Alright, this has been a long time in the making (Hopefully it gets that lazy writer of a friend of mine up off his butt enough to update his stories) and I have been excited about making this story for quite a long time. I remember trying to make a redux, but it didn't exactly work out but I hope for sure that this one does. Anyways, here is a story written by my dear friend FREOWIN, plz enjoy
ALSO GO CHECK OUT THE POLL ON MY PROFILE IF YOU ALREADY HAVEN'T
Tobirama looked at the screen and nodded, "Ok, this one I can get behind." he said.
"Anything that involves peace is something I can get behind Lord Second Hokage." the Fourth Raikage said with a small smile on his face.
"A Price for Peace, it is a perfect name for a story." Minato smiled.
"Alright, let's get started." Onoki said grinning.
Rain battered the ground in torrents creating small rivers on the muddy ground. The sky looked as though it would rain for an eternity attracted by the fires that set the surrounding trees ablaze. It looked like the world was in mourning and it wept for the lives of those that had recently been taken.
The Fourth Great Shinobi war did not last very long, in fact since the fighting started only five days past and in it came to and end in a whimper rather than a bang. Two rivals that once called each other friends had fought and one had lost, and in this fight losing meant only one thing, death. "It wasn't supposed to end this way!" a teen with spiky blond hair cried out in agony and regret. His shirt had been torn and several deep wounds were scattered all over his body although they were healing rather quickly.
"And it's already a sad story, damn." Jiraiya said.
"Hey, it's probably something important." Sakura said to the perv.
"I know, but still, it's not the way to start a story, in my personal opinion at least. You can have sorrow, but this early on it makes it seem a bit redundant to me." he said from his writers point of view.
"Ooh, ok I see where you're coming from. It's your writer's perspective isn't it?" Sakura asked.
"Yep." the sage responded.
"And how was it supposed to end Dobe?" the other teen asked weakly. A small trickle of blood was escaping from the corner of his mouth and his dark raven hair was dirty with mud from where he lay.
"Surprisingly, I don't mind being killed off this early." Sasuke said aloud.
"Ooh, and why is that Sasuke?" Kakashi asked.
"Do you not remember half the shit i pulled before Naruto redeemed me in the war. I can't say I was a model shinobi. I definitely deserved to die on several occasions. It's only thanks to Naruto that I stand here as a friend and not like Madara." he told his teacher.
"A very good point." Hashirama said smiling.
"See, even the Shodai agree's with me." the Uchiha said pointing to the man.
Naruto clenched his eyes trying not to let any tears escape, his efforts were futile however as he could not help but cry knowing that the first person he ever was able to call a friend was about to die from his wounds. He looked into the air not wanting to show weakness even now to Sasuke and silently thanking the rain for allowing his grief to remain hidden. "We were supposed to die together. That's what I saw the last time we fought, and that's what the grand geezer toad saw, we are both supposed to die."
"Is that it? Some prophecy is going to make you react like this." Sasuke coughed spitting out some more blood, he could feel that he didn't have much time left but he would be damned if things ended this way. "Since when have you ever let fate boss you around? If you did then a loser like you would never have made it this far." he smirked.
"Yeah, that doesn't sound like Naruto to mope around. Why, because Naruto is to carefree to let something like this tie him down." Shino said.
"Well said Shino-kun." Kurenai smiled at her student.
"I was only stating facts, because the truth is, Naruto would never let something like a prophecy of his demise stop him." Shino responded
"But this was my answer." Naruto said weakly. The fact Sasuke was actually joking with him just made things that much worse.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Answer to what?"
"Ero-sennin and Nagato's quest, this was how I was going to bring peace." Naruto said falling to his knees beside the fallen Uchiha. Naruto turned his cerulean eyes back down to his friend and saw that Sasuke had no idea what Naruto was talking about. "Ero-sennin once told me that the world was cursed by hatred and he believed that if people truly understood each other. Then I met Nagato and he believed that only through pain could peace be accomplished." Naruto explained while thinking back fondly on his master and fellow student of Jiraiya.
"Is this going somewhere? Because I don't exactly have all day." Sasuke said with a weak smirk before wincing in pain.
"Sasuke? Joking, is the world about to end?" Kiba asked looking around.
"I would associate this with Madara, cause Uchiha's don't smirk outside of battle. Except for Mikoto-chan." Kushina said.
