Naruto- That last chapter was awesome! DATTEBAYO!

Rin- Now why do I get the feeling that it's not my awesomeness as a writer you liked about it? Raises eyebrow and holds up gun, taking aim

Naruto- No! T-That's not what I meant! Don't shoot me! You write very... well? U-Um, but the kiss could have been more... graphic maybe?

Rin- Use your imagination.

Naruto- Oh! I do! All the time! Wait- that may have come out wrong...

Sakura- What the hell do you think you're saying Naruto?! hits him over the head Idiot!

Rin- Ahem... ok... R&R! Please? Gun accidentally goes off... in the general direction of Sasuke That was... an accident... Shifty eyes

"Hmm." Sai grunted. All three stood ready to fight the shark-like Akatsuki member. Sai pulled out a blank scroll and pen, quickly drawing some dogs which came from the paper to lunge at Kisame. Naruto called out a shadow clone and built up a rasengan as Sakura ran towards the enemy, fist pulled back.

Kisame's sword came down towards Sakura but she dodged out of the way, still coming at him, he jumped backwards onto the lake. Grinning as Naruto came at him with the rasengan, he hit the boy with his sword on the shoulder and his eyes widened as the clone disappeared with a poof. He turned just in time to see the blue ball of chakra coming towards his torso.

Kisame went flying into a sakura tree, breaking it in two with the force of the hit.

"No way, that was too quick." The three young ninjas gathered before him and he groaned as he tried to move; his spine was damaged, he couldn't move his legs. "Damn..."

Sai knelt before the man, poking him with his pen. "What are you doing here all alone? Thought you could take us out by yourself?" He stood up, looking at Naruto. "Don't underestimate the Jinchuuriki." Naruto's eyes snapped up to look at Sai, a compliment? Man, this was really his day.

Kisame laughed heartlessly, "Well now, it's not just him you need to protect anymore." Sakura looked down at him. "There's another Jinchuuriki in Konoha... one that has been unknown until now." He kept laughing. "It seems that this one was sealed in a woman long before now, and has been passed down through generations."

"You're very chatty about Akatsuki secrets aren't you?" Naruto frowned, "Who is it?" Kisame stopped laughing.

"Wait till I get my hands on her, she'll not like it one bit." He glared at them all dangerously, looking from Naruto, to Sai, in the middle, then finally Sakura. "Not one bit." He showed his sharp teeth in a grin, hideous to look at.

"What do you think you're doing Kisame?" Itachi murmured, they all looked up to see him sitting in a nearby tree. One of Sai's dogs growled dangerously, Sai himself merely looked.

A streak of black came from nowhere and hit Itachi full in the stomach, knocking him off the tree instantly, when the figure stopped and stood still, in plain view, Sakura fell to her knees and Naruto put his hands to his head and stared in shock.

Sasuke stood before them, plain as day, glaring at his older brother, who was sitting up on the floor, his expression hidden by his Akatsuki cloak. But his eyes were unchanged. The Mangekyou Sharingan looked up at the younger boy dispassionately.

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered, Sakura simply clenched her fists and glared at Sasuke.

Sai quietly drew a kunai and held it tight.

Sasuke glanced at his former teammates, his face registering the familiar features of both their faces.

"Naruto... Sakura... Why are you two here?"

"Ah..." Sakura started. Naruto just looked at him.

"What about you?! Why the hell are you here?! Come back with us!" He ran a few steps towards his former friend, but Sakura caught his arm as he passed her, holding him back. "Sakura-chan..." He looked down at her.

"Don't Naruto, don't get in his way, wait until he's done what he came here to do. He'll kill you otherwise." She stood up and said, "Kisame is our opponent." She looked him in the eyes, trying to make him understand, after briefly glancing at Sasuke again, he nodded. Sakura sighed a little in relief. They turned to Kisame, who had managed to stand, and was holding his sword ready.

"Let's do this... Rasengan!"

As the two fights raged on, Sai kept on the edges, waiting for his chance to complete his true mission. After a few minutes, he saw his chance, and lunged. Naruto caught his arm and pulled him out of the lunge.

"Don't you dare touch him..." The blond Jinchuuriki growled, Sai looked to see Sakura standing over Kisame's lifeless body. He found himself worried about what these two thought of him, while simultaneously frustrated at their reactions. This guy- Sasuke, had betrayed Konoha, and all of the ninja who lived there.

