(Welcome back guys to the next chapter. Hope you're ready.)
Naruto was running through a cave close to the border of the Land of Fire thinking, 'Sasuke hang in there. I'm coming.' He thought while flashing back to when they headed off to retrieve him.
Hours ago at the entrance of Konoha, Naruto, Shikamaru, Chouji, Neji, Kiba, Akamaru, and the turtles stood as Naruto began, "Listen up guys."
Shikamaru took it, "As you know our mission is to bring Sasuke back to the village."
"According to Kin there are four of them, and they each specialize in their own field of combat." Leo added.
"They have a big guy who deals in Taijutsu and knows Earth style techniques." Donny started explaining, "Another one has six arms and fights like a spider using webs made from chakra, and is a long ranged fighter. Another one who looks two headed deals in fusion being two people in one body, they could destroy you from the inside out by fusing with your body. And their final member is a red haired girl who specializes in Genjutsu by use of a flute."
"Why's Orochimaru after Sasuke anyway?" Kiba asked.
"According to the Hokage and Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru intends on transferring his soul and mind into Sasuke's body to acquire the Sharingan." Shikamaru explained.
"And with the Sharingan, he will be able to learn just about any jutsu there is." Neji caught on.
"Exactly," Naruto answered, "Originally he hoped to tempt Sasuke with the curse mark he left on him during the Chunin Exams, but seeing that Sasuke refused it, he sent those four to collect him personally."
"So what can we do?" Chouji asked.
"As long as we get rescue Sasuke and keep him from being brought to Orochimaru then he'll never acquire the Sharingan." Shikamaru answered.
"Well then let's go!" Kiba called.
"Wait!"
They turned to see Sakura, Himeko, Kin, and Splinter looking worried, "Naruto, guys," Sakura began which got his attention, "Please bring Sasuke back." She pleaded.
"That's all we ask." Himeko added.
"Don't you worry girls, we'll bring him home." Naruto promised.
"Arigato." Sakura thanked him.
"And make sure you all come back safely to." Himeko added and they all nodded.
"You know we will." Raph smirked.
"Go with care my sons, and return with safety." Splinter instructed.
"We won't let you down father." Naruto replied.
"Guys let's move!" Shikamaru orders as he and Naruto led their three teammates and head out.
Back to the present time, Naruto was nearing the end of the cave "If Lee didn't come by to take care of that Kaguya ninja I wouldn't be this close to stopping Sasuke." He added.
Upon exiting the tunnel he found himself at the Valley of the End where the statues of Konoha's two founders stood on opposite ends. He looked ahead seeing Sasuke with his back turned, and Naruto jumped over to where he was standing, "Sasuke!"
Sasuke turned around revealing the curse mark tattoos covered the side of his face like before, "Hey Naruto what kept you?"
"This isn't funny Sasuke, let's go home now!" Naruto ordered him.
"Sorry Naruto, but I'm not coming back." Sasuke replied.
Naruto grabbed Sasuke by the collar, "And why do you say that?"
"Because I have a destiny to follow!" Sasuke replied as he punched Naruto in the face, causing him to let Sasuke go, and the Uchiha flipped backwards to gain distance between him and Naruto. The markings on his face returned to the seal as he continued, "At first I was against it, but now I realized the truth. Orochimaru has the power I need to beat Itachi."
"What happened to wanting to beat Itachi with Himeko?" Naruto asked.
"She can find her own way of beating him. I got my own way now." Sasuke replied.
"What has gotten into you? You're not talking like the Sasuke I knew!" Naruto shouted.
"That's because the Sasuke you knew is gone." Sasuke replied.
"So you're just severing all bonds you've ever had with me, with the guys, with Himeko?" Naruto shouted in outrage.
"No, I still hold those memories close to me, believe me there are memories I'll never let go." Sasuke replied as he flashbacked.
(Flashback)
A younger Sasuke and younger Itachi were with their parents, Himeko, and her own parents. Sasuke was standing before Himeko who looked ready to say something,
"Sas-Sasuke." Himeko said.
"She said my name!" Sasuke gasped in joy while Itachi and the adults smiled.
"Himeko," Himeko started again, "Himeko love Sasuke."
Itachi smiled, "How about that Sasuke?"
Himeko then looked at Sasuke questionably, "Sasuke love Himeko?"
Everyone looked at Sasuke, until he smiled and replied, "Sasuke love Himeko."
"Sasuke love Himeko!" Himeko cheered happily.
Soon Sasuke flashed back to the times when Itachi would occasionally go out of his ninja duties just to have fun with Sasuke and Himeko, "Nii-sama is the greatest." Himeko cheered.
"That's for sure." Sasuke agreed to that.
