Naruto finally returns to consciousness to find Iruka-nii and Kakashi-sensei bending over him. Holding his pounding head, Naruto sits up.
"What happened?" asks Kakashi-sensei. "Did that jutsu-"
"It wasn't the jutsu," says Naruto. "Ow, my head hurts, 'ttebayo."
"Then what was is?" asks Iruka-nii, shifting Sanma to his other shoulder.
"Well remember how my Dad sealed Kurama and himself into me?" says Naruto, taking a deep breath. "Well, when he did, he sealed half of Kurama's chakra and half of his own chakra into the belly of the Shinigami he summoned to make the seal super strong, and then he sealed the other half of his chakra and Kurama's chakra into me; and now someone's gone and opened up the shinigami and let my Dad and the other half of Kurama out, so their chakra returned to the halves of them sealed into me; and now the two halves of Kurama are locked in combat fighting for dominance and if the half that was in the shinigami wins, me and Kurama won't be best friends anymore, and I have a massive headache!"
"Why would someone want to release the Fourth Hokage from the shinigami?" asks Kakashi-sensei, seeming a bit confused.
Iruka-nii stands up. "We need to tell the village leaders about this," he says and turns to go. "Come with me."
Naruto scrambles to his feet and follows Iruka-nii while kakashi-sensei brings up the rear.
The doors of the meeting room swing open and Iruka, Kakashi and Naruto sweep in.
"What's up, you three?" asks Tsunade. "You better have a very good reason for barging in here!"
"We do," says Iruka. "I have reason to believe that Team Tsuki no Me is building their reanimated army."
"They are building a what now?" says A.
"An army of reanimated shinobi," says Iruka patiently.
"And how did you come to that conclusion?" demands Oonoki.
"Someone set the Fourth Hokage free form the belly of the Shinigami he was sealed inside," explains Iruka. "Only two people I know of are capable of doing that, and since I didn't do it, it must have been Orochimaru. The only reason Orochimaru would have to set the Fourth free is if he wanted to re-animate him. We know that Orochimaru is part of Team Tsuki no Me, and that they are preparing to wage war on us. If I was in their position, I would create a reanimated army to crush you, so I assume that is what they are doing. The fact that Orochimaru tried to re animate the Fourth Hokage is an indication that he is trying to re animate powerful shinobi to kill us all."
"Who is this guy?" demands A. "And who let him in this meeting with these crazy ideas?"
"He's my husband," says Mei.
"He's a pain in my butt," says Tsunade.
"He's my bro!" says Naruto.
"He's the Prank King," says Kakashi.
"HE'S THE WHAT?!" yells A.
"Dude, chill," says Iruka. "Look, we need to do something about this reanimated army, so what do you all say to putting together a task force to take them all out?"
"Who put you in charge?" asks the leader of the Hidden Grass.
"I put me in charge," says Iruka.
"Oh, go back to babysitting!" snaps the leader of the Hidden Grass. "You're good for nothing except throwing facts in people's faces!"
Iruka throws an encyclopedia at the Grass's leader. All 20 volumes. One at a time. "There," he says, dusting off his hands. "Does anyone else feel like having some facts thrown at them?"
"Nope."
"No."
"I'm good."
"No thank you."
"Good, then we can continue," Iruka smiles radiantly. "So, what do you say we make the task force up out of the Kages and any village leaders, along with the JUC and the Akatsuki. Oh, and anyone else who wants to help kick Team Tsuki no Me's butt?"
"Good idea," says Nagato. "Let's start looking for volunteers."
Mikoto Uchiha is checking her fingernails while Fugaku reads the newspaper. "What newspaper is that?" she asks, curiously.
"News From the Land of the Living," says Fugaku. "It says something about Team Tsuki no Me creating a reanimated army to destroy the shinobi nations or something."
"Cool, cool," says Mikoto, not really listening.
There is a pop and a flash of light, and suddenly they are in the land of the living. Fugaku carries on reading his paper, as it appears the chair he was sitting in while she sat perched on its arm came with them.
Orochimaru is staring at them with a look of confusion on his face. "Usually they come out of coffins," he mutters.
"Well, would you diddly-darn look at that," says Mikoto. "We've been re animated."
