Surprise!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hey guys, it's been rough, and all I can say is thank you for your support and understanding. The only reason I managed to finish this chapter was because I started writing another story and it kinda got me back into the flow of things. I can't guarantee when I'll next up date. Just letting you guys know that I haven't abandoned this story I will try to write out the ending soon.

Anyway surprise, have fun enjoy and sorry it is so over-due.

I do hope that you are still enjoying this story. I am eager to hear what you think of it and ideas for what you think might be happening next.

WARNING it starts to get a little dark in this chapter.

Please enjoy it, lol.

Thank you to my Beta Spaded Ace18.

Thank you for the all the follow, favourite's, alerts and reviews.

Naruto = flash back

'Naruto' is thoughts/thinking

"Naruto" signing/sign language

"Naruto" speaking.

"Naruto" Demon

"Naruto" is demon enhanced.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto just some DVDs and games.

Chapter 50 – The breaking point is tested

Akane looked up to Konohamaru as he stopped in the tree above her. Iruka had asked them to run through a new obstacle course for the academy. Konohamaru dropped down to the ground and walked over to Akane. He glanced to her red hair and flicked his eyes away as she looked over to him.

"What is it?" she asked, making Konohamaru blush at getting caught.

He ran a hand through the hair on the back of his head and chuckled. "Your hair is red." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well I wondered if you were an Uzumaki, you know from Whirlpool." He shrugged.

"Not that I know of." She laughed. "Why? And what does having red hair have to do with anything?"

"It's just well the Uzumaki clan from Whirlpool were renowned for their red hair and mastery of sealing." He turned his head looking into the forest behind him.

Akane followed his gaze. "I'm from waterfall originally, my parents were transferred in an exchange program, my sister stayed behind our village leader is close friends with her, besides I'm sure I'll see her soon." She scanned the environment. "Plus, I'm not great at sealing." Her eyes narrowed. "We need to move." Konohamaru nodded.

They both jumped away as a tree trunk comes flying at them.

"You know I don't think Iruka was entirely truthful about this obstacle course." Konohamaru shouted as he dodged another tree trunk.

"You think!" Akane shouted back at him dodging her own tree.

(Meanwhile)

Iruka looked over to Shikaku as they watched the progress of the two students. Shikaku shrugged and pushed another button. They watched as several more tree trunks swung towards the two.

"I'm blaming this all on Naruto you know." Iruka declared.

Shikaku smirked unleashing the spiked walls.

(Back in the forest)

Akane looked back as the spiked walls slammed shut and the sound of Konohamaru getting caught. Konohamaru lay sprawled on the floor the end of his scarf caught in the trap. Akane walked over slowly, she looked at Konohamaru and back to the scarf.

"My mum gave me this scarf." Konohamaru looked back at where his scarf was caught.

Akane sighed and stepped towards the trap. "Did Naruto get a scarf too?" she asked looking to see how the mechanism worked.

"Yes. The green one he wears all the time." Konohamaru stated.

She stepped back and looked up at where the mechanism was connected, she frowned pulling a kunai from her pouch and sending it flying to where she believed would allow the mechanism to release. The two halves wobbled slightly, and she stepped forward pushing them apart and freeing Konohamaru's scarf.

Konohamaru smiled at her as he wrapped the scarf around his neck one time. She waited until he was ready and then they set off through the forest.

(Line Naruto Clone Kaze on the hospital roof)

Naruto felt the hand around his wrist tighten as it swung both Sasuke and himself towards the water towers behind them. He felt his hand make impact with the tower catching his breath as he dropped down onto the base of the tower. He looked over to Sasuke and saw his arm stuck inside the crumpled water tower.

"Hey you two. What are you doing fighting on the roof of the hospital?" Kakashi spoke with disinterest. "You two shouldn't be fighting each other."

Sasuke pulled his arm out of his water tower a smirk on his face as the water gushed out of his. It merely trickled out of Naruto's. Sasuke glanced up to where Kakashi was now sat atop his water cooler.

"Your superiority complex is a bit obsessive, Sasuke. Chidori is not a technique to be used against your own comrades. Were you trying to kill Naruto?" Naruto and Sakura's heads snapped to look at them.

