Chapter 6
"Sasuke, go make sure Sakura doesn't need any help." Kakashi said as Sasuke looked at him for a moment before leaving Kakashi to talk to the two older ninja. "Naruto has developed an even shorter attention span and it brought along a short temper, sometimes worse than his mother's."
"I can see that." Jiriaya said crossing his arms.
"He's not the fun loving, prankster kid anymore. He's the farthest thing from that now, you saw a bit of that after he was healed. He looks for the mission and does the job that needs to be done. He doesn't play his games like he used to. He's lost a lot in the last few years and it's taken its toll, on him and his friends."
"They all do seem much different than I knew them to be."
"Sakura used to be mild until something set her off and even then…" Tsunade trailed off thinking about the young woman.
"I don't want this to start changing history but I will tell you that you, Lord Jiriaya was killed and Naruto was taken to train with the toads only to have an enemy attack and destroy the village. Lady Tsunade, you, were nearly killed, while hundreds of ninja and villagers were killed, including me. Naruto showed up and defeated the enemy that no one was able to make a dent in. He somehow got the enemy to bring the souls of the dead back to life in the village and Danzo took lead putting out an order to kill Sasuke."
"Naruto didn't like that did he?"
"No and neither did the others. The short version, Naruto went up against Sasuke several times losing each time, until he trained with the eight tailed beast host, Bee and learned to control the Kyuubi power. He's been trying to do what he can ever since and it gets hard when an enemy like Madara or Kabuto breaks in and starts going on a killing rampage that he can't stop."
"He takes it all to heart."
"Always has, and it will never stop but we all understand what it does. We all feel it, especially those close to him." Kakashi watched as the two nodded slowly, understanding exactly what was going on. "Never doubt Naruto thinks of his friends and family first before making any diction, especially about the Kyuubi and its powers."
"Kakashi, Naruto's got a plan." Temari said looking at the three before they all followed to meet Naruto squatting with Sakura, Sasuke and Shikamaru looking at a map talking.
"So you think taking this trail here could pull the site away from the ones here?" Sakura asked as Naruto nodded.
"Yeah. They want me to go with them, if I can get them to believe I'm still under the Kyuubi's control when they get back they'll take me to they're base. If I can give them enough trouble when we start heading into the valley here, I should be able to get them held up and in a perfect spot for you guys to get there without being noticed."
"How are we going to get there?" Temari asked as Naruto smirked pulling scrolls from his pocket. "Scrolls?"
"If we can set up four scroll points on the ridge here I can struggle enough with them and then summon you guys there."
"You're not sealing me in the scroll." Temari said shaking her head as Shikamaru and Sasuke continued to study the map.
"No, as long as you hold these I'll be able to summon you to me. The only problem is getting the points on that valley without being seen or felt and there cannot be any chakra residue left over."
"Which means we're going for a trip." Sasuke said looking at Sakura who nodded.
"You think you can get them placed and back here without getting seen?"
"You know it's not a good idea to doubt one of your best friends and your girlfriend." Sakura said with a smile making him sigh and shake his head. "How are we going to get there and back in less than two days?"
"I left a chakra mark in the cave. I can get you two there and then just meet me back in the cave to go back."
"You're going to stay there and wait for them to show up?" Jiriaya asked making Naruto look up at him and nod with a small grin.
"I'm going to do more than just wait." He handed the scrolls over to Shikamaru. "Just be ready, I'll send a fox when they get me."
"If we have any hope of getting this done and getting home we need to do this right and fast the first time." Sasuke said as Naruto nodded.
"I'll grab your stuff." Temari said walking off as the group stood and Naruto rolled the map back up.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea? If what you've told us about Kabuto and Madara are true then rushing in to face them is not the best idea." Tsunade said looking at Naruto.
"I've been fighting against them since I was 13. You tend to learn a thing or two when you have the village relaying on you." Temari ran back out with a bag Jiriaya recognized from the room Naruto and Sakura had been in. She handed it to Naruto as he pulled it over his shoulder and looked at the others. "Be ready and make sure not to get caught." Sasuke and Sakura grabbed his shoulders as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath before the three were gone in a flash of orange.
"We'll be back in no time." Sakura said as she and Sasuke used a jutsu they created and were off to place the markers. Naruto sat against the cave wall with a sigh. This was going to be a hard battle but he knew it was the only way to defeat the two enemy ninja and get their group back home. Naruto heard shuffling and knew the two were done.
"Get everything set?"
"Yeah, everything is placed and ready for when it's time." Sakura smiled.
"Just try to overpower any chakra feeling there could be in there. We were covered but the marks are putting off a little." Sasuke told his friend. "Don't do anything stupid Dobe."
"You know I won't, Teme." Naruto smirked as Sasuke walked out of the cave to look around a bit. Sakura walked closer with a small sad smile.
"Naruto, be careful. I know how reckless you can get when everyone's around fighting, but you need to be careful. We can all take care of ourselves and you know that."
