Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

I know that this one took me a bit longer than normal… those who were waiting for an update… here's to you! Enjoy! – laydee kai

A Son's Path: the Last Namikaze

Chapter Twenty-Five: A Snake in the Grass

It had been four wonderful days since Yuri had stepped through the gates of Konoha. She had enjoyed her time here. She had delivered the wishes of her Mizukage to the Hokage and then was able to enjoy time with her boyfriend. She got to meet and connect with his friends. All in all, she had had a normal time, yet amazing time while she was there. But all good things must come to an end.

It was 8 o'clock in the morning and she sat in the Hokage's office along with Naruto and Jiraiya. She looked at Naruto and Jiraiya and noticed how they had changed. As they were walking to the tower to meet with Lady Tsunade, they were yawning and both were quite cranky. Neither enjoyed waking up early if they didn't have too. But as soon as they took their seats, they were all business.

"I trust that you enjoyed your stay here in the leaf Yuri. I know I enjoyed getting to know you. And as an ambassador to the Leaf, I look forward to the alliance and will be sending such documents to the Mizukage along with you."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. Thank you for your generosity. I really like the Leaf and her people." Yuri said with a smile.

"Now, since we are somewhat aware of what we have to do in dealing with Hebi, I suggest once you return home, you speak with Mizukage-sama and start thinking of ways to deal with the areas that you know best, namely Suigetsu. We will look further into Sasuke; however, it will be up to the both of us, Leaf and Mist, to further investigate the remaining members of Hebi. It is of the utmost importance that we keep each other up to snuff." Tsunade said.

"Hai, I agree Tsunade." Jiraiya said.

"Good, because it will be up to you and Naruto to escort Yuri home and then continue out from there and check on your contacts. We need to find out as much as we can as fast as we can. I have a bad feeling about this. We need to be ahead of the game."

"Hai." The three said in unison.

"Good. Naruto… Jiraiya… keep a low profile. You know the drill. Report back as soon as you know something."

The two said ninja nodded in agreement. They knew what they had to do and they knew how to do it. The two had become extremely talented at not being found if they didn't want too.

"Dismissed."

The three stood. Yuri bowed, where as Naruto and Jiraiya just waved.

"We'll be in touch baa-chan."

She sighed and waved back. She was worried about the upcoming events. She just knew that this wouldn't end without bloodshed. As much as she wished that it would, she knew better. She just prayed to Kami that they would be okay when this was all said and done with.

- - xXxXx - -

Naruto, Yuri and Jiraiya made their way back to the compound. They needed to pack their things and be on their way as soon as they could. Naruto and Yuri made their way to his bedroom in order to pack. Yuri sat on the bed for a moment and sighed.

"Yuri-chan, are you okay?" he asked.

"Well, yes and no. I know as a ninja… that we shouldn't expect life to be normal because for us, it's not. We live the way we do so others won't have too."

"I know that. But it's okay to want and try to have a little bit of normalcy in our lives. I mean we are human." He replied.

"it's just that…" she sighed. "I am going to miss being here and being with you. I am going to miss being able to just… live. I know what the future holds… and it's not going to be like this. It's going to be rough taking out Hebi…" she stopped.

Naruto stopped packing and sat next to her. He grabbed her hand and held it tight.

"Yuri… you will always be welcomed here. And no matter what the future holds, I will be there to help you get through it." He smiled at her. "We'll do it together. Okay?"

She gave a small nod. She took a deep breathe and then exhaled.

"Ugh! I can't believe that I am acting like this!"

"Acting like what?" he asked.

"Showing my emotions so easily… I am a ninja."

"And a damn fine one at that…" he said.

"Thank you… but that's not what I mean. I have shut my emotions off for so long… I guess I thought that they just went away for good. I am just readjusting to having them again." She looked at him and smiled. "Now, enough of that… we have to pack."

In no time they were all packed and ready to go. The three set out on their way back to Kiri.

- - xXxXx - -

it had been about a day since the three had walked out of the gates of Konoha. All though they were not traveling at their top speed, they were making good time. In another day or two they should be nearing the water. Naruto was being quiet for most of the trip. He was lost in thought about the mission that he and Jiraiya had been given.

He knew that it would be hard to handle Hebi. But at the moment, what troubled him the most were the two unknowns, Karen and Jugo. No one really had any idea what they were capable of doing, and that could be very dangerous. Even though he was deep in thought, he senses were still sharp.

He could pick up four very faint chakra signatures. There was one in the group that he would know anywhere. And it reeked of snake.

"Nice weather eh Daifu?" he asked, hoping that Jiraiya would pick up on the signal that they had come up with years ago.

"it sure is… nice for traveling." He replied.

"Yeah… if it weren't for the shadows it would be warmer." He said.

"Warmer? How much warmer do you want it, brat? I think it's hot."

"Eh, I don't know. Maybe four degrees…"

Yuri didn't say anything. If anyone knew Naruto, they would think that it was just talk, but she knew the man he was now. She never knew what their code had been, but she was aware that they did have one. And being as sharp as she was, when they just randomly started speaking of the weather, she just assumed that something was up. She quickly thought to herself. 'Four? Shadows? Is there someone following us? Four… four… could it be Hebi?' Then, she sensed it. She could feel Suigetsu.

"Naru-kun, I am disappointed in you, even with the shadows, this is not nearly as cold as the mist. I thought that you could hack it by now." she said.

Naruto raised an eyebrow and looked at her. 'I have underestimated her again. She is sharp. I wonder how she picked up on what we were talking about.' He looked at Jiraiya and he was just as baffled as Naruto was that she picked up on what they were talking about.

