Some stuff going on here, as Kakashi explains his warning to Sasuke.

Answers and stuff:

None for this chapter.

...

"What the hell do you mean, I have to leave Team Seven? What's going on?" Sasuke asked, brow furrowed. Kakashi and Tsunade shared a look before the silver-haired jounin spoke again.

"What do you know about a man called Shimura Danzo?" Kakashi enquired in a low voice. Sasuke blinked, casting his mind backwards to try and recall the information.

"He's a retired jounin, isn't he? He used to work with Sandaime-sama a lot before he got injured or something." he offered after a minute.

"He's also been one of the most infamous members of the council for several decades. He's got a reputation as a warhawk; he takes every opportunity to push for more militarisation in Konoha," Kakashi sighed. "And according to the support staff in the Hokage tower, he's looking to get you as an apprentice."

"Not to be rude, but is that actually a bad thing? Apprenticeships are a big deal, and even though I'm not planning to take the offer, I don't see what the problem is." Sasuke shrugged neutrally.

Tsunade stepped forwards at this. "You don't know him like we do, broody," she retorted, smirking a little as he twitched at the nickname. "Danzo is obsessed with keeping Konoha safe, even if he has to do horrible things to achieve that. Especially if he has to do horrible things. He was one of Orochimaru's biggest supporters before the snake got caught experimenting on Konoha-nin."

Kakashi nodded. "There's no proof he was involved with Orochimaru beyond trying to support a gifted jounin in his hidden research, but a good number of us have our doubts. The worrying thing, though, is that he's been suspected of... doing worse to people who were in his way. He's been looking to have an Uchiha as an apprentice practically since the massacre, but we've been able to keep all of you attached to either the general team structure or apprenticed to prolific Konoha shinobi before now."

"So with me being a chuunin..." Sasuke began, starting to see the problem.

"Exactly. You're not technically assigned to Iruka's team anymore, so we have to find some other way to keep you away from him." Kakashi agreed.

"How bad would it be to work with Danzo, exactly? Let him think he's won-"

"No." Tsunade cut in, her voice ice-cold. "We cannot trust Danzo not to just assassinate you or trap you in some way."

"Sasuke," Kakashi stressed. "I didn't want to have to tell you this. The last shinobi Danzo was 'publically' involved in training... it was Itachi."

Sasuke's eyes flashed instantly to sharingan red, before he quelled the surge of anger. "Well, now that I'm definitely not going to work with Danzo, what do you recommend?"

Kakashi gave a weak smile. "Tell me what you think of this..."

OoOoO

"So, how've you been?" Sakura asked a tired-looking Tenten, the two boys having been sent to collect some lunch for the four of them.

"Okay, I guess. It's been a real relief having Neji around, and I didn't think I'd ever be able to say that honestly. He's been a lot more... satisfied, I suppose, since the Invasion. Whatever your teammate said to him really sunk in. He's almost a real boy now!" the weapon specialist laughed, trying to suppress a yawn.

"Naruto's good at that kind of thing," Sakura idly agreed, remembering the very blunt advice he'd given her back in the academy. "You know he was the one to convince Zabuza and Haku to come to Konoha? I still don't know how he managed that one."

"I thought that was your sensei... does that mean the other rumours about Iruka-sensei aren't true either?" the brunette frowned slightly, turning to face the younger kunoichi. Sakura blinked suddenly, a confused expression on her face.

"Which rumours are those?"

OoOoO

"Iruka-sensei! Got a message for you!" one of Naruto's clones piped up. The jounin grunted in response, unable to speak with the nails held in his mouth. He hammered a plank into place as he gestured for the bunshin to continue.

"Right. It turns out Sasuke got called away for something official with Kakashi-sensei and baa-chan, so Eyebrows-sensei's team are helping Sakura out at the hospital. If he's not back by this afternoon, we can meet him tomorrow at the usual time." the construct reported before dispelling himself. Iruka just shook his head. They'd been warned about everyone wanting to talk to the newly-promoted chuunin, especially since Sasuke was so important to the village still, being the leader of a founding clan.

