Everyone: I appreciate those who liked my sense of humor. Sometimes I think I'm the only one laughing because I'll get messages from people who take everything seriously and tell me obvious things like "That character wouldn't say that." Well no shit…this is a fanfic, not a clone of Canon. Go read the manga if you want Canon. To all the people with the technical questions I didn't respond to, just keep reading the story and most of them will eventually be answered.

I apologize for the delay, but I have been busy with college and my new job. I don't like to update this slow, but shit happens I guess. I'll make it up to you by updating the next few chapters quickly. Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this update.

Chapter 9: Defiance

Deep in the forests of Fire Country, a certain raven haired Uchiha was on his way to Grass Country. Sasuke jumped from tree to tree moving at high speed. He had been on the move ever since he left Konoha, and was weary beyond belief. His vision was hazy and his thoughts were unclear. Despite the drowsiness, his mind continued to race at the thought of Pein, 'Who is he? We never did see his face. I wonder why he keeps it covered…I mean it's not like we would know who he is anyways. Maybe he's hiding something…but what?'

Sasuke went over the encounter with Pein in his head dozens of times. His tired eyes ached painfully as he thought about what the man said about Naruto. Something about Pein seemed so familiar to Sasuke. 'His hair…it was spiky like Naruto's. It was a different color, but still very similar. His eyes were…'

Suddenly, a realization hit Sasuke and he stopped. Memories came flooding into his mind of the battle at the Valley of the End, 'Those eyes…the Rinnegan. Naruto had those eyes when he stabbed me. No…it can't be true. Maybe Pein is Naruto…oh fuck, no wonder he's pissed off.' Sasuke was worried to say the least. The very idea of Naruto being Pein was still sinking in as he remembered all the rumors about what Pein had done, 'All those people…hundreds of people…he killed them all. No…Naruto can't be Pein can he? To think that the happy go lucky idiot could go from being a protector of Konoha to one of the most notorious criminals ever.'

Sasuke was very distressed by his revelation and felt a sickening feeling in his stomach. 'Naruto is the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi and he has the Rinnegan…he must devastatingly powerful. Oh fuck…that must be why he had the book…Maybe I should look for him.' Despite the depressing feelings it brought up in him, Sasuke knew deep down that Pein was in fact Naruto. 'He was searching for Orochimaru…who is apparently in Kusagakure. Maybe Orochimaru would accept me if I showed up…and then Naruto would eventually arrive to kill him.'

Sasuke began to solidify his plans in his head as he continued onward toward Grass Country. Despite his exhaustion, he pushed on. 'I knew you were more than you appeared to be…Naruto.'

XXXXX

The warm sunlight shined on Konoha once again as the sun began to creep over the horizon. A blonde haired woman was sitting on the Hokage Monument enjoying the scenery. Her eyes had bags under them and were cracked red, indicating that she had been up all night. Tsunade sighed deeply as she crossed her arms and looked at the clouds. Due to the morning sunlight, Tsunade swore they almost looked red.

The woman hadn't slept in days and was hopelessly overwhelmed with one disaster after another. She began to drift in thought trying to ignore her current troubles, 'Naruto…I would give anything just to see you again. To tell you how much I care for you and how sorry I am for not being there when you needed me the most.' Tsunade felt extremely guilty for not being there for Naruto the day before he disappeared. She never forgave herself for being lazy and shrugging off the boy's distress as if he would always be there. She just couldn't fathom the idea of losing another loved one. Her brother, her lover, and now Naruto…the only remaining person in the entire world she could honestly say she loved. Although, Tsunade wasn't the only person who had been grieving ever since Naruto disappeared. Apparently, a lot more people cared for him than she originally believed. The ramen stand owner and his daughter had asked about him to the Hokage herself on more than one occasion. Tsunade was surprised to see civilians that cared about the jinchuuriki. Some of the other people were greatly changed by the absence of the blonde.

Iruka was devastated when Naruto went missing and was never the same. Tsunade remembered telling him about it and seeing the look of utter pain on his face. Iruka quit teaching at the academy a few months afterwards and simply told her that he couldn't do it anymore because it reminded him too much of Naruto. Kakashi had also been visibly affected by his student going missing. He almost never spoke to anyone anymore unless he was on a mission, and could regularly be seen wandering team seven's training ground during odd hours of the day. Tsunade knew that Kakashi felt shamed for not helping his sensei's son.

Jiraiya was one of the worst people to be affected by the misfortune. After their conversation about Konan, Tsunade had learned that Jiraiya felt responsible for everything that happened to his three pupils. It was honestly disturbing to see Jiraiya so depressed that he hadn't done anything perverted. The idea of her friend and long time team mate blaming himself for everything that has happened recently made Tsunade feel terrible.

Judging by the ill will most of rookie nine had against Sakura, Tsunade knew that they all cared for Naruto in their own ways. She was extremely shocked to see how deeply it moved Sasuke. Tsunade assumed that Sasuke had developed an intense respect for Naruto after their battle, and upon learning the truth about him. She just wished Naruto was here so that he could see that he was loved and did have a family.

Footsteps came from behind Tsunade and she turned around to see a pink haired girl. Sakura walked up with a distant look on her face and a large bandage covering her cheek. Tsunade remembered healing the wound. If it wasn't for her being the best medic in the world, Sakura would have likely had a nasty scar on her face for the rest of her life. She sat down next to Tsunade and began to speak in a low tone, "I've been thinking about him lately. You were right Tsunade-sama…I do miss Naruto."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at her unexpectedly, "Is that so? Yeah, I miss him too. It just bothers me how he disappeared…even though we have theories, I just can't help but think there is more to it." Sakura looked at her questioningly, "How so?" The blonde haired woman lied back and stared at the sky deep in thought before she spoke, "I mean…he was acting so weird the day he went missing. When he brought Sasuke back…something changed in him. I could see it in his eyes. He was angry that day. I saw the eyes of a killer…"

Sakura began to recollect her thoughts about the day Naruto left. She remembered the hospital and the way he treated her, "I've never seen him like that…he gave me this look like he was going to kill me." Tsunade looked at her and sighed, "I don't doubt he would have…" Sakura gave her a shocked expression and replied, "He wouldn't do it…he's not like that."

Tsunade glared at the girl, "You didn't think that three years ago…" Sakura looked down in shame and groaned in frustration. Tsunade sighed again as she changed the subject, "So how are the others recovering at the hospital?" Sakura's mood sulked even deeper as she answered, "Shino's arms are both broken…Shikamaru suffered extreme blood loss from being stabbed in the back…and he is in a coma. Chouji and Neji are both dead. Everyone else has minor cuts or burns. Though some cuts weren't small…" Sakura felt her bandaged cheek. Tsunade chimed in trying to cheer her up, "Don't worry about that thing Sakura…I've healed worse scars before. It won't be there a week from now. As for the others…they died in service to Konoha. That's the inevitable destination of all the shinobi in this village."

