Sasuke's hands shook nervously as he stumbled forward, his head spinning with anxiety.
"What's everyone going say, Naruto?" he asked mervously.
Naruto turned to face him.
"Sasuke, it'll be fine," Naruto encouraged. "Nothing is going to happen! Hey, look!"
Sasuke stopped while Naruto faced the people behind him.
"Hey, Shikamaru!" Naruto greeted and bolted off.
"Hey, Naruto," Shikamaru responded, toted in his usual green chuunin jacket. "Who's your friend?"
"I think you know him," Naruto said smiling. "Remember him?"
Shikamaru studied harder and suddenly gasped.
"It couldn't be! You?" he said in shock.
Sasuke turned around to face Nara Shikamaru with a blank stare. Naruto looked disappointed.
"Sasuke, at least smile!" he complained.
"Sorry," he said, grinning slightly. "What's up?"
Shikamaru grinned and extended his hand. "Welcome back. We risked our asses trying to bring you back and Naruto here does it in two days! Shows improvement."
Naruto blushed. "We also managed to pick up an Akatsuki member as well."
Shikamaru grinned. "No joke! Which?"
"Deidara," Sasuke said.
"Ah, the androgynous clay-head," Shikamaru commented, referring to Deidara's feminine appearance. "What about his partner, Tobi?"
"Ran off when Deidara was captured," Naruto said. "He's less of a threat than Deidara. In fact, we're not sure about him at all."
"Don't underestimate an enemy belonging to an organization that powerful," Shikamaru said. "Don't make the same mistakes as we did."
Sasuke looked worried. "Sorry."
"No problem. It was pretty troublesome looking for you, anyway. Thank you for popping up so quickly!"
Sasuke grinned.
"Well, we should get going," Naruto said.
"Why run? The word should've already spread about Sasuke's return. And look who's coming now." Shikamaru said, gesturing behind Naruto and Sasuke.
The two turned their heads to face Sakura and Ino racing toward Sasuke. Sasuke gasped as the two leaped onto him instantaneously with tears in their eyes.
"Oh, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed. "When I heard the news about you returning, I couldn't believe my ears! We've missed you so much!"
Ino nuzzled into Sasuke's exposed chest. "Hey, I love the new outfit Sasuke-kun. It's pretty hot!"
"Ahem," Naruto said, tapping his foot.
"Oh, hi hun," Sakura said, leaping off Sasuke to face Naruto.
"Yeah, hi Naruto," Ino said quickly. "I guess since you're with Naruto-kun, Sakura, I get to keep Sasuke to myself!"
Sasuke blushed and smiled.
"Still obsessive I see," he said.
Sakura looked at Naruto lovingly, and Naruto tried his best to imitate the same feeling.
"Naruto-kun. Thank you," Sakura said, hugging Naruto deeply. "Thank you for keeping your promise."
Naruto returned the hug and looked directly into Sasuke's black eyes. Sasuke returned the look as he was being embraced by Ino. Both knew that the two girls before them would be heartbroken. And both knew that their love was purer than any other love they could receive from anyone else.
Tobi held his map and twirled it upside-down as he walked through a piece of land covered in wilderness.
"I'm so lost..." he said. "I wish I could fly like Deidara-senpai. Oh wait, I still have some of his clay!"
Tobi reached into his side pouch and drew a small amount of clay, molding it into a tiny bird-like model. He put his two fingers up to his face and made straining noises as he attempted to bring it to life.
"Gah..." Tobi gasped, straining too hard. "Deidara-senpai makes it look so easy... I wish I could make things come to life like he can."
Tobi shrugged and continued walking through the woods.
Sasuke smiled as the younger genin surrounded him, leaping up and down with joy! Among them were Konohamaru, Naweki, and Udon, all but one of which leaped up and down with joy. That one was Konohamaru.
"I don't get it," he says pouting. "This guy betrays Konoha, leaves the village, joins Orochimaru, and gets Naruto-dono all depressed. Now he returns and he's a hero."
Naruto put his hand on Konohamaru's shoulder.
"He's changed, Konohamaru. He's been going through a lot of tough times. He didn't know what to believe in. Him returning is a sign of good things to come."
Konohamaru's pout turned to a smirk.
"He's like you, Naruto-kun!"
Naruto smiled. "I guess your right."
Sasuke gazed at Naruto and Naruto gazed back. The two were lost in each other's stares.
"Um, Naruto-kun?" Konohamaru asked, looking directly into Naruto's lovesick stare. "Naruto, are you alright?"
Naruto snapped out of his trance. "Sorry, just. A distraction..."
"I bet it was," Konohamaru said with a smirk.
"This is the spot!" Tobi exclaimed. "Yup! Tattered trees, a pit filled with rocks, and some dirt." Tobi pulled out a small shovel from his pouch and held it in the air. "Time to start digging!"
Sasuke walked side-by-side Naruto, gazing around the village with awe.
"Amazing," he said. "I can't believe everything is just the way it was when I left."
"Actually, it's better!" Naruto described. "The movie theater was upgraded to 18 screens. Maybe we could catch a movie or something later on."
"I'd like that," Sasuke said, his eyes wandering to the faces carved on the side of the mountain. "They added The Fifth to the rocks!"
"Yeah. Now she can stare down the entire village at once!"
The two laughed and continued their pace. Just then, a loud barking noise came from around a corner. Sasuke turned around to face a massive white dog in mid-jump, ready to tackle him. Sasuke leaped backward and drew his sword in defense.
"Whoa whoa whoa, easy there tiger!" came a loud voice from atop the beast. Why, it was non other than Inuzuka Kiba and his trusty dog/ steed Akamaru. Kiba was wearing a leather jacket and tight,black pants. His usual look to the others, but to Sasuke it was new.
"Kiba?" Sasuke asked.
"The one and only!" Kiba exclaimed. "And Akamaru's happy to see you as well!"
The massive Akamaru barked loudly, lapping Sasuke's cheek with his extended tongue.
"Hey, Kiba!" Naruto greeted.
"Well, well, if it isn't Uzumaki Naruto. We haven't spoken ever since you joined ANBU. How is it there?"
Naruto shrugged. "It's kind of overrated. I mean, the missions are nice and tough, but their's just so many of them, y'know?"
"You're beginning to sound like Shikamaru!" Kiba joked.
Naruto giggled.
"So, Uchiha Sasuke. What was it like always on the run?" Kiba questioned.
Sasuke turned away with a sad gaze.
"Ooops..." Kiba said. "Uh...I mean..."
"Ugh, Kiba! And just when he was getting in a good mood, too!" Naruto exclaimed.
"No, I'm fine," Sasuke said. "Just thinking."
"Eheh, sorry." Kiba apologized.
Akamaru let out a small growl.
"I know, don't rub it in!" Kiba retorted. "Well. It was nice seeing you, but I have to meet up with Kurenai-sensei and help her train. See you guys!"
Kiba leaped on top of Akamaru and bolted off.
"You alright, Sasuke?" Naruto asked Sasuke, putting his arm on his shoulder affectionatly.
"Yeah, let's go catch that movie!" Sasuke said.
The two ninja walked slowly toward the theater up ahead, showing off their smiles and happy that no one was around to spoil the moment.
"Dig dig dig!" Tobi sung. "Dig dig dig, diggy dig dig, dig dig dig, diggy dig dig!" Tobi rapidly scooped up more and more dirt with his tiny plastic shovel. "I can't wait to get my prize!" Tobi kept digging and digging, not complaining at all. His motivation was friendship, and he was about to receive it.
The movie raged onscreen. Princess Fuun, the protagonist, screamed and waged war against the evils of oppression. Naruto was fixated on the movie, having always been a fan of Princess Fuun, especially after Team 7's mission to the Snow Country. Sasuke, who enjoyed the moive, was less enthralled. His hand crept to Naruto's and gently stroked it. Naruto noticed this and gazed at Sasuke, his blue eyes reflecting the screen majestically. Sasuke leaned his head over and onto Naruto's shoulder, smiling widely. Naruto leaned his head into Sasuke's as well. Both eyes returned to the movie.
"Give it up Princess Fuun!" yelled the main villain. "You'll never defeat me with such petty allies as love and kindness!"
Fuun stood upright, brushing off her opponent's attack.
"If love and kindness are weak," Princess Fuun started, "than hate and malice must be an ant. An ant that deserves nothing but a good crushing."
"I always say this, but that was the best Fuun movie yet!" Naruto shouted.
Sasuke, who was beside him, smiled and replied. "You always said that, Naruto-kun. Ever since we saw the last one together."
"Oh yeah," Naruto remembered. "That one was great too. This one brings back memories of old Team 7."
"Yeah," Naruto said, noticing a familiar figure in the corner of his eye. "Hey, Sakura-chan." he continued in a serious tone of voice. "How long have you been watching?"
"Long enough to know the truth," she responded.
Tobi continued to drive his shovel deep into the ground.
"I can't wait!" he said, tirelessly digging his shovel into the ground.
Suddenly, he struck gold. Tobi gazed as his shovel unearthed a severed leg.
"Eeew," he said. Tobi continued to unearth the soil around him, finding another leg, an arm, a few fingers, and a hand with a ring on its index finger. Next came a patch of hair. Tobi pulled the tuft of gray hair out from the ground with force. He unearthed an entire head.
"Ow! Watch it, you clumsy fuck!" yelled the severed head to Tobi.