Author's Notes: Not gonna make any excuses for the lack of updates lately. Fixed my PS3. Spent days playing Destiny and DB: Xenoverse. The End. Enjoy the chapter folks...

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Naruto fell to his knees once more, panting for breath.

"Damn it! Still no good." he thought to himself as he rose to his feet for the eleventh time that morning.

Older Naruto observed his younger self from afar, wondering what he was doing.

Naruto drank some water from his flask and poured the rest on his head, cooling himself off.

"This time I'll get it right!"

He formed the necessary handsign and created two Shadow Clones.

"Alright guys, one more time!"

"RIGHT!"

Naruto focused his chakra and created a Rasengan on his hand. One clone added wind chakra to the mix while the other focused on control of the chakra shape and element. Soon, the Rasengan's color turned pure white and four blades spun around it fast.

"It's done!" Naruto exclaimed as he observed his new jutsu.

"Wind Style: Rasengan is complete! Now, you focus on increasing the size of it and you on the time it can be maintained."

Both clones nodded and focused on the jutsu once more.

"Ah, so he did it at last! And I didn't help him with that one at all..." Naruto thought as realization appeared on his features.

XXXXXXXX

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke called out his jutsu and shot the fireball straight at Older Sasuke.

"Good but not enough." Older Sasuke jumped out of the way, avoiding the fireball with ease when Sasuke suddenly appeared behind him, a low-power, non-leathal Chidori in hand.

"You're getting faster... imitating the Amenotejikara with mere Sunshins is clever..." Older Sasuke praised.

"I've been thinking..." Sasuke admitted with a grin.

"But..."

"What?"

Older Sasuke stopped the attack by grabbing Sasuke's wrist with lightning-fast speed. (Think Sasuke's and Itachi's encounter in Part 1...)

"You can't attack if you can't move."

Sasuke's grin widened, surprising Older Sasuke.

"You should know better than thinking that can stop me." Sasuke said calmly.

"W-What do you mean?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. One second later, his body turned into black crows, flying off and around Older Sasuke.

"Genjutsu..." Older Sasuke realized.

"Just getting started!" Sasuke's voice sounded from all around the Older Uchiha.

"You're being naive, Sasuke. The Mangekyo's Genjutsu can be broken by another Mangekyo easily, something that I have."

"Then by all means try dispelling it."

"No, that's enough for today. Don't want you exhausting your chakra overusing the Mangekyo Sharingan."

"Hmph... fine." Sasuke appeared with a grin still plastered on his face as the crows all disappeared at once.

"You've come a long way in six days Sasuke." Older Sasuke said, seathing his katana.

"I think Gaara will be out cold before the Invasion even begins." Sasuke replied, still grinning.

"Let's list what you've learned so far..."

"I've mastered the Chidori and other related techniques like Chidori Stream, Senbon and Sharp Spear. I've learned every basic Sharingan Genjutsu and I'm learning more uses for the Mangekyo like the Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu. I haven't used the Susano'o yet because of the risks you have mentioned. I have signed both the Snake and Hawk summoning contracts and can use them at the same time. I've also refined my other justsu's like the Fireball and Pheonix Flower Jutsu's."

Older Sasuke nodded, more than pleased with the results of their training.

"So... tomorrow's the day huh?" he asked.

"Yup. Lord Hokage already has the scroll ready."

"Why are you calling him Lord Hokage anyway?"

"I dunno. I don't use hounourifics at all. They're used for respect, something I didn't have for anyone in the Leaf of my time. But Naruto..."

"It's that special thing about him, right?" he asked.

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah, I never believed the nonsense he kept sprouting. But he did it. Well, not yet but... you know what I mean. I feel like he's earned my respect."

"And I'll make sure to tell him you told me that."

"Please don't..."

XXXXXXXX

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEES!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs, alerting almost everyone in the Leaf.

XXXXXXXX

"What the hell was that?" asked Sai as he stared at his now ruined painting.

"I think it was Naruto. But why would he...-"

"Who cares!" He interrupted his wife. "My painting is ruined! Ruined I tell you!" he said, pointing at the painting of a beautiful sky, now sporting a white smudge over the sun which should obviously be a cloud.

"It's not that bad. You can just paint over it." suggested Ino patting Sai on the back.

"No, it's just not the same..."

XXXXXXXX

Hinata was cooking dinner when a shout from the backyard made her drop the dishes she was holding, breaking into tiny pieces against the hard floor.

"Naruto-kun?" she ran to check what that was all about...

XXXXXXXX

Older Naruto, startled by the sudden shout of victory, fell off the tree where he was was observing Naruto from, landing hard on his butt.

"Owww, HEY! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!" he asked rubbing his sore ass.

"I did it! Here, look!" answered Naruto holding out his hand.

The two clones formed the Wind Style: Rasengan once again only this time, much bigger and the wind blades around it almost five times their original size.

"I call it the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken! Awesome right?" asked Naruto as the jutsu faded.

Older Naruto sighed and created a Rasenshuriken in one hand within three seconds.

"AWW COME ON!"

"Sorry kid, maybe next time."

"But I've been training so hard! I thought I had come up with an original jutsu! IT'S NOT FAIR!"

"Let me guess... you saw it in a dream right?"

Naruto looked down and nodded.

"I taught you Rasengan, ten Wind Style Jutsus, Sage Mode and I also gave you the formula for the Flying Raijin. We also worked on your chakra control and improved your taijutsu and academics with the Shadow Clone Training method. Why, oh why would you need to work on another jutsu right now? You guys are leaving tomorrow."

"Yeah, but I'm worried."

Older Naruto raised an eyebrow. "About?"

"About Neji, Gaara, Itachi and all the others who'll come..."