Come to think of it, Tsunade-sama was in much the same position, as the last of the Senju. Perhaps that had something to do with the discussion? In any case, they were going to have to find something else to work on in training if Sasuke was going to be missing, he mused as he dropped to the ground below.

"Naruto?" he called, several heads popping up in response. "The original Naruto?" he clarified, shaking his head. He didn't think he'd ever get over the sheer number of autonomous clones his student could call in existence.

"What's up, Iruka-sensei?" said student piped up, jogging forwards to stand attentively beside his sensei. Iruka smirked, ruffling the boy's hair.

"We're basically done here, since they only hired us to put up the basic framework. How'd you feel about getting lunch now?"

"Ichiraku's?" Naruto asked hopefully, his eyes shining. Iruka took a moment to silently apologise to his wallet before answering.

"Fine, but just a light lunch. I still have to get some groceries this week." he allowed, bracing himself for the flying tackle hug that followed.

"Alright! I'll just dispel these guys before we get going-" Naruto cheered, making a quick hand-seal, before blinking in surprise, shaking his head. "Huh."

"What's up?" Iruka asked, concerned, even as the two of them walked further into the village.

"Nothing, it's fine. Just... did you ever feel like you're missing something? Like, if you did something but you don't remember what?" the blond asked, scratching his head.

"I'm not sure, really. Does this happen a lot?" his teacher questioned, his expression settling into his 'lecture mode' from the academy.

"It's happened a couple of times after big fights, like the invasion or the time in Nami no Kuni. It's just kind of a headachey-type feeling." Naruto offered, shrugging.

"Hmm. It might be a reaction to the adrenaline rush. I can't see why you'd be having it now, though..." the jounin trailed off, as Naruto perked up, catching the faint scent of ramen in the air.

"We're here!" he announced, ducking into the modest shop and plonking himself onto a stool at the counter. "Hey, Lee, Neji, how've you been?"

The green-wearing genin was the first to respond. "Hello to you as well, Naruto-kun! We have heard of your efforts in bringing the Lady Tsunade back to Konoha! Most youthful!" he grinned, somehow striking his customary 'good guy pose' without dropping the takeaway boxes in his hands.

"It was quite impressive, convincing her to heal Sandaime-sama," Neji agreed, before noting Naruto's questioning expression and cutting him off before he could ask. "We heard your team regularly eats here, so when Sakura-san asked us to pick up some lunch, we decided to collect from here, while she and Tenten kept watch at the hospital."

"What about Sasuke?" Naruto asked, giving his order to a beaming Ayame. "Shouldn't he be there too?"

"Sasuke-san got called away to a meeting with Hatake-san and Tsunade-sama," Neji explained, seeing Naruto frown slightly at the news. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Just- I think it's that deja vu thing people talk about, but I could've sworn I heard that already..." the Uzumaki muttered, giving them a cheery salute as the older genin took off again.

It was probably just his imagination, anyway.

OoOoO

"Tenten, hold him down!" Sakura ordered, as the middle-aged man on the bed continued wheezing, his eyes and lips heavily swollen as he struggled for breath. The older kunoichi tried to pin the man's arms as he convulsed, before a pair of bandaged hands pressed him firmly but gently into the bed.

"What's happening, Sakura-san?" Neji muttered to her as she jabbed the man with a syringe, before turning her attention to the young woman in the bed opposite.

"The hospital's been compromised," she spat out, clearly angered at the thought. "Lee, make sure that Satou-san doesn't choke. Neji, Byakugan. Anyone comes in or out of the hospital, I want to know about it. Tenten, head up to Kakashi-sensei's room. We need to tell Tsunade-sama what's happening." she said decisively, before blanching slightly as the trio stared at her for a second.

Then Tenten dashed off and Neji wordlessly activated his bloodline, shattering the awkwardness of the moment. Lee nodded to her as she approached the second patient, who was panicking as she awoke to see blood splashed across her front.

When Sakura found out who had done this, she was going to end them.

OoOoO

Kabuto allowed himself a smirk beneath his mask. With only a pair of genin guarding the civilian ward, it had been child's play to poison a couple of patients, just enough to cause a panic. With all the competent medics either rushing off to assist, or in Tsunade's case, caught up in the politics of the whole thing, not to mention the Sandaime's guards being easily caught in one of his more powerful genjutsu, he could easily rid the world of one weak old man.

