Haruno Sakura and the War of Two Worlds

By Inner Self

Chapter 13: "Broken Youth"

At six in the morning, Naruto was already galavanting through the Konoha streets—with a bucket of paint and a brush in hand. He had a D-ranked mission, which instructed that he paint the house next to the Yamanaka flower shop. He started from the top down. Aided by chakra and his dopplegangers, Naruto was done in five minutes. He left a note in the owner's mailbox. He would come back at later for his pay. Naruto then said hello and good-bye to Ino.

Uzumaki Naruto hadn't been on one ANBU mission since the man-from-the-archway incident. He made the voluntary choice. He helped out around the village like the genin tended to do. He even smiled as he went about his low-ranked list of chores—er-duties.

Seven in the morning, Naruto stopped by to speak with the Godaime. "I still don't understand why you insist on taking all these chore missions. Are you on vacation?" she asked.

Grinning from ear to ear, Naruto said, "Yep! I still make time for some intel work with Shikamaru though—pushing papers. I can be in a thousand places at once, though, so don't misjudge my worth dattebayo!"

Tsunade sighed. She took a swig of sake, hiding her grin. "Naruto, take a real vacation. I'm sure we will get along well enough."

"Perhaps you could review my manuscript as well?" called a voice from the window ledge.

"Sure thing, Kakashi-sensei!" said Naruto gleefully. "So you are writing a story? What about?"

"Oh, guy saves the world, rescues a shrine priestess, makes love to her like a demon. I call it Icha-Icha Memoir."

Millions of grasshoppers could be heard chirping within Naruto's head, until he shouted, "Since when did you do anything like that? You pervert! Nobody wants to read your dirty novels!"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "You are probably right. I shouldn't have asked for Sai's help. Now the readers will only be interested in the Shunga art. Nobody understands literature anymore."

Tsunade stood up abruptly. "Kakashi, you publish any of Sai's porno drawings in your book and I will blacklist it!"

"Hokage-sama, I assure you…," he started nervously. Tsunade pushed him out the window and slammed it shut, effectively breaking the shutter's hinges. Kakashi's drawn out cry ended with a thud. He crawled back in moments later. Naruto shied away from the windows.

Tsunade was about to resume filling out her paperwork. She looked up to see Uzumaki still standing before her. "Yes?" she asked.

"Ah…Morino Ibiki took me off guarding duty. I want to be reinstated…please?" He looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

"He said you were getting chatty with the prisoners," she said.

He nodded. "Just that guy Sai and I found. I think he's about ready to talk to me. I don't want Ibiki to have to torture him. Ibiki has a list of shinobi waiting for interrogation about a kilometer long. I can help him out. Besides, the guy came out of nowhere. You have to believe me! He's probably just afraid of us."

Naruto kept flashing his bright blue eyes at her. She couldn't resist a smile. Naruto was the happiest these past few weeks that he'd been in the past year. "Alright, Naruto. I'll write a letter to Ibiki. You can deliver it and pick up your guard schedule."

"Yatta!" he cheered, fist pumping the air.

Tsunade quickly scribbled the letter, stamped her seal, and gave it to him. "Glad to have you back, Naruto." He blinked at her in puzzlement.

"Roger," said Naruto, and he left.

Tsunade washed some anxiety down with a round of sake. "His behavior of late has been disturbing. Also, this change of attitude…"

"Naruto's his once usual happy-go-lucky self. Would you prefer the heart-broken Naruto?"

Tsunade-sama smiled and said, "Definitely not. Perhaps Hinata-chan has something to do with his renewal."

Uzumaki Naruto delivered the letter after filling up on some ramen. He couldn't resist the breakfast ramen special. Knowing Naruto and his eating habits, Teuchi-san made sure to throw in some vegetables.

Morino Ibiki was taking a break from interrogations when Naruto found him. He was sitting in his desk chair, checking his mailbox. "Another one for you," said Naruto cheerfully, waving Tsunade's letter. Ibiki took the letter and scanned it.