"Are you really worried about that? If I could do it, you can do it. And don't forget you still have time to train. You go back tomorrow and the Third Round is in two weeks from that." said Older Naruto.

Hinata came out of the house and ran towards them. "Naruto-kun, what happened?"

Naruto looked up to see Hinata's worried face and instantly felt horrible.

"It's nothing really. I-I'm sorry for making you worry Hinata..." he apologized looking down.

"Oh... it's okay. I was just startled that's all." she answered with a small blush.

Naruto smiled at the older version of his love. Things had changed for the better. The only thing he could do for now was wait for Team 7's return to their own timeline. Or...

"Hey Naruto?" Naruto called his Older self.

"Yeah, what is it?" he replied.

"Can I go find Sasuke and spar with him? Please!" Naruto pleaded with Older Naruto.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Why AM I asking him? I don't know why but it just... feels right?" Naruto thought.

"I'm not sure. Anyway, can I go?"

"Uh... yeah sure. Just be back before dinner... I guess..."

"Really? Thanks!" 'And with that he ran off to Older Sasuke's house.

"Did you see it in his eyes?" Hinata asked her husband.

"Yeah, it feels weird." Older Naruto shuddered.

"Ah don't be like that. He really looks at you like a son does his father."

XXXXXXXX

Sasuke and Older Sasuke had just finished sparring again when they saw a figure dressed in orange running towards them from the distance.

"Is that Naruto? What's he doing here?" Sasuke thought to himself as Naruto stopped in front of him.

"Hey Sasuke. I want you to spar with me!" Naruto said simply making both Uchiha to sweatdrop.

"Always straight to the point, eh Naruto?" Sasuke asked. Naruto just grinned.

"Alright fine. I'll fight you, but nothing serious. The main event will be at the Exams, got it?"

Naruto nodded furiously and entered his fighting stance.

Sasuke observed Naruto as he entered his own fighting stance. He noticed that Naruto had this new air about him that was akin to confidence. Sasuke smirked and settled into his stance.

"Are you ready?" Older Sasuke asked.

Both Naruto and Sasuke nodded.

"Begin!" He brought his hand down and jumped back as the two genin lunged at eachother with speed only matched by shinobi above high chunin level.

Their strikes evenly matched and calculated. One punch, one opening, one block, one counter. The cycle kept going for five whole minutes. Their attacks and defences were evenly matched.

Sasuke jumped back, gaining some distance. His hands a blur while he preformed the necessary hand-signs.

"Fire Style: Pheonix Flower Jutsu!" he shot multiple fireballs at once. Naruto jumped, ducked and weaved around them, closing in on Sasuke.

"Got you now!" Naruto jumped up and formed three hand-signs.

"Wind Style: Gale Fist!" he thrusted his fist forward and a strong gust of wind knocked Sasuke of his feet, barely managing to dodge an axe kick from Naruto.

Their Taijutsu match kept going for another ten minutes before Naruto decided to use his Shadow Clones.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He created ten clones and charged at Sasuke again.

"Shadow Clones huh? Useless..."

As all the clones charged at him at great speed, Sasuke activated another jutsu.

"Chidori Stream!" Lightning coursed through his body, shocking all the clones that made contact with him. Ten poofs later and only Sasuke stood at the clearing.

"Where did he go?" he wondered as he checked at every direction.

Except from below.

A clone rose from the ground and held Sasuke from behind, not letting him move, leaving him totally exposed to any move that would follow.

Naruto sunshined in front of Sasuke, Rasengan in hand, grinning all the while.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke asked, slightly irritated by that smug grin.

"I'm not laughing cause it's funny. I'm laughing cuz I finally caught up with ya!"

Sasuke scoffed. "You know I could just use the Substitution jutsu right?"

"Yeah, I figured as much. Anyway, this was just the tip of the iceberg, wasn't it?" Naruto asked.

"You're right. Let us end this at a draw. This match can wait fot the Chunin Exams. When that happens, full power, right from the get go. Got it?" Sasuke held out his hand, using the Seal of Reconciliation.

"You got it!" Naruto held out his hand as well, completing the seal, thus ending the sparring session.

This could be the start of an everlasting friendship.

XXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, Sakura had been observing the match between her teammates this whole time.

"I really am just a burden aren't I? Well no more!"

With newfound determination, she ran back inside the house to find Older Sakura. She was weak and she knew it. She knew that if she didn't focus on her ninja career or her training anymore that she would end up either dead or alone, because she was too weak to protect her comrades. She needed, training, knowledge, jutsu scrolls, something. Anything!

She walked inside the kitchen to see Older Sakura slicing some tomatoes. She decided to ask.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh just making tomato soup. It's Sasuke-kun's and Sarada-chan's favourite. They just love tomatoes for some reason..." Older Sakura sighed.

"Really? Good to know..."

"Yeah it is..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"So anyway, I need to ask a favour of you." Sakura said breaking the akward silence.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Older Sakura asked, already thinking about what it might be.

"I-I want you to train me!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"WHAT?!"

"Look, I get it if you don't want to train me but I just need a bit mo-..."

"I tried to train you but you said I was crazy and extremely violent." Older Sakura interrupted.

"Yeah but I didn't know how important it is to be able to protect something special. I want to be stronger so I can be of use to my team."

Older Sakura seemed to think about it for a few moments before answering.

"Alright, alright. I'll help you... Jeez."

"Really? Thank you. Thank you so much!"

"Yeah yeah yeah. You know we don't have time to teach you anything right?"

"Yeah I thought so. Don't you have somekind of scrolls that I could get back with?" asked Sakura.

XXXXXXXX

So... Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura are almost ready for their return. Will the Hidden Leaf Village be ready for the kind of changes the new and improved Team 7 will bring to it?

I hope you liked the chapter :)

Anyway...

Andrew... Out!