Just one piece of news to tell you all. Alex Armstrong (forgive me if I misspelled your name) has kindly offered to translate the series into Spanish. I think that's pretty cool, because it means that he likes the series enough to want to bring it to people who can't read English. Anyhoo, onto the story! And beware, this chapter will be a cliffhanger. Also, this chapter will have more cussing than the others, and at least one person will die. You have been warned.

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Chapter 6:

Best Friends Part I

Tsunade stared down at Sakura, who was currently working on a new medical jutsu, designed as a last ditch resort to keep a person alive and fighting long after their bodies should have normally failed. In all honesty, it was a terrible technique, but with Orochimaru getting more and more bold, every little bit of strength was needed.

Just as Tsunade was about to inspect Sakura's work by placing the fish, which was injured past the point of salvation before, in water and seeing how it held up, Ino burst into the room, looking scared and out of breath as she clutched a piece of paper tightly in her hand.

"Ino, what's wr-" Ino cut her off by thrusting the paper- and photograph, apparently-under Tsunade's nose, obviously not trusting herself to speak, as she was on the verge of tears. Taking the paper and photograph, she quickly read the note and looked at the photo, paling. "Sakura." Sakura, who was looking terrified by the state of Ino, finally took her eyes off of Ino and looked at Tsunade. "Yes, Tsunade-sensei?" "Gather all the supplies you would need for an A-rank mission." She then thrust the note into Sakura's hands and quickly left the room.

Upon reading the note, Sakura felt her blood run cold. But, after looking at the photograph, that chill was replaced by burning anger. However, after looking at Ino again, that anger was momentarily forgotten as both girls clung to each other and began to cry. After a while they separated, Ino blowing her nose on a handkerchief she pulled from her pocket, and Sakura wiping her eyes. "D-Don't worry, Ino-chan. We'll bring him back, I promise." Ino smiled at this and nodded. "And promise me that you'll beat the crap out of Sasuke while you're at it, okay?" Sakura giggled and nodded as well. "Of course. He hurt Naruto-kun again, so there's no way I'm letting him get away without some major pain at the very least." Sakura then left, heading home so she could pack. Ino headed home as well, glad that at least something good had come out of Sasuke kidnapping Naruto. She didn't know how long she'd remain friends with Sakura this time, nor did she care. All she cared about was making the most out of what time they did stay friends.

As Ino headed back towards Naruto's, and hers too, she guessed, apartment, she passed her parents again. And although she looked at them, they didn't even so much as glance in her direction. Saddened by this, she kept walking for a little bit. She would have kept going, but a rather drunk looking man blocked her way. "Hey bitch. Where's that stupid demon of yours?" Suddenly, Ino, unable to take any more, punched the man, hard, on the nose, sending him flying, all of her anger at Sasuke being channeled into the blow. "WHY DO YOU CALL HIM A DEMON? HE'S NEVER DONE ANYTHING TO DESERVE WHAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU DO TO HIM!" Calming down a bit, she stopped shouting. "And I swear. The next person I hear insulting Naruto I will personally kill. No matter who that person is." With that, she broke into a run.

Reaching the relative safety of the apartment, she flung open the door and, without even bothering to close the door behind her, ran to the bedroom where she flung herself down on the bed and began to sob. She would have laid like that for the rest of the day if she had not felt someone's hand on her shoulder. Gasping, she spun around and sat up. "Why are you here? Did you come to see if I really would kill the next person to insult Naruto? Because I will, even if that means killing you. He's never done anything to deserve how the villagers treat him. Sure he's preformed pranks and such, but nothing to deserve being called a demon."

Ino's father frowned, not speaking, as her mother took a seat next to her and gently wrapped her arm around Ino, gently hugging her. "They call him that because he is a demon." At this Ino stiffened. How could Naruto be a demon? They had to be lying! "Wh-what do you mean?" "Do you know of the kyuubi, the demon fox who attacked our village the year you were born?" It was Ino's father who spoke this time. Stunned, Ino nodded. "The one that the Fourth killed?" Her mother shook her head at this. "No. The demon was too strong to be killed. Instead, he was sealed away. You see, Naruto is the kyuubi." Ino jumped to her feet and slowly backed away from her parents. "No! You're lying! Naruto isn't a demon, he's a sweet and kind human being!" "Dear, he isn't. Now, please, come home. You're not safe being around him." "GET OUT!" Ino screamed at the top of her lungs, earning her shocked looks from her parents. "I won't listen to this anymore! How dare you come into Naruto-kun's and mine apartment and try to turn me away from him!" Then, without saying a word, her parents got up and left, leaving a very confused and frightened Ino to collapse back onto the bed, sobbing. Oh, Naruto. Please be safe! I don't care what you might or might not be, I still want to be with you!

