"Hi." = thoughts

"Hi." = talking

"Greetings." = Biju speaking

"Lightning Style: Lightning Bullet." = Jutsu

(-) = finishing to a new situation

Bye


The air hissed with a shimmer of an unending green, as Kabuto hummed merrily under his breath, as he snapped his fingers, controlling the glimmer to reconnect the gashed skin.

"Okay, Asuma." Kabuto checked his name- illustrating a clean tick into his clip-board's box, placing it back onto a side-desk. "Your back looks good- and completely healed."

Sipping on a bottle of water, Asuma nodded gratefully, flicking a lollipop into his lips- sighing in concealed annoyance. "It's still killing me. I can't sleep properly."

"Perhaps it would be a better decision to sleep on your hip." Kabuto suggested with a dry smile, fiddling with his glasses restlessly. "I shall send someone for your check-up later."

"Thanks."

(-)

Kabuto flickered into another room, wiping the rim of his glasses with a peaceful inhalation- before sitting onto a chair, opening up a book regarding experimentation.

"Lord Orochimaru certainly took some inspiration from his other team-mate, that annoying libertine. Still, Lord Hokage's book is interesting."

Nose choking, Kabuto flicked onto a new page- laughing giddily beneath his breath. "Oh- I am enamoured by this literature…"

His ears shuddered for a loose second, hearing a low knock from his shut window. Sighing in barely concealed irritation, Kabuto looked up, his eye-brows dropping.

"Ah, Jiraiya." Kabuto scowled softly, opening up the window, as the Sannin clambered in, huffing with a wide fatigue. "What brings you back to Konoha? Your mission-…"

"The bath-houses." Jiraiya planted one hand atop the other, a lecherous countenance twirling onto his features. "I was caught, but not to worry! I escaped!"

Kabuto's mouth rasped in humour, before glancing idly back at the Sannin- who gushed, recounting his tales of the bathhouse merrily. "Real reason?"

"It's about the missing-shinobi, Kakuzu." Jiraiya coughed, a decently grimmer look placed on his face. "He was sighted with the missing-Mizukage, Yagura, suspiciously…"

"And you came to me instead of lord Orochimaru? A cunning, yet stupid plan."

(-)

Gaara's mind-scape shivered, as he materialized his slim, unhealthy shape upon the surface, carefully eyeing the plane of existence. "Who brings me to this place?"

"That would be me, of course!" A sarcastically elated bellow susurrated, a boy with blonde-hair, and firebrick irises looked upon Gaara, grinning madly. "Name's Kurama! A pleasure."

"Kurama?" Gaara buried his eye-brows in confusion, unwitting of the name. Glaring back, he intoned. "Are you aware of what happened to Shukaku, then?"

"Shukaku? Heh!" Kurama's mouth choked noisily, while he settled in front of Gaara, his eyes scintillating with a twinge of boredom. "A weakling."

"Weakling?" Gaara folded his arms, his mind starting to blare in realization. Kurama's eyes glistened unendingly, until his monstrous presence roared. "What are you exactly?"

"An entity." Kurama smirked blandly, ruffling the untidy blonde hair, exuding his existence with an airy smile, brimming with deep mirth. "A simple entity."

"Be careful." He warned with a blithe twinge, walking into the everlasting distance, laughter erupting from his entertained lips. "Shukaku, for mine shall win the game."

(-)

Naruto situated himself onto a fence, sitting cross-legged, while eyeing Sasuke incuriously, unleashing a minuscule sigh. "What are you planning?"

Sasuke grinned in cheeky innocence, a hint of perpetual mischief inside his countenance. "Oh, nothing." He thrummed quietly, kicking a stray stone in the path.

"Okay. I plan to take your word for it then." Naruto's nose choked, patiently waiting for Kakashi's constantly late arrival, exhaling in annoyance. "This is gonna take a while, huh?"

"Yep. Kakashi won't be coming for another 2 hours, no complaining." Sasuke connected his fingers, forming a Shadow-Clone until it dispelled. "Memory recollection."

