Moving On
"Gaara!" Kankurro all but tackled his brother. Gaara smiled as he saw his brother and sister, as well as a group of Suna nins. "Damn it, I'm going to place tracking devices in all your clothes . . . or surgically implant one on you so we don't loose you again! Do you know how much of a pain it was to govern Suna while you were gone?!"
"Kankurro, show more respect!" Both Gaara and Kankurro rolled their eyes.
"Alright, who's up for chunin exams?" As Gaara setteled into a routine to discuss the chunin exams and selections, a part of him was still focused on the danger they represented. Especially to Naruto, if angry villagers began to spread lies.
"Tomorrow is gonna be interesting . . ." Sasuke leaned on the door frame to the kitchen, watching Sakura make dinner. And dimly wondering why she was wearing a nice red dress.
"Huh?" She glanced at him.
"Tomorrow, the chunin exams start." He took a seat at the table. "Where's Pakkun?"
"My room, sleeping. Apparently he feels safe there." After they'd finished the visit with Kakashi, Pakkun had latched onto Sakura. Begging to go with her. (He'd only caught the 'Train to summon dogs' part. He missed the 'might accept'.)
"How's summoning going?" She had accepted the contract, and had spent the week learning to summon.
"Good, I'll be working the forest of death, using the dogs to find the injured. I'm unoffically apointed to jounin for that." Sakura put ou his plate. "I'll see you later."
"Huh?" Sasuke blinked as she headed to the door. Someone knocked.
"Lee and I are going on a date . . . I told you this morning." She kissed him good bye on the cheek and headed out the door. On Lee's arm.
Suddenly, his appetite was gone.
Goddamnit!! I'm such a moron! Sasuke hid his face in his hands. Kami, why didn't you kill me for being such a blind idiot . . . Okay, nevermind that part, . . . I wonder if someone can die from self loathing?
At least you've acknowledged you have a problem-
Stupid therapist, why they made a kid go to that shrink is beyond me.
Naruto studied his two teammates. Hanabi was fidgeting, glancing around, and Sasuke was glaring at the wall. "Oy, teme, the wall's not gonna catch fire that way. What's eating you?"
"Sakura, date, Lee."
" . . . And you just developed feelings for her?" Naruto looked around as more chunnin hopefuls entered. "Sasuke, I'm saying this once, but you need to get your emotions undercontrol a bit better. Don't think about it, until we're out of the exams. And don't do anything drastic."
"You're giving me advice on relationships and how to act?"
"I jus know what not to do." Naruto turned his back on Sasuke, and to Hanabi. "Ready to beat these losers to the ground, Hana-chan?"
"You bet." Her voice trembled a bit.
"Hey, you can do this. Just don't give up."
"Listen up, I am Special jonin Ebisu-" Ebisu ignored the muffled snort of laughter from Naruto. Considering he was following after Ibiki, he knew it was to be expected, but still . . .
Sakura watched the three head to the forest of death. Judging from the luaghter, the first part had gone okay. And Hanabi was looking up at Naruto with adoring eyes- wait a second, Hanabi had a crush on Naruto?
"Kuso, that's gonna be an interesting love triangle."
"Hmm? Did you say something?" Kakashi looked up from his book, then at the three waiting for Anko to finish. Sasuke was glaring at a idiot dressed in green, not a lee/Gai clone, but pretty damn close enough. Naruto was boredly watching Anko, and Hanabi was staring up at Naruto. "Oh. That'll be interesting."
Hinata glared at her Sister from a good distance away. Don't even think about it!
"How are we going to make it through this?" Hanabi looked up at the two tall young men on her team.
" . . . Let's get moving, and stay together. Splitting up was a mistake, last time." Naruto glanced at Sasuke who just nodded.
"Which scroll do we need?"
"Earth." sasuke's eyes stayed at three Tomoe, he was studying the area. "Hanabi, use your eyes to look for one."
"Let's go." Naruto took the lead, being as he was the only one able to see the realworld and close up trees.
