The Other Side of Silence

So thanks to those who reviewed and you, Silk. This here marks the end of the war. Someone's going to die. I'm not telling if it's someone we all love or someone we all hate.

Kaguya stared into Naruto's blue eyes and then turned to say something to Haruto and Madara.

Naruto inhaled. "I have to get them away from my people."

"You're people?" the Raikage asked in a murmur.

Naruto nodded in determination. "Yes. You are my people. I won't forgive myself if any shinobi... those from Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Konohagakura, and any other place. Those people are my people."

Naruto twisted his staff in a circular motion. "I have to move them away."

Onoki hummed. "It was only two days ago that I hated the other villages. Only two days ago where I'd willingly attack one of you. But now that Naruto Namikaze is here, it'll be hard. For myself more than anything. You'll be a hokage, kid, and a damn good one. The first to ever bring the five great villages together."

Just as Tsunade opened her mouth to say something more, the blond shook his head.

"Do not follow me."

Kaguya's eyes widened as the blank hole unexpectedly formed below them. They sank in quickly, and Naruto ran after.

With as much speed he could muster, the blond jumped in after them. To his dismay and fear, he could hear Kakashi yelling.

"Sasuke! Sakura, don't!"

Naruto cursed. He knew Kakashi would follow after his students, and he knew Gai would be right behind him.

When he ended up on the other side, his enemies were just rising and another masked man stood with them.

He turned with a glare at his friends. "I told you not to follow me."

Sasuke glared. "You can't do anything alone dobe. No matter how strong you are. Let us fight with you."

Naruto's jaw clenched and he and Sasuke stared at one another, an intensifying heat they held for one another.

Finally, the blond planted his staff into the ground and turned around. "I know more about Haruto than you all think. Don't try to be brave. He'll absorb everything you have."

Naruto glared down the field at their opponents. He couldn't fathom who the masked man was and cursed himself for not asking Pein. He would have known how to defeat him.

"Grandson!"

Everyone's attention averted to Hikari's monster, glowing in a yellow dangerous light. And they once assumed darkness was a bad thing. Haruto Namikaze was bathed in light and he made it a horrible thing. He steadied the balance. He created the wars. And he would end them.

Naruto said nothing.

"Grandson. You still have a choice. These dark creatures, humans of earth, will fall. They will rot and keep falling. But you and me, we will live, Naruto. We are the sun, and the sun keeps rising. Day by day."

Naruto still did not speak to the old being and it smiled a nasty one. His teeth were rotten, holding blood from both the past and recent. Naruto wondered what Haruto ate. Was the blood a human's or animal's?

His eyes were blue and beautiful, not the warm chocolate Chi gave the world, but the sky. The whisker marks on his cheeks were like Naruto's. Even so they were different.

Naruto wanted the world to move on.

Haruto came to stop it from living.

The being laughed. "Why aren't you eager? It was you all those years ago, right? Letting me live. You showed the boy that shockwave. You disquieted me. Allowed me to finish what I had started. To be sinister and rise again.

Because of you, I rose myself. Body deformed, words wretched, and mind unstable. You stand against me, and now you will take the blame for the hellspawned creatures. Because of you, this would will end."

"Hey!"

Naruto's eyes widened as Sasuke walked forward. The Uchiha stared at Haruto with a blank glare.

To the blond's surprised, Haruto's eyes narrowed and he moved back as if here were afraid of Sasuke. "You." He hissed. "You can't-"

Sasuke cut him off, pushing chakra into his fist, his mangekyo sharingan taking place of his normality. "This world will. not. end!"

He punched the ground and a crack flew toward Haruto, stopping just at his feet.

Haruto was tensed as he was. Naruto couldn't fathom why the light monster seemed to fear Sasuke. Just he like once feared Pein.

Eventually, the being relaxed. "Flesh of my Flesh, it seems that the boy who inspires you is not so st-"

He was cut off as a snake flew from the ground and Naruto went back too. Haruto, Madara, Kaguya, and the new Akatsuki leader flew back. It was Orochimaru's obvious summoning contract, but Sasuke was never trained by Orochimaru. "Sasuke, how did you?"

