Herald of the End Chapter 33: Preparations, a naruto fanfic

You guys are great!

Sorry that this chapter came out a bit late, but it just kept growing and growing. However, I'm happy with where I finally was able to stop. As always, check the Author's note at the bottom that will hopefully clarify and/or answer some of your questions.

Since quite a few of reviewers asked the same question, I'll answer it here. Konoha didn't know that Naruto was the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi. They thought that he was the Kyubi. I spoke briefly about that this in chapter 1, but that was quite a bit of reading ago. Basically what happened was this: Unlike in canon, Hiruzen never had the chance to tell the village about Naruto's status as Jinchuriki. The first assassination attempt prevented that. Hiruzen reacted by banning all knowledge of Naruto's status. However, given that word still gets around, everyone got the misconception that Naruto was the powerless sealed Kyubi. From there, the darker side of human nature took over.

I hope this answers you guys' questions about Naruto's Jinchuriki status. If it doesn't, let me know and I can explain in more detail.

Without any more delay, here's the next chapter. Chapter 33: Preparations

"So this is the place." Sakura inspected one of the stone walls of the specially designed sealing chamber Naruto had created for the express purposes of removing the Cursed Seals of Heaven from Anko and Tayuya. The pink haired ninja ran her hand along one of the walls, marveling at the sheer water-like smoothness of the walls, and not seeing any tool marks scarring the walls. Even examining the walls up close didn't reveal any hidden scratches.

"So how exactly did you create this chamber?" Sakura paused, her eyes taking in the full shape of the chamber, "And why exactly did you decide on this shape for the sealing chamber?" From what little bit she had gleaned from several of Naruto's explanations about seals, Sakura knew that most highly designed sealing chambers were perfectly square to ensure that the chakra loss in the sealing was minimized as well as it allowed for predictable seal placement.

The sealing chamber that Naruto created, however, wasn't square in the slightest. To Sakura's mostly untrained eyes, it looked more like a three dimensional multi-pointed star than anything else with the actual sealing chamber sitting in the hollow center of the star. "Well," Naruto handed a clone the sealing ink brush, quickly pointing out to the clone where he was leaving off. The clone nodded and began to put ink to seal.

"I and my clones carved out a rough outline of the shape we needed," The Uzumaki began, his blue eyes glowing with confidence as he spoke of the subject he knew and enjoyed, "And from there we covered the entire thing with one big space seal. Once we made sure we covered everywhere, I activated the seal, removing the second layer of stone and making the walls perfectly smooth."

"I was reading another one of the Uzumaki scrolls when I found several theories on how the number of points or corners on a sealing chamber can assist in increasing the power and/or efficiency of the seals being created inside it." He chuckled for a moment, just now realizing that he had be starting to ramble. "Sorry Sakura-Chan." He rubbed the back of his neck in slight embarrassment, "I didn't mean to bore you."

The pink-haired girl blinked, before earnestly shaking her head. "You weren't boring me. I really want to hear the reason behind the numbering theory." She gave her boyfriend an encouraging smile. "Really, I do."

"Ok." Naruto nodded, still amazed at how awesome his three girlfriends were. "So, as I was saying, the number seven is traditionally known as the number of creation. The number three is known as the number of trinity and often is the representative of unity." His hands rose into the air to gesture as he continued.

"And so, I wondered if it would be possible to create a sealing room that incorporated the power of creation as well as the strength and efficiency of unity. Seven and Three. And the I started to do some calculations and found that seven times seven times seven is three-hundred and forty-three…"

Sakura felt her mouth go dry. Hearing Naruto's logical explanation of mathematics relating to sealing had been quite possibly the hottest thing she had ever heard. "That's…" The pink haired young woman attempted to sound calm and in control, which was the complete opposite of how she really felt. "...amazing Naruto-Kun!" She mostly succeeded. "Where did you learn all of this?" "Stupid hormones."

"Well," Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, only feeling the slightest of urges to duck his head in shyness, "I was studying the Uzumaki Clan scrolls, and I read all about the importance of the number three and the number seven. So I had the idea, why not create a sealing chamber that had both numbers in it?" Also, he was aware that telling his girlfriend that he had acquired the Uzumaki scrolls from the ruins of his parents' home would perhaps not go over too well...

"Do you really think it is going to help?" Rational thought was slowly returning to Sakura. She never put much stock into the 'power' of numbers.