They didn't get very far before the attack came. Naruto dodged a kunai, flipping out of the way as Sasuke retailiated with a fireball. Naruto had a kunai in his hand, and blocked the sword that tried to slash him. Their opponents were Grass nins. Sasuke reached for his Shuriken, but had to dodge vines that tried to wrap around him. A wind jutsu ripped away the vines, and the two traded opponents. Hanabi glanced briefly between the two. Somehow, there was an entire conversation between the two that she kept missing.
"Hanabi!" She dodged an overlarge shuriken, the thing was as big as she was. Dodging a rain of Kunai, she tried to find where her attacker was, He has to be . . . There! A well thrown Kunai plunged right into the nin's stomach, making him collapse. She smelled burning flesh, and she heard an inhuman scream, turning, she saw Naruto pull away from his opponent, who was writhing on the ground. Sasuke stepped back from his as well, She could see one arm . . . the other had been burned away.
"Are they-"
"They'll live, if they get found. This place is called the forest of death for a reason." Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who'd spoken. His friend's eyes were dull, and his voice was heavy.
" . . ." Not for the first time, did Sasuke wonder what had happened to Naruto during the year. Sure, he'd been looking for them, but what had he done while looking? Naruto straightened, blue eyes going back to determined. Dobe . . . just drop the damn mask; we can see it's cracking. "Let's move, what's their scroll?"
" . . . Earth." Hanabi took it from the one she'd hit. "Should we help them?"
"We can't. We've got to get moving." Sasuke could see others approaching. They took off. " . . ." Naruto didn't argue. He normally hates leaving people hurt.
"We're resting here." Hanabi all but collapsed to the ground, Naruto caught her. "You're endurance needs work." They'd been running a day and a half. It wasn't a straight line, as they had to dodge traps and others, and they'd had to double back plenty of times.
" . . ." Hanabi was asleep as soon as her head hit Naruto's Jacket, which he'd loaned her for a pillow.
"Not bad, for a gennin."
"We're still gennin, Teme." Naruto was sitting against a tree.
"You know what I meant, Dobe. Besides, we're both close to kage level at full power." Sasuke crossed his arms, leaning against a tree opposite from Naruto. " . . . Which reminds me- How many times did you kill while you were looking for us?"
"!" Naruto glanced up. Eyes both shocked and fearful. "Wha-"
"Your 'I'm an Idiot, pay attention to me' mask is fading. Shattering is a better word, actually." Sasuke studdied his friend. "Not to mention you've never been that good at hiding your emotions in your eyes. You look tired, like you . . ."
"Don't want to live?" Naruto's voice was soft, he was studying sasuke. "The entire village hated me . . . when they said I was to be executed, the people cheered. Kohonmaru and his friends were the only ones I saw cry for me . . . and the people that did save me wanted to use me. I spent a year with two dogs and toads as company, because I . . . wasn't even worth helping-"
"They wanted to help you though . . ."
"Some." The silence spread between them. Sasuke partially ignoring that the roles were now reversed, and he was the one trying to help someone who thought they didn't need it, or wouldn't trust it.
"Who did you kill?" Sasuke gave up on subtely.
"A bandit army . . . and some others . . . they would've wiped out the village I was staying in . . . I lost control of the fox."
"!" Sasuke hadn't heard any of that before . . . then again, he was still trying to understand Naruto being a jinchurriki to begin with.
"I don't think I really had contorl of him that entire year . . . Everyday I was struggling not to sink . . . He wanted out, and I just . . . well, I didn't have enough to keep him from swallowing me." Naruto glanced away.
" . . . How'd Akamaru get some of those scars?" Sasuke had heard Kiba yell at Naruto. Now, he had a very good idea what had happened.
" . . . He . . ."
