"Ah, you have arrived." Itachi and Kisame stepped forth from inside the Akatsuki lair. Pein sat upon his chair in the center of the rest of the Akatsuki.
"Did you capture the beast?" Pein said monotonously, already knowing the answer.
"No." Itachi closed his eyes. "I had some other business to do, so I created a copy of myself and Kisame with your jutsu. They apparently failed to capture the Jinchurikki."
"I see. Who gave you permission to do other things besides my direct orders?" the leader said sternly. Kisame glanced nervously at Itachi.
"I did." Itachi said. "My business is important."
"Are you the leader now?" the leader said cruelly, his aura in the air like ice. "No matter what you may think, I am leader. WE will not have world domination, if you refuse your orders." The leader's chakra was blazing now. Though he retained the monotone expression he always did, the members in the room could all feel his anger.
"We did not act brash." Itachi said. "We infused our clones with almost 80 percent of our chakra." Kisame nodded meekly.
"...80, you say?" the leader questioned.
"Indeed. We are just as angry and surprised as you are that Naruto was able to escape. However, we did receive word that Kabuto joined them, and Naruto and Sasuke have formed an alliance once more, so that may contribute to their victory." Itachi closed his eyes.
"However that does not elude us from the main point. Both Naruto, Sasuke, and the rest of them are no longer children any more. Underestimation will result in heavy losses…"
Pein paused. He had heard this before…
"You can do whatever you want to capture the Kybuubi, but I warn you, you're methods will fail…"
Madara's words had come true.
"Fine. I can see where you went wrong, and I forgive you." Pein said. "The next time we go to capture the Kyuubi… I will go myself." The members in the room were shocked to hear this. Pein never sent himself, he was mostly busy. Plus, he was the leader.
"Capturing the nine tailed fox has now become our utmost priority. We cannot risk failure."
"Since you are going to Konoha… should we simply destroy it as well?" Zetsu asked. If the leader joined up with even two members of Akatsuki, all of Konoha would be crushed.
The leader's power was indeed immense.
"No. We can always do that later." The leader paused in deep thought. Then he spoke again.
"Kazumi should be reporting in any second now. Once her report is filled out, and the time is right, I will set off." A rustling sound was heard and something bounded into the room.
"Heya guys! What's up!?" it was Tobi. AKA Madara Uchiha.
"Tobi! Where have you been?" Kisame said. "We really need you around; this organization is getting too gloomy without you!"
"Indeed Tobi… Where have you been…?" the leader asked. Of course, he knew all too well where Tobi had been, but he never expected him to make an appearance in front of the rest of the oblivious Akatsuki members.
"You won't believe it you guys!!" Tobi said in an excited, slightly annoying voice. "When Deidara blew up, his explosion was gonna kill me! So I his inside a giant cave!" Tobi crouched down to go with his story.
"But then, when he actually exploded, a rock fell down, and knocked me out! Next thing I know, the cave has surrounded me, and I can't find my way out! So, I've been digging this whole time!" everybody but the leader sighed.
A very good lie, Madara. The leader thought.
"So you've been digging this whole time!?" Konan said. "It shouldn't take THAT long to dig a simple hole!"
"Well yeah, but there was a family of moles in some places, and I didn't want to hurt them…" Tobi said. Everyone sighed.
"Tobi, you're far too kind." Itachi said.
"Really…? Well, next time I see moles, I'll be mean! I'll shout at them, and do bad things to them! Right Itachi?!"
"…Sure…" Itachi sighed.
He's very good at this. The leader thought.
"Oh yeah! I almost forgot!" Tobi said. A black panther stepped to his side. "This guy showed me how to get here!"
"Ah, Kazumi's report." The leader said, actually showing emotion in his voice. The black panther bounded to the leader in one jump. It sucked up a mighty breath-
GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR!!
It yelled, making the entire room shake.
"…Indeed." The leader said. "Kazumi has arrived in Konoha." The leader announced. "She will be spying on Naruto for the next few weeks. Meeting adjourned. The leader went away to his private room. All the rest of the Akatsuki were gathered around Tobi, listening to more of his story of how he was trapped. All but one.
You may be able to fool Kisame. Itachi thought. You may be able to fool the leader. You may even be able to fool the entire world. But you cannot fool me… Madara Uchiha.
