little I've seen and know of you though. I think you will eventually forgive her. It's in your DNA"

"Thanks captain Yamato." Naruto felt a deep appreciation for the comment. "Now then, I told you about us. Now it's your turn to talk about yourself." Naruto said with a grin.

Because he was recently moved out of ANBU, there wasn't much he could share with Naruto. He would share what he could though. "Well, in my downtime I study architecture, and I give it a try myself too. I'm also quite fond of reading. I love walnuts. As for my mission history, I've gone on 305 A-rank and 35 S-rank missions." He stated as he tapped his chin thinking what to say.

"Wow, that's a whole lot of missions. No wonder Tsunade sent you with us." Naruto said in awe, stars in his eyes.

It's more than just my record Naruto. I'm also the only one who can get you under control if the fox comes takes over.

In the next 30 minutes, the two shinobi got to know each other better. They gradually established trust and camaraderie over time. While the shinobi were doing this, the kunoichi were having similar talks.

"And that's how me and Lady Chiyo defeated Sasori." Sakura says to her fellow teammates. Hinata had asked her how the fight had gone and Sakura gave her a play by play of the fight. Ino also listened in with rapt attention.

"I might have to remember some of those tricks you pulled. Very clever of you." Hinata responds after hearing the tale.

The place goes quiet for a few seconds as all three of them start to adjust to hot water and steaming air. "I'll have to thank captain Yamato for taking us here. This place is amazing!" Ino said as she soaked in the hot water with a towel wrapped around her body.

"I have to admit, he's making a very good first impression. Much better than Kakashi sensei did." Sakura agreed as she too sank into the water, allowing her body to relax and release its tension.

"I'm usually not one to go to a hot spring. This one though is quickly changing my mind. I'm glad it's a private one as well." Hinata joined the group's agreement about the hot springs. She finally gathered the courage to step into the water. "Hot!" she yelps a little, trying to adjust to the water.

"Don't worry Hinata, you will get used to it quickly and your troubles will feel like a distant memory." Sakura said to her teammate as she sank more into the water.

Hinata slowly adjusted to the water. She went under until it reached above her chest. The three-woman occupied three different parts of the pool, equidistant from each other. Ino and Sakura sat relaxed, while Hinata looked almost regal. This suited her role as a princess of the Hyūga quite well.

"Hey ladies, what else went down on your last mission apart from that fight with Sasori? I was only told that it was you two, Naruto, and Kakashi on the team. Lady Tsunade wouldn't share anything more." Ino asked as she lifted her head above the water a little bit. She had been curious what their mission had been after Lady Tsunade had told her they were gone.

This question brought the mood of Hinata and Sakura down a bit. They had both come to terms with the mission, but they would never enjoy talking about it. Without privacy seals, no one would even consider sharing this information. "It was a failure. We didn't manage to save Gaara." Sakura spoke in defeat. Both Hinata and Sakura hung their heads in shame.

"...Did you say you didn't save Gaara? He's dead?" Ino said with a look of disbelief on her face; her hand was now touching her cheek in shock. She received a nod from both her companions confirming her suspicions.

"I heard from Shikamaru that Gaara had became the Kazekage not too long again. Who would want to kill the Kazekage?" Ino further questioned her friends as she brought her had back down into the water.

"The Akatsuki." Hinata stated with venom in her voice.

Ino noticed the change in tone and the sudden shift in mood from Hinata. This Akatsuki group must have really done something to piss Hinata off. She wasn't even like this with Sakura after they brought Sasuke back the first time.

"Who are the Akatsuki?" Ino questioned the two. Hinata lifted her head and looked straight at Ino.

"They are a group of S-Ranked criminals, who are kidnapping people like Naruto." Hinata said with a low simmering rage in her speech.

"People like Naruto? What do he and Gaara have in common?" The more questions Ino asked, the further she became confused.

"You will have to ask Naruto that question. It's his tale to tell, not ours." Sakura added in. She too had brought her head up to look her friend in the eye. She knew how difficult it was for Naruto the first time he told them his secret. It was his secret alone to share or not share. She was not going to betray the trust he had in her.

Ino wasn't expecting that answer, but she didn't press further. She knew anything involving Naruto and these two women could be sensitive. "Alright, I'll ask him when we get to the bridge. So, I'm guessing you had a run in with this Akatsuki group. I'm guessing this Sasori fellow is a part of this group" Ino voiced her thoughts and adjusted her towel in the water.

"Yes, he was, and he wasn't alone. We fought two of them after they... were finished with Gaara." Hinata said, searching for the right words to say.

"Did you guys beat them both or just this Sasori guy?"

"Both of them are dead." Sakura interjected.

"You guys defeated TWO S-Rank shinobi? Wow, I knew you guys had improved but that's still crazy you managed to do that." Ino remarked, a rush of pride filled her knowing her friends had managed to improve so much. She hoped she wouldn't let them down this mission.

"Thanks for the praise, friend, but it still feels hollow given we didn't save Gaara." Hinata lamented, she brought her head a bit forward, but not as much as earlier.

"Ya, despite our growth, it wasn't enough that time. It's really frustrating to think about." Sakura added on as she lifted herself out of the water and sat on the edge. Now, her legs were the only part of her in the hot liquid, and she kept the towel wrapped around her body. She felt proud to defeat Sasori with Chiyo. Still, the aftermath spoiled that pride.

Ino felt the mood drop. She tried hard to lift spirits and enjoy the getaway again. "As long as you did your best, you have nothing to be ashamed of. For me, I can say I'm proud of what you guys managed to do."

"Thanks, Ino." Both Hinata and Sakura said at the same time, surprising both.

"Jinx!" Sakura spoke with great volume before Hinata could respond.

"Dang it." Hinata grumbled out, which got a laugh from both Ino and Sakura. This broke the tension that had been growing. Soon, Hinata would join them in laughter.

After laughing for a good few seconds, the three kunoichi started to calm down. "I think we all needed that." Ino stated for the group as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"Agreed, let's put the heavy stuff behind us for now and enjoy ourselves." Hinata uttered and finally started to feel the tension leave her body.

"Sure thing girl and speaking of heavy things." Ino wiggled her brow as she said "how do you have such big boobs? Tell me your secret!" She said as she scooched on closer to the topic of conversation.

"W-w-w-what do you mean Ino? T-t-t-there not that big!" Hinata spoke up, feeling embarrassed. She couldn't help but compare herself to the two women in the hot spring. She couldn't deny it. She was quite larger than her teammates. It seems her relaxation was going to have to take a back seat at the moment.

"Oh please, out of all the women in the village, only Lady Tsunade has you beat. You can't tell me you haven't noticed." Ino said, further teasing her friend as she moved closer. "There has got to be something you are doing different than the rest of us. Now spill it girl!"

Hinata kept one hand on her towel and raised her other in a pleading gesture. "I swear I don't know what I'm doing different. Honest!" She said as she tried to move further away in vain.

Sakura glanced at her own chest and compared it to Hinata's. A sad face and a stream of tears rolled down her face. There was no comparison.

Why kami? Why did you have to make me so flat compared to all the others? It's not fair I tell you!

"I aint letting you get away that easily. For the sake of all women out there, you shall reveal your secrets too me! Muahaha!" Ino utters as she makes a scary face towards Hinata who cowers in fear on the edge of the water.

"Sakura, help me!" Hinata pleaded as her head turned to her frenemy. She was so desperate that she would even ask Sakura for help in this situation.

Sakura had by now stopped her tears and now held a stone-cold face. "Hinata, for the betterment of all my fellow small chested women, I am going to allow this."

"Eeep!" Hinata said as Ino was now right next to her, towering over her with white eyes and an evil grin.

Outside the wooden wall by the hot springs, Roshi and Mineta worked hard. Roshi had set up the privacy seal so no one could hear them doing their work. It was also his job to keep eye out for anyone who could see through the opaque jutsu he had cast.

Mineta's specialty had been breaking seals. Followed by drilling into any material known to man. Mineta wasn't good at making seals, that was beyond him. He did find though that he had a knack for disrupting and destroying them. A skill that proved invaluable during his own 'research' time at hot springs. All the good places had decent privacy seals around the baths to combat 'pervs' as they would say. None had given him much trouble.

Until today that is.

"Come on, I gotta see what's going on in there!" Roshi said, anxious to see the kunoichi

"Roshi, I'm going as fast as I can. The seals they have set up are intricate and detailed. I've never seen seal work like this" Mineta retorted.

Indeed, every other hot spring resorts they had went to only ever had the smallest level of security. Studying the seal's and figuring out how to bypass them had been child's play for Mineta. He could either bulldoze through security or make precise hits to finish the job. He never wavered.

This... this was a nightmare. This was by far and away the most complex security/privacy seals he had ever come across. This hot springs seals had two things that caused significant frustration for Mineta. One, the seals were somehow changing all the time, and he was needing to account for that. Two is that when he broke through a layer of the seal, it would start to repair itself. Mineta would have praised the person behind this work if he himself didn't have to crack it.

"I swear Mineta, if we miss the good stuff, I'll make your training ten times worse!" Roshi said, starting to lose his patience.

"Old man, this is the best seal work I have ever seen in my life. I don't think the vaults of Kage's would be as secure as this. So, shut up and let me work." Mineta growled out in frustration.

"Have the youth now fallen so far behind that they can't break a simple seal?" Roshi said exasperated.

"Look, why don't you head back and keep an eye out. I can do better work when you are not breathing down my neck." Mineta grumbled out. Getting more and more pissed off at his master.

"Fine, fine, if it will speed things along, I'll let you be in peace. Don't mess this up. I don't think I've ever seen two finer kunoichi in my life. The blonde with her perfect ass and the dark blue with her perfect ass AND perfect tits!"

Minutes went by and the young shinobi was finally starting to make headway with this seal work. It helped that Roshi was finally being quiet. Now he was working in peace and could hear if someone was coming along. A shadow crept out from behind Mineta.

His hands were a whirlwind of activity. Moving so fast that even experienced shinobi would have trouble tracking him. Along the wall, he poured his chakra into the correct places at the perfect time. One wrong step could lead to many problems. His body might lock up, there could be an explosion, or electricity might surge through him. All which he would like to avoid.

"Hey Roshi, can you get me some water? This is seriously tiring me out. Also, don't forget to keep an eye out even from here. I don't want to be caught before we see the goods! I've got one layer left after I finish with this one and we will have golden material in our hands." Mineta uttered.

"..."

"Hey master, did you hear me?" Mineta asked, finishing up his current layer of the seal and finally working on the last layer of the seal.

"..."

"Hey, when I ask you a que..." He stopped his mini rant as he turned his head behind him. Roshi was gone. He could not see a trace of him. That didn't mean he was alone though.

Right behind Mineta, towering over him, was Taro. He was staring down at the young shinobi. As a high level chūnin, Mineta had grown accustomed to sensing killing intent. He experienced it on almost a weekly basis. The killing intent he felt now was a source of true terror. Mineta could not move a muscle, so thick and potent was Taro's intent. Mineta looked up and tried to get a look at Taro's face, but he couldn't see anything behind the glasses. They glared brightly, not giving a hint away on Taro's intentions.

Taro raised his hands with care and cracked his knuckles. He followed that up with cracking his neck. Unlike before, Taro now had on gloves. He didn't want to get his hands dirty for what he was about to do.

Mineta was sweating and panicking. He tried to form words in his mouth, but none came forth. He struggled to move his hands to form signs, but his body would not respond to him. He prayed to Kami for a way out of this situation, hoping for a solution. Kami did answer but only in the cruelest way. Taro wasn't going to kill Mineta, he had given up that lifestyle after he met his wife. It wouldn't stop him though from inflicting pain though. Cruel, unyielding pain.

Taro grabbed Mineta by the collar and dragged him away. He made a mental note to come back later and repair the seal and strengthen it next time. He admired how this young shinobi had undone most of his seals. It's the only reason he allowed Mineta to continue working for a bit when he got behind the boy.

Mineta would cry if he could, but he remained frozen. Soon, he accepted his fate. This man had someone gotten past his master and defeated him in a matter of moments, without making a sound. What hope did Mineta have against such a ferocious opponent?

He was brought into a room where he found his master, bloody and beaten to a pulp, yet still alive. The light streaming into the room faded as the door closed, producing a creaking sound. Both shinobi felt a deep sense of fear now. The look Taro gave them would haunt their dreams forever.

The door closed completely.

XxX

Near Orochimaru's underground facility, 2:00 PM, 7 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH"

Agony. Pain and Agony. That was all Sasuke knew for a week straight. His body shook as another wave of pain hit him. Each second felt like forever. Orochimaru's dark lair echoed with his screams. It was a haunting sound that seemed to bounce off the stones. The agony was unyielding, a cruel reminder of his current reality and the dark path he had chosen. In this abyss, time twisted and stretched. Sasuke wondered if this nightmare would ever end.

Each breath he took begged for relief. Each heartbeat tied him to his pain, anchoring him to this harsh reality. Orochimaru's lair felt dark and heavy. It fed on his despair, giving no comfort or escape. His vision blurred, his mouth tasting of copper as another wave of pain crashed over him,

His mind, yet, would not break. Images of his past flickered in his mind, of that dreadful not oh so long ago. His rage burned like coals, reigniting with each memory. In his pain, a strong determination sparked. He vowed to endure and come out of this challenge stronger, no matter what it took.

Sasuke thought about his one purpose in life. It was the reason he endured such horrors. Sasuke wanted vengeance. Only destroying Itachi would please him.

So, he will endure his suffering for as long as it takes. His resolve only grew firmer. He channeled the searing pain into his conviction. Each surge of agony was a step closer to achieving the strength he needed. The shadows of the lair seemed to whisper secrets of dark power, and Sasuke vowed to extract every ounce of it. He would transform his suffering into a weapon, his despair into relentless ambition. This crucible of pain would forge him into something far beyond mere mortal limits, a force capable of bringing down his brother and finally quenching the flames of his vengeance.

"Well Sasuke, I have to say I'm impressed. You have endured this for a week straight." Orochimaru said as he entered the room. Sasuke, from the center of the room, lifted his head. He glared at the man, his face full of contempt.

"Now, now Sasuke. You came here of your own volition. I'm giving you exactly what you seek." Orochimaru said in an almost gloating manner. Sasuke glared at the man. Then, a wave of pain hit him. He arched his back off the floor and looked up at the ceiling.

"Don't worry Sasuke, I'm only here to see the progression of the merger. There is very little more I can do to make you suffer any more than you already are kukuku." Orochimaru gloats as he continues his approach to the Uchiha.

Sasuke flipped onto his back. His limbs stiffened as electricity coursed through them. Sweat poured from his shirtless back as he continued to tense up.

Orochimaru was now beside his future body and inspected the mark. Sure enough, the merger was happening exactly as he thought it would. The flames around the segmented circle had grown and looked more detailed now. They now moved in and out of each other. Everything connected and pulsed with energy.

"Good, good. The merger is going smoothly. I'd say it's about halfway towards completion." Orochimaru makes a detached statement.

The rage Sasuke felt was now replaced by a feeling of imminent dread. "H-Half?"

"kukuku, yes, halfway. Congratulations!" Snakes came down from Orochimaru's robes and did a mock clapping gesture together.

"... I'm g-going to k-kill you for this." Sasuke said through gritted teeth. He hadn't had planned on killing Orochimaru once he no longer had a use for him. So long as Orochimaru didn't stand in his way. Now though? He might go out of his way to make sure the sannin no longer walked this earth.

"You can try Sasuke, you can try." Orochimaru stated with certainty. He had reason to be confident. Everything was now going exactly as he planned. The only set back he suffered was Sasuke not making his initial escape. He had adjusted his plans though and everything got back on track quickly. His new vessel was almost ready for him, and he was salivating at the thought of finally acquiring the sharigan for his own use.

The timetable was perfect. The merger would be complete long before Orochimaru would be ready to switch bodies. Once the ritual was completed, he would work with Sasuke to acclimate his body to its new power.

The first person who he was going to make a visit to with his new body will be his former partner. Orochimaru was still not over the humiliation he suffered from their last fight. In a weird way, fate destined Sasuke to kill Itachi no matter what. Orochimaru chuckled to himself at the thought.

Orochimaru turned away from Sasuke and walked towards the door. "Please do keep it down at night. Sleep is important you know." Orochimaru continued to mock the boy. Sasuke didn't respond, his body spasming too much for him to get a coherent response out of his mouth. As the sannin reached the door, his snakes opened it. He stepped into the hallway, and the door shut behind him.

"How does your new vessel look Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto asked, kneeling on one knee.

"Rise Kabuto, you my protege need not kneel to me in this form." Orochimaru stated to his apprentice.

Kabuto rose from the ground and looked his master in the eye.

"Sasuke's curse mark is merging at exactly the rate I was expecting. I could feel the power radiating from it just being in the same room." Orochimaru mentioned.

"That is good news to hear my lord." Kabuto said as he adjusted his glasses up further on his face. "I have completed our preparations for the upcoming journey. We can leave whenever you are ready."

"Excellent work Kabuto. You have been a loyal and wonderful assistant. Your reward for your services will be grand, I can assure you of that." Orochimaru remarked with a half-smile on his face.

"Anything for you, my lord."

XxX

Tenchi bridge, 4:00 PM, 10 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"Phew, we finally made it! And with one night to spare!" Naruto announced in relief as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. A week had passed since the group visited the hot springs. The four young shinobi often wished they could return. The waters had done a wonderful job on relaxing all of them and making them feel nice and warm. Even Hinata wanted to go back, she would make sure to sit far away from Ino.

The bonding aspect of it also worked in spectacular fashion. Naruto had gotten to know more about his captain and found him to be a pretty solid man. No body could replace Kakashi sensei, but Yamato wasn't trying to replace him. He was being his own man as he led a group of young shinobi on a dangerous mission. For that, he had Naruto's respect.

His fellow teammates had also seemed to come out of the hot springs closer. Naruto saw that Hinata had been cold and distant with Sakura since she joined the team before the Sunagakure mission. Naruto knew the reason had to do with him and he couldn't blame Hinata for her feelings. She was only being protective of him, and it made him feel warm and good. She worked well with Sakura on the mission. Her feelings didn't interfere, but there was always some tension between them.

Now though, the tension seemed to have lessened. Sometimes, it returned whenever he drifted toward Sakura while jumping through the trees. Other than those moments, the two seemed friendly again.

Ino, after leaving the hot spring, seemed mighty pleased with herself for some reason. Naruto had no clue how that came to be, but he guessed it had something to do with Hinata as well. The first full day after the hot springs had been a little comedic if Naruto was being honest. Whenever Hinata caught Ino staring, she would let out a small "Eep" and try to hide behind him. After the first day, Hinata seemed to get over whatever 'fear' she had of Ino. None of the three kunoichi had been willing to come forth with the details of what happened.

"I planned it that way. I'd like to spend some time sparing with all of you so I can get a good grasp on your strengths and weaknesses." Yamato said as he dropped down next to Naruto from on high.

"Sparing!? With you captain Yamato!? Sweet!" Naruto shouts as he raises both his fists over his head in joy. He could make out a bird that was flying slowly overhead with his eyes.

"Easy there Naruto. It would be better if you spared with him last." Sakura uttered as she walked up behind the two shinobi.

"Ah, but why Sakura? I've been wanting to get some sparing in ever since we started." Naruto asked, feeling a bit down. He lowered his arms and turned to his friend behind him.

"Because, out of all of us, you are the most combat oriented. If you go first, there wouldn't be enough of captain Yamato left for the rest of us." Sakura stated with calm assurance.

"She's right you know. As much as I like to see you fight, I also want to get some practice in." Hinata said as she rushed up and got between Naruto and Sakura before they stood next to each other.

"Grrrr, fine! You guys can have fun first." Naruto said, folding his arms in front of him and scrunching his face. He had tried to come up with an argument against what they said but it was true. Naruto was the best one-on-one fighter in the group and so he caved in to his teammate's logic.

"Oh, don't be like that Goldie. If you keep making that face, you will get wrinkles." Ino chimed in, sliding onto the other side of Naruto.

"That's an old wives' tale and you know it Ino." Naruto grumbled out, not bothering to look her way.

"Oh, lighten up you." Ino said while she punched his arm with a playful grin. "Are you willing to take the chance to prove me wrong?"

"... no." Naruto said as he softened his face and let out a sigh of resignation.

"Ok you four, stand back as usual." Yamato said as he walked towards the clearing near hidden from view of the bridge. The four shinobi had gotten used to this routine by now.

The captain clasped his hands together before uttering. "Wood Release: Four pillar house." From the ground, a wooden house started to take shape. Vines and trees sprang up from the ground, shaping a lovely two-story house. It was big enough for all five of them.

"Man, I never get tired of seeing that captain Yamato." Naruto said, his eyes wide as he looked at the newly built structure. He is the first one to head inside to get his room set up.

The very first night with them together had been a memorable one. Even before the hot springs, Yamato had worked his magic and impressed the four young shinobi. When he made his very first wood structure that night, they were all dumbfounded. They had been under the impression that only Hashirama ever had wood release. Never in their young lives did they ever expect to see someone use it in real life.

Sakura had been the one to be brave enough to ask how it was possible that Yamato had wood release. He told the group he wasn't born with it but that he made it a part of himself after birth and that was all he was willing to say.

"It may look impressive to you guys, but what I can do pales in comparison to what Hashirama was capable of. Compared to him, I'm a small boy." Yamato stepped back to admire his handiwork, expressing modesty in his demeanor.

"I'm in agreement with Naruto. What you can make with your wood release is a work of art." Hinata added in. Before joining team eight as a kunoichi, Hinata had many tutors. They taught her about 'higher' society. Her teachers had taught her proper etiquette, manners, and an appreciation for art in all its forms. She knew for sure that Yamato's architecture was among the best she had seen.

"Coming from a princess, that means a lot." Yamato replied, thankful for the compliment.

"Come now captain Yamato. My sister is the clan heir, not me. I don't know what I would call myself, to be honest." Hinata remarked. She did not know what her role was in the clan now. Outside her father saying she was the 'future' of the clan, she didn't have much to go on. For now, she would forge her own path.

"How about you be the team's princess then." Ino said with a playful tone to her friend, who now took her place next to Hinata. This caused the Hyūga girl's cheeks to warm with embarrassment at the statement. "Stop it Ino, you know I don't like you calling me by that title.""

"Ya, like Goldie doesn't like me calling him by that name. Yet, he got used to it all the same." Ino declared with her hands on her hips and head held high, a smile of satisfaction on her face. "You know, I'm starting to like the sound of princess more than Hinata." She says in a giddy tone.

"Please don't Ino." Hinata says, turning completely to face the girl, with her hands raised in a pleading gesture.

"I'll give you a choice, I can either keep calling you princess when it suits me. OR, I spill the beans how you maintain your, ahem, assets."

"Your princess is here to serve you, dear Ino."

Yamato had moved to Sakura's side and whispered to her in a soft voice. "Is Ino always like this." He asks of the pink haired kunoichi.

"She's into gossip, but the teasing seems to be increasing. It's like something is giving her more energy than normal." Sakura remarked on her best female friend.

"Remind me not to give her any ammunition please." He spoke in a voice loud enough for himself to hear.

"Oh, speaking of memory. Sakura, do you have a moment to talk inside? I need to go over some details about Sasori with you." Yamato said as he smacked his fist into his open palm.

"Sure captain Yamato, but I don't know what information I can give you that's not already in the file." Sakura commented.

"You are the only one who fought him directly. So, you know his mannerisms, speech patterns, and quirks." In short, you know him best." He said while he began to walk toward the newly built house. He signaled for her to follow, and she did, leaving her friends outside to enjoy their time together.

Yamato entered first and showed them to a living room. It had wooden mats. He knelt on one mat, and Sakura did the same.

"Now then, let's get started. Mention absolutely everything you can think of about Sasori, no matter how small or minute you think it is."

XxX

Hokage's Office, 6:00 PM, 7 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"You requested me, Lady Hokage?" Asuma's gruff voice announced him. He stubbed out his cigarette before stepping inside.

Asuma was a tall man with brown eyes, tan skin, short black spikey hair, and a well-kept beard. His outfit was the usual Konohagakure shinobi style. He wore a sash around his waist with the kanji for "fire." Also, he had modified trench knives on his knuckles.

Asuma returned from his latest mission a few days ago. They told him he would get a week off for his efforts. He was glad to have the time off. You see, he was about to become a father. The doctor said that the baby should be born in about a month's time, and he felt overjoyed to hear it. Kurenai had been on leave for a little while now and he spent every moment not on mission with her. Something major must have happened to cut into his respite. A small part of him wanted to tell the Hokage to kick rocks, but he had a duty to the village and would uphold that. Even if he didn't like it.

As he strolled through the Hokage's door, he noticed Shizune was standing at her normal spot next to Tsunade. The young kunoichi had her pet pig in her arms and she had a concerned look on her face. Quite the opposite of her master's whose face was stoic.

"I have Asuma. I'm sorry to cut your time off short but we have some urgent information we need to act on." Tsunade said with a hint of remorse.

"What information do you speak of?" Asuma questions as he bows.

Tsunade took a deep breath, wrote her privacy seal on some parchment, and slammed her hand on it. She finished the task and went back to her old position. Then, she linked her fingers under her chin. "Before I tell you the information, you will need some background information." Tsunade then told Asuma of the Akatsuki. She told him who they knew were a part of it and their plans. Namely the capturing of the tailed beasts. She also gave him the details of the failed mission to Sunagakure so he knew how serious this situation was.

"I tell you all this because we received a messenger hawk from one of our border patrols. It said they had seen two individuals in black cloaks with red clouds entering the land of fire." Tsunade announced the contents of the message.

"Do you think the patrol confronted them?" Asuma probed.

"I would assume so, and given these two individuals are likely Akatsuki, I would say we will likely not hear back from the patrol," Tsunade stated with a serious expression.

Asuma didn't react, but he felt sorry for the families of those people. He was soon to be a father himself, and he didn't want to think about his own child having to grow up without a dad.

"I'm assuming they are looking for Naruto then if they are here." Asuma guessed. He, like most shinobi of his age and older, knew of what Naruto carried.

"I would hazard a guess of that being the case. This time though, we have advance warning they are coming. That is where you come in Asuma." Tsunade stated and paused before continuing. "I'm assembling five groups of four-person teams to scour the land of fire and search for these two. I've already spoken with the leaders of the other groups. You are the final one."

Asuma shifted his weight from side to side while listening to Tsunade. He was fighting the urge to light up a cigarette and was starting to lose the battle. "I appreciate you giving me some extra time. So, who will be a part of my team?" He asked.

"I haven't assigned full teams, only leaders. You are free to pick and choose any three shinobi who you think will give you the best odds of finding the Akatsuki. You are also under order to refrain from engaging unless it is necessary. If you do find them, you will send a message immediately to me and continue to shadow them. I will send a task force to back you up to deal with them." Tsunade ordered.

"Hai Hokage, I do have a few questions though, If I may voice them."

"You may Asuma."

"Do we know where the patrol was when we last heard from them?" Asuma asked.

"They were patrolling near the land of hot waters." Tsunade replied.

Asuma deliberated on this information for a bit. He tried to think of any major area that lie near the border in the land of fire he could start his search from. Then he thought of it. "The fire temple is near there. I have personal acquaintances among some of the ninja monks there. I'll start my search there and see if they have seen the Akatsuki."

"Very well, I assume you will be taking Shikamaru with you?" Tsunade quizzed her subordinate.

"Of course, Lady Hokage. The boy is on his way to becoming the smartest person in the whole village, even more than his father. He only lacks the experience needed and this will be excellent for him." Asuma made a statement filled with pride. He couldn't claim Shikamaru's smarts, but he could take some credit for his growth over the years.

"Are Ino and Choji available? I'd like to get the group back together. It's been a while since we all went on a mission together. There isn't a group of shinobi I would trust with my back more than them." Asuma continued.

"I'm sorry Asuma, but they are both currently gone on other missions." Tsunade wasn't going to elaborate on why though. Choji she didn't have issues discussing his mission with Asuma. Ino was with Naruto though and Asuma didn't need to know about that S-Rank mission. It was better to not discuss either to not arouse suspicion.

"That's a shame." Asuma uttered, a little disappointed he wouldn't get to work with the two of them. "Shizune, can you get me a list of shinobi currently in the village that are free?"

"Hai, I can Asuma. I'll have it ready for you in 30 minutes." Shizune replied.

"Thank you."

"Time is important in this. I don't want this trail to go cold, so I expect you to leave by tomorrow at dusk. Understood?" Tsunade directed towards Asuma.

"Hai, Lady Hokage."

"Good, you are dismissed." She stated and Asuma turned and headed to leave. "Oh, and give my regards to Kurenai, will you?" Tsunade chuckled to herself when she saw Asuma flinch in place for a second. He recovered quickly and left without uttering another word.

"Do you think it could be Itachi again?" Shizune asked, letting the pig go from her arms.

"I do not know Shizune. It seems they are becoming bolder. They captured Gaara by sneaking into Sunagakure with a careful plan. Now? They are waltzing into the land of fire. I do not like it one bit." Tsunade grumbled out.

"Do you think we should send a raven to Yamato and have them send Naruto back? Or to at least let them know what's going on?" Shizune asked, worried about her young friend.

"No, I don't want to risk sending a hawk to them. I don't want anyone to expose his location. Right now, no one besides us two and team Yamato knows where he is. I'd like to keep it that way." Tsunade said as a matter of fact.

"As you wish my lady. I hope they are ready for tomorrow." Shizune said with a hint of worry.

"Hahaha, that brat is more than ready. The only real question is, can he control himself?"

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Queen

Body fat percentage: 16%

A fairly lighthearted chapter for the most part. Been watching Sakamoto days and figured they would be a good cameo for the chapter. My cameos I plan on being around for single chapters UNLESS I can think of a good reason to bring them back. (I have a feeling I'll do that with Roshi and Mineta)

Writing for Yamato is interesting. He's so unlike every ANBU we know of that it feels like he shouldn't be in the organization. I like him in the ANBU though because it shows you CAN be well adjusted and be part of the organization.

The last scene I did not originally have in my skeleton for the chapter, but as I wrote the Akatsuki scene and included the line of the monk, it just felt right to include Asuma's scene so we can see the world is alive and isn't moved solely based on the actions of our little group.

As for the length of this fic. I know its easily gonna probably sail past 600k but thats all I can say. The 4th war will have a whole lot I need to consider and I haven't even thought through all that yet.

Anyways, ramblings over. Please leave a comment/review and I'll see yall later!

Chapter 16: All These Things That I've Done

 

XxX

Tenchi bridge, 8:40 PM, 10 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"Okay Naruto, that's enough." Yamato yelled out across the battlefield.

"Ah, come on, Captain Yamato! It was just getting to the good part!" Naruto whined in a mini tantrum.

Yamato was busy catching his breath. He was feeling pretty tired, and the sun had just gone down. "You have to remember; I've already had three spars before you, and they were not easy."

"I think you are afraid that I'll beat your butt and want to save face." Naruto shouted out from across the field. Instantly, Yamato put on his ghoul face and stared down the young shinobi.

Oh crap, he's not joking around!

"O-Ok fine captain Yamato. Just p-please put that face away! It really scares me." Naruto said with a little fear.

Yamato was not joking when he said his previous spars were difficult. Each of the three kunoichi brought a different style of combat with them, and he had to adapt on the fly to deal with each of them.

Against Sakura, he was forced to maintain a safe distance, knowing that a single misstep could result in a crushing blow. Up close, her sheer strength was intimidating, capable of delivering devastating punches that could knock even the toughest opponents off their feet. Tsunade's training had clearly paid off, honing Sakura's skills to make her a formidable opponent.

When facing Ino, Yamato employed a more agile approach, constantly moving and seeking opportunities to get close. He was acutely aware of the risks posed by her clan's powerful jutsu, which could swiftly end any one-on-one battle if the opponent wasn't cautious. Fortunately, Yamato had prepared himself for this scenario, studying Ino's tactics and developing a strategy to counter her deadly abilities.

Hinata was the most formidable kunoichi opponent of the three. From a distance, she wielded her arsenal of rubber-tipped arrows with deadly precision, making every shot count. If he dared to venture closer, her mastery of the Gentle Fist technique would leave him reeling. It was only at mid-range that he stood a slim chance of gaining the upper hand, and he seized every opportunity to exploit this weakness. Despite his eventual triumph, the battle had taken a tremendous toll on him, draining his energy and leaving him vulnerable.

Fighting Naruto proved to be Yamato's toughest challenge yet, even taking into account his previous exhaustion. Naruto's only vulnerabilities were genjutsu and his impulsiveness, which often clouded his judgment. Yamato lacked the expertise in genjutsu to effectively exploit this weakness, so he decided to resort to taunting. This tactic worked for a short time, as Naruto's emotions would flare up, but he would regain control and refocus his attention after a moment. Yamato felt pleased with Naruto's progress. Yamato knew that if Naruto faced an enemy he hated, his anger might take control. In this case, Yamato hoped his wood release skills could handle Naruto's emotional outbursts. He prayed to Kami, the supreme deity, hoping his skills would keep Naruto on track.

Clap, Clap, Clap

"Naruto, you did amazing!" Hinata praised the boy she loved. During the 'battle' against Deidara, if it could be called that, Naruto had not been able to really show off what he could do. She only got to see him use the rasengan and swift release. Now, though, she finally got a proper taste of the growth he has had. She wasn't disappointed. If anything, he went above and beyond her wildest expectations.

"Yeah, I have to say, hearing you talk about your training and seeing it put to use are completely different things." Sakura concurred with Hinata. Unlike Hinata, Sakura didn't hear the stories about his training, and she wasn't there to see how the fight against Deidara had gone. This was the first real taste she had of Naruto's skills since the invasion of Konohagakure. He had improved by leaps and bounds. She hoped, though, that she wouldn't need to see him go all out during this mission.

"I have to say Goldie. If that's a taste of what you can do. Those Akatsuki freaks will stand no chance!" She says as she raises her fist into the air in triumph. Ino felt happiness at seeing Naruto in action. "Speaking of Akatsuki, what exactly is your connection with them, Goldie?" Ino questions her fellow blonde.

Naruto froze for just a second before he turned to the other two kunoichi. "You didn't tell her?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"It's your secret to share, Naruto." Hinata said hand started to tremble just a bit, but she paid it no mind.

"We wouldn't betray you like that. You alone have the right to share it." Sakura added on.

Naruto was left speechless, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions. He felt an intense rush of gratitude towards the two of them. This surge of appreciation was quickly followed by a sense of trust that grew exponentially. But most profoundly, Naruto felt a wave of relief wash over him, like a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day. It was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, allowing him to finally exhale the pent-up anxiety he had been carrying. He could trust them with his deepest secrets. This made him feel comforted, like finding a safe haven in a storm.

"Thanks, you two. You don't know how much that means to me." He said with gratitude. The two kunoichi simply gave him big smiles in return.

Naruto then turned to Ino and spoke directly to her. "You know how the Akatsuki are capturing jinchūriki?" He received a nod of approval and continued. "I'm the jinchūriki of the nine tails."

A palpable silence hung in the air, thick with anticipation, like a heavy fog that refused to lift. Naruto's eyes dropped, his gaze fixed on the ground, as if the ground itself could provide an honest opinion. He couldn't bear to see Ino's reaction, her expression a potential reflection of his own self-doubt. The seconds ticked by at a glacial pace, each one feeling like an eternity, as the silence grew more oppressive. Finally, Ino's voice broke the stillness, her words piercing the air like a gentle breeze on a summer day.

"Ah geez, is that all Goldie?" Ino said, bewildered.

Naruto's eyes widened in bewilderment as he struggled to process Ino's reaction. He had braced himself for a range of emotions - fear, empathy, or anger - but this calm, bewildered response was beyond his comprehension. "Wait, you're not afraid of me?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion, as he finally mustered the courage to meet her gaze, searching for a glimmer of understanding.

Ino was now walking towards Naruto with her hands on her hips. "Why would I be? If anything, I'm happy you told me, but it honestly doesn't change anything between us. You are still the most unpredictable shinobi there is. If you seriously thought I would think less of you after telling me that, then you don't give me enough credit." She spoke with sincerity.

Ino didn't have a clue at just what her words meant to him. Words couldn't convey what he felt right now. So instead of telling her how he felt, he would show it. When she got near him, he wrapped her up in a hug, twirled her around in the air, and said "Thank you" as sincerely as he could. She was taken aback by the gesture. She had not expected such a genuine reaction from Naruto.

"Ok, ok Goldie, that's enough. Please put me down." She said as she laughed at the sudden sensation of weightlessness. "I know I called you the most unpredictable shinobi, but can you at least TRY and be more predictable around us?" She half-jokingly requested of him. In the smallest, darkest corner of Hinata's mind, a thought popped into existence and ceased to be so fast, it could hardly say to have occurred at all. This thought was of ways to kill Ino nice and slowly.

"I'll try my best, but no promises." Naruto said with his goofy grin, putting Ino down.

Yamato took in the scene before him and felt relief. He didn't know exactly how this group would function together as a unit and had some fears before about how they would operate and work off each other. His fears were unfounded, it seemed, and on the teamwork front, they were ready as they could be.

"Ok everyone, the sun has gone down, so I think it's best we go inside for the night." Yamato said as he stretched his arms above his head. "I want to go over the plan for tomorrow with everyone. I also want to practice my Sasori impression and see if it will hold up long enough." Yamato announced to the group.

After receiving a round of positive affirmation, Yamato went inside his wooden structure and sat in what had become the living room. He was quickly joined by all those under his command. They had informally arranged themselves opposite each other in a pentagon shape, being equidistant from each person to their sides.

"Our main objective will be to capture this spy alive. Even if we have to fight them, we are not to kill him unless your own life is also threatened, or if their escape is inevitable otherwise." Yamato said to his assembled team as he kicked off the mission briefing formally.

Hinata raised her hand first and spoke. "What happens if we do have to kill him?"

"If that happens, that is where Ino will become the lynchpin of us going forward or going back." Yamato declares as he gestures towards the kunoichi in question.

"You want me to do a mind walk on a dead person." Ino states in a straightforward manner as she points to herself.

"That's right, I hope it doesn't come to that. I have faith in your skills. Your father's reports state you are ready for it." Yamato says, reassuring her.

"I have never done a mind walk on the dead. I only know the theory behind it." Ino says, bringing her hands down into her lap. She casts her gaze downwards as well. She was starting to question her own abilities in this unexplored realm. She had only seen her father do a mind walk on a dead person once before, and she knew the difficulties and dangers in it. Unlike living minds, those freshly dead did not respond to the Yamanaka clan's normal techniques, forcing the mind walker to much more dangerous extremes.

"I hope to not put you on the spot like that, but it is a possibility, so I want you to prepare yourself for it. Have faith in yourself." Yamato says to encourage her.

Ino rose her gaze to meet Yamato's. In his eyes, she saw that her captain had the utmost faith in her.

If he has such faith in me, then so should I! You can do this, Ino! You were handpicked out of all the Yamanaka to be on this mission by the Hokage herself. If both of them believe I can do it, then I will!

"Right, you can count on me." Ino says to reassure her teammates, her fist raised in front of her with determination.

"Good, now in the case of a live capture, you might still be needed, but this would be a living target." Yamato utters.

"I will have no problem with that. It could take a while. It depends on their mental barriers, but I will get you what you need." Ino says with far more confidence than before.

"Now then." Yamato then turns to face the group completely again. "At the start of this mission, I will face the spy alone. You are NOT to engage unless I give the signal. You four will be in the tree line and will hide yourselves and your chakra signatures. We have no idea how good a sensor this person will be, and I'd rather not tip them off." He says as he glances over the group.

"What will be the signal, Captain Yamato?" Sakura asks, raising her hand.

"It will be this." Yamato then brings his hand up and down in a chopping motion. All four nodded their heads in understanding. "Good, now if this encounter does go sideways and combat does happen, listen to my orders on the field. I will determine who does what depending on the circumstances."

He then turns to Sakura and addresses her directly. "You will focus on those with injuries the most. That includes our target." He pauses for a bit before asking an important question. "Will you be able to heal the enemy if its required?"

"Hai Yamato, if it means completing this mission, I will help even those working with Akatsuki." Sakura made a blunt statement. Her eyes had an iciness to them, letting everyone know her stance on the Akatsuki quite clear.

"Good, with that said. I want you three to critique my henge. No detail is too small to not bring up. This needs to be as perfect as possible." Yamato declares. He stands up from his kneeling position and moves towards the center of the pentagon. Once he reaches the center, he performs his henge based on the dossier given to him and Sakura's personal observations.

Standing before the four shinobi was an almost perfect duplicate of Sasori. Yamato hunched over in a black cloak with red clouds and completed the get up with a large straw hat.

"Well, how does it look?" Yamato as Sasori asks.

The three shinobi get up from their seated positions and start to circle around their captain. Looking for any imperfections they could see in the disguise. Only Ino remained where she was, quietly watching the scene in front of her.

"Well, for starters, captain, his voice wasn't that deep or hoarse." Naruto says, continuing to circle.

"How's this?" Yamato says as he changes his voice based on the feedback.

"Perfect!" Naruto says as he gives a thumbs-up.

"His face covering also wasn't torn like yours when we first met him." Hinata says as she grabs her chin in a thinking manner.

"He also had a few more wrinkles on his face." Sakura added as they all continued their waltz around Yamato.

Hearing this feedback, Yamato re-henged and made some adjustments. "Anything else?" Yamato asks. The three continued to circle but couldn't find anything else wrong with the henge. It was perfect. The three replied with "No" and took their respective positions from before.

"Good, now I need to get his mannerisms down." Yamato stated. He then started walking and talking as best he could to imitate Sasori. Hinata, Sakura, and Naruto all gave feedback on what he was doing, and Yamato would adjust. Eventually, Yamato was a carbon copy of Sasori in both physical appearance and charisma.

"Honestly, Captain, I can't tell you apart from Sasori. You have done an amazing job recreating him." Sakura said, praising his effort as she took her seat to one side of Naruto, with Hinata on the other side.

"Thank you for that, Sakura." Yamato replies as he turns back into his normal self. He then returns to the position he once had.

"Now then, is there anything else you all would like to discuss or ask?" Yamato says to the group as he adjusts himself back into his seated position.

"Yes, there is." Hinata says as she raises her hand again.

"What is it, Hinata?" Yamato asks.

"It's actually a question for Naruto and Sakura." She says as he faces the two of them. "What is this curse mark you were discussing with Lady Tsunade when we first got this mission? I've been meaning to ask, but I kept on getting sidetracked before."

Hinata had never heard of such a mark before. She gathered it must have been a seal of some kind, but that was it. She had no idea its function or what it could do. She would have asked back at the hot springs, but she didn't for two reasons. One was that she wanted Naruto to be there to help explain things just in case. The second was Ino; her 'antics' at the retreat made Hinata completely forget about the curse mark.

"Thats... tough to explain. Neither of us knows exactly what it is." Sakura said, painful memories returning to her mind of that day in the forest of death. At the time, she thought she was ready to face death again after the waves mission, but she was wrong. Facing Orochimaru during the exams was still the most scared she had ever been for her life. Even more so than when she fought Sasori.

"It's a seal of some kind made by Orochimaru. It gives you unbelievable power, but it corrupts you as you do." Naruto says, recalling what he could remember Jiraiya and Kakashi had said about the mark. During his travels with Jiraiya, he had started working on his seal work with the sage. After some time, Naruto asked him about Sasuke's cursed seal.

Jiraiya had told him it was a nasty bit of work created by his former teammate and would be nigh impossible to remove outside of having Orochimaru's help. It meant that Sasuke and Anko would have to live with it for the rest of their lives. Or so they thought.

"So Anko has, sorry, had, that mark. What does that have to do with Sasuke?" Hinata questions the two further, eyes narrowing a bit as she looks at Sakura.

"During the chūnin exams, Orochimaru got into the forest of death and gave Sasuke the curse mark as well." Naruto stated. He could only remember the events to a point. He had confronted Orochimaru at first and had expected backup from Sasuke. Sasuke, though, had a rare moment of panic and hesitated, causing Naruto to fight Orochimaru on his own for a bit. This allowed Orochimaru to knock him out quite easily, and when Naruto woke up, Sasuke had been given the curse mark.

"Unlike Anko, though, Sasuke willingly gave in to the temptation of the mark. I had thought it was the curse mark that caused his first defection, but I was wrong. The curse mark only amplifies feelings that are already there." Sakura expressed her observations with a clinical tone.

Naruto had also asked his sensei if the curse mark could have been why Sasuke left. "Sakura is right, I told pervy sage I thought the same thing. He told me the curse mark can't amplify what isn't already there. Everything Sasuke has done; he's wanted to do on his own."

Hinata felt a twinge of empathy for the Uchiha. She knew of what he had gone through as a child. She couldn't imagine how she would have turned out if something like that had happened to her. "I'm guessing that normal means can't remove this mark?"" Hinata asks, her tone and expression softening.

"No, and as long as you don't give in to the temptation of the mark, it doesn't do anything." Sakura answered. "That is why we were shocked when we heard it was removed from Anko. It gives further credence to Sasuke being the one who did, given he's the only other person to have it." Out of everyone in Konohagakure, he would be the one to have hidden contact with Orochimaru." She says as she looks at Hinata.

"How much power does this mark give him?" Ino chimed in for the first time in this conversation. She was trying to get information on a potential future confrontation and wanted to be prepared.

"A lot, it gives him a lot." Naruto states, his eyes devoid of expression as he recalls that day with clarity. When I last fought him seriously, he had completely succumbed to the curse mark. His power almost matched mine and I was using the nine-tails chakra at the time as well. It was enough to do this to me." He lifts his shirt and mesh armor as he says this.

This time, none of the kunoichi blushed; too busy were they staring at the scar near his heart. A reminder to them that if they were not careful, they could easily die in this profession. This simply furthered their unspoken resolve to protect Naruto no matter what.

"In short, when we do find him, be on guard. I can't imagine just how much more powerful he is if he does have two curse marks now." Naruto shuddered at the mere possibility. He knew firsthand what one curse mark could do. Two? He didn't know if all his training would be enough to counter such a massive spike in power.

"Naruto, Sakura, if we do find and confront Sasuke. Will you be able to do what you need to do if he gives us no choice?" Yamato decided to ask the most important question of the two. He needed to know where Sasuke's former teammates stood in relation to him.

Both shinobi took some time to answer this. It was a question they themselves had asked many times, and even now they didn't have a very satisfactory reply. "Honestly, Captain, I don't know. I mean, I forgave him for betraying me once on top of him trying to kill me. Forgive him twice? Including what he did to Anko? I just don't know if I can do that. I don't even know what I'll do when I see him again. I just want to know why. As crazy as it sounds, he's still my friend and I want to help him. I will say this though: I will protect all of you no matter what." Naruto honestly answered first.

He knows things with Sasuke can't go back to the way they used to be. Sasuke must answer for what he's done. He can't get off like he did last time. This time though, he's going to try even harder to reach out to Sasuke and bring him back, even if it means losing his own life. Before he goes that far, though, he's going to try and beat the message into Sasuke first, and he had to be honest with himself. A part of him was looking forward to delivering that message.

Satisfied with this answer for now, Yamato turns to the other original member of Team Kakashi. "And you Sakura?"

Sakura knew this kind of question would eventually come up, and she had been mulling it over ever since they all started on this journey to Tenchi Bridge. "I don't know if I have it in me to kill him. I would only do it if it meant saving any of you. Still, I want to save him from himself. My feelings for him may have passed, but he's still my teammate, damn it! I hate what he's done to Anko, and I want to know why he did it. Despite that, Naruto and I both know he's hurting, and he needs our help. We wouldn't be very good teammates if we abandoned him when there is still a chance we can help."

Her thoughts, it seemed, largely mirrored Naruto's on the matter. Both were under no delusions about what Sasuke currently was. Both knew that deep down, the Sasuke they remembered was buried under hate, grief, sadness, and vengeance. They needed to somehow reach that part of him and save him before he was completely lost to them.

"Alright, I can't expect much more from either of you. As long as you put our lives first, I can trust you to do what's right." Yamato says with some empathy. With this discussion over, Yamato brought his hands together in a clap.

"Now then, it's starting to get late. We should all go to bed soon. I want us all to be well rested for tomorrow." Yamato adds on. The group agrees with this course of action as a collective and soon all drift off to neverland.

XxX

Sunagakure, 11:03 PM, 10 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since Temari's world had broken and shattered. Her youngest brother had been taken from her far too soon. Now, as the moon cast an eerie glow over the village of Sunagakure, Temari found herself wandering through the silent streets, her heart heavy with grief. Every shadow seemed to whisper memories of her brother, and her mind was a tumult of anger and sorrow. She knew that she couldn't let her emotions hinder her.

The loss was a raw wound. The wind, ever her companion, seemed to mourn with her, carrying the weight of her heartache across the dunes. She vowed to honor Gaara's memory by avenging him and bringing the group that did this to him to justice. She headed on autopilot to the one place she spent her now restless nights, hoping tiredness would take her and allow her a mild peace in her tumultuous life.

Now she arrived at the training grounds where she and her brothers had first met Baki. This is where they started their journey to become shinobi of Sunagakure. It held many painful memories, far too many to count. At least it used to. As time passed, even the unpleasant memories began to shine slightly brighter, serving to contrast the genuinely good moments she had with Gaara.

She unfurled her fan from her back, gripping it tight to not lose it this night. She swung her fan in front of her, creating a slice of air that flew from her and cut into the sand. Then, she did it again, and again, and again, and again. Each time she swung a little bit faster, willing her arms to do a bit better each time. Soon enough, her swings were coming many times per second, each slice of wind continuing to dig through the sand a little more. A cloud of sand was soon coating the area, getting into her clothes and hair.

She did not care. After a lifetime of living in Sunagakure, she got used to the sand. She got used to it spreading everywhere. The hole in her soul that she would never fill and would never get used to.

The loss of her brother had changed her. Her sarcastic demeanor was gone, lost to the ether. Most of the joy she felt had vanished. She only had joy left in her life for her brother, one other boy, and for training.

For the past two weeks, she had come to this desolate place to further her abilities. She sharpened her wind release until it could cut through steel. She increased her chakra reserves and practiced her taijutsu against her sand clone whenever Baki was unavailable. Baki had been helping her a lot, but he had also been a little thorn in her side. He had started to plead with her to take more rest and to go easier on herself.

I can rest when I'm dead.

Her training had become her solace, the only place where she could channel her grief and fury into something tangible. The wind howled around her, a song of anguish and determination, as she pushed herself beyond her limits. Her mind raced with thoughts of vengeance. Each swing of her fan was a silent promise to herself, a vow to become stronger, to protect those she still held dear. Each swing represented an Akatsuki member she would strike down with.

In the depths of her despair, she found a fragile thread of hope, a glimmer of purpose that drove her forward. She would not rest until she served justice, until the name Akatsuki became nothing but a distant echo in the winds of time. With one final, powerful swing, she let out a primal scream, the sound reverberating through the empty training grounds, a testament to her unyielding spirit and the unbreakable bond she shared with her brother.

"Impressive, young one. You might be the best wind user in Sunagakure now." A voice said from behind Temari. Temari whirled her fan around her, blowing away the sand that hugged the air and pointed her fan at the unannounced visitor.

"Come now, child. Is that any way to greet your elder." The woman said. Her wrinkled face twisted in a frown.

"What are you doing here, Lady Chiyo? Temari said in a cold tone as she brought down her fan and turned to face the elder directly.

"I came of my own volition. It's no secret you have been sneaking out here to get in some extracurricular training." Chiyo says as she puts her arms in her robes to stave off the cool night air.

"There is a reason I'm doing this. I need to do this or else I'm wasting time. Every second I'm not training, feels like I'm letting Gaara down." Temari said, looking down into the sand, ashamed of herself.

"That night when the Akatsuki came, Gaara was the only one who could face them. Kankuro and I were helpless, sidelined against such monsters. Gaara had to fight them alone, and because of that, he got captured." Temari said, her voice shaking as she remembered the last time she saw her brother alive.

Chiyo, for her part, said nothing, only listening to Temari's grief. She had important news to tell Temari, but the girl needed to vent first. So, Chiyo would allow her to express her thoughts, hoping that she would finally release her emotions.

"If I had been stronger, spent more time training instead of lollygagging around, I could have fought with him. Then, he would be here with us, alive and well." Her voice continued to shake, and her body soon followed suit.

"But I didn't. I was weak, too weak. Because of that, I lost my Kazekage, I lost my brother! I'll never get to see him again. I'll never see the joy in his eyes again. I'll never get to tell him I love him ever again!" Temari said, sorrow taking over her. She shut her eyes tight and balled her fists tight.

"Why? Why did it have to be Gaara!? Why do those Akatsuki bastards have to even exist? How come we didn't know about them till it was too late? Kami, I hate them so fucking much. I want to rip their heads off and shove them up their own asses." She said, the fire inside her that had been growing was now finally breaking through. She needed to let the rage she felt inside escape somehow, or else it would overwhelm her.

"They will pay for what they have done to this village. I swear to Kami that I will avenge Gaara. I hate them, I hate them so fucking much. All I feel is hate now. I hate these feelings I have. I hate not being there when he died. But most of all, I hate myself! I hate this! I can't take it anymore! Why did this have to happen!? Why us!?" Why me!? She said, her rage finally left her as she fell to her knees and cried, covering her eyes with her hands and hanging her head.

Chiyo, for a while, let the young kunoichi sob. All her pent-up emotions were finally coming out to see the moonlit night. This is what Temari needed, to let go and be honest with herself. Chiyo would let Temari do what she needed to do. Only when she felt the young kunoichi was ready would she speak up.

Temari's sobbing came to an end. Her body no longer shook in the night. The hurricane of emotions in her heart had quieted to a gentle calm. The release provided her with a profound sense of calm.

Chiyo finally spoke, her voice gentle but firm. "Your anger and sorrow, Temari, are justified." But you must remember that Gaara fought not just for the village but for you, for Kankuro, for all of us. His spirit lives on in every decision we make, in every battle we fight. He would not want you to be so consumed with vengeance that you throw everything away to seek it."

"No offense, Lady Chiyo, but you shouldn't be the one talking to me about not seeking vengeance. I remember you tried to kill Kakashi when you thought he was the White Fang." Temari spat out in disgust, and she raised her head to try and meet Chiyo's gaze.

"...Yes, I did." Chiyo said as she turned her gaze towards the sand, ashamed of what she did.

"Then you should know better than anyone why I'm doing this. Why I need it!" Temari said as she brought a fist up to her chest.

Chiyo didn't speak for a few seconds, collecting the words that Temari needed to hear. "Yes, I do understand. I also understand that if I did manage to kill him, those Konohagakure shinobi would have had every right to kill me in retribution. And when they did, Sunagakure would seek retribution in kind." Chiyo took a breath to let her words sink in.

"I was wrong for doing what I did. I set a bad example for the younger generations. You should be better than us. We need to not only teach you better but show you better as well. In that regard, I failed you." Chiyo said as she brought her head up to meet Temari's gaze.

"Vengeance can spiral out of control and become all-consuming. Please, don't seek it out." Chiyo pleads with Temari.

Temari took a good long look into Chiyo's eyes. They were the eyes of someone who knew what they were talking about. They spoke of firsthand experience in such matters and how you needed to find another motivation other than revenge. "Then what am I supposed to do? Those Akatsuki bastards attacked us; justice needs to be had!" She shouted out.

Now that is the correct motivation. She needs to foster that mindset more to prepare her for her future position. But I must be careful, so she understands the difference between justice and vengeance.

"Yes, we need to do justice, and we will do it. We need to stop the Akatsuki so that what happened to us, especially you, does not happen again."

"Then I need to continue training so that I'll be ready next time they show up." Temari boasts. She felt better that Lady Chiyo and she were now on some kind of common ground. The rage and shame she felt were now dissipating at a rapid pace. Gaara's killers would not get away with what they did, and that brought her some semblance of peace.

"Training is necessary, but so is rest. If you do not get proper rest, you will not be able to train effectively. You have done enough for today. Please head home and clear your mind." Chiyo states. It wouldn't do Temari any good if she were to fall asleep without warning on her upcoming journey.

"But that is why I'm out here. I can't clear my mind except through training." Temari declares. She had not managed to get more than 3 hours of sleep a day since the funeral. She kept up a strong face, but even she was having a tough time covering up the obvious signs of sleep deprivation on her face.

"I believe this might clear your mind a bit." Chiyo says as she produces a scroll from her robe.

Temari stands up from her kneeling position and takes a few steps forward and grabs the scroll. She opens the seal on the scroll and unfurls it. As she is reading, her eyes start to grow wide as they dart across and down the scroll.

"Lady Chiyo this is..."

"A formal request from the acting Kazekage to the Hokage to allow you to join them on their hunt for the Akatsuki."

"This, this is ..." This is what Temari had been waiting for all this time. Chiyo's words replayed in her mind what the elder had said to her and the teams from Konohagakure. Chiyo's pledge that day wasn't empty boasting. She had put her money where her mouth was. There was something weird about the contents of this scroll though.

"Wait, you said it's from the acting Kazekage. It has your signature, though." Temari said, confused, as she looked up from the scroll towards Chiyo. It had not dawned on her yet what this meant.

"The council decided that as of this night, I will be the acting Kazekage until the successor is ready. They will not give me a number and will not record me as a Kazekage." Lady Chiyo declared with authority.

"This," Chiyo gestures to the scroll. "Is my first formal duty as acting Kazekage. This message will be sent tonight and arrive within Konohagakure shortly. That is another reason why you need to rest. You will need to be ready at a moment's notice to leave and so need to be well rested." Chiyo uttered, folding her hands behind her back.

Temari expected that this would happen at some point. Despite her grief, she understood the need for the village to have an acting Kazekage. She also understood that Kankuro was nowhere near ready to take on the responsibilities of the position. He was too brash and didn't play the political game well. Giving him extra time to learn under Lady Chiyo would do him some good.

"I guess Kankuro wants some more time to prepare for the hat. I can't blame him, but I hope he doesn't force you to wear it for an extended period." Temari says, calming down quite a bit. She turned her eyes back to the parchment to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her.

"Who said it was Kankuro that would be wearing the hat?" Chiyo said, with an eyebrow raised.

Temari immediately stopped reading and replayed what she had just heard. It took a while for Temari to digest that question and its implications. "Wait, the council wants ME to succeed Gaara?" Temari asked, stunned at the news, her eyes once again wide as she tore her eyes away from the scroll.

"Yes, my dear. The council has watched you both over the years and determined you would be a much better leader than Kankuro. You have the political tact to navigate sensitive issues. Plus, I wasn't kidding when I said you are likely the best wind release master we have. You have both the strength and intellect for the position. It's only your temperament that is questioned." Chiyo says. Truth be told, the council originally wanted Kankuro to become the next Kazekage. It was she and her brother that had changed the council's mind. They agreed quickly after Chiyo accepted the role of Kazekage temporarily while Temari prepared for the responsibilities that came with the position.

"Your position as ambassador to Konohagakure was fortunate now in more ways than fostering good relations. Both our diplomats and theirs have expressed strong admiration for you. When you are ready, I know you will be a fine Kazekage." Chiyo further adds.

"This, this is a lot to take in." Temari utters, still in shock about the news. For the moment, all her previous thoughts and emotions were gone, replaced with a bunch of questions she didn't have the answers too. If it had been Chiyo's goal to take her mind off her current troubles, then she succeeded.

Except now she just threw a bunch of new ones on my plate. Oh well, at least these problems I know how to deal with. I can't wait to see the look on Kankuro's face when he hears the news!

"I know, which is why I wanted to be the one to tell you all this before the council did. I won't be pushy on a timetable for you to take over. But I am old, and Father Time may decide for us both when you take the hat." Chiyo says, attempting a bit of humor.

"I suppose so." Temari chuckled a little for the first time in a fortnight.

Chiyo could hear the slight chuckle and was happy to see Temari feel something that wasn't sadness or hatred for the first time in a while.

"Once we bring the Akatsuki to justice, you will begin your Kazekage training in earnest." For now, keep up your training but do NOT overdo it. That's an order from your acting Kazekage. If Konohagakure agrees to you joining in the Akatsuki hunt, you will go to them and help them in whatever way they ask you. This will also be an invaluable opportunity for you to learn more about politics and how to run a village. Do I make myself clear?" Lady Chiyo asks the Kazekage in training.

"Crystal, ma'am," Temari says, standing straight and focused.

"No need to be so formal with my deary. I'm a temporary worker after all. Now then, it's time that you went back home to bed. Don't make me drag you back." Chiyo said with a slight teasing tone in her voice.

"Hey, you can't say that to your future Kazekage." Temari laughed a little as she said this.

"The day you become Kazekage, you can do whatever you like. Until that time, you live in my village and under my rules." Chiyo laughed with Temari.

After this, Temari did go back to her home. For the first time since her brother's death, she had a good night's sleep.

XxX

Near Tenchi Bridge, 11:59 PM, 10 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

Naruto looked into Hinata's eyes. His voice trembled when he said, "I love you, Hinata." He grasped her hands with a firm grip, as if that would stop her from slipping away.

The moon cast a ghostly glow on their secluded spot, distant from the freshly made shelter and their teammates. They had wandered here together, seeking solace from the day's events, and Naruto felt an overwhelming urge to share his true feelings.

"It's important," he said. Hinata trusted him completely and followed without doubt. Now, as they stood face to face, Hinata's silence spoke volumes, her eyes wide with surprise and wonder.

"Naruto, I-I don't know wha..."

Naruto's eyes locked onto hers, his gaze intense and sincere. He reached out a gentle hand, his index finger pressing gently against her lips to silence her.

"Shhhh, you don't need to say anything," he whispers, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine. "Know that I love you, and I want to be with you forever." His words hang in the air like a promise, and her heart responds by racing out of control. It's as if her entire world has come to a standstill, and all that exists is Naruto, standing before her, professing his undying love. She can't believe that the boy who has been her friend, her confidant, and her protector is now standing before her, declaring his love. It's a dream she's harbored for what feels like an eternity, and the reality of it is almost too much to bear.

He cradles her chin in his hand. His fingers wrap around it possessively. He closes his eyes and tilts his head forward. His face moves closer. His warm breath brushes her skin. His intention is clear. He will kiss her and show his true feelings. Hinata's cheeks blaze with a fiery heat, but she refuses to back down from this moment of truth. She has been waiting for what feels like an eternity for this, and she is not about to let it slip away. Her heart races like a wild animal. She closes her eyes gently, and her lashes flutter shut like butterfly wings. Then, she leans forward, her lips parting slightly in anticipation. One kiss, she thinks, and her relationship will be sealed. The air is charged with tension. They stand on the edge of a moment, waiting. The universe seems to hold its breath, eager for the spark that will ignite their love.

"Why didn't you help me?" He says, his voice cracking with unspeakable anguish, like a tree splintering under the weight of a raging storm. Quickly, she opens her eyes to look at him. They are no longer holding hands. He is standing away from her, his face cast down to the ground below, as if the weight of his gaze would crush him.

That's not what draws her attention the most, no. What horrifies her is the state of his body, like a canvas ripped apart by an artist's frenzied brushstrokes. His clothes are torn. Large patches of skin are missing. She can see the muscle, organs, and fat underneath. It's like peeling back layers of an onion to expose the raw, pulsing core. Blood pools at his feet, a crimson lake spreading around him. It threatens to engulf them both. She can see the actual beating of his heart in his chest, like a drumbeat in a primal ritual, pounding out a rhythm of pain and suffering. She fights the urge to gag at the sight. Her stomach churns like a stormy sea, as if the horror will swallow her whole.

