The Tale of a Gutsy Ninja: Naruto no saishū odessei

by SkittleHeart and LadyAngel

Naruto turned into the Six Paths to bring peace to the Ninja World and brought back many fallen ninja with the Rinnegan... including Obito. Now they must recapture Obito, give the tailed beasts their freedom, deal with threats from the revived Uchiha and the Elders, and all while dealing with missions and teen drama. Shikamaru's life just got more troublesome! SASUNARU & others!

3. Allies and Enemies & Something Inbetween

The Tale of a Gutsy Ninja: Naruto no saishū odessei

Chapter Three

Allies and Enemies… and Something Inbetween

Disclaimer: If we owned Naruto Sasuke would have grabbed Naruto's hand when they performed there jutsu together this week (SkittleHeart). Because when two ninja love each other very much they perform a jutsu together called the sex jutsu and have loads of Uchiha babies! – Favourite quote of LadyAngel.

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is late. Warnings: brother violence, Sasori is in it you may have a nosebleed (SkittleHeart), fan-girling and Jirrrraiiiiya!

SkittleHeart: Sai, Sasuke, Itachi, Sasori, Tsunade.

LadyAngel: Ino, Fugaku, Naruto, Hinata.

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Ino POV

My mum, who was sweeping the shop floor, stopped me on my way out the door with the words: "Your father is coming home for lunch today so we will be having a sit down meal as a family." There was that word again 'family,' she was deliberately saying it like that so that I would feel guilty and do exactly what she wanted.

Everything had been 'family this, family that' since Naruto had brought my dad back and we came home from the Fourth Shinobi War. At first I was really into it, wanting to make the most of the time I had with him. Then I realised that I didn't have a choice because my parents, more specifically my mother, was going to keep me in the house doing bonding activities. I couldn't enjoy it after that. It wasn't quality time with my dad anymore but just another chore they enforced on me.

"But mum," I whined. I couldn't allow her to do this today. "I told you last week that I arranged to have lunch over at Asuma-sensei's apartment."

"Sorry sweetie, I should have checked-" she started.

"Sooo I'll be back in two hours." I cut her off just wanting to get out of there. I didn't need her eating into anymore of my time.

"Ino," my mother's voice stopped me in my tracks, "I'm sorry that you had plans but I still want you to join us for lunch in an hour. This is important to your father. And with everything that he has been through, it wouldn't hurt for you to miss one hour with your friends, would it?" I felt so guilty. All I could think about was the memory of my father's death; wishing desperately for one more moment with him, hearing what I knew would be his last words, as the Ten-tail's beast bomb came hurdling towards HQ.

The ache in my chest was a scar of the pain I felt back then. "Fine," I whispered in defeat, "I'll come home in an hour for lunch."

"Thank you sweetie" she said, picking up my apron from the counter and putting it on. "Have fun, and remember not to eat too much, you're going to need plenty of room; I am making takoyaki (A.N: octopus dumplings) your fathers favourite." She added with a satisfied grin.

'Is she purposely trying to rub it is my face?' I wondered. "Yes mother" I snapped harshly before storming out the door.

Chouji caught up with me and together we walked over to where Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei lived.

"This is a really good idea Ino," Chouji beamed, "it's been ages since Team Ten have gotten together." When Chouji said it was my idea, what he had meant was, I had sort of invited us all over to Asuma-sensei's apartment for lunch.

"Yeah it's nice to get the chance to just hang out" I said, giving Chouji a smile.

We hadn't been Team Ten in so long, not since we lost Asuma-sensei, we thought his death had broken our team forever. That's why it was so amazing when Shikamaru pulled him through the barrier because despite the impossible our team could be whole again.

When we went to the meeting at the Hokage's office, we all thought that things would go back to the way it had been before, the same as Naruto did about Team Seven… instead we had been pulled apart even more and thrusted into these new teams.

I had been a little angry at Sakura for not going back onto Team Seven because it meant that all the teams were split up. I soon came to realise though that she was hurting deeply; seeing her shout at Sasuke whom she loved and going as far as saying goodbye to Naruto who had been there for her all these years. I knew at that point, I could not be angry with Sakura, only worried for her.

'I will drop by her house real soon to make sure she was alright and see if she wants to talk… Yeah she'll like that, we could even go out for lunch or do some light shopping.'

She wasn't the only one I was losing sleep over. I worried for Hinata, Kiba, Lee, Neji, TenTen and the whole of the 'Konoha Eleven.'

The one person I'm sure not to be alone in my concern for is Naruto. We owed him so much, I owed him so much: he defeated Obito, saved the Ninja world, established peace and brought back so many people taken from us by death… and all at the cost of his life. Everyone couldn't help but love Naruto which is why there was so much uneasiness now that Sasuke had returned to the village considering the lengths that Naruto went for him alone during the war.

Even Shikamaru found it hard to understand why Naruto did what he did and the only reason I hadn't joined Sakura in her efforts to lynch Sasuke was because Shikamaru said he trusted Naruto irrevocably and if someone as smart as Shikamaru trusted his judgement then who was I to argue with that decision?

My worries didn't end there. I also had to stress about my absent teammates. Shikamaru had just been placed on a team with NARUTO AND SASUKE, both INSANELY POWERFUL ninja, TROUBLE just followed and even if they two were being kept on a tight leash with exclusively D-rank missions they could end up KILLING EACH OTHER. 'The only comfort I have is that Shikamaru is too smart to get caught in the crossfire,' I sighed once again thankful for his brains, 'but then again this is NARUTO AND SASUKE. I just had to hope his brilliant mind was enough to save him and that he wasn't too lazy to use it to save himself.'

Today I had devoted the time to making Chouji feel a bit better. He had spent the last couple of weeks looking lost without his best friend and being a prisoner in my own home meant I hadn't been able to hang out with him. That is what today was supposed to be for, I decided it would be nice if we all had lunch so that we could spend time together, and since Asuma-sensei wanted to spend as much time as he could with his new family, there was no better place to have it than at his apartment - but my parents were insistent on ruining that too.

As we were walking along the main road; I saw Sai moving towards the gate with a rucksack on his back.

Everyone was too busy worrying, fighting or trying to fix Team Seven that they gave not a moments had thought to Sai. 'He must really feel that he was just Sasuke's replacement' I suddenly felt very guilty for all the comments I had made about the similarities between the dark ravens. 'Nobody likes to be rebound.'

However Sai didn't let on that he was saddened, he didn't complain or argue about the unfairness of it all or how it hurt his feelings. 'Then again, why would you bother crying if no one cared enough to notice?' I thought staring at the bag on his back. 'Wouldn't it just be easier to move on? Is that what Sai is doing now? Is he leaving the village?' All these questions started to flood my mind. 'If he ran away, where would he go?' That reminded me of something I had almost forgotten; it seemed too unimportant that day…

Sai's hand pulled another out of the purple haze. "Brother, please let him go, you mustn't bring him through…," Sai pulled harder but his brother wouldn't let go, "brother…" he cried.

Using all his might, I watched as Sai pull his brother through the barrier and another elderly looking man came through with him; I was too far away to tell if I recognised them.

'If that boy is Sai's brother then he had every reason to leave the village. I don't know anyone who would choose to stay where they are not wanted when they could be someone else where they are. I had to change his mind…'

"Stay here a second. I want a word with Sai" I told Chouji, already leaving to catch up with Sai.

Catching up to him, I asked very directly "Sai where are you going?"

He was taken back by my question probably expecting to slip out of the village unnoticed. Collecting himself, he put a very strained smile on his face. "I'm just going on a walk."

"Naruto and Sakura are right, you're a terrible liar" I said without thinking, Sai frowned at my words.

"LOOK SAI" I said very firmly. "I know that you pulled your brother out that day. Are you going to see him? Don't lie, I have eyes, I can see the bag on your back. Right… I'm going to tell you why you should stay. I know it doesn't seem like it now but all of us are a family. Sakura and Naruto - no we all would miss you too much if you were gone. SO STAY and if you're feeling lonely then come talk to me. I can't promise to make you feel better but I CAN SURE AS HELL DO MY BEST TO TRY!"

Sai had a sad smiled on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have any brothers. You know I'm an orphan from the Foundation." He turned away from me. "I was wrong about you Ino. Your nickname shouldn't be 'Beautiful,' it should 'Big Mouth,' because you have a big mouth that talks too much."

'What did he just say?' "FUCK YOU! I WAS TRYING TO BE NICE!" I yelled, spinning around flicking my blonde locks as I did it.

"You're a funny girl Ino" Sai chuckled. Sai began to walk away. "Oh, I almost forgot, how careless of me. You are supposed to thank a friend when they give you advice." He turned to me then giving me a warm smile. "So… thank you."

'Friend? He considered me a friend.' Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I blushed and said, "I guess your welcome then."

Sai turned away from me then and continued on the path out of the village.

'Maybe I should go after him…' I thought. My train of thought was broken hearing Chouji complaining: "I'm starved. What do you think we'll have to eat? Barbeque, I love barbeque" He drooled at the thought.

I had to turn green at the thought. "How can you even think about that place after last time?"

To keep up appearances, I had to pretend that I spent most of the next week chucking my gets up when in reality I had just healed myself with medical nin-jutsu.

'Hangovers were a thing of the past for medical nin' at least that's what Lady Tsunade told me. It was probably one of the only techniques that I had learnt without Sakura, and the reason for that was that a goody too shoes like her wouldn't waste her chakra on that, but I wasn't going to feel like shit just for a clean conscience.

The real reason I had to fake I hangover though was because of something Dog-breath had said; he claimed that girls couldn't hold their liquor and that beers didn't count if you just zapped away all of the effects. That was a load of bullshit, only suckers would willingly endure a hangover when they can cure it, but to prove him wrong I had given myself 'the biggest hangover in the history of the Leaf Village,' well at least that's what he thinks.

Chouji rubbed his belly, groaning, "I missed third breakfast."

"Third breakfast." I rolled my eyes at what I was hearing. "You know Chouji maybe missing a few meals would be good for you."

Chouji's nostrils began to flare. "Are you calling me FAT?!"

I sighed. "It was only a friendly suggestion. No need to bite my ear off. I'm just saying that it might help you to get a girlfriend if you lost a few pounds." There was steam coming out of his ears. "Don't take it personally, it the same for everyone, girls don't want to date fat guys and guys don't want to date fat girls. It's not just me saying it, see for yourself, girl's go for guys like Sasuke-kun and Itachi-"

"Would you really want to be with a guy like Sasuke?" Shikamaru said, having a smoke while waiting for us outside the apartment building.

I shrugged. "Why not? He's hot, he's powerful ninja-"

"If that's true, then I don't understand it, why would someone be with someone just for their looks? Surely, it's what's underneath that matters the most, to me the most beautiful person in the room is someone that lights up the room with their personality not by the size of her waist."

Shikamaru took the trouble to smile at Chouji's response. "We all loose our looks one day" he added, taking another drag of his cigarette.

"Whatever." I scoffed, "What do the two of you know about girls anyway?"

"Shikamaru is the only one in a relationship…" Chouji thought to remind me.

I stormed into the apartment building then making sure to dramatically slam the door behind me.

Sai POV

I turned around and whispered, "Thank you." Ino flounced off smiling a little before I turned back to the wood my smile slipping off a steely look taking its place.

I made my way to the darkest part of the Forest of Death. "Brother," Shin came up behind me smiling.

"Brother." I greeted him with a wry smile I forced onto my face.

"Sai." The cold voice I had dreaded hearing came from behind the trees.

"Danzo-sama." I kneeled as he came out, exactly the same as I remember, the same cold calculating expression and I knew he was evaluating my worth. He couldn't leave a loose end like me running around Konoha.

My mouth tightened my hand going to my paint brush.

"Relax. It doesn't need to come to that Sai. If you come back to the root then nothing has to happen to you or to Shin." Danzo said calmly eyeing my hand.