Sasuke glared at them all before flipping over the fence at the perimeter of the roof. Naruto gritted his teeth in anger.

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him goad me like that. I let my anger get the better of me. Thank you for arriving in time." Naruto turned to Sakura. "I'm sorry I put your life in danger, I wouldn't intentionally hurt you." Sakura collapsed to her knees as tears sprung from her eyes.

Naruto's head turned towards the Hokage monument as he felt one of the clones' pop. Kakashi glanced to his two remaining students.

"I take it you were the one to teach Naruto that technique? Naruto isn't ready for something so powerful. His emotions get in the way of control. Worst case scenario Naruto could have killed Sasuke." Kakashi glanced back to where Jiraiya was leaning against the still intact but crumpled water cooler.

"You're lecturing me about teaching Naruto that, yet you taught Sasuke the Chidori. Sasuke is emotional unstable especially after that encounter with his brother. I'm concerned that Naruto would use that technique against a team mate, he's normally more mature than that. Is there something going on between the two?" he asked looked back towards Kakashi.

"There is some…"

"Some what?"

"It's complicated, I would say it's similar to how you and Orochimaru were. I thought that Naruto saw Sasuke not only as his team mate but his rival as well, to be on equal footing with him. And yet I've seen a different side to Naruto, he's let me in and I know that he has his other team and he's stronger and more powerful than Sasuke. Perhaps the goading got too much." Kakashi sighed glancing at his blond pupil. "Sasuke feels threatened by Naruto's sudden growth, he's seeing his weaker and incompetent classmate getting stronger, gaining the title of Hokage. He feels like he's not progressing enough because of how strong Naruto has suddenly become." Kakashi paused pulling out the little scarecrow charm. "But Naruto hasn't got stronger suddenly, he's always been strong it's just taken until now for some of us to see it. To notice what was there all along." Kakashi put the charm back in his pocket.

"Itachi has caused Sasuke to lead a dark life. Sasuke won't acknowledge Naruto, if he does his entire reason for living will cease. He lives only to kill Itachi. It complicates things."

"Just a few choice words to them both should do." Jiraiya smirked.

"I'll leave Naruto to you then. I have a mission and Sasuke." Kakashi nodded. He jumped off the top of the cooler landing in front of Sakura. He eye smiled. "Don't worry everything will be sorted soon." He glanced to Naruto who seemed to be in a slight daze before jumping off.

(Line)

Four sets of eyes stood on a rooftop inside the hidden village of the leaf string down at Sasuke Uchiha. They smirked seeing that he was all alone. Just as they were getting ready to strike they watched as Sasuke was wrapped tightly in wire and bound to the tree.

Sasuke glared up at Kakashi who was stood in front of him holding the end of the wire.

"What the hell?" Sasuke all but spat.

"To stop you running off. You don't tend to listen when I talk." Kakashi sighed. "Stop seeking revenge. You'll only hurt yourself and others around you if you continue down this path. What will happen when you achieve your revenge? You'll be left with nothing but emptiness."

"What the hell would you know!? Don't talk to me like you understand!" Sasuke snapped.

"Calm down." Kakashi sighed.

"What if I was to kill the one you love most? How far would you go then? I could make you feel true pain." Sasuke smirked.

"That would never work. Everyone I ever loved has already been killed." Kakashi smiled.

Sasuke stopped struggling against the wire, stopped trying to get a reaction out Kakashi. He was shocked into silence.

"I grew during a war Sasuke. I understand terrible pain and true loss." Kakashi looked away playing absently with the scarecrow in his pocket. "We aren't the lucky ones that's for sure. But we aren't the worst off. Both of you have found precious companions." Kakashi released the wires seeing he'd made an impact on Sasuke. "Chidori is a technique for you to use when protecting your precious people. Don't push the people you've let into your life away. Think about that. Do you really want to end up like me? With no precious people left. Think hard about what I've said Sasuke." Kakashi jumped off the branch leaving Sasuke to lament his thoughts.

Sasuke dropped down out of the tree, he wandered through the streets all while being watched by the four sets of eyes. He looked up at the moon as it continued to rise, the villagers were lighting their lanterns. Children were called into their homes, he stilled walking past Naruto's building. Several children similar in age to him were having a conversation on one of the balconies above him. Their conversation caught his interest.