Then, his head slowly pivots upwards, the sound of creaking bones echoing through the landscape. The sudden movement startles her, and her eyes widen in horror as his eyeless head finally meets her gaze. The sight is too much to bear, and a blood-curdling scream erupts from her throat. She springs up from her bed, her sheets tangled around her legs, as if propelled by an unseen force. Her heart races, pounding forcefully against her ribs. She fears it might burst from her chest, leaving her gasping for air. The room spins around her, a blur of darkness and shadows, as she struggles to comprehend the terror she has just seen.

A nightmare. Another nightmare.

She had been plagued by ever more nightmares since her return from the previous mission. What began as brief, scary dreams turned into constant, unsettling visions. They left her breathless and anxious. She had hoped that with time, the darkness would recede, and her troubled mind would find some semblance of peace. Instead, the nightmares grew worse. They invaded her mind with fierce intensity. She couldn't escape the fear that now filled her waking hours.

She grasps at her chest as if to physically still her racing heart, her hand quivering like a leaf in an autumn breeze. She inhales deeply, holding the air in her lungs for a moment before exhaling slowly, deliberately. At first, she gasps for air. Then, she focuses on how the air moves in and out. Her breaths lengthen and deepen with each passing moment. Soon, they find a steady rhythm. As her body regains its equilibrium, she wraps her fingers around the sheet with a firm grip, holding it close to her chest like a shield. The fabric's softness is a comforting sensation, a reminder that she is safe and that the turmoil has passed.

What is going on with me? Why isn't this going away?

Hinata frowned, trying to think of a way to stop the scary nightmares that troubled her. The question echoing in her mind was, who could she turn to for help? Suddenly, a name flashed before her eyes, Ino. She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her for not thinking of her friend sooner. After all, Ino had been training under the watchful eye of her father, a renowned expert in psychology, for quite some time now. With Ino's help, Hinata wanted to understand her dark visions. She also aimed to find a way to get rid of them for good.

When we get back to Konohagakure, I'll ask her to help me.

With her mind made up, Hinata unclutched her sheets and lay back down. She knew tomorrow would be a very big day. She needed to get as much sleep as she could so she wouldn't be a burden to the others, but also to herself.

XxX

Near fire temple, 8:12 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"So Shikamaru, have you put any thought to what I said during our last shogi match?"

"..."

"Shikamaru, stop staring at the clouds. I don't know how you can cloud watch while walking and not trip over something."

"Oh, sorry Asuma, what were you saying?"

Asuma gave a sigh before he repeated his question. "I said have you put any thought to what I said during our last shogi match?"

"Can't say I have Asuma sensei." Shikamaru said. His hands were still behind his head, and he once again looked up towards the sky. In truth, he had thought it over, a lot. It had bothered him a bit ever since Asuma had told him about analogy about the village being like a shogi board. Shikamaru being like a knight made perfect sense since he could come up with out of the box solutions to almost any problem he faced.

He had initially thought that the King would clearly be the Hokage, but Asuma told him that was false. While indeed the Hokage is powerful, they were not the most valuable piece on the board.

If the Hokage isn't the most valuable piece, then who is?

"Seriously kid, how do you do that?" Kotetsu chimed in

"I third that motion, now spill it." Izumo said, carrying the motion.

Kotetsu has long, spiky, black hair and dark eyes. He has a strip of bandage running across the bridge of his nose and a light-coloured marking on his chin. Outside that he is wearing the standard konohagakure flak jacket and wears his forehead protector where it should be.

Izumo has brown hair, and dark eyes. His hair is combed down and always covers his right eye. He too is wearing the standard flak jacket of the village and wears his forehead protector in the proper place.

The four of them are currently on their way to the fire temple and plan on using it as a base to search for the Akatsuki that had crossed the border. Asuma was in front, Izumo and Kotetsu were in the middle, and Shikamaru was in the rear, completing the diamond formation.

Brought out of his train of thought. Shikamaru put a pin in his thoughts and answered. "There is no secret. You just need to be perceptive." Shikamaru made an honest statement.

Man, I hope these two don't become troublesome. I've rather been enjoying this little trip to the fire temple. It sucks this easy part won't last for too long.

Asuma had been light on the details of the mission. He said that a pair of S-Ranked criminals from a group called the Akatsuki infiltrated the land of fire and that they were seen near the border. They would make their base of operations be at the fire temple and from there, search the countryside for the criminals and then send word back to Konohagakure. Who exactly this Akatsuki group was, Asuma didn't say but he said they were dangerous. They were only to engage if to save lives or if unavoidable.

"Not all of us are as smart or perceptive as you Shikamaru." Asuma commented from the front while talking over his shoulder.

"Heh, you prove that to me every time we play shogi." Shikamaru slightly chuckled as he spoke.

"Hahaha, well, at least I always keep striving to improve myself." Asuma says as he lights up another cigarette.

"I don't see why you smoke those." Kotetsu says, commenting on Asuma's toxic habit.

"You do now how bad those are for you right?" Izumo adding on as he waves the fumes of smoke from his face.

"Wait really? They are bad for me? I never knew that!" Asuma said with sarcasm, but his tone remained kind. He was simply tired of hearing that line from virtually every nonsmoker he ever came across.

"And what would Kurenai say if she saw you right now?" said Shikamaru.

Much like in the Hokage's office, Asuma froze for a second. His cigarette falling out of his mouth. He moved to hide his wedding ring without being aware of it. He had tried his best to keep his relationship with Kurenai a secret. He thought he had done a pretty good job. He understood that the Hokage would find out; she had ANBU and was considered the strongest kunoichi/shinobi for a reason.

Shikamaru he also understood as well. The boy was smart, too smart for his own good. Heck, even Ino figuring it out didn't really surprise him either. She had the highest emotional intelligence out of any of them, including himself.

He just couldn't figure it out for the life of him how Chōji knew! He said neither Ino nor Shikamaru told him and that it was obvious. On the day Chōji told him, Asuma questioned his skills as a shinobi with deep concern.

So caught up was he in how own thoughts that he tried to take a drag from the cigarette that used to be in his mouth.

"Damnit Shikamaru, you made me waste one." Asuma grumbles out as he fetches another cigarette.

"If you stopped trying to hide it, it would be easier on you. What are you going to do when your child is born?" Shikamaru lazily drawled out.

That was a heavy question, and not an unfair one to ask. He and Kurenai had only just started talking about names for the child. He had a name for both a boy and girl and she had names in kind. Neither had backed down yet but they both agreed to settle on names when he got back from this mission. It was one of the many things that had to be postponed due to the Akatsuki

"Shikamaru, IF I have a child, and I'm NOT saying it's going to be soon. I'll sing it from the rooftops on that day." Asuma uttered out.

"Just don't do it too early in the morning. I need my rest." Shikamaru said

"Don't you sleep in till like 1PM on your days off?" Kotetsu remarked.

"And your point being?" Shikamaru retorted.

"..."

With that last bit of dialogue, the group continued onwards with its march for another hour. The group continued to rampart with one another, but they were always on the lookout for any ambushes.

"Hey, it looks like the fire temple is doing a big ritual this morning. I can see the smoke from here." Izumo said as he pointed to the smoke in the distance.

"I wonder what they could be doing. I can't think of any rituals they might be doing at this time of year." Kotetsu further added.

"Me neither. Shikamaru, your thoughts?" Asuma asked his young protege. Something felt off about seeing smoke from this far away. Any ritual they could be doing wouldn't need that much fire. He hoped that Shikamaru might be able to assuage his concerns.

Shikamaru immediately answered, a certain seriousness taking hold of his voice. "It can't be a ritual. We are still too far away to see any ritual fire. Something is happening to the temple itself."

"You heard the genius, let's move it. Double time to the temple!" Asuma barked out. He didn't wait for an acknowledgment from his team; instead, he began to run at full speed. He had a sinking feeling that something terrible had befallen his friend Chiriku.

Asuma had become acquainted with the ninja monk during their time as part of the twelve guardian shinobi for the daimyo. After a betrayal from within, the two were the only ones left alive. That was when Asuma decided to return to Konohagakure and Chiriku went back to the fire temple.

Chiriku was a righteous man who let nothing phase him. If he witnessed injustice, his wrath was great. It was these qualities that endeared the monk to Asuma. He hoped this feeling in the pit of his stomach turned out to be nothing. The closer his team got to the temple, the more his stomach twisted and turned.

The smoke continued to rise into the sky evermore. As they reached the temple grounds, the devastation became clearer. Structures that once stood as symbols of tranquility and resilience were now reduced to charred remains. Flames soared high into the early morning sky. Buildings were partially collapsed, and some had completely fallen due to the fire. Asuma's heart pounded with a renewed urgency, his thoughts fixated on Chiriku.

"Do you think this was the Akatsuki?" Izumo asked as he surveyed the devastation.

"I do not know, but if I had to guess I would say so. Right now, our goal is to search for survivors. I want everyone to stay close. The people who did this might still be nearby and I don't want any of you to die on my watch." Asuma said, keeping his emotions in check for the good of the mission.

"Understood." all three said in unison.

Asuma led the way through the smoking and smoldering wreckage, calling out for any survivors to speak up. All he could hear was the crackle and pop of the fires around him. His team was right behind him, putting out fires and moving debris to get to those they thought might be alive. All they found were bodies.

"Asuma, what's that over there?" Kotetsu said aloud, pointing to some strange markings in the distance.

"Let's check it out, but keep your eyes peeled for anyone, be they friend or hostile." Asuma stated. He then led the group to the markings in the distance. The markings became clear as they approached. It was a circle with a triangle in it, but that wasn't all. Dried blood covered it. Evidence of how long ago this massacre happened.

"What was the point of this?" Asuma questions aloud. No one could answer, not even Shikamaru.

Near where they were standing, the group heard a low groan. Someone was alive.

"Hey! Speak up! We are here to help!" Kotetsu shouted.

The groans became louder, and the group started moving closer to the source. They found the person buried underneath torn and shredded timber. They rushed to remove the debris, and to their relief, they discovered a surviving monk from this place.

Shikamaru rushed to examine the monk for any obvious life-threatening injuries. Again, to his relief, there were none. The monk still had his eyes closed and had labored breathing. There was nothing Shikamaru could do for any internal injuries. He wasn't a medic nin like Ino or Sakura.

The monk gave a loud cough and brought his hand to his chest in pain, trying to catch some clean air. "Easy there, take a deep breath." Asuma expressed his confidence.

"Asuma sensei, this monk doesn't have the same sash as you, so who is he?" Shikamaru asked.

"I don't know. I haven't seen Chiriku among the bodies we have found. This one looks young though, could be an apprentice." Asuma suggests

"Ch..Chi..Chiruku." The monk moaned out. His eyes started to flutter open in obvious pain.

"Easy now, we got you." Izumo said, lifting the monks head.

"Who did this?" Kotestu inquired.

"Black...cloaks...red...clouds." The monk says between labored breaths.

"It was the Akatsuki. We got here too late." Asuma said with shame. "What happened to Chiruku?" Asuma uttered with worry in his voice.

"They killed...him and...took his body." His breathing started to become normalized, but he could still say only a few words between each breath.

"Damnit!" Asuma shouted out.

Asuma took a moment to regain his composure and focused on what was happening in front of him. "Do you know which way they went?" Asuma questioned the monk.

"They talked about a ...bounty station." The monk said, now sitting upright on his own now.

"Bounty station. There are a couple of them around here. We will need to go to them and see if the Akatsuki have come around." Asuma stated.

"What about him?" Shikamaru said, showing concern for the monk.

"We will walk with him back to the nearest town to get him patched up. Then we will send a hawk back to Lady Tsunade with what we have found. Then we will confirm which bounty station they dropped off Chiruku off at and tail them." Asuma confirming the plan with his team.

"What's your name?" Asuma asked.

"Sentoki." The monk replied with.

"I'm sorry about what happened to the fire temple Sentoki. We will make sure this doesn't happen again. Do you think you can walk?" Asuma asks

"I should in a few minutes. Just give... me time to rest." Sentoki mutters, still in pain, but the pain is beginning to fade.

Chiruku, I'm sorry old friend. I wasn't able to get here in time. You deserved a better end than what you got. I hope you forgive me. I'll see you in the afterlife when my time comes.

XxX

Tenchi bridge, 9:55 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

Naruto, Hinata, Ino, and Sakura were all hidden in the tree line. Every pair of their eyeballs trained on the spot opposite the side of the bridge. The only things they could see were the bridge, trees, and a bird circling overhead.

In the distance, darkened clouds rolled. They could hear distant thunder crackling in the sky. An energy charged the area that went unnoticed by all. An ominous omen if there was one.

"I wonder what Sasori's spy is like." Sakura commented.

"I hope he shows up on time unlike Kakashi sensei." Naruto replies.

"Hey Hinata, can you see if Sasori's spy is nearby?" Asked Naruto

"Sorry Naruto I can't. If I did, I would expose my chakra signature." Hinata said.

"Man, that stinks. Oh well, thanks for letting me know. I'm still having a tough time getting my signature under control." Naruto uttered.

"Oh please Goldie, I wish I had that problem. Your chakra levels are even higher than Hokage's and not by a little either." Ino quipped back.

"Hey! It's not all ramen having this much chakra!"Naruto said with irritation, a tick mark appearing on his forehead as he looked back at Ino.

"You and ramen Naruto. I hope you know that is why you were short growing up. That stuff is not nutritious at all!" Ino said in a huff.

"That doesn't mean it's still not the food of Kami! I just... need to supplement it is all." Naruto expressed his disappointment. His time away from the village had shown him Ino was right. When Jiraiya began planning his meals, Naruto noticed changes in his body. Ramen was still the best food in the world, it just couldn't be the only thing he ate.

Ino inched forward and gave Naruto a pinch. "Ouch! What was that for?" Naruto whispered in a low voice as he turned back towards her.

"Had to make sure you were real and I'm not dreaming." Ino spoke with confidence.

"Ino, you are supposed to pinch yourself."" Naruto said, rubbing the spot she pinched.

"But that would hurt. This is much more effective." Ino beamed out. Naruto wanted to stay mad at her but found he couldn't. With a defeated look, he turned away and grumbled out "Whatever."

Hinata was watching this display from the right with a slight look of disappointment. She loved his childishness most of the time, key word most. This was one of the rare few times she didn't like it. She held her tongue though. It wasn't a significant issue, and she didn't want to spoil his enjoyment. Even if she wasn't the cause of his happiness, she still wanted him to have it.

"Stop playing around you two. The spy can show up any minute." Sakura, standing about ten feet to the left of the pair, spoke with a serious tone. Unlike Hinata, Sakura had no issues correcting Naruto or Ino on missions. She did care what they thought of her and it hurt her at times when they gave her their angry looks. She was not going to let them form bad habits on these types of missions though.

"Ino started it." Naruto pointed out, trying to defend himself.

"I don't care Naruto. It's game time now. We all need to focus." Sakura said with a small aura of authority.

"Fine." Naruto said, with a tone that was more harsh than he intended, as he turned his attention back to the bridge.

Silence falls upon the group for the next few minutes. In Naruto's mind though, it was anything but silent. Several times he would open his mouth but then close it again. The words hung on the edge of his tongue, begging to be released, but he held firm.

Not yet

His internal monologue is interrupted when he believes someone is approaching from a distance."Hey, I think I see them." Naruto said, his gazing peering across to the opposite side of the bridge from the tree line.

"Damnit, I can't see them underneath the cloak. Can any of you three see them?" Sakura said, her attention drawn to the new figure that arrived.

"No." all three responded. The figure started to walk towards the middle of the bridge and the henged Yamato followed suit from the tree line closest to the bridge. Once both figures met at the center, Sasori's spy brought his head down.

"No way, it can't be him. Why is Kabuto here?"

Author Notes

Chapter title is from The Killers.

Another chapter completed, another chapter that felt more like it wrote it self. I had originally had more of the confrontation with Kabuto happen in this chapter but I just couldn't add it without adding a ton more length to the chapter. My longest right now is 14k and I don't want to do something like that unless I feel its necessary.

Now, onto what happened this chapter. I fucking love writing the scenes with our little team Yamato. Adding Ino makes things easier for me honestly. She doesn't have any baggage with any of the girls or Naruto for that matter and I can just write nice little scenes with her. She really livens things up.

That being said, this fic will NOT be a harem ending. Naruto will end up with one girl and that will be either Hinata or Sakura. I will say I do plan on each girl getting with Naruto for a night. I have a timeline on when I think major events will happen. But if I feel the characters would do something different I will go that route.

That is why I added the Temari scene. I originally had no plans for a scene with her this chapter. Hell, I didn't plan on really including her at all in this fic. But I came to a realization I would be doing her a major disservice if I didn't include her more. She's on a path that is eerily similar to Sasuke's and I love that, so I'm including her story now. This also goes with my wanting of death to have serious consequences and how it effects people.

Anyways, that's all I have. Please leave a comment/review and see yall next time!

Chapter 17: My Curse

Chapter 17: My Curse

XxX

Tenchi bridge, 9:55 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

I hope all the preparations we have done will be enough. I need to convince this spy that I'm the real Sasori. This should buy me time to get the information we need or to catch them.

Yamato was going through his mental checklist many times to ensure he had the mannerisms of Sasori down to near perfection. His henge he believed was perfect thanks to those under his command. They provided details that he had missed when going over the files. Sasori's personality would prove much harder to keep straight but he thought he could manage it.

He had concealed himself in the tree line near his end of the bridge for what felt like an eternity. Five minutes that dragged on like hours. Sasori, notorious for his abhorrence of waiting, never arrived early. So, Yamato stayed hidden in the tree line. Yamato, too, maintained a distance from his team. He was acutely aware that they were watching with the same intensity. Their trained eyes surveying the surroundings as hawks scan for prey.

After about another 5 minutes, a white robed figure appeared on the opposite side of the canyon and started walking towards the center of the bridge.

Well, now's the time. Let's do this.

Yamato thought to himself as he too emerged from the tree line and walked towards the center of the bridge. Once both individuals met at the center, the white robed figure pulled down their hood, revealing the face of Kabuto Yakushi. For the briefest moment, Yamato was taken aback. He was not expecting the spy to be Kabuto of all people. From every report he read on the young shinobi it seemed he was a loyal Orochimaru supporter through and through.

Yamato's stoic expression remained unchanged, a mask of calm etched on his henged face. The initial shock of the sudden revelation still lingered, but he composed himself. His eyes narrowing as he pierced the air with a pointed question. "Were you followed?" His tone was even, devoid of emotion, yet it hinted at a deeper concern, a sense of urgency that belied the simplicity of the query. The bridge seemed to hold its breath, the air thick with tension as he waited for a response, his gaze fixed on the other person with unwavering focus.

"No, I assure you on that." Kabuto said with a serious expression.

"Good, I have many questions, and I don't like my time wasted." Yamato said, a look of slight annoyance shown through his eyes.

"I'm also pressed for time. I've risked my life to come here, so let's make this quick." Kabuto says as he looks around.

"I've heard that the Uchiha brat has defected again from Konohagakure. Is he with Orochimaru now?" Yamato asked in his deep gruff Sasori voice.

"Yes." Kabuto said, his face as serious as it was before.

"Where?" Yamato asked, his voice not betraying his relief that he was making progress.

"There are several hideouts he could be at. Orochimaru isn't forthcoming even with me on where his latest pet project is. All I know is that he plans to keep moving him about every week all across the land of sound and even some of his bases beyond sounds borders." Kabuto states.

He then walks towards the side of the bridge and peers over into the canyon below. "Unfortunately, there won't be a set schedule or pattern on when this will happen. I can tell you where Orochimaru is right now though. He's in a safehouse on an island in a lake North of here. He doesn't plan on staying there for very long. He's not one to stay in one place for very long."

The bushes from the side of the bridge Kabuto started to rustle. This caused Kabuto to whirl around and throw a kunai at the sound. A rabbit perked its head up from the bushes and was immediately struck down by the kunai. An unseen snake rushed to consume its body after it went flying into the forest.

"Good, it was a rabbit." Kabuto spoke in a calm manner.

Meanwhile.

"Damnit, I can't hear a thing from here." Naruto said from his crouched position.

"Me neither, being down wind is making it impossible to hear anything." Ino said, agreeing with Naruto.

"We have to be downwind from them you two. Else, they could hear us and even smell us." Hinata replied in a straightforward manner.

"Oh, right sorry." Naruto says with a hint of embarrassment, feeling flustered that he didn't realize that sooner. He believed they chose this side for the view alone.

Sakura could only sigh at her two less than astute teammates.

Man, what am I going to do with the two of them? Separate I can handle them, but together? They seem to feed off each other.

"What's captain Yamato waiting for? He should grab him while he's distracted." Ino asks the group, Hinata's comment not fazing her in the slightest.

"Captain Yamato knows what he's doing. This is Kabuto we are dealing with. He may not look it, but he possesses exceptional skill. Yamato has to be cautious." Sakura answers.

"Plus, he doesn't want Kabuto to become suspicious." Hinata chimes in

Back at the bridge

"Now then, on what you asked me to look into last time." Kabuto says, turning back towards the henged Yamato.

This enigmatic line sparked Yamato's curiosity. He didn't know Sasori's motives, yet uncovering Orochimaru's secrets would yield crucial information. Yamato's instincts indicated that it would be a valuable piece of intel, one that could shift the balance of power in their favor. Yet, he knew he had to tread with caution, for Orochimaru was infamous for his cunning and deception. One misstep could ensnare Yamato in his own trap.

The longer I keep us this disguise, the more likely it is Kabuto will know I'm not the real Sasori. I can't let this chance pass though. I need to hold on for a little bit longer.

When Orochimaru switches bodies, he places a specially made sealing jutsu on his old body to prevent any analysis of it. I have not been able to break this jutsu so far." Kabuto states. A look of annoyance plastered on his face. He had wanted to break this jutsu, but he had failed many times despite his efforts.

"That's unfortunate." Yamato said.

I'm guessing Sasori was wanting to turn some of Orochimaru's old hosts into puppets. That would fit his MO.

Kabuto took another look around at his surroundings and a look of worry started to replace the annoyed look he previously sported. "Look, I've been here long enough. If Orochimaru knows I'm here meeting you, I'll face a fate worse than death. So..." He then extends his hand. "I have fulfilled my end of the bargain, now it's time you fulfill yours"

Yamato's time was up. He had no way of knowing what exactly Kabuto was referring to by this bargain. "Very well then."

Yamato underneath the cloak goes to retrieve his kunai. He would aim for Kabuto's legs to stop him from running away. It would be a non-lethal injury and would make his capture a foregone conclusion. As soon as he touches his Kunai, the air behind Kabuto ripples for a fraction of a second.

Then, as if appearing from the void, Orochimaru appears, a sly smile plastered on his white face. "This looks interesting, just what are you talking about?" He taunts the two. One of his snakes now coiled around Kabuto.

Crap, he was followed!

Yamato switched up his game plan on the fly. Instead of aiming for Kabuto, he swings his kunai from under his cloak and cuts the snake coiling around Kabuto in half. Both Yamato and Kabuto jumped away from Orochimaru and slid to a halt.

"Despite your age, your reflexes haven't dulled Sasori. I would have died if not for your quick hands." Kabuto says with relief in his voice.

That was close. Too close. Now what do we do?

Orochimaru so far has been completely unfazed by the events currently unfolding. He seemed delighted by the fear he instilled with his mere presence. "It's been awhile Sasori. That cloak does bring back memories. Too bad you went down the wrong path of immortality."

"How did you follow Kabuto?" Yamato asks. Despite Orochimaru being right in front of him, he didn't sense his killing intent, suggesting that the snake was toying with his food.

"Oh, I've known for a while that Kabuto was a spy. I let him stay so I could give you false information. He also turned out quite handy in other areas as well." His face them morphed into one of joy. "I must thank you for sending me such a wonderful assistant." His shit eating grin never left his face as he continued to taunt the two.

"All the bodies he provided for my experiments shed years off my timelines. And thanks to his impeccable iryōjutsu, I could do my experiments over and over again to my hearts content. It's been exhilarating." Orochimaru states in Euphoria.

This is bad, Orochimaru doesn't even see us as a threat to him. Just how strong is he even without his arms? Even with Kabuto fighting with me, I doubt we would last long against Orochimaru. Plus, he would know immediately I'm not Sasori based on how I fight. I don't want to call the team in yet either, not until I know I can't escape from this situation.

"Sasori, our only way out of this is to embrace an old strategy. We must fight, to run away." Kabuto says. His body was shaking with a slight tremor. Yamato noticed this and was taken aback a little. He could see that Kabuto was scared and the young mans only thoughts were on survival.

"I hate to agree with you on that but it's our best bet. If we work together, we should be able to push him back enough to escape." Yamato says, agreeing with Kabuto.

At least I have Kabuto on my side. I'll let him make the first move, and then I'll signal for the rest of the team to make their move. It's our best shot in this situation.

Kabuto, with sweat starting to show on his face, raises his hand and a green glow surrounds it. It seemed some of his training was taking over despite the survival instinct running through him. His body is shaking though, he knows the power gap between himself and Orochimaru is vast. Still, he steels himself and prepares for what he must do. He swings his chakra covered hand towards his target.

Back at the tree line

"That's Orochimaru!" Naruto shouts out in surprise.

Hinata's eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the figure before her. "Wait, that's Orochimaru?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. She had only encountered his name in dusty tomes during her academy days, never once imagining she'd face him in person. The legendary Sannin's appearance had been a mystery to her until now. She racked her brain, trying to recall even the smallest detail about his physical appearance, but her mind drew a blank. The only image she could conjure was a vague notion of a powerful, shadowy figure, shrouded in secrecy and menace. Yet, here he stood, flesh and blood, his very presence seeming to command attention and inspire unease.

"With out a doubt, that's Orochimaru." Sakura confirms with a detached tone.

"What do we do then?" Ino questions the group.

"Yamato will signal for us when the time is right. We need to stay put for now." Sakura declares.

As Naruto watched the proceedings, his rage started to boil over. Right in front of him was the man who was tempting his teammate with power. If Orochimaru had not been tempting Sasuke all this time with power, perhaps Sasuke would have been less likely to defect, or it could have given Naruto a better chance of reaching his friend. Regardless, Orochimaru currently had Sasuke in his clutches and was continuing to poison his mind. Naruto had to save his friend, no matter what. His chakra charm started to turn from its normal orange to a pitch black.

At the bridge

CRACK

Yamato's wood henge was shattered. Kabuto struck at him with such force that the entire disguise disintegrated. Yamato with little time to think, plants a small seed on Kabuto. He jumps backward on instinct to put as much distance between him and the two sound nin as possible. He looks at Orochimaru and sees a knowing smile on his face. Orochimaru knew all along that Yamato wasn't Sasori.

The smile never leaves Orochimaru's face as a multitude of snakes shoot from his arm and fly towards Yamato, constricting him when they make contact. As soon as they constrict, they start to bite into him, pouring toxic venom into Yamato's veins. He lets out a cry of pain for a second, but in an instant, something turns him to wood.

Yamato's wood substitution happened in the nick of time. A millisecond later, he would have caught them. He lands dozens of feet away from the two in a huff.

"Wood release? Then you are not ..?" Kabuto's question goes unfinished as Orochimaru speaks before he could finish.

"Indeed, that is not Sasori. I'm surprised. You have been meeting with him all this time and yet you never saw his true face. I will say you aren't missing much." Orochimaru says to his subordinate.

"Well, he did have a weird fetish for those puppets of his. No wonder he wanted to become one." Kabuto states. His face then turns to one of curiosity and asks a simple question of Yamato. "Who are you? "

It is not Yamato who answers but Orochimaru instead. "He must be one of my test subjects from long ago while I was still in Konohagakure. I thought they all perished but it seems I was mistaken. A rare miscalculation on my part." Orochimaru says, almost annoyed that something like this could slip by his notice.

"I don't get it. Sasori was supposed to have you as a spy under his jutsu." Yamato says in confusion. His body instinctively took a defensive stance. His years of training kicking in without him having to even think about it.

Kabuto brings his hand up and taps his head. "Oh that? Lord Orochimaru dealt with that pesky problem long ago." Kabuto says in a relaxed manner.

"I see, so Orochimaru put you under his jutsu after he broke Sasori's." Yamato states.

Kabuto brings his arm down with a look of slight aggravation on his face. "Wrong again. I'm with lord Orochimaru of my own free will. His goals and mine line up perfectly. You, however, do not line up with them. You have ruined what we had planned for Sasori." Kabuto says, irritated that his and Orochimaru's plans had been for naught.

"It matters not Kabuto. We will simply adjust like we always do. All will be shown in due time, like those four brats hiding behind you. I will give them credit. They did well to hide and mask their chakra signatures. Too bad they ran into me." Orochimaru said with pride, pointing towards the tree line behind Yamato. Orochimaru had now gotten to the point that he could move his arms a little. It caused him a great deal of pain, but he was getting used to it. He preferred to have his snakes do most of the work for him to save his own strength, but this was a situation where he had to do it himself.

Seeing now that they no longer had the element of surprise, Yamato raises his hand and chops the air in front of him. A woosh sound comes from the tree line, and the three kunoichi stood behind Yamato. Naruto, elected to be in front of everyone.

"Ah, I see you had back up. Such a joy to see you again Naruto." Kabuto says with a self-satisfied look on his face. He gives Naruto a mocking wave of the hand, which only served to infuriate all the young shinobi.

"I'm glad you brought the nine-tails vessel. Once Sasuke is ready, I will want to see how much stronger he will be than the jinchūriki.

Naruto's anger was simmering like a pot about to boil over. His teeth began to jut out of his gums, transforming into razor-sharp fangs. His whiskers, normally soft and subtle, now bristled like quills, framing his face. As his eyes transformed, the irises slit like a cat's, giving him an unmistakable feral gaze. The nine-tails' chakra was awakening within him, and Naruto was succumbing to its primal power. His body began to shift, his senses heightened, and his human thoughts gave way to the instinctual fury of the beast. The fox that dwelled within him was stirring, as if it was about to burst free from its mortal prison.

"You bastards had to keep tempting Sasuke. Why couldn't you leave him alone? Before you showed up, we were finally becoming friends with him! Give him back!" Naruto growled out.

The three kunoichi exchanged nervous glances as Naruto's words hung in the air. As they sensed the familiar chakra begin to surge through his body, memories of their first exams came flooding back. They recalled the intense battle between Naruto and Neji. When a strange chakra had coursed through his veins, imbuing him with a fierce determination. Back then, it had intimidated them. Now, was a different story.

In spite of the anger Naruto was exuding, all three of them also felt sympathy for him. Even with his anger overflowing, it came from a place of love and friendship. He was angry because Sasuke was his friend and was hurting and these two sound-nin were hurting him more. That is why Naruto is so angry, and they knew it. They all felt warm knowing he cared for them as much, if not more.

"Give him back?" Kabuto said with raised eyebrow. "Sasuke tried to come to us once before. It was YOU who stopped him and brought him back to where he did not want to be. You are simply angry that you couldn't stop him leaving a second time. You need to accept the fact he doesn't want to be in Konohagakure and wants what we have to offer. What kind of friend would hold you back from something you so desperately need?" Kabuto adds in a condescending manner.

I've heard enough out of this four eyed freak. No one will ever call Naruto a bad friend in front of me!

"Shut up you freak! Don't EVER call Naruto a bad friend. He's the best friend you could ever ask for!" Sakura shouted out loud in defense of Naruto.

Orochimaru turned his head towards Sakura, a smile on his face at her little outburst. "You must be the third wheel on Sasuke's team. He mentioned you while we were on way back here. He called you annoying and weak. He also said he wanted nothing more to do with you." Kabuto says, trying to goad Sakura into a mistake.

Kabuto's words hurt her, more than she wanted them too. She had been nothing but kind and friendly to Sasuke ever since team 7 formed. She had once placed all her hopes and dreams and aspirations onto him and hoped that it would have been enough for him to see her differently. Looking back now, it was foolish to put so much hope onto one boy.

Still, even when she switched tactics and didn't burden him with expectations, he still rejected her every attempt. It stung in the moment, and it still stung now. Kabuto talking about it just twisted the knife further. She would not let Kabuto's words get to her. She would not take the bait.

"I don't know what bond you think you three may have had but I can assure you Sasuke wants no further part in it. In fact, he can tell you himself when you see him next, wherever he may be." Kabuto laughs as he finishes his statement.

The dark chakra started to swell within Naruto. Now, the red aura started to surround him like before. He fingers started to dig into the wood of the bridge, his temper starting to get the better of him. A tail of chakra started to form from his back. His thoughts started to cloud with a red haze in his mind that started to poison him.

"Naruto, remember what Kakashi and I told you. I know it's hard, but you can't let your anger control you." Sakura says with worry in her voice. Sasuke was and still is a soft spot for Naruto and Orochimaru seems to have figured that out easily.

As soon as those words echo in his mind, a spark of recognition ignites within Naruto. The dark chakra's grip on him begins to loosen. He recalls what Kakashi said about not letting his anger get the better of him. The memory of his teammate, Sakura's, words of encouragement also flashes before his eyes during the Sunagakure mission. As the red haze that had clouded his judgment starts to lift, Naruto's rational thinking begins to resurface. He feels himself starting to regain control and feels the dark chakra receding.

"Oh, come now, that won't do. I want to see the power of the nine-tails myself." Orochimaru expresses disappointment in this turn of events. "Kabuto, give him another push for me."

"Gladly my lord." Kabuto says as he readies his chakra scalpel. All the Konohagakure shinobi ready themselves come whatever may to defend Naruto.

Kabuto, quicker than any of them have seen sans swift release, dashes forward. His target isn't Naruto, he heads for Hinata.

She barely has time to react when he's upon her. He strikes at her, and she's forced to bring her bow down with both hands to deflect the lethal blow from her. This leaves her open to his other hand though and his fist connects with her stomach, causing her to cough out all the air in her lungs. She flies backwards to the tree line and impacts several trees before finally coming to a halt far away with a loud crack.

"HINATA!" Naruto screams out. Instantly, the dark chakra came back to surround him with a vengeance. This time three tails formed on his back. His mind completely focused on nothing else but to strike back at the one who attacked Hinata. He charges at Kabuto, looking to beat the ever-living shit out of him. If Naruto had been clearer of mind, he might have thought to use his swift release to make certain to hit Kabuto. Alas, his opponent is able to dodge Naruto's strike and jump back next to Orochimaru in a flash.

"Damnit, captain Yamato, I'll go check on Hinata." Sakura says as she runs back towards the tree line, leaving Yamato and Ino to deal with Naruto.

What is going on with Goldie? I don't remember feeling this much of that chakra last time. What is happening to you?

Ino then looks closer at Naruto and see's what the creature is doing to Naruto. His skin is starting to peel and burn in places. Heat is radiating off him like a furnace. His nails are growing to resemble more like claws. He's looking more beast than man every second. Ino knows that it's still Naruto in front of her though. She won't let this change in appearance let her think otherwise. He's in pain, both physically and mentally but she's at a loss of what she needs to do in this situation.

"Yamato, I got Orochimaru." Naruto utters out in a fury. He struggles to hold onto his identity. Any more influence from the nine-tails and he knows he won't be himself.

Once Naruto had started manifesting the nine-tails chakra, Yamato had been keeping his focus on him. He recalled the meeting he had with the Hokage, Kakashi, and Jiraiya before he left to form his current team. Jiraiya specifically told him that Naruto could remain under control with up to three tails of the nine-tails chakra showing. If Naruto started growing the fourth, it would be up to Yamato, and the Hokage's necklace to try and bring him back under control.

Naruto did not wait for Yamato to reply, instead, he sprinted forward on all fours like an animal. Kabuto rolled and slid forward, barely getting out of the way of the charging Naruto. Kabuto wasn't his target though, it was Orochimaru. Orochimaru was the root cause of Naruto's fury. Naruto readies his clawed hand and slashes at Orochimaru.

The sannin could have dodged the attack if he wished, but he didn't. He wanted to see what the vessel could do with three tails to start. Then he would goad more tails out of Naruto and see how much more chakra and power each tail gives.

WHAM

Naruto's clawed hand collides with Orochimaru's face, sending him careening back towards where he came and through multiple tree's out of view.

Meanwhile

Damnit, they just had to go for Naruto's berserk button. I hope Hinata is doing fine. I can't imagine what Naruto might do if she is seriously hurt.

Sakura sprinted through the forest as she chased after the scattered debris leading her to Hinata. With every step, her anxiety grew, and she sent a silent plea to Kami. She hoped that when she finally found Hinata, her injuries would be minimal. The rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs beneath her feet were the only sounds that broke the silence.

After a considerable amount of time had passed, Sakura finally stumbled upon the spot where she suspected Hinata might be. A gaping hole in the side of a hill, resembling a human, caught her attention. Sakura peered into the dark cavity, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. That was when she spotted Hinata, huddled inside. To Sakura's relief, Hinata didn't appear to be severely injured. Nor did she exude anger, an emotion Sakura had braced herself for. Instead, Hinata's expression conveyed a sense of annoyance.

"Hey, you okay in there?" Sakura asks, to be sure.

"Yes, I'm fine. My ego is more bruised than anything. I can't believe he got the jump on me so quickly." Hinata says as she starts to pull herself out of the hole.

Sakura extends her hand for Hinata to grasp, and Hinata takes it with enthusiasm, emerging from the hole.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Sakura does a quick check of Hinata, and it looks like some scrapes are all she suffered. "You look good to me. Does anything hurt?" She asks, her medical training taking over.

"No, let's hurry back. I don't want Naruto to needlessly worry about me." Hinata says as she begins to run back to the bridge, with Sakura trailing behind her.

Back at the bridge

Such power, and he's only at three tails. Lord Orochimaru said the nine-tails was special, but I didn't know how much so.

The lone kunoichi's voice echoes across the bridge, shattering the stillness and pulling Kabuto out of his thoughts. "Yamato, what's our next move? Should we take care of four-eyes over there?" Ino asks, her finger jabbing accusingly in Kabuto's direction. Kabuto's eyes narrow, he begins to focus his chakra, readying himself for a potential battle. The air is electric with tension, the only sound the soft whoosh of the wind through the bridge's wooden slats.

Yamato's order was clear. "Negative, Ino. Unless he attacks us again, we will not engage." But his words were a veiled deception. Behind his calm exterior, Yamato's mind raced with strategy. His true motive for holding back on Kabuto was to first secure the safe return of Hinata and Sakura. With them back on their side, he could orchestrate a more effective strategy to deal with Naruto and Kabuto. Only then could they launch a successful counterattack against Kabuto's.

Kabuto is happy with this arrangement for now. The green glow around his hand vanishes, and he lowers his arms to his sides and takes a relaxed posture. Better to strike when they least expect it.

Naruto looks over his shoulder back at Kabuto and is about to launch an attack at him when his heightened senses hear rustling in the trees. Orochimaru had picked himself back up and was making his way through the forest with measured steps. Taking about a minute to emerge from the tree line, he appears with half his face melted off and a new one appearing beneath. His expression reflects boredom and disappointment rather than anger or indifference.

"Honestly, is that it, little Naruto? If that is all you can do after three years training with my old teammate, I'm thoroughly... unimpressed." Orochimaru says, trying to goad Naruto into pulling more of the nine-tails power from inside. He approaches the bridge with care, continuing to taunt the poor young man.

Naruto pulls more and more chakra from the nine-tails inside him. He can feel his skin turning hot and starting to blister. His sweat is starting to evaporate from his skin before it has a chance to fall off his body. His thoughts become even more clouded now from the taunting. Orochimaru's plan was working.

"What's going on with Naruto?" Hinata says as she and Sakura land beside Yamato.

"What's happening to him?" Sakura asks, concern in her voice as she sees what is happening to Naruto.

"I don't know, he started to calm down but now his chakra is surging out of control!" Ino says to her fellow kunoichi. "It doesn't feel like it's his chakra anymore!" Naruto doesn't even know the two have returned. Orochimaru's words are getting to him. He's only focused on his target.

Both Hinata and Sakura look at Naruto, their faces showing pained expressions as they see the damage the nine-tails' chakra is doing to him. Despite the obvious danger, both walk toward him without fear, hoping to try to calm him down.

Meanwhile, Kabuto is starting to re-evaluate Naruto. The damage Naruto had done to Orochimaru was less than Kabuto was expecting. Based on Orochimaru's tone and general disposition, it seemed that Naruto had done little, if any, damage to his master.

I see, perhaps I overestimated you, Naruto. Let's see how strong this form of you really is.

Kabuto's control of his body is incredible. One moment he's completely relaxed without a care in the world. The next, he's sprinting past two kunoichi, chakra surging as he prepares to strike his opponent. Unfortunately for him, Naruto is well aware of his surroundings. When he feels Kabuto approaching, he unleashes his chakra like an inferno. It bursts out, hitting Kabuto and sending him flying back.

Naruto, unfortunately, lacks mastery over this daring stunt of his. In a moment of carelessness, he injects an excessive amount of chakra into the technique, losing control of its scope. As a result, not only his intended target, but also Hinata and Sakura, find themselves caught in the crossfire. The trio is sent flying through the air. Their bodies helplessly soaring in different directions.

"Hinata/Sakura!" Both Yamato and Ino shout out. Yamato jumps and grabs Hinata while Ino does the same for Sakura, cushioning both of their falls. The whiplash from the surge causes both Hinata and Sakura to go unconscious for the moment. The heat from the nine-tails chakra has caused both of their outfits to burn a bit, as well as first-degree and second-degree burns on themselves.

The bridge itself isn't free from the destruction brought by Naruto. Wood flies everywhere as the bridge begins to collapse into the ravine below, struggling to remain upright. You can hear the ropes snap and wood splinter. But Naruto's chakra rushes out, drowning out those sounds as he begins to fall into the void below. Yamato and Ino both jump back towards the trees with their respective teammates in hand. Orochimaru comes to a halt on the bridge, intrigued by the new course of events.

From the void, a red-clawed hand shoots up. Orochimaru must duck his head to avoid it hitting him as the claw stretches further out and grabs one of the trees behind the sannin. Naruto pulls himself up from the void and rockets toward the retreating Orochimaru in the woods. Naruto manages to catch up to Orochimaru when he lands on the forest floor. More of the nine-tails' chakra gathers inside Naruto's palm as he unleashes it at Orochimaru.

The sannin body flickers away onto a nearby tree branch as the chakra erupts at the point where he once stood. An explosion destroys the ground he once stood on, and the sound of it travels for miles before dissipating.

"To think, this is all my teammate could do in his time with you. Once Sasuke's merger is complete, you won't even be in the same league as him. Let alone me." Orochimaru half-shouts to the ground from his position above.

"Merger?" Naruto growls as he looks up.

"Oops, I let that slip out by accident." Orochimaru says with a mocking tone, maintaining his condescending gaze on Naruto.

"Tell me!" Naruto shouts as his rage begins to consume him.

"Make me, if you can." Orochimaru gloats, leaning against the tree.

Naruto started running up the tree beast like. There is no grace or forethought in his movements. Pure instinct is all that drives him. When he reaches to where Orochimaru is, he takes another swipe at the sannin. He dodges the attack with ease. While the nine-tails chakra is powerful, it makes Naruto's attacks easier to predict. Too easy for Orochimaru.

Naruto, in his rage-filled mind, doesn't even notice that his mere presence on the tree is causing it to catch fire, nor does he pay mind to the flames. All he wants now is to make Orochimaru talk, no matter the cost. So, against the advice of everyone, he retreats into his mental space to a place he has visited before.

Ankle-high water covers the floor. If he could smell, it would smell like a mixture of wet dog and blood. The water stretches into the vast nothingness. Lacking any remarkable features except for the darkened cage in front of Naruto.

This place used to fill him with terror. Now, it's a place he goes when his own strength fails him. It was now a place of relative safety, for he knew if he struck a bargain, he would get what he needed. Right now, he was about to make that bargain again, to give in to the nine-tails' temptations once again.

Naruto makes his way toward the cage and through its bars, disappearing into the blackness where the fox resided. Outside the realmspace of Naruto, a fourth tail of chakra is starting to form on his body.

Back at the bridge

"Come on, wake up Sakura!" Ino shakes her friend's shoulders as she cries out. Having failed to wake her up, green chakra now surrounds Ino's hands as she checks Sakura for injuries. To her relief, Sakura's injuries will heal, but she will be hurting for a while. Getting no response from her friend, Ino grabs Sakura's shoulders and shakes her again. "Come on, girl, we have a mission to complete. Naruto needs us!" She shouts, hoping her voice can reach Sakura.

The girl's eyelids begin to flutter. For a brief moment, she tightens her eyes, as if gathering her strength, before slowly prying them open. Her chest rises and falls with a deliberate deep breath. She takes stock of her surroundings, her gaze darting about the room in a silent quest for answers.

"Ino?" She asks, not knowing what is going on.

"Finally! You are awake!" Ino says in joy. She then turns her head to Yamato and asks. "How's Hinata."

In Yamato's arms, Hinata begins to stir, signaling her return to the realm of consciousness. Her eyelids begin to flutter open with a gentle motion. The subtle tension in her body eases, and her chest rises with a soft, gentle breath. She has rejoined the world of the living.

"Captain Yamato? Wha..." She winces in pain before she can finish. The burns she received from Naruto decide to now make their presence known.

"Easy now, you got injured there." Yamato answers her unasked question. He then looks towards Ino and asks. "Is there anything you can do to heal them up quickly?"

Ino was already busy doing her best to heal Sakura. She wasn't as skilled as Sakura was with iryōjutsu, but for burns, she was more than adequate. "I can get the second degree burns down to first degree but at that point it's up to the body to heal the rest. Both will still be in quite a bit of pain for a few days." She manages to say as she finishes up healing Sakura.

"Thanks, Ino." Sakura says, showing her gratitude.

"No thanks necessary. We are both students of Tsunade after all, and you know what she says." Ino says as she lifts herself off the ground and heads towards Hinata next to Yamato.

When she reaches them, Hinata is still wincing from the pain. Ino uses her skills to lessen the pain for the moment while she gets to work healing up her patient as best she can. Hinata's wincing ceases for the moment, and she calms down.

"Thanks, Ino. I'm good now." Hinata says while she picks herself up from the dirt with caution. She then walks towards where Yamato and Sakura are standing. As she is walking, she can hear an explosion in the distance on the opposite side of the canyon.

"Was that Naruto?" She asks the two of them as she joins them.

"I don't know, but with everyone back up to speed. It's time for us to come up with a game plan." Yamato declares.

"Game plan?" Ino says as she too joins the rest of them on the broken bridge.

"Yes, we are fighting more than Orochimaru after all." Yamato says as he looks over his shoulder.

The three kunoichi swiveled to see what had caught Yamato's attention. As they turned, a figure emerged from the dense foliage of the woods. Kabuto, with his typically composed demeanor disrupted, moved toward them. The lingering effects of Naruto's powerful chakra were still evident. He winced, nursing a throbbing headache.

"Owww, head injuries are the worst." He says, clutching his head, unaware of the group watching him for the moment.

"Kabuto." Both Hinata and Sakura say their words with a detached tone.

With Kabuto back in the game, Yamato comes up with a plan on the fly to maximize the team's effectiveness. "Ino, you will go with me and observe Naruto. We need to get him under control before he completely loses himself. Hinata, Sakura, the two of you will stay here and deal with our little problem."

"Right." All three say. Getting the confirmation, Yamato puts its hands together and, from the canyon walls below him, wood erupts forth and stretches across the gap, making a makeshift bridge. With this action, Kabuto finally notices the four-some.

"Well, it seems my headache will only get worse having to deal with you four." He says, bringing his hand away from his head to his side.

"Taking a cheap shot at me is one thing." Hinata says, as she punches her open palm in front of her.

"Taking a cheap shot on Naruto is kicking the hornets' nest." Sakura says, as she mimics Hinata's gesture. "Hinata, I promise I'll make sure there is enough of him left for you to take your anger out on. As long as you promise the same to me." She says, her eyes locked on Kabuto.

"It's a deal, Sakura. Let's make sure he never forgets this lesson." Hinata says, her voice giving away the fact she is going to enjoy this.

"Ino, let's go." Yamato says, dashing across the wood he sprouted from the canyon wall. Ino follows suit and soon it's Kabuto, Hinata, and Sakura who remain.

"No bow? You don't feel confident you can trust your friend to not get hurt, I see." Kabuto says, trying to sow discord between the two.

"Oh no, that's not it. Between her skills and my own, she would never be in danger. No, this is personal. I want it to be my hands that hit your face, not my arrows." Hinata declares.

Well, it was worth a shot.

"Do you seriously think tha..."

WOOSH

A kunai goes whizzing by Kabuto, who moves his head enough to avoid becoming a pin cushion. The kunai leaves a mark on his cheek as it goes by.

"No more talking." Hinata states, readying herself for Kabuto.

"Fine." Kabuto replies, irritated that someone interrupted him. In the distance, they could hear an explosion, but none of them could tell what caused it.

Hinata and Sakura leap into action, running alongside each other toward Kabuto. When both reach him, it's Hinata who is the first to strike. She aims her knife-like hand at his tenketsu on his shoulder. He sidesteps the blow and attempts to backhand Hinata, who ducks his strike.

Sakura struck out with a fist of her own, aiming for his head. With his other hand, Kabuto swats down her strike and steps back. Hinata closes her other fist and attempts to uppercut Kabuto. He leans his head back and kicks at Hinata's side, but Hinata blocks it with her raised leg.

Sakura now had green chakra around her hand in a knife-like manner, much like Kabuto had used earlier. She struck for his chest, forcing Kabuto to jump back with one leg to avoid the strike. Both women charged forward, not letting him catch his breath. Kabuto formed his signs and released a torrent of water from his mouth, forcing the pair to split up.

Hinata and Sakura regroup. They keep their eyes on Kabuto, who smirks with new confidence. Hinata dashed left, and Sakura moved right. They formed a pincer maneuver. Their synchronization was building. Their trust in each other was slowly growing. Kabuto, however, was difficult to corner.

He blocked Hinata's quick strikes with his forearms. Then, he redirected Sakura's strong punches with careful precision. The battlefield turned chaotic, a dance of combat. Every attack was met with a strong defense. Kabuto's eyes flickered between his two adversaries, searching for an opening, but the relentless assault from the kunoichi left little room for error.

Hinata, with her Byakugan activated, aimed for his chakra points, while Sakura used her enhanced strength to keep him on the defensive. Their combined efforts were pushing Kabuto to his limits, forcing him to dig deeper into his arsenal of skills to stay ahead. The intensity of the battle rose with every passing second, each fighter fully aware that even the smallest mistake could be their undoing.

When Hinata and Sakura seemed to have the upper hand, Kabuto's smirk deepened, and with a quick motion, he unleashed a barrage of shuriken from his sleeve, forcing them to dodge and disrupt their rhythm for a moment. Capitalizing on the brief hesitation, Kabuto surged forward, his hands moving at blinding speed. In an instant, the ground beneath them quaked and massive pillars of earth erupted around the kunoichi, attempting to trap them within a stone prison.

Hinata's agility allowed her to leap to the side with fluid movements. Avoiding the encroaching walls, while Sakura's raw power shattered the stone with a single punch. Both women saw that Kabuto's skillful maneuver had been thwarted, but he was far from defeated. The fight continued with intense energy. Each fighter pushed their limits. The air was thick with tension as they matched each other's skill.

I hate to admit it, but they are good. It's taking all I have just to make openings. I need to isolate one of them and take him out quickly.

With his mind made up to divide and conquer, Kabuto wracked his brain to come up with a way to separate them, even if for a few seconds. His solution was simple but ingenious. He started to position himself closer and closer to the canyon edge, the kunoichi none the wiser on the trap they were about to step into. Once they were close enough, he sprung the trap.

Like before, he shot water out of his mouth and forced the two to separate, pushing Hinata closer to the trees and Sakura closer to the canyon. Kabuto then did a single hand sign and stomped on the ground. The ground underneath Sakura gave way and started to slide into the canyon below. This caught Sakura off guard, and she also began to slide away into the void. She tried to jump away, but Kabuto caught her with a strike, sending her falling into the void.

"SAKURA!" Hinata shouts, seeing her teammate fall out of sight. Before she could run over to check on her, Kabuto was right on her. Now, she had to fight him alone. In the distance where Naruto had run off to, another loud explosion echoed. Alerting the combatants that more was still happening that they were not privy to.

He struck at her head with his chakra scalpel that she ducked under. She countered with a sweeping kick to knock him off balance, but he jumped over her leg. He raised his arm, and his green chakra enveloped it like a sword as he swung down, aiming to cut her in half. She jumped back to avoid him, and his arm sliced the ground with precision. She would be two people now if she had not dodged in time.

Kabuto's relentless assault kept Hinata on her toes, her Byakugan aiding her in predicting his movements, but the sheer ferocity of his attacks made it difficult to find an opening. She knew she had to stay focused, as any lapse in concentration could spell disaster. With Sakura's fate uncertain, Hinata felt the weight of responsibility heavy on her shoulders. Gathering her resolve, she intensified her efforts, her strikes becoming faster and more precise. Kabuto, sensing her determination, adjusted his tactics, aiming to exploit any weakness in her defense.

As they battled, the terrain around them continued to shift and crumble, adding an unpredictable element to their duel. Hinata tested her agility and Kabuto tested his cunning to their limits, neither willing to concede an inch. The struggle for dominance raged on.

After a long wait, Kabuto found the opening he had been anticipating. With a swift, calculated move, he feinted to the left and then struck with blinding speed, his chakra-enhanced hand slicing through the air. Despite her heightened senses, the sudden change in pace caught Hinata off guard. The blow landed on her shoulder, causing her to stagger backward, pain radiating through her body. She gritted her teeth, enduring the agony, and retaliated with a burst of chakra from her palms, which forced Kabuto to retreat for a brief moment. Desperation and determination fueled her as she realized the critical nature of the battle. Failure was not an option.

As the dust settled, both combatants stood their ground, breathing heavily, and their eyes locked in a fierce stare. Hinata steadied herself, ready for the next onslaught, her resolve unshaken despite the odds. Kabuto, too, prepared to continue the fight, his thirst for victory undiminished. The stakes were high, and neither was willing to back down, their clash a testament to their unyielding spirits and the unforgiving nature of their world.

Both combatants stand there, waiting to see who will make the first move. The next move could very well spell the end for either of them. On this front, Hinata has the advantage. Her byakugan gives her insight into every single movement Kabuto makes. Both conscious and unconscious twitches would not escape her sight.

What was not in her favor was her wound. Kabuto's chakra scalpel had managed to cut through her shoulder a little and was now an open wound. Blood was still flowing out of it, and she clutched it with her good hand to stem the flood of crimson liquid. She could feel the strength in her bad arm start to fade and knew she was in a desperate situation. She couldn't make the first move anymore and would hope that Kabuto would make a mistake that she could capitalize on. This stalemate worked for her, though. While she wasn't that versed in iryōjutsu, she knew enough to at least slow down the bleeding in her shoulder.

Kabuto would not give her much time, though. Seeing her grab her shoulder and starting to heal herself, he springs into action. He forms two signs and slams his hands on the ground. The earth underneath Hinata starts to rumble. The very earth itself vibrates and shakes with intensity, causing trees near her to start falling in her direction. She does her best to avoid them, but this allows Kabuto time to gather his chakra for his next burst, one Hinata will have a very difficult time avoiding. She bobs and weaves her way through the falling trees and branches. The ground makes her movements need even more thought and attention the longer the shaking takes place.

Then, she hears it, the sound of rushing water. From Kabuto's mouth came dozens of water projectiles, all racing towards her with killing intent. She does her best to dodge all the bullets coming her way, but the combination of shaking terrain, falling trees, and incoming danger proves too much. A single water projectile strikes her in the leg, and she lets out a yelp of pain.

Kabuto smirks when he hears her distress. He knows he has her now. With that leg injury, she won't be able to dodge him for very long, and he can end this. He ends his jutsu, causing the localized earthquake, and makes his way toward Hinata. Like a predator stalking his prey, he moves closer and closer while she limps away from him as best she can.

Once he's had his fun, he dashes towards her. Hinata puts up her hands in her defensive posture, but her bad arm is noticeably lower than it should be. She blocks his first chakra scalpel strike but is not fast enough to block his closed fist strike to her gut. She lets out a cough of air as all the oxygen in her lungs rushes out of her. She keels over, trying to regain her lost breath. Above her, Kabuto prepares his final strike to end her life.

Perfect!

Hinata sprung her trap. While she had suffered wounds, she faked their severity so Kabuto would lower his guard, allowing her to get her shot in. She learned about this trick from Sakura when she told her about her fight with Sasori. Like Sasori before, Kabuto was caught completely by surprise by this little trick.

First came two strikes from her, then two more, then four more, then eight, then sixteen, and finally, thirty-two strikes. Each set of strikes took the same amount of time, with the last speed being so great that even jōnin level shinobi would have a tough time seeing them, let alone blocking or dodging them. Sixty-four of Kabuto's tenketsu points were blocked in an instant. Once his body registered the strikes, he immediately leaped up into a nearby tree that was still standing.

She did not let up. She still owed him from earlier. She rushed forward and struck for his chest. He blocked it with his good hand but did not block the second punch coming for his head. He soars through the air and skidded to a halt on the cold ground.

Kabuto sprang to his feet, his movements awkward and labored due to his injured arm. As he finally stood upright, he let out a pained groan and clutched his head with his good arm, as if trying to ward off a crippling headache. The intense anguish etched on his face seemed to ripple through his entire body, like a shockwave from an internal explosion.

"You bitch!" Kabuto screamed, his arm hanging limply by his side. For the first time in this fight, a deep anger surged within him. Both at his opponent for daring to stop his chakra and at himself for being so careless as to not recognize the danger in a wounded animal.

"I can't take all the credit for it. I learned it from Sakura." Hinata announces, moving her injured limbs around as if nothing was wrong with them.

"Someone said my name?" A voice called out. Hinata turned towards the cliff and, to her delight, Sakura stood there with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a smirk on her face.

"What took you so long?" Hinata chuckled. The tension from the battle had broken for a brief moment, and she allowed herself some levity.

"Oh, you know, got lost on the road of life and all." Sakura says, taking a page from her sensei's book and waving her hand in front of her nonchalantly. She now starts walking towards her teammate with a stride that spoke how confident she currently was.

"Hehe, while you were on your stroll, I was busy luring him into the trap you pulled with Sasori." Hinata said, now pretending to not notice Kabuto.

"Really? What is it with these types of men and underestimating us? I swear to Kami this will always work on them the first time." Sakura chides Kabuto but, like Hinata, pretends to ignore him otherwise.

Kabuto was now properly angry. These little wenches think they are all that after catching me a single time. Well, I'll sh... DAMNIT! I still don't have chakra in my arm yet. Just how long will this last for!?

As much as he hated it, he bit his tongue. He noticed that Sakura was now busy healing Hinata's wounds. He decided it would be best if he stood there and tried to regain his composure, as well as control of his didn't like his odds against both of them with only a single arm.

"There, your wounds have closed. Don't overdo it and you will be completely fine in a day or two." Sakura said in her clinical voice.

"I'll make no promises, but I'll try my best." Hinata replied, which got a small laugh from Sakura. "Now then, what do we do with him?" Hinata says as her tone grows sharp.

"Him? Oh, the ways we can hurt him. Alas, I am a medic-nin, and I took an oath to do no harm." Sakura utters, mocking Kabuto more.

"Good thing I'm under no such oath." Hinata says, still rather enjoying herself for this moment of respite.

"That is true. I could also heal him. Nothing in my oath about others hurting my patients once I'm done with them." Sakura ponders aloud.

Kabuto continued to grit his teeth but held his tongue. As infuriating as the kunoichi were starting to become to him, he couldn't afford to fight yet. He had minimal control over a few fingers now. Kabuto needed a distraction badly to buy himself some time.

BOOOOOOOOOOM

Kabuto got his wish. In the distance, from the direction of the previous blast, came an even larger one. This one all three took active note of.

What in the world was that?

In the distance, they saw what looked like the remains of three giant gates. Hinata and Sakura were puzzled by this; Kabuto was not.

What could have caused you to use such a jutsu Lord Orochimaru?

For a second, nothing happened. The air remained still, and the only sounds outside were the breathing of the three shinobi. From the distance, they saw a figure rush toward them. Hinata and Sakura leaped far away to avoid getting caught by whatever landed. The figure crashed into the cliffside with a thunderous crash. Rocks and boulders flew into the air, forcing all three shinobi to cover their bodies as best they could.

Once the dust started settling, Hinata and Sakura made their way over to the cliff to see what was going on. To their astonishment, the figure was completely covered in red chakra. Four tails extended from its back, and a sword of some kind impaled its shoulder. Both kunoichi recognized the creature immediately and both shouted his name.

"NARUTO!"

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Killswitch Engage.

Current weight: 209.1

Chapter is a little shorter than normal but I felt where I ended was a good place. I gave a small taste of the Orochimaru and Naruto fight but I wanted to primarily focus on Hinata and Sakura here. I wanted to build up their bond more as there is still lingering resentment on Hinata's part for Sakura. I figured having Hinata pull Sakura's trick was a good way of building that up.

I really want to have the females do more in these fights than just stand around. Granted some will stand around but that is more of a function of there being too many people to properly fit in a fight (like Ino here BUT I have plans for her to contribute). I really hope you all enjoyed the little scrap with Kabuto. I wanted to give Hinata some more solo time and also wanted to show that this fight is personal for her.

Next week I head to Anime Central and the week after that I have surgery to remove loss skin but my schedule for the next chapter wont change. I've been writing ahead so I can afford to talk off a day or two here and there to recharge and its working wonders. Anyways, that's all I have to say about that. Please leave a comment or review and see yall next time!

Chapter 18: Behind Blue Eyes

 

Near Tenchi bridge, 10:16 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

As soon as the fourth tail started to form, the area around Naruto starts to erupt. The flow of chakra escaping Naruto lifts rocks, trees, and branches into the air. The devastation around Naruto expanded at a hellacious rate, forcing Orochimaru to move further away.

Finally, you are giving in to the temptation of power. I wonder what that makes you feel Naruto.

Naruto's body stars to morph with the increase in chakra. His eyes no longer resembling his ocean blue nor his foxlike ones. Instead, they are pure white, soulless. His skin peels away from his body, revealing not muscle beneath, but a sea of red chakra. His clothes are hidden beneath the sea of blood-like chakra. Naruto did what they told him not to do. He gave in to his rage, and so the fox took control.

When the transformation finishes, a shockwave blasts from Naruto, knocking down trees that are still standing. At the epicenter stood a creature that was both Naruto and not. The air crackled with oppressive energy, making it hard to breathe. Trees lay flattened, and the earth bore scars of the wrath unleashed. Orochimaru's serpentine figure glided with grace, contrasting with Naruto's animalistic stance, a smirk on his face as he relished the chaos before him.

Impressive, Naruto. THIS is the kind of power I was expecting out of you. Too bad you had to sacrifice control of your body to achieve such power. I do wonder how Sasuke will measure up to you when the merger is complete. No matter. When I take over his body, you, Naruto, will not be able to stop me, even if you do give completely over to the nine-tails.

With these last thoughts, Orochimaru makes the first move in this phase of the battle.

With Ino and Yamato

"Crap! Ino duck!" Yamato says, coming to a complete stop with Ino following suit. Sensing the wave of destructive chakra heading towards them, he puts up a dome of wood around the two of them to protect them from the incoming blast. The dome aches and moans as it does its best to stand firm. The wind rushes past the dome at tornado velocities. Only the sound of this wind can be heard. It only took a few seconds for the wave to pass, but Yamato didn't know if the dome would hold on for that long. The wind finally started to die down around them, and Yamato finally released the damaged dome around them.

