Hey guys! As always I love you all and thank you for the reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and to the reviewer who mentioned the guys in Wave, don't worry I haven't forgotten them, they'll be back I promise, and fairly soon actually, though I won't say anymore than that to avoid spoilers.

Naruto's gaze landed on Kakuzu quickly, eyes narrowing as she focused on him.

The bastard. She could see strange black threads but she didn't care.

She'd gotten faster since learning Sage mode, and she'd finally found a way to counter the unpleasant side effects.

She'd hoped to use it as a secret weapon-she hadn't even told Ero Sennin about it, but all she could see was Itachi's half broken figure. She was seeing red, almost literally, she could feel Kurama trying to calm her but for once she ignored him as she focused, forming the familiar jutsu, a loud piercing noise filling the air.

Kakuzu's gaze turned towards her.

He'd been focused on Itachi, barely noticing her even as the weird black threads had reached towards the sick man.

His eyes widened when he noticed her, but by then it was too late, the Senjutsu coated Rasenshuriken was flying towards him, and it hit him hard, slicing through his chest, and even as the jutsu imploded, the tiny chakra blades doing their job she was forming another, ignoring the ache of her wounds and her own exhaustion as she threw the second Rasenshuriken at him before the first was even finished imploding.

She dispelled the second clone as she did, because she could feel her grip on Sage mode waning, and the second rush gave her more energy as she dropped to Itachi's side as Kakuzu hit the ground, he'd been sliced apart, he was literally led in
pieces, and it seemed that he was dying. Clearly she'd gotten all of his hearts.

"Itachi-san." Naruto's voice was tight and shaky, "Itachi-san... shit shit."

"Started coughing during the fight." Itachi's voice was tight and pained, "Couldn't breath."

"I... what's wrong with you."

"Dying."

"No... no no no." Naruto shook her head, "You can't die like this, you deserve a second chance to come home this isn't right."

"I shouldn't have left." Itachi whispered the words, "Putting that line through my forehead protector was one of the hardest things I had to do." somehow the Uchiha forced out the words, and Naruto blinked back sudden tears, untying the forehead protector fastened around her arm and pressing it into Itachi's hand.

"You're still a Konoha shinobi you deserve better." as she spoke Itachi slumped forward, passing out in her arms, though his fingers curled tightly around the forehead protector.

This wasn't right it wasn't supposed to be like this, she felt herself slipping out of Sage mode in her panic but she didn't care.

She'd promised she'd get Itachi home she'd promised. He couldn't die.

She shook her head, panic rising in her chest as she flashed through familiar handsigns.

Sakura's scream was high and loud and Naruto only just dodged the punch the would have probably shattered her skull.

"Sakura!" her voice was panicked, frantic as she looked around.

The hospital, that was good, she'd thought Sakura would be there but she wasn't sure. "Help me."

To give her credit Sakura recovered from the shock quickly, rushing forward and grabbing the slumped Itachi.

"Naruto-chan what the hell happened is that-is that Itachi-san?"

"We... he's hurt, he's sick."

"Right." Sakura dropped to her knees as she laid Itachi onto the floor, quickly, slamming a button next to the bed-thankfully the occupant seemed to be sedated because they hadn't woken up, and Sakura was already working, her hands glowing green as she held them over the wound on Itachi's stomach. "What happened to him? I need to know to heal him okay?"

"He... he was fighting someone, he... he's sick Sakura-chan something is wrong with him. He's not well."

"In what way?" Sakura's voice was calm, soothing and Naruto forced herself to breath as she heard people rushing through the halls towards the room.

"He... he's been coughing up blood. I don't know what's causing it but he was coughing really bad. And he looks sick, he's pale and exhausted looking-"

"When was he coughing."

"Last night I heard it.. and during the fight when I arrived,"

"Okay, so you don't know anything more than that?"

"No." Naruto frantically wiped her eyes as several medics burst into the room, and Sakura was standing quickly, "I need a bed now, patient with a severe stomach wound and probable underlying sickness that we need to look into."

"Yes Sakura-sama." one of the medics rushed off to get a bed and Sakura focused her gaze on Naruto-and for the first time Naruto let herself focus on the pink haired girl.

She'd grown up a lot, her hair was tied back now, pulled into a long braid that hung down her back.

Her old red dress was gone, replaced with a red kimono top, a pair of tight fitting black pants with a thick brown belt with a variety of pouches.

Over her clothes she was wearing a white medic coat, and she looked every bit the professional she was acting.

Naruto found herself feeling incredibly relieved that Sakura at least was able to keep her head right now given her own lack of calm.

A moment later a bed was wheeled into the room and Sakura, with the help of two other medics was loading Itachi onto the bed and he was being rushed out.

"I'll go after him and take control of his care." Sakura said quickly, laying a hand on her shoulder, "But first, you're injured too. Anything you want me to take care of?"

"I-no." Naruto shook her head, "No. No Kurama will heal me." her voice was shaking slightly. "Will he be okay?"

"I'll handle the stomach wound-it's bad but I've already started healing it up, and I'll get Tsunade-shisou to help me figure out
what's causing the cough." she hesitated, "Naruto-chan what the hell happened? Where's Jiraiya-sama."

"Meeting some informants." Naruto ran her fingers through her hair before wincing when she saw how her hand was bloody-
now her hair would be bloody too. Wonderful. "I ran into Itachi-san, we decided to go on a mission together."

"What mission."

"Long story-"

"That translates to 'if my mom finds out she will murder me so I'm not telling you.'." Sakura gave Naruto a somewhat
disapproving look, "Naruto-chan-"

"Sakura-chan please." Naruto shook her head, "Not right now. Please just... you need to make sure he's going to be okay."