"Did you see what Marko bought home the other day?" one child spoke.

"No what was it?" The other asked.

"A charm. He asked Naruto if there was a way for him to make like little trinkets or something to attach to tools and weapons and things."

"That's quite sweet, he just wants to help you out really." A girl replied leaning over the balcony.

"Well it turns out Naruto had made a scarecrow charm for that lazy sensei of his, so they practiced making some simple ones."

"What's this got to do with the charm Marko brought home?" the boy from earlier asked.

"Marko has figured out how to make more intricate and better charms. He bought home a Narutomaki charm he'd made. He said that, that lazy sensei had bought the other one and had given it to Naruto as a gift."

"You mean Naruto and that lazy guy are getting a long?" the annoyed boy asked.

"I think so, I mean I saw him leaving Naruto's apartment the other day." The original speaker shrugged.

"That doesn't mean anything," The girl snapped.

"Well how many people do you hear Naruto giving gifts huh? Besides everyone thought he was interested in that red-haired girl from another village. He shot that down like a ball of flames."

"You're imply that Naruto likes this guy?" the girl laughed.

"What?" the boy shrugged.

"I doubt Naruto is interested in him."

"What makes you say that?"

"He's twelve for one thing. For another it was his birthday recently, maybe he just gave it to him as a birthday present. Naruto's been through a lot recently, maybe he was just being nice." She huffed. "Besides I'm sure if Naruto liked someone we'd know about it. He told us about his team, both teams."

"Maybe we should just ask him? Aren't we having a barbeque on the roof soon?"

"Perfect we can ask him then."

"Boys." The girl huffed. "When did Naruto's relationships start becoming a thing?"

"When the adults started taking bets on if he liked that red haired foreign ninja." The boys laughed walking back into the room.

Sasuke scowled walking away. He considered why he had stopped to listen to that conversation. Naruto. Why did everything come back to Naruto? He growled and slammed his fist into the side of the building. He walked away leaving a hole in the wall. His mind wandered to his brother. He was getting angrier the more he stayed inside his head. The moon had fully risen when he arrived at the Uchiha District. From here the rest of the village sounded silent. No noise seemed to penetrate the walls surrounding the compound. He paused in the entry way.

Sasuke looked up as four shadows flashed across the moon. He watched as they each landed in a semi-circle around him.

"Who the hell are you?" Sasuke growled.

"The sound four" the guy with six arms spoke. "East Gate's Kidoumaru."

"The same South Gate's Jiroubou." The heavyset guy spoke.

"The same, West Gate's Sakon," The two headed guy spoke.

"The same, North Gate's Tayuya." The girl spoke.

The four disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Sasuke suddenly found himself blocking an attack. He used the moment of Tayuya's attack to displace her behind him. He swung round the body of Sakon kicking them away. Jiroubou swung a punch at Sasuke. Sasuke jumped over Kidoumaru pushing him into the floor. Sasuke grabbed Jiroubou's arm sending him flying, while kicking Kidoumaru at the same time. Both heading towards where Sakon and Tayuya had landed. With a thump and a cloud of smoke the four landed. Sasuke's eye's narrowed as the smoke cleared to reveal four logs where the four should have been.

Sasuke glanced behind him where the four stood on the stoop of the house directly opposite the entrance to the district. None of them had a scratch on them, while Sasuke was slightly out of breath.

"You caught me at a bad time. However, if you want more I won't hold back." Sasuke snarled.

Sakon glanced at the others gathered. "He sounds like a wounded dog. Come on then. I'll make a nice melody of your broken ribs. Do. Re. Mi. Fa. So. La. Ti. Do."

Both launched themselves towards the other.

(Line at the Hokage Tower)

Naruto woke suddenly he scanned round the room. Konohamaru was a sleep in the bed next to him. He yawned and stretched rising from the bed. He opened the door peeking into the Hokage's office. Tsunade was sat up reading tiredly through a book. He knew she was looking for a way to help Rock Lee. He shuffled into the room as she sat back in her chair.

"Shizune hasn't moved your stock of sake yet, it's still in the bottom draw." Naruto started her.

"Brat, don't do that." Tsunade jolted.

