And so the updates begin again. Sorry for the delay since my last story has been updated. I won't bore you with the details. I am shortening chapter lengths so that updates can be more frequent.
Things as they are
Chapter 20
Naruto stalked over to the unoccupied apartment. He knew it was unoccupied, since Uchiha Sasuke was currently sleeping in a hospital bed, even if it was midday at present. Probably not the best idea to be sneaking around in the middle of the day where anyone could see him, but that was just it, most civilians and general shinobi wouldn't even notice.
It had taken him far too long to find an opportunity to sneak away from his babysitters. After his leaving the village stunt, few, if anyone, had been trusting enough to leave him on his own. But an opportunity would always present itself. No matter how long one had to wait, it would come and Naruto had been more vigilant than an eagle when it came to looking for one to arise.
It had been two weeks since the trial, and as far as he knew, no one had taken to doing the exact thing he was about to attempt. He'd been dying to get into Sasuke's apartment, having realised that this version of Sasuke had to have gotten here somehow.
He knew that the clues he needed, if not the answer itself, would be found in that apartment. No one had bothered looking yet, too concerned with Uchiha Itachi's health as well as the revelations that Uchiha Sasuke's memories had provided. One in particular that had affected his father was the solution that world had taken to dealing with the Uchiha coup. It had been more than a little unsettling.
Naruto had had plenty of time to dissect what he'd seen in those memories, what he had seen and how they impacted him. Immediately upon seeing the conclusion of Sasuke's memories, Itachi had been pulled out of the room for treatment, and Naruto had been shipped off for an assortment of tests. His curse mark had been heavily examined, and later deemed a low level threat. He hadn't seen Sakura the entire time. His father's visits had been almost suffocating in their frequency and length. Even Kakashi had stopped by.
What no one had been willing to give him though, was information. What was happening with Sasuke, why did his psyche seem to be regressing? What more had they learned from the other Uchiha? Would he be able to go back to his own world?
So many questions that no one wanted to give him answers to. He didn't know if they didn't want to, or if they just didn't have the answers.
Breaking into apartments was so much less suspicious during the day, so the timing suited the blond just fine. Slipping in through the window, Naruto took his time to analyse the neat, orderly living space. It was night and day, seeing this apartment and comparing it to the apartment he was used to seeing when he'd come to the place with his father in the distant past. Those visits had been exhausting for him, seeing the squalor that the Uchiha had lived in, the self-imposed mess of mostly useless items strewn around the floor while said Uchiha sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck while promising profusely that he'd clean up.
Naruto had hated that grin, the simpering false promises to try and do better. He shrugged the lingering memories away as he focused on looking for anything that might indicate a way to bring some or other version of oneself into existence. It was high level stuff and briefly he considered where Sasuke had gotten such information from.
He knew Sasuke had lived in the Uchiha compound for most of his life, only moving out after Itachi's leg got damaged in an incident he still wasn't entirely sure what happened in. Not for a lack of information, more for a lack of interest in finding out what had happened. He simply hadn't cared.
Either way, it might have been something he got from the compound. Was Sasuke that skilled, to sneak into the Uchiha library and come away with something so valuable? Had he taken something experimental? Had he gotten the jutsu from someone else? Did the Sharingan have anything to do with it?
Questions that would have answers the moment he found the jutsu.
It was entirely possible that this older Sasuke would have found the jutsu in his cleaning of the apartment. Naruto didn't like the thought that he was wasting his time.
He moved over to the small bookshelf and skimmed over its contents. The contents were painfully simple academy standards. Although a little rough around the edges but still nothing special.
On a whim he pulled a few of the rougher looking ones off the shelf and thumbed through them with the hope that perhaps they held deeper secrets.
The secrets they held were not the ones he was looking for but no less surprising. Carefully scripted in the margins of the book were notes and reminders on the topics Iruka-sensei had taught. Sasuke had been carefully keeping track of every hint, every rule, and every method. Was he a poor student by choice, unfortunate circumstance or sheer lack of talent?