"Helpful, eh?" Naruto smirked wryly, his mouth humming in amusement at the Uchiha's grown interestedness. "My head gets overloaded all the time."

"Damn, sounds annoying." Sasuke gave Naruto a sympathetically childish nod, wiping his cheek in mock-worry. "Your head overloading explains why you're this dumb."

"Oh, shut up." Naruto mumbled- scratching his chin in unconcealed irritation, while Sasuke huffed laughingly. "You're stupider than me. Dumb-ass."

"Using dumb? I'm elated by my inspiring status." Sasuke pressed his hands to his sides, features glistening with immature ecstasy. "Huh? No come-back?"

"No come-back." Naruto assured, glancing back towards the numerous paths, as his impatience started increasing ten-fold. "Kakashi's taking his sweet-time, good."

"Sorry." The air rippled for a brief second before the Hatake settled atop the fence, perching onto it with an airy posture, still reading his erotic literature. "The cats wanted help."

"Help?" Sasuke enunciated confusedly, a suspicious shimmer clambering inside his pupils, with Kakashi innocently shutting his book. "Help with what, then?"

"Beating my uncle's descendants, they keep coming back." Kakashi shook his skull with a rueful huff, lazily watching Sasuke- who expressed doubtfulness. "I defeated them."

Naruto, still hanging upon the fence, disconnected himself from it, as he slid his hands into his pockets with a bland sigh. "What's the mission?"

"Patience." Kakashi drawled, leaning back onto the fence with a speculative thrumming, glancing between Naruto and Sasuke in noiseless contemplation. "Okay."

"The mission is a simple one. I guessed the two of you would be able to eliminate the bandits, but no. You failed."

"Naruto let the bandits escape." Sasuke accused, pointing a slim finger towards Naruto- who dryly looked back, shrugging with an unaffected attitude. "His fault the mission failed."

"And you beat the Phantom up." Naruto's nose rasped, while Sasuke's childishly accusatory expression dispersed. "No reason to be untruthful."

"1. Your Sharingan was activated in the entrance. 2. You were aware the Phantom wasn't ghost-worthy."

"Huh." Sasuke argued back with a rather lame noise, slumping his shoulders in realization. "No point then. The Phantom was beaten up."

"The Phantom." Kakashi innocently tapped the brunt of his cheek, shutting his eye in languid curiosity. "Never heard of them. Now, let's start the mission."

"It's a simple mission to retrieve someone- and bring them back to Konoha, where they shall be taken in by their guardian?"

"Wouldn't the Chunin be better for this?" Naruto lifted his eye-brows in uncertainty, watching as Kakashi unmindfully shrugged. "Never-mind."

"This mission isn't too dire. The client resides in Konoha. Supposedly, one of their wards ran away. And were learned to be in a village near the fire-country's entrance."

"What's the village name?"

"Not any particular name. Most call it the Entry." Kakashi mused openly, tilting his skull until Sasuke perked up, his inner-alarms humming. "The Entry as it's near the entrance."

"Genius." Naruto blandly complimented, smirking with an arid humour. "Oi, Sasuke. If we encounter any trouble, let's work with each-other, as last time…"

Sasuke nodded in unconscious affirmation, a level of wariness cracking inside him, he looked into the distance, relaxing with unsureness.

"You two are a famous duo." Kakashi's eye brimmed with an indiscernible feeling, a haze of emotion crinkling into it, as the Hatake casually slouched. "Or, an infamous duo."

"I prefer infamous." Sasuke fantasized, grinning with a look of unbridled uncontrollability, coercing Kakashi to nod: amused. "Sounds bad-ass!"

"Perhaps that shall be your nick-name in the future, when you and Naruto are more renowned."

"Naruto and Sasuke! The infamous duo." Sasuke cheered with an unexcited tone, lifting his arm skyward, while Kakashi blinked at the Uchiha's unelated behaviour. "Too dry."

"I agree." Naruto concurred, with Kakashi slumping deeply, depressed by his students' airy dismissal of his suggestion. "That would be a boring name."

"Let's start the mission." Kakashi hurried towards the village gates, a sour look contorting in his eyes. "You ungrateful kids."