"Ain't that the truth." Kakashi muttered to himself.
"Yes it does, the answer to end the circle of hatred is for everyone to lose. A joint loss that will unite everyone. Kakashi-sensei told me before I left that they are calling me the Hero of the Elemental Nations. I die and everyone loses the person they consider a hero, then everyone would understand each others pain." the blond spoke trying to make Sasuke understand.
Sasuke couldn't help but laugh. "Always the loyal Dobe huh? Well I guess things can't be helped anymore. But were you really willing to throw away your dream of becoming Hokage for this?" he asked. The last Uchiha's voice was cracking and he had to spit out a hefty amount of blood as his internal organs began to shut down.
"I am the legacy of my master and Ero-Sennin believed in me so it is my duty to carry on his will. As for being Hokage. How could I protect a village when I couldn't even save a friend? This was my answer but now I don't know what to do." the blond admitted sounding like he had suffered a soul crushing defeat.
"Well..., at least he still thinks highly of me." Jiraiya smiled.
"Oh please, he practically idolizes the ground you walk on." Tsunade sighed out.
"Now now Tsunade, there's no need to be jealous." the sage grinned at his friend.
"Can it pervert." the busty blonde ground out.
Sasuke sighed and gazed up into the sky. 'It's typical, I don't deserve to see the sun nor the stars when I die. Just the darkness and rain clouds that have filled my heart with the need for revenge.' he thought before making up his mind to do the only thing he could for the only person he had ever called his friend. "Half a mile away there is a cave, inside you will find the last of the Zetsu clones, without Tobi they have no real purpose, I was going to use them to destroy Konoha, but that doesn't seem likely now." he tried to laugh again but the action proved too painful.
"B-But I thought all the Zetsu clones were destroyed when we defeated Kaguya?" Sakura asked herself.
"W-Well, um." Onoki tried to speak but found himself stuttering.
"We already know what happened between you and that clone old man." Kurotsuchi said.
"Why are you telling me this?" Naruto asked.
"Kami I swear you get dumber by the year. Use one of the Zetsu clones, make it transform into you then stab it with my sword. When they find the body everyone will assume we died together." Sasuke explained. It was now becoming quite difficult for him to remain conscious almost to the point where he was having small moments that his eyes blurred out of focus.
"That's actually very smart if one wants to get away from their duties. Why didn't I ever think of that?" Hashirama asked himself.
"Cuz Mito happened to have a tracking seal on you and you admitted to being frightened of her temperament brother." Tobirama responded for his brother.
"Yeah, but a Blood Clone could have the same effect as the Jutsu Caster." Hashirama responded.
"The seal would remain on the original regardless so you were essentially trapped." the white haired man said.
"Ouch, that has to hurt your pride." Sasuke winced.
'More than you know." Hashirama muttered.
"Do you think that would work Kurama?" Naruto asked.
'It's a sound plan Naruto. If you decided that we should do this we will have to leave the Elemental Nations, and we may never be able to return.' the large nine tailed fox said with a hint of empathy for his partner.
Naruto knew that already, but them thinking he was dead would be just as effective. Although for him it would be so much more difficult and painful than dying. Not knowing when, or if he would ever be able to see his friends again, or see the sun rise over the Hokage monument. "Ero-sennin once told me that a shinobi's life is sacrifice. I think I finally know what he was talking about, Itachi sacrificed his life for a village he loved, and I will do the same." he paused for a moment before continuing. "I guess I will have to become Hokage in my next life instead."
"So youthful Naruto-kun." Might Gai sniffled.
"Truly the epitone of youth stands before us Gai Sensei." Lee said with thick tears running down his cheek.
"Oh brother." Tenten sighed.
"Let's just be grateful they aren't hugging." Neji whispered in her ear.
"On that we agree." the bun haired woman said in response.
Sasuke scoffed before looking up at the blond. "This is the second time I have died helping you." he said joking about their first real mission where he jumped in the way of Haku's senbon. "Whatever you do Naruto don't give up on your dr-" his eyes widened and the last word he was going to speak failed to escape his lips.
"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled quickly moving to check his vitals but found no signs of life.
'I'm sorry Naruto, but he's gone, the last of a cursed people. And one of the strongest there had ever been.' Kurama said calmly.
"Another thing we had in common, both the last of our clan. Uzumaki and Uchiha." Naruto sighed refusing to shed anymore tears.