"Did Naruto do this?" Ino asks Yamato, surveying the destruction around her. It had sounded bad from inside, and it looked as bad seeing it now. The scene in front of her was apocalyptic, trees completely flattened over and those that remained standing were burning. Animal corpses littered the wasteland, either impaled with wood, blown apart, or charred to a crisp. The sound of nature had long left this place. Only the sounds of the dancing flames proved that anything was moving out there.

Yamato nodded with a serious expression, his eyes scanning the ravaged landscape. "Yes, this is Naruto's doing." The air was thick with the smell of burnt foliage and carcasses. They could still feel the residual heat from Naruto's transformation. Ino clenched her fists, feeling a mix of fear and determination. They had to find a way to reach Naruto. They had to bring him back under control before he burned the whole place down.

This time, it's Ino who is the first to dash off, not waiting for Yamato to lead the way. The trail of destruction is all she needs to know where the source of it all is. She leaped from one fallen tree to another. Her eyes stayed ahead, and Yamato followed close behind as she sped up. Her movements were precise. Her breathing was steady. She reached a point where she could no longer jump from fallen tree to fallen tree. Instead, a crater stood before her, with a dark red ominous figure at its center. She recognized who was there immediately.

Oh, Goldie, what happened to you?

Naruto was now completely covered in the red chakra of the nine-tails. He was on all fours like an animal. Any semblance of the person underneath was completely suppressed for the time being. For the briefest of moments, she could see Naruto underneath the sea of malevolent chakra, and a flash spoke of the agony his body was going through.

"Crap, the bijuu has already taken him over." Yamato says, landing next to Ino.

She turns to him and speaks. "What do you mean he's been taken over? Yamato, what are you not telling me?" she asks, dropping the captain part. "I can't feel Naruto's warm and sunny chakra anymore. Now, it feels like a furnace and suffocating."

Yamato pondered how much he could reveal right now. They might know he contains the nine-tails now, but that's it. He decided to divulge some more information. It might come in handy for them to know in the future.

"The seal containing the nine-tails has weakened over the years. The bijuu has been leaking chakra into Naruto's system since birth. That is one of the reasons he has such massive amounts of it. It has also allowed the creature to influence Naruto during moments of intense emotion. Like when Hinata got hit. What you see now is a result of Naruto finally giving in to that influence."

Ino is about to say something, but she pauses her thoughts for a brief moment. The fight between Naruto and Orochimaru has entered its next phase, and Orochimaru starts things off with his snakes.

With Orochimaru

"Finally, Naruto, you are giving in to your innermost desires. Embrace it and show me what you've got." Orochimaru says from his position opposite the crater from Ino and Yamato. He now also got on all fours but had much more grace in his movements than his opponent.

From Orochimaru's mouth came hundreds of snakes in an instant. A wall of them surged towards the center of the crater. Chomping at the bit to get a bite from their target. Naruto now stood on his hind legs and swiped the air in front of him, producing a massive wave of wind that tore into the snakes, leaving them nonalive. From the momentum of the swing, he continued turning around and his four tails also lashed out, producing four more destructive waves towards Orochimaru.

Orochimaru stood up, a look of joy on his face. He jumped into the air and gave a mighty kick, cutting the waves in half with his own wave, every piece going straight past him. Orochimaru twisted mid-air and landed on the edge of the crater with elegance, his eyes gleaming with a sinister excitement. The ground quaked as Naruto, consumed by the nine-tails' chakra, let out an earth-shattering roar, sending shockwaves rippling through the landscape. Yamato and Ino braced themselves against the pressure waves.

Naruto slams both his arms into the ground, causing the earth to ripple and crack under the intrusion. Orochimaru knew what was coming and ran forward. A second later, chakra hands erupted from the earth from where he had once stood and started tracking toward the sannin.

He's getting faster. His body is getting used to the chakra increase. He still doesn't have his mind though.

While Orochimaru was doing his dance evading Naruto's grasp, two more appendages came forth from the ground. Naruto had dug them into the ground as well after the initial assault failed. Forcing Orochimaru's hand, he transforms both his arms into giant snakes and uses them to constrict the new intruders. He then opens his mouth and from inside, a new body shoots forth, aimed straight at Naruto. With his hands and tails inside the earth, Naruto is unable to dodge out of the way. Orochimaru's fist strikes Naruto's face with precision. The force of the blow sends Naruto's head twisting away from the blow.

The feral boy remains undeterred, though. With one of his remaining tails, he strikes at the elongated form of Orochimaru, cutting him clean in two at the waist. At first, there is a surprised look on his face. It morphs into a smug form in a brief moment. Snakes exit both ends of the wound and meet midair. Soon, Orochimaru becomes whole again, as the previous attack leaves no lasting impact.

Naruto lets out another roar of frustration before he launches at Orochimaru to settle this up close. All four tails dart out at the sannin, but he maneuvers his way around them with ease. Orochimaru responds with a body shot to the boy's kidneys, which lands true. The punch is not very effective, so Orochimaru sidesteps another swipe from Naruto.

Naruto's feral aggression only heightened, him lunging at Orochimaru with unbridled fury. Orochimaru evaded each blow with a serpent's agility, his mocking laughter echoing within the crater. With each dodge, it was clear Orochimaru was savoring the chaos, his movements a ballet of sinister delight. The air crackled with tension as Naruto's tails whipped through the air, a symphony of destructive force. Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with malicious intent, his every maneuver calculated to push Naruto further into the beast's grasp. It was a deadly dance, both combatants feeding off the other's intensity, the ground beneath them fracturing from their sheer power.

The intensity of this close-quarters combat could not last without one of them getting a good clean shot in. Orochimaru's kick towards the abdomen of the creature lands true, sending Naruto skidding backwards dozens of feet. After coming to a complete stop, Naruto jumps even further back. Even his feral mind recognizes that one cannot underestimate Orochimaru. With the nine-tails in control now, it starts to gather chakra in a form that might end this little charade of a fight.

With Ino and Yamato

Meanwhile, Yamato and Ino watched from a distance, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Ino's frustration boiled over, her instincts as a Yamanaka compelling her to act despite Yamato's caution. As the battle raged, a dense, potent chakra began to form around Naruto, something beyond the feral energy that had fueled him thus far. Orochimaru's eyes widened with gleeful anticipation, recognizing the shift in the battlefield.

"Is there anything we can do for him? I can't stand sitting on the sidelines like this!" Ino barks out, clear frustration showing in both her voice and body language.

Yamato's mind started going through the situation at hand and came up with a not-so-good answer. "Unfortunately, we can't do anything yet. Orochimaru is still over there." He says pointing at the figure far away. "And if we try to get Naruto under control now, Orochimaru will capture him. We need to let Naruto fight, and when we get a chance, I can subdue him."

Ino is not happy at all with this answer. "You want us to sit here and watch while Naruto risks his life? I'm sorry, Yamato, but I can't accept that!" Ino screeches out, her anger now also starting to get the better of her.

"Look, I know it's hard, but right now, if you go down there, you will only get hurt. Naruto is as likely to attack you now as he is Orochimaru. We can only observe and wait for a moment to open for us to help." Yamato utters to Ino.

Who says anything about going down there physically? You seem to forget I'm a Yamanaka Yamato.

Ino begins to move her hands up into the familiar shape of her family's secret jutsu but is stopped when she senses an incredibly dense chakra forming in front of Naruto. A swirling mass of death and destruction was now right in front of him, barely contained in its spherical form.

What in Kami's name is that?

With Orochimaru

"Well now, this is a pleasant surprise." Orochimaru says with glee.

Naruto tilts his head upward to gaze at the sky, and a dense ball of dark chakra forms in front of his snout. It starts out the size of a golf ball before swelling to five feet in diameter. It swirls with power, and its form strains to contain itself, threatening to burst at the slightest provocation.

I must be careful. Even I couldn't survive contact with such dense and powerful chakra. It seems even the nine-tails knows moves that not even I know. What will this do.

Orochimaru gets on all fours again, readying himself for the incoming ball of chakra. Instead, though, something far more interesting happens. The ball shrinks once again down to the size of a golf ball. Instead of sending it at Orochimaru, though, Naruto eats it.

What?

With Ino and Yamato

"How is Goldie able to produce so much chakra and contain it like that?" Ino asks, bringing her hands back to her side. Now, she was even more afraid for Naruto. Not of him, for. That much chakra could cause her friend to die or sustain serious injuries. That's what she was afraid of.

"I don't know, Ino." Yamato is in the dark about the inner workings of the seal on Naruto like Ino. He now wishes he had taken the time to ask Jiraiya more about the seal in question.

Kami, that's been inside Goldie this whole time? He lives with that every day? He holds that back every day? I never knew it was like this. How much strength do you have? Naruto you are truly ... What?

Ino witnesses Naruto eat the ball of condensed chakra in front of him, cutting her inner monologue short.

"Did he just?" Her outer monologue is also cut short as Naruto's body inflates to five times its normal size.

"Yes, he did."

Nothing happens for a few seconds. The chaos of the battle settles for a second before rushing back like a typhoon. Naruto opens his mouth, and a titanic stream of chakra leaves him. All the condensed chakra is now a destructive beam aimed right at Orochimaru.

Ino and Yamato can see Orochimaru in the distance bite his thumbs and slam his palms on the ground. The ground started to shake, and in front of Orochimaru, three gigantic walls appeared. The height of these walls dwarfed every single tree in the forest, and they were twice as tall as the tallest tree.

The beam hits the first gate and annihilates it, causing the beam to weaken in strength. The beam also destroys the second gate but not before weakening the beam even further. The last gate crumbles as well but the three gates did their job. The devastating chakra attack was now weak enough that it would not kill Orochimaru, although it would still cause quite a bit of pain.

It strikes the sannin with the force of a locomotive, sending him skidding and tumbling across the rocky floor of the crater. The terrain behind Orochimaru is further destroyed, leaving a trail of destruction hundreds of feet in length. When the chaos of the attack subsides, no one can find Orochimaru.

Incredible, Naruto. I hope my wood style is able to bring you back. Because if it can't, I don't think we can stop you.

"Where did Orochimaru go?" Ino glances across the battlefield for any sign of the man. She knows that the attack wasn't enough to defeat him. Those walls greatly reduced the effectiveness of the attack. She couldn't see him among the rubble, though. So where can he be?

Naruto is also scanning the field for his opponent. His heightened senses not finding his target, which can only mean...

From underground, a weapon appears. It's the sword of Kusanagi, Orochimaru's favorite weapon. This blade has a very special property. It can extend its reach for long distances, the limit of which Orochimaru himself doesn't even know. From the ground, it charges at Naruto, surprising him with the attack. The head and elongated neck of Orochimaru soon come out of the ground, the sword in the grip of his teeth.

The blade strikes Naruto in the solar plexus and lifts him high into the air. Orochimaru's head reaches further into the sky, the blade continuing its extension. Naruto is unable to move the blade aside, his speed and the force of the attack being too great. He tries to attack the blade itself, but even his claws are unable to make a scratch on the weapon.

Naruto's journey comes to a crashing halt on the opposite side of the canyon, where his teammates are currently engaged in combat with Kabuto. The canyon exploded from the landing, sending rocks falling into the vast void below.

"NARUTO!" Ino screams, her pet name for him forgotten for the briefest of moments. Despite the danger, she rushes off to where Naruto landed. She no longer cares if Orochimaru will follow and attack her. Nor does she care that Naruto was a danger to both himself and those around him. She resolved herself to help him, tired of sitting on the sidelines.

"WAIT!" Yamato shouts at the departing Ino, but his call is too late. She's already out of earshot. "Damnit!" Yamato says to himself. He too charges back to where this battle had all begun.

To his great surprise, Ino moved faster than he did. How this was possible he didn't know. He continued leaping through the fallen and burnt trees, doing his best to get a solid footing on the weakened brush below him. Once he got back to where Naruto had landed, he saw both Hinata and Sakura on the ground, clutching their arms. He also saw Ino, standing tall against the creature controlling Naruto.

Without wasting another second, he leapt into action.

With Hinata and Sakura

CRACK

CRASH

WOOSH

The sound of Naruto impacting the ground is almost deafening. The flying debris of rock causes minor cuts on the kunoichi. They shield their faces as best they can and wait for the chaos to subside. For the moment, they put their thoughts of Kabuto to the side.

Once the rocks stop spraying out, both open their eyes and see an impact crater, with a sword sticking out of the middle. A creature of some kind was at the end of the sword, but it wasn't pierced by the blade yet. The dark red chakra was stopping the attack from going through its target, saving its life. Hinata and Sakura would have felt relieved at this, but they could sense the malevolence of the chakra. It was a feeling they had felt before and knew what it meant. Naruto was in trouble.

"NARUTO!" both exclaim at the same time.

He doesn't pay them any mind, nor does he recognize them. The only thing he acknowledges is the sword trying to pierce him and his futile efforts to get it off him. The sword retracts a short distance before shooting forth once again. The figure growls out in rage as if to challenge it to come back. It answers the call.

Naruto rolls out of the way, scorching more stone. The sword embeds itself into the rock for a moment, only to retract once more and stab again at its target. Again, another dodge; again, another try. This song and dance goes on for a minute, neither of the contestants backing down or showing any signs of fatigue.

"I see, so this is what Orochimaru wanted to see." A voice says behind them.

Hinata and Sakura turn on their heels, ready to strike at the all too familiar voice.

"Relax, I'm done fighting you two. It would serve neither of us to continue this charade." Kabuto utters with a surrendering gesture of the hands. "Look, you got your shot on me. That makes us even. I wouldn't want to hurt you too much and stop you from dealing with the Akatsuki for us."

Kabuto's words calmed them down, but only a smidge. They were still more than prepared to keep fighting him, and their postures indicated they needed to hear more from him.

"Look, the Akatsuki are still a thorn in lord Orochimaru's side. You already dealt with Sasori, so I assume you are hunting them. You also have more reason to go after them than we do." he says in obvious reference to Naruto. "So, let's call a truce for now and watch this display, shall we?"

Hinata and Sakura both think long and hard about his words. Kabuto seems like a pragmatic individual to them, and his words make sense. At the very least, they can trust him not to attack for the moment. They would still keep their eyes on him, and they would deal with any flare-up of chakra with promptness.

Both lower their defensive stances but not their guard and turn back towards the fight they were both watching before. Hinata and Sakura could only watch. They were too afraid to speak, worried they might distract Naruto and bring him trouble.

"A battle between a shinobi and a monster. It's fascinating to say the least." Kabuto quips. Both kunoichi knew Kabuto meant Naruto was the monster and Orochimaru the shinobi, but in their eyes, it was reversed. No matter what Naruto looked like, they would never see him as anything but the boy who changed their lives in so many ways. The sword withdraws from its assault and disappears behind the tree line. At this, Naruto's chakra flares up again and he lets out a mighty roar, one that causes the three shinobi to cover their ears.

"To think, these are the depths he is willing to go for those he cares about. It would be admirable if not so misplaced." Kabuto remarks.

The words trigger memories in the two women of what Naruto is willing to put himself through for those in his life. For Hinata, it brought a round of sympathy for her. He had almost died when bringing back Sasuke and almost lost himself when they tried to get back Gaara. For Sakura, it brought a fresh round of guilt. She recalled his words to her before he set out three years ago to fulfill his promise to her.

Both clutch at their chests. The weight of the state of Naruto bears down on both for different reasons but having the same effect nonetheless. The emotions of both swell in a maelstrom, threatening to break through and reach through. They hate what Naruto is putting himself through. It's tearing them apart seeing him in such a state. Both resolve to do something about it.

"Naruto!" Both took off running toward him. They no longer cared about the danger he presented to them. They had to reach out to him. He had to know how much it hurt them to see him push himself to such extremes.

"Please stop!"

"Don't do this to yourself!"

"I'm begging you!"

"Come back to me!"

"Don't go this far!"

"Naruto!"

Naruto, unfortunately, is not home right now. In his mindscape, he's currently lying in a shallow pool, hunched over in a fetal position. He is not in his teenage form, but that of his six-year-old self. His small arms hugging the stuffed frog he used to have. It brought him comfort on his especially lonely nights. Right now, he feels especially alone and scared.

His small body was trembling in fear. He feared the fox and its influence over him. He was now filled with terror at the sight of the being, but he didn't know what to do. He didn't know if there was anything he could do. He had no idea what was going on outside in the real world, but he knew it couldn't be good.

"Pathetic." A voice from behind the small Naruto says. Little Naruto doesn't roll over or even look over his shoulder to know who it is. He knows quite well the voice of his darker self.

"We have all this power sitting inside, and you are too WEAK to unleash it." The dark being says, crossing its arms in front of itself and shaking its head as if disappointed. This dark being, which Naruto was starting to become familiar with, looked humanoid in shape but was covered in dark red chakra. Its only other distinguishing features being its toothy mouth and white eyes. No tails could be seen.

"I'm glad that stupid fox finally got through to you and now he and I are in control." The dark being says, a confident smirk now plastered across its wicked mouth. It had taken quite a while for the seal to weaken to finally allow the nine-tails to take over, but it had been worth the wait. Never in his wildest dreams did he think the power of the nine-tails would be this intense.

"Please, j-just g-go." The little Naruto trembles out. "I-it hurts." His blue eyes scrunch shut. His body desperate for any relief. His breaths are little more than heaves as he clutches his plushie closer to his stomach.

"Go? Why would I go? This is the most fun I've had since the last time I almost took over. If it weren't for that damn perverted sage, I would have taken over too." The dark figure declares, still bitter that he wasn't able to complete the takeover last time.

"W-Why are y-you doing t-this?" Little Naruto squeaks out, another round of pain racking his tiny, frail body.

"Why? Because I must. You lack the guts to do what needs doing. I still can't believe you are letting people get 'close' to us. We don't need anyone else but ourselves and," he then waves towards the giant cage "him."

"T-T-they make me f-feel good and w-warm." Little Naruto says as he tries to raise his voice.

"Oh please! The only one who might be worth it is that Hyūga bitch. She at least was there for us. Plus, eventually we will need children and that byakugan is mighty powerful." The dark figure states. He's starting to think of how powerful the children with her could be. He revised his statement about not needing anyone else.

"D-Dont call her t-that." Little Naruto's voice trembles as he tries to command. He now finally turns his head to look over his shoulder at the figure.

"Oh, struck a nerve with that one, did I? Well, can't say I'm surprised. We are part of the same being." The dark figure starts to laugh now for a little while before becoming more serious.

"But that pink-haired bitch, I will NEVER understand why you ever fancied her when all she did was treat us like human filth. And you KEPT on pinning for her day after day. It was so pathetic that I wanted to barf. Honestly, it was a blessing when she blew up at us after you brought that traitor back and she finally broke you." The figure recounts their shared history.

"She's s-sorry for what s-she did. S-she's trying her b-best to b-be our friend a-again." Little Naruto retorts, not denying what the figure is saying but also knowing she is trying to make things right as best she can.

"Please, she's biding her time. Trying to get close to us again so she can hurt us even further. She only cares for her 'precious' Sasuke. Think about it. After everything we did for that ungrateful harlot, she only cared about how we hurt her precious toy. Get it through that thick skull of yours. She. Is. Not. Your. Friend." He now towers over the little Naruto. "She never was and never will be."

"Y-your wrong, she's our f-friend. She c-c-cares for us. I k-know it." the little Naruto admits out loud. His ocean blue eyes flutter open, fear and determination mixed in them.

"...uto"

"...eas...op"

On cue, the mindscape muffled the voices of the two subjects of conversation.

"W-what was ..." Little Naruto looks around him for the source of the voices. It seems like it's coming from all directions at once. He doesn't know who the voices belong to, but they feel warm and caring. They felt nice.

Fuck, how did those two break through into here without jutsu? I need to silence them before they give him any strength.

Meanwhile, in the physical realm, as Hinata and Sakura reached out for Naruto, their voices trembling with desperation. The battle seemed to freeze in time, each second stretching into eternity, as the two kunoichi's heartfelt cries echoed through the clearing, wrapping around Naruto's wounded spirit like a lifeline.

The face of Naruto then contorted into a snarl, and he turned his gaze toward the two incoming kunoichi. Two of his tails lashed out at the two women, striking their targets with swift precision. Both screamed in pain as the blows struck them, leaving gashes on their arms that bled steadily.

For the moment, they have halted. Both fall to the ground clutching their arms, Hinata in pain and Sakura using her chakra to stem the bleeding for now. Naruto turns to them and takes a step forward, but another voice calls out to him.

"Naruto!" She shrieks as she lands behind him. Ino saw what happened and felt worried for her friends. She knew she stood no chance against this thing that took over Naruto. Still, she stands her ground firm, ready to defend both herself and them.

Oh great, it's the blonde now. I should call the three of them the rainbow brigade from now on. At least I can deal with all of them now. The dark figure inside Naruto says to itself. He turns the body of Naruto completely around now and casts its gaze towards Ino, another of its tails rising to strike her down.

As he starts his charge to her, wood shoots out from underneath him, completely restraining his arms and legs. Yamato lands next to Ino, his hands extended out, keeping the wood around Naruto from breaking.

"I made it." He looks over to Hinata and Sakura on the ground, in pain but alive. "Not fast enough, though." More wood starts shooting up from the ground, further restraining Naruto. He lets out a mighty roar as he is further enveloped in the life-giving wood.

"Now's my chance." Yamato says as he flies through hand signs. "Hokage style elder justsu: Kakuan's Tenth Edict On Enlightenment." Eleven wooden pillars rise up out of the rock, surrounding Naruto, each one of them spiked facing towards the center. At first, the dark figure in Naruto feels nothing. Then he can feel the pillars slowly draining his chakra.

FUCK, I WON'T GIVE UP SO EASILY.

Kabuto sees what is going on and decides now is the best time to leave. The control of his arms has now returned to him, and he can run and jump like before. He uses his earth release to catapult himself across the canyon and starts sprinting to where he knew Orochimaru currently was.

Yamato and Ino see this but do not stop him. If he wanted to run now, it was one less thing they needed to worry about. Plus, it's not like he would be able to hide from us for long.

Another bestial roar comes from Naruto as the dark figure fights to keep control of the body. His superheated body tries to burn the wood around him, but it refuses to light. Still, he is slowing the loss of chakra and is still holding his control over the body.

"Damnit, he's fighting more than I anticipated. That fox has his claws deeper into Naruto than I anticipated." Yamato says aloud, more to reassure himself than anything else. Unfortunately for him, he did not expect what would happen next.

Finally, I can help him and not stand around like some damsel. Focus Ino. Remember what your father taught you, and you will be fine.

Ino put up her hands in her family's familiar triangle shape. She steadied her mind and chakra. She couldn't afford to let this chance escape. Now was the time to take action.

"INO, NO!" Yamato shouts, but it's too late. Ino's body goes limp beside him. Her consciousness having left her body. Through the air it raced towards its target, hitting home in an instant. It soon found itself in an unfamiliar place in a familiar person.

With Orochimaru

His sword started its long trek back to its master. Orochimaru could start to feel the telltale signs that his body was starting to break down. After the sword had completely retracted into him, he permitted himself a moment of weakness and collapsed face-first into the dirt.

This body is getting close to its limit. Shame, I was starting to enjoy our little scrap, Naruto. Well, it matters not. I know you will all keep seeking me, for I still have your precious Sasuke in my grasp.

"hehehe." He chuckles to himself as he lifts himself up off the ground. A look of smug satisfaction is now completely adorning his face.

"You can come out now. I've felt your presence since I first got to the bridge." Orochimaru shouts out to the unseen observer. This observer jumps out from the flattened trees and lands in the crater from the battle.

"Impressive, Orochimaru. I've received training directly from Lord Danzō himself. The fact that you could sense me still is most impressive." Sai says with a fake tone.

Hearing the name Danzō increases Orochimaru's tension. Despite working together, he knows their partnership wouldn't last for long.

"Has Danzō finally sent someone to tie one of his 'loose ends'? If so, you won't be having a good time, boy. Despite my limitations in this body, I can defeat you with little effort." Orochimaru boasts as he turns to face Danzō's agent.

"You are mistaken, Orochimaru. I'm not here to fight you. I'm here as an envoy for Lord Danzō, and I am simply a delivery boy." Sai says in a calm voice as he closes his eyes to show he is no threat.

He lets out a gasp of air, opens his eyes in an instant, and looks down to understand the reason why. Orochimaru's sword is now impaled through his chest. Sai then looks up towards Orochimaru with a look that spoke why.

"When talking to someone who is of superior rank, you should address them directly." Orochimaru utters as the Sai starts to dissolve into ink. Orochimaru's sword turns into a snake and slithers back towards its master.

From under the ground, the real Sai emerges from the earth. A little annoyed that his clone was found out so easily even with the extra precautions he took.

"I would be careful with what you do next, boy. It very well might be the last thing you do." Orochimaru spits out, a little pissed off at the disrespect he was shown.

"Ok, I wasn't lying when I said I'm simply a delivery boy." Sai says as he reaches into his backpack for what he needed.

WHAM

Appearing above Sai in an instant is Kabuto, who tackles Sai to the ground and grabs hold of the hand inside the backpack.

"Lord Orochimaru said to be careful." Kabuto seethes as he brings his kunai to the back of Sai's neck. Sai doesn't reply and lies there, his face regaining its stoic expression. Kabuto reaches into the backpack himself and can find only one item, an envelope.

"What is this?" He says as he brings out the envelope.

"Ah, Danzō is finally making good on his end of the bargain." Orochimaru says, walking towards the duo. With these words, Kabuto's tension melted away. He released his grip on Sai and stood up from his back, allowing Sai to now stand up.

"Indeed he is. I do not know what exactly you two struck as a bargain, nor do I care. I'm simply a tool for Lord Danzō." Said says with a friendly tone, dusting the dirt off himself.

Kabuto takes a step forward and hands the envelope to Orochimaru. Opening the envelope, Orochimaru takes a peek at its contents. "Very good, this is indeed what I wanted. You can tell Danzō that our bargain is complete."

Sai gives Orochimaru a bow before saying. "I will. Thank you, Orochimaru."

"I do have to ask though, why were you scurrying about and not with those other brats?" Orochimaru pondered aloud, his curiosity evident at this development.

"That is because I'm not a part of them. The original plan was for me to be in the mission, but certain events unfolded in a way that surprised lord Danzō. I'm here to give you what you want and to observe the weapon." Sai states in a tone that sounds insincere and somewhat cheerful.

Orochimaru could see through the boy. He knew all his little acts of emotion were completely fake. He saw that the boy showed no genuine emotion at all. He only did what they told him to do. In other words, he was a perfect soldier.

"Ah yes, the 'weapon'. What did you think of his little display?" The words left his mouth in a slither, trying to get any sort of real emotion out of the boy.

For now, Orochimaru failed. "I believe I will please Lord Danzō with what I have to report to him." For now, I will keep my distance from them and continue to monitor him. I'm certain you won't have issues with this continuing." Sai was now starting to get rather bored with this conversation and hoped it would end soon.

"As long as you know your place, it matters not." Orochimaru's attention then switches to Kabuto. "We will be heading back now. Our new guest is most likely bored out of his mind without us there to keep him company." He then turns his back to the two shinobi and prepares for the trip back.

"As you wish, lord Orochimaru." Kabuto then reached for the seed that they had placed on him when he first attacked and was about to crush it.

"Don't destroy it yet. I want them to follow for the time being." Orochimaru states, not bothering to look back. Kabuto does as he's told and puts the seed in his pocket. The pair then vanish into the trees, starting the trek back to their hidden base.

Sai was now left all alone in the center of the crater. He brought out his brush from his pocket and walked to where his ink clones' remains were. He soaked up the ink and put it in his bottle. He didn't want to leave any trace that he had been there. With the task completed, he jumped back into the remains of the woods and produced more of his creatures to keep further watch over all that his master had tasked him to do.

Within Naruto's mindscape

What is this place?

Ino was looking over the vast expanse of Naruto's mindscape. It took her eyes a few minutes to adjust to the darkness in front of her. To someone not experienced with this particular jutsu, a few minutes might seem like an eternity. What they didn't know is that this jutsu altered the flow of time. A few minutes weren't even a second in the real world, and she could use this to her advantage and take her time to find her goal.

She had done this jump quite a few times, and she came to expect certain things when she entered someone's mind. No mind was the same, but there were certain things she expected to be there. Like memories flying before her or fantasies playing on a stage in front of her, with the mental projection of the person taking center stage. She also expected to have certain feelings wash over her depending on the person. It could be happiness, anger, disgust, or fear, but she could always expect what feelings would come. From Naruto, it was something she did not expect at all.

A malevolent energy filled his mindscape, far more than she could have ever anticipated. Even the vilest characters she dove into did not have this much vile energy in them. It made her shiver being in its presence, but she had a job to do, and Kami himself could not stop her.

"Naruto!?" She shouts out as she starts her walk through the damp, dreary expanse. Her footsteps resonate in her ears as they splash into the water that covers the cold floor to a minimal extent.

As Ino ventured deeper, the malevolent energy seemed to press in on her from all sides, threatening to engulf her. She summoned all her willpower to resist its oppressive force, focusing on her mission to reach Naruto. Her voice rang out through the void, calling out to him with unwavering determination. The darkness seemed to throb in response, and she could feel the sinister presence of the fox's chakra pulsing around her. Yet, she pressed on, driven by the hope that her connection to Naruto could pierce through the malevolence. Finally, she caught sight of something that wasn't water or pitch blackness. A giant cage of sorts started to expand in her view. At first, it was a small point. It filled her view, and time seemed to slow further as she approached her destination.

In front of the cage were two figures, one of a child, one of ...something else. She was currently walking behind the two, trying her best to keep her steps from splashing in the water.

Her attempts were futile.

The taller figure whirls around and Ino could finally see its face. She stops in her tracks and looks the figure straight in the eye. This looked like the Naruto in the real world currently, minus the tails. Its gnarly mouth twisted as if in confusion, and its white eyes reflected a similar look of confusion. This confusion only lasts for a second before a knowing look spreads across his face. This too was then replaced with a look that was a mixture of annoyance and anger.

"You, how dare you intrude upon our mind like this." The dark figure snarls out.

"Y-You must be the nine-tails then." Ino conjectures.

The dark figure laughs at this assertion. "HAHAHA, no. Even I wouldn't let the nine-tails out of the cage. He's still inside there." He waves at the cage. "You can step inside and see for yourself. Although I have to warn you, he's not one to take kindly to intruders." He continues to laugh at Ino for having the stupidity of coming to this place.

"Then ...what are you?" Ino questions, her brow furrowing in thought and her mind coming up with hunches about what she is looking at.

"You should know, you do call me 'Goldie' quite a bit." The dark figure utters.

Ino looks from the figure down to the small boy and back to the figure again, her mind finally coming up with an answer. "You must be the representation of Goldie's negative emotions, and he," she gestures to the small child, "must be his innocence."

"Ding, ding, ding, we don't have a complete knuckle-dragger here. Congratulations are in order for the blonde bimbo. Here, have a cookie." He pretends to fetch a cookie from his nonexistent pocket and gives it to her.

Ino scoffs at the entity. "I suppose you won't let Goldie go without putting up a fight."

"Hehe, you got that right, bitch. This is only the second time I've been let out, and it feels GOOD. Ain't no way I'm going back." The dark figure was growling by the end of statement.

Ino now took a defensive stance, ready to fight him and subdue him. She is a little surprised when the figure walks toward her. She starts to backpedal, her eyes never leaving him. Surprisingly, it seems bored.

"As much as I would LOVE to off that little twerp back there, that would also kill me. So, let's make sure that doesn't happen, shall we." He asks, no commands.

Ino could feel a hint of nervousness start to take hold of her. She had heard of such beings from her father but had never encountered one before. She knew that people created them when they had a particularly traumatic childhood or experience. The subject would create it as a coping mechanism to address their issues and move on without awareness.

The only problem was that this being was still a part of Naruto. The only way he would be able to deal with this is to embrace it completely at some point. For now, though, it was more important to get him back to his old self and then deal with his trauma when he was ready.

When they were far enough away, the dark figure stopped walking and sprinted toward Ino on all fours, snarling. She sprinted through her hand signs as fast as possible and slammed her hands into the murky water. Water shot up from beneath the dark figure as it darted left and right to avoid impalement.

The figure switches from running on all fours to its hind legs and brings its hands up to its mouth, producing a fireball as he blows out. Ino leaps backward to avoid the blast of fire. She responds by producing a large wave from the shallow water around her and sends it hurtling toward the dark figure.

He responds by jumping high into the air. From his mouth, he forms several blasts of air and sends them screaming toward Ino. She chooses to evade the incoming blasts with poise and elegance befitting her status as a clan heir.

It's like my father told me. The place is not too dissimilar to the real world. I have access to all my knowledge and jutsu here. I still need to be careful. If I die here, I die in the real world. I hope he doesn't figure out the finer details of this place, or I'm screwed.

"I see my future mate isn't the only one who was busy improving." The dark figure snickers, causing a bit of confusion in Ino.

What in the hell is he talking about? Focus, Ino, focus. That's not important now.

Ino doesn't respond to the statement. And chooses to go on offense once again. With a swift motion, she unleashes a barrage of water spears directed at the dark figure, who counters with a gust of wind strong enough to scatter them into droplets. Ino leaps forward, hands weaving intricate signs, summoning chains of energy that crackle towards the being. He dodges with a graceful agility, a smirk etched on his gnarly face. The battle wages on in a chaotic ballet of elemental forces, each move pushing Ino to her limits. She pivots, her mind razor-sharp, calculating her next attack, knowing that she must weaken this dark manifestation and protect the essence of Naruto. Her determination fuels her, each strike more powerful than the last, her heart beating in sync with her resolve to restore balance and bring Goldie back from the abyss.

The two combatants are now separated by a few dozen feet, and Ino is starting to breathe heavily as she struggles to fight while maintaining constant concentration on her dive technique. She wipes the sweat from her mental brow and goes through the motions of a new technique she has been practicing in the previous few weeks. Once she finishes, a spherical object of earth rises from the ground in front of her. She then gives it a kick, and it starts rolling towards the dark figure, who sidesteps with ease.

"Getting sloppy there. At least make this interesting." The taunting would not deter Ino. This is what she wanted and she only replied with a smirk.

What is she planning to do?

Another sphere of earth is soon produced in front of Ino, and she sends it careening into the figure once more.

"Again? This is just wasti..."

WHAM

The second sphere did its job. It kept the figure's attention while Ino changed the trajectory of the first ball of earth backward, which slammed into his back. The force slammed the being into the ground face-first, and the sphere continued to roll over its body. As soon as he picked up his head to glare at Ino, his vision was completely filled with the second sphere, which hit him square in the face.

Fuck me

If it were not the fact that he was a mental projection, he knew he would have a concussion after that second blow. Ino had finally managed to get some solid hits onto him, and it made him angry. This was nothing new to him since he was primarily filled with that feeling, but this was the first time he felt hatred for the blonde. His wrath was usually directed at the village, the sound nin, and a certain pink-haired bitch. Ino should count herself lucky she has joined an exclusive club.

"Chōji inspired that. I hope you liked it." Ino was now doing the taunting, and it felt good.

"Figures, the piggy would take inspiration from the fatty." The figure says, before rolling towards the side to avoid the incoming spheres of pain.

This little taunt got a rise out of Ino. In response, she sent both rolling spheres crashing into the figure at the same time. Both balls crashed into each other with a thunderous crash. When the dust cleared, the figure was nowhere to be seen.

Where could he have gone to?

She heard the water splash behind her, and her instincts took over. If she had not, the blow very well could have knocked her head clean off. She planted both of her hands in the water and did a sweeping kick without looking. She heard him leap up into the air and turned her head to see he was coming crashing down on her with an axe kick. She rolled out of the way, and he came splashing down, missing his target.

She stands up completely, but the figure is right on her. He aims for her kidney with a punch, but she deflects it to the side and aims a punch of her own at his head. He sidesteps it and aims a kick for her stomach, causing her to cartwheel backwards to dodge. He launches himself into the air and aims to swipe her head off. She arches her back, and the swipe completely misses her. She plants her hands down onto the ground again and lifts both her legs up. She kicks straight up and strikes true against the stomach and chest of the figure, sending him flying.

She now stands upright, freeing her hands to do their tasks. "Water Release: Great Gunshot." Ino takes a deep breath and releases it, creating a huge bullet of swirling water that races upwards. The figure, now having regained its senses, lets out a column of air from its mouth that stops the incoming bullet. Ino takes this opportunity to get further away from him. She knows she is at a disadvantage in close-quarters combat and hopes to keep him far away. Soon, the dark figure lands on the water-covered ground and looks at her with rage.

As Ino recalibrated her stance, her eyes narrowed in determination. She summoned forth a surge of chakra, amplifying her presence in the realm. The dark figure, sensing the shift in power, let loose a chilling laugh that echoed around them. Ino felt the weight of the mental strain, but she refused to let it deter her. With a swift and fluid motion, she began weaving intricate hand signs, calling upon her most advanced water release techniques. The air around her grew thick with the palpable tension of impending conflict. With a final, decisive movement, she unleashed a torrent of water needles that shimmered like crystalline daggers in the dim light. The dark figure countered with gusts of wind, but Ino's attack was relentless, piercing through the defenses. As the needles found their mark, the dark figure staggered back, giving Ino the precious seconds she needed to plan her next move.

Her hands move in a whirlwind, the seconds she bought giving her the time to do this complicated jutsu. Once the figure regained himself, he found himself entrapped in a rock prison. Ino reinforced the bars and ceiling with her chakra to keep him trapped for a bit longer.

"YOU BITCH! I WON'T BE CAGED AGAIN!" His shouts and threats start to retreat from Ino's ears as she makes her way toward little Naruto.

"Naruto, you need to regain control of yourself. Remember who you are." She kneels beside his prone form and speaks in a soft voice.

"..."

She reaches out to him, but he recoils at her touch. His body is still shaking in fear of both the dark figure and the nine-tails' power and aura.

"I know you are scared, but I need you to be brave." She says in a voice that conveys her maternal warmth. She remembered back to some of the talks she had with Naruto about how lonely his childhood had been. She conjectured this version of himself represented that childhood innocence he had and was trying to preserve it.

Ino's voice, soft yet firm, continued to wash over Naruto, offering a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. She exuded a calm strength that began to penetrate his terror. "You are not alone, Naruto. I'm here, and so are your friends. We all believe in you." Her words, imbued with her unwavering belief, started to cut through the haze of fear that clouded his mind.

She could see the flicker of recognition in his eyes, a spark of resilience igniting. As the rock prison behind them vibrated with the dark figure's rage, Ino's chakra glowed with renewed vigor, enveloping Naruto in a protective barrier. The tumultuous energy of the realm seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the outcome of this pivotal moment. Ino's presence, a stabilizing force, urged Naruto to draw upon his inner strength to fight back against the darkness threatening to consume him.

"Do you remember your dream, Naruto?" she whispered, her voice a soothing balm. Behind them both, they could hear the prison starting to give way to the dark figures might.

"T-To be Hokage, to protect all my f-friends." Naruto stated, still scared, but his willingness to fight rising. The connection between them solidified, and the oppressive atmosphere began to lift as Naruto's trembling subsided and determination began to set in.

"...ruto!"

"...me ba..."

Wait, that sounds like Sakura and Hinata.

"RAAAAAARHHHHH"

"Do you hear them, Naruto?" She whispers again to him. "They are here for you, and they always will be, like me." She continues to try and soothe little Naruto.

"Y-Your right." little Naruto utters, his body now trying to stand up, but his legs are weak.

"Here." Ino says as she reaches out a hand to little Naruto to help lift himself up. Behind her, she can hear the prison collapsing, but she doesn't care.

Little Naruto doesn't hesitate to take her hand, his previous terror now gone thanks to the strength Ino is giving him. When he does take her hand, a glow forms where their hands meet. Ino looks down at their connection and feels puzzled by this turn of events. She notices the white glow is starting to grow, now encompassing half of her forearm.

"Ino." The words do not come from a child, nor does she recognize them to begin with. She lifts her head to meet the new voice. To the side of the new being is still little Naruto, his frog plushie clutched to his chest, but his face has a serene calmness. He looks at peace and happy. She wishes she had a camera so she could record this moment forever.

The figure who was currently holding her hand looked a lot like Naruto. He had spiky blonde hair and blue eyes like Naruto. This figure looked older though, at least 6 years older than the Naruto she knew.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but we have little time." The older looking Naruto says. His face showed great sadness at the lack of time he had to do this.

The situation perplexed Ino, but she remained silent. The look on this figure's face and the aura it gave told her all she needed to know. Whoever this was, they were no threat to her.

"Who, or what, are you?" She manages to ask. She thought at first that this must be a representation of what Naruto imagines his future self will be like. This figure did look like a more mature version of Naruto. He didn't seem to be bouncing around with energy and seemed way calmer and more collected. What indicated to her that this wasn't a future version of Naruto was the absence of whiskers. She could never miss those features on him and found them cute. No way he would miss them either. So who was she talking to?

This figure brings his other hand over Ino's and gives it a firm squeeze. She could feel the warmth and love radiating from the gesture. Whoever this was, expressed eternal gratitude towards her, but she did not know the reason.

"Thank you, and everyone, for being there for my son." The glow now completely covers her arm and still growing.

SON!?

Now she was shell-shocked. How could she be talking to Naruto's father? Was this what Naruto thought his father could have looked like? She had to know.

"Are you really his father? Or what he thinks you look like?"

The figure answered with a calm demeanor while asserting their point. "I'm his real father." He says, squeezing her hand a bit tighter.

Now she had even more questions. Like how could his father be inside his head like this? What type of jutsu could allow such a thing as this? Was this his full-on father or a projection of some kind? So many questions, but she knew he was right. They had little time. She could hear the water splashing far behind her starting to get closer. She knew she didn't have much time before the dark figure was upon them. Before she could ask another question, he speaks up.

"Please, don't tell Naruto we met yet. I want to be the one to tell him." The figure says. His face spoke of gratitude, but his voice was begging her to keep this secret to herself, if for a little bit. He retreats one of his hands and grabs hold of little Naruto's, bringing it into the clutches of Ino.

"I hope you all continue to be there for my son. I'm so glad he has friends who care for him so much." The figure says, now standing back.

"...eed you."

"...ruto!"

The figure looks toward the sky of the void, and a look of happiness spreads across his features. "Especially those two."

Ino was still shell-shocked that she was talking to Naruto's father. What did he mean he wanted to tell Naruto himself?

"How are you here? I have so many questions." Ino sputters out, trying to form a semi-coherent thought in her head.

"And no more time left. Take care, Ino." Naruto's father said as much gratitude as he could muster.

The look of peace and serenity never left little Naruto's face. His eyes were still closed as if he were unaware of anything happening around him. The white glow expanded with great speed and consumed both Naruto and Ino before the dark figure could launch its attack on the girl.

Ino stood in a world bathed in a white, familiar light, and the two young shinobi vanished.

Author Notes

Chapter title is from The Who

That ending was not the original ending I had in mind. The original ending was to have little Naruto morph into his teenage form and thank her. The idea to have Minato be the one instead to thank her I think works much better. It's a nice tease of his father and I think serves more of an emotional impact. I hope I did Ino justice to her fans out there with this chapter. Don't worry, she's still going to be a good part of this story so stick around and find out.

I hope the fight between Kabuto and our two main ladies made everyone happy. I'm glad Hinata got some solo fighting to herself so she could show off her growth. I also liked her using the same trick Sakura used after hearing about it a couple chapters ago. I really wanted to show them working together and building up trust (before it gets destroyed a bit) and I hope I conveyed that.

My original plan was to have the previous chapter and this chapter be together. I'm glad I split them up.

As of publishing this, I have returned from a very successful Anime Central trip and I'm recovering from surgery to remove loss skin. Due to this, I'll more than likely have to push publishing my next chapter out a week. I'm sorry about this.

Anyways, enough of my ranting. Please if you could leave a comment or review and I'll see yall later! Remember, dont feed the trolls.

Chapter 19: Second Chance

Near Tenchi bridge, 10:31 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

A white, familiar light bathed Ino’s world, and the two young shinobi disappeared. The intensity of the light increases, forcing Ino to close her eyes. Then she feels her feet land on the hard ground. 

  

“Get back here, you little shit!” A voice she’s not familiar with cries out. She opens her eyes, and her white world is gone, replaced by the familiar streets of Konohagakure.  

  

How am I here? I should be back on the bridge. What is going on?  

  

Then, right beside her, a familiar scene unfolds. It's a young Naruto, his bright orange clothing a blur as he sprints away from an irate villager. The villager's angry shouts and waving fists are hot on his heels. The man is, no doubt, a victim of one of Naruto's infamous pranks, a mischievous grin still plastered on the young ninja's face as he makes his escape. 

  

This must be a memory of his. Father said this was a possibility when exiting a subject's mind if their will was strong enough or if they had a subconscious desire to say something.  

  

The villager is cursing at Naruto as his little legs carry him further and further away. She starts to chase after him, the world oblivious to her presence. Young Naruto manages to evade his pursuer, finding himself completely alone. His footsteps start to slow down to a stop. He replaces his shit-eating grin with a frown, as if the attention high has worn off. Ino witnesses this, and she starts to wonder why she is being shown all this. 

  

He comes across a scene of a mother seeing her child off to school, and his face twists further into melancholy. He starts to sprint back to his apartment as fast as he can. He needs the safety of his walls to help calm himself down. Ino has no problem following him on his way home, which brings her relief. 

  

Wait, I thought he grew up in the orphanage. Why is he in an apartment? Did he have stepparents?  

  

Once he’s inside, time warps to a few hours later and Ino hears the door open. To her surprise, it's the Sandaime Hokage with an envelope in his hand. He walks into the apartment and finds young Naruto on his bed, sitting on its edge with a hurt look on his face. Young Naruto doesn’t acknowledge his new guest. He continues to stare forward, pondering why his life is the way it is.  

  

Hiruzen walks toward the table and places the envelope on it. "Here are this month’s living expenses. Make sure you spend on all your necessities first.”  

  

Wait, hold up. Naruto lived ALONE? AND THE SANDAIME KNEW THIS!? AND HE'S THE ONE GIVING NARUTO MONEY!?  

  

Ino was now more furious than she had ever been in her life. The respect she once had for him had now completely evaporated.  How could he have someone so young live on their own like this? It was completely irresponsible. Why are they forcing him to take care of himself?  

  

Before Hiruzen can leave the room, he hears a tiny voice. “Jiji, who are my mom and dad?” He stops in his tracks and turns to see young Naruto staring at him, desperate for some kind of information on who his parents were.  

  

Hiruzen sighs before replying. “There’s no use talking about them. It won’t bring them back.”   

  

The Sandaime didn’t say he didn’t know. He said there’s no use in talking about them. So, he does know who they are!?  

  

“I know that. Please, I want to know something about them. Anything at all.” One look into his watery eyes was all Ino needed to know how desperate Naruto was to know even a lick of information on his parents. She couldn’t even imagine how much heartache Naruto must have felt as a child living alone like this and not knowing why or who his parents even where.  

  

“I’m sorry, Naruto, but I’m not the one who should be discussing your parents with you.” He then turns and walks out the door, leaving young Naruto alone once again. Ino kneels down on the ground to try and comfort the poor boy. She can't bear to see the utter brokenness on his face. Her arms pass through him like a ghost. She had hoped beyond hope that she could do something to comfort him, but that was not to be.  

 

Young Naruto turns around and flops on his bed. He knows he's about to get loud and doesn't want another complaint about him being noisy. He grabs his frog plushie, holding onto it for dear life, and cries. He cries harder and longer than he ever had before. It was becoming too much for him to bear. The lad finally broke from a day of reminders of his pitiful existence. All the while, Ino could do nothing but watch as the poor boy cried his little heart out. 

  

THAT BASTARD!!! IF HE WEREN'T ALREADY DEAD, I WOULD HAVE BEATEN HIM WITHIN AN INCH OF HIS OLD CRUSTY LIFE! SCREW THE TITLE!  

  

Ino's respect for the Sandaime Hokage had been unshakeable, like the sturdy trees that made Konohagakure famous. He was the patriarch of their village, a symbol of wisdom and guidance. Every young shinobi, including Ino, had grown up listening to his stories, seeking his counsel, and striving to emulate him. He was like a beloved grandfather, always ready with a warm smile and a gentle word of encouragement. But now, Ino's feelings had taken a drastic turn. The recent events had left her with a burning sense of betrayal and anger, replacing the admiration she once held for him. She couldn't bear the thought of seeing his face, hearing his voice, or even uttering his name ever again. 

 

But there is nothing she can do but watch. It starts to break her. She doesn't know how much more of this she can take, but she will endure it. She wants, no, needs, to see these memories through to the end. Naruto's subconscious wants to show her these for a reason, and she owes it to him to see them. She sits on the bed next to him and watches over his crying form. 

 

His crying turns into whimpers, and his face shifts to the side, staring at Ino as if he could see her. She's a little shaken by the look she receives but reminds herself she's only a passenger on this memory lane trip. 

 

Her gaze locks onto Naruto's innocent eyes. At first, she's met with the anticipated despair, the weight of his emotions crushing him. But as she peers deeper into his eyes, she detects a spark, a flicker of something more. It's an anger, raw and untainted, simmering beneath the surface. The kind of anger that can drive a person to action, to fight back against the forces that seek to break them. It's a fire that burns hot, fueling his determination to rise above the pain and never give in.  

 

Was this the moment the dark figure was born? Is that what Naruto is trying to show me here? 

  

The world began to change around Ino again, warping and twisting until the next memory appeared before her. Naruto was sitting on the swing at the academy, his eyes filled with longing as he watched the families retrieve their children from school with joy. The memory then switched to the kids playing and having fun. These two memories continued to cycle, each one like the last but never quite the same. The one constant of these changing memories was the swing and Naruto sitting on it in the distance while he grew up. His eyes observed everything and hoped one day he might have some type of similar experience. To Ino’s horror and disgust, it never came.  

 

Is this Naruto telling me that all he ever wanted was a family and friends growing up? 

  

"You don’t leave here until every drop of paint is gone. I don’t want either of us getting home late.” A familiar voice says from behind Ino. It’s a voice she had not heard since she had left the academy.  

  

She spins around and right behind her is a new memory. Iruka sensei is sitting atop the Yondaime Hokage’s monument head, looking down on a pre-teen Naruto. He scowls as he berates Naruto. His arms folded across his chest.  

  

Naruto lifts his head, indignation clear on his features. “So? It’s not like I have anyone waiting for me.” He shouts and continues his stare for a second before dropping his head. His sniffling is audible even from Iruka’s vantage point. This broke Ino even more, hearing something so cold from a child, no less.  

  

“Hey.” She heard Iruka say, and she looked up toward him. His scowl had disappeared, and his face took on a gentle expression. “When you finish here, how about I treat you to some ramen?”  

  

Naruto’s dour mood immediately brightened, and he looked up with stars in his eyes and shouts, “ALRIGHT!”  

  

At least some of his memories are of the joyous variety. Is Naruto trying to tell me that not everything was bad? 

  

The final memory then warped into view, this one not of the swing set, but of the night Naruto had stolen the scroll. It was here that Naruto learned of the nine-tails sealed inside him. The scene shifts to a location where Naruto hides from view. Iruka sat near a tree, blood oozing from the wound on his back, while Mizuki spoke with him.  

  

“You were right to fear and despise the demon child. I mean, it did kill your parents.” Mizuki taunts in the memory.  

  

Iruka spits out some blood before he replies. “Hehe, you're right, I do hate the nine-tails. I hate it for taking my parents away.”  

  

Ino turns from her two former sensei engaged in conversation and looks at Naruto. A haunting look on his face is on full display. He couldn’t believe the words that had come out of Iruka's mouth. 

  

His hand reached for his chest, as if trying to hold together the shattered remains of his heart. Iruka-sensei, his teacher, was one of the rare few who had ever shown him kindness. Among the three individuals who didn't treat him with contempt, Iruka's warmth stood out like a beacon. His gentle guidance and encouraging words had been a balm to Naruto's battered soul. But now, the truth stung like a slap to the face. Iruka's actions were all a ruse. The teacher who had won Naruto's trust had hated him all along. His so-called kindness was a trick to win Naruto's trust. This way, the betrayal would hurt even more, striking at the core of his being. The pain of Iruka's deception was a poison, spreading its darkness through Naruto's veins, leaving him feeling lost and confused.  

  

Naruto is on the verge of abandoning the village that has been his home for so long. He's considering leaving Konohagakure, the Hidden Leaf Village, behind for good. He's faced rejection and scorn from the people there for long enough. He feels completely worn down now. He wonders why he should stay in a place that seems set on pushing him away. Who needs constant reminders that you are not welcome? That you're a nuisance?  

 

The memories of his ostracization as a child and of the shunning by the very people he wants to protect still linger in his mind. He feels a strong urge to escape his painful past. He finds the idea of starting somewhere fresh, where others would accept him for who he is, very appealing. The question echoes in his mind: why should he stay in a place that has made it clear it doesn't want him?  

  

"But Naruto isn't the nine-tails. He never was and never will be." These words stop Naruto from getting up. “Sure, he’s awkward at times. He also screws up a lot and is constantly mocked and shunned for it. It doesn’t help that he pulls all his pranks. But he has a big heart. All his trials and tribulations have given him so much empathy. He knows what it means to feel pain. When he puts his mind to it, I’ve never seen a better student than him. He has my utmost respect. He may have the nine-tails in him, but that doesn’t make him any less of a member of this village. He is Naruto Uzumaki, and don’t you forget it.”   

  

Iruka's words struck a chord deep within Naruto. Tears of joy and gratitude filled his eyes. Snot dripped down his face, showing how overwhelmed he was. In this cathartic moment, Naruto felt something for the first time in his life. Hope, true, genuine hope.   

  

At last, someone showed real concern for him. Iruka's words seemed to clear the clouds. A warm ray of acceptance shone on Naruto's troubled past. There, feelings of abandonment and rejection had lingered for too long. Now, though, those feelings started to fade. This thought brought him comfort. It chased away the loneliness he had felt for so long. Now, he thought he might have a place in the village.  

  

Ino had never felt more gratitude or happiness in that moment than at any other point. Iruka immediately had her respect and admiration for life. Although it did hurt to see how long it took, he at least finally had someone who she could say was there for him. She couldn't fathom what Naruto might have done if Iruka had rejected him that night.  

 

I guess this is Naruto showing me when his life started to change for the better. I feel horrible that it took so long. 

  

Ino's arms extended, yearning to envelop the preteen in a warm embrace. But, before she could make contact, a familiar sensation blossomed from Naruto's core. The white light, a beacon of hope and comfort, began to radiate, enveloping Ino. This time, its warmth and beauty were palpable, like a gentle summer breeze on a sweltering day. As she basked in its radiance, Ino felt an indelible mark etching itself onto her very soul. A wave of peace and calm washed over her. It felt like her worries and fears were fading away, like water flowing from a waterfall. But all too soon, the light receded, leaving Ino's back to thud against the cold, hard ground. 

 

XxX

 

Sunagakure, 08:42 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

  

Temari woke up feeling fresh and rejuvenated, the first time since Gaara’s death she could say that. For once, the nightmares didn’t invade her dreams. Was she moving on from Gaara’s death? That wound would never heal completely. It would scab over and throb at most. For now, though, she would welcome the relief.     

     

She was in her family’s kitchen, making her favorite dish, Kenchin-jiru with sweet chestnuts. She got the burdock root, daikon radish, shiitake mushrooms, taro root, potatoes, carrots, and tofu ready for the dish.  

     

“Temari, is that you?” Kankuro calls from the top of the stairs, pausing her preparations for a moment.     

     

“Hai, it is. Come down and take a seat. Breakfast is almost ready.” She raises her voice so that her brother can hear it outside the kitchen and up the stairs. She could hear the creaking of the stairs, letting her know her brother was coming down. She worried he might skip their meal, but her fears faded when she heard him come into the kitchen and sit at the table.     

     

The smell of Kenchin-jiru cooking filled the kitchen. Temari looked at Kankuro, who sat in silence as he waited. She could see the faint traces of fatigue and sorrow etched on his face, mirroring her own struggles. Despite the pain of losing Gaara, moments like these brought a sense of comfort. They both felt a sense of normalcy for the first time since their brother's passing.     

     

She ladled the steaming hot soup with precision and arranged the succulent sweet chestnuts on the side. As she settled into her seat across from Kankuro, the worn wooden chair creaked under her weight, and the empty chair beside him appeared to glare at her like an uninvited guest, its vacant space a poignant reminder of someone's absence.   

     

Kankuro had woken up only minutes prior. He was still in his pajamas and hadn’t put on his trademark face paint yet. When he first woke up, he heard sounds coming from downstairs and thought it odd. Temari had only been home for a few hours of sleep, if that, and would leave right away, showing little attention to him. So, it was a shock to see her not only still in the house but also making breakfast for the pair.     

     

“I hope you like it. It’s been a while since I last made this.” Temari digs her spoon into the contents of the bowl and takes a bite. To her, at least, it is passable. Her face shows worry, thinking her brother may not like what she has made.     

     

Kankuro, jostled from his thoughts, looks down at his bowl and takes a whiff. It does smell appetizing to his senses, at least. He picks up his spoon and mirrors his sister’s action. To his surprise, it tastes delicious.     

     

“This tastes great!” He puts his spoon back into the bowl and gets another mouthful.     

     

A happy smile spreads across her face. Her eyes start to glow a bit at her success. She reaches for a chestnut and plops it into her mouth.     

     

As they continued to eat in silence, the weight of their shared grief seemed to lighten, if only for a moment. Temari reflected on the memories they had built with Gaara and how, despite his absence, those memories would forever be a part of their lives. The sound of the simmering soup and the warmth of the kitchen enveloped them, offering a fleeting sanctuary from their sorrow. Kankuro nodded in appreciation from time to time. The soft clinks of their spoons showed the comfort in these small, normal acts. For Temari, breakfast was more than food. It marked progress in their healing. It reminded them that life, though changed, still moved forward. As the morning light came through the windows, she felt a strong resolve inside her. It promised strength, resilience, and the bond that would always connect them.     

     

“I wanted to apologize to you, Temari." Kankuro says as he finishes his bowl and sets his spoon down.     

     

Temari pauses mid-eating to address her brother. “What for?”     

     

“Well for one, how I acted after... ya know.” His voice trailed off at the memory. It was still a bitter moment to think of and always would be for the two of them.     

     

“Oh...” She didn’t respond beyond those initial words for a while. They hung heavy in the room. Neither wanted to be reminded of that time, but Kankuro had felt guilty about his actions for a while. He had disgraced the village with his actions.     

     

“ahem, I’m not the one to whom you should apologize." She corrected her brother.     

     

“Hai, I know I should apologize to Naruto. I will, next time I see him. But I want to apologize to you as well.” Kankuro now looked down in shame, unable to look his older sister in the eye. He would apologize to those who needed it most in due time, but now he needed to apologize to her.     

     

“Why me?” she asks, confused about why he needed to apologize to her.     

     

“Naruto, a foreign shinobi we asked to help us, did everything he could to save Gaara. I repaid him by knocking a few of his teeth loose. I shamed myself. I also brought shame to our village, our family, and especially Gaara.” Guilt riddled his voice. This had been bothering him since the funeral. Before, he jumbled his thoughts. Now, he was beginning to think with clarity.     

     

“Hai, you did. Given the... circumstances, nobody blames you.” Temari's eyes softened. She listened to her brother's heartfelt words and felt his burden. The kitchen, once bustling with the sounds of eating, now held a poignant silence.     

     

She took a deep breath, recognizing the courage it took for Kankuro to admit his faults. "I appreciate your apology, and I know how much this means to you. You are not one to admit being wrong lightly." She spoke in a soft tone, her gaze steady and reassuring.     

     

"We all made mistakes, but it's important that we move forward and honor Gaara in the best way we can." The bonds of family, though strained, were beginning to mend through these moments of vulnerability and honesty. The warmth that filled the kitchen now touched their hearts. It brought a feeling of reconciliation and hope.     

     

“Thank you, Temari. You have no idea how much that means to me.” He now finally looks up and catches her gaze. His eyes filled with gratitude, speaking to how much he meant his words.     

     

“You’re welcome. Now, what was the second thing you wanted to apologize for?” She asked, a look of confusion on her face.     

     

“I also wanted to apologize for declining the Kazekage position and forcing it on you.” He speaks with embarrassment. He knew that Temari was much better suited for the role than he was. Her regular visits to Konohagakure won their affection. They also gave her important experience in politics. Including her mastery of wind release, he knew of no one else better suited for the role than his sister.     

     

Temari sighed, feeling the weight of another apology settle over her. The role of Kazekage was one of immense responsibility and burden, and while she had accepted it, she understood Kankuro's hesitation and the guilt that accompanied his decision. "It's okay, Kankuro." She finally said, her voice steady. "Being Kazekage is not an easy task, but I will do it. It's given me a purpose and a way to honor Gaara's legacy. I do have something I want to ask you.”     

     

This piqued Kankuro’s interest. “What would that be?”     

     

“I want you to be one of my advisors. I can trust you to keep me grounded and to look out for my interests while I look out for the villages. We'll navigate these challenges together, as a family." She declared with an intense look in her eye as she continued gazing at her brother.     

     

“Oh, is that all? Temari, you didn’t even have to ask. I would have been one of your advisors whether you wanted me to be or not.” He makes a direct statement. Temari was the only family he had left, and he would damn himself if he didn’t help her become a great Kazekage.     

     

Temari had prepared herself this whole morning to argue with Kankuro. She had come up with as many counterpoints to his as she could to get him to help her. Now that he had agreed to her proposal without a fight, it threw her for a loop. She didn't know what to think. “Uhh, Thank you?”     

     

He let out a chuckle at the flustered look of his sister. “It’s like you said, we’ll navigate our challenges together as family should.”     

     

She had never felt prouder of her brother than right now in this kitchen. Yes, he did push a big responsibility onto her, but she knew that there was no way he could have done a good job as Kazekage. The hat's weight could have crushed him, leaving him broken and shattered. Even if she did help him, it would have only delayed the inevitable.     

     

Kankuro's presence was a comforting reassurance, even though she knew she could handle the task alone. His absence would have left a void. Among the few individuals she could rely on, Kankuro's support meant the world to her. His involvement would not only have divided the workload but also provided moral encouragement, a luxury she couldn't afford to take for granted.   

     

“Hai... we will.” She looked down now at her soup, a small smile on her face and a small blush rising on her cheeks. In this briefest of moments, she forgot about the trials and tribulations of her life.     

     

As they sat in silence, the warmth of their shared understanding enveloped them. Temari, feeling a renewed sense of purpose, knew she could count on her brother even more now. They both understood that challenges filled their journey ahead. Together, they would honor their brother Gaara's legacy, support each other through the hardships, and come out stronger at the end. In this calm kitchen, their quiet talk filled the air. The future felt brighter, if only for a moment.     

     

Kankuro sat up and went to get another bowl of soup while Temari picked up another sweet chestnut. Then, she remembered what she had wanted to say to him. She wanted to be the one to tell him. She knew that if he heard about it from anyone else, he would feel a deep sense of anger toward her.     

     

She moved her head to address her brother once more. “Oh, I’m sure lady Chiyo told you that she will be acting Kazekage until I'm ready.” She received a nod of affirmation to this statement while he poured more soup into his bowl. “Good, did she also tell you about the request we are sending to Konohagakure?”     

