A.N.
If you have not kept up with the manga from here on out there may be spoilers.
Disclaimer: Naruto does NOT belong to me.
Sayuri and any characters that have not and will not appear in the manga and/or anime are completely original.
Please Review!
Sasuke stared at both the Fourth and the former Marihasha head in contemplation. Could they have really stopped it? If they had lived could he and Sayuri still have their clans?
"So what is it going to be, Sasuke?" Orochimaru asked. "Will you destroy the village or…"
They all watched as Sasuke closed his eyes in thought. Sayuri slowly stepped away from him and stood by the entrance. If Sasuke decided to forgo everything and tried to destroy the village the kages and her father would be a problem. She wasn't much but she was sure she could buy enough time for the few ninja that remained inside the village walls to evacuate Konoha.
Sasuke on the other hand remembered everything he went through. The happy times with his brother, his family, their deaths, his own brother's death and Itachi's last words of affection. Itachi really did believe that he could have changed their family.
"I'm…" they all stilled waiting for Sasuke's respond. "I'm going o the battlefield. I won't let this village and my brother be wasted!"
Battlefront
Sayuri released a breath that she didn't know she was holding. Her rigid posture relaxed as she grinned up at her father who smiled down at her.
"Great!" Hashirama exclaimed. "Tobirama, prepare to fly outside!" He ordered.
"We can't use the Hirashin we're bound…" His young brother sighed at his elder brothers over enthusiasm.
"Orochimaru what will you do?" Hashirama asked turning to the snake man.
"Didn't you say that you would take Sasuke's side?" Asked the Third.
Orochimaru chuckled scaring Suigetsu into latching onto Sayuri. "Of course I will come." Said the man with a grin.
"He's so creepy!" whispered Suigetsu into Sayuri's ear as he hid behind the shorter brunette.
"You're telling me." Sayuri whispered back.
"Eh?" the swordsman froze sensing bloodlust in the air. He turned to its source and found Sasuke openly glaring at him. With a gulp Suigetsu let go of Sayuri and stepped further into the torch lit hallway.
"Suigetsu?" Sayuri asked as the man inched further away from her.
"Let's go." Sasuke ordered as he took Sayuri by the arm and began to lead her up the stair case.
Hashirama hummed as he stared at the two teens. Something about the two was eerily familiar to him.
"Something wrong?" Asked Orochimaru.
The First cast a sideways glance at Orochimaru before nodding at Sasuke and Sayuri. "What is going on with those two?"
Orochimaru turned back to the hallway where Sasuke and Sayuri had stepped back into the outside. The Uchiha released her arm and the heiress turned away from him in order to inspect the area. "Dear Sasuke holds some sort of affection towards the young girl."
"Affection?" he repeated. "He likes her…"
"Is something wrong with that?" asked Yūkan, having eavesdropped on the conversation.
"No…" Hashirama laughed and stepped outside looking at the remains of the once proud Uchiha clan before settling his eyes on the two clan heirs. "Not at all…" he whispered to himself.
"We should head for the Hokage monument." Sayuri spoke then turning to the men. "I'm sure that you all want to see how the village is doing…not to mention that's the only way we can get out of here without causing a commotion." She said muttering the last part as they all followed her to their destination.
XXX
The night sky above them was clear and cool. The village below them was lightly lit. The Hokage stepped forward in wonder.
"Oooh! What a nostalgic view!" Exclaimed the First as he leaned forward trying to take as much of it in.
While they were all distracted Suigetsu made a run for it, not wanting to get involved with a war. Yet he didn't make it very far seeing as he was promptly kicked across the face. They all turned in time to see Karin attempting beat Suigetsu to a pulp.
"I knew it was Sasuke! I felt the chakra but I didn't think it was possible but see what…!" The red head then proceeded to choke the poor boy who complained at not having done anything.
"Karin…" Sasuke called as he looked over his shoulder.
"How did she escape her cell…?" wondered Sayuri as she too turned to the girl.
