I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Reunion
Naruto sprinted through the halls of Orochimaru's base looking left and right. He had to find Sasuke before the others so that they wouldn't get themselves killed trying to kill him. Before returning the base, they had entered, found Sai, and left the base with him. He had confessed to being assigned by Itachi to locate Sasuke and bring him back to the village. He hadn't been ordered to kill him, as Naruto had feared, but he had been told to bring him back. After he finished, Kabuto arrived attacking Naruto and the others to free Sai and had subsequently successfully fought all three of them, Naruto being most surprised. Sakura had accidentally angered a swarm of bees that went after Kabuto who had flipped out and shredded them before freeing Sai, only to have Sai restrain him long enough for Yamato to bind him with a wood jutsu. Then, the four of them had returned to the base to find Sasuke. Sai was with him, having promised to follow his lead.
After a time, Naruto suddenly collapsed, limbs giving out, still weak from using the Nine-tails Cloak. When he woke up, Sai had sat him against the wall.
"I would have thought you'd have gone after Sasuke alone," Naruto stated.
"I want to see you succeed," Sai stated. "So I intend to help you. Besides, you remind me of him."
He held up his picture book, a book of sketches Sai had drawn of him and another body fighting several battles heading inward to the middle fold with an unfinished double picture.
"Who was he?" Naruto questioned.
"Shin," Sai stated. "My best friend and brother."
Suddenly Sai opened the book and began to draw in the last picture.
"I remember what I was going to draw," Sai said more to himself than anyone.
When he finished, Naruto saw that it was a picture of him and Sai smiling and holding hands, showing their bond as brothers.
"I would love to question you about him," Naruto stated standing, Kurama having done him the service of healing him finally. "But it would seem we have company."
Just then, two snakes shot out of the darkness and Naruto's Garian blades wrapped around them in dragon form and bit them, sending their poison into them and back to Orochimaru. Orochimaru retracted his snakes and Naruto drew his Double-Edged Swords. Orochimaru grinned then it faltered and he coughed up blood.
"Hurts doesn't it?" Naruto questioned. "I haven't actually been able to test it yet. Thank you for volunteering."
Orochimaru suddenly grew one of his own snakes and it bit himself in the neck. The two poisons cancelled each other and Orochimaru grinned.
"Go Sai," Naruto growled. "Orochimaru's mine."
Sai nodded and sprinted past Orochimaru and Orochimaru charged at Naruto attacking him with his sword, which Naruto blocked. Naruto jumped kicking him back then filled the hallway with a wall of razor sharp wind. When it cleared Orochimaru, he was covered in bleeding gashes and breathing hard. He stood and Naruto grinned.
"Still tired from our last fight?" Naruto grinned. "Fork over the sword so I can kill you and then go get Sasuke."
"I don't think so," Orochimaru sneered holding his arm out.
"Multiple Striking Shadow Snakes!" Orochimaru said as a dozen shot out of his sleeve at Naruto. Before they could reach him, a massive wooden beam exploded out of the wall crushing them before Yamato and Sakura jumped through the hole the beam had made and glared at Orochimaru.
"Him again huh?" Yamato questioned.
"Yeah," Naruto growled. "I've got this handled."
"I'm afraid I must let you live for now," Orochimaru stated. "I've got some business with Sai that can't be ignored."
And then, he was gone.
"God damn it!" Naruto growled.
"Are you okay?" Sakura questioned.
"Fine," Naruto stated. "Let's go. Sai went this way."
Just then, the entire base shook with an explosion and they ran toward it and out into a crater where the base and the ground above it had been obliterated.
"Sai!" Naruto shouted running out into the open then slowing to a stop and looking to the left. "Sasuke."
"Naruto," Sasuke said calmly. "You're late."
Sasuke now wore white long-sleeved shirt open at the torso with a small Uchiha crest on the back of his collar, dark blue pants with a blue cloth hanging from halfway up his stomach to his knees along with black arm guards that covered his forearms and stretched up to reach his upper biceps black sandals halfway up his shins, and a purple rope belt around his waist, tied in a bow, in which he carried a chokuto with his Fire Sword diagonally across his back above the bow.
Naruto looked into his Sharingan and suddenly they were both inside of his mind outside Kurama's cage.
"So this is what's inside of you," Sasuke mused. "Explains a lot."
Suddenly red chakra appeared in front of the cave and formed the fox's head and front paws, or at least, the shape of them.
"You," Kurama growled. "I can see your chakra through your eyes. A chakra even darker than my own. Much like him."
"How are you here?" Naruto questioned.
"I can see everything with my eyes," Sasuke stated. "How much have you learned?"
"Not enough," Naruto stated. "Not to do it alone. I'm faster, stronger, have more swords, each with their own use, I can teleport further, and my jutsus are stronger but Danzo would destroy me still. You?"