There wasn't a single bored doodle or even a blank page. Every single topic had notes added, things that Sasuke had found needed further practice or things he found noteworthy. The entire time Naruto had thought he'd been scribbling random nonsense to pass the time.
He'd have given the notes more thought if he'd had the time but he didn't and so he placed the book back where he'd found it.
He almost considered that the notes had been made by the older Sasuke but that was doubtful given when the older had arrived in this world. He wouldn't have touched the books other than to place them on the shelf in the first place.
He moved over to the dresser, noting its neat orderly appearance once again. It was almost unnaturally ordered. Obsessively so. Not surprising given the teen's past. Having his older brother rip everything away from him so gruesomely would no doubt have developed his paranoia complex and an unhealthy need for absolute control.
Naruto knew that because it was something Yamanaka Inoichi had told him when he was in the Academy. He'd been forced into therapy sessions ever since he was four. Not that it had quelled his need for revenge.
From the memories he'd seen of Sasuke's, he knew the Sandaime of that world had not thought to offer therapy sessions to the Uchiha.
It would also be an unlikely place for an important jutsu. Naruto just had a feeling that whatever jutsu Sasuke had used, the older hadn't found it.
So, where would the perpetually messy Uchiha had thought fit to hide a really important jutsu that he probably shouldn't have had in the first place?
The plant in the corner of the room was too well cared for, surprisingly, for Naruto to believe it was hidden in the soil.
It wouldn't have been stashed in some easily discarded item such as an empty ramen cup or something equally as disgusting. Hopefully.
Looking up, the light fixture didn't have any room to hide something.
Carefully inspecting the floor boards he noted that while some were wobbly, they weren't loose enough to pull away from the floor.
Hadn't Itachi stayed over briefly? If that was the case then it couldn't be something super obvious.
With that in mind Naruto lifted the small stuffed dog placed on an empty spot on the bookshelf. He stared at it for a moment, wondering why the older Sasuke had thought to keep it. It didn't seem like an item that suited him. Perhaps he hadn't wanted to get rid of the few things the younger Sasuke owned.
What had drawn his attention to the stuffed dog, was the orange handkerchief tied around its neck. It didn't suit the overall design of the stuffed toy, seeming to be something Sasuke had added.
Pulling the orange cloth off he noted the now revealed hole in the neck of the toy. Sticking his hand into the hole he managed to grasp a small scroll. Small, meaning theoretical.
He pulled it out and noted the Konoha library seal and the Uzumaki swirl. So it wasn't Uchiha related. Made sense. Sasuke probably wasn't allowed back into the compound in the first place.
Uzumaki was an interesting place to look through, for an Uchiha.
Naruto pulled open the scroll, frowning at the neatly printed notes Sasuke had added. Honestly, the dobe ought to have known better given that it was a library scroll.
Theoretical meant that Sasuke had been free to take it without trouble. No one would have flagged the contents due to them being in the realm of not currently possible.
However, Sasuke had seen enough in the theory to attempt it.
Naruto let go of the one end of the scroll, allowing his arm to go limp at his side. He rubbed at his eyes with his free hand as he studied the ceiling. Sasuke's notes meant that he'd have a pretty good idea of figuring out what the boy had done and would probably be able to recreate the jutsu, if he so desired.
He did not.
Tucking the scroll into his pouch, he decided it was time to take his studies to his own room. He would be missed soon, if he wasn't already.
Just in case his absence had been discovered he decided to stop for some dango on the way home to use as an excuse.
.0.0.0.
"Your wounds are healing nicely, Itachi-kun." Sakura smiled at the stoic Uchiha. He'd barely said a word during his stay in the hospital, obeying orders but otherwise keeping to himself. "I'd say you could even go home in a day or two, but no missions for at least another two weeks."