"I know, Sakura. I just don't want any of you getting hurt, especially you." She gave him a small smile and shook her head.
"How do you think I feel with you getting hurt?" She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer kissing her.
"I won't be reckless." He said once he pulled back. "Now let's get you and Teme back so we can get this plan working." The two walked out to join Sasuke as Naruto pulled a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Sakura with a kiss to her cheek before he backed up and Sakura made two signs and poured her chakra into the scroll. In seconds, Sakura and Sasuke were gone in a blinding flash.
Naruto closed his eyes after the little fox was gone and willed the Kyuubi's powers to the surface. Once he had the powers, swirling it didn't take long for the two ninja to arrive. They looked at him as he jumped to his feet following Kyuubi's instincts and letting them flow. Kabuto grinned as he stood next to Madara.
"Looks like it's time you come with us, nine tails." Kabuto said. Kyuubi started to slip farther and farther out as Naruto held tight making sure he didn't go too far. Kyuubi growled at the two as he looked at them with two blood red eyes.
"You either do what we say or do we need to remind you why you will be following our orders?" Madara reminded him as Naruto told the Kyuubi to relax and let them get a little closer before giving a little trouble. Kyuubi gave a soft growl not liking to follow orders but knew he and Naruto would be dead if he didn't help the man he had come to respect, even if it was only a little. "Good." The two walked closer before Kyuubi suddenly jumped away reaching his powers out knocking the two away before Madara was suddenly beside him. "You come quietly or I will make sure you are unconscious until we start ripping you from the host painfully." Naruto calmed the Kyuubi enough to follow the two as they left surrounded but eight of Kabuto's puppets
"You owe me for not killing them." Kyuubi growled inwardly at Naruto.
"Yeah, yeah. How about this? After I bring the others to fight Kabuto and his puppets, you can have Madara. He is the reason you're sealed inside me after all."
"Free range?"
"Not completely. Enough so I can steer you away from the others if things get to close, but only if things get to close."
"Otherwise I have control and can do what I want?"
"If you don't hurt the others and stay away from them and another innocent by stander, and when you've killed the bastard you give control back so Sakura can start healing." Kyuubi thought for a minute as they eyed the valley coming into view. "Make your decision soon because we're going to need to through a little distraction and summon the others in another five yards."
"I agree to your terms."
"Good, now let get that little distraction. Use my chakra to summon the others." Kyuubi nodded before he turned his full attention back to the two ninja. He stopped and started to growl making the two look at him.
"It's only a pathway to the base. Walk." Kabuto said as Kyuubi crouched with a deep growl. "Nine tails." He said only to have Kyuubi lunge and attack before being thrown way by a large ninja from the clouds being controlled by Kabuto. Naruto quickly surfaced, summoned and receded as the others jumped from the places on the valley walls and attacked.
"Now?" The Kyuubi asked impatiently as Naruto smirked.
"Remember the deal. If you ignore the rules I will pull you back and not let you have any free will." Naruto warned before he landed beside Sakura. "Sakura-Chan, Kyuubi is taking more control, keep away." He said as he surfaced himself and she nodded before getting the word to the others and Naruto leaned back letting Kyuubi's power sore. Suddenly Kabuto's head spun to look at Naruto as he started to transform roaring as his now pure white eyes narrowed on Madara.
"What's going on?" Jiriaya asked as he stood beside Kakashi watching Naruto letting Kyuubi's power to flow with no control.
"He's letting Kyuubi take control to take on Madara." Kakashi said before he and Sasuke looked at Sakura as she landed beside them.
"Sasuke, Sakura, take Kabuto, we'll take the puppets." Kakashi said as the two nodded and charged dodging the puppets attacks and running straight at Kabuto. Kakashi and Jiriaya started after the four puppets that had turned their attention to Sakura and Sasuke. Shikamaru and Temari worked on another four puppets keeping them away from the others. Shikamaru knelt and started shifting the shadows and twisting them all about the two puppets going after Temari as she spun and sent a gust of razor sharp wind at another two.
Kakashi destroyed a puppet and turned to glance quickly at the others seeing Sasuke and Sakura working hard together to get their hands on Kabuto who was constantly avoiding them, Shikamaru and Temari were holding their own as was Jiriaya and Naruto and Madara seemed to be holding even. He turned and started after the second puppet after him, shifting to avoid being hit before landing behind the puppet destroying it. Jiraiya spun slicing his puppets apart and looked over as Sakura was thrown back hitting the rock wall of the valley hard enough to make some rock fall from the wall.
"Sakura!" Kakashi called as Sasuke quickly pushed harder as Kakashi and Jiriaya ran over to where Sakura tried to move with blood spilling from her mouth. "Sakura, don't move." He said as he looked over the wounds she had received from Kabuto.