"Okay…"

Naruto and Sasuke followed Kakashi, until they arrived at the village entrance, Izumo and Kotetsu giving languid gestures towards the team.

Still keeping his hands comfy inside his pockets, the Uzumaki leisurely discerned Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji- with them walking behind Asuma- who rubbed his back achingly.

"My graduated class-mates!" Sasuke grinned with a charismatic shimmer, watching Ino and Shikamaru squirm, stopping themselves from escaping. "You all good?"

Shikamaru dryly scratched his head, eyeing Sasuke with a forcefully calm expression, still shuddering for a small minute. "Yep. Now, I'm going."

Kakashi observed Asuma's team hurriedly sprint towards their mentor, glancing at the Uchiha with matchless apprehension, while Sasuke expressed confusion.

"I suppose he forgot about those incidents?" Kakashi hummed to himself, internally choking with laughter. "Those incidents were hilarious."

The Hatake idly recalled Gai, Lee, and Sasuke's training-sessions, which were still hosted occasionally. The Uchiha was planned to be placed onto Gai's squad, initially.

Orochimaru, at the last second, decided to assign Kakashi Naruto and Sasuke- as he perceived them to be a peerless duo- who would gain unmatched strength.

"Perhaps Lord Hokage was being optimistic."

While Naruto and Sasuke worked ethereally well, those two preferred individuality, battling, or strategizing, with no help. Most of the time.

(-)

Naruto glided upon another loose branch, feeling it press onto his shoe until he leaped back up, massaging himself with a bored face.

Sasuke deliberately stayed alongside Kakashi- who lowered his speed to ensure the two of them could keep up with his rather minuscule hastiness.

The Uchiha tilted his head, dodging the scruff of a branch hanging above his skull, while Naruto's energy warped in preparation- a habit the Uzumaki developed.

Kakashi's unstoppable stride paused, with the Hatake hopping onto the forlorn terrain, carefully glancing between each path. He lifted his hand- a signal.

Naruto casually swept the sector with a perpetual once-over, still- inside his eyes- stayed a guardedness. The Uzumaki's chakra bellowed. "Shadow-Clone."

A masked individual immediately blurred behind Naruto, a blade slashing towards his neck- until the clone deflected the stray slice with a Kunai's edge.

Sasuke flickered into a bush, forging a boat of hand-signs, as his lips parted, blossoming a certain warmth. "Fire-Style: Fire-Ball!" It shot forward, sizzling the bush instantly.

"I wasn't expecting to encounter any trouble." Kakashi leisurely remarked, facing the icy-in-exterior Shinobi, the Kirigakure head-band shimmering. "What are you after?"

The Kiri-Shinobi started tilting his skull, a throaty laugh rippling from his calloused mouth. "Hah! You're Kakashi of the Sharingan. Lord Yagura shall be pleased."

Kakashi's eye silently thrummed in realization, hearing the emphasis about the Sharingan, perhaps they desire to steal, and use, it, still- he wouldn't allow it to be taken.

"You want the Sharingan, then?" Kakashi airily lifted his head-band up, as the comma-patterns whirled in initiation. "Please, you wouldn't be able too."

"And Yagura, the Mizukage who disappeared?" Kakashi crouched below the blade's slash, opting for a sweep-kick as the shinobi collapsed. "He ordered this?"

The Kirigakure Shinobi- whose name was Buzo- huffed in irritation before standing back up, bouncing towards Kakashi- who blithely whirled to the side, still in contemplation.

"Why would he need the Sharingan, then?" Kakashi flitted forward, chopping Buzo's face, as he clambered onto the grass. "Maybe to control his tailed-beast for strength?"

(-)

Naruto smirked dryly, crouched onto a branch, as he crashed a chakra-empowered kick upon his opposition's shoulder-blade, feeling it crack.

He connected onto the grass, looking around for a brief second, noticing Sasuke drop his enemy, hanging them onto a branch with a grin of cheekiness.

The Uzumaki surmised the one they were supposed to retrieve was quite influential- if their reputation garnered Kirigakure Shinobi to intercept them for this mission.