Itachi knew the two weeks were generous. He knew that Sakura was also only a medic in training, and therefore his wounds were well past the point where he could return home. He said nothing, leaving his brother's teammate to assess and treat him as she pleased. It would only serve to help Sasuke later. Developing Sakura's skills would benefit Sasuke.
As it was Sakura seemed to have finally calmed her emotions, found peace with the memories they'd seen.
She'd been out of sorts ever since Naruto had left the village. Who could blame her?
Itachi was pleased to note her calmer, friendlier demeanour. It spoke highly of her potential as a medic. The kunoichi he'd seen in Sasuke's memories was a fearsome one, and he saw whispers of that woman in the girl in front of him.
"Thank you Haruno-san."
She blushed but left the room, a small smile from the praise. Itachi stood, pulling his hospital issued shirt over his head, fingers brushing the fresh bandages over his abdomen. He moved to the window, watching the activity in the streets below. He was on the third floor, a quieter floor of the hospital. He didn't have any guards and could, if he wanted to, leave through the window.
He activated his Sharingan, focusing on a distant building that he only just had a vantage point of.
Namikaze Naruto was leaping across the rooftops, in an obvious hurry to be where was supposed to be.
Itachi was allowed brief walks. They were good for him, apparently, as Sakura had so cheerfully informed him. He decided to use one of those walks.
He knew where Sasuke's room was, had been avoiding it up till now.
Not because he wanted to. Kami knew just how feverishly he wanted to talk to his brother again . . . but he had stayed away, not wanting his presence to make matters harder for the teen.
It had been obvious that his mind was fracturing, or perhaps the jutsu was failing. Either way, Itachi hadn't wanted to hasten the process and so he'd stayed away in order to give the boy time to mend, time for the Yamanaka to heal his mind. If they could.
"There's not much more we can do. . ."
Inoichi's words hovered in the forefront of Itachi's thoughts. He knew that without knowing what Sasuke had done, there was little hope of understand how permanent the damage was, how to fix it.
In short, they didn't know how much longer Sasuke would still be sane.
It was that urgency that drew the older Uchiha to the boy's room in the present moment.
He knocked, noting Sasuke's slight flinch.
"I know you're not him." Sasuke blurted, as though he hated the sign of weakness, looking away, but not telling Itachi he wasn't allowed to enter and so the Uchiha crossed the doorway slowly.
Itachi sat in the empty chair, mindful of his tender abdomen, leaving Sasuke to start the conversation.
There was a long moment of silence before finally, "You want to know how I got here."
Sasuke wasn't asking.
Itachi was curious, but he knew from Sasuke's memories that he was just as confused about it all. Kurama had even mentioned something about how the jutsu couldn't be undone. Yet. . . Sasuke was slipping away. Would he slip right back to his own world.
"This feels more and more like a dream, a dream that I'm right on the verge of waking up from." Sasuke whispered, looking out of the window.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Itachi knew he hadn't done the things in Sasuke's memories, however he knew without a doubt that he would have.
Sasuke fixes him with a bland stare before sighing and returning his gaze to the window.
"If anything, I finally understand. He wasn't doing it to test his strength. Meeting you, seeing Minato-sama's influence on this world, I finally realise that Itachi did what he thought was best. I don't know what was going on, but I realise now, after getting to see all my memories, that there was something wrong and Itachi was shielding me from it." Sasuke continued, tone light and casual.
He may not have been the Sasuke of this world, but Itachi knew his little brother. He could sense the pain these realisations had caused the teen.
"In a way, our worlds balance each other out." Itachi knew that it was a weird balance. Hardly an obvious one. There were things in Sasuke's world that made those in it better, but overall, the loss of the Yondaime seemed to have had rather adverse effects.
Sasuke suddenly grasped his hand, surprising the older Uchiha. When he met Sasuke's gaze it was to see activated Sharingan. He felt his own chakra bubble in response, before he was pulled into Sasuke's mind. The sensation was wholly unwelcome, invasive and definitely something forbidden.
