A/N- Here's the stats as of last chapter; words- 43697 chaps.- 11 reviews- 65 hits- 9437 c2s- 10 favorites- 32 alerts- 54.

Chapter 11, To Reach for the Stars

Madara Uchiha was old by human standards, being almost one hundred and fifty years old, even though he still held the appearence of a man in his thirties. In his many years, he'd killed countless people, shinobi and civilian alike, and those who knew him, either as the mysterious Mizukage of Mist, or as who he actually was, knew that to cross the volatile man meant certain death, even if the offense that made him angry was so much as accidentally dropping something in front of him while he was walking. He never outwardly showed his anger, no, showing emotion like that was beneath a man such as himelf. So that was why, as the Mizukage, he gained the title 'The Smiling Reaper', for he always had a small, serene smile on his face whenever he killed someone that crossed him.

Now, however, the Mizukage was facing a situation that made him VERY angry, and he was currently powerless to do anything about it! "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? This sets us back, and we've a very tight deadline to keep." He said softly, dangerously, folding his hands in front of his face as he glared at the people across the desk from him.

"What, haven't you ever heard the old saying? So goes the best-laid plans of mice and men." The man who Madara was glaring at said casually, reclining in a chair as he swished as glass of fine red wine. He was a tall man, even reclining, looking as if he may be at least six and a half feet standing. He wore a short-sleeved red shirt which clung to his muscular frame, along with some loose-fitting maroon pants and Chinese slippers. He was heavily muscled, but not-overly so, giving the impression that, while his muscles were as hard as steel, they wouldn't be so big as to hinder his movements in a fight. The man had a sharply chissled face, framed by wild, red hair and containing hard-set red eyes that almost seemed to glow in the dimly lit office. All-in-all, Madara's companion exuded a supreme confidence that bespoke his belief that everyone around him was inferior, there only for his pleasures and whims.

To the man's left, a woman who looked to be in her early twenties stretched out lazily on a couch, yawning widely. "You just want to see them struggle a little." She said, her voice having a seductive lilt to it. She, unlike the one she was addressing, was rather short, being only five foot seven, with long aburn hair pulled back into twin ponytails that trailed down her back. She was athletically built, looking more like an acrobat than an actual fighter, wearing a skin-tight black v-necked shirt that accented her small, shapely breasts and black spandex shorts. Her intense, green eyes, which held a slight slant in their shape, locked with Madara's own as she grinned saucily at him, licking her lips in a predatory fashion.

The last person in the room burst with laughter, seeming to find the whole thing funny. He was a portly man of almost six feet, with a large, soft-looking body covered in monk's robes. He sported a shortly cut strawberry colored mohawk and had a wide, easy grin with rosey cheeks and twinkling eyes, though if anyone looked for more than a few seconds into them, they would be able to clearly see the insanity and bloodlust that lurked beneath the trustworthy facade. "Silly man! This should have been easy for you, since you come from such a 'mighty' clan!' He exlaimed, looking into Madara's eyes, guffawing.

"Nibi, Shukaku, silence!" The red-haired man growled

The chubby man, identified as Shukaku, quieted down to silent giggles while Nibi sighed, picking up a book and flipping through it disinterestedly. "Yeah, whatever Kyuubi. You know it's the truth." She said, her eyes skimming across the pages.

"So, why didn't you tell me earlier? We could have been already taking measures to rectify this problem! Or is it that you don't care about being at only half your true strength? Have you forgotten that we need for all of you, but you especially, to be at full strength if we want to be able to successfully do this?" Madara asked, a steel thread of anger in his tone. "Even if you have gained the ability to create and use chakra of your own due to haing been sealed within newborns, that doesn't make up for all the power that you are lacking in!" He exlaimed.