He slid his hands into his pockets, as Naruto strolled back to Kakashi- who slammed Buzo into a tree-bark, as he gutturally coughed. "The Sharingan stays, yippee!"

"He was after your Sharingan, and not the person we're supposed to grab?"

"Yep."

Sasuke strode towards him, while sticking his tongue out with a shimmer of mischief distorting his features. "Heh. You shall never gain sick eye powers!"

"Who are you mocking?" Naruto blandly choked, walking pass Kakashi- slipping his head-band back to place. "We're gonna be late."

"I'm sure it's going to be fine." Kakashi dismissed, swaying his hand with an easy-going curve of the eye, bending his legs in preparation. "Now, a message to the Leaf. Then, to Entry."

"Still a stupid name."

(-)

Sasuke bounded to each separate branch, occasionally desiring to burn the leaves brushing his skins- ones seldom containing sharper tips.

He tapped his hand- pretending for there to be a watch on him, the Uchiha glanced towards the back of the group, where Naruto skidded beneath their forms.

"Kakashi-Sensei." Sasuke called, watching as Kakashi lazily slid his irises towards him. Coughing, he slanted his skull quizzically. "Were they after my Sharingan, too?"

"Not to worry." Kakashi's posture expressed unconcernedness, while he unmindfully hopped through the air. "My Sharingan is more special and powerful."

"Sure. Sure." Sasuke retorted blithely, lifting his arms skywards with a twinge of ebullience. "The air always feels pretty good!"

"I suppose." Kakashi drawled, his eyes snapping back onto his lecherous literature, a sharp, yet libidinous laugh escaped his concealed lips. "Oh, what naughty protagonists."

"Are you okay?" The Uchiha scanned his mentor with a tint of wariness, uncertain whether he misheard the peculiarly confusing laughter. "You look…Stressed."

"It's his books!" Naruto bellowed from below their shapes, still sprinting through the dried up grass, smirking sardonically. "The libertine of Sannin wrote them all!"

"Ah." Sasuke enunciated in realization, completely unaffected, as he gazed towards the pages Kakashi read with a curious expression. "What's in them, then?"

The Hatake's eye shimmered with an interested throb, the Uchiha heard him murmur indistinctly before looking leisurely up. "The Icha. Icha. Paradise, books. Masterly-…"

(-)

"What the fuck." Sasuke's lips thinned, with a fluttering bewilderment, while Kakashi hummed to himself airily. "Why would you read something- something?"

"Confusing?" Naruto suggested with a rather arid smile, as his nose choked- brimming with humour. "I was the second person to read them before the books got published."

"You're fortunate." Kakashi complimented, sending Naruto a look of compassionate deference. "You, Naruto Uzumaki, are too fortunate."

"I was forced." Naruto clicked his teeth in soft frustration, glancing into the quasi-unending path. "Can we make the pace higher?"

Sasuke nodded in concurrence, watching Kakashi- who intentionally tapped his chin in soundless, yet noisy contemplation. "Kakashi-Sensei. This is boring."

"Enough whining." The Hatake paused in his gait, with Sasuke stumbling until he, himself, stopped. While Naruto observed Kakashi inquisitively. "Okay. Okay, increase your pace, then."

The Uchiha pumped chakra into his legs, as Naruto cracked his neck with a balefully exuberant grin, which made Sasuke worried. Kakashi dispersed, humming as he read the book.

"To Entry!"

"I'm giving that place a new name."

(-)

Rock-Lee merrily strolled to his team's privately made training sector, walking deeper into the woods, he grinned with peerless boisterousness.

He looked towards the artificial-arena, hopping above the entrance as he discerned Neji- whose expression whirled difficultly, uncertain.

Neji's attitude, after battling Sasuke, started to warp drastically. Outwardly, he stayed frosty, and haughty. Still, the Hyuga became less stiff to a specific level.

Neji offered Lee a dry nod, slipping his unfiltered attention back to his unsparing slaps, as he placed each hand forward. Lee, then, noticed Ten-Ten and Gai battling.

