MasterofSnakes: NO COMMENT!

Kakashi fell into the almost common place wanderings he had taken up after the disappearance of his niece. His thoughts kept repeating the same thing: Had she left because of him?

Passing familiar places and people, Kakashi passed a female he didn't recognize. He only gave her a passing glance but he heard a murmured phrase that made him freeze:

"Something's never change."

Kakashi wheeled around and saw no one. He forced his brain to remember what he had gathered in that glance as he entered a nearby flower shop. He borrowed a pad of paper and a pen to quickly draw what he remembered. His memory came up with an outfit similar to Sakura's when they escorted that spoiled prince with Naruto and Lee a while back. But instead of red or pink, the shirt and skirt were black and mesh armor replaced the shorts and undershirt. She had a cover on her lower face like Kakashi did and her sandals were stiletto wedge heels that had mesh stockings to her knees. Black gloves with steel panels up the back but her gloves' fingertips were missing. Her hair was in a high ponytail that was turned into millions of little braids and she wore sunglasses to hide her eyes. Her nails, the visible ones on her toes and hands, were purple and she was lean and fit. She had a ring like the…like the Akatsuki wore. And there were a few tiny braids at her left temple. All the braids were tipped with a pattern of red and black beads with small fang dangles on the end of the tiny braids. And she wore something around her neck, a rectangle tag that looked far too familiar. The tie of her ponytail was familiar as well.

"Who is that, Kakashi-sensei?" Kakashi looked up at Sakura and Ino. He realized he had come into the Yamanaka Clan's flower shop. He folded his picture up and tucked it into his vest.

"It's nobody, just something that struck me." He lied. "Is Naruto in his office?"

"Yeah, up to his neck in paper work. He wanted fresh flowers so I dragged Sakura down here, leaving the guys to watch him." Ino nodded. Kakashi knew that Naruto needed to know about what he had seen and heard.

"Choji and Lee have next shift in 5 minutes." Sakura told her former teacher nonchalantly. Kakashi got the message. "We'll see you around, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi didn't have time to say "goodbye". He ran to the Hokage's office as fast as he could and slipped passed the 4 males changing shift. Naruto was in fact up to his neck in paperwork. The kitsune looked up mildly surprised behind his reading glasses. Long hours had a habit of making the young feel old.

"We've been infiltrated." Kakashi pulled the picture from his vest and unfolded it. "I saw her on the street. She said 'Somethings never change'. And then she disappeared. She's Akatsuki. The ring, polish and beads prove it."

Naruto took a good look at the sketch. "If I didn't know better…" His thought was cut off as he turned to look towards the North gate. "Damn, I should've sensed them before now." An explosion proved him right. "And damn again. We're under attack. Good thing I set aside the 7th Hokage and runners up. Don't want a repeat with Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade."

The blond really had changed. He pulled on his Hokage robe and hat, and was ready to go. Kakashi escorted him to the North gate where members of the Akatsuki and Orochimaru's followers were fighting each other. The Anbu were amongst the fighters as well but none of them were truly fairing very well.

"That is enough." Naruto said in a loud voice. The Anbu left the fight and came to stand around Kakashi and Naruto. The fox's blue eyes were hard and cold as he looked at each of the offenders. Had his command actually been obeyed by the enemy? No…the Akatsuki weren't looking at him but at a spot passed him and the Snake Sanin's followers were paying attention two shadows that came out of hiding. "What are you doing back here? You betrayed the Leaf Village, Sasuke."

"I decided to pay a visit." Sasuke shrugged with Orochimaru just a step ahead and off to the side a bit. "And I brought along a few people so I wouldn't be alone."

"Lord Hokage, the Akatsuki ring on Orochimaru's original hand is missing." An Anbu told Naruto in a low voice. Naruto and Kakashi exchanged a knowing look. So that's why she was there…

"…Always fighting…neither of you have changed…" A soft pretty voice replied, making Naruto realize that the Akatsuki were paying their attention to the speaker above him and not to the Anbu flanking his back. He looked back and saw Deidara with a female Akatsuki member at his side. She had a hood to her cloak and it was up over her head so all you saw was that eerily familiar mask. Her cloak sleeves had a slanted cut to them as they hung passed her hands. Her cloak reached the ground and was crossed with a thick leather strap across her chest, accenting the C cup and curves under the black and red fabric. Long braids at the temple trailed down from the left side of her head and down to her waist. But the little fangs on the end seemed to point to the Guiliotine Blade on her back.

"Who are you?" Naruto demanded with a slight growl in his voice.

"2nd-in-command of the organization Akatsuki." She answered in that soft voice that was no louder than Hinata's speech back when they were all just innocent kids. Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as his body tensed

"Bloody Zakuro of the Akatsuki." He earned a slight nod from Zakuro. "What are you doing here, Zakuro? Why the Leaf Village?"

She slowly raised her hand, her sleeve falling to reveal the gloves, purple nails and…Orochimaru's Void ring on her left hand's little finger. "I came to get what belongs to me. Rei-dono said it was time for me to collect the ring that Orochimaru so neglectfully left behind all these years. I was the only one who could make it in undetected so I came in person. Deidara's presence is to merely remind me that I'm not to linger and kill you all. It's a real shame since I don't get to kill you. I'd like to fulfill what the Sandaime always said that I'd end up doing if I wasn't controlled…but Rei-dono is my leader and I will do as he says for he helped my cut out my heart. Come, Deidara. I have my ring. My revenge can wait a bit longer."

"But, Zakuro, you have the perfect opportunity right here." Deidara replied, unsure. Zakuro turned and started heading back up the road.

"Come, Deidara. Bring your little friends." Zakuro responded. Deidara signaled the Akatsuki shinobi all disappeared in puffs of smoke, as did Deidara but a whirlwind of leaves engulfed Zakuro before dissipating and revealing that she was gone. Naruto's hands curled into fists and ground his teeth.

"Damn her. Damn her. Damn her!" The Rokudaime snarled. "I'm going to get her back for this. And don't think you're getting away with invading this Village, Sasuke!" The fox turned to face his former teammate, a dark expression darkening his blue eyes. "I will not have any of you rogues strolling in and out of the Leaf Village as you please! This is MY Village now and I won't let you turn it into the battle grounds that had been done to the others! Do I make myself clear?!"

Naruto's anger and reaction caught Sasuke off guard. He hadn't expected this from his former teammate, from the Leaf Village's Number 1 Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja, from the vessel of the 9 Tailed Fox. He had still thought that Naruto would be the same old goof ball. This change was unprepared for.

"I said 'do I make myself clear'?!" Naruto repeated with a growl. Sasuke nodded, still caught off guard.

"Sure, Naruto. As clear as glass."

Holy shit...