3 Months Later

Naruto held Kisame's ring, running his finger along the golden surface. Things were changing, and he had a duty to perform. Itachi tried to talk him out of it, but Naruto had gone to Nagato and got down on one knee to ask to be made a full member of the Akatsuki. His cousin and Konan looked on him with sad eyes, but Nagato relented, and Naruto had donned the black cloak with the red clouds. Now he sat cross legged on top of a rock, looking out over the desert wasteland.

Sand blew across the lifeless place, and despite the sun beating down to make things hot and bright, to Naruto it looked bleak. This was a kill-or-be-killed place, where animals would just as soon pick the flesh off your dead bones as befriend you. The only rule that lived out here was the rule of nature. What other rule was there to live by?

Naruto put the ring on his left ring finger, where a wedding band would go if he ever married. The only thing he would married to from now on was duty, and death would be the only thing he walked hand-in-hand with. He stood up and removed the Leaf headband the Third Hokage had given him back during the Chuunin Exams from the pocket he'd kept it in. He studied the swirling leaf pattern, then took out a kunai. It was time to claim his birthright, and to denounce it a breath later. With one sharp, angry slash, Naruto put a line through the leaf to mark himself a rogue ninja. Then he brought the band to his forehead and tied it on.

6 Months Later

Team 7 stood before Yugao and Tsunade, all awaiting an answer that would change their lives. It had been Sasuke's idea, and he'd meant to go alone, but Sakura and Sai refused to let him walk into the darkness by himself. Doing this was the only way to get information now, the only way he could find out the truth behind the shinobi Naruto Uzumaki.

"You're just children," Tsunade said, her eyes full of grief, because even she knew that wasn't true. Kakashi, who had been leaning against the wall behind them, straightened up and walked out to stand with them.

"They aren't, Tsunade," he said sadly. "The experiences they've been through have made them shinobi."

"Yugao?" Tsunade asked. The Anbu Commander stepped forward, her mask concealing the truth of her expression, as always. She studied each of the Team 7 members for a long time, before bowing her head. Her voice was as steady and precise as always, delivering her opinion with no hesitation.

"We have lost many members. If you permit it, I will welcome them."

"I can see I'm outnumbered," Tsunade sighed, sitting back in her chair and crossing her arms. "Very well. Your request has been accepted. As of now, Team 7 shall begin training to become members of the Anbu Black Ops."

8 Months Later

Kakashi knelt in front of Rin's grave, washing it off with infinite gentleness, making sure to get every sprinkle of pollen and every small blade of grass that had blown onto it. When he was finished, he replaced her flowers with fresh lilies then bowed his head and began to tell her all the things that had been happening lately. Halfway through, he was interrupted by a presence behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see a figure wearing an orange mask with a single eyehole. The eyehole was on the right side. Kakashi stood.

"There's something I need to confirm," a voice spoke from behind the mask, and Kakashi's eyes went wide. It was deeper, coarser, and more serious than before, but there was no mistaking the underlying emotions and tone in the voice. It was impossible. It was a dream—it had to be. The person wearing the mask seemed hesitant, as if unsure what would happen, and Kakashi launched himself at them.

For a second, their eye flashed to Sharingan and he could feel reality distorting a little, but he didn't care. It all stopped when he collided with the figure, wrapping his arms tightly around a body he'd been sure was buried and long gone. At that moment, he didn't need to know why, how, or what. All he needed to know was that this was reality.

"Welcome home," he whispered, and slowly, ever so slowly, Obito Uchiha embraced him back.

10 Months Later

Team 7 had completed the first phase of their training and were now on their first mission as Anbu Black Ops. There was a disturbance in the Land of Water that required Konoha's attention—two rogue Leaf shinobi had attacked and brutally slain the Water Daimyo. It was suspected that the two were hired mercenaries whom one village or another had hired, but things were in an upset and the balance of power was a more important problem to the Land of the Water than figuring out who had been behind the attack.

Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai travelled there to investigate, meeting with an emissary from the Village Hidden in the Mist. He explained what had happened, and how all witnesses had been slaughtered but a young boy. The young boy, however, was too frightened to say what had happened.

Sai and Sasuke weren't good with kids, but Sakura knew how to talk to them, so she spent the next three days coaxing the boy out of his shell so he'd speak to her. When she left the small, poor house that the boy lived in, now an orphan since his parents had been some of the witnesses who were killed, her face was hard and angry.

"They wore black cloaks with red clouds," she said. "One of them had red eyes—a Sharingan, and the other was blonde with strange markings on his face."