Flashback
Howlll!! Akamaru lay flat against the ground, the pack leader he'd chosen to follow had wiped out most of the bandits, those he hadn't, he was dealing with right now. He knew something was wrong, even before Gamakichi and Pakkun started yelling at Naruto to wake up, blood was flying in the air- He had to stop this! Snarling he lunged and bit Naruto's arm, ignoring the deadly chakra. For a minute the two struggled,
Akamaru snapping Naruto's arm with his jaws, even as the chakra cut him. THen the red Chakra began to fade as Naruto stared into the dog's eyes.
"Akamaru . . . " The dog whined and passed out. It took a week for the dog to heal.
End Flashback
" . . ." Sasuke saw Naruto glance away. Whatever had happened, he obviously regretted it. "I'll take first shift." He ignored Naruto dropping the topic, but he was hunting down the information as soon as they were Chunin.
The next morning started with an attack, and Sasuke was in no mood to kid around. He was sore and stiff, and that was not to mention he wasn't a morning person. Naruto gently tapped him on the shoulder.
"If you're done creaming the poor saps, would you help with taking down the campsite?" Sasuke glared at him, then softened when he saw how wide-eyed Hanabi was. Glancing at the fire damage all around, and at three barely alive gennin, he winced. He had better control than that . . . "Nice, by the way. I think you just knocked out another team."
" . . . I want coffee." Naruto did a double take at the aparently still not completely awake Sasuke. Then tried not to laugh. "Shut it Dobe."
"Not a morning person, huh?" Naruto clapped him on the back. Sasuke glared at him.
" . . . and you are." For some weird reason. Sasuke ate an energy bar, and began to move.
It took another half a day to get to the tower. And they were the first ones there. Hanabi all but collapsed on the bed. While she hadn't been completely fighting (Naruto and Sasuke, though they didn't mean to, kinda pushed her out of the fighting. She was at a different skill level than them, a lower one.) Trying to keep up with the two when they were fighting was like trying to chase the wind. You just couldn't.
Bet Sakura could've.
Shikamaru watched as the last six remaing teams entered the arena. He'd wound up judging the matches. He was relieved when he saw Naruto's team still there, and in one piece. "Alright, listen up. -mendokusu." He looked like he didn't want to be there. And he didn't. He and Neji were still trying to talk to Gai and he could see the idiot in the spandex talking to Kakashi. Him and his genius capabilities, he couldn't think of a way to keep Gai immobile for five minutes. He gave the standard speech on what was up next and watched as three teams dropped out. Naruto and Sasuke where standing on either side of hanabi, and he dimly noted that the three teams that dropped out were warily looking at the three.
(I'm goint to skip the beginning battles, so I can get to the more important parts. All you need to know, is Naruto and Sasuke creamed their opponents. Though that would be pretty obvious. If I ever get a chance, maybe I'll come back and fix it.)
Hanabi glanced at her name, then at her opponent. The guy was a twig, skinnier than any normal human being. And he was shiny, as in, I haven't-taken-a-bath-since-kami-knows-when-and-am-now-so-greasey-I-shine sort of shiny.
"Begin!" Hanabi went on guard and had to dodge left and right to avoid the blows. When she struck back, her blow slipped off him.
What the hell?! Activating her eyes, she realized the guy had a chakra shield around his body. Okay, focus . . . There's got to be a weak point.
"Scared little one? Is that why you use your eyes so quick?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Or do you use your eyes to fight for you? That's foolish. Because all one has to do-" Hanabi yelped as a rock hit right above her right eye. "Is blind you." Blood spilled into her eye.
"Hanabi, you can do it, don't listen to him!"
"Don't you dare back down brat, remember what I taught you!" Anko's voice made Hanabi straighten and then, much to everyone's srurpise, she closed her eyes.
Don't have to see an opponent to hit, just trust my instincts. Hanabi dodged several more blows, before she struck out at the guy again. This go round, she aimed for a joint. She heard a satisfying crunch as she crushed the elbow with chakra. She couldn't stop the smirk.
"Anko, I think you corrupted Hanabi." Kakashi's voice was dry.
"Shut up."
Hanabi Dodged again, but suddenly, the guy swung and hit her in the stomach. Unable to breathe, Hanabi couldn't get enough power in her next swing before the guy brought his hand down.
