Prepare yourselves! Naruto is officially leaving the village for two years. Primarily its because I don't believe that a bunch of 13 and 14 year olds can accomplish that much. Once you get to 16 and 17, however, more maturity has set in, as has human growth.

A few important things.

1. Sasuke, Naruto, and Gaara all rock the Konoha Tactical Vest. It seems absurd that generations of ninja wear these things, and for some reason one group decides to say 'fuck it.' That being said, Gaara has no gourd anymore. She keeps all her sand in the pouches and inner layers of her vest. Sasuke keeps the exact same sword from the manga, only he carries it upside-down on his back so he can quickly grasp it. For reasons to be explained, Hinata does not wear a vest.

2. This chapter goes from right after the attack to two years from then. There is some set up, and should give you some idea what is going on. If anyone dislikes where this story is going, give me a hit and I'll see if I can remedy it. Oh, and the next chapter will be out tomorrow and deals with Naruto/Gaara's side of things. It takes the same format.

3. I know I am fast forwarding it a lot. Ages 16-20 is where most of the action will be taking place.

Three Weeks After the Attack

"What do you mean he's gone," screamed Hinata to her superior. The cycloptic shinobi waved his hands in defense.

"Hinata, you have to see things from his perspective and Gaara's. The village just saw Kyubi save them! They saw the return of the most feared beast in existence!"

Sasuke sighed and gave Hinata a look of pity. "Meaning they'd be hunted down every minute that they spend in the village."

The heiress had to do something, in this case it was slapping Sasuke. "DON'T JUSTIFY THIS! HE DIDN'T EVEN SAY GOODBYE!" She felt the older man put a hand on her shoulder.

"It was…too painful for him. If he had to do it in person, he would lose the nerve to leave. Here," Kakashi handed a neatly folded note to the sobbing girl, "this is from him."

Hinata tore open the paper.

Hinata,

I'm so sorry I can't be doing this to you in person. You deserve so much better than this but sadly it is something I am unable to provide. Please don't cry, Hinata.

I'm going to be training deep in isolated woods, near mountains. Gaara and I will get stronger, we have to. Jiraiya let us in on some information that Konoha would rather none of us know. There is a group, a terrorist organization named Akatsuki. As I'm sure Sasuke is there with you, let me say this. Sasuke, your brother is a member of this group.

Sasuke felt anger bubbling in him, and yet felt eternally grateful to Naruto. "Finally I know where he is. Now I can kill him…"

"Keep reading, Sasuke," whispered the weeping girl.

Whatever you do, do NOT attempt to engage Itachi or any member of Akatsuki you may run into, however unlikely. We're told they wear long black coats with red clouds on them. If you see them, run. They seek the power of the Tailed Beasts, meaning they are hunting for those that contain them.

Extracting such vast amounts of chakra, even though it is foreign, kills the host. If either Gaara or I are caught, we are good as dead.

Hinata, you need to get stronger in order to lead your clan. Sasuke, you need to get stronger to avenge your brother. Stay close to Kakashi. His Sharingan may not be able to help you Hinata as much as a Byakugan, but he's the next best thing. From what I hear, your family isn't too thrilled with me.

I'll keep writing you both as often as possible. Take care you guys.

The Hyuga sat down in the fetal position, crying hard. Sasuke moved to her level and put an arm around her.

"This sucks, I know. It hurts so badly. But we have to stay strong. There's not too many people left who support Naruto."

"Well said," muttered Kakashi, "and yet words do so very little by those with so little power. Hinata, I don't know how much training your family will keep giving you. It would be best if you denounced Naruto."

She looked appalled. "Never! I would never do that! How dare you even suggest such a thing!"

"Hinata," said Sasuke with force, "see things in the bigger picture. What is more important? Letting everyone know you support the village pariah or getting stronger?"

"A ninja's greatest tool is deception. Sasuke is too strong-willed to fake being tainted by demonic influence. You are not. You've always been kind to everyone. It'd be so easy for you to act like he had brainwashed you in some manner." Even though his plan was tight, he still felt for the girl.

"W-what…do I have to do?"

"Renounce Naruto. Hate him. Hate Sasuke. This village is going down in flames faster than anyone could have predicted. Above all else, you must get stronger."

"I'll miss you Hinata."

"You too, Sasuke."

Kakashi looked at the pair. "Now, here's how we do things..."

Hyuga Hiashi was taking a leisurely stroll with his personal guard surrounding him. He took in the cherry blossoms and beautiful gardens around the affluent properties, and wrinkled his nose at the slums where that boy had been born.