"I took it." the raven interrupted. "During the invasion. I didn't tell you. It was a way we could have gotten back at Orochimaru for what he did to Gaara. Everything was too complicated back then."

Naruto did not grow angry with Sasuke. He held patience with the Uchiha because there were times when Sasuke should have lost patience with him.

"What's its name?"

Sasuke smirked. "Aoda."

Naruto walked forward. "Well I can't have you one up me." He watched Aoda as it hissed at Haruto.

Sakura walked over to them. "I'm not going to keep being the third wheel to you two. That's why I followed after you, Naruto. There's a reason Tsunade-sama trained me too."

He slammed his thumb on the ground as did Sakura.

Sakura placed her fist in the air as a giant slug formed. "Cha, Katsuyu!"

Gamabunta's cigar dropped from his mouth, creating a large splash onto earth. "You call me at the oddest times, Naruto."

Aoda looked from Gamabunta to Katsuyu. "It seems I have to make acquaintance with you two."

The large toad chief hummed in mild annoyance. "Why'd you call, Naruto? And why are they here?"

The blond teen fisted his palm. "I like this team seven formation. Gamabunta, look who we're going against."

The toad looked forward and stood a bit straighter, staring at Haruto's sinister smile.

Aoda nodded. "We agree as much as our contractors do. I despise him as well. Maybe we will get along."

Sakura nearly deflated, but in a joking manner. "They even make my summon a third wheel."

Naruto smiled. "We're going to take down Madara, the masked man, and Haruto as well. With Kakashi-sensei and Gai-sensei's help."

Katsuyu nodded. "And the Rabbit Goddess?"

Naruto shook his head fiercely. "Whatever ever you do, evade Kaguya Ōtsutsuki."

"What?" Sakura nearly screamed.

Naruto looked into the broken white eyes of Kaguya. He knew that within her was an immense fear. The fear of being used forever. She masked it well behind her. He spoke and he made sure he spoke loudly.

"I know things about her you don't. I was given a task by her mother to save her. She's been used a lot. You all read the book about Chi. It was there."

Gai spoke. "Of course." He mumbled. "God Chi is her mother. And she was used by her husband to stop the wars."

Naruto nodded. "As supreme ruler of the Allied Shinobi Forces, I'm ordering you, do not pursue Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. She is mine to handle."

Haruto recovered from his shock. "Sasuke Uchiha. I wish you did not do that. You seem important to Naruto and he to you. Now you can see as he loses himself tonight."

Haruto stomped his staff and the darklings formed from the ground. They were beautiful yellow in color and almost heavenly. But they were dead bodies with deformed limbs and cracked wings.

Haruto seemed to have so many people stored away. Those he'd killed before. Naruto wondered if they still screamed in horror of being used.

Just as one reached for them, Sakura punched it. It cracked in a blinding light and dispersed all around. "Me and the summons will handle them."

Gai nodded. "I'll take Madara. He may be good, but my flames of youth burn brighter than his."

Kakashi nearly deflated at his husband's personality. "Gai.." he mumbled.

"Yes, my eternal rival?" Gai turned toward Kakashi.

The Hatake-Maito sighed. "My students know."

Gai's face showed confusion for a moment and then he smiled, posed and stuck a thumb in the air. "Yes, my beautiful husband?"

Kakashi sighed. "I'll take the masked man. Be careful idiot."

Gai only smiled and ran away. Kakashi looked from his students to their summons. "It makes me proud to see my brats dominate the battlefield." With that, he jumped away too.

Seeing, Kaguya remain stationary for a while, Naruto and Sasuke stared at Haruto. "Where's the ten-tails?"

Naruto pointed. "Inside Kaguya. She's stationary because she's waiting."

Haruto jumped at them first, swinging his staff in their direction. The light the moved from it was a cut. Naruto grabbed Sasuke in time as the earth split in two.

"It'll take more than that to take us down, Haruto." The Uchiha stated.