"YAHH!!" The guy was waving his arm, a very angry Seth had his fangs stuck in the guy's skin. Hanabi had summoned him without thinking. Actually she had summoned several baby snakes. Each one not to happy with the fact their newest mistress was hurt.
"Ssssstupid." Seth let go and then slithered over to his mistress. Who picked him up and kissed him on his head.
"Good boy."
"Wanna Kisssssss, wanna Kisssss!" Hanabi gave her attention to the snakes, ignoring her opponent being taken away on a strecher. Which succeded in creeping out pretty much everyone else.
"Okay . . . next." The board blinked a bit, then settled on two names.
Uzumaki Naruto
VS.
Uchiha Sasuke
Sasuke and Naruto stared at their names, then at each other. Whoever was running the board hadn't paid attention to their earlier matches. Sakura ignored both of them and shifted her bag closer, it was trying to run off. It would be overkill no matter what they did.
"Well Teme, looks like we're up . . ."
" . . ." Sasuke just nodded, and the two hopped into the Ring.
"Begin. Try to keep the Stadium in one piece." Shikamaru wanted to kill the board operator.
Naruto charged at Sasuke, who dodged. It became a Taijutsu match. People were watching it closely.
"Oh, come on! They aren't even going all out!" Sakura muttered. Green Puppy poked his head out of the bag and yipped.
"Uh, Sakura, that's not going all out?" Ino stared at her friend. You could barely see the two, and every one had turned to Kakashi for a play by play.
"Kuso." Kiba lounged against Akamaru. "We might be here a while . . ."
"You have no idea- Oh good, Naruto actually hit Sasuke." Sasuke had hit the ground and gotten back up.
"Yosh!" Lee and Gai had started something about Flames of youth, again.
"Wake me up once they actually start going at it." Gaara watched as Tsunade pulled her hat over her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Jiraiya just shrugged, watching the fight.
"They aren't even trying to best each other-" Naruto was hit, but he got up even quicker than Sasuke.
"Their hostility levels have gone down quiet a bit. I imagine they're trying to think of a way to beat the system." Gaara absently leaned his head on his hand.
"Huh?" Temari and Kankurro glanced at him, but he'd returned to watching the fight.
"Hey, teme, wanna try a double knockout?" Sasuke flipped Naruto over him.
"Please, or we'll be here all day." The two seperated. Both doing handseals at a rapid pace.
"Tsunade, wake up." The explosion of power did a better job than Jiraiya of waking her.
"Well, bets on which will pass out from chakra exhaustion first." Tenten leaned against the wall.
"Sasuke."
" . . . I forgot." Tenten sighed. Though how she could forget Naruto was holding a very malevoent fox at bay was beyond her.
"Good thing they're going last, that Ring isn't going to be in one piece." Kiba stole chips from choji.
"Sakura, why do you have a puppy in your bag?" Sai stared at Green puppy, who was trying his best to escape.
"Puppy, Where?!" Pakkun, who'd been under the bench, shot out and was in Sai's lap before you could say 'Knife'. "Sakura, why?" Pakkun's eyes got big and wet. "Don't you love me?" Sakura and those around her could only sweatdrop. Gai and Lee were still in FLames of youth land.
BBOOOMM!!
'Yip!!' Green Puppy cowered in the bag.
"What was that?!" When the smoke cleared, the Ring was in shambles, and Naruto and Sasuke were both still standing. Both were looking at eacher other, then at the damage.
"Hey Teme, I think we over did it."
"What was your first guess Dobe?"
"Due to the destruction of the ring . . . we're just gonna call it a tie." The aplause was surprising, especially to the two people in the ring.
"Are they clapping cause we're awesome, or because this fight's over?" Naruto watched as Sasuke's mouth twitched.
"No idea, Dobe." The two got out of the ring.
