This chapter is dedicated to HelloHelloHello, one of my very first reviewers! Uh, I'm sorry I'm didn't mention you…I guess I kinda forgot? Please don't kill me!

And I would also like to dedicate this story to Priestess Kurumi's sister…I love her! She's my most loyal reviewer! I'll give her a few strands of Sasuke's precious hair (you can't get it from him anymore. Heard he's almost bald with all the fangirls taking his hair.) And also to another loyal reviewer XxHunter The One and OnlyxX! An- And AngelSachiya! Mou…why do all of you have such cool long names? Mine is so silly and simple and—

Guh, I'm being depressing. To anyone that I missed, thank you for reviewing! To those of you none reviewers, thank you as well! I'm not complaining about you not reviewing…as long as you're reading my story! (smiles) You all get s'more strands of Sasuke's hair! (Yes, you can tell, can't you? The one that made sasuke bald was me! Wahahahahah!!! But then again, the one that ran in fear and made me pull his hair was sasuke himself…)

Now, even if any of you dislike him, it's okay. Keep it. It'll cost a lot if you sell it to a random Sasuke fangirl (or guy. Doesn't matter to me.) Now, if only I can get some of Naruto's…oh, oh! And Kyuubi's! I heard it'd mauled the last fan that tried to pluck its fur.

Yeah.

Disclaimers apply.

Please read. Dozo.

CHAPTER 7

Night.

A time for sleep. A time for rest.

A time when darkness licks its lips in childish delight.

Hidden amidst the pooling shadows, pale blue lips curved in a sinister smile.

"Ah, dear Uchiha Sasuke, my celestial brother Suzaku, your time has come…"

The sun shone cheerily down at the busy village. The only clouds seen in the clear blue sky were small, cute puffy cotton fluffs that you would only expect in an imaginary painting of an oh-so-perfect day. One would think that something good would happen on that very day. And Naruto could feel the warmth from it as he walked down the streets with a large grin on his face.

He was finally with his crush, the girl of his dreams! It was really a wonder to him that his face hadn't just split into two. He spotted the pink-haired girl a little whiles away and waved enthusiastically to her. "Sakura-chan!"

The girl blushed prettily at him and waved back almost shyly. A would-be lusty platinum blonde looked on in amusement at her friends' antics. Her eyes told Naruto clearly that she knew their new relationship and approved. A cheeky, white-toothed smile greeted the other more boisterous male blonde. "Hello, Naruto-kun."

The two chuunins of team seven blushed fiercely at the tease. The platinum-haired kunoichi laughed. She loved the situation then. She was always one for a good teasing and the current new couple was perfect! Though teasing Hinata and Kiba would have to be their runner up…

"I see what I'd heard from your faithful admirers that it's true then. Both of you are going out?" a bored and overall lazy voice drawled. Naruto rubbed his head bashfully at the young jounin walking up from behind the two girls. He barely let out an inaudible mumble of agreement as he nodded. He scooted towards his Sakura-chan – his Sakura-chan! – and instantly, though with that bit of shy hesitance, their fingers searched for the other and intertwined. Ino's squeal of delight almost made the new couple release their hold on each other.

"Both of you are so cute!!!" the kunoichi squealed and pounced on the two flushing chuunins.

"Oh, stop it, Ino, you're making it seem as though they're newly weds, or something…" another familiar voice interrupted the girl's fussing. Pale blue orbs turned to the newcomer. The potential glare turned back into one of delight again when she saw who it was.

"Kiba-kun! Hinata-chan!" she called cheekily, much to the chagrin of the Inuzuka.

"Stop saying our names like that, Ino! It's giving me the bloody chills!" the teen yelled as the pale-eyed Hyuuga he was holding blushed ripe tomato red. The icy glare directed his way from the other Hyuuga walking with him silenced the loud dog-boy. It was quite obvious that Neji was more than protective about his cousin now that Hinata was taken and he wasn't too happy that it was Kiba – though any other boy not one of the rookie nine would be disliked and placed in a higher and more precarious position than what Kiba was in.

"Please refrain from using such words while in the presence of my cousin. It is not gentlemanly," the cool voice of the older Hyuuga was laced with slight venom and Kiba shivered under the scrutinizing glare.

