Dawn had broken before anyone would have wished it that morning. Itachi strolled into the currently new member's room and nudged him awake. "What do you want?" Was his sleepy reply to the nudging in the arm.

The blonde had pushed his head under the pillow sometime that night and now he refused to come out and look into those dark eyes that gave him nightmares. Itachi merely sighed, took the boy's wrist and yanked him forward. Naruto was stunned when he was suddenly sitting up right, the pillow flying to the foot of the bed from the force. "You trying to rip my arm outta my socket?" Naruto hissed as he started to crack his now, sore shoulder into place.

Itachi shook his head at the ninja in front of him. The boy obviously didn't have enough fear because if he had, he wouldn't be shouting at his new master. "Get up and get out here. You have two minutes to get dressed." Itachi said as he turned and made his way out.

"Y'sure I won't try to escape?" Naruto asked, a sly grin on his face that made Itachi even crack a smile.

"I'm sure because you want to see Sasuke." Came his harsh reply that made Naruto wince as he slammed the door shut.

'Least he did me a favor and didn't try to fuck me last night. Guess even an ass has some sympathy.' Naruto snickered as he walked over the dresser. It was the only piece of furniture he had besides his bed. Slipping on his usual wardrobe, he snatched up his headband that had been sitting on top of it. He placed it on the inside pocket of his coat before zipping it back up. He wasn't going to have a cracked head band because he wasn't going to be leaving the Leaf's forces for long. 'It will be over soon….' The blonde thought as he pushed open the door. Itachi stood on the opposite wall, obviously waiting for him. "Morning my angel. Have a nice rest?" He asked in a sadistic tone which made Naruto want to gag all the more.

"Don't call me that. I thought you said you were going to train me at night so as to not let anyone see us as easily…what gives?"

"It seems my brother wants to rush to his death…he and Orochimaru are heading here as we speak."

Naruto's eyes could have dropped out of their sockets from what he had just heard. He hadn't even had a day of training with Itachi and already he was expected to fight the raven? "W-when will he be here?" Naruto asked as he mentally prepared himself for the new challenge.

"He'll be here in a few hours. That gives us about half an hour to do some serious training boy. I suggest we get moving before then, hmm?" Itachi asked as he scooped up Naruto's body in his arms and headed for the exit.

He even snuck in a light kiss to the forehead which gave him a good right hook in the shoulder. "You keep your lips away from me dude."

"So you want me to kill him in battle then?"

"What?!? You never said-"

"You disobey me again and Sasuke will be dead before he reaches ten meters of me." Itachi warned before full out frenching Naruto as they walked.

Naruto's eyes widened as the older Uchiha began to taste his mouth with his tongue. After a moment of thinking over the raven's words, Naruto bit down lightly on Itachi's tongue, asking for him to stop. Itachi lifted his head and looked over the blonde who was smirking suddenly. "You'd have to kill me before you'd get to him."

Nothing else was said by either shinobi as they made their way towards their destination.

----

Sasuke Uchiha bounded from branch to branch so fast that even his master was having trouble keeping up with the boy. After getting tired of having to run at such a rapid pace, the snake-like man's tongue wrapped around the raven's ankle and sent him crashing to the ground. "What the hell was that for?!?" Sasuke shouted as Orochimaru made his way over, a smirk on his face as his tongue began to adjust so it'd fit in his mouth again.

"You're going to fast if you hadn't noticed. You go there worn out and you won't stand a chance against either of them." He said, shrugging as though it were a fact.

In some way, it was pretty basic and stupid for the boy whom had trained under one of the great Sannin to forget about. However, this wasn't going to stop Sasuke from sneering at his master as he brushed himself off. "Who even said I was going to fight Naruto? I'm there for my brother's head and that is all. Naruto is not in this fight between him and I." He growled, crossing his arms as he waited for Orochimaru's reply.

"On the contrary, I think that is very much what your older Ni-san will have in store. You know how he loves to play with people's minds."

"Just like someone else I know." Came the short reply as Sasuke turned and began to walk in the direction of the Akatsuki hide out.

He grunted as his hair was seized roughly and he had to bow his head before the older shinobi unless he wanted his hair ripped out. "You will not take that tone with me, young man." Orochimaru hissed, obviously not in the mood for Sasuke's short remarks.

"Then don't act like you're my father, damn it!"

At this, Orochimaru released his hold. He was as cold hearted as they came, but even he understood when a person had their breaking points.

"We'll strike at eleven tonight…fair enough, master?" Sasuke more or less told Orochimaru before beginning to walk again. 'I'm coming for you Aniki.'