She reached down into her bottom draw and pulled out a flask of sake.

"I heard you had a confrontation with Sasuke." Naruto frowned.

"He goaded me, and I let my anger get the best of me. Not my finest moment." Naruto confessed.

"Heard Sakura, is that her name, got in the middle of it."

"Yeah."

"Want to tell me what happened after the fight?" she poured a cup.

(Line Naruto's Flashback)

"Naruto, I need to tell you something. Come with me. I'll go on a date with you." Sakura turned looking at Naruto.

"No." Naruto shook his head. "I don't want to go on a date with you. You shouldn't assume that I like you in that way. It's not fair to treat others that way." Naruto sighed forlornly.

"But it's about Sasuke." Sakura shouted. "During the exams Orochimaru did something to him."

"I know what Orochimaru did to Sasuke. He blocked my chakra after we met in the forest. I've recently ran into him while we were searching for Tsunade." Naruto paused. "Orochimaru was part of a team known as the legendary sannin, they are really powerful. He's dangerous. Sakura" He glanced to see Sakura's face. "Don't worry Sasuke won't go to a creep like that. We're his team, we won't let it happen, okay?" Naruto's lips tilted into a small smile.

Sakura nodded and smiled back. Naruto walked away his smile slipping from his face.

(Line - Naruto clone Kurōn, Hokage Building)

"Not interested in the pink girl either then?" Tsunade stared at Naruto.

"Not really. She only thinks about Sasuke. She'd only use me." Naruto grimaced. "I don't think I'll be that interested in girls anyway." Naruto shrugged making Tsunade spit her sake out. "Are you okay?" He turned staring at her in worry.

"Fine, fine," she coughed.

"Thank you by the way." He turned back looking out the window. "For Konohamaru. It's hard you know growing up in this tower and then suddenly it's not your home anymore." Naruto shrugged pulling his arms across his shoulders into a self-hug.

"You really care about him, don't you?" Tsunade watched the boy in front of her as she mopped up the sake.

"He's my little brother. He means the world to me." Naruto looked to the Hokage. "Grandpa had more advanced books on healing and medicine in one of the back rooms. Pretty useless when nobody's interested in healing and medicine anymore." Naruto shrugged.

"I'll look into that, thank you." She smiled. "Go to bed Naruto, Konohamaru won't appreciate it if you're not there when he wakes up." She gestured back through the door he'd just come through.

"Night Lady Tsunade." Naruto bowed his head.

"Night Naruto."

(Line - Naruto Clone Kaze)

Takeru leant against the entryway a small smile on his face as Riku and Ume watched after their teammate. Naruto was a little further in front of his team mates inside the compound. Even though they weren't supposed to be out on missions because Ume still hadn't fully recovered, they had been personally requested. Naruto was busy talking to their client a young girl with black hair tied into an intricate bun on the top of her head. Her bangs framed her face elegantly. Her purple eyes sparkled as she spoke to Naruto.

Ume's eyes narrowed as she watched the two younger children laugh. Naruto was so carefree and relaxed around her. She had noticed as soon as the two met up how different Naruto was. She grumbled under her breath watching as the girl rested a hand on Naruto's arm.

Riku tried to stifle his laughter, Ume was muttering under her breath and staring daggers at their client, Kimiko Shijimi. She was around Naruto's age and was obviously very good friends with Naruto. Riku turned away as Naruto and Kimiko hugged goodbye. If he didn't know any better, he would think that Ume was jealous. He heard her muttering and nodded to himself. She was definitely jealous. His eyes wandered over to their Sensei. Ever since the invasion Takeru Sensei had been a little off. Naruto seemed to know what was on Sensei's mind. He was quite good at knowing things really. He shrugged as Naruto walked over to them and Ume instantly attached herself to Naruto's arm.

"You okay Sensei?" Riku laughed seeing him startle his sensei.

"Yeah, you guys ready to go now. We should get back just after dark." Takeru nodded turning away from his students.

"Ume you alright?" Naruto asked as they jumped up into the trees. "You're glowering." Naruto smirked.

"I think she's jealous." Riku laughed, he stopped suddenly seeing three pairs of eyes staring at him.

"I am not jealous." Uma blushed as she moved ahead of Riku.

