I'm coming for you, Sasuke! Currently Hinata and I are leaping from branch to branch in search of my teammate. We aren't the whole team though, Neji, Shikamaru, Choji , and Kiba all fought to give us this chance, to give me the chance to bring him back. Because they know I'm the only one who can. I may not be too close to them, but they're not bad friends.

"Naruto." I turn to look at Hinata to my left, "He's stopped in a clearing up ahead. He knows were here too, he's waiting for us." Damn it Sasuke! Don't make me fight you. I can understand wanting to leave. I've fantasized about it for longer than you can imagine. Escaping the mean looks, the subtle hate, the undertone of malice I sense in every villager. But you don't see me running away, they hate me because of what I have, I'm here because I think that if I keep trying maybe I can change their minds. But what if I can't?

We hop down into the clearing with Sasuke standing facing us, a massive waterfall behind him. "Bout time, Naruto."

Hinata lands beside me and gets into a fighting stance but I hold my arm out to her. She puts her arms down, looking at me questioning. "Hinata, I appreciate you getting me this far; but this is between Sasuke and I."

After a second she puts her arms down and takes a step back. "I understand N-naruto, but if you need help. I-I won't hesitate to step in!"

Her words bring me a smile. While weird, Hinata always was one of the good ones. "Sasuke come back with me. It's not too late."

His laugh annoys me just like always, "Ha, I should be telling you the same. You want to be in that village just as much as I do. The two of us-" Before I can react Sasuke is next to me behind Hinata. I turn to try and block but he doesn't attack me. In one precise strike Hinata is left unconscious, instead of trying to attack Sasuke I choose instead to catch her before she falls and lay her gently on the grass. By the time I look up Sasuke is already back to where he was originally standing. "Aren't like her. We aren't the weak coddled by the affection of friends and family. We stand above them, a league of our own. Come with me and leave them behind. You're more of a brother than that bastard Itachi ever was. Help me destroy him, together we can do anything!"

I look down on the unconscious Hinata. I know Sasuke is right, I'm not like her, we're not like them. I want to leave, but. "We can't just leave them Sasuke. What about the others? What about Sakura? We were a team do you really just want to abandon her?"

He scoffs, "Sakura? Don't bullshit me about Sakura, we both know how you feel about her. You loved her, you were willing to give your all for her, and she hates you." I can't meet his gaze his words are more true than I'd like to admit. "And while you don't show it, you hate her just as much. It's not all her fault though, everyone in the village hates you, I can see it in their eyes, surely you can too. The shinobi have some respect for you but it's easy to tell that it's tempered by fear. How do you think the other genin will react when they find out that you house the ninetaled fox demon?"

My eyes go wide. "How did yo-?"

His eyes come to life with the sharingan. "I can see more than you know with these eyes of mine. I know who you are; the ninetales isn't relevant. I doubt the others will be as accepting." He's right. "You don't have to live like this." I don't. "You don't have to live covered in the miasma of their hatred. You're allowed to hate. You're allowed to be angry." I don't say anything because I know I don't have an argument against his words. "Don't be stupid Naruto. Together we can be strong and accomplish anything." We can.

I stand up and look at Sasuke in the eyes. The red of the sharingan disappears into the lonely black that I've come to recognize as my best friend's. My mind is made up. "The others will be here soon. Let's go."

[Kakashi]

What's going on? Pakkun and I have passed by all the other battlefields, Naruto should have caught up to Sasuke somewhere around here. Where could they be? "Kakashi." I turn to my dog summon, "There's another kid up ahead, I can smell Naruto and Sasuke's scent in that direction too."

I nod and speed up, hoping to get there before the fight is over. When I get there though, neither Naruto nor Sasuke is in sight. I jump to Hinata's unconscious body, and apply a small amount of chakra to wake her up, Her pupil-less eyes open slowly, after seeing my face she sits up suddenly looking around. "Kakashi sensei! W-where is Naruto? Or Sasuke?"

I sigh, I can guess what happened here; but god do I hope I'm wrong. "I was hoping you could tell me."

I takes Hinata a second to gather her thoughts before she can speak. "I-I was standing here with Naruto when Sasuke… The n-next thing I remember is waking up."

