Yay! Chapter ten! Time to celebrate! *zzzzzz*

Enjoy!

Soprana

Naruto opened his eyes to darkness. He heard Fire still sleeping beside him. He had just awoken from snoozing when he felt a jolt of fear. He couldn't explain it but, he felt like something was about to happen. Fire sensed he was awake and opened his eyes. "Fire, its time to move out." Naruto said quietly as the sun barely became visible on the horizon. "Yes Master." Fire replied.

They were soon off. They were approximately three hours from the point of interception. Naruto pondered his tactics along the way.

They soon encountered rouge ninjas along the way. They were obviously in cahoots with Kabuto. All of them sported cursed marks. Naruto cursed.

Kabuto was getting around and building an army, genetically and old style. This might get a little tight. Naruto started running through plans in his head and Fire critiqued them. Eventually, they settled on a plan...a very humiliating plan.

They both henged into women and passed under the radar. It wasn't until they got to the camp when they encountered the problems.

"Oi! What do you think your doing? Get out!" A very large guard bellowed at the henged Naruto and Fire.

"We are here for...for..." Naruto stuttered.

"Doesn't matter where or why! Get out!" The guard snapped.

'Master! Quick!' Fire shrieked in his mind. Naruto quickly struck the guard's neck and knocked him out.

"Well, That was classy." Naruto and Fire whirled around and saw Kabuto.

No one was around but them, and the KO ed guard.

"Namikaze Naruto, I have been expecting you. Not the entrance I was expecting, but, it will do. Welcome Fire. Pity you just missed our pest hunt but I'm sure we can have another just for you." Kabuto chuckled. Naruto growled.

"Enough! What are you planning?" Naruto bellowed. Kabuto laughed. "Well now! Why don't you try to force it out of me?"

Naruto hissed and lunged at Kabuto. Kabuto grasped Naruto's fist and flung him at a tree which he gracefully landed on. Fire charged at Kabuto, only to get bound by a snake. Kabuto flew at Naruto to attack. Naruto formed a rasengan and thrusted it forward.

Kabuto lashed out a snake to a nearby tree and pulled himself out of the way. Naruto quickly followed and failed to see Kabuto's evil grin. Naruto reached out and found a snake latched onto his lower arm. The snake grinned and bit down on Naruto's arm.

The pain was excruciating. Kabuto seized his opportunity and tried to attack. Fire managed to get free and block his attack. By the time Kabuto cleared Fire out of the way, Naruto was in sage mode and forming a wind rasengan.

Kabuto tried to run but found his legs held by Fire. The rasengan hit it's mark, and Kabuto was sent spiraling backwards. Naruto formed another and waited for the smoke to clear.

Kabuto's skin was missing. What was left was a young version of himself grinning. Naruto chucked the rasengan again. Kabuto lept up and flew over it.

"Losing your touch eh, Namikaze? The poison making you lose your aim? What a pity." Kabuto chimed as he rocketed to Naruto.

Before Naruto could react, Kabuto chakra scalped his arm.

"Damn it!" Naruto cursed as he staggered back. Kabuto advanced, smirking.

Naruto leaped up and formed a rasengan with his left. The form was a bit wiggly, but it formed alright. Fire leapt forward and anchored Kabuto down. Naruto soared down and plunged it into Kabuto's chest.

Kabuto was down and out before it happened. Chakra covered kunai's burst from Kabuto's body.

Some missed. Some struck.

All and all, Naruto was propelled back as Kabuto crashed backwards. The last thing Naruto saw was Kabuto being carried away by his minions and Fire ripping kunai's out of his body to aid him. Then, all was dark.

Fire was panicking. Master was out cold and they were still stuck in enemy territory, even if they just kicked Kabuto's butt.

Kabuto was yelling on how he regretted creating the Elements and how he regretted letting Naruto live. Fire began to morph. His arms became wings, his feet became claws. Rustic red feathers sprouted everywhere. A beak formed on Fire's face.

Fire spread his wings and annihilated neighboring trees. Each wing reached out about 36 feet. Fire gently scooped Naruto up in his claws and pushed off. All anyone saw was a giant hawk taking flight before a gust of wind blew them over.

Fire flapped his wings furiously to get to Konoha faster. He glanced down and fear washed over him. Naruto was thin, abnormally thin. He had lines under his eyes and his hair wasn't shining like usual. 'Oh please let Sakura-san or Hokage-sama be on duty!' Fire thought.