Sakura nodded, "You're right Tsunade-sama…it's just so hard to believe that one woman defeated all of us." Tsunade stared at the young woman in thought and asked, "Tell me about Konan, Sakura. She must have been powerful if she defeated you guys." Sakura's eyes shot open and she glanced at the older woman, "The only way I can describe her is pure evil. She was terribly cruel to us and mocked every one of us as if we were nothing." Tsunade looked unsatisfied as she restated the question, "I didn't want your opinion of her. I wanted to know what she looked like and what she could do."

Sakura tilted her head in confusion for a moment before understanding, "Oh, yes she was very…strange. She had blue hair, amber eyes, and pale skin. She also had a labret piercing." Tsunade thought for a moment and smiled, "Do you think she was attractive? Would she be considered good looking in your opinion?" Sakura shot a displeased look at Tsunade and shouted, "WHAT? Hell no…she was a freak. She's a whore too…I saw the way she was looking at Pein when he showed up!" Tsunade was surprised by her statement, "Konan found Pein attractive?" Sakura glared as she nodded, "Yeah…the way she was flirting with him made me sick." Tsunade burst out laughing and clutched her side, "HAHAHA! So you're jealous of her is what you're saying?"

"NOOO! Tsunade-sama, that's not funny!" Sakura whined loudly as the blonde haired woman rolled her eyes. "Well, I just wanted to hear your thoughts on it. Everyone else from the mission I talked to told me Konan was like a fallen angel." Sakura growled as she shot back, "What idiots said that…there's nothing angelic about her!"

Tsunade gave her an amused chuckle as she spoke, "Well according to Kankuro, she was incredibly beautiful." Sakura's face lit up in an envious fit as she growled, "They're all full of it…any guy nowadays thinks a woman who can kick his ass is hot." Tsunade laughed as she continued to tease Sakura, "Oh? Well let me know when that revelation hits you." Sakura sighed as she looked down, "Everyone thinks I am weak…"

The blond haired shrugged at Sakura's comment, "I could train you some more I suppose…although don't beat yourself up too hard, Konan was a kage level nin." Sakura sulked as she nodded her head, "Yeah the way she handled us was just sad…" Tsunade thought to change the subject to avoid drama. Tsunade's mind wandered to a more urgent matter and her tone changed completely, "Sorry to cut that conversation short Sakura, but do you know what happened to Shizune and Anko? Both of them went missing. Kakashi says Anko likely pursued Pein's followers but what about Shizune?"

Sakura lost herself in a brief memory before answering, "Yeah, Shizune said she was taking a shortcut when the two of us were following the group…I guess I didn't really think of it until now." Tsunade's eyes shot wide open as she began to go over the possibilities in her head, 'Shizune…what are you up to?' Tsunade stood up as she looked at Sakura, "I have a meeting to prepare for with Suna…do you mind helping me out Sakura?" The pink haired girl nodded, "Sure thing Hokage-sama!"

XXXXX

Shizune sneezed as she walked along the cliff edge of the Valley of the End. She had been guarding the jinchuuriki girl as requested by Madara, but she found herself incredibly bored. She sat down on the edge of the cliff and let her legs hang over the side as she watched the glorious sunrise. Out of nowhere a figure sat down next to her and sighed, "Do you ever get the feeling that Tobi is going to kill us all one day?" Shizune looked at Kisame and noticed an amused smirk on his face. She sighed as she nodded, "He told me indirectly that the only reason he keeps me around is because I'm useful."

Kisame chuckled and asked, "Just out of curiosity…how did a little girl like you end up working for Akatsuki?" Shizune smiled as she looked at the shark-like man, "Tobi recruited me when I was a kid…around the same time Itachi murdered his clan. I have a unique jutsus that allows me to emit poisons that are not only acidic, but also highly flammable. Plus I can imbue anything with my poison. When I combine it with fire jutsus, it can be fairly devastating."

Kisame looked at her amused, "Oh? You sound pretty confident in your…abilities Hahaha!" She scowled at his mocking attitude and sighed, "My exploding poison nova is a force to be reckoned with." Kisame shook his head, "I doubt that it's as great as you think." Shizune growled at Kisame as she stared, "I know everything about you Kisame…your water jutsus wouldn't work so well if I polluted the waters now would they?" He responded darkly, "I will kill you…just remember your place little girl…"

"My place is with Tobi…I had many useful skills that he appreciated me for. I was also very good at lying and stealing and spying. Admirable qualities for a good informant. Tobi favored me over all of his personal servants. I'm sure if it came down to it, he would choose me over you." Kisame rolled his eyes, "Got a thing for Tobi eh?" Shizune blushed as she looked away embarrassed, "No…how dare you accuse me of such a thing!" Kisame beamed as he turned his gaze on her, "Bad news for you girl…he's gay."

She nearly choked and looked at him shocked, "If he heard you say something like that he'd kill you…not to mention, Tobi is straight. He had a family once upon a time." Kisame nodded as he glanced away, "Yeah…I'm sure there were rainbows, sunsets, and even beaches with crashing waves…obviously he's got a thing for men…the whole family thing was a cover-up." Shizune looked unconvinced, "Seriously, Kisame, stop joking around like that. You're not funny at all." He glared at her, "I would absolutely love to rip you to shreds you little girl…maybe on a beach…with crashing waves…and a sunset..."

Shizune laughed at Kisame and shot back, "I know all about your sword Kisame…Samehada isn't invincible and neither are you. Go shove your little lame sword up your ass." Kisame's sword, Samehada, began to hiss and he stood up facing Shizune, "You're going to die for insulting Samehada!" She stood and faced him with a dark smirk, "I'm not as weak as you think Kisame…" They were about to break into a fight until a cough could be heard. They turned to see Deidara and Sasori standing there with perplexed looks on their faces.

Deidara smiled and walked up, "Ugh…is this your girlfriend or something Kisame? Is it that time of the month? Or does she want serious commitment and you don't?" Both Kisame and Shizune's jaws hit the ground as they stared at Deidara pissed, "GIRLFRIEND! Deidara…you are about to be my fucking girlfriend if I ever hear you say that again!" Deidara chuckled and winked at Kisame, "Is this some kind of confession of your gay fantasies about me?" Kisame glared at the blonde haired man and gripped his sword harder, "Watch yourself pretty boy or you'll end up dead!"