A pity it wasn't Danzo, really, but then beggars couldn't be choosers.

He ducked past the two ANBU currently trapped within their own minds and entered the frost-covered room, where the comatose Hokage lay prone on an operating table. Kabuto made the seals silently as he readied his chakra scalpels.

"You're not supposed to be here," came a cold voice, as a hand shot out from the layer of ice covering the floor. Haku stared down the unfamiliar ANBU grimly, his chakra surging. "Please leave."

His offer was not accepted, as Kabuto lashed out with his hands glowing green, just barely missing Haku as he lunged forwards again towards the prone Sandaime. He lunged forwards, his sheer speed making swift work of the two medics who tried to stop him. The Oto-nin sneered internally. Pathetic, that most iryo-nin were so incapable of protecting themselves. It was a wonder they'd survived so long to begin with.

He growled as his hand crashed against an almost invisible barrier, ducking back before he could be caught in the freshly-forming dome of ice. "You're one of the Kiri rebels. Why do you even care about protecting him?" he rasped, taking care to disguise his voice.

"Because he deserves it," came the simple, infuriating answer, as Kabuto prepared himself for an escape. "And you will not harm him as long as I'm alive."

"We can fix that quite easily," Kabuto snarled, before a noise behind him alerted him to the fact that his illusion holding the guards outside was failing. "Damn. Next time we meet, I will dissect you." he threatened, before vanishing in a Shunshin.

Haku stood ready by the dome he'd created, waiting for a second assault. He glanced around in suspicion as the ANBU questioned him. It was only pure chance that he'd offered to wait for Tsunade inside the Hokage's room instead of outside.

Whoever that traitor had been, he was far too knowledgeable on the hospital's layout to be from outside the village. The man had obviously been infiltrating the building for some time.

OoOoO

"So, Sakura's reporting to the council and heading back to the hospital to help the people who got poisoned," Iruka relayed to Naruto, as they left the Hokage tower with their mission pay in hand. "And Sasuke's still busy with whatever Tsunade and Kakashi needed him for... do you want to just take the afternoon off from training? We can just head back to the Uchiha compound."

"Actually, I'm gonna head to one of the training grounds, Iruka-sensei. I'm just about finished with the jutsu ero-sennin showed me- I just need to get it to work a little faster," his blond-haired student mused. "What about you, sensei? Are you coming for dinner at Sasuke's place this evening?"

"No, I'm heading out with Anko later. I should find something to wear, actually..." his teacher shrugged, blushing very slightly.

"Another mission? Man, you can't get a break, can you?"

Iruka reddened a little more noticeably. "It, ah... it's not a mission. The two of us are heading to dinner."

Naruto frowned. "Wait... just the two of you? And you're dressing up for it?" Comprehension dawned on his face as he stopped walking. "Are you two...? Oh my Log, you are. Dammit."

"What?" Iruka frowned, as his student groaned loudly. "What's wrong?"

"I thought I had the only non-insane jounin as my sensei, but it turns out you've just been hiding it. You're going on a date with the crazy snake lady!" he accused, pointing dramatically at the sweatdropping Umino. "I thought you were sane! How could you do this to us?"

"...Are you done?" Iruka deapanned, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll have more tomorrow, if you survive that long." Naruto quipped back, grinning.

"You know, Anko's not half as crazy as she acts. In fact, I think you two have a lot in common," his teacher laughed, seeing the utter confusion on the boy's face. "Trust me, she's a good person."

OoOoO

"If I find out who tried to kill Hokage-sama, I'll break open their ribcages and strangle them with their own lungs!" Anko hissed angrily, as several of her summons combed the area for clues. "And then I'll beat them to death with their skulls!"

"Anko, that's not even physically possible," Shikaku muttered as he took in the scene with a quick glance. "Still no signs?"

"This guy had some skills," the kunoichi grudgingly admitted. "He left no scent, no chakra trail, nothing. We should still move Hokage-sama somewhere safe as soon as we can."

"Agreed. As soon as Tsunade's ready, we're heading to one of the Yondaime's secret bunkers." the scar-faced Nara nodded.