"And what will you do?"

"I have to go back-"

"Naruto-chan whoever did that to Itachi-san-"

"He's dead." Naruto's eyes flashed, "He's dead Sakura-chan. Believe me when I say no one can survive what was done to him."

"Fine.. fine but then why-"

"I need to go back and see the person who we saved."

Sakura stared at Naruto for a long moment, "Are you sure? Everyone would love to see you again."

"I know." Naruto nodded, "And I'm sure I'll be home soon but I promised Fu-san I'd be back for her."

"Come home safe okay?" Sakura lurched forward and hugged the blonde tightly. "And don't be away for too long."

"I won't." Naruto let out a breath, hugging Sakura back, ignoring the ache of her wounds, "I love you guys so much. And I've missed you."

"We've missed you too." Sakura pulled back, "It's the only thing Sasuke-kun and Karin-chan ever agree on-I swear they've been ridiculous since making Chunin."

"I'll bet." Naruto laughed weakly. "Will you tell him Itachi-san is here."

"I can't keep this from him Naruto-chan."

"I understand... just... give Itachi a chance to prepare himself before you let Sasuke-kun in to see him. Please."

"I will." Sakura promised, pulling back with a soft look on her face. "I'll see you soon. You take care of yourself." Sakura kissed Naruto's cheek before pulling back entirely, "I'll go take care of a dumb Uchiha, I'm good enough at it by now."

"I wish you luck." Naruto gave a wry smile and a lazy salute before she Hirashined back to Fu, who was waiting, her face pale, back pressed against the cliff wall and legs pulled to her chest.

She was on her feet as soon as Naruto arrived, a terrified look on her face.

"What took you so long Naruto-san? What happened to Itachi-san?"

"He's injured, I took him to Konoha to be healed. He'll be okay. He has to be."

"Are you okay? You're all bloody."

"Kurama heals me fast." Naruto let out a breath, "Can you come with me to retrieve Kakuzu's body?"

"You killed him."

"I'm pretty sure he's dead, yeah." Naruto sighed tiredly, "If not that's super impressive."

"I'll come with you." and Fu did, following Naruto down off the cliff and to the spot where sure enough Kakuzu's body laid, broken and dead.

Fu let out a high pitched whistle, her eyes wide, "You sure did a number on him."

"Yeah, yeah I did." Naruto shook her head, "I didn't... I wasn't even thinking I just attacked."

"What now?" Fu's voice was hesitant, "What happens now?"

"I guess you go home and I go see if I can find Ero- my sensei."

"But.." Fu looked hesitant, "They're going after Jinchuriki. After people like us. We need to warn them surely."

Naruto blinked, giving Fu a surprised look, "You want us to go hunting down the other Jinchuriki to warn them?"

"I... I mean you helped me."

"I did." Naruto hesitated, "I don't know where all of them are."

"Well I know Kumo has two." Fu spoke up, And apparently Kiri has one-he came home after the new Mizukage took over. Ukataka or something."

"You're interested in our kind?"

"Yeah, well, I was curious." Fu admitted, "I didn't know that Konoha had a Jinchuriki."

"Yeah it's not exactly common knowledge."

"Makes sense to keep it a secret I guess." Fu shrugged, "And there's the Suna Jinchuriki but you know about him-"

"He knows about the Akatsuki, I told him a while back."

"That's good." Fu nodded, "So really we'd just have to go to Kumo and to Kiri right?"

"I... I guess." Naruto blinked slowly, staring at Fu, "I mean... you have a point." and they could do it couldn't they. They could
at least warn the other Jinchuriki about the threat. Or their Kages at least-she had an in with the Mizukage.

"And I want to come-incase you hadn't realized." Fu's expression was serious, "Without you I don't know what would have happened to me for sure but I'd probably be dead." she shook her head, "I owe you my life Naruto-san. And I want to be able to help the Other Jinchuriki the way you helped me."

"Fine." Naruto decided after a long moment, "But if any Akatsuki show up then you have to let me handle it okay?"

"Fine." Fu nodded, "Can you train me? You were so strong..."

"Uh, sure." Naruto shrugged, "Why the hell not I guess." she glanced at the body of the Akatsuki member, "But first we deal with the body."

"If you take it back to Shibuki-san he'll pay you." Fu suggested, "We've had a bounty out on his head for years."

"I'd rather not." Naruto paused, "Will this Shibuki guy be willing to let you run off to warn the other Jinchuriki-"

"I'm not some kid." Fu pulled a face, "I'm sixteen, I can handle myself."

"Huh." Naruto blinked, "You're older than me then."

"Really?" Fu grinned "You're real strong for your age then I guess."

"I'll be fifteen in a few months."

"We'll have to celebrate while we're on the road." Fu declared brightly, and Naruto let out a laugh.

It was almost like dealing with an even more bubbly version of herself. Fu was incredibly friendly-and coping remarkably well given the fact that she was stood in front of a body that had been rather brutally torn apart.

"We'll need some money so if you take the body to this Shibuki-san and pack some things you could meet me outside of your village in the morning."

"Okay." Fu nodded, "That sounds great. I'll show you the way."

And so together they made their way to a large waterfall, and Naruto blinked.

"Uh, Fu-san. Where exactly is your village."

"You have to go through the caves to get to it. You can wait here if you want."

"Sure, sure." Naruto hummed to herself, "I need to try and wash away some of the blood anyways. I'll see you in the morning then Fu-san."

"See you soon!" and Fu was diving into the pool at the base of the waterfall, and Naruto watched her go before sighing.

Well, at least the next few weeks should be interesting.