"H- Hai. Gomen…"

"Ahaha…Neji, perhaps you should be more lenient towards them…they're already sixteen, you know…" Tenten tried to soothe Neji's flaring over protectiveness. She was growing very close to the Hyuuga and was almost a girlfriend to the teen. All it needed was a little push—

"Being sixteen does not give them the right to be so casual while—" Neji was cut short in his rant by a hard, friendly pat on his back. He spun around to glare murderously at the one an only teammate of his, Rock Lee. The green spandex-clad, bowl-haired boy grinned brightly and did his best Gai pose.

"It is fine, my dear, worthy teammate! It is clear you have the youthful vigour of jealousy burning in your blood! I can fully understand that fire of youthfulness as a youth myself!" Lee exclaimed in all enthusiasm and his eyes not so subtly turned to the new couple blushing at the corner. All and any proper thoughts in his mind were thrown to the wind as he turned to point an angry finger towards the unfortunate male of the pair. "Narut—"

"Did you just say I am jealous?!" Neji's face was red with anger – and some bit of embarrassment – as he hit Lee soundly back on his head. The dark-haired chuunin turned to his teammate in shock. Never had Neji retaliated with such vigour. It made him proud that he had made Hyuuga Neji – the Hyuuga Neji – react in such a way. It was an achievement of all achievements! It also meant that Neji was indeed very jealous; and that Lee would die very soon.

"Oh, that's enough, you guys!" came Ino's chiding voice. The rest of the chuunins were instantly quiet. Each was looking to Naruto and Sakura expectantly. They were called there for a reason, after all. This they were sure off; Naruto and Sakura would not have called them suddenly on such a fine day for dating to take place. "Well, c'mon then, Naruto. You've called all of us here this afternoon. What do you want to tell us?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously with his free hand. He smiled gratefully at Sakura as she squeezed his hand in support. He wasted no time in getting the news across. He braced himself for the barrage of questions as he breathed, "Uchiha Sasuke's back."

Sure enough, a number of loud 'What?!'s came his way.

Tsunade turned idly in her chair. It was a fair enough day. She wondered if her two most favourite chuunins were on a date right now. Or perhaps—

"Did you tell them to break the news of your return to the other rookies?" she asked without turning in her chair. By rookies, she of course meant the rookie nine and team Gai – it had become some sort of fond nickname for them by the years. The quiet sound of agreement that reached her ears made her sigh in a bit of worry.

"May the Kages bless them both."

It was quiet. Too quiet.

"A- Ano—"

Paler blue eyes looked up sharply to the brighter blue. It made Naruto pause in his speech. He gulped as the girl still stared icily at him. Beside him, Sakura moved unconsciously closer to him.

"Is this all true?" a smooth voice cut the tension in the air. The chuunins sitting thoughtfully in the training grounds looked up to the only jounin there. They hadn't expected him of all people to speak. Dark eyes that looked sharply at the blonde belied the lazy expression of his body. "Tell me, Naruto, is this all true?"

Naruto nodded. Then he snickered. "The new guy that made you faint; that was him."

Ino goggled. "What? You mean to say that the hot, illegitimate child and personal gigolo of the Hokage-sama was Sasuke-kun?!"

Naruto's grin grew infinitely bolder. He nodded. Sakura giggled beside him. Her green eyes twinkled in mischief at the groaning Shikamaru. "You know, Shikamaru, I never expected you to be the fainting type."

Relieved laughter gladly rolled out each of the nins to finally break the quiet.

"It hurts. It so totally hurts. Shit, it hurts like hell…"

Sasuke groaned from the chair in Tsunade's office. The said owner of the messy room could only looked on in a little pity and concern as the teen groaned. She frowned as he glared at her. Crossing her arms, she defended easily, "It wasn't my fault that you wanted to arm-wrestle!"

Tsunade almost melted – almost, mind you, because she was too much of a (ahem) Hokage – at Sasuke pout. She had never seen Sasuke pout and wondered why the teen didn't just use it to defeat his brother; it would definitely melt the man's steely heart, if he had one in the first place, that is. She would pray for whomever had seen it because hell did the boy own an adorable pout! It could be said to be his secret weapon!

