Chapter Twenty One: Team Taka

Naruto grabbed the surprised Ino by her waist and pulled her towards him in order to give her a passionate kiss. Everyone still not sure what just happened just looked at Naruto who had trouble parting his lips from his lovers. Once they broke the kiss Ino had a satisfied look on her face. Seeing that Sakura slapped delicately Sasuke on the chest as if saying that he never did something like that for her. Sasuke feeling the impact looked at her asking completely clueless: 'What?'

Sakura turned away hiding her smile: 'Nothing.'

During that time the whiskered male let go his girlfriend and proceeded to walk towards Karin and Jugo. The two ninjas did not know what to do they felt uncomfortable and feared what was to come next. But both were to be surprised when Naruto tapped Jugo on the shoulder and spoke with a smile: 'Lets go pick up your friend.'

Jugo nodded not being able to let out a sound. As they both left to go to the crater Karim stared at Naruto. She did not understand how was he able to be so accepting. Just a while back he seemed angered by Suigetsu's actions to the point of his blood boiling and yet he is now ready to help his enemy. The redhead could not comprehend the size of the heart that Naruto has. She admired him before for his determination to bring Sasuke back even if he tried to kill him. The warmth and reassuring feeling that his chakra emitted made her feel at ease even if moments ago he was her enemy.

Down in the crater created by the battle Naruto took Suigetsu on his back while Jugo took care of the sword. Jugo offered to carry his team mate but Naruto rejected the offer: 'I am the one that caused this, so it is my duty.'

No one wanted to argue with that type of logic. They then decided to walk to Konoha. As they walked Karin looked very flustered as she looked at Sasuke and Sakura who were holding hands and walking in front of her. She finally broke the silence in hope of receiving a satisfying answer: 'Sasuke, why did you come? You weren't assigned to this mission were you?'

Sasuke chuckled and looked back for a second and then spoke: 'You are right this mission was not assigned to me. I came so that Naruto won't have to kill you. Knowing your group you guys would rather die than give up.'

Karin look dissatisfied with the answer she was hoping for something along the lines: I missed you, I came to see you. But there was nothing of the sort, she was happy that he came to save them but felt unpampered. Seeing this Naruto knew that changing the subject would be the right thing to do: 'Sakura-chan, Sasuke when were you planning on telling us about your relationship? It seems weird to tell enemies about it but not your best friends.'

Ino knowing what Naruto was doing wanted to put her head into her hands out of disappointment. Changing the subject was the right choice but something unrelated to their relationship would have been optimal. Luckily the fact that Sasuke informed Team Taka before the blondes made her proud. It looked as if she was announcing that there is more trust between them than the blondes. The platinum blonde noticing the redheads reaction felt annoyed and wanted to add fuel into the fire: 'Exactly Sakura why did you not tell me about this relationship?'

Her tone was strong and demanding as if unsatisfied with her friend. Sakura opened her mouth to speak but then Sasuke interrupted: 'We were not sure how to present you with the information. I mean we did not want to make it such a loud announcement as you two did.'

Ino looked at them with suspicion she knew that they were hiding something: 'I see...'

Sakura trying to ease the situation asked: 'How about we go on a double date? This way we will be able to compensate for this.'

Ino's eyes widened, she did not seem content with the idea. It was as if she feared something, but wasn't sure exactly what it was. Maybe it was that she still believed that Naruto had feelings for Sakura; or maybe that she still had feelings for Sasuke. The two blondes were in an affectionate relationship for less than a month and it seemed that there was no room for insecurities. Right now though, insecurities was what Ino felt. She did not know how either of them would react at the date and if it would end their relationship. Yamanaka felt a slight pain in her chest as if something was trying to enter her ribcage. It was at that moment that she understood why they kept their relationship secret from them. They could not possibly know how the two blondes would react. One could call this a love 'square' since it consisted of four people. Normally couples like these would try to keep their distance from each other, but that was not possible since they were best friends. Now understanding and feeling all this Ino looked behind worrying about her partner. Naruto seemed to think for a short while and then he gave out a cheerful grin: 'Sure. Sounds like it will be fun, a best friend reunion.'

At the end of the sentence he gave out a small laugh making Sasuke and Sakura feel at ease. Although one couple seemed satisfied the other looked to be torn between different opinions. Naruto was satisfied with the idea of a double date but Ino had other ideas. She felt disappointed that the whiskered male did not turn down the proposition. But at the same time she felt upset that she did not speak up on the matter before it was too late. The platinum blonde did not want the date, she felt like it would bring only disagreement between them. That one of them would do something to hurt the other and that this could end it. The uncertainty that she was just thrown into made her feel oppressed and put a heavy weight onto her heart. She did not want to lose someone close; someone she loved ever again.