"Yeah, but knowing Uchiha's there is something more to that statement than meets the eye." Sasuke sighed.
"And why do you say that?" Minato asked.
"Madara used Izanagi to return to the living by implanting it in his right eye in a timed sequence that required him to die and wait for three days after his death to activate. Itachi told me that was the longest the Jutsu could be delayed before it couldn't work." Sasuke responded. (1)
"Hmm, I think you may be right, but let's hold our assumptions off for the time being." the Yondaime Hokage said.
Kiba leaned over to Shino and whispered, "I can't believe he's actually belittling his own clan."
"He's probably drunk. Why, because Sasuke usually praises his clan for just about everything." Shino responded.
"You two do know I can hear you, right?" Sasuke asked them.
Kiba and Shino had no response.
'You are not the last Uzumaki, your clan may be scattered but it still lives on.' Kyuubi assured the blond.
"Really, I would have liked to meet them, I guess that's not going to happen now, our chakra signature is too unique to survive in this world without anyone discovering who I am. Maybe one day if I return I will look for one of them I would like to meet one at least once. Well other than Kaa-san" Naruto replied.
'Again you already have, Nagato. He was an Uzumaki, that is why he was able to withstand the overwhelming power of the Rinnegan. The will power of the Uzumaki clan is not something to be laughed at, I have seen that first hand for well over one hundred years.' Kurama spoke with a smirk, thinking about Mito and Kushina, then all the times that Naruto had stood up to him in the recent past. He despised the boy for such a long time but during the war they had become friends. Now the fox looked back at Naruto's past in an almost endearing manner.
"I didn't know Nagato was an Uzumaki." Jiraiya said placing his hands on his hips, "If I did I would have brought the three of them back to the village with me so Kushina could have met him." he stated.
"A shame that we didn't, it would have boosted our villages power if we had him in our ranks. He certainly lived up to the stories of his prowess." Sakura sighed sadly.
"That and Naruto might have had somebody to look after him if he had lived." Tsunade said sadly.
"I guess my clan was really something huh." Naruto huffed and slowly stood up. "You think you can find the cave Sasuke was talking about?"
'I am sure that I could, but it would be best not to use my chakra around them.' Kurama answered recalling how the versions of Zetsu were affected by Naruto's fox mode cloak.
"Yeah, that was crazy. To have such powerful life force that he actually caused them to turn into tree's." Kiba said in nostalgia.
"It was very intimidating, why, because the Nine Tails is indeed a force of nature." Shino said.
"Did you just crack a joke?" Ino asked him.
"I do not joke." the bug user replied.
"You did it again!" the blonde cried out.
"Yeah you're right, they all turned into those giant tree things." Naruto replied with a laugh. It may have been a weird transformation as the excess of life affirming energy had caused the white Zetsu to destabilize due to their connection with Hashirama Senju, the Shodai Hokage. With that said the transformation made the Hashirama clones far easier to kill.
'Use the Sage Mode taught to you by the toads, that should be enough to locate the cave.' Kyuubi suggested.
Naruto nodded in agreement, the ability to draw nature chakra from the world around him gave Naruto sharp sensory capabilities, he could sense those around him for miles and the more he used this skill the stronger it became. The blond teen stood perfectly still while the freezing rain battered against his back, for several moments nothing happened, almost like he was a statue until the pigment around his eyes began to darken to a deep orange color. As Naruto opened his eyes the vibrant cerulean blue was gone, in it's place were brilliant golden orbs with a large jet black bar pupils. "I found it." he spoke calmly. It was a side effect of the use of Senjutsu, you need to relax to the point that you become one with the world around you, making it rather difficult to not feel relaxed. Instantly Naruto's wounds began to heal several times faster than the accelerated healing capabilities awarded to him from his clan and enhanced by his partner.
"He's almost just like you Elder Brother. A Sage, powerful Jutsu, an extraordinary Healing Factor that lets one take very lethal hits yet keep fighting. He might just be the strongest Ninja after you." Tobirama said.
"I think it's safe to say that this young man has already far surpassed me Tobirama." Hashirama smiled.
"Naruto was always able to take a hit, even when I shoved a lightning encased fist through his chest he walked away with but a small scar." Sasuke said.
"I hardly ever saw Naruto with any injuries that lasted for more than a few minutes. Even his Chakra regenerative abilities were off the charts." Tsunade said in agreement.