"He betrayed the village, he betrayed both of you! How can you defend him?"

"He's our friend." Sakura said, in a loud, clear voice. Sasuke and Itachi continued their battle, the ground shook with the force of their clashes. "We'd better get out of here." Sakura warned, noticing some cracks in the earth. Naruto looked up at the mountainside.

"Up there." All three moved up the mountain to a small ledge, where they watched the fight raging beneath them. Sakura healed any wounds and then they crouched on the ledge. Sakura found Naruto's hand and grasped it in her own, he smiled a little and squeezed reassuringly. Sasuke had already transformed into his level two curse seal form and was attacking Itachi relentlessly. Itachi, already injured from the fight with Naruto and Sakura, was near death. When Sasuke was close to killing him Naruto jumped down and shouted "Wait! Just a moment!" He approached the now bloody mass of Itachi as Sakura took hold of Sasuke, holding him back.

"He just wants to ask him something, that's all..."

Sasuke nodded reluctantly, allowing this small favour for his former friends. They watched as Naruto crouched before Itachi, a solemn expression on his face.

"Who is the tenth Jinchuuriki? Tell me... please." Itachi grimaced, near death. What was the point in holding it back? It would make no difference in the end... He whispered the name just loud enough for Naruto to hear, then he died.

Naruto looked up at the girl he loved with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"What? Naruto what is it?"

"Sakura... chan..."

Tsunade frowned, Naruto, Sakura and Sai had completed the team building test, and a little more besides. She was a little more than annoyed that her ANBU team hadn't made it in time to do anything except escort team Kakashi home. And then there was the fact that she now had to protect two Jinchuuriki in Konoha from Akatsuki...

Jeez, Hokage's really not the easy option for a career...

Sasuke hadn't returned with them, he'd made it perfectly clear that he never wanted to return again. But that didn't mean that those two would ever stop trying... Well, that pain Kakashi had gotten his wish, Naruto and Sakura were officially together, and quite obviously in love. Tsunade had eventually decided to keep the two Jinchuuriki on the same team, she hadn't the heart to separate them.

Sai was now requesting that he remain on team Kakashi indefinitely, it seemed that he sort of liked the group, and Yamato had no issues with it. Right now, all of them were going to meet Sasori's spy on Orochimaru, still questing to find Sasuke and bring him home. Tsunade was hopeful... Maybe eventually Sasuke would return to Konoha, the home of his famous clan, to fulfil his other ambition; reinstating the Uchiha clan. Maybe... who knew?

There was always hope.

Someday Naruto, I know that you will fulfil Kakashi's expectations and surpass the fourth Hokage... Then, maybe, I'll name you as my successor. Nothings definite mind... But there's nothing I'd like better than to name you as Sixth Hokage.

Sakura looked at the boy next to her and smiled, the future was uncertain, but with Naruto, she would get stronger. Thinking back to Elder Chiyo's last words for her, she sighed.

One day Tsunade-sama... I will surpass you. And Naruto will surpass Yondaime Hokage .Just watch... Konoha will grow stronger and greater than ever before. The new generations will constantly improve on the previous ones.

She turned and kissed Naruto, then rested her head on his shoulder as they walked towards the bridge. They would find Sasuke and bring him back.

The future was uncertain, but together, team Kakashi would prove truly exceptional.

To be continued...

Rin- Hehe... I know that it LOOKS like the end but... Theres more... XD It begins to get a whole lot more interesting in the next chapter...

Naruto- Awesome...

Rin- Somehow Naruto... I doubt that you and I have the same ideas over what merits the term "interesting" Oh and by the way... I have actually finished this... I finished it long before setting up a account... its on another site, two actually. HOWEVER I'm not saying which two... But expect some interesting new problems to arise in the next chapter... for now... buhbye!

Naruto- Wait! What happens?! I wanna know now!

Rin- ... I'll give you a hint.

Naruto- ok!

Rin- You meet someone that... you never thought you'd see again. Umm... well, not you Naruto but all the adults cause they knew this person. shock Have I given too much away? EEK! I hope not! But they are an awesoem character (in my opinion) and they are NOT owned by me they are in FACT another of Kishimoto's creations... and they have an internet fanbase (a few actually) dedicated to this very character! ok... I've said enough.