Sasuke was a quick learner as this was exactly what Itachi had done to him two weeks earlier.
"We didn't get a chance to finish, but perhaps having it be just the two of us works out for the better." Sasuke stood in front of him, his composure pristine. "My other self is around here but he's keeping out of sight for now. I seem to have upset him." Sasuke's slight frown showed Itachi that this concerned him greatly. "The fox is further in but I don't think he's needed."
"What are you talking about?" Itachi felt compelled to ask. He may have had extraordinary deductive capabilities, but this was not in the realm of normal. . . .and yet, the moment he asked the question he had a realisation.
"When I couldn't understand Naruto's motive, and asking around didn't seem to help, I came here." Sasuke gestured to their surroundings. "I hoped that my other self would know, but the answers I wanted came from the Kyuubi himself."
"I know this already." Itachi reminded prompting Sasuke to tsk in impatience.
"Come on Aniki, I expect more from you."
The realisation that had only been budding before burst forth into a full on understanding. "You saw it, didn't you? The actual event! You know who did it!"
In response, Itachi found himself plunged into a memory. A memory he was too horrified to escape from willingly, enduring the same agony that Sasuke had upon witnessing Kushina-sama's final moments.
When Sasuke let him go, he was back in reality, sitting in the chair with Sasuke gripping his wrist painfully. "Don't tell anyone, not yet."
Sasuke relaxed his hold and deactivated his Sharingan.
Itachi stood, walking to the door in a daze. "I need to go somewhere."
Sasuke didn't respond, leaving him, seeming to be in his own mind once again.
When Itachi got back to his room he took the opportunity of quiet to pull his clothing from the small cabinet next to his bed. If his assumptions were correct, he had a certain Namikaze to go see.
.0.0.0.
Minato stared at the tea cup, silent, brooding.
"What would you do if I told you that I'm not the twelve year old genin you see in front of you? That I'm not the Sasuke you know. In fact I'm a sixteen year old student of Orochimaru's and I became said student after nearly killing Naruto and ditching Konoha all in an attempt to gain enough power to kill my brother for killing my clan and betraying Konoha and the Uchiha name?"
Those words from so long ago kept lingering in his mind. The boy had told the truth, a fantastical truth, but still a truth all the same. Minato could be forgiven for not believing him, but it didn't take the sting away.
Where did that leave matters?
Inoichi's reports were strewn around him, a nonsensical jumble of reports that boiled down to nothing more than 'we don't know what we're dealing with'.
"Naruto's returned."
Minato hmmmed absently at Kakashi. Kakashi had been the one to suggest letting the boy leave, seeing where he went. He was very obviously consumed with the idea so let him go. His destination had been mildly surprising.
"Should I go see what he found?" Kakashi prompted, seeing the mood Minato was in, knowing it was best not to pry. They weren't even at the Hokage Tower, Minato having temporary tasked Jiraiya with the responsibility. The last time Minato had been so uninterested in the position had been after Kushina's death.
To say Kakashi was worried would be an understatement.
"No."
Obito was the one to respond, arriving in the room so suddenly it could only have been with the use of his Mangekyou.
"Itachi is on his way to Naruto, it might prove to be insightful. After all, it was directly after he spoke with Sasuke." Obito continued.
"Itachi hasn't done anything since the trial." Minato's attention was snapped back to the room, and its occupants. It was one of the few safe rooms he still maintained, with only those in the room with him aware of its existence at all.
Kakashi shrugged, "He's understandably got a lot to think about. What did Naruto do at Sasuke's apartment?"
Obito scratched his chin in consideration before growing serious, "He went looking for something, and he found it. Kid's got a knack for it if we didn't find anything while we stayed there for a while."
"One can assume he went looking for the jutsu that brought the other Sasuke to this world." Kakashi placed a hand to his chin, looking down at the ground in concentration. "That would be an interesting item. Surely something we've all been looking for. We just assumed he'd gone to the library."