"Alright. Toudou-kun called in sick last evening. Chiyasa-san took his shift. She is supposed to start again at eight. She's sleeping in the break room. Tell Chiyasa-san to go home."

Naruto took Chiyasa's shift. Luckily, Chiyasa was patrolling the cells on Block A, where the man-from-the-archway had been placed. The cell blocks ranged from A to G. The most dangerous criminals were placed farthest from the floor level in Cell Block G. They awaited transport to a maximum security facility or to the interrogation rooms for "Round 2." Block G prisoners were kept in a perpetual state of unconsciousness. The prisoners on Block F produced the most frequent bursts of noise—maniacal screams (those interrogated), death and rape threats, and catcalls to the female guards. Block F prisoners had to be silenced more frequently than the prisoners of Blocks A through E combined. Like the man-from-the-archway, Block A prisoners were uncategorized. They could be innocent, but best labeled guilty until proven, ne? Some were in the wrong place at the wrong time and could not get their stories straight. Like Mr. Flew-out-an-Archway, as dubbed by Naruto.

Naruto conjured up a hundred kagebunshins to watch the other inmates as he went to chat with the man he brought in three weeks ago. The man recognized him. He saw Naruto first on his journey to Konoha, and next from the conversation attempts that followed. He never gave Naruto any information. Naruto talked about anything and everything said in casual conversation. The man sat quietly on the bedroll in his cell, legs crossed, and stared solemnly at his hands.

Naruto sighed. "Why don't you say anything? Okay, look, ask me a question—any question! I'm getting really curious as to what you sound like-ttebayo. Anything, man, you can ask me-"

"Do you know what a muggle is?"

"—anything! Huh?" Naruto's eyes nearly popped out. He had finally made progress. Or so he thought. "Muggle?"

"I guess that is a no," said the man, sounding quite relieved.

"Can you tell me?" asked Naruto. Suddenly all the other Narutos were crowding him, hoping to hear the answer as well. Such dedicated workers they were.

"You can use magic! I knew it!" said the man, stunned for a moment. His eyed then hardened.

"No, I use chakra. Cha. Kra," Naruto said, emphasizing the last part. Naruto remembered his doppelgangers and took a moment to shoo them away. "The name's Uzumaki Naruto. You could be polite and tell me your name, too."

"Sirius Black," he said. Sirius Black saw no point in ignoring the boy any longer. He was doomed either way once the interrogator got to him on the list.

"Are you serious?" asked Naruto. He then laughed. Black mentally rolled his eyes. "So why didn't you want to talk before?"

Sirius shrugged. "My story is unbelievable. I'd rather not waste my breath. I will be tortured. Then the Ministry will send for me. They will torture administer the Kiss to me. I will be dead. I am finished running. At least Harry is safe."

"Dude, you aren't making a lot of sense," said Naruto.

Sirius rolled onto his side to lay on his bedroll. He turned again to stare at the wall opposite his bars. "Just please leave me alone," he pleaded.

Naruto decided to honor Black's wish. He went back to patrolling the block.

When Naruto got off his shift at six, he went to visit the training grounds. Hinata and Neji were there today. They were working on a long-distance technique that stemmed seemingly from the Hyuuga Clan juukenpou (Gentle Fist) style. Naruto approached them and Hinata asked for a break. The Hyuugas and the other Konoha 12 had been checking up on Naruto ever since Sakura's "death."

"Good evening, Naruto-kun," said Neji. His cousin nodded, intending to greet Naruto in her own shy way. "How are you?"

"Never felt better!" said Naruto with genuine cheerfulness. Hinata had grown to sense his lies. Neji was fluent in the reading of body language and she had begun studying it as well. Hinata found Naruto easiest to read.

"That's good," she said. "You really do seem to be back to normal."

"What does that mean?" said Naruto, feigning derision.

"Sorry, I just meant…" she started.

