And here is the long awaited chapter 13! By the way guys I may not be able to do as many chapters because of the SAT tests and all. Please be patient with me when I give late updates! Oh and Happy early New Years!

Key:

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!

Please Read and Review!

"GO!" Tsunadae ordered from her place at the village gates.

The sunset reflected against her face as pure determination shown in her eyes. Shizune stood by her with eyes narrowed in a serious expression.

The Jonin and ANBU quickly followed their orders and charged through the trees. The sunset dipping behind the hills. Naruto's cerulean eyes gleamed with tenacious will behind his fox mask. Behind him followed Rabbit masked Hyuuga Hinata, ANBU Sai, ANBU Yamato, Jonin Inuzuka Kiba, Jonin Aburame Shino, Shiranui Genma, Maito Gai, and Jiraiya, the toad sannin.

Sasuke's new wolf mask shielded his piercing resolute eyes. Behind him followed the hawk masked Hyuuga, Panda masked Ten-Ten, Rabbit masked Ino, and Bear masked Shikamaru along with Jonin Rock Lee.

Behind Kakashi was practically an army of Shinobi, most of them however stayed back in Konoha while the other joined the soon to be all-out war in Suna. He is supposed to lead the other shinobi to fight off Amegakure's rogue shinobi and cover squadrons A and C.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi looked to each other before nodding and heading off in their separate directions with their squadron trekking behind.

With Kakashi…

The Hawk masked ANBU captain scanned his surroundings with his Sharingan as they neared Suna. He abruptly came to a halt on a cliff and the other obediently stopped right behind him.

His eyes widened once he caught something in the distance.

It was an army of Shinobi heading towards Suna.

'Amegakure'

He and his squadron cut them off before they could enter the village. Amegakure shinobi leered at the fearless Konoha nin as they faced each other. A shinobi that looked in his mid thirties stood in front of the Amegakure shinobi which presumed him to be the leader. He had a scar that ran vertically down his left eye, his mouth fixed in a smirk as he made the first move by charging at Kakashi with his the shinobi behind him charging at the Konoha nin behind Kakashi.

"Hatake Kakashi." He smiled maliciously.

"Uriyukon Ryukai." Kakashi said, knowing the leader's familiar face from the bingo book.

The leader threw his fist at Kakashi who blocked with his back fist and aimed a kick to the side of the leader's head. Ryukai swiftly blocked with his forearm armor effortlessly.

Fists pounded against each other, making resounding pounding sounds. The sound of metal on metal was heard as the Shinobi around them fought each other off. Jutsu were being casted everywhere you turn.

Ryukai caught Kakashi's fist and with his other fist he hit the ANBU to the cheek. Kakashi took the blow, his hand shot out and twisted Ryukai's arm behind his back with a kunai to his neck, quickly slitting it.

Poof.

'Ryukai' disappeared into a cloud of dust. Kakashi's eyes scanned the fields to find Ryukai only to find three shinobi standing in his way.

He looked at them carefully before sinking to a fighting position. On charged at him, swiftly Kakashi grabbed him by the arm and neck and slammed him down onto the ground. Pieces of earth flew as the shinobi made impact with the ground. The other two charged at the ANBU captain.

Clang!

Kakashi whipped out two kunai. Each blocking a shinobi's kunai. Kakashi flipped backwards and made several hand signs.

"Suiton! Suriyodan no Jutsu!"

Naruto jumped from tree to tree, his fox mask hid his identity while his squadron followed him through the woods.

He suddenly came to a halt as he sensed powerful chakra coming their way. He held his hands together with the palms apart in a matter similar to Shikamaru's thinking pose. This signal meant someone was coming, Akatsuki.

2 shadows landed on the branch before them. You could see the Akatsuki robes but their faces were shadowed.

"Ne, Naruto eh? Haven't seen ya in a long time, un"

"Deidara-sempai, should we go after Kyuubi?"

"Akastsuki" Whispered Jiraiya.

"Deidara and Tobi." Confirmed Naruto

"They know our name, Deidara-sempai! What should Tobi do?"

Deidara smirked from within the shadows.

"We get rid of his little pals, un. Then we capture Kyuubi." Deidara snickered, "Want to come out and join the fight… Hidan, Kakuzu, Zetsu?"

Squadron A's eyes widened. They were to face off against 5 Akatsuki at the same time. They were supposed to take them one at a time! They don't have a fair chance against them…

Naruto smirked.