'Then what are we waiting for, this needs to be done before the rain stops and you can be tracked by your sent.' Kyuubi warned.
"Right, it wouldn't do any good if we left a Zetsu clone here only for Kiba and Akamaru to find our trail." Naruto agreed and in the blink of an eye he was gone jumping through trees in the direction that Sasuke had indicated before he died. It was only a short trip less than five minutes at the speed that Naruto was traveling. When he landed he found an undisturbed cliff face "This is it, they are inside. I just need to find an entrance." Naruto sighed as he began searching the area for a hole into the cave.
"I honestly don't know how to feel hearing that a set of White Zetsu survived the war." Sakura said.
"I do, extreme caution. Why, their ability to plant spores allows them to increase their numbers, they have the ability to mimic our form and chakra signature, and there is of course their espionage ability. Never let your guard down when around them." Shino stated seriously.
"Wow, never thought I would hear you say so much in a single go." the young woman said.
"I apologize, but I still speak truth. Why, because lying will get me nowhere." the bug user stated.
'You know this isn't like you, why not just blast your way inside. It's not like killing a few would be a bad thing, they are just mindless husks now that their master is gone along with the original two halves.' the fox reasoned.
"I guess you're right, it might be better for them if they were killed anyway, the last thing this world needs is more reminders of the Akatsuki." Naruto sighed before slamming his fist into the hard rocky surface of the cliff with the aid of a Senjutsu enhanced punch. Naruto tumbled through the wall as it cracked open with ease and found himself inside a immense underground hall, the floors were flat and so smooth that the blond was sure that this was no naturally occurring landmark. "Wow this place is huge!" Naruto said in awe. His voice echoed back at him from all directions as he marveled at the vast emptiness that stood before him.
'That is relative, to you I am huge. This place was made large for a purpose, to store those Hashirama clones, if it was full you would say it was cramped.' Kyuubi chuckled glad that something was taking Naruto's mind off of the dead Uchiha.
"An excellent point." Kiba said.
"Shut up." Kurenai sighed out.
"What, it is." the Inuzuka said.
"You are huge, you can't say that everyone else is small just because you are so big, face it you are the minority in this instance." Naruto retorted.
Kyuubi scoffed but knew Naruto was just trying to irritate him for a laugh. 'As much as I would like to continue this ever so pointless discussion, I would like to point out that we have a job to do and time spent enjoying the sights is time wasted.'
"Alright geez, for a guy who spends most of his time sleeping you sure are impatient." Naruto replied before starting to walk towards the location he felt Zetsu's chakra signature. At the very back of the hall Naruto found a spiraling staircase made of stone. "They are down here, but I can't sense any movement." he said as he began descending the staircase.
The room below was far smaller, Naruto could see all the way to the other side thanks to his enhanced vision while in Sage Mode. 'Well here they are. Looks like its well over one hundred, good thing we only need one.' Kurama spoke in Naruto's mind.
"Kill them all and be done with it." Tsunade said.
"Yeah, those things are more annoying than Naruto praddling on about his ramen fix." Sakura muttered in agreement.
"Even we can all agree that these guys are actually worse than Naruto." Shikamaru muttered.
"Ok, we can say that." Ino said.
"Ino!" Choji gasped out.
"What?" the blonde asked.
Naruto nodded, the floor of the room was indeed filled with close to one hundred white Zetsu who all turned to face Naruto as he walked down the stairs yet remained impassive. "Um I'm no expert but shouldn't they be attacking me or something?" the blond asked.
'It seems without their master they no longer have a purpose. Perhaps that is why Sasuke thought he could use them as his own.' Kyuubi suggested upon landing at the base of the stairs.
Naruto shrugged agreeing that it was as good a theory as any he could come up with as he approached the closest Zetsu. "Hey you. Can you understand me?" he asked cautiously not willing to drop his guard for an instant with a room full of potentially deadly ninja. To answer his question the clone nodded slowly. "You will follow me and do as I say." this time it was a command, Naruto wanted to see how the soldiers of the former Akatsuki army would respond to such a statement.
"That's a first. These clones of Elder Brother don't seem to be the type to just mindlessly follow someone just because they said to." Tobirama noted.
"They don't. They follow Madara's and only just because he had control of the Gedo Statue." Sasuke said.