"Well he probably did, and clearly checked it out, illegally since it wasn't on his check out records." Minato sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Leaving Itachi to investigate the scroll Naruto found might be interesting but I'm not entirely convinced he won't do something more permanent with it."
"Shall I go after him?" Obito turned towards the door in anticipation, gaze staying on Minato.
"No. Leave him. He's smart enough to know where his limits are."
.0.0.0.
"Hello Naruto-kun."
Said Namikaze jumped a mile, turning towards the doorway of his room only to narrow his gaze. Itachi was supposed to be in the hospital.
"I see you found something noteworthy. Would you mind if I borrow it?" Itachi didn't wait for his answer, grabbing the scroll off the floor before the boy could react. His Sharingan scanned the document quickly, taking in Sasuke's notes. "It's crude, but I can work with this."
He paused for a moment, considering the teen glaring at him. "Do you want to come with?"
Naruto blinked at him. "Come with?"
"To see his world."
"Would we come back?"
"Probably."
"Can I take anything with me?"
"No."
"Then let's go."
Itachi grabbed Naruto's wrist, moving to the lounge area where there was more room. Sasuke's overly clean bathroom now made sense.
"We're going to need to do some preparations, and then, I'm going to knock you out." Itachi stated calmly while Naruto paled. "Shall we begin?"
.0.0.0.
Naruto gasped awake, the last thing he could remember being a fist flying towards his face. He was sure Itachi had liked that punch a little too much.
He sat up with a groan, his body aching in ways he'd never imagined possible. It was like waking up after the worst, most gruelling training session in his life!
He looked around, noticing that he was outside. It was still night time, his arrival having prematurely awoken him. Kakashi was sleeping a little away from him, probably awake the moment Naruto gasped. Tenzou was also there, his chakra core showing his exhaustion so he was most likely asleep. Further away but still close by was a waterfall. Odd, it didn't look like a feature in Konoha?
Naruto stood, immediately noticing the difference in his height. He was older, well his body was. Probably the same age as the other Sasuke. Looking at his hands, he noticed how chakra bruised they were. Just what the hell was he doing?
"Well, training if you must know."
Naruto jumped, looking around wildly, but not seeing anything. It took a moment before the realisation came to him that he was hearing the voice inside his head.
"Hello?" he instantly felt stupid for even trying it.
"Why don't you try coming here?" A voice replied back with a chuckle.
The only thing Naruto could think to do was meditate. So he sat back down and placed his hands together before stilling his body and his mind.
When he opened his eyes again he was faced with a dull goldish glow and a tall blond boy smiling softly at him. "You're me, aren't you?"
"From Sasuke's memories, I didn't think you'd immediately jump to that conclusion." Naruto stated, features neutral.
"Sasuke? Do you know him? Do you know where he is?" The older Naruto grabbed his shoulders, leaning down to get right into his face, the desperation all too clear.
"Yeah. He's not here. That's why I'm here. Take him back." Naruto jerked his shoulders out of the older's grasp.
His expression grew quizzical, eyes narrowing in confusion. "Eh?"
Well there was the Naruto that was more in line with Sasuke's memories. "Long story short, we need to go find Itachi. He said he'd send a signal." Naruto sighed.
"Well that's not going to be easy. I am in the middle of training and I can't just leave the village without getting permission from Tsunade-Ba –"
Naruto cut off the ranting by looking at the older and stating in a deadened drawl, "Wind training, right? I can help with that."
"You can?" The older Naruto grinned in excitement. "Oh man, that's great. I got the hang of the wind part, mostly, but see, I still need to figure out how to put it into the Rasengan."
"Put wind chakra into the Rasengan?" Naruto muttered, looking towards the water at his feet. He hadn't noticed the water before and for a moment he found it distracting.
"I suppose I could explain, but that would make things easier for the brat." A deep voice grumbled from out of the darkest corners of the mindscape. Naruto knew that voice. He'd heard it once before and it wasn't something he was happy to relive.