"Naruto, she's right," said Neji, taking the opportunity to fish for information. "You have been gloomy the last year, more so than the rest of us. In these past few weeks, when you instantly snap of your depression, we are supposed to go along with it? Such a recovery is not normal. Grief takes time. Even I still feel sadness for my father from time to time. I miss Sakura-san whenever I get admitted to Konoha Hospital. What about you?" Neji's eyes seemingly pierced Naruto's very soul. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't know what Neji wanted him to say.

Hinata clarified, "Did you mean what you said her funeral?" Hinata-chan looked hopeful. Could Sakura be alive?

"Well, I was hopeful then… but I mean it now," said Naruto. He asked seriously, "Can we sit down?" They sat. The sun was low in the sky, casting its light through the treeline. Naruto looked to Hinata for support. He trusted she could keep his secrets, but what about Neji?

Naruto asked, "Neji, remember how I told you that people who betray their friends are worse than scum?"

Neji nodded.

"Well, since we are friends, I would like to ask a favor," Naruto started.

Hinata quirked her brow. She leaned forward.

"You decided we were—right after the Chuunin Exams and the following fiasco."

"Right, so can I ask you guys not to repeat what I am about to say?"

Hinata took a moment to consider, and then nodded. She would at least hear him out. If it was too reckless an idea, well, she was a kunoichi, therefore, not bound by honor. She looked to her cousin, who, under her pleading gaze, consented to listen to Naruto.

Naruto looked at each of them before resting his gaze on Neji, the one he expected not to consent initially. "Neji, Hinata-chan, are you gate-watching tonight?"

Hinata and Neji were instantly on alert. Hinata did her best to relax. Neji asked what she would have stuttered, although she was getting over that old habit. "Hinata-san is. I am watching Karin tonight. Now, as a friend, I ask why would you need to know?"

"I need to go to the Valley of the End."

Hinata whispered, "Naruto-kun…"

"Naruto-kun," said Neji sternly, "Hokage-sama has you confined to the village. Akatsuki is getting desperate. Their actions have been sporadic lately. Anywhere outside the village is considered off-limits to you without Hokage-sama's sanction."

Naruto pouted and said, "I'll take Sai with me. We totally own together. We'll be swift and quiet. You don't have to worry."

Neji debated it. He folded his arms.

Hinata asked, "How long do you expect to be gone?"

Naruto thought about it. "It's scout-work. I just need to check something and then run back home."

"Something…?" Neji probed.

"A chakra signature," Naruto admitted. Hinata and Neji's eyes widened in surprise.

"Naruto-kun," she said, "you can read chakra signatures?"

"Just this one signature. It was kyuubi chakra, well, sort of, but I also… I also felt… I sensed Sakura."

Hinata gasped. She dared to smile hopefully. Neji looked skeptical. He asked, "Why not take a professional sensor with you? Karin is under house arrest for another month or so, but Ino's interrogation unit has a sensor. Maybe he could go with you."

"Or maybe he'll tell on me," said Naruto, pouting again like a five-year-old. He must have realized this. He decided to use his brain and reason with the Hyuugas. "Tsunade-baa-chan misses Sakura terribly. So many of her loved ones have died. Baa-chan doesn't want to feel hope. She doesn't want to feel anything."

Hinata thought about Kurenai-sensei and the time when Asuma died. Kurenai was difficult to watch. She looked so lifeless. Kurenai-sensei did not want to be involved with the world anymore. She stopped gardening and caring about all her other passions. Team 8 tidied up her house every week. Shikamaru watched after her health and made her eat properly. Ino's mother sent Kurenai-sensei a bouquet of flowers every week until she had her delivery.

Kurenai-sensei had recently given birth to not one but two babies. Fraternal twins. Kurenai-sensei was finally happy again. She was talking about Asuma without sounding grief-stricken. Meanwhile, Tsunade-sama was all business, sake, and pessimism.

"Well, Naruto," Hinata said, "Neji has a point. You aren't a sensor. What if you can't sense Sakura-chan this time? You should take a professional. Treat it like a real mission... Go prepared, you see?"