"And if I refuse?" I asked keeping the anger out of my voice.

"Why would you want to do that? You belong to the Root. Don't kid yourself into believing anyone in the village cares about you. Especially now they have that traitorous Uchiha brat and his clan are back." Danzo scoffed. "To top it all off their worshipping that Jinchuuriki brat as a hero. He is nothing more than a weapon; not Hokage material. You will help me put a stop to their rein of terror!" He told me in a harsh tone.

"I won't help you harm Naruto!" I growled.

"That's a shame - BOYS!" Danzo yelled. Men, members of Root, began popping out of the trees; there were at least fifty surrounding us. "Kill them both."

I froze, ice cold fear surrounding my heart. "Please." Shin whispered terror in tone.

"Fine." I conceded. I was willing to die for my friends, the people I had come to consider family but... I looked at Shin. He had been my family since I was a child, Naruto would understand, I needed to protect my first bond like he had with Sasuke. My explanations did nothing to stop the guilt eating my heart as Danzo explained what I needed to do. 'I'm sorry... Naruto, Sakura' I thought as my betrayal began.

Fugaku POV

I gathered all the traditional and elder members of the Uchiha Clan for a secret meeting up at our old shrine on the hill.

"Why have you called us here Fugaku?" Tino asked as elected spokesman of a large family of Uchiha.

"I have called you all here to get a few things straight before we attend the other Uchiha clan meeting. I am here to tell you the true leader of the Uchiha clan is me. My son is nothing more than a puppet at this stage to appease the Leaf Village while we regain our strength. Once that is achieved we will launch an attack on the Leaf Village and its Hokage. And finally take this village as our own…"

There were whispers and nods of agreement "It's true that we share your views on these things Fugaku." Kaiko spoke very diplomatically. "But what of your sons? Is it not your youngest son that is leading the clan at this very moment, what does he say about these things? How do we know this is not a test? And if your assumption of leadership is genuine, was it not your other son that killed us all? Your leadership skills have to be questioned-" 'How dare he speak to me like this?' He stopped talking seeing my sharingan.

"Are you challenging me Kaiko? My father was Head of the Clan before me and his father before him. I am a direct descendant of the eldest son of the Sage of the Six Paths. No one has a right to rule this clan but me and that right will not pass to Sasuke until I am dead and buried. Any other claim can be bought to me directly and I will show you all why I am Head of the Clan" I told them not hiding the threatening meaning behind my words.

"We're not questioning you Fugako." An elder Uchiha said giving me the respect I deserved. "We just want to know what is going on. We were told in the last clan meeting that Sasuke was Head of the Clan. If that is true, then where does he settle on these matters you've discussed? Your son has been seen with the future Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. It makes us wonder whether his true loyalties lie with us or this village. We don't want to leave anything to chance like last time. You don't want him turning out like your eldest son, do you?"

"Don't worry about Sasuke. He was willing to destroy this village and its future Hokage to avenge us. So when the time comes to choosing between us and them, he will choose us. Sasuke will always put the clan first. But Itachi—he could be a problem…" My eldest son was everything that I could have hoped for intelligent and powerful but he always lacked devotion to the Uchiha clan. In that one area, I have to give my younger son the credit; Sasuke has turned out to be a true Uchiha.

"How do you propose we deal with your eldest son? He is a prodigy and killed the entire clan in a single night." 'That is why only Itachi could have devised the plot that would kill him' I thought, a sly grin appearing on my face. Itachi could look down on me and this clan as much as he liked from the grave.

"As my son was so helpful to point out to us, he may have killed us but Sasuke killed him." Deliberately shocking them with this heinous crime, brother killing brother, I showed them that they dared not challenge my rule of this clan again. "I would give the blood of both my sons for the Uchiha and I expect all of you to do the same." I bathed in the fear in the room, only now did I feel truly alive and at home in the Uchiha clan.

Sasuke POV

I sat at my desk writing out a speech for the latest meeting in the Uchiha district. I glanced at my clock it was one in the afternoon. 'Huh, that is weird usually he would have shown up by now' I thought. I should feel relieved he was finally breaking our routine, of him asking me to go somewhere with him and me telling him it wasn't going to happen, but I couldn't help but worry 'was he hurt?'

I heard the door open downstairs. I almost went down until I heard my father's low grumbling about Itachi. I sighed he'd probably just given up by now I was being stupid.

The window creaked open and Itachi casually slid through, "The house does have a door you know!" I said irritably, obviously he'd been out again.

"Yes I know, last time I recall, it was you who couldn't remember how to use a door. At least I don't believe I am a ghost that can float through walls." Itachi said calmly.

"That was one time nearly three weeks ago! Not everytime I sneak off to see a village whore!" I snapped.

"So angry little brother, if I didn't know better I would say your grumpy demeanour means your pining." Itachi teased walking out not giving me time to reply.

"Yeah, yeah, well I will be pissed if you die of an STI after all I done to bring you back!" I shouted. I stared at the sheet in front of me, it wasn't a hard speech, it was simply about rebuilding the Uchiha district's houses, 'why couldn't I do it?'

Sighing irritably, I stormed into the bathroom and washed my face glaring at my reflection. I heard the window creak open again. "ITACHI! MY WINDOW IS NOT YOUR PERSONAL DOOR! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM!" I stomped into my room, only to fall back in shock as Naruto was closing the window behind him.

"Uh hi Sasuke." Naruto laughed nervously rubbing his hand through his hair.

"Dobe what are you doing climbing through my window?" I asked, a vein popping in my head.

"Teme! How many times have I told you to stop calling me that! Anyway your Mum said she wasn't gonna be in today so Itachi said I should just come through the window." Naruto explained with a shrug.

"Itachi." I growled to myself, "Well I can't come out today dobe so you can go now." I said shooing him out back through the window.

"Yeah I know, clan stuff, right?" He said bitterly before smiling, "Don't worry, I'm not here to see you anyway, you have a reprieve." I tensed.

"What are you doing here then?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Tsk. Sasuke you're being very rude to the future Hokage. Naruto it's great to see you again!" Itachi smirked ruffling the blonde's hair.

"Itachi you saw me last night dattebayo!" Naruto laughed trying to fix his hair.

"Too long. Ready to go out for ramen? My treat." Itachi asked smiling slightly at him opening the window.

"YES! This is why you're my favourite Uchiha!" Naruto shouted happily. "See you later Sasuke. Good luck with your clan stuff!" Naruto didn't even turn around and acknowledge me before jumping out the window.

I spun round, glaring at my brother, "What are you up to Itachi? What did he mean last night?"

"You give me far too much credit foolish little brother. I'm not up to anything and that second one is oblivious, isn't it? I was out with Naruto last night. I'll be sure to tell him you called him the village whore." Itachi smirked jumping out after Naruto. I looked out the window and saw the two of them chatting animatedly to a few children of the clan.

"Sasuke-sama." One of the Uchiha scribes entered my room, "Your meeting will start in five minutes so make sure you..." He stopped when he came face to face with my Mangekyo Sharingan. "I'll say you want… you'll be ten mi-min-minutes." He stuttered running out of the room.

Naruto POV

It was a refreshing break for me to go to the Uchiha district; the Uchiha kept themselves to themselves and didn't pay too much attention to me. However, today, a group of children surrounded me as I came out of Sasuke's window. "You better not be breaking into Sasuke-sama's house because he will BEAT YOU UP!" A six year old boy threatened me.

"Yeah he will kick your arse," another boy agreed, "he's an Uchiha you know and the UCHIHA CLAN IS THE MOST POWERFUL CLAN EVER!" The little boy turned to all the other children telling them what authority he got the information from: "My dad told me."

I held back the smirk kneeling to the children's eye level. "It's true that some of the most powerful ninja I have faced have been Uchiha. But it's not just because they were from your clan that made them such powerful shinobi. I would be discrediting them as ninja if I thought that. It takes hard-work and practice to become truly strong like Sasuke and I."

I laughed a little then. "But Teme couldn't defeat me. I'm the great Uzumaki Naruto the future Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves" I boasted loudly. 'I hope Sasuke heard that…' I waited to hear him shout, but if he did hear me, he ignored it. He had been doing everything in his power to avoid and ignore me ever since we had got back to the village.

A little girl pulled on my orange jumpsuit, "Excuse me, excuse me, mister. What's a Hokage?" she asked very politely.

An older boy, maybe in his early teens, answered her. "The Hokage is the strongest ninja in the Leaf Village."

"That's part of it." I nodded. "But not the most important part-"

"My dad is much stronger than you," one of the kids began tackling my leg, "he should become Hokage. NOT YOU!"

I tried to shake him off my leg, "Hey kid get off."

He let go and I attempted to give them all an answer. "How can I explain it?" I asked myself. "Um… I told my sensei once that the Hokage were 'the greatest shinobi of there time, the best of the best, undefeated ninja champs.' So when I was younger, I basically thought to be Hokage was the same thing that you said just now, but I didn't fully understand it back then." I was rambling again.

"Maybe it would be easier to tell you what I learnt from my Hokage studies." These were Uchiha children after all and Sasuke always liked showing off with his text books. 'Maybe the kids would understand it better if I used something like that' I thought. "The First Hokage said being Hokage meant that the '…countrymen of the leaf make up each part of (your) body… those of the village believe in (them), and (they) believe in (village). That's what it means to be Hokage!'- I liked his words."

"But to me, even that doesn't cover it. The Hokage I want to be, the greatest Hokage, is a shinobi not only willing to protect the people of this village but the people of the entire Ninja World from harm, even at the cost of my own life. I want to be the Hokage that brings peace to this world. Eh, do you guys get what I'm saying?" I was getting all starry-eyed again. 'They probably had no idea what I am saying?' My heart sunk. 'I suck at explaining things.'

"Their own life… that's scary" the little girl replied hugging a teddy bear close to her.

I ruffled her hair. "No it's not. That is the job that the Fifth Hokage, Baa-chan, is doing right now."

"So you would put your life on the line to protect us…? She asked.

I gave her a wide smile, "Of course."

All the children exchanged glances. The children whispered amongst themselves; there was a mixture of responses: "Wow", "That's brave", "He must be a powerful shinobi", "…it's stupid", "Father said a good ninja only looks after themselves".

Seeing Itachi appear at the window above, I made sure they understood I wasn't breaking in all I needed was a report of a break-in, "… anyway I wasn't breaking into Sasuke's house I was invited."

"Are you friends with Sasuke-sama?" one of the children asked me.

I beamed at the child's question. "I'm Sasuke's best friend."

Itachi dropped down behind me nearby. "Are you ready to go Naruto?" I turned to him giving him a massive smile. "You're about to see something magical now Itachi. Forget all the nin-jutsu I can do… its how quick and how much ramen I can eat that is AMAZING!"

"I'll look forward to seeing it" Itachi said, giving me a warm smile.

The children all cowered as Itachi approached us.

Confused, I turned to leave with Itachi -"Bye kids." "I'll come back and play with you guys some other time. I'll even teach you some jutsu if you like," I said with a wink, "but don't tell your parents or Sasuke might actually try and kill me."

Itachi had a strange look on his face. "What's that look for?" I asked rubbing the back of my head nervously.

"You're very good with people Naruto." He stated matter-of fact.

'He must be joking? Me. Good with people. I'm the guy that everyone in the village hated and shunned for my entire childhood. I'm the guy that couldn't bring Sasuke back to the village for three years and he's ignoring now. I'm the guy that Sakura won't be friends —

"I'm not good with people" I told him rather bluntly. As soon as I said it I felt guilty for snapping at him. I tried to lighten the mood. "But I suppose most people seem good with people with Sasuke around huh?" Teme was the source for a lot of our jokes.