"Well congratulations, you two are the last of the rookie nine to make chunin." Shikamaru held out two vests. Sasuke and Naruto glanced at each other. Sasuke shrugged his on. Naruto slipped off his jacket and did the same.
"So . . ." Sakura sidled up to the two as they were exiting the area, everyone else had split off, and the two were heading over to the Ramen stand. (Sasuke didn't have a resturant he liked, so Ramen always won out) "Who planted the explosives?"
"Huh?" Both looked at her.
"Don't play games with me, those last two jutsu's weren't that powerful, you were waisting chakra on them." Sakura shifted her bag as green puppy stuck his head out and yipped agreement. Pakkun had disapeared with Kakashi, who was trying to make it up to the dog.
" . . . Why else do you think I let the Dobe hit me?" Sasuke couldn't stop the smirk.
"My idea." Naruto shot back. "Hey, Sakura, where's Sai?"
"He went to the hospital for another set of scans for his back, Tsunade is obsessing over trying to figure it out. I got thrown out of the project, because I was too close to Sai."
"Hey Naruto, how'd it go? Heard you left the arena a mess." Ayame smiled as she served them.
"Um, we didn't order . . ." Sakura stared at the ramen in front of her. there had to be all the toppings of ramen in one bowl.
"We call it the Uzumaki special, besides, you could use a good meal." Ayame smiled.
"Hey, where's Teuchi-ojii-san?"
"Well . . . seems the damiyo is looking for new council members and is picking from a wide variety of Kohona life now, including a few civilians . . ." Ayame leaned on the counter. "He's been asked to join the council." Naruto almost choked. Sasuke and Sakura checked on him as he regained his breath.
"Well that's good news for you, Naruto . . . you've got at least one vote secured in the council for you to be Hokage." Sakura couldn't finish her ramen, so she passed it to Naruto.
"Yeah . . ." Naruto looked like he'd been hit by a two by four.
The next Day
"Well brat, you didn't do half bad in the exams." Anko joined Hanabi on the bench that was their meeting point. "You were a little slow, and what's with that look on your face?"
"Sensei, is it possible . . . I know he's not interested, but I really like him, but I can't tell him that . . ."
"Hanabi, could you be specific?" Anko ate some dango.
"It's Naruto-nii-san . . . he's amazing . . . he . . . he's strong, and fast, and just amazing." Hanabi pulled her knees up to her chin. "But he's always so sad . . . or with Hinata-nee-sama."
"Well . . . you could have picked a better one to have a crush on. Guy's slightly perverted-"
"I thought you said guys only had one thing on their mind." Anko promptly facepalmed. She was not cut out for actual psychology talks, though she knew enough to behave in a way that would creep out everyone.
"I did . . . but I don't think Naruto's looking for anyone right now . . . he was almost executed and denounced as a monster by the entire council. Then shoved out into the world on his own . . . let a little time pass before you confess anything to him." Anko was surprised at the words coming from her own mouth. "He's still trying to find where he stands in the world, hanabi. Once he's sure of himself again, then you can declare your love, okay?" Hanabi blinked a moment, then nodded. "Good, now I'm going to teach you a new fighting style, you better keep up!"
"Hai, Anko-sensei!" Anko smiled as thy got up. Being the squirt's teacher wasn't half bad.
I get a day with Naruto-kun! Hinata happily walked next to him. A part of her itched to take his hand, but she quashed it seeing the glares Naruto still recieved. Some people did not let grudges die very easily.
"Hey, Naruto!" Chouji managed to catch up to the two. "It's hard to find you when you're not wearing orange."
"What's up Chouji?" Naruto let the orange part slide.
"Tonight, Mom wants to have a feast know that everyone is Chunin from the Rookie nine, It starts at five."
" . . . And I'm invited?" Naruto was starting to wonder when his world got so strange.
"Yeah, it's also a kinda thank you feast for bringing everyone back." Chouji Watched Naruto;s eyes flicker, as if he suddenly didn't trust him. Naruto? What happened? Chouji wasn't big on studying people's motives or even remotely philosphical, but Naruto was becoming a puzzle. Even with the knowledge of Kyuubi, there were even more questions that surronded the blonde, but Chouji never bothered pressing. "It'll be fun."