Kyuubi closed his eyes and calmly sipped his wine even as a terrible, violent bloodlust erupted from him. "Madara, just because we are partners in this, do not think for a second that I will suffer any threats from you, even if they are so veiled. We have spent the better part of the last century planning this, tricking everyone into believing that we Bijuu could be quelled by you and your Shodaime Hokage, and this one small setback will only stall us for a few months at the most. We'll find my other half, and then we'll proceed as planned. Do not take me for a fool Madarda, you and I know that while you are important to our cause, it will only create a small setback to remove you, as to we would then have to convince the new sage to help us, where you have his help already. Through him, we will open the paths between worlds once again while our other partner will get the King's Key, and then we shall all proceed to capture the throne of God, where we will all gain ultimate power and authority. It is your choice Madara, wether to willingly work beside us and become a Kami like you've always dreamed, or be crushed as another obstacle in our way and forgotten." Kyuubi said quietly, draining his glass and setting it on the Mizukage's desk, getting up. "Come, let us go. I wish to experience the freedom to do as we please again before these faux bodies of ours run out." He said, snapping his fingers, Nibi and Shukaku following behind them as they exited, leaving Marada's door hanging wide open.

Sitting there, Madara seethed. 'No Kyuubi, it is you who must be careful. I will not be your slave. You shall be mine, or you will be dead.' He thought to himself, his Sharingan activating and spinning wildly.

Just outside of the Akatsuki's base, Pain's real body, the one that was at one time called Nagato sat on top of a hill, his knees drawn up to his chest as he watched the stars. He was a lanky man, with long, dark hair that hung limply, covering most of the man's face as he watched the distant twinkles with his Rinnegan. Not even turning when he heard someone approach from beind, Pain let out a soft sigh. "Hello Konan." He said quietly, his voice hoarse from disuse.

Konan sat down behind the man who she'd devoted her life to. "Pain-sama, are you well?" She asked.

Pain nodded, his gaze turning to the ground. "Yes, all is well." He replied. "I was just thinking of the path that we have chosen is all."

Konan remained silent for a few moments. "...You know that I will always follow you, no matter what. But..." She trailed off.

Pain turned his head slightly, gazing at his lifelong companion out of the corner of his eye. "But what?" He asked.

Konan reached forward, placing her hands on his shoulders as she pressed herself against his back, burying her face in his hair. "...But things are beginning to come to a head Pain-sa- No, Nagato-kun, and I cannot deny that I am worried about the future. So please, stay with me tonight, before you have to go back into the statue. Stay with me, and for tonight at least, show me how a man is supposed to love a woman..." She trailed off.

Nagato turned a bit more, to where he was fully facing her. "Is that what you want, Ko-chan?" He asked softly.

Konan nodded. "Yes... Please, I love you... I need you..." She replied huskily.

Under the pale light of the stars, Nagato and Konan moved closer together, their lips pressing as they clung to each other desperatly. For that night at least, they let themselves be human instead of shinobi.

Hinata, Sakura, and Yumi were all standing ready, each watching the other two warily. "Ok, what the heck is ths about? I might be ok with you guys, but that won't stop me from smearing you across the ground if you piss me off." Sakura warned.

Being the more outspoken, Yumi levelled an accusng finger at Sakura "You pink-haired hussy! We saw you trying to put the moves on MY Naru-kun!" She exlaimed angrily.

"Pink. Haired. What. Now?" Sakura asked, her tone darkening as she bit off each word.

Hinata gazed cooly at Yumi. "I do believe that I've already asserted that Naru-kun is mine, so you had best be the one to back off slut." She said, her tone implying righteous fury.

Sakura blinked. This was all about Naruto-kun? Were they attaking her because he had dinner at her house? Had Hinata talked without stuttering?! "Now wait a minute here, I think you've both come to the wrong conclusion." She said, putting her hands on her hips.

"The only one here who is wrong is you, ya man-stealing tramp!" Yumi yelled, leaping at the pinkette in an attempt to throttle her.

Hinata, seeing her opening, activated her Byakugan and darted forward, intending on disabling them both at the same time with her Jyuuken.

Sakura, moaning inwardly, got into a defensive stance as the two closed in.

Off to the side, Hiashi and Neji watched the proceedings with interest, having just come from a meeting with the Hokage. "Do you think that we should intervene Hiashi-sama?" Neji asked.