1 Year Later

Team 7 along with Teams 8, 9, and 10 went to Suna, not for a mission, but for a friend. It was Gaara's Kazekage inauguration. At fourteen years old, he was the youngest Kage to ever be inaugurated, and a lot of people doubted his ability to lead them into a better future due to his inexperience. The Leaf didn't doubt him for a second, however, and Tsunade herself came with the three teams to show her support for Suna's new Kazekage.

After Gaara gave his speech, everyone from the Leaf cheered as loud as they could. Hinata Hyuuga cheered the loudest from her spot beside Neji, who rolled his eyes but smirked. From his spot on the roof where he'd always like to hang out as a child, Gaara could see over the entire village. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of someone standing far off from the crowd, half hidden between two houses. The figure was small, and had donned a conical hat to hide his face. Still, Gaara knew exactly who it was, and tears welled up in his eyes as he gave the tiniest nod to a friend he hadn't seen in a year.

The figure tipped his hat, a yellow ring flashing out from his left ring finger, then turned and walked away. Gaara spotted Sasuke Uchiha watching him with wide eyes, then Sasuke turned and ran towards the spot Gaara had nodded at. But when he reached it, no one was there. Gaara felt sad that this was how things had to be; he'd never wanted it like this.

Then Temari and Kankuro came up to him laughing and he felt a little better, enough that he could go join in the celebration. As he sipped on a drink and tried his best to mingle with the people who wanted to be close to him, he noticed his older sister leaving the celebration with the laziest man Gaara had ever met. Of course—one of their shogi games they periodically played when they visited each others' villages to deliver news about upcoming Chuunin Exams. Gaara approved of them wholeheartedly, though Temari swore up and down that it was platonic.

He wondered if he'd ever find someone like that. Then Hinata came up to shyly congratulate him and he forgot all about Temari and Shikamaru.

1 Year, 4 Months Later

Naruto knew so many jutsus it wasn't funny, and his stock just kept increasing. At this point, it wasn't like he'd even use half of them in his lifetime, but he thought he may as well keep expanding his limits. He wanted more, he needed to be stronger. Until the day he could implement the Eye of the Moon plan with Zetsu, he needed to be strong enough to kill anyone and everyone who tried to stop him. And he needed to be strong enough to seize eight jinchuurikis.

"Naruto," Obito said as Naruto perfected yet another jutsu—he'd been going at a rate of about one per day now. They seemed to get easier the more he learned, probably because he was learning hundreds of new ways chakra could be used and it helped him come up with shortcuts. It wasn't good enough though, nothing was ever good enough.

"The Infinite Tsukiyomi… I'm thinking it may not be as good a plan as I'd originally thought."

Naruto bounced a kunai off a shuriken off a rock, and the two weapons burst into shadow clones, one in front of Obito and one behind him. Obito was prepared—he'd destroyed both clones as soon as they appeared, then waited for Naruto's attack, but Naruto had run instead of attacking, leaving in that one second Obito was distracted.

Away from Obito's prying eyes, he leaned his head against a tree and closed his eyes, his heart aching. It was like the time his chakra network had burst and he'd had to wait for his fingers to heal on their own. He was used to his pains going away, but this pain still lingered after more than a year. The Infinite Tsukiyomi wasn't a good idea? Where the fuck else could Naruto, Itachi, and Sasuke coexist peacefully? Where the fuck else could Naruto keep everything he loved safe? The agony was like being torn in two, and sometimes it doubled him over and stole his breath so he had to draw in large gasps.

It hurt. It hurt so bad he wanted to give up, and he was almost grateful that he'd be able to give his life to the Akatsuki in another couple of years.

1 Year, 6 Months Later

"I have someone I'd like you to meet," Obito told Kakashi.

Itachi Uchiha stepped out of the forest and inclined his head slightly. Then the two Uchihas proceeded to tell Kakashi about a great many things, most of which were sick, disturbing, and sad. The Akatsuki, which meant 'dawn', was planning to bring a new dawn to the world which would be a better, more peaceful place. But the ends didn't justify the means, and the intentions didn't justify the ends.

1 Year, 8 Months Later

"Sasuke," Kakashi said to his former student. "I think I've found someone who can start training you on how to use your Sharingan to its full potential."

2 Years Later

Sakura asked Tsunade to take her on as a student, and after seeing how much chakra control Sakura had already mastered, Tsunade complied. Sakura worked day in and day out with the Fifth Hokage, learning not only jutsus and control, but also about the inner workings of a village and how things were run. It was something she would come to cherish later when missions with the Anbu brought her into the middle of political wars and she could deal with things diplomatically instead of roughly.

It was this knowledge that matured her and made her listen when Kakashi said she should meet someone who wanted to anonymously deliver Akatsuki intel. It was this knowledge, and only this knowledge, that kept her from running and alerting the entire village to the presence of Itachi Uchiha, the man who had destroyed her best friend's life.