After her fathers death she felt that if she were to lose Naruto who helped her unconsciously deal with the pain. When he was not present for the first few weeks after the war she used to compare her pain to Naruto's who had only seen his family for a short while and that after their death. It may seem wrong to do such a juxtaposition but it gave her strength to keep going. It is a human trait to feel at ease when knowing that someone else was or is in a worse situation than you. After Naruto awoke from his coma his positive thinking and acceptance of his friends gave her warmth she did not understand. It was the very friends that turned their back to him, but instead of wallowing in self pity he did everything turn his friends back to face him again. Naruto gave hope and reassurance without even trying but by simply not giving in and giving up. His determination and always striving forward personality made him her medicine. The therapy seemed to work ten times as well when they became an amorous couple. If the reason of her well being, love and now life were to be taken away by the next upcoming events she felt like she would not be able to survive.

Sasuke then spoke: 'I will be going on a two week mission in three days. So instead of rushing this how about we meet up after my mission?'

It seemed like the two girls of the relationship were out of the planning. But only Sakura was the one troubled by this the other felt uncomfortable about the actual outing. Naruto said pushing Suigetsu back up onto his back as he was slipping off: 'Sure. What day?'

As Sasuke was thinking, Sakura could not stop herself but chip in her own few words into the conversation: 'How about Saturday in two weeks?'

Naruto nodded and smiled as he looked at Ino who gave a small uncomfortable smile in return.

During their talk Suigetsu started to awaken. His amethyst eyes started to slightly open, with half open eyes he started to explore the surrounding. First thing he noticed was his sword on Jugo's back. He stared at it for a while to see if it was broken. To his surprise it was not affected by the battle or at least it seemed that way. After a while he noticed Karin walking next to Jugo and looking intensively forward where Sasuke walked holding hands with a pink haired girl. Suigetsu did not know her but he heard that in Sasuke's team in Konoha there was a male and female ninja. He quickly linked the two pieces of information and concluded that Sasuke went into a relationship with his teammate. He laughed internally thinking about the way Karin probably reacted to the news. It was only then as if it struck him that he was moving but not by his own will, it was rather someone was carrying him. He slightly looked up to see blonde hair of a male. It was only seconds that he realised that his very enemy who fought him and caused his state was carrying him. In shock he slightly slipped off of Naruto's back. When pulled back up he knew that in his state waking up to an enemies unknown intentions would mean death. And so he waited until he regained strength enough to stand up at least that is what he believed.

In one slick move Suigetsu jumped off of Naruto's back. He was hoping to land on his feet and be able to stand but he landed on his watery butt. Everyone turned around surprised by the swordsmans rapid movement. Naruto came up to him and reached his hand out to help him stand up: 'Come on. We should get to Konoha before nightfall.'

Suigetsu looked really confused it was only then he realised that he did not have any serious injuries. It was a surprise to him that he was kept alive but to be without any major injuries and taken care of by the enemy did not fit in his mind. He asked trying to make sure of Uzumaki's true intentions: 'Why did you not finish me off?'

Naruto smiled as he grabbed him by the arm not ready to wait for Suigetsu to reach out his hand: 'A victory is always a victory. The only difference can be the victors choice of how to be victorious.'

The waterboy had a very surprised look on his face as Naruto put his arm around his own shoulder. There has been a slight pause in talking as they started walking again. Then Karin asked as if it was bothering her for sometime: 'Naruto, why were you sent on a mission like this? Usually they would send lower rank ninja's against us.'

Naruto explained in a serious yet soothing voice: 'I came here to meet you. I heard you are from the Uzumaki clan just like me. So I just wanted to tell you that Konoha is your home as well as your companions.'

The three ex-Team Taka members looked slightly shocked by the news. This was not a mission to get rid of them but to accept them. Karin did not understand one thing though why would the Uzumaki clan be of concern to Naruto. She asked in a sceptic voice as if not expecting a real answer: 'What is the Uzumaki clan to you?'

Naruto laughed: 'Nothing until only recently. I did not even know of their existence and yet my name is Uzumaki Naruto. To hide that I was the Hokage's son they decided to give me my mothers last name. My mother was from the Uzumaki clan. As a matter of fact you have the same beautiful red hair just as her.'

Karin had a small blush over her cheeks after hearing the compliment. While Ino felt slightly jealous but did not want to show it as she knew just how important his mother was for Naruto. After a moment of silence Sasuke's curiosity took it tall: 'Jugo isn't it weird that you haven't had a fury attack yet?'

Jugo answered slightly monotonically: 'Orochimaru and Kabuto sealed away my uncontrollable killing addiction. Now I can fully use my cursed seal without losing control.'

Sasuke going more into the topic: 'Where is Orochimaru?'

Suigetsu spoke in his satisfied tone as if happy: 'He went with Kabuto to Kabuto's home so that he can visit his family again.'

Karin then added unsatisfied: 'He left us the dirty work to clean up the mess after him.'

Sasuke asked: 'What do you mean?'

Karin spoke in a cheery voice as if happy that Sasuke was talking to her: 'We are going from country to country in order to destroy any evidence of his work. He told us that in order to make sure that no one takes the same path as his we need to destroy all his research. Once we are done we are free.'

Sasuke and Naruto were happy to hear that Orochimaru and Kabuto both chose the right track.

As they walked to Konoha they continued to talk about how their lives changed after the war. They all came to the conclusion that the war was the trigger for a better life and peace.