Thanks to everyone that reviewed! I hope that I managed to reply to everyone. Sometimes I forget, but I try really hard to remember!

You know, something strikes me as odd (but very helpful.) When Naruto and Haku were having their little conversation about dreams, Naruto said that his dream was to be respected and he tacked "Hokage" on there as a means to an end, not as the end itself. Eh, just a cool note.


Sunrise, Sunset: Part Two

The Approaching Dawn

It was strange to travel with two members of Akatsuki in the moonlight. The full moon created dark shadows on the smooth planes of Naruto's face, turning him into something that looked as wild as the beast sealed inside of him. Itachi's thoughts were dispassionate as he appraised that face. It was beautiful, in a way, but handsome and by no means delicate. Naruto appeared defeated for once, his body wrapped in bandages that covered all of his arms and most of his side under his clothing. His eye looked like it had been swollen shut, but it had healed quickly and looked no more than badly bruised now.

Kisame was the one carrying Naruto. Despite that, the boy didn't look fragile compared to the other ninja's tall, broad body. He rightly should have, but it was true that although Naruto was a great deal smaller than Kisame, he was a child no longer. He was a ninja, a powerful one, who it was said might one day become the next Hokage. He had gathered so much support and trust over his years that even without the Kyuubi he was a serious threat to Akatsuki.

He must have been battling Sasuke again, or training to battle him at the very least. The thought made Itachi's lip curl in disdain. If Sasuke thought that he could beat Itachi by studying under one as low as that snake he had to be insane. Orochimaru was powerful, yes, but he cared nothing about sharing that power. The only thing that he wanted to do was cause destruction. He didn't even want to gain anything from the wars that he caused. Orochimaru just wanted to laugh as everything crumbled around him and he lived on, immortal. It was a pathetic, worthless ambition.

"You should feel lucky that the Leader wants to seal your Nine-Tails in person," Kisame was saying, shark smile firmly plastered onto his bluish face. "It's some honor for a brat like you."

It was strange when Naruto smiled. It was a weary smile, but as cunning as that of the fox. "Don't worry about me, fish-breath. I've got a plan of my own."

Sharingan eyes narrowed. Uzumaki Naruto wasn't known for his planning or his intelligence, but rather for his charisma and honor. "Plans" were not the kind of thing that Naruto implemented very often. Itachi looked away, dismissing it from his mind without effort. Strategy was not Naruto's strong point. The Leader was sure to be able to handle anything the Nine-Tailed child threw at him.

It was an hour and a half later when Naruto struggled to get away from Kisame. "Let me down, gills-for-brains. I think I can walk now."

"You're not very respectful to your kidnappers, you know that, brat?" Kisame snarled.

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the ex-Mist nin. "Leave him alone, Kisame."

Kisame sighed unhappily but let Naruto crouch on the tree branch, his bare feet gripping the bark as best they could and the threads in his mesh shirt catching the light from the moon.

"All right, ugly. Lead the way."

"Ugh, the insults. Are you sure that I can't chop off-"

"No."

The fox sealed in Naruto was most evident in the way that he sprung from branch to branch. Unlike the two ninja beside him, he moved on all fours like an animal, feet steadying him and hands pushing off for the next jump. It looked very... odd. Had Naruto's friends just gotten used to it, or had they never even noticed?

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when the complaints started. Naruto's feet hurt. His back ached. He was getting kinda hungry, y'know, and did either of them have any ramen? Jeez, you'd think they'd have some humanity, clan-killing and sharkyness aside. Kisame had finally threatened to hit him with the Samehada, but that had only stopped him for a few moments before he asked in a rather annoyed tone if they could stop for a few minutes.

Itachi lowered his eyes. You would think that he wasn't being kidnapped but was actually coming of his own will. Even the fox couldn't be that suicidal, however.

That was why they were sitting underneath the trees several miles from Konoha, Naruto watching intently as the pot of ramen began to bubble in its place over the fire.

"Are you sure we can't kill him just a little bit?" Kisame asked, his pale eyes looking decidedly unhappy. Itachi was amused. "Whoever would have thought that we'd be bringing him back without him being unconscious?"

That was strange. They had all studied Naruto to some extent, looked over his missions and the support that he had gathered from the people, noted the fact that he never gave up. Itachi even believed that Naruto had once said that never giving up was his nindo, his ninja way. Something wasn't right about this. One of his assumptions had to be wrong.

"Yo, sharky! Ramen's ready. You better not eat all of it, either," Naruto called. He looked a bit mischievous for some reason, but Itachi wasn't going to bother telling Kisame. When Kisame was squalling over some strange and noxious substance in his food, he wished otherwise, but not for long.

Naruto was pointedly not speaking to him. It probably had something to do with Sasuke, but it felt strange to be snubbed by such a loudmouth. Naruto wasn't creating too much of a fuss about being with them, either, which meant that he did indeed have a plan. What plan could someone like Naruto really come up with, though?

Since it wasn't coming together quite yet, Itachi ordered Kisame to pack up. Discreetly, he put Samehada a few feet away so that Naruto wouldn't be killed before they reached Akatsuki's base. The Leader would most certainly not be happy if that happened.

When he looked up, he saw bright blue eyes on him. They turned away immediately and the Leaf nin started playing with a kunai, tossing it up and down in some sort of game.

He was even armed. Itachi was definitely missing something.