"Don't know for certain." Naruto shrugged. "However, the preliminary tests I did on a smaller shaped version was promising." Another shrug. "I don't know if I really need to have this high of a quality of sealing chamber, but I don't want to leave anything to chance."

Sakura promptly beamed at her boyfriend. It had only taken him three weeks to figure out, design, and create something this impressive. "Come on Naruto-Kun." The pink haired girl gestured towards the temporary passage that led to the surface, "It's a three mile hike back to Konoha and we have to celebrate your massive achievement in creating this chamber." She paused, not trying to hide her teasing grin. "Haku-Chan is making ramen~."

"You guys can finish up, right?" Naruto called to his clones as he had started moving the moment he heard the word 'ramen'.

"Yeah, Boss." Thirty Seven answered, "We'll finish up and then go back to our assigned projects."

After Naruto and Sakura were out of earshot, clone Forty Four realized something. "You know, Boss never brought up the fact that his forty nine point barriers did a really good job at stopping people from entering…"

"They did more than that, " Eighty Eight pointed out. "It totally fried the shit out of the testing squads."

"True." Forty Four chuckled. It had been amusing to imagine what it would look like if someone tried to attack Boss by attempting to charge through the barrier.

"But Sakura-Chan doesn't like it when she sees Boss or us, since we look like Boss, deliberately hurting ourselves." Eighty Eight continued.

"True." Forty Four acknowledged as he went back to work, carefully drawing the intricate seal that was next on the list. The clone withheld a dark chuckle as it thought of Naruto's plan for the Cursed Seal of Heaven. Once they moved the Cursed Seal from Anko-Chan and Tayuya-Chan, anyone looking to release the scroll that the Cursed Seal was transferred to was in for a very big...surprise…

Granted, it wasn't on the Parent Home Retrival Project, but this was almost, if not more, of an important project. Forty Four couldn't imagine all of the powerful seals that Boss would create in the room in the future. And Forty Four was honored to be a part of it.

Tayuya had thought she understood what it meant to be a seal master. Orochimaru had supposedly single-handedly created the Cursed Seals and many other seals Sound used. But this...this was something else. The hundreds of seals lining every inch of the sealing chamber was beyond anything she could have imagined. Not that she was impressed or anything….

Okay, she was. Just a little bit though.

"Sit in the center of the black circle on the floor," Naruto directed, pointing at a circle on the floor that was outlined by several dozen seals. The Uzumaki Clan Head turned to Tayuya's ANBU guards. "You may want to leave for this." The ANBU looked at him. "There is a slight chance you might die if you stay. This seal configuration was designed for just myself and the person in the center. During the removal process, there is a slight chance you would get a massive backlash if you stay." He pointed towards the door. "You can stay just outside the door if you want."

The ANBU guards quickly moved out of the chamber.

"Well, that's just fuckin' reassuring." Tayuya didn't try to hide the sarcasm in her voice. "There's only a slight chance I'm going to die."

"Not you." Naruto waved his hand dismissively, as he mentally triple-checked the seals in the room, "You'll be safe in the circle. The chakra dispersion arrays will keep you safe." Giving a nod of satisfaction, Naruto turned to Tayuya. "Now that everything is ready, do you have any questions before I explain what exactly is going to happen?"

"Yeah." Tayuya wasn't sure how to ask the question, nor what emotion she was feeling. Normally she was angry when she had to do ask something like this, but Naruto was trying to help her…

"Just one: How badly is it going to fucking hurt?"

"Hmmm…" Naruto scratched his chin, thinking of how he could describe what he suspected it would feel like. "...I can't say for certain, but I would guess that it would be like getting your stomach sliced open and also getting stabbed in both eyes at the same time." He didn't tell her that he would be experiencing the same pain she would. He had felt pain before; had endured pain before, and would willingly do so again for those he cared about; for his family.

"Wha-what the fuck?" Tayuya stammered, before her eyes narrowed "That was rather specific."

Naruto shrugged. "It's the closest thing that I can think of that I personally know."

"That happened to you?"

"Yep." Naruto nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable talking about his past. He didn't want her to worry.

"Shit." Tayuya muttered, "That's fucked up." "And I definitely can't complain now." Outwardly, however, she maintained her tough front. "Let's do this. Get that pale fucker's soul outta me."