"I'll be there, anything with free food sounds good to me." Naruto didn't even bother with the mask-grin, instead he gave a small smile, which Chouji returned. After Chouji left to go find Sakura and Sasuke, who where food shopping, Naruto realised Hinata was looking at him. "What?"
"You . . ." Hinata just smiled and shook her head. If Naruto doesn't realize that his mask is slipping, I don't want to tell him. How do you tell a friend they've changed, anyway?
" . . ." Naruto turned his attention back to the road. He was having a hard time shaking the feeling something was wrong.
"What do you want to eat, Sasuke?" Sasuke blinked as he caught himself staring at Sakura's figure as she bent over the fruit cart, picking fruit.
" . . . I don't like sweet food . . . so, pretty much anyhting's good." I'm hanging around Kakashi and Naruto too much, they're rubbing off on me. Sakura nodded and returned to picking whatever it was. "Uh, Sakura . . ." Sasuke cut himself off as she straightened to look at him. "Nevermind." He wathed her shrug it off and move onto another cart. He glanced in a window, and found his reflection staring back at him, his hair was longer, And he'd been able to get a new forehead protector that he just wrapped on his arm. He had a black long sleeve shirt on and a the chunnin vest over it. His pants were black, and he'd gone for black ninja sandals. I still dress like I'm going to a funeral . . . Maybe I should go back to blue. Sakura was wearing her new normal outfit- which wasn't helping Sasuke to stop staring. He glanced back at his reflection, and stiifened for a minute when he saw his father staring back at him. The same scowl on his face when he thought his sons weren't working hard enough.
"Come on, Sasuke!" Time started moving forward again as Sasuke snapped out of his daze. The reflection had gone back to being his own.
"Sakura . . . can we go visit the Uchiha estate?" Sasuke drew his gaze away from his reflection. "Please?"
"Okay." Sakura fell into step next to him as he led the way.
Even in Daylight, the Uchiha manor looked grim. Sakura moved to be closer to Sasuke as they entered.
"Susuke-" a creaking sound caught both's attention. Sasuke frowned as he saw a door opened in one of the far dojo's. "Sasuke. I don't think being here is a good idea."
"Someone's been here recently." Sasuke moved forward to the open door, the feeling of Dread slowly returning. Sakura left her shopping next to the gate and followed, drawing a kunai as they went. Leaves had blown into the room, and Sasuke slowly scanned the room.
"Sasuke, I've got a bad feeling about this . . ."
"Me too . . ." He spotted several boards raised and went over. "It's a trapdoor."
"Don't-" He opened it. "Nevermind." Sakura crouched next to him. "Where does it lead?"
"I don't know . . . but we're going to find out." He formed a lightball in one hand.
"'We'?"
"Yeah . . ." He held out his hand, releaved that there were stairs. He held out his other hand to Sakura. "Come on."
She stared at his offered hand a moment, then nodded. SHe gripped his hand, holding her kunai in the other. "If we get killed, I'm going to make the afterlife hell for you."
"Understood." the two moved into the tunnel. Sakura unconciously tightened her grip on Sasuke's hand as they moved forward. He wisely choose not to comment. In a few moments, they entered a room. Seals Decorated the floor and a table, where something must have occupied.
"Sasuke, the pictures . . ." There were murals decorating the walls, mostly of battles, but one struck them instantly. It covered the entire right wall, and a blazing red fox crouched, filling most of the wall, nine tails whipping around. Right infront, on a hill close to the ninetails left cheek, was a man, Dark haired and with blazing red eyes. Sasuke gripped Sakura's shoulders, pulling her closer to himself.
"It appears that the Uchiha and Kyuubi are tightly linked." Both jerked, turning to see Kakashi. "Sorry, I thought I'd better follow you, seeing as Sasuke's still on probation-"
"Don't scare us like that." Sakura shuddered. "Sasuke?" He'd gone back to staring at the picture.