"I'll never forgive you!" She yelled as she stomped on Suigetsu's already beaten body.
"Sorry Karin."
"B-bastard! Do you think that words from you …I can forgive…I will…I…Damn you…!" The redhead gushed speaking gibberish.
Sayuri blinked in surprise before turning to look at Sasuke then back at Karin, and back again at Sasuke. "The hell is wrong with her?" she asked herself as Karin ran towards them.
Orochimaru laughed. "Well Sasuke is her soft spot."
"You know what! Sasuke stabbed me and then—Orochimaru-sama!" exclaimed the girl pointing at the man.
"Me too…you should join us." Said the snake user.
"Who is she?" asked Hashirama.
Tobirama looked at the girl and shrugged. "Judging from her chakra she's from the Uzumaki clan."
Suddenly the girl latched onto Sasuke who froze at the contact. "I can't help it!" she fawned as she pressed herself closer to the boy.
"Your girlfriend is crazy." Sayuri said as she placed a hand on her hip.
"She's not my—" Sasuke began but was cut short as the girl threw her arms around his shoulders.
Karin opened one eye and looked at Sayuri who raised a brow at her. "Just because I told you all of that during interrogation doesn't mean that I'm going to just let you take Sasuke away from me without a fight!" she pointed at her with a glare.
Sayuri fixed the girl with a glare of her own to which the redhead yelped and hid behind the Uchiha. "Don't threaten me because I can just as easily lock you in another cell…" she glanced as Sasuke who was standing unusually still feeling something twist uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach. "Any way you can have him." The brunette said as she walked away from the group.
Sasuke's eyes widened as Sayuri walked away and pulled away from Karin. Yūkan looked after his daughter and Sasuke in amusement and shook his head. His daughter was trying so desperately to deny what was obviously in front of everyone to see while Sasuke was at a total loss on how to deal with it. It reminded him of his and his wife's relationship.
"HOKAGE!" Called Hashirama as he took a step forward. "From the top of these rock faces that have watched over it so far, look closely at this village!" The First laughed and held a fist in the air with a giant goofy grin on his face. Tobirama sighed and patted his deranged brother's shoulder before all four Kage leapt off to land on top of their respective heads.
"LET'S GO!" Ordered the first and soon the four Kage and Yūkan were gone. Sasuke summoned a hawk and jumped on it followed by Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo. He turned to Orochimaru who waved him off.
"You four go, I need to speak to Lady Sayuri."
"It's just Sayuri." She corrected and crossed her arms over her chest. What could the snake want with her now?
"I'm coming with you." Sasuke declared as he jumped off the giant bird and landed next to the brunette.
"Oh please, Sasuke. I just need to talk to the lovely young lady. There is no need for you to stay here."
Sasuke narrowed his black eyes at the man. Sayuri tensed, sensing the young Uchiha's apprehension. A light gust of wind swayed the young man's hair side to side. She reached up to tuck a loose strand behind her ear.
"I'm not leaving you alone with her."
Orochimaru simply smiled and held his arms in an open gesture. "Understood." He shifted his gaze to Sayuri who frowned at him. "Well then, follow me. This won't take long."
Sayuri took a deep breath and headed after the man with Sasuke right on her tail. Karin, Juugo, and Suigetsu stood in their place with curious looks on their faces all three quiet, until Suigetsu gave Karin a sidelong glance with a wicked grin slowly forming on his face.
"Young love, don't you agree Karin?" The redhead gasped and turned to the swordsman emitting a low growl as she got ready to punch the teen until Juugo passed between them.
"Come." He ordered to which the two turned to the tall boy curiously. "We'll lose them if we don't go now."
Karin sent one more death glare at Suigetsu before following Juugo.
XXX
"He keeps taunting him…" Moriyo noted as she and Kakashi looked on as Obito and Naruto had it out.
"Obito's trying to prove something…but what?" Kakashi thought out loud. The Uchiha kept brining up friendship and death during his fight with the blonde ninja and it didn't feel right for the two.