"I perfected my Chidori, found a way to channel it along my chokuto, can manipulate the fire from my old sword after firing it, it is much stronger and I can control how I use the flames in the sword, and I have total control over my Curse Mark Level Two form. We're not ready to fight him yet. I'll be having Orochimaru teach me a new Chidori jutsu soon as well as most of his snake jutsus. Once I've learned enough, I'll send you a message. Bring Itachi."
"We have a Bikochu Beetle that has learned Danzo's smell," Naruto stated. "You can come back to the village and we can use that to hunt him."
"That's true but no," Sasuke sighed. "I'll be collecting a team soon. One of the best sensory ninjas in the world, one of the best swordsmen of the Hidden Mist alive for some time, and someone who could fight the Raikage. We'll track Itachi the hard way. You meet us there using the beetle."
"How much time has passed in the real world?" Naruto questioned.
"About a second, why?" Sasuke questioned.
"I need you to see something," Naruto said forming a floating square screen. "I just need to make sure I'm right about something. Then we'll settle things outside."
"Naruto," Sasuke interrupted. "I'm going to kill Orochimaru."
"I don't care if I can have his sword," Naruto stated. "I have developed a bit of a thing for them."
"Sure," Sasuke grinned. "I can relate to that. So, what is it you want me to see?"
Naruto turned to the video as Kurama spoke up.
"If you show those I'll be violently sick," Kurama complained.
"Do you mind?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke placed his hand on Kurama's snout and squeezed making the bubble face and paws explode. Then, Naruto began to play images on the screen, all pertaining to one person and all memories. At the same time, both Naruto and Sasuke, the latter only because Naruto allowed him to, felt Naruto's emotions connected to that person. When the images ended and the emotions faded, Sasuke burst out laughing, bending over and clutching his sides.
"Oh man Naruto," Sasuke laughed struggling to stop. "You truly are hopeless."
"Was it what I think it was?" Naruto questioned slightly irritated. "Or am I imagining things?"
"No no," Sasuke chuckled. "You were right. You're head over heels in love with her. And that truly sucks. Because you know full well how Jinchuriki are always viewed. Even Gaara."
"I know," Naruto sighed. "Thank you for your help. And when you kill Orochimaru, tell him I said hi."
Sure," Sasuke nodded before they returned to real life, just as the others stepped out. "Sakura. Welcome."
"Sasuke," Sakura breathed.
"Shall we Naruto?" Sasuke questioned. "It's about time."
Naruto nodded and Sasuke appeared beside Naruto before anyone realized he had moved. he drew his sword moving to stab Naruto but Sai caught his arm.
"That was the correct block," Sasuke stated and Naruto had a feeling he knew what Sasuke meant.
Naruto punched Sasuke in the stomach, launching him backward and Sasuke landed on his feet as Yamato stepped in front of Naruto.
"Really?" Naruto questioned. "You think you can do better than me?"
Sasuke darted forward jabbing his chokuto for a non-fatal spot and Yamato moved to block it with a kunai. Sasuke channeled his Chidori into the blade of his chokuto and it cut through the kunai instantly before stabbing into Yamato's shoulder electrocuting him. Then, he pulled it out and jumped back. Naruto drew Temujin's sword channeling chakra into it and slashed at Sasuke who avoided the blade then swung at Naruto. Naruto ducked under the blade of his chokuto as his other arm drew the fire Sword. Naruto drew his Double-Edged Sword and blocked his Fire Sword's swing then caught Sasuke's other arm. Then, he dropped to the ground kicking Sasuke away. Sasuke landed beside Orochimaru and Kabuto and huffed brushing dirt off of his shirt.
"Impressive," Sasuke commented. "I would hate to have to fight you."
"Why don't you finish them off Sasuke," Orochimaru suggested.
"Be my guest," Sasuke said waving his hand.
"No thank you," Orochimaru sighed. "Very well. We'll finish them another time."
"See you around Naruto," Sasuke said smirking as he, Orochimaru, and Kabuto all slowly burned away from foot to head before they were gone.
"Neat trick," Naruto grinned. "Now, I think we should get home."
"You just let him leave," Sakura stated.
"You want to know the truth?" Naruto questioned. "He and I are going to go after Danzo together and kill him. He's training under Orochimaru for just that reason. Once he's strong enough, he'll kill Orochimaru and send me and Itachi a letter, telling us it's time. Then, we'll meet him there. I let him go because neither of us is ready yet. We need him to learn as much as he can from Orochimaru."
"You...oh," Sakura said. "Then he'll come home?"
"I believe so, yes," Naruto nodded. "Now can we go home?"
"Fine," Sakura sighed. "Let's go."
Naruto nodded and the four of them all turned and left the base, returning to the Leaf Village.
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