Hi, mina...

This one took so long. ...sight... But now it's done. ...Yeah!...

Again, sorry for my grammar. There will be probably a lot of mistakes.

I don't own Naruto and I never will, I'm pretty sure of that.

Hope, you will like it.


Chapter 8: Sasuke

Tsunade made up new team: Naruto, Sakura, Yamato and Sai. Kitsune got her own mission again. She wished them luck and left after they returned to Konoha. When Naruto heard about Orochimaru and Sasuke, he immediately asked Tsunade if Kitsune could be part of their team again, but she told him, Kitsune is already gone for another mission and even if she didn't Tsunade wouldn't sent her with them. Only reason she sent Kitsune with team 7 before was because they went to Suna. An hour after Naruto left, Kitsune came in Tsunade's office for instructions of her mission. Hokage told her about Kakashi's team new mission and asked the girl, if she would like to go? Kitsune didn't want to. She wasn't team person and she wasn't even sure if she wanted Sasuke back after what he did.

Her new mission was protection of important man from small country bordering with Fire country. He was threatened with killing. She was supposed to protect the man and if possible find and eliminate those guys.

She needed three days for collecting informations. Fourth day she used Kage Bunshin and split up. Original stayed with her client and copy went after the group. When the copy was watching their hideout, she felt well known pain. She learned to ignore it, but this time it was different, she felt this pain only once. And few days after the first time, very disturbing massage came from Jiraiya. He confessed, he could die. The pain raised. Original Kitsune needed all her concentration to keep clone. She made it take care of the group very fast and dissolved it. She informed her client and departed. She needed to know, what happened.

Yamato told Naruto, what really happened with Orochimaru. After that they were discussing their next action, when Sakura called for them. They both wanted to go after them bud only Naruto could. Yamato was suddenly turned around by Kitsune's hand.

"Kitsune?"

"Tenzo-sempai, tell me, what happened on the bridge."

"What do you mean?"

"Naruto slipped, right? Why didn't you stop him? You are here for that!"

"Kitsune, first don't call me Tenzo here. Second, calm down. Naruto is all right."

"Just tell me, what happened. I know everything about this mission and I know everything about Naruto. And with everything I mean even that what happened to Jiraiya-san some time ago."

Yamato's eyes widened. "Why?"

"There has to be reason, why I'm specially treated by Tsunade, don't you thing. I know even things, you don't. Now, tell me what happened."

"Kabuto was the spy. Orochimaru appeared and he provoked Naruto with Sasuke. Naruto kept three tails but then he ran after Orochimaru and when fourth tail grew, he was out of my reach.

I stopped him as soon as I was near enough. I know, I should stop him sooner, but we were against Orochimaru. What would you do?"

"I understand, thank you."

Sakura and Naruto looked at Yamato's direction and they noticed Kitsune.

"Kitsune, what are you doing here?" They asked in one voice.

"Hi, Sakura, Naruto. I will join you from now on."

"Really? Baa-chan told me, she didn't want to send you with us."

Yamato bend down next to her ear.

"Is that Tsunade-sama's order?"

"No, but she will surely agree, when I sent her a massage."

"You know I should agree as well."

"I will get the answer in one hour, let's talk about it then."

"Could you respect me a bit more? You aren't surely older then I am."

"But I do respect you. It's just that you have no chance to talk me out of this. They are waiting for you, Yamato-san."

Kitsune ignored him after that. She took out piece of paper and wrote a short massage on it. Then she summoned small bird and put the massage on his back with those words: "I know you don't like it, but I need the answer soon." The bird then disappeared in smoke.

Kitsune looked at Yamato.

"So, we will go together."

They walked to the two under a tree. Sakura told them about Sai's sketch-book. Less then hour later bird came back with answer. Tsunade agreed.

They soon got a massage about position of Orochimaru's hideout. When the team got in, they found and captured Sai. They took him outside. Kabuto attacked, but they managed to seize him with Sai's help. Kitsune offered, she will keep an eye on him, but she asked Yamato to left his clone there as well, if they needed her help. She sent hawk with them.

Others left and Kitsune was alone with Kabuto and the clone.

"You are quite calm for captured person. But I'm not so surprised. With your abilities, you can surely get out of those whenever you want. Why don't you do that? You don't want to stay in Orochimaru's and Sasuke's way? Did Sasuke really change so much?"

"You know a lot. Who are you?"

"Nobody. Answer me."

"They have no chance."

"That's what I worried about."

"Sakura."

"Sasuke...kun..."

"...Sasuke..."

"Naruto...? So you came too..."

"Does that mean Kakashi and Naruko are here as well?"

"Unfortunately Kakashi-san couldn't be here and Naruko-chan, as far as I know, is missing. But I'm here in Kakashi-san's place. We, team Kakashi, are going to taking you back to Konoha."