"You two give me too much credit." Itachi chuckled.
"You hear the way mother and father talk about you big brother, you're perfect." Sasuke said.
"Nobody is perfect, Sasuke. I want you and Himeko to remember that while I may be strong, I am far from perfection as is anybody." Itachi explained.
"We'll remember won't we Himeko?" Sasuke asked Himeko.
"Hai Nii-kun, always." Himeko agreed.
Itachi smiled as he pat his brother and cousin on their heads, "That's the spirit, now how about some ice cream?"
"Yay!" the two cheered.
But when he had a flashback about his brother murdering their family's right before them, he swore he and Himeko would get stronger so that one day they could defeat him together. But when they faced him a few weeks ago, Sasuke had doubts about his training in Konoha but stuck around not wanting to be tempted.
(End Flashback)
"So you see Naruto, I'll always hold the good times, just not in Konoha." Sasuke replied turning to leave.
Naruto quickly dashed toward Sasuke delivering a spin kick to Sasuke sending him crashing into the hand part of the statue, "You talk like you still care but you're running away from the village! Don't you realize even if you still hold onto those memories you're still going to be declared a nuke-nin. You can never come back even if you do finish Itachi." Naruto called.
"It's a chance I have to take, now out of my way!" Sasuke ordered.
"Sorry pal, but you're coming home with me!" Naruto called as he drew his swords.
"We'll see about that!" Sasuke smirked, while drawing two kunai. The two charged and went head to head and toe to toe using their double weapons to try and outmatch each other, "You're no surprise to me, Naruto. I know your every move." Sasuke smirked as his Sharingan was activated.
"Then you should see this coming!" Naruto called as he maneuvered around Sasuke, and tackled him off the statue, with them plummeting into the water below the statues. They surfaced and use their chakra to walk on the water, "Ok Sasuke if that's how you wanted, so be it!" Naruto calls as he re-sheathed his katanas and pulled out his nunchucks and continued to go at it with Sasuke, who fought back without a second thought.
"Why're you so bent on bringing me back Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
"Because you're my friend Sasuke, and I made a promise to Himeko and Sakura that I would bring you back!" Naruto shouted as he gained some distance putting his nunchucks back and drew his Sais and continued to fight against Sasuke who noticed Naruto wasn't fighting as hard as he is capable of.
"I know you're stronger than this Naruto, why're you holding back?" Sasuke asked in confusion and disappointment.
"Because I told you I'm bring you back to Konoha in one piece!" Naruto called.
"Then I'll have to make you fight the way I want you to!" Sasuke called as he started launching his fire Jutsu for Naruto.
Naruto summoned a Kage Bunshin who grabbed him and threw him out of the way thus taking the blow dispelling. Naruto summoned more Kage Bunshin which started taking Sasuke head on. As Sasuke struggled to fight he was slowly losing chakra and the cursed seal on his neck started activating covering the side of his face with its marking patterns. Sasuke started fighting back forcing Naruto to use his chakra up and he started using the Kyubi chakra as he glows with its aura, "It's on Naruto!" Sasuke called as the two charged at each other throwing everything they had until they forced each other back, but remained on their feet.
"Good form Sasuke, but I'm just getting started." Naruto warned him.
"So am I, Naruto. So am I," Sasuke answered as his Sharingan reached the third tomoe. Naruto knew he'd have to continue going all out, so he summoned multiple Kage Bunshins that started attacking Sasuke head on. Sasuke with his Sharingan was predicting their movements and retaliated with his own combat abilities. After getting past all the clones, Sasuke delivered a powerful punch to Naruto knocking him onto the water, "I expected more form you Naruto, but I guess I was wrong." He was about to walk away until he heard Naruto's voice sounding deep.
"You were wrong all right!" Sasuke looked back seeing Naruto getting back on his feet while the Kyubi chakra once again surrounded him appearing like a fox shaped cloak of chakra, "You were wrong about me thinking that's all I had, but I still got more left for you!"
Naruto suddenly took off like a speeding bullet while Sasuke tried using his fire jutsu on him, but Naruto was too fats and started knocking at Sasuke right from left, like how he did to Neji. When Naruto threw Sasuke into a wall of the valley he saw his comrade emerge from the wall looking completely different. Sasuke's body turned gray with his nails lengthened, his hair turned longer and bluish, and sticking out form his back were a pair of wings that looked like hands, 'Himeko definitely wouldn't want to see this side of Sasuke for sure.' He thought.
"Let's end this, Naruto!" Sasuke called as he summoned a Chidori that turned black due to the influence of his curse mark.
"Fine by me!" Naruto called as he used his Kyubi chakra to form a Rasengan in his palm.