The esteemed head of the clan shook his head. "Neji... Among the things that I have to teach you, what I am about to tell you is by far one of the most important things. There's nothing scarier than a woman who has cause to be angry, and it's best to juts stay away, lest they direct their anger on you. The quiet ones can be especially cruel and unrelenting when such is the circumstance,and with the way Hinata showed her skills during the invasion, that makes my daughter all the more frightening right now. No, my nephew, the best thing for us to do is quietly retreat." Hiashi replied, turning on his heel and walking off, if at a bit of a hurried pace, Neji close behind. "I wonder what they are fighting over anyway..." He mused out loud.

Neji looked at his uncle. "They're probably fighting to determine who gets to date Naruto-san. He answered the man's spoken thoughts.

Hiashi cast a glance at Neji. "Naruto? As in Naruto Uzumaki, the boy who defeated you in the exams and helped defending the village from the past two invasions?" He asked, seemingly surprized.

Neji bowed his head. "Yes, Hiashi-sama, the one and the same." He replied.

Hiashi's face became unreadable as he straightened a bit. "...Neji, I want you to bring me the Uzumaki boy tomorrow, I wish to have a meeting with him." He commanded, his tone brooking no argument.

Neji bowed again. "Yes, Hiashi-sama."

Ahhh, that feels better!" Naruto exlaimed, exiting the public showers that had been built as a part of the temporary barracks, holding a bucket that contained his bathing supplies and rubber ducky as he made his way back to his room, clad in only a towel that was wrapped around his waist.

"Mmm mmm mmm, look at that ass." A female voice said from just behind Naruto, followed by a wolf-whistle.

Whirling around, Naruto came face to face with Anko Mitarashi, who was standing in the open doorway to her own room, wearing a loose bathrobe. "HEY! It's the scary lady from the second exam!" He exlaimed, pointing, his eyes wide in comical shock. "So, are you living here too?" He asked.

Anko smirked, leaning up against the doorframe to her room as she raised her arms above her head, puffing out her chest a bit. "You know, Naru-kun, you can really hurt a girls feelings lke that." She said, pouting cutely. "But yes, I am living here until my apartment is rebuilt. Until then though, we're living here together, and I might decide to snatch me some of that foxy lovin'." She said seductivly, pushing away from the doorframe and sauntering over to the now-stunned Naruto, making sure to wiggle in all the right ways. "Well, Naru-kun? Whadda ya say? Want to ravage me like a beast yet? I know you must have learned some things in your travells. C'mon back into my apartment Naru-kun, and I'll show ya what they only teach older kunoichi." She murmered, running a finger over his slightly chissled chest and abs, grabbing his free arm with her other hand and pressing her ample cleavege, which her bathrobe barely concealed, against his arm, blowing softly on his neck.

Naruto's face turned an interesting shade of red "Ah-ah-I..." He stammered.

Anko looked down, seeing the front of Naruto's towel raising. "Heh, yer far too easy kid." She sniggered, flicking his forehead and snagging his towel with the hand she'd run down his chest. Giving it a sharp yank, Anko ripped the towel away, leaving Naruto as naked as the day he was born and standing at full mast. "Later gaki! Have plesant dreams about me, ok?" She winked, chuckling throatily as she looked down at him again before throwing the towel over her shoulder and sauntering off to the women's baths, making sure to put an extra sashay into her hips.

Blushing furiously, Naruto covered himself as best he could and rushed towards his room. He'd have interesting dreams that night indeed.

Sakura was breathing hard as she barely dodged yet another Jyuuken strike by Hinata, having already been on the receiving end of quite a few that she'd had to heal, unless she wanted to be at a severe disadvantage. "Dammit, enough already! There was nothing between us!" She snapped, her words falling on deaf ears.