"There are circumstances about it that you can't understand," Itachi had said. Sakura pressed him with threats and pleading until finally Kakashi had intervened and forced Itachi to reveal the entire story. Sakura understood immediately why Itachi wasn't able to tell Sasuke, and her heart ached for the tragic fates of the remaining Uchihas. After agreeing to keep Itachi's secret, Sakura began to meet with him monthly. The things she learned about the Akatsuki, about Pain, about Naruto… they changed things within her that she hadn't known existed.

2 Years, 4 Months Later

Sai walked through Konoha with Ino on his arm, enjoying her presence simply because he liked being with her. He pointed out things and called them landmarks when they weren't, and Ino's giggles filled him with a happiness he rarely experienced as a member of the Anbu Black Ops. It was almost funny, that the missions he was doing now were sometimes more horrifying than the ones he'd done for Danzo, yet he didn't need to turn off his emotions anymore. He cherished them all, even the bad ones.

"I heard you have a new trainer," Ino said as they stopped to get ramen. Ino knew Sai wasn't supposed to talk about stuff like that, but she also knew he found it hard to keep anything from her. Slurping tasty noodles, he told her about how he was now being trained in kenjutsu, but he couldn't tell her by who.

She probably figured it out anyway—her mind was much sharper than anyone gave her credit for—but she said nothing and they continued an amicable evening. Near the end, they met up with Sakura and Sasuke and the four of them had so much fun showing off how bad their astrology knowledge was that Sai decided his real dream in life was simply to protect this. He didn't need to become Hokage, be respected by the village, or be recognized by the world. He only needed Ino and his two teammates with him, smiling and happy.

2 Years, 8 Months Later

By the time Itachi caught up with him, Naruto was already done the mission. He was staring in shock at a pink-haired kunoichi who lay facedown in the mud beside the wagon of people he'd killed, and his hands were trembling. Itachi knew he wanted to turn the kunoichi over—did he recognize her?—but he seemed too scared to move. So Itachi went to her and gently flipped her body. When Naruto saw her face, his relief was a palpable thing.

Without making a comment, he turned away, but not before Itachi caught the indecision on his face. Naruto would do whatever it took to help the Akatsuki, but Itachi could see that it was breaking him piece by piece.

"Naruto, if you don't want to—"

"Everything will be fine. In a few years, no one will be unhappy anymore. You'll see."

3 Years Later

Sasori was shaking his head, his eyes gray storm clouds. But he said nothing, and neither did Itachi. He couldn't push Naruto further into the darkness.

3 Years, 3 Months Later

Sasuke grabbed the arm of the man in front of him, half expecting the man to turn and curse him out for grabbing the wrong person. But when the blonde turned, it was exactly who Sasuke had been expecting to see, and that was way more terrifying than seeing an unfamiliar face.

"Naruto," Sasuke breathed through his mask, shocked to find his friend casually strolling through the Land of Stone in full Akatsuki gear. Naruto faced him and blanched, taking in Sasuke's Anbu mask. Sasuke knew Naruto recognized him, but the blonde jerked his arm away, his face creased in misery.

"We can't be friends. We can't train together. We can't do anything together except in a dream," Naruto said. He sounded crazy, and his eyes looked half-insane, as if caught between heaven and hell. Half of Naruto's expression was enraptured, while the other half was in agony. Sasuke didn't know which side was for him, or if maybe they both were.

"You're wrong," Sasuke began, but Naruto jerked his arm away and lost himself in the crowd. By the time Sasuke had recovered, Naruto was long gone and his trail was ice cold.

The next time he saw Naruto, it was in a dream. They were tangled in skin together, hot and laughing, and Naruto's eyes were as light and happy as the last day Sasuke had trained with him. After Sasuke awoke, aching and sweaty, he forced himself into a shower on the coldest setting and tried to forget his dreams. It might've worked if they hadn't kept recurring.

3 Years, 7 Months Later

Itachi told Sakura that Naruto was suffering. Sakura told Itachi that Sasuke was suffering. They both agreed that something needed to be done, and they began to work on a plan.

3 Years, 10 Months Later

The Akatsuki, who had lived in the dark for so long, were now rapidly becoming notorious. They were known for taking any missions and carrying them out with a deadly efficiency that surpassed any of the villages. Plus, their prices were competitive enough that the daimyos considered them even though they were essentially the black market of mercenaries. It was gradual, but villages were starting to notice a slight decline in their economies.