Itachi put his hand over his mouth to cover his chuckle. "You have a point. But I wouldn't sell yourself so short. The people of the Leaf Village adore you. And from what I hear they have every reason to: sending shadow clones to support ninja units, lending chakra to the medical core to help them heal the injured, helping out around the village with repairs, maintaining good foreign relations by entertaining foreign dignitaries, guest appearances all over the village, ALWAYS finding the time to stop and talk to people. And doing all that selflessly while continuing to train and learn your future Hokage duties." He listed part of my itinerary for the past couple of weeks. "You are good with people Naruto." He stated firmly.

I grimaced. "If I'm so good with people then why doesn't it work on Sasuke" I said so low it could have been a whisper.

Itachi heard me. He was the one trying to lighten the mood then. "Didn't I tell you Naruto that I have a foolish little brother?" he laughed.

We arrived at Ichiraku's and sat down on the high stools to eat.

"I have been meaning to talk to you about the mission."

"Oh yeah!" 'I totally forgot about that.'

Itachi continued, "I delivered your scroll to the Kazekage as you requested and he was happy to allow Sasori to rejoin the Akatsuki on your say so. I was shocked that he would agree to it bearing in mind the Akatsuki's past especially considering Sasori was from his own village and was part of the team sent on the mission where he was killed."

"Baa-chan said he wasn't too happy about the idea but that's why I wrote to him personally explaining the situation to him. Gaara is a good friend of mine." I smiled thinking about my friend but I had to stop because it hurt I missed seeming him. The only part of the war ending I didn't like was that so many of the friends had seen and made on the battlefield had then gone home and I couldn't see them everyday like I wanted too.

"That explains it." Itachi had a small smile shaking his head as if to say 'Only Naruto' or 'I should have known'; it easy for me to read Itachi because he and Sasuke were a lot alike. "After he released Sasori, the team and I escorted him to the new Akatsuki base at the edge of the Rain Village. We stayed there over night. Nagato asked after you and told me to tell you that so far they have been following a few leads but they haven't got anything solid to go on. I said I would keep you updated and let you know if I hear anything of use."

"Thank you Itachi you've been a big help." I said practicing my 'I'm the Hokage' voice.

I slipped out of it a bit too easily. "So where is Kisame staying?" I asked shoving noodles into my mouth to stop myself from grinning.

"How did you?—Sage mode." He realised. "Kisame is staying in the basement of one of the old houses in the Uchiha district."

"Is that safe? What if they find him? Have you told Sasuke about this yet?" I babbled in-between taking mouthfuls of ramen.

"Nowhere is completely safe but no one has been down there in years, so it's unlikely they will find him." He told me with confidence.

"No, I haven't told Sasuke anything and I don't think we should. Sasuke would struggle with the dilemma of choosing between his loyalties to the clan and his promise to you. Even if I would like to think Sasuke would hide Kisame for us… I have learnt better than to predict Sasuke's actions. At this moment we need the Akatsuki more than we need Sasuke to know anything. So it's better to keep Sasuke in the dark." I could understand his reasoning Sasuke was the most unpredictable person I had met but it was still Sasuke- 'How could I lie like that to my best friend.'

Thoughtfully, I nodded, "I understand where you are coming from. I don't want to put Sasuke in a position where he has to choose between lying to his family and what we are doing. However if he discovers the truth - I won't lie to Sasuke." I told him in all seriousness now. Itachi looked lightly disturbed my words and didn't mention we didn't discuss it anymore.

We sat and chatted while I ate my many bowls of ramen.

"Itachi what day is it today?" I asked.

"It's July 23rd."

'Oh no.'

"Did you forget Naruto what day it is?" Itachi said. 'Shit, I'm such a crappy person, he had remembered and I didn't.'

I gave him a grin ordering another bowl of ramen. "Shikamaru takes care of that stuff for me. Kakashi calls him my very own Shizune for when I become Hokage. It's just I loose track of the days. As you know I am doing all sorts of things all the time: helping out all areas of ninja, guest appearances, and helping rebuild run down areas in the village. I don't really need to sleep that much and when I do it's at very random points. But the very important date I have been waiting for is TODAY…" I babbled, "soooo I have to split. Thanks for the ramen Itachi-nii-san!" I said running off to start on my mission of getting wrapping for Sasuke's gift. 'I can't believe I didn't know it was his birthday!"

Itachi POV

I breathed a sigh watching Naruto walk off. 'Why my little brother insisted on being so foolish I would never know.' Genius I may be but that boy isn't something you could understand. Speaking of geniuses... I narrowed my eyes at the boy I had been stalking for the past hour.

"Itachi." I turned to Kisame who was grinning amusedly. "Why don't you just talk to the guy?"

"What?" I said exasperated, shaking my head at him. He laughed, only offending me more.

"I mean instead of skulking and manipulating, why don't you just talk to the guy and see if he is genuine? Who knows he might even help you in your plotting, maybe it's a genius thing." Kisame teased.

"That makes no sense, wait... are you suggesting I tell the truth?" I asked horrified.

Kisame laughed and I glared. "I'm sorry you should have seen the expression on your face! Yes Itachi, the truth, I know that is going to be excruciating for you but I think if you want this guy to be honest with you your going to have to be honest with him."

"Kisame that is the most stupid-" Someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around sharingan activated.

"This is troublesome. Why are you following me?" The boy, Shikamaru, asked sighing.

I opened my mouth to start to lie but Kisame gave me a warning look. 'The truth' he mouthed. "I wanted to talk to you about my brother."

"Fair enough, I expected this was coming. How bothersome." He sat down on a log next to me. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"How do I know your not plotting against my brother? What is your opinion on him?" I demanded my mangekyo activated.

"I- ugh." Shikamaru started looking between Kisame and I.

"I'll leave you two alone. I have a meeting to attend." Kisame spoke breaking the awkward silence. I glared at him forcing me to be honest then leaving. Great friend. "I have to be there to check they don't do anything to the foolish one." Oh right, that meeting. He was right, Sasuke had to come first.

"Hn." I gave the slightest tilt of my head.

"Okay then, nice to meet you Nara-san." Kisame walked off. I watched him on guard; he wasn't exactly the most careful person walking out in broad daylight in a village that perceived him to be a missing nin.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't mention he was here." I dared him sharingan blazing.

Shikamaru however only looked vaguely amused. "Did Naruto say he could be here?"

"Yes Naruto agreed." I said hesitantly. 'Why was that so important?'

"Then its fine by me. I do however want to know why the Akatsuki are here, didn't they join Obito? This is so troublesome. Naruto what have you gotten into this time?" He shook his head muttering under his breath.

I smiled inwardly making sure it didn't show on my face. This boy reminded me of a lazier version of myself, but lazy as he may be, he clearly cared about his comrades in the Leaf and therefore had the obsessive need I had to know everything.

"A question for a question it is my turn." I made it sound like a command but I think he knew it was an offer. 'You tell me what you know and I'll tell you what I know.' He nodded.

"How do you feel about my brother's return to the Leaf?" I asked him, staring at his face for any disgust, I found none.

"Sasuke, though I don't completely forgive him for what he did to Naruto, is a member of the Hidden Leaf. He didn't actually attack Konoha in the end and a lot happened to make him turn out the way he did. On top of all that, Naruto wants us to forgive him. So while I feel wary of him at times, I trust Naruto's judgement wholly and as I have accepted Sasuke as a member of the Hidden Leaf, I would give my life as I would for any comrade." Shikamaru took a drag out of the cigarette he had lit.

I mulled it over. "You trust Naruto that much?" I asked. That boy had an amazing ability that had absolutely nothing to do with his nin-jutsu.

"It's supposed to be my turn to ask a question, but yes. Though I don't understand the workings of his mind, he has never led me wrong yet. Out of anyone in this world: my family, lover and best friend, I trust his judgement more than any of theirs." Shikamaru told me seriously.

"Strange, the hold he has over the entire village, myself and my foolish little brother. Especially the hold he has over my little brother." I mused aloud.

"It is strange, but they were extremely close, in an odd way Team Seven, particularly those two. Perhaps going through so much, not just in their own lives but in the high ranking missions that befell them so early on as genin, are what made the bond grow so fast and deep." He commented.

"Yes, he get's through to Sasuke in an odd way. Sasuke complains about him all the time but it's in an amused way and he can't resume his day completely until Naruto has shown up and tried to drag him out somewhere. That mission you're talking about, the Zabuza mission right?" I asked curiously, ideas swimming through my mind.

"Naruto is a drag as well. Always looking like someone kicked Kyuubi everytime Sasuke has to 'be somewhere.' Yes the wave country was intense, especially on Sasuke's part, I don't know all the details but I know he suffered intense injuries trying to save Naruto." Shikamaru said slowly taking another drag.

"You don't understand their bond completely do you?" I asked amusedly looking at the confusion on his face, "I will set up a mission in the wave country I want you to specifically watch Sasuke's reactions hopefully it might bring the two closer." I told him he nodded.

"What a drag it's so far away but I guess it can't be helped." He smiled shaking his head, "Anyway what are the Akatsuki doing around this area?" He asked still bugged obviously by the thought they might attack his most trusted person.

"Kisame is the only one in the village, here to help me but Naruto got under Nagato's skin before he died. When he came back Nagato reformed the Akatsuki with its original goal of creating world peace. We are now currently helping Naruto in his quest to defeat Obito and all the missing nin under his command." I told him giving him my most honest look. It was painful but I think he was convinced.

"Who's Nagato? I mean I know the name but I don't want to attack if their allies now" he asked. I looked for any trace of maliciousness on his face, there was none.
I pulled a picture out of my pocket, fondness overwhelming me for a second, how times had changed, I looked as angsty as Sasuke in this picture.

"This one at the back is Nagato Uzumaki," I pointed to the redhead who was smiling at the only female member of the Akatsuki. "Despite popular belief, the blue haired woman smiling at him, with the paper flower in her hair, is the only woman in the Akatsuki. Even though some people still insist on saying that Deidara," I pointed to the blonde who was in the middle of an argument with Sasori shoving a clay sculpture at him, "is a woman, he isn't, though we all enjoy mocking him."

"The one glaring at him with a senbon protruding from his hand is Sasori, the one with his middle finger up with blood all over him is..." I started to explain.

"Hidan." Shikamaru growled out. "You mean to tell me he is back!"

I looked at his face Hidan and Kakuzu must have personally hurt him. "Well you know who Kisame and I are, may I ask what Hidan and Kakuzu did?"

"He killed my mentor, him and that other one, Kakuzu. They were remorseless, how can Naruto trust them?" He snarled his face paling.

"Because he gave everyone a second chance," I said confidently shocking even myself. "He is incapable of giving up obviously; he believes that Hidan and Kakuzu will change. Sasuke isn't the only one with a hard past, I in no way condone them, they are brutal but no one came with a sunny background. I will personally see they never hurt a nin of the Leaf." I promised.

He looked at me a grim smile on his face, "Damn Naruto. Well I said I would trust him, so I guess I'm going to have to deal, if we don't stop Obito I could lose everyone all over again."

"That's true." I nodded slowly before standing up and dusting myself off, "I am trusting you, Nara Shikamaru, with my brother and Naruto. Maybe we can have another meeting sometime soon its refreshing to talk to another genius." I smiled slightly.

He smiled back, "You got it."

I walked off feeling lighter now. I had to go and find out what had been said at the meeting from Kisame. I hope Sasuke doesn't think of installing a lock on his window, then again, he wouldn't, that would block one of the many ways Naruto could check up on him. In the meantime, I had another plot in mind. "Kisame," He turned curiously to me from the weights he had been lifting, the only one who didn't avoid eye contact with me I thought. "We have a bridge to bust."

Sasuke POV

"I have decided to put Kaiko and Nubuko out on the far edge to rebuild from the outside in and Niju and Tino will be responsible for the resources getting to the right parts of the district." I announced coming to the end of my speech, the young boy Niju smiled at me grateful for the opportunity.