I was afraid of that. I help her to her feet and survey what should have been a battle field. No craters, no stray weapons, I try the sharingan and can't even see any chakra residue. A look from Pakkun tells me that this is where their trails end too. "This isn't good."

"D-did Sasuke w-win the fight?" Her voice is trembling I can tell that the idea that Naruto could be dead weighs heavily on her. I suppose that's the only situation that could be worse than this.

"No Hinata, there was no fight. Naruto left with Sasuke."

Hinata looks shocked before exhaling her held breath, "That means that their both okay then right?"

She doesn't understand. "It means that they're both missing ninja now. Desertion is cause for the death penalty."

"B-but with Tsunade as hokage surely she can do s-something!"

I sigh and rub my head. "Tsunade will try and protect Naruto as best she can but there's a limit to even the hokage's power." Naruto and Sasuke may be deserters with an S ranked traitor, but if I'm being honest I'm more worried about Sakura right now. This is going to crush her.

[Sakura 4 hours later]

I watch one by one as my injured friends are carried through the gate. Only Hinata able to walk on her own, her face downcast as she trudges through the village gates. My eyes never leave the gate because any second my team will come through the gate. Naruto and Sasuke will walk through holding each other up with smiles on their faces. Kakashi walks past after Hinata. He tells me some nonsense about them not coming back. He can't be serious though right? They always come back, I may not be super nice to Naruto but were a team so he has to come back to me right? Not to mention that Sasuke and I are meant for each other! How can we restart his clan if he doesn't come back?

So she waited, and waited, and then waited some more, up until the guards closed the gates and resumed watch. The rain pounding hard. Sakura stands soaked staring at the gates.

They're not coming back. Kakashi was right, they left without me. Naruto, he was always the goofy heart of our team, and Sasuke was the cool muscle; I always thought I was the brains. They're out on their own personal missions together. So why didn't they bring me? I'm a part of team seven, they can't be a team without me! So they aren't. I am all that's left of team seven.

I turn around and start walking home.

I'm all team seven needs. Naruto and Sasuke were strong? I'll become stronger than the both of them! I don't need them, but it's unforgiveable that they would abandon me. The tears have stopped running down my face, the only moisture left is from the rain as the storm gets worse, I can hear thunder in the background. "I'll make them pay."

[Naruto]

It's been a year since I left with Sasuke. Like he said Orochimaru welcomed me with open arms, he said, "It's always easier training two students than just one." I have to admit that the guy is creepy but he knows what he's talking about. While he was training Sasuke physically he trained me in using the ninetails chakra. He wasn't afraid of it like Jiraya was. He taught me seals, and secret techniques. Until finally I was ready. Orochimaru warned to avoid talking to the demon, to just force the chakra out of it.

But I was never one for warnings. Right now Orochimaru and Sasuke are training in developing Sasuke's chidori technique. I'm working on my chakra control but chidori is still a little too tough for me. So instead while Orochimaru thinks I'm practicing my katas, I'm going to have a little chat with the ninetails. I take a meditative stance in focus my chakra inwards. I only have to work at it for about a minute before I realize that I'm not in my room anymore.

Physically I'm still in the same place, but right now around me all I see are sewer walls rising hundreds of feet into the air. "Aww man is this really my mind? What a dump! God if Sasuke ever finds out." In front of me are massive bars reaching from floor to ceiling. A lock with the kanji for seal on it adorns the front.

"Naruto!" The voice comes from everywhere and nowhere, bouncing off the walls in a high pitched laugh. "Come closer Naruto!" The voice is light and airy like a child's; but I know that this being is older than my entire village.

"Come out and face me like a man Nine tailed fox!" I stand ready, scanning the room.

"Come out?" It's a different voice now, deeper manly, intimidating. "You Know where I am do not try my patience boy! BE GONE!"

A blast of wind tears out from within the cage bars. I tentatively take a few steps forward to see inside. I can see a little girl in a torn kimono crying in the corner. She turns to look at me and wipes her eyes. "Hello?" Her voice is the same as the first one I heard. "Can you help me Naruto? Just please come a little closer and let me out. I'm so scared."