Sakura sighed loudly. No patients today. She sped through all the visitors today so now she was bored. Water was making paper soggy wet, then dry again on the floor below. Sakura swung her feet casually. Little did they know, Fire was making a spectacular landing on the roof and carrying Naruto down to the ER. Luckily, Tsuande was there. Sakura wouldn't be bored for long.

The buzzer rang and Sakura lept up. She flew down the hall and tore left. She ran top speed to the room with the light blinking and barged in. There was Naruto, lieing on the bed with Tsunade leaning over him. Sakura's brain shut down momentarily. "Way wha whe eh?" She blubbered. "Shut up and help me!" Tsunade barked. Sakura squeaked and scurried over. Naruto looked horrible. The poison's effect was showing. Less than when Fire brought him in, but it was still bad.

After hours of work, Sakura created an antidote. After administering it, Naruto immediately returned to normal.

When he awoke, he was greeted with a slap across the face.

"Gah! Sakura-chan! What the hell?" Naruto shouted.

"You Baka! Don't scare me like that again! You nearly died!" Sakura screeched back.

"Seesh, I didn't die so it's ok." Naruto soothed.

"No! Its not! I have to sweep the floor with Sasuke's face and then you come back all skeleton style! I can't handle it!" Sakura wailed. Naruto's eyes widened. "What? Sa...Sasuke was...was...here?" Sakura nodded slowly. Naruto's brows furrowed.

"He did something didn't he?" Naruto said again. Sakura sighed.

"He was trying to assassinate Tsunade-shishou. The Hokage tower is all new." Naruto's clenched his fists.

"And? What else?" He forced out as he attempted to calm himself.

"He...he...ah...he was surprised at my strength. He almost had me once, but Water saved me and I broke his jaw and three ribs." Sakura rushed out.

Naruto glared at her, knowing there was more.

"Well...he...kinda...well...he swore he will destroy Konoha and kill everyone. He also threatened to kill me slowly and...and replay it...to...to you." Sakura finished. Naruto's eyes widened again.

"I'll kill him. I'll kill him before that happens. Any of it!" Naruto snapped. Sakura just stared at him.

"Naru..." She began.

"Sakura-chan, you are the most precious person to me! I won't let him touch you. Never." Sakura sighed. She knew she had lost.

There was a groan from under the bed. Curious, Sakura bent down and looked.

Fire was huddled under the bed. Sakura was just about to speak, but Fire beat her to it.

"I failed Master on this mission and now he's all angry. I deserve to be painted pink and forced to guard the gates." Fire mumbled. Sakura burst out laughing.

"Fire...If it wasn't for you...this Baka wouldn't have made it home. You did your job of saving him!" She said. Fire smiled but remained under the bed. Sakura stood and smiled at Naruto.

"You'll be able to go home tomorrow. So get some rest. Tsunade-shishou and Kakashi-sensei are coming by soon to talk to you in private. See you tomorrow, Baka!" Sakura said before winking at him. Then she and Water were gone.

Naruto let out a long sigh. "Fire, come out." Fire hesitated before crawling out from under the bed, tail tucked between his legs, his face apologetic.

"Fire, I want to thank you for saving my sorry butt. Without you, I would probably still be trapped in enemy territory." Naruto said quietly. Fire bowed. "Thank you Master."

For hours, Naruto and Fire sat in that hospital room, doing nothing. When Tsunade and Kakashi finally entered, Naruto was abuzz.

"Naruto!" Tsunade barked as she sat down next to Kakashi. Naruto flinched.

"Yes Granny?" Naruto asked tentatively.

"Did you complete your mission of getting intel on Kabuto and his army?" She asked.

"Yeah yeah. The army is around 350 strong, most are cursed marked. Some he created genetically. Kabuto also has changed. His skin looks like a snakes but if attacked hard enough, it reveals his old self." Kakashi looked surprised.

"So, you did attack him." He spoke. Naruto grinned sheepishly.

"Hehe, yeah."

Tsuande shook her head. "Well Naruto. Since you brought back more information on Kabuto, you are granted the status of jounin., Also, since I am the Hokage, I want you to be in ANBU." Tsunade spoke as she scribbled in her note book.

Naruto's eyes lit up. "Really? Wait, will I have to listen to that loser, Danzou?" He asked suspiciously.

Tsunade shook her head. "The ANBU is basically chosen by me. Your thinking the ANBU Root. The ANBU directly take orders from the Hokage, me."

Naruto thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes Granny. I'll be in ANBU because you asked me so nicely."

Tsunade smiled and left. Kakashi congratulated Naruto before leaving too. Naruto waited for a few seconds.

Then, "Yes! I am a jounin! I'm closer to being Hokage than ever before! YES!" He bellowed so the whole hospital could hear.