The two charged at each other launching their jutsu together, resulting in a huge explosion. Deep in the subconscious of Sasuke, he floated on his back in midair, 'Look at me I'm fading away into the darkness.'
"That's right, embrace your true rage." A dark voice said which was coming from a figure who was Sasuke in his second level cursed seal mode who was standing before Sasuke.
'I guess this is it for me.' Sasuke thought in depression.
"It's not over Sasuke, it never will be!" Naruto's voice called.
Sasuke's eyes shot open as he saw Naruto, Himeko, Sakura, Kin, the turtles, Splinter, and Kakashi standing before him, "We're your friends Sasuke, you don't have to be afraid." Sakura said.
"We're always there for you Nii-kun." Himeko added.
"You can't get rid of us that easily." Raph smirked.
"But we can only help you if you choose to fight your own darkness. You cannot let it take you." Splinter explained.
"I can't…" Sasuke said as his face firmed up as he spun around making it to his feet, "And I won't!"
"Why're you choosing to side with them? You go back and you'll be nothing more than a weak pathetic loser!" Demon Sasuke called.
"I am not a weak pathetic loser, I am Sasuke Uchiha; a Konoha shinobi, and you're nothing but a monster created from the hatred in my heart!" Sasuke lectured, "And now I'm going conquer my hatred with my friends and family guiding me!" Sasuke called as he powered a Chidori in his palm which started illuminating the area of his subconscious.
"So you'll be willing to die, fine by me!" Demon Sasuke called as he powered his dark Chidori.
"In the words of my best friend and his brothers… IT'S NINJA TIME!" Sasuke called as he dashed toward his demon self, as Demon Sasuke did the same. They thrusted their Chidori's forward and when they collided, chakra surges were spread all around as the two ninja grappled using their free arms while they still tried overpowering each other's Jutsu.
"Just give it up! You'll never defeat Itachi the way you are now. Only Orochimaru can help you." Demon Sasuke ordered Sasuke.
Sasuke frowned, "You're wrong. Orochimaru can do nothing for me. I'm going to defeat Itachi my way!" he shouted, overpowering the Demon Sasuke who screamed as he was fading away. Sasuke screamed himself as the cursed mark on his neck as well as the seal Kakashi put on him to counter it vanished.
In Otogakure, Orochimaru who had already transferred into another body gasped. Kabuto turned toward him, "What is it my Lord?"
"Sasuke has broken free from my curse mark." Orochimaru gasped.
Back at the Valley, the whole place looked cracked. Lying on the ground by the lake were both Naruto and Sasuke who both returned to normal. Both of them slowly opened their eyes and turned their heads to look at each other, "Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
"Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
"Are we alive?" Sasuke asked.
"I think so." Naruto panted.
Sasuke smiled, "Good, because we don't die easy right?"
Naruto smiled seeing the old Sasuke back, "Yeah."
The two chuckled as they laid there not caring how much pain they were in. Suddenly Kakashi dropped in, "Naruto, Sasuke?"
"Kakashi-sensei?" the two ninja asked.
"Thank goodness you're both ok, how do you two feel?" Kakashi asked.
"Scratch here, bruise there, but nothing we can't handle." Naruto answered.
"That's for sure." Sasuke agreed.
Kakashi looks around the valley seeing so much destruction, "What've you two been doing?"
"Just a friendly spar." Sasuke joked and he and Naruto chuckled.
Kakashi looked around again, "This is your idea of friendly?"
"Yes." They reply.
Kakashi sighed, "Well come on I gotta get you two back to the village now that it's over." Kakashi summoned a single clone as the two each carried one of the boys.
"Arigato," Naruto panted, "Any word on Shikamaru and the guys?"
"Not yet, but we will once we get back to the village." Kakashi replied as he and his clone help Naruto who had fallen asleep from being so tired and Sasuke as well back to the village.
Sakura, Kin, Himeko, Kushina and Splinter were waiting for the word until Yugao appeared, "I bring news on the retrieval squad."
"And?" they all asked.
"They're at the hospital." Yugao explained.
"The hospital?" Sakura and Himeko gasped.
"Let's go!" Kushina ordered as they took off.
When they reached the hospital they found the Jonin squad leaders, and the clan heads of the boys families, "Where are my sons?" Splinter asked.
"Right here father." Leo said as they looked to see Leo's right arm in a cast with a sling, Mikey on crutches with his left leg in a cast, Donny had bandages wrapped around his torso, while Raph's shoulders were bandaged up.
"My sons," Splinter gasped as he rushed over, "Are you all right?"
"We're ok father, the only ones who're in real injury were Chouji and Neji, but Tsunade and Shizune are taking care of them." Leo explained.
