Konoha. Hokage residence.
"She's beautiful, Sasuke." Said his former teammate Sakura Uzumaki. Her and Naruto had been married for five years, and Sakura had given birth to twins a week ago.
"Ya, she is about Shinachiku and Hikarus's age. Where is Karin?" The man that was as close to him as his own brother asked. The man in question just stared out a window that overlooked the village.
" My wife. Died 5 nights ago." He turned and handed Naruto two papers and a photo. One was Sarada's birth certificate. It was from a small village on the border with the land of Wind. The other was a death certificate for Karin (Uzumaki) Uchiha. The photo was of her smiling happily showing off her wedding ring standing next to Sasuke. He continued on.
"A group of missing nin found out where we lived. They were after me for my eyes, and what Orochimaru had done to them. They weren't that powerful, but powerful enough to kill a woman who had just given birth the night before. I was helping a local farmer when one of the midwives' sons came to tell me what was going on. By the time I got there it was too late to save Karin." With each word the rage was building in him. Naruto placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"I assume the men that did this are dead?" He asked. Sasuke simply nodded yes. Naruto didn't expect anything less. If it was him he would have done the same. The gifts that the Sage of Six Paths gave them to defeat Obito Uchiha had given them power beyond what anyone could dream of, it also painted a huge target on both of their backs.
When he had calmed down. "I need to ask you both to do something for me. I need you to care for my daughter. You two are the only people I trust. She will be safe here in the village."
Twelve years later.
Sarada Uchiha Uzumaki was doing something that she loved. Roof hopping. Most ninjas did it as a way to get around the village faster. Well if you could call Konoha a village anymore. It was pretty much a city now, her adopted father Naruto Uzumaki had led it and the world to a new golden age of peace. After the last war most grew tired of the endless conflict and mistrust. So the Alliance was born. Iwa was the last major power to join. They had been on the wrong side of the conflict because of the hate they held for Konoha and the Fourth Hokage. At any rate she had just said goodbye to her little sister Hanami, and was moving quickly to meet her father. She looked to her left at her brother who was the same age as her. Shinachiku was a combination of her mother and father. Her father's unruly blond hair, and her mother's green eyes. Lucky he had taken after his mother more than his father. To her left was Kita Inusuka and her partner Grey. She was more her father than mother. She has the eyes of a Hyuga mixed with the ability of the Inuzuka. She was a born tracker, which is why she was on the team. She also had something else from her mother. She had a crush on Shinachiku. Hinata, Kita's mother, had a crush on Shinachiku and Sarada's father from the time she was a little girl until she was sixteen. But Sakura had made her move first. Hinata lost one love, but gained another. She was married to Kiba Inusuka. Looking behind her she saw her other sister, Hikaru. Hikaru was her father in almost every way, same unruly blond hair, blue eyes, two whisker marks on each of her cheeks. She loved playing pranks on people.
They arrived where her father was talking to someone else, Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke would stop by the village to check on his friends and pick up missions. He wasn't officially a Konoha shinobi. He and his team were freelancers. Picking up missions from anywhere. There was one thing that Sarada knew that she wasn't really supposed to talk about. It was the fact that Sasuke was her real father. Not that she would trade the family she has for a life with him, oh no. She loves her family, and is loyal to her village. There was a reason why he left her where she was now, and she didn't hate him for it.
The four children landed, Hikaru jumped to hug her father. "Daddy!" she said happily. The smile on her face reminded Sasuke of his friend.
"I thought you guys would be on your way to the training grounds? I'm sure Konohamaru is waiting for you guys." The Hokage asked them.
"We are on our way there, but someone had to see you first." Shinachiku told his father, looking at his twin. She turned her head, looking back at him sticking her tongue out at him. He just rolled his eyes at his sister's antics.
After Naruto had sent them on their way, hugs for his children of course. The one thing that was not really strange, but surprised his friend. Sarada had given him a big hug. Naruto watched his friend as the new Team Seven left.
"She knows." He said. Sasuke quickly turns to look at his friend, a questioning look on his face. The Hokage smiles at his friend's confusion.
"A well to do merchant to run things behind the scenes. When I refused to play ball with him, he decided to change my mind through my children. He had them kidnapped and basically said if I didn't give him what he wanted I would never see them again." Sasuke could see a bit of anger in his friend's eyes.
"You dealt with him." He asked.
"Yes. We tracked them to their hideout and killed every last one of the scum. During the short battle Sarada unlocked her Sharingan. This was about six years ago. She hasn't used it much sense, Kakashi has taught her some of how to use it. This of course made her realize that Sakura and I weren't her actual parents. She knows you are her father. She was mad for a bit, but understands why you left her with us. And no she isn't mad at you." The Hokage finished.