Seeing Kyubi had awoke something dormant in him. Fear. Fear that his clan was not the most powerful, nor would it with Hinata becoming heir. His mind plotted a dozen schemes, but he would not result to simple murder. The Hyuga were too good for that. As he thought of one last scheme, he rounded the corner towards the Uchiha compound.

There he was to witness something that made him love his eldest daughter more than he ever had.

The moment he turned the corner, he witnessed the last Uchiha being propelled through the walls of his own estate. Hiashi was even more surprised to see his daughter step out of the rubble, stalking the Uchiha like a predator would.

'Remember, you have to fight as if you were the most bitter of enemies. Whatever pain you cause each other will be useless if Hiashi catches wind.'

"WHERE IS HE," yelled the enraged girl. Her father looked on, awestruck by the pure hatred in his daughter's eyes.

Sasuke threw a dozen shuriken, all of which she dodged. In the midst of her graceful maneuvering, Sasuke planted a hard kick to the girl's ribs, breaking several and soaring her towards a wall.

Hinata flipped herself in mid-air, pushed her feet against the wall, and flung herself back at the boy, a jyuken strike at the ready. Sasuke leaned out of the way at the last minute and caught her chakra-glowing hand at the wrist.

He had intended to throw her far away, but Hinata used her momentum to spin around and deliver a vicious kick to the Uchiha's head. She twisted her body and freed her hand. Then with another twist she had inverted herself and struck several chakra points in the boy's legs, making them a lot heavier.

Part of Hinata wanted to beat Sasuke to prove she was better. She would have been more ashamed if she didn't know Sasuke felt the same way.

'I need to finish this quick. The longer this lasts, the more of a chance we'll fuck up.' Sasuke made a few seals and grabbed his left hand. "CHIDORI!"

The Hyuga guard looked in shock at their leader. The clan head simple held his hand up, prohibiting them from interfering.

Sasuke charged at Hinata. She could feel the crackling chakra just about touch her chest before she bent her body backwards. Sasuke's hand hit nothing, and his speed had him careening past.

Or would have, had Hinata not stuck him with an open palmed uppercut. The force of the attack, in true Gentle Fist fashion, did nothing to the outside of the boy.

Sasuke looked more or less fine, except that his eyes were vacant and he was falling to the ground, completely knocked out.

For good measure, Hinata gave him a spinning kick in the chest as he fell, breaking a good number of the boy's ribs. Sasuke fell limp against the gates of his own estate.

She grabbed the clearly defeated boy by the collar, bringing him up to his knees.

"WHERE IS THAT MONSTER?! HOW COULD YOU BOTH DO THIS?!" She slapped Sasuke. "WHERE IS HE?" Slap. "SPEAK!" Slap. "ANSWER ME OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

Hyuga Hiashi, oblivious to the truth, felt proud of the tears of rage in his daughter's eyes.

"Hinata," he said proudly, "he cannot hear you. He is unconscious."

She turned in mock surprise to her father. "Father? What are you doing here?"

Hiashi smiled. "I was out for a little walk, but I must say your fight was much more entertaining that my stroll. Here I had begun to think that you were weak, judging by your loss to the Haruno."

"I am NOT weak, Father," she said through gritted teeth. 'A little honest emotion can't hurt. He should recognize my power.'

"Clearly. What was the meaning of your outburst?"

She dropped to her knees, dropping Sasuke unceremoniously as well. She began to cry. "It was the most horrible thing. Once the demon fled the village, something happened. It was like a mist had been lifted from my mind."

"Continue."

"I thought it was all a dream and that I was still a genin awaiting to find who my team was. I woke up…and I realized that I was older…and I had in fact been partnered with the Uchiha and the demon."

'It cannot be,' thought the clan head. 'Could she have been influenced by that monster?'

"W-we trained together. Shared the s-same t-tent. Ate t-tog-" Hinata forced herself to wretch up her morning meal. "HE TRICKED ME," she bellowed between coughs.

Hinata stumbled over to her father and hugged him tightly, wailing into his clean robes. "Don't make me go back to that. Don't make me become a demon's partner…"

Hiashi patted her on the head with as much affection as the man was capable of. "No, my dear, if all goes well the monster will die in whatever hole he has hidden himself in."

"I…want to be stronger…to protect myself…to punish him for what he's done."

"It shall be so. Now come, let us return home and get you out of these soiled clothes and rid yourself of anything that may contain his influence."

Hinata nodded and followed, still crying and giving the occasional hiccup along the way.