Shizune cut in venomously, "He is wretched, ugly, and egomaniacal...how dare you assume I am his girlfriend!" They traded confused glances and Sasori spoke up, "Seriously, who is the girl?" Shizune sighed as she was about to speak. Before she could open her mouth, a masked individual landed in front of them and spoke, "She is one of my agents Sasori…her name is Shizune. Don't mind her arrogant foolishness…" Shizune huffed in annoyance as Madara walked over to Sasori and Deidara.

The red haired puppet master nodded. Madara turned back to Shizune and Kisame and stared at them through the hole in his mask. Madara began to speak, "What's wrong with this picture?" They all looked confused as Madara ran a hand through his hair, "Why are you fools all standing around?" Kisame looked at Shizune and let out a slight chuckle. She rolled her eyes. Deidara spoke up much to everybody's surprise, "Is somebody in a bad mood? Does Tobi-chan need to go blow up a town with me to feel better?" Madara glanced over to the blonde haired man before Kisame added, "Yeah with a rainbow…and crashing waves on the beach…with a romantic sunset!"

Deidara looked amused and Madara face palmed as he walked away. Sasori followed him and began to speak, "Wait…Tobi!" The man turned to the red haired puppet master, "We'll discuss the Kazekage later Sasori…once Hidan, Kakuzu, and Zetsu get here. I don't wish to be disturbed. If you find Itachi however, send him to me." Kisame elbowed Shizune and nodded his head suggestively as he whispered, "Yeah…he wants Itachi."

Shizune rolled her eyes at the man and crossed her arms. Deidara looked at the unconscious blonde haired girl nearby and began to laugh, "Is she Kisame's ex-wife?" Kisame's eyes shot open, "WHAT!" Deidara crossed his arms as he nodded, "Yes…it seems that Kisame's current love interest, Shizune, defeated his ex wife in combat." The woman shot him a dark glare and growled back, "You're not funny asshole!" He smiled as he responded, "So you obviously wear the pants in the relationship…hm?" Shizune's face lit up in anger as Kisame sighed, "No, she's the Raikage's daughter. I forgot her name, but she is the container of the Nibi." Deidara chuckled, "Oh…well I guess that makes sense." Sasori walked over and began to speak, "How exactly does Tobi intend on using these jinchuuriki?"

"He wants to extract the Biju within them…I have no idea how he intends to do it though," Itachi's voice could be heard as they all turned. He had a serious look on his face as he approached the group. Deidara glared at him. Kisame swung Samehada around his arm as he began to pace around, "Yeah well even if we manage to get the others, Pein is a force to be reckoned with. We need to take him down together."

Deidara raised an eyebrow at Kisame and laughed, "Teamwork?" Itachi sighed as he interrupted Deidara's laughing, "He's right. Pein grows more powerful by the day…he's more than a match for any of us alone…especially if he has his followers with him. We made the mistake of underestimating him before…but this time Kisame and I are ready." The shark man smiled as he nodded, "We have something that even he won't be able to defeat…"

Deidara had an unimpressed look on his face, "Yeah…I'm sure it involves running away at high speed right?" Itachi's knuckles cracked as his hands balled into fists, "Your mockery is unimportant…you will do your job without question or I'll kill you." Deidara boiled in anger as he shot back, "Well who the fuck made you leader around here!" Sasori sighed as he spoke up, "Tobi is in charge Deidara…don't forget that. Not to mention…from what the sand nin say about Pein, he won't be an easy fight." The blond haired man grumbled as he continued to stare down Itachi. Finally, the tension was broken when Shizune stepped in front of them.

Shizune poked Itachi and demanded, "Tobi wants to see you!" He nodded and began to walk away. As he made his way around the corner Deidara flipped him off. "Kisame-chan…tell me about your wonderful trip to Lightning Country. Did you see any artistic masterpieces?" Kisame gave Deidara a what-the-fuck look and laughed, "Yeah…we saw rainbows on a beach…with crashing waves and a romantic sunset." The blonde haired man laughed as he shook his head, "That isn't true art. No Kisame…ART IS AN EXPLOSION! A single glorious moment where everything lights up and bursts into a brief but beautiful display!"

"Of your gay pride…" Kisame laughed at Deidara. The blonde haired man waved him off as he began to sculpt clay. Sasori changed the mood of the conversation as he began again, "So, are the rumors about Konan true? Is she dead?" Shizune answered him, "Yes, she used her most powerful technique and committed suicide to kill Pein. Though Tobi says Pein is alive." Deidara smiled as he held his hand to his heart, "Konan did that?"

Sasori sighed as he stared away, "Such a shame…" Deidara spoke up again in a sincere tone, "She went out with a bang…a true artist! I only hope to be that lucky."

XXXXX

Itachi made his way down to the waterfall where Madara normally spent most of his time and walked up behind him. The man turned to look at him as he approached and sighed, "Itachi…Zetsu brings good news." Zetsu appeared out of the wall next to Itachi and walked towards the two Uchihas. Zetsu began to speak, "Pein is alive…and so is Konan." Itachi looked at Madara and shrugged, "I don't understand what the point of that is."

Madara sighed as he stood up, "Konan is undercover as Naruto's follower at the moment. Zetsu claims that there are numerous sightings of him and Konan in Takigakure." Itachi looked distressed, "You ordered Konan to lure him here…" Madara nodded as he clapped his hands, "Yes…so insightful Itachi. Yes, and when he arrives…I'll finally get to see him for myself."

Itachi looked worried as he asked bluntly, "What do you intend to do with him?" Madara smiled as he took off his mask and looked at Itachi with a smirk, "I merely want him to see things from a different perspective. I'll give him a choice…if he refuses then he will die." Itachi snorted in disapproval, "You're a fool if you think he's just going to surrender to you." Madara was angered by Itachi's input and spoke darkly, "Never forget why I spared your insignificant life Itachi…Soon everything will be as it should, and Naruto shall be the catalyst to a great becoming." Itachi remained silent as Madara pulled the book he had been reading out of his pocket, "This…is a priceless artifact Itachi. Hashirama knew this book was special…so he hid it somewhere in Konoha. Imagine the irony that the main thing my old friend tried to conceal from me ends up right in my hands…HAHAHA!"