It was inevitable that they did have to take a breather eventually, so they set up camp shortly after noon. The hot sun beat down on them and it was getting difficult to move as quickly as they had.

Kisame had first watch, so it was Itachi that had to try and sleep while around other people. It was hard for him to do so, as it was hard for any ninja to do, especially when he had an unknown like Naruto with him. The fox was an enemy ninja, his seeming obedience aside.

It took a moment for Sharingan to fade to the dark gray of Itachi's normal eyes, a color that was very near to black.

He settled a good distance away from the others but still within hearing distance of Naruto's snores, trying to rest just a few moments before they had to move again. He failed.

It took Naruto quite a while to fall asleep also, though he covered it well with his fake snoring. The truth was, he hadn't thought this all the way through. There were only so many months left before Orochimaru would take over Sasuke's body and he couldn't waste them in any way. What if he was wrong about this? It would take all of his remaining time to escape from Akatsuki if that happened. He didn't know enough.

One blue eye cracked open to stare at Itachi, who was leaning against a tree, eyes closed but obviously still awake. He looked even more like Sasuke with his face relaxed a little bit and his eyes closed.

Naruto closed his own eyes, quickly pushing everything from his mind so that he could fall asleep. He had made his choice, for now.

To be respected by Konoha by becoming the Hokage, to never need to be protected, to help the Hyuuga clan for Neji and Hinata, to get Sasuke back. There were so many oaths and Naruto was beginning to think that to achieve any one of them he was going to have to forget another.

The whispers that had followed him around that village were something that he still wanted to change. He had to, if he wanted any rest. How could he do that now? Sooner or later, Konoha would realize that he was with Akatsuki of his own free will. He would be branded a traitor if the elders got their way. They would finally have the excuse they needed to have him put down.

Would even becoming Hokage help him? Now that he was older, he thought that he might understand. Respect had to be earned. He couldn't go around shouting, "I'm gonna be the next Hokage!" like he had when he was a little kid. To succeed, thoughts had to be turned into actions, and everyone would have to accept that he wasn't the Kyuubi of their own free will.

He had wanted it for so long. He still wanted it. There was so much that was wrong with the world, so many things that he wanted to change.

To be respected by Konoha by becoming the Hokage, to never need to be protected, to help the Hyuuga clan for Neji and Hinata, to get Sasuke back.

He would find a way if he had to tear up both Orochimaru and Akatsuki on his way out. This was his mess. He would find a way to make everything he had promised happen.

Naruto sighed. That was all he could hope for, for now.


By the time anyone came to Naruto's hospital room it was clear that he had been gone for nearly half a day.

The room was lit by the bright sunlight that gave the Land of Fire its name, streaming in through the window to pattern the floor attractively. It was shortly before noon, as could be told by the sweat beading on Sakura's flushed face. She would almost think that they gave Naruto the most difficult room to get to; it seemed to take forever to reach it, especially in the midday heat.

Tsunade had given her express orders: beat Naruto until he stops moping. Those hadn't been her exact words, but Sakura had interpreted it as such and had immediately set off to do so. Her boy Naruto was the kind of person that took everything personally. She knew that well enough from her genin days with him. Letting Sasuke slip through his grasp again had been hard on him. He had looked so guilty two years ago when he had told her that he had lost Sasuke, like his world had come crashing down and there was nothing left to hold on to. It was that lost child look she had seen in his eyes sometimes, one of the things that had made her look past his lack of parents and start treating him and Sasuke the same.

If only she had been able to visit sooner. Tsunade's schedule was hectic, and finding time to train with her was a challenge at the best of times. It was always worth it, though. She didn't want to stand around anymore, unable to help her teammates while they lay there motionless, dying before her eyes. She would protect them with every ounce of strength in her body and help them as much as she could. Sakura wasn't talented, but she was smart. That would have to be good enough to help them. It had to be.

The bed was empty, the white sheets strewn all over it and a slight indent in the pillow. A fond smile appeared Sakura's face, quiet and small. Naruto was such an idiot. He was supposed to be in bed for at least another day, not running around Rasengan-ing everything in sight, which was probably what he was doing.

She crossed the room in a few quick steps. Sitting down on the messy bed, she touched the indent in the pillow with a wistful sigh. She wished that Naruto was here to keep her company. She had missed him when he had left to train with Jiraiya. It seemed like everyone she loved was leaving her in this changeless place with nothing to do but miss them and hope they would return safely. It was a faint thought in her mind that this must be what being Hokage felt like.

There was something hard under the pillow. Chewing absently on a strand of her soft pink hair, she reached under to draw out a scroll. There were a couple of words written in Naruto's childish handwriting, more of a strange scratching, really. "READ ME!"

Sorry. It looks like dawn approaches faster than you think.

Her hand clenched over the scroll for a moment, making sweaty smears of the ink. 'Dawn? What's that supposed to….' Her green eyes widened. "Naruto!"

Akatsuki. Akatsuki had taken Naruto? Her lip tore when she bit into it and she quickly made a hand sign. The Hokage needed to know about this.

She couldn't lose them both.


Naruto is in such denial (but if you can't guess why, I'm not going to tell you.) Sakura was difficult, yet fun, to write. I had to redo that section with her three times. Sorry if anything is awkward; I didn't have time to proof-read anything. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. All comments are appreciated.