"Ok." Naruto nodded, before slipping into a calm, professional tone. "During the entire process you can't move. Secondly, you are going to be drained of chakra and that will take time to recover. Lastly, don't fight my chakra."

The blonde Uzumaki knelt down next to the starting point of the sealing array. Tayuya, wanting to hold a minute longer before it began - and her life changed permanently - couldn't help but ask, "What are you going to be doing with the Snake's soul?"

"Well," Naruto began to slowly charge his chakra, "I'm actually moving the entire inner ring to that scroll over there. Once I do that, I can safely remove the rest." He pointed to a rather large scroll sitting inside a small ink circle. "Orochimaru won't be aware that your seal got moved, and the soul in the seal will power the scroll. It will be placed in a safe place in the village, and will remain there until someone loyal to Orochimaru tries to open it."

"What happens when the piece of shit tries to open it?"

Naruto couldn't help but smirk. "All of the chakra storage seals on the scroll will activate, and the largest and most powerful stasis field will capture them." He shrugged. "Hopefully someone will find them within seventy-two hours, otherwise they will probably die."

"You are seriously fuckin' scary, do you know that?" Tayuya couldn't help but compliment Naruto's - in her not-so-humble opinion - brilliant plan.

"Do you want me to start?" Naruto asked, giving her an out. He wasn't going to force her. It was her choice on moving forward to a potentially brighter future or staying where she was at.

Tayuya paused, the words dying on her tongue. It was, for the first time, that she was given the opportunity to chose her own fate. It was almost terrifying in a way. All her life her fate had been chosen by others. She knew what to expect. She knew when to dodge, when to throw on a badass bitch facade, when to run. It was familiar and the safest way she knew to live.

But...deep down inside, hadn't she dreamed of a better life? One where she had friends and family? One where she didn't have to sleep with her back to the wall?

"...You are Tayuya Uzumaki…" Naruto's words rang in her mind. The redhead felt her resolve begin to build. Perhaps it wasn't safe. Perhaps it wasn't familiar. It didn't matter. She would choose what she wanted.

Tayuya Uzumaki met Naruto's eyes. "Let's do this shit."

Closing his eyes, Naruto reached deep inside himself. Deeper and deeper plunged into his unfathomably deep, calm chakra pools, searching for the even more powerful and dense chakra of his partner. "Are you ready, Kyubi?"

"Let us undo what they said cannot be undone." The Demon Fox grinned fiercely, ready to show the world how wrong they were about it's partner; it's friend. "Show them why you should be respected! And if not respected, feared!" Feeling Naruto grasp onto it's chakra, the Nine-Tails freely let Naruto pull on as much chakra as he needed.

Outside, Tayuya had to close her eyes to avoid the sudden brightness of the chakra that burst forth from Naruto given that she couldn't move to shield her eyes. Dark blue and light red chakra swirled around his form, the energy building. The there was so much chakra in the air that she could almost taste it. One by one, each one faster than the last, the seals around the chamber began to light up, shining with enough light to illuminate the area like daylight. Naruto's body began to tremble slightly, not used to charging this much chakra.

Naruto's eyes snapped open, his blue eyes glowing bright, almost pale blue. He slammed his hands down. With a clearly auditable tha-whoom, the sealing array activated. Faster than Tayuya could blink, seals crawled up her legs and body, searching with single-minded purpose for the Cursed Seal. A second later the seals found what they were looking for and her world exploded into unending agony.

The first thing Tayuya was aware of when consciousness filtered in was the pounding of her head. A moment later she became aware of how...light she felt. As if a hundred pounds she wasn't aware she was carrying had been lifted. Then she felt the bone-deep weariness of chakra exhaustion set in, and the urge to fall back asleep was almost overwhelming. She resisted.

Spotting a mirror on the bedside table next to the bed, the redhead picked it up and carefully angled it towards her neck. Clean, unblemished skin greeted her. "You ain't going to fuckin' cry." She told herself fiercely, scrunching her eyes shut.

Looking out the window to distract herself, she was struck by how beautiful the midday sky looked, how free it looked. And for the first time in a very long time, Tayuya leaned back and relaxed. A small happy smile creased at her lips as she drifted off to sleep; not that she would admit to having to made such an expression when she awoke the next day.

It was little over a week later when Naruto knocked on Anko's door. "Naru-Kun." Anko grinned happily at the blonde who she saw as her younger brother, "How are you doing?"

Naruto grinned back at the purple haired kunoichi. "Would you like your Cursed Seal to be removed?"