" . . . Madara . . ."
"Who?"
"I . . . Once I was able to enter Naruto's mind . . . I met the Kyuubi, and he said that my eyes were like that of Uchiha Madara."
"You were able to do what?"
"Think Kyuubi knows of this?"
"We could try askin him . . . " For a breif instant his eyes felt sore. "Let's get out of here." The three headed out into the sun light."
"Why'd you want to come here Sasuke?"
"I was thinking of cleaning the place up . . . and move back in." Sasuke saw both their looks. "I want to restart the clan, I need to get it fixed up, I was thinking of asking Naruto to join me, once everything settles down."
"That's generous of you." Kakashi was about to take out hs book.
"I was also thinking of having you both live here as well."
"Huh?" Sakura stared at him.
"Kakashi-sensei has a sharigan eye, which makes him unofficialy part of the clan. There's enough room here for all the dogs, and I . . . I've had enough of being alone. Plus I'm going to need help fixing the place up." Sasuke wanted to say more, but couldn't.
"I'll think about it . . . though three bachelors and a bachelorette would be interesting."
"I'll sic the dogs on anyone who tries to peak on me." Sakura picked up her bags. "Especially you, Kakashi-sensei."
Naruto hesitated just outside of the Akamichi's home. Hinata blinked at him.
"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?"
"I . . . nothing." He took a deep breath and kept moving forward.
"Ohayo, Naruto-kun, Dinner's this way." Ino was the unofficial greeter. "How are you doing?"
"Fine . . ." The blonde's attention made him nervous, and the sight of everyone and their parent's didn't help.
"Oy, Dobe, hurry up, you're late." Sasuke barely flinched as Sakura stomped on his foot.
"Shut up Teme, The Hyuuga estates pretty far away!" Naruto felt his lips twitch, at least here was something normal.
"Let the feast begin!" Naruto Sat next to Sasuke, relieved when he saw the uchiha looking just as uncomfortable as him.
"I'm surprised you showed up." Narto offered to Sasuke as conversations started.
"Sakura made me come, even threatened to sic the dogs on me if I didn't come." Sasuke sighed. I wish she stayed with slugs. "Ow." Sakura had hit him, then she hit Naruto for laughing. Hinata timidly opened a conversation with Mrs. Akimichi, who was loading up Hinata's plate under the grounds of her needing to eat more. Chouji could only look apologetic at Hinata as he tried to listen to Shino and Chouza at the same time. It was very orderly chaos.
As the night progressed, Sai noticed that there was only one voice doing the flames of youth speech. Glancing up from his sketch of Ino and Sakura laughing, he saw Gai deep in conversation with Shikamaru and Neji, Gai for once being very serious.
Tsunade sighed as SHe sat net to Yamoto's bed, his case File in hand. even after examining Sai, she had no clue how he was frozen and still alive. Tapping her nails on the chair's arm, she studdied the comatose man before her. "Frozen, but still partially functioning . . . Just like Artemis of Olympia." Tsunade frowned, thinking about the young woman. There had been an omission in her words, and that of the scarfaced man, Aries about her connection to the Uchiha, but that was beside the point. "Artemis had part of her eye frozen . . . it didn't hinder her from using the Sharigan . . ." Tsunade felt like there was a blatant blank right infront of her. If only should think of what it was. "Rejects healing or warming . . . Her eye bleeds blood . . ."
Artemis sneezed twice, glancing around.
"Someone must be talking about you." Towa glanced up from her work on Aries arm. He'd skinned it on a rock.
"Shut up." Towa blinked in shock at the fairly icy response.
"What's wrong?"
"I just have a bad feeling. Something bad's about to happen." She'd woken up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, and she'd been having night mares ever since.
"Artemis, may I have a word?" Sora's voice called.
"Coming." Artemis entered Sora's room, and sighed. Pictures of Kushina, Minato and Naruto had come out of the trunk, along with countless letters. "Sora-san, you said you were okay with being away from your family."