"And Naruto and Sasuke?" Kushina asked.
"They're perfectly fine, come on we'll show them to you." Donny said as they moved slowly for the designated room.
When they entered the room, they found Naruto and Sasuke both in separate hospital beds back to back with bandages covering their torsos and were both hooked up to IV's,
"Naruto, Sasuke!" Sakura cried.
"Nii-kun!" Himeko cried.
"Hey girls, how's it going?" Naruto asked.
"Oh my baby!" Kushina cried as she hugged her son.
"Hey mom, I'm fine please don't crush me." Naruto groaned.
"Are you both ok?" Splinter asked.
"We're fine sensei just overused our chakra." Naruto replied.
"Tsunade-sama said we were both lucky to have survived, and good news is Orochimaru no longer has a hold on me." Sasuke smiled.
"You mean?" Sakura and Himeko gasped.
"Yup, I'm curse mark free." Sasuke answered.
"You actually manage to overpower the influence of Orochimaru's curse mark?" Kin gasped.
"All I had to do was conquer my own rage." Sasuke replied.
"Oh I'm so happy for you, Nii-kun!" Himeko cried as she hugged his side while Sakura hugged his other side.
Naruto smiled that Sakura and Himeko are happy again, until Hinata came in, "Naruto!" she cried and hugged him, "I heard what happened, are you ok?"
"Never better Hinata, I feel great." Naruto replied.
"Yeah you feel great we practically had our shells handed to us." Raph called.
"Tell me about your fights my sons." Splinter said.
"Well I stuck with Chouji fighting the Jirobo guy, boy you should have seen this guys strength and moves, I thought he was gonna crack my shell." Mikey explained.
"You think that was something I had to deal with spider boy Kidomaru alongside Neji. That guys webbing was practically unbreakable." Raph said.
"Well me and Kiba had to fight those brothers Sakon and Ukon, because they kept fusing with both of us we had to resort to injuring ourselves, until Kankuro showed up using his puppets to kill them both." Leo explained.
"I know what you mean my ears are still ringing from Tayuya's flute, and that genjutsu she put me through felt like torture," Donny added, "Me and Shikamaru are lucky Temari put an end to her."
"Well we all suffered in our own way guys." Naruto said.
"Yes, but the most important thing is that you all made it home safely." Splinter reminded them.
"Yeah, you're right," Naruto agreed, "And good news is I should be out of here in a few days with Kyubi healing me."
"Lucky you I could be here for a week at the most." Sasuke sighed.
"Well at least you two won't be on Shinobi duty for awhile." Sakura replied.
"Arigato!" Naruto and Sasuke cheered plopping their heads on their pillows.
"You know something we need from all of this?" Leo asked, "A trip back home."
"Back to New York?" Raph gasped.
"Why not? It's been a while since we left." Donny said liking the idea.
"Yeah I miss the action back home." Mikey agreed.
"A fine suggestion my sons, Naruto how would you like to come with us?" Splinter asked Naruto.
"Really sensei?" Naruto asked.
"It would be an honor to show you our old home." Splinter said.
"Can I come to?" Himeko asked.
"Of course Himeko, you are more than welcomed to come." Splinter nodded.
"I'll stay here and keep an eye on Sasuke, plus I've been doing a lot of thinking and I've decided I want to get some training from Tsunade-sama, so I can not only be a Bo-Staff kunoichi, but a medical ninja as well." Sakura added.
"A fine choice in the field of combat, Sakura. A medic and close range fighter." Splinter commended her choice.
"I'll hold down some of the missions for you guys." Kin offered.
"Arigato Kin, you're a real friend." Naruto thanked her.
"Don't mention it." Kin replied.
"We'll put in a call to Casey and April." Donny said to Naruto and Himeko.
"Until then you should rest." Splinter instructed him.
"Hai, father." Naruto said as he lied back along with Sasuke.
"Naruto," Sasuke asked and Naruto looked to his friend who was smiling, "Thanks for stopping me."
Naruto smiled, "No problem."
Meanwhile in Oto, Orochimaru had heard the details from what happened and looked furious, "How could Sasuke have broken free from my influence, how?"
"This truly is an unfortunate mishap." Kabuto admitted.
Orochimaru calmed down, "I may have lost Sasuke, but this is a minor setback. Now that he no longer bears hatred in his heart he is useless to me. Looks like I'll have to rely on the Ankoku girl after all. Though it's unfortunate I have already swapped bodies, and I cannot switch again for another few years."
"So then we'll just have to wait it out." Kabuto sighed.
"Yes, so they can enjoy what time they have, because Konoha hasn't heard the last of me." Orochimaru snickered.
(And that's the chapter. Now comes onto the real fun from here on out.)