Perhaps Naruto should have guessed her reaction, but he was still learning. A sudden hug crashed him to the ground. "Y-You really mean it?" Anko didn't doubt him, she was just having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that she could be free.

"Yep." Naruto nodded the best he could, still slightly confused at Anko's enthusiastic hug. Looking over her shoulder, Naruto waved at the second person in the room. "Hey Kakashi-Sensei."

Still hugging Naruto, Anko stood up, much to the still befuddled confusion of said blonde. "Did you hear that Kaka-Kun?" she grinned, "Soon it'll be just you and me all alone without the seal..." She leaned close to Naruto. "If you want, Naru-Kun, I can see if I can't push your girlfriends your way." She winked at an amused Kakashi. "You still need to break that bed in…"

"Th-There's...no need for that." Naruto willed the slight blush away and stepped back from Anko's embrace. Turning towards the door, he was surprised to see Tayuya still standing there, some strange expression flickering across her face. Grabbing her hand, Naruto pulled the surprised redhead into the room. "Kakashi-Sensei, Anko-Chan, this is Tayuya Uzumaki."

"So how badly is it going to hurt?" Anko asked Tayuya, now that they had a moment to themselves while Naruto was showing an attentive and interested Kakashi the sealing chamber. Since Tayuya's introduction by Naruto, Anko had come to realize that the redhead had been abused by Sound as much as she had been, if not more so. A tentative friendship had sprung up between them, equal shared parts of shared history, hate of Sound, and a connection to Naruto.

"You know how you get monthly cramps?" Tayuya wasn't about to use Naruto's messed up example. Anko nodded, remembering the monthly pains with a scowl. "Imagine that it's everywhere and times it by a hundred."

"So about as bad as when I first got the Cursed Seal?"

"Basically." Tayuya confirmed. "But it does work. Shithea-" Instantly feeling Anko's glare at her choice of nicknames for Naruto, the redhead hurriedly fixed her blunder. "Naruto knows his stuff." Despite their recent comradeship, Anko still slightly scared the shit out of her.

"Ready Anko Chan?" Naruto called, apparently done explaining the procedure to Kakashi.

"Let's do this Naru-Kun." Anko headed to the center circle, recognizing it from the other sealing chamber. Sitting down, she glanced at a kneeling Kakashi. "You're able to stay?"

"Yes." The Grey haired ninja nodded, "Naruto found a way to allow me to help him channel chakra for the technique." What went unsaid was that he would be taking a portion of the pain that Anko would have experienced, given that he knew more about medical techniques so he could assist Naruto in creating a sub-array seal. He couldn't remove her pain, but he could transfer some of the sensation to himself.

"Everyone ready?"

Anko glanced at Kakashi, feeling something suspiciously stronger than mere like. "I'm ready."

The seals began to glow.

Anko awoke slowly, consciousness returning as she opened her eyes. A headache throbbed lightly in the back of her skull, but it was manageable. The pain from getting the Cursed Seal removed hadn't been as bad as she thought it would be. The chakra drain had knocked her unconscious, but Anko was proud to say she hadn't fainted from the pain.

Glancing up at the calendar, she noted that just over thirty-six hours had passed since she had passed out in the sealing chamber. Movement off to her left caused the kunoichi to glance over towards the right side of the room. Spotting a sleeping Kakashi slouched in the chair made a warm feeling flutter in her heart. Noticing Hageshidesu curled up in his lap, she couldn't help but smile warmly at the pair. To know that Kakashi and Hageshidesu were comfortable enough with each other brought a small, true smile to Anko's lips.

She had feared that Kakashi would always feel uncomfortable around her - admittedly lethal - personal summon and friend. She had also worried that Hageshidesu would be cautious around Kakashi. But seeing her summon curled up on the grey-haired ninja's lap, the snake's angular head propped comfortably on Kakashi's knee, Anko knew that she could put her fears to rest.

Hearing the sound of someone stirring from sleep, Hageshidesu awoke, raising his head from Mask Man's knee to peer towards Master's bed. Seeing that Master was awake, the summon uncoiled it's body and arose up to gently boop Mask Man on the nose.

"What's going on Hageshidesu?" Kakashi's voice was slightly confused as he slowly awoke. The snake promptly turned it's body and did an admirable job of pointing towards it's Master, despite not having any limbs.