"That was before I realized I could still do something about it." Sora retorted. "Besides, I want this trunk taken to Naruto, he deserves it more than I."
" . . . that concerns me how?"
"I'm old and wise enough to tell when there's a storm coming. And the storm that's headed for Kohona will shake everything they hold dear to the roots. That cousin of yours will need back up-"
"Just because you feel loyalty to family you've met, doesn't mean I have-"
"Your father died in grief cause he ran away from his clan! You have the responsibilty of making amends."
"He willingly changed his name. Just because my mother insisted . . . Damn it, Sora, I can't leave Diana! And I refuse to take her anyplace they might make her a tool."
"We can watch her, Artemis . . . You know I'm right. You can come back too. Besides, you're eye's damage isn't healthy . . . "
" . . ." Artemis sighed. "If she's hurt in anyway . . . Hell will be a playpark compared to what I'll do to you."
"I knew you' see it my way."
Itachi coughed as he tried to get comfortable. Memories flashing through his mind, barely understandable. People. places. Nothing made sense.
Kisame glanced at his partner, worried. There had been a slight infection that had wound up being over looked, and it left Itachi in a fever and hallucenating. If they didn't need the medics, heads would have been rolling.
"Not better?" Deidara peaked in.
"Worse . . . I find it intersting to know that the infection was found the day after we retrieved that coffin, though." Kisame leaned back in his chair. Deidara nodded, watching Itachi thrash. "Any news?"
"No . . . I know we're supposed to take control of the wars, but the way things are going . . . I get the feeling we're all expendable." Deidara cradled his crushed arm. "Ever think you joined the wrong side?"
" . . . With Mist still in a civil war, and having two Mizukage's, no, but I can't say that I don't miss how life was." Kisame sighed.
"Sasuke . . ." Itachi's voice made them jerk. "Sasuke . . . forgive . . . me . . . Don't . . . " His voice faded.
"I'm going to . . . un . . ." Deidara slipped away. He may not have like Itachi, but there was something a little disturbing with seeing the Mangekyo weilder sick.
Kisame let a small cornor of his mouth twitch, remembering when he was told a fourteen year old was going to be his partner. He hadn't been happy. But Itachi had won his respect.
"Hello, Orochimaru." Danzou Kept his new eye hiden. "You look well."
"Better than you." Orochimaru didn't bother trying to hide his disgust. "Any more double agents you want to send my way?"
"I have a deal for you." Danzou sat in the offered chair. "Kohona has very quickly begun to decay. The hokage views the monster brat as a loyal nin . . . which I doubt. I have been labeled as an SS class nin, and I wish for you to help me clean Kohona out of the fools that run it."
"And in return?" Danzou merely pulled out a sealed Jar.
"An eye of an Uchiha . . . no one bothered to check how many eyes they had when they were destroyed." Danzou studied Orochimaru's face for a moment, as Orochimaru did likewise.
"Accepted." Kabuto took the jar. "But if you are lying to me, you will not enjoy the consequences."
"I have no reason to lie to you." The alliance would be unesy at best, but it was better than nothing.
And Somewhere near the border of Rain, Hidan opened is eyes to meet those of Zetsui and Pain's second in command, Konan.
" zzz . . ." Hidan glared at Zetsui, trying to talk.
"It will take some time for you to adjust to your new body, do not over strain yourself."
" . . ." It took more energy to nod than he expected.
"Good. Take him to the others."
Well, I'm sorry for how long it took to update, but I hope you're happy with how long it is! There were several points where I feel it could have been better, but I did my best. Also, for people who insist on shoving cannon into my face, I know there are points where I deviate!! It's FanFiction! I'm entitlted to deviate from cannon, but if it makes you feel better, start considering this story as AU! So knock it off!!
Anyway, this chapter is Dedicated to VF SNAKE who is my most faithful reviewer. Also, anyone with ideas, please review; I'm starting to have trouble with the plot. ShivaVixen out.