"Yello! Gai-Sensei!" Lee bellowed with his features whirling brightly, as he lifted a hand: His smile shimmering in exuberance. "And Ten-Ten, Neji, too!"

"Ah! Lee!" Gai grabbed Ten-Ten's blade, sweeping her onto the grass with a low-kick, as he helped her up before looking towards Lee- who ecstatically concentrated. "Good!"

"My students!" Gai bellowed with a rather noisy tone, straightening himself up properly, urging his students to stand in preparation. "We shall be training more seriously!"

"You weren't training us seriously, then?" Neji's eye-brows dropped in concealed confusion, as he buried his arms into each-other impassively. "The-…"

Lifting up a hand in placation, Gai granted his gathered pupils a grin of unbeatable passion. "No, youthful Neji! The training you participated in was to monitor your strength!"

"Okay." Neji groused, as his features whirled in acceptance, separating his hands with an appeased expression. "I guess this training shall regard our existing skills?"

"Indeed." Gai concurred, a rather giddy hop in his face. Coughing to himself, he smiled with a shimmer of assurance. "Lee's First-Gate. Ten-Ten's weaponry. Your gentle fist, too!"

(-)

Sasuke skidded into the village –or Entry's- gate, scanning the ambling citizens, who all commuted through the small town. He kicked a stone in his lane, idly walking.

Kakashi's eye curved up, as he clapped, garnering their attention instantly. Drawling leisurely, he decided. "I can meet with the client, and you two can relax."

The Uchiha's eye-brows lifted askance, with ample wariness, he watched Kakashi unseal perfume, spraying himself numerous times, while thrumming in his lips.

"Are you going on a date?" Naruto straight-forwardly surmised, his irises silently humming in uncertainty. "Who would date you of all entities?"

"Well, this entity." Kakashi languidly patted his own back, slouching as he looked towards the Uzumaki with casualness. "Isn't going on a date."

"What, the client wanted you to look of prepped up, then?" Naruto smirked wryly, leaning back onto a fence, with silence dampening his ears. "Seriously?"

Kakashi nodded blithely, spraying a few more gallons of perfume onto his uniform, sliding the bottle into a side-bag. "Come back to the gates in an hour, no trouble-making."

"You're indisputably going on a date." Naruto's countenance warped from humoured to dryness, the Uzumaki stretched, scratching his skin. "I won't make problems."

"Good!"

(-)

Naruto buried his hands into pockets with a hint of indolence, strolling into another lane, as Sasuke bounded towards the roof-tops on an expedition.

He glanced towards his nails, suppressing the urge to access Kurama's chakra. The power, the strength. It was addicting, his face distorted in incredulity.

"I'm addicted to the strength?"

Shaking his skull to himself, the Uzumaki whirled to the side; dodging a group of smaller children hastening into the town's central park, if the signs were accurate.

His irises glided along the uncountable existences, while he concentrated on a large, yet rusty looking office. It stood in the centre of town.

"The boss of this place lives in the office." A polite, blank tone drifted into Naruto's ears, he glanced back, noticing a white-haired boy, standing by him airily. "Never leaves."

"Huh?" Naruto enunciated blandly, looking towards the white-haired child- who scrutinized Naruto- considerably perplexed. "What's your name, informant to the new?"

"Kimimaro." He hoarsely retorted, still looking at the office, with a gaze of concealed deference. "Entry's a good town, peaceful, not much trouble."

"Sounds good." Naruto complimented, slanting his skull in dead curiosity. The Uzumaki heaved a low sigh, smiling peaceably. "Name's Naruto, a pleasure."

He extended his hand out for a brief shake, only to realize Kimimaro left for something else. Shrugging blithely, Naruto sauntered through the path.

His sapphire scintillated as crimson leaked into his irises. Susurrating in frustration, he immediately dissipated his chakra, disconnected himself from it for a second.

Naruto's body roared uncomfortably, he bounced atop a roof-top, massaging his abdomen with an irritated expression, suppressing the inner-bellow.

"Shut up." He gritted his teeth, as they sharpened for a fluttering minute. Naruto lessened their sharpness, sighing matchlessly. "Okay…"

The Uzumaki scratched his cheek in soundless contemplation. He would need to schedule another appointment with Kabuto- who always healed him properly.

