Naruto was standing across from Tsunade after the three-day period had ended. "Tell me honestly gaki before you humiliate yourself, did you actually perfect the Rasengan?"

Naruto formed the spinning ball of chakra in his hand as he saw the busty blonde's jaw drop he slammed it into the nearby tree causing it to explode from the sheer force of the jutsu.

Jiraiya walked over to Tsunade, "He won the bet you know what you have to do."

Tsunade looked at the two men, "He already knew the Rasengan didn't he?"

Naruto broke down that was all he could take and he rolled on the ground laughing. "She fell for it pervy sage!"

Jiraiya put his hand on her shoulder, "He got me with it too don't worry."

"You really are the legendary sucker granny!" The laughing Naruto said as he was rolling on the ground.

"What did he just call me?" Tsunade said as she was held back by Jiraiya.

XXXX

It didn't take the group long to return to the Leaf village what they were not expecting however was the large welcoming party. Everyone lined the streets as they walked to the Hokage tower. "How did all these people already know I was coming?" Tsunade asked Jiraiya.

"One night when you all were sleeping I sent out a messenger toad ahead of us with the news." Jiraiya said as he waved to the people of the village.

XXXX

Naruto was searching the crowd for a couple people he had missed, the first ones he noticed were a smiling Rin and Obito holding her in his arms upright as they watched the entrance. Naruto was about to stop to say hi but Obito stopped him making him continue on with the Sanin. Next he saw his best friend smiling at Naruto's return and a pouting Hinata next to him. Naruto gave them both a wave as they continued walking.

XXXX

As Sasuke watched his best friend continue to walk past he felt an itch at the back of his mind tell him. "He doesn't need you anymore." And, "He makes you weaker." Followed by, "You lack hate." Sasuke tried to shake it off as just his imagination but it still was faintly there in the back of his mind.

XXXX

Naruto continued to look for one more person but as they reached the Hokage tower he was sad that he couldn't find Sakura. Jiraiya noticed the look, "Come on brat you're a hero I'm sure you could get any girl you want. I hear the Yamanaka girl is single.

Naruto pouted, "I just wanted to see Sakura."

Shizune noticed the pouting boy but continued; Tsunade needed to get settled in.

XXXX

After the long walk through the village Naruto made his way back home he had hoped to find Sakura but he had no luck. He didn't dare go to her house again especially after last time he never wanted to go there again. He opened the front door and saw that nobody was home yet so he went to the kitchen to make himself some instant ramen when he heard the door burst open.

XXXX

Sasuke was walking back from dropping Hinata off when he got the feeling he was being followed, he instead made his way to an apartment complex that had a large tree in the center, with all the clothes lines he would be able to use his Sharingan to see them giving him an edge.

He jumped up onto one of the roofs and instantly a man appeared. He had silver hair that was pulled into a pony tail and rounded glasses on his face. "Ah hello there Sasuke I've been wanting to meet you."

Sasuke noticed the Sound headband immediately. "Orochimaru must be getting pretty lax if he sends someone like you to do his dirty work."

The man smiled, "My name is Kabuto I'm very excited about getting to work with you in the future."

Sasuke looked Kabuto up and down. "Get lost. You aren't worth my time."

He was about to turn around to walk away but without warning the curse mark began to burn. Sasuke dropped to his knees clutching the skin where the mark was.

"Good it works. Lord Orochimaru told me how to trigger your curse mark remotely, you have a better chance of beating the Shinigami than you do myself." Kabuto walked closer to Sasuke and knelt down in front of him. "I think it's time you finally came where you belong Sasuke. I mean with us you'll finally have the power you need to kill Itachi."

Kabuto knew that Orochimaru was scared of Itachi and Sasuke did have the best chance at stopping him so just convincing the boy to kill Itachi would be simple once he was in Orochimaru's control.

Sasuke grit his teeth trying to fight the pain but he slowly felt himself being yanked away. He opened his eyes again and he wasn't in the Leaf anymore where he was now being a blank nothingness. He saw in front of him a man dressed just like him only this man had pale grey skin and a cross slash on his face.

"I can give you what you really want Sasuke, just give in." The man said. Without warning the scenery changed and Sasuke knew what it was, this was the night his family was killed.

He ran the path he had run in his nightmares more times than he could count but this time when he rounded the corner where he would always see Itachi killing Naruto what he saw was the grey man wielding the Chidori and stabbing it through Itachi with Naruto, Obito, Rin and Sakura all alive and watching.

Naruto bounded up first, "Great job Sasuke now we're all safe."

Rin hugged the pale man, "You've saved us all thank you Sasuke."

Obito put his hand on the fake Sasuke's shoulder, "I have never been prouder of you than I am right now."

"That's my boy." The words bore through Sasuke's mind as he saw his own father and mother approach him.

The imposter turned to the Sasuke that was watching, "This could be yours, you can protect all of them just give into the mark and they will all be safe."

XXXX

In the real world the curse mark grew across Sasuke's body going farther than it ever had before. Kabuto leered at the Uchiha as he breathed in pain.

Sasuke let out a scream of pain and started to run away he was going home. He couldn't think much beyond the fact that he was going home. He tried pushing the door open but that somehow translated to punching it open.

XXXX

The door splintered throughout the room. Naruto jumped at the loud noise, he looked to see what it was and he immediately felt his heart drop, Sasuke was standing there and the curse mark was clearly active and stronger than it ever had before.

"Naruto." Was all Sasuke's scrambled mind could get out.

Sasuke turned on his heel and bolted out the door, Naruto followed quickly behind but as he was chasing Sasuke he felt a small senbon pierce a point in his back preventing him from moving.

Kabuto walked toward Naruto, "Now, now boy we can't have you stopping Sasuke now can we?"

Without warning Naruto felt himself pass out.