"Yes! I told you to arm-wrestle! Not arm-breaking!" Sasuke's accusing voice broke out her thoughts and made her break from it. She growled.

"You know about my 'inhuman' super strength! Why did you play with me in the first place, then?"

Tsunade's only reply from the boy was a pained, "I was bored!"

Tsunade still growled. "Whatever. You shouldn't be bored in the first place! You were supposed to tell me something?"

It was uncanny to the blonde woman how Sasuke or, it seemed to her, any of the team seven's members could switch their moods so easily. Just look at Sakura! Tsunade felt the need to switch into her Hokage mode. Her crossed arms were lifted from her large bosoms to retake their place under her chin in its familiar link. Her golden-brown eyes watched the young Uchiha sitting across her. She repeated her question. "You wanted to tell me something?"

"Yes, I did. It concerns the future of the shinobi villages—"

"Then why did you want to do arm-wrestling instead of telling me this?!" Tsunade's annoyed shriek interrupted Sasuke's speech. He flinched.

"I told you I was bored—"

"Just get on with it."

"Uh, yeah…" – Sasuke sat straighter in his chair again – "As I was saying, it concerns the future of the shinobi villages. And especially mine."

Tsunade started. Sasuke's fate? How could it have something to do with his fate? Unless the Suzaku—

"I'm getting married."

END

Wait. That was completely random. What I meant to type was—

"Yes, I did. It concerns the future of the shinobi villages—"

"Then why did you want to do arm-wrestling instead of telling me this?!" Tsunade's annoyed shriek interrupted Sasuke's speech. He flinched.

"I told you I was bored—"

"Just get on with it."

"Uh, yeah…" – Sasuke sat straighter in his chair again – "As I was saying, it concerns the future of the shinobi villages. You may very well know that Konoha is the last, strongest Hidden Village standing. Orochimaru and the Akatsuki are sure to know this small fact. They know that if we are attacked, we would be defenseless against another, even less severe, one. They know that we can't call for reinforcements anymore. The other villages are too small and too lacking in skills to help us."

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I've thought about it. There is a lull of a misleading peace now because both sides are waiting for the other to attack first. They want to be the one to claim the victory to our village's fall in the end. Though I don't doubt that the Akatsuki would attack first. They seem keener on getting the Kyuubi than the village's honour. Then again, Orochimaru still wants your body…"

"He doesn't know that I'm here, remember?" – a shadow of doubt crossed Sasuke's face – "I just hope that they don't form a truce anytime soon. It may not be possible considering Orochimaru's…history, but it is still a possibility; no matter how small it is."

"Then…as Suzaku, I'm sure you have a solution to this? If we had another equally strong village to fall back upon, we wouldn't really have a problem – unless you are thinking of asking the smaller villages to band together? Even then, it won't be enough…" Tsunade began to fret. She really didn't like how the discussion was turning out. It revealed more problems and she was certain that it would end with quite a headache for her. Her distress was forgotten at the silken voice coming from the raven before her. She looked up to see the red orbs of the Phoenix.

"Do not worry so, young Hokage. Yes, I agree with you in a part. We will ask for the other villages to band. And we will also ask help from them. Akihara…"

Tsunade's eyes threatened to pop from her sockets.

Quite a ways off from the peace of the village, a pair of dark cloaked figures stood amongst the fallen and bloodied bodies of the dozen of unfortunate hunter nins. The still-warm crimson life of the nins splattered on their cloaks looked almost like the red-clouds decorating the dark background. On them, the blood looked like decorations. Equally blood-red eyes turned to the other man. A stray wind picked up his long bangs in its path. The significant three tomoe spun in lazy circles. Heavy dark lashes lifted to look at the darkening sky.

"We're going to be late," the shorter man said and turned from his partner. The taller rolled his eyes and slung his large sword onto his back again. His strange, shark-like yellow eyes never left the other's back as he snickered, "That's pretty obvious, you know, Itachi?"

The shorter man didn't reply. It wasn't expected, anyway. But his partner's menacing smile didn't waver. It grew wider. He licked stranger blue lips, sharp teeth glinting in the sinking sun's rays. "We're getting closer to him…"

Tsunade watched in curiosity as Sasuke stood up from his chair. The fiery eyes made her shiver. It seemed so old with so much experience; it looked strange on the teen.