Sasuke was relieved that his daughter wasn't mad at him, and her safety in mind when he left her in the village.
"What happened to the merchant?" He asked.
"Sakura killed him after wringing the information we needed out of him. My wife can be scary when you threaten what she loves the most." He told the Uchiha. Sasuke nodded his head at the news.
Sakura Uzumaki was at the children's clinic That Ino and she had created. Ino handled the mental, counciling side of the clinic, Sakura the medical. Their reason for doing this was because of their Husbands. Ino had helped Sai through his trauma from his raising and conditioning during his childhood at the hands of Lord Danzo. Sakura's husband's life had been affected by Danzo as well. He wanted to turn Naruto into a mindless, emotionless weapon that he could point at the village's enemies and destroy them. This mindset was Danzo's downfall. He was dead and gone now, and that was fine with her. The other reason was the war. The Fourth Great Shinobi War. A disgusted look came to her face as she thought about "great" being used to describe war. It had made children orphans, left shinobi without arms or legs, she had seen more of the results of war then she cared to. She had almost lost her husband in that war.
She finished signing, and filing the last of the paperwork that she had been working on. Her assistant would be back from her vacation with her husband. Of course she knew the trick that Naruto used to keep ahead of his own paperwork. Shadow clones were really useful.
"Hey forehead." Ino knocked, and then walked into Sakura's office. "A couple ladies are here to see you." Sakura looked up at her best friend and partner in the clinic. An annoyed look on her face. Behind the smiling blond was Sakura's mother and her youngest daughter Hanami.
She was surprised. "Mom, Hanami. What's going on?"
"We just thought we would come by and see what you were up to. Sarada and the twins dropped off the little mischief maker here, most of my chores are done or can wait for later."
Her mother told her. Hanami hugged her aunt Ino and ran to her mother, hopping into her arms. Sakura caught the five year old easily. Hanami had pink hair like her mother, and blue eyes like her father. She also had his smile.
Hugging her daughter. "I suppose I could grab a snack with you guys. Sasuke is back for a bit so Naruto will be catching up with him and being in meetings most of the day." Sakura's mother seemed a bit worried about that. Of course Sakura caught on to it quickly.
"Don't worry Mom, Sarada knows about him and the reason he left her with Naruto and I."
It didn't aleve the older woman of her worries much.
Hokage Tower, Hokage's office.
Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Kakashi and Sai were all there discussing the information that Sasuke had brought them. He had access to Jiraiya's network. The Sannin had retried a few years back. He was now a full time author. The information was not good. There was a faction of smaller nations that had not fared as well after the war. The Five Great Nations were trying to help them out, but someone was not satisfied with their actions.
"So. This faction is gathering strength." Kakashi stated.
"Yes. As far as I have gathered, there is one person or a small group behind it. They blame their woes, and they have a point." Most of the eyes in the room were on the Uchiha.
"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked.
"The Five Great Nations have been trying to help the smaller nations, but there is only so much that can be done. The Five Great Nations have to worry about themselves as well. This faction has approached me and my team a few times, hoping for us to aid them, but I have no interest in helping them." Naruto and Kakashi knew Sasuke would never back a faction against the village, even if he was a ninja of the village.
Naruto looked over the scrolls that Sasuke had given him. "We will have to figure out who was behind this." He told the others.
Elsewhere.
A man with short cropped black hair, sat at a desk reading through a scroll. It was a report of the things he had set in motion. After the last war he had had enough. The Five Great Nations had taken all he held dear. His wife, children, his village. He would put an end to this messed up system that the rest of the world trapped in. Obito Uchiha had tried, and failed. But the two men that stopped him, he could do something about that. Or at least make them understand what they had done. There was a knock at the door.
"Enter." He said not looking up from the scroll.
The man that entered stopped in front of his desk and waited for his leader to look up and ask for his report.
"Report." The man at the desk said not looking up.
"Sir. We may have a problem. The Uchiha has been gathering information on our operations." He reported. It was no secret that the man hated Sasuke Uchiha. The scare that ran from his hairline to his jaw line across his right eye spook to that. .
He looked up. "I expected as much. The network he is using was used by Jiriaya of the Sannin himself. He can't know all of what we have planned."
"Of course. But shouldn't we take precautions?" He asked.
"No. What we have in motion can not be stopped. We have mostly gathered the resources we need. Soon we will take action against the Land of Fire."