"Still, he's sometimes annoying." Naruto's mouth choked unmindfully in perpetual humour. He leaped back onto the lane, thinning his lips. "I'm bored."

(-)

Sasuke crouched instantly, avoiding as a dagger flew above his skull. Perhaps coercing a weapons-creator was idiotic. His fatuity was becoming quite high.

"You brats!" Mr. Hurl- as Sasuke decided- hurled another dagger towards Sasuke eye; he crouched, dodging it as he backpedalled. "And stay outta this place!"

Wiping his shoulders nonchalantly, Sasuke strolled into an emptier lane, which looked more ominous, despite the after-noon clouds glistening beyond his shape.

He dispersed himself, settling into the town's corner, breathing outwards in sheer boredom, as he childishly slouched. "When's Kakashi-Sensei coming?"

Kakuzu blurred behind him, casually slamming a knee into his chin, Sasuke toppled instantly, a shock humming in his eyes, as they widened.

Gruffly laughing, Kakuzu lifted Sasuke up, his hand distorted as a grey energy slashed at the air. It rippled, Kakuzu, then, obscured, disappearing into a window.

(-)

Sasuke's eyes blinked themselves open, his Sharingan protectively activated, scanning his immediate-sector automatically, as he groaningly thrummed.

"Ah." He hissed beneath his shattered breath, its pace lowering as he cradled his face. "Who the hell kidnapped me? I'm not gonna accept this!"

He heard the choking sound of a nose, Sasuke peered into the atmosphere deeper, while his lips snapped upwards in cheekiness. "Kakuzu, eh?"

Kakuzu grinned roughly, drinking a goblet of tea: watching Sasuke with incuriosity, yet wild interestedness. "Sasuke Uchiha. I am, certainly, Kakuzu. A pleasure."

"Nah." Sasuke refuted, noticing a lack of restraints. Burying his arms into each-other, the Uchiha's Sharingan whirled, pin-pointing paths of escape. "The window, then."

"I'm betting on your chances." Kakuzu cryptically laughed, sipping his tea with an uncontrollably amused face. "You won't stay for long, rest assured."

"Iwa's only the starting point for his plan. They shall be the ones to plunge all."

Kakuzu placed his goblet onto a table, while intertwining his fingers deeply, he rumbled with unending laughter. "Sleep, and all shall be sound. Remember, you are the centre of all."

(-)

His consciousness bristled him into waking up. Shuddering for a second, Sasuke bounced skywards before lowering himself, his coal eyes glistening in confusion.

"Kakuzu." Sasuke immediately eyed the corner, a throb of wariness inside his expression. Straightening up, the Uchiha slumped in uncertainty. "The centre of all?"

"I swear if I'm the child of prophecy and Naruto isn't, then, those Mt. Myoboku toads are gonna be burned."

Susurrating with childish humour, the Uchiha strolled through the corner, noticing Naruto and Kakashi with Haku of all entities, the one he knocked into unconsciousness.

Sasuke's features snapped into airiness, as he lifted up a hand with his signature cheeky grin, walking over to them with a passionately composed expression.

"Sasuke." Kakashi hollowly drawled, fiddling with the pages of his erotic literature with a twinge of embarrassment, as he slid the book into his side-bag. "We are going!"

Naruto's mouth rasped with unrestrained mirth, he slanted his skull; while smirking sardonically. "Oh, you unfortunate bastard. Maybe later, huh?"

(-)

10-Hours-Later:

Kakuzu observed Obito- whose calloused features glowered with perpetual concentration: his Mangekyo twinkled in deceased curiosity.

"You informed him, then?" Obito tilted his head in amused contemplation, his Sharingan whirled before dispersing; crimson to coal immediately. "He shall grow curious."

Kakuzu chuckled, parting his lips open as a gravelly sound of laughter erupted from him, entertainment played merrily in his irises. "Curious? No, aware."

Obito shrugged to himself, sauntering leisurely onto a sofa, resting his legs atop the other with a perplexed countenance. "Is Konan coming soon?"