Itachi was confused, "What makes it so valuable?" Madara grinned as he opened up the last page, "I understand now." Itachi stared at him awaiting an answer before Madara looked at him annoyed, "Tell the others to prepare for Pein and Konan's arrival. Don't disturb me until Hidan and Kakuzu arrive. You're dismissed Itachi…get out of my sight." Itachi muttered, "Whatever…" as he began to walk away. Before he turned the corner Madara called out, "Itachi…" The Uchiha turned to meet Madara's cold gaze and shuddered as he spoke, "just remember who you belong to." He glared as he walked away leaving Madara alone with Zetsu. Zetsu's dark half began to speak, "Orochimaru is still an issue we have to deal with Tobi…when I last saw him, he was plotting to capture a powerful body. He doesn't know much about Naruto thankfully."

The man nodded and leaned against the wall, "His death is inevitable…and irrelevant. The good news is that Konan is proceeding with the plan perfectly…the new world is coming soon." Zetsu began to ask curiously, "What did you discover in that book?" Madara chuckled as he pulled it out and looked at it, "All in due time Zetsu…everything is on a need to know basis at the moment." Zetsu's had a disapproving glare on his face much to Madara's surprise as he replied, "I am not a pawn, Tobi, I can handle sensitive information." Madara chuckled and waved his hand at Zetsu, "You're dismissed Zetsu, keep a close eye on Itachi for the time being." The plant man left without a word as he melted into the wall.

XXXXX

Konan, Fu, and Naruto were all sprawled naked under the sheets of a queen sized bed. Sunlight poured into the room and woke Naruto with its bright rays. He opened his eyes and examined the room around him. It took a few moments for him to recollect his memories of the night before. He looked at the two sleeping women pressed against him and silently laughed to himself. 'Wow…last night was intense. It's so ironic that women like me now…' The laughter of a familiar voice could be heard in his head, "That servant of yours was right, you're trying to pull off that smooth criminal thing. It works a lot better than the optimistic idiotic hero shit you were doing back in Konoha!" Naruto retorted back to Kyuubi sarcastically, 'Yeah I just love taking personality and relationship advice from an evil fox demon!'

Kyuubi snorted in disgust, "Hey don't address me with that attitude mortal! You are a product of my mercy and compassion!" Naruto laughed at the fox, 'Mercy? Compassion? Kyuubi what the fuck are you talking about? I'll admit that you've been a big help, but let's get real here…you're still evil.' "Your views of evil are part of that black and white mentality. Tell me, are those Konoha villagers any less 'evil' than I am for the way they treated you? Is the one who seeks power any less 'evil' than those who oppress him? Are your friends evil for killing people in your name?"

Naruto was unsure on how to respond to Kyuubi as he reflected on the fox's philosophies. 'So what you're saying is that good and evil don't exist?' The fox chuckled, "That's exactly what I am saying. Good and Evil are both points of view. Those Konoha fools consider themselves the good guys as it were, but to you they are the wicked oppressors. Do you understand what I am trying to convey?" Naruto sighed, 'So how does one know which side is right or wrong?' Kyuubi continued, "Those are just words…and words like 'Good' and 'Evil' or 'Right' and 'Wrong' don't have any meaning…the only thing with lasting meaning is power."

'Had you told me that three years ago I wouldn't have believed it…but you make a valid point.' The fox laughed in his head, "All of my points are valid."

Konan began to stir as she felt the sunlight bathe her face. She opened her eyes and looked at Naruto who was deep in thought. She stared at him awkwardly as she sat up. Naruto turned his blank gaze to her and smiled. She continued to stare in silence at the scene before her. His golden-orange hair seemed to burn with a mystical glow in the morning sunlight along with his radiant skin and his lucid silvery purple eyes. Konan was lost in awe as she continued to admire the man she claimed the night before. Naruto looked at her confusedly and spoke up, "Is something wrong Konan?" She blushed as she turned her back to him facing away. Naruto raised an eyebrow as she sat up. 'You are truly something…Naruto. I'm dreading this trip of ours…I just hope you remain open-minded in the days to come.'

Naruto placed his hand on Konan's back and spoke up, "Are you alright Konan? Is something wrong?" She sat up and got out of the bed and began to get dressed. "Everything's fine Pein…I mean Naruto." Naruto sighed as he looked at her distant face, "Seriously, what's bothering you?" She had a slightly irritated look on her face and snapped back, "I said I'm fine!" Naruto shrugged in defeat as she continued getting dressed. By this time the green haired girl Fu had woken up and she was beginning to straddle Naruto. "Good morning, Naruto! Did you sleep well last night? I hope I didn't tire you out too bad!" Naruto laughed as he replied, "Yeah right, you passed out if I remember correctly." Fu cutely shot back, "Well how about we have a rematch right now!" Konan cut in venomously, "We have business to attend to today. You can be on your way hustler."

Fu gave Konan an amused look, "I'm the hustler huh? You were the one moaning like a little schoolgirl last night!" Konan glared fiercely at the mint-haired jinchuuriki, "GET OUT!" Fu laughed as she jumped out of bed, her naked body completely exposed. "Why don't you make me babe?" Konan speared the naked girl onto the bed and began to start choking her senseless. Paper wrapped itself around Fu as Konan tried to asphyxiate her. Fu started choking before Naruto intervened, "Konan, STOP!" The azure beauty released her vice grip and the paper reformed back into her body. Fu was gagging for air as she pointed a finger at Konan, "I've had it with this psycho bitch! I'm out of here!" Fu quickly slipped into her outfit and left without another word.

Naruto turned to Konan and let out a sigh, "Konan, I know you don't like her, but was that really necessary?" The blue haired woman was completely silent as she refused to make eye contact with Naruto. He began to get dressed and heard Kyuubi chime in, "One's a nymphomaniac with attention problems and the other is an envious sociopath who just so happens to be a control freak…you've got your work cut out for you." Naruto knew the fox was right as he examined Konan's passive aggressive demeanor while they got dressed. After a long awkward silence she finally spoke up, "What the fuck is wrong with you!" Naruto gave her a confused look, "I don't quite follow…what do you mean?" She growled angrily, "You know exactly what I mean! If you've got a thing for other women then why don't you just fucking say so! What the fuck is so great about her anyways? Do you like whores Naruto? Do you want me to be a whore just like her? I have absolutely no interest in being one of your ladies of the evening. Don't fucking push my buttons you jerk!" (LOL whoever has heard this speech in real life…I have large amounts of empathy for you)

Naruto face palmed as he began to understand Konan's anger, "Why is that such a big deal to you anyways? I was under the impression you and I are friends." She icily leered at him as she got up in his face, "I'll just bet you are! Listen asshole, don't do me any favors…from here on out we're strictly business partners and I only work for you!" Naruto had a callous look on his face as he responded, "Fine…let's go deal with these village elders, then you and I are heading for the Valley of the End." The pair left without another word. Naruto was shirtless due to his shirt being sliced up the night before, and was attracting a lot of unwanted attention. Many people stared at his buff and well-toned body, but the main attraction was the seal on his stomach. Although most people wouldn't really recognize it as one around this village, Naruto still hoped that nobody would go announcing it, otherwise Takigakure would have a very bad day.