--------

Kakashi sighed as he began to make his way from the gates and towards the woods with Sakura Haruno, Gaara, and Shikamaru Nara. Tsunade had a piss fit when she heard that Naruto had left with Itachi. 'There was no sign of a struggle as far as the ANBU could tell and I don't think Naruto wouldn't have struggled if it was against his will.' The older Jounin flexed his hand as they began to move further and further in to the dense forest. Each ninja kept to themselves for the most part as they began. Gaara's eyes narrowed as he thought about the blonde boy and the fight that had changed his life. It was because of him that Gaara was able to change. It was because of Naruto Uzumaki, that he was able to control himself and become eligible for Kazekage. It was hard to think that such a bright and kind person could be thrown into such a catastrophe What had he really done to deserve it? Nothing. Gaara could at least understand that feeling. The feeling of being guilty for nothing you'd ever done. The only thing that was different was that, instead of being a tool for destruction in the beginning; Naruto's father had wanted him to become a hero. 'It's too bad that he won't get his wish in the end. Not if Naruto's life ends tonight.'

Sakura's head lowered as she thought of the times that she had with her comrades back when they had first become genin. 'It was so long ago yet it seems like yesterday…Why did things have to turn out this way?' She thought, holding back her tears as he glanced up at the others. Naruto and Sasuke had been more or less like brothers to her. The only reason she had tried to get into medical jutsu was because she wanted to be more effective on the team and help bring Sasuke back. Neither one of her wishes would be realized unless the two of them came back safely. At first, Kakashi had refused to let the kunoichi go, concerned about how much this would make her suffer. "I don't care! I have to see them! I have to see Sasuke and Naruto with my own eyes!" she had shouted as her sensei began to leave her complex.

Whether it was her words or just kindness in his own heart, Kakashi had allowed her to journey with them. 'I won't lose you two again…'

Shikamaru glanced at one member to the other before putting his hands behind his head and looking up at the darkening sky. When they stopped for a moment, so that Kakashi could release his Nin-hounds to track either one of the boy's scents; that was the moment when Shikamaru had put any thought into the up coming battle at all. Sure he hadn't been close with Naruto, but he still thought the boy as a dear friend one way or another. Even if he was to trouble-some for his own worth, Shikamaru knew that he cared about the upcoming battle. "You had just better be alive….." Shikamaru whispered as he began to run with the group.

------

Night had swept over the land before any one would have liked it, that night. Naruto had only had a few hours to really train with Itachi. The rest of the time, the raven insisted that he calm down and get his energy ready. "You must be swift, for he will be swifter if you do not concentrate."

"I hear you already….can we just hurry up and get this over with?" Naruto groaned. Spending the day being groped and fondled by Itachi wasn't exactly pleasing either. When he was suppose to be relaxing, the ex-leaf nin would insist that he lay back against his chest while he ran his hands over Naruto's shoulders and neck. If it had been anyone else, Naruto would have enjoyed the massages a lot more. The blonde was snapped from his thoughts as the two figures made their way over towards them and Naruto didn't need three guesses to know who was heading for them. Naruto's eyes narrowed as Sasuke stopped a few yards away from him. Both younger shinobi held sneers on their faces as they looked at each other and then at their opposite's master. It was Naruto surprisingly, to make the first move as he ran at the ravens; his eyes bleeding red as he aimed his kunai for Orochimaru. Countered with another, Sasuke smirked devilishly at Naruto. "Your fight is not with him. It's with me, you dumb ass."

"That's my line Uchiha!" Naruto hissed back as he went down on a knee and rammed his fist into the other's knee.

Sasuke fell back, not having expected Naruto to be this good since their last fight. He glared at Naruto as he attempted to jump on the fallen form of Sasuke. Using his legs, he slammed them into Naruto's stomach before he could land on top of him. Naruto was sent flying back a few feet. "So, you've decided to get serious then?" He asked as the blonde landed the fall on all fours.

"If it's the only way to get you back…then, yes!" Naruto retorted as he put out his kunai again.

He could suddenly remember all the times that Sasuke and he had shared. Was he really holding a kunai up to his best friend? His secret lover? He didn't have time to think as Sasuke began to make familiar hand signs. "Fire style: Phoenix Flower Justu!" The raven shouted as he blew fire out from his mouth.

Five balls of fire threatened to burn Naruto if he didn't move quickly. Focusing his chakra to the soles of his feet, he pushed off the ground and over the flames. Sasuke however, had expected this form of movement and had also jumped up to meet his opposite in mid air. Naruto was sent flying into a nearby tree as Sasuke backhanded him. "Stay out of this!" Sasuke shouted at him as the boy began to twitch and get to his feet slowly again, "This is between me and my brother. Stop being used as a tool!"

"Take your own damn advice!" Naruto shouted back, wiping a bit of blood away from his lips.

"Then you won't stand down?" Sasuke hissed painfully, which was clear in his voice as he readied his kunai.

"No chance…" Naruto growled as he placed himself between Sasuke and Itachi again.

"Then…do me a favor this time Naruto….don't hold back!"

Naruto watched as the Sharigan became apparent in the boy's eyes. He closed his eyes and chuckled lightly as he nodded. "Alright…loser has to go with the other's team or lose their life…deal?"

"Sure…..though I fear it will be option two for you, if you don't step down."

Naruto smirked and it sent chills up Itachi's spine. The smirk looked exactly like his, on the day that he had slaughtered his village. "Stop saying my lines Uchiha…Let's go!"