"Hinata with Kiba and Shino, you guys fight Tobi. Sai you're with Yamato, you guys go for Kakuzu. Genma with Gai, both of you are after Hidan. And Jiraiya will fight Zetsu. I'm going after Deidara." Naruto ordered. "They want a fight, we'll give 'em a war."

The five Akatsuki stared down at the Konoha shinobi from their place high above on the other branches. Naruto was the first to make a move.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!"

Naruto and three other clones stood on the same branch facing Deidara who looked down at Naruto with a serious expression.

"Just give it up kid. She doesn't want to go back." He said, without the trademark 'un'

"As long as I'm alive and breathing then I'll never give up!!" Naruto roared

"After what she's been through in that village of yours do you really think she'd come back?" Deidara sneered before it slowly returned to a frown of disgust.

"SHUT UP!!!"

Orange chakra emitted from all of the clones and Naruto. Orange chakra filled his cerulean orbs, fangs made themselves known as his short finger nails became deadly claws. Naruto allowed the Kyuubi spirit to partially take control; two tails of chakra appeared.

Deidara inwardly cursed. He wasn't ready for this, he couldn't face the Kyuubi.

Blonde spikes were wildly blown by the wind as the Jinchuuriki charged at Deidara. A chakra extended claw wrapped around the blonde Akatsuki's neck and slammed him into a tree. The Akatsuki merely looked at Naruto through half lidded eyes as he sucked up the pain.

"Katsu" He said hoarsely as Naruto's grip strengthened as every second goes by

Boom.

Naruto's partially transformed body was thrown back as an explosion seemingly erupted from out of nowhere. His body gave off smoke from the blow as he descended into a fall, landing harshly through three thick branches before finally landing on the fourth.

Naruto growled animalistic snarl as he roughly wiped off blood at the corner of his mouth on all fours. Deidara jumped down and landed before him in a crouching position.

"You wanna dance, un?"

Several pairs of combat boots padded against the ground at an abnormal speed. Sharingan eyes scanned the battle field, behind him is his team. The youngest Uchiha looked up at the barren field of sand to see blurs of Shinobi clashing against one another. Jutsu flying and weapons cutting through the air. He stood several yards away from the actual battle with his team behind him

"Hyuuga, look for signs of Uchiha Itachi." The youngest said

"No need otoutou." A voice cynical said

At the sound of the voice sector B stiffened and tension filled the air. Turning slowly they faced Uchiha Itachi with Haruno Sakura standing at his side.

A kunai sliced the air as it headed towards the elder Uchiha only to be caught between his fingers and then tossed away carelessly.

"Captain, what do we do?" asked Hyuuga Neji lowly and out of the Akatsuki's hearing range.

"…" The captain could only stare at his brother with such hate, his teeth grounded.

His gaze turned towards his old teammate. Wind gently whipped around her and played with her now shoulder length hair. Her eyes were hidden behind the sliced hitae-ate that seemed to mock him.

"Captain!" Neji hissed in a whisper when he didn't receive a response. "Who will take on Uchiha Itachi?"

Sasuke could only remain quiet as he faced inner turmoil at the question. He could avenge his clan if he fought Itachi, but the rest of his team can't face Sakura. They're not strong enough, she could get away while he fought his brother.

He might never get another chance to face Itachi.

Then again, this might be the last chance he has to finally bring her back. If he lets her go who knows if he'll ever find her again.

"Uchiha, what do you want us to do?!" The Nara genius said quietly.

"Tch." Sector B looked up at the sound of the female Akatsuki's voice. "If you don't want to fight then stay the hell out of our way."

"Sakura…" Whispered the blonde rabbit masked ANBU.

"Sakura-san!" Lee spoke up. "It doesn't have to be this way!"

Sakura shook her head and gave a dark chuckle.

"The only reason as to why things are this way is because I chose to go this way." She answered

"Is this really what you want, Sakura?!" Yelled Ten-Ten from behind her panda mask as she stepped closer to the pink haired kunoichi "Do you want to live life as a criminal?! Do you want to betray the people who love you?"

"And who might they be, Ten-Ten?" Sakura asked coldly.

"You're family! You're friends! You're teammates! Why can't you see that?! Why are you doing this!?" Yelled Ino as she took a step forward.

"My family is gone." Sakura answered harshly, "My so called friends don't know me. They can't understand me. As for my teammates…" Sakura said then turned to Sasuke.

