Yikes its been so long since I updated this...
I apologise greatly but I wont trouble you with my adventures that have kept me occupied in the meantime, just know that they were epic tales of dolphin taming, unicorn wrestling and New-computer-a-finding.
Chances are all you readers have ditched this story with the thought it shall never be finished.
Anyhow, if anyone is still out there, enjoy this next chapter!

The trip back to Konoha was an awkward one indeed.
It probably would have been more bearable had Ino been able to stop crying and had Asuma actually believed that Kakashi hadnt been interfering with his students.
As it was, Shikamaru was forced to use his shadow jutsu on his bearded sensei to stop him beating Kakashi senseless.
He somehow doubted that Asuma would be able to cause much damage to the Copy Nin but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Choji hung back from the troublesome three while he piggybacked a sobbing Ino back to the village.
With a little more prompting than was probably necessary, the Kazekage had written them a letter stating that he had not in fact been abused and that he was safe in Sunagakure.
The letter had made Ino feel a little bit better but she had burst into hysterical sobs again when she realised that her reputation had no doubt been ruined and that if the false rumor of her and Kakashi and reached Wind Country, it had most definitely spread around Konoha.
Choji grimaced a little as he felt a wetness slide down the back of his neck and realised that Ino had probably cried all over his hair and that no doubt by the time they got back to Konoha, it would be one big wet, windswept mess of dreadlocks.
He sighed to himself.
Keeping Ino in a bright mood was probably more benefical to his health than anything right now.

"Hey Ino? When we get back to Konoha I'll take you out to that new sushi place, okay? My treat."

He heard Ino sniffle a little bit and felt her lift her head.
She wiped her cheeks dry of tears, and nodded in acceptance.

"Thanks Choji..."

The beefy boy grinned at her, before turning his attention forward where something seemed to be going on between Kakashi, Asuma and Shikamaru.

As it turned out, Shikamaru was running low on chakra and didnt possess the energy to make it back to The Village Hidden in the Leaves and control a very fiesty jounin.
He halfsmiled in apology to Kakashi before letting go of his shadow jutsu.
It didnt take Asuma more than a few seconds to realise he was free and as soon as he did, he reached into his kunai pouch and turned to aim for Kakashi.
The Copy Nin, in turn, pulled up his hitai-ate to reveal his sharingan.
Shikamaru grimaced and fell back to be in line with Choji and Ino.
It was probably safer back there.

Konan sighed happily to herself as she walked arm in arm with the Kazekage, Gaara.
She had initially been dreading having to go into Konoha to deal with an out of control Deidara and Hidan, but as fate was having it, she was enjoying herself far more than she thought she would.
Not only did she get to see Hidan and Deidara ordered around, but it seemed Gaara had taken a liking to her company and wasnt involving her in what he was dubbing Operation: Make fun of idiots.

Now that Gaara had been introduced to the undercover Akatsuki members and had been deemed untouchable, he was feeling very cocky and had immediately began to use his position as Kazekage to order them around.
'Them' being Deidara and Hidan.
He liked Konan, she could rest a bit.

"See that bit of rubbish over there? Pick it up and put it in the bin."

Hidan scowled at Gaara and Deidara pulled a face.
It wasnt a bit of rubbish so much as what appeared to be a dirty nappy. (diaper for you Americans)
Crossing his arms, Deidara shook his head.
Gaara grinned ferally and raised his voice so passersby could hear him.

"Are you refusing an order from the Kazekage?"

Hidan growled in annoyance as Deidara poked him, "You pick it up. I'd be able to taste it with the mouths on my palms..."
Turning to the blonde, Hidan ground out, "My slave for a week if I do this, you prick."
Deidara hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Anything was better than being able to taste whatever was in that disgusting little package.
While Hidan gagged and Deidara sighed in relief, somewhere else in the village, another Kage was getting news she did not enjoy.

"Tsunade-sama. I have reason to believe that there are imposters in the village."

The Hokage, who until this point in time had been drawling over an impossible pile of paperwork, glanced up with narrowed eyes.
Imposters? Surely no one could get past the genius gatekeepers that were Kotetsu and Izumo.
Nevertheless, anything was more interesting than paperwork and she nodded her head for the jounin to keep talking.

"Kakashi Hatake and Ino Yamanaka have been observed behaving oddly as of late and so, we looked into it a little bit. According to our sources, Kakashi Hatake, Ino Yamanaka, Asuma Sarutobi, Choji Akamichi and Shikamaru Naka all left the village on a mission to the Hidden Sand. Izumo and Kotetsu have said that they have not yet returned but somehow, Kakashi and Ino are still in the village.
Something just doesnt make sense here.
We have a report that Ino physically abused the Kazekage in Konoha, yet she should be in Sunagakure, as I imagine, should the Kazekage.
The imposters are most likely Akatsuki."