     

“No, she didn't. What are we requesting?” He asks as he takes his place back at the table. He has a mild curiosity about what else Sunagakure could request from Konohagakure.     

     

“Lady Chiyo is asking that I join them on their hunt for the Akatsuki, a joint mission, if you will.” She plops the chestnut into her mouth and starts chewing.     

     

Kankuro paused with his spoon in the air. He looked at his sister, his face falling a bit when he heard her declaration. “Was it you who asked this.”     

     

Temari put her spoon back into her bowl and readied herself for another mouthful. “No, she did. She said it would help with relations if I was the one to go. She also said it would give us a chance to show we are not weak, despite what happened.” She uttered as a matter of fact.     

     

This didn’t quell the feelings inside Kankuro. “And I assume you are okay with this.”     

    

“Of course! I’m the best wind release user in all Sunagakure. Plus, this will give me more experience to be ready to be Kazekage.” She sips another mouthful from her spoon, trying to put Kankuro’s nerves at ease. Seeing that he still looks worried, she further adds on with, “I will be careful, Kankuro. I need to do this. We need to avenge Gaara, and I’m in the best position to do it. We have to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other family again.”  

     

Temari’s determination was clear. Kankuro saw the fire in her eyes. It was the same intensity he recognized in Gaara during his strongest moments. The quiet solidarity in the room grew. He knew the path before Temari would be treacherous going after the Akatsuki, yet it was also paved with the promise of redemption and honor.     

     

“I can see there is no stopping you, so I won’t. Just... please come back. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you too.” He said in a sorrowful yet accepting tone. It wouldn’t do either of them any good if he fought her on this. Her mind was already made up, and there was no changing it.     

     

“I will. Those Akatsuki bastards will regret the day they messed with our family. I swear to you they will.” She could feel a spiteful anger filling her at the Akatsuki. Despite Chiyo’s words last night, she could feel herself giving back into her vengeful self. She told herself it would be fine, though. As long as she stayed true to herself, she could return without difficulty after the task was complete. For now, though, she calmed herself and continued eating with her brother.     

     

After their meal, they talked about lighter things. Still, an unspoken vow hung in the air. They were determined to protect their village, their legacy, and each other. They shared one last glance. It held a silent agreement. This moment sealed their trust and commitment to the challenging journey ahead. 

XxX

 

Near Tenchi bridge, 10:32 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

 

“GUUHHH.” Ino spat out, her body taking a full breath as if to bring herself back to life. After her trials inside Naruto’s mindscape and seeing his memories, she found herself back in the realms of reality. Opening her eyes, she saw clouds overhead, with the noise of distant thunder a dull thump in the back of her head.    

   

“Come on, Naruto, stay with us!” She heard Sakura cry out. Ino sits up on her elbows and looks over to where she heard Sakura was. The medic was kneeling over Naruto along with Hinata. Sakura’s green healing chakra was busy trying to deal with the damage to Naruto.   

   

Naruto was no longer covered in the dark red malicious chakra. He was back to his old self, she hoped. A red hue covered his entire body as if he were overheating. Not a big surprise to Ino given how much heat he had been giving off. The look on his face looked like he was in a lot of pain.    

   

Both Hinata and Sakura looked distraught at the shape he was in. Hinata was holding his hand while Sakura was doing her best to bring down Naruto’s body temperature, lest he suffer brain damage.   

  

After everything he went through, he never gave up. AND he had that damn fox spirit inside him. Goldie, I have so much more respect for you now.  

    

“I see you are awake.” Yamato utters. She breaks from her thoughts and looks up at him from her side.   

    

“Hai, I am. How’s he doing?" She looks over towards Naruto with concern on her face. The memories still fresh in her mind made her feel more connected to him. She didn't know, but she would hazard a guess that she might be one of, if not the only, person who knows about how lonely he used to be.  

  

“The nine-tails chakra has receded for now, and it looks like Naruto is back in control.” Yamato reaches out toward her shoulder with a comforting grip.   

   

Ino stands up and brushes off the dirt and soot from her outfit. “That’s a relief.”   

   

She takes a step forward before she feels resistance on her shoulder. Yamato has not let go yet. She turns around to question him, but he starts talking first. “Ino, what did you see in there?” He has a look that shows he is serious about this situation.   

   

Ino’s eyes narrowed as she looked him in the eye. “I will tell you later. Right now, I want to go over there and help Sakura.” She could see he was in obvious pain, and Sakura’s jutsu was taking its time, much longer than she preferred. The memories made her feel a bit guilty. She remembered seeing Naruto alone a lot but paid him no mind. She thought his antics were to annoy everyone, but now she sees them for what they were. A cry out for attention. He wanted someone, anyone, to acknowledge him. Now, with him lying over there, she wanted nothing more than to do her best to do right by him.  

   

Both Yamato and Ino stared at each other for a few seconds. Ino’s will and determination would not falter under Yamato’s intense gaze. Yamato finally yielded. “Fine, but once he’s safe, we will have a little chat.”   

   

Ino’s face softened at his words. “Thank you, captain Yamato.” She feels him release his grip on her and she proceeds to walk towards her other teammates.   

   

Hinata’s thoughts are a jumbled mess right now. Her love is in obvious pain, and there is nothing she can do about it. At least the nine-tails' influence has finally been overcome. While it had been Ino and Yamato who had gotten Naruto under control, it was Sakura who was healing him, despite her own injury.    

   

While she and Sakura’s relationship had gotten better, she wouldn’t call them friends. She didn’t think she would be able to call her friend completely until Sakura made up for what she had done. Yet, here Sakura was, doing her best to make sure her Naruto was okay, while Hinata could only hold his hand. It hurt her to sit to the side doing nothing, but that was all she could do right now. 

   

When Naruto had finally started getting control of himself again, Hinata begged and pleaded with Sakura to help him, and the pink-haired girl went into action without a second thought. The struggle to stabilize Naruto continued. She worked without rest to bring him back from the brink. As Hinata's anxieties surged, she clung tighter to his hand, hoping her presence would help in some small way. As the seconds stretched into eternity, the storms far off in the distance mirrored the turmoil within her heart, each rumble of thunder matching a beat of her heart. She didn’t know what exactly to feel about Sakura now. She may have broken Naruto before, yet here she was doing her best to save Naruto. This was the true source of her conflicted feelings.   

   

She is so much into her head that she doesn’t even realize Ino is walking towards her until the kunoichi starts kneeling next to her. “Ino, you’re back!” Hinata exclaims with delight before her features turn dour again. After saying this, she grabs her wound and winces in pain for a second. A reminder that she needs to be more cautious in the future. 

 

Ino sees this and brings her green-colored hand up to Hinata. "Do you need help right now, Hinata?" She asks with concern. 

 

Hinata shakes her head. "No, I'm good for now. Please focus on him."  

   

“Alright, let's not waste any time then.” Ino joined Sakura, her nimble fingers weaving chakra into healing jutsu, amplifying Sakura’s efforts to cool Naruto's burning body. Yamato watched with a stern gaze that revealed his readiness for any unforeseen threats.   

   

“I don’t understand this. The nine-tails chakra normally accelerated his healing so why...” Sakura winces in pain as the gash on her arm starts to throb again. A reminder of what an out-of-control Naruto was capable of. She regains her composure in a flash and continues healing Naruto.   

   

Yamato was now kneeling next to her, taking in the proceedings with a neutral glance. I can’t believe this was four tails' worth of chakra. How strong is the nine-tails, and how could they seal it inside Naruto?   

   

“Ino, Captain Yamato. Thank you both so much.” Hinata looks up towards the two shinobi. Gratitude radiates from her being. “I don’t know what I could have done to help him.” She uttered. Remorse clear in her voice.   

   

“I know Ino can’t divulge her clan's secrets, but could you teach me that technique you used to help bring him back?” Looking back at Naruto, she has a hopeful look in her eyes.   

   

Yamato’s face turns downward before he speaks. “I’m sorry, Hinata, but that's not possible. I can only use that jutsu because I have Hashirama’s cells inside me. Plus, that necklace.” Yamato points to the necklace next to the one Hinata gave him. “Also helps me get him under control.”   

   

“Oh...”   

   

“...Damnit! Why does Naruto have to suffer like this? Why can I only ever do the little things for him like this.” Sakura’s frustration with herself showed all over her face. She was glad she could heal his injuries, but that paled in comparison to everything else she had done to him. It made her sick. Is this all I’m good for? Patching him up when he already can heal himself without my help. Kami, I’m useless.   

   

“It doesn’t matter if what you do seems small, Sakura.” Yamato says, his eyes closed, and his face held a tranquil calm to it.   

   

“What matters to Naruto is how much you care for him. Even though I’ve only been with you for less than two weeks, I know how much you care for him.”   

  

Ino couldn’t agree more with Yamato. If you can’t do anything big for someone, do the small things. What matters is that you give it your all, no matter what.  

   

Sakura looked to her side at Yamato, confusion setting in. “I know what you did to him.” His face was now neutral, his eyes opening and meeting her gaze. The words hung in the air like a thick miasma. Sakura could only frown at what he said, guilt plastered over her face. She looked down in shame, unable to meet her captain's stare.   

   

“All I ever did was hurt him. Nothing I do can ever undo the past, no matter how much I wish it did. I hate that this is all I can do for him. I still don't understand why he didn’t give up on me.” She laments, her chakra never wavering in its healing prowess.   

   

“Believe me, Sakura, it’s more than enough.” Sakura again looked up and stared at Yamato. He meant every word he said. His eyes told her as much. What does he mean by that.   

   

“It’s Goldie Sakura. Have you ever met a more compassionate guy than him? He would never give up on you or anyone.” Ino beamed in, encouraging her longtime friend.   

   

Hinata remained silent. She was still conflicted about what she should feel towards Sakura. She was still forever grateful to her for healing Naruto from his injuries. Still, even with all the healing she was doing for him, Sakura was still the source of Naruto's darkest moment. She would never forget the look on his face that day. She would never forget how much Sakura hurt him. Hinata didn't know if she bought into Sakura's statement that she had changed and would never hurt him like that again. Hinata didn't want to take that chance, but what if Naruto did? What would Hinata do then? 

   

Sakura remained silent, her mind racing with doubts. The reassuring words of Ino and Yamato echoed in her head, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty. She had been convincing herself that she had transformed over the past three years, leaving her past mistakes and weaknesses behind. Yet, as she reflected on her journey, she realized that the transformation was still a work in progress. The fear of reverting to her old self was a constant threat, like a shadow lurking in the corner, waiting to pounce and reclaim her. Was she a changed person, or was this newfound confidence a façade? The question consumed Sakura's thoughts, and the uncertainty suffocated her. She hoped that one day soon, she would have her answer. 

  

With the help of Ino, they were able to finally cool Naruto’s body down, and the red hue was gone. His pained expression had finally ceased, and his body finally stopped squirming around. After what felt like an eternity to those watching, he finally fluttered his eyes open.  

  

“Naruto!” Hinata shouted as she moved closer to his head, his hand now clutched against her chest.  

  

“...Hinata?” Naruto’s groggy mind was still trying to get its bearing, but there was no way he could ever mistake her voice.   

  

Hinata's eyes glistened with relief as she saw Naruto begin to regain consciousness, his hand held in hers. The collective sigh of relief from Ino, Yamato, and Sakura reverberated through them all. Naruto's gaze wandered from Hinata to the others in a bit of confusion. As he squeezed Hinata's hand without awareness, he finally caught sight of the heartfelt concern reflected in Sakura's teary eyes.  

  

“Why are you crying, Sakura?” He remarks. 

 

His mind was a jumbled mess, and he struggled to get his footing back. But then, his encounter with Orochimaru came rushing to his mind. His eyes widened as the recollection flooded his mind. His body tensed up like a coiled spring. He shot up from his seated position, his entire frame quivering with fury, as if the very thought of Orochimaru had ignited a fire within him. His rage was palpable, like a living entity that had taken hold of him. 

  

“I swear I’ll get back at that snake-faced bastard for doing whatever he did to you Sakura.” He said with a righteous fury.  

  

“You... don't remember what happened?” Ino asked with concern. She too was now standing, along with the rest of the group.  

  

Naruto took a second away from his righteous anger to think. Now he was even more confused. “The last thing I remember was Orochimaru showing up and taunting me, then I was on the ground with you all.” He spoke with sincerity. He then looked toward where the bridge used to be.  

  

“Did Orochimaru do that?” He asked, pointing to the spot in question.  

  

He doesn’t remember anything after the nine-tails' influence started. Jiraiya wasn’t kidding when he said Naruto has no control over anything once it takes over.  

   

Yamato was about to answer Naruto with what happened before Hinata spoke first. “Hai, it was Orochimaru.” She lied. She cast her gaze down, unable to look him in the eye without giving away her fib.  

  

“That bastard. He’s going down!” Naruto declares as he slams his palm with his fist. His previous rage started to fill him again, and he felt the temptation to give in to it come back. 

  

Yamato turns his head toward Hinata, his expression revealing confusion about why she lied. She still wasn’t looking up, but then he started to put the pieces together. She was trying to protect him from knowing what he had done. While he didn’t agree with it, he understood it.  

  

“I’m sorry, Naruto, but that's not true.” Sakura said, her voice shaking at what she was about to say. She knew that telling him the truth would hurt him, but she also knew he didn’t like it when someone lied to him.  

  

“Sakura, what do you mean?” Naruto’s fury had now vanished. He looked toward his longtime teammate with worry.  

  

Sakura's eyes dropped, and her voice caught in her throat as she struggled to find the right words. She knew that what she was about to say would cut Naruto deep. The silence between them grew thicker, heavy with the weight of her unspoken thoughts. She thought back to all the times Naruto had trusted her, all the times she had promised to do right by him since his return.  

 

Her heart ached with the knowledge that her next words would hurt him to his core. No matter how she phrased it, the truth would still be brutal, like a winter wind that would chill you to the bone. She swallowed hard, her mind racing with the consequences of her honesty, but she knew she had to do it. Naruto hated when people lied to him, and she wouldn't lie to him again. 

  

“Ino, come with me. These three should talk alone and I still have questions for you.” Yamato states before Sakura could speak.  

  

Ino felt reluctant to leave, but at least Naruto was fine for the moment. She did promise Yamato she would tell him what she saw after all.  

 

“...Right.” Ino laments. She didn’t see what had transpired between the three shinobi after Orochimaru had sent Naruto flying. She did see Naruto lash out at Hinata and Sakura when Ino arrived. A part of her felt anger because Sakura was going to tell him what happened. After hearing Hinata start the lie, Ino was preparing herself to keep it going.   

 

The more she thought though, the more she knew Sakura’s telling of the truth was for the best long term. Naruto hated liars and would have wanted the band-aid ripped off now rather than later. If he later found out they were lying to him, it would do even more damage. So, with a sad look on her face, she walked away with Yamato to tell him what she had seen. 

 

Once the two were far enough away so they could speak alone, Yamato stopped and turned toward Ino. “Alright, now please tell me everything you saw in there.”  

  

With the events of the mindscape still fresh in her mind, it wasn’t hard for her to recall them, per se. What was hard was trying to describe them. “I met a version of Naruto in there. I think it was the representation of his innocence, or it was his childhood self. I can’t say for sure.” She starts her tale.   

  

“I also found... something else.” She stammers out as she shifts her weight on her heels. 

  

“Something else?” His eyes widen a bit at Ino’s statement.  

  

Taking a moment to think about how best to describe it, Ino comes up with her answer. “It looked like Goldie with that dark chakra surrounding him. I thought it was the nine-tails, but the thing denied it and said the nine-tails was still locked up in its cage.” Her goosebumps do not go away still.  

  

“Wait, it spoke to you?” Now he had a strong interest in what she had to say.  

  

“Hai, I was as surprised as you are. I’ve never seen anything quite like what I did in there.”   

  

“So, what do you think it was?” Yamato asks.  

  

Ino brings her arms down, and the goosebumps fade away with gradual ease. “I think it was all Goldie's anger and trauma. Kami knows he's been through a lot.” After seeing his memories, she feels sure that what she found in the mindscape was created that day with the Sandaime Hokage. Unfortunately for Naruto, this was a problem he couldn't solve with fists and jutsu. He would have to tackle the root cause of the issue and accept himself, all of himself.  

 

Kami, that's difficult for anyone. It will be even tougher for him. 

 

Her mood turns up a little bit recalling the next part of the story. She can still feel the warm aura from the stranger she met in Naruto's mind. “Goldie wasn’t the only one in there.” Ino states.  

  

“I’m sure the nine-tails must have been scary. It’s why I yelled out at you to try to stop you from going into his mind.” Yamato says as he crosses his arms, preparing to give a lecture to his young charge.  

  

“No, not the nine-tails. It was someone else.” She says as she grabs her left arm with her right.  

  

“Someone else?” Yamato puts heavy emphasis on his statement. This he was not expecting at all.  

  

“Hai, he said he was Goldie’s dad.”  

  

“...did you say you met Naruto’s father?” Yamato unfurled his arms. Shock filled his face. He was one of the very few people who knew who Naruto’s father was. If Ino knows who his father is, that will complicate things.  

  

“Hai, he didn’t tell me his name, but he did say he was Goldie's dad." Ino recounted.  

  

This put Yamato at ease. Ino didn’t know who Naruto’s father was, only that she had met someone, or something, that said he was Naruto's father. Still, he needed to make sure she did meet him. “What did he look like?”  

  

Ino paused for a moment and started her recollection. He resembled an older version of Goldie, outside the whisker marks. He had blonde spiky hair like Goldie, but he had bangs as well. He had the same eyes as Goldie too. I honestly thought at first it was Goldie's vision of himself in the future.”  

  

No mistaking it, that was him, all right. How, though? Is it something with the seal? What kind of seal master were you to be able to do this?  

  

“That’s not all I saw as well. I also saw a few of his memories.”  She stops holding her arm and balls both her fists. She had an inkling of why Naruto was never taken in, but she needed to be certain. She now looks Yamato in the eyes with determination. “Yamato, who knows that Goldie has the nine-tails inside him.”  

  

Yamato knew the answer to this. He wishes he didn’t, but he does. He sighs before answering her. “Pretty much everyone older than your generation knows.”  

  

Now Ino was shaking with rage. “So that’s why he grew up alone. It makes me sick. All he wanted was a family and friends. What’s worse is that the dark figure was born because the Sandaime wouldn’t tell Naruto anything about his parents when he asked.” Her emotions ran high now, and she again forgot her name for Naruto. She would have spat on the ground, but the adults in the village were beneath such an act. At that moment, she resolved to rectify one of the wrongs in Naruto’s past as soon as she finished this mission.  

  

While he didn’t take kindly to any slander towards the Sandaime. In this case, he agreed that it was warranted. While he understood why they kept his father and mother a secret, even more so than the nine-tails. Telling Naruto vague descriptions would have been enough for the family starved boy.  

  

Ino was not done, though. She had more on her mind that she wanted to say. “Captain Yamato, why wasn't Naruto put in the orphanage like he should have been? Why was he forced to live alone? For that matter, why wasn't Sasuke also put there? We could have avoided all this if he had made some actual friends while growing up." 

 

While she didn't know the full details of what happened during the Uchiha massacre. She did know that Sasuke was the only survivor. She also knew that her father had the task of helping the boy through his trauma. A few other details she knew were that her father had stopped seeing Sasuke and that he continued to live on his own.  

  

That is what surprised Ino the most. Sasuke was an orphan like Naruto. Granted, the circumstances of their becoming orphans differed. Both still had to live most of their childhoods without family stability. Yet, both came out the other side almost polar opposites. The village got lucky with how Naruto turned out. Not so much with Sasuke.  

 

"While I can't speak on the Sasuke situation, you can guess why the orphanage refused to take in Naruto." Yamato sighed as he spoke. He also didn't know the details on the orphanage, but given that Naruto's status was an open secret among the older generations. It wasn't a stretch to think that is why Naruto wasn't taken in. 

  

Whatever Ino saw in there seems to have lit a fire underneath her. What memories did she see in there? Those Yamanaka techniques never cease to amaze. 

 

This time, Ino did spit on the ground. She felt far too much disgust inside her to not let it out in some way.  

 

How stupid can the adults be? Goldie houses the nine-tails. That's it! He isn't the nine-tails itself! If anything, Goldie should have been praised for housing such a thing! You only need to talk with him for five minutes to know just what a joy he is to be around and how warm he can make you feel!

  

While this was going on, another conversation was being held by the remaining three shinobi.   

 

Hinata was unhappy that Sakura had called her out on her white lie. Naruto didn't need to know the nine-tailed fox was responsible for their injuries. Knowing that the nine-tails had hurt them would only make him feel horrible and wouldn't change what he had done. Whatever goodwill Sakura had established with her was starting to disappear.  

 

Naruto had a look of confusion in his eyes. His mouth hung open after Sakura said it wasn't Orochimaru that caused her and Hinata's injuries. "Then what happened?"   

  

His gut began to twist with a familiar sense of unease, like a dark storm cloud gathering on the horizon. He recalled a similar incident that had occurred during his training trip with Jiraiya, his revered mentor. Fiery anger consumed Naruto, his emotions raged like a tempest, and then, in an instant, he blacked out. When he awoke, he found himself lying on his back, his body aching as if someone had put him through a brutal gauntlet. Jiraiya, often calm and wise, looked like he had come from a war zone. His tired face showed his struggles, and his body had deep gashes. The memory of that episode sent a shiver down Naruto's spine, and he wondered if he was about to relive a similar ordeal.  

  

"It was the nine-tails. It took over after Kabuto hit Hinata." Sakura says. She can't bear to look him in the eye, but she does. She can see the realization start to settle into him as he puts the pieces together for himself. She hated being the one to tell him the truth, but she wasn’t going to lie to him, no matter how much it hurt him and her.  

  

"It wasn't your fault, Naruto. You wanted to protect me!" Hinata cries out in his defense and grasps his hand. She too could see Naruto coming to the horrifying realization of what had happened. She tried her best to stem the tide, but it was for naught. 

  

Naruto shifted his gaze between the two kunoichi, taking his time to observe each one. He now saw the injuries that they had. Both had burns on their bodies and deep gashes on their arms. The nine-tails, no, he had done that. He felt his mind start to retreat into itself. The weight of the revelation pressed down on Naruto’s shoulders as he struggled to come to terms with the truth. The memories of his past failures surfacing with painful clarity. He could feel the familiar sting of guilt gnawing at his insides, the image of his friends' injuries etched into his mind.   

  

The silence that followed was like a heavy fog, suffocating the air with unspoken emotions. Naruto's lips parted, and his eyes darted back and forth, as if searching for a lifesaver to cling to, anything to break the oppressive stillness. His gaze shifted from the ground to the sky above, and then to the trees, as if the words he needed were hiding in plain sight. The weight of his silence was palpable, a reflection of the turmoil brewing inside him. 

  

“I... did that?” He stated, pointing to the various injuries on Hinata and Sakura. His voice was laden with guilt, knowing in his heart it was true. While he couldn’t recall any moments from when the nine-tails took over, he could feel phantom emotions pulling at him. As if his mind didn’t remember what had happened, but his body did.  

  

Sakura laced her voice with caution as she repeated what she said. "It was the nine-tails that did this, not you." She selected her words with caution, attempting to soften the impact, but the pain remained palpable. Her words hung over him like a heavy shroud. His eyes darkened with each moment. His shoulders sagged from the weight of guilt and shame.  

 

“But... I let it take over. I let my anger get to me.” He states, feeling hollow as he does. The silence was deafening as Naruto grappled with the enormity of his actions, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him like a suffocating shroud. Hinata and Sakura tried to help him, but it only made his pain worse. Their words felt empty in the deep space of his regret.   

  

He clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms, a physical manifestation of the inner turmoil that threatened to consume him. Every breath felt like a struggle. Each heartbeat served as a reminder of the pain caused by the havoc he had unleashed. His friends' injuries were unfair. Their scars marked their faces and burned in his mind. They reminded him of the destructive force inside him.  

  

“I-I’m so sorry, you two.” He hangs his head, unable to meet either of their eyes. His guilt weighs on his heart, too much to bear. He doesn't feel like he deserves to look at them right now. He doesn't know if they will forgive him. He doesn't even think he deserves forgiveness for what he did. His teammates told him not to let his anger get the best of him, but he did, and his friends paid the price. 

 

“It’s all right, Naruto. It’s not your fault. There is nothing to be sorry for.” Hinata was now gripping his hand even tighter.   

  

Naruto withdraws his hand with caution. An action that left Hinata feeling devastated. He takes a cautious step back before speaking. “No, it’s not alright, Hinata! I-I hurt you. I hurt you both!”  

  

Hinata couldn’t take it anymore. Her attempts at alleviating her love's guilt were all for naught. So, she finally addressed the source of her anger. “Well, I hope you are happy, Sakura. You managed to hurt him even more.” She said with venom. “You say you have changed, yet you continue to hurt him. It seems you are still that same woman from the hospital.”  

  

In truth, Hinata didn’t mean these words. She was still on the fence about whether Sakura was a changed woman. She had seen signs of her changing and at times started to believe Sakura had changed. Seeing the hurt in Naruto’s eyes, though, was overriding all her logic and reason. She needed to lash out at the source of his distress.  

  

Sakura's gaze dropped to the ground at a puddle, her eyes clouded with shame. Doubt began to simmer inside her. It seemed as though she was staring at her reflection from years ago, and the realization was unbearable. She had hoped that the passage of time would have transformed her, that she would have emerged stronger and wiser. But the whispering voices in the dark recesses of her mind were telling her a different story. That her old self, with all its flaws and insecurities, was biding its time, preparing to come back with a vengeance. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, as if she was staring into the abyss, with no safety net to catch her if she fell. 

 

She could feel tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes. It was too much for her. She should have left Naruto's life for good. Then, at least, she couldn't hurt him anymore. She was being selfish in her wish to reconcile.  

 

After everything, I still managed to hurt him. Even after I promised him I would never do that again, I'm a failure. A failure as a woman. A failure as a kunoichi. Worst of all, a failure as a friend. When I get back, I'll ask Lady Tsunade to take me off the team. I-I can't hurt him again. I'm just useless Sakura after all. I was selfish thinking I could earn his f... 

  

“That’s enough.” A voice says. It was the last voice she would have ever expected to hear from in the current situation. The tear drops fell as she looked up to see Naruto standing between her and Hinata, his back towards her.  

  

“Hinata, I know you are only looking out for me and don’t really mean those things you said about Sakura.” He speaks in a soft tone. He knew that Hinata had no real malice towards Sakura. Hell, she didn’t have malice towards anyone. Except the Akatsuki. Still, what she was saying was out of line, and he needed to speak up.  

  

“Kakashi and Sakura warned me about my temper, what it could lead to. I thought I had it under control.” He stops before looking down at the ground. “But apparently, I don't, and now you both have suffered because of me.”  

  

“Sakura was right to tell me the truth. If she hadn't, I might have hurt you both again.” He looks up again to see the expression on Hinata’s face, which shows her confusion. “She’s not the one hurting me. I’m the one doing that, and she’s trying to show me that.”   

  

He pauses, the silence hanging in the air like a challenge. It's as if he's been wrestling with his thoughts, trying to summon the courage to admit the truth. The hesitation is palpable, a testament to the turmoil brewing inside him. Finally, the dam breaks, and he arrives at a long-sought realization. The weight of his unspoken words has become too crushing to bear, and he knows he can't keep them locked away any longer. He takes a deep, deliberate breath, before he says the words he has been thinking of all mission. 

  

“She has changed. I saw it when I got back home. I saw it when we tried to rescue Gaara, and I’ve seen it on this mission. I know it’s hard for you to forgive her. Believe me, I know. But if I can forgive her, then so can you.” 

 

 

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Shinedown. 

I'm so glad I was finally able to get to that cliff hanger. Yes, after 19 chapters and 200k words, Naruto has finally forgiven Sakura. I honestly didn’t know when Naruto would say the words aloud but I knew 100% he would. This felt like the best time for him to say the words. It feels like enough time has passed where she has earned his forgiveness in story, plus, you could say her journey started at chapter one or the end of chapter 7 120k words ago. Either way from yall’s perspective its time as well. 

Unlike manga Sakura, where she lied about her injuries to try and spare Naruto, this Sakura has been consistent in calling out Naruto on missions. Naruto doesn’t like being lied too and he greatly appreciates honesty. That is why he’s willing to forgive Sakura. She’s been nothing but genuine to him since he has returned. Which means he knows all the changes he sees are also genuine. 

The Ino scene I did not have included at all. It was a spur of the moment thought that I thought was brilliant and included it. I was not expecting her to be such a large part of both the last chapter and this chapter. Yet, here we are. She has now gotten a taste of what Naruto’s childhood was like. She has a better idea of it than almost everyone. What will she do with this information is for me to figure out. I just find writing for her to be so fun. 

I loved the scene with Kankuro and Temari. It’s the first moment they have both had were things were relatively normal for once and both of them needed it. Temari is starting to regress a little bit. I want her journey to mirror Sasuke’s in a lot of ways but eventually they will diverge. When and where only they know. 

I was seriously considering holding off posting this chapter as FFN still has not resolved the stats issue and I enjoy seeing the metrics of new chapters. But, getting the chapter out to you on time is more important than my pesky numbers. I can only hope they do well. Anyways, thats enough of my yapping. Please comment/review. Take care yall and remember, dont feed the troll.

 

Chapter 20: Blackbird

 

Near Tenchi bridge, 10:35 AM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

After Naruto's last statement, a profound silence descended, heavy with anticipation. The air was so still that the distant thunder, which had been rumbling in the background, seemed to pause, as if holding its breath. It was as if the very fabric of nature had experienced a brief interruption, its hum of activity muffled, allowing it to bear witness to the intense, unspoken conversation unfolding between the three shinobi.

Sakura's face contorted in disbelief, her eyebrows shooting upwards as if pulled by invisible strings. Her eyes, once filled with despair, now widened to saucers, overflowing with a mix of shock and wonder. A glimmer of hope began to flicker to life within her, threatening to illuminate the dark recesses of her heart. But before she could fan this spark into a flame, she needed to be certain of the words that had set her pulse racing. She had to be certain that her ears had not deceived her and that this was not a dream.

"Di-Did you just say tha..." She starts to stammer, her question hanging in the air like an unfinished melody, but he doesn't let her finish. He cuts in, his voice a sharp knife slicing through her hesitation, and pours out his own thoughts.

He spun around, his eyes locking onto hers, filled with a sense of resolve. "Hai." he declared, his voice firm and unshaken. "I forgive you, for everything." He continued, each word dripping with sincerity. His tone was convincing, leaving no room for doubt or uncertainty. His facial expression, a picture of determination, reinforced the authenticity of his statement. As he spoke, the tension in the air began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of relief and newfound hope.

The crushing burden of her past mistakes and hurtful actions began to lift, freeing her from the suffocating grip of guilt and shame. It was as if she could finally fill her lungs with air after years of gasping for breath. His simple words helped confirm all the work she had put into herself. He had seen the real Sakura, the one she had worked hard to become, and his acknowledgment had erased all lingering doubts about her growth. In that moment, she knew she was no longer the same Sakura as before. She had changed for the better, and it felt good.

She couldn't hold it back any longer. The flood of her emotions was too much to bear, and she let it all out. She flung her arms around him, holding him tight as if her very existence depended on it. The agony of her burns, which seared into her skin like a branding iron, receded into the background. All that mattered in this instant was conveying the depth of her gratitude to him.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Her emotions flowed like a fierce waterfall. Tears streamed down her face, soaking his bright orange shirt with dark spots. The fabric, once a vibrant hue, now bore the evidence of her distress.

Yet, he didn't flinch or step back. His expression was a picture of calm empathy. He opened his arms wide and welcomed the flood of feelings. He embraced her back with warmth. Then, he spoke to her, to her alone. "I'm here for you, no matter what."

Ever since he spoke with Yamato at the hot springs, a singular thought had consumed him. Could he find it in his heart to forgive her? Night after night, he tossed and turned, his mind racing with the possibilities, the pros and the cons, the what-ifs and the maybes. He wanted to forgive her, and that much was certain. The desire to let go of his anger and resentment was genuine, radiating warmth in his chest. But actually doing it, taking that crucial step, was the difficult part. Seeing the look on her face told him he had made the right choice.

There was only one problem, though. The embrace was tightening.

"A-Air!" He struggled to speak. In this moment of euphoria, Sakura forgot how strong she was. Her face turned upward, and she blinked in confusion until it dawned on her.

"Oh, shit." She immediately dropped her hands and shifted back a few paces. "I'm so sorry!" She cursed in silence at how she could still manage to hurt him even while showing him gratitude.

Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After exhaling, he opened his eyes only to see the top of Sakura's head. She was giving him her deepest bow in apology.

Naruto started laughing at the sight. Yup, there is no doubt she has changed. This is the second time she has bowed like this. Old Sakura would have never done this, let alone twice.

"Stop it, Sakura. I'm fine, really." He beats his chest to show her how fine he is. "You're my friend. My friends don't need to do that for me."

Friend?

Another word that begins with the letter F. This one had no less impact than the first word. In less than a minute, she not only received forgiveness, but also his friendship as well. She would have pinched herself if she weren't sure that this was real. She didn't know if she could feel better than she did right now.

Sakura now stood tall and saw his face again. She did, in fact, feel even better now. He had his trademark goofy grin on his face while he rubbed the back of his head. He closed his eyes to the world, but she imagined he looked away in embarrassment. "Friend." She said in a whisper. Afraid that if she said it any louder, it would shatter into a million pieces.

While Sakura and Naruto focused on each other, Hinata watched the proceedings with great attention. Her feelings changed often. She was first shaken a little when Naruto stood between her and Sakura. She was afraid she might have crossed one of his lines, and she had. To her relief, he understood why she said those things. It didn't make her feel much better, but it did soften the blow.

When he uttered the words to Sakura, a mixture of emotions swirled inside her. She felt happy that he finally let go of his resentment. Now, he could move forward with a lighter heart. As she gazed at his back, she could sense the weight lifting off his shoulders. His relaxed posture and gentle sigh showed the emotional turmoil he had faced for so long. It was as if a scorching summer sun had finally given way to a soothing autumn breeze, bringing with it a sense of peace and tranquility.

Another part of her, a far darker part, filled her head with a deep dark voice. Asking why she had let this situation come to pass. It was screaming at her, echoing the sentiments that Naruto should never forgive Sakura. The memories of Sakura's past behavior haunted Hinata. Reminders of how the pink-haired girl had caused him pain and rejection, leading to his emotional collapse. The anguish Sakura had caused him was immeasurable, and it was a wonder he hadn't severed all ties with her long ago. He should have abandoned her, as she had abandoned him before.

Yet, despite all that Sakura had done to him, he still forgave her. Hinata felt a little frightened at the low voice echoing in her mind to do something, anything, to stop this.

"Naruto, are you sure about this?" She stammers out as she maneuvers around to face Naruto head on.

Hinata's eyes locked onto Naruto's, searching for any sign of hesitation. But his gaze remained steady, unwavering in its determination. The darkness inside her stirred. It urged her to act, to stop this forgiveness from happening. She felt her heart pounding in her chest as the voice in her head grew louder and more insistent.

"Remember what she has done. She can do it again." She reminds him of what Sakura is capable of. Naruto's expression didn't change, but Hinata saw a flicker of pain in his eyes. He took a deep breath, his jaw clenched. The air was thick with tension as Hinata waited for his response. She felt the darkness inside her growing stronger, pushing her to persuade him. Naruto's voice was calm when he finally spoke, but Hinata sensed the barest amount of hesitation.

"Yes, I'm sure. I need this, and so does she."

With these words, Hinata squashed her darker voice. Her true self came to the fore and banished the dark voice from her mind. How could this be a bad thing if Naruto looked so relieved?

"What's going on?" Ino says as she pulls up behind Naruto.

"Eeep!" Hinata straightens up as she finally recognizes Ino's presence.

"Oh, sorry, Hinata. I didn't mean to scare you." Ino had finished talking with Yamato. She had seen Naruto and Sakura embracing and Sakura jumping back in embarrassment. For what reason Ino didn't know, but her inner gossip queen needed to know the details.

Sakura glances at Ino, her expression revealing surprise, while Naruto turns around to face her. "Hey!" He gives a goofy wave. At this moment, he feels a remarkable lightness. "What did y'all talk about?"

"Oh, about what Ino saw in that mind of yours, Naruto." Yamato answers, pulling up beside Ino.

Naruto stared at the recently arrived pair, a little dumbfounded. "Wait, you were in my mind, Ino!?" he shouted in fear.

She shot him a flat gaze, her expression as still as stone. "Yes, you're aware that's my family's claim to fame, aren't you?"

"Oh, right! It completely slipped my mind," he admits with a sheepish grin.

Yup, that's Naruto/Goldie The three kunoichi are sharing the same brain cell for a moment.

sigh "Anyways, what do you remember? Think hard, Goldie." Ino reiterates her question again.

Naruto attempts to recall anything from the time right before his fight with Orochimaru till he woke up. Unfortunately for all involved, he can only draw a blank. "All I can recall is landing on the bridge and waking up on the ground."

So, he doesn't remember his father showing up in his mind. Nor does he know of his darker side.

"Before we get going," Yamato then turns towards Naruto. "I hope you understand what giving into the nine-tails' power means now, Naruto. Ino and I won't be there every time to bring you back." Yamato stares straight into Naruto's eyes, letting him know how serious he is.

Naruto's sunny demeanor turns down a little. "Yes, I understand. I see why Kakashi and Sakura were pounding the message into me." He looks toward Hinata and Sakura. "I'm sorry, you two."

"I've already told you, Naruto, there is no need to say you are sorry to me. Still, I accept it if it will make you feel better." Hinata's voice carried a sense of joy.

"Ditto for me." Sakura mirrors Hinata's stance.

Hearing both of them accept his apology without hesitation was a huge relief to him. It felt as if someone had lifted a weight off his shoulders. He couldn't understand why they could release their anger with such ease, but he wasn't about to reject a gift. After all, it was a rare thing for people to forgive without hesitation, especially when he had wronged them.

"Captain Yamato, how are we going to follow Orochimaru and Kabuto?" Ino asks.

"Oh, we don't have to worry about that. I planted a seed on Kabuto when he first attacked me. I'll be able to follow them, no problem. Still, we should get going now. The longer we wait, the more likely they will know we are tracking them." Yamato states to the group.

Naruto's eyes sparkled with determination as he clenched his fists and thrust them upwards, his whole body tensed and ready to spring into action. "Alright!" he exclaimed, his voice loud and confident. He was about to continue, "Then let's...", but his words trailed off as a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him.

"Naruto?" Hinata says, a look of concern on her face.

He stumbled, his legs wobbly beneath him, and struggled to maintain his balance. Despite his efforts, he felt his strength dwindling, and before he knew it, he crashed to the ground, his backside thudding against the hard earth. As he sat there, he couldn't shake off the feeling of weakness that had overcome him, leaving him breathless and disoriented.

Hinata slides to his side and holds him from his back. "Hey! What's going on?" She asks him but gets no response from him. He's already knocked out.

Sakura kneels down beside the two and performs her quick list of diagnostics while Ino helps her. "It seems he still hasn't completely recovered from his nine-tails episode. Damnit, Naruto, wake up." She shakes him to try and bring him back, but he remains unresponsive to her.

Yamato sees this, and his training takes over. While he didn't like sending a teammate home like this. he would if he must. "I don't like having to leave team members behind, but if Naruto doesn't wake up soon, we will have to leave him." Yamato states as he folds his arms together in front of his chest.

Hinata's head whirls up and looks at Yamato, her mouth twisted in anger and her eyes piercing straight through him. "How could you say that? We are a team! Kurenai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei would never leave one of us behind!" She shouts at him, her emotions running over.

Yamato sighs before giving him his reasons. "You seem to forget that I'm not Kakashi or Kurenai. I am my own person, and I lead in a way that differs from those two. Also, I wouldn't leave him behind without knowing he's safe. I'd leave one of my wood clones with him so he could either catch up with us or take him back home." This reassurance calmed Hinata to a small extent.

Seeing as her anger was not subsiding fast enough, he further added on. "You are no longer under your jōnin instructors. You are all full-fledged shinobi now. The training wheels are off. "You have to face the results of your actions. Naruto's current state is his own doing."

Hinata felt frustrated. Her growl showed the turmoil inside her. Despite her reluctance, she couldn't deny the validity of Yamato's words, which struck a chord deep within her. The truth in his statement was undeniable, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow. The acceptance of his words felt like a bitter pill, one that she would rather not take. Yet, she knew she had to acknowledge the reality, even if it meant gritting her teeth and accepting the unpalatable truth.

Her expression transformed, her features relaxing as warmth flooded her eyes. She looked down at Naruto. He was waking up, his eyelids fluttering as he came out of his short, much-needed nap. The gentle rise and fall of his chest slowed, and he took a deep breath, his body still savoring the remnants of sleep.

"W-What happened?" He asks, fluttering his eyes open. A look of horror is on his face. He leaps to a standing position and bends at the waist in a deep bow to the group. "I'm so sorry I lost control again! Forgive me!"

The group simultaneously facepalms at Naruto. "No, Naruto, you blacked out because you are still recovering." Sakura says through a sigh. To her surprise, she doesn't feel the urge to call him an idiot as she once did.

"Oh... haha, my bad!" He straightens himself and laughs to himself. His childlike innocence erases the exasperation everyone felt.

"Ok you four. We have wasted enough time. Now let's get going, and Naruto." He now addresses only Naruto. "If you don't keep up, I will leave you behind. You can catch up on your own."

"Don't worry about me, Captain Yamato, I won't slow us down, believe it!"

With this declaration, the Konohagakure shinobi race off to find Orochimaru. To capture him and bring back Sasuke, who had completely lost his way.

XxX

Near Orochimarus base, 05:37 PM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

The ominous storm clouds above darkened with every leap Orochimaru and Kabuto took towards their base. The air was heavy with electricity, and the wind carried the sweet scent of wet earth, signaling an imminent downpour. The sound of rolling thunder gave a preview to the strength the clouds carried.

The two shinobi leaped and sprinted back as fast as their legs could carry them, their footsteps pounding against the damp earth and stiff branches. Neither Orochimaru, with his pale, snake-like skin, nor Kabuto was fond of rain. The way it matted their hair, weighed down their clothes, and made every movement a slippery struggle was a nuisance they'd rather avoid. With the storm clouds looming overhead, they pushed themselves to run faster.

"Lord Orochimaru, would you call our trip a success?" Kabuto looks forward at his master, who is jumping ahead with great haste.

"Better than I could have hoped for. Our first stop went as expected, but Tenchi Bridge could not have gone any better. Sasori is dead, and now I know what to expect from the nine-tails. A most productive trip indeed." Orochimaru cackled out.

"Except for one thing, though." Kabuto's ears perked up at this. "You somehow let those third-rate kunoichi with fourth-rate gear injure you. I feel a deep sense of shame." Orochimaru was hoping his words would light a fire under his underling. He couldn't afford for his apprentice to be weak.

Kabuto's face twisted in revulsion as the memory of his past defeat surfaced in discussion. "They deceived me, and deceit only works once." He snarled, bitterness dripping from his words. His voice reflected the self-loathing that still lingered, a reminder of his failure. The very thought of the pink-haired individual, with their cunning smile, ignited a spark of anger within him. However, it was the Hyūga girl who provoked his anger. Her haughty demeanor and condescending glances still simmered in his mind, fueling his resentment towards her.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he addressed his apprentice, and his voice carried a warning. "You are right, Kabuto. You will make sure it never happens again. You won't like it if you fail me again." The tone was a delicate balance of disappointment and foreboding, a subtle threat that hung in the air like a challenge. Yet, his face told a different story. A hint of amusement danced in the creases of his smile. But Orochimaru's nonchalance was genuine. He didn't care much about Kabuto's failure in his fight. After all, he was on the cusp of obtaining his new body, and it would take a catastrophic failure to dampen his mood. The anticipation of his impending transformation had him walking on air, making him almost invulnerable to disappointment.

After their small talk, the two were quiet. They stayed silent until they reached the familiar stone wall that marked the entrance to their base. Kabuto went through the motions of opening the hidden door and ushered his master were appreciating their return before any rain began to fall.

"Oh, and before we enter. Please leave that seed outside now. They won't be able to track it inside after all." Orochimaru said without much thought. "Sasuke will be quite eager to test himself when he finishes. I'm sure he will enjoy testing his abilities on his former allies."

"Ah, I see, my lord. A wise course of action." Kabuto continues feeding the ego of his master.

Orochimaru guided them through the winding corridors that had low lighting and filled the air with the scent of damp earth. The passageways seemed to stretch on forever, with every twist and turn invoking a sense of eerie familiarity. As they walked, the silence between them grew heavier, until finally, they arrived at the all-too-familiar fork. Kabuto instinctively turned towards the route that would lead them to Sasuke, his heart racing with anticipation. To his surprise, Orochimaru turned the other way. His long, snake-like body glided through the shadows. The sudden change in course made Kabuto speak up.

"Lord Orochimaru, don't you want to check in on the progress of Sasuke? The merger should be finishing soon." Kabuto said with curiosity more than anything else.

Orochimaru chuckled in a way that suggested hidden meanings. "You will know when the merger is complete." He continued walking in the opposite direction of Sasuke. Not saying another word on the matter. Kabuto shelved his curiosity for the moment and took his place in silence behind his master.

They arrived at the familiar main hall, which featured a throne-like chair and pillars adorned with intricate designs. "Now then, Kabuto." Orochimaru pulls the envelope out from his robe and turns to look at his apprentice.

He holds out his hand, with the envelope in it, waiting for a response. "From this, you will compile a bingo book for me," he instructs Kabuto, his eyes locked on his apprentice. Kabuto's gaze follows the outstretched hand to the plain white envelope resting in it. He takes the envelope, his fingers wrapping around it with hesitation, and pulls it free from his master's grasp. The seal breaks with a soft crackle as Kabuto opens the flap and peers inside. His brow furrows, confusion etched on his features, as he struggles to make sense of the jumbled papers within. As he flips through the pages, his curiosity grows. He begins to understand with increasing clarity. His expression changes from puzzlement to clarity.

"This is..."

"A copy of the ANBU directly under the command of Tsunade and not Danzō. He delivered us Sasuke, and now we help deal with his problem in kind." Orochimaru's eyes locked onto Kabuto as he completed the unfinished sentence, his tone dripping with anticipation. Creating this book would be a monumental task, one that would consume a significant amount of time. Kabuto, however, had plenty of it, and this felt like a good start to his punishment.

Kabuto had a small grin on his face as he came to the picture of the shinobi he had fought against. "I'll get started on it right away, my lord."

XxX

Between Tenchi Bridge and Orochimaru base, 05:52 PM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

Sakura felt as if she were floating, her feet hardly touching the ground. Ever since they had set out following Yamato, a spring had been in her step and a joyful melody had been playing in her mind. It was a tune she hadn't hummed in a long time, one that brought back fond memories of her carefree days at the academy.

The last time she had hummed it was when she first learned who her teammates would be after graduation. It was a moment filled at the time with extreme delight and a crushing sadness. It still did, but the reasons for those emotions had flipped. Now, as she trailed behind Yamato, Sakura felt nothing but euphoria wash over her.

Hinata's eyes still held a bit of her surprise as she saw Naruto forgive his teammate, the very person who had betrayed him. Despite her reservations, she bit her lip, refraining from expressing her thoughts. She knew it wasn't her position to dictate how Naruto should feel or react. Nor could Naruto dictate how she felt about the matter.

Ino was happy that her two friends finally reconciled. It had been a long time coming, but she knew it would come. She would have preferred it if she could have been there for the whole thing, but she could accept seeing the aftermath for now.

"Hey, Captain Yamato. How close are we to them?" Naruto shouts ahead to his leader.

Yamato looks over his shoulder before addressing the boy. "They seem to have stopped about fifteen minutes ago based on what I'm sensing. It doesn't seem like a rest of any kind. We should be there in forty-five minutes."

"Alright! I can't wait to start round two with that snake." Naruto shouts out loud in anticipation.

"Remember, if you lose control again, you are done. I won't have you jeopardize the mission again." Yamato says with a stern expression as his gaze pierces straight through Naruto, revealing his ghoul face.

The boy shudders at seeing the face once more. The sight was terrifying to Naruto. "R-Right, I won't let it happen again." He stutters out. Naruto didn't know what he feared more. The wrath of his captain or the nine-tails itself. One thing was certain, though. He didn't want to rely on its power ever again. When he brings back Sasuke, it will be with his own power.

The group continued on with their journey for the next 45 minutes. They engaged in light chit-chat during their pursuit of Orochimaru but were still watching for any traps the Sound-nin might have laid.

Once they finally reached their destination, a towering cliff face greeted them, stretching high into the sky. Yamato walked along the wall, his footsteps echoing off the stone, while he scanned the ground with caution. His eyes narrowed as he focused. He scanned every nook and cranny. Finally, after what felt like forever, his fingers found the small, smooth seed he had been searching for. The seed, tiny like a grain of rice, glowed with a strange light. It pulsed with energy that resonated deep within Yamato.

"It seems Orochimaru wanted us to follow them." He states as he pockets the seed.

"Why do you think he would do that?" Ino asked with a puzzled expression.

"I don't know, but we have lost the element of surprise. Hinata, use your byakugan and see if you can find them." He turns back towards the cliff face, trying to find an entrance.

Hinata's eyes gleam with a piercing intensity as she activates her powerful byakugan. With her vision heightened, she surveys the terrain, taking in every rock, every tree, and every subtle variation in the landscape. But it's when she directs her gaze underground that something bizarre occurs, catching her off guard. Try as she might, her gaze cannot pierce inside a strange structure underground.

"I see... something underground. But I can only see it as being hollow." She states to the group. The veins near her eyes are visible, giving her a menacing look.

"What does that mean, Hinata?" Sakura asks her. Hinata twitches in a subtle manner when she addresses the girl, and this detail captures Sakura's attention.

"The structure should indeed be hollow, but that doesn't make any sense. If this is his base, it should be filled with corridors and rooms." Hinata was still not happy with Sakura at the moment but did her best to hide her feelings.

Yamato takes this new information and comes to a conclusion. "Orochimaru must have put a special seal around his base that prevents the byakugan from seeing inside. Given his work with the curse marks, it doesn't surprise me he found a way to block our sight."

"How much does that change our plan, then?" Ino speaks up from behind Yamato.

"It means we won't be able to pinpoint where Orochimaru or Sasuke is." He then turns to address Naruto face to face. "When we get inside, you will need to send out shadow clones and investigate every room and corridor. Jiraiya told me of that shadow clone trick. It will come in handy here."

"You got it."

"Now then, Hinata." Yamato's attention switches to the girl. "Can you show me where this structure begins? Normally I'd have us go underground, but that wouldn't do much good for us."

Hinata nods her head and walks along the cliff face until she gets to the nearest point of the structure. "Right here, Captain Yamato." She puts her hand on the point in question.

"Good, it's solid rock. That will make this easier." This statement brought confusion to all the young shinobi. Their unasked questions are soon answered when they notice Yamato's wood jutsu starting to slither inside the cracks in the rock and expand. Soon, the hidden door crumbles, greeting them with a hallway.

"Now with that out of the way, let's go and find our targets." Yamato states to his team. "Naruto, you head in first, and as soon as we come across forks, you will then make your clones. Make sure you create enough of them. Hinata, you will follow him. Followed by Sakura, Ino, and myself. Keep this line as much as possible, understood?"

"Right."

"You got it!"

"Understood."

"Got it."

"Good, now let's not waste any more time."

XxX

Hokage Office, Konohagakure, 06:46 PM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"I see you're back, Jiraiya."

"Yeah, and I wish it were only for pleasantries."

Tsunade sighed at this. She was afraid he would say something like this. It seemed he always had bad news now when he saw her.

She sat in her chair, surrounded by the dignified atmosphere of the Hokage office. The smell of old books and polished wood filled the air. The warm light from the big windows added to the calm feeling. To Jiraiya's utter surprise, the room was spotless, not a single dust particle disturbing the perfect order. He scanned the space, his eyes widening as he took in the transformation. The mountain of paperwork had vanished. Now, one organized stack sat on her desk.

"I see you have had Shizune working overtime." Jiraiya laughed to himself. He hopped down from the window sill and landed with a thump on the wood floor.

"You can actually thank that knucklehead apprentice of yours. He's the one responsible for this." Tsunade corrected her teammate.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock as he froze in front of the desk, his face twisted in a mix of disgust and disbelief. "How could you, Tsunade?" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with indignation. "He's still a child, for crying out loud! You're basically condoning child labor, one of the most heinous practices out there." He stepped back, taking great care. He had to put on a good act after all.

Tsunade grew irritated at her friend. "One, he only reminded me that shadow clones exist. Two, child labor? He's a damn shinobi! He can drink and fuck any grown woman for all I care." Tsunade feigned anger. She knew Jiraiya was trying to get under her skin. It was working, but she tried to hide it all the same.

"Haha, fair enough, Tsunade." He resumed his walk towards her desk. "So the kid was the one who told you. I thought you would have figured that out on your own." He said, further antagonizing his teammate.

Another irritated mark appeared on her head. "Even Sensei didn't use shadow clones to make this job easier. Hell, the only ones who have are me and the brat's father."

"Yeah, Naruto is a genius like his old man. I wanted to tell him so badly who his father was during our training." He spoke with a tone of sorrow. He stood at the edge of her desk.

"May I ask why you didn't tell him? I've kept my tongue silent on this like you asked." Tsunade folded her arms in front of her impressive bosom, glaring at Jiraiya.

"I made a promise to myself that I would tell him when he became a chūnin as a present. Speaking of, why haven't you promoted the kid yet? He has proven himself to be at least a jōnin by now." He asks, his hands resting on the desk as he stares back at her.

"He may have the power of a jōnin, but he still has too many of his genin tendencies for me to promote him yet. If we were at war, I would have no problem promoting him right on the spot. We are at peace, thank Kami, and so Naruto will have to mature and wait for a bit longer." She said in a huff. She also didn't want to tell him there was still a lot of pushback from the civilian council on Naruto. She didn't know what it would take to change those stubborn old fools minds.

Their eyes locked in a fierce stare, like two opponents sizing each other up in a boxing ring. The air was thick with unspoken challenges, each one daring the other to make the first move. The silence was palpable, heavy with the weight of unresolved disagreements. Neither of them was willing to concede, not even a fraction of an inch. The tension in the room was rising between their gazes. The question was, who would be the first to yield, or would they both stand firm, like unyielding statues, until the very end?

Jiraiya let out a sigh before giving in. "I can't argue against his maturity. I can't help but think I might be responsible for how he acts sometimes." Jiraiya laments.

With the tension broken, Tsunade could chuckle to herself again. "At least you did keep one promise to me. He's not a raging pervert like you." Tsunade was proud of the work Jiraiya had done with Naruto. Tsunade had read the after-action report that Kakashi wrote during his hospital stay, and most of it praised the boy. She had no doubt he would one day surpass them all and become a great Hokage. Her opinion of her teammate had risen a great deal since his return.

"Hey! That's insulting. I'm a SUPER pervert!" He declares, raising his fist in solidarity with all other super perverts out there.

The goodwill Jiraiya had built up with Tsunade vanished in an instant. She facepalmed and groaned at his assertion. "And you had to go and ruin it." She said under her breath.

"What was that?" Jiraiya asked confused.

"Nothing, now why don't you tell me what news you bring? I assume it's about the Akatsuki." She shifts into her Hokage mode. Pleasantries put to the side for now.

Jiraiya's jovial demeanor withers away. His sannin persona takes over as he gets serious. "I have news on two more Akatsuki members, but it's very vague, unfortunately. One of them is a childlike man who wears a swirl mask." He says.

"Childlike, how?" She raised her brow.

"He refers to himself in third person and his manner of speech is... off-putting from what I was told." Jiraiya states.

"The other member is a woman with purple hair. She appears to lead the two of them. She is also quite beautiful, from what my source told me."

"Anything else?" Tsunade asks. If that was all he had, that wasn't much to go on. She was hoping for names or how they fought or something of value. As it was, this was information that would have been best sent by a hawk.

"I do, they have located the three tails, and they will be bringing them in soon." Jiraiya utters.

"Why didn't you say that from the start!? We need to stop them!" Tsunade shoots up from her seat, her hands on her desk leaning over and giving Jiraiya a good look at her breasts. Now was not the time for anyone to act perverted, though. "It's not that simple, Tsunade. The three tails is in Kirigakure. Also, it's sealed within Yagura Karatachi."

It took a second for this information to sink in for Tsunade. "DAMN IT!" She raised her fist and brought it crashing down, destroying her wooden desk. It had been a long time since she had done this, and she felt a deep sadness at the destruction of her favorite desk.

If it were ANY other village, even Iwagakure, they might have had a chance to intervene. Kirigakure experienced a brutal civil war, and Mei ousted Yagura. They could send an offer of aid, but it wouldn't matter. Mei had made it clear that they didn't need help in finding and capturing the old Mizukage.

"Him, of all people, why did it have to be him?" Her face fell, a scowl spreading across her forehead like a storm cloud. This should have finally been their opportunity to stop them from capturing a jinchūriki. But Kami's meddling was throwing a wrench into her plans. She gritted her teeth. Frustration bubbled up inside her. How had Kami inserted himself into this situation again?

"And we still don't know where those two Akatsuki members in the land of Fire are." She says, further adding to her frustration.

"Have you heard back from Asuma's team yet?" Jiraiya questions her.

"The last we have heard from them is that they found the fire temple in ruin, and were going after a lead to find the bastards." Tsunade says in a huff.

"Asuma is a fine shinobi. He will find them." Jiraiya reassures her.

Feeling like the weight of the world was once again on her shoulders, Tsunade took a seat in her chair. "So, how long are you going to be back now?" She wanted him to stay in Konohagakure until they found the exact location of the Akatsuki. Unfortunately, he was trying to find the leader of the group, and so she had given him full autonomy in finding them. Finding the leader would bring the Akatsuki down, and as much as it pained her, she knew he was doing the most important task now.

"Right now, I need to lay low for about two weeks. That three-tails info is pushing my network underground for now, and I don't want to risk my sources." Jiraiya says with a slight scowl.

"Of course you do. Today has been one clusterfuck after another. I've only received one bit of good news today." She then reaches into the rubble of her desk and finds her sake bottle. It remains intact despite the destruction around it.

"What news would that be?"

With a hint of amusement, she utters the proposal. "Sunagakure is asking to join forces with us in our pursuit of the Akatsuki, and they're willing to dispatch that skilled sand-wielder, Temari." Tsunade's expression softens as she thinks about the girl. Her confidence and determination evoke memories of Tsunade's own youth. In fact, those fiery, impetuous years remind Tsunade of herself, when she saw every challenge as an opportunity to prove her worth. She hopes that the girl's love life has a more favorable outcome than her own. Given how much she interacted with Shikamaru, she feels that was a bet even she could win on.

"If she's anything like you told me, I would accept the request." Jiraiya adds his two cents on the matter.

"I already have. The raven is going out tomorrow morning." She finds her sake cups in the rubble as well and pours herself a drink. "Do you want to drink with me?"

With a small smile, Jiraiya says. "When have I ever turned down drinks with you Tsunade.

Tsunade pours a cup for Jiraiya and for herself, and both proceed to take a drink.

Feeling the time is right, Jiraiya brings up an old topic he had discussed previously with Tsunade. "Have you thought about sage training for Sakura? The toads have already agreed to help me train Naruto. Have you brought it up with lady Katsuyu?" He inquires as he pours another round for Tsunade and himself.

Tsunade's previous jovial mood now sours a bit. "I... have not." She admits as she takes a small sip from her cup.

Jiraiya frowns when hearing her say this. "Tsunade, she's not like you. Both of our apprentices will succeed where we failed. I know it." He says while trying to brighten the mood of the room, but he reflects on Tsunade's struggles with sage mode. Losing her loved ones left deep scars on her. She never dealt with the trauma in a healthy manner, and so sage mode has forever been out of her reach.

"Please talk to lady Katsuyu about it. Konohagakure could use a slug sage in the future." Jiraiya says in a rare earnest tone.

Tsunade's expression turns thoughtful. Her brow furrows before she lets out a sigh. Jiraiya's rare display of sincerity reaches Tsunade. She nods, taking another sip from her cup. "I promise I will talk to her about it."

Jiraiya gives her a nod, thanking her before taking another sip from his cup. Then, the door to the office swings open with a bang. Shizune is standing in the doorway, a look of worry on her face. "I heard the loud ba..." She trails off as she sees Jiraiya standing in the office, along with the remains of Tsunade's desk.

Shizune's eyes widen as she takes in the mess. She glances at Tsunade, then at Jiraiya, a question in her eyes. Tsunade raises an eyebrow, daring Shizune to comment on the state of her office. Jiraiya, sensing the tension, steps in to defuse it. "Don't worry, Shizune. We were having a lively discussion." He flashes a charming smile, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Shizune's eye started twitching. This wasn't the first desk that Tsunade had managed to trash, and it was always Shizune who had to clean up and get a new one.

"Tsunade, why must you torture me so?"

XxX

Sasuke, Orochimaru base, 06:45 PM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

These past two weeks had been an unrelenting ordeal, leaving his young body battered and exhausted. Sasuke felt as if molten glass had been infusing itself in his bones, making every movement feel like a slow-motion torment. His skin always burned as if a fiery pyre trapped him, with flames that refused to subside. His internal organs seemed to writhe and twist, like a tangled mess of snakes, making each breath a struggle. His muscles felt like they were in a constant state of flux, tearing and reforming with every twitch, as if his body were trying to rebuild itself from the inside out. The pain was relentless, a constant companion that had taken up residence in every fiber of his being.

Still, he endured it. Not because he could. Because he must. Naruto's effortless victory over him upon his return to the Leaf Village left an indelible scar on Sasuke's psyche. The fact that his former teammate and 'friend' had somehow surpassed him in power and strength was a constant reminder of what could have been. The memory of their battle played in his mind like a film. Each frame reminded him of his failure. The thought of Naruto, who was once below him, now standing tall and powerful, made Sasuke's blood boil with envy and frustration.

Then he thought of his other teammate, Sakura, whose mere existence infuriated him. Naruto's drive to beat him inspired him to go further, a fact he loathed to admit. However, Sakura's actions were a whole different matter. Despite her inspirational words before he departed, her lingering emotions were palpable. He convinced himself that if he harmed her, she would still crawl back, desperate for his attention. A dark smile crossed his face for a moment, but it faded as a new wave of intense pain surged through his battered body.

He didn't want to kill them unless they stood in his way. He did want to hurt them, though, if he ever crossed paths with them, and he knew how he could do it. They would experience pain in both body and mind.

After enduring constant pain for what felt like ages, he finally felt something new. A wave of relief washed over him, replacing the excruciating pain that had ravaged his body. As the pain subsided, a scorching heat coursed through his veins like liquid fire. This intense heat accompanied an inner power that defied description, creating a sensation that was both exhilarating and intimidating. It was as if a dam had burst, unleashing a torrent of energy that threatened to consume him. This was what he had been striving for all along. The power to vanquish his brother, Itachi. The realization sent a shiver down his spine as he grasped the magnitude of what was now within his reach. He needed to harness this power. He had to channel it for one purpose.

Sasuke was now in a familiar place. His mindscape was the same as always, except this time in the center was a glowing orb of power. Sasuke reached out his hand to grasp it, but it soon started to morph. Blinding lights started to exit the sphere, forcing Sasuke to cover his eyes until they subsided.