"Team Kakashi, huh...?"

Conversation continued and Naruko listened through the hawk. Her knuckles got white as she was clenching her fists.

"That idiot..." She vented herself.

Sasuke stood right next to Naruto.

"...come to think of it, isn't becoming Hokage a dream of yours...? If you had the time to go around looking for me, you would have been better off training... don't you think... Naruto?"

"... S... Sasuke-kun...!"

"And that's why this time... you're going to end up losing your life, all at a whim of mine."

"Like there's any chance someone who can't save a friend could become Hokage. Don't you think?... Sasuke."

Sasuke drew his katana.

"Sasuke-kun!!"

The one, who stopped him, was Sai.

"Your choice of defense... quite correct."

Naruto, Sai and Yamato tried to disarm Sasuke, but Sasuke used his improved version of Chidori. Lightning came out of his whole body. Naruto and Sai fell down paralyzed . Sakura decided, she tried to attack Sasuke with her strength, but Yamato noticed his eyes and managed to get between those two. His kunai had no chance against Sasuke's Chidori Katana. It stabbed Yamato's shoulder.

"Your choice of defense... quite a mistake."

Chidori was sent into Yamato's body and he couldn't move.

"You see, this sword of Kusanagi I hold here is little special. It's the kind that can't be blocked."

Naruto was starting to succumb to Kyuubi. Sasuke looked at him. From outside it seemed as if he could see inside of him. When Naruto returned to normal state, the voice came from beside Sasuke's face.

"We will see, whose katana can't be blocked."

Right then Sasuke's katana got a small cut from another one. Sasuke glanced beside himself but there was no one there. That surprised him. Sasuke looked around. ANBU woman stood few meters away. She was holding handle of sword with blade formed of chakra.

"It seems that my chakra is superior to yours, Sasuke Uchiha."

"Wind? That reminds me of someone. But who are you?"

"Don't you remember? That time, you managed to run away. This time I won't let you."

"Kitsune... I heard about you after that first time we met."

"Should I be honored?"

"Well, you recently got yourself quite a name. I wonder, who is under that mask."

After that Sasuke charged at Kitsune. She managed to jump aside from his katana, but not enough. In the moment, she landed few meters away, on the place she stood before, braid of blond hair and white mask fell to the ground.

"As I thought, you are not as missing as they say."

Naruko let her hand run through her hair. Four shinobi who stood nearby were unable to speak. She raised her head and looked into Sasuke's eyes.

"You know, I liked my hair."

"I liked my sword."

"Oh, and I though, there was nothing, you liked."

"You seem to be stronger than Naruto."

"No one is stronger than Naruto. It's just that even he doesn't know that yet."

"Really? I though you already stopped to protect him."

"I just stated facts."

"I suppressed that thing inside of him, what other hidden strength could he have?"

"I didn't speak about Kyuubi."

"Why are we chatting here like this?"

"I'm trying to calm myself enough so I wouldn't kill you right away." She said with a smile.

"You changed." Sasuke decided to play her game. He was sure that, right now, she is on different level than others.

"So did you. I always thought, you are intelligent idiot, but after your conversation with Naruto... you are just idiot."

"You weren't using such high words before." Right then Sasuke charged at her again. But Naruko bent aside faster than before. 'That before wasn't her actual speed?' Occurred to Sasuke, but he had to concentrate on something else. His katana got cut again, this time right under handle. Now, Naruko stood in the very same position as Sasuke did few minutes ago with Naruto. There was only one difference. Point of her blade was only centimeter from Sasuke's neck. 'She if faster than me.'

"Do you remember Haku, Sasuke?"

"Who was that again?" Sasuke retorted.

"You now who. I talked with him back then. He reminded me of Naruto and myself. I couldn't hate him. I told him, he won't be my enemy, unless he hurt any of my friends... Sasuke... you hurt my brother..."

Sasuke bent back just in time, but only thanks to his instincts. Even so thin red line appeared on the front of his neck.

"Naruko!" Sakura and Naruto cried in one voice.

"Sasuke, I will tell you this, I'm only member of Team 7, who wont hesitate to kill you. I'm not my brother, nor Sakura. And I'm not Kakashi who tries to save everyone. I see you hurting your friends without second thought. That's all I need to know. Fine, from now on, I don't have to hold back."

Sasuke didn't wait and attacked first. In a second, the crater was full of flames. Sasuke stood on edge of the crater. When smoke dissipated, he saw huge wall made from mold and stones. Whole team was hidden behind. Naruko was kneeling on ground. Her left arm was holding the right one, that was touching the ground. When she stood up, wall fell apart.

Sasuke was watching the team from above and they repaid his sight.

"Sasuke, don't you understand? Naruko can kill you. If not her, than Orochimaru will take over your body."