Naruto pondered this. He'd learned how to "ponder" in the year after Sakura's disappearance. He was still headstrong, but thankfully Naruto formed plans before he acted on missions. He scratched the stubble under his chin. "Neji," he finally asked. "You said you were watching Karin tonight?"

Neji nodded. "You want to borrow her."

"I'll check her in by morning. I swear. Sai can draw up a bird. We can get there and come back within six hours."

Neji made a 'hmm' noise that sounded optimistic. "You won't be targeted under the zero visibility of night. The forest canopies provide cover as well. Leave when night falls. Be back before dawn."

Naruto lit up. He thanked Neji generously. "Hinata-chan, what gate will you be watching tonight?"

"I'll be watching the North-Northeast gate. It is a little out of your way. You will have to circle the village before Sai draws up his bird. Also, I'll tell my partner to take a break at 10 PM. Good luck, Naruto-kun."

"Naruto-kun," said Neji, "If you find a hot trail, report to the Hokage. She may not believe in hope, but if you present irrefutable evidence, the Konoha 12 can start searching again."

Naruto nodded. "Do you guys want to grab dinner? I bet a couple others are at Ichiraku."

Hinata blushed. "Ano, Naruto-kun, we just finished training. I would be delighted, but…"

Neji spared her the embarrassment he could already sense accumulating. "We will be there in half an hour. I'm sure Sai will want to be informed of his mission. At eight o' clock I will take the you and Sai to see Karin."

Naruto found Sai in his studio minutes later. He gave Sai a heads up and Sai started packing for the mission. He actually chuckled. Naruto caught him and asked what was so funny.

"Just glad to have you back, Naruto," he said. Sai tossed Naruto some surplus gear. "Put those in one of my scrolls. We don't want to be found out, do we?"

They headed to Ichiraku, looking like two off-duty shinobi. Nothing much out of the ordinary happened during the meal. The three boys said good-bye to Hinata at ten until eight. They promptly arrived on Karin's doorstep.

Karin had handled the "Sasuke situation" fluidly. Once she was healed, Karin turned to the nearest shinobi, the healer, and spilled her guts on everything she knew Sasuke had done. The healer replied that Uchiha Sasuke was dead. Karin had shrugged and mumbled something like "for the best, anyway." Still, her confession was noted. The Hokage granted her leniency, a temporary place of stay, and put her under a year of house arrest. So Karin had ended up in this dump.

Karin lived in a rundown apartment near the Uchiha district. She had a washer, stove top, and refrigerator in her kitchen, a.k.a. the other half of her living room. On the other side were her electronics, a lamp on a writing desk and a 24" television set that got the basic channels. Karin had bought four cushioned chairs to dress up her living room. Her apartment fit just her with its one bed, one wash closet setup. Karin preferred it that way. She was tired of living with others. So what if the place was a little cramped?

Karin had greeted Naruto and Sai stoically. Neji brushed past them and entered. Karin's face lit up deviously. She gave him her sexiest pose and asked, "So Neji-san will be watching me tonight?"

"Hai. May they come in for a moment?" Neji asked. Karin let them in. As a gracious host, she offered Neji a seat in front of her TV, as she always did.

"Surely you had a good reason for bringing friends, Neji-san?" said Karin, pouting. "We hardly get alone time!"

Saving Neji the introduction, Naruto put out his hand. "Uzumaki Naruto." She shook his hand. Likewise, Sai introduced himself. Karin picked up a fuss about having to ration her food for four that evening, to which Sai exclaimed, "And you must be Miss Wonderful." So he dubbed Karin in Ino's likeness.

Karin, flattered, daintily pressed her palm to her cheek. "Oh, you are too kind! I guess I can diet tonight."

Neji informed Karin that they ate before coming. "Naruto would like to discuss something with you."

Karin looked pointedly at Naruto. He had yet to compliment her, so she saw no reason why she should suffer his happy-go-lucky presence. She liked her men stoic and mysterious. Karin placed a hand on her hip and stared him down.