All three girls looked the worse for wear, being covered in small scratches and bruises, and their clothes in tatters. Hinata had lost her overcoat at some point during the fight, and her mesh undershirt was barely hanging on at the shoulders, Yumi having grabbed Hinata by the back of the shirt earlier and swinging the heiress around, stretching the fabric and popping some of the seams. Yumi, for her part, was sporting a nasty black eye thanks to Sakura, and she was just now getting the feeling back into her right arm, which Hinata had brutally poked, limiting it's usefulness.

All three girls were tired, panting for breath as they battled their way through Konoha square, stopping just in front of a water fountain. Glaring daggers at each other, Hinata and Yumi charged, each atempting to his the other girl, but neither finding an opening. Growling in frsutration, Sakura charged forward, leaping at the girls as she tackled them into the water. The three thrashed about in the water for a bit, wrestling for dominence, ut it was ultimately Sakura who came out on top, knocking Hinata's and Yumi's heads together before dunking them a few times, holding both girls by the hair of their heads. "Now, are we gonna talk like civilized people, or am I gonna have to beat the crap outta the two of you for a few more minutes? Want another dunk to help cool those hot heads of yours?" Sakura asked, her tone low and dangerous.

Hinata blushed as she clutched the tattered remains of her mesh shirt to her body, trying to be as modest as possible with the ruined fabric. "S-sorry, Sakura-san..." She murmered, a bit of her stutter returning.

Yumi was livid, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can apologize all ya want mouse, but I ain't sayin' shit to some man-theiving cat!" She snarled, earning her another dunk by Sakura.

Pulling the sputtering girl up, Sakura let go of their hair and bopped them both over the head. "Look at the two of you! Acting like silly academy fangirls! I don't know what the hell you were thinking, but you need to at least get your information right before attacking people!" She yelled furiously.

Hinata pressed her forefingers together, looking down. "Ano, Sakura-san, but what about what we saw? You already told me that you'd turned Naru-kun down, but here both myself and the tramp right there saw you with Naruto. You had him over for dinner with your parents, and then when we saw you, you were all over him! You even gave him a kiss!" She exlaimed, her eyes brimming with passion.

Sakura sighed, smacking her forehead. "You think that just because we had dinner, and I gave Naruto-kun a peck on the cheek, that I'm trying to date him?! Naruto-kun is more than just a teammate to me, and I'll admit that I do love him, but it's not the type of love that you think. Naruto-kun is the closest thing I have to a brother, so of course I'd want to have hm over for dinner, and of course I'd show him some affection! I'm disappointed in the both of you, but you most of all Hinata! The both of you are acting like ditzes, jumping to conclusions and attacking people for being friendly to Naruto-kun! Your treating him like he's some object to be won, and you both have lost sight of who he is! Neither one of you are thinking of what Naruto might feel in this situation, and how he might be hurt! Naruto-kun isn't some idol, he's a human just like us, and just like us, he's feelings can be just as fragile! That's it, until the two of you start acting like responsible adults, I don't want to have anything to do with either of you, and you better steer clear of Naruto-kun for a bit as well. You want to date him? Then try to get to know him! Ask the boy out because, Kami love him, Naruto-kun is a bit too dense to ask either of you first! Naruto-kun has lived a long, hard life, all by himself, and he doesn't know what to do when it comes to stuff like this, so take it easy! And if I hear that either of you have started acting childish again, then Kami help you, because I wont. Now, I don't wanna hear another word tonight, ou two have put m in a bad mood." Sakura growled, finishing off her speech by spinning on her heel and walking off.

"Bu-" Yumi started as Hinata looked away in shame.

"Not another word!" Sakura roared, not even bothering to turn aorund.

Yumi and Hinata looked at one another. "This isn't over yet." Yumi said lowly, earning a silent nod from Hinata. Turning from each other, both girls started for home, mustering what dignity they could. They had some planning to do.

-End-

A/N- Yeah, I thought that'd be a good cutoff point. ANyway, in the next chapter, Naruto is summoned to a meeting with the powerful leader of the Hyuuga clan, Hyuuga Hiashi! What will happen? Tune in to find out!

Keep those Flames of Youth burning!