I'm so temped to help her, she looks so lost and alone. Reminds me of my child hood. But I know this is a trick. After I started Orochimaru's training I researched as much as I could of the ninetailed fox. It's said repeatedly in it's lore that it is a trickster demon and to never trust it. "Please before the mean fox comes back, It's gonna eat me!"

Maybe two years ago I would have fallen for this act. But not today. I stand my ground and answer back, "I won't come any closer, Not until you show me your true form!"

The room shakes as if a giant beast is lumbering this way, The girl looks noticeably more distraught and the tears resume running down her face. "Oh god it's coming back! Please just let me out! If you hurry we can close the gate before it gets out! Please!" I make no motion to move, there can only be one thing behind that seal I say to myself. That little girl can't be real. A giant shadow covers both her and me. I can see it now, the giant maw of the nine tailed fox. It's face is easily three times my size. "PLEASE!" In an instant the fox opens it's jaws and swallows the girl whole.

She wasn't real, she wasn't real, she wasn't- "Are you so sure about that?" The fox speaks without opening it's mouth. The voice is menacing, it fills the very pit of my stomach with a dread that's dark in the most terrifying way.

"I-i know you're a trickster fox. You can change your size and shape, that girl was nothing but an illusion."

Suddenly the shadow and the fox are gone, replaced instead with a woman looking several years older than me. She wears a simple black dress with bright orange hair hanging down to her knees. "I can change my form however I wish." Despite her size the voice is the same. "But nothing you said should make you believe that I'm capable of doing what you say I did."

My eyes widen a little but. What she says is true, I've never heard of a story fox pretending to be two things at once. "You're lying! T-that girl couldn't have been real. How would she have even gotten there?"

She takes a few steps so that she's standing at the edge of the cage. "Maybe she wasn't real. Maybe she was, either way she's dead now. All because of you." An ugly smile spreads across her face, dozens of razor sharp teeth lay behind deceiving red lips. "I'll tell you what, These bars are pretty far apart, how about you come in here and I'll give you the answer."

Like hell I'll fall for that! "Not a chance fox! I know that as long as I'm out here you can't hurt me."

"Oh? Is that what you think?" She takes a step through the bars and transforms immediately into a large red fox, easily my size. "How sure are you?"

How did it get out? I take a step back and I can hear the mocking laugh reverberating from the fox as it slowly stalks me. "I am a god. Master of mischief, a force of nature held together by raw emotion and hatred. Did you really think that a flimsy piece of paper like that could hold me?" I look back at the gate and see that the paper seal is now floating in the water and the gate is slightly ajar. When did that happen? No this isn't possible! I should be safe here, did I mess up? Did I accidentally let it out? I can't die here!

I turn and run towards the hall but as soon as I turn around the fox is blocking the entrance. I'm trapped, and we both know it. The ninetails advances slowly on me seeming to get larger with every passing second. It's now at least twice my size. Suddenly it leaps jaws open I on instinct throw my arm out in a punch and close my eyes hoping for the best.

One seconds, two seconds. When I open my eyes I'm standing facing the cage again. The seal is in place and the woman still stands behind the bars. Was that all an illusion? "You are an interesting man Uzumaki Naruto. To punch at me in the face of certain destruction." Her voice is normal now for a woman of her size. She covers her mouth as she yawns. "All this is making me tired. Leave now." She turns walking back towards the darkness of the cage.

"But wait I came down here to talk to you!"

"Your petty concerns mean nothing to me." Suddenly the water starts to rise and I find myself treading water. Inside the cage the water level is still only ankle deep. "I wasn't making a suggestion." The entire room is now filled with water. Somehow even through the water I can hear her voice perfectly. "It was a comand."

I sit up from my bed gasping for breath. My stomach growls and a glance at the window confirm that I've been out at least six hours. Sasuke walks in from the hallway. I told him my plan the previous day so he promised to keep Orochimaru busy as long as possible. "Well?"

I shake my head. "It's evil, and smart. I'm not sure I can convince it to help me." But then again.

'You are an interesting man Naruto Uzumaki'

Maybe. "I'll try again tomorrow."

Sasuke 'hmphs' "Did you already forget about the training exercise tomorrow? Idiot."