When he opened his eyes, the sphere was no more, replaced by a pale horse. Sasuke regarded the strange being curiously, but it didn't seem to mind. Instead, it galloped towards Sasuke. Once the creature was next to Sasuke, it stopped. The creature gave him a look that said, 'Are you sure about this?' Sasuke didn't even think twice. He got on top of the horse, and soon, hell would follow him.

XxX

Team Yamato, Orochimaru base, 06:46 PM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouts, and then one hundred clones of himself pop into existence.

"Men, you know what your mission is. When you find anyone, dispel yourself to let me know. Any questions?" The real Naruto uttered to his platoon.

Receiving a round of no's, he sent them away without hesitation. Following behind the platoon, the real group rushes down the hall in formation. Soon enough, they come across the first fork in the complex. The fork is an open forum of sorts, with a dozen hallways leading away from the location. As the clones run down each of the passages, the sounds of earth crunching under their feet fade away into the distance.

As soon as his clones were out of sight, running down the various hallways, Naruto collapsed onto one knee. Hinata came up from behind and knelt beside him and put a hand on his back. "Everything alright?" Her face showed mild concern for him.

"Yeah, I haven't recovered my chakra yet." He takes a minute to catch his breath and stands up. "Is the plan to wait here till one of my clones finds something?" Naruto asks Yamato. He nods his head yes.

"Good." Naruto's exhaustion catches up with him, and he slumps against the cold, brown earthen wall, his legs giving out from under him. His shoulders sag, and his head droops, the weight of his emotions and physical fatigue pulling him down. The wall, once a sturdy barrier against the outside world, now provides a weary Naruto with the only support his drained body can find.

"Hinata, use your byakugan again. I want to see if this seal of Orochimaru's works on the inside as well." Yamato says to her.

"Right." She closes her eyes, then shouts, "Byakugan!" Veins appear near her eyes as she activates her near 360-degree vision. The veins last only a second before her eyes return to normal.

"No good, Captain. I'm completely blocked in here."

"Damn, it was worth a shot. Everyone, be ready to move out at a moment's notice. As soon as Naruto gets word from a clone, we head out." Yamato announces to the group.

It takes only ten minutes for one of the clones to find something. The clone was getting bored with all this searching. All he was doing was running, opening doors, and making more clones as necessary. It was tedious work.

He opened his next door, expecting to find another empty room. This room wasn't empty. Medical equipment filled it to the brim. It also contained what the clone could only think of as experiments, if he could call them that. The sight of some of them made the clone a little queasy, but he beat back that feeling. He made a clone of himself and had it dispel immediately so the boss knew about this place.

Another clone also found something, or rather someone. He too had expected to find nothing in the room as he opened the door. Instead, he saw a familiar face. A face not much older than himself. Or, he would have seen the face, if the person attached to it had any interest in Naruto.

"I see you have finally arrived. I was expecting you to show up sooner, but I guess lord Orochimaru did more of a number on you than I thought." Kabuto says as he keeps his head down staring at his desk. On it were various dossiers that Naruto didn't recognize, but his attention wasn't on the papers.

The clone makes another clone and dispels it, sending back its information to its master.

"I have to say, that trick with the shadow clone jutsu is quite handy. A shame I don't have the chakra reserves to use it like you, though, Naruto." Kabuto sighs as he finishes his statement and continues his previous work, not interested in what Naruto has to say or do.

The clone then goes into a defensive stance, ready to fight. "I already told those two bi...kunoichi that I have no further interest in fighting today." Kabuto says as he continues to do his work without bothering to look up.

"Besides, given the state you are in, and the fact that you are almost certainly a clone, I think this fight wouldn't be worth it for either of us. So, why don't you run along and find what you are looking for? He has a surprise for you. Plus, I'm busy if you haven't noticed." Kabuto said as he made a dismissive gesture with his free hand, wishing Naruto to go away.

The clone thought for a second before making its decision. It closed the door with care and left Kabuto to his devices. The clone felt irritation at Kabuto's casual dismissal of him. Yet, if Kabuto didn't wish to fight, he would take that outcome.

Finally, I can get back to work. I should be able to reach a good stopping point before they find him.

A third clone rushed down an endless corridor, while the flickering candles created ominous shadows. This hallway seemed to stretch on forever, its dull brown walls blurring together. The clone pinned its hopes on this search being more productive than the last, as its previous failures still burned like embers in its mind. With each step, the clone could feel its chakra reserves dwindling, its energy waning. Time was running out, and the clone knew it. Whatever was at the end of this hallway, it prayed would be worth it.

The hallway did come to an end, and from it emerged a gigantic room. Pillars kept the ceiling up above, and at the end of it was a large serpentine statue. In front of the statue was a throne of some kind, and behind the snake statue was another long hallway. The clone did not notice any of this. The clone was much more focused on who was sitting on the throne itself.

"Orochimaru." The clone spoke in a cold tone. It immediately summoned and dispelled a clone.

"I must say, Naruto, I am thoroughly... unimpressed. I was expecting you to get here sooner. I thought you wanted Sasuke back. It seems I misjudged how much you wanted him back." He said with a bored expression.

The clone stood frozen, its eyes fixed on the towering figure of the sannin. It knew that the odds were not in its favor, and the memory of its master's crushing defeat still lingered in its mind. The clone's chakra reserves were low because of how much time it had been active, and it knew it had no shot at winning. Its only hope lay in stalling for time, using every trick in the book to delay the inevitable. It needed to hold out until its master arrived.

"Oh, don't worry, clone. Kabuto and I have no intention of fighting anymore today. We have both gotten what we want." He tries to assure the now finally turns its head to the clone and gives it a serious look.

The doppelgänger still primes himself for a showdown. "Sorry, I don't make it a habit of trusting snakes."

"kuku, I see Jiraiya did manage to teach you a thing or two. Too bad it won't be enough when you see Sasuke." Orochimaru utters to the clone as he chuckles to himself a bit.

"If you hadn't gotten under the boss's skin, he would have shown you even more." The clone taunts Orochimaru.

"kuku, but I did get under his skin. It was quite easy. He's still a boy. I was hoping for more, but even I can't get everything I want all the time." Orochimaru utters with devilish glee as he stands up from the throne. His long, bony fingers grasping the armrests as he rises and starts stepping down.

"What do you want with Sasuke?" The clone utters, keeping the conversation going.

"I thought it would be obvious. I see you are as slow as your 'boss." This caused an irritated mark to appear on the clone's forehead. The clone's grip on his kunai tightens.

The clone is still wary of Orochimaru's tricks. He takes a quick look around the area for any possible sign of an ambush but finds none. "You want to take over his body so you can use his sharingan." The clone says, his voice firm. Orochimaru's smile grows wider, his eyes glinting with excitement. "You're not as stupid as you look," he says, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

The clone laughs at this. "Do you think Sasuke would actually let you do that? You are as stupid as you look." The clone expected that Orochimaru would feel irritated or angry at this. Instead, Orochimaru's smile grows wider, and he starts walking towards the clone.

"You underestimate how much Sasuke wants to kill his dear brother. He's willing to give his very soul away for it. And I'm more than willing to make him that offer." His voice hisses out.

"Why do you think he sought me out for a second time?" The clone stands motionless, its expression a blank slate, unable to provide a response. What drove Sasuke to abandon him once again? Was it something Naruto did? Or was Sasuke that lost and Naruto didn't know it?

"I'll answer for you, boy. It's because of you. On his way here, he recounted to Kabuto how you bested him without trying when you got back. It showed him that staying in the village had made him weak. While you, who left the village, became strong." Orochimaru declared as he stopped midway in the chamber.

The clone stood motionless, his mind processing the revelation. Though his master had beaten Sasuke upon his return, the fight had been far from one-sided. He had needed to tap into his Swift Release to gain the upper hand. As he reflected on that fight, he recalled Sasuke calling out to him, begging for a rematch. The clone wondered if that bitter defeat had shaken Sasuke that much and how it affected his pride.

Orochimaru's piercing gaze swept over the clone, his eyes narrowing as if searching for something. "No words I see, good. There is hope for you yet, boy," he declared, his voice low and measured. With a slow, deliberate movement, he continued his walk towards the clone. As he began to pace towards the clone, his footsteps echoed through the chamber, each step taken with an air of calculated caution. The clone's instincts screamed warning, but to his surprise, no aura of malice emanated from the Sannin. Instead, Orochimaru's tranquil demeanor seemed almost playful, like he was playing with his meal. The clone's grip on his readied kunai tightened. Was it a trick, a ploy to lull him into complacency? Only time would tell.

"Naruto!" Behind the clone, they can hear distant voices. To the clone's immense relief. The voices are who he wanted to hear from at this very moment.

"I see your backup has arrived. As much as I have... enjoyed this little chat, I must take my leave. If my calculations are correct, and they always are, Sasuke should be making his presence known right about... now."

A loud explosion blasts from the hallway near the snake statue. It shatters the statue into pieces, leaving only rubble behind. The blast wave blows out from the hallway with incredible force, kicking up massive clouds of dust and rocks that swirl around the clone. The air is heavy with the sharp smell of smoke and ozone. The clone rushes to cover its head with its arms. It tries to shield itself from falling debris.

When the air finally stops its harsh attack, the clone opens its eyes. It blinks away the grit and dust stuck to its lashes. The silence is deafening, a stark contrast to the cacophony of sounds that had filled the space moments before. As the clone's vision clears, it takes in its surroundings, scanning the room for any sign of its creator, Orochimaru. But the clone cannot find the snake-like figure anywhere.

"Damn it!" The clone stomps his foot on the ground, its frustration finally boiling over.

"What was that?" The voice of Naruto shouts as he emerges from the opposite hallway of the explosion. He is looking better after his rest, but the signs of fatigue are still present on his face and body.

"I don't know, boss. Orochimaru was here, but now he's gone."

The real Naruto slides to a halt. "Dammit!" He stomps his foot on the ground like the clone did moments before.

The clone vanishes into thin air, and it transfers its memories to its host. In the blink of an eye, the conversation with Orochimaru flashes back to life in the original Naruto's mind. Naruto's face splits into a wide, triumphant grin as he relives the exchange, his heart racing with excitement.

"Sasuke is beyond that hallway behind the destroyed statue." Naruto points out.

"Are you certain?" Yamato asks as he steps beside the boy.

"Positive." Naruto punches his open palm. He looks up at Yamato to his side, with a look asking if he can continue to lead. Yamato nods his head in approval. He then turns to his pink-haired teammate.

"You ready for this, Sakura? I have no idea what he will be like. But we gotta try to reach him." Naruto asserts. His stance was tense. His tone spoke of how serious he was in trying to reach Sasuke. The previous conversation his clone had with Orochimaru was still fresh in his memory. He knew that Sakura and he might be the only people who can reach him and bring him back from the edge.

Sakura responds by stepping up to him and reaching for his shoulder. "We will get our teammate back, Naruto. Believe it."

For a second, Naruto doesn't say anything. A small chuckle begins from his lips and soon transforms into full-blown laughter. "Hey! That's my line!" Naruto says as he catches his breath. He had not realized how tense he was and was glad for the break in tension.

Sakura could only smile at this. It warmed her heart to see him laugh like that. It was pure joy, even if for a moment. A brief respite before they confronted their old teammate.

Ino beamed out a huge smile at the display of two of her best friends.

Hinata could only manage a weak smile.

"Alright! Let's go, everyone!" With this bold declaration, Naruto started to sprint toward the other hallway. This corridor was short. Thanks in part to what had taken place. The hallway showed more signs of destruction until it opened up into the darkened sky.

High above, the storm clouds surged, and thunder crashed. The sun was completely blocked from view, making it harder to see the terrain. Then, lightning crashed nearby, illuminating the environment. Naruto paid no attention to that. He was more focused on the back of the individual he could see in the middle of the destruction. He stopped running and whispered a single word to himself.

"Sasuke."

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Alter Bridge.

Another cliff hanger. Don't worry. Next chapter will be the last one for Tenchi Bridge. Then, I'll be having about 2/3 chapters of our characters developing themselves and their relationships before we start the Akatsuki Suppression Arc. I have a bunch of things I want to do before that mission starts which I why I'm saying 2/3 chapters.

I will say this, FFN get your shit together. Its' been over 3 weeks and still no stats. I'm still publishing because I want to stick to my schedule but I want to know how the chapters do damnit!

I hope yall liked the aftermath of the forgiveness. It felt so good to write that part and have Naruto finally move on past that dark period in his life. I wish I could say it would be his darkest but we know that to be a lie.

Now, how strong will the Sasuke be with a merged curse mark? You will just have to find out next chapter. I have some good things planned and I can't wait to show it to you all!

Also, I know it might be an overdone trope, but I couldn't resist Sasuke riding out on a pale horse, given the hell he is about to unleash upon the world.

Next week is the 4th of July and I'll be at AX for the second time and I'm so hyped! Normal posting schedule will not be affected though so don't worry!

Please review and comment to your hearts content and remember, don't feed the troll. Till next time yall!

Chapter 21: The Thunder Rolls

Main Hospital, Konohagakure, 07:10 PM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

Kakashi is lying in his bed at the hospital, still recovering from the fight against Sasori and Deidara. His chakra coils are still recovering from his overuse of his mangekyō sharingan. He has been up for only five minutes, and the sun is setting on the horizon through his open window.

His gaze stares out of the window. His thoughts are on Sakura and Naruto, along with Hinata and Yamato. Kakashi's eyes stay fixed on the fading light outside. He wishes he could join his team, but his body still needs rest. Tsunade's strict orders echo in his mind. He lets out a sigh at the situation and wishes there were something he could do about it.

Kakashi's hospital room door slides open, and a nurse enters with a gentle smile. She brings a tray with a bowl of steaming soup and a glass of water. Kakashi's stomach growls, reminding him he hasn't eaten all day. He sits up, wincing in pain, and the nurse hurries to help him. She waves her off but thanks her for her concern.

After she takes her leave, he finds himself alone. Well, mostly alone.

"I see you are finally up, Kakashi." A voice from behind Kakashi says through the window.

Kakashi lifts his head from his food but doesn't turn to address the new party. "Jiraiya, what brings you here?" Kakashi questions the sannin.

Jiraiya then hops down from the window and makes his way to Kakashi's bedside.

"Well," he says as he stretches. "The first reason is for this." He concludes his statement by rummaging through his kimono. He has a confused look on his face before his fingers finally find what they have been looking for.

"Since you will still be in here for a couple days." He then pulls out a book from his kimono and hands it to Kakashi.

His eye narrows as he takes in the new object. It widens at once when he reads the title. He grabs the new object with the intensity of someone whose life depends on it.

"The gaki told me you are a big fan of my work. So, I thought it would be a nice get-well gift. It's an advanced copy of my new Icha Icha book!" He says with enthusiasm. "I even put my signature on the cover for you!"

Jiraiya smiles, expecting a reaction from Kakashi. But instead, Kakashi's face freezes. His grip on the book tightens. Jiraiya's smile starts to fade. He looks confused, wondering if he misjudged Kakashi's interest in his work. Kakashi's silence becomes uncomfortable.

"Jiraiya, you really are the best writer in the world." Kakashi finally says as he opens the book and starts reading in front of the author.

Jiraiya's face brightens with pride. Kakashi glues his eye to the pages of the book. Jiraiya's smile widens further at the sight of a fan of his reading with great enthusiasm.

He lets Kakashi read for a little bit. After a minute, Kakashi closes the book and puts it on the nightstand next to his bed. He then turns his head up and looks Jiraiya in the eye.

"And the second reason you are here?" The cyclops asks the sannin.

Jiraiya's smile falters as he gets to the real business at hand. "I need to lay low for a bit. By the time I train Naruto again, it will be time for his sage training." Kakashi's ears perk up at the mention of sage training. He remembers seeing his master using sage mode and all of the benefits of it. He knows Naruto will gain significant advantages from using such a thing.

"Sage training will take up all of Naruto's time, but there is something else I wanted him to try and learn before that." He says as he rummages through his kimono once again. This time, he finds what he's looking for with ease and pulls it out. He hands it to Kakashi who takes it.

"With the gaki knowing swift release, I want him to be able to use it to its full potential. His body can take it, he just needs to get used to the chakra strain. It's his mind I'm worried about." Jiraiya says as Kakashi starts to unfurl the scroll. "His brain can only take so much processing before it fries itself. He's already experienced it, so he knows the danger. But I want to make it a non-factor as much as I can."

Kakashi then starts reading the scroll. The scroll contains detailed instructions on a special training method. It will help Naruto use swift release without straining his mind too much. Kakashi's eyes scan the scroll, taking in every word. He can see why Jiraiya wants Naruto to master this skill. With it, Naruto's body will be able to fight without his mind having to do any thinking on its own.

Kakashi closes up the scroll and looks up at Jiraiya again. "Now that he's back, you know his training is under my purview again." Kakashi states, with Jiraiya giving his nod in understanding.

"I know, and this isn't a demand from me, nor an order from Tsunade. It's a request from one sensei to another. We both want what's best for the gaki after all." Jiraiya says, shifting on his feet.

Kakashi nods slowly, his eyes narrowing as he thinks. He knows Jiraiya wants Naruto to master swift release, but there's more to it. Kakashi sees the bigger picture. With this skill, Naruto will be safer in battle. He can fight without his mind getting in the way. He remembers the boy's determination to protect his friends. Naruto's bravery is admirable, but it often puts him at risk.

"Alright, I'll fit it into what I have planned for him." Kakashi utters, which gets a smile from Jiraiya.

"Now then," Kakashi then takes his new book and opens it up. "If you don't mind, I have a lot of reading to do now." He says as he flips the pages to where he left off.

Jiraiya chuckles but says nothing as he exits the room from where he came. Knowing that his godson is in good hands makes him feel at ease. He knows now more than ever that Naruto will be alright.

XxX

Team Yamato, Orochimaru base, 07:17 PM, 11 Days since Tenchi bridge mission start

"Sasuke." Naruto utters in a whisper.

Sasuke stands up on the lip above the crater in front of team Yamato. The wind whips about him and the branches of the trees sway back and forth. The temperature has dropped to a much lower level since team Yamato first entered the base. Now the group feels a slight chill crawl up their skin.

The team can feel the chakra radiating off Sasuke now. Even from this distance, it feels almost suffocating. Sasuke keeps his back turned to the group and slumps his shoulders. He takes a deep breath in. The environment around him gravitated towards him as if by some unknown force. When he lets out the breath, the ground and rocks around him stretch away from him, as if trying to get away from something dangerous.

"Sasuke!" Sakura's cry echoes through the air as she takes a bold step forward, positioning herself shoulder to shoulder with Naruto. For a heart-stopping moment, Sasuke remains still, his expression unreadable. It's as if he's tuned out the sounds around him, oblivious to Sakura's anguished plea. Her lips part, ready to release another urgent call, when sudden, deliberate movement catches her attention. He takes his time and starts to turn around with great care. To his two team members, it feels like an eternity. When he completes his turn, another lightning flash illuminates the area, revealing to all the changes that have happened to Sasuke.

His muscles have bulked up to a noticeable degree since Naruto's last encounter with him a couple of weeks ago. The curse mark, once a small, three-tomoe emblem, has now spread to cover half his chest and his left arm, resembling a dark, twisted web. Naruto and Sakura suspect at first that the mark is active, but a closer look reveals a distinct difference in the design. The intricate patterns and swirls are unlike anything they have seen before. Moreover, the aura of rage, which often accompanied an active curse mark, is completely absent. Instead, Sasuke's demeanor is calm and collected, suggesting that Orochimaru's mysterious merger has indeed been a success, granting Sasuke a newfound control over the cursed power coursing through his veins. Naruto can only imagine what this meant.

"Naruto." Sasuke says, completely ignoring his other former teammate. He casts his gaze over the group, his expression reflecting disappointment. "Where is Kakashi?" He demands.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but Kakashi isn't here." Yamato says, taking a step forward.

Sasuke's piercing gaze locked onto Yamato, scrutinizing every aspect of his physique and demeanor. His eyes narrow, taking in every detail, from the set of his jaw to the confidence in his posture. The intense stare lingers before Sasuke's eyelids finally fall, his expression unreadable. The message is clear, though. Yamato didn't intimidate him in the slightest.

"Disappointing, I have to say." He opens his eyes once again and continues to look over the group. After some time, his eyes settle on Ino and Hinata. "I see Tsunade has picked you two to replace me. Does Tsunade think so low of me that she thought two weaklings like you could replace me?"

Ino and Hinata stepped forward but said nothing, despite the desire to do so. They couldn't reach Sasuke. Only his former team could. With great difficulty, they held their tongues for now.

"Sasuke, why did you hurt Anko!?" Sakura shouts. This time she does it louder, hoping to get an answer.

Sasuke drops down into the crater, stuffing his hands in his pockets, and approaches the group with a confident demeanor. He has grown weary of exchanging words with Naruto from a distance. Meanwhile, Yamato and Ino stand ready, their hands clutching kunai at their hips, poised to attack at a moment's notice. Hinata, her eyes fixed on Sasuke, pulls out her bow, the taut string humming as she draws it back, her fingers steady.

"Naruto, I have to thank you." Sasuke continues his casual stroll, completely ignoring what his other teammate has said.

Naruto narrows his eyes and laces his voice with a mix of curiosity and trepidation as he asks, "Why Sasuke?" His teammate's words have piqued his interest. A sense of foreboding lingers, threatening to unleash a maelstrom of emotions. The memories of Orochimaru's ominous words still linger in his mind. Naruto feared that Orochimaru wasn't lying. Had his own actions, or lack thereof, contributed to Sasuke's second defection? The uncertainty gnawed at him, thinking he might have pushed his friend further down the path of destruction.

"You beat me, and it wasn't close." Sasuke says as the humiliation of his effortless defeat plays in his mind once again. "You left the village and got the power I needed while I was forced to wallow in that pathetic village and waste away."

As he speaks, Sasuke can feel his conviction in his actions growing. "You humiliated me, Naruto. I should have tried harder to leave. It's a mistake I'm glad I was able to correct." Naruto feels the pit in his stomach grow. His fears are true. Sasuke was pushed over the edge this time not because of the mark, but because of him.

"Sasuke! Answer me, please!" Sakura cries out again. Her tone is begging him to acknowledge her.

Sasuke's pace comes to an abrupt halt when he finally acknowledges Sakura's presence. He takes a moment to drink in her appearance. His gaze lingers on her features as if committing them to memory. A spark of calculation ignites in his eyes as he ponders his next move. A burning desire drives him to shatter the shackles of his past and break free from the emotional chains that bind him. And what better way to achieve this than to take the very woman his rival had once pinned for? Once she joins him and breaks Naruto, Sasuke will discard her at that precise moment.

With a small grin on his face, he finally speaks to Sakura. "You, unlike those three behind you, are not weak." He says, dismissing them without a care in the world.

"Back then, when you begged me to let you join me, I dismissed you because you were weak. Now, you are not." He outstretches his arm, palm up.

"Your iryō-jutsu will be invaluable in my quest to kill Itachi. Leave that dead last loser and join me like you wanted to before." He finishes outstretching arm. "And still do." The smirk on his face never left.

Hinata takes a step forward, but Yamato stops her. She looks at him, seething at what Sasuke said. She looks at Yamato, byakugan already active. He stares back into her lavender eyes and shakes his head. He knows that Naruto and Sakura have to do this, and they should only step in when conflict arises. Hinata grits her teeth and looks away but stops trying to move forward. She doesn't like it, but she will stay put for now.

Sasuke finishes his statement, and a deafening thunderclap shakes the air. A fierce gust of wind sweeps through the area, sending loose objects flying and whipping people's hair into a frenzy. The only sounds that fill the air are the ominous rumbles of thunder, growing louder and more intense with each passing moment. The sky, a deep, foreboding gray, continues to darken, yet somehow manages to hold back its torrent of rain. Kami himself is holding back the deluge, wanting to witness these proceedings.

Naruto's eyes dart toward his partner, his brow furrows with concern. He attempts to catch a glimpse of her expression, but her vibrant pink bangs hide her face from view. Despite his best efforts, he struggles to maintain a composed exterior. His anxiety simmers beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at his unasked question. Will she do it?

Sakura takes her first deliberate step forward, her footfall echoes through the silence. Her stride remains steady, unwavering in its resolve, as if fueled by an unshakeable determination. Her body language radiates an aura of confidence. Her shoulders squared, her chin held high, and her eyes focused on the path ahead. The subtle arch of her eyebrows and the slight tilt of her head convey a sense of assertiveness. She keeps walking, her footsteps covering the distance. Her momentum grows, like a slow fire ready to consume everything.

Every step Sakura takes forward is like a thunderclap, echoing in Naruto's mind. The sound resonates through his entire being, hitting him hard, like a sledgehammer pounding on a door. He can't believe what he is witnessing with his own eyes. A few hours before, she had reassured him that she had finally let go of her lingering feelings for Sasuke. Yet here she is, strolling up to Sasuke with an air of nonchalance, accepting his offer without hesitation. The scene unfolding before him is a stark contrast to the Sakura he thought he knew. Naruto's mind races, wondering how he could have misjudged both of his teammates to such an extent. Was he so blinded by his own emotions that he had overlooked the obvious signs? The bright colors of his world dull, replaced by a sense of despair that washes over him like a cold shower.

She now stands in front of Sasuke, her face cast downward. Sasuke is more than pleased with this.

"Good, now then. Let's g..."

SLAP

Sasuke's head jerks to the side, his eyes wide with shock. The smack resonates through the air, a sharp crack that drowns out the relentless drumbeat of the thunderstorm raging above for a brief moment. In the aftermath, time seems to grind to a halt. The air is heavy with anticipation. Even the wind appears to hold its breath, as if nature itself has paused to bear witness to a spectacle that defies all expectations.

Sakura Haruno had slapped Sasuke Uchiha.

Naruto himself can't believe what he has seen. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. His mouth opens in complete astonishment, but no words leave him. His mind halts its previous train of thought and now concentrates on what is happening in front of him.

Sasuke is as shocked as Naruto, but he benefits from the fact that no one can see his face. He returns his face to a neutral expression and twists his head back to stare down at the person who has slapped him. Before he can finish his turn, she gives him another almighty smack across the other cheek.

Sakura Haruno had slapped Sasuke Uchiha again.

Naruto's eyes dart back and forth between Sakura and Sasuke. He's still trying to make sense of what's happening. The air is thick with tension, and Naruto can feel his heart pounding in his chest. Sakura's chest is heaving, her face red with anger. Sasuke, like Naruto, is trying to make sense of what is happening.

She gives Sasuke a shove away from her. He casts his face downward as he starts to ponder what this can all mean. After finishing his stumble, he looks up and finally sees her. He sees on her face a look he did not know she is capable of.

Pure rage, at him.

Sakura's entire body is trembling with a fiery wrath, her muscles tense to the point of quivering. Her breathing is rapid and labored, as if she'd sprinted a mile. Her teeth grit together so hard it seems like they might crack under the pressure. Her brow furrows, and her eyebrows knit together, creating a fierce scowl. She feels enraged in a single word. There is only one other time in her life when she'd felt this level of fury. This time, though, the target of her wrath is much more deserving. This time, she directs her anger at the person who has wronged her, unlike before. The memory of that past incident still hurts her, but if there is one good thing that came from it, it would be a good comparison point.

"First off. Don't EVER say that about Naruto again! He has worked far too hard to receive anything less than what he deserves." Her righteous anger compels her to defend her teammate. The one who started her on this path of self-realization. The one who has always been there for her when she needed someone.

Now, she is there for him. "He's put in as much, if not more, work than you have." She feels a rush of pride fill her being thinking about all the work Naruto has done not only for himself, but for her as well.

"Second, you think of me as the same Sakura from that night, don't you?" She growls out. She balls her fists by her side. Her face is looking down at the ground, disgusted by the man she once thought she loved.

"Well, I'm not!" She shouts, raising her head to meet his cold stare. "I'm not that same naive little girl who wanted nothing more than to be with you. I'm not the girl who would have done anything you asked anymore! I thought I made this clear to you before, but I guess I was wrong." She adds. Her fury swelling within her. How she hates this feeling because of the memories it brought back. She would endure it for now.

"Sasuke, a part of me still loves you and that will never go away." She admits to the world. She didn't care, though. If she wants honesty from her team, then she needs to be honest with them as well as herself. "But that doesn't mean I will overlook what you do to yourself, others, and me!" She shouts again. His eyes continue staring holes into hers, but she doesn't stop.

"I meant it when I said I would be there for you as a friend, but only as a friend. The fact that you thought I would up and join you so easily is insulting." She utters. Tears of rage start forming in the corners of her eyes, but she remains steadfast. "Even now, you still bring out the worst in me." She can't hold them back now, though, with the wave of memories, and they start to fall. "At least this time my anger is aimed at the correct person."

Sakura feels her anger finally giving way, and her face softens. "Please, Sasuke, don't do this. Come back. We can help you defeat your brother as a team for the right reasons. Not out of pure vengeance." She starts her heartfelt plea. "You know Naruto and I, and the village will help you." She wipes away the falling tears from her eyes. "But make no mistake, if you don't come back with us. We will save you from yourself." Despite her tears, her voice never wavered in its conviction.

Sasuke remains silent, his gaze fixed on her, his face displaying an unreadable emotion. The stillness of his expression is unsettling, like a statue carved from stone. The sky above them growls to life, with thunder rumbling in a threatening manner. The air crackles with electric tension, heavy with anticipation, as if the very atmosphere is charged with the promise of something dramatic about to unfold.

Sasuke's response is a mere whisper, "I see." The words hang in the air as he closes his eyes, his expression a picture of sad acceptance. He has held on to the hope that she would join him, but now he has extinguished that hope.

From his perspective, he has severed their bond, creating a clean break. His bond with Naruto remains, though, a stubborn reminder of their connection. Sasuke's mind races with the implications. If she refuses to join him and help cut that bond, then he will have to take matters into his own hands. The weight of his decision settles on his shoulders like a heavy burden, one he is not yet ready to bear.

"Are you saying you will stand in the way of my vengeance if I don't go with you?" He presses for clarity. He needs to be sure. If she is going to stop him from achieving what is, by right, his, he will take decisive action to fulfill his needs.

"We will save you, Sasuke, no matter what." She answers him. Her body relaxes, hoping the ease in tension might encourage him to see the light. She soon gets an answer.

A lightning bolt strikes a nearby tree, causing it to catch fire. Sasuke doesn't flinch in the slightest. He is too focused on what is happening in front of him. Sasuke doesn't need to hear any more from her. She said exactly what he needed to hear. It is time to see whether he had severed his bond with Sakura.

"You know, I have always hated that big forehead of yours."

Sakura gasps in shock at this statement. Her mouth opens wide, and her eyes go big. Sasuke knows she feels insecure about that part of her and uses it to his advantage. Her surprise gives him the opening he needs.

In an instant, he unsheathes his katana and charges forth. He's fast, so fast that Sakura, Hinata, Ino, and Yamato cannot react in time. He takes the blade with one hand and thrusts it forward, about to stab his former teammate.

His momentum comes to a stop, though. He looks to his right and sees Naruto there, gripping his wrist, saving Sakura from the fate of a blade going through her. Sasuke sees something is off. Naruto looks too exhausted right now. A flicker of anger rises in Sasuke. He wants to challenge the limits of his strength by facing Naruto at his full power. It seems fate has decided not to accommodate him as he wishes.

Naruto making the save allows the others to spring into action. Yamato sends forward a wooden shot from his hand. Hinata lets loose one of her arrows, and Ino slams her hands on the ground, sending a shockwave toward the Uchiha.

Sasuke smirks, happy that he can finally have some exercise after his two-week nightmare. Sasuke uses the charged atmosphere around him to his advantage. An aura of lightning surrounds and expands from him, knocking back both Sakura and Naruto, taking both of them out for a few seconds. With a speed Sasuke had never possessed, he dodges the incoming projectiles with ease.

Sasuke jumps over the incoming shockwave and lands near Ino, his charged katana ready to strike her down. Yamato brings forth his kunai and stands between Sasuke and Ino. He attempts to parry the katana, but his kunai breaks against the charged steel.

"Gah!"

The katana pierces through Yamato's shoulder and embeds itself into the stone behind him. He can feel his body start spasming. The electricity from the katana is now flowing straight into him. He feels his nerves firing all at random, and his pain receptors are going haywire. It takes all he can muster to not go unconscious.

How much stronger has he gotten?

Sasuke doesn't have time to do much further as another arrow whizzes by him, and Ino jumps back while sending a giant sphere of earth in his direction. Sasuke decides to focus on Ino next. He dashes forward after her while she starts sprinting away. From behind him, the sphere of earth starts catching up to him, thanks to his having to dodge the hail of arrows from the Hyūga princess. He weaves some hand signs, looks over his shoulder, and blows out a great fireball that strikes the oncoming sphere.

The sphere of earth explodes into little bits of dirt and rock. Ino curses under her breath but continues to dodge and weave through the rocks in the crater. Sasuke turns his head and shoots mini fireballs at Hinata, forcing her to stop her assault and dodge.

This buys Sasuke the reprieve he needs. He activates his new curse mark, and the tattoo-like designs cover his chest and extend to his arm. He can't make use of the full power of the mark yet, as his body hasn't adapted. He will have to make do for now. He then makes a shadow clone and orders it to keep Hinata busy for now.

He closes the gap with Ino in no time and engages her in a taijutsu bout. Sasuke delivers a flurry of punches and kicks, but Ino blocks each one with her quick reflexes. She lands a solid kick to Sasuke's stomach, but he shrugs it off, thanks to the power of the curse mark. Ino tries to bind him with her ninja wire, but Sasuke moves too fast for it to take hold of him.

Sasuke's eyes lock onto Ino as he closes in. He uses his improved speed to dodge her attack and lands a kick to her chest. Ino stumbles back, but recovers and sends a wave of shuriken toward Sasuke. He raises his hand, and an open flame incinerates the oncoming projectiles.

Ino goes through her hand signs and rockets away as the rock underneath her sends her flying back to a safe distance. Once she lands, she forms more hand signs as Sasuke charges her position.

Ino summons a cloud of dust and rock, hoping to disorient Sasuke. But he relies on his sharp senses, navigated by the curse mark's power, to track her movements. He bursts through the smoke, catching Ino off guard. Sasuke seizes the opportunity, unleashing a series of swift punches that Ino struggles to deflect. One punch lands on her jaw, and she stumbles backward.

She is now breathing with difficulty, and her eyes scan Sasuke. Unlike her, he doesn't appear winded or damaged. If anything, it seems like he is toying with her.

Sasuke's confidence grows as he gains the upper hand. He circles around Ino, watching for an opening to strike. Ino tries to regain her footing, but Sasuke's speed and agility allow him to stay one step ahead. She attempts to throw another attack, but Sasuke dodges it with ease.

Then, with a mighty kick, he lands a clean shot to the side of Ino, sending her rocketing toward the wall of the crater. She crashes into the rock at high speed and is now out of the fight for the moment.

Now to go after the inferior dōjutsu.

He turns his attention to Hinata now, who has managed to defeat his shadow clone. She does not back down from his gaze. Instead, she knocks another arrow and fires it. Sasuke tilts his head to the side, a mocking grin on his face.

Behind Sasuke, an explosion goes off, completely taking him by surprise. Rocks and shrapnel pepper his back and legs, making him wince and bleed from the cuts. He looks up towards the sky as the pain shoots through his nervous system before he looks back at Hinata, seething. Now she is the one with a mocking grin while his is now one of fury.

She now starts to spring away from him, but her arrows never stop flying. She doesn't want to test her byakugan against the sharingan if she doesn't have to. Plus, she has the advantage at range against him and elects to keep that for as long as possible.

Sasuke takes off after her through the battlefield, his merged curse mark pulsating with every step. Every second he activates the merged curse mark is agony. He is not used to this much chakra and power flowing through him, and his body is not adjusting well to it. He elects to deactivate it for now and only use it for brief instances when necessary. This will make his task of going after Hinata more challenging, though.

She is fast, far faster than Ino, a testament to her grueling physical training at the hands of Neji, Kurenai, and her father. Not to mention her expertise in using the byakugan. She lets loose precise shots at moments when she sees Sasuke making the wrong turn on the battlefield, forcing him back a bit. She jumps from rocky platform to rocky platform, unleashing more arrows as she does so.

Hinata's agility allows her to dodge Sasuke's fireballs with ease. She would often pause to fire a quick shot, aiming for Sasuke's legs to slow him down. The rocky terrain is her ally, giving her ample opportunities to leap and bound ahead. Sasuke struggles to keep up, his footing unsure on the uneven ground.

Sasuke knows he has to be smart if he wants to catch Hinata. He can't let his frustration get the best of him. So, he takes a deep breath and focuses on her movements. She is using the rocky terrain to her advantage, and he needs to do the same. He scans the area, searching for a way to turn the tables. When Hinata moves toward the cliff face of the crater, he makes his move.

He weaves through his hand signs and sends another wave of fireballs. They strike above her, causing the cliff above her to collapse. She curses as she has only one way around this. Moving into close combat with Sasuke.

She collapses her bow and puts it on her back and sprints forward, away from the falling stones and right into Sasuke. Sasuke meets her head-on, his sharingan active. He has never fought against the byakugan, and a part of him feels excitement at the prospect of seeing how superior his dōjutsu is.

Sasuke's eyes lock onto Hinata as she sprints toward him. Hinata's face is set in fierce determination as she closes in on Sasuke. Her byakugan glows white, taking in every detail of her surroundings. Sasuke's sharingan flares in response, his eyes blazing with intensity. The two enemies collide, their movements lightning-fast.

She first makes a precise strike at the chakra point on his right shoulder, but it's deflected. Sasuke launches a quick counterattack with a kick, but Hinata ducks at the last moment. Her byakugan tracks his movement as he lands a swift combo of punches. She blocks each strike with her arms, the whites of her eyes flashing with effort. Sasuke's sharingan burns brighter, fueled by his growing excitement. Hinata bites her lip, her determination never faltering as she continues to deflect his blows.

After a prolonged struggle, she is able to leap away from him, which gives her enough time to gather chakra in her arms. She tries to form them in the shape of lion heads but fails to do so. The trembling in her hand is rearing its ugly head again and prevents her from completing the technique.

Why, of all times now, body, do you need to remind me of that damn genjutsu!?

The aura takes the shape of her hands, rather than that of lion heads. This lesser, diminished form of the legendary twin lion fists would have to suffice. With a fierce determination burning within her, she charges back into the fray, her eyes blazing with a fire that belies her faltering aura.

Sasuke meets her halfway, his eyes flashing with anticipation. He unleashes a flurry of strikes, each one aimed at Hinata's core. She sidesteps and weaves, her byakugan guiding her movements. The aura around her hands glows brighter, taking on a life of its own. Hinata's determination burns hotter, fueling her fight. With a fierce cry, she launches a barrage of punches, each one infused with the power of her lesser twin lion fists.

Sasuke dodges and weaves each of these strikes, his three tomoe spinning like a whirlwind. His eyes narrow as he takes in Hinata's weaker aura. He senses her struggling to maintain the twin lion fists. With a swift kick, he sends her propelling back. Hinata's landing is rough, her hands scraping against the ground. As she scrambles to her feet, Sasuke seizes the opportunity, striking with a powerful kick aimed at her chest.

She catches his kick with both her hands. She can feel her imperfect jutsu draining a little bit of his chakra. The pure hatred of it is overwhelming to Hinata, and she fights back against the chakra before it can take over her.

Seeing her slight hesitation as she grabs his leg, Sasuke strikes Hinata with an enziguri using his other leg, which stuns her and sends her face-first into the ground. He pushes himself up from the ground as another lightning bolt strikes nearby, illuminating the battlefield once more.

He senses something, a flare-up of chakra, and turns his attention toward its source. Naruto is now coming back to reality, his eyes staring holes into Sasuke's. This chakra feels like the one he felt back in the Valley of the End, but not quite the same. No, it's as if Naruto is fighting against the chakra.

Sasuke doesn't know how right he is. Naruto is struggling to maintain control of himself, both in his actions and thoughts against the corrupting influence of the nine-tailed fox.

"No." Naruto's mind echoes with a resolute sound. Within his mental landscape, he stands before the imposing cage that contains the Nine-Tails' immense power and malevolent energy. His eyes, fixed on the dark, inky void within, shine with a light of determination. He can recall the few times he stood before this cage. Each time he fell victim to the Nine-Tails' temptations. Each time he did, he would black out and not remember a thing. Not this time, he vowed. This time, he will resist the allure of its strength, refusing to let it consume him once more.

"Heh, Heh, but why? We had so much fun those other times. Plus, who better to use me against than that damn Uchiha brat!?" A disembodied voice says. It doesn't come from the cage. It comes from in front of it.

The spirit of the nine-tails starts to form. A tiny fraction of its power is all it can manage to get through the cage without its jailer's permission. It can only form its head in an orange-hued cloud, but even its head is several times bigger than Naruto. The young man doesn't flinch at this obvious move of intimidation.

"No." Naruto's response is firm, a single word that hangs in the air like a challenge. But as he speaks, haunting images flood his mind. Burn marks marred Hinata's gentle smile, leaving her skin red and blistered. Pain fills Sakura's bright eyes, her cheeks appearing pale, and deep gashes tear at her delicate skin. The memories send a shiver down his mental spine as he realizes he is capable of inflicting such harm on those he holds dear. What is even more unsettling is that he can't recall the moments that led to their injuries. The thought sends a chill through him, making him wonder what other dark secrets his subconscious might be hiding.

"You are still exhausted from your fight with Orochimaru, and you don't have enough chakra to use that swift release again. Come on, boy, you have already done it before. You know how to let go. It's so easy. Let me take over and take care of our little problem." The fox spirit whispers into Naruto's ear. Naruto feels the anger inside him, urging him to release it again. Last time, the fox didn't even need to persuade Naruto to give in. He complied without hesitation. Now, he is being stubborn and refusing to let it out.

Naruto's voice echoes through the desolate landscape, and he shouts with defiance, "No!" His eyes blaze with determination, a spark of fury igniting within them. The last thing he remembers is the sensation of the cunning nine-tailed fox dragging him into this familiar realm after he looked into Sasuke's eyes. The fox, with an air of desperation, makes repeated pleas to Naruto to relinquish control, but he refuses to budge. He still remembers his friends' suffering. The pain he caused, without realizing it, haunts him. It reminds him of his ability to destroy.

"Why not, boy!" The fox spirit emits a growl that resonates through the air. "You have already given in before. You and I both know you are nothing without me. You would have died already if not for my help. Don't tell me you are afraid after all this time." If the nine-tails had been in its real body, it would be thrashing about in frustration. The best it could do now is narrow its eyes in contempt at its jailer.

"Yes, I am afraid. I let you out last time, and you hurt my friends." He pauses before correcting himself. "No, I hurt them. That's why I won't let you out ever again!" He shouts in defiance of the malevolent being.

"hehehehe." The nine-tails chuckles at the last sentence. "You and I both know you will call upon me again. It's only a matter of time, and believe me, boy, I have nothing but time."

Naruto's frustration with the Nine-Tails' constant meddling finally boils over. He thrusts his hand out, palm facing the giant, cloud-like head of the beast, as though he were pushing it away. "Get lost, you stupid fox!" he growls, his voice laced with anger.

The eyes of the nine-tails look up and grow wide in surprise for a second, causing confusion inside Naruto. The surprised look shifts to a look of pure hatred. "You!" It shouts out. Its hatred changes the realm to become much colder, causing the mental Naruto to shiver at this change. The confusion in Naruto shifts when he sees another hand rise up next to his own.

"Sasuke, how are you here?" Naruto asks in confusion as he puts his hand down and stares at his teammate.

"I see, so this is the source of your power. No wonder you beat me before. I would never have guessed you held such power inside you." Sasuke cocks his head to look at his former teammate. His once neutral expression snarls into one of contempt. "You have all this power, and you refuse to use it. You disgust me." Sasuke utters. He can only imagine what he would do if he possessed the same power locked inside him as Naruto and could release it with ease.

"You can actually see me." The fox growls out. Sasuke shifts his attention towards the nine-tails again and returns his face to its neutral position. His sharingan spinning and blaring at the entity.

"That damned sharingan. How I hate it so much. Nothing brought me more joy than when I heard about your cursed bloodline's demise." The spirit utters in spite. This gets a rise out of Sasuke, but he controls himself for now. He needs information and knows he can't do any real damage to the clouded head.

"I see this is not your first encounter with someone from my clan, nine-tails." Sasuke states. His sharingan continues to lock eyes with the fox spirit.

The nine-tails growls and continues to sense the chakra of Sasuke. "Those damn eyes of yours, and your chakra. They remind me of that damn Madara from long ago." The nine-tails continue to snarl at Sasuke. If there is anyone he hates more than his jailers, it is those damn Uchiha.

Sasuke takes a pause upon hearing that name. He thinks about all the family scrolls he has read up on and every other bit of literature on his clan. Sasuke moves his hand forward and touches the cloud. He pumps chakra into the cloud, and it disappeared.

"Never heard of him."

"hehe." The voice of the spirit returns, but not the cloud. It decides to speak from every direction. "To think, you can already suppress my weakened power." The nine-tails takes a second to think before coming to a decision. "It takes a while for me to reform, and I like my chances with my current brat. So, I'll give you some advice, Uchiha. Don't kill Naruto. You will regret it."

Sasuke says nothing to this. Naruto doesn't see it. He is too busy looking around the mindscape, trying to figure out where the voice is coming from. He misses the smallest smirk starting to form on the corners of Sasuke's mouth. It vanishes in an instant, and he turns to face Naruto.

"You will use the nine-tails power against me." He demands. This gets Naruto's attention, and he stops looking around and faces his teammate.

"I won't, Sasuke. I never want to use that power again." Naruto proclaims.

"If you won't, then you are of no use to me." Sasuke strides forward and now stands shoulder to shoulder with his former teammate. "I'll give you a bit of advice, as the fox gave to me. If you stand in my way of Itachi, I will not hesitate to end you or anyone else."

Naruto turns his head to look at the side of Sasuke. His face isn't one of anger or sadness. It has an unusual sense of happiness. "And you know this, buddy. Sakura and I will do anything to bring you back home for good this time."

Sasuke gave a simple snort in response to this. As soon as both had arrived in the mindscape, they found themselves back in the real world.

The terrain is as they left it. Broken rock and dust litter the area. The smell of ozone permeates the air. The sky is black, and rolling thunder is no longer in the distance but right on top of the proceedings.

Sasuke sees that Naruto is still exhausted and is rising from the ground with difficulty. He then surveys the battleground further. Yamato is no longer paralyzed. The blade has exhausted the lightning chakra. Sasuke dashes toward the wood style user and pulls the katana from Yamato's shoulder, eliciting a gasp from the man.

Now free from the katana, Yamato attempts to capture the rogue-nin and forms a hand sign, and a wooden dome starts to form around the two. Before the dome completes its closure, Sasuke leaps out and lands on the upper lip of the crater. Yamato curses at his foiled attempt but is too injured to follow Sasuke.

The sharingan user's gaze now wanders the debris-strewn field, searching for the three kunoichi. Sakura is standing up but clutching her head and a little wobbly on her feet, showing signs of a concussion. Ino is now standing by where she landed. The imprint of her body on the wall still visible to all. Hinata is face down on the ground, still knocked out from the kick to the back of her head.

He finishes his survey and feels disappointed. Even with him still getting used to the changes to his curse mark, he still beat the five of them. It feels tainted. They all have visible battle scars from fighting Kabuto and Orochimaru earlier, and Naruto refuses to go to his full strength against him despite his fatigue.

Pathetic.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cries out, taking a step forward. "You need to know! Orochimaru is going to take over your body if you don't leave him soon!" He shouts. A desperate last plea to get Sasuke to come with them back home.

His plea falls on deaf ears.

"If it happens, it happens. As long as Itachi dies. That is all that matters to me." Sasuke declares with authority. He still has uses for Orochimaru, and so he can't be rid of him yet. The sannin still needs to help him acclimate to this new power Sasuke possesses.

"You can't mean that, Sasuke." Sakura yells out, still clutching at her head.

Sasuke's piercing gaze locks onto Sakura, his eyes screaming determination. "I do." He declares, his voice firm and unyielding. His resolve is as solid as stone, unshakable and unbreakable. He has etched the path he chose in his mind. He has invested too much and sacrificed too much to consider turning back. Still, he feels it is not enough.

He then turns his attention to the group in general, who has now gathered near each other.

Sasuke closes his eyes in quiet contemplation. "Despite my new power, I still don't believe I'm ready to fight Itachi. Even with Orochimaru, it's still not enough. If by giving myself to him I can kill Itachi." Sasuke opens his eyes, and his sharingan spins in a chaotic manner. "I would do it one thousand times over." A lightning bolt strikes behind him.

The group stands in stunned silence, the weight of Sasuke's words hanging in the air. For the original team seven members, the declaration cuts particularly deep. They can't help but feel a pang of regret, realizing they had underestimated the intensity of Sasuke's desire for revenge. Naruto's eyes widen in dismay as his mind races back to the countless times he had brushed off Sasuke's obsession as mere anger. Sakura's face falls, her cheeks flushing with shame as she recalls the instances she had downplayed Sasuke's threats. They feel deep guilt. It creates a significant burden in their stomachs. They wonder how they missed the depth of Sasuke's hatred.

"You of Konoha. I will give you a taste of my new power. So you can tell your precious Hokage not to come after me anymore." His merged curse mark flares up, covering his entire upper body and down his left leg. The sky above them starts to split apart. Electricity jumps between the clouds in massive numbers. The thunder is now reaching a fever pitch. It's as if the clouds can't bear the tension any longer, and they need to release it somehow.

When the lightning and thunder above reach a crescendo, Sasuke weaves through his hand signs and reaches up toward the sky. The lightning starts gathering up above, as if someone is controlling it. Before Sasuke can complete the jutsu, someone grabs his hand.

Sasuke leers at the holder of the hand that is stopping him. "What are you doing, Orochimaru?" He sneers at the sannin as his curse mark retreats back to its original size. The sudden appearance of Orochimaru takes the group aback. He appeared out of thin air, with none of them even sensing his presence.

"Dear Sasuke, you and I both know you still don't have full control over that jutsu. You might kill them by mistake." Orochimaru says, trying to reason with his young protégé.

From behind Sasuke, Kabuto also appears. In his hands are various papers from his previous work. He is rushing to gather his things and is currently disorganized. "You need to listen to Lord Orochimaru. We don't want them to die down there. They have Akatsuki to hunt for us."

Sasuke scoffs at this pitiful excuse. "And why should I care about the Akatsuki?" He now leers at the new arrival.

Kabuto gives a small smile before replying. "Because the Akatsuki will protect Itachi if you go after him now. If those fools down there eliminate more members, it will be easier for you to get your revenge."

Sasuke thinks about it for a few seconds. He hesitates before lowering his arm. The skies above calm down for the moment. "Fine." He utters the words with reluctance.

"Good boy." Orochimaru says, pleased with the proceedings. He then prepares his jutsu to leave the area.

Sasuke's eyes lock onto the group, his gaze lingering on Naruto's determined face. For a fleeting moment, the two former friends engage in a silent, piercing stare. Naruto's expression is a window to his grief, a mix of sorrow and longing that he can't shake off. Meanwhile, Sasuke's face hardens, his sharingan blazing with contempt and anger. The air is heavy with unspoken words, the tension between them palpable. With one last, meaningful glance, Sasuke turns away, and he and his companions dissolve into mist, leaving Naruto and the others behind.

The heavens can no longer take it. The tension in the air is too much. The rain can no longer hold back. The skies split apart and unleash a torrent of rain.

"Damnit!" Naruto falls to his knees and slams his fists on the ground. All of the shinobi mirror Naruto's words in their thoughts. Naruto continues to pound the ground in frustration.

Hinata, by this point, had awoken and is standing up. Her head throbbed with a nasty headache. She looked around and saw no sign of Sasuke. The only things that concerned her were Naruto hitting the ground in frustration and the trembling in her hands. She took a step forward but paused. Sakura beat her to his side and is now talking to him.

She wanted to be by his side so much to comfort him after the fight with Sasuke. She knew, though, that in this case, Sakura would be of much better help to him. What had transpired moments ago was personal to the team seven members. She had no right to intrude unless asked and so, with a heavy heart, she stayed her feet from walking towards them.

Instead, she pivoted and walked toward Ino.

"Hey, Ino, I have a favor to ask of you." The memories of the genjutsu were not going away, and now they were affecting her on missions. If she had dealt with this earlier, she knew she could have beaten Sasuke. Or, at the very least, bought time for the rest of her team to come together.

She couldn't deny the truth, no matter how hard she tried. Ever since Naruto's return, her world had revolved around him. She felt an overwhelming urge to be by his side, to support him, and to ensure his safety. If she were being honest with herself, she had neglected her own well-being in the process. She had put her own needs on the back burner, ignoring the signs of exhaustion and the whispers of self-doubt that echoed in her mind. If she had reached out for help sooner, then on the journey here she could have started the healing process. Now is the time to correct that.

"What do you need, Hinata?" Ino asks as she arches her brow.

"I'm having issues... up here." Hinata taps her head. Ino gives a nod in understanding of what Hinata actually means.

"On the way back to Konohagakure, could we get together at night? I've been trying to deal with it on my own, but it's not working. If there is anyone I trust with my head, it's you." Hinata admits to her friend.

"Of course, Hinata! You can reach out to me any time and I'll help you out."

Meanwhile, while Hinata is asking Ino for help, a different conversation is playing out.

I failed again! I lost Gaara. Now I might lose Sasuke as well! I failed them both!

He begins to crumple in on himself, his stomach churning with a sickening sense of dread, as if a fist had slammed into his gut. The crushing possibility that he might lose his friend Sasuke, like he had lost Gaara, is too much for him. The weight of this fear is suffocating, making it hard to breathe. His tears, hot and anguished, mingle with the cool raindrops falling around him.

Why do I keep messing things up? Why is it that every time I think I'm moving forward, I slide back? I hate it. I hate it!

Sakura now stands next to him, her mind finally starting to clear. "Naruto, I know what you are thinking. You didn't fail Sasuke." She delivers her message with a stern tone. She balls her fists by her sides, her emotions starting to slip through.

"Easy for you to say, Sakura. You aren't the reason he left!" Naruto says, still clutching his stomach.

"You are not the reason he left. This was a long time coming, and I should have seen it sooner. If anyone should be blamed for this, it's me." Her voice does not waver a bit. "I saw him for years. I spent far more time with him than you. I went on missions around the village with him. I should have seen the signs." Her body starts to shiver.

Naruto stops clutching his stomach and looks up at his teammate. Despite the rain falling on her face, there is no denying that she's sobbing right now. Her eyes remain forward, not wanting to look Naruto in the eye. "No, Sakura, it's not your fault. If there had been signs, you would have seen them. Sasuke hid it not only from you but from everyone. There is no way you could have missed something." He now closes his eyes and puts on a toothy grin.

If there is one thing Naruto hates, it is seeing his friends cry. He is determined to cheer Sakura up in the way that only he knows, even if it means he has to take a hit from her. "Don't cry now, Sakura. It doesn't suit your face at all. Pervy Sage always told me a girl should only cry when she's happy." He then braces for the inevitable clobbering he is about to receive.

For a while, nothing happens. You can hear the pitter-patter of rain and rolling thunder. Naruto can feel himself starting to sweat. His teammate has stopped crying at least, which is good. That only means he's about to experience pain, and so he continues to brace himself for her. She now moves forward to stand in front of Naruto.

Well, here it comes. At least she feels better now. I hate to see her cry like that.

"You idiot." She has said these words so many times before that Naruto thought he had heard every variation of the phrase. He is wrong. This time, she says the words in a friendly manner. Dare he say, a sweet manner. Shocked by this, he opens his eyes and looks at his teammate.

She's looking down at him, smiling at him, and tears resume running down her face. They are no longer tears of sadness, though, but of happiness. "You always know what to say, don't you? How about this? We both stop blaming ourselves for what Sasuke has chosen to do. Instead of that, we both work to bring him back together this time." She proposes as she reaches out her hand to him on the ground.

Naruto can't believe what he's seeing and hearing. Sakura isn't hitting him or berating him. No, she is being sincere in her gratitude toward him. He feels a bit of guilt for thinking the worst of Sakura.

She really has changed. This isn't the Sakura I once knew, but a much better version!

Naruto's shocked expression transforms into one of determination in an instant. His pendant is now a deep shade of red as reaches out his hand, grasps Sakura's, and pulls himself up, vowing to himself to see her in a new light going forward. "Together, this time."

Author Notes

Chapter Title is from Garth Brooks.

And with this, the Tenchi Bridge arc is complete. This was in my outline only meant to be a single chapter, but I had to include the bit with Jiraiya and Kakashi. I had originally had another scene with another cliff hanger in mind but I'm moving it back. I just loved that last line from Naruto so much that I kept it in.

And before some of you think that what Jiraiya and Kakashi are talking about is just ultra instinct, well you are half right. By that I mean the technique version, NOT the transformation version. Naruto wont be getting extra powers or more chakra/control from having his body fight on its own. Think of it more like how roshi used it, as a technique

I was not expecting it to take this long but I'm still happy with how it turned out. This arc I felt more like it was the characters writing it for me than me writing for them.

With that being the case, I'm definitely going to be writing 3 chapters of downtime. There is ALOT I want to cover before we get to the Akatsuki suppression arc. Mainly with our Kunoichi.

I really dont like how in shippuden, both Hinata and Sakura (and Ino) seemed to be only driven by the boys they loved. They didn't feel real. The felt more like they were wish fulfillment characters. With Sakura "fixing" her man and a quiet shy big breasted woman that always supported her man from afar for Naruto. I plan on having all three do something NOT directly because of the man they like/love.

I do have to say, it feels SO GOOD to finally have Naruto forgive Sakura and have them both move on. That doesn't mean the hurt/comfort aspect is going away, oh no my dear readers. We all know what's coming up.

Oh and at this point there will be no more Sakura bashing nor hints that she might still have the same feeling for Sasuke. She just declared to the world shes moved on and I'm so happy for her. Till next time Yall and remember, dont feed the troll

Chapter 22: Crazy Train

Team Yamato, Hokage Office, 10:34 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"And that is all that happened, Ma'am." Yamato finishes his oral report to Tsunade at attention. At his sides are his subordinates for the mission. All five of them are at attention while Yamato finishes his report.

Yamato recounted everything he could recount about the mission. The other four filled in on places where he had gaps in knowledge. There was only one bit of information he left out, but he would make sure to let her know later when his shinobi were gone.

Tsunade sits at her desk. Her head is being held up by her hands under her chin. To her side stands her assistant and apprentice, Shizune. The two of them remained silent as Yamato gave his report on the Tenchi Bridge mission. Although the mission wasn't a complete success, Tsunade was still satisfied with the results.

"I see." She can feel the tension coming from the four young shinobi. Behind their hardened faces, she can see the nervousness in their eyes, especially from Hinata, Sakura, and Naruto. This is the second consecutive mission that the three have not completed all its parameters.

Tsunade wasn't holding either mission against the three. If it was due to their own actions that either mission wasn't a complete mission, then she would reprimand them. As it was, they had done everything in their power to see the mission be a success. Sometimes that's not enough.

That's not weakness. That's life.

"Is there anything else you want to add to the report?" She asks the group.

Sakura hesitates for a moment before raising her hand. "Hai, Sakura?" Tsunade turns her attention toward her young student.

"I know that you have declared Sasuke a missing-nin. Can we arrange to bring him in alive?" No one had a reason to dwell on Sasuke's declaration as a missing-nin. What he did to Anko on top of defecting twice had done away with any chance for leniency. Even if it was unlikely that anyone other than the Sannin or the Akatsuki could kill Sasuke, she still didn't want a dead-or-alive bounty on her teammate.

Tsunade purses her lips in thought at this request. A capture-only order in a bingo book entry is unusual, yet it happens on rare occasions. Capture occurs only when the shinobi in question possesses valuable information.

"I would say no." Sakura's heart sinks a little on hearing that news. She is about to speak in protest before Tsunade puts her hand up, silencing the young kunoichi. "If this were another shinobi, that is. Considering he is your teammate, and you know him best. I'm willing to change the order. Know this, though. I will change it back if he's too far gone." Tsunade declares.

Balancing her duties as the Hokage and wanting to help her students has always been difficult for her. She prays they never come into conflict. If she had to choose between her students or the village, she didn't know what she would do. Memories of her love, Dan, and brother Nawaki flash in her mind in rapid succession. She shrugs the images off and focuses again on Sakura.

Sakura sighed in relief. "Thank you, my Lady."

"You're welcome. Now then, since you didn't receive any time off after your previous mission. You will all be on standby until I call you back in. Use this time to train but also to rest. You all have earned it." Tsunade gazes across the young shinobi with a look telling them how serious she was about getting rest. They would be no good to Tsunade if they didn't take at least a day or two off to reset themselves.

"If there isn't anything else pressing, you all may leave." Tsunade said.

"Granny, don't you worry. We will bring the bastard back and make sure he stays home this time!" Naruto boasts.

The temperature in the room dropped. All but one felt a chill start crawling up his or her spine.

"Yamato, please escort your shinobi out before I teach one of them proper manners." Tsunade says in a tone that spoke of the danger of the current situation.

Yamato feels a sweat drop form on the back of his head. "Hai, Lady Hokage." He then makes a swift gesture to signal his group to leave the dangerous situation. After they are out of danger, Tsunade pulls out her sake cup and pours herself a drink. Shizune is about to speak up when Tsunade interrupts her.

"I don't want to hear about my drinking right now. I've got too much on my mind, and I need this. So please, let me have this." She says to her student/assistant. Shizune holds her tongue for now. Tsunade takes a long sip, her eyes fixed on the liquid. The silence in the room is palpable. Shizune's eyes dart between Tsunade and the door, unsure of what to do.

"At the very least, one of Orochimaru's hideouts is gone." Tsunade puts down her cup and stands up. She moves toward the open window and looks out over Konohagakure.

Shizune gives a sigh of defeat and walks up next to her master. "That's not the only thing bothering you." Shizune has been with her master for years. She knows when something is bothering Tsunade, and right now is one of those times.

"It's Asuma and his group. We haven't heard from him in a while, and none of the other teams have reported anything on his team's whereabouts either." She puts her arms behind her back. "The longer we don't hear from them, the more I worry, and the more I want to send Naruto and them to find out what's going on." Tsunade admits.

"How long will you give Asuma before you send team Kakashi after them?"

Tsunade pauses for a moment, takes a deep breath of the morning air, and answers. "A week."

Shizune ponders this before replying. "That's reasonable, I suppose. I'm starting to worry about them myself."

Neither says anything for another minute. Both of their minds are racing with thoughts of not just Asuma and his team, but also of what Yamato said to them.

"Do you think Naruto will be able to control himself? If only using four tails' worth of chakra did that to him, I shudder at what more can do." Shizune is asking the question that hung heavy between the two. The tension in the room magnified when Yamato had told them about Naruto losing control and what he did while under the nine-tails' influence. It had not been on Tsunade's mind when she had Ino join Yamato and company that she could help control the nine-tails. Now that she knew Ino could help bring Naruto under control, she was going to make her a permanent fixture on his missions. At least until he got full control of the nine-tails' chakra.

Tsunade gives a small chuckle and looks over her shoulder at her assistant. "Between that boy's stubbornness, Yamato's wood release, and Ino, I have little concern about another episode flaring up." She then returns her head to look over the village that she guards.