As Naruto and Konan walked downstairs, they would occasionally chance glances at each other hoping the other wasn't looking. Their eyes made contact on several instances which resulted in simultaneous huffs. They finally reached the entrance to tower and were intercepted by Shibuki, "Ah, Lord Pein and Lady Konan! The elders are in the council chambers this way." Naruto nodded as he relied, "Take us to them, we will finalize this deal and then Konan and I must be on our way." Shibuki led them into a large dome shaped room within the tower and the group approached a long table with half a dozen elderly civilians were sitting with Bukirama. A large group of Taki Jounin also filled the room. Bukirama immediately noticed Naruto's presence and spoke up, "Everyone may I have your attention! Lord Pein and Lady Konan are here to officially validate our treaty with them and to finalize our deal!"

Silence filled the large dome room as Naruto began to pace around, "As your leader has no doubt informed you by now, I am the autocratic authority of Otogakure and hold large influence over the eastern lands. Konan here is the feared dictator of Amegakure and is forsworn into an allegiance with me." Silence continued to fill the room until Bukirama added, "As many of you know, Iwagakure has set mind to invade us and wipe our village out. Lord Pein and Lady Konan have offered us a most beneficial deal which I strongly support." Several murmurs of skepticism and confusion swept through the group of elders as Bukirama finished. One man who appeared to be a retired shinobi blurted out, "What sort of deal are we talking about? Bukirama you never mentioned this!" Naruto answered for him, "We have offered protection for your village…the only price I demand is loyalty and supplies for the new alliance I am creating."

The man shot back fiercely, "Absolutely not! Tell me we are not considering this Bukirama! We cannot ally ourselves with notorious criminals otherwise we'll become a target to the five great shinobi nations!" Bukirama calmly cut in, "Relax Jugoma, consider what this means for us…Iwagakure is terrified of Amegakure mainly Konan. If we were allies with Ame, that would give them reason to think before they tried invading us…lest they risk a joint assault from our allies resulting in severe casualties for them." Jugoma huffed in disapproval as he asked, "How does that protect us from Kumo and Konoha?"

Naruto sighed at the stubborn ignorance the man was displaying and he cut in darkly, "I will put this in new terms for you old man…Konoha and Kumo are my bitches right now! Just like this village. I could turn this place into a fucking crater in minutes. Ask yourself this…do you really want to be my enemy?" Bukirama quickly interjected trying to calm the tension, "He speaks out of turn Lord Pein…you are very generous and on behalf of the village I would like to swear our allegiance to you in front of our senior shinobi and village elders as irrefutable proof. We have also created this document and we shall now all sign it, offering our loyalty and whatever supplies you will need should you request it." Jugoma stood up angrily and shouted, "NO we can't let our village become associated with terrorists and criminals! Don't let Bukirama do this!"

Before anybody could say another word, a kunai impaled the old man through the neck and he fell to the floor. Everyone turned to look at Konan who had a very disturbing look on her face, "I'm sick of this diplomatic bullshit…sign the paper or die!" Without hesitation, the inhabitants of the room all signed the document. After Naruto finally signed it, he handed the document to Bukirama, "I'm entrusting this to you…this symbolizes my authority and responsibilities for your village." Bukirama bowed low and the rest of the room followed suit except Konan. Bukirama chimed proudly, "All hail Lord Pein and Lady Konan!" A chorus rang through the room echoing the words as Naruto took his leave. "We must be on our way. Send messengers to Oto and Ame and request back up here. Use that document as prove of our alliance and show it to the ambassadors."

As the Naruto and Konan left the room, the blue haired woman continued to dread their next destination. Naruto looked over at the sad beauty on Konan's face and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry about earlier Konan…I don't want you to think I undervalue you. C'mon let's go get some breakfast before our journey." She looked over him shocked and felt extremely guilty as he smiled at her. 'Don't make this any harder for me than it already is…' She tried to ignore him, but Naruto stepped in front of her and held her chin. She audibly moaned as his hand stroked her face and he stared into her amber eyes. Konan felt intoxicated with Naruto's smell and his touch. Before she knew what came over her, she smashed her lips into his and wrapped her arms around his neck. The two shared a passionate, blissful make-out session before an awkward tower attendant coughed nervously, "Excuse me, Lord Pein would like a shirt?"

Naruto looked at the sheepish man and chuckled, "Yeah I wouldn't mind…I seem to draw a lot of attention without it." The man handed Naruto a sleeveless black shirt and he put it on. It was unsurprisingly small for him which it made it slightly tight, but he didn't care…as long as it covered his seal then he would be fine. "I am shocked those idiots didn't notice that was a seal on your stomach haha!" 'I guess they were too distracted to notice…still though I do find that rather odd.'

As the attendant walked away, Konan spoke up finally, "Breakfast does sound good…what did you have in mind?" Naruto smiled proudly as the pair walked downstairs, "Well I just so happened to notice that their was a nice ramen stand in the market the other day." Konan shrugged, "Whatever's fine with me." The duo continued on their way and made it to the ramen stand. As they arrived, they surprisingly found Fu sitting at the booth quietly eating with a gloomy look on her face. The owner of the stand was glaring at Fu, but immediately quit as Naruto walked up to the stand. Naruto sat down directly next to Fu and Konan sat on Naruto's other side. The mint haired girl looked up in shock to see Naruto sitting next to her. He smiled at her as she looked at him, "Hey Fu, mind if we sit here and eat with you?" Konan huffed as she refused to acknowledge Fu in any way. Fu beamed as she spoke up, "I didn't know you liked ramen, Pein?" He nodded as he turned to the owner with a casual look on his face, "Are you kidding? It used to be my favorite food. Get a couple bowls for me and the lady here." Naruto pointed towards Konan. The ramen stand owner nodded and began to prepare the meal without a word. In literally no time at all, several bowls were placed in front of them. Naruto and Konan began to eat while Fu was finishing her bowls. Fu looked at Naruto nervously and started to stutter, "So…umm P-Pein…I was uh…w-wondering if I could come with you?" Konan choked on her ramen and shot a sharp look in her direction, "WHAT!" Fu ignored her and awaited Naruto's answer. He smiled as he laughed to himself, "Well I don't know…Konan and I are going on a dangerous mission to the Valley of the End…how well can you fight?"