"Why would she be jealous?" Naruto landed next to Riku.

"I swear sometimes you are so oblivious; how did you ever make it to Hokage?" Riku shook his head. "She's jealous of your friend back there." Riku inclined his head backwards in the direction they had come from.

"What? Why? Kimiko is my friend. One of my first friends actually." Naruto tilted his head at Ume.

"I'm not jealous. I'm annoyed. I might have to change my bet. Nobody knew to include Kimiko Shijimi in the odds." She moaned.

"Wait what bet?" Naruto asked as he stopped on his tree branch. "Ume!" He shouted as raced after his team mate.

(Line meanwhile back in the village)

Sakon dangled the battered body of Sasuke by the ankle. He threw Sasuke over his shoulder into the building behind him.

"Pathetic. Quit messing around and make up your mind. Are you coming with us or not?" Sakon sneered. "Though it seems there's no point in forcing you to come with us. Orochimaru can be such a pain. I just want to kill a brat this hesitant and weak."

"Orochimaru wanted this guy really? Wasn't that Naruto guy the better option?" Tayuya sniffed.

Sasuke's anger peaked as his curse mark spread down his arm and across his face. He clutched his shoulder where the mark originated from while growling at the four sound Nin in front of him.

"Give it a try then!"

The sound four stared in wide eyes as the boy flew at them blind in rage. He hit the floor staring up at Sakon, who stood with his tongue out, hand holding his hair away from his face. His own curse mark covering half of his body.

"You're not the only one that Orochimaru has his sights set on," Sakon smirked as Sasuke looked at him in horror. "The cursed seal isn't something you should use so carelessly. Well actually-" Sakon chuckled. "It looks like you can't even control it, but if you keep releasing it like that though, the cursed seal will slowly invade your body." Slowly Sasuke's curse mark receded. "By the looks of it, you're still in the first stage of things, so it's spreading rather slowly. However, when it's completely taken over your body." Sakon moved his hand away from his hair. "You will lose all free will forever."

Sasuke stared up at them as the curse seal disappeared from his body.

"Instead of the cursed seal giving you power it merely transforms you into Orochimaru's slave. For us we have already lost that freedom." Tayuya spoke. "To gain something, you must be willing to sacrifice something else." Tayuya sighed. "What is your purpose in life? Will you just forget that and continue to live in this simple village, where you and your loser friends can gather to cry on each other's shoulder. What about Itachi Uchiha?" She all but smirked.

"Don't forget your purpose. This village will only become the shackles that bind you. It's best to just cut those worthless connections in doing so, you'll be able to obtain a much greater power." Sakon stated as Sasuke's eyes hardened. "Don't forget your purpose." The four jumped up to be silhouetted by the moon before disappearing from view.

Sasuke scowled catching and crushing a leaf in his fist.

(Line – across the village)

Rock Lee was sat on a bench deep in thought. He was so deep I thought he didn't notice Gai Sensei walking towards him.

"I knew I would find you here," Gai smiled at his favourite student.

"What are you doing here?" Lee looked up concerned.

"Looking for you." Gai smiled.

"Do you remember when we first came here? We'd just been made genin, this is where we said our dreams. Neji laughed at me. But I was serious. I was going to be an amazing ninja without the use of ninjutsu or genjutsu. Through hard work and determination, I would be a shinobi. For the first time in my life I had a teacher that wanted to help me. Who believed in me and made me believe in myself." Lee's head fell forwards his hands clutching at his knees desperately as tears began to fall. "But just this once it doesn't look like I'll get anywhere even if I try, even if I believe in myself! Gai Sensei please tell me! Why does something like this only happen to me? Tell me what I should do!"

"If you want to be saved from your pain, you must prepare yourself!"

"Does that mean to give up my dreams?" Lee sniffled.

"If you lose your dreams you will end up suffering even more than you are now. We're such fools that once we lose our 'nindo' we can't live on. It's the same for both of us." Gai released a heavy breath. "Take the surgery Lee!"

Lee looked up in shock.

"You've never stopped working hard. The surgery will most definitely succeed. It will call forth a heavenly future. If by the one in a million chance the surgery fails, then I shall die with you!" Gai smiled. "Ever since I met you my nindo became to raise you into a great ninja. That's a promise!" He struck the nice guy pose.