Once Hageshidesu knew that Mask Man knew that Master was awake, it slithered off of Kakashi's lap, heading towards the door. It hadn't eaten in some time and now that Master didn't need protecting, it wanted to get a meal. Master had the Happy Emotion-scent, so Mask Man would protect her, and Master would protect Mask Man.

"Hey." Kakashi still hadn't awoken fully, and his sleep-deepened voice created a rather more-than-just-best-friends feeling in the pit of Anko's stomach. Pushing it away, she couldn't help but return the greeting.

"Hey." Shifting to a seated position, she blinked as Kakashi thrust a hand mirror in her direction. A moment later she realized what the mirror was for. Gripping the mirror, Anko took several deep breathes, some part of her insisting that the whole experience with removing the seal was nothing more than a dream. "No. I trust Naru-Kun and Kaka-Kun."

She slowly raised the mirror, angling it at the side of her neck. Unblemished and seal free skin greeted her. She felt tears pool at her eyelids, and didn't try to stop them. Flinging herself from the bed to a surprised Kakashi, the pair crashed to the floor. "Thank-you." It was a whisper that came from the bottom of her heart.

Quickly getting over his shock, Kakashi couldn't help but give her a warm smile, his lone visible eye shining with warmth and care. "Any time." Brushing a stray tear off his best friend's face, he felt his heart swell with a strange - but most certainly pleasant - warm feeling. "Whenever you need me, I'll be there."

As he brushed another tear away from her eyes, Kakashi was struck by just how beautiful Anko was in that moment. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, drawing his attention to them. His mind went slightly blank and he couldn't remember exactly why he was holding Anko at an arm's length. He leaned upwards as her head descended towards his.

Anko never realized just how handsome Kakashi looked until that moment. Laying on his muscular body, she felt safe, secure, and something else that was far more intense than mere care. Feeling his gaze on her face, the purple haired young woman's tongue subconsciously darted out to wet her lips. Feeling his gaze on her lips, Anko couldn't help but let her head descend towards Kakashi's as her left hand reached out and gently hooked her fingers on the corner of his mask.

Heat bloomed between them.

Kakashi nodded, giving his best friend permission. He felt his cloth mask slide down his face as Anko's breath ghosted over him. The mask reached his chin. Anko and Kakashi closed the remaining inch.

It wasn't like the books described. There wasn't fireworks going off in his head. But there was something undeniably perfect about the way Anko's lips molded to his, as if they were made for him; and his made for her's. It was perhaps one of the best moments of his life, and Kakashi never wanted it to end.

Anko felt her stomach flutter for the briefest second as her lips touched Kakashi's, the panicked thought of "What I am I doing?" flashing through her mind. Then he leaned into the kiss and she stopped trying to question it at all. Eventually needing to breathe, the pair pulled back. Anko grinned softly and lightly bumped Kakashi's forehead with her own.

"Wow."

Kakashi nodded, his expression happy yet awed. "Wow."

Anko giggled and lay her head back down on her best friend's chest. After a few moments she spoke up. "Kaka-Kun, what does this mean for us?" "Please don't let this be a heat of the moment thing."

"Does it have to mean something?" Kakashi sat up slightly. "I think we should just continue being friends and go from there." He paused, trying to find the best way to describe how he was feeling. "I have no idea how a real relationship works. But I'm willing to try if you want."

Anko was quiet. "I don't want to mess this up and lose you as my friend." She began finally. "But if you are willing to try," She took a deep breath. "I'm willing to try too."

A few minutes of calm settled over the two before Kakashi broke the comfortable silence. "So we'll just stay best friends and see how it develops?" He felt her nod against his chest. Smiling one of his extremely rare smiles, Kakashi leaned back and rested his head against the ground. He had never felt this...cared for in a very long time.

"Kaka-Kun?"

"Hmmm?"

Anko felt her cheeks flare up in a blush. "Does this mean we can't kiss anymore?" She pushed herself up, looking down at her best friend.

Kakashi leaned up swiftly and pecked Anko once again. "I think that we can kissing if you want." He couldn't help but smile at her. It was a small thing, but to Anko, it was worth more than all of the Ryo in the world.

"I'd really like that."