Konoha
Naruto, supported by Sakura, had finally managed to bring back Sasuke.
News of this had reached all of Konoha by now. The village was abuzz with their encounter with the Akatsuki, and how they had managed to kill two members.
Sasuke was given two choices for his stay at Konoha: serve a 25 year sentence in the harshest prison, or die. Naruto and Sakura protested, but alas, their protests did not affect the jury whatsoever. However… Tsunade asked to have a private word with the members of the council. No one knows what happened next, but she somehow reduced Sasuke's sentence to three days experiencing the pain he had caused to everyone. It was reported that the judges were shaking in fear afterwards, but Tsunade says it was a minor detail…
Sasuke readily agreed, and is now under a very powerful three day genjutsu, allowing him to share the pain he had wrought to others.
In addition… Otakure (now under a new Kage) requested peace with Konoha and all other nations, and made itself another country. The other countries agreed seeing as how Kabuto stopped an Akatsuki member. The Akatsuki ring he gave Sakura, is now under the protection of the ANBU black ops. No one but the Kage knows where it's being stored…
Detention center
Naruto and Sakura sat next to each other in a plain white room. Sakura had flowers in her hand, and Naruto had a wrapped box. A door stood motionless besides them, though there were noises coming out from behind it. Suddenly, the door opened quietly, and an ANBU stepped out.
"His sentence is done, and the Genjutsu is wearing off." She stated. "You may visit." Naruto and Sakura stood up and walked in the room.
Inside, they found a figure lying down in a white Kimono. He was slowly waking up, and his eyes were adjusting to the light.
"Sasuke…" Sakura smiled. She bent down and hugged him.
"…eh…Sakura… is that you?" Sasuke asked slowly.
"Don't forget me." Naruto smiled.
"We got you presents!" Sakura beamed. She handed Sasuke her flowers.
"Ug… thanks…" Sasuke said, now sitting upright. He gazed at the flowers until Naruto brought him the box.
"You might need this." He said. Sasuke accepted the box and opened it. Inside was a Konoha headband. Sasuke smiled and put it on his wrist.
"Let's go." He said. He stood up and walked out the door. Naruto smiled and walked out with him, followed shortly by Sakura. They stepped out from the prison into the light, and into the rest of Konoha.
"It's good to have you back Sasuke!" Naruto said excitably.
"Good to be back." Sasuke said. "Now I can kick your butt at anything now that I'm back."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Naruto said angrily. "Let's not kid ourselves Sasuke! I've been superior to you for forever!"
"You wish." Sasuke replied. Sasuke and Naruto continued to argue about useless things. Right beside them, Sakura sighed.
"Glad to see things are back to normal." She said, staring at the boys. She intervened as Sasuke and Naruto were strangling each other's throats.
"Okay you two, enough fighting." She pulled them apart. Suddenly, Naruto bolted upright.
"OH NO!!"
"What is it?" Sakura and Sasuke asked. Naruto looked very nervous and sad.
"I completely forgot… I missed the Chunin Exams!!" Naruto wailed. Sakura realized this was true. During their mission to retrieve Sasuke, they had forgotten to enter the exams for Naruto to become a Chunin.
"Dangit! Not again!" Naruto cursed.
"That's okay." Sasuke said. "You're better off as a Genin anyways."
Sasuke and Naruto began to fight in a cloud of smoke.
"Why do boys fight so much…" Sakura sighed.
"SAKURA!!" A voice called out. Sakura turned around to see Ino running towards her.
"Ino!" Ino caught up high fived each other.
"You got Sasuke back!" she remarked. "Is that him in the puff of smoke with Naruto?"
"Yep." Sakura replied. "They have once again resumed their rivalry."
"Speaking of which…" Ino began. Sakura looked at Ino. "Now that Sasuke's back… I guess we'll be competing for him again, eh?" Ino nudged Sakura.
"Sure." Sakura said. "May the best person win." She and Ino high fived once more. Suddenly, Naruto bolted out of the puff of smoke.
"I almost forgot!" he ran away from Sasuke, heading towards an unknown destination.
"Where are you going?" Sakura asked.
"I'm gonna ask Hinata for a date!" Naruto then ran away at hyperspeed, leaving Sakura, Ino, and Sasuke in the dust.