The convoy had almost made it to the Hyuga gates, when an extremely pissed Kakashi showed up.

"What is the meaning of all this, Hyuga? My students fail to show up to training, and I find the one half-dead from jyuken strikes!"

Hiashi looked at him with an icy glare and a superior smirk. "Oh, you'd have to ask my daughter. She was the one who dealt such damage to your prodigy."

Hinata, who had just recognized Kakashi, boiled over in anger. "YOU! YOU DID NOTHING TO PROTECT ME FROM THAT BEAST!"

"What do you mean, Hinata? What beast?"

"Uzumaki…Naruto…" she mumbled, as if the very name would summon him.

Kakashi's one good eye widened. "Naruto? He's never done a thing to harm you."

"LIAR! HE PLAYED ME! WARPED MY MIND! I HATE HIM!"

"No," Kakshi said with sadness in every word, "Hinata…he loves you."

The girl clutched her head in agony. "LIES! WHY DO YOU TORMENT ME?!"

Hiashi stepped between the pair. "Hatake Kakashi, I advise you to leave now and refrain from upsetting my daughter any more than you have already. Consider yourself to have only one student from this moment on."

"Hinata…"

She simply turned away and walked into the compound.

'Success,' Kakashi thought.

2 Years Later

Genius was not the right word. Prodigy was close, but not quite there. Potentially the two strongest eventual clan heads in Konoha history? Yes, that was accurate enough.

Hinata had grown in the last two years, maturing into a 16 year-old with infinite grace and beauty. Her form made the men of the village stare lecherously at her. She had ample curves on her athletic body. She had perfect assests. Hinata became well-endowed, but her breasts were firm and stood pert on her body, not sagging like the heaves that adorned the Hokage. Her backside and hips had swelled, giving her the perfect figure, without a loose bit on her.

As per her routine, she walked down the road in a pure white robe that ended mid-thigh. The neck dipped down low, but not so much as to give more than a respectable show to the lusty men in the town.

Underneath, though no man had ever seen it, she wore skin-tight boyshorts and an equally tight tank top with a plunging V neckline. It was an outfit that showed off her body, but still had the regal grace of the Hyuga.

Her well-manicured hands were hidden beneath sleeves that were too long. The idea had been hers. Hiding her hands gave her opponents a lot less time to react.

Today, she made her way to the Hokage's office. She despised the place, even though she acted like she loved it. On the outside, she was the princess of the village. On the inside, she was the worst traitor since Orochimaru.

"A very good morning to you. Shizune, would you be so kind as to inform our noble Hokage-sama of my arrival. I have an appointment, and she will be expecting me."

Shizune nodded at the personification of elegance. "Certainly, Hyuga-sama." The woman notified the Hokage of the guest, and beckoned Hinata in as she quickly departed. The doors shut firmly behind them.

Hinata sat down in front of Tsunade. "What may I do for you today, Hokage-sama?"

"Please," Tsunade said beaming, "no need to be so formal. But before we begin, we must wait for my apprentice." As if on cue, Haruno Sakura walked in. A younger Hinata would have prickled in anger, but after two years of being a spy, she and the psycho had become as close of friends as Sakura and Ino had once been.

"Sorry I'm late, informing families that their loved ones have been killed is tedious work."

"It's quite alright Sakura," said Hinata. "If any of them gave you trouble, I can see to it that they realize who the proper influence in this village is."

Sakura's eyes twinkled with madness, like she was actually considering it. "No, that's fine. No need to result to such barbarics, yet." The pink girl sat down next to her best friend.

"I am here," Tsunade began slowly, "to inform you that in one weeks time, Subaku no Gaara and Uzumaki Naruto shall be returning to the village."

Hinata showed anger, but inside felt nothing but elation. "They are effective outside of the village, why not keep them there? I cannot promise the Hyuga will not pay him a visit and justify past wrongs."

Sakura gave her hand a small pat. "I agree. They are too dangerous to be alive, let alone anywhere near civilization. Are they returning for execution," Sakura asked hopefully.

The woman sighed. "Sadly no. You both know that they have been training with Jiraiya to deal with the terrorist threat of Akatsuki. They have already killed the member Sasori. And from Kakashi's report, they dealt significant damage to the member Deidara."

"With all due respect, Konoha is more than powerful enough to take care of these terrorists," Hinata said.

"True and false, I'm afraid. We have information on members Uchiha Itachi, Hoshigaki Kisame, Deidara, Hidan, and Kakuzu. We know nothing of member Tobi, aside from his orange spiral mask. The leader and the remaining unknown member we know absolutely nothing about."