"They mean nothing to me."

The youngest Uchiha looked down with his bangs shadowing his eyes.

"Kakashi?" He asked

The silver haired copy nin blocked the blade with his own Katana. He clashed blades with the leader several times. Spark flying at the friction of both blades.

Ryukai smiled maliciously as he used his free hand to punch Kakashi in the stomach, causing him to double over.

A blade penetrated the silver haired shinobi's shoulder blade. Blood stained the once green grass.

Ryukai looked at Kakashi in incredulity as the copy nin gripped the sword's blade and forcefully ripped it out of his body.

"How..." he sputtered.

"The poison in your katana was numbed when I used my Suiton jutsu." Kakashi explained.

"Looks like you are the next legendary sannin's sensei." Ryukai scowled,

"He never bothered training me." Sakura answered curtly.

"Naruto?"

"Katsu!"

Boom.

Naruto's body flew back and skidded across the ground. The Kyuubi container picked himself up off the ground, breathing heavily, glaring at the blonde Akatsuki.

"Why don't you just stay down?" asked Deidara

The blonde Akatsuki bore his share of wounds as well.

Naruto shook his head.

"No, I can't." he said panting slightly. Smoke emitted from his cuts and injuries as they slowly regenerated themselves with the Kyuubi's power.

Orange chakra whipped around him and wind viciously whirled around from the force of the chakra.

"Because Kaka-sensei is counting on me" the Kyuubi boy said then chuckled. "And Sasuke-teme would beat me to a bloody pulp. Besides…"

The fox ANBU picked up his fuuma laying on the ground.

"Sakura-chan needs me."

"He's a fool who just won't give up on me." She said

"And me?" He said, fisting his hands and not looking up at his brother standing next to the only female he ever cared so much for since his kaa-san.

"You. A heartless traitor and Karma's bitch."

She said those words stoically. Yet they stung with dripping venom.

"…you shouldn't be talking, Sakura. Not when you are a traitor yourself." He said harshly

"I have every right to talk, Uchiha. Because of the very fact that I am a traitor. After all… doesn't the saying say it takes a thief to know a thief?"

The Konoha nin aside from Sasuke flinched at how hard her voice was.

Turning away from them her cloak fluttered behind her. Her voice dangerously calm when she said:

"Isn't it ironic? How the tables are turned…"

Itachi had merely watched the scene with sharp calculating eyes.

'She means so much to them. She means so much to him.'

Giving a last look that dared sector B to stop them, Itachi followed the pink haired girl wordlessly.

"Kyuubi is near, Itachi." She said with her back to him as she walked ahead.

"Aa."

Sasuke's blood boiled.

So they were after Naruto?

Clang!

In a split second, Sasuke stood in front of Sakura, blocking her path. His blade being blocked by Itachi's, who stood behind her.

Sector B had wide eyes as they stared at their captain.

'He moved so fast. My Byakugan couldn't follow his actions.' Neji said with slight wide eyes of disbelief.

Itachi glared at his brother who kept his head bowed and eyes hidden under his bangs.

"You called Naruto a fool for chasing after you." The youngest Uchiha spoke with a hidden emotion.

His arm as well as his brother's shook and trembled against each other's power.

"Stop talking." She ordered, scowling.

Itachi tried to force his blade against Sasuke's, making it painful for Sasuke as they grappled.

"Is Konoha a fool for chasing you?" he asked, ignoring her demand and the obvious pain.

"Shut up."

He looked up at her with piercing red eyes. The Mangenkyo symbol spiraled in the center of his pupil.

"Am I a fool for chasing you, Sakura?"

Sand siblings are coming in the next chappie! Oh and Karin, Suigetsu, and Juugo might come in either the next chapter or the one after.

VOTE TIME!

So here are the choices becase I need help deciding:

a) Suigetsu, Karin, Juugo as good guys

b) Suigetsu, Karin, Juugo as bad guys

c) Suigetsu, Karin, Juugo appear later on as enemies to Konoha AND Akatsuki (I have an idea for it but I won't tell you guy!)

d) Suigetsu, Karin, Juugo not appear at all

By the way, should I make Karin still a Sasuke fangirl and bitchy or make her get over Sasuke and totally not bitchy?

Oh and for those of you who didn't do the vote on my profile, please checki it out? It's a little poll where you vote for the best pairings, so plz vote!