"However, I sense it would make you go away faster and leave me to my peace, since the brat won't leave until you do."
The area around the voice lit up to reveal large gleaming bars, and one furiously angry looking Kurama on the other side. Naruto stared at him for a moment, taking in the familiar form of the beast that had lived within his mother.
Pushing his emotions to the side he addressed the tailed beast, "and how could you help?"
"By showing you everything." The Kyuubi chuckled, the sinister hiccupping grumbles sending shivers down Naruto's spine, as wisps of red chakra began to sweep their way towards him.
.0.0.0.
Kakashi stared at the spinning ball of mass destruction, utterly unable to form words.
Seemingly overnight, Naruto had made massive breakthroughs with his training, zooming straight through all his obstacles with an ease that was almost scary.
Well the scary part may have been the maniacal laughter the boy had been engaging in the entire duration of the training while muttering that now he had exactly what he needed to show the old man how it was done.
Kakashi shivered, suddenly seeing flashbacks of Sasuke, and truthfully, the Uchiha had never been his favourite little wannabe self-proclaimed avenger.
Kakashi forced a smile before stating, "I think this deserved a much earned ramen celebration."
Naruto let the Rasengan dissipate before grinning at him with clear exhaustion. "Sounds great Kakashi-sensei."
.0.0.0.
Naruto wasn't stupid. He knew that he had to be careful around Kakashi. His lazy attitude didn't fool the blond one bit.
He may have gotten a little over zealous in his training, really taking advantage of the new found knowledge and the sudden chakra reserves that not even he, as a child of an Uzumaki, had even dreamed of having. He knew that this version of Naruto only had such reserves due to his general attitude of simply blowing through any obstacle with as much chakra as possible, but that didn't make the possibility for him any less exciting.
Sasuke's reactions to Kakashi made all the more sense. This version of Kakashi was very unsettling to him so he could only imagine how Sasuke had felt when confronted with the more serious version of the Hatake.
Further than Kakashi, Naruto was hyper aware of the tension in the village shinobi. Something was going on, something they were keeping from this world's Naruto. He had the experience of being involved in his father's affairs fairly often, and as such he definitely noticed the subtle behaviours of the Shinobi that interacted with Kakashi, trying to talk to him about something and the man clearly steering the conversation away from it.
He also noticed the way the civilians kept away from him, glaring at him at every opportunity.
When they arrived at Ichiraku's he had to force himself not to react negatively to the all too familiar yet traumatic destination. "Hey old man, I'll have the usual!" Naruto kept his tone light and jovial, sending all those who cared to look a large grin.
"So what are we going to do now?" Tenzou, now identified as Yamato, asked looking to Kakashi who hummed thoughtfully before replying with an eye-smile, "We eat some ramen."
Yamato's physical deflation was interrupted by the arrival of a crow carrying a letter. The crow landed on the table in front of them with a load CAW!, knocking over the tub of chopsticks as it flapped its wings in front of Naruto.
Kakashi was about to take the letter only to be pecked by the rather aggressive crow. Naruto recognised the flapping bird as Itachi's and as such he reached over to take the letter, not surprised when the crow allowed him to.
"What the heck?" Kakashi muttered, examining his finger.
Naruto looked at the single sentence before getting to his feet and walking out the door, uncaring of whether or not his sensei followed.
Get to this location NOW!
The location mentioned was a collection office. Something that bounty hunters would normally go to. Was that where they were meeting?
"Naruto?!" Kakashi caught up to him before grabbing his shoulder and pulling him back. "Where are you going?"
Naruto sighed before handing the paper to Kakashi. "It's from Itachi. The crows are his thing right?"
"And you're just going to go?" Kakashi seemed especially mad.
"If I get to Itachi I can get to Sasuke." Naruto answered just as hotly, trying his best to imitate the hot headed stupidity of his other self.
