Sasuke Uchiha has traded his classic outfit for a pair of black pants, and a white zip up shirt with a high collar that goes up to his eyes. His arms are covered in black bands that go from his wrist to his elbow. He has a Katana strapped to his back, and he is wearing the default Root crop top jacket, but with the Uchiha symbol on the back. His eyes have hardened the last three years, like what remained of the kid people would possibly have liked and respected was gone.

Sakura has matured much in three years. She's traded her original clothes for a pair of black shorts, a red shirt, elbow and knee guards, as well as fingerless gloves. Around her neck is a small necklace, which she keeps hidden. Her hair is still short, and her hitai-ate keeps it in check from getting in the way. She does have a look of sadness behind her eyes now.

Team 7 was mandated to be a four man team, so a new member was added. Dressed in black pants and a black jacket with a cropped top, with a pack held to him by red straps. His hair is black, his eyes are black, his expressions are blank, and his skin is the alabaster of alabaster. His skin is that white. His name is Sai.

Kakashi Hatake...He has seen better days. His hair had started to droop, and he looked like he had to cry just to fall asleep every night with the bags under his eyes.

Among them is Temari, now in a black kimono with a red sash, and her giant folding fan. Her blonde hair is in the same pigtails, though. She was taken out of 'Suna Ambassador' position to escort Team 7 to Suna.

The five run up to the front of the entrance of Suna. There are two guards there, and one shockingly blurts out, "Lady Temari!"

She shouts, "What's the status? Where is Gaara!?"

"Your brother is safe, Temari. He's back in the Kazekage office. The brother needing more attention is Kankuro."

The five look behind the two guards to see a woman with olive skin, short brown hair, and dressed in black pants, black jacket, and a yellow shirt. Sasuke demands, "Who is she?"

Temari admits, "I don't know."

The woman answers, "My name is Naruko, I am with a group of travellers who came to Suna to meet with the Kazekage. We came upon the kidnappers, saved both your brothers, and the one known as Sasori lost his life."

Sasuke scowls, "Well that's a disappointment. He's an Akatsuki member. I could've interrogated him to find out about my brother. I guess the Sand aren't completely incompetent."

Kakashi points out, "Sasuke, we are visitors."

Sasuke glares at him, "Are you trying to give me an order, Hatake?"

Kakashi drops his head, "...No. I apologize, commander."

Naruko thinks to herself, 'Sweet Zordon of Eltar, what fresh hell is this?'

Naruko recovers, "I apologize, I never learnt your names."

Sakura bows, "I am Sakura Haruno, future matriarch of the Uchiha Clan, which Sasuke is apart of, my sensei is Kakashi Hatake, and the fourth member is Anbu Ops Sai."

Naruko offers a handshake, "Nice to meet ya."

Sasuke walks past her, Sai waves and continues walking, Sakura bows, Temari had already left, and Kakashi returns the handshake. He apologizes, "Forgive my team."

Naruko shrugs, "No worries. Me and my siblings are used to it."

She gets a sinister idea, and loudly says, "Although, I'm not so sure that the Uchiha Clan can be considered a clan what with only two people in it!"

Everyone's eyes widen at this comment, and Sasuke snarls, "The Uchiha Clan formed Konoha, built the foundation, and have made it into the greatest force in the world!"

Naruko raises an eyebrow, "Really? And weren't they wiped out in one night? I heard some shrimp survived...Oh! That shrimps you."

Sasuke prepares to charge her, but something stops him. A man in a similar black jacket and pants, but with a black shirt, with tanned skin with black hair, gets between them, "That is enough. No fighting in these walls. We are all visitors."

Naruko pouts, "Aw, Menma. We were just goofing off."

Sasuke smirks, "Yeah...Goofing off."

Menma adds, "Aside from the fact that the Kazekage was saved, all that is left is tending to those that defeated Sasori. Are any of you trained in medical ninjutsu?"

Sakura raises her hand, "I was trained by Lady Tsunade for a couple months. After she disappeared, she left me a series of books to study."

Menma nods, "Perfect."

Temari asks, "Sakura, please follow me."

Kakashi follows, "I'll go with her."

Menma glares at Sasuke and Sai, and asks, "Would you like to meet with the Kazekage and gather a report on the attack?"

Sai smiles, "That is what the...Phoenix Hokage asked us to take after the success of the mission."

Menma cocks an eyebrow, thinking to himself, 'He's like one of the Root lackeys, emotionless and crap. But he struggled to say Phoenix Hokage...He might creep me out, but he could be a potential ally in Konoha.'

(...)

"...Hmph. I don't know how my grandson created this poison. But it definitely wasn't in Suna. The medical equipment we have is utterly pathetic. We better hope that Konoha sent a medic taught by Tsunade herself."

Baki asks, "Whatever happened to the Lady Hokage? Last I heard was that she wasn't found when the coup took place, Lady Chiyo."

Chiyo's brother, Ebizo, huffs, "And right when we need her the most. But at least those two brothers are able to function, thankfully for their body anatomy. I do not know if we will save Kankuro though, given how unlikely it is that this girl could be trained by Tsunade."