"I'm home." Naruto called as he entered the main Uzumaki Clan Head Building. Mentally reaching out, he felt Haku's chakra gain a happy feeling, followed a moment later by a feeling that was warmer than mere care lacing every molecule of her chakra. Since Kyubi had brought him back from the dead, it was much easier for Naruto to sense his girlfriends' chakra levels and the emotions running through said chakra. From what testing they could do, it was determined that he could easily sense Sakura, Hinata, or Haku from about halfway across the village without issue.

After that, it took more concentration as the distance increased, until it eventually disappeared. At the maximum tested distance, Naruto could only sense what direction they were in relative to himself, but that was all he could glean from their chakra signatures at that long of range.

"Naruto-Sama." Haku smiled happily as she moved into the hallway, "How is Anko-Chan doing?"

"Good." Naruto nodded, "I showed Kakashi-Sensei the chakra transferring method and he said he was going to transfer some chakra to her. He didn't want her to be in a chakra deprivation coma for as long as Tayuya-Chan was."

Haku nodded understandingly. Tayuya, even with her impressive reserves, had fallen into a coma like state after she had her Curse seal removed, her body having to rest to recover from chakra deprivation. Anko, having significantly less chakra then Tayuya, would have been unconscious for almost a week if it wasn't for Kakashi.

Finally giving Haku his full attention, Naruto was struck with the thought that there was something subtly different about his girlfriend's hair. "Did you…" Naruto racked his brain to remember the subtle details of Haku's hair style, "...Cut your hair slightly?"

"I did." The Ice user smiled, "I wanted to try a new style. Among other things, the style allows has four senbons holding it in place." Having completely mastered keeping a steady chakra flow to two senbons made of ice, Haku had increased the challenge. She wanted to get to the level of control that she didn't even need to consciously control the level of Chakra going to the senbons. Such control would benefit every other aspect of her bloodline.

"Figured out where you want to go for our date?" Naruto couldn't help the feeling of care with a hint of something more that bled into his tone.

Haku nodded once more before hesitating, seemingly torn between two actions. A moment later she took a deep breath and stepped forward to wrap her arms around Naruto. "I almost lost you Naruto-Sama." She didn't let the tears fall. "But we didn't." She tightened her arms around him, "I will not stand idly by when you are threatened. None of us will." A moment later his arms wrapped around her, halting the dangerous downward spiral that her emotions were taking her.

"Haku-Chan." Naruto's voice was filled with all of the emotion he felt for her, "I care about you. About each of you." He tightened his grip. "That's why I'm creating these alliances. I'm hoping for the best, but I'm planning for the worst." His head dropped to rest on her shoulder. "I don't know what I would have been like if it wasn't for you, Sakura-Chan, and Hinata-Chan." He couldn't help breathe in, taking in the scent that was uniquely Haku. "I wish that I knew how to love you."

"Naruto-Sama." Haku drew back, her eyes flashing with barely suppressed emotion. "You are trying." Her normally soft brown eyes blazed. "And know this: I love you. Every part of you." Spotting her love open his mouth to protest, she pushed onward. "I love your smile. Your confidence. Your willingness to protect." There was a fierceness in her as she continued, like a lioness protecting her own. "I love the dark parts of you. The anger. The chaos. The willingness to do whatever it takes to protect." Her eyes almost glowed as she smiled lovingly at Naruto.

"I love you."

Tears threatened to fall as Naruto felt his heart swell with some unknown emotion. He didn't know what to think. He still felt he didn't deserve their love, that they could do better, but he was eternally grateful that they cared for him. "I'm trying to figure out what love is." His voice was soft. Some part of him noticed that the heat was rising in the room, but most of his attention was focused on how beautiful Haku looked in that moment.

"I know." Haku whispered, unable to take her eyes off of Naruto's inviting face. She was aware that her hormones were clouding her judgement, but she was having a hard time finding a reason to care. Unconsciously, she leaned closer to Naruto.

Reason filtered into Naruto's mind, but a large part of him wanted to ignore it. Closing his eyes and stepping away, the young man turned away from the desirable sight of his girlfriend. He took a deep breath, fighting every urge to turn around, knowing if he did so, he would engage in something he, nor Haku, Sakura, and Hinata were ready for. He heard Haku sigh, frustration and disappointment staining the sound.

Another deep breath. Determination returned to him, reminding him of why he was holding back. He didn't, above all else, want to hurt any of his girlfriends or push them into doing something they were not comfortable with. Another sigh from his girlfriend, this one was one of determination. She would not ask him and would not agree if he asked. The heat slowly faded.

