"A prince?" eighteen year old Uzamaki Naruto questioned to their Hokage.

He stood in the sun filled office with his reformed team; pink haired Healer Haruno Sakura, copy-nin Kakashi and finally Uchiha Sasuke, he had come back but stayed distant. Sai had left for another village.

Naruto's spiky blond hair shone happily in the midday sun, his blue eyes sparkled at the thought of royalty and the three marks on his cheeks curved upwards as he grinned.

"yes, the queen of the Village Protected by Demons is sending her young son here for training." the fifth Hokage Tsunade said.

In the many years since becoming Hokage she hadn't aged, at least not on the outside, still blond and busty she knew how to keep authority and attention.

"why is she sending him here?" Sasuke asked.

Sasuke's black hair had grown longer in the front but still suited him and he had gone blind in one eye from over use of the Sharingan in the final battle.

Tsunade shrugged, "Queen Eclipse attended the Academy when she was young, I guess she wanted him to have the same experience." she told them, "she has left it a bit late though."

"what do you mean?" Naruto asked softly.

"because he's fifteen." the Hokage said shortly.

Kakashi cocked his head to the side, his grey-white hair still staying in its original place and a frown visible on one eye, "then, he's too old to go to the Academy."

Tsunade rummaged through some papers until she found the right one, "he will joining your team." she said quickly and then refused to meet their eyes.

"but Sensei!" Sakura shouted, her green eyes flashing madly and Naruto flinched back from her tone, "he can't join this group its too advance." she protested.

With a frustrated sigh Tsunade said, "if I know Eclipse, and I do since she was, ehm nevermind." she cut herself off before carrying on very quickly, "her boy would have been trained since before he could sit up. He'll be ready for this group. Now I suggest you lot go home to relax until he arrives tomorrow."

Team 7 emerged into the warm sun, Kakashi quickly departed, claiming to have something far more important to attend to.

"wanna train Sasuke?" Naruto asked cheerily.

"no way Naruto!" Sakura snapped, "we're going home. Now."

Naruto and Sakura had been together since the end of the final battle; Hinata had Kiba and Rock Lee had a team to train, the only one hurt was Sasuke. But he never let on how much it hurt to see Naruto, the one who had fought and saved him, paired up with the annoying pink thing and having what seemed like the perfect relationship.

Naruto gave Sasuke a small, sad smile and wave before heading to the house that he and Sakura shared but Sakura stayed behind.

"how about we train together Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked in a sultry voice.

Sasuke may have been half blind but he could see what Sakura was trying; she didn't love Naruto and she tried it on with the Uchiha every time they were alone.

"no. get lost." Sasuke snapped and turned away.

Sakura was disheartened from Sasuke's brutal rejection but it quickly turned to anger and she knew just who to take it out on.

"she seems truly horrendous." the voice made Sasuke jump a little.

A teenage boy with thick black hair, bright blue eyes and big red squares on each cheek. He had a scroll strapped to his back and a bag clutched in one hand. He had an air of familiarity about him.

"which way to the Hokage's office?" the boy asked softly.

Sasuke nodded in the general direction of the Hokage Tower, "that way. She's busy though." he added.

The boy smiled a cheeky smile, "don't worry, she's expecting me." he chirped and vanished before Sasuke could say another word.

On the other side of town Sakura was taking her anger out on her suffering boyfriend; Naruto had long since stopped fighting back, since no matter how hard or many times Sakura hurt him, he would heal by the next morning, so no-one ever knew what happened behind closed doors.

Of course it didn't help that Sakura knew just where to chip away at Naruto mentally; he was so low that more than twice he had considered killing himself, the only thing that kept him from doing so was the thought of seeing Sasuke the next day.

It didn't matter what Sasuke thought of him, Naruto thought that night as he lay blooded and beaten on the cold bathroom floor, as long as he got to see him. It didn't matter.