Yugao called Team 7, now considered one of the top Anbu teams in the entire organization, to speak with her. She had grown harder, colder, and stronger, only showing the slightest hints of softness every now and again. Team 7 was her favourite team not because of their skill set—which was formidable indeed—but because they were the peacemakers Hayate had entrusted her with.

She'd taken it upon herself to oversee their training, and Sai Yamanaka, who had denounced the Shimura name and taken his girlfriend's last name instead, had become her personal kenjutsu student. His skills were almost as good as hers now, and he was quickly becoming known as Sai of the Scarlet Sword. Donning a smiling monkey mask, Sai could fight his way through half an army without taking a single scratch, which was why he'd become known as 'Scarlet Sword.' When he was finished his fights, the only thing with blood on it was his sword.

Sasuke was known as Sasuke of the Silent Sharingan, since he was an expert in genjutsu and could put his enemies to sleep with ease, singlehandedly doing invasions without raising a single alarm bell. Yugao wasn't certain who his teacher was—some of his training came from Kakashi and some of it came from an unknown source—but she'd learned not to question it. Sasuke wore a sneering fox mask which showed his cunning and resourcefulness, and also for other, more personal reasons.

Sakura, her pink hair hanging almost to her waist when it wasn't bound up, wore a smirking cat mask to show her speed and grace. She was on her way to becoming one of the most desired women in the village now, but she was too dedicated to her training and teammates to stay with any boy. In reference to her trainer, Tsunade, she was known as the Demon Princess of Konoha for her demonic strength and the way Sasuke made her look like an avenging demon when he cast a genjutsu.

The three of them had come to be feared and revered in the last couple of years, elevated to the status of legends in the Leaf. Now Yugao needed that strength, as she'd just heard some troubling news from a source Kakashi refused to name. The Akatsuki were planning to move soon, because their secret weapon had finally reached the height of his power.

"I called you here because I've decided to form a special squad," Yugao said. Team 7 waited patiently, calmly, for Yugao's next orders. They'd come so far that she couldn't believe they were all a bunch of sixteen-year-olds.

"The Akatsuki, as you're all aware, has been moving more and more, carrying out plans that are riskier and flashier than ever. I have reason to believe they're preparing to make a move to carry out an even larger plan soon, and I need a team to assign solely to keep an eye on them. As the most skilled Anbu members in our organization, I'd like to assign you."

Sasuke's eager shift from one foot to the other was the only sign that the team had an opinion one way or another. When their masks were on, they became as emotionless as machines.

"Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai, you will responsible for hunting down these rogue ninjas and doing whatever you can to stop them, even if that means eliminating them. As this is a long term mission, you'll be moving under special circumstances. Where you go, what you do, and how you do it is all up to you. You have the entire knowledge base of the Anbu at your disposal, and if necessary, I'll send you backup. Is your mission understood?"

"Yes, Commander," the three replied in perfect unison, bowing at the waist. If Yugao hadn't spent the last three years with them, she would've thought they considered this nothing more than a casual mission. As it was, the only thing giving away a hint of emotion was a slight tensing of muscles in anticipation, and a tremor in a few fingers.

4 Years Later

"Are you ready, Naruto Uzumaki?"

The entire Akatsuki stood around the lantern at the usual spot, every single one of them real and whole, not just some ephemeral form. They all faced Naruto, and there wasn't a face among them that held humour or happiness. It was time for things to begin, and at the end of this path all that awaited the kyuubi's jinchuuriki was death.

Naruto's eyes were cobalt flint, unflinching in the face of his grand destiny. He would do what he must, and he would create peace even if he had to smash the world down to its barest form and rebuild it again. That elusive, slippery thing that hundreds of shinobi had reached for would be his, and he wouldn't let a single ninja stand in his way.

"I'm ready."

His voice was deep and resolute, carrying not a trace of the childishness it had once held. He had grown into the heavy cloak that hung on his shoulders, and if he was slightly hunched under the weight of its black mass, well, that was okay. There would soon be a time when this body wasn't useful, and Naruto didn't need to care for it the way those who planned to live did.

Birth. Death. Birth. Death.

The never-ending cycle that Itachi had once told him about was soon going to come to an end. In order to stop a cycle, you had to smash it from both sides, because stopping only one side just wouldn't do. There would no longer be new souls born into this world of suffering; the children of the future would be put to rest and appear only in a happy dream.

Light. Dark. Light. Dark.

There wasn't so much difference between the two, really. What Naruto wanted was something other ninjas wanted too. Just because the means and end were different, it didn't make it dark or wrong. The world wasn't made in shades of black and white; it was more muted down to gray, and Naruto's abilities to see the other colours had diminished over time.

Reality. Dream. Reality. Dream.

If this was reality, Naruto would choose to dream every time.

"Let's go."