"Sasuke it is clear you have put a lot of thought into this but Kaiko is one of our strongest members we need him close to the centre of the village in case of an attack, Tino has a lot more to offer than resource gathering and distribution." My father objected for the fourth time this meeting. I bit my lip.

"With all due respect father, I am the head of the clan, we are not under threat from any attacks currently. Kaiko has some of the best physical strength in the village and Tino…" I had started to reply.

"Sasuke we could always be under threat, you can't trust anyone, especially not the Leaf. Didn't your brother prove that when he massacred everyone here?" There were murmurs of agreement from the crowd. I resisted the urge to snap, 'this was what I wanted wasn't it? My clan back.'

My father continued, "Naivety it is not a trait a leader can afford. There are many people that still bear grudges against the Uchiha especially the Leaf and there you are entertaining the future Hokage to the Leaf! We really have to ask where your loyalties lie, with the clan or your traitorous brother?"

The crowd murmured. He publicly humiliated me but that had to stop now. "Uzumaki Naruto has rebuilt all the houses on the East side of the clan borders. He is of no threat to any of us. My brother did kill you all and I keep that in mind but he done so under orders from a man that no longer exists." I told him calmly. Make him out to be the foolish one Sasuke, remember what Itachi taught you.

I raised my voice so they could all hear, "We are sticking to my original orders. I thank you all for raising points I'm sure you believed were concerning but as the only one who has grown up in these times I can assure you I know what I am doing." With that I walked out of the meeting with my head held high. I needed to get Suigetsu here fast. I looked up at the Hokage office money stashed in my pockets.

It took me five minutes to get to the office; those D-rank missions are bending me out of shape, I grimaced. "Lady Hokage." I said opening her door and walking through, only to be greeted by the sight of Naruto's teacher Jiraiya holding her over the desk. "Oh. I would come back later but I need this sorted out as a matter of urgency."

Tsunade righted herself, pushing Jiraiya onto the floor and sitting behind the desk doing up her blouse, "Uchiha ever heard of knocking?" Tsunade growled. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked adjusting her blouse.

"I want to pay for a mission to bring back Suigetsu Hozuki to the Leaf for assistance as a member of my previous team I can ensure he doesn't pose a threat to the Leaf. I have however a request." I told her calm keeping the expression on my face neutral. Sure I saw Orochimaru with random young men and he invited me to join (obviously I declined) but that was Orochimaru, I didn't expect it of the Hokage of Konoha.

"So you're asking me to take the word of an old S-rank criminal, that a current S-rank criminal won't cause trouble in a village he wasn't even born to and on top on that you want a favour." She asked standing up and fisting the table angrily.

"Tsunade." Jiraiya spoke giving her a calm-down look.

She sighed, "What is your request Uchiha?"

"I want my team to take the mission but I don't want the other members of the team to know who is paying for it." I told her slipping another twenty thousand yen than needed for the mission.

She raised her eyebrow before slipping the money into her pocket, "Fine tell Naruto and Shikamaru to come see me as soon as possible for the mission." She sighed again Jiraiya gave me a look 'Orochimaru' I mouthed at him he nodded a small smile on his face.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." I bowed my head respectively.

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Get the hell out of my office." She said grouchily but I caught the small smile on her face. I nodded and walked out into the street instantly someone collided with me knocking the wind from me. I struggled up glaring at whoever dared to...

"I'm so sorry I..." Naruto started to stumble frantically picking himself up off of me and grabbing up parcels he had been collecting. "SASUKE I WAS LOOKING FOR YOU!" He shouted happily.

Itachi appeared behind him smirking offering his hand, "Need a hand up foolish little brother?"

I slapped his hand away, standing up and faced Naruto glaring, "Watch where you're going dobe!" I snapped.

He acted like it never happened piling the parcels into my arms, "Open them." He beamed. I gave him a quizzical look.

I opened them discovering various new weaponry. I groaned, "Naruto I don't have the time to spar with you right now."

"I'm not asking you to... wait teme did you forget what day it is?" He asked me. I looked at him confused.

"Another shitty day of the week?" I replied helpfully.

He scowled the expression just looked weird on his face like it wasn't meant to be there, "The 23rd of July? Your birthday and you call me a dobe! I didn't throw you a party because you're as anti-social as Itachi is a pathological liar. But you will accept my presents or I will tell all of your fangirls!" He threatened a grin on his face.

"You wouldn't!" I glared at him, "Besides I have all of these weapons." I told him smugly.

"Doesn't hurt to have two of every weapon teme." He told me seriously.

"Hn." I grunted.

He shuffled around the boxes in my arms and pulled out the smallest one, the most delicately wrapped one, "Here, if you don't want it, I'll keep this one." He told me looking at me hopefully.

I looked suspiciously at the offending box handing everything else to Itachi. I slowly pealed the ribbon off and pulled off the lid. A thick leather bracelet, covered in silver chains, a Uchiha symbol, hanging off of one of the chains a Leaf symbol. "It's..." I started Naruto took it off of me I wanted to snatch it back.

"If you don't like it I can take it back unless you want it Itachi." How dare he offer MY present around? Itachi was about to speak but I stood in front of him.

"Dobe, shut up," I told him sticking my arm out looking away.

Itachi looked down at me amusedly raising an eyebrow before turning to Naruto, "What my brother is trying to so eloquently say is that he likes it and wants you to put it on his wrist."

Naruto smiled wider than I had ever seen his face alight laughing to himself a little placing it around my wrist and fastening it, "Teme is it too tight?" He asked.

"No." I answered bluntly looking away. "Tsunade wants you in her office, she wants you to fetch Shikamaru, we have a C-rank mission." I told him dismissively.

"Really! That must mean people are finally starting to trust you Sasuke! That's great!" His smile was still in place but it wasn't as genuine. "I better go tell Shikamaru, happy birthday Teme, try not to stress too much or those frown lines might be permanent." He stuck his tongue out and waved at me running off.

I watched him run off waiting until he rounded the corner before looking back at the bracelet. I smirked to myself 'Trust him to get something so perfect.'

"Would it have killed you to say thank you?" Itachi's voice snapped me out of my reverie, he sighed.

I glared at him, "I'm not going to take friendship advice from Mr 'I-massacred-my-entire-clan-lie-to-everyone-I-know -no-one-is-good-enough-to-be-my-friend.'"

"Oh when are people going to get over that?" He grumbled. "And for your information I have friends!"

"Ones you haven't threatened to kill?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Oh like you have any friends you haven't threatened to kill!" He retorted.

"Touché." I agreed.

Looking at my bracelet, I asked, "Hey Itachi what did you get me?"

"Um… well my undying brotherly love and my opinion that you should leave wearing skirts to girls?" He offered with a smirk.

"ITACHI!" I growled and began chasing him back to the Uchiha district.

Hinata POV

We couldn't risk camping until we returned to the Land of Fire; Rain Country was crawling with Obito's followers. I was exhausted having run for so many hours since we left the Leaf Village but we couldn't let up until we had found Obito's men. 'I won't allow Naruto-kun's sacrifice to be for nothing' I vowed. 'Especially considering he nearly lost his life when I selfishly pulled Neji-nii-san through the barrier.' These thoughts were my main motivation.

The bugs that Shino sent to scan up ahead returned with some news. "My bugs tell me that they are no more than ten minutes ahead of us."

Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the air. "They must have figured they would be followed. They're masking their scent."

He turned to me then. "Can you see anything Hinata?"

Focusing my chakra to my eyes, I whispered, "Byakugan. I can see three chakra signatures up ahead and something much smaller… maybe a child or an animal." I stuttered unsure. "They might be using something to disguise their chakra." I wished I was more advanced so I could distinguish between chakra signatures clearly like Neji-nii-san. 'My Father was right." I thought my heart sinking. 'I am useless to my comrades in Team Eight never mind leading the entire Hyuuga clan.'

"It might be another ninja hound. If it is, we will show them, right Akamaru?" Kiba said with a boyish grin on his face.

Akamaru barked in agreement.

We hid in the trees right above their encampment. I counted the men sitting by the fire… 'One, two, three.' They were all there. 'But where is smaller chakra signature that I had picked up on earlier?' I could find no trace.

Kiba was itching to get down there, in earnest he asked us, "Does everyone know what their doing?"

Shino and I nodded.

'Three, two, one…' Kiba signed with his hands. Kiba whispered, "Man-Beast Transformation Combo: Two-headed wolf." Kiba then used the great speed and power of his attack to use to cut through the camp. "Wolf Fang over Fang" he yelled.

The group quickly split up, like we wanted them too, to avoid the attack. The plan was that Shino and I would fight the two men at the sides while Kiba dealt with the leader who was grazed by his first assault. The strategy was running smoothly…

Shino used his clan's 'Secret Technique: Insect Sphere' to encase his opponent in a cage of insects preventing them from moving and depriving them of chakra.

Seeing my teammates advance, I dropped down in front of my one target. He had a rugged appearance his face and body covered in dirt and hair. He looked part animal. "Byakugan." I no longer saw a man standing in front of me but his chakra network. He charged at me attempting to attack me with a high kick but I managed to evade him out of reflex. Catching him off-guard, I began to tap his body fiercely with a series of surgical injections of chakra, inflicting severe internal damage by attacking the Chakra Pathway System, subsequently injuring organs that were closely intertwined with the areas that I had struck.

"Ah" the man keeled over coughing up blood.

"You BITCH!" he shouted. "I shouldn't have gone so easy on you. I won't make that mistake again- URUFU!"

Before he could say anymore, I spun my arms churning up the chakra inside the body. "Eight Trigrams Thirty-" Before I could finish, at his command, a giant wolf burst into the clearing flattening the landscape in its step. The wolf skidded to a stop in front of its master, defensively baring his teeth; one of its teeth was as large in size as my entire body and rows of them chopped on the air in front of me as it barked in my face. I began to tremble, my hands going limp... "… P… palms." I said weakly but the chakra I had conjured had dispersed.

"Gr!" the wolf roared.

Shaking, I gulped. "Lightening Style: Moon Wolf Claw" he roared. From the wolf's foaming mouth there came these dark grey clouds. They rattled with thunder and lightening—

I had to protect myself. Shocked, I began the hand signs. Using the technique that I developed 'Protection of the Eight Trigrams Sixty- Four Palms' I took advantage of what Neji-nii-san deemed my strength, a great natural flexibility, to coordinate both an attack and defence against the assault at the same time.

His ninja skills were so advanced that he managed to meet every one of my blows and take any opportunities he could to slip between my defences; not realising that he was every so often attacking the blind spot in my byakugan. This strategy wouldn't last much longer it was draining my chakra and once this jutsu stopped there was nothing left to stop his wolf from attacking me. I had to defeat him now or I would have no chakra left - "Gentle Step Twin Lion Fist" I shouted using the last of my chakra.

The wolf was blown back by my attack but that left the ninja commanding the animal from the sidelines. He was on me the moment my attack landed, taking advantage of my weakened state, he attacked me with another bout of high level Tai-jutsu: a high-kick, a punch, another punch, a low-kick. He forced me to the ground, blood and bruises covering my face, he pulled his fist back ready to deliver what I knew would be the last blow before I was knocked unconscious.

"HINATA!" Kiba roared. Together, Kiba and Akamaru attacked at high speed with flawless coordination, using a jutsu that Kurenai-sensei claimed was impossible to avoid, "Human Beast Combination Transformation: Double-headed wolf. We won't let you hurt Hinata. Fang Wolf Fang!" He declared growling at the man.

Kiba's attack would have hit if the man's wolf, Urufu, hadn't used himself as a missile to drive Kiba off course. The two beasts rolled along the ground tearing and biting at each other. As Kiba came to a stop, his transformation broke and he was left battered on the floor his clothes in shreds. "Kiba!" I whimpered.

"What do we have hear then?" The man taunted. He lifted me up turning my head to look at Kiba who was barely moving on the ground. "Is this your boyfriend? A pretty thing like you must have a boyfriend…" he hissed kissing my cheek.

