Super pumped to write this chapter but having horrible writer's block. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and support!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
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What is a Shadow Without the Sun?
Chapter 10: New Allies
Pein handed Naruto his child back having finally come to a decision. He'd been pushed around for far too long by Madara and wouldn't stand for it any longer. There was no denying the blonde had experienced pain and loss just as he had, but the boy refused to give in to it; instead, he surrounded himself with loved ones and never gave up on the people that hated him.
"Very well Naruto. If you truly believe that you can change this world then I will follow you as I did Yahiko. He too chased after an ideal all the way to his death" Pein stated, shocking Konan and Itachi.
The only one that didn't look surprised at all was Naruto. He simply smiled and kissed Shikadai on the head. There were very few truly evil people in the world; he'd been shown that repeatedly, even on his first mission with the criminal Zabuza. All anyone needed was one person who would care for them without question.
"So, what are we going to do about Sasuke and this Madara guy?" he questioned, his face becoming serious.
Fighting with Deidra had turned out to be much harder than Sasuke had initially thought, but he had won. In the last moment, before the blonde had killed himself, the Uchiha had summoned Manda and saved himself and his team. Tobi had jumped off and warped into his own dimension to avoid the blast, losing sight of his targets.
When the giant snake died, Sasuke looked at the injured group, yanking Karin towards him. He bit her harshly, knowing that she could heal him even if it drained all her chakra. She struggled against his grasp, feeling her strength continue to leave her.
Suigetsu eventually pulled her from the cold Raven. He loved to kill, but she was a member of their squad, and though she annoyed him, he wouldn't let the Uchiha use her so carelessly. "What the fuck Sasuke! You almost killed her!" he exclaimed, kneeling with the unconscious girl.
"Nothing matters but finding and killing Itachi. She was warned of the risks just like the rest of you" he answered coolly, his eyes like ice.
Orochimaru chuckled at their argument, somewhat pleased that his student was turning into a heartless beast.
"SASUKE!" A voice screamed in the distance.
The Raven looked over to see none other than Naruto himself running towards him with two bundles in his arms. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed that the blonde wasn't alone, Itachi and several other shinobi were following him.
As the group drew closer, he couldn't help but stare at how healthy the blonde was. Orochimaru had led him to believe that Itachi had tortured him into submission, but the boy looked like he always did, maybe even better.
The ninja landed deftly in front of 'Team Taka' and Naruto ran up to his friend. Sasuke's eyes went wide as he thrust his blade forward at what he correctly assumed to be the children.
'clink'
Both Itachi and Naruto had their kunai drawn and deflected the katana easily. Itachi grabbed his brother by the throat and squeezed tightly. "What do you think you are doing Ototo" he growled.
"I won't let your bastards live Itachi" he choked out, trying to rid himself of the crushing hand.
If the situation hadn't been so serious, the elder would have deadpanned. Everyone thought that he'd fathered the children apparently. He didn't even like men, even charismatic, attractive ones like Naruto.
"You are wrong, foolish little brother. The babies are not mine, they are Shikamaru and Naruto's."
Before Sasuke could answer the blonde moved past Itachi and kicked him so hard that the elder's grip failed and he flew backward, rolling in the dirt as blood splattered from his open mouth. "If you EVER try to touch my children again, I won't hesitate to kill you Sasuke" Naruto snarled, his eyes glowing ominously.
The young Uchiha couldn't lift himself from the ground, he coughed weakly, knowing his ribs were shattered and he was bleeding internally.
Karin, Jugo and Suigetsu tried to intervene as the blonde appeared over their friend, but were stopped by Naruto's new comrades.
The livid teen yanked Sasuke up from the ground and slapped him with his free hand "snap out of it! We are not your enemies!" he shouted.
"I... I've got to…kill him…" the Uchiha panted out, trying to push himself away from the blonde.
"Oh no. You aren't going to be killing anyone, especially not Itachi" Naruto yelled, slapping the already bruised cheek again.
The elder Uchiha watched the two argue if that's what it was. He didn't want his friend to fight his battles for him, but Naruto was the one person capable of getting through to anyone, and he had to trust others for a change.
"Look, you arrogant ass, Itachi took care of me when you didn't so show him some respect! You're coming back to the Leaf with me right now!"
Sasuke spat out more blood from his mouth before glaring at Naruto defiantly. "I don't take orders from losers like you. Besides, this has nothing to do with you! I have to avenge my clan!"
"Ototo" Itachi called, walking up beside the equally infuriated teens, "your hatred is my doing, and I will always regret that above all else. It was my own selfishness that fueled your rage, but I have lied to you. I once told you that I killed our clan to test the limits of my abilities, let me for once, show you the truth."
The man's eyes warped into the Mangekyo and trapped the younger, forcing him to watch the meetings with Danzo, their father's insistence on staging a revolt, speaking with their parents right before he killed them, and then his meeting with the Third where he begged for Sasuke to be protected.