Naruto cleared his throat and started determinedly. "A friend of mine went missing. I found her trail, but I need an expert to confirm it. Please help me."

Karin kept her gaze leveled on his own. "You think that I would break my probation terms? Who is this friend?"

Sai spoke. Calmly, he informed, "Her name is Haruno Sakura. You share a common bond. Both of you have been wronged by Uchiha Sasuke."

Karin considered this. "Why not go to your kage?"

Neji replied, "Naruto is special. He isn't allowed out of the village aside from missions. He has been on a vacation of sorts, possibly in preparation for this moment."

"Please," Naruto begged. "Onegai. Sai can fly us there and back in six hours. We would have two hours of leeway. Hinata-chan is on watch tonight. She said she would look the other way. Please do me this favor."

"Pinky," Karin said abruptly. "You are doing this for her?"

Naruto nodded. "I ran you to the Konoha Hospital. I saved your life. You owe me."

"I don't owe you for that. Sasuke had just betrayed me. I was ready to die," she said, reflecting on that day. "Still, I guess I owe you for giving me a new life, for bringing me to Konoha. Sasuke gave me a new life away from Orochimaru's Sound Village, but he discarded me to get to Danzou. Once you save a life, you become responsible for it. Please don't betray my trust like Sasuke did." Her voice hitched. The lamplight in the room reflected off her glasses. Still, Naruto swore she was stifling back tears. "You have to take full responsibility if we are caught."

Karin readjusted her glasses. "So we have a full-proof plan? I'm in."

Neji stayed at her apartment to await their return. He trusted Naruto and Sai to bring her back after the job was done.

The team, Naruto, Sai, and Karin, moved stealthily toward the gate. Hinata signaled to them. The team jumped up and quickly over the gate, waving to her as they passed. They circled five miles to the East side. Sai conjured an ink dragon that, had it been flesh, would weigh four tons, and off they went.

Naruto called over his shoulder to Karin, asking if she could sense anyone.

"Four below in front of us," she said.

"ANBU," thought Naruto and Sai aloud.

"We just past them. Their signature is already disappearing," she reported. Sai's dragon was that fast.

The team made it to the Valley three hours later. Sai left his dragon on the shore just affront the waterfall. Naruto asked specifically if she could feel Sakura's chakra. "Have you ever felt it?" he added.

"Briefly. I've had a year to forget. Give me a moment," she said. She sat down and practically meditated. After a few minutes, she remembered. She mumbled mostly to herself, "Of course. I remembered it. It was healer-like, compassionate, with a hint of the generic shinobi do-not-provoke feel. It also had a dense center of chakra. I did not have time to categorize it. I saw her for a fleeting moment before I passed out."

"Can you scan for it now?" Sai asked, doing his best to allow hope into his voice and expression.

Karin nodded. She instantly latched onto Naruto's signature. "It's the same!" she exclaimed.

"Ore?"

"The same?" the shinobi responded.

"Naruto has that same dense center. Perhaps Sakura used her dense chakra and Naruto was close enough to feel it. What is that dense chakra anyway?"

Naruto and Sai were stunned for a moment. Naruto replied, "Kyuubi chakra. It was surrounded by Sakura's healing chakra. She's healed me many times so I know what hers feels like. It was tainted with kyuubi chakra." Naruto frowned.

Karin asked, "So you are the kyuubi host? Hontou ni?"

Naruto nodded.

Sai inquired, "Are you still the kyuubi host?"

"Last time I checked," said Naruto, "When I fought Pain, he almost got out. He was weak though, come to think of it. He could only summon four tails, and I subdued him without Yamato-san's help." Naruto searched himself to confirm it. "Yeah, I can feel him. He's still pacing in his cell. He is angry and wounded, but he doesn't remember how or why."

"I can't feel Sakura," said Karin. The team filed the information away. They would be traveling in circles if they mulled it over at that instant.

"Let's get closer then," said Naruto. Naruto and Sai led Karin into the cave.