While this conversation is going on, Yamato bids his four young shinobi farewell and heads off to get started on the written part of his report. The four shinobi are now leaving the Hokage office and are on the streets.

"Damn that Sasuke, he never made things easy for us." Sakura says as she puts on her angry face and raises her fist in front of her face.

"No, he never did. I do want to bring him back, but I'm glad you all finally see just how far up his own ass he is." Naruto is looking up at the sky with his hands behind his head. He has a half-scowl on his face when thinking about all the shit he put team Seven through in the past.

His face softens a bit upon remembering Sasuke saving his life during their first mission and also during the chūnin exams. It was moments like that which made Naruto know there was good in Sasuke. If only it didn't have to lie buried under a mountain of vengeance.

"And what was that about him saying he always hated my forehead? That bastard said he liked my forehead right when we got paired up." Sasuke also said he wanted to kiss it, but Sakura was not going to let that particular detail come to the surface.

Naruto's face faltered when she said that. Oh crap, I was hoping she had forgotten about that. Okay, Naruto, think fast. Don't let her get any idea that it was you who said that.

"He probably said it just to get you to drop your guard. We remember how sensitive you are about it." Naruto's face regains its previous state as he continues talking to the sky.

Sakura takes a second to think of all the possibilities before coming to a conclusion. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Safe!

He then feels someone tugging at his shirt. He brings his arms down and looks over his shoulder. Hinata is grasping at his shirt to get his attention, a smile on her face that could have melted even Sasuke's heart.

"Naruto. Ummm, would you like to hang out with me again tomorrow?" She is still too shy to call it a date yet. Especially with her friends here as well. She can already feel her cheeks warm from them looking at her now.

Naruto replies with a sheepish grin. "Of course, Hinata! I had a blast last time!"

"Ohhh!" Hinata flinches when she hears this teasing voice of Ino. Memories of the hot springs come rushing back to her. "Another date, I see." Ino continues with her teasing of Hinata. She is wiggling her brows in a way that would make a certain taijutsu expert proud.

"N-No you are wrong, Ino! It's not a date!" I wish it were, though. Why is this so hard?

"Uh huh. Sure, Hinata. Keep telling yourself that, love." Now Hinata is beet red, which causes Ino to laugh even more. As she opens her eyes, she catches Naruto looking away and the last traces of a blush on his face before they went away.

"Well, if it were a 'date'." She puts in air quotes. "Might I suggest going to that new tea shop that opened up? It's run by a middle-aged man and his nephew. I've heard nothing but good things about it." Ino has stopped her teasing and is now being sincere in her advice.

ahem. "If I ever go on a date with someone, I'll keep your suggestion under advisement." Hinata says in a regal tone. Her childhood training is rearing its head again.

Ino gives a mock bow. "Very well, my princess." Hinata's shoulders droop in defeat as Ino's teasing words pierce her like a sharp dagger. It is a familiar feeling, one she has grown accustomed to over the years, yet it still manages to sting.

Just then, she hears the sound of Sakura's gentle chuckle and Naruto's booming laughter, their carefree joy a stark contrast to her own misery. Naruto's laugh, in particular, is like a ray of sunshine, spreading warmth and happiness wherever it goes. As she listens to it, Hinata feels her own laughter begin to bubble up, despite her best efforts to suppress it. His laugh is infectious, one that she is helpless against. Before she knows it, she is giggling along with the others, her earlier sadness forgotten in the face of Naruto's infectious joy.

Once the laughter dies down, Ino starts to frown a little bit. She is currently at war with herself. She had hoped that Naruto would reach out to her about what she saw in his mindscape. It seemed he wasn't lying when he said he didn't remember anything.

That made her upcoming decision more difficult. If she had not seen Naruto's memories, she would have had no problem keeping her mouth shut. After seeing his memories and how alone he was, there was no way she could continue to sit on the information for much longer.

"Hey girls, do you mind if I borrow Goldie here for a bit? There's something private I want to talk to him about." Ino says with hesitation. All three of them look at her with puzzled expressions.

"Everything alright, Ino?" Naruto asks.

Ino can feel all of them staring at her. She can feel herself starting to feel self-conscious under their stares. She usually enjoys such attention. Now, she wishes she could be smaller.

"Hai, everything is fine." She replies. All three stared at her for a few seconds before nodding their heads.

"You two go on ahead. I'll catch up with you later. Oh, and Hinata." He pauses to make sure she's paying attention. "I'll come by at the same time as last time, deal?"

Hinata's mood changes again. This time to utter happiness. "Hai! That sounds good!" She covers her mouth after her excited response. The rest of the group gives a good chuckle at her expense. Hinata didn't mind though. She felt too good to feel anything else.

Hinata and Sakura bid farewell to the two blondes and head away together. "Thanks, Goldie, let's head to my parents' flower shop. It's past rush hour, so we should be good to talk there."

"Lead the way, Ino." Ino then starts to lead the duo back to her parents' flower shop.

As she wanders through the quaint streets, her gaze drifts past the bustling shops and cozy houses. Her mind remains stuck on the memories she saw in Naruto's mind. She can't help but notice she is retracing a lot of the same footsteps as Naruto had when he was younger. This eerie coincidence brings a pang of melancholy to her heart. The smell of freshly brewed tea wafts from the corner café, blending with the faint scent that stirs memories of lingering sorrow. Heightening her emotional response to the déjà vu-like experience. Once they get to her parents' shop, she opens the door and announces her return.

"Ino, honey, you're back!" Her mom squeals in delight as she rushes from behind the counter and catches her daughter in a soul-binding hug.

"Mom, Air!" Ino coughs out. Beatrice blinks a few times before understanding dawns on her. She releases her daughter, and Ino takes in a big gulp of air. "Sorry, sweetie. I just missed you so much!"

She then notices Naruto standing behind her daughter. He has gotten used to her shows of affection by now and takes in the proceedings without much thought. "Oh, sorry about that, Naruto. Ino told me you finally came back. Why didn't you come see me? I'm hurt." She mock cries.

Ino rolls her eyes at this display. Now she knows without a shadow of a doubt where she got her love of teasing from. Naruto rubs the back of his head and tells her. "Sorry about that, Mrs. Yamanaka. I tried to come by when you were here, but you were always busy."

"Come now, Naruto. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Beatrice before you do it?" she jokes.

"The same number of times I need to tell Ino to call me Naruto."

"Nope, it will never happen." Ino beams with pride. Beatrice gives a small laugh at her daughter.

"Hey mom, do you mind if we use one of the back rooms for a bit?" Ino questions her mother.

Beatrice isn't done having fun at her daughter's expense. "Ino Yamanaka, I thought I raised you better than that. You are still too young to be having private time with a boy, no matter how cute he may be." Teasing both my daughter and Naruto. How can I resist!

"Mother." Ino's tone gets Beatrice to stop her teasing. She opens her eyes and sees that Ino is serious. Beatrice knows when to let her daughter have the space she needs, and she nods her head toward the back rooms.

"Pick any room you need, dear. I'll stay out here until you are done." She then steps to the side to allow Ino and Naruto access to the back.

"Thank you." Ino then leads them to the back, with Naruto following in tow. She picks the furthest room in the back and enters, gesturing for Naruto to close the door as he enters.

"Ok, Ino. What's this about?' Naruto says, folding his arms in front of him. He is a little annoyed that he had to walk all this way and Ino has not been forthcoming with any details. Her looking at the ground isn't helping matters either.

"Naruto." This causes him to arch his eyebrow. "I saw your dad."

"..."

"..."

Ino's words hang in the air, their significance weighing heavily on Naruto's shoulders. She knows that mere statement alone would be a lot for him to digest, like trying to swallow a large pill without water. When his silence persists, Ino lifts her gaze with care. Her eyes lock onto his, and she brushes her bangs from her face.

His arms, once crossed in a defiant manner due to annoyance, now hang limp at his sides, as if the weight of his own shock had pulled them down. His face is a picture of bewilderment, with creased eyebrows and a slack jaw. His mouth moves without sound, opening and closing like a fish gasping for air, eager to find the right words to respond. His eyes, wide as saucers, lock onto hers, pleading with her to retract the statement, to tell him it was all a cruel and twisted joke. The whites of his eyes shine like tiny lanterns in the dark, illuminating the desperation that grips his every fiber. He seems to scream with his entire being, and he finds something to say with his mouth.

He utters a desperate plea. "This can't be true, can it?" His eyes are wide with disbelief. He takes a tentative step forward, his gaze fixed on Ino's face. He needs to reassure himself that this isn't some wild fantasy, so he reaches up and pinches himself. The same spot Ino had pinched before his battle with Orochimaru. As he winces in pain, he looks around and finds nothing has changed. This is real.

"When I went into your head to get you out. Your dad showed up, thanking all of us."

I'm sorry, Mr. Uzumaki, but after seeing your son's memories, I have to tell him about you.

Naruto's voice trembles as he asks. "W-What was he like?" His emotions are like a stormy sea, threatening to overflow and sweep him away. He has lived his entire life in the dark, never knowing the faces or stories of his parents. But now, standing before him like a beacon of hope, is his friend Ino, who has seen his father. He prays she will tell him more about him.

"He looked a lot like you. Probably eight to ten years older than you. Same deep blue eyes and spiky blonde hair. Maybe his was spikier, though. He did have bangs coming down and didn't have your whiskers."

Ino hesitates before she says the next part. "There is something else about him, but I don't know how to say it without getting embarrassed." Ino admittees.

Naruto's eyes lock onto Ino, urging her to continue. He senses she is holding back, and his curiosity is torture. "What is it, Ino? Please tell me." He asks in a voice that is almost a whisper. Ino glances around, her heart racing, before focusing on Naruto again.

She takes a deep breath and exhales in a measured manner. "I felt... warm, safe with him. Like no matter what happened, everything would be all right. It reminded me of my own father." She feels her cheeks grow warm as she speaks.

Naruto's face lights up with a warm smile as he takes another step forward, his arms open wide. He wraps Ino in a tight, comforting hug, feeling a rush of emotions overwhelm him. The water in his eyes, which has been building up for so long, finally gives way, and tears begin to stream down his face. But unlike the sorrowful sobs he has cried in the past, these tears are different. They are tears of pure joy, relief, and of gratitude.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to know anything about my parents."

Believe me, Goldie, I know.

"Ino, you have no idea just how much this means to me!"

Oh, I do, Goldie.

"I can finally put a picture to my dad's face now! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He grips her a smidge more now. Ino doesn't mind as she returns his embrace in kind.

"Don't mention it, Goldie. I can only imagine what it's like not knowing anything about your parents." Seeing, hearing, and feeling his heartfelt gratitude let Ino know she made the right choice. Even though Naruto's dad told her to keep him quiet, there was no way she could. Not after what she saw. She knew he would understand wherever he was.

Naruto finishes the embrace and takes a step back. "So, is there anything else you saw there? I know you said you fought something in my mind, but that's all you said to Granny Tsunade. I still feel weird that you were inside my head, let alone a fight in there as well." Naruto rubs his temple, his mind going into overdrive thinking about how what transpired was possible.

"It is weird to think about, but don't worry about it. I didn't see anything weird in that head of yours, Goldie." Ino asserts.

"That doesn't answer my question, though." Naruto reiterates.

Ino's fingers drum a gentle rhythm on her cheek as she cups her chin. She feels torn as she weighs the pros and cons of revealing the truth about his memories. The silence stretches out, punctuated only by the soft hum of the surrounding environment. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, she makes up her mind. She wouldn't tell him, not yet. For now, it is better to let him carry on with a heart full of joy and a mind at peace.

"I did, but it's nothing earth-shattering like your father. It was some memories you had. Don't worry. I'll tell you about them later." She says with a smile.

Naruto continues to look at her for a second before responding. "I'll hold you to that, Ino."

"Thanks, Goldie." Before she can take another step, she thinks back to the shop. "Hey, do you think you can stay and help me and my mom get the shop back in order? We've been gone for a while, and it looks like she could use the help." She bats her eyes at him. She knows he couldn't resist this look of hers. She had found out long ago what buttons to push in boys to get what she wanted. Naruto is no exception to this.

Naruto takes one look at her and caves. He grumbles to himself about how life could be so unfair to him, which gets a laugh out of Ino. Beatrice feels relieved when she sees them walk back into the shop in good spirits. The place is a mess. There are items all over the floor, and some shelves are even knocked over. Naruto gets to work right away, lifting heavy boxes and sorting through the clutter. Ino and her mom join in, and together they make quick progress.

As they work, Beatrice continues to tease the pair, which serves to make them want to work faster. As Beatrice watches the pair work together, part of her can't help but wonder about the pair. Especially what her daughter thinks of the boy. She has her suspicions but nothing concrete. Even her teasing fails to get anything more than a few blushes from either of them.

Oh well, I'll just have to try harder next time! Oh, I know! Baby pictures never fail!

XxX

With Hinata and Sakura, Hokage Office, 11:03 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

Hinata and Sakura continue walking for a bit after they bid farewell to Naruto and Ino. The pair falls into an awkward silence for a few minutes as they walk. This is the first time the two had been alone together since the incident. Neither knew how to navigate these uncharted waters.

Sakura tries to open her mouth, trying to bring forth conversation topics, but she fails. She replays the journey back home from the mission. It seems Hinata is trying her level best to avoid Sakura. The pink-haired girl suspects it is partly due to her not lying to Naruto about his rampage.

Hinata is doing her best to protect Naruto after Sakura's colossal fuck-up. Sakura also isn't blind to Hinata's attraction to Naruto. It is obvious to everyone but the blonde knucklehead since the exams. She notices that Hinata is starting to get bolder in her moves. Staying as close to Naruto as she could. Reaching out to him for his thoughts. She doesn't know what it would take for Naruto to not notice her feelings outside of her straight-up admitting she liked him.

"Hinata, I'm sorry for not lying with you on the bridge." She finally says it. Did she feel bad for what she did? Absolutely. Would she do it again? Absolutely.

Hinata stops walking, causing Sakura to almost hit her. "Sakura, I'll be honest with you. I don't like you right now." Sakura flinches a little. She knows Hinata well enough. She has to have a strong dislike for someone to admit something like this.

"Naruto may have forgiven you, but I haven't." Hinata admits, the cold hard truth. She had started to warm up to Sakura after seeing her heal Naruto. All that goodwill is gone now. She doesn't know why she feels more hatred than before, but it is there. It is starting to scare her.

After a pause, Hinata takes a step forward.

"I should be honest with you as well. It wasn't your forgiveness I was looking for." Hinata stops moving forward and whips around. Gazing upon Sakura, Hinata takes pause. The girls' features are not of malice. Sakura stated a fact without any embellishment, and that was that. Hinata narrows her eyes a bit before softening.

"I suppose that is true. If he wants to forgive you, I have no say in that matter. Like he has no say in whether I forgive you or not." She states. Like Sakura, she speaks without malice, even though she feels deep down the emotions creeping up.

Despite both of their efforts, the tension grows between them. The air grew heavy with the silence that hung in the air.

"Hinata, I know you will never forget what I did. He won't either. But I hope we can become friends one day, and that you do forgive me. If you don't, I'll be hurt, but I can accept it. At the very least, I want us to be friendly with each other. Kami knows Naruto hates it when his friends don't like each other."

Hinata shifts her weight on her feet, lost in thought. She weighs the pros and cons of Sakura's proposal, which suggests they maintain a cordial relationship for the time being. This middle ground will undoubtedly bring a smile to Naruto's face, and Hinata can't deny the appeal of that. It will also give her a real reason to keep Sakura close. This way, she can watch Sakura's actions and keep Naruto safe. As she deliberates, the image of Naruto's enthusiastic grin floats before her eyes, tempting her to accept Sakura's offer.

"That sounds... Agreeable."

Sakura relaxes her shoulders, releasing the pent-up tension that had been building inside her. As she exhales the breath she has been holding, a sense of lightness and freedom fills her chest. Her hand instinctively rises to her chest, as if to calm the rapid beating of her heart. The pulse that had been racing like a wild animal begins to slow, its rhythmic thud echoing through her body. It is as if Hinata's words had unshackled her from the weight of her doubts, leaving her with only a few lingering concerns that still remain.

After she calms down, she feels her stomach rumble. "I know this may be too soon, but do you want to grab a bite to eat? I'm starving." She moves her hand from her heart to her stomach, rubbing it to soothe it.

Hinata is about to say she isn't hungry when her stomach betrays her and growls. "I guess I can eat. What do you have in mind?"

Sakura rests her hand on her chin, contemplating the nearby places. "I know of a good dumpling shop nearby. Let's go there." Hinata gives a nod of approval and follows Sakura as she leads the way.

They arrive at the dumpling restaurant that has opened its doors during Naruto's prolonged absence. The aroma of steaming dumplings wafts through the air, teasing their senses and building their anticipation. As they enter, the cozy atmosphere envelops them, with the soft glow of lanterns and the gentle hum of conversation. One day, Sakura could even convince her ramen-obsessed teammate to join her.

"You really want to have that rematch badly, don't you?" Sakura hears a voice to the side. It is a voice Sakura is quite familiar with. After all, Sunagakure's unofficial number one ambassador to Konohagakure is hard to mistake.

"Temari, what are you doing here?" Sakura walks over to her table. The sight of another person sitting with her surprises her. "Tenten, you're here too?"

Tenten puts her cup of tea down and looks up to Sakura. "Hmm, let's see. Brown hair in buns, fair skin, loaded up with weapons. I do think I'm Tenten." She finishes teasing Sakura, who experiences a faint blush of chagrin. Hinata then stands next to Sakura after taking a look around the place.

"Did you two come back from a mission? I don't recall ever seeing you two together before." Tenten points out as she gestures for the two of them to sit down.

"Yes, we just got back about an hour ago." Hinata answers as she takes her seat.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you, Temari, but why are you here? I thought Sunagakure's diplomatic mission wasn't due to arrive for another two weeks." Sakura remarks as she too takes a seat.

"It has to do with the Akatsuki. Sunagakure sent me to join you guys to help defeat them. They struck us first, and we want a hand in any way to defeat them. There's not much more to say than that." She speaks this in a whisper, but the fire in her tone tells volumes.

Temari's face twists in determination as she speaks. Her usually calm demeanor now holds an edge to it. "What I can say, though, is that I'll be here for a while, until we complete our mission and eliminate those bastards." Hinata and Sakura exchange knowing glances, aware of what the Akatsuki took from her. They welcome her presence without hesitation, even though they feel shocked to see her. After all, if there is anyone besides Naruto who wants to see the Akatsuki brought to justice, it was Temari.

The fire on Temari's face appears in an instant and then diminishes. Her face is now calm. She took another drink of her tea. "I saw Tenten while I was walking through the streets. My usual escort seems to be missing right now, and I was asking Tenten if she would like to be my escort for the time being."

"And I agreed, on one condition. I want a rematch." Tenten says with the flame of youth in her eyes.

"Fine, fine." Temari waves her hand in front of her. "I'll give you your rematch. I can assure you, though, the outcome will be the same as last time. You are not the only one to improve." Temari extends her hand. Tenten grabs Temari's hand and shakes. "Deal."

"Temari, I too have a favor to ask." Sakura says. This got Temari curious, and she raised her brow.

"I was wondering if you could teach me some wind techniques. The only natural wind release user in the village is Asuma, and he's out on missions constantly. I would be grateful if you could help me a little." She bowed her head.

"I humbly request the same thing Temari." Hinata also bowed her head.

Temari's eyes widen a bit at hearing these requests. She starts pondering a bit. She knew both of them already guessed she was here to deal with the Akatsuki. Temari was still in the dark about what mission they had come back from now. They must have fought some type of lightning jutsu, and it spooked them.

Man, what a drag.

Temari grabs at her temple. "Ah, fine, I'll ALSO help you two. You two owe me though." She says half grumbling, half amused. Both women lift their heads with smiles on their faces. Temari sees how much this means to them in her eyes and stops her grumbling. She will press them for details on their previous mission later. For now, though, it is time to engage in her favorite part of being an ambassador. Wining and dining.

Lucky for Temari and Tenten, the delivery of food provides more than enough for the four of them. "These dumplings are amazing, Tenten! Good call!" Temari says between bites.

"I've had every dumpling from every shop here and outside my family's homemade ones. These are the best!" Tenten remarked.

"I have to agree with Temari. These are fantastic." Sakura took another bite of her dumplings.

Hinata's eyes widen as she surveys the steaming hot dumplings on the table. She remembers the waiter's words. "All you can eat." With a determined glint in her eye, she starts piling the dumplings onto her plate. As the stack grows, so do the stares of the other girls at the table. Their plates look meager in comparison, with only a few dumplings scattered on each. Despite their varying reactions, they all share a variation of the same thought.

How can she eat so much?

"Temari, I'm sorry about what happened to your brother." Tenten says as she puts down her food. A look of compassion on her face.

Temari freezes her hand as she reaches for another dumpling. Temari's face goes through all the emotions she's currently feeling. Anger, sadness, frustration, before settling on resignation.

"I appreciate the sympathy, Tenten. Truth be told, I don't think I will ever completely overcome it. But time heals all wounds, as it's said." Temari initially felt anger toward herself as the pain began to dull a little. When she brought up her concerns to Chiyo, the elder told her Gaara would be happy with this. He wouldn't want his sister to wallow in her own misery for all her life.

"I'm sure Lady Tsunade will offer any help Konohagakure can spare to you." Sakura expresses.

Oh, you have no idea, Sakura.

"It may be too soon, but what's going to happen to Sunagakure now? Who's going to be the Kazekage now?" Hinata asks.

Temari, with a delicate touch, takes a sip of her tea. "Right now, Lady Chiyo is acting Kazekage until the full Kazekage is ready."

"Do you know who it's going to be?" Hinata asks as she resumes her eating now that the atmosphere of the group has lightened.

"I do, I see them everyday. The council wants to keep the Kazekage title in my family after all." Temari puts her cup down and takes another bite of her dumpling.

"I sure hope those on Sunagakure's council know what they are doing. Kankuro can be hot-headed." Sakura states.

Temari's soft giggle catches everyone off guard, and all eyes snap to her. "Who said it was going to be my brother?" she asks, her tone laced with skepticism. She closes her eyes, takes a slow, deliberate sip from her cup, and savors the moment. The three fall silent, their faces a picture of shock and intrigue.

"YOU!?" Tenten shouts, causing the assembled group to reach for their ears.

"Not so loud. And yes, it will be me." Temari clarifies.

"YES!" Tenten shouts. The assembled group is glad they kept their ears covered.

"Please keep it quiet, Tenten. Right now, only the higher-ups in our villages know outside of us four now." Temari points out.

"Oh, sorry about that, everyone. I'm just excited to have another woman lead one of the five great villages! Now we have three out of the five Kage positions!" Tenten has always admired Tsunade, but in truth, she admires any powerful kunoichi. For the longest time, it was only men who held the Kage positions. Now? Over half are kunoichi!

"I'm not the leader yet. Lady Chiyo said she would take the reins until I'm ready. That won't be for a while, I'm afraid." Temari says as she brings her hands down. Tenten's excitement has come down, but she still has the fire of youth in her eyes.

"Congratulations, Temari, or should I call you by something else?" Hinata asks, but in reality, she is only teasing Temari.

Temari chuckles and shakes her head. "Temari is fine, Hinata. I'm not used to any fancy titles yet." She pauses, looking around the group. "So, what's the plan now? We can't just sit around waiting for me to take over."

Sakura cups her cheek in a thinking pose before coming up with an answer. "We could go see Kakashi-sensei. He should be released in the next few days. Plus, we can fill him in on what's going on." She answers.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll have to see if my escort agrees with me though." She teases Tenten.

"It sounds great to me! Gai sensei has been itching for Kakashi to get out of the hospital. Something about being behind in the score." Tenten remarks as she finishes her plate.

"Well ladies, lets finish up here and we can go see your one-eyed sensei."

XxX

Land of Sound, 12:15 AM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

Bodies, bodies lay everywhere around Sasuke. All still breathing as well. He could have killed them. It would have been too easy. Only one, though, was worthy of him to kill with his hands. His damned brother.

That is why he is currently surrounded by at least 1,000 shinobi. Some may not be shinobi anymore, but all will live. He made sure of that when he held back from using the full power of his ultimate technique. The sky above is still dark, but the clouds are clearing up.

He winces as his mark pulses with a sharp, stinging pain, like a brand burning into his skin. His hand instinctively flies to his neck, where the mark seems to emanate from, as if trying to stem the flow of agony. His skin feels like it is ablaze, as if flames are licking at his pores, while a corrosive acid courses through his veins, eating away at his resolve. A noxious fog begins to seep into his mind, clouding his thoughts and poisoning his very being.

It has been over a week since the curse marks merged. Although he is indeed far more powerful than before, he can display that power only in bursts. If he unleashes the curse mark to its fullest, he can use it for 10 seconds at a time before he has to pull back. His training since then has consisted of getting his body used to the new curse mark. He started at ten percent and is creeping up the percentage every day. At these lower marks, he can go full fights with the enhanced mark.

Even at these lower percentages, he feels more power than his singular mark had ever given him. It is exhilarating. As the days pass, his progress accelerates. He can feel his body adapting, growing stronger with each incremental increase. His fights become more intense, his movements more fluid. He starts to sense the limits of his new power, and it thrills him. The curse mark's dark energy pulses through him like a heartbeat, reminding him of its presence. Its influence gnaws at his mind, tempting him to surrender to its power.

"Very fine work, Sasuke. I thought it would take you ten minutes to get through so many. Yet, you did it in eight." Orochimaru utters as he walks up behind Sasuke in the middle of the battlefield.

"You could have ended this sooner if you had killed them, though." Orochimaru remarks with a slight frown. "I had hoped you had gotten over that no-killing complex with the new mark. Seems I was mistaken."

Sasuke scoffs at this. "You know only one is worthy of death by my hand." He turns around now to face his master. "So, what's next?"

Orochimaru's eyes gleam with excitement. "Next, we'll work on tactics. You have the power. Now learn to use it wisely."

He gestures to a group of shinobi waiting behind the tree line. Soon, another 1,000 shinobi emerge from the trees. "These men will attack you from all sides. This time, though, do not use that jutsu."

"You need to come up with harder regimens, Orochimaru. You are losing it in your old age." Sasuke smirks.

"You will also have the curse mark at 40% the entire time. If you drop it, you will fail and will face appropriate punishment." Orochimaru hisses in amusement.

The small smirk on Sasuke's face grows a little more. "Now that's a challenge."

Orochimaru turns away from Sasuke before saying. "You have ten minutes. Don't make me wait a minute longer." He then vanishes and appears at the edge of the battlefield.

With a swift hand gesture, Orochimaru gives the signal, and the shinobi swoop in on Sasuke like a flock of hungry birds. The cursed seal on Sasuke's shoulder erupts into a fiery blaze, searing his skin. He knows he must take down his attackers soon. He doesn't know if his body can last the full ten minutes like this. He would force it too if he must, but he doesn't want to go that far. Not yet, at least.

The first group of shinobi arrives close to Sasuke. His eyes narrow as he sizes up his foes. He can see the anticipation in their eyes, the desire to take him down. With a swift kick, Sasuke sends the first attacker flying. The others close in, but Sasuke is ready. He darts between them, his movements lightning-fast. His sword flashes in the sunlight, cutting down anyone who gets too close with its blunt edge.

1 minute.

Another group of shinobi charges. This time they use jutsu to attack him from afar. Sasuke leaps and weaves, avoiding the blasts of lightning and balls of fire. He doesn't dare get hit, not in his weakened state. The cursed seal on his shoulder continues to burn with intensity, draining his stamina. Sasuke grits his teeth and presses on, his chakra-infused sword slicing through the air to deflect incoming attacks. The shinobi are relentless, but Sasuke refuses to back down. He spots an opening and seizes it, striking down his foes one by one.

3 minutes.

The third group stays at a distance, throwing kunai and shuriken his way, with the occasional bolt and arrow as well. Kami, how he hated arrows. Sasuke snatches a few knives from the air, using them to deflect the projectiles. Others hit the ground around him, their sharp points snapping as they bounce off. He keeps moving, never staying in one spot for too long. The archers adjust their aim, but Sasuke dodges and weaves, his eyes locked on the next attacker. He sprints forward and weaves hand signs without warning. From his mouth, a large stream of fire comes that forms into the shape of a bull. Sasuke lets loose the fire bull onto half the group while he clears the other half.

8 minutes.

The final group charges forth. Sasuke doesn't have much time, nor does he have the stamina. His breathing is heavy and sweat is drenching his clothes. He perseveres, though. Sasuke's eyes dart between the attackers, his mind racing to find a weakness. He notices the way they move in sync. This mob seems to be far more in sync than the previous groups, much to Sasuke's ire. He knows he can't use his ultimate jutsu, but that doesn't mean he lacks other powerful attacks.

He gathers chakra in himself, pulling even more chakra and power from the curse mark, causing him further pain. He weaves his signs and slams his palms on the ground after taking careful count of who's left. The ground underneath each of Sasuke's foes starts to shift.

Then, all at once, the earth pulls each one in up to their necks. They may have been in sync, but they were still too slow to get out of the earthen grips that captured their feet. Sasuke wishes he can take full credit for this technique, but alas, it was Kakashi who gave him the idea during the bell test.

Done, and with 30 seconds to spare.

Sasuke, for a fleeting instant, allows himself to bask in a sense of triumph. The warmth of this feeling is rare. One he hasn't savored in a long time. It is as if his heart, numbed by the relentless pursuit of revenge, has thawed for a brief moment. But this flash of happiness is short-lived. The weight of his curse mark soon reasserts itself. The fatigue and pain from his cursed mark begin to seep into his bones, skin, and muscle.

With one last, desperate gasp, Sasuke's body lurches forward, as if pulled by an invisible force. The tension that has knotted in his mind for what feels like an eternity finally begins to unravel. His eyelids, heavy with exhaustion, droop, and his head falls. Finally, after what seems like an eternity of struggle, Sasuke's mind succumbs to the inevitable. He falls into a deep, dark unconsciousness, his body crumpling to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"I'm surprised by that last maneuver, my lord. Sasuke must have been desperate to use that much chakra. Still, he did defeat them all, and with no deaths again either." Kabuto remarks. He is standing next to Orochimaru. Both have been observing in silence for the past ten minutes. Kabuto has a small smile throughout the whole exercise while Orochimaru held a neutral one.

Orochimaru's voice is calm and detached as he utters. "Yes, he did." Yet, beneath his stoic exterior, a spark of satisfaction flickers. Sasuke's rapid progress with the mark exceeds Orochimaru's most optimistic expectations. His eyes blaze with fire at the thought of what he can do with Sasuke's body.

Not too long now. Soon, you will be mine Sasuke!

XxX

Konohagakure Main Hospital, 01:17 PM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"I see."

Kakashi says. He is sitting in his hospital bed. Hinata and Sakura had concluded what happened during the latest mission to his team. Temari is here, as well as Tenten. The three of them listen in as the two kunoichi from team Yamato give the details of the mission.

"I wondered why I was hearing rumors about Sasuke being put into the next bingo book. Seems those rumors were true." Tenten says, standing next to Kakashi's right with Temari by her side.

Kakashi's open eye goes wide, and he is about to protest before Sakura cuts him off. "Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei. I had Tsunade include in the entry 'to be captured alive.'"

This puts him at ease, and he settles onto the bed. "Thank you, Sakura. I had hoped we had finally made a breakthrough with him. Seems like we did, just not in the way we had hoped." Tsunade has already told him about Sasuke beforehand but not about the bingo book entry. While he wants to object to the entry, he knows he can't. Fool me once and all.

"At least we have time, over half a year before Orochimaru is able to transfer bodies again." Kakashi states. "Where is Naruto? I figured he would have been with you two." He asks.

"Ino wanted him for something, and he left with her. We ran into these two while leaving the Hokage's office when we grabbed something to eat." Hinata answers.

"So, Temari, you will be joining my squad of little shinobi." Kakashi answers as he shifts focus to the kunoichi.

"That is correct, Kakashi. Tsunade told me to be on standby for now and to be ready whenever she gets news on where the bastards are." She says, her voice raising near the end at the thought of the Akatsuki.

Kakashi takes note of the girl's anger. She has every right to be angry, but he fears he might have another Naruto on his hands. What was it with shinobi with blonde hair? Was his teacher the only sane one he knew?

"I see my little team keeps expanding. With that being the case, it would be best if we started training together to work on our teamwork." Kakashi says as he looks to Tenten. "You can tell Gai I'll be out in two days. He's been coming every day and asking. Can you do this for me, please, Tenten?" Kakashi says with his eye smile.

"I sure can, Kakashi."

"Thank you, now." He then looks at the three kunoichi under his command. "We will begin group training in three days. Sakura." He looks at her with unwavering focus. "Show these two to our usual training ground. We will begin at 7 AM in two days day."

"Will do, Kakashi-sensei."

"It might be prudent to show Ino as well. I have a feeling Tsunade may have her join us as well. I'll need to confirm with the Hokage, but show her anyways." Kakashi mutters.

Sakura gives a nod of understanding.

"Gai-sensei has been giving us extra workloads as well. That mission to Sunagakure really got him going. I don't think I've ever seen him so fired up about training." Tenten remarks. "I thought his excessive training regimens were scary before. You should see him and Lee now."

Kakashi puts on a lazy eye smile before talking to Tenten. "Gai has always been one to work through his stress and worries with training. Although it's hard to tell, I admit." Kakashi says to Gai's student.

Kakashi's face hardens underneath his mask, and he now addresses the whole group. "Sasuke's power has increased to a remarkable degree. I don't know what Orochimaru has done to him in a few short weeks. It seems to have given Sasuke what he wants, though." He looks around at the kunoichi surrounding him, hoping they understand the situation.

"We also have the Akatsuki breathing down our necks even as we speak." Kakashi continues. "I'm going to work with Yamato to come up with training for all of us to work on our shortcomings. Come prepared to work from dawn till dusk. This will not be easy."

"Nothing worth having is ever easy to get." Hinata declares.

Kakashi takes a quick glance at Hinata and he remembers the shy little girl from the exams. To see how far she has come warms his heart a little, knowing the future of the village is a little brighter as a result.

She really has come a long way since the exams. Kurenai, you did well. I hope you and Asuma raise your child to be like Hinata.

"Quite right, Hinata. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get back to my reading." Kakashi says as he pulls out his book.

Out of the four shinobi, only Sakura isn't surprised. She's used to her sensei's shameless habit of reading porn in public.

"Kakashi, do you really read that?" Temari asks as if insulted.

"And in public too?" Tenten adds. She also feels dirty seeing the cover.

Hinata's face flushes a deep crimson, similar to a ripe tomato, as she struggles to conceal her embarrassment. Her mind flashes back to a memorable moment during her training with Neji, when he had taken a break to grab lunch. As he swung his pack off his shoulder, a book slipped out, and Hinata caught a fleeting glimpse of its contents. The page that had opened revealed... things she did not know were possible. Neji picked up the book without making any noise and told Hinata to never speak of this again. She agreed to his request without hesitation.

Kakashi's face goes into a frown. "I'll have you know that the greatest author of our lifetimes wrote this. I will not have you slander his work by calling it smut." He tries to defend himself.

None of the kunoichi present are having any of it. "Call it what it is, Kakashi. Even my brother has the decency to keep it hidden in his room." Temari calls out to the cyclops Jōnin.

"At least Kankuro has taste. Now then." He cracks open his book and finds a particularly good part. To Hinata's further embarrassment, it's the exact scene she saw in Neji's book.

Hinata's voice is high-pitched and urgent as she says, "Ladies, let's go. Now!" She ushers everyone toward the exit, her bright red face a clear sign of her growing anxiety. The others seem to sense her desperation, and to her immense relief, they all nod in agreement and start making their way to the door. Their footsteps echoing in unison as they hasten their departure.

"Oh and Hinata?" Kakashi says.

The girl in question stops before stepping outside to join the rest of the kunoichi. She turns her face to him. She is still quite flustered but manages to say. "Yes?" in a high pitched voice.

"Tell your cousin I agree with him. This is the best scene in the book." He says with a cheeky grin under his mask.

Hinata's humiliation reaches a boiling point. Her face flames with embarrassment, growing even redder as she rushes out the door, eager to salvage what's left of her dignity. As she rushes out into the hallway, the door slams shut behind her, and she lets out a sigh of relief.

Kakashi, for the first time in a while, gives a hearty laugh.

XxX

Land of Water, 08:45 PM, 0 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

Yagura Karatachi did not like this.

He is already struggling to gain ground in the Civil War against Mei. To make matters worse, he is finding it difficult to recruit new soldiers to join his ranks. The reason is clear, even if it is a bitter pill to swallow. As the Mizukage, he gave his village the dark nickname "Blood Mist."

He knows this bad reputation scared away many potential recruits. Who would want to fight under the leadership of a man infamous for his brutal tactics and the bloodshed that seemed to follow him? The very mention of "Blood Mist" sent shivers down the spines of even the bravest warriors, making them think twice before pledging their allegiance to his cause. Even if he was under a damned genjutsu at the time, nobody would, nor should they, believe him.

I'm sorry, Yagura.

The three-tailed beast, Isobu, resonates in the mind of Yagura, its host. Yagura's thoughts merged with Isobu's consciousness, while Isobu's thoughts integrated with Yagura's. Their bond has evolved over time, transforming them into a well-oiled machine. A harmonious partnership rooted in mutual trust and respect. Yet, despite this synchronized relationship, it proved to not be enough against that masked man.

The genjutsu should have proved no problem for Isobu to deal with. He always woke up his host when his partner fell under genjutsu. This time, though, it was different. The masked man used his damned sharingan to aid the genjutsu. Only that or the rinnegan could put Isobu or his siblings under a genjutsu. So, the pair were helpless as his host destroyed both his village and reputation over the years. If it were not for Ao breaking the genjutsu, Isobu feared his host would be dead now.

It's okay, Isobu. You don't need to keep apologizing to me. Because there isn't anything to be sorry about. You were caught under the genjutsu the same as I was. That being said, why could that masked man be chasing us again?

I wish I knew, but it can't be for any good reason.

Yagura continues to run over the water as this conversation is taking place. The two are being chased by the masked man and somebody else now. A woman with purple hair is wearing the same robe as the masked man. Neither Yagura nor Isobu knows why they are being chased. They both thought they had seen the last of the masked man and were finally free of him. They were wrong.

The night sky, illuminated by the full moon's silvery glow, stretches out above Yagura. The stars seem to focus their gaze on the exact spot where he stands, their gentle sparkle mesmerizing. Meanwhile, the air hovering above the water's surface carries a crisp, autumnal chill, but Yagura remains oblivious to its bite. His body burns with an inner fire, rendering the cool breeze insignificant against his skin.

Yagura's feet slap the water's surface in a fevered rhythm. Sending plumes of spray high into the air as he sprints across the lake with a speed that belied his small frame. Each step is a tiny explosion, a swift punctuation mark on the water's glassy surface. His chest heaves, his muscles burn, and still, he pours on the speed, driven by desperation.

They are getting closer, and there isn't anything more he can do about it.

Isobu, I do believe it is time we stop running. I don't want to use any more of our chakra only to buy us time.

...Understood, Yagura. You have my full support. May the sage bless us in this fight.

With his mind made up, Yagura comes to a sliding halt along the water's glassy surface. Konan and Tobi come to a halt as well and now stand opposite their target.

"So, you have finally decided to stop running." Konan states as a matter of fact.

"Tobi must thank you. Tobi was getting tired with all that running. How can your small body run so fast?" Tobi asks in his usual childlike voice.

"You can thank me by telling me why you are after me again. You must have already obtained everything you wanted from me while you were using that genjutsu of yours." Yagura utters to Tobi.

"Well, I suppose Tobi can answer that since you won't be alive for much longer. Tobi and his friend want what's inside you." Tobi states.

"We are not friends." Konan's cold tone causes Tobi's mood to sour.

Yagura's eyes widened for a second before returning to normal.

Of course it's me they are after. And it's you who will have to suffer, Yagura. I'm so sorry.

Again, nothing to apologize for, friend. You didn't ask to be put inside me. I'm still glad you were, though.

Yagura's words mean a lot to the chakra beast. This is the first human he has ever had a good bond with since his father, and he doesn't know if his father was human or not. Isobu can tell this upcoming fight will be difficult, too difficult. He doesn't know if his and Yagura's combined might would be enough to defeat their two opponents.

"Of course you are seeking Isobu. I assume that means you are also going after the other tailed beasts as well. It is only logical." Yagura says.

Hearing the name of the tailed beast causes Konan to raise her eyebrow in confusion. "You know the three-tails name?"

"Yes, I do. Isobu and I are a team, after all." Yagura utters with pride.

"Hmmm, it matters not. Now I'd rather not have this dragged on. Come with us willingly, and I'll make sure your end is peaceful." Konan extends her hand in a friendly gesture.

Yagura stares at her hand. His blood starts to boil at her ridiculous statement. There was no way he was going to give up Isobu to them without a fight!

Yagura, if this is the end of us, I want to let you know that I'm also happy you were my host. I give you full access to my chakra. Now let's make these two regret ever coming after us!

Agreed, and thank you, my friend.

"I'm sorry to disappoint such a fine woman as you, but I must decline. Despite my being responsible for giving my village its nickname, I'm not one who's willing to let one as loyal as Isobu simply be taken from me." He says as he adopts his defensive posture. "You will have to fight me to get to him."

Konan lowers her hand to her side. "It's a shame. I see that despite your politeness, you still don't see reason. Very well." Konan then sprouts wings from her back. Wings made of paper, and she soars up into the sky. Her appearance against the pale moon gives her an angelic look.

A vision one will welcome upon their death.

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Ozzy Osbourne

RIP to the prince of darkness. You will be missed. Also RIP to Hulk Hogan, wrestling wouldn't be where its at without you.

I will say this. I have a rule where I will use an artist/band only once in a fic UNLESS I have a very good reason to include a second song of theirs. Ozzy dieing I feel is a good enough reason to include a second song of his and his most famous at that.

First chapter of the intermission between tenchi bridge and akatsuki supression.

There was never any doubt in my mind that Ino would tell Naruto she saw his dad in the mindscape. After seeing his memories and how badly he wanted to know anything about his parents, it would have been cruel of her to hold that information for much longer.

Hinata and Sakura have for the most part buried the hatchet. Hinata will forgive Sakura one day but it won't be a big scene. I wanted to emphasis that they are still more than willing to work with each other.

I was debating how I wanted to introduce Temari back into the story and I thought what better way than her having lunch with our dear friend Tenten. I don't plan on having Tenten having any focus really but its nice to include her where it makes sense and her having lunch with Temari makes sense to me.

The training of the new team 7 will be fun. The group will train together but they will split up into smaller groups led by Kakashi and Yamato respectively. Sakura and Naruto need to relearn there team dynamics since half the team is new and they have only had one mission together with no training before hand really.

I really loved writing the Yagura scene. We didn't see much, if anything, from him in the manga but it is stated he's got a good relationship with his tailed beast and I hope that come across. I also changed the conflict in Mist to be a longer civil war but for now its been effectively over for months now.

Anyways, thats all I have. Please read and review and see yall later! Oh and don't forget to starve the trolls.

Chapter 23: Darkness Always Wins

Konohagakure streets, 07:20AM, 3 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

Ino Yamanaka navigates through the crowded streets of Konohagakure. Her footsteps weave past pedestrians rushing to their jobs. As she strolls, she mentally rehearses the words she wants to convey to her master, trying to organize her thoughts. The events of the Tenchi Bridge mission still linger in her mind with clarity. She had taken a break the previous day to clear her head, following Tsunade's suggestion. She felt much better for it.

Now she has a clear head. Her thoughts over the past almost two weeks have not wavered. She had to do something, and she would be the catalyst for this change if necessary.

She now walks through the main doors of the Hokage's main building. Soon, she finds herself at the door of the person she calls leader, sensei, lady, and one day a friend. She raises her hand and knocks on the door.

"Shizune, I'm busy." Tsunade says from behind the door.

"It's me, Ino, my lady." Shizune is at her desk next to the Hokage's office, organizing the academy's curriculum for next year. Most people would need to schedule an appointment through her to get an audience with Tsunade. Ino is one of the few who has special permission to only need to knock on the Hokage's door.

"It's important. I need only five minutes." Ino says, trying to persuade Tsunade to let her in.

After a few tense seconds, Ino finally gets an answer. "Fine, five minutes."

Ino pushes the door open and saunters in, her footsteps echoing through the room as she makes sure to close it behind her. Regardless of how many times she has entered this sacred space, she can't help but feel a sense of reverence wash over her. The thought alone sends shivers down her spine. This is where legendary shinobi of Konohagakure village once stood. Be it from behind or in front of the desk. The room testifies to the village's rich history, serving as a place where heroes forge their identities and unforgettable tales came to life.

"So, why does my precious student want to speak to me." Tsunade says. Her hands entangled, holding up her chin.

Ino gulps. For a moment, she loses her nerve to speak on this matter. Then she remembers why she is here. She remembers all the children's faces she has helped in training with her dad. She also remembers his face.

"It's about the orphanage, my lady."

This causes visible confusion to show on Tsunade's face. "What about the orphanage Ino?"

Ino takes a deep breath before recalling her findings.

Flashback

"Come on, Funaha! Give it back!" Inu shouts as he makes a grab for his favorite toy. It is a broken, dirty action figure, but it holds special significance for the boy. It is all he has to remember his father by.

His mother had died in childbirth, and his father died during the Sunagakure invasion three years back. Since then, he has lived here at the only orphanage in all of Konohagakure. How have things gone for him? Well...

"Hell no, you little dog. This is too much fun. Hey, Kaito! Catch!" Funaha tosses the figure toward one of his partners in crime. Inu immediately runs to Kaito and tries in vain to get his memory of his father.

Kaito laughs and holds the figure out of Inu's reach. Inu's face turns red with anger and frustration. He stamps his foot and shouts. "That's mine! Give it back now!" But Funaha and Kaito tease him, dangling the figure in front of him like a cruel joke.

"If you want it, jump, dog!" Inu tries to jump, but Kaito keeps moving it out of the young boy's reach. Once Kaito has had his fun, he tosses it to the third member of the posse, Genji.

"Man, I don't know why you like this stupid thing. It's so old and busted." Genji then attempts to break the figure even more.

Inu feels panic start to fill him as he sees his precious heirloom crack. "NO! PLEASE STOP!" He screams as he rushes towards Genji, tears filling the corners of his eyes.

Genji raises the figure high above his head, taunting Inu as he pretends to drop it. Inu's eyes widen in horror as he imagines the figure shattering on the Kaito burst into laughter, enjoying the show. Inu's face contorts in desperation as he pleads." Genji, please don't break it!"

Genji continues to smirk. "If you want it so badly, get on the ground and beg for it, dog boy."

"Oh, that's good, Genji!"Funaha says. Walking towards Genji with purposeful strides.

Kaito eyes the figure with a sly grin. "You know, Genji, we can make this even more interesting." He glances at Inu, who's frozen in fear. "Let's make him crawl to us. On his hands and knees."

Inu is feeling even more desperate now, and he looks towards the back door of the orphanage. He sees Aiko, his guardian, standing at the door with a small mouse next to his feet. A smirk on his face. He is rather enjoying the spectacle going on before him. Like every time before, he makes no move to stop what is happening. He doesn't want to ruin his own enjoyment.

With no other option open to Inu, he swallows his pride and gets on his hands and knees.

"Good, good. Now start crawling." Genji commands, with his two partners in crime now standing next to him.

Kaito and Funaha start to laugh at the pathetic sight before them. Inu's heart sinks as he begins to crawl towards them, his face burning with shame. The three boys form a semi-circle, their smirks growing wider as Inu inches closer. Aiko watches from the doorway, his amusement palpable.

"Man, this is even more fun with Inu than it is with Toho or Saki."Funaha gloats, thinking about some of his other victims in the past.

Genji takes a step back, his eyes never leaving Inu's face. "You're not crawling fast enough." He says, his voice dripping with malice. Kaito and Funaha snicker in agreement. Aiko's grin grows wider with amusement. Inu's heart races as he looks up and sees Genji continuing to crack his action figure.

He goes as fast as he can on his hands and knees. A trail of tears forms on the dirt beneath him.

"Now bark." Commands Kaito.

"Arf!"

Now the three start to laugh their asses off. They wipe the tears away from all the fun they are having at Inu's expense. Inu's face feels hot with shame as the three boys laugh at him. Their laughter is loud and cruel. Aiko leans against the doorway, still smiling. Inu wishes he could disappear. He looks up at Genji, who's still breaking his action figure. The crack of the plastic makes Inu flinch.

"You know what, boys? I'm actually rather sick of seeing this toy around. So... " With one big pull, Genji tears apart Inu's action figure. The only thing he has to remember of his dad is now in several pieces.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Inu screeches as his heart breaks as well.

Genji then proceeds to throw the pieces as far as he can into the bushes. Inu tries to scramble up to retrieve the pieces, but he soon feels someone kick his stomach.

"Come on, boys, let's teach him not to play with dolls anymore." Genji says to the other boys. His partners join him, and soon it's a three-on-one 'fight.' The physical pain Inu feels from the kicks is great. It's nothing compared to what he feels inside.

Inu cherishes the bond he shared with his dad, and the memories of their time together remain in his heart. It has been almost three years since his father's passing, yet the ache of his absence still lingers. Although the pain has dulled over time, Inu recalls with clarity the darkest moments when grief overwhelmed him. He remembers the sleepless nights, the endless tears, and the suffocating feeling of emptiness. Even now, Inu's eyes sometimes well up with tears as he thinks about his father's warm smile, his gentle guidance, and the love he showered upon him.

The boy breaks down when he sees the precious memory of his dad soar through the air into the bush. The memory of his dad's warm smile and gentle hands, which the watch brings back, seems to shatter into a thousand pieces. Sobs burst forth between ragged, pained gasps, his small frame shuddering with each cry. His three tormentors continue their relentless bullying, their taunts and jeers piercing the air like daggers. At first, the boy's heart feels like it is being ripped apart, but as the seconds tick by, he begins to feel numb. Numb to the pain. Numb to it all.

What's the point?

"All right boys, that's enough. I can't let you leave him with too obvious bruises." Aiko says. He has left his position by the door frame and is walking up to the little scuffle.

"Hai Aiko." The three bullies say in unison, their tones dejected as their fun has come to an end. They start to walk past Aiko to head inside. It is almost dinner time after all.

Aiko now stands towering above the prone form of Inu. To his surprise, the boy isn't crying or whimpering in pain. The boy is still and silent. Aiko has a flash of fear go through him, thinking the boy might be dead. That flash goes away as Inu's form starts to stir a bit.

"Good, you're awake, boy. Now get up. Unlike those three, you need to study to make it through the academy." Aiko says with a sneer.

Inu lifts himself from the dirt with great caution. His eyes are lifeless. He slumps over as if he has no more purpose. He wipes the dirt out of his dirty blonde hair. Once on his feet, his body goes on autopilot. It starts to move to the bushes, but Aiko grabs his arm.

"Na uhuh. You are going inside right now to your room and you will do your academy work until it's finished." Aiko says with authority as he starts dragging the poor boy away. The little mouse trailing behind Aiko scurries away towards the bushes.

Inu offers no resistance as Aiko drags him away. His mind is too broken to offer any sort of defense. He goes along with what his guardian says, resigning himself to never see his precious toy again.

Once inside, Aiko closes the door behind him and tosses Inu into his tiny room under the stairs. A dim light bulb struggles to keep the darkness at bay. He picks himself up from the wooden floor and reaches for his backpack. He pulls out his coursework and puts it on his tiny desk, sitting down in front of it before getting to work.

Inu is the last to come inside the place. He doesn't hear anyone coming through the back door right next to his room under the stairs. He hears everyone inside the kitchen, and his stomach starts to growl, despite the beating it took earlier. Inu rushes to finish his work. He doesn't want to go to bed hungry again.

Once his work is complete, he leaves his domicile, closes his door, and rushes past the cracked-open back door toward the kitchen. To his disappointment, when he arrives, he sees that most of the other orphans have already left. It is not a good sign for him. He trots up to Aiko, clutching his stomach. He looks up at his guardian with a knowing look on his face. Aiko has a smug grin of satisfaction on his face.

"Sorry, no more human food left. You are more than welcome to have some of the dog food over there. Hahaha!" He laughs as he points to the dog dishes on the side.

Inu hangs his head once again, dejected at another night of going to bed hungry. He spins on his heels and begins a gradual retreat back to his room. His solemn expression never leaves his face as he leaves the kitchen. Tonight is dango night, and he loves dango.

He drags himself to the entrance of his room. He pushes open the door, which is ajar, and sits at his desk after closing his door once again. It starts with a soft sound and a gradual pace. His sobbing and whimpering have built up enough that he can no longer take it. It then escalates, and soon he is bawling his eyes out. Dry heaves come between the tears and rock his tiny, bony frame.

Why did life have to be so unfair to the boy? He never knew his mother. His father is gone. They force him to live in this hellhole. He has no friends to speak of. Everyone is afraid they might get bullied as well if they associate with him. The worst of it, though, is that he is starting to forget what his dad looks like! That brings a fresh wave of tears to flow from the poor boy.

After what feels like an eternity, the sobbing and whimpering cease. His deep brown eyes can produce no more moisture. His body surrenders completely. It has nothing more to give. It is only when he feels he has lost all hope that he notices something, a smell.

He turns around in his chair and spots the source of the smell. On his bed is a hot plate of dango. More dango than he has ever eaten before! He gets up from his chair, his body shaking at the smell, not believing what he is seeing or smelling. His shaking hand grabs one of the dango. It is hot to the touch but not too much. This was real!

He brings the pastry to his mouth and takes a bite. Warmth starts to flood his being. His taste buds fire, and he can say for certain he has never tasted anything this good in his short life! Confirming this was all happening, he starts devouring the plate of food. Tears of joy flood down his cheeks, further staining his dirty shirt and sheets, but he doesn't care. He can feel some air start to circulate inside his room, but he doesn't think anything of it. For the moment, the trials and tribulations of his life are far out of memory.

Soon enough, he finishes his plate of dango. For the first time in months, Inu finds himself satiated. He wipes the drying trails of tears from his cheeks. He now feels a lot better with a full stomach. He turns around and finds an even bigger shock than the dango.

On his desk is his action figure. It looks like it did before Genji destroyed it. From the doorway, a mouse enters his room. He does not care at all.

"W-W-Wha... How?" He says under his breath. Inu has no explanation for what is happening. His little mind is trying to come up with any logical explanation for how these two heavenly gifts could have fallen down on him. He reaches for his precious memory, feeling time slow as he prays to Kami for this to also be real. His fingers brush against the toy. He feels all the cuts and old breaks on it.

He grasps it and brings it to his chest. He hugs it as if his life depended on it. His face turns upward into the happiest smile he can muster. He falls back on his bed and starts to play with it as if it were the first time all over again. For the first time since his dad died, he can say he feels happy again.

As he plays with his new toy, the mouse pauses and then scurries away.

Behind a tree, a platinum-blonde kunoichi with a ponytail stirs awake. She rises to her feet with care. A grin adorns her face as she walks away from the orphanage, taking her time.

End Flashback

"I see." Tsunade states.

There is a long, suffocating pause. Ino knows that Tsunade won't take this news well. Knowing her master, Tsunade not blowing up immediately is not a good sign. This suits Ino quite well. When her master is like this, her wrath is laser-focused and always strikes true.

"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Ino. You may leave now." Tsunade utters, keeping herself as neutral as possible.

"Hai." Ino says, at attention, before spinning and heading towards the door.

As Ino's hand grasps the doorknob, Tsunade asks her. "Please send in Shizune when you leave."

"Hai." Ino says again as she opens the door and leaves. It takes only a few seconds before Tsunade can hear Shizune get up from her desk and enter her office.

"You asked for me, my lady?" Shizune says as she closes the door behind her.

"Hai, Shizune. I need you to do two things for me. One, I need you to clear my schedule tonight. Two, I need a list of suitable candidates to run the orphanage." She says while struggling to maintain her composure.

"Certainly, my lady. You will be even busier these next two days, I'm afraid. Is that all right?" Shizune asks to clarify. She can now feel the aura of wrath from her master. There is something Tsunade isn't telling her.

"Hai, the matter I need to attend to tonight is most urgent." Tsunade tries to sound professional, but her words reveal her seething anger.

Shizune gives her master a good long look before nodding her head and retreating. As Shizune sits at her desk, she can hear the silencing seals becoming active.

I hope whatever made her angry is praying to Kami for mercy.

XxX

Konohagakure, Third Training Ground, 7:58AM, 5 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"So, Temari, are you staying with the Nara clan?" Hinata asks the sand kunoichi.

"Hai. Yoshino has taken quite a liking to me and said I could stay with them whenever I came to visit." Temari states as she stretches herself out on the grass while looking up at the clouds.

Hinata sits on one of the three tree stumps. Her expression betrays the excitement she feels at training with her new team. It has been a while since she last trained with a team. Since her sensei Kurenai took her leave, she has been doing solo training for a couple of months. Other teams used Shino's and Kiba's tracking skills, which resulted in her having very little contact with them.

"She probably took a liking to you because you can get his lazy son off his ass by looking at him." Sakura said, chuckling. She sits on another stump next to Hinata.

"No offense, Temari, but I'm glad you took over that position from me. Kami, Shikamaru could be frustrating to deal with." Ino says with a huff. She occupies the third and final stump.

"He is quite lazy. I'll give you that. Still, when he gets motivated, nothing can stop him." Temari says, defending her friend. "By the way, where is that lazy bones? Yoshino says he's been out on a mission for quite a while. Do any of you know anything about that?" Temari says, tilting her head up to look better at the kunoichi on the stumps.

All three shake their heads no. "I've heard nothing from him. All Tsunade said was that he was out on a recon mission with Asuma." Ino adds on. "I hope he's okay. Tsunade tried to hide it, but I could tell she was looking worried about them."

"I wouldn't worry about him, Ino. The guy has the best strategies I've seen. Remember how he beat Temari?" Naruto says as he stretches a little ways away.

"Ugh, don't remind me. He always brings that up when he thinks I'm being too pushy." Temari says as she lifts herself to a seated position on the grass. "Kakashi and Yamato should be here any second now."

"I can believe Yamato being here on time. We left every morning with him on time. I wouldn't hold my breath with Kakashi-sensei though. He's at least three hours late to everything." Sakura proclaims.

"Why is he always late?" Temari says, turning to face Sakura.

"Oh, I get lost on the road of life usually." A voice says behind Sakura.

Startled, all three kunoichi jump from the stumps and turn to face the voice.

"That's not very nice of you, Sakura. Belittling your sensei like that." Kakashi states in mock sadness.

Seeing that it is Kakashi, Ino and Hinata relax. Sakura and Naruto stare and point at Kakashi with aghast faces.

"You!" Both shout at the same time. "What have you done with Kakashi sensei!?" They continue with their sync.

"Do you have so little faith in me, my little teammates?" Kakashi deadpans.

"Hai." The sync continues.

Kakashi slouches his head in shame. This display gets a laugh out of Ino, Hinata, Temari, and Yamato, who appears to be walking out of the tree line.

"I told you, Kakashi, that your reputation would come back to bite you in the ass." Yamato says as he slaps Kakashi's back.

"Kakashi-sensei, how is this going to work?" Naruto asks, now past the shock of seeing his sensei be on time for training for once.

"I'm glad you asked that, Naruto." Kakashi says, perking up. "We will start by splitting up into two groups. I'll be taking Naruto and Ino, while Yamato will be taking Hinata, Sakura, and Temari."

"Once noon comes and we have had lunch, we will switch up the groups." Yamato adds.

"Then, at the end of the day, Yamato and I will have a special training exercise for you all." Kakashi says.

"Any objections?" Yamato asks, receiving a round of no's in response.

"Alright, let's split up then." Kakashi declares as each group heads to opposite sides of the training ground.

Once separated far enough, Kakashi lays down the ground rules as he makes a circle in the dirt.

"The goal of our training this morning will be simple. You need only to get me to submit or to move me out of this circle." Naruto is about to speak up before Kakashi cuts him off. "You will have to do it without using any offensive ninjutsu."

After letting his words sink in, he continues. "I'll give you two minutes to come up with a strategy."

Naruto raises his fist in the air. "Don't worry, Ino! I have a plan!"

"And no 1,000 years of death."

"I do not have a plan!"

Ino grabs Naruto by the arm and starts to drag him away. "Come on, Goldie, we don't want Kakashi to overhear us."

Meanwhile, with Yamato's group.

"Okay, you three. What we will be working on will be ninjutsu. You two." He points to Hinata and Sakura. "You don't have much in your arsenal when it comes to ninjutsu."

Both kunoichi ponder for a brief second before agreeing with Yamato. Most of the ninjutsu each uses facilitate getting up close and personal with their opponent. Having more offensive-based ninjutsu couldn't hurt.

"Right, so what techniques do you want us to use?" Hinata asks.

"Actually, I won't be having you start with a technique. What I'm going to have you all do is this." Yamato motions for the three to stand back. When they comply, he inhales a big gulp of air, and when he exhales, a torrent of water shoots from his mouth.

Once the water ceases, he turns to the three kunoichi. "Creating your own water is a testament to a shinobi's skill. Especially if it's not their natural element. Having this in your arsenal will ensure you have all elements at your disposal at all times."

"So is it similar when we use fire techniques?" Sakura asks, her index finger on her cheek.

"Not quite the same. The fire techniques you know do not transform your chakra. Creating your own water requires you to transform your chakra and release it so it can be used." Yamato explains.

"Gotcha."

"Now then. I don't expect you to get this in one day, but lucky for us, we do have time. Once we get close to lunchtime, we will switch things up." Yamato says. He then turns to Temari.

"Temari, I'm sorry to put you in the spotlight like this, but you will be helping me train these two with wind release. I can teach them, but you are a better wind user than I am. I hope you don't mind showing them a thing or two." Yamato expresses to the sand kunoichi.

Temari was a little surprised at the suddenness of teaching the two right now, but she regained her composure. "That's fine with me. After all, I did say I would teach them a few techniques." She says with a nod.

"Thank you. Let's get started then."

While Yamato's group began their water transformation, Naruto and Ino finished strategizing.

"I hope you are ready, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto says as he approaches his teacher.

"Cause we won't go easy on you." Ino adds.

Goldie, I hope your plan works.

It will Ino. We just need to get to that point in the plan and victory will be as good as ours!

Kakashi takes a defensive stance and lifts hishitai-ate. He needs to speak no words. The two blondes charge at him. Ino goes to his right, and Naruto goes to his left, forming a pincer. Naruto aims his punch for Kakashi's head while Ino goes for a sweeping kick. Kakashi leaps over the kick and ducks under the punch. Before landing, he kicks out both his feet and connects with both his students. The force sends them back a few feet and Ino coughs a little bit.

Damn it, that knocked the wind out of me a little.

You really need to work on your taijutsu if that kick can do that to you.

Bite me, Goldie.

Naruto and Ino regain their composure. They exchange a determined glance. The two blondes charge at Kakashi once more. This time, they aim for his abdomen. Naruto throws a powerful punch, while Ino attempts a swift kick. Kakashi leaps to his right, dodging both attacks with ease. He retaliates with a swift roundhouse kick, but Naruto and Ino jump back in time to avoid it.

Naruto and Ino don't back down. They keep coming at Kakashi with strong attacks. Kakashi keeps dodging, his movements quick and smooth. He's not even breaking a sweat. The blond duo starts to get frustrated. They're not used to being unable to land a hit. Naruto's face turns red with effort. Ino's eyes narrow in concentration. They're determined to take down Kakashi.

Kakashi watches them with a steady gaze, his sharigan spinning. He's studying their movements, waiting for an opening. Naruto and Ino start to get sloppy, their attacks becoming wild and reckless. Kakashi seizes the moment, striking Naruto's shoulder with a quick jab. Naruto winces, clutching his shoulder in pain. Ino gasps, taking a step back in surprise.

Are you hurt?

Only a little. This still feels weird talking to you inside my own head.

Goldie, I was actually inside your head. This is nothing compared to that.

Ino moves forward with rapid jabs that force Kakashi to dodge and weave. He spins around, avoiding her swift kicks. Naruto leaps into the fray, his fists flying in every direction. Kakashi parries each blow with ease. The two friends continue their relentless assault, but Kakashi remains unfazed, his vision fixed on them.

Still feels weird, but I'm getting used to it. I think it's time to put our plan into action.

Finally, I was starting to think you were doubting yourself.

You should know me better than that by now, Ino.

Naruto jumps into the air at his teacher and brings down an axe kick. Kakashi hops back, and the blow strikes the ground, which sends dust flying into the air. From out of the dust, Ino charges forward. While her strikes are not as powerful as Naruto's, hers are much more precise.

Kakashi blocks Ino's swift jabs with his forearm, but she recovers and delivers a series of rapid punches. Ino sidesteps one of the blows and grabs the other with both hands. With the momentum of the punch, Ino pours chakra into her muscles and sends Kakashi flying toward the edge of the ring.

Right before he's about to leave the ring, he punches into the earth and grabs on, stopping his momentum and saving himself from a ring out.

"Not bad, Ino, but you will have to do better than that." Kakashi says with confidence.

"Don't worry, Kakashi. I did exactly what I needed to do." Ino says with a smirk on her face. She puts a hand on her hip in a casual manner as she relaxes.

Kakashi lets his guard down for a second before bringing it back up. To his surprise, Ino doesn't take a defensive or offensive posture. She remains in her relaxed state.

Something isn't right.

"Did you forget about me, Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi heard it come from the settling dust. It seemed Naruto had something planned. Kakashi trained his sharingan on the settling dust, looking for any sign of his student. Once the dust settles, Kakashi's body is not ready.

Naruto is in his sexy jutsu form.

Striking a pose, Naruto utters in the most sultry voice this form can make. "Do you like?"

Kakashi's face contorted in shock, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. His sharingan spun in a frenzied manner, capturing every bit of detail it could of the form. It was overwhelming for his brain, and he was helpless to it. The mental strain was too much, and steam began to escape from his ears as his brain struggled to keep up, shutting down from the immense workload.

Ino, seeing this, took the opportunity and ran forward. She connected with a powerful flying kick, sending Kakashi flying out of the makeshift ring.

Ino and Naruto both raised their fists into the air. Victory was theirs.

"HAHAHA! I can't believe that worked." Ino is clutching her sides now, hunched over while laughter erupts from her.

"I told ya! He's almost as big a perv as pervy sage!" Naruto says, laughing as he starts walking to Ino.

She wipes a tear from her eye. She straightens herself and finally takes in Naruto's form. "Not bad. I have to ask though, where did you get your inspirations?" She asks with a critical tone. Most girls would have punched Naruto for such a display, but not Ino. She felt comfortable with her sexuality, and she understood that Naruto wasn't a pervert. He was just the most unpredictable knucklehead shinobi in the village.

Stars glitter in Naruto's eyes when Ino asks this question. "No one has ever asked! Ok the bust is from..."

"NARUTO!"

Naruto flinches at the screech and turns his head with caution to look at the source of the anger. From the Yamato group, he spots an irate Sakura staring him down. Hinata and Temari look at him with shame as well.

"Hinata, you don't have to worry. I won't be hurting him. You both have word on that." Sakura says without looking towards Hinata.

Naruto starts to sweat. He transforms back into his old self and looks at Hinata with a pleading expression. He knows that Hinata would save him. She wouldn't let any harm befall h...

"Just don't rough up his face. I'll have to look at it later this week." Hinata says, still ashamed of Naruto.

Naruto face-faults at this. He can't believe what he has heard. Stunned, he fails to notice Sakura approaching him with a menacing aura.

He is only broken out of his stupor by the poking of Ino on his cheek. "If I were you, Goldie, I'd start running." She says as a matter of fact. Taking the advice to heart, Naruto spins around and starts running.

"GET BACK HERE NARUTO!" Sakura says as she chases after him.

Hinata and Temari both look at Ino and the departing Naruto. The former is rolling on the ground in laughter while Naruto pleads for forgiveness as he runs. Both kunoichi share the same thought about the two blondes.

Troublesome.

XxX

Undisclosed Akatsuki hideout, 10:23 PM, 5 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"Zetsu, have you informed everyone?" The question drips from the lips of the Akatsuki's reclusive leader, his voice echoing through twisting stone corridors to fill the vast, candlelit chamber. The darkness at the center of the cavern seems to shudder in response, as if the shadows themselves recoil from the man who sits at their heart.

"I have informed everyone." Replies the lighter half of Zetsu, its words measured and almost peaceful. The white side of his split face glows in the torchlight, and his lips move with minimal motion as he speaks.

"Two of them were not thrilled." Adds the black half, its tone rolling with sardonic amusement. The black mouth draws wider in a mockery of a grin, tongue flicking over jagged teeth. "But they'll be here. No one ignores your summons."

The man at the center of the chamber unclenches his fist where it has been resting atop his knee. A single ring gleams on his finger. "Very good." He says, the words almost lost to the thick air. His form is more suggestion than substance, orange hair and countless piercings catching occasional points of cold light. His eyes are distant, focused not on the physical world but on something deeper, some convergence of fate and violence visible only to him.

He leans forward, the Akatsuki cloak spilling over bony knees, and waits.

The silence is not empty. The chamber is alive with the sound of distant trickling water, the drip of condensation from stalactites. The torches are not essential. The members of Akatsuki, for the most part, show up in shadow form, but the firelight is a luxury, a reminder of humanity for those who still find it comforting.

The first to materialize is Itachi Uchiha, who does not bother with theatrics or banter. He emerges from the darkness into the center of the room. For a heartbeat, he seems more ghost than man, crimson sharingan eyes always active. "You have summoned us." He says, voice as cool and colorless as the moon outside.

The leader nods once, acknowledging both the question and the speaker. "The three-tails has been captured." He announces. He delivers the words without drama or pride, but they hang in the air with a weight that sets the room vibrating.

Itachi's eyes narrow, but his only response is a faint hum. No visible satisfaction, no visible doubt. He already knows this is not a meeting for celebration. It is a meeting to do work.

Kisame Hoshigaki lopes into view a moment later, casting a massive shadow that dwarfs his partner's form. His sword, Samehada, rests against his shoulder, its bandaged mass twitching with anticipation, as if it too senses sustenance in the air. "Ah, don't be like that,Itachi."Kisame drawls, lips parting in a too-wide smile that displays rows of triangular teeth. "You're still upset about the nine-tails getting away all those years ago?" His laughter is rough but not unkind. He enjoys the friction between his own irreverence and Itachi's icy distance.

"No."

"That's the spirit!" Kisame says, oblivious (or indifferent) to the younger man's near-celestial focus.

The sound of footsteps, two pairs, one feather-light, the other clumsy and erratic, announces the arrival of the next duo. The first to arrive in person, Konan enters. She arranges her blue hair with precision, and the paper flower in her hair stays pristine despite the journey. She glides across the stone floor with calm, deliberate steps, her paper cloak fluttering as she walks. There is dignity in every motion, and her eyes never leave the leader at the room's heart.

Tobi follows her, his movements resembling those of an overeager child as he nearly trips over the trailing ends of his own cloak. His orange mask gleams in the firelight, the single eyehole gaping like a wound. "Tobi can't believe how tough that little guy was! He really put up a fight, right, Konan?" He exclaims, his voice oscillating between awe and comic relief.

"He was more difficult to capture than I expected." Konan concedes, her tone soft but implacable. She does not waste words. "It is of no consequence. He is contained, and the extraction can proceed." She turns her gaze to her longtime friend, sharing a silent communication. He acknowledges her with a subtle incline of his head.

Tobi bounces on his toes. "Did you see when he tried to bite my leg off? Tobi had to run in circles for at least five minutes!" He spins in a circle to demonstrate, cloak flaring. Everyone except Zetsu meets the display with blank stares, while Zetsu grins on both sides.

"Try to act like a professional in front of the others." Black Zetsu hisses out the side of his mouth, but Tobi only giggles.

The arrival of the last, and by far the loudest, contingent cuts short Tobi's retort. The air seems to shudder with their approach, as though the rocks themselves are bracing for impact.

"You have some fucking nerve bringing us back on such short fucking notice!" Hidan bellows, his voice echoing off the stone and shaking dust from the ceiling. He stomps into the room at full volume, scythe slung over his back. His purple eyes are wild, feral, and carry the promise of violence.

"We were busy." His partner Kakuzu adds, following with a more measured gait. The stitched-together menace of his form appears less garish than Hidan's, yet his presence carries an unsettling , with his masked face, scans the room for threats or profit with his green, predatory eyes, whichever comes first.

"Was it the same group that took down Deidara and Sasori?" The leader asks, his voice steady, picking up the earlier thread as if no time had passed.

"Pffft, I wish." Hidan sneers, baring his teeth at the question. "Just a bunch of pathetic little shits from the Leaf. I killed the bearded one and was about to paint the others when Zetsu here buzzed us." He jerks a thumb in Zetsu's direction, then spits on the floor. "If I miss my quota of sacrifices because of another one of these boring rituals, I'm going to…"

"I was only following master's orders." White Zetsu interjects, his tone revealing genuine offense.

"So shut your trap." Black Zetsu fires back, doubling the venom.

"Make me!" Hidan shouts while leaning in with intensity.

"You would lose." Black Zetsu counters, baring imaginary fangs.

"Enough." The leader commands, and the word lands like a thrown blade, slicing through the momentum of the argument. All eyes turn to him, as the weight of his authority reasserts itself with a sudden force. "You will have plenty of time for your amusements after the extraction. For now, we proceed."

The room falls silent except for the low, persistent hum of energy building in the center of the chamber. The leader's hands move in a series of precise, staccato seals, each one sparking faint ripples of chakra that run through the floor and up the walls. In the flickering orange glow, the other members take their places in a wide circle, the formation drilled into them by years of repetition but always carrying the weight of the moment.

At the center, the massive statue lowers from above, and patterns inscribed on its surface seem to writhe and shift in the unstable light. There is a sense of ritual to the preparations, a grim pageantry that even the most irreverent Akatsuki respect.

Konan closes her eyes, and the air fills with a faint rustling as hundreds of origami paper slips fan out behind her.

XxX

Streets of Konohagakure, 7:47 PM, 7 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"Why did you have to sic Sakura on me, Hinata? I thought we were friends! Naruto pouts as he walks through the streets.

In truth, he is still recovering from his traumatic experience from yesterday. Sakura managed to track him down to his apartment and tied him up. She then proceeded to make ramen and eat it in front of him! And she didn't share any with him! Then, what she didn't eat, she threw away!

Needless to say, he learned his lesson. He promised her that he wouldn't do that jutsu in front of her again.

Key phrase, in front of her.

I just hope I'm never in a situation where I need to do that justsu in front of her again. I don't think I'll get as lucky next time.

"Well, you did deserve it. I'm glad that whatever she did seems to have worked. Now, did you learn your lesson?" Hinata says as she walks beside him.

With his face a little downtrodden, Naruto remarks." Hai, I've learned my lesson."

"Good." Hinata beams, secure in the knowledge he won't be using that jutsu again.

The pair continues to walk for a bit, Naruto with his hands behind his head, thinking about life. Hinata has her arms by her sides. Her habit of poking her index fingers is tempting, but Hinata keeps the urge at bay.

"So, Hinata, where are you taking us tonight? I thought we were going to eat some ramen." Naruto remarks. They were walking in the opposite direction of the movie theater, so he knew they were not seeing a flic.

"It's in the civilian district. I've never done it, but it sounds fun." And romantic as well!

Naruto's brow furrows in confusion as he repeats the word. "It? What do you mean by 'it'?" His legs continue to move on autopilot, navigating the crowded streets of Konohagakure with ease. As he strolls, he racks his brain to come up with ideas for entertainment in the civilian district. But his mind remains a blank slate, devoid of inspiration. The truth is, Naruto has never ventured into this part of town before, and up until now, he hasn't seen a reason to. After all, his duties as a ninja-in-training have always kept him busy elsewhere.

Hinata's eyes sparkle with mischief as she lets out a small, playful giggle. "You will see when we get there, Naruto." She replies, her voice a soft whisper. She then begins humming a gentle tune to herself, her fingers tapping out the rhythm on her thigh. Right now, she can't be more elated. Determined to make her second 'date' with Naruto count, she is ready for it.

The memory of their first outing still lingers. The ramen, the movie, the walk. Everything was perfect. Until she chickened out at the end. This time, she vows to be bolder. She will take a chance and express her true feelings, no matter how nervous it makes her. After all, she has been waiting for this moment for what has felt like an eternity, and she isn't about to let it slip away.

After several minutes, the duo came across a more modern-style building. Hinata stops in front of the place and grabs ahold of Naruto.

"Ah, Hinata, why are we stopping?" Naruto asks, confused as he looks around.

"We are here, of course." She indicates as she points up to the sign.

Naruto looks up at the sign, reading aloud, 'Konohagakure Ice Rink'.

"Wait, you know how to skate, Hinata!?" He asks, enthused. He learned to skate during his travels in the land of snow and had enjoyed himself a lot. He remembers skating with his co-star sometimes at night when she invited him out like Hinata is now.

"No, but it seems like fun, and I want to try something fun for the first time with you." Hinata remarks, giving his arm a little squeeze.

Naruto's face lights up like a Christmas tree, and he gives his trademark goofy smile. "You are going to have so much fun, Hinata!" He then rushes in, dragging Hinata behind him.

Once the duo pays for their skates, they put them on and walk toward the rink.

"This is hard on the ankles." Hinata says as she hobbles to the ice.

"Yeah, it takes time getting used to, but you get the hang of it eventually." Naruto says, encouraging the kunoichi.

Naruto is the first on the ice, and he skates in a few circles to get his bearings again after a long hiatus off the ice.

I didn't know Naruto knew how to skate. This could work out to my advantage even more!

With a cautious, ginger step, she ventures onto the frozen surface, her vision gazes over the slick expanse of ice. With a hesitant pause, she brings her other foot onto the ice, shifting her weight to maintain balance. But despite her precise movements, she can't help but wobble. Her ankles tilt at an angle that threatens her stability as she struggles to find her footing. Her byakugan offers her no help when trying to balance on the ice.

She's struggling to maintain her balance, with her body tilting forward. Her arms flail, resembling a distressed bird, as she struggles to right herself. Her eyes snap shut, and her face sets in a determined grimace as she prepares for the inevitable fall. When all hope seems lost, Naruto rushes in. His quick reflexes save her from a bad fall. He catches her in a firm yet gentle grip, his hands wrapped around her waist.

"Careful there. You should stick to the sides when you first start to catch yourself." He says as he brings her back up.

With a warm blush spreading across her cheeks, Hinata's voice trembles as she replies. "Thank you. I'll do that." She takes a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the ice ahead, and then reaches for the side of the rink. As she starts to skate against the edge, she realizes that it's harder than it looks. The ice seems to stretch out before her like an endless, frozen plain, and her legs wobble beneath her as she struggles to maintain her balance.

Meanwhile, Naruto is carving up the rink like a hot knife through butter. His carefree laughter echoes off the cold walls while he glides across the ice with ease. He shifts his weight, his blades digging into the ice, and then, with a swift motion, he glides backward. Hinata watches with wide eyes, filled with wonder at his effortless accomplishment. She, on the other hand, struggles to maintain her balance, her ankles wobbling ever more. If she weren't so frustrated with her own lack of coordination, she would have admired Naruto's skill. Alas, she is still doing her best in her losing battle against gravity.

It was for naught. She soon finds herself looking up at the ceiling with pain in her butt and back. Naruto has seen this and started laughing.

"Oh man, you should have seen yourself, Hinata! You looked like a fish out of water!" He shouts, gripping his sides in laughter.

Hinata's face twists in annoyance as she snaps. "Not funny, Naruto!" The young kunoichi's jest has fallen flat. Naruto, oblivious to her irritation, hurries over to lend a hand, but Hinata waves him off with a haughty flick of her wrist. "I got it, thank you." She says, her voice dripping with a dignity that belied her precarious position. She makes a second attempt to haul herself up, but her legs wobble beneath her, and she lands on her rear end once more.

"Hahaha! Oh man. It's even funnier the second time!" Naruto says, clutching his sides again.

With another huff, Hinata finally gives in. "You may help me up." Hinata once again says in her regal manner.

Still chuckling, Naruto extends his hand again and says in a professional manner. "Hai, my princess."

At first, Hinata fixes her piercing gaze on Naruto, her eyes blazing with an intensity that makes him squirm. Beads of sweat begin to form on his forehead as he fidgets under her scrutiny. But Hinata's stern expression lasts only for a moment. Her face softens, and a bright smile spreads across her face. Her laughter is contagious, and Naruto can't help but chuckle along with her. Still grinning, Hinata reaches out and grasps Naruto's hand, using it to pull herself up from her seat. As she rises on her skates.

"Could you give me some pointers? This is much more difficult than it looks." She asks her 'date'.

Naruto's face lights up with a wide grin as he exclaims. "Gladly Hinata!"

He then takes on a mentor's role, offering her advice and demonstrations. With a hands-on approach, he guides her through the steps, illustrating each with precision. As she struggles to find her footing, Naruto is always ready to lend a helping hand, catching her when she stumbles or providing a steadying grip on her waist to help her regain balance. Hinata does her best to hide her blushing and is proud that she only lets it show twice.

"Naruto! I'm doing it!" She exclaims with unbridled delight, her eyes sparkling with excitement. While her movements lack the fluid grace of Naruto's, she is able to skate on her own, her blades gliding tentatively across the ice. It is a far cry from the effortless strides Naruto takes, but the sense of accomplishment is there, a testament to the hard-won progress she had made.

"Alright!" Naruto says as he pumps his fist in the air. He then moves away from Hinata to let her skate on her own and observe her. He notices she is starting to increase her speed and is getting her arms more involved in her movement. He is quite proud of her for making this much progress in such a short amount of time.

His gaze then wanders toward the clock, and he notices the time.

"Crap! Hinata, we need to get going soon, or else we will miss ramen!" Naruto shouts from across the ice, his brain recalling the haunting scene from earlier with Sakura for a brief moment.

"I'm coming back!" She shouts as she starts skating much faster to the exit. Naruto is already at the exit waiting for her when he remembers something important. He never showed her how to stop.

"Naruto, watch out!" Hinata says while attempting to slow down, but she fails completely. She collides with Naruto at the exit, and both fall to the floor.

"Ouch, that hurt." Hinata says while on top of Naruto. "Are you hurt?" She asks, worried she might have caused him injury.

"I'll be fine, didn't hit my head, so I'll be fine." He says, looking down and giving her a reassuring smile.

At first, she's relieved that he's okay. Then, a few seconds later, she realizes the position she is in. Her hands are on his chiseled torso, and she is moving one of them up and down without realizing it.

What is she doing?

Hinata's face turns red as she jumps to her feet, offering a flurry of apologies.

"It's fine, Hinata. It's my fault for not teaching you how to stop. When we come back, I'll show you how to stop." He says as he picks himself up from the ground. Unlike Hinata, he is able to hide his blush, but his efforts are almost unsuccessful.

The reason for that is that his mind switched to the food of the gods. "Let's hurry up and get to Ichiraku's before they close!" He says as he drags a still-blushing Hinata by the hand.

On their way to Ichiraku's, Hinata keeps playing back the memory of when she ran into Naruto. How embarrassed she felt at having run into him. How bad she felt for tackling him. How hard his abs wer...

No! Bad Hinata! It is far too early for those kinds of thoughts!

"I'm giving you a warning, Hinata. You are not getting the crown from me. I won it back last time fair and square, and it feels nice and warm on top of my head." He says with determination.

This line brought Hinata out of her more perverted thoughts to her relief. "We shall see Naruto, in fact..." She says as she starts sprinting. "I think I'll get a head start!" She shouts back behind her.

"HEY! No fair!" Naruto says as he scrambles to catch up.

The duo sprints through the vibrant streets of Konohagakure. Their infectious laughter echoes off the stalls. The crisp evening air invigorates their senses, and they revel in the gentle breeze that rustles their hair. They dodge through the bustling crowds. Their competitive spirits soar, each one determined to be the first to reach their beloved Ichiraku Ramen. The aroma of steaming noodles and savory broth is already teasing their taste buds.

In the end, it is Hinata who is the first to arrive.

"Good evening, Hinata! You have arrived just in time. We were closing up soon, but for you, we can stay open a little longer." Ayame says to Hinata as she enters. She looks behind Hinata and remarks. "Is Naruto coming as well?"

Looking at the clock on the wall, Hinata does some mental calculations before responding. "He should be here riiiiiiiight aboooooooooooooout."

"I MADE IT FIRST!"

"Now."

"DAMNIT!"

Hinata and Ayame laugh at the boy's frustration. "You may have the speed, Naruto, but nothing gets past these eyes of mine." Hinata says, pointing at her byakugan.

"Man, I wish I had the byakugan. It's way cooler than the stupid sharingan. Although I have to admit, Kakashi's Mangekyō sharingan is pretty cool. Say, Hinata. Are there any different forms of the byakugan?" Naruto rubs his chin as he asks Hinata this.

Hinata mirrors his pose, deactivates her byakugan, and thinks. She remembers hearing legends of a different type of byakugan from the ancient past. The details were sparse, as her great-grandmother often switched up details due to her age. Those were bedtime stories, and they were definitely not real, though.

Right?

"Sorry Naruto. The only different 'forms' I can think of are how far away we can see." Hinata says.

"Oh well, I still stand by what I said about your eyes. They are so cool!" Naruto utters with delight, causing Hinata to look away in embarrassment.

When both of them finally settle in at Ichiraku, they place their orders. The aroma of rich pork broth and simmering noodles fills the air, tantalizing their taste buds. After a few minutes, their first steaming bowls arrive, and the real battle begins.

For the next hour, a constant stream of bowls flowed out of the kitchen. Each one piled high with a mountain of noodles, savory slices of pork, and a soft-boiled egg. Both friends determined to outdo each other. Each slurp and bite a calculated move to win the coveted title of king or queen of Ichiraku. The clinking of chopsticks, the satisfied "slurp" sounds, and the occasional laughter created a lively atmosphere that each enjoyed quite a bit. There could be only one winner, though.

"I WIN!" Hinata shouts with a sense of triumph.

Naruto's pupils widen in disbelief as he stares at the empty bowl in front of him. Hinata has outdone him, outmaneuvered him, and out-eaten him. The thought of someone consuming more ramen than him is unheard of, a feat he has previously considered impossible. But the evidence is clear. Hinata has stacked her bowls up high next to his, one higher. Naruto feels his competitive spirit piqued, and he tries to finish his current bowl.

He can't. It is too much. His stomach clamps shut, telling him there would be consequences if he takes a single bite more. Naruto puts his chopsticks down, and for the first time in his young life, admittees defeat.

"You win Hinata." He says patting his stomach. "...this time!" His competitive fire isn't gone. If anything, this loss stokes it more. No one has ever challenged him and made him lose at ramen eating. Such an event will never happen again under his watch!

Hinata beams with pride, her face glowing bright red. She does a little victory dance, her hair and other assets bouncing with each step. Naruto stares at her, drinking in every detail every bounce affords him, like he has his own sharingan. He soon feels his cheeks turn a slight shade of crimson, and he forces himself to look away.

The bouncing gets to Hinata, and she soon feels a queasiness take hold. She sits back down and grabs her stomach. "I think I overdid it with the celebration."

Naruto chuckles and gives Hinata's back a light pat. "You should've seen your face when you won." He teases. Hinata's eyes sparkle, but she grimaces, still holding her stomach. "I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life." She says, her voice strained. Naruto nods in sympathy, feeling his own stomach grumble in protest. The two friends sit in comfortable silence for a moment as their food comas begin to take hold.

"Alright, you two, I'll give you five minutes, and then you need to leave. We do want to get home before sunrise." Ayame says in a mock huff to her two best and favorite customers.

"Thanks, Ayame. Tell the old man he outdid himself for us." Naruto states. Ayame's face softens before giving a nod that she would.

After the allotted five minutes have expired, the two skilled shinobi depart and begin their trek home. The once-bustling streets are now deserted, with only the faint sound of their footsteps echoing through the darkness as they continue on their way. As they turn a corner, they soon find themselves at a familiar intersection, a spot they have crossed many times before. It is here that their paths would diverge, each shinobi taking a separate route to their individual homes. The silence is almost palpable as they exchange a brief, knowing glance.

"Well, this is where we part ways. I had another awesome evening tonight! It might have even been better than when we saw the movie!" Naruto states in delight.

"It's been a magical evening thanks to you, Naruto." Hinata states.

Naruto is about to turn away and leave for his home. She can feel her arm trembling, but she pays it no mind.

This is it, Hinata! No going back! First, close your eyes.

She closes her eyes.

Then say his name.

"Naruto."

Then grab his hands.

She grabs his hands.

And lean in.

She leans in.

It may have been a fleeting moment, but for Hinata, time felt as though it had come to a complete halt. The memories of her previous failure still linger, fueling her determination to succeed this time. Her desire to claim his lips is overwhelming, a craving that surges through her veins like a raging river. The magnetic pull she feels toward him is as natural as the force of gravity, an unstoppable force that draws her closer with every heartbeat. As she stands there, her senses heightened, the world around her melts away, leaving only the two of them suspended in a universe of their own creation.

A demonic voice pierces the air. "Why didn't you help me?" Hinata's eyes snap open, and what she sees makes her blood run cold. Before her lies a scene almost too horrific to describe. The once-thriving village of Konohagakure is now a smoldering ruin. Crumbling buildings stretch toward the sky like skeletal fingers, while flames dance in the darkness, casting flickering shadows on the ground. The night air is heavy with the acrid smell of smoke and ash, and the silence is oppressive, punctuated only by the distant sound of crackling flames. The devastation is so complete that it seems as if the very heart of the village has been ripped out.

This is not the most unbearable sight. The most gruesome and distressing scene stands right in front of her, embodied by Naruto's ravaged body. The fire burned his skin, flaying open layers like a fish fillet and exposing the raw, red tissue beneath. The right arm is now nothing more than a mangled stump, severed above the elbow, with a pool of crimson blood collecting beneath. The wound itself is a breeding ground for maggots and insects, which crawl out of the gash, feasting on his exposed muscle and bone. The left side of his face is completely obliterated, leaving behind a mass of charred, blackened flesh that seems to have melted off his skull. The right side, though intact, is a grim reminder of the Naruto she once knew, a haunting vision of what he looked like.

His eyes are open, but they don't see. They stare, empty and unblinking, as if gazing into a deep void. His chest rises and falls in short, shallow breaths, but there is no sense of life in him. Naruto's body is a mere shell, a fragile, broken thing that seems to be clinging to life by a thread. The stillness around him is eerie, as if time itself has frozen in horror at the sight of his ravaged form.

Hinata's eyelids snap shut, her eyes screwed tight as if to block out the painful visions that threaten to resurface. Her chest heaves with each ragged breath, her lungs grasping for oxygen as if trying to fill the emptiness that has taken up residence inside her. She strains to erase the haunting images from her mind, to incinerate the memories of that fateful day. But no matter how hard she tries, the memory remains.

And so, she screamed.

"HINATA!" Naruto shouts, grabbing her by the shoulders to snap her out of her current state. After she grabs his hands and closes her eyes, she stands there for several seconds doing nothing. He had tried to call out to her before, but she had only a blank expression.

Then, her face begins to twist and distort, as if a sharp pain had gripped her. Her eyebrows furrow, her gaze widens, and her lips purse, morphing her features into a mask of sheer horror. He feels a pang of anxiety, his concern growing with each passing second. The transformation is sudden and intense, replacing her calm expression with one of unbridled terror. Now, her screams pierce the air, and he knows he has to act fast.

He keeps calling out her name and shaking her. Pleading with her to come back to him. He feels desperation take hold of him because he cannot help one of the women for whom he had deep care. To his relief, her eyes opened.

They dart every which way, taking in as much detail as they can. After she scans the area, he notices the veins near her eyes activate. The sign that her byakugan is active and she is looking everywhere in a hurried manner.

What did she see that would make her this scared?

"Hinata. What happened?" Naruto asks. Concern oozes out of him like a fountain.

His words bring her back to reality. His touch calms her down, but not enough. She brings her hands up and takes them off her shoulders.

"I'm sorry N-Naruto, I-I ca.." She can't finish her sentence. She turns around and starts running. Her heart beating a mile a minute in her chest. Guilt, anger, sadness, regret. She feels so many negative emotions that it is overwhelming her.

It happened again! and at the worst possible time! I need Ino to do some drastic measures tomorrow. I can't go on like this!

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Halestorm

I forgot to mention that I was recovering from surgery in the last author notes and that this chapter would be a week delayed as a result. Sorry about that! This chapter will be the last 'filler' chapter before we start the Akatsuki suppression arc in earnest.

I hope yall liked the orphanage scene. I was originally just going to have her give the report and flashback to certain scenes, but I thought it would be best to just show what happened. I know it has a lot of cliches but I'm still not even a year into writing so I'm falling back on them. I'm going to try and not rely on them more in the future but for now I like how that scene turned out.

I will say this, I won't be showing more of the expanded team 7 training next chapter. I figured the first scene would be enough for everyone to know that their training is still on going.

Have I mentioned how much I love writing our blonde duo together? I think of Ino as the type of girl who is comfortable both with her own sexuality and of the female body. So, she wouldn't have the other the top reaction Sakura does to the sexy jutsu. Especially if its used in the way it was there.

I knew when I made up the chapter skeleton I wanted to have another date between Hinata and Naruto but I was at a loss for what it should entail. Then I thought back to some previous dates I had and remembered ice skating. I really enjoyed it and I thought it would also fit into Naruto visiting the land of snow during his travels with Jiraiya. I know some people may not like how I stopped her from kissing Naruto but A)It's my story and I'll write what I feel should happen and B) I did set up her PTSD coming up at the worst possible times before.

Anyways, thats all I have to say. Till next time yall! And remember, don't feed the trolls.

Chapter 24: The Humbling River

Streets of Konohagakure, 11:05 AM, 8 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"What happened with Hinata and Ino? I thought they wanted to see Anko as well?" Naruto questions Sakura. Temari is standing in the middle between the two, and he leans forward when speaking to his longtime teammate.

"They did. They said that something important came up and that they couldn't wait to deal with it, so here we are." Sakura comments on the situation.

Naruto's eyes narrow as he feels uncertain about the situation. Sakura's explanation doesn't sit well with him. He looks at Temari, then back at Sakura. "Do you think it has something to do with the Akatsuki?" he asks, his voice low and serious.

"I hope not. Then I would have to go after them for not including us." Temari remarks with an exaggerated look of anger. Shikamaru has not returned from his mission, and she had made a courteous request for Naruto and Sakura to take over his duties for the day. It was the least they could do after she became an unofficial third instructor during their training.

It has been four days now since she started training with Kakashi and Yamato's group. Kakashi still focuses on taijutsu with his sharingan. The sharingan is an ideal tool for improving their skills in hand-to-hand combat. He also says that it helps him as well by getting more used to the strain of the sharingan for longer periods of time.

Yamato continues to focus on ninjutsu. Now, all of them can produce their own water and are starting to become proficient in a few techniques. Temari is happy to have another element under her belt, even as inexperienced with it as she was.

She is also happy that she kept her promise to teach Hinata and Sakura some air techniques. Naruto came running over and asked if she could teach him as well. Which was a pleasant surprise. To her shock, Naruto had a wind affinity like hers. Wind is a common affinity in Sunagakure. In Konohagakure, the only shinobi of note who had it were Naruto and Shikamaru's old teacher, Asuma.

Now they trained together, a group of friends learning from each other. Temari taught them about wind jutsu, while Hinata and Sakura shared their knowledge of medical jutsu. Naruto practiced his new air techniques, excited to have finally found a teacher who shared an affinity with him. Yamato and Kakashi watched over them, offering guidance when needed. As they trained, the group grew closer, their bond strengthened with each passing day.

"That makes two of us, sister." Sakura remarks. While the two of them are not sisters by blood, she can see the similarities. Both are headstrong kunoichi who will not back down from a fight. Both also find humor in a lot of similar situations. They also take no shit from the men in their lives and see to correct them when needed. One day, maybe, Temari can consider Sakura a battle-born sister. One day.

"I'll be sure to include you, Sakura." Temari says, gazing to her left. She then shifts her head to the right to address her fellow blonde. "How far away is the Forest of Death? It's been a while since I last went there during the exams." She asks.

"Not very long. Since Anko left the hospital two days ago, she has been training there nonstop." Naruto says, recalling what Tsunade had told him.

The duo has already filled Temari in on what happened to Anko when they met up earlier today. They both asked Temari if they could visit Anko today to see how she is doing after what Sasuke did and to apologize to her. Sasuke is their teammate, and they feel, no matter how illogical, a sense of shared responsibility.

"I can understand why she wants to train. After experiencing something like that, I'd also want to train nonstop." Temari utters.

"You sure you're okay with us going to find her? It's your day off as well." Sakura asks, unsure of herself.

"Hai, I'm sure. Besides, I may not have seen much of her, but you don't forget an entrance like hers at the exam. Even if her attire was... less than desirable. Does she always dress like that?" Temari asks as they continue their trek through the busy morning streets of Konohagakure.

Sakura drops her shoulders in defeat. "Hai, unfortunately." She relents in saying.

"Right…So, Naruto, you better not get ANY ideas from Anko to improve 'that' jutsu further. Are we clear?" Temari says with authority. The memory of her first training session with the group comes up in her mind, and she is going to make sure Naruto doesn't get any funny ideas.

Naruto can feel the gaze of Sakura come straight through Temari. Sweating, he stands straight as he walks and says. "Crystal!"

"Good. Now then, once we are done with Anko, I need to find Tenten. I did promise her I would have our rematch when I got time off, and I always keep my promises." Temari comments, looking forward.

Sakura's gaze softens, and she looks straight ahead, figuring Naruto got the message loud and clear. "Just like a certain knucklehead I know." She chuckles with a hint of amusement to herself.

"Hehe, you know it!"

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the group arrives at one of the many gates leading into the Forest of Death.

"This place is so big, just how will we fi…"

BAAAAAAAAANG

"…nd Anko." Temari's words are not heard above the loud bang coming from the forest.

Temari turns toward Sakura, who gives her a shrug. "You saw her entrance. She's not one for subtlety."

Memories of the exam come back to Naruto. Especially when Anko threw a kunai at him and made him scaroused. "It seems she might be angry, guys. Do you think we should come back another time?" Naruto half-questions, half-pleads to the kunoichi as he takes a hesitant step back.

Temari and Sakura both turn around and give him a deadpan look. Temari is the first to address him.

"Naruto, you have a criminal organization coming after you."

"A group of S-ranked ones."

"Of which you have shown no fear of."

"Yet, you are scared of Anko?"

Both kunoichi are now staring daggers at him. Their death gazes stop the wind from howling, leaving only the sounds of their breathing. Now, Naruto is starting to feel the fear of the shinigami.

"Look, women are scary when they're mad! I can't help that I want to live!" Naruto admits out loud.

"Damn right we are." Both kunoichi say as they fold their arms in front of their chests. Pride fills their voices.

Naruto wishes he could be small right now. The look in their eyes is even scarier than Yamato's ghoul face. He can feel the cold sweat on his back starting to trickle down. Why do such scary women have to surround him?

Naruto takes another step back, his survival instincts starting to kick in. Then, the two kunoichi start to snicker before laughing.

"Sakura, that was incredible!" Temari says, laughing and snorting with her fellow cohort. Temari then wipes tears from her eyes, still chuckling.

Sakura's grin stretches from ear to ear, reflecting her satisfaction with herself. "I'm sorry about that, Naruto, but we had to do it. Temari needed a good laugh after all the lessons she's been giving us. Plus, you have to admit, the tension is gone."

BOOOOOM

"...mostly." The two kunoichi take a few deep breaths, composing themselves.

Naruto's tension has eased. He has to admit, seeing them laugh like this does make him feel good. If something this simple can make them laugh like that, then he might just get used to it.

Temari's gaze meets his, and she sys. "You should remember, Naruto. We may be beautiful, but don't underestimate us."

Naruto chuckles a little at this line. "Don't worry, Pervy Sage has already taught me to be cautious around pretty women. I just need to be extra careful around you two."

"If you are trying to flirt with us, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, lover boy, but you are not my type." Temari says in a playful manner.

Did Naruto call me pretty? No, he's being nice. Hinata is the pretty one, not me.

"Sakura? Hey, Sakura?" Naruto's voice brings her out of her train of thought.

"Oh, sorry, lost in my world there. What did you say?"

"I said let's go and find Anko. I may be scaroused of her, but I won't let that get the better of me." Naruto says as he pumps his fist in the air and runs into the forest.

Temari and Sakura look at each other.

"Scaroused?" Both say at the same time.

With simultaneous shrugs, they go after the boy. Their footsteps crunch against the dry underbrush as they follow the trail. It doesn't take them long to find him, standing amidst the chaos. Nor does it take them long to locate the source of the explosions.

As they approach Anko, the sheer scale of the devastation strikes them. Several massive trees lay felled around her. Their trunks snapped like twigs, while others still stood. Their bark charred and blackened. Some of the trees bear cut marks, clean and precise, as if sliced by an invisible blade. Others have signs of fire, the flames having licked at the wood. That isn't the scariest part. What scared them is Anko. She hears them approaching her and now turns to face them. All three stop dead in their tracks.

She looks happy, overjoyed. None of the shinobi can remember seeing such a large shit-eating grin on anyone's face before.

"So kiddies. What do I owe ya for coming to see me out here." Anko says, her grin not going away.

Knowing that Naruto's brain is more than likely fried at this point, Sakura speaks up. "Naruto and I are here to apologize to you for what Sasuke did to you." She gives a bow to Anko and pulls Naruto down with her. Temari elects to take a few steps back from the dangerous woman.

"Apologize? Why do you need to apologize?" Anko asks, visible confusion now replacing her smile.

"Because Sasuke was our teammate, we should have done more to see what he had become. You have every right to be angry at him and at us." Sakura replies.

Now Anko is even more confused. "Why would I be angry at you or Sasuke?"

Sakura and Naruto both lift their heads. "You're not?" Both inquire at the same time.

The grin then starts to fall back into place on her face. "Fuck no. If anything, I want to kiss that little emo bastard."

Naruto and Sakura now stand straight up, tilting their heads in further confusion. "What?"

Anko brings down her mesh armor enough to show where the curse mark used to be on her skin. "It's finally gone. The one thing I wanted more than anything else in the world to be rid of, and Sasuke did it."

Still in her stupor, Sakura still has some rational thought processing and asks another question. "Then why are you out here destroying the forest?"

Anko then uses her earth release and makes a razor-sharp disk and throws it at a tree. "I'm celebrating, of course! This is going to be a long one too!" The tree topples over and lands with a huge thud.

Now Temari stands with the two young shinobi, her face also showing complete confusion.

"What?" All three state.

Anko continues on without bothering to answer the question. She turns around and starts walking further into the forest. "I'm going to be eating so much dango tonight. I'll give that shack so much money they won't need to open for month."

Then the gears start turning in her head on plans for what to do after her binge. Or, rather, whom to do. She stops in her tracks. "I'd make this offer to Sasuke first, buuuuuuuuut since he isn't here."

She then turns around and looks at the three shinobi. Anko takes a very long look at her fellow leaf village shinobi, drinking in every detail of them. She is more than happy with what she sees. In her eyes, a combination of danger and lust shows through with intent.

"If you two are sorry and want to make it up to me." She pulls out a kunai and licks it. "I know of a way you can." She then addresses the elder blond. "You are more than welcome to join as well, clover hair."

At this moment in time, Temari and Sakura finally understand what Naruto meant when he said he was scaroused.

All three sweat drop and have nervous looks on their faces.

"I'm good./I'll pass./Thanks but no."

If I swung that way…/I want my first time to be solo./Pervy Sage will kill me if he finds out I turned this down.

Anko puts the kunai away with a look of slight disappointment. "Suit yourselves." She then charges into the forest, laughing like a maniac. "Sasuke! When I see you again, you will be mine!"

The three shinobi stand there, not knowing what to make of what they have witnessed. The wind starts blowing through the area once again, and a tumbleweed goes by.

When did Konohagakure have tumbleweeds?/When did Konohagakure have tumbleweeds?/When did Konohagakure have tumbleweeds?

Temari is the first to come to her senses and asks a very important question. "Was she being serious?"

Sakura comes back now too and, with a look of dejection, says. "Hai, Unfortunately. She's not one to beat around the bush with what she wants." She then turns and bows to Temari. "I'm sorry you saw that."

Temari waves her off. "It's fine, I was just... surprised is all. Every village has their special... cases as it were." Her voice is now more confident. "Besides, you both said you needed to make amends. I'd say they have been made. So, how do you two feel."

"Scaroused./Scaroused."

The back of Temari's head forms a sweat drop upon hearing this.

"I'm glad it's over with and she doesn't hate us." Naruto says, happy with that part of the conversation.

"Same." Sakura chimes in.

"Good, now let's go and see Tenten about her rematch. How much has she improved since our last fight." Temari says as she turns around and gestures for them to leave with her.

The two catch up to her and walk by her side. "She's gotten much better. I went on a few missions with her, and her skills with weapons have increased significantly." Sakura utters.

Temari then looks to Sakura with a knowing look. "So she has no chance against me." She states as a matter of fact.

"Pretty much. It won't be easy though." Sakura states, also as a matter of fact.

"Good, I would not want it easy."

XxX

Top of Hokage rock, 11:00 AM, 8 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

Hinata and Ino step onto the familiar terrain of the Hokage rock, surrounded by the gentle rustle of trees and the warmth of the sun on their skin. For Hinata, this outdoor setting is a deliberate choice, one that brings her a sense of calm. She has learned that conducting these sessions amidst nature helps ease her. In contrast, the walls of a room seem to close in on her and make her feel suffocated. The fresh air and open space allow her mind to breathe, unfettered by the constraints of four walls.

At first, Ino worried about privacy, but so far, no one has shown up thanks to Hinata's byakugan. Today is no exception, but what is different is the timing. Hinata's next session wasn't supposed to be until tomorrow. She had come to the flower shop that morning, begging to talk about something. Beatrice saw this and told Ino to go and help Hinata, saying she could handle the shop by herself that morning.

Now, they are at their normal spot after getting a quick bite to eat. Hinata has been even quieter than before. It is like the old Hinata has returned. The one who wouldn't speak unless spoken to due to her shy nature. Ino makes sure not to comment on it. She doesn't want to have her friend spill what she wants to say until she is ready.

"I'm... sorry to take you away from your mother." Hinata apologizes, starting the conversation for the first time since she came into the flower shop hours ago.

Ino waves her off. "It's nothing. Mother likes you, Hinata, and she can see you need me." Ino then takes her normal seated position against a nearby tree. "Now then, I'm ready to begin whenever you are, friend."

Hinata sits on her knees opposite Ino. Her uncertainty is evident in her posture. "It happened again." She speaks in a serious tone.

Ino gives a nod in understanding. Hinata's nightmares had come to a head during their last mission. She had been unable to use her lion fists to their full capacity, which is why she sought Ino's help. They have had a few sessions now. Both on their return journey and when they got back to the village.

To their mutual relief, the nightmares had finally started to subside. Although they still surface every couple of nights, their grip has loosened, and the anguish they bring has diminished. Yet, it's clear that Hinata's journey toward peace is far from over. The visions of that genjutsu still haunt her, and now they have returned in full force.

"It didn't happen while I was asleep, though." Hinata admits, which causes Ino to lift her eyebrow.

Well, that's new. The last time something like this happened was during her fight with Sasuke.

"Do you feel like talking about what happened that led up to it?" Ino asks with caution. Given that Hinata seems to be reverting back to her old ways a little. It will be best to ask her instead of suggesting courses of action.

"It happened when I was about to leave Naruto last night."

Ahh.

Ino has known that Hinata has been planning that outing for a while. The unmistakable glint in Hinata's eye during their previous session had hinted at her intentions. But Ino's observation skills didn't stop there. She has picked up on a concerning trend in Hinata's behavior. A pattern that seems to revolve around one central figure, Naruto.

Almost everything Hinata does is somehow linked to the young shinobi. Ino recalls how Hinata would often steer their conversations toward Naruto or would find creative ways to mention his name in passing. This fixation is starting to become a defining characteristic of Hinata, and Ino can't help but wonder what lies beneath the surface of her friend's fascination.

Hinata is starting to become a little dependent on Naruto. Ino suspects that this is why these nightmares have become particularly troublesome, as her teammate would say. Hinata's north star is also becoming a source of fear for her.

The same had been true of Sakura in relation to Sasuke. Except, Sakura was forced to move past him. Which, she did much to Ino's relief. Sasuke had shown very little interest in Sakura. When Sakura brought up the moments where she said Sasuke did show interest, like blushing at her, Ino would point out that it was more out of embarrassment than actual feelings.

The day Sasuke crushed Sakura's hopes and dreams was both a curse and a blessing. Ino hated what Sasuke did to her best friend, but it had been necessary for Sakura to finally see the light. And Sakura somehow finally got the hint, to the shock of Ino.

She had never been happier for Sakura when she heard her turn down Sasuke's offer at Orochimaru's base. It showed Ino that Sakura was capable of self-reflection and could move on from a toxic relationship.

The situation with Hinata and Naruto is different.

Naruto and Hinata built their bond on mutual respect and trust, which stands in stark contrast to the toxicity that plagued Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. While it's true that Naruto's feelings for Hinata didn't stem from romantic love.

Yet.

He cares for her as a friend and values her presence in his life. This is evident in the way he looks out for her, offering a listening ear and a supportive shoulder during her times of need. Hinata's strong dedication to Naruto, even when he doesn't notice her feelings, shows how deep their bond is.

For the time being, she will continue to listen to Hinata and let her get everything she wants to say out of her system.

"We were about to go our separate ways. When I grabbed his hand and closed my eyes. Then, the nightmare began." Hinata states. She leaves out the part of trying to kiss Naruto. She doesn't see it as important for this discussion.

"Was it the same nightmare or was it different in any way?" Ino asks, her eyes now staring into Hinata's.

Hinata thought back, and for the most part, the nightmare wasn't dissimilar to her other ones. There was one noticeable difference, though.

"Outside of his injuries being slightly different, there was only one noticeable difference I can recall. A man was floating above the village." Hinata states.

This gets another eyebrow raise from Ino. "Do you know who it was?" Ino asks.

Hinata shakes her head. "No, I don't, but one thing stands out in my memory." He was wearing a black robe with red clouds."

Akatsuki.

"Do you think that has any significance?" Hinata asks with a sense of hope. She needs these nightmares to stop. They are interfering with her during her waking hours now.

"It more than likely feeds into your fears for Naruto. This time for his safety." Ino points out. "Which leads me into my next observation. I know of a way to help you."

Hinata's eyes lit up when she heard that. "What? Please tell me!"

Ino prepared herself for the initial blowback for what she was about to say. "You have become too protective on Naruto."

"..."

"..."

"Surely you jest?" Hinata balks at the idea.

"I'm serious."

"..."

"..."

Hinata's brain is still comprehending what Ino has told her. "I'm not too protective of Naruto. What makes you say that?" She says in defiance.

Ino sighs. She is afraid of this. Denial is always going to be the first step, and it is the hardest to get past. "For one, you always put yourself between Sakura and him."

"That's because she broke him before, and she can easily do it again!" She makes a bold declaration.

"Hinata, surely you should have seen it by now that Sakura has changed. You have seen her change this past year. Hell, Naruto has seen it, and he has not been here for even a month yet. That's not including the fact that he's forgiven her." Ino makes a clear statement.

Hinata scoffs at this. "We both know Naruto's nature. He would forgive anyone, no matter what they did to him. It's who he is."

Ino crosses her arms, her expression firm. "That may be true, but you're still holding onto the past. You're letting your fear of Naruto getting hurt again control your actions." She pauses, studying Hinata's face. "Can you honestly say you trust Sakura around Naruto?"

Hinata's vision narrows, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I trust her not to hurt him on purpose." She pauses, her gaze darting away. "But I don't trust her to keep her feelings in check."

Ino's eyes light up, sensing a crack in Hinata's armor. "Go on." She encourages, her tone soft but firm.

Hinata's face flashes with a mix of emotions. "Sakura's feelings are all over the place. One minute she's sweet, the next she's snapping at him." Hinata's voice rises, her frustration evident as she looks at Ino again. "You saw how she reacted when he did that jutsu. The one that YOU seemed to encourage by the way."

Ino could only smile. "We are kunoichi, and we do what we can to win. Naruto knew Kakashi's weakness and exploited it." Ino states.

Hinata sighed at this. "That may be true, but that still leaves how Sakura reacted." She says in a huff.

"Tell me, did Sakura actually do any physical harm when she got a hold of him?" Ino asks, knowing the answer already.

"...No." Hinata's gaze goes down.

"Did you expect her to?"

"...Hai."

"Then why did you give her the OK to go after him?"

Hinata was at a loss for this. Why did she give Sakura the go-ahead to go after Naruto?

"I-I don't know." Hinata provides a truthful answer.

"Here is what I believe, Hinata. I think deep down, you know what's best for Naruto and know who you can trust with him. However, there is something that is causing you to be overprotective of Naruto and is blinding you." Ino says, unfolding her arms.

Hinata can't deny the words of Ino. They are making a lot of sense in her mind. She does make it her personal mission to make sure no one hurts Naruto again after the hospital scene almost three years ago. Is that clouding her judgment too much? Is that why she is having these nightmares, because she believes she has failed in protecting Naruto somehow?

Ino now becomes more serious. "I also saw how you reacted when Naruto ran up and hugged me the night before we fought Orochimaru. Do you think I'm a threat to Naruto as well?"

To that, Hinata has no good answer. She knows that Ino would never harm Naruto. Ino has never done anything to harm Naruto in the past, so why did Hinata have those dark thoughts when Naruto hugged her? Was it because Hinata was jealous, or was it something worse?

"...What do you suggest I do?" Hinata asks in resignation. Her gaze now turns up and she meets Ino eye to eye.

Acceptance, good.

Ino's eyes sparkle with a knowing glint. "You need to confront your own fears, Hinata. Face the darkness inside you." She pauses, her voice firm but gentle. "You're not doing it for Naruto, but for yourself. That is why I suggest you do something for yourself that is not Naruto-related. It will take your mind off of him. And, when you see he is fine without you watching over him, you can move past this nightmare."

Ino's words hit Hinata like a cold splash of water. Ino's suggestion echoes in her mind. Do something for herself, something that doesn't revolve around Naruto. It feels foreign, alien to her.

"Do you have a suggestion in mind?" Hinata asks in a whisper, her eyes pleading for guidance.

While Ino doesn't have an answer, she does have some guidance. "Think back to your past. There must be something you wish you had done or wish to accomplish. It could even be clan-related." Ino says with a comforting voice.

As if lightning struck her, inspiration hits Hinata. She had indeed wanted something, but she had forgotten about it. Two things, actually. In her quest to protect Naruto, she pushed both wishes out of her mind, choosing not to think of them. Yet, they come rushing back to her now.

"I know what I can do." Hinata asserts. Her confidence is beginning to increase at a slow and steady pace.

Ino now has a full-on smile on her face. "Good." Hinata is about to speak, but Ino puts a finger to her lips. "You don't need to tell me. This is for you and for you alone to do. You don't need my approval."

With these words of encouragement, Hinata now has a bright smile. "Right, Ino. Thank you so much!"

Ino now stands up and offers a hand to Hinata. "My pleasure."

Hinata grabs Ino's hand and brings herself up. They embrace in a hug that reveals the depth of their care for each other.

Once they let go of the embrace, Ino speaks. "Now let's get going, girl. I have something planned for all of us kunoichi. Our last mission inspired me, and I know this will help all of us tremendously."

Hinata's expression shows confusion in response to this statement. The look in Ino's eyes doesn't inspire much confidence in Hinata. "What do you have planned, Ino?" Her voice speaks of the unease she feels at the moment.

"Hehehe." Ino chuckles. "You will have to wait and find out. Now come on, we need to find our fellow ladies!"

XxX

Konohagakure Hot Springs, 6:00 PM, 8 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"WOOHOO!" Naruto exclaims as he cannonballs into the steaming hot water, his towel flying away as he does so.

"Such youthful energy! I accept your challenge, Naruto!" Rock Lee shouts as he too cannonballs into the water, making a smaller splash than Naruto.

Neji pinches the bridge of his nose in embarrassment. "Why did I agree to come here with you two?" He asks of himself, not bothering to get into the water yet.

"Because if you didn't, Gai would have made you run one hundred laps around the village." Naruto states, recalling what the youthful man said not too long ago.

"Point taken."

"Come join us, Neji. Let the hot waters relax and rejuvenate you." Lee says as he swims to a corner of the hot springs.

Neji brings down his hand and looks Lee dead in the eye. "You do not get to speak of rest. I see what you consider rest." Neji points out.

Lee grins, unfazed by Neji's sarcasm. He floats on his back, eyes closed, letting out a contented sigh. Naruto starts swimming toward the edge of the water near Neji. He leaps out of the water, shaking his head as a dog does. Water droplets spray everywhere, hitting Neji and making him frown even more.

"Could you both please put on your towels? The sight is disturbing."

Naruto pretends to ponder this for a moment. He lifts his head up toward the sky as if in deep thought. "Nope!" He grins and jumps back in the water, making sure to get Neji more wet.

"Hilarious." Neji says as he dries his hair.

Lee continues to float on his back with his towel back in place. A peaceful smile on his face. Naruto swims around him, creating small waves in the hot springs. Neji shakes his head, still frowning. "You two are impossible." He mutters.

Naruto pops his head out of the water again, laughing. "Ok, Neji. I'll stop if it gets in you."

Neji's eyes remain unblinking as he searches for the truth in Naruto's face. For now, he doesn't see any deception. "Very well." He then slips into the water, securing his towel around his waist.

"So Naruto, how has your training been coming along? Last time we saw each other, I didn't get the chance to ask you." Lee says as he floats along the water's surface.

"Well, lately, I have been doing more team training than anything. After all, Hinata, Ino, and even Temari are part of the group now." Naruto admits.

Lee stops his floating and sits upright in the water. "I wish I could join you all. So many strong shinobi in a single team. You all must be having some good training!" Lee says as his eyes sparkle.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Lee. I've heard some things from Hinata." Neji's gaze then turns to Naruto. "Something about you using a jutsu she's not happy with."

"Oh that!" Naruto says as he chuckles to himself. "Here, let me show you." Naruto jumps out of the water and grabs his towel.

Both Lee and Neji look at Naruto with curious expressions. Neither knew what was about to happen. Neither would soon forget. Naruto does his hand sign, and smoke encases him. Once it cleared, the men's side of the private hot spring became mixed.

"Well boys, how do I look?" Naruko said in a sultry voice. Naruko does a twirl on her feet. When she stops spinning, she finds Neji and Lee on their backs floating in the water, blood coming out of their nostrils.

"HAHAHA! Oh man, that never gets old!" Naruto says as he transforms back into his normal self with smug satisfaction.

"Hey, Naruto!" Sakura shouts from over the wall. "My 'don't use that jutsu' sense is going off. You aren't showing it off, right?" Naruto's danger sense goes off, and he starts to sweat.

"Uhh, of course not, Sakura!" He shouts over the wall. "I was uhhh, telling them about your fight with Kabuto and how awesome you were at saving me!" Naruto hopes to Kami that flattery will get him somewhere.

"CHA! OF COURSE I AM."

Oh, thank Kami that worked. I got lucky.

That you sure did.

Damnit Ino. Get out of my head!

No can do, Goldie. I need to practice this so I can keep it up for longer times. Don't worry, though. I won't abuse this power... much!

Naruto grumbles to himself in his mind, which gets a snicker from Ino. Across the wall, the rest of the girls are having a much more relaxing time.

"I have to ask Sakura, what made you think Naruto was doing that jutsu again?" Temari asks, her legs in the water while she sits on the edge.

"I know that blockhead better than anyone. It may be a fool's errand, but I refuse to let him keep up these bad habits of his. That jutsu will never come in handy!" She says with confidence.

"What jutsu are you talking about?" Tenten asks. She immerses herself in the water, leans on the edge, and faces the wall with her hands resting on the lip of the hot springs.

"You don't want to know." Replies everyone but Ino, who is still snickering from her conversation with Naruto.

Not wanting this type of conversation to continue, Hinata decides it's best to talk about what happened not too long ago. "I'm impressed with your bukijutsu Tenten. You no longer use them as only ranged weapons but also up close. I thought for sure you would cut Temari's fan with your sword." Hinata states. She also submerges herself in the hot water and makes sure to sit far from Ino.

Tenten is happy for the praise but still feels a little dejected that she lost her rematch to Temari. "Thanks, Hinata. Gai has been helping me a lot with it. He noticed I had a close-range weakness and has been helping me with all my close-range weapons." She then gestures to Temari. "I wish it were enough against Miss Big Ass Fan over there."

Temari gives Tenten a mock cold stare from across the hot springs. "My fan is not something to joke about." She says in a huff. Hinata chuckles at the exchange, earning her a playful splash from Temari. She then takes a deep breath, feeling the warm water relax her muscles. She glances around the group, happy to see her friends laughing and joking together.

Hinata's thoughts then drift back to the session she had with Ino a few hours earlier. She loathes to admit it, but the more Hinata thinks about it, the more she is starting to see what Ino is seeing. She has become quite protective of Naruto, to the point of being obsessive about it.

While she finds Naruto's Nindo appealing, it isn't the only reason that draws her to him now. That day in the hospital made Hinata want to see Naruto's dream come true and to protect it. Has she gone overboard with it? Hinata sighed, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She doesn't like the idea of being so focused on one person. She wants to be her own person, not just someone who exists to help others. She will start to make that change tomorrow, though. For now, she will relax after a few days of harsh training.

"Temari, I have to ask you. Do you think I have closed the gap at all between you and I?" Tenten asks, hopeful that her efforts had produced the results she desired.

"You have. Remember how quickly I beat you last time? It took me at least three times as long to beat you now, and it wasn't as decisive." Temari remarks. Her words bring light to Tenten's eyes.

"Thanks! How soon do you think it will be before I surpass you?" She asks with a playful tone. Tenten's eyes sparkle with excitement as she thinks about closing the gap. She recalls her past defeats, but now she feels more confident.

Temari smiles, recognizing the progress Tenten has made. "You're getting there." Temari says. "Unfortunately for you, I don't plan on slowing down any time soon. I can't let you catch up to me that easily." She says with a wink.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Tenten says with a joyous tone.

Temari then notices that Ino is being awfully quiet, only snickering. "What's up with you, Ino? You haven't said a word since we got in."

Ino jumps a smidge when she hears her name.

Sorry Goldie, gotta run! Don't have too much fun ;)

How can you mentally send emojis!?

"Oh, nothing, I'm admiring these private hot springs, is all. It does feel kind of cramped, though." Ino admits while concealing her true actions.

"That's what happens when you put up a privacy wall in a hot spring not designed for it." Hinata remarks. "This place may accommodate ten, but the wall occupies a lot of space."

"Sakura, not that I'm complaining, but why did you pick this place, if I may ask? When I suggested we go relax, you were quick to mention here." Ino asks her friend, directing her attention to her.

"Remember the last hot springs we went to?" She got nods from Hinata and Ino. "Well, this place hired Mr. Sakamoto to do the security here."

Ino furrows her brow with a teasing smile. "So we have complete privacy here, is what I'm hearing."

Hinata does not like that look in Ino's eye. Not one bit.

"Hey!" Ino gets out of the water, drawing all attention to her. "Watch this!" She then throws her towel into the air.

Hey Goldie. What hand seal did you use before Sakura chased you off?

Ram but wh..

Ino is now surrounded by a puff of smoke. This confuses Hinata, Temari, and Tenten. Sakura knew, though. A look of abject horror now graced her face.

Oh no, it's spreading.

"Well girls, how do I look?" Says a masculine voice as the smoke clears, revealing not Ino, but her male sexy jutsu counterpart. Upon laying eyes on what Ino considers her perfect man, Temari and Tenten's cheeks flush with color, Hinata loses consciousness and begins to float in the water, and Sakura's face flushes with anger.

Ino drops the jutsu, the whiskers on her cheeks going away, and she grabs her towel and starts laughing. She falls to the floor, clutching her sides.

Sakura finally shouts to Ino, her eyes blazing. "What the hell was that, Ino!? I thought you were above such things!"

"I-I'm sorry! I just couldn't resist!" Ino wheezes. She lets out a snort, but she doesn't care. She is having too much fun.

Sakura gets out of the water and stomps over to Ino, lording over her. She grabs Ino by the arm and starts dragging her away. Ino keeps laughing, tears streaming down her face. Temari and Tenten look on, still flushed, while Hinata floats nearby, still out cold.

"I'm sorry about this, ladies, but I need to give another blonde another lesson it seems. We shall be back." Sakura expresses.

Tenten and Temari regain themselves and nodded their heads in approval.

Goldie, It has been a privilege being your partner in crime.

Huh?

XxX

Training ground 3, 7:07 AM, 9 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

Before the Hidden Leaf Village stirs, the horizon cracks itself open with a thin, apricot bruise. Training Ground 3 is half-shrouded in blue shadow, ancient trees encircling the clearing like sentinels that never sleep. The grass sweats dew. Three battered wooden posts stand at the center, their wounds scored deep and dark with years of hard use. The air is sharp enough to taste. Old wood, wet soil, a faint tang of ozone from the last storm or maybe just the afterimage of so much chakra burned here.

Naruto arrives with energy that sleep, curfew, or even the tight muscle of a new orange jacket can't contain. He bursts into the clearing, sneakers skidding a thin stripe of mud, and the cold air cuts a line of red across his cheeks. There's a thin white fog on his breath and a thicker, invisible one inside his mind.

His teammates are not here. Neither is the chorus of sparrows that usually oversees the dawn from the lowest branches. Only a single figure waits by the stream. Silver-haired, slouched, reading from a slim orange book as if it's the only fire worth kindling in this place.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto calls, his voice bouncing off the trunks.

Kakashi doesn't look up, or rather, it appears he doesn't. Only the lazy flick of his visible eye, a glimmering crescent above the mask, betrays the fact that he has clocked every step of Naruto's approach.

"Yo." Kakashi says, raising a gloved hand in greeting, not so much a wave as a suggestion. "You're early."

"Of course I am!" Naruto throws a thumb at his own chest, the way he always does when daring the universe to challenge him. "I can get used to you showing up on time." Kakashi doesn't flinch at the remark. "Can't wait to get started. Where's everybody else?"

A pause. Kakashi snaps his book closed with a muted clap, tucks it away in a pocket that seems too shallow to hold anything, and studies Naruto with the kind of focus that can make a person feel both scrutinized and seen.

"Today's training is just for you." He says, letting the words fall like leaves drifting from trees.