"Hang on, what time is it?" Anko muttered, looking at the clock hanging overhead. "Shit. I'd better send a message to Kure-chan, let her know I'll be late-"

"Nah, you can head off. We've got Aburame Shibi checking the area as well, and frankly, you should get out of here before it turns into a feeding frenzy. Everyone's looking for answers, and we've got none to give," Shikaku smirked. "Enjoy your date." Anko blinked in surprise, the man fading into his own shadow before she could question him.

"Son of a bitch knows everthing, doesn't he?"

OoOoO

Naruto grinned as he flopped onto the grassy field. He finally did it! The Yondaime's original technique, the Rasengan! He was getting one step closer to reaching his dream. He sighed as a pang of jealousy shot through him.

It wasn't that he wasn't happy for Sasuke, the guy was his best friend. It was just annoying to see everyone praising the Uchiha while they ignored or mocked Naruto.

He shook his head roughly, driving those thoughts away. It was starting to get harder and harder to keep them from popping into his head. In any case, he resolved, he was not going to turn on Sasuke. He was going to support him, because that's what friends did, damnit! He blinked suddenly, hearing someone approaching.

"Yo, Naruto," Shikamaru called, coming up to sit next to the Uzumaki as Ino and Chouji came up behind him. "It's been a while, eh?"

"Yeah, I don't think I've been talking to you guys since the invasion," Naruto agreed, pulling himself into a seated position, before noticing something odd. "You made chuunin as well, Shikamaru?"

"Yeah, it's a pain, but Mom'd kill me if I didn't take it. You should be wearing the vest, not me. If you hadn't taken out Gaara..." the Nara grimaced, his expression contrasting the surprise on Ino and Chouji's faces. "What?"

"We heard... nevermind." the kunoichi began, unusually hesitant.

"You heard it was Sasuke, right?" Naruto rolled his eyes. "I already know. I mean, I get it, he's the youngest clan head in forever and the prodigy of our generation. It's not his fault everyone still thinks I'm going to snap and, I dunno, eat them or whatever," he scoffed, stretching as he stood up. "Anyway, I'd better get going. Congrats on your promotion, Shika. I'll see you around."

Shikamaru glanced at his teammates, one looking angry, the other confused. "Told you guys. It's because of the Kyuubi. There's no way Naruto failed an exam that I managed to pass. It's got to be pissing him off, even if he'll never admit it."

"Well then," Ino grinned evilly. "I'm guessing you want me to get the gossip network on his side?"

"If it helps, he's actually the one who convinced Tsunade-sama to come back to the village," the Nara grinned, enjoying her look of surprise. "You should be able to have fun with that." he continued, even as the Yamanaka turned back towards Konoha, muttering to herself.

"No way was that just to help Naruto." Chouji muttered accusingly, even as he lay down next to his friend.

"Hey, I got to help out a friend, and get a few hours free for cloud-watching. It's a good day to be me."

OoOoO

Rei stood ready, ahead of her teammates as they walked into training ground five, a gravel-covered field leading into the woods. Jumaru gave a cheerful wave as he addressed them all.

"Oh, good, you've all arrived. We should get started as soon as possible. Within the forest before you lie three scrolls, each one giving you a clue to the true purpose of this test. If, before noon, you have discovered the purpose of the test, then you can continue on to the next portion."

"Next portion?" Rei blinked, confused. "So this isn't the test?"

"Oh my word,, no!" the jounin chuckled heartily. "That would be far too easy! You're going to be shinobi, I can't just give you a free pass like that. Bye bye!" he beamed, vanishing in a shunshin.

The academy graduates stood looking at one another for a moment, before tearing away towards the treeline, eager to succeed.

OoOoO

Sasuke took a deep breath as he saw his team standing in one of the Uchiha training grounds, clearly waiting for him. He just hoped they'd give him time to explain his decision before they started crying, begging him to stay, or latching on to him and refusing to let go.

That wasn't even getting into what Sakura would do to him.

...

Done!

A longer chapter than usual, since I'm not going to be getting much done on my stories for a couple of weeks.

Anyway, let me know what you think!