"Kiba…" I sobbed. I didn't have enough chakra left to see with byakugan if he was even alive… but looking at him the odds were against it. "Kiba-kun… no… please don't die." I cried. "It's my fault!"

"D…ON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HINATA" Kiba got up spitting the blood from his mouth onto the ground. His aura was unnaturally dark in that moment. He had an intense protective look in his eye comparable with the look Naruto got when he defended the entire Leaf from Pain or the look he had when he protected us all from Obito. Except with Kiba… that look was only for me. 'Kiba really cares for me' I thought my eyes flooded. He glared at the wolf's master, "OR I WILL KILL YOU!" He promised.

"Kiba-kun…" I whispered.

"Just take a breather Hinata. Akamaru and I will handle this ARSEHOLE!" That said Kiba tore off the remains of his shirt revealing the deep claw marks across his chiselled chest. "NO ONE TOUCHES HINATA" he declared. "NOT WHILE I'M AROUND—HUMAN BEAST COMBINATION TRANSFORMATION: DOUBLE-HEADED WOLF."

Kiba and Akamaru morphed into a beast double the size of any transformation I had seen them perform before. I could tell just looking at him, that if I could use my byakugan, Kiba's chakra would have been just as impressive. "SUPER FANG WOLF FANG" he roared as they spun in a violent assault against the enemy. This was the attack that Kiba told me was powerful enough to break three Rashomon gates without loosing power.

The Wolf master wasn't going to give up. "LIKE YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO KILL ME! YOUR GIRLFRIEND COULD DO MORE DAMAGE! YOU WILL LEARN WHY DOGS DON'T SURVIVE IN THE WILD! LIGHTENING STYLE: DANCE OF THE LUNAR LYCAN." Four gigantic wolves created out of lightening surrounded Kiba; standing north, east, south and west. "FULL MOON CLIMB!" he commanded raising his hands above himself in a circle doing hand signs. The four wolves turned into raw lightening bolts, similar to Sasuke's lightening blade, and all together they shot out at Kiba.

'The intensity of that strike will surely pierce through him.' "KIBA!" I exclaimed.

He collided head on with the attack. There was a blinding light.

As the dust settled, I crawled in Kiba's direction desperate to see if he was alright. "Byakugan! *sob* Byakugan! Byakugan!" I repeated hysterically, trying to activate the kekki genkai that was wasted on a hopeless ninja like me.

Crawling under the dust clouds, looking for Kiba, I noticed a figure in the distance. "Kiba! Kiba!" I cried. "Kiba-kun can you hear me?" They turned to look in my direction and began walking towards me without answering the question. I feared that Kiba's attack was unsuccessful and that other ninja had been alerted to my location. 'Kiba will have fought in vain if I die here' I thought motivated to rise, instead I stumbled backwards onto the ground.

"Hinata." Shino said flatly.

Frantically, I grabbed Shino by his collar, "Kiba. Where is Kiba?" Shino's bugs alarmed by the action began to crawl down his skin and onto my hands.

"Hinata. My bugs don't appreciate you man-handling me. Kiba is-"

"I'm fine Hinata" Kiba groaned, limping out of the clouds of dust.

"Kiba-kun" I ran into his arms overjoyed. "Kiba-kun you're alright… I was… s… so scared…" I whimpered into his chest.

Kiba rubbed my back comfortingly, resting his head on my dark locks. My salty tears trickled down his chest. "Don't cry Hinata… please… don't you cry." He winced a little at the pain.

Looking up from his chest, I looked deep into his eyes assessing from his expression how much he was hurting. "Kiba-kun let me try and heal you. I learnt a little from Sakura-chan and Ino-chan…" I stuttered.

Kiba pulled me closer into a hug. "I'm fine here." He asserted causing my face to flush red like a tomato. 'Kiba, he's…I'm really close to Kiba…' I thought. I couldn't keep the blush off my face.

Shino coughed.

"We shouldn't have engaged them. We should have trailed them." Shino commented critical of the end result—all of Obito's men dead.

"We will have another opportunity to follow SCUM like him" Kiba snapped sounding as if he would bite Shino's head off if he even suggested that the death of these men was anything other than the best possible outcome.

Shino got the message like I did. "It can't be helped now." He groaned. "We should get moving. We don't know what sort of attention that attack earned us." He added ominously glaring slightly a Kiba.

Kiba's lifted his head off of mine and glared back at Shino.

I blushed even more. 'What is wrong with me? I'm blushing. I'm blushing in Kiba's arms…' I backed away from Kiba. "Um… we should get moving..." I stuttered.

Kiba forced himself to laugh reverberating his muscled chest as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sure thing Hinata."

We moved to leave the clearing – BANG! Startled, we scattered into the bushes.

"What was that?" Kiba not-very-quietly whispered. Kiba sniffed the air. "Smells like detonating clay." We began to hear voices. "Everyone be quiet." He ordered causing Shino's eyebrow to twitch slightly something I learned was close to an eye roll for him.

"Can you see anything Hinata?" Kiba asked again in a not-so-quiet whisper.

I shook my head. "I'm not sure Kiba-kun… I haven't got enough chakra to look" I told him honestly. I felt so useless again.

"Don't worry about it Hinata. You fought so hard—just relax." He gave me a warm smile. His head then snapped in Shino's direction, "Can your bugs see anything?"

"No. Too many were killed by your jutsu" Shino snapped back. Kiba scoffed.

"Akamaru and I will go check it out. You stay here." Kiba moved to jump out of the bushes.

There was another enormous explosion with the loud proclaimation "ART IS AN EXPLOSION!" The infamous phrase made us aware that Deidara of the Akatsuki was in the nearby vicinity. I hadn't met the ninja personally but Neji-nii-san had advised me to memorise the information that Kabuto gave Naruto-kun on the Akatsuki. Shino probably read it to, but Kiba—'I should probably tell him what we are dealing with.'

"Kiba we…"I started, but I didn't want to break his spirit too.

'We haven't got enough chakra left to fight such powerful ninja,' I bit my lip nervously, 'what are we going to do?' Kiba picked up on my anxiousness and grabbed my hand giving it a light supportive squeeze. "We can take them-" he was about to burst out of the trees when the last of Shino's bugs restrained him, a number filling his mouth to stop him from yelling. "Ah—gr…osss" His protest was muffled by the buzzing bugs.

At that precise moment we all froze, seeing two figures standing in the clearing ahead of us. It was Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sand.

"No one say another word." Shino had his bugs buzz softly his command into our ears.

Kiba managed to stay silent for half a second. He wrenched. The bugs shot out of his mouth like bullets one after the other. "*cough* GET *cough* YOUR CREEPY BUGS *cough*OUT OF MY MOUTH! *cough**cough**cough*."

Sasori POV

'How the hell did we fall for this poorly executed ambush?' I thought angrily to myself. Oh yes, because once again the brat insisted on pissing me off with talk of his 'art'. He was insistent on coming this way as well claiming he had to pick something up on the way to our meeting with the rest of the Akatsuki.

"Art is eternal stupid brat!" I grumpily told him as he stood back to back with me using two puppets to take out three of the opponents in front of me. They weren't the best puppets but my collection had been scattered after my death.

"Danna! True art IS A BANG!" He shouted, detonating ten shinobi, their blood sprayed all over us. "Damn it went in my hair." Deidara moaned.

"Your stupid explosions are getting us soaked ignorant brat." I complained racing after half the shinobi. "Eternal beauty is so much less messy."

"True art requires mess." He snapped scattering bombs all over our enemies. "Because ART IS AN EXPLOSION!" He shouted laughing manically as at least twenty bodies exploded.

"Show off!" I grumbled extending control to twenty puppets. "Art is eternal." I executed the last of our enemies leaning back against a tree closing my eyes.

"Not time to rest yet Danna we have more company." Deidara whispered to me nodding towards some shrubbery. "COME OUT!" He yelled.

"GET YOUR CREEPY BUGS OUT OF MY MOUTH!" A loud shout came from the bush.

I smirked, "Don't want to come out? Too bad." I sent puppets to the bush, they instantly hacked it apart, three figures shot out one being supported by the other two I took in their headbands.

Deidara was readying the last of his clay, I put a hand on his arm, "It's okay." I told him, "IT'S OKAY!" I yelled to them. "WE'RE CURRENTLY ALLIES." Deidara visibly relaxed beside me.

"Deidara I need to speak to these people, I don't trust you not to blow them up and jeopardize money the Akatsuki needs in order to achieve its goals." I told him sternly.

"Danna I have done this before I-" He started to say, I put a hand up to stop him.

"This is delicate. While we are down in numbers we can't afford slip ups. Go and retrieve what you needed. Oh and get me some water from the stream this body is most draining." I smirked as he scowled at me.

"If you're worried about numbers then I really think I should stay anytime I let you out of my line of vision you kill yourself un." Deidara complained.

I narrowed my eyes, "This coming from the one that blew himself up and still lost the fight."

"At least I died with my art, in the beauty of an explosion un!" He snapped.

I'd had enough of this, "Go and get the damn water and whatever else you needed now." My tone left no room for argument and with one last childish scowl he stomped off. I sighed how did Itachi keep up with all his lies it is such a pain. "Are you going to come here now or do I have to pull you in with my chakra strings?" I asked calmly.

"LIKE WE'RE GOING TO OBEY YOU AKATSUKI SCUM!" The boy being held up shouted his ninja hound yapping with him.

I breathed deeply, think calming thoughts: strangling Deidara, working on puppets. "The decoy group you're late. I am your ally, all of the Akatsuki are we are under orders to help you find and destroy Obito Uchiha. You are fully welcome to confirm this story with your Hokage when you arrive back in your village." I stepped towards them taking note of the boy's injury.

They all stepped back. 'They would be stupid not to' I reasoned but my patience was running thin. "If you want him to live then let me see to his injuries." I spoke to the girl who seemed to be most concerned about the injuries.

She looked at me then at Kiba, "Don't trust him Hinata, their Akatsuki, leave me. You and Shino need to run and save yourselves." The brunette boy glared furiously at me.

"I won't leave you!" She cried.

I rolled a scroll across the floor, "Read it yourselves, it has the Kage seal on it." The uninjured boy picked it up and unrolled it.

"He's telling the truth. There is no way this could be fake. With the amount of chakra we have left he could kill us anyway." He spoke quietly. The girl, Hinata nodded her agreement.

"Please Kiba-kun let him heal you." She begged, he looked into her eyes and sighed.

"Fine but if he kills me I'm going to come back and haunt Shino." He grumbled sitting down. I began healing the deep cuts across his chest.

"Why me? You'd probably forget my existence as a ghost just like you do now I'm alive." The boy, Shino, presumably grumbled lowly.

"Um Ak-Akasuna-san why did you call us a decoy team?" The girl stuttered.

"Because your mission to find us was simply a ploy, a set up to make your village Elders believe we were still being hunted. The real team led by Itachi was to send information we found out about Obito to Naruto. Naruto however, wanted to let you all know what is happening, so one by one everyone will know we are helping. Don't tell my partner this because he still thinks we are trying to take over the world." I told them all the necessary information in one go. If they couldn't remember all of that... I tried.

The boy's chest healed. I quickly healed the girls wounds which were mainly superficial. They nodded in understanding, "Naruto's getting sneaky." The loudmouth boy said with a grin.

"You're all healed now. You better go and inform them your mission was a success. I will be seeing you in the future." I told them bluntly walking off.

"Thank you Akasuna-san." The girl nodded politely. 'The boy should take lessons from her' I mused. I nodded curtly and they took off through the trees. I leant back against a tall tree.

I shuddered. The temperature in Ame is completely different to Suna it was freezing. I narrowed my eyes at nothing in particular. Where was that damn brat? He was supposed to be back here half an hour ago.' Then again he was never on time for anything, "Probably saw his reflection in a puddle and has been staring at it for the past hour." I grumbled. 'The vanity of kids these days.'