Lee was overcome by emotion as he launched himself at his Sensei. Wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug.

(Line – Back with Sasuke)

Sasuke was staring absently at the team photo in his apartment. He didn't remember the photo being taken. He looked at himself brooding as usual and Sakura next to him smiling, Kakashi with his hand on his head almost like he was ruffling his hair. Naruto was the other side of Sakura. He was smiling with Kakashi's hand on his shoulder. He smirked suddenly. Kakashi had lied to him, not everybody he loved was dead, and there was still one more person left. He flung his fist into the picture, watching as it toppled from its original position. Walking out of the door as the picture toppled broken onto the floor.

He sneered seeing Sakura in front of him. "Why are you prowling around the village in the middle of the night?"

"I knew you'd come this way if you… if you were to leave the village." She dipped her head to the side her bangs falling across her face. "So, I just waited here."

"Get out of here, go back to dreaming of being a real ninja." He shoved past her.

Sakura's lip trembled, tears began to form in her eyes. "Why won't you say anything to me?" She shouted. "Why do you always keep so quiet? You never say a single word to me...?"

Sasuke stopped as she shouted. "I told you I don't need help from you. You are nothing but annoying." He snarled.

Sakura took a step back, "No matter what you always hate me don't you. Just like when we first became genins. The day the three of us became a three-man team. The first time we were here by ourselves, you were so mad at me. You called me annoying back then too." Sasuke's head tilted back in her direction but he didn't say anything. "That's when it all began though you and me along with Naruto and Kakashi sensei…"

Sasuke whirled around his sharigan spinning kunai drawn. Sakura was pinned up against the wall. Sakura shuddered at the look of murderous intent in his eyes.

"You seem to think you know me, you know nothing about me. We are not a team!" he all but spat.

"You told me once how painful it was to be always alone," Sakura whispered her head down. "If you leave, I'll be alone. You mean the world to me Sasuke, I love you with all my heart." She looked up into his eyes tears streaming. "Stay, please stay. Or take me with you. I'll help you with your revenge. I don't know what I could do but I'd try my best to do something. Please don't go, stay with me." She begged.

Sasuke's sneered darkened. "You're annoying and weak why would I ever take you with me."

"If you leave, I'll scream!" Sakura blurted.

Sasuke's hand moved to cover Sakura's mouth as he held her pressed against the wall. He pressed the kunai into her face and with three quick movements sliced open her face. "You were never any good for anything. Now, you're ugly too. How about you play at being messenger? Make sure they send Naruto after me, we've got a score to settle." Sasuke sneered. "You can pass on this message to Kakashi for me." He laughed, shoving something into her hand, pulling her away from the wall, blurring behind her and knocking her out.

He left her on a bench at the side of the road.

(Line last call at the bar)

The bar keeper looked up as his door was suddenly thrown open. He watched as Riku tried to stop Ume from storming into the bar. All eyes turned to watch as the girl stormed over and pulling out a bag slammed it onto the bar.

"I want to change my bet." She growled.

The rustle of paper announced the stack being removed from behind the bar. He spread the sheets out as Ume glowered at them. She stabbed an angry finger at the betting sheet she wanted. The bar keeper rose a lone eyebrow but moved the sheet away from the others. He spun it, so it was the right way up for her. He held a pen out for her as she wrote on the sheet.

"Ume, you know Naruto doesn't like to be bet on." Riku sighed, resigning himself to being ignored.

She turned wildly towards him, her short hair whipping round in a flash of purple. "Well tough. I've done it now." She stomped back out the door.

"Just you wait 'til Naruto finds out he always finds out." Riku shrugged as he followed after his teammate.

When the door to the bar closed there was a mad rush to the bar to see what bet she had changed. They all looked towards the door. How the hell did Naruto know Kimiko Shijimi?

(Line at the edge of the village)

Sasuke made it to the edge of the village where the Sound four were standing waiting for him.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke sneered.

"When we left our village, it was decided that you would be our new leader. Please forgive our rude welcome." Sakon shrugged.

"I don't care about that. Let's get out of here." Sasuke shrugged. "Now it begins." They stood looking out away from the village.

Thanks for reading.

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