"The ANBU are strong enough to deal with Hoshigaki, Hidan, and Kakuzu," said Sakura. "And that is not including the remaining forces of the village."

"Yes, but we very well cannot allow every able ninja to hunt for these people. It would leave us vulnerable," Hinata spoke.

"Correct, Hinata. Because Akatsuki hunts the nine demons of this world, and hopes to use their power, they will come in search of Gaara and Naruto eventually. We use them as bait as well as weapons to combat them."

"What does any of this have to do with their return," asked Sakura angrily.

Tsunade gave the girl an assuring smile. "With them here, and in a specialized location, we can better coordinate their usage."

"That would explain the new building next to the Uchiha and Hyuga compounds?"

"Yes, Hinata. The Hyuga will be able to keep an eye on them, and they can remain in close proximity to their one friend, the Uchiha."

"Is it smart to allow them easy access to Sasuke," Sakura asked, purring the boy's name.

"The closer they are together, the easier they are to watch. Now, I intend to have you and the Uchiha watch over the pair of them. Hinata, you must do your best to find out as much information as possible about them."

Hinata showed a very unladylike clench in her jaw. "I will not play friend to either of them, find someone else."

Tsunade was surprised at the girl's lack of manners, clearly she was upset. "I truly hate to ask this of you. Try to see the benefit."

'I get to see him again!' "He may still love me, therefore I am most likely for him to confide in." Tsunade nodded.

"But Sasuke will alert Naruto and Gaara to her true intentions!"

Tsunade only grinned. "Not if we threaten to execute his only two friends and his mentor. If he thinks you and Sasuke might die, he'll become tame."

"I am worried. I may not be a good enough actor, Hokage-sama."

"I trust you. Sakura, alert the Uchiha to this information. You are dismissed."

Sasuke had just finished with the days training. He was hot and sweaty, and the training area around him gave off a heavy feel of electricity He mentally made a note of his training.

'Taijutsu: Check. Weapons: Check. Ninjutsu: Check. Sharingan-based Genjutsu: Double check.'

A certain pink-haired menace appeared in a flurry of leaves. Still in a post-training high, he spewed three dragons of fire from his mouth. The beasts were on the intruder in a flash, igniting the sand in the area so hot that pieces of it turned to sparkling glass.

"Very good, Sasuke, but you should-AAAAAH!!" Sakura had been impaled by a chakra blade that cackled with electricity, shocking the girl so severely that she began to seize. Sasuke had recognized the intruder before she had appeared.

'That foul chakra could be sensed anywhere in this cursed village.' When he felt enough damage had been done, he released Sakura from the blade. She stood up quickly, with no apparent damage to her, despite the pained screams.

"I warned you about showing your face around me. Your mistake to do it while I'm training," the Uchiha said. Sasuke reached for the katana on his back, which was sheathed invertedly to allow for easier retrieval.

"Put it away, Sasuke. I'm not here for a fight." Sasuke activated his Sharingan, the sight of which made Sakura weak in the knees with desire.

"What is it you want? Speak quickly," he snarled, unsheathing his sword a bit.

"You are to become the chaperone of S-class threats Uzumaki Naruto and Subaku no Gaara. They will return in one week. You will meet them the day after to coordinate how to best monitor their affairs."

"Monitor?"

Sakura gave a wicked grin. "Make sure they stay out of trouble, and out of the people's way. It would be a shame for the village to cry out for their blood."

"How am I to watch two ninja, stupid bitch? Did the alpha bitch not thing of that," Sasuke shot back with a smirk.

"Hyuga Hinata will assist you. You know her power and her influence. You'd do well not to cross her."

'Idiots.' Regardless, a pang crossed his heart. Aside from a note, every couple of weeks, he and Hinata had only seen each other rarely in the streets or in meetings, and even then had to act with open hostility.

It worked. Everyone in the village knew to keep him far away from the Hyuga, and vice versa.

"Must I go talk to that princess now? Surely she's off flaunting her body like she always is."

"Yes. It's an order."

'Jackpot.'

"Is this location secure," said the Uchiha. There was no nonsense in his voice. He had several kunai up his sleeve for quick attack if needed.

"Absolutely," said Hinata.

"Show it to me," he ordered.

She countered with, "you as well."

Sasuke took off his right glove and showed off a simple, one-line spiral on middle knuckle. Hinata hiked up her robe, where her left hip displayed the same tattoo.