He'd been late the day I had finally been allowed back to the Akatsuki too... 'Terrible habit he'd picked up since my demise.'

~Flashback~

"So Sasori-san are you looking forward to meeting up with the others?" Kisame asked me with a toothy grin. Itachi tilted his head slightly looking at me obviously interested in my answer.

"Not particularly it's not as if we were all close." I lied smoothly. To be honest I wanted to poison Hidan, piss off Kakuzu by suggesting we take the quickest, more expensive roots to destinations. I wanted to disrespect Pain's authority. I'd already asked Itachi when he was getting his glasses and Kisame how slave life was serving his younger partner. But most of all I couldn't wait to ridicule the brat for blowing himself up, to tell him his philosophy of art was a piece of crap and threaten to kill him.

I loved having my parents back, finally having a chance at a life without bitterness or resentment, I'd even made up with the old hag. But I had been with the Akatsuki living rough for years on end and I couldn't help but feel trapped in the small village.

Itachi stared, "You're lying." He stated bluntly.

"Coming from the one dubbed as the pathological liar." I snapped. "How could you recognise the truth if you've never even spoken it?"

"Sasori he tells the truth sometimes that isn't fair." Kisame butted in before Itachi could reply.

"Defending Master?" I smirked, "My partner is a lot of things but at least he didn't lie about his whole life." I couldn't help but retort. It had come as a shock that Itachi had lied to all of us about his entire past.

"I wouldn't tease Itachi too much about lying if I were you Sasori seeing as you didn't exactly divulge your past and it led to your death and to top it all off your making us lie to your partner." Kisame reminded me while Itachi glowered.

"It isn't lying, it's not telling the truth, we need Deidara to believe the Akatsuki is still trying to take over the world or he'll just go off with Obito." I stated matter-of-factly.

"If he did that we could just kill him, you know all his jutsu, we could counter it all." Itachi said coldly.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "The Akatsuki does not have the manpower to be killing off key members right now and besides he knows my jutsu too, I would rather not die quite so soon."

"You always have a sarcastic remark for everything Sasori. According to you Deidara is the most useless member of the Akatsuki and if your art is so much better couldn't you kill him easily." Itachi said casually.

"While he is the most useless member-" I began to retort angrily now.

"We're here!" Kisame interrupted happily. I glared at Itachi 'this isn't over.' He smirked and walked with Kisame to stand by Konan.

Nagato, Konan and the one who Nagato had used to front the Pain's stood in front of me. "Sasori welcome back." Nagato smiled warmly.

"It's been a long time." Konan added with a smile of her own.

"You haven't changed, well you've put on a bit of weight actually." I looked at Yahiko the one who had fronted the Pain's, "You're not dead." I pointed out. I hated awkward reunions. 'Where was the bimbo when I needed him? Social stuff was his forte not mine.'

I looked around Hidan and Kakuzu came out of the trees. "HEY WOODFUCKER LONG TIME NO SEE!" Hidan yelled grinning Kakuzu hit him over the head.

"Sasori." Kakuzu nodded politely at me.

"Hidan your voice box didn't suffer from being dismembered I see. Hello Kakuzu." I nodded at him ignoring Hidan's string of curses.

"Where's the girly fucker?" Hidan asked looking around. This caught my attention, I began looking around, usually his royal noisiness would have blown something up by now.

I turned back to Nagato and Yahiko who backing away from a very pissed off Konan whose eyebrow was twitching angrily. I backed a step away as did everyone else. "Are you okay Konan?" Yahiko asked nervously.

"Did he just say I put on weight?" She demanded.

"He has a name which is better than anyone's its Sasori and actually I was talking about Nagato." I said rolling my eyes.

"Oh! Okay." Konan smiled again she has problems I thought darkly.

"Deidara should be here." Nagato said frowning, "He has after all been plotting to bust you out of Suna's prison since we got back."

All of a sudden a loud "KATSU!" rang through the air. The earth beneath us exploded and bombs rained through the twilight air spelling 'ART IS A FLEETING BANG.' Deidara jumped down directly in front of me from a dragon which proceeded to explode above our heads. "Hey Danna un." He grinned his manic smile.

My eyebrow twitched in annoyance, "Would a simple hello not suffice you imbecilic brat?" I asked angrily.

"Nope!" He popped the 'P'. "Not after you basically admitted my art is better un." He ducked anticipating the senbons I threw at his head.

"Sorry Brat I missed the memo where hell froze over." I snapped. "How did I in any way state that your pile of crap beat the beauty of eternal art?"

"Well you got killed therefore your idea of art couldn't be eternal or you wouldn't have died twice before me. Proving that deep down you believe art is fleeting." He teased proudly.

"Do you want to die Deidara?" I asked him gritting my teeth, throwing more senbons, everyone else started to back away. I moved closer to the brat snapping only inches from his face, "My art was passed down through the generations meaning it will always live on eternally."

"Danna! You were supposed to be your masterpiece and you died meaning my fleeting art is stronger than your eternal art and passing stuff down through generations is just coping out un." He snapped back moving closer.

"And their back to their fucking awkward fucking tension." Hidan proclaimed face-palming.

We both turned around I threw my senbons. "SHUT UP HIDAN! KATSU!" Deidara threw a C1 at him for good measure.

"Ah it feels good for everything to be back as it should be doesn't it Konan?" Nagato commented walking off Konan and Yahiko in tow.

"Not happy to be back my arse." Kisame mumbled to Itachi who 'hned' with a smirk.

"Hidan you should know better than to interrupt their discussions on art." Kakuzu complained reattaching Hidan's head and pulling the senbons out.

I turned back to Deidara as he turned to me, "FLEETING UN!" He shouted.

"ETERNAL!" I yelled back.

~End of flashback~

"Danna. Danna. Dannaaaaaa. Are you there un?" Deidara waved a palm in front of my face kneeling down next to me snapping me out of my reverie.

"What Brat!" I snapped angrily, it wasn't impressive as I was shuddering from the cold of Ame.

"Jeez no need to get pissed." He brought a scroll out from behind his back.

"Took you long enough you know I..." I started to say.

"Hate to be kept waiting, un. Yeah, yeah I know." He rolled his eyes I felt the need to hit him. 'Disrespectful little shit he'd become.' He made signs over the scroll I felt the need to run as I did whenever Deidara started making signs. "I saved you these." From the scroll with a loud poof items fell on me.

I looked through the large pile of items which included my Third Kazekage puppet and red cloak which I proceeded to wrap around my shoulders, I sighed relief as warmth flooded through me. Deidara smirked at me. I glared picking up the Third Kazekage. "He'll need fixing up but he should work." I appraised the puppet in front of me. Next was my Akatsuki ring that he must have taken from Obito somehow.

Finally my eyes rested on the last item, I felt a swirling mixture of everything: happiness, regret, sadness. I picked up my puppet body which had been restored perfectly. "I brought you your crappy eternal art so where do you want to go to get back into your real body?" Deidara asked looking at me.

'I wanted to... I wanted to so badly but... I couldn't do that to my parents, not again, they would never understand.' Deidara was looking at me expectantly. He couldn't know I had parents he'd probably blow them up to prove a point. "I can't go back into this body. I need rare materials and to save up vast amounts of chakra. But brat… thank you." I praised him looking at my perfect puppet.

"Oh so when do you think you'll have enough? Deidara asked curiously.

"It's a complicated procedure. Not like your crappy untrue art it takes lots of preparation and skill to achieve eternal beauty the true art." I told him smugly.

"DANNA! ART IS FLEETING! MY ART IS VERY COMPLICATED IT INVOLVES SKILL AND PASSION TO MOULD THE CLAY INTO..." I let him launch into one of his long rambles, my puppet body laying between us as we began to argue once again about true art.

Tsunade POV

I blinked, my eyes half open, scowling at the sunlight burning through the blinds. I groaned massaging my temple which for once was only hurting because of a decision I had to make rather than from a hangover. I tried to wriggle out of bed but an iron grip stopped me I smiled up at Jiraiya 'who knew there was this side to you.'

He groggily opened an eye looking down at me with a lopsided grin on his face, "Five more minutes?" He asked hopefully.

"In your dreams," I laughed, "Shizune will probably be here in the next oh I don't know twenty seconds." The pain of losing him seemed so distant now with him right here in front of me laughing like it had never happened. But I knew that I could never lose him ever again and that prevented me from agreeing to his request.

Jiraiya grumbled something about getting Shizune a boyfriend under his breath. I stood up about to walk off when he wrapped his hand around my wrist and pulled me down on top of him. "Good morning ladies." He addressed my breasts kissing both of them. A vein popped in my head I was about to hit him when he grabbed my arm and pulled me down into a deep kiss.

I moaned running one hand through his hair, he grabbed my waist deepening the kiss, my other hand trailed down his chest. A loud knock came from the door, "Lady Tsunade I know you're in there come on out you have a meeting in half an hour with the construction officer and then..." I blanked out the rest giving Jiraiya a smug 'I-told-you-so' look.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly before grabbing a fresh set of clothes, pulling them on, he kissed my head as I went to the bathroom. "You must let me do what needs to be done." He whispered before walking downstairs before saying a cheery hello to Shizune in the hall.

I thought back over the short time since he had got back and we gotten together, a genuine no pain behind it smile formed on my lips.

~Flashback~

I watched Naruto's heart monitor, checking his vitals unnecessarily, anything to give a sign he was waking up. The cause of all it sat casually in an armchair but I couldn't bring myself to hate him; he had been watching him with rapt attention since we had brought him back three days ago.

I turned my attention back to the boy I had come to see as my grandson. "Wake up." I whispered gently.

A large hand rested on my shoulder. "Tsunade." I turned to Jiraiya his expression was sombre but he offered me a reassuring smile, "His nindo is to never give up. He'll come back but there are other patients that need you too. Go home and get some rest so you can be at your best because they won't make it if you don't."

Despite myself, I let him lead me from the bed, "But I can't leave him here alone."

"He won't be alone." Sasuke finally spoke without looking at me he moved beside the bed.

"How do I know you won't finish what you started?" I growled.

He turned to face me; I saw the brokenness and regret mauling his features, "I won't leave until he wakes up." He repeated the words he had first spoken to me when I had tried to turf him out of the room when Naruto had first arrived.

Jiraiya nodded beside me, "We'll leave him to you then Sasuke any problems send someone to us."

He nodded and Jiraiya led me from the room, "I must be going soft." I muttered.

Jiraiya tilted his face to look at me still guiding me through the hospital. "How do you figure that?"

"I believed the Uchiha." I grumbled. He laughed quietly leading me through the doors of the hospital. My face fell as I remembered I wasn't supposed to be happy right now. "I blame Sasuke, yet I done it too, I brought you through the barrier. I should just give up and go back on the run."

He stopped me turning me around to face him, "Tsunade this is not your fault Naruto knew what he was doing and he chose this. Besides you have a promise to keep."

"A promise?" I asked confusedly.

"If I ever came back from Pain you would show me the time of my life." He smirked before pulling me into his arms and kissing me. I gasped for a second before I melted into his chest.

When I finally had to come up for air I shot him an irritated look, "That was if you came back safe and you died on me!" I argued.

"Then you brought me back so now you're mine. Remember the saying if you love something set it free if it's meant to be it will come back to you therefore we are meant to be. You're not going to be able to get rid of me ever again." He teased kissing me.

"I AM NO-" I started when Sakura ran up to me tears streaming down her face a huge smile lighting her features.

"LADY TSUNADE HE'S AWAKE!" She shouted happily.

I turned to Jiraiya who smiled. "I told you he would be fine."

I smiled a tear making its way down my cheek.

We raced into the hospital to see a grinning Naruto. "Baa-chan, Pervy Sage." He threw his arms around us.