Fu smiled as she posed cheerfully, "I have useful abilities trust me…I am a jinchuuriki after all." Naruto nodded his head, "I'll take your word for it. Plus, you'll be a lot safer with me than hanging around in this village anyways." Konan's eyes shot open in surprise about the revelation, 'So that's why Naruto likes her…no matter, this actually works better for the plan. It'll save us the trouble of capturing her later.' After finishing their meal, the trio got up and left following Naruto as he headed for a cave at the far end of the village. As he approached, the guard detail saluted him but one spoke up hesitantly, "Lord Pein, where are you taking the girl?" Naruto looked at Fu and back at the guard, "That's none of your concern is it?" He fearfully nodded and replied, "Take care Lord Pein…I'll inform Bukirama that you have his daughter with you."

Naruto looked at Fu shocked and asked, "Your Bukirama's daughter? I guess that makes sense seeing as how you're a jinchuuriki." She nodded as they walked through the cave, "Not like it matters much anyways…these villagers either fear me or they ignore me." Naruto changed the subject as they approached a light at the end of the cave, "Onward to the Valley of the End…I am anxious to meet your old colleagues Konan." She nodded quietly as she imagined the possible scenarios, 'I'm not…'

XXXXX

Zabuza and Haku made their way through the borders of Grass Country at a swift pace. The pair had been running since they set off the day before. They began to wind down and slow their pace as they were completely exhausted from the long run. Finally, they landed near the edge of the forest and made their way onto a trail. They began to catch their breaths as they walked casually along the path. After a brief silence, Zabuza spoke up, "We made good distance, but I suggest we walk for a while or look for an ideal spot to set up camp for the night." Haku nodded as she chimed in, "So Zabuza, I want to know exactly what it is you hope to accomplish by going to Water Country?" The man sighed as he pulled his sword off his back and rested it on his shoulders wrapping an arm around it. "Well we're going to stir up some trouble that's what…plus I have some old scores to settle with Yagura…"

Haku skeptically spoke up, "Yeah I don't think it's a good idea to go bust into Kirigakure without Naruto with us." Zabuza smiled behind his mask as he turned to face Haku, "Haku…whoever said that we were going into the city?" The ice princess immediately caught meaning to Zabuza's intentions and smiled, "I see…you want to lure him out…but how can you be so sure he'll take the bait?" Zabuza shrugged, "If I know anything about him, it's that he is a fearful ruler. I have absolutely no doubt that he will send his lieutenants after us first. That'll just make him easier to take down if we eliminate them. Whether or not we can take Yagura himself down remains to be seen…but Naruto has trained us well over the past three years, and I'm sure the two of us could take him." Haku smiled as she nodded, "I can only imagine the favor we'll gain with Naruto if we land a crushing blow to Kirigakure for him."

Zabuza laughed, "That's the spirit!" as the two continued on their way cheerfully.

XXXXX

Guren, Tayuya and Kimimaro, wandered around the outskirts of Kusagakure. Tayuya was extremely bored and made sure she let everyone know, "What the fuck are we doing Guren?" The crystal user (No meth jokes lol) looked at the red headed girl and sighed, "We're looking for the bunker…if I remember correctly, Orochimaru said that it had a secret entrance near the western edge of the village." Kimimaro calmly interjected, "The entrance is at the western inn…" Guren looked at him annoyed and yelled at him, "You knew that this entire time! We've been searching for this damn thing for over a day!" Kimimaro nodded as he elaborated, "I suspected it was there, but after doing a sweep through the village it has only confirmed my suspicions." Guren face-palmed as the group headed back to the inn nearby. Tayuya asked curiously, "I'm surprised Orochimaru doesn't have spies on the lookout…if he spotted us he would have alerted us most likely." Kimimaro plainly answered her question, "Orochimaru only recently set up a bunker here. He informed me that revealing the location to anyone would be dangerous for him."

Guren looked confused, "Then how the hell did Konan find out about it? As far as I know, Orochimaru only told me he had a base over here…I didn't think he was actually here." Kimimaro shook his head in disbelief, "I have no idea…it would take an elite spy to track Orochimaru like that…" (GOGO Zetsu!) The trio walked inside the inn which was surprisingly empty. Kimimaro looked around and pointed at a door, "There…that door most likely leads to the basement." Tayuya scoffed, "This doesn't seem like a very defensible bunker…" He chuckled at her as he shook his head, "No…the basement most likely leads to the bunker Tayuya…" She flipped him off as she replied, "Fuck you and your condescending tone!" Guren cut in fiercely, "Enough! You two better look fucking convincing once we see Orochimaru!" Kimimaro thought for a moment and spoke up, "Come to think of it…what will we tell him when he asks us how we found him?"

Tayuya laughed as she provided feedback, "Err…that's a good question heh." Guren had a completely stoic face as she retorted, "You two just leave the talking to me…" As they made their way through the basement, they found a long tunnel much too Kimimaro's satisfaction. They followed to an underground bunker and walked inside. As they entered they heard a familiar voice speaking to somebody, "Ah…Anko-hime, you are wrong…I did not abandon you. You left, though ironically you stand before me once again. I am impressed you found this base…Kabuto must be dead if you knew how to get here…such a shame, I always liked that boy." Anko sighed as she nodded, "Yes…Kabuto is dead, and I was wondering if you would be willing to accept me as your servant once again?"

Orochimaru had a wicked grin on his pale face as he walked closer to Anko. His long tongue ran across her cheek causing her to visibly shiver. The sound of footsteps caught his attention as Orochimaru turned to see his three top lieutenants entering the room. A look of confusion plastered his face for a moment before he smiled again, "Ah I see you were insightful enough to find this bunker, Kimimaro. Guren, Tayuya? Is there something you require of me that would bring you all the way to my hidden base?" Guren nodded as she answered sternly, "Yes Lord Orochimaru, we came to inform you that Kabuto is dead…also, Konan and Pein were sighted battling in Ame."

The snake nin giggled evilly as he nodded his head, "Yes…either one of them would make fine candidates for my next body. Did you find out anything more about Pein?" Guren shook her head, "No, all we hear of him are rumors and legends…he's practically a phantom…there's no way to track his spontaneous movements." Orochimaru looked at Guren curiously and began to pace around the group, "You sure about that? I would hate to find out if you're lying to me." Tayuya cut in to relieve the stress on Guren, "We haven't seen a sign of him Lord Orochimaru. We did however find some of his followers." Guren kept a straight face but was inwardly cursing Tayuya's comment. Orochimaru smiled, "Ah, I see…they were the two dead missing nin right?" Kimimaro nodded as he spoke up, "They were apparently looking for him…we sent them on their way." Orochimaru sighed as he replied, "Well we should definitely keep our eyes open for him…" He turned back to Anko and he laughed again, "Well now…since you three are here, maybe you want to help me reinitiate Anko-hime?"