Haruto smiled. "Please. Call me Hikari's monster."

Naruto dodged another attack. "Call in!" He yelled. He and Sasuke leaned their backs against one another.

Sakura moved away from the darklings, Gai and Kakashi away from Tobi and Madara.

They were all panting, out of breath, and tired from fighting these high rank ninja. "Have you gotten any information."

Kakashi sighed. "He was my friend. Obito Uchiha is who I'm fighting."

Naruto needed not ask more. His father had often spoke fondly of Obito when alive.

Kakashi continued. "I've attempted to reconcile with him. We've spoken. I've apologized. Now that I'm forgiven for our past, it'll be easier to defeat him. I'm not sure if he wants to fight on."

"If you want me to shoulder your burden, I wi-"

"No, that's alright, Naruto. You've been doing enough. I wouldn't have know it was Obito if Haruto hadn't dodged your light cut."

"And you, Gai-sensei?"

The Maito smiled softly at Kakashi. "Madara is a hard man to beat, but not at tough as Haruto Namikaze. I know how to stop him and he's nearly bought."

Naruto smiled. "That's the spirit. We'll be done with this war in no time."

Sakura nodded. "I can manage alone for a while. Our summons are growing spent. And you two?"

Naruto smirked. "Me and Sasuke had a plan. It looks like this war is ending tonight."

"Maybe not." Someone spoke in a soft murmur.

Naruto tensed slightly as he always did.

His father was a proud man. He was strict, disciplined and of high principal. He of course did some wrong in his life but he wasn't a bad man. He wore his pride like a parapet. Naruto once didn't know whether it was to shield him or not let anyone in.

His judicious intellect, precise eye and impetuous happiness led to a profoundly polished reputation amongst his relatives. From the teen's memories of him, Naruto could recollect his tan skin. He had his dusky hair that rested atop his sallow figure.

He had the resounding presence of a fiery phoenix but the quiet yet strong aura of an Olive tree.

Minato Namikaze didn't have to talk to be the loudest person in a room.

In fact he was much like an Olive tree with great boughs striving to touch the sky and its noble roots strengthening its hold on the ground. He was a very ambitious man with firm roots to his past and great ties to his land.

The native monks of Uzushiogakure had often talked of the legend of how Chi stopped the Olive Tree from growing because it worried too much about growing more rather appreciate what it had. But this led to it cutting itself off from the other trees and being consumed by its anger.

Naruto never understood why stopping the tree from growing even mattered because the Olive was the tallest tree in all of the Shinobi world anyway.

But when Naruto thought about how his father once only cared so much of Konoha, but had stopped, with a newly founded petulance overtaking his once slightly optimistic demeanour, the teen wondered if Chi did to him what it did to that Olive Tree.

Naruto turned to his father, as he stood next to Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Tou-san?"

Minato cut him off with a smile. It was a thing he always did to all his sons. A reassurance that they were okay. "We can explain that when we win."

Tobirama smiled. "Long time no see, grandson."

Hashirama smiled and walked forward. "This is the boy you've been talking about all these years? My, he looks just like Kushina."

Minato smiled. "He looks more like me than anything and anyone."

Naruto walked forward. "What are you four doing here? Pein stopped the reanimation."

Hiruzen stepped closer. "Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki revived us, stating that you needed our help-"

"Wait" Minato cut the man off. "Pein was here. Was Deidara and Nagato here too?"

The blond frowned and opened his mouth, but his father continued.

"Were you four fighting? Goddamit, what did I tell you about that fighting? Even in death, I might have to kick your asses-"

"It's a reanimation jutsu, you dimwit. Naruto, I pray you are not like your father so much."

Naruto smiled. "Only slightly."

"Now that you're all reunited, can we begin?"

A sharp cry of pain could be heard. So loud and full of torment, it made the hair strand straight up on the back of Naruto's neck. It was the loudest most piercing scream he'd ever heard. It sounded like a scream of wild panic. A scream of hysteria and disbelief, bordering on terror.