"Maybe he's trying to see how far he has to go until he breaks Naruto's resolve?" Moriyo tried.
Kakashi shook his head. "No…that's not it."
Moriyo bit her lip and turned to look at the Juubi who seemed to become more restless by the second. Her orange eyes focused on the man on top of the Juubi's head. Madara Uchiha…she thought as she noticed that the man's attention was no longer on the fight below him but on a point beyond them. She followed his gaze but saw nothing. What are you looking at Uchiha?
"Kakashi! Moriyo!" Called Kenji, startling Moriyo out of her train of thought as he landed before them. The two turned to their friend as they attempted to stand.
"Kenji, what is it?" asked Kakashi as he dusted himself off.
"It's Obito, I think he's planning on releasing the Juubi!"
Both Kakashi and Moriyo stiffened, their eyes locked on the monster before them as it roared causing the entire area to shake. The ninja around them cringed and clutched their heads in an attempt to shelter their sensitive ears from the terrible sound.
Moriyo felt a sharp spike in chakra from the ninja next to her alarming her to the point that she turned to her side to see Kakashi with his Sharingan activated. "What do you think you're doing?!" She hissed taking Kakashi by the shoulder. "You're going to run out of chakra!"
"No!" her silver haired companion pushed away from her and kept his faze focused on the Juubi. "This time I'll make the Juubi vanish!"
She cringed as the sound of the Juubi's roar increased in frequency and just barely caught sight of Obito jumping towards them.
"Looks like you were waiting for it. But I was too, Kakashi!" The man landed before her silver haired friend both locking eyes.
"Obito stop!" Moriyo called ready to interfere.
"Let me handle this! Take care of Naruto!" Kakashi ordered and soon the two disappeared into thin air.
Just then the Juubi pulled free from its restraints sending a mass chaos of wind, avalanches, and lightning storms upon the defenseless ninja.
"Kakashi!" Moriyo ran to the spot where her friend had once been standing.
"Moriyo move!" Kenji yelled tackling the woman down to the ground just as a lightning bolt hit the area where she had just been standing. The dark haired woman pushed Kenji off and sat up to stare at the empty spot.
"We have to get him back…" Moriyo mumbled and tried to take a step forward but Kenji held her back. When she turned back to see him he shook his head sadly.
"It's his fight, Moriyo."
The Juubi roared once more as it stood its full height. All around them large rocks fell as the storm began to settle down. The power that the statue had was incredible and all the ninja around them could do was stare up at the monster in shock.
Kenji looked around him until he spotted Naruto in the center of all the chaos. The blonde panted as he glared up at Madara who stood atop of the Juubi. His green eyes narrowed as he noticed the teen's chakra levels. He looked down at himself and watched as Naruto's golden chakra vanished into thin air along with everyone else's.
"Moriyo…" He turned to the jounin who seemed to sit frozen in her spot. "Moriyo!" She pushed herself up and wiped off a stray tear as she turned back to the fight.
"I got it." She said firmly before the two quickly made their way over to the blonde.
Moriyo and Kenji stood between Naruto and the Juubi with Hinata at the forefront. Naruto looked up at the ninja in surprise and soon Sakura joined in, standing behind him as she healed his wounds. The Juubi suddenly tilted it head back and opened its mouth. Soon its jaw ripped open revealing a giant flower in its place. The ninja all stared up at it in shock and took a step back.
"Captain!" Diachi and Hajime exclaimed as the too landed in front of Naruto, more ninja showing up by the minute as if to form a protective wall between the monster and the blonde teen.
"Hello boys…I haven't seen you two in a while." Kenji glanced back and saw most of his ANBU subordinates behind him.
"We were stationed at the shoreline." Hajime responded as he tilted his head up to look at the Juubi. "What is it doing?"
"Transforming." Muttered Moriyo as the flower began to gather chakra and mold it into a dark ball.
"He's getting ready to attack…" Diachi spoke as the ninja around them began to mutter.