"Certainly Lord Orochimaru." Guren answered as she made eye contact with Anko. The two women knew the other one was lying so they mutually had a silent agreement not to blow each other's cover. Orochimaru laughed as he creepily hissed, "Take off your coat Anko…" She did as commanded and Orochimaru walked around her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Yes…your cursed seal is still very strong. If you truly wish to prove your loyalty to me, then you will activate it entirely." Anko worried to herself as the four sound shinobi surrounded her. Guren placed a crystal prison to hold Anko in place as Kimimaro and Tayuya activated their cursed seals. They both placed a hand on either shoulder and Orochimaru went through several hand seals. Anko was immediately enveloped in the dark purple chakra and cried out in agony as it burned. Tayuya and Kimimaro released their energy to magnify the chakra, and the three felt simultaneous pain as the cursed seal finished enveloping Anko.

The two released their grip on Anko's shoulder and receded their curse marks. Anko's was still active and she felt Orochimaru laugh as he commanded, "Bow to me Anko…" Without the question the woman knelt to the snake nin much to his enjoyment. He licked his lips as began to laugh maniacally, "Hahahahahaha! Excellent, welcome back my apprentice!" The curse mark finally receded on Anko as she stood up. Orochimaru casually examined "his followers" and said, "Well now I have several jobs for all of you…first of all, Guren and Anko I need you to investigate what happened at the battle between Pein and Konan…your investigation better turn up some useful facts." The two women nodded and began to set off leaving Kimimaro and Tayuya alone with Orochimaru. He looked at them both for a moment and smiled, "I have good news…Sasuke has been spotted near the edges of Grass Country…you two are going to retrieve him and bring him to me. Then we are going to properly initiate Sasuke…"

Tayuya and Kimimaro nodded and made their way to the exit. As they walked out Orochimaru stated coolly, "When you two get back, we're going to have a little talk about Guren…" They both nodded and left swiftly.

XXXXX

In the wonderfully misty city of Kirigakure, the young Mizukage was calmly sitting at his desk looking over reports. 'Konan and Pein battled? Wow, I wonder what Pein is doing in the west though? Hmm interesting.' His pink eyes scanned over the damage reports and the intercepted casualty reports from Konoha. The sound of footsteps brought him from his contemplations as he looked up and saw a familiar face. The face of an all too recognizable auburn-haired woman. "Mei…is there something you need?" She had a casual look on her face and shrugged, "Nah, not really, though I was wondering if you read those reports about the battle of Amegakure yet?" He nodded his head as he answered, "I am reading those as we speak. It seems very strange that Pein would attack Ame…" Mei raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, "It's not that odd…a terrorist attacking a village? Tell me something I haven't heard before."

"The strange part is he attacked Ame at the same time Suna and Konoha were invading Ame…yet they had a retreat from what I understand." Mei looked confused, "That does seem rather odd…what reason would a notorious S class criminal gain from attacking Ame? That's the head of the criminal cartels in the west." Yagura leaned back in his chair and turned to face the window overlooking the ocean, "I don't think I've told you everything we know about Pein…as you know we had an Anbu survivor from the raiding party that attacked Pein. The official reports are all bullshit…but I feel it is time for you to know the truth Mei…" The woman's curiosity was piqued as she looked anxiously at the Mizukage, "Tell me Yagura-sama…what really happened?"

Yagura sighed deeply as he began, "I hand picked a full platoon of Anbu to hunt down and kill Pein as you know…this was over a year ago. Pein was wiping out entire villages and leaving a huge trail of blood along our borders and through many towns in Water Country. Every time I sent individual spies after him they would end up dead or missing." Mei nodded with a bored look on her face, "I know all of that already…" Yagura sighed as he bowed his head, "Very well…here's what happened…the platoon assaulted Pein and were met with three individuals. Pein was described to be a masked individual with purple eyes…and his followers were identified as Zabuza and Haku."

Mei looked skeptical and laughed, "No way…those two are both dead! Wait…you said that Pein had purple eyes? That would mean only one thing…he has the Rinnegan!" Yagura nodded his head as he confirmed her discovery, "Yes…the fact that dead people are following him only confirms it as true…I ordered Anbu to keep this a secret under penalty of death. I don't know much about the Rinnegan, Mei, but from what I hear it is a bloodline trait of the Sage of Six Paths." Mei looked shocked as she ran her hand through her silky long hair, "I thought that the sage was just a legend…a shinobi myth." Yagura sighed deeply as he replied, "So did I…Konoha has requested numerous amounts of information regarding Pein, but I have kept them in the dark. If word of this got around, it would cause mass panic and likely lead to full scale wars."

Mei sarcastically remarked, "Yeah because full scale wars haven't been going on anyways." Yagura chuckled lightly as he nodded, "At any rate, I just thought you should know…also, I feel like I am in danger. You're most likely to be my successor should something happen to me." Mei looked at him worriedly, "What do you mean if something happens to you?" He felt uneasy as he looked around, "Call me paranoid, but I feel like somebody or something is out to get me. I've been seeing strange things lately…" Mei laughed as she stood up, "C'mon Yagura…you're the damn Mizukage…don't be a coward or I'll succeed you early." He casually stood up and walked over to the beautiful woman, "We had a mysterious visitor here a couple of months ago…all I am saying is watch your back Mei, we're high priority targets."

She casually waved off his concern, "You worry too much Yagura. Let your paranoia go for a bit and take a break." He nodded as he left the office leaving Mei alone in the room. She sat down in his desk and began to smile, "Hello, I'm Mei the Godaime Mizukage…nice to meet you. Oh you think I'm the most beautiful Kage ever? Why thank you mister ambassador." Mei put on Yagura's nearby Mizukage hat and leaned back in "her" chair, "Ah yeah…I could get used to this." Suddenly a loud shout interrupted Mei's daydreaming as an Anbu Captain ran in the office, "Mizukage-sama, we have more news regarding the battle of Amegakure!" The captain noticed Mei wearing the hat and the two stared at each other in awkward silence for a moment.