"Perhaps." Kakuzu mused with an unconcerned smirk, sinking into his own chair, sipping a goblet of tea. "The message her paper sent was quite confusing."

"You drink tea too much." Obito hung his head back, while his eyes scintillated in a baleful shimmer endlessly. "It's about time I start the preparations."

"Are you planning to look for the one-tail, then?"

"Huh?" The Uchiha hummed quizzically, tapping his fingers onto his knee, swaying his skull with a grin of frosty elation. "Nope. Shukaku won't be needed."

"Oh?" Kakuzu brimmed with outward curiosity, escalating his inquisitiveness while leaning forward with a passionless expression. "Interesting…"

"Certainly."

(-)

Gaara and Suigetsu lazed inside their motel room, cups of yogurt scattered atop the rather dry carpets. Gaara gazed through the window, a sceptical looking playing on his face.

The Hozuki lifted his eye-brows inquisitively, watching Gaara bury his arms into each-other: an emotionless, yet curious shimmer in his irises. "Oi, Gaara."

He looked back towards Suigetsu- who shouldered his blade with a casually lazy grin, lounging on his chair. "Where to now, then?"

"I suspect the Hidden-Cloud would not take kindly to us both." Gaara speculated, rubbing his chin in unending contemplation. "The Stone could, maybe…?"

"The Stone?" Suigetsu's nose choked in humourless amusement, as he strapped his blade back on; sighing. "They'd interrogate us."

"You sound certain."

(-)

Naruto clasped his hands into each-other deeply, staring listlessly towards the grave-stone, resting alongside countless others. Inhaling, he smiled with an unreadable look.

"What's up? Shisui." His lips silently throbbed with an unamused disposition, as he lowered his neck for a fleeting second. "I suppose…3 years, eh?"

"It wasn't the bastard, Danzo. Definitely not the bastard, Orochimaru made sure of it, too."

"Huh…" Naruto mumbled with an unentertained noise, digging his hands into a side-bag, setting some flowers onto the grass. "These ones are different from last time."

"Naruto."

"Itachi."

He nodded towards the grave-stone, while slipping his hands into his pockets, the Uzumaki stepped back; blurring through the path until he situated himself atop a roof-top.

Naruto flew into the air, hopping back onto the path, as he walked over to the training-sector where Sasuke frequented.

The Uzumaki sauntered deeper into the lane, approaching the artificial-arena, with Neji and Ten-Ten battling. Sasuke and Lee participating in their 8-Inner-Gates training.

"Oh! Youthful Naruto!" Gai cheered with a boisterous thumbs-up, a matchless grin settling onto his features. "It's a pleasure! Would you want to train with us?!"

Naruto shook his head in a dismissal, with Sasuke slanted his head until he shrugged, returning his attention to his breath-taking activity. "I need some advice, privately please."

"Advice?" Gai's grin shimmered in unending ebullience, he nodded, signalling towards his students. "Of course! Follow me, you small comrade!"

"Thanks." Naruto amusedly mumbled; Gai's nicknames always were quite confusing. They slipped behind a few trees, as he sighed. "It's about the Inner-Gates…"

"My nine-tails chakra is working uncontrollably. I'm certain the Inner-Gates can disable it from damaging me too badly."

"The nine-tails, then." Gai hummed to himself, as he granted Naruto an uncertain, yet resolute grin, straightening his upper-section up. "Lord Hokage! He shall be sure!"

"Orochimaru?" Naruto enunciated with a perpetual exhalation, watching Gai blink as he dispersed towards the artificial-arena. "No other paths."

He flickered through the soil, blurring back into Konoha's main section. The Uzumaki obscured, reforming atop the window sill of Orochimaru's office.

Naruto noticed Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji, with Asuma, bandages rippling their mid-frame, while the Nara supported himself with Asuma's help.

Orochimaru's countenance was distant, calculating, he intertwined his fingers with an unparalleled grimness. "They decided to interrupt the mission?"

The Uzumaki prepared to step back, channelling chakra to expedite his speed for escape, until Orochimaru's blank tone echoed as an apparition. "Naruto, enter."