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At the specified location

Tsunade and Sakura shifted nervously as they waited for Sasuke, and possibly Orochimaru, to appear. Why this location had been chosen, Tsunade couldn't figure out. They were standing in the ruins of the castle, where Orochimaru had tried to get Tsunade to heal his arms.

They didn't have to wait long. After only a few more minutes, a grinning Sasuke stepped out from beind a large pile of debris, followed by Orochimaru and, finally, Kabuto, who was carrying a very beat up Naruto. It took all of Sakura's will power, with a bit of help from Tsunade's hand on her shoulder, to keep her from charging blindly at them. Quickly, before her pupil did anything stupid, Tsunade spoke. "What is it that you want? Why did you kidnap Naruto?" She was expecting Orochimaru to answer, but instead, Sasuke did. "Several reasons. First and foremost was to show you that even in your stupid little village, we can still strike at you easily. Second was to prove to myself that this pathetic loser over here," Sakura clenched her fists at this, so hard that her nails drew blood. "Was truly no match for me. And, third was because we needed a bargening chip of some kind, and we knew that you had a soft spot for the demon brat." Sakura was confused at this, but Tsunade was shocked. Why had Orochimaru revealed Naruto's secret to Sasuke? "Very well, then. What do you want?" It was Orochimaru's turn to speak now. "I want just one thing. You will show me how to perform that new jutsu of yours. I find it rather…appealing." Of course. Only you could find the prospect of commanding cadavars like that appealing, Orochimaru. Tsunade thought, before answering. "Very well, then. Give Naruto to my apprentice, then, and I shall show you the jutsu."

Sakura couldn't belive her ears. Why was Tsunade giving in so easily? It didn't make sense! Sure, she wanted to rescure Naruto as much as, if not more than Tsunade did, but she didn't want to give Orochimaru what he wanted without taking something else in return. So, when Kabuto approached her to hand her Naruto's unconcious form, she gathered chakra in her palm as steathily as she could, and slammed her palm into Kabuto's forehead. The chakra Sakura had collected slammed straight through his skull and essentially liquified his brain, killing him instantly. Quickly, she grabbed Naruto and moved back.

Once Sasuke realized what had happened, he leapt towards Sakura with a snarl, a chidori forming in his hand, only to be intercepted by Tsunade, whose punch was strong enough to knock out any normal person. Of course, Sasuke wasn't a normal person, so it just sent him flying and caused him to release the energy he had gathered for his half-formed chidori. Tsunade glanced at Sakura, who was quickly treating Naruto's wounds, then back at Orochimaru. Though she had hoped to avoid conflict, she really was grateful that she didn't have to show Orochimaru anything. Orochimaru, however, seemed content to let Sasuke do all the fighting. And fight Sasuke did. As soon as he recovered from Tsunade's punch, he lept at her this time, ducking under her guard and slashing across her stomach with a kunai before leaping back. Quickly she healed the wound, then threw another punch at him, this time with enough force to crush the bones in anyone's body. Provided it hit, of course. Sasuke narrowly dodged the blow, lashing out with his kunai again, which caused Tsunade to punch the ground, making a rather large crater and sent out shards of dirt and rock flying in every direction. At a look from Tsunade, Sakura picked Naruto back up again and fled. Sasuke seemed not to notice, however, as he continued his assault on Tsunade, confining himself to rather basic taijutsu from some reason.

Then, once Sakura was out of harms way, it hit her. Sasuke didn't really want to hurt Sakura. That, and he was saving energy, for after blocking a particularly nasty punch, she faltered a bit, and that was when Sasuke struck. Moving so fast that he could not be seen, Sasuke kicked Tsunade hard, on the chin, sending her skywards. He then lept up, wrapping his arms around her middle, pinning both of her arms to her sides as they began to fall, spinning like a drill as they did so. Sasuke screamed out "Initial Lotus!" as they impacted, and lept aside before closing back in on the stunned Hokage. He was about to thrust a chidori through her lung when someone collided with him and sent him sprawling across the ground. "You don't know when to quit, do you?" Sasuke sneered at the new arrival. "Oh, I know when to quit. It just isn't time for that now."

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Ooo, cliffhangerness! Who is the new person? I have a feeling that most of you know, but that doesn't really matter. Anyway, I promise that, from now on, I'll do everything in my power to avoid writing cliffhangers. That doesn't mean I won't write one from time to time, since sometimes that's the best way to end a situation, but I'll do my best to avoid them.

Coming Up in Chapter 7: Best Friends Part II

The new arrival is revealed! After the fight is over, Naruto is brought back to Konoha by a very scared Sakura and a very bruised Tsunade, much to the chagrin of the majority of the village. But what's most shocking to the village is that along with them is the corpse of the once respected Uchiha Sasuke.