"Help Sasuke…." She said wincing. "Kabuto is using his medical jutsus…." Kakashi nodded as Sakura leaned her head back trying to calm her body. Suddenly there was a roar from the side making everyone look over at Naruto as he started to transform more. "Naruto…" Sakura whispered before she started pushing herself to her feet as the Kyuubi's power flew out throwing Madara back into the wall of the valley. Reaching out with even more force hitting the wall knocking rocks down crushing Madara. As the rocks settled, Naruto pushed back to the surface and dropped to his knees breathing heavily with the pain of his wounds washing over him. he took a deep breath and looked up at Sakura as she smiled at him with tears in her eyes when suddenly Madara stood in front of Naruto. He looked up at the masked man as Sakura's heart raced in her chest and her body refused to move and Jiriaya watched not knowing what was going on with his old student.
"It's time come with us willingly. You need to learn you can't always win." Madara said reaching out, pulling Naruto to his feet as the puppets were all destroyed and Kabuto kept Kakashi and Sasuke from helping Naruto.
"You're right….." Naruto breathed out. "I can't win…" The others watched horrified at Naruto's words and injuries. Naruto looked up at Madara who was still holding him on his feet, his dull blue eyes suddenly sparked with fire as he disappeared. Madara looked around confused before a flash of orange was seen. He was just barely able to block the attack as he and Naruto stood face to face, kunai crossed in front of them. "Not all the time anyway." Madara warped making Naruto flash.
"And you really think you can win now nine tails?" Madara asked as they clashed again. He spun and twisted and warped around finally knocking Naruto to the ground with a large Kunai in his chest. Madara pulled another and stood over Naruto. "Any last words, Lord Hokage?" Naruto pushed himself to his knees breathing raggedly as he pulled his feet under him and he glared up at Madara.
"Yeah…." He looked at the others as Temari and Shikamaru had gone to help Sasuke and Kakashi while Jiriaya watched worried and Sakura looked at him frightened.
"So what is your last wish before we rip the beast from your body?"
"My last words… my last wish…" Suddenly Naruto was gone and behind Madara pushing a seal and his hand into Madara's body with a Kunai to his throat. "Is for you to know, you can never win against someone like me and my friends. There is no hope for someone only bent on killing and hurting for personal gain. My last wish is for you and the rest of your scum to wither away and die like the animals you are. No one goes after my friends, my family, my village, and gets away with it." He whispered as he gammed the kunai into Madara's neck making his eyes go wide before he fell with a deathly thud and Naruto stumbled a step before going to one knee. He looked at Kabuto who had stopped and looked over shocked.
"Naruto!" He heard Sakura call as his eyes flashed with fire and he pushed himself back to his feet looking stronger than ever as he started towards Kabuto who spun trying to run. Naruto used his summoning technique calling his foxes and sending them after the man before he dropped to the ground beside Sakura who he wrapped in a tight hug as the others dropped round him battered and exhausted.
"Naruto, you and Sakura need to get taken care of fast." Temari said as she looked at the blood flowing from his wounds. He nodded pulling a scroll from his pocket and handing it to Sasuke.
"I don't have the chakra…." He trailed off as Sasuke took it with a nod. He unrolled it and let his chakra pour into the design before everything went black.
Naruto opened his eyes, blinking several times to clear his vision as he looked up at the ceiling of a little room. He saw Sasuke smirk at him from beside the bed.
"About time you woke up Dobe. You had the others worried for a while there."
"Yeah, well you know me….. How are the others?" He asked hoarsely. "Everyone get back okay?"
"Yeah. When I used the scroll, it took us to the Hokage office…. In our time. It also seems the Village is still standing." He said with a smirk as Naruto smiled.
"So we're home?"
"Yeah. Looks that way. Good thing too. I don't think the Tsunade from our childhood would have been able to deal with the wounds we all took from that fight. You and Sakura took the worst though." Naruto nodded as he closed his eyes before they flew back open and he looked at his friend.
"Jiriaya…"
"He is still in the normal time line. He didn't come back with us."
"The scroll probably wouldn't have allowed it." Naruto mused as he relaxed back into the bed.
"Get sleep Dobe. Tsunade is taking care of the village while you're out, but the longer your wounded the more people are going to start thinking."
"Yeah, I guess you have a point, Teme." Naruto smirked before Sasuke stood and left. Taking a slow breath, he turned his head to see Sakura lying beside him bandaged. He tried to move but his body refused to listen and shooting pain through his body making his breath catch in his throat. He relaxed himself and focused on pushing the pain away as he slowly reached over, gently brushing his bandaged hand against her cheek. Her eyes slowly fluttered open making him smile as he was met by the pale green eyes he had fallen in love with all those years ago in the academy.
"Naruto…" she whispered with a smile as he pushed everything but his thought of her away as he pushed himself up to lean over and kiss her. "Naruto, you're wounds…"
"Will heal. Sakura-Chan…." He shook his head looking at her intensely.
"I'll be fine, I just need to rest." She smiled at him as he leaned back and watched her try to shove her own pain away to move closer to him and lean her head on his chest. "Sleep for now, Naruto-kun." Naruto smiled as he dozed off with Sakura cuddled beside him slipping into her own dreamland.