Hello, readers! I know it's been forever since I've updated, but I've finally got some free time, so here's the newest chapter of Perfect Vessel. Look forward to new chapters on my other stories soon.

Kakashi tensed. Something was going to happen soon, he just knew it. He looked at the others gathered with him in the hideout, Gai, Lee, TenTen, Shikamaru, Chouji, and Shino. Speaking of Shino...

"Shino, any word yet?"

"No, Kakashi-San. No news yet, although my kikai are agitated. It is as though something is in the air..."

Shikamaru sighed "We've been here hiding for nearly two weeks. We're due to leave tomorrow for Konoha and no word yet from the others....how troublesome..."

TenTen replied "The others have got to be okay....they've got to...Gai-sensei....?"

Gai said "If we hear no word from them before dawn tomorrow, we must return to Konoha..."

All the shinobi gathered hung their heads, the possibility that this had all been for nothing was daunting.

Chouji said "We must continue to trust in the others."

"Hai" a loose chorus of voices agreed.


Meanwhile in Konoha...

Three figures met in a secret house underneath Konoha.

"It will be done tomorrow." said the first

"Is everyone ready?" asked the second

"Dove is ready. We are alone." The third replied.

"Smoker and Wolf are ready. So is Tree. Wolf travels in a pack. Smoker too." The second responded.

The first spoke up last "Cherry and Blossom are ready. A single cherry to ride among a field of blossoms."

"That is unfortunate" said the second, softly.

"Yes," the first responded. "Raven, out." He disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"Eagle out." The third disappeared.

"Red out." The second said quietly, to herself and she went in the same way.

In the Hyuuga training grounds..

Neji opened his eyes and got up from the position he had been meditating in. He thought 'The time draws near..."Hinata-sama." He called as she drew near.

She walked over "Hai, Neji-kun?"

He smiled "The day we have been waiting for approaches."

Hinata said "Hai."

"Have you gotten words to our friends about our news?"

"Not yet, Neji-kun. It will have to be a surprise."

"Well, I hope they are happy for us then."

Neji smiled, while anyone outside of themselves might see this conversation as talk about the upcoming wedding Hiashi had planned, the two of them knew differently. Neji was disturbed that Hinata had still not been able to get in contact with the others in Oto and they hadn't been able to see Shibi at all to see if he had spoken to Shino...since he was still imprisoned. However, all that would change tonight.


One week ago in Otogakure...

Naruto Uzumaki smirked, his opportunity had finally come. Orochimaru, tending to some business of his in the lab had left the area and Kabuto was on a mission. He looked into the vault, looking for the traps. For he knew the place would be covered in them. He also knew his time was short, and that an opportunity such as this wouldn't present itself again. He chuckled. Sometimes, the old tricks came in handy. He whispered "Kage bushin no jutsu..."

Present day in an unknown location...

A sea of orange could be see in a low cave facing the water. One of these bodies chuckled, pausing from his training. He smirked. The snake had been arrogant enough to include enough information about the curse seal to create a removal technique. He and around 200 of his clones had been working on it for the past week and he nearly had it. He wouldn't need Akatsuki after all. Really, that had been the biggest reason for joining Akatsuki in the first place. The other reason being having back up against Konoha, if needed.

He had received no new correspondence from the Konoha genin since his move, making him rather surprised when he was hit in the face with a beetle. He chuckled. 'Makes you wonder why Aburame aren't on assassination squads. They can track better than an Inuzuka.' He let the bug feed off him for a second, being obviously exhausted. He then noticed a seal on it's back. Curious, he released it and a small scroll popped out.

He chuckled as he read it "So that's what they're up to...interesting. Our plans are not opposed to each other. Seems those guys realized how Konoha is a village of idiots too, especially the council." He grinned as he read the ending "Really...I've got to say I'm honored....I just might accept, but after I've taken care of ….some business."

He took the scroll and pocketed it and wrote a quick note on a new one and resealed it on the bug. He watched it fly off and went back to training.

Several hours later, 200 clones dispelled. Naruto smirked "Now, to get rid of that annoying little problem. He laughed through a clenched jaw. "Ah ah, do your best, you bastard, you can't beat me."

Naruto did a series of a couple of dozen seals then let a little of Kyuubi's power out, sharpening his nails and he plunged them into the site of the cursed seal "Curse seal, release!" He hissed as he felt the purplish- black poison leave his body through the punctures on his shoulder. He grinned as the last of it was forced out and it evaporated. He felt his shoulder finally healing up. "Finally." He let the world darken around him as he felt the other couple thousand clones dispel.

In Naruto's mindscape...

The Kyuubi looked at it's jailor. "Finally, gaki. It took you long enough to get rid of that snake."

"Hmm."

The Kyuubi frowned "Gaki."

"Hmm."

"Have you changed your plans?"

"I no longer plan on going to Akatsuki. I don't trust them and I don't need them any longer. I will train in the techniques I stole from Orochimaru and then I will enact my plan on Konoha."

"After that?"

"Perhaps I will join this new village. It could use a decent Anbu captain."

"What about your damned father?"

Naruto paused, long enough for the Kyuubi to prompt him again "Well..."

Naruto frowned "I've thought a lot about that. I made my decision this morning. I plan to bring him back to life right before the invasion. I will show him everything, let him decide which side to fight on."

"And if he chooses the side against you."

"Then I will take him down with the rest of the idiotic fools in Konoha."


7 pairs of eyes snapped to the entrance of their hideout to the sight of a small beetle flying in. Shino stretched out his hand. "The lost one..." He listened to it, then unsealed the scroll on its back and after reading over it, held it out so the others could see.

The note read....

"I have a plan that I must finish, however, I will not interfere with yours. I might even take your up on your offer. I give you my word that I will not go after you or your allies in Konoha, just the idiots. Oh, and when you're ready to go to the future sight of the village of outcasts, throw this, I just might come and give a hand in moving. Trust me, it's about the only goo, snake free, place to disappear in the eastern countries. Ja ne."

Kakashi unsealed the smaller seal and gasped as a three pronged kunai came out. "He learned the hiraishin?"

"What's that?"

"A teleportation technique..."

"What does he mean by the end?"

"He's most likely had some inside information about Orochimaru's bases and where he's got eyes. I wonder where this place is."

"Should we trust him?"

Kakashi replied "He wouldn't betray us to Konoha, since he hates Konoha and they're the only ones it makes since to betray us to. I trust him."

Gai said "So once everyone is gathered here..."

"We call him."


That's all for today, look forward to the next chapter coming soon. Ja ne.