Charka still ebbed and flowed between the wet stone slabs. Karin gasped when they reached the twin obelisks. Naruto and Sai looked to her expectantly.

Karin calmed herself. She reported that she sensed nothing.

"Whadda ya mean nothing?" cried Naruto. Karin winced.

"Sakura isn't using the chakra. I don't sense her chakra, but get this!" she exclaimed. "The chakra I can sense keeps disappearing and reappearing. The chakra is coming from a dozen or so people. None of them are Sakura."

Naruto asked confusedly, "Why does that help?"

Karin stared at the archway for a couple seconds. Sai had to snap his fingers in front of her face to get her attention. Her head jerked to him, then Naruto. Naruto repeated his question.

"Don't you see?" Karin asked. She waited for suspense to flash across their face. "Do you see a dozen people anywhere in our vicinity?" she asked.

Sai and Naruto went on hyperalert. But they did not sense any other shinobi.

"Naruto, Sai, it is a portal," she said, believing it less when she said it aloud. "This must be a powerful forbidden technique. To think no one found it until now."

Sai retorted, "Actually, we are not the first to discovery its properties."

She lifted her brow quizzically.

"Naruto said he saw a man fly out of it. He had a knife wound. We took him to the Konoha hospital. Hokage-sama handed him over to the interrogation squad despite Naruto's pleas."

"Why didn't she believe you, Naruto?" asked Karin.

Naruto shrugged. "Would you? Tsunade-baa-chan was so happy when I took a break from ANBU missions. She thinks I'm losing it. I've visited him for almost three weeks now. He hasn't told me anything. He looks so defeated."

Sai asked Karin, "How sure are you about this portal theory?"

"I think you should talk to that man again," said Karin.

"You think if we simply ask, 'Hey, is this a portal,' he will spill his guts?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto," said Sai, "the interrogators would not have believed his story. I did not believe you. Kakashi-san and Hokage-sama did not believe you. We can come back when the next Konoha 12 member takes gate-watching duties."

Karin added, "We told Neji-san we would return. He is half-way to believing us. You need the Konoha 12 on board for this… mission."

"And I think the man in that cell would like to go home," said Sai as an afterthought.

Naruto looked at the archway one more time. "I'll find you, Sakura. I promise." He consented to their appeals. They got back on the ink dragon and flew back to Konoha.

Naruto dropped by the interrogator's offices again that morning. He appealed to Morino Ibiki's good nature and was allowed ten minutes with the unnamed prisoner (as he was listed).

Sirius Black's eyes lit up when Naruto blurted, "Is that archway a portal?" Stunned, Sirius Black had taken a moment to collect himself. Sirius Black finally told Naruto his story. Naruto could not think of a way to tell Ibiki though. How could he explain Mr. Black's appearance at the backroads into Konoha? All civilians knew to go through the checkpoints.

Naruto sighed, feeling defeated. Abruptly, he heard one of the guards call his name. It was Ino. "Hey, what's up?"

Desperately, Naruto started, "Are you getting off your shift? Yeah? Listen, I'm calling in a lot of favors right now. I promise I can explain at Karin's house tonight. Will you help me?"

The guards on duty received keys to the cells on their block. Naruto had been assigned the block Sirius was on a couple days ago. Ino unfortunately was changing her block B shift. Still, she told him that she would be at Karin's house awaiting an explanation for what he was about to do. She left before she could get caught in his problems.

Ino handed her key over to the next guard in the order for block B shifts. Naruto spotted a chunin on duty for the block A cells. He approached her calmly. This would work, he told himself confidently.

"Hey, ano koto, I've been low on cash lately. I haven't had an ANBU mission in weeks. I was wondering if I could take over the last hour of your shift?"

"Uzumaki-san?" she gasped. A blush threatened to coat her cheeks. She nodded. Slyly, she asked, "Do you intend to spend the money to go to some lucky girl?" A hopeful grin warred with her stoic mask.

"Sure," Naruto said. He gave her his pretend smile and she handed over the block A keyring.

"So I'll see you around, Naruto-kun?"