Tears poured from the youngers eyes as Itachi's memories raced through his mind until it was over and Naruto let him fall to his knees.
The elder Uchiha kneeled before his brother and took his chin in his hand. "All I have ever done was to protect you Ototo, but Naruto has shown me how foolish I was. I will never ask for your forgiveness because I know I don't deserve it, but know that no matter what you do from here on out, I will love you always."
Sasuke hunched over and sobbed, his head hanging almost as low as his pride. "Aniki…" he cried, wishing he could take back all the terrible things he had done in the name of revenge.
Naruto smiled, rubbing the two bundles attached to his chest. It would take a while, but the two would eventually be okay. "Sasuke, please come back with us to Konoha."
The younger shook his head, "I can't go back there, not after how they betrayed my brother."
Itachi looked up to Naruto and the boy nodded his head, there were more important things to deal with right then. The elder Uchiha poked his brother, sending a shockwave of chakra through his forehead to knock him out.
"Look after him?" Itachi asked, raising off the ground.
Naruto nodded and flung Sasuke over his back, signaling to the others to follow. The Peins' and Konan grabbed Suigetsu, Jugo and Karin and restrained them, before starting to run after the blonde. They would go on to Suna and then Konoha while Itachi took care of Orochimaru.
He was nervous leaving the elder Uchiha alone with such a strong opponent, but this wasn't his fight, and he believed Itachi could handle it himself now that he was well.
Shikamaru felt a strong presence coming towards him and halted, the many shinobi behind him following suit. He searched the area, trying to determine where it was coming from. It had to be Naruto, the seal Itachi had placed on him was heating up with each passing moment.
Before long, the long-lost blonde was in sight, his entourage hot on his heels. "Get ready to fight" Shikamaru commanded, unsure if Naruto was running from the ninja or with them.
The blonde performed a series of signs with his one hand and teleported right in front of the shadow-user, practically tackling him in greeting. "Naruto!" Shikamaru exclaimed, hugging him as tightly as he could without squishing the surprisingly still sleeping children.
"It's okay, they're with me!" he explained when he saw everyone's fighting stance.
"Sakura-Chan, Sasuke and these three are hurt, can you, Ino and Hinata check on them for me?" he asked.
Once they were given the all clear, everyone let their shock cover their faces. Naruto was here, talking to them like he'd never left.
"Hey, bud… how you been?" Kiba asked hesitantly.
Naruto smiled widely as the ex-Akatsuki members caught up and handed over Sasuke's now unconscious teammates. "I'm more than great Kiba!"
The Leaf shinobi had already been briefed on everything that Shikamaru had learned during his infiltration, but it didn't seem real. They also all felt exceptionally guilty for how they had behaved right before the blonde was taken prisoner, and it showed on their faces.
"It's okay guys, really. I know what fear and anger can do to someone, especially in the moment. I'm not mad at any of you anymore" Naruto assured them, taking special care to walk over to Ino and Sakura and put his hand their shoulders.
The pink-haired kunoichi stopped healing Sasuke and broke down, mumbling incoherent apologies between her sobs.
"Don't cry Sakura-Chan! I swear I'm okay… come on, please… I'll let you hold one of the babies when we get back" he begged, not really sure how else to stop her tears.
It was then that people seemed to notice he had two little bodies in a double baby sling around his chest.
"Come on everyone… we shouldn't stay out in the open like this. We'll head back to Suna with…" Shikamaru started, trailing off as he found he didn't know the Akatsuki-clothed shinobi.
"I am Pein, this is Konan" the orange haired man stated, gesturing to his comrade.
"Pein as in, the leader of the group trying to extract tailed-beasts?" Kakashi clarified, his voice accusing.
"One and the same, though I am not the mastermind you should concern yourself with" Pein responded.
Naruto laughed at the tense air surrounding them. It would be hard to get all these people working together, especially when most had been affected by the Akatsuki, but for the sake of the world, he had to find a way.
"Itachi will be following shortly I hope, he's battling Orochimaru right now. But in the meantime, I'm really hungry… do they have any good ramen shops in Suna?" Naruto asked, immediately lightening the mood.
Iruka ran up to him and hugged him, his guilt being lifted by the blondes casual nature just enough to give into his intense desire to embrace his 'little brother.'
Shikamaru smiled at the display, before helping to pull the hysterical Chunin off Naruto. "Alright, let's go. We need to inform Lady Tsunade and Gaara-Sama about this turn of events" he explained, waving his hand at the new arrivals.
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Okay, so it turned out that my writer's block was even worse than I thought. Sorry if this seems like a filler chapter, but it does have a purpose… I think. I don't know! I haven't finished the story in my mind yet so I'm just rolling with it! I hope you all don't think it sucked too hard!
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