"If that happens... then it happens. You are still quite the child... Naruto. Revenge means everything for me. As long as I can have my revenge, I could care less what happens to me or the whole world for that matter. Let me make it clear for you. For both me and Orochimaru Right now, killing Itachi would be impossible. But if I'm able to accomplish my goals through nothing more than offering Orochimaru this body of mine... then he can have my life and my afterlife for that matter."

"That's enough talk. Naruto and Sakura, with you two here... I had hoped not to have to resort to any of my cruder methods. But unfortunately, I have to agree with Naruko and get serious."

"Konoha indeed... I'm through with you..." Sasuke began preparations for one of new jutsus, but Orochimaru appeared and held back his hand.

"Now, now, there is no need to use THAT jutsu... Sasuke-kun"

"Remove your hand."

"There you go again... forgetting exactly WHO it is you are talking to..."

"I have no reason to stop."

"You know quite well what Akatsuki is up to. We want have our guests here from Konoha take care of as many of them as possible... even just one would be fine. If the other Akatsuki members get in your way... your plans for revenge could hit a snag, right...?"

"That's quite a pathetic excuse."

"But surely you'd allow it if it meant increasing the chances of your revenge of succeeding by even 1%. Right...?"

Sasuke calmed down.

"Let's go." Ordered Orochimaru.

Sasuke looked at Konoha shinobi for the last time. Then all three of them disappeared.

Naruto started crying.

"Crying isn't going to bring Sasuke-kun back, you know. I'm here too! We'll both get stronger together!!" Sakura was crying as well.

Naruto calmed down, but then he turned to his sister.

"NARU, DID YOU REALLY WANTED TO KILL SASUKE?"

"Yes, I did." Naruko answered calmly and returned her Katana into its scabbard.

"Naruko, Sasuke-kun is our friend, our comrade."

"Are you still so sure of that, Sakura?" Naruko looked at them. "I also liked Sasuke, He was my friend, I liked to work with him. Even now, I thought, if they will be able to open his eyes, I will gladly welcome him back as my friend... But I never forgot about twelve years old boy whose most important dream was to gain power to kill his brother."

"But..." Sakura tried to butt in her speech.

"Let me finish! I know we were friends, I know you love him and I know he is like brother for Naruto. But we all have seen what happened here! This friend, this brother... left on his own will with the greatest enemy of our village and tried to kill not just Naruto but all of us... I don't want kill him. I know how important he is for you two and how important he used to be for me... But if he give me a reason I won't hesitate..." She paused but she did add one more thing. "I have my own missions. I'm not part of Team Kakashi, so I won't stand in your way. I won't search for him, so I won't have much chance to meet him sooner then you. That's only think I can promise to you... Now excuse me, I will sent note about our return to Tsunade." She picked up her mask and disappeared.

They staid silent for awhile, then Sai broke silence.

"There's almost another half a year left... ant three's better than two obviously... beside I'm pretty strong myself you know."

Sakura and Naruto looked at him.

"He, he. Thanks a lot guys."

Yamato thought: 'Looks like we're just getting started...'

They were resting after all-day trip. Naruto took his sister away from others.

"What the hell did that mean, Naru?"

"What I said, Naru. I won't search for Sasuke, but if I meet him, it's up to him."

"We were team, friends..."

"And that's only think that holds me back. Naru, I'm ANBU. My main purpose is to serve Konoha, to protect it and its villagers. If that means to kill Sasuke,... Sorry, but I won't hesitate, especially when you are in danger as well..."

Naruto already knew, she was different then he was. He knew her reasons, but it hurt.

"In that case, I have to find and persuade him sooner then he meets you."

"That's how it should be." They both smiled. 'This way it's fair.' Naruto thought.

"Naruko-san, can I speak with you?" Yamato appeared behind them.

Naruto nodded and left them alone.

"How is it that nobody knows about you?"

"Only people who know are Tsunade, Kakashi, Yoarashi and Jiraiya. I don't know how is it possible. My purpose is to maintain low profile. This way my secret is secured. I didn't think I'll be part of this mission so you didn't have to know. That's why we didn't tell you."

"I see. But I must say, you are stronger, than I heard."

"Thank you. You are not bad yourself. Tenzo-sempai."

"I told you you shouldn't call me Tenzo here."

"Sorry, Yamato-san. Do you think, you will need me any more?"

"No, I don't think there will be more problems."

"In that case I will go ahead. Sakura looks like she wants to kill me and I don't want to speak about it with her. But I would like to ask you a favor."

"Go ahead."

"Please, tell those three, especially Sakura and Sai, not to speak about me. I'm bit worried because of Sai, but I believe Naruto did a good job."

"I'll take care of it."

"Thank you. Give my regards to them, please. Good bye." With that she disappeared.


So, did you like it? I personally like the scene, where Naruko almost kills Sasuke...

Thanks for reading.

Helarin