"Gaki! You had us so worried!" I told him in a half hearted angry tone.

"Baa-chan I'm not Hokage yet." He smiled at me before babbling to Jiraiya.

I looked around for Sasuke only to see a curtain swinging in the wind.

~End of Flashback~

I made my decision pulling on my Hokage cloak. Shizune had left plates of food out with a note telling me I had fifteen minutes in counting. Jiraiya sat across from me eating a particularly large egg. "Did you mean what you said that day outside of the hospital?" I asked him sitting down.

He smirked. "Yes you have kept your promise I am having the time of my life." He teased smiling. I smiled ruefully.

"No that you would never leave and would always come back to me?" I asked.

His face became solemn, "Yes I will always come back."

"Fine then. Jiraiya of the Hidden Leaf I give you my permission to visit Nagato Uzumaki." I told him. I just hoped and prayed to whoever was listening that I had made the right choice.

Naruto POV

So excited to be doing something more than a stupid D-rank mission, I couldn't sleep and had ended up waiting at the main gate to the village since day break.

Sasuke had arrived punctually which I thought meant I would have someone to talk to but he made it impossible by spending all of his time with some brave fan-girls that were swooning over him despite his current reputation – 'Ninja genius my arse. He can't believe I'm that much of a dobe. 'I can tell when you are avoiding me Sasuke-kun' I wanted to shout at him mocking the sickly sweet voices of the fangirls.

This whole performance that he was putting on was making me feel utterly sick. 'Hurry Shikamaru' I said, sending out imaginary telepathic messages to my teammate.

I parted the crowd to get to Sasuke, "Where's Shikamaru?" I asked him clearly pissed.

"Its Naruto-kun" one of the girls whispered to her friend.

"He has the bluest eyes I could just melt into" another girl giggled.

"Do you know if he has a girlfriend?" a beautiful, dark haired girl, around our age enquired.

"Well helloooo" I used the 'I'm-sexy-and-I-know-it' voice that Ero-sennin taught me. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto the future Hokage of this village… and your name is…"

The girl blushed profusely. "I'm Akari."

I smirked. "Hey there Akari," I knew knowing exactly what line from Icha Icha Paradise to use, "you know I'm on a mission to look for treasure. Can I look around your chest?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. 'I bet Orochimaru didn't teach you anything like that Sasuke-kun' I snickered, this time mocking Sasuke's name using the disturbing way that Orochimaru said it.

There was a long pause. The girl was clearly blown away. 'Thank you Ero-sennin.' "Naruto-kun thinks I'm treasure…" she gushed giggling to her friends almost fainting.

Sasuke was clearly annoyed the girl's attentions weren't completely on him because he refused to even look at me – 'Egomaniac' I thought. 'Ha. Ha. I am so happy that Itachi taught me that word.' Sasuke sighed rolling his eyes at my question like it was so much effort for me to just answer an 'idiot' like me. "Weren't you listening dobe he said he was going to pick up the mission details on the way." He instantly went back to talking to the girls around him.

"I knew that." I snapped. "I was just checking you did."

Sasuke didn't even acknowledge my response.

'There he goes again ignoring me' I pouted and crossed my arms. There was another reason why I was so psyched for this mission because it meant that I could spend time with my absent best friend. I wanted to drag this mission out for as long as possible so that could get to the bottom of why he was ignoring me. Because there was no denying it anymore. He was avoiding me.

Attempt one:

"Sooo Sasuke, since it's your birthday, do you want to go to Yakiniku?" I asked already tasting the delicious BBQ on my lips and mind-bending affects of their wonderful sake. 'That would surely loosen Sasuke up a bit' I thought.

Sasuke didn't even think about it. He sighed exasperated that he would have to explain something so simple to me again. "Naruto. My responsibilities don't just go away because it's my birthday. I have clan stuff to do."

I grimaced. "Oh… alright then." Sasuke turned away obviously going back to work. I stopped him placing my hand on the paper on his desk. I hated the idea of my best friend slaving away on his birthday instead of having fun. "How about I help you out? You know with your clan stuff." I picked up the papers on his desk looking through them. "It can't be too hard. I'm a Hokage-in-training you know."

Sasuke didn't say anything at first taken aback by my request. Then collecting himself, he took the papers away from me, telling me with a cold indifference. "You can't help me with clan business. It's secret. Only members of the clan can know and you aren't a clan member." He said stressing each word to me.

I ignored his rudeness. 'You are allowed to get away with things like that on you're birthday.' "You don't need to be a BASTARD about it." Instead of shouting at him I playfully poked him in the forehead causing him to flash his Sharingan at me. "Fine." I sighed dramatically coping something Koyuki did when she played Princess Gale. "I guess if it's a secret you can't tell me… your best friend." Sasuke ignored me rolling his eyes at my performance. "I guess I'll just leave then." I told him. Sasuke again didn't say anything. "I'm going then… I'm walking over to the window-"

"Use the door." Sasuke smirked not looking up from his papers.

"TEME!" I fumed.

Attempt two:

Sasuke opened the door to his house. "Naruto, what are you doing here?"

"I have to go to patrol the southern perimeter. I'll be bored if I go on my own. So I was wondering if you wanted to come with… it could be fun… might see some action if we're lucky"

Sasuke heaved a great sigh. "I'm not trusted by the village to carry out anything more than D-rank missions Naruto. It would do more damage to morale to put me, an S-rank criminal, out on patrol to catch other S-rank criminals. Besides, even if that wasn't the case, I'm far too busy with clan business to go out just for fun, why don't you ask one of your other friends to go with you?"

'But I wanted to go with my best friend' I thought solemnly. "You're probably right about all that stuff but how to you expect to integrate the Uchiha Clan back into the Leaf, if you, as Head of the Clan, won't even make the effort. You know as well as I do that going out there isn't just for fun because they will still remember…" my voice grew weaker remembering all the things I had heard people say about Sasuke and the Uchiha Clan.

Sasuke's eyes widened dramatically at my words. His voice softened a smidge, "Naruto…"

"At least that's the excuse you can make to the rest of Clan while we are really having fun." I gave him a massive grin.

He slammed the door in my face.

Attempt three:

Unlocking the catch on Sasuke's window, I climbed inside his room. "ITACHI!" Sasuke yelled throwing several kunai at my head. "WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU 'MY WINDOW ISN'T YOUR PERSONAL FUCKING DOOR!"

I evaded them. "JEEZ TEME" I shouted. "Is that anyway to greet your brother?

Automatically Sasuke yelled back. "How I greet my brother has nothing to do with you-Oh," he groaned, "it's you Naruto." Sasuke collapsed on his bed placing his arm across his eyes. He was clearly in a foul mood 'but I would break it' I vowed.

I moved the wooden chair in front of his desk over to the end of his bed and very casually sat on it the wrong way round. "You know," I told him with a smirk, "If you keep acting like that I will start to think you don't want me here."

Sasuke removed his arm from his eyes giving me the dirtiest scowl he could muster without glaring at me with his Sharingan. "What do you want this time Naruto?" He asked flippantly.

I scratched the back of my head. "Ramen if you're offering and maybe some of you're dad's sake. Itachi tells me it's pretty good…" I tried to tempt him with a light chuckle but Sasuke's just glared his Mangekyo Sharingan at me. "Okay the real reason I am here is-" I began.

I stopped talking seeing Itachi at the door. "Hi Itachi" I waved.

Sasuke turned his eyes narrowing at his brother. "Why are you in my room Itachi?"

Itachi chuckled. "My ears were burning. Besides, I heard Naruto's voice and wanted to make sure you were playing nice."

Hearing his brothers words, Sasuke fumed. "Are you using MY window as a door AGAIN so you can see ITACHI?"

"Sasuke" Itachi said, in a voice clearly saying 'bad Sasuke'. I knew that voice well. I used that voice. 'And as per usual with Sasuke it doesn't work'.

I couldn't keep the smirk off my face as Sasuke backing me towards the door. I put my hands up defensively, "No. I just came to-"

Sasuke cut me off. "Good. THEN YOU CAN GET THE FUCK OUT!" He kicked me out the window.

I made many other attempts to hang out with him but Sasuke refused to make any effort come along, always telling me the same thing, that it was clan business. In the end I just ended up hanging out with Shino…

We drank our beers in silence.

"Soooo Shino do you wanna spar or something?"

"I don't see any point in it." Shino replied bluntly. "Our skill levels are too far apart."

'Was he insulting me?' I asked myself almost gleeful at the thought. "Are you saying you are more powerful than me?" I raised my voice a little. I guess I kind of missed the fight to prove my worth because in everyone's eyes I had been acknowledged, all except Sasuke and maybe Shino. "Because if you are-" I tried to initiate the same argument that Sasuke and I had often.

Shino stopped me. "The exact opposite actually. You have achieved a skill level of Kage or above whereas I am still a Chunin. It would be foolish of me to challenge a ninja like you. And I don't plan to act foolishly."

"Thanks Shino." I sighed in disappointment taking another sip of sake.

Shikamaru strolled up to us at the gate. "Naruto, Sasuke. Good. You're here." Seeing Shikamaru was now here, Sasuke used his sharingan to get rid of all the fan-girls, giving them a quick flash of it to send them running in the opposite direction. I glared at him saying 'I'm onto you Teme.' He ignored it.

I jumped up and down on the stop my excitement getting the better of me. "What are we doing then?" I beamed. "What are we doing? What are we doing? What are we doing? Are we guarding someone really famous or chasing some wild animal?"

"Don't be so enthusiastic. It's nothing like that." Shikamaru groaned. "We have to find a missing nin by the name of Hozuki Suigetsu and bring him back to the Leaf Village."

"Is that it?" I complained. "That's not even hard." I stopped talking fearing that Baa-chan could somehow hear me from all the way in the Hokage Tower. I remembered the last time that I had moaned about the mission we'd been given. Baa-chan changed the mission from catching a lost cat to helping flush Konoha's sewage system. I stopped my complaints that second. My tone drastically changed causing Shikamaru and Sasuke to raise their eyebrows. "But hey anything is better than those lame D-rank missions Baa-chan has been sending us on. But Baa-chan should bear in mind," I winked at my teammates, "that she has having the ninja that saved the Ninja World on D and C rank missions while she allowed Konohamaru to score a B-rank mission last week."

Sasuke wacked me round the head. "She can't hear you dobe" he told me mildly amused. "So quit your complaining about this 'only being a C-rank mission' and get on with it." He went to hit me again.

I grabbed his arm. "Shut up Teme." Immediately I regretted saying it, fearing that he would go back to completely ignoring me again like he had done for most of the morning.' "You have no idea what Baa-chan is capable of" I said in a weak attempt to cover up what I had just said.

Shikamaru added. "Lady Tsunade did say something interesting about this mission."

Sasuke turned to him curious. "Did she? What did she say?" He asked struggling to keep a straight face.

"She said that the clients are willing to pay more for the longer we spend on the mission."

Sasuke went wide-eyed, shouting, "SHE SAID WHAT?!"

"WOAH REALLY," I rubbed my chin with an evil grin on my face, "then we should take our time with this mission. We can get loads of money then… think about it… maybe a lifetime's supply of ramen… yum… ramen…" I spoke my thoughts aloud drooling at the idea of Ichiraku's ramen.

Sasuke temple twitched. "NARUTO…" he snapped.

"Yes…?" I said the word hesitantly confused as to why he was so angry all of a sudden.

"We aren't drawing this mission out. This ridiculous idea probably came from the Elders because they want me out of the Village or it's them trying to create a reason why we can't get anything higher than a D-rank mission in the future. What does it say to them if we take ages on a C-rank mission? That we are simply genin or chuunin level ninja. If we want to do something more interesting than finding the feudal lord's wife's cat in the near future we should perform this mission as quickly as we can."

Shikamaru lit a cigarette, taking a drag from it, groaning, "It's a drag but Sasuke has a point."