"Huh, what do you know, even Madara missed something so obvious." Hashirama muttered.
For a few moments nothing happened. Several Zetsu clones shuffled around uncomfortably as if trying to find a little extra room in the crowded basement. But eventually the clone Naruto had ordered nodded in agreement. 'Well what do you know. These things were just waiting for someone to come along and control them. You could have a nice little personal army if you wanted.' Kyuubi teased knowing that Naruto would never do something like that. Despite Naruto's wish to become Hokage he never desired power for the sake of being stronger than everyone or being feared. He simply wished to protect those precious to him. That had been his ideology ever since his first real mission as a Genin.
"Yeah, not even Naruto would be so cruel to want or do something like that." Hiruzen said.
"Yeah, he's to full of life it's rather annoying." Sasuke said
"That's only cuz you always like to brood." Sakura said.
"PFFFFT HAHAHAHAHA!" Hashirama burst into laughter.
"What's so funny Elder Brother?" Tobirama asked.
"I-I said the exact same thing to Madara one time HAHAHA!" the Shodai laughed out.
"Yea, but he got you back because of your depressed face." Tobirama stated causing a dark purple cloud to appear over him, "Is it really that depressing?" he asked his little brother.
"No thanks Kurama, this must be a pitiful existence, just standing around waiting to be of some use to someone. At least while Zetsu's original body was alive they had some free will." Naruto answered. Turning back to the Zetsu clone Naruto quickly made his mind up on what he would do with the rest. "Wait for me upstairs." he ordered. The clone nodded and slowly ascended the spiraling staircase. Once he was gone Naruto created three clones of his own. "After I leave destroy this place so it is never found by anyone."
Naruto exited the room heading back up stairs and collected his new follower before exiting through the same entrance Naruto had made earlier. They wasted little time in heading back to where the blond knew Sasuke's dead body lay. He made it around half way before the memory of his clones bringing the cave down upon themselves and the Zetsu army hit him. The rain was still beating down as hard as ever by the time Naruto arrived in the clearing.
"One problem down." Tsunade said.
"A million disaster's to go." Sakura finished the quote.
"I see she has already corrupted you to the dark side oh little padawan." Jiraiya said squinting at the girl.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." the pink haired girl said.
"I like her." Kushina whispered to her husband.
All the blood had been washed away from Sasuke's body giving the final Uchiha the appearance that he was merely sleeping and would awaken at any moment. Naruto quickly shook those thoughts off as they only proved to make the fact that Naruto had killed his best friend all the more painful. 'It's time Naruto, now or never.' Kyuubi spoke his powerful voice holding a hint of sympathy for the boy.
"Right." Naruto agreed nodding his head. He approached Sasuke, bending down to pick up his Katana, the Zetsu clone following closely behind. "You can transform into anyone you have touched right?" he queried. The clone nodded in affirmation before Naruto spoke again. "Transform into me."
"So, he's really gonna fake his death then." Kiba said solemnly, "That ass is probably gonna lose it in the first week, watch."
"This is Naruto, he's stubborn like that. He'll make it." Asuma said.
"But, Sensei, where can he go, the nations have no place that can hide him for that long without him being discovered." Ino said.
"Yea, I'm as lost as the other's, he may be planning on faking his death, but his chakra signature is to unique to hide for long. He can suppress it, but that can only do so much in the long run of things." Choji stated.
"Honestly, I haven't got a clue." the smoker said.
Instantly the white plantlike shinobi began to mutate, he became shorter and his skin began to tan. The last thing to change was his eyes and then Naruto was looking at a carbon copy of himself, even their chakra signatures matched perfectly. 'Do it Naruto, the longer you wait the harder it will be.' Kurama urged the blond on. Naruto hesitated for one last second knowing everything he was giving up before plunging Sasuke's blade into the clones stomach.
Naruto did the deed as quickly and painlessly as he could manage, the blade going up under the ribcage and piercing the heart. He watched slightly sickened as blood poured out from his own mouth and the perfect copy of himself hit the floor landing perfectly beside Sasuke. Despite Naruto's declaration not to shed anymore tears he couldn't help the one that escaped his eye as he looked down upon the scene. "Goodbye Sasuke, I am sorry that nobody will ever know the role that you played. In the end you were the one that will bring peace to this ninja world." he said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath in to help control his emotions before turning to leave, running at full speed from the field of devastation that was once the sight of Naruto and Sasuke's final confrontation.