As soon as his emotions were under control, Naruto turned back around. "I'm sorry." He wasn't exactly sure what he was apologizing for. "I really wanted to kiss you."

Haku's smile was radiant as she fell in love with him all over again. "Just hold me Naruto-Sama." Naruto didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her. Returning the hug, Haku laid her head on the blonde Uzumaki's shoulder and sighed contentedly. She couldn't think of anything more perfect than this moment.

Jiraiya briskly walked towards the Uzumaki Clan compound. Passing the Konoha Hot Springs he didn't feel more than a slightest flicker of interest as he passed the famous bathing area. He had more important things to do then peep today. Reaching the Uzumaki compound within ten minutes, the white haired Sannin brought his hand up to the center seal on the closed gate.

The seal sampled his chakra, comparing it to the stored chakra signatures. A moment later the gate opened on soundless hinges, and Jiraiya moved inside. Instantly feeling the chakra signature of his godson, the Toad Sannin headed to the Uzumaki Training ground that was inside the compound.

Turning the corner, Jiraiya couldn't help but stop and stare in amazement as he watched Naruto spar with ten of his clones, the blonde Uzumaki's swords blurring as he blocked and counter attacked his clones. As Naruto's left hand snapped outward to knock away a clone's sword, opening up the surprised clone for a strike, Jiraiya knew what would come next. He had seen Kushina execute the kenjutsu move several times many years ago during the Third Shinobi War.

Ducking his head and shoulders, Naruto spun under the still off balance clone's left arm, his right sword flashing out in a vicious slash that instantly dispelled the clone. Had the clone been more sturdy, the reverse grip slash would have bitten deeply into the clone's stomach and side, instantly disabling it, if not killing it outright. Leaning into his spin, Naruto used the added momentum to spring upwards, his left sword lashing out to open another clone's throat.

Completing his spin, the Uzumaki hurled himself into the air, dodging the blurred strikes from two of his clones. Snapping his right arm forward, Naruto threw his right sword like a spear, impaling a shadow clone. Contorting his body, Naruto dodged another sword strike mid-air. Lashing out with his free hand, he seized the blade that had been thrust towards him.

Pulling the clone off balance, Naruto landed and decapitated the clone in one smooth motion. As he did so, his right hand let go of the clone's sword, automatically raising towards his right sword that was stuck in the ground ten feet away. His fingers twitched. Muscle memory had him swinging his right arm upwards, readying himself to attack with the right sword the second it's hilt slammed into his palm.

The sword stayed stuck in the ground.

Naruto blinked, coming back to himself. The clones, recognizing the change, instantly halted their attacks. "Boss?" One couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

Naruto scratched his head, confused. "I dunno." He admitted, "I was just going by instincts and…" He shrugged helplessly. A moment later stabbing pain flashed through the underside of his right wrist, almost feeling like something was trying to push through the surface of the skin. The phantom sensation - it was just a phantom pain- was familiar somehow. Naruto and his clones had checked out the skin and the surrounding areas the last time this happened. They never found anything. The sensation faded, the pain dying as quickly had it had begun.

Concerned for his godson, Jiraiya moved out of the shadow of the building. "Naruto," The white-haired veteran's eyes looked for any injuries, "Are you alright?"

"Yep." Naruto nodded, smiling at his teacher. A moment later the smile vanished, the professional mask of the Uzumaki Clan Head sliding onto Naruto's face. "Do you have news?" Jiraiya nodded, an equally serious look appearing on the spy master's face. "I'll show you where we can talk without being heard."

The small building Naruto had created for meetings that needed to be private was masterfully designed. The silencing seals were built directly into the walls. Anti-summoning arrays were would destroy any summons that attempted to hide in the room. Several special seals would dispel any genjutsu or henge effects the moment the user crossed the threshold. After Jiraiya entered the room, Naruto closed the door, completing the circuit and powering the arrays. They would be able to speak without fear of being overheard.

"So to summarize," Naruto reiterated the information he got from Jiraiya, "The Jinchuriki of Kumo, Iwa, Suna are liked by their village and well treated. The Jinchuriki of Taki is forced to live outside of the village. You didn't see any indications that she was abused physically, but certainly the emotional distance between her and the village isn't good for her."

"The Jinchuriki of the Six-Tails disappeared during the 'Bloody Mist' events in Kiri and hasn't been seen since. The Three-Tails' former host was the