"Can't I read the paper in peace?" growls Fugaku, folding up his newspaper and tucking it into his shirt.
"You will now do my bidding," says Orochimaru.
Fugaku and Mikoto exchange glances and make identical hand signs.
"RE ANIMATION RELEASE!" they say, releasing the jutsu.
"What? How?" Orochimaru does not look happy.
"Hey, while we're here," says Fugaku, taking Mikoto's hand and strolling away. "Why don't we go see how our kids are doing?"
"That seems like a great plan," agrees Mikoto. "To the Leaf Village!"
Omake
Look I Finished It!
Wow, 80 reviews already. Thanks everyone!
Sasuke is sitting under a tree reading a scroll on which herbs go best in soup, when he hears the sound of purring. Curious, he looks up into the tree above him. A small blue chakra cat with two tails is crouched in the branches above Sasuke, purring down at him while whipping its tails back and forth.
"Hello," says Sasuke. "I'm Sasuke. What's your name kitty?"
The kitty jumps down and climbs onto Sasuke's lap, upping the volume of its purring to a phenomenal level. Sasuke strokes the kitty, who happily curls up in his lap and goes to sleep. Once he is sure the kitty is asleep, Sasuke goes back to his scroll.
A few minutes pass while Sasuke reads the rest of the scroll. The kitty stays on his lap. Just as Sasuke is reading an interesting paragraph about the best was to use rosemary, when a tall girl with a long blonde ponytail jumps down from the branches above him. "Hn," says Sasuke, meaning something along the lines of 'This better be important, I'm learning cooking techniques'.
The girl, who looks old enough to be cootie-free, grins and says, "Matatabi isn't being a bother, it he?"
"No," says Sasuke and continues reading.
The girl - on second thoughts she's probably the same age as Iruka sensei - stares at Sasuke like he has a second head or something. After a staring at Sasuke for a few seconds, the lady sits down beside Sasuke and leans over to see what he is reading. "I didn't know frying rosemary in oil before using it brings out the flavour!" she says in surprise.
"Neither did I," admits Sasuke.
"What's your name, kid?" asks the lady.
"Sasuke," he says. "Who are you?"
"I'm Yugito Nii," she says. "Nice to meet you."
Yugito Nii? Something about that name sounds familiar, thinks Sasuke. Then he remembers. "You're the two tails jinchuuriki!" he looks down at the kitty on his lap. "Then is this the two tails?"
"Yes," says Yugito, sounding a bit defensive.
"Shouldn't you be wearing a JUC uniform?" asks Sasuke.
"It hasn't arrived yet."
"Can I have your paw print? And Matatabi's pawprint?" asks Sasuke, being careful not to beg. Uchihas do NOT beg.
"What for?" Yugito demands, surprised.
"For my collection of cat pawprints," explains Sasuke. "Yours is the only one I haven't got."
Much later, Itachi is pounced on by an excited Sasuke. "Nii-san! Look, I finished it!"
"What did you finish?" asks Itachi, patiently. I gave up being your enemy for this?
"This!" Sasuke holds out the book, which is entitled 'Sasuke's Paw Encyclopedia'. "I got Yugito and Matatabi's paw prints!" he opens the book to the newest page which unfolds into the largest piece of paper Itachi has ever seen in a book. On the paper is a large pawprint with a human handprint beside it. The page is signed 'Matatabi and Yugito Nii'.
Itachi has to admit he'd mostly forgotten about the Paw Encyclopedia. He had figured Sasuke would have forgotten about it too. But here is Sasuke, holding up the completed book, a proud smile on his face.
"Good job," says Itachi, not sure what to do.
"So you're Itachi's little brother then?" says a female voice.
Itachi swings around to see Yugito crouched on the window-sill with Matatabi in miniature on her shoulder. "Hello Yugito, hello Matatabi," says Itachi evenly.
"You didn't tell me you have an adorable kid brother," grins Matatabi.
"Adorable?" said adorable kid brother whines, sounding and looking like he is going to cry. "But...but...I'm a ninja…"
Damn Sasuke's emotional instability, curses Itachi. Well, at least he is more likely to cry than try to kill you. That's an improvement, I guess.