Tsunade furrowed her brows as she tried to make sense of the information being presented to her.
She had earlier in the day, recieved a hawk from the Kazekage detailing an unschedueled and unexpected visit.
It had not though, she had noted at the time, been stamped with the offical seal of the Kazekage.
Perhaps there were imposters in the village...
Tsunade stood from her chair and pointed her finger at the jounin before her.

"Send summons for the Kazekage Gaara, Kakashi Hatake and Ino Yamanaka to come here to me for a meeting... Oh... and you had better make sure Naruto and Sakura come as well."

The jounin nodded and exited the room, bounding down the hallway, out the door and into the outside air.
It didnt take him very long at all to locate the Kazekage.
Gaara was actually quite close.
In fact he was sailing across a pond, standing tall and proud... On the back of Ino Yamanaka.
The jounin frowned at this.
What the hell was the Kazekage doing effectively drowning someone while Kakashi and a red haired woman he had never seen before giggled on the bank.
Being in charge of a country sure had a strange effect on some people.
Jumping down to the bank of the pond, the jounin cleared his throat and called out to Gaara.

"Pardon me, Kazekage?"

Gaara turned to face the jounin and recognising him as an errand runner, used his sand to fly him from the back of Ino and over to the bank, leaving the blonde spluttering in the middle of the pond.
Once he was comfortable on land and had made sure that Deidara was still drowning, Gaara turned his attention towards the ninja before him.

"The Hokage Tsunade wishes to have a meeting with you, Kakashi Hatake, Ino Yamanaka, Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki. If you could please all make your way to the Hokages office while I find the others I would much appreciate it."

Gaara nodded his understanding and shooed the man away, a gesture the jounin did not seem to appreciate.
Once the messenger had wandered off to find Sakura and Naruto, Gaara lifted a finger to his chin and considered the meeting.
Realistically, he was the Kazekage and not an imposter, so if Tsunade had any doubts, he would be safe.
He could really care less for Deidara and Hidan, but considering Konan had actually henged as opposed to just dressing up, she would probably be safe from accusations.
Pleased with his deductions, Gaara informed the three imposters of what was going on.

"We are going to go and meet with Tsunade."

Hidan groaned.
He had been dreading meeting the Hokage, if only because rumors of her temper made him want to avoid her like the plague.
But oh well.
He was impersonating Kakashi Hatake after all.
He was bound to have to see the Hokage at some point.
Deidara, who was still trying to make his way to shore as he avoided coils of pondweed and evil duckies, hadnt yet heard the news and was possibly so tired from swimming (it really was a big pond) that he wouldnt care anyway.
And so, once Deidara made it to land, they all marched off happily to Tsunades office.

Back in Sunagakure

"What are you talking about? I don't care how long it takes! I want a giant statue of me built right in the centre of Sunagakure! I don't care if you think its illogical! Get it done!"

Sasori leaned back in his comfortable leather chair as three of his underlings left the office with a nasty case of the shakes.
Oh it was good to be king.
Not that he was a king, just a kazekage.
Well he wasn't that either but he was pretending to be.
A knock on the door sounded throughout the office and Sasori put on his most intimidating voice and called out, "You may enter!"
Four struggling sandnin entered the room trying to support a very heavy solid gold bust.
"Put it over there."
The four men nodded and groaned with exhaustion as they heaved the golden face of Sasori onto a specially crafted half pillar in the centre of the room.
Once they had accomplished their work and left the office, Sasori stood and walked over to the rooms newest treasure.
Since becoming Kazekage, Sasori had been very busy.
He had ordered a temple, giant statue and museum to be built in his honor as well as any practiced religion in the village to be tossed aside and replaced with Gaaraism.
He regretted having to use the real Kazekages name for his new religion but that was the price of becoming an imposter.
As Sasori admired the gold statue of his face and could hear cries of "Hurry let get the temple of Lord Gaara built!" he briefly wondered if he had gone mad with power.
But then again...
After slaving away in the Akatsuki for years, putting up with Orochimaru then Deidara as partners, he could probably use a little bit of R&R.
Even if it did mean he had to drag a whole village into the ground to do it.
It suddenly occurred to Sasori, and not for the first time, that all of his efforts would be for nothing if Gaara came back and declared him as an imposter.
That was something that was going to be difficult to explain to the authorities.
It would be so annoying to have gone to all this trouble creating a village just as he wanted it to be and then to have to leave it and join the smelly Akatsuki again.
Unless...
A metaphorical lightbulb flashed above his head as the evillest of evil grins adorned his face.
Ringing a little bell on his desk, Sasori stood back as two jounin entered the room, summoned by the little tinkly noise.
He had told them earlier that if he rang the bell and they did not enter the room, they would be executed.
Sasori had then proceeded to find the quietest bell he could.
But back to business.

"I want you to get me the fastest messenger hawk you can and have it sent to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. It has come to my attention that there is someone impersonating me and the Hokage must be made aware of it immediately!"

Next chapter will be up soon. I know how Im going to end this now.
Sasori has found a way to remain in power! mwahahaha
Leave your rate, reviews, complaints and excuses after the
beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep