Disclaimer: Naruto and all of the rights related to Naruto belong to Masashi Kishimoto a very lucky artist and writer!
Authors Notes: Okay this story starts eight years after the Fight at the Valley of the End, which ends differently than in the Manga. Hence the reason why the Prologue, as for it shows the differences in the story and all of that! Anyways hope you enjoy : D!
Prologue
Two figures laid next to each other one moving just barely while the other laid there emotionless. Slowly the one on the left moved to the one on the right and checked for a pulse. There wasn't one. He bit back a cry of pain as the guilt washed over him and he began to cry, wiping away the tears he looked down at his hands and was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice a third figure come up behind him and chop the back of his neck. Nor did he notice that the second figure actually opened his eyes and began to breathe once more. The only thing that was on his mind was the blood that covered his fingers and how it didn't belong to the shinobi he fought but to him as he awakened the final level of his doujutsu by supposedly killing his best friend. Truly Sasuke would never be the same.
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When he woke up he realized he was in the Hospital and surrounded by seals that were absorbing his chakra. He knew that he was going to possibly be killed because of the death of Naruto or by siding with Orochimaru. However, he felt much better than he had for awhile even though the seals around him were draining his chakra. He ran his right hand over his left shoulder and tried to feel the curse seal that the Snake put on there and was shocked as he couldn't feel it anymore. Pushing the covers off of him he got up and went over to the mirror and turned slightly to look for the curse seal on his shoulder and realized it was gone. Where had the seal gone he wondered slightly, before he began to feeling drowsy and moving back to the bed to pass out again.
Naruto looked out the window of the hospital room he had been in and stared up at the sky wondering what was going to happen to everyone now that he had finally woken up and realized that Sasuke was in a hospital room. His musings were cut short as Jiraiya entered the room and told him to get dressed for they were going on a training mission and wouldn't be back for awhile. Naruto looked at Jiraiya and just nodded before getting out of bed and heading home.
Minutes later Sakura came into Naruto's room only to realize it was empty and sighed before going out to look for him to tell him thank you. What she didn't realize was after Naruto gathered his things to leave he went back to the Hospital only to see Sasuke and let him know where he was going. Opening the door slowly he took a look at the sleeping figure before him before walking slowly to the bed and shaking his arm lightly waking up the black haired Uchiha. "Hey Sasuke, there is something I want to say to you before I leave with Jiraiya-sensei so please listen before you say anything."
"…"
"Well, I remember what you told me about what Itachi said to you and all that and I just thought about something while I was packing my things. In order to actually defeat Itachi, you shouldn't listen to him about hating things. You must realize that the strongest people of the village loved it and the people within it. Even Orochimaru loved the people inside the village before he became a missing ninja. Also all of the Hokage's loved the village with every part of their souls and they are definitely the strongest ninjas of the village. So all in all I think you should ignore what Itachi told you and act like a normal person, because even Itachi loved the village or at least I think he did. I mean if you think about it, he didn't kill a single ninja or civilian just fellow Uchihas
Sasuke stared at Naruto in shock before looking away from him as the blond walked out of the door and left the village.
During the next three years
Naruto had gone off to train with Jiraiya for two years then returned back to Konoha. Then Naruto had, after the death of his sensei Jiraiya, went to Mt. Myobokuzan and began sage training meanwhile pain attacked Konoha and was about to kill Tsunade when the blond had returned and destroyed pain. However using up most of her chakra Tsunade was put into a coma and the council was forced to choose a temporary Hokage for the summit of the Five Kage's and Danzo was chosen. After the summit of the five Kage's Danzo had returned and decided to banish Naruto before Tsunade had officially taken back over as Hokage.
Five Years Later
"Shikamaru, how much longer we got out here? I feel that we have been on guard duty forever, I hope Lee isn't doing some stupid training again and forced Ten Ten to take him to the hospital."
"Mah Chouji, it's too troublesome to think about. Besides, I would rather be doing this than another search mission for our idiot friend. I swear if Naruto wasn't on such good terms with Tsunade he would have been marked as a missing nin with a kill on sight order instead of flee on sight."
"What are you talking about Shika, I doubt any of our jounins could kill Naruto and I also doubt that Tsunade herself could do it. It's all Danzo's fault, if he hadn't of forced Naruto out while he was in power for that short amount of time Naruto would still be here. However it has been five years so we don't know if Naruto has been captured by Akastuki or not. What we need is a sign other than random rumors about a blonde running around doing something that Naruto would do."
Shikamaru just sat there looking at Chouji and sighed thinking about how troublesome the whole thing was. Then just stopped thinking about it all together as he saw Sakura and Sasuke coming towards them both wearing mission packs. "Don't tell me it's another search mission!"