Susurrating to himself in bland annoyance, Naruto slung through the window, settling nearby to Orochimaru's desk, the Sannin peering into him with something indiscernible.

Shikamaru's eyes glared upon Naruto's shape with an indistinct wariness before slumping his shoulders. "That's all to report then. Lord Hokage."

Orochimaru's gaze stayed fixed on Naruto, as he nodded in confirmation, slanting his skull; almost sympathetic. "2 weeks with no missions, to all of your team."

The team bowed with a courteous shimmer, hurrying through the door, while Naruto's ears distinguished unidentifiable sounds.

"Naruto."

"Look, Lord Orochimaru. The nine-tails chakra is becoming too wild for me to control."

"I suppose I shall need to call Kabuto, then." Orochimaru's mouth choked wryly, as he snapped his fingers, signalling an Anbu guard. "Jiraiya's back."

"Oh, fuck no." Naruto groused in considerable irritation, scratching his skin, shutting his eyes in brief hesitation. "What's up with Asuma's team?"

"Interception." Orochimaru dismissed blankly, disconnecting his fingers before grasping a brush. "You were intercepted too. Still, look who's undamaged?"

"I'm sure their opponents were more skilled." Naruto retorted with an unentertained tone, looking towards Orochimaru clinically. "Skill's not all."

"No." Orochimaru concurred, tracing the brush along a brittle paper, creating a few illustrations. "Intelligence. Wildness. Strategies. All of them are different entities."

"You again." Kabuto entered, an amused distortion settling into his over-worked eyes, he fiddled with his glasses, laughing deeply. "What's the problem?"

(-)

"What was up with Naruto?" Sasuke snapped his teeth; with his skin hissing as it boiled up, burning almost endlessly. "He looked troubled."

"No need to worry." Gai's placation smoothened the atmosphere itself, he clasped his hands as his skin scorched with strength. "Concentrate on keeping the power steady."

"Steady." Lee dutifully repeated, exerting himself with an unsparing bellow, his body pumping with energy. "It feels calm. I feel calm."

"Concentrate on that calmness." Gai instructed, listening to Lee and Sasuke, who both huffed inwards unsparingly. "Unleash it with an immediate kick, or punch."

Lee's fist flew forward, rippling reality as a heavy wind settled upon the woods, while Sasuke's leg sailed upwards, distorting the clouds, while they dissipated.

Gai's skin warmed up, he dispelled his chakra unleashing the First-Gate, clapping with an impressed twinge. Lee and Sasuke both grappled onto his instructions.

Lee's body still hummed with hotness. It was undamaging to him now, the agony dispersed as he rushed through punches, creating small distortions in the air.

Sasuke acclimated to it with a passion, his grin glistened with a peerless dedication Gai only discerned in Lee, still; something foreboding rested in that expression.

Gai ignored himself, deciding paranoia was hugely unhealthy. Coughing with an elated rumble, he cheered. "Good work. The First-Gate is under your influence!"

(-)

2-Hours-Later:

Lee's team dispersed back towards their separate residences, only Sasuke stood alone, the First-Gate boiling. He kicked forward, feeling a throb of wind.

"You succeeded in learning it, then." Naruto remarked airily, walking over as he leaned onto a tree-bark, folding his arms into each-other. "I guessed you were kidding."

"Why would I be kidding?" Sasuke grinned with cheekiness, gliding into another series of punches, his chakra thrumming in unmatched strength. "It's pretty good!"

"Yep." Naruto concurred; smirking wryly, he glared into the quasi-unending distance, Sasuke felt the susurration massaging his skin. "You went missing."

"Oh." His lips thinned- Kakuzu gave him a rather concerning warning: The centre of all. "It's not that serious. I spoke with someone…"

"That's good." Naruto's countenance flattened, appeased. He hung his head high, while his hair whirled; dishevelled. "I suppose."

He blurred, dispelling his shape. Naruto's sapphire hummed with crimson leaking into his irises. The Uzumaki distorted, sprinting through a path.

(-)

While Naruto hurried.

(-)

Sadness.


A/N: Bye.