When they turned back to their opponents, Naruto watched Madara's hand going through Obito as Kaguya fuelled him with her hands, obviously forcing herself to give him power.

Naruto growled. "What the hell are you doing?"

Madara laughed and pushed further into Obito. "I'm doing what we all wanted. There was no way we could defeat someone as determined as you. I need the God Tree's power."

It was hard to stare into Obito's eyes, full of guilt and satisfaction. "I was going to change him. I was going to save him from his hatred!"

Haruto laughed bitterly. "You can't change everything and everyone. Going against me will kill you tonight."

"You won't kill me, Haruto. Not until I become Hokage. I'll be the greatest kage in all known history!"

"And what of the world, grandson?"

Naruto said nothing as he thought. Saving the world was more a process of evolution than revolution, the changes done slowly with an implication of the virtuous cycle theory. Instead of sudden changes that could easily be undone, he developed methods in every arena that produced a better, more ethical, more wholesome result with each cycle.

"It doesn't matter." He mumbled. "You won't be here to see it."

With that, Haruto rushed forward as Madara engaged Gai and Hashirama.

Before Haruo could swipe, Naruto heard Sasuke yell from the corner of his eye. "Naruto!"

He turned, finding that Sasuke was being pulled into a black void box. Wasting no time, the blond jumped in after him.

He knew what it was when he got there. The border between life and death. "Sasuke, we need to stay togeth-"

"Please help me."

The blond tensed and turned at the whimper.

Kaguya sat crouched on her legs, head down, and tears falling from her eyes. "My mother is coming. I can feel it, but...I can't get out."

Naruto's heart broke. "Kaguya...Adebowale." He whispered.

Her head shot up. It gave he and Sasuke a chance to see the scars of forever upon her face. The blood in her eyes. The hurt. "You know." She stated.

"I know." he confirmed. "How long have you been here?"

The girl sobbed. "I was taken from my mommy. I was supposed to be in her barrier, but I didn't listen much. I saw a parachute and ran ahead…" Her sobs never finished the story.

Naruto crouched before her. "And the bomb struck. You were twelve."

She nodded. "I tried to find my mommy, so they made a clone of me and placed me in here. That thing out there. It's not me. It's sort of like an amplifier that can't be worn. It gives my power to people. But, I can't do anything because I'm stuck."

Naruto sighed. "This may sound crazy, but you're not."

She said nothing and he continued as Sasuke crouched next to him. "You were twelve. You were too young to understand dimension. Too young to understand that the way you grabbed Sasuke in here is the same way you could get out."

She stared shocked. "Are you sure?" He nodded and she stood on weak legs.

"Chi is sorry. She looked for you everyday after that day. When she saw you again, you were being sealed."

Kaguya wiped her eyes. "She's my mommy. There's nothing in this world that will make me hate her. I know she tried to protect us from the world. Naruto Namikaze, I promise that they will feel my mother's wrath when she gets here."

Sasuke nodded and grabbed her hand, watching as she opened the portal again. "Come on."

When they moved out, Naruto watched in slight amusement as Madara fell to the ground. Kaguya's presence had obviously shattered her clone, making the legendary Uchiha weaker.

Still, the blond may have needed information from him. The fact that Gai was in the air right now told the Namikaze he wouldn't get it.

Gai was a bleeding red and green, powerful as he came down with his fist toward Madara. It was the Eighth Gate opening.

Gai would not survive this and seeing the panic it Kakashi's eyes, hurt him more than anything.

He knew Kakashi's mind was starting to fail, like an engine that turns over and over, never kicking into action. He couldn't formulate a thought. Every action could lead to more pain and there was no way out of this. No way out.

Kakashi unconsciously brought his hand to his stomach. He breathed. Deeply, slowly, dying with Gai, but he breathed.

Naruto raised his hand. "Gai-sensei! No!"

But it had been too late.

A flash of light, followed by a "whump" of physical impact. As if someone was shoving Naruto hard. The feeling of grit stinging his skin and the sudden silence. Naruto was deafened briefly, but didn't realize it yet.