"Wow. What got into him?" Ino said to no one in particular.
"He found out that Hinata likes him." Sakura said.
"By himself?" Ino questioned.
"Nah. I told him." Sakura chuckled. Ino laughed a little as well.
Training grounds
Hinata nervously held up a flower. It was a white rose.
"I-I'm going to do it…" Hinata said to her teammates, Kiba and Shino, who were about five feet away.
"I-I'll ask N-Naruto- kun to get some Ramen!" she said fiercely. Shino had managed to coax Hinata into gathering her courage, and ask Naruto on a date when he got back. And now was the time to do it. Kiba however, disagreed with the idea.
"He'll just say no…" Kiba muttered. "Naruto's a jerk like that." Shino had raised an eyebrow. Kiba had been like this whenever the subject of Naruto was around Hinata. It wasn't like him at all. Shino had assumed that he was simply having a problem and blaming it on Naruto, and it would stop soon, however, this apparently was not the case… Even Akamaru had sensed something wrong with his master's behavior.
Suddenly, a rapid object came from one side of the training ground and blazed past them. Then, it made a U- turn, and went back to Team 10.
"Huh? It appears to be…" Shino analyzed the running object through his dark glasses. "…Naruto!" he deduced. Naruto slowed down as he approached Shino, Kiba and Hinata.
"Hey, Hinata! Wanna eat Ramen with me some time?" he smiled cheerfully. Hinata just about fainted there. Shino raised an eyebrow. Kiba merely let his mouth be agape.
"Y-y-you're… asking… me….?" Hinata said, now utterly confused, but thrilled at the same time.
"Yeah. Sakura told me you had a crush on me… so… Why not?" Naruto said. Hinata blushed.
"Uh, uh, okay, um how about tonight at seven….?" Hinata asked.
"Sure okay! Gotta go now! I have to train and beat Sasuke- baka!" Naruto said cheerfully. And, with another burst of speed, was off to head for another training ground. Shino stared at the sight. Hinata was blushing all over. Kiba's mouth was still agape. It was Hinata that finally broke the tension.
"Shino… Naruto asked me out…." Hinata said dreamily.
"Yep. Good on you, Hinata." Shino praised.
"Tch. I bet he only wants to date Hinata so the he can dump her in a cruel way!" Kiba snarled.
"Kiba, how illogical is that? Why do you keep saying bad things about Naruto anyway?" Shino turned to Kiba.
"I'm not saying it could happen." Kiba said. "I just don't trust Hinata in Naruto's hands. He's too unpredictable." Kiba said. "Hinata, take my advice and call it all off. I say, he's up to something!" Kiba deduced.
"Kiba- kun, Don't be so hard on Naruto." Hinata said. "Well, Bye." She walked off.
"I still don't see what Hinata see's with the double crossin' no good…" Kiba walked off while rambling random curses about Naruto, not even noticing that he left Akamaru.
Akamaru whined at Shino. Shino got the message.
"Yeah, something IS wrong Kiba." Shino patted Akamaru's head.
"Don't worry, I'll find out what it is." Shino smiled from underneath his trenchcoat. Shino walked off in his direction, while Akamaru bounded off to catch off with Kiba.
Naruto was isolated in a forest. He was trying to use his new ultimate move. Random scorch marks lay everywhere, indicating his progress.
"Dang, this is hard…" Naruto said thoughtfully. Suddenly, he heard a noise behind him.
"Who's there?" Naruto turned around to see a shadowed figure.
"…Are you Uzumaki Naruto…?" The figure said in a threatening voice.
"Yes? Who wants to know?" Naruto said, unbuttoning his shuriken pouch. The figure held up a kunai.
"Your murderer."
OMG!! WHOSE ATTACKING NARUTO!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH KIBA!? WHAT IS NARUTO'S NEW MOVE?! WHERE THE HECK IS MY EDITOR!? AND WHY THE HELL IS MY CAPS LOCK BROKEN!?
FIND OUT NEXT TIME ON DRAGONBAL ZEEEEEEEEEEEE!!
(I DO NOT OWN DBZ OR NARUTO. I DO HOWEVER OWN THE BROKEN CAPS LOCK)