Getting down to business, I asked Shikamaru, "Did Baa-chan give you anything that belonged to this missing nin?"

Shikamaru shook his head.

Sasuke paid some interest now. "Why do you need something of his?"

'I forgot that Sasuke wasn't familiar with the inner workings of my jutsu.' "It would speed up our mission if I had something that was his. I could use Sage Mode to pin-point this ninja's chakra and transport the three of us to his location."

Sasuke nodded seeming to agree that this plan would be the quickest way to find the missing-nin. "Can't you do without it? You have tracked me before." he questioned me confused.

I shook my head. "That's different, I know your chakra, I'd recognise it anywhere. But with people I don't know or aren't familiar with I'd need to have something of theirs with traces of their chakra I could use to follow." The moment I finished speaking Sasuke abruptly moved to leave.

"Where are you going?" Shikamaru and I asked in unison.

"I'll go and see if Lady Tsunade has something we can use." He said not looking back.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at Sasuke which he deliberately chose to ignore.

Sasuke returned with a water flask that belonged to the missing-nin. Sitting down, crossed legged, I pulled nature energy into my body causing my eyes to become more like a frogs. I studied the chakra remnants on the flask; this ninja's chakra reminded me of Zabuza's and Kisame's. 'Maybe this missing nin was from the Hidden Mist.' I wondered. 'I will ask Shikamaru later.' I made a mental note.

"Do we know where the missing nin was last seen?" I asked Shikamaru wondering whether Baa-chan had included this in the information she gave him.

Sasuke answered before Shikamaru got the chance, "He was last spotted at the borders to the Land of Fire near Rain Country... Tsunade told me… just now."

"Okay…" I whispered put off by his weirdness about it. Shikamaru gave him a strange look too.

Standing up, I began the hand signs. "Okay then. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A hundred shadow clones appeared before me. "Right. I want all of you to transport to the boarders of the Land of Fire. Once you're in place use Sage Mode to find this chakra." I held the flask out in my hands for them all to see. "If you find the missing nin break the jutsu and return to me. Do not fight him yourself." I ordered.

All of the shadow clones protested at my words: "What? Why? That's not fair."

I grinned. "I don't want you to fight him yourselves because I haven't fought anyone in weeks. I'm just waiting for any excuse to use a rasengan; one that isn't just for the amusement of a foreign dignitary or a group of school children. I haven't needed to do one in so long. Just let me have this one please" I moaned desperately. "I'm just itching to rasengan this guy."

Sasuke smirked at my words.

"Naruto it will be troublesome if you did that." Shikamaru sighed. "This is a location and retrieval mission."

"I'm sure the client won't mind if we have a bit of fun" Sasuke said a mischievous smirk on his face.

"You're only on my side Teme because you want to chidori him."

Sasuke smirked, "More than you know."

My clones found the missing nin on the east side of the border into Fire County. The transportation into the field used up the last of the nature energy I had gathered earlier.

"I can't take this it's too boring." I complained. "How about we make this into a competition? Whoever finds this arsehole first gets brought ramen by the two losers?" I suggested. 'Muhahaha. That way Teme won't be able to bail on going with me to Ichiraku's to get ramen because either way he has to go. But it's not like I need the safety net because there is no way that I, THE GREAT NARUTO UZUMAKI, could lose.'

Sasuke blasphemed: "I don't even like ramen dobe" 'Don't like ramen? What is he saying?' His competitive nature came through though and he accepted the challenge. "But fine I'll do it."

Shikamaru walked over to a large oak tree at the edge of the clearing. Taking off his Chunin vest, he turned it into a pillow and rested his head against the tree closing his eyes. "Good luck" Shikamaru said. "Wake me when you've found him."

My mouth hung open. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm going to rest here while you two compete."

"COME ON SHIKAMARU COMPETITIONS ARE GREAT FUN" I shouted, sounding scarily like Busy Brow or Bushy Brow's-sensei.

Sasuke scoffed, "Too lazy to be a ninja."

"I'll tell you what Naruto." Shikamaru leant forward resting his hands on his knees. "How about I be the umpire? You know like the proctors during at the Chunin exams." 'An umpire.' I thought about it for a second. 'That way I will have a witness to my victory and someone to help me force Sasuke to keep his end of the deal.'

Sasuke scoffed at his words. "As if anyone would fall for-"

'Ichiraku's here I come.' "THAT'S A GREAT IDEA" I exclaimed.

"Naruto…" Sasuke said under his breathe as he face-palmed.

"Stupid Teme" I grumbled back.

"You both ready?" Shikamaru asked his voice a little groggy. We both nodded. "Three, two, one… go!"

We darted off into the trees at the same time. I didn't have time to sit and collect nature energy for Sage Mode. Sasuke could have already found him by then. I had to think of something else. I looked down at the flask in my hand. 'That's it. Water. This guy chakra is the same as the nins I have faced from the Hidden Mist. Following the stream is my best bet where his jutsu would be at its strongest.' I could hear the sound of running water faintly in the distance so I sped off to find this guy before Sasuke did.

Five minutes later, I sensed two chakra signatures; one of them Sasuke and the other the missing-nin we were after. "The games not over until we capture him."

Using a shadow clone I formed a rasengan in the palm of my hand and charged across the clearing heading straight for the missing-nin- I stopped right in front of his face.

Looking deep into Sasuke's eyes, I asked him, "Sasuke why didn't you tell me this guys your friend?"

Sasuke didn't say anything.

Frustrated that he wouldn't answer me, I threw the rasengan off into the trees behind the missing-nin causing massive damage to the landscape.

The missing-nin visibly recoiled.

"Fine Teme, don't answer, I'll just ask your friend."

I turned back to the ninja in front of me. He was lean built with white coloured hair with a tint of light blue to it, purple eyes and his teeth were pointed definitely like the two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist. "Who are you? Are you from the Hidden Mist? Are you one of the Ninja Swordsman of the Mist? How do you know Sasuke?" I babbled all of the questions that were running through my mind in that second.

"Woah he's a noisy one" he commented to Sasuke as if I wasn't even there. "But did you just see that jutsu." He whistled. "Sweet. Where did you find this one Sasuke?" he asked. "Hey, actually, I remember you. You punched out one of this guys shadow clones that were tailing us before."

"Us." I picked up on the word.

"Yeah, I was part of Sasuke's old Team Hawk-"

"So that's how you know Sasuke." I bit the inside of my cheek. There was this uncomfortable feeling inside of me all of a sudden that made me really hate this missing-nin. 'What is this?' My eyes darted all over the place as I floundered overwhelmed by these strange emotions.

My eyes met Sasuke's again and I could tell his calculating gaze was reading me. I glared the message 'STAY OUT OF MY FUCKING MIND… TRAITOR!' I was shocked by my own thoughts. 'Where the hell was this coming from?'

To appease this feeling inside of me, I introduced myself to Sasuke's other friend: "I'm Sasuke's BEST FRIEND, Naruto Uzumaki, you have probably heard all about me from him."

Suigetsu looked to Sasuke but he didn't say anything.

He didn't even have to think about his next words, answering with brutal honesty, "Never heard of you."

"You must have been living under a rock then." I said bitterly. "Because I am the Hero of the Ninja World. I defeated Obito, ended the Fourth Shinobi War, and resurrected millions of fallen ninja including the entire Uchiha Clan." 'There is no way this guy is better friends with Sasuke than I am. No way.' "I am basically the strongest ninja in the world. Isn't that right Sasuke?" I turned to him but he moved to leave.

"Hardly. I am far superior to you. Now let's go Naruto…" Sasuke sighed.

"That's not what Itachi said. He said I am the strongest ninja in the world, followed closely by him and then you."

Sasuke whole body went rigid at my words. Fists clenched, he spun around. "That is impossible dobe. I am the strongest ninja, then after a massive gap Itachi and then after an even bigger gap there would be YOU!" he shouted.

Suigetsu laughed. "Wow. You must really be his best friend. He named you in the top three most powerful ninja he knows and Sasuke knows a lot of powerful ninja."

Sasuke glared at Suigetsu saying 'Shut up. You're not helping.' His ex-teammate couldn't decipher the message though.

I smirked a little at Suigetsu's words, they actually made me feel happy but I wasn't going to miss an opportunity for things to be normal between Sasuke and I. "OH YEAH. WHAT PROOF IS THERE OF THAT?!"

"I KILLED OROCHIMARU."

I scoffed, "HE WAS DYING ANYWAY."

"I DEFEATED ITACHI."

I dismissed him again, "HE WAS ILL AND HE'S YOUR BROTHER HE LET YOU WIN."

"HA." Sasuke scoffed at the idea. "WHO TOLD YOU THAT?"

"ITACHI!" I told him bluntly.

"THAT ARSEHOLE!" He shouted. "Well I can prove that I am unquestionably stronger than you– FINAL VALLEY!" He spoke the word like it said it all.

I laughed at his weak argument. "WE WERE THIRTEEN BACK THEN. WE HAVE BOTH GROWN SINCE THEN – Wait. Is that why you won't spar with me? Because you're afraid I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ARSE!"

Sasuke stepped closer to me his eyes aligning with mine. "YOU WISH DOBE. I'LL FIGHT YOU ANYTIME. "

"FINE THEN. RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW" I dared him.

"FINE." He started hand signs. His hand began to light up with a chidori.

I jumped out of range summoning shadow clones to help me with my own jutsu.

We charged at each other shouting "CHIDORI!"/ "RASENGAN!"

Our minds were about to collide for the first time since the day we made that promise to each other.

Shikamaru appeared between us. "You are going to kill each other. You too are so troublesome…" he groaned. He grabbed us both by the arm and sent us flying in the opposite directions, like Kakashi-sensei had done that day on the hospital roof, however our jutsu had grown so powerful since it cleared large amounts of the forest where they landed.

"Are you two alright?" Shikamaru said when neither of us got up.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, standing up from where had had crashed into the side of the clearing and storming off back in the direction of the Leaf Village.

"Sasuke." Shikamaru called after him.

Sasuke ignored him continuing to leave but I saw the small smirk on his face that told me he had enjoyed that just as much as I did.

"Let's get going" I declared, transporting myself to Sasuke's side to begin our walk back to the Leaf Village.

"I haven't said I'm going-" Suigetsu started to object.

"Naruto…" Sasuke said turning to me. I understood immediately that he what he wanted me to do. I summoned a shadow clone creating another, far weaker, rasengan in my hand.

Suigetsu put up his hands. "I'm coming, I'm coming" he said with a nervous laugh.

Shikamaru forced us to walk back to the Leaf Village to blow off all the steam that had said had ruined his nap. I talked with Sasuke the whole way home tell him about all the things that had been going on the Village while he had been stuck at boring clan meetings. I was in the middle of an amazing story about a little girl who had awoken her Sharingan protecting her sister from some bullies. I thought that Sasuke would enjoy it since it featured his clan when Suigetsu interrupted me. "Then the little girls-" He stopped me right at the best part.

Irritated that I had to pause my story, I snapped, "What?"

"Naruto. Why do you talk to Sasuke so much? Its annoyingly loud, louder than Karin even," he chuckled at some private joke, "and he isn't even replying to you."

'Not replying to me.' I was completely confused by his words. "What do you mean not replying to me? Sasuke is-"

Shikamaru agreed. "He's replying it's just only Naruto can tell."

"Oh" Suigetsu agreed a look of curiosity on his face.

"What's the matter Suigetsu?" I asked.

He looked intrigued, asking me, "What's he saying now?"

I looked to Sasuke who glared at me with the message 'Tell him a thing Dobe and I'll kill you.'

I smiled. "Sorry Suigetsu… maybe another time."

That earned me a dark look from Sasuke but at least he wasn't planning to kill me or worse ignore me again.

Next Chapter: Lee makes good on his promise,Ino teaches Sai a lesson,mission to the Land of Waves, Obito makes an appearance, and more!