Kakashi stepped back, eye wide with shock. That was surprisingly well connected for Naruto. Yet, simply leaving to go to an unspecified location at a known criminal's behest was utterly foolish, even for Naruto.
"We at least need to go talk to the Hokage." Kakashi grumbled. He wasn't oblivious to the fact that there were teams of Konoha shinobi combing the collection offices for two Akatsuki members.
"We don't have time! Send a note, or Yamato or something. I'm going. You can come with me or stay behind, but don't try to stop me!" Naruto yelled over his shoulder as he began running. He figured if he surprised the man and made the move sooner rather than later he was more likely to get his way.
Kakashi sent an apologetic look towards Yamato before following Naruto. At least that way, Kakashi could at least tell the Hokage he tried to keep the boy from dying.
.0.0.0.
Shikamaru watched helplessly as his sensei fought against an opponent he had no idea of where to start in defeating. They hadn't planned on engaging the enemy but the enemy had other plans. All he could do was provide a meagre back up in the form of his shadow manipulation, and even then it was a temporary support seeing as his chakra reserves were so low.
Maybe if they just got the man's weapon away from him, a weapon he wasn't even all that proficient in using, then perhaps they'd stand a chance.
A burst of flames whooshed past Shikamaru from behind him and forced Hidan to retreat, pulling his weapon back. The Nara spun around, seeing nothing but a red and black blur zip past his line of sight.
"Itachi! What the hell man!" Hidan yelled out just before said Uchiha's foot collided with his face.
Asuma was panting, but grateful for the sudden distraction. He jumped over to Shikamaru, keeping himself between the boy and the enemy. Itachi's arrival may have been a welcomed distraction but he was still a formidable enemy.
"Naruto!"
Naruto?!
Said Uzumaki burst out of the trees, a whizzing Rasengan in hand before launching – wait, launching!? – the attack at Kakazu?
Well Shikamaru supposed that made sense, but coming from Naruto it was definitely a surprise.
The attack that Naruto had used landed with a massive impact, sending the Akatsuki member into the air where an explosion of wind surrounded the man's form, trapping him in a whirlwind of slicing currents.
Itachi grabbed Hidan's weapon, yanking to towards himself which in turn forced Hidan to follow, all before Kakazu had even landed as Naruto's attack was keeping him suspended in the air for a frighteningly long time. Hidan let his displease about the situation be known, loudly and endlessly. "Itachi!? What the hell are you doing? Are you working with the enemy now? I should just sacrifice you right here and now, you know that! Let go! Why did you attack my partner huh? I'm gonna kill you! Just you wait . . ."
Itachi ignored him, grabbing the scythe and swinging it straight towards the man's stomach. Naruto didn't stand by and watch, like Asuma and Shikamaru had chosen to do. He dashed forwards jumping onto the back of the scythe, his weight and momentum forcing it into the ground where Hidan was now pinned. Pain would not bother the man, and as such he would simply get up in due time.
Kakazu finally dropped to the floor, not showing much movement, perhaps unconscious, perhaps dead, those present not really wanting to find out.
Itachi dashed back towards the trees, Naruto following, only stopping long enough to bark, "Follow us!"
Asuma and team did not need to be told twice. Confusion was high, but survival instincts were higher.
.0.0.0.
Kakashi wasn't really sure what to say to the teams of Konoha shinobi gathered around him, all sending their latest member shifty glances. How he'd come to find himself in his currently position, he wasn't entirely sure, but all he knew was that he needed to get out of there and back to Konoha. That was simple enough. People were just going to have to let it go for now and move their butts back home.
"Let's move out, before the Akatsuki catch up!" Kakashi barked immediately jumping into the trees. How the heck was he going to explain this to Tsunade. That was the foremost concern on his mind. The next was more worrisome.
Naruto was easily outpacing the group, completely disregarding warnings and orders. He was like a child that had eaten too much sugar, an energy rush that just had not stopped since yesterday morning. Naruto was also far too serious, too observant. Kakashi didn't think Naruto was dumb, just that he was more of a doer than a thinker.