Then there was a muffled sound of someone screaming.

Naruto staggered to his feet, feeling shaky. His vision had been going out, but he could see Kakashi running in heavy strides to Gai's limp body. He could feel the extra chakra in Kakashi's stomach.

And Pein's voice popped into his mind.

"Mother always said for the children. I pray it does not have the lives we had."

He turned to Sasuke and Kaguya. "Restrain Haruto until Chi arrives."

Haruto backed away from Sasuke slightly. "You can't kill me." He hissed.

Naruto ran to his sensei's side as he crouched over the dead Gai. Kakashi's cries hurt more than anything.

"Sensei, please stop crying."

Kakashi roamed his hands over Gai's body, trying to heal him even when he didn't know how.

"Sensei calm down."

And the masked man kept roaming his hands in a traumatized panic. "No no no. Gai. Come on, you stupid, stupid. Ga-"

Naruto grabbed the Hatake's hands. "Sensei. Please. I can fix him. Your child will grow with both parents. After this, I'm ordering Sakura to take you from the battlefield."

Kakashi remained from as Naruto touched Gai's face.

"Godlike Divinity: Recreation!"

At first nothing happened, like the first time he'd done it. And then, as if a terrible nightmare had been placed on Gai, the man woke up breathing, afraid, confused, and forgotten.

"Where am I?"

Kakashi sobbed and threw himself upon his husband. "Gai you idiot." But he was happy and for Naruto that was all that mattered.

"Naruto." The blond turned around toward his father's voice. "You've gotten so strong."

The blond only smiled sadly and focused on Sasuke. He seemed to be doing alright. Haruto never engaged with him, only evaded his attacks.

Why the hell is he so afraid of Sasuke, the blond wondered.

Just as Kaguya moved forward to pursue the monster, the earth ceased them.

It rumbled with the soul of everyone that had died in battle and Naruto knew, it was over. Chi was here.

Sakura would take Kakashi and Gai out of the field.

Minato and the others would soon leave too.

Naruto and Sasuke would be alone to fight Hikari's monster.

When she appeared, she looked younger than she had once. Instead of looking right at Kaguya's tearful happy eyes, she looked straight at Naruto.

Her own eyes filled with hope and love. "Chi knew little boy would do it. She always did. And she loves him more than anything for bringing back little girl."

Kaguya tackled the god. "Mommy!" She screamed, happy, relieved.

Naruto watched their reuniting in his own sadness. He wished it were like that for his family. But he was alive and they were gone.

"I wish I could say more, but you must win back world little boy."

Kaguya walked to Naruto and Sasuke, grabbing their faces sweetly and tenderly. "You remind me of my own boys. So full of life, ready to die for one another.

Your love is so strong. I felt it when I pulled Sasuke into my dimension. As I fought with him, I felt his determination to defeat that monster and save you. Your love is powerful, the bond you have is too strong to keep you away from one another. I know because that monster if afraid of Sasuke."

And there it was. Confirmed. But why?

Kaguya began to fade with her mother. "So please don't give up until you defeat him. The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us, but those who win battles we know nothing about."

With that the woman was gone.

"I guess it's my turn." Minato stated. "We better hurry before Hikari's monster heals himself. Sasuke did him in pretty bad."

Naruto turned with a smile to his father.

The man smirked with his eyes closed. "Huh. Sasuke. I remember it like it was yesterday. How much you two hated each other for those small moments. I never thought that it'd be you and he. I never thought that he'd be the love of your prophecy."

Naruto smiled softly. "We all watched you grow and you know what your mother said to me."

"What's she say?"

"After she sees Sasuke use his single request for your eyesight. She blushes and says 'Mina, now I always wanted Naruto to marry someone who was just like me. But, right now, I'm really okay with Sasuke. If anyone else marries our son, he won't be as happy as much as he is now with that boy.'"

Naruto laughed lightly and Minato's body, as well the other hokages, began to rip into shreds.