"I will call my two generals."

Neji looked up suddenly from his thoughts. He could hear it again. Before it always sounded in his dreams. It had creeped him at first, but later, he had only accepted it as fate. He was obviously to be involved in something big that he would not understand – or soon would, if all that he thought about fate was going to come true. He closed his pale lavender eyes. The sound was sweet, like a forgotten bird song twinkling in the breeze. Come to me…

Something roared to be released in him. He complied hesitantly, then letting go fully at the wonderful rush of cool leaves brushing against his very soul. The strange light around him now begged to fill him and he let them do so as well. He opened his eyes and suddenly, he felt so full and content with life. He was calm and his troubles seemed trivial compared to the troubles of others. (1)

"Ne- Neji-niisan! What h- happened to your e- eyes?! A- And the strange chakra…" Hinata's shocked stutter made him turn his head. His cousin seemed such an angel. A white light glowed around her. Her virtue was strong. But it came more so from—

Neji squinted as Lee rounded on him. The teen's virtue was even more striking. It blinded him. He shuddered to think of Gai's light. He felt a familiar presence amidst the shocked nins. I know him…

"It's been too long, old friend."

The other teen turned wise sea-blue eyes to him. The small, familiar smile graced the teen's face. A nod of acknowledgement was returned. "You, too."

Sasuke's eyes glowed a darker and eerie red. The smile on his face made him seem even more mystical. Tsunade barely hid her gasp as the floor of her office lit up in a shimmering light that didn't seem to hurt her eyes. Her mind raced. What was this?!

"Hear me, my loyal friends."

Ino was more than surprised at the sudden change that overcame her teammate. No, it wasn't Chouji – the teen was gaping like her – it was surprisingly Shikamaru. The teen suddenly grew even more calm than how he usually was and in the blink of an eye, he seemed to grow wiser – no, not cleverer, but wiser. (2) It shocked Ino. Hell, it scared her.

And when he opened he turned to her call—

Ino had promptly fainted. And her friends had looked on in bewildered confusion as two of their group apparently seemed to change in essence in a millisecond. It was even more bewildering for them when they looked in unison to the Hokage tower. A grim smile came upon their faces as they did so.

"He calls," Neji said quietly and turned his translucent green eyes to the younger nin. Shikamaru nodded.

"The time has come," he replied as quietly. The small group gasped when Neji was suddenly swallowed by the earth and vanished. Their eyes traveled to Shikamaru. He turned his own entrancing eyes to them. "Please prepare yourselves. Danger is sure to come."

He then proceeded to disappear the same way as Neji did. Only he vanished from a pour of water that appeared out of nowhere from the sky.

It was really quite fortunate that they were in a rarely passed alley.

Cold eyes glinted sharply and turned to the nearing village. "They awaken."

Sasuke stood tall and proud despite his height as a mound of earth appeared in the middle of the office to grow into the shape of a young man. It fell away to reveal long brown hair and strange translucent eyes that hypnotized you without even trying. Tsunade gaped in her shock. Hyuuga Neji?!

A splash of water distracted her. She blinked at the puddle of water that grew, just as the mound of earth did, into the shape of a human. The spiky hair on its head alerted her. Nara Shikamaru, now?!

"Yes, dear Hokage. Meet my two generals," Sasuke seemed to smirk kindly at her – if it was possible – "Hyuuga Neji and Nara Shikamaru; also known as Byakku and Genbu."

For the second time since the story began, Tsunade fainted from the overdrive. She was still an old woman after all, it seemed.

END

:watcheva:

(1) Byakku is supposed to be virtuous and justified and such…I was tempted to use Lee but I can't possibly think of him as a cool tiger…though I've got to say that the green spandex matches the stripes. (smiles)

(2) Genbu is wise…Shikamaru's smart…I like him…so yeah…

I'm sorry if the last chapter and this chapter seem to be a little random! Though I have to say that the previous chapter was really random as well…

I have no idea why but nowadays I'm just becoming strangely random…so if the story is weird, that means I'm weird…Please forgive my child…(Psst, story, apologize!)

Story: I'm sorry.

See? It apologized. It's a good story, isn't it? aw, c'mere you obedient little thing!

Right…

I'll stop.

BLEARGH.