With Yuri's input, that confirmed everything. They were indeed being shadowed, and he knew that one was diffidently Sasuke and now he was fairly confident that one of the others was Suigetsu thanks to Yuri. Naruto focused hard on the other two. He knew that those must be Karin and Jugo, so he wanted to make sure that he could recognize them again if he had too. Naruto caught the eye of Jiraiya and he nodded, then he looked at Yuri who nodded as well. She quickly flew through some hands signs. Soon they were covered in a mist.

A low, cold laughter could be heard from somewhere in the mist.

"We know you are there. You might as well come out." Yuri said.

"Oh, but Yuri-chan… how are we ever to see through such mist?" Suigetsu said, every word dripping with spite and sarcasm. "Or have you forgotten, I can see you?"

"You must be Suigetsu?" Naruto asked out loud.

"And what of it?" he spat.

"Then you are a member of Team Hebi. And you sound way too cocky for your own good. I know that you aren't the only one who can see us… Isn't that correct Sasuke?"

"Ah, Naruto-kun, I am touched. You knew I was here." Sasuke said as he slid out into the open. He began to chuckle. The sound was worse than anything ever made by Orochimaru. "you are correct though, I can see you, all of you. So why not have your little girlfriend drop the mist. Unlike my all to eager companion, I am not here to fight…yet."

"Naru-kun?" Yuri asked.

"Go ahead Yuri-chan, you can drop it. If he wanted to fight he would have attacked us a long time ago."

The mist began to fade to reveal the people who stood in it. Even though there were seven people present, only five stood out in the open. Sasuke was near Naruto and Suigetsu was standing toe-to-toe with Yuri, both eyeing the other, waiting for a move to be made. His had was on the hilt of the massive sword that was strapped to his back and hers was on her short sword, ready to slit his throat if need be. Naruto nervously kept and eye on them.

"What are you going to do with that toothpick of a sword? Poke me?" Suigetsu asked.

"Give me a chance and I will show you what I will do with it. You forget who you are talking too…"

"And who is that? A scared little girl who needs her boyfriend and a decrepit, has-been ninja to bring her home…safely?"

"No, asshole…the real Second coming of Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Mist and the true master of the kubikiri houcho." She said dangerously.

"Is that so?" he asked. "if that is true… then why is it that I have it and you don't?"

"You know why, you stole if from his grave. You had to take it from him once he was dead because you knew that you weren't man enough to take it from him when he was alive. Haku would have killed you before you even got close… and you know why that is?" she spat back. "Because you never were good enough. And you know it. Do you still cry because he picked a girl over you?"

Naruto kept watching the display between the two. It was a fight waiting to happen. They were both baiting each other, wanting the other to make the first move. If it kept up, then Suigetsu would end up trying to strike first. Yuri seemed to be hitting a large nerve with the missing-nin. Sasuke's ever observant eyes stayed glued to Naruto.

"Ooo… so I was right… she is your girlfriend? Finally given up on Sakura I see. I guess she could never get over me enough to like you."

"I gave up on her love along time ago… and now I think there is a part of her that hates you more than me. You know the say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorn. Just wait to you run into her again." Naruto replied calmly.

"That little whelp couldn't hurt a fly… so what is she going to do to me? Fall at my feet and want me to love her? Please… she is and has always been weak."

"Just wait…" he looked around. "Sasuke… why don't you have your other little pawns come out of hiding. I know they are there… watching."

"Jugo… Karin… come say hello." He said. "It is rude not to show yourselves when we have been careless enough to get caught."

From out of the bushes walked a rather huge man and a rather petit woman. The man came out just enough to be seen and was closer to Suigetsu, who looked at him in an annoyed manner. The woman sauntered over to where Sasuke was and draped herself over his shoulders.

"Sasuke-kun… why are we talking to these people? I thought you wanted to kill them?"

"You thought wrong. Naruto here is one of my oldest and dearest friends… I have no need to kill those who pose no threat to me."

"Sasuke-kun? I see… so she is your girlfriend. I must say… you should have stuck with Sakura… Karin here is… well… you know what I mean."

"How dare you! You insult me… you will pay!" she screamed. "You're not going to let him talk to me like that are you Sasuke-kun?"

"He can talk to you however he wants…" he didn't even look at her. He was interrupted by Suigetsu and Jugo fighting.

"We aren't here to fight Suigetsu… you need to back down."

"You don't own me… you aren't the boss! You can't tell me what to do!" he yelled back at Jugo.

Sasuke glared at the two.

"He may not be the boss… but I am. And you will stand down. I don't care what you have against the girl… you will get your chance, but now is not the time."

"Then when is the time?" he shot back.

"Please ignore the outbursts from him, he clearly doesn't know when he is out classed. But he brings up a good point… the time. Since you are such a good friend… I won't say when, that would take all the fun out of it… but in the next two years or so… the time will come." He said to Naruto.

"What do you mean? What will come?"

"War… war will come to Konoha. I shall bring down the Village hidden in the Leaves as proof."

"Proof?"

"Yes… that my old master was weak… and I… I am not. I will do what he could not do… I will destroy the Leaf. You have time to prepare… and wait…" he looked at the people around him. "Suigetsu… Jugo… Karin… let us go. We have things to prepare. Make each day count Naruto… you don't know when I will come."

And with that, the four quickly vanished from sight. Naruto turned to Jiraiya.

"If he has things to prepare… then we have some time. We have to be ready for this war when it knocks on our door." Jiraiya said.

"I couldn't agree more."

-End-