"Naruto...when I planned to use you to go against Konoha, I was wrong. But, know that I never meant to hurt you. Know that we're at peace and no matter what you've done and will do, we will always love you and Gaara. As clan Heir, you will always be loved and the emblem of our honor."

"Tou-san." Naruto began. He did not need to finish. His father knew he was already forgiven.

"Do me a favor, Naruto? One last favor."

"Anything."

Minata waited a moment. "Today is a good day to end the war. A good day to show people the hokage you'll be."

When Naruto looked up, he could see the sun coming up. The sun that made the Namikaze. The sun that Chi created.

It was their marker of time. Naruto had no means to measure the day other than by its rhythmic rise and fall. The sun was all he had to show the passing of the day. The sun right above dawn.

Minato smiled. "Happy Birthday, Naruto."

And he was gone.

A dark laugh got Naruto and Sasuke's attention. Hikari's monster felt the need to make their happiness bitter.

As of now, the millennia old Namikaze stood in the midst of transforming, dark clouds forming around him.

Naruto threw his arm out.

"Lightball"

The light ball was encased by light and darkness when it grew closer to Haruto.

Haruto laughed. "You merely adopted darkness. I was born into it."

Sasuke ran forward. "Chidori Sharp Spear!"

The spear cut part of Haruto's face and the man growled. "Of course. Now that you both will die, I'll give you a piece of my memories. I know why I'm afraid of Sasuke Uchiha and Pein Namikaze."

"I was so close to destroying the Namikaze clan before. But Hikari's hope to save her father's world was too strong. Hagoromo would never let me, whether he was dead or alive. Pein was his reincarnation and I could never stop him from letting me get to you."

"And even so I wasn't satisfied when Pein was gone. Because Sasuke was still alive. And you know the last lines of the prophecy. If Naruto has his love, he cannot lose."

Naruto wondered if Haruto still held the nightmares of torment at night. He'd once wanted to save the world and help the people. Those feelings never died maybe. And maybe he felt tormented.

"You can still change, great great grand-"

"Don't!" The man yelled. "Don't try to change me, Hikari." RIght now, he was vulnerable. He was mixing up Naruto and Hikari, maybe believing that his and Hikari's deaths were happening again. "You can't kill me. Not you, not your brothers, not your father, or your son. No one!"

Naruto sighed. Had he never liked killing people while they were vulnerable, but it was the only way. He raised his hand.

It was only when Haruto faltered a bit, his face constricted that Naruto put his hand down.

Sasuke sighed. "I can't believe I didn't need to use my susanoo for this. And you not your kurama mode."

"The war is easier together." Naruto commented.

Haruto coughed up a strand of light. "What did you do?" He asked.

Naruto sighed. And began.

"Dobe, look at this." Sasuke spoke in wonder.

Naruto sat up from his bed and went to his desk, where Sasuke sat circling things in one of the ancient Uzumaki books.

"What is it?"

The Uchiha stood and pointed at the sealing technique to the blond. "This is it." He stated.

The fourteen year old prodigy stared in absolute shock for a moment. He felt like he'd missed it all along and wondered if he would have found it without Sasuke's persistence.

Sasuke was so happy that he threw the book down with a big grin. It was the happiest Naruto had ever seen Sasuke, truly. The teen was jumping around, but tears were leaking from his eyes and he was laughing.

He looked psychotic.

"You'll live, you idiot. You'll live."

Naruto smiled sadly as Haruto's broken face. "It was an Uzumaki seal in the book that Tobirama-jiisan gave me. It gives the user the power to freeze their opponent in time and transmit their burdens to them.

Now, great great grandfather, you have my burdens. I won't die at 26. And you won't either. You'll die here. Right now."

Sasuke breathed deeply and formed the both an Amaterasu sphere and chidori in each hand, pushing them into his left hand, quickly.

Naruto formed a tailed beast ball and his rasengan, pushing them into his left hand.

Haruto shook his head. "No! You can't kill me, Naruto. You can't kill me without becoming like me. And I can't kill you without losing the only human able to keep up with me. We need each other."

Sasuke growled and moved closer to Naruto. He smiled. Who would have thought that this old joint technique would win the war?