"And just like that, his journey begins, a era of unknown begins to unravel as our mighty hero sets out into the unknown." Jiraiya said passionately.
"Did you just make that up or did it come from one of those cheap smut novels you're so proud of?" Tsunade asked him.
"I will have you know that was actually part of a script Naruto wrote for a book he wrote when he was training with me." he admitted.
"I didn't know he wrote a book." Sakura said.
"He never published it, said it wouldn't be good enough for other's to read until he had fixed it to perfection." the sage told her.
'So where are we going?' Kurama asked after a few moments.
'I don't know.' Naruto admitted talking inside his head for once. "I think I will head north, I heard there was a mountain range at the top most border of the Land of Earth, I guess I will head there." he decided after a few moments.
'Yes I know the ones you are talking about, they are supposed to be insurmountable, rocks are constantly falling from their peaks causing small pebbles to fall all throughout the country. I believe they call it stone rain.' Kyuubi mused.
"I didn't know we had a set of insurmountable mountains near our home." Kurotsuchi said.
"We don't, the Land of Earth borders both the Land of Swamps and the Land of Wind with the sea behind us and all our territory is very large, maybe the maps here are different." Onoki stated.
"Huh, go figure." the pink eyed woman said.
"Wow how do you know so much?" Naruto asked in awe.
'I have been alive for a very long time Naruto, it is only in my recent history that I have been sealed. If this is your choice of destination then I agree you will never be found if you make it past the great Iwa mountains. However, that is because nobody has ever survived climbing them, if they were not killed by a landslide or falling rocks, then the freezing cold and thin air near the peaks would finish them off.' Kurama warned.
"Well then I guess it's a good thing that I have you to watch my back then." Naruto said believing now more than ever that this was the right decision.
Kyuubi chuckled deeply. 'I guess you are right, I can't have my first friend in well over two hundred years dying on the side of a mountain. With that said it will take several days even at this speed just to reach the base of the mountain and our chakra signature sticks out more than I do when we transform.'
"Ooh, that's gotta suck." Jiraiya winced.
"WHat is it Jiraiya?" Kushina asked.
"You should know better than anyone what it just said, not power-ups, no chakra, just normal power for the journey." he said.
"Oh, that does suck." the redhead said.
"Um what are you saying?" Naruto asked not liking where this was going.
'I'm saying that before we get to the next village you are going to need to start actively suppressing your chakra and presence. We will have to act and travel like civilians until we are far enough north that our presence will go unnoticed.' the large fox explained.
Naruto groaned, that would turn a week long trip into a month, but he could not deny Kurama's logic. "Alright, at least I have Gama-chan full with money so I can pay for transportation and buy supplies." the blond sighed in reluctant acceptance.
"He always was stingy with his money." Jiraiya muttered.
"I wouldn't blame him. You took my money almost constantly when you were training me." Minato said blankly to his mentor.
"B-But, I had to make sure the research I conducted was successful." the pervert said weakly.
"Uh huh, brothels and hot springs had to be full for your research I'm sure." Minato said.
(Several Hour's Later)
"This must have been quite some fight." a heavily tanned teen sucking on a lollipop said as he looked around at the scene before him. Large craters scattered the landscape and all the trees had been burnt away to ash that was now soaked into the ground from the falling torrential rain.
"Heh of cause it was, this is Naruto were talking about, that idiot can never do anything without destroying something." a Konoha shinobi riding a large white dog laughed.
"Kiba this is hardly the time for jokes, we need to find Naruto and Sasuke." A teen with dark red hair and sea green eyes ordered.
Kiba knew better than to argue with the red head. "Sorry Kazekage-sama." he apologized.
"Oh yes, know your place ya mutt." Ino laughed.
"Ino, he was being reprimanded by a superior, you can't exactly make fun of him, if it had been you then the same could be said for you." Shikamaru said.
"Oh, sorry Kiba." she said.
"Meh, your fine." the man said.
"Kiba you may call me Gaara, a friend of Naruto's is a friend of mine." the Kazekage assured the shinobi riding the hound.
"But Naruto-sama is a hero, everyone considers him a friend, does that mean that nobody will call you Kazekage-sama again? What if one day you become offended by such an action and it sparks a war, all of the work done with village relations would be ruined." Omoi sighed.