'Good, it's her. That tattoo would not appear to anyone without the Sharingan. As mine would not show up without the Byakugan.'

"It has been a while," Hinata said.

"Yes…it has.." He walked over to the girl and gave her a long-overdue hug. They held each other longer than was necessary or proper, but then again it had been 2 years.

"The village has truly gone to hell," the boy said. "Building still look the same as they did after the attack. Were does all the money go?"

Hinata looked furious. "It gets distributed to the Hokage, the Haruno, and the council members. Whatever is left is given to the ninja who performed the missions. We charge almost triple what we used to, but we get paid exactly the same."

"Kakashi said the Sandaime used to use the excess money on public works and bettering Konoha. I can't believe it has only been 2 years."

"Yes, 2 years since the sun has truly shone on our home." Hinata suddenly broke form and looked apologetic. "I'm sorry to open old wounds, but I hope I wasn't too hard on you when we fought."

Sasuke smirked at her. "Oh, none whatsoever, it isn't like I spent another week in the hospital after your attack."

Hinata hugged him tight. "I am so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you but…it had to look real."

"It paid off. If the rumors hold true, we are the two strongest clan heads in Konoha history."

The heiress had a witty look about her. "A shame you are deemed a demon sympathizer, otherwise we probably would have been married."

He laughed. "Sorry but you aren't my type. I prefer mine a little rougher and a lot wilder."

"Oh, well when Naruto gets back I must get him to recount to you how wild and rough I can be. Once I am done with him, however."

"Don't make me shock you, wouldn't want to mess up that regal look of yours."

Hinata gave him a hard poke to the side, which made his opposite leg twitch. "Careful. I can be very good with my hands, Uchiha."

Sasuke rubbed to offending area and leg. "You better be. From what the Haruno says, our missions are going to soon revolve around Akatsuki tracking and engaging."

"I am well aware. Tsunade hopes that you, Gaara, and Naruto will perish while I make my escape. I even have permission to kill at will."

Sasuke leaned against the wall of the tiny room. "Tell me everything about your style."

Hinata knew the meaning of his words. "Using my natural flexibility, I amplify existing jyuken techniques. I am a short range fighter, most effective by countering and then moving in close."

Sasuke felt his punch just barely touch Hinata's nose, before her head had moved out of the way. Rapid strikes ran up his right arm before he could move it. His arm was now useless.

"I will assume you were testing the validity of my claim," said Hinata with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"And I failed miserably. I should have had my Sharingan going."

"Fair enough. Now tell me about you."

"Long range. I use Raiton to attack swiftly and without notice, and Katon to deal out heavy damage. I'm excellent with ninjutsu in both of those genres. I favor this sword on my back, and channel lighting-based chakra to increase its sharpness and shock or paralyze what it touches. My Sharingan has as much power as to be expected."

"That works in our favor. Gaara is most likely long range and Naruto…"

"…is Naruto. Either hack and slash or use Futon to obliterate everything," Sasuke finished for her. "That makes it two long range, both with power and agility. And two short range, one with power and agility."

"And one with some agility, and a ludicrous amount of power."

"We should wrap this up," Sasuke said. "We don't want more attention."

"Very true."

"Hey Hinata," asked Sasuke.

Hinata stared at him, "Yes?"

"Have you prepared yourself for the scenario in which Naruto does not feel for you like he did? We were very young, and it has been quite a long time."

Sasuke should have expected the slap, but he didn't.

"Do not say that to me! I have waited two years! Each and every day I have had to masquerade like some theatric and play a part I never wanted to! And do you know why? Because the man I love needs me to!"

"I understand that, but it is possible that, even though you have written each other as much as possible, it may have only been a crush. I don't want to see you upset, I just don't want you to have too high of hopes."

Hinata glared at him. "Leave my property now, before I decide to give my family the head they have wanted for so long."

He sighed. "Just keep it in mind."

So do you guys love it, hate it? I realized that the writings after the story tend to only be ideas of where the story may be going. I got yelled at for apparently spoiling my own story. Sorry, but not even I am that stupid.

Only one thing to write here. If you haven't got the hint, Konoha has become dysmal, dysfunctional, corrupt, totalitarian, and impoverished. Oh, and I hope you all don't mind our group becoming the designated Akatsuki finders. 2 demon vessels plus 2 strong heirs. Good, pain-dealing combo in my opinion.

Also, to the soul who PMed me about how they would like for any and all lemons to be based on my personal experiences. I say to you: I pray to God you are female. Otherwise I'm going to be very frightened.