Chiyo snorts, "To be so inadequate...I know these children are from Konoha, but still…"

Ebizo points out, "Kankuro is also to blame. He exposed himself with his recklessness. He's just fortunate that a friend of the Kazekage came back to life as three boys and two girls. How are they taking the change?"

Baki sweats, "I...I saw one of the girls, Naruko, I think, go to the women's bathroom. There was...A lot of screaming, and swearing. I turned around and ran away. I never found out what she did."

Chiyo nods, "Unfortunately, we have bigger concerns right now. If we don't find a cure soon, Kankuro will die. Sasori has outdone himself. Even from the grave he's hurting this village. Unless this coming girl was trained by Tsunade herself, he will die."

Ebizo goes to put a hand on her shoulder, "You've worked tirelessly sister. Come, you need some rest."

Chiyo shakes her head, "No, I need to be here. My grandson did this to Kankuro, I can't rest until I've made at least some progress."

"Kankuro!"

Everyone looks in the doorframe, and there is Temari, Sakura, and Kakashi. Chiyo glares at Kakashi, and charges at him, "White Fang of Konoha! I will have my revenge!"

However, a tan skinned girl with black pigtails, wearing the same black tracksuit, but with a pink shirt underneath, blocks her attack. She demands, "Lady Chiyo, what is the meaning of this!?"

Chiyo is pushed back a distance. She growls, "White Fang of Konoha! How dare you come into my village, you scum. Do you remember? What you did to my son and his wife? No I believe you don't remember the people you killed in war. It's because of their deaths that Sasori died a monster!"

Kakashi raises his hands up, "Um...I think there's been a mistake."

Chiyo's brother stands in front of her, "Take a closer look, sister...He may have some bags under his eyes but he's too young. They look the same, but he's not the White Fang. Besides, Sakumo Hatake died a long time ago, you got depressed because you couldn't get revenge."

Chiyo sulks away, "I apologize. I haven't had a restful sleep lately."

Suddenly, Kankuro starts writhing in pain. A dark skinned man who seems to be from Kumogakure, with a shaved head and a mole under one of his eyes, wearing the same black pants and jacket, but with a blue shirt, sits up from the bed next to Kankuro's and calls out, "Hey, we need a doctor over here!"

Sakura pins her hair up and begins an inspection, "I'll take a look. Anyone who isn't a doctor or patient, leave now!"

She looks to Baki, "How many are like this?"

Baki answers, "Kankuro here is at the worst, while Chasu and Tomago have been able to suppress it with their Kekkei Genkais, but they're still sick."

A man in a similar black jacket and pants, with a red shirt, and chin length brown hair with streaks of platinum blonde hair, sits up, "I'm Chasu, he's Tomago."

Tomago waves awkwardly. Sakura apologizes, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to check on Kankuro first since he's in critical condition."

Chiyo pointedly asks, "Are you sure you know what you're doing girly?"

Sakura nods, "Yes, I was trained by Lady Tsunade before she vanished, and followed up on notes and manuals she left behind for me."

Everyone starts leaving, but Chiyo lingers to give an indignant glare to Sakura.

(...)

Meanwhile, in the Kazekage's office. Sasuke drones on, "So let me get this straight, you defended this dung heap as a last stand, then were taken by Sasori and Deidara, and your idiot brother and these five morons went after you, and managed to kill Sasori, correct?"

Gaara balls his hands in a fist, "I wouldn't use such disrespect, but yes, that is what happened."

Sasuke also asks, "And Sasori's partner?"

Menma shrugs, "Apparently blew himself up."

Sai cocks an eyebrow, "Apparently?"

Naruko explains, "There were too many things that didn't add up, like blood. Although given he blew himself up, he probably wouldn't have any blood left from the wounds. But the explosion was too small, especially for a nutjob that likes blowing things up, he'd want his biggest explosion possible to be what kills him. It was out of character, is all."

Kakashi notes, "Perceptive."

Naruko shrugs, "We learned to not fall for tricks."

Menma nods, "Yeah, one trap too many got us in a lot of trouble when we were younger."

Sasuke snorts, "Whatever, since you've already saved the Kazekage, the Phoenix Hokage will want a word with you and your team."

Naruko assures, "We accept the invitation, but have a few personal things we must attend to first."

Sasuke leaves, "Whatever."

Sai bows respectfully, and follows behind him. Kakashi lingers, "I feel the need to apologize for my superiors attitude…"

"-Don't bother. He's not worth it."

Kakashi leaves the room as well. Once they were gone, the two just seemed deflated all of a sudden when they exhaled. Menma voices his opinion, "What the hell happened in two years to make them like that. No way Sasuke was that big of a prick back then. And Kakashi just seemed dead inside."

Naruko agrees, "Yeah, this is way too crazy for just a few years."

(...)

While waiting, Chiyo asks Kakashi, "Say, young man, why do you remind me so much of the White Fang of Konoha?"

Kakashi shrugs, "Eh, dad's genetics were dominant."

Chiyo starts walking away like a mummy, muttering, "White Fang Son, White Fang Son."