"What…what are we going to do…we're as good as gone against that thing!" Hajime exclaimed and glanced back at the blonde and the pink haired medic.
"We can't just give up now after all that's happened!" All the ninja turned to Sakura then. "Naruto is doing everything he can!"
"Yeah…" said one ninja suddenly becoming optimistic. "He's doing his best to protect simple shinobi like us!"
"I didn't meant that!" the rosette scolded. "He's making us realize that he considers us all his comrades!" They all went silent at her words, each quietly agreeing. "I'm going to make Naruto have a full recovery! Every one of us must do what's in their power to keep him alive! If we're going to die anyway then it's better to die fighting than to do nothing!"
Moriyo and Kenji turned back to the Juubi and smirked. Behind them Shikamaru had Ino linking him up with every ninja in the area as he gave each and everyone instructions on the hand seals to use in order to create an earth wall. The Juubi roared as it unleashed its stored chakra at the same time that one by one wall after wall rose up from the ground in an attempt to stop it.
They all had their hands on the ground as it shook below them. A low rumble as one by one, wall after wall, broke apart. When the ball of chakra finally broke through the last barrier Bee in his biju form appeared between the Shinobi Alliance and the attack until suddenly it vanished.
A kunai fell from the sky landing just in front of Naruto and Sakura. Within a blink of an eye a figure appeared before them.
"Was I late?"
"No…you were right on time, dad!" Naruto grinned from his spot as he father stood his full height
"Who's he?" asked Sakura as she stared at the tall blonde man.
"I'm Minato Namikaze." Said the man with a smile as he glanced back at the two. "Get ready for the blast." They all turned to away from the Juubi as a huge gust of wind and salt water blew over them. "I sent the Juubi's attack to the sea. Thank you for taking care of my son…" Minato smiled at Sakura who's eyes only seemed to grow bigger by the second as she noticed the similarities by the second. "Are you by any chance his girl friend?"
Both Naruto and Sakura flushed. The blonde scratched his cheek and laughed. "Uh…yeah…Well more or less." His comment earning him a hit on the head from the angered medic.
"Fourth…Fourth Hokage…"Kenji said in shock as he stared at the man before them. "But how…?!"
"Edo Tensei." Moriyo answered.
"But I thought that Kabuto was already taken care of so then how…" Hajime asked in alarm.
"He's not the only one who can use that jutsu." Kenji rubbed his temples. "Well at least for now we know that he's on our side."
"You're as fast as always, Minato!"
"Gah!" Hajime stepped back as three others joined the fourth. "What the hell is this?!"
"It's the First, Second, and Third Hokages and even Lord Yūkan …" Kenji explained to the other ninja who wondered over who the three additions to their group were.
"More are coming…" Said Naruto as he looked up at the night sky. "But they're running late."
"Wha…" Sakura looked down at Naruto in confusion.
"I WAS WAITING FOR YOU! HASHIRAMA!" Everyone turned to Madara just then, none of them having heard the Uchiha speak so loudly before.
"I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU LATER!" Hashirama yelled back leaving a shocked Madara into taking a seat.
"Heh…you're always the same. I can never get along with you." Muttered the Uchiha as he looked towards the Juubi as it roared once more.
"Well…" Spoke Hashirama. "Isn't it dashing."
"Naruto you did well…now rest for a bit. You're friends is coming too…and he's on our side."
Naruto looked up at his father in shock. He…Sasuke came to mind as the Hokage got ready for a fight. Minato taking on the form that Naruto had taken a few moments ago.
"Are the seals in place?" asked the third as he stepped up beside Minato.
"Yes, I placed them all when I got here." The blonde smiled.
"All right!" Called Hashirama as the Second, Third, and Fourth disappeared and reappeared in separate corners around the Juubi. "Summoning…"
"FORMATION OF THE FOUR RED SUNS!" Said all four kages as they gathered chakra around them.
"Maybe we should add a little extra…" Said Yūkan from beside Hashirama. "You know…to make sure it stays down."
Hashirama laughed. "I like the way you think!"