Sakura sighed and just nodded, "Yeah, but this time the information is from someone we know. So we are praying that he will be there or at least left some clues as to where he was going."
"It's all Jiraiya's fault if you think about it." Everyone turned towards Sasuke in confusion. "What? The man was a spy master and was able to get rid of my curse seal. So I am pretty sure he had ways of getting in and out of places without having to worry about people even knowing he was there." Everyone just nodded their head at the obvious information as Sasuke handed Shikamaru a mission paper for him to stamp. Ever since his attempted escape from the village Sasuke has had to go through extra steps to go on a mission. At first he wasn't allowed to leave the village for the first two years and have Anbu follow him constantly. Next he was allowed on missions only to have to be accompanied by Anbu still. However now, all he had to do was show special paperwork to the chunin guarding the gate in order to leave. It would be another year until he could act like a normal shinobi but it didn't really bother him too much. He knew it was his fault in the first place and was more than ready to make up for it.
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Meanwhile at a town only three days away a blonde shinobi sat silently reading over a scroll before sighing and looking out the window and up into the sky. It had been a long five years and he was looking forward to going home after spending so long searching for and killing the snake sannin Orochimaru and many of the Akatsuki leaders. The only ones that remained of the original members were Tobi, Itachi, Kisame, and Zetsu. He had taken out Sasori, Diedra, and Hidan. He heard that Gaara managed to kill the other one that had multiple hearts but he wasn't sure on the report. He only managed to get Deidra and Sasori by chance as he caught them and Hidan about a mile outside of Suna two years ago which happened to be after he had tracked down and killed
Orochimaru. He really had the fox to thank for keeping him alive as he was forced to use eight tails to destroy them. It was after that fight that he went back to Kirabi's hiding place and thanked him again for teaching him how to get along with his bijuu even though it was at a price.
It was at that train of thought when a voice from the back of his mind interrupted his thoughts 'Hey boy, I think it's time for you to head back to the village so you can report everything that has happened.'
'Mah mah... I know, but I wanted to do something that was just for me for once I think I deserve that! Besides when did you start caring about me and my friends'?
'I don't care about your friends, they could all kill themselves and I wouldn't shed a single tear. You however, I have to care about because if you die I die. So I want to make the most out of the rest of my time here.'
'How long now, since I have avoided using your powers for about two years now surely it helped?'
'I got maybe another year left before I am fully absorbed. I don't even know how long we will be able to communicate either so we need to go ahead and get as much taken care of as possible.'
'Alright well, it shouldn't be long before someone from Konoha shows up so I think I will just stick around and enjoy my tiny vacation before anything happens!'
'Whatever you say brat, whatever you say…'
Naruto was about to respond to being called a brat when a voice called out to him, "Naruto-niichan, Oji-san wants to speak with you!"
"Okay, Inari. Tell him I am on my way!" Smiling he got up and threw on his cloak before walking downstairs and heading towards the middle of town where the 'Tazuna Construction Co.' building was. A few minutes later after walking through town and entering the building where he met Tazuna, "Hey old man, what do you need help with?"
Tazuna smirked at the blondes comment thinking he was more like family than a friend, "Well, I need a few buildings demolished and I figure you and your ridiculous techniques could give me a hand?"
"Yeah yeah, which buildings need it and how messy would you like it to be?"
"Since I am behind schedule by a lot I was hoping it would be completely empty?"
"Alright I'll do it I guess, just so you know though. You owe me a few bowls of ramen tonight!"
"Yeah, yeah get to it." He handed the blonde a map marked with several buildings needing to be destroyed.
"Alright, I will see you at dinner time!" Naruto said taking the map before leaving.
Tazuna smiled knowing that this would be the last time Naruto helped him out before his friends got here. He had taken the liberty himself to send a message to the blondes friends to come get him. He understood that Naruto was depressed about something even if he didnt really admit it and Tazuna had finally begun to figure it out when Naruto was watching Inari with his friends. He was lonely and truly missed his friends but stayed away even though he knew that he could go back to Konoha because of the Akatsuki. Of course, Naruto wanted to leave for the same reason but Tazuna had forced him to stay making up a story that he was sick and needed help for a little while then the blonde could leave. Smirking at his own cleverness he failed to notice where he was going as he walked into a table stubbing his toe.
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A few days later…..
Naruto lay silently on the bed in the guest bedroom in Tazuna's house before hearing a knock at his bedroom door. He smirked and began to sit up, "You guys can come in, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke-teme."
Authors Note:
Okay well this was just a starter chapter really to get everything set up and ready for the up and coming events. Not really sure how long this story will be but, I do know where I want it to end and what is going to happen. Hope you guys enjoy and make sure to review!