Sakura leaves the operating room and says, "Good news, all three will make a quick recovery."

Everyone stares at her incredulously, making Moyashi ask, "You learned all this from how many of Tsunade's books?"

Sakura admits, "A couple, but what I know isn't perfect, so all I could make was a suppressant, not an actual cure. That will have to be made later."

Chasu steps out, "Well, whatever you read sure did help."

Sasuke enters the room, "So if everyone is done now, what's next, I didn't come all the way out into this godforsaken desert for nothing."

Tomago points out, "You can tell your Hokage you've made allies with a squad of men and women capable of fighting the Akatsuki, and the best part, we're mercenaries, so we're willing to serve him."

Sai walks in behind Sasuke and notes, "I'll be sure to say that blue."

Chasu guesses, "You're a nicknamer, aren't ya?"

Sai nods in his false smile. He pulls out a pad of paper and draws an almost abstract falcon. He channels some chakra, and the painting comes alive. The falcon flies off as Sai explains, "The ink used to make the Falcon will reach the Phoenix Hokage, who will then translate it to paper, and will read the report."

Tomago chuckles, "That's amazing."

Sai smiles, "Thank you. I regularly hone my skill with regular painting."

Moyashi asks him, "Painted anything I know?"

Sai looks out the window, "Probably one with no name. I haven't named a painting in my life."

Moyashi looks at him confusingly, before he walks off. She thinks to herself, 'I can't tell if I should be sorry for some of the people that work for Danzo.'

A doctor approaches, "Excuse me, but Kankuro has just woken up."

In the medical room are all five Psycho Rangers, the sand siblings, the Konoha forces, Baki, the elders, and several doctors. He weakly cries out, "Temari, when did you get here?"

She wipes tears from her eyes, "You idiot. I heard you were hurt so I came running."

A hand pats him on the shoulder, and looking over he sees that it's Gaara. He grabs his little brother's hand, "Gaara. You're okay."

Gaara thanks him, "If you hadn't held out for as long as you did, I would not have been saved."

The family embraces in a hug.

"Can we hurry this up. I didn't come to this desert for nothing."

Everyone glares at Sasuke, who flippantly demands, "What?"

Gaara shakes his head, "Nothing. Since the recovery of the three will still take time, why don't you stay and join us for the celebration?"

Sasuke leaves the room, "Whatever."

The Psycho Rangers groan at his arrogance. Menma decides to say "Not even worth it."

(...)

Sakura is in the greenhouse, and she compliments the medical ninja, "I've never seen so many medicinal herbs in one place before."

The medical ninja points out, "Well, the soil isn't ideal for growing medicinal herbs, but we were able to import through various nations, although some have put sanctions on us lately."

Sakura admits, "I feel like I should apologize for that. Konoha has changed so much I don't even know if it's the same village I was born in anymore."

The medic-nin chuckles, "Why would you apologize?"

Sakura shrugs, "I'm pretty sure those sanctions are because of us."

There's a knock on the door. The medic-nin answers the door, and he perks up, "Ah, Lady Naruko. Greetings."

The taller woman bows respectfully, "Hi, I'd like to speak to Sakura-Chan if you don't mind."

The Medic-Nin bows and leaves. Sakura looks at her confusingly, "Why would you want to talk to me?"

She explains, "To understand the situation. Me and my team have been away from the elemental nations for quite some time, and now I'm hearing some very troubling things about Konoha. I wonder if there's anything you can actually say when it's just the two of us."

Sakura assures, "Danzo hasn't put a curse on me, if that's what you're implying. He only does that to those in Anbu, whose numbers are growing by the day. In all honesty, I think in a year he'll try that on regular civilians and shinobi."

Naruko stares at her, "He puts curse marks on his own men?"

Sakura nods, "On the back of their tongues, if they say the wrong thing they become paralyzed from the neck down and mute. That's why his anbu are so loyal. Even Sai has one on him."

Naruko asks, "And he's okay with that?"

Sakura adds, "Not anymore. He and a lot of the others were orphans when Danzo found them, barely old enough to enroll in the academy to realize what they'd gotten themselves into. Now, I can see he's depressed with what he's doing, even though he tries to hide it."

Naruko bows her head, "I'm so sorry you've been forced into this."

Sakura admits, "I blame myself, in all honesty, I begged for Danzo's rise without even realizing it."

Naruko asks, "How does that work?"

Sakura explains, "Danzo's pet had tried to defect from the village, and we didn't know what kind of man he was, so I begged his best friend to bring him back alive. I thought I loved him."

Naruko defends, "There was no way anyone could know this would happen, I'm sure the friend would agree."

Sakura mirthlessly laughs, "I wouldn't know, he was executed two years ago."

Naruko asks, "Do you think he'd blame you?"

Sakura shrugs, "I don't know. On the one hand, I don't think he could ever think the worse of me, but on the other, I don't know what he'd think now. Even if he could think."

Naruko leaves, "I dunno, either. So anyway, how's the antidote doing?"

Sakura looks over her notes, "From what I'm reading, I can make enough for all three of you, but that's all. I'll be finished with them by tonight."