Yūkan smirked and formed five quick seals. As Hashirama made three.
"Summoning of the five shackles!"
"Gate of the great God ten seals!"
From the ground below the Juubi four shackles suddenly clasped around its ankles and neck, chains each with its individual color pulled the Juubi down to the ground. From above fell ten gates on each one of its tails with a red barrier to further bind the Juubi to that area. The Juubi roared as it tried to lift its head but it was quickly pulled down by the red shackle around its neck.
"Whoa…" exclaimed Naruto from his spot struck with amazement at the power of the seals. His vision was suddenly obscured as three figures landed before him. Sakura looked up in shock as Naruto smiled. "You two sure are late…"
"Sa—Sasuke…and Sayuri…" The two looked over their shoulders.
"Sakura…" the Uchiha acknowledged.
"We got a little tied up, but we're here now." Said Sayuri with a slight smile.
The two were suddenly surrounded by their peers all of whom asked why the Uchiha had decided to join them and why Sayuri was standing so close to him.
"All of you are a noisy as ever." Sasuke grumbled as he took a look around him.
"Why are you here?" Asked Sakura who still could not believe her eyes.
"Many things happened." Sasuke cast Sayuri a sidelong glance. "But I decided to protect the village and that I will become Hokage."They all became quiet, taken by surprise. Even Sayuri turned to him with a slack jaw.
"Yeah right like a renegade ninja like you will ever become Hokage!" Kiba growled in anger.
Shikamaru scoffed. "I don't know what happened, but that's impossible. Do you think that—"
"Do you think that you can just show up and erase all you did so far?" Shino interrupted clearly peeved at the Uchiha's latest remark.
"I know I can't. But I don't care what you think about me. The Kages created this situation and I will become Hokage and change the village."
Naruto frowned and thought for a second. Recalling Itachi's words about what becoming a Hokage was he smirked and pushed himself up to stand next to Sasuke.
"I'll be the one to become Hokage!"
"I'm happy that we have so many Hokage candidates but you're taking it too easy. Get ready! We have to defeat the Juubi with a combined attack!" Ordered Hashirama while trying to keep the barrier around Juubi up.
Naruto nodded and turned to the pink medic behind him. "Thank you for healing me, Sakura. You should rest." He then turned to the Uchiha and nodded. "Let's go, Sasuke!"
"You've been using up too much chakra between tracking Kabuto and heading to the village." Said Sasuke, as he turned to Sayuri. "Stay back and gather your chakra. You can join us when you're ready." He turned to Juugo who had been largely ignored throughout the whole ordeal and gestured towards the brunette. "Take care of her."
Sayuri felt her jaw drop as she and Sakura watched the Uchiha and Uzumaki leapt up onto a boulder. Both soon glared up at the two ninja in anger. The girls leapt after them catching them by surprise as Sakura stood beside Naruto while Sayuri took a place next to Sasuke.
"Do you think I'm some weak woman that can't compete with you?" Sakura hissed. "Tsunade trains her disciples as good as the other Sannin!"
"But Sakura—"
"I've almost stored the necessary chakra soon I'll be ready to use my real power!"
Sasuke stared down at Sayuri who held her ground as she glared up at the teen. "You don't get to tell me what I should and should not do…"
Sasuke narrowed his black orbs at the girl who crossed her arms over her chest. "You have to rest at some point Sayuri, especially after what Orochimaru—"
"What the snake did to me is nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you when we're done with all of this. I am an ANBU, and I have been one for the past year. I may not have been trained by a Sannin but I know damn well what I'm doing. And I don't need a baby sitter! You got that Uchiha?"
Sasuke looked slightly taken aback but slowly came to realization that the Marihasha was not about to back down. Reluctantly he nodded while beside him Sakura and Naruto grinned.
"Good! Team Seven is here again!"
A.N.
And I leave you with that. I hope to be more productive during the break since I don't have any classes. Again I apologize for the delay but I do have to put my classes first. Thank you all for staying with this story.
Thank you and please review :)