"Umm…where is Mizukage?" Mei beamed proudly as she crossed her arms, "C'mon hun don't tell me you don't recognize your own Mizukage? I'm hurt." The captain face palmed as he retorted, "I don't have times for your games Mei, where is Yagura-sama?" Mei shrugged, "I don't know, he said something about going to fire one of his Anbu captains…what was your name again?" The man growled and flipped her off. She cheerfully laughed at him, "No thanks honey…you're not my type." The captain left furiously annoyed as Mei triumphantly giggled at his anger. She looked over some of the reports of Yagura's desk and something caught her eye. 'Kisame the infamous S class missing nin has been spotted in Fire Country…hmmm what else in here…Pein conquered Otogakure? This guy must be a big deal if he's got this Rinnegan…this makes more sense now. He is taking over the smaller villages so he can move in on the bigger ones…he took Oto, and his next target was Ame. I should go find that Anbu survivor and see what he knows about Pein…' Mei sat up and searched around the office for confidential files.

XXXXX

Gaara, the Kazekage, had just arrived at Konoha. He had received urgent news from his brother about the attack on Ame and the appearance of Pein. He and Tsunade were going to discuss tactical defense and pool information. Following him was his beautiful sister the ambassador of Suna, and an escort of Suna Jounin. As they passed through the gates to Konoha, the guards saluted and they were met by a welcoming party of jounin and Tsunade herself. Gaara calmly greeted the Hokage, "Good evening Hokage-sama, thank you for allowing us to visit you village." Sakura who was standing next to Tsunade couldn't help but notice how well-mannered Gaara had become. He still had an emotionless face, but was much less terrifying than she remembered.

Tsunade smiled as she bowed to Gaara, "Thank you for the visit Kazekage, come to my office and bring your trusted advisors, we have business to discuss." Gaara nodded and ordered his escort to disperse, "Jounin captains with me, the rest of you are free to enjoy the village. Mind yourselves." The escort party began to disperse and several jounin remained with Gaara and Temari as they followed Tsunade. The blonde haired woman spoke up, "I am extremely grateful that you saved my jounin…" Gaara nodded and respectfully relied, "I owe it to the friendship between our two countries but I am not the one you should be thanking. My brother is the one who ordered a back up company to follow our initial party, and he is the one who rescued your men."

Tsunade smiled as she nodded her head, "I'll be sure to thank him when I see him then." Temari laughed as she interjected, "Yeah well I'm glad he finally did something right…" Gaara smiled much to Sakura and Tsunade's surprise as he nodded his head. After a couple minutes of silence, the group finally made their way to the Hokage Tower and arrived in the council chamber. Much to everyone's displeasure, Danzo and several elders were there. "Ah good, both of you are here, now the meeting can officially begin," Danzo spoke as if he was the one in charge. Gaara shot him a death glare and sat down next to Tsunade.

XXXXX

Meanwhile, a man with a huge cut across his nose was sitting at an all too famous ramen stand thinking about Naruto. Not a day went by that Iruka hadn't thought about his old student and friend. 'Why would he leave…Tsunade can't be right! Naruto wouldn't do that!' The former chuunin surprised many people when he quit teaching at the academy, and now he spent most of his days training on the side or doing missions. Iruka had been promoted to Jounin shortly after he quit teaching at the academy due to his intense dedication to training and missions. The word Tsunade used to describe him was empty. That was the exact feeling he had too.

Helping Naruto was one of his major purposes in life, and once he was gone, Iruka felt truly unhappy that he no longer had anything to fill him. Naruto was his only family. He sighed as he stared into his bowl of ramen, 'Wherever he is, I just hope that he finds some happiness and some peace.'

XXXXX

Anko and Guren were a good distance away from Orochimaru's base, and Anko decided it was a good time to break the ice, "So…how did you end up working for Naruto?" Guren shot a surprised look at Anko as she was completely caught off guard. After a moment, Guren regained her demeanor and answered, "You're one of those Konoha nin…how do you know Naruto?" Anko shot Guren a teasing look, "Aww, he never told you about his past did he? I've got a deal for you babe…you tell me what you know and I'll tell you what I know." Guren laughed at Anko and shook her head, "Or you could have an accident out here and I could just bury your body and nobody would ever know."

Anko licked her lips deviously as she stared at Guren, "Make my day…I'm sure you would be fun." Guren snorted, "You first…why were you following us? Also, what the hell are you trying to do getting back in league with Orochimaru?" Anko laughed as she replied, "I am looking for Naruto…since you guys are his lackeys I figured that if I followed you he would turn up eventually. A better question is why are you working for Naruto? Aren't you guys Orochimaru's top lieutenants?" Guren nodded, "Yeah we are. Since Kabuto died I would technically be Orochimaru's second in command. Kimimiro and Tayuya are both part of the Sound Five…well the only surviving members. They are Orochimaru's elite operatives. By the way…why the hell are you looking for Naruto anyways?"

Anko smiled wickedly, "Oh…he just owes me a favor, plus I was going to ask him if I could join his entourage." Guren immediately caught wind of what Anko meant and scowled, "Oh I get it…you're just some kind of groupie who wants to suck his dick because he left you star struck…am I right?" Much to Guren's surprise Anko nodded, "Yes that's one hundred percent true! Although I intend to do more than that…" Guren sighed heavily, "Just what we needed, another damn girl to join the damn group. What the fuck…"

Anko chimed in matter-of-factly, "Well if you're not good enough to keep him, then he is too good for you." Guren sighed, "Not to burst your bubble princess…but you've got a lot of competition." Anko waved her off and laughed, "Well that's good…that'll help me identify them so I can kill them off early." Guren sighed as she rubbed her temples, "Whatever bitch…you'll find out for yourself sooner or later."

XXXXX

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO YEAH! I updated!

…again I just apologize for the two and a half month delay on that update. Like I said above, I have been rather busy between college and my new job. Plus with everything in between, I never really found time to sit down and work on this fic. I am of course a procrastinator, but I hope you guys understand my reasoning. You guys are probably going to hate me for this, but this chapter was about three quarters of the way done since January…I'm a terrible person.

BUT FEAR NOT! I WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU! There will be honorary FAST UPDATES to earn your forgiveness!

Anyways, funny recaps on this chapter:

I know Akatsuki seem a bit…I don't know the right word for it…different? Though I tried to illustrate their main nature without going too OOC or anything. I hope I wasn't the only person who found the crashing waves comments by Kisame to be funny.

I brought Mei in this chapter! I know some of you will be pleased to finally see one of our favorite kunoichis in action. I have no idea if I portrayed her accurately or not, but if not…oh well. I tried to keep a mix between funny and serious, but I hope it wasn't over the top for you guys.

There was a lot going on in this chapter…is the whole thing with Konan foreshadowing? What will our notorious female Akatsuki member do? Well I will most likely pump out another chapter this week for you guys…all ten thousand words and everything. Take care. Love you!