Naruto had been doing far too much thinking lately.
Not to mention the fact that he was communicating with a known SS rank criminal.
His reasons, while spotty, were somewhat logical. Sasuke wanted Itachi. Naruto wanted Sasuke. Therefore, if Naruto had Itachi he would have Sasuke too.
Yet, how did someone like Naruto manage to find a way to contact Itachi? They'd been training the whole time and before that he had been on missions. The only contact he'd had with Itachi had been during the Gaara mission and Naruto hadn't said a word about outside contact with Itachi or secret messages. Naruto wasn't one to keep stuff like that from them.
At this point getting the heck away from the collection office was far more important than his previously mused upon concerns.
Itachi had made it quite clear that they had only bought them a temporary amount of time and that it was best to simply head back to the village. Sounded like a good plan to Kakashi and so he followed the advice. Advice, because he refused to acknowledge it as the order it had been barked as.
.0.0.0.
Tsunade stared at the assortment of individuals in her office, silent, fingertips pressed together in front of her face as she considered the frankly outrageous explanation she'd just been given.
"So, what I'm supposed to believe, is that you two, are from another world, and that our Sasuke is in your world." Tsunade stated slowly.
"Listen lady, can I go? I've already explained it to you. I have other things I'd like to do." Naruto grumbled, a look of utter annoyance on his face. The look vanished as soon as Itachi yanked the boy into a choke hold.
"Excuse his manners, Hokage-sama, we're working on them." Itachi stated politely with an apologetic smile. "What he means to say, is that the jutsu only works on a mental level. Which leads us to worry about what happened to this world's Sasuke's body. We know about his current location, and with things progressing as they have been, I thought it best to come see if the boy had a body to return to." Itachi continued, tone growing grave. "Time is running out."
Tsunade lowered her hands, leaning backwards as she contemplated her next order. "I'm sure you understand what's likely to have happened given the circumstances."
"Yes. I'm well aware. However, before we can act, I would like to ask Hokage-sama if she wouldn't mind giving my body a look over. It appears this Itachi isn't very healthy at the moment." Itachi knew he had to ask. Even if he was rejected. Knowing the truth of this world, sending Sasuke back here to a brother that wasn't likely to be alive much longer seemed cruel.
Tsunade stood, approaching him cautiously. "If you're mentioning it, it must be rather serious." She placed a glowing hand on his chest, brows knitting together in concentration before widening.
"You're not going anywhere. I'm surprised you even made it to Sarutobi's team while in this condition." Itachi knew her tone meant that he shouldn't argue.
"Sasuke's body is a mission I'm assigning to his team. Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai. Get the details from Itachi and move out as soon as you're able. This man needs treatment and fast."
"Can we not leave tomorrow morning? It will give us time to properly prepare. One night surely won't make a difference at this point." Kakashi stated carefully, actually grateful that it was this other Naruto in the room right now because he knew without a doubt that his Naruto would have lost his mind at the suggestion of a delay.
"Actually, that's a great idea. I can teach Kakashi how to fix it if Orochimaru had made himself at home in my little brother's body." Itachi added, hand moving to his chin as he tilted his head. "It won't take long with both of us having the Sharingan."
Tsunade nodded, "Yes, I suppose, but you'll have to move this conversation to the hospital. Let's move!"
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"So you're telling me, that they're gone?" Minato sat behind his desk, fingers stapled together in front of his face as his elbows rested on the table.
Inoichi gulped but stuck to his assessment. "It would appear so, Hokage-sama. We have the information specialists working on the scroll found next to their bodies as we speak."
Minato's gaze brightened, the cobalt blue turning icy. "Don't bother, I know how to use this." By 'this' the yellow flash was referring to the identical scroll spread out on the table in front of him. A perfect copy of the original having been given to the information specialists "The only decision I have to make now, is who to send to kick those two's butts for me."
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