Disclaimer: Like the newbie I am, I haven't thought of anything creative. But please don't sue me, Kishimoto-san, because I don't own Naruto.
The messenger-nin held the package out for the fifth Hokage, blissfully unaware of its contents. The seal was done in blood, and the brown paper tied with a thin strip of black leather. The lacquered case within was adorned with intricate red dragons and mountains, and was quietly beautiful yet also mildly sinister. Her shaking hands, hands of an old woman in a young body, carefully undid the knot and lifted the lid. Inside was a single scroll and a lock of pink hair.
"Izumi?"
"Yes, lady Hokage?"
"Bring Uzumaki Naruto and Hatake Kakashi to me at once. Don't ask, I don't have time to explain."
He nodded and left without a word. She closed the door of her office behind him, and read through the letter again. The paper was dotted with watermarks, though she couldn't tell if they were from the rain or from tears. The words were scrawled out in a dark red ink, possibly the same blood as the seal. They were very clear. Simply, they read, "We have all the Biju we need except for the demon fox. If you deliver him to us on the outskirts of Konoha within one week, we will not attack your village. If, however, you intend to capture us, and arrive without the item, we will consider violent action. We will be waiting. We will not be found. Once yours, now no one's, Uchiha Sasuke and Akatsuki."
She didn't know what the most troubling thing about the letter was. Was it the way Sasuke referred to himself as a full member of Akatsuki? The way they treated Naruto like property to be given and taken? Or the way all that stood in the way of evil winning the fight, once and for all, was someone she considered very much a son?
Then she turned again to the box, and saw the soft pink hairs contrasting the deep black coating. Sakura's. Sasuke knew them too well- he had kidnapped Sakura to ensure that they would respond.
Wait. When the hell had she even gone missing? Had he come to Konoha last night?
"What do you want, Baachan?"
"Sasuke's kidnapped Sakura. And he's joined Akatsuki."
Stunned silence.
Kakashi, though he knew what had happened from the look on Tsunade's face, set the pace of conversation. "Respectfully, lady Hokage, please begin again."
"Sasuke joined Akatsuki."
"We knew that already, Baachan."
"They have all the Biju but yours."
Kakashi closed his eyes and placed a hand on his brow.
"And…? Wait… what's Sakura's hair doing in that creepy box?"
"Sasuke kidnapped her to lure you to him. They have almost completed their plan."
"Well, let's go get her then!"
"Naruto, we can't just-"
"Master, that bastard has caused enough trouble. And now that he's taken her, we can't just watch him destroy us. We have to save her."
Tsunade hadn't wanted to discourage him from going, but she now knew that it wouldn't have mattered if she'd tried. She told them, "Gather one team each. Anyone you want and go as soon ad you're ready."
Naruto made a small army of clones, and Kakashi called out his ninja dogs. They exited quickly, with the manner of soon to be executioners.
In an hour, Naruto was leading Kiba, Lee and Neji through the forest. They were to come in behind Kakashi's team once they'd located the Akatsuki. Against Ino's Shintenshin, Shikamaru's observations, Hinata's Byakugan and of course the Mangekyo Sharingan no one could hide.
They received the signal to appear at a quarter past noon.
The sealed trees had been an excellent cover, but after Kakashi and Neji broke it apart Sasuke, Karin, Jugo, Suigetsu and about half of Amegakure burst into motion.
"Kakashi! I though Amegakure weren't associated with them anymore!"
"Damn! Naruto, we'll take the underlings. Go straight for the goal, we need to finish this quick."
"Good luck, sensei."
"Good luck, teammate."
In ten minutes, all the minor players had been taken out. Kakashi's team had taken full casualties, and while no injuries were major they were all incapacitating. He sent them back home on the backs of his dogs.
Of Naruto's team, only he and Kiba remained conscious. Lee had fallen prey to Tsukiyomi, and Neji collapsed from intense chakra exhaustion. While they had eliminated Suigetsu and Karin, they still had Sasuke and Jugo to contend with. And they had no idea if Madara would arrive.
Suddenly, Kiba's shoulder started burning jet black. He screamed with horror as Kakashi's limited water jutsu had no effect. Kakashi recognized the Amaterasu, and muttered only a brief apology before severing Kiba's arm at the shoulder.
One down, two to go.
Jugo charged Naruto without warning from the upper limbs of a tree. Naruto, unprepared, was knocked hard into the ground and created a large crater. Kakashi came after Jugo with a chidori, but it couldn't even penetrate the monster's skin. He flipped Kakashi with a finger, and walked over to where Naruto lay. Kakashi, suddenly drained of chakra, then realized that the sky was burning. Then he was falling, falling forever into nothing, and he woke up.
"Nice genjutsu there, Sasuke."
"Shut up, fool."
He looked for Naruto, and only saw Jugo. A shock hit him, and the realization of Jugo looming over a small, orange body made him sprint towards the crater-
Sasuke calmly swooped down to earth and dropped Jugo with one blow to the neck. The huge body crumpled and was still.
"?"
"He's not dead. Don't worry."
"What did you do to Sakura, Sasuke? Have you no humanity?"
"Get out of my face Kakashi. When I kill Naruto, I'm coming after your eyes before long."
"Sasuke… why?"
He thought.
"Because Uchiha will once again be the dominant. And the Senju will bend to our will like the second raters they are."
"Are you so obsessed with clans that you have forgotten the ties of community?"
"Kakashi, shut up."
Mangekyo Sharingan.
And the world was black with despair.
She heard the sounds of battle outside. Her hands were shackled roughly to a tree, and there was an old cloth in her mouth. The barrier walls glowed faintly blue, but she could not see past them. She hoped her suffering would end soon. She was disgusted at the man Sasuke had become. And she was disgusted at herself for ever loving him.
Kakashi lay in a pool of his own blood, his back dotted with kunai and his shoulder burned by lightning. That last jutsu he'd never seen coming, not until his former student had parted the clouds and brought the fury of nature upon him. I guess this is the end. May Konoha forgive me the upbringing of a monster.
"Naruto… Narutoooo… it's time to play, Naruto."
The small, torn body made a vague choking noise.
"You… bastard."
"That's right. I am a bastard. But right now, you have something I need. Something I'd die to have. But that's not the plan."
"You're never going to get… get…"
"Get away with it? Of course I am. Konoha is a joke, Naruto. Give up now, and your death won't be so painful."
"No… not away. You'll never get her."
"Heh. Sakura? I don't even want that useless trash. And I can't believe you do, even after this long."
"Sasuke… I promised her I'd bring you back."
The dark one had nothing to say to that.
"But… I'm going to have to go back on that promise."
"That's right. Because you're going to die, right here."
"No… because I'm going to KILL YOU!"
The fox chakra pulsed outwards.