It's an ambush, of sorts. Naruto's face registers three emotions in rapid sequence. Confusion, hope, and a quick shadow of worry. "Is… is this another bell test thing? Because I'm ready, believe it!"

Kakashi lets the silence sit for a moment, then. "No. Nothing as simple as that." His masked mouth doesn't smile, but something in his stance eases, as if he remembers a joke that he will never tell out loud. "What you need now isn't competition. It's confrontation."

Naruto's blue eyes flash, wary and electric. "Confrontation with… what?"

Kakashi shifts, unfolds his long limbs from their perch on a fallen log. "Yourself. Or more precisely, the way you move through the world. Your swift release is a gift. You know this, right?"

Naruto nods, a little slower now, the way a dog might if it's not sure whether the next gesture is a treat or a trick.

Kakashi paces, hands jammed in pockets, his voice a slow, deliberate current. "Most shinobi spend their whole lives training their bodies to keep up with their minds. You," and here Kakashi's eye narrows, not in suspicion but admiration, "are the opposite. Your body knows things your mind can't yet admit. You're fast, but not just in the arms and legs. The way you react, the way you adapt… It's instinct, but undirected."

Naruto scratches at the back of his head, sending a shock of blond hair quivering. "Yeah, but isn't that how shinobi work? You see something, you do something. If you think too much, you get clobbered."

"Maybe for genin." Kakashi stops, head tilted. "But you're not a genin anymore. You want to fight at a higher level? You need to learn how to let your body fight for you, not just with you. That means mastering how to let your body fight for you."

He lets the words hang, as if waiting to see if they shatter on landing.

Naruto's eyebrows collide. "Fight for me? Like, where you dodge everything without thinking? That's not real! That's just a story from Ino's manga collection."

Kakashi's single visible eyebrow rises, a mountain at dawn. "Most shinobi stories start as fiction. Then someone figures out how to bleed into reality." He strides toward the wooden posts, boots whispering in the grass. "Neural Autonomy, also called Mind's Eye or Ultra Instinct, isn't just a trick. It's a state. The highest application of Swift Release."

Naruto stares at the ground, lips moving as he repeats the words. The terms mean little, but the intent is familiar. There is always another hill to climb.

Kakashi gestures to the battered posts. "There are three stages to state. Any guesses on what they might be?"

"Um…" Naruto stalls. He hates others quizzing him, but he hates not knowing more. "No?"

"The first is Reactive Mastery. Your muscles learn patterns and your nerves respond before your brain even processes what is happening. Like when you duck a punch you didn't see coming."

Naruto, remembering at least five recent occasions, grins.

"The second is Environmental Integration. Your body senses the world. Air, heat, intent, everything, and folds it into your movement. You don't just react to attacks. You blend into the fight. Predict, evade, attack, all as one."

"And the third?" Naruto asks in a hushed voice, worried that a loud tone might provoke something dangerous.

"The third is Predictive Response. Your body doesn't just keep up. It gets ahead. You act before the enemy even finishes their thought. That's the difference between survival and victory at the highest level."

Kakashi's words have the cadence of a funeral bell and a starting pistol all at once.

Naruto drinks it in, his face shifting from wonder to a tremor of fear and back again. "Okay. So how do I do it?"

Kakashi walks to the center of the field and raises his arms, sleeves billowing out like signal flags. "We begin simple. You attack. I defend. But this time, you don't get to think. You move, or you lose."

Naruto's face lights up with animal excitement. "Bring it on, sensei!" He drops into a low stance, fists loose, every tendon twitching for permission.

Kakashi gives a tiny, approving nod. "Go."

Naruto launches himself forward, a golden streak across the dirt. For the first five seconds, he is everywhere. Ducking, feinting, spinning off his own momentum. Kakashi doesn't move much, but when he does, it's with the kind of economy that shames the air itself. Naruto's blows miss by millimeters. His kicks find only empty space or the casual block of a single hand.

After a minute, the gap grows. Naruto's attacks start to lag, anticipation flickering into his limbs just a hair too soon, a fraction too late. He huffs, tries again, and pours more chakra into the chase.

Kakashi lets him wear himself out, then halts the session with an outstretched palm. "Stop."

Naruto skids, breathless, dirt smeared across his knees. "What gives?! I was just getting started!"

"Exactly." Kakashi's voice is gentle now, like someone coaxing a wounded animal. "That's your problem. You're always just getting started. You need to learn to let your body finish for you."

Naruto falls back, cross-legged, breathing like an engine in winter. "But… I don't get it. Isn't more always better?"

"Sometimes. But not here." Kakashi sits next to him, the two of them framed by the wooden posts, the morning sun finally climbing high enough to light their faces. "You're fighting yourself, Naruto. It's not about speed. It's about letting go of the need to win every exchange. Sometimes you have to lose control to find mastery."

Naruto's face, usually so animated, falls into stillness. "What if I let go and there's nothing there?"

Kakashi looks at him sideways, his eye softening. "That's the risk. But it's also the reward." He turns his face upward, as if consulting the sky. "When I first learned to use my Sharingan, I thought it would make me unbeatable. Instead, it showed me every way I could be outmatched. For weeks, I lost every fight to myself. Then one morning, I stopped trying to predict every move. I just… let my body act. I stopped thinking about loss. That's when it became real."

Naruto is quiet, chewing this over. He's not built for reflection, but the story lands anyway. "So I have to stop trying to win and just… move?"

Kakashi stands, dusts off his pants, and offers Naruto a hand up. "You have to trust that the part of you that's always been alone, the part that never needed anyone else's approval, can take over when you need it most."

The words hit harder than any punch. Naruto accepts the hand, and for a moment, the difference in height is less than the difference in understanding.

They return to the posts. This time, Naruto closes his eyes at the start. For a long moment, nothing happens. The wind picks up, bending the grass in small green waves.

Then he moves. Not all at once, not the blur of a panicked sprint, but something different, fluid, almost lazy, his body carving a strange orbit around the clearing. Kakashi circles him, mirroring, their feet making no sound at all.

Naruto attacks, but it's a feint inside a feint; his punch misses, but his body is already rebounding, legs snapping into a low kick that might have landed on anyone else. Kakashi deflects, but his balance wobbles, for a heartbeat.

They break apart. Kakashi nods. "Better."

Naruto opens his eyes, surprised at the sweat prickling his forehead. "Did I get you?"

"Almost." Kakashi's voice is hard to read, but the compliment is there.

Naruto grins, teeth blinding, but then his face falls again. "How do I get all the way there?"

"It's not a finish line." Kakashi says, and for a moment, he sounds older than the trees. "It's a habit. The more you practice, the less you need to practice. One day, it will feel like breathing."

Naruto's mind, always a battlefield of emotion, slows enough for a new thought to root. "If I can do this… I can protect everyone. No one will get hurt because I'm too slow or too distracted. Not Hinata, not Sakura, not Ino, not anyone."

Kakashi lets the names hang for a moment before speaking. "That's the idea. But be careful. Your friends can also defend themselves. Don't jump to protect them at the first sign of trouble."

He tries to digest that, but the notion of letting go is a bitter seed in the mouth. Naruto's whole life has been a race against emptiness. The loneliness of childhood, the howl of exclusion, the gnawing ache of never being quite enough. Hearing that the answer is less, not more, doesn't sit right.

In the distance, a crow lands on the central post, clutching a fragment of something in its beak. It cocks its head at Naruto, as if daring him to blink first. Naruto blinks.

He stands, stretching his arms overhead until his spine cracks, and glances at Kakashi. His teacher's gaze is somewhere else, misty as the morning, as if he's watching ghosts spar in the clearing instead of students. Naruto wonders about the unusual experience of seeing the world through that.

They finish the session with a few more rounds, each one longer and more difficult, but also more refined. Naruto starts to learn to trust the part of himself that lives between the thoughts. Kakashi learns that the future is not as bleak as it sometimes seems.

By the time the sun is overhead, Naruto's jumpsuit stains and steams, and sweat mats his hair to his forehead. He collapses onto the grass, the sky a wide blue bowl overhead. For the first time, he feels the exhaustion of real improvement, not the ache of fighting hard but the slow, electric afterglow of fighting smart.

And somewhere, hidden in the leafy hush, a single crow continues to watch.

XxX

Hyūga Complex, 8:03 AM, 9 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

Hinata is nervous.

After she got back home from eating out with her friends last night, she had not gotten much sleep. Her nerves got the better of her. Her mind went through all the different scenarios this upcoming conversation could lead to. She wanted to be ready. She needed to be ready.

Her father is the leader of the clan for a reason.

That is why her last conversation with her father gives her hope now. He had praised her for her growth. He even called her the future of the clan. What he meant by that, she didn't know, but she hopes she can use that for leverage now.

After all, she is asking him to restore her to her place as heir.

It has been almost three years now since her father named Hanabi, her sister, as the clan heir. At the time, Hinata felt devastated. She understood the decision, though. She was far too meek and insecure at the time to be a proper leader. As much as it hurt, she knew her father did the right thing for the clan.

He did not do the right thing by her though.

Even now, she feels resentment because her younger sister passed her up. It was humiliating and degrading. The only reason she had not fought against it until now was that she was too focused on training. She wanted to say it was to show the world she wasn't meek, but in reality, she knew it was Naruto who triggered her training. Still, even if she trained for him, the results would help her now.

Her hand trembles, and she holds it flush against her leg.

Hinata takes a few deep breaths to calm herself down. She glances around her room, making sure everything is in order. Her eyes land on a small notebook on her desk. She opens it, reviewing the notes she wrote last night. She scribbled her father's words from their last conversation on a page. "You're the future of the clan." She reads them again, feeling a spark of determination.

"I haven't seen you this determined since you asked me to first train you." A voice says from her open door. She turns around and finds her cousin Neji standing and looking at her.

Neji's calm gaze meets hers, and for a moment, Hinata forgets about her worries. His words remind her of the past, of their countless training sessions together. She closes her eyes, recalling the times he pushed her to her limits, helping her grow stronger. When she opens them again, Neji's expression hasn't changed, but she senses a quiet approval.

"I have a reason to be this determined. It's time to regain what I lost." Hinata utters with determination.

Neji has the tiniest smirk on his face when he hears his cousins boast. In truth, he once doubted if his cousin would ever talk to his uncle about the clan leadership. In his eyes, she has earned at least the right to fight for it.

Hinata takes a deep breath and begins to pace around her room, her mind racing with thoughts of the clan's future. Neji leans against the doorframe, watching her with an intent gaze, his eyes never leaving her form. "What's the plan, Hinata?" He asks, his voice calm and collected, as if he knew she had one brewing.

"I'm going to be honest with him. Nothing more and nothing less would be satisfactory to him. I only hope it will be enough." Hinata declares as she breaks her gaze to readjust her gloves.

She then returns her gaze to her cousin. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, cousin?" Hinata asks, curious about his being here.

Neji removes himself from the doorway before speaking. "You had a look on your face yesterday when we were both going to and from the hot springs. I wanted to wish you luck in whatever it was that you were planning." He admits as he walks forward, extending his hand.

Hinata grabs it and shakes it. "Thanks, Neji." Before he can pull away, Hinata brings him in closer for a hug, surprising the boy.

Neji hesitates. His arms are out in surprise, not knowing what to do in this situation. Before he can make a decision, Hinata leaves the embrace. "I wouldn't have built up my confidence without your guidance, Neji. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you." She bows to him.

Despite her having done such a gesture before, it still feels surreal to see a main branch member bow to him.

"There is no need for you to do that, Hinata. Your progress is your own. I've only helped guide you as I should." Neji says in a stern but warm tone.

"You sell yourself short, Neji. You are far more important than you realize." Hinata, with a slight blush, speaks with sincerity.

Still feeling a bit awkward, Neji turns to the side and gestures for Hinata to come out. "Don't keep your father waiting. You know how he hates tardiness."

With a nod, Hinata walks out of her room toward her father's study. Once she arrives, she knocks on the sliding door.

"Who is it?" Hiashi asks, his voice muffled from inside the room.

"It's me, Father. May I come in?" Hinata asks.

"You may." Hiashi says.

Hinata then opens the door. She sees a few scrolls on his desk. It seems she was catching her father doing a bit of reading, with the topmost scroll being in a script she has never seen before.

Her father's eyes look up from the scroll, his gaze piercing. He nods with a subtle motion, indicating for her to approach. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing my daughter this morning?" He asks as he gets up and puts the scroll away in his personal library.

"It's about what you said a few weeks ago. About me being the future of the clan." Hinata says, standing in front of his desk. The craftsmanship of it speaks volumes both to its creator and to how much money the Hyūga clan has. Against the walls hold shelves with scrolls of various sizes. Some out in the open, some in sealed boxes. The most important sit on a private cabinet available only to the clan head.

"What about it?" He says, finishing putting the scrolls away. He isn't facing Hinata yet, but his relaxed posture shows that he is at ease. "I meant what I said. Both what I said to you and Neji."

Hinata shifts on her feet, nervous. Her father finally turns to face her, a hint of curiosity in his eyes. He then heads to his desk and sits down, clasping his hands with a firm grip. "What's on your mind, Hinata?" He asks, his tone gentle but firm.

Steeling her nerves, she sets her plan in motion. "Father." She says with a bow. "I request that you make me the clan heir again."

Hiashi's eyes widen in surprise, but he says nothing. He lets the silence hang in the air, weighing his words. The room is quiet, except for the soft sound of scrolls rustling against the shelves. Hinata holds her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She knows she's taking a risk, but she's ready for the challenge.

"You have said it yourself, I'm the future of the clan. It's only right that I reclaim what I lost." She says, still bowing to her father.

Hiashi's gaze lingers on Hinata, his expression unreadable. He steeples his fingers, tapping them together in a slow rhythm. "And what makes you think you're ready for this responsibility, Hinata?" He asks, his voice measured. The air is thick with anticipation, Hinata's heart still racing from her bold request.

"Physically, you are ready. I will not deny that." He says. "But readiness is not about physical strength alone. It's about making wise decisions, leading with a clear head, and protecting our clan's interests. Can you tell me, Hinata, how you plan to do that?"

This is the moment in the conversation she feared the most. Once she said what she wanted to do, there was no going back.

"Father, I have given this a lot of thought. If I were to become the clan heir and assume the role of clan head in the future, I would abolish the distinction between the main and side-branch families."

Hiashi's eyes narrow, his gaze piercing. "Are you saying you would erase the very foundation on which our clan was built?" He asks, his tone skeptical. Hinata's heart skips a beat as she looks up and faces her father's gaze. She takes a deep breath, preparing to defend her proposal.

"I would, father. The foundation of our clan is rotten. It needs to be rebuilt to be strong. If not, it will come crumbling down around us." Hinata says with determination. Her eyes do not look away from her father's piercing stare.

Hiashi's face darkens, and his voice grows cold. "You're talking about a drastic change, one that would upset the balance of power within the clan. Which, I may remind you is the sole reason you used to be clan heir in the first place." He pauses, studying Hinata's resolute expression. "What makes you think our people would support such a radical shift?"

Hinata stands firm, her voice unwavering. "Our people suffer because of this outdated system, Father. The unfair treatment of the side-branch families breeds resentment. I've seen it myself." She takes another deep breath, her words flowing with conviction. "If we abolish the distinction, we can create a more equal family within our clan. We can rebuild trust and make our clan stronger."

Hiashi's eyes narrow, his gaze piercing. "How would you go about this change?"

Hinata's thoughts are well-organized, and she provides a clear explanation of her plan. "We would start by opening the council to all families, not only the main families. To start, it will be one half former main and one half former side branch." She looks at her father, her eyes showing determination. "I would also find a way to get rid of our clan's biggest shame, the caged-bird seal."

Hiashi's face remains neutral, but his tone turns skeptical. "The main families will never agree to this, Hinata. We've held power for too long." He leans forward, his hands clasped together. "What makes you think we'll give it up without a fight?"

"Because of you, because of Neji, because of me. Between the three of us, we have all that we need to abolish the class distinction in our clan." Hinata asserts.

"And this ties into your wanting the clan heir position?" Hinata questions his daughter, his face showing that he is deep in thought.

Hinata nods, her determination unwavering. "Hai, Father. If I'm clan heir, I can make sure the changes we need happen." She pauses, collecting her thoughts. "Being clan heir would give me the power to implement these changes. You know well that the rest of the clan still sees me as the weak girl from the exams, but that isn't true. If the current clan head and future clan head are in agreement with this, it will help quash dissidence in the main house. With Neji by our side, it shows that the clan is united in this endeavor."

Hiashi ponders this for a bit. He looks up at his daughter, his eyes searching. "You know the risks involved, Hinata. If you take on the clan heir role, you'll face strong opposition." He leans back in his chair, his hands still clasped together. "Some will try to undermine your authority. Are you prepared to handle that?"

"Hai." She says without a shadow of a doubt.

Hiashi, for the first time in this conversation, smiles. "Very well. Before we make this official though. There is something we must do." Hiashi states.

"What is that, father?" Hinata asks, confusion on her face.

"We need to have the council of elders know you are not weak. You need to show your strength to them personally." Hiashi says as he passes his daughter.

She turns around and addresses him as he reaches for a scroll.

"How will I do that?"

"Simple. You must fight me and show them everything you have learned."

XxX

Streets of Konohagakure, 6:17 PM, 9 Days since Tenchi bridge mission end

"So, Temari, any places you want to go to now?" Sakura asks.

It has been almost a week now, and both Sakura and Naruto are still escorting Temari around the village. Not that Temari needs any help. She has proven to the two shinobi that she can more than handle herself.

The three enjoying each other's company is the reason they are hanging out. After all, Naruto was the one person who related to Gaara more than anyone, and Sakura knows Naruto better than anyone else alive.

"I say we head back to the Jasmine Dragon. I love the tea there. That uncle and nephew make the best tea I have ever had, and I'm including the Land of Tea." Temari remarks, thinking about the tea shop.

Naruto grins, happy to go back to the Jasmine Dragon. He loves listening to the uncle and nephew argue over tea recipes. Sakura nods, already thinking about what pastry she will order.

"Sounds good to me. Can we get BBQ after that, please?" Naruto half-pleads.

Naruto continues to walk down the street, but the kunoichi halt behind. Both are in total shock.

"Can you repeat that, Naruto, please?" Sakura says, her eyes still bugged out.

Naruto turns around with his hands behind his head and says. "I said let's get some BBQ after tea. I'm starving." Now both have blank stares on their faces. Neither can believe what they are hearing.

Naruto wants something besides ramen.

Both walk up to him at a fast pace, each with a determined look on their faces. Naruto is starting to feel a little freaked out. Until he feels someone pinch his skin.

"Oww! What was that for?" Temari and Sakura stare at each other after finishing pinching him.

"This is real." Both say and then turn their heads back to Naruto. "Who are you, and what have you done with Naruto." Both ask at the same time.

"Jeez." Naruto frowns at his friends. "We had a good workout today. I need more protein today than anything. Plus, Ichiraku is closed today." Naruto sighs and laments.

"Ahhh." Both kunoichi say, relieved that the universe wasn't unraveling.

Naruto looks at them with a downcast expression and says. "Do you have so little faith in me?"

"Hai/Hai"

Naruto's head drops, and he looks at the dirt. He stays that way until he feels a warm hand on his shoulder.

"I was only kidding, Naruto. Believe it or not, you have been getting real food in you, and it shows. I'm proud of you." Sakura says as she beams a smile at him.

Naruto stops his sulking and beams a bright smile back at her. "That means a lot. Thank you!"

Temari looks at this display, also with a smile on her face. The care they share for each other is obvious. It reminds her of Shikamaru and herself.

Stepping up to the pair, Temari says. "Come on, you two, let's get some tea." She says as she starts off to the tea shop.

As the pair starts heading toward the tea shop, an unexpected guest arrives. An ANBU agent lands right in front of the trio.

"The Godaime Hokage requests your presence at once." The agent says.

Naruto and Sakura look at each other, worry crawling up the faces of both. "Did she say why?" Naruto asks.

"No, only that you need to get back to her as soon as possible."

Naruto and Sakura share a look and then turn to address Temari. "Sorry about this. We'll be right back." Sakura says.

"Temari is to come as well." The ANBU agent says.

Now all three shinobi show interest. This could mean only one thing.

"Akatsuki." All three say in a low tone.

Without saying another word, the three run through the streets of Konohagakure, heading for the Hokage Tower. They tear through the streets of the village, jumping from building to building to make good time. They can hear the thunder in their ears as they sprint toward their destination. This is what they have been waiting for.

All three arrive at the tower at the same time and rush inside. The people downstairs attempt to halt them, but the shinobi pay them no mind. They continue their tread up towards the Hokage's office. They find themselves in front of a pair of oak doors they recognize.

They burst through the doors, out of breath. The Hokage stands tall, her desk cluttered with various reports and proposals. She has her back to the three, but they can feel the tension in the air. Her demeanor makes Naruto feel a shiver down his spine. "What's going on?" he asks, trying to sound calm.

That's when they notice that at the desk is another figure. A person none have seen in weeks.

"Shikamaru! You're back." Temari smiles as she sees her primary chaperone return. She walks up to him and is about to get his attention, but something is off, very off. His body is shaking, and he doesn't even acknowledge her presence. His face is cast down onto the desk.

Temari moves to the side and can see his expression now. Blank, his face was blank. As if something or someone had sucked all the life out of him. Something VERY wrong has happened.

Temari looks toward the Hokage, looking out across the village. "What happened?"

Tsunade doesn't say a word. She doesn't even flinch. She stands stoic. Not wanting to be the one to break the news.

Temari then turns her attention back to Shikamaru.

"Shika, what happened?" She asks, fearing what he might say.

Now, Shikamaru finally acknowledges her. His eyes still have a blank stare in them, but behind the void, she can see the maelstrom of emotions he is keeping in check.

"Asuma is dead."

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Puscifer.

Update on my body fat percentage. I'm now around 12% but its hard to see with the swelling. Another personal note is that I went to Anime NYC last weekend and had a blast!

With this, we conclude the mini arch between tenchi bridge and akatsuki supression. I will say this, the fights with Hidan and Kakazu will be quite different than what was canon for a couple of reasons.

One is there won't be any last second Naruto coming in to save the day with team 7 since his team will already be there. Second, Temari will be there as well so by my count its 2 Akatsuki vs 9 shinobi (5 for team 10 led by Kakashi and 4 lead by Yamato). I just don't see how I can make that fight go too long with that many shinobi AND Shikamaru knowing their tricks. I do plan on having the fight(s) be two chapters and I do have a plan to make it so everyone does something important.

For this chapter, I really wanted Hinata to do something that was unrelated to Naruto. In the Manga and show with shippuden, the entirety of her being revolves around Naruto. Its like her wanting to change her clan fell by the wayside just so she could pursue Naruto 24/7. I hated it which is why I'm having her do something on her own that she actually had started and thought of before she even knew Naruto properly

In case you didn't know or didn't guess, The Last will not be canon to this story. The whole reason for the Last's existence was to get Naruto and Hinata together as quick as possible because the manga sure as hell didn't do it well enough. (Neji dying to be the cupid for NaruHina and still needing a movie pisses me off to no end) This fic won't need a movie to justify the end pairing.

Enough with my ramblings. Please leave reviews/comments. I don't respond to all of them but I do read them and take them into consideration for future chapters. See yall later and remember, don't feed the troll.

Chapter 25: Wake Me Up When September Ends

Open air Atrium, 12:00 PM, Day of Asuma's Funeral

The sun casts a somber glow over the village of Konohagakure as the people gather to bid a final farewell to Asuma. A brave and loyal shinobi who had given his life in the service of his village. The day of his funeral evokes both sadness and relief, reflecting the success of his mission. Asuma had accomplished what he set out to do.

He had located the elusive Akatsuki, a feat that few had dared to attempt. The rest of his team, including Shikamaru, had returned to the village, their lives intact, a testament to Asuma's leadership and skill. His team had managed to retrieve his body as well, but only because the two Akatsuki members had stopped attacking them mid-fight and fled.

Despite Tsunade telling him the mission was a success, Shikamaru doesn't feel that way. He has not felt like this since his very first mission as a chūnin.

No, that isn't right. That time, at least, everyone had come back alive.

Now, for the first time on a mission, he lost a comrade. Not any comrade, though. He lost his mentor, the one who turned him into the shinobi he is today. The person from whom he still felt he had a lot more to learn. He is now gone and won't be coming back.

The wake had been yesterday for the closest of those to Asuma, and today is the proper funeral for all the villagers. Asuma had been one of the best in the village. His loss is a major blow to everyone. The number of people who have come to pay their respects is a testament to that.

Shikamaru is in line to pay his respects to his mentor. In his hand are flowers that Ino helped pick out for him. It only felt right to have her help him. She's going through the same emotions as he is, after all.

Soon enough, it is his turn to pay his final respects to his sensei and mentor. As he approaches, a serene sight greets him. Asuma's face, radiating an unmistakable sense of peace. The gentle features, the soft curve of his lips, and his relaxed face all tell a story of contentment. It is a look identical to the one he wore when he drew his last breath, his vision closing with the knowledge that his squad was safe. That was the essence of Asuma. A selfless leader who always put the well-being of others before his own, and in that moment, he had found solace in knowing his team was safe and sound.

Shikamaru places his flowers with care near the head of the casket. Being careful not to move any other offerings that came before. Inside his own bouquet, he added something special. Asuma's final pack of cigarettes. So he could have something to smoke in the afterlife.

Then, with a solemn step, Shikamaru backs away, never to see his mentor again. He doesn't cry. Not yet. He needs to be strong, not for himself, but for the one whom Asuma loved most.

Shikamaru then walks toward the first row of chairs. Nearest the aisle sat Kurenai, who is heavily pregnant, while Asuma's nephew, Konohamaru, occupied the seat beside her. Shikamaru feels bad for Konohamaru. He had lost his grandfather three years ago, and now he has also lost his uncle. The boy is sitting there with his head down, looking at the ground. He doesn't know how to process this grief exactly, but it is better than last time. At least he wasn't barricading himself in the Hokage's office.

Kurenai stands out from the rest with her impeccable posture, exuding an air of dignity and confidence. Her legs crossed, she embodies professionalism, every inch the poised and collected individual. Yet, amidst this picture of composure, her eyes tell a different story. To the casual observer, they seem frozen in shock, as if still reeling from the events unfolding around her. But to Shikamaru, with his keen insight, those pupils convey a depth of emotion and complexity that goes far beyond mere shock.

She feels completely crushed by Asuma's death. Their child would now have to grow up without ever meeting their father. That thought alone makes Kurenai despair. That's not even taking into consideration that she also would never see her husband again. Her mind has shut down to protect itself from the maelstrom of emotions coming from her heart.

He knows Kurenai is strong, but this blow has shaken her to the core. Shikamaru notices her grip on her knee tightening, a subtle sign of her inner turmoil. As she begins to speak, she laces her words with quiet determination, making a desperate attempt to hold on to her composure.

"Shikamaru, thank you for being there with him at the end. I'm glad he died seeing a friendly face." She manages to say. Her voice trembles, but it is a fragile calm, like the surface of a lake before a storm. Shikamaru recognizes the effort she puts into keeping her emotions in check. He sees the fight in her eyes, the struggle to hold back tears, and the will to keep going. This is Kurenai, the strong and proud kunoichi, brought to her knees by grief.

Shikamaru's gaze locks onto Kurenai's, searching for any sign of weakness. But her gaze is steady, a testament to her unyielding spirit. He knows she needs him to be strong now, to help her navigate the dark waters ahead. With a gentle nod, he urges her to continue, to let her emotions flow like the river they both know she is holding back.

"Kurenai, you may not have been my sensei, but I want you to know how much you meant to Asuma. As much as he tried to hide it, we could all see how much he cared for you. He even admitted that when his child was born, he would shout it from the rooftops." Shikamaru says, his determination never wavering.

Shikamaru's words pierce the silence, and Kurenai's gaze falters for a moment. Her eyes drop, and her lips tremble once more, but she takes a deep breath to regain control. Asuma's name brings back the pain, and Shikamaru knows it. He takes a step closer, his hands clenched into fists, as if ready to face the storm alongside her.

"He was looking forward to the birth of his child." He says as he gazes towards her swollen belly. He then gets on one knee and tells Kurenai what he wants to do. "I want to make sure your child knows how good a man their father was."

"That makes three of us." Came a voice from behind Shikamaru. He turns his head and sees Chōji and Ino standing behind. Both with dried tears on their faces but having looks of determination. "We will show your child all that their father taught us, so they will know what their father was like." Ino utters.

This finally gets Kurenai to break. Seeing how much Asuma's students respected him and wanted to honor his legacy is too much for her to hold in. She brings all three in for a soul-crushing hug and whispers, "Thank you." to all of them for a long time.

Kurenai holds them tight, letting their combined sadness wash over her. Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino stand firm, letting her grief flow into them. They share an understanding that Asuma's memory will never fade. As they hug, the weight of their sorrow lifts, and a sense of purpose takes its place. They will ensure Asuma's child knows the kind of man their father was.

Soon, the hug comes to an end, and Kurenai wipes the tears from her face. She gives a big smile to the three, which they return. They soon find themselves outside the atrium and halt when they are far enough away.

"So, what's the plan?" Chōji asks while looking toward Shikamaru with anticipation. Ino now also looks at Shikamaru, waiting for his answer.

Shikamaru looks down at the dirt and stops his march in front of his teammates. For the first time in his memory, Shikamaru has no plan. Even after his first mission where he almost lost his entire squad, he had a plan. Today, though, he has nothing. He feels empty. More than anything, he wishes he were one of the clouds he would stare at for hours. He wants to drift away without a care in the world and let the winds take him wherever they may.

He can feel their eyes staring at him, looking for direction. He wishes he had a direction to give them. But he doesn't even have a direction for himself.

He starts walking away from his comrades, his head still looking down, searching for an answer he knew he wouldn't find in the ground.

He can hear the voices of his comrades calling for him from behind, but he pays them no mind. He needs to find answers for himself on what he needs to do now. He fears what he might do if he doesn't find an answer soon.

XxX.

Shikamaru household, 08:00 PM, Day of Asuma's Funeral

Shikamaru has been sitting cross-legged for hours now. His precious shogi board in front of him. He is still pondering what Asuma had meant when he said whom the king in shogi represents in the village. Shikamaru thought the obvious answer was the Hokage, but Asuma told him that wasn't the case. His teacher and mentor said he would elaborate when they returned to the village. Shikamaru now regrets not pushing for the answer.

Asuma's words still echo in his mind. Shikamaru replays their conversation in his head, searching for a hidden meaning. He tries to recall every detail, but his tired brain refuses to cooperate. The village is quiet, except for the faint rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.

Shikamaru's eyes scan the room, taking in the familiar sights. His gaze falls on the family photos on the shelf, the worn-out couch, and the old clock that always runs slow. He tries to occupy his mind with these small details, but his thoughts keep circling back to Asuma's enigmatic words. The more he thinks about it, the more frustrated he becomes. Why had Asuma been so cryptic? What was he trying to say?

In truth, the reason he is so focused on his words is to drive away the feeling of guilt he feels. Asuma is dead, and Shikamaru feels responsible, no matter how illogical it is. Shikamaru had no way of knowing the abilities of Hidan and Kakuzu. Encountering two immortal beings was a situation he believed would only occur in stories. Yet, he did face them, and because of his unpreparedness, his leader and second father figure died.

He is so deep in thought that he completely misses the presence coming up behind him. "Good evening son." Says the rough voice of his father, Shikaku.

Shikamaru is able to keep his surprise in check. He doesn't even flinch, nor does he turn his head to meet his father. "I thought you had strategy and intel you needed to work with lady Tsunade on tonight." He questions his father, still staring at the shogi board.

"The Hokage believed it was best for me to go home tonight, since I can finish my work with her tomorrow morning." He answers his son's question.

Shikaku walks closer, his footsteps quiet on the floor. Shikamaru doesn't move, still focused on the shogi pieces. Shikaku then walks forward and takes a seat on the opposite side of the shogi board.

"Let's play a game, Shikamaru. It's been a while since we had a match." Shikaku says.

Shikamaru raises an eyebrow but doesn't say a word. It has been a while since they last played. He agrees with him. He understands his father's true reasons for wanting a match at this moment. Shikamaru is doing his absolute best to keep his feelings in check, but his father knows him better than anyone save for a certain female.

He studies the board, trying to come up with a strategy. Shikaku clears his throat, waiting for his son's response. The room is quiet, the only sound being the soft hum of the lanterns. Shikamaru makes his move, placing a piece on the board with a deliberate click.

Shikaku watches his son's move, his attention on the board. He nods and pauses to consider his thoughts. His response is slow, deliberate, and calculated. Shikamaru waits, his hands resting on his knees, his eyes fixed on his father. The silence between them is tense, yet comfortable, like a familiar blanket. Shikamaru knows it won't last forever, though.

Shikaku's move is a clever one, Shikamaru thinks. He responds with urgency, trying to outmaneuver his father. The game is intense, each of them focused on the board. Shikamaru's hands move with quick precision, piece after piece. Shikaku counters with precision. The sound of the pieces clicking against the board echoes through the room.

"You are sloppy today." Shikaku says, moving another piece with a satisfying click.

"Not today, old man." Shikamaru utters as he lifts his piece and puts it down harder than he means to.

Shikamaru's hands are still, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and embarrassment. His father's words sting, but he knows they are true. He takes a deep breath, letting his emotions settle.

Focus.

He thinks, resetting his mind. The silence that follows is heavier. Shikaku's next move is already planned. Shikamaru can feel it in his bones.

"This Akatsuki group." Shikaku says, his voice casual as he studies a piece between his fingers instead of looking at his son's face. "How strong are they?" The question hangs in the air like kunai suspended mid-throw, though intelligence reports detailing their S-rank abilities already sit dog-eared on his desk at home.

"Troublesome." The word scrapes out of Shikamaru's throat like a kunai dragged across stone, his jaw clenched, causing a muscle to jump beneath the skin.

Shikaku crosses his arms, deep in thought. "So what are you going to do?" He now stares at his son.

Shikamaru doesn't return the stare. His glances at the board, trying to keep his mind off the loss he suffered not too long ago. Shikamaru doesn't say a thing. He moves a piece and continues to stare at the board.

Shikaku unfurls his arms and continues speaking. "If the two of them could kill Asuma, you have no chance." He then places his next piece with a satisfying click. These words make Shikamaru stiffen, creating a tension that is subtle and nearly imperceptible, yet still present.

Shikaku's next words feel like a challenge. "You're smart, Shikamaru. You'll figure out how to beat them." His father's tone is calm, but his eyes spark with intensity. Shikamaru's gaze remains fixed on the board, his mind racing with possibilities. He can't let his emotions get the best of him, not now.

Shikaku's piece clicks into place, and Shikamaru responds with a move of his own, trying to regain his focus. The game is far from over, but Shikamaru knows his father is trying to tell him something.

"He was a good man. It's a shame he died without seeing his child." Shikaku notices another twitch in his son, but he still refuses to look up.

Shikaku's pupils move from his son to the board. He studies it like a map, searching for a hidden path. Shikamaru tries to do the same, but his father's words keep echoing in his mind. He feels like he is missing something, like there is a secret hidden in plain sight.

After placing his next piece, Shikaku makes another remark. "Your moves are too defensive again. You're reverting to how you used to play."

"Stop analyzing my strategy in the open. Not now, please." Shikamaru says, a little rise in his voice now.

Shikaku's expression remains neutral, but a hint of disappointment flashes in his eyes. He reaches out to place his next piece, his movements slow and deliberate. The silence between them grows thick, like a fog that refuses to lift. Shikamaru's frustration simmers below the surface, but he keeps his emotions in check.

"At least you are smart enough to not do something that will easily lead to your death." He brings his piece down with a click.

Shikamaru can feel his emotions starting to boil, but he keeps them in check. Blowing up here will not help him. He elects to move his next piece to cut off his father's move and kill his strategy in its crib.

"As a father, I'm happy I won't be attending your funeral because of a stupid stunt." He utters as he attempts a new strategy to mess with his sons.

Shikamaru does not take the bait. He feels tired of staying on the defensive. He goes on the offensive now and puts one of his father's important pieces in jeopardy.

Shikaku raises his eyebrow in surprise. A hidden smirk appears at the corners of his mouth for a moment before it vanishes. "Impressive, not bad, Shikamaru."

Again, Shikamaru says nothing. His emotions are threatening to boil over at any moment. He wants to finish this game as soon as possible.

"You are a man that Konohagakure can rely on. I can see it." Shikaku says, praising his son.

It falls on deaf ears.

Shikamaru doesn't feel like anyone can rely on him. Not after the disaster of the previous mission.

"However." Shikaku raises his piece high in the air, keeping it there before he finishes his sentence. "In spite of that, Asuma is still dead."

Shikamaru throws the table to the side, sending shogi pieces everywhere. The candle next to him is finally burning its last embers. Now, he sits alone, fuming at his father for his words despite him still being there. Only the sound of crickets in the night fills the air.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" Shikamaru asks his father in a calculated rage. He raises his voice, but not by much, still trying to temper his emotions.

"I'm speaking what is on my mind, nothing more." Shikaku replies. This gets another rise out of his son, who now stands up tall, trying to tower over his old man.

"That's bullshit, and you know it. I'm not a shinobi anyone can count on. All I could do was stand by and watch Asuma die. I'm a coward who should have died instead of Asuma. He had a wife and child waiting for him." Shikamaru is now letting out all his poisonous thoughts onto the table. He no longer feels the need to keep them private and to himself.

"You are not a coward, and you too have plenty to live for." Shikaku states, looking up to meet the raging fury of his son's face with a calm look.

"That's easy for you to say. You weren't there for his final moments. Every time I close my eyes, I keep thinking back to his death, expecting him to have regret, yet." Shikamaru balls his fists, his anger still rising. "He looked content, happy even. Why? Why did he look happy before his death?" Shikamaru asks his father in a fury.

Shikaku takes a deep breath, his calm tone a sharp contrast to his son's rage. He now stands up and looks his son dead center, his expression unchanging.

For what feels like an eternity, they stand there, staring at one another. Neither one giving up an inch. Shikamaru has no idea what his father is going to say, but he is steeling himself come whatever may.

"Shikamaru, let it go."

Shikamaru blinks, his father's words landing like a blow he can't dodge. His fists clench, unclench, clench again. Part of him wants to laugh. How simple his father makes it sound, as if grief were just water to be poured from a cup. Another part recognizes the truth cutting through his defenses. He was prepared for strategy, for a lecture on revenge, for anything but this naked permission to break.

"This isn't about you finding answers." Shikaku says, his voice steady as a blade. "This is about your grief, and you have bottled it up for too long. Let it all out. Your sadness, hate, and fear. Let it flow from you so it doesn't weigh you down."

Shikamaru's jaw works silently. His mind, his greatest weapon, splits in two. One half constructs arguments, reasons why his father is wrong, why he needs to stay in control. The other half crumbles like a paper fortress in rain. The two sides war within him, neither winning, until something deeper than thought rises from the battlefield.

Shikaku's shoulders drop a fraction as he watches his son's face crumple. He turns away, his sandals whispering against the tatami as he approaches the door. Behind him, the first ragged sob breaks the silence. His hand pauses on the wooden frame, knuckles whitening momentarily before he slides the door open.

Temari sits cross-legged in the hallway, her fan propped beside her. The moonlight through the window catches the steel in her eyes even as it illuminates the dampness on her cheeks. She unfolds herself in one fluid motion, rising to her feet.

Their eyes meet. Shikaku's mouth tightens, then relaxes. He inclines his head, just once, and steps past her, the hem of his robe brushing against her leg.
The door whispers open again under Temari's touch. Inside, Shikamaru kneels amid scattered shogi pieces, his shoulders heaving, hands pressed against the floor. She slips inside, closing the world away behind her.

I'll pick up the pieces.

XxX

Yamanaka Residence, 02:02 AM, 1 Day since Asuma's Funeral

Ino Yamanaka sits cross-legged on her futon, in the center of her bedroom, back pressed against the pale wall. Her hands are empty. it's only the absence of flowers that makes them feel so. The lamps are off, but the city's sodium haze crawls in through the open balcony door and paints her legs a jaundiced, insectile yellow. She studies the crooked line of her own shadow on the tatami, letting her eyes slip out of focus, as if that could also blur out the leaden heaviness behind her ribs.

It is just past two in the morning, but Ino's body refuses the idea of sleep. The day, no, the week, has left her nerves stretched so thin that any sudden movement might snap her into dust. She keeps her back straight, as Asuma-sensei would have ordered, and keeps her chin up even when no one's there to check her posture.

Her room is cleaner than it's been in years. A single vase, empty but for a few drooping stems, sits on her desk. Her clan's blue tapestry has been rolled away, its place on the wall occupied by a narrow strip of condolence notes. The rest of her things are arranged in neat, ceremonial lines. She has not dressed for bed, still in the purple tunic and mesh arm warmers from the funeral, though she's toed off her sandals and let her hair tumble free.

Ino doesn't remember who said the first nice thing at the memorial. She remembers the blank hush after, the way the wind caught on every sharp edge of every syllable that followed. She remembers Kurenai-sensei's voice breaking, and Shikamaru's fists clenched so tight his fingers blanched to bone, and the way Chōji hovered behind her like a bear cub lost in a marketplace. She remembers the smell of incense clinging to her sleeves. She remembers her father's hand on her shoulder, warm, insistent, trembling with a restraint she'd never thought he possessed.

But it is Asuma she misses, Asuma whose words she replays and replays and cannot let go.

'You're thinking too hard, Ino. Just let your chakra flow. It's not a test.'

She sniffs, annoyed at the wetness suddenly creeping up the back of her throat. It's unfair. Asuma's voice should not be so crisp, so intact, while the rest of him is nothing but memory. The whole village wants to talk about him in past tense, as if the verbs can erase the person, as if his hands have not just yesterday guided her through a complicated jutsu, or flicked the back of her head when she spaced out during formation review.

'You have a mind like a river.' He used to say. Quick, but always winding around the obvious.

She wants to laugh, but the sound won't come. Instead, she makes her body remember. The pressure of her sensei's knuckles against her scalp, the cigarette smoke curling into her nostrils, the sunlight behind him catching in his wild hair. She remembers training in the west clearing, the three of them panting and bruised, Shikamaru grumbling and Chōji munching, Asuma crouched low with that lazy smile.

She remembers the one time she beat Shikamaru at shōgi. On a fluke, a total accident, because he was distracted by the scent of grilled pork buns. Asuma had laughed so hard he nearly dropped his cigarette. "Don't let it get to your head, Ino." He'd said, but she'd caught the flicker of pride anyway.

Ino closes her vision, pushes the heel of her palm against her brow until it throbs. It is so exhausting, the work of holding in all these feelings, of letting them ferment in secret. Maybe that's what Asuma would say if he were here. "Don't bottle it, Ino. It'll explode at the worst possible time." Maybe he'd sit her down, make her pour herself some tea, and ask if she wanted to punch a wall or just cry it out.

She does neither. She just breathes, sharp and ragged, and lets the ache settle a little deeper.

It is only when her vision swims that she realizes she's crying. Not the pretty kind of crying. Nothing delicate or artful about it. These are wet, animal sobs, the kind that catch on her teeth and drag the air from her lungs. She presses her palm to her mouth, shudders, and for an instant is sure that every person in her house will hear her. She hopes they do not. She hopes, somehow, that her father does.

The tears surprise her with their violence and then their finality. After a minute, maybe two, they taper off, leaving her eyes swollen and her nose clogged. She wipes her face with the back of her arm, studies the pink streak left on her skin, and scoffs softly. If Sakura or Hinata saw her like this, they'd… well, they'd probably just hold her until she stopped shaking, wouldn't they?

That thought, embarrassingly, almost starts her crying again. Instead, she forces herself to count. Inhale to four, exhale to eight. The same rhythm she used to use in mind-transfer practice, back when she still hated losing to Shikamaru.

She is still not used to the idea of Asuma being gone. She is less used to the idea that the world will not wait for her to catch up.

Outside, a dog howls. One of the Inuzuka clan's, no doubt, and the thin hush of midnight seems to close in around her. Ino wonders if anyone else is awake, still sleepless from the day's events. She wonders if Chōji is working through his entire condolence snack stash, or if Shikamaru is lying on his family's porch, watching the constellations with the same hollow frown he wore at the graveside.

She wonders if any of them, at this precise moment, feel as breakable as she does.

The thought makes her smile, wobbly but real. There's comfort, somehow, in knowing she's not alone in her grief. She thinks of Hinata's patient hands, Sakura's stubborn persistence, Temari's smooth confidence, Naruto's endless, stupid hope. She thinks of the way they would never let her sulk for long, the way they'd drag her out of this room and force her back into the sunlight. She does not want that, not yet, but knowing it will happen is a small kind of warmth in her chest.

She wipes her face again, then flops backward onto the futon. The ceiling is blank, uninteresting, but she lets her eyes follow the cracks in the plaster anyway. She counts them, because counting is safer than remembering, and because numbers don't change when people leave.

Ino now feels her consciousness succumb to the inevitability of sleep. She dreams as if the world is a puzzle she's lost the lid to. In one fragment, she stands beneath the Hokage Rock and shouts up to the stone faces until her voice comes back as someone else's. In another, her legs are buried to the knees in river mud, petals floating past her, each one folded around a secret she can't quite say out loud. She wakes dizzy, heart rattling in her chest, but for once not drowning beneath the weight. Just floating. Fragments, yes, but she knows how to shape those into something, eventually.

The morning is sharp and too bright. She rolls to her side, squinting at the clock, eight-thirty, and at the sprawl of condolence notes drooping on the wall. Her mouth tastes sour.

As her breathing slows, Ino's gaze slides sideways, toward the balcony. The door is cracked open. She can smell the tang of autumn air, sharp with the promise of frost. And just at the edge of her vision, something odd catches her attention. A tight cylinder of parchment, tied with a single strand of blue cord, sitting on the narrow rail.

The scroll is small, barely bigger than her hand, but there's no mistaking the mark stamped into its wax. The three-petaled boar, secret sign of Team 10. The sight of it jolts her heart with something electric, fear, anticipation, the sharp memory of the last time all three of them snuck out to leave messages for each other.

She's on her feet before her mind catches up. The tatami is cool and rough under her toes as she tiptoes to the balcony. She draws the scroll in, and for the first time in twenty-four hours, she feels the old, familiar tingle at the base of her spine. The thrill of a secret, the beginning of something about to happen.

Ino doesn't open it. Not yet. She traces the three boar petals with her thumb, closes her eyes, and lets herself pretend, just for a second, that Asuma is out there somewhere, waiting to see what she'll do.

She will not let him down.

XxX

Land of Sound, Orochimaru base, 03:23 AM, 1 Day since Asuma's Funeral

Sasuke Uchiha is sweating.

Sweat drips from my body, and the sensation brings great pleasure.

It has been only two weeks and change since the merger of his curse marks, and he is more than pleased with the results. His chakra reserves have soared. His strength and endurance have increased to a remarkable degree. His reaction time, he feels, could even match Naruto's now with that damned swift release. He has not felt this much alive since before the massacre of his clan.

He can focus with greater ease now, and his thoughts are clear. His past, though still painful, no longer haunts him with the same ferocity. The curse mark seems to absorb the haunting images and the pain, transforming them into the power he craves.

The only thing that can make him feel better is the head of his brother at his feet by his own blade.

He starts his training with a new plan. Sasuke aims to master his newfound strength. He pushes himself to the limit every day and is now past eighty percent of using his full power. His body aches, but he welcomes the pain. It reminds him of how far he has come. The curse marks remain a mystery, but he is determined to uncover their secrets. With each passing day, he feels stronger, faster, and more ruthless.

Despite the increase in ruthlessness, he holds onto himself. He will not kill anyone unless they obstruct his path. Only his brother is worthy of death by his hands. This no-kill policy has started to get on the nerves of his 'master' Orochimaru.

Which is why Sasuke is currently alone inside the base. Orochimaru has gone off to one of his rooms to recuperate his body, ordering Sasuke to remain at eighty-five percent max power until Kabuto comes and tells him to stop. That was over an hour ago.

Sasuke stands in the dim room, his eyes locked on the darkness. He breathes, feeling his chest rise and fall with each breath that comes to him.

His new form bears a lot of similarities to his previous curse mark. This new form also changes his skin color, but now it is a dark ash gray instead of a browner one. The four-pointed star on his nose is now an eight-pointed star. Instead of two wing-like protrusions from his back, there are four, which improve his flying ability. The last change is that the tattoo-like drawings remain and now almost completely cover his body. Only his head is free from the cursed seal of heaven design.

The stillness is a welcome change from the chaos that has become his life. He feels a presence behind him without warning. He doesn't turn around, but his hand instinctively goes to the hilt of his sword. In an instant, he is behind the intruder, his blade at the nape of the neck of the one who would disturb him.

"Easy there, Sasuke. We're still on the same team." Kabuto says, putting his hand on Sasuke's blade and lowering it.

Sasuke sheaths his sword, not bothering to apologize for almost decapitating the medic-nin.

"For now." Sasuke utters.

All three knew this partnership would be coming to its end soon. Sasuke's body is almost acclimated to the curse mark, and Orochimaru is almost ready to switch bodies once more. Kabuto doesn't know who will win in the end. His master, or the prodigy.

Truth be told, it doesn't matter to him much at all. If Orochimaru did succeed, it meant that Kabuto was correct in his person to follow. If Sasuke were to come out victorious, it meant that it was time for Kabuto to move on and find a way to become more powerful on his own.

Kabuto's eyes lock onto Sasuke's, a fleeting moment of understanding passing between them. The air is thick with tension, each one waiting for the other to make a move. Orochimaru's presence hangs over them, a silent puppeteer manipulating the strings of their fate. The hum of electricity from the outside hall is all that can reach the two.

Sasuke finally relents. His body can no longer keep up with the strain of using eighty-five percent of the curse mark's power, and he drops it.

"Soon, you will be at one hundred percent. Nothing will be able to stand against you, Sasuke. I'm almost envious." Kabuto says as he turns around and walks to the door.

"Almost." He says as he closes the door, leaving Sasuke to the darkness that consumes him.

XxX

Konohagakure, Nara household, 07:26 PM, 1 Day of Asuma's Funeral

Shikamaru had a busy day. His laziness had tried to rebel against him many times, but he didn't budge.

Not this day.

Today is too important for even his lazy, usual self to take over. That is why, when he woke at first light, he immediately sent word to his teammates to meet at the gate tonight. He encrypted his message in the language only they knew for a simple reason.

People would watch his messages for the next few days. It was understandable. Losing his mentor meant the village would be on the lookout for rash decisions. Shikamaru doesn't make rash decisions. Outside his father, there was no one else smarter in the entire village. He can still count on one hand the number of times he let his emotions get the best of him, even after last night.

After he sent the messages, he spent the rest of the day at his family's compound, gathering the supplies he could get his hands on. He didn't dare go into the village to make the purchases. Too many eyes would see him.

His family had everything he needed. More than enough, in fact. He counts himself lucky that, despite his family's predisposition for laziness, it didn't affect their preparedness.

He packs lightly, choosing only the essentials. Food, water, and a few medical supplies were all he needed. He left the fancy gadgets behind. They will only slow him down. He already knows where his targets are, and Ino's sensing skills would be more than enough to find them.

"So, are we ready?" Temari says as she closes the door behind her.

Since his breakdown last night, she has not been more than ten feet away from him. She was the first person he told of his plan, and she agreed to it without hesitation.

She knows that what they were doing could get them into a lot of trouble. Shikamaru, for his part, has already come up with a cover story to continue with the plan even if they did get caught.

"Almost." Shikamaru says as he finishes putting everything in his pack. Once his task is complete, he stands up, turns to Temari, and looks her straight in the eye. "Are you sure you want to come with us? Not only could we lose our lives, but you could be sent back to Sunagakure and not allowed to return." He asks her with sincerity.

He is fine with risking his life and, to an extent, his teammates as well. They have the same feelings he does for their teacher, and they deserve the chance to seek justice for him just as much as he does. Temari is an outsider, though. She doesn't have a connection to Asuma. The only connection she has is to him.

Temari responds by grabbing him by the shoulder, making sure her words get through to him. "Shika, there is no force on this planet that can stop me from joining you. Those Akatsuki bastards have taken enough from us as it is. I want to let you know that, regardless of how this turns out, I'm glad I'll be there with you." Temari says, her face lighting up as she speaks her words. A warmth coming from her.

Shikamaru replies with a half-smirk before saying his singular though.

"Troublesome woman."

Temari chuckles at the phrase. Shikamaru doesn't say it in his annoyed tone. No, he says it as a term of endearment.

She will wear it with pride.

"Well then, let's get going. Not much sunlight left." She says as she lets go of Shikamaru and opens the door.

Shikamaru grabs his pack and follows her out, closing the door behind him.

XxX

Konohagakure, Main Gate, 08:00 PM, 1 Day of Asuma's Funeral

"So, she is coming." Ino remarks as she sees the last of her team show up.

Both she and Chōji are standing near the gate, facing the village. They had arrived a few minutes ago and had not exchanged a single word. None needed to be. Both knew it was better not to draw attention to themselves.

"I mean, she has as much of a reason to join us as anyone." Chōji says. His face looks serious, completely counter to his normal jolly-looking one.

"Yeah, you are right. I hope this doesn't blow up in our faces, though." Ino remarks as she folds her hands in front of her. She doesn't like bringing in a fourth like this, but she has no counterargument to prevent her from joining them. She will have to live with it.

"I see you both got my message." Shikamaru says as he walks up to his team.

"We did." Chōji utters, looking between the two newcomers. "I won't ask if you are ready. I know you are. I want to officially welcome you to team Asuma." Chōji says as he extends his hand to Temari.

She takes his hand with a smile and shakes it. "Glad to be a part of the legendary Ino–Shika–Chō dynamic. I hope I don't ruin what you already have." Temari's face lights up with happiness as she gives the shake, pleased that the group accepts her.

She looks over to Ino, who is also smiling at this. "You don't have to worry about messing with our teamwork. It's legendary for a reason. Plus, Shikamaru will have no trouble integrating you."

Temari gives a nod in appreciation and stops the shake with Chōji. "Well, let's get out of here before anyone stops us."

"Right/Right/Right."

All four turn their backs on the village and start to walk through the gate. They will start their mission in only a few more steps.

"Hold it, you four!" They all hear at the same time. It is not a stranger's voice. They all know it quite well. It speaks with the authority due to its position.

Damnit.

The four spin on their heels and face the Godaime Hokage.

"Where do you think you are going?" She says with a hand on her hip.

Time to try to talk my way through this.

"Lady Tsunade, your original mission has not been canceled. I have reformed the team that Asuma made, and we are heading out to continue the mission." Shikamaru states his case.

Tsunade responds by shaking her head. "That's a flimsy excuse and you know it Shikamaru." Her gaze then moves across the group. "I expected better from the four of you."

Her vision narrows at each of them, as if searching for a reason to trust them. Chōji shifts his weight, avoiding eye contact. Temari's hands rest on the hilt of her fan, her expression neutral. Ino's grin falters, but she doesn't back down. Shikamaru's face locks onto Tsunade's, refusing to yield.

Seeing the looks on all four, she decides to throw a minor bone to them. "Look, I'm willing to send the four of you out after we have devised a way to counter the two of those monsters."

Shikamaru doesn't want to wait to go out. They already know the Akatsuki's general location. They will not be moving while doing the tailed beast extraction. It is now or never.

"Lady Tsunade, we have already worked out strategies to deal with the two of them. We four are more than capable of taking them out." He tries to reassure her.

Tsunade crosses her arms in front of her, not completely buying what Shikamaru has told her. Her expression remains unchanged, but her tone takes on a softer quality. "I know all your emotions are raw right now. Asuma wouldn't want you to throw your lives away for his sake." She speaks to the original trio. Temari, for her part, sticks next to Shikamaru's side.

"Lady Tsunade, we have thought this through an.."

"Enough!" Tsunade cuts off her student.

"Shikamaru, you know as well as I do that your team doesn't have an assigned squad leader. Even if Asuma made you his second during the mission. That assignment was rescinded as soon as you came back here to the village. So long as I have not assigned you a new squad leader, you are to remain here."

Damnit, I was hoping she would forget that.

"Why are you four so ready to rush to your deaths? This isn't like any of you, especially you, Temari. You have been so level-headed during every diplomatic exchange between us." Tsunade remarks to all of them.

This time, it's Temari who speaks for the group as she takes a step forward. "Hokage, we have no intention of rushing to our deaths. We are simply tired of running away. My village assigned me a duty, the same as these three. We want to honor that duty. If we don't, then what kind of shinobi would we be." She says, bringing her hand to her heart. Her voice is like steel in its firmness.

Kami Shikamaru, you picked one hell of a woman, bro.

A wind rushes through between them. As the sun's last rays of light fall behind the horizon, the rustle of the leaves and the noise of crickets starting to chirp fill the air.

Tsunade continues to stare at the group. Still not happy with what she is seeing.

These brats still don't understand the meaning of living.

"You four need to grow up. Death follows us shinobi. It's a fact." her look becomes more stern now. "Some deaths will be hard to accept." She looks at Temari while saying this. Temari's gaze saddens at the remembrance of her dear lost brother. "But we need to move past their deaths. They wouldn't want us to join them any time soon."

Shikamaru bites his tongue at Tsunade's statement. There was only so much insubordination he could afford to give in this scenario. "Tsunade, none of us will be able to rest until we have dealt with these monsters. If last night was anything to go by, then I can't imagine what it has been like for Temari." He says, gesturing to his companion who is able to hide her embarrassment. "I don't think Asuma is gone, not really. I can still feel him beside me, like he's watching over me, guiding me."

Shikamaru takes a breath before continuing.

"I know Gaara is doing the same for Temari. It's for these reasons that we can't stay put while the iron is hot. We know we won't fail, not with our loved ones watching over us."

For a tense few seconds, no one says anything. Only the wind wrestled with the leaves and kicked up the dirt. The four young shinobi pray to Kami that Shikamaru's words will reach the Hokage.

Her gaze narrows as she stares at the four, letting them know they would not go without her explicit permission. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. So long as I have not assigned you a squad leader, your 'team' is to remain in the village until I give the go ahead."

The four, for a second, feel crushed. Still, even if it means disobeying the Hokage, they will do it and deal with the consequences later.

"You seem to be at a crossroads, Lady Tsunade." A voice speaks, leaning on the gate house.

"Kakashi? What are you doing here?" Tsunade asks as she spins around to address him.

"Oh, you know, I just got lost on the path of life." Kakashi says with a hint of dismissal, ensuring he does not disrespect the Hokage.

Her scowl doesn't go away, and she continues to stare down the one-eyed jōnin.

Feeling his joke fall flat, Kakashi gets down to business. "I have an answer for this conundrum. Let me take over team 10's leadership. You get an experienced leader for them, and they get to seek justice against those who wronged them." He says as he walks towards Lady Tsunade.

He leans next to her to whisper the next part. "Plus, I don't think we would be able to stop them from leaving. You know I will keep them safe. This way, everyone gets to save face."

She continues to look him in the eye, judging his intentions. She then looks at the four shinobi at attention, also judging their intentions. Chōji and Shikamaru are unreadable. Ino is doing her best, but she is one who does not shy away from her emotions. Not a bad trait to have for the Yamanaka.

After giving it another few seconds, she gives a sigh. "Fine, I approve." The four young shinobi relax as they hear this, free from the fear of losing their status upon returning.

"Kakashi, one question, what of team 7?" Shikamaru asks. While he's grateful for Kakashi stepping in and saving them. He doesn't want to leave his friends high and dry.

Kakashi picks up a rock. "Oh, I don't think that will be a problem." He then throws the rock at a bush.

"OUCH!"

"Damnit Naruto!"

Tsunade facepalms upon hearing those two voices. "Oh, for the love of." She grumbles. "COME ON OUT!"

Three figures spring from the bushes and begin to bow in apology.

"We're sorry!" Hinata, Sakura, and Naruto say profusely.

Goldie? What are you doing here?

What does it look like? We weren't going to let you go out alone, ya know!

A small blush forms on Ino's cheeks, but she dismisses it with a wave of her hand.

After the three finish apologizing, they stare at their Hokage, unblinking and unmoving.

"I assume you three will go as well to join them, whether I give the go-ahead or not?" She continues to grumble as she stares at the three newcomers.

All three nod their heads at the same time. Hinata has been with the team for only a month, yet she embraces Kakashi's motto. 'Those who break the rules are scum. But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.'

Tsunade facepalms again. "Fine! Go get Yamato! Everyone make your own damn missions! See if I care! It's not like I'm the Hokage or something!" She continues to grumble as she walks away from the situation, her irritation at an all-time high as she is so done with this shit.

"I need a drink." She says so no one hears her.

The three newcomers rub their heads and apologize.

"How long were you guys watching us?" Chōji asks.

Sakura points her thumb at Naruto. "It was him at first. He kept a shadow clone on Shikamaru and Temari this afternoon when he saw them. He said they looked suspicious." She utters.

"He then told us to be ready to leave at a moment's notice." Hinata adds.

"Turns out I was right! Oh, speaking of that." He then makes a clone and instructs it to find Yamato and get him up to date on the situation.

While this conversation is going on, Kakashi walks up towards Shikamaru. "While I may be the leader on paper for this mission. I'm leaving the strategy planning up to you." He utters to the young shinobi. "I know you will be up to the task."

"I'll admit, Kakashi, when it was only four of us, it was going to be difficult. Now, with you plus your own team. This makes things much easier." Shikamaru states. "I'll need some time to come up with an optimal strategy against that zombie duo."

"Well, I'm sure we will have more than enough time on the road for you to come up with something." He says, giving him his eye smile. He lifts his gaze towards his team. "Once Yamato gets here, we will head out. Any objections?"

He receives a round of no's.

"Good, now prepare yourselves. Shikamaru will fill us in on his strategy along the way. For now, relax and catch up. Although I think for most of you that won't be necessary." Kakashi says with a friendly tone.

He then looks over his combined group with a warm smile.

Rin, Obito. I hope I'm doing you proud.

Author Notes

Chapter title is from Green Day

Short Chapter I know. But, I did say I wouldn't needlessly lengthen a chapter just for word count. This chapter I wanted a tight focus on our 2 members from team 10 with a scene from Sasuke and that's what I did.

I might switch to releasing chapters on Fridays if it seems more people read it on that day. The time probably wont change but I'm open to that as well.

Its been entirely too long since we have had Shikamaru in the fold and that was because I wanted the stuff with Asuma to happen off screen. I'm trying to have a tighter focus on my main core group that being Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, and Temari. I'll be honest and say Temari was a later addition. I included her as a main after the Gaara rescue arc because I thought her character would add an interesting wrinkle into the story and I think that really showed this chapter, even if it was only slightly.

Now I know what some of you are thinking, wont the upcoming fight be short considering Naruto and gang will be there from the start? And to you my dear reader, you would be correct! Like I said, my changes have a knock on effect and this is one of them. However, this will give me some more time between the gang getting back and Itachi pursuit so I can pursue more avenues, flesh out more of my little thoughts because after the pursuit, its time for sage training, and not just for Naruto.

Its actually surprising how soon team 10 finds the zombie duo in the manga so I'm expecting the upcoming fight(s) to be only 2 chapters max. Ya, This arc will be the shortest I anticipate now that Naruto already has his transformations and already added nature to his rasengan with Jiraiya. I wonder what I'll cook up for the last Naruto and Jiraiya scene.

Anyways, thats all I have. Please comment/review and thank yall for reading and remember, don't feed the troll.