I groan in frustration "Man those are annoying." To practice our skills Orochimaru often sends the two of us to hunt and kill defectors of the Sound. "More like doing his dirty work."

Sasuke shrugs. "Either way, it's bound to take all day. There's always the day after though."

I jump off the bed and pat Sasuke on the back, "Whoa, since when did you become an optimist?"

"Hn."

"Aww come on man tell me we're not back to that again!"

[Sakura]

"Your getting better Sakura." I dodge another one of Master's punches. I see her other arm cock back and dodge left in anticipation, She stops short though, it's a trap! I realize too late as her other arm swings at me with a powerful left hook. With no room to dodge I raise my hand and catch her fist in mine. The impact almost throws me away but I manage to hold my ground. "Very good Sakura." Tsunade withdraws her fist and holds it to her side. A signal that finally our match is over. "You know I actually wasn't holding back on that last punch."

My eyes widen, "Really?" It does hurt a lot now that she mentions it, I try and shake off the sting to no avail.

Jiraya jumps down from the fence post he was watching from. "You've come a long way Sakura. I wouldn't be surprised if you were almost as strong as Tsunade by now."

I blush at the praise and bow to him as he approaches. "Thank you for your praise Master Jiraya!"

He waves me off, "You need to relax kid. I'm just telling the truth. Anyway come on, I think you've made enough progress with Tsunade for today."

I look to Master Tsunade for confirmation, "Go on ahead, lord knows Shizune's piled on the paperwork for me. Besides to accomplish your goal you're going to need his guidance."

I bow once more to Tsunade. "Thank you master." She just waves and walks off.

I begin following Jiraya and he leads me to a small waterfall just inside the training grounds. "You're a lot stronger than you were a year ago. You might even be able to fight Naruto, but if you're going to take on Naruto and Sasuke you'll need every trick you can get." He takes a seat against a tree and motions for me to sit across from him. Raising one hand I see his chakra start to spin until he's holding a rasengan the size of my fist.

I nod. I'm not above fighting dirty to get back at those traitorous rats.

"Assuming they still use the same techniques that means your probably going to have to deal with both the rasengan and chidori. You'll have to see Kakashi for help with Sasuke but I can help you with Naruto. The rasengan is a mass of chakra spinning at super high speeds in the most dumbed down explanation. At full strength." He turns and thrusts his fist into the tree he's leaning on. When he pulls it back there's a perfect sphere of destruction and nothingness where there used to be bark. "It can do much worse than that to a person. The technique I'm about to teach you will help defend yourself against it. Be warned this is top secret, the only people that know about this are me and the fourth Hokage, you can never teach this to anyone is this understood?"

"I swear to never tell a soul." I'll swear away anything to get my revenge.

"Alright. This technique is much harder to learn and not as destructive as a rasengan. But it has other applications. Mainly completely disabling rasengan based attacks." He holds up his hand again. This time however when his chakra spins if forms a double helix shape eventually spinning out to look like a blue cylinder slightly larger than the rasengan standing completely upright in his hand. "Let's begin."

[Naruto 2 years later]

Sasuke's sword goes right over my head as I dodge underneath sweep kicking at his legs. He of course jumps sending an axe kick to my head I manage to grab his foot and throw him at the opposite wall, only for him to calmly rotate mid air and land on his feet. He freezes for a second and I'm about to rush him when I feel something familiar. I stand up straight and Sasuke gives me a look. I think he's actually smiling. "Do you feel that Naruto?"

I can't keep the grin off of my face. "Yeah, just in time too. I was starting to think they would never show up."

He sheathes his sword walking past me. "Orochimaru is out so I guess I'll be the one to greet our guests. You remember our plan right?"

I put a hand on his shoulder and he stops in his tracks. I give him a look that lets him know I'm serious. "Don't forget what we talked about. Sakura, is mine."

He shakes my hand off and continues walking. "Of course I remember, I'm not a dumbass like you. Do you really want to kill her so badly though?"

I turn and follow him out of the training grounds. I can feel my hatred giving birth to vile red chakra, impossible to contain I can feel my eyes turn red, tinting my world a blood red hue. It's even harder to stop the smile on that comes to my face when I think of what's to come in the near future. "Believe it!"