"Ja. See you around!"

Once again Naruto filled block A with his kagebunshins. Not a cell went unwatched. The real Naruto opened Sirius Black's cell a foot or so and tossed a kagebunshin in before closing it. Naruto left the cell open just a crack. Chakra could not be used within a closed cell. The clone transformed into the image of Sirius Black. Sirius Black gasped. Naruto put a finger to his lips.

"Relax. Look at the me outside the cell," said the kagebunshin. "I'm going to turn you into me. You walk out of here. I'm over my visiting time. If anyone asks, laugh like this," Naruto gave his signature laugh, "and say 'sorry, sorry, I forgot.' Everyone knows how forgetful I am. Go find a place to hide for the next hour. I will find you."

Sirius Black walked out calmly. When Ibiki reprimanded him, he followed Naruto's instructions. He left without incident. Naruto's kagebunshin curled up for a nap, and Naruto closed the cell door.

An hour passed. A male chuunin came and tapped one of the Naruto's on the shoulder. Naruto dismissed his clones, all except the transformed one, handed over the keyring, and took a detour toward the faculty break room. The break room was one of the few rooms that had windows. There was one other person in the room.

"Hey, Ibiki was asking for you," Naruto told the shinobi.

"When is he not?" replied the shinobi. "That man is a control freak. I double-checked and triple-checked the rosters." The man didn't want to budge.

Naruto slapped on his stoniest expression. He pointed his thumb at the door behind him. "Might want to tell him yourself. I don't think you know just how much of a control freak he is."

The man hopped out of his relaxed pose and left. Naruto promptly jumped out the window.

Naruto circled to the front of the building. He scanned the street for Sirius Black. A big, shaggy, black dog lay not ten feet away from him. The dog got up and practically pounced on him. It barked happily and proceeded to lick his face.

"Bleh! What?" Naruto was fairly startled. The dog got off of him and wagged its tail expectantly. It barked again.

"What do you want, boy?" Naruto asked.

"I think he wants you to follow him," said a masculine voice behind him. Naruto turned.

"Kiba?" Kiba was dressed in his mesh top, cargo pants, and shinobi sandals. He had a monstrous fish slung over his shoulder. Akamaru was transporting six on his own back. Naruto stared at the fish.

"Awesome, right? Chouji and I caught them this morning. We are going to cook one up for Kurenai-sensei. She needs to keep up her strength now that she has two brats of her own."

"You said the dog wants me to follow him?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah. He might lead you to buried treasure. Or fish. Tell me if he finds you any good fishing spots. Later!"

Naruto slapped his face. He needed to find Sirius and get him out of public. He also could use a nap. Regardless, he followed the the dog. "Can you at least find my friend?"

The dog barked.

"Huh? Is that a yes?"

The dog barked again.

Naruto grinned optimistically. "Alright! Well, lead the way."

The dog took him to the forested training area. He disappeared behind a tree, and out returned the man Naruto had been searching for.

"EEEEHH!" cried Naruto. "It was you all along?"

Sirius nodded. "I could not escape before or I would have. Thank-you." Sirius expected Naruto to ask a multitude of questions about his animagus form, however, Naruto just asked him to transform back. He did. Naruto led them back to his apartment.

"Do you need food?" he asked hospitably as he locked the door. "Help yourself to the fridge. Stay away from the windows." Naruto drew the curtains across them just in case. I'm going to sleep for a while. Feel free to watch TV. We'll talk when I wake up."

Never mind that Sirius never worked a television in his life. Naruto passed out on his bed. No matter. He was entertained enough by the puzzle it presented. Sirius figured out how to work the buttons on the TV within the hour. Harry would be so proud, He thought. His heart swelled with happiness before deflating. His poor godson had no idea he was alive.

…

Please read and review. Next chapter takes place in the same time frame.

Note: Karin could sense people, but Sakura is not at the ministry. Weeks have passed since Naruto felt her battle chakra. Those chakras Karin senses are the unspeakables cleaning up the place.