The rest of the group looked at the Kumo shinobi as though he had an extra head. "Is he being serious?" a kunoichi with short dark brown hair and pink eyes without discernible pupils queried. She wore a tight red top with the right arm missing and a miniskirt with a lapel over her right leg. She also wore a standard Iwa flak jacket.
"Yes, I make my debut even if for a short while." Kurotsuchi declared pumping her fist.
"I think this can count as a honorable mentioning." Onoki said.
"Jiji, that's so not nice." the girl cried out as the elder grinned, he still had it.
"I don't know. I would ask him, but if Mei-sama were here I am sure she would scold me for being rude." the final member of the group asked. He was by far the oldest of the group. He had gravity defying grayish blue hair an eye patch covering his right eye. A talisman hung from each ear that had the kanji for 'To Hear' inscribed on each. His outfit consisted of a dark green Kimono that he wore over striped green shirt and pants.
"Oh Ao, my best friend." Mei the Mizukage said wistfully as her clenched s she looked at her best friend and advisor that had left the world.
"Ao-sempai you didn't get to teach me how to be a proper ninja." Chojuro sniffled.
"Oh Chojuro, you didn't need him to teach you, you learnt that all on your own." Sakura told him.
"Thank you Sakura-san." he said happily to the pink haired woman.
"This is no time for joking around, we need to find where Naruto is! That bastard who does he think he is coming out here alone!?" Kiba asked as he shouted out in frustration.
"It wouldn't have been Naruto if he didn't. He was determined to end things with Sasuke on his own terms." Gaara replied.
"That doesn't mean it wasn't a stupid thing to do. We saw that Uchiha go up against four of the Kage!" the Iwa kunoichi retorted.
Gaara nodded his head in agreement. "Naruto is far stubborn not to do something because others consider it stupid, Kurotsuchi. To him Sasuke was like a brother."
"Ain't that the damn truth." Gaara said.
"Wow, never thought I'd hear you say something like that little brother." Kankuro said.
"I curse sometimes, you're just never around to hear me curse." the Kazekage said.
"Like when you stubbed your toe on the desk?" Temari asked.
"Yes, just like when I stubbed my toe on the desk." Gaara admitted.
"And how did I miss all of this?" the middle sibling asked himself.
The older ninja began to grow impatient from the delay in their mission. 'In my day ninja would complete their mission before arguing about something so trivial.' "We don't have time for this, you Inuzuka can you find the boys scent?"
Kiba shook his head in frustration. "With all this rain any trail will be washed away." he admitted, with Akamaru barking in agreement.
"That makes things slightly harder, didn't you say you were the best tracker in your age group?" Kurotsuchi asked skeptically.
"I am! But what do trails do you expect me to find in this rain!?" Kiba snapped in reply.
"We should have brought Kakashi Hatake instead, he would be able to find his pupil. Every village opted to send one shinobi to join the team to bring Naruto back and Konoha sends you, the one Inuzuka that can't find someone in a desolate area." Kurotsuchi scoffed.
"Enough!" Gaara ordered. Kiba caught his tongue as he gulped back his retort. "Ao can you locate Naruto and Sasuke with your Byakugan?"
Ao nodded once slowly a thick veins bulged out from under his eye patch. The others waited a few moments while Ao searched the area. "I found them." he said then deactivated his stolen eye. "About a mile to the north... their uh, not moving." he finished solemnly.
Gaara's eyes widened and widened and turned to suggest the head there as a group but Kiba was already gone, Akamaru bounding across the ashen, crater filled field that stood before them.
"And thus begins, a new journey." Hiruzen said smiling.
"I rather like it. It's new, mysterious, and I feel a tinge of romance coming on in the future." Jiraiya said.
"All the romance you think of usually involves the horizontal tango." Kushina said.
"Or the vertical mamba." Minato added.
"Or the reverse two-step." Tsunade stated.
"Ok I get it." Sakura said, "He's a pervert, and he has no problem admitting this." she said as Jiraiya nodded in agreement, "But can we just get to the next chapter of this damn thing?" she asked.
Alright, that's a wrap, please leave a LIKE/FAVORITE and as always please leave me a nice lengthy REVIEW and I shall see all of you later.
(1) I don't truly know if this is true or not, but I do know Madara set a delayed Izanagi into his eye to revive him after his defeat against Hashirama the first time around.