"Let's go, Naruto!"

The Namikaze smiled determined and lovingly. "Alright, Sasuke!"

They ran forward, striking Haruto head on with a loud crash.

It began as a small blue gust, growing into a powerful purple and yellow mass. The trees had blown, the wind grew stronger.

When it was over, Haruto was still standing there, breathing heavily. "You killed me." He told Naruto.

Naruto nodded. 'We did."

He held Naruto and Sasuke with cold caress. A face the world was taught to despise, hate, and fear brought the blond comfort. He didn't fear Haruto. He instead feared not knowing...what might happen to his great great grandfather and where he might take himself. Now, Haruto caused no pain beyond what life provided. He wasn't greedy, rude, or rough. He merely carried Naruto at that moment.

He knew Haruto's burning soul was coming to a cool rest, where he would soon lay benumbed of the greed, rudeness, and hatred of the living world.

Haruto put his head down. "Finally."

The man burst into flames, blinding both teens and making them fly back.

Darkness encased Naruto and he was happy to see anything but the light then.

When the Namikaze woke, his arm felt so odd. It didn't feel like him. It didn't take much to realize he'd lost his arm.

They must have replaced it.

When he opened his eyes, he blinked a few times. He could hear cheering outside his tent. He smiled softly.

"They're so annoying." Someone mumbled.

The blond turned his head to find Sasuke coming to his side. Instead of sitting right next to his bed, the Uchiha sat upon Naruto, straddling him with both legs on either side.

Naruto smiled. "Are they annoying? I kind of like it."

Sasuke smiled. "They aren't screaming for me. They already screamed for me when they saw me. They're waiting on you to wake."

Naruto stared at Sasuke's missing arm.

The Uchiha blushed. "I refused the transplant." he mumbled.

Naruto leaned up and kissed the boy softly. "Still beautiful." He stated. "Inside and out."

Sasuke huffed, but he was smiling as he got off Naruto. "You're so odd. Go meet everyone. They're waiting on you."

The Namikaze nodded. "Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"I know it's early, but I'm glad you're here with me. I.."

Sasuke laughed. "I love you too, dobe."

Naruto smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I love you."

The crowds outside cheered louder. "That's me."

The blond felt blinded by love as he walked out. And there were not only people from Konoha, but a blended crowds of different villages.

The blond smiled and raised a fist. "Did I not tell you we would win? And it's because we all stood together."

The five kage joined him and the blond smiled. "We won."

Tsunade smiled. "Because of you and Sasuke."

Sasuke stepped out and more cheers erupted.

Temari placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I was thinking about a shinobi allied forces contract."

Naruto nodded. "You guys should. We've never been better apart. Look at all these people happy to be together. As Onoki said once, he thought about attacking us. And now, we're together. Because we all want what's best for the world"

He turned back to the citizens. "Isn't that right? We all want what's best for the world! and together, we can always achieve that!"

Sasuke smirked and put his head down as the mantra of 'Naruto' erupted. "Well, even if you don't become hokage now, you'll easily go down in history as a legend. The only man to bring the whole shinobi world together in just two days."

Naruto smiled and without thinking, he leaned over and stole a kiss from Sasuke.

There was squealing and loud cheers of the prophecy. Naruto smiled and Sasuke huffed with his smirk. "You idiot."

The Namikaze's laugh was hearty as it had never really been before. He felt alive.

He'd saved his tailed beasts; rekindled with his broken family; put Kaguya to rest with Chi; gotten Sasuke after so many years; and who knew that bringing the world together was the only way to save it from itself?

Did anyone feel bad for Haruto? I know most probably felt Kaguya's pain, but it hurt to see Haruto finally show his conflicted soul as he was dying?

To clear confusion, yes Kaguya does still have a 12 year old's mind. She was placed within her own dimension/prison so she wouldn't find Chi, her mother.

And yes. Kakashi was pregnant during time of war. I decided, eh, what the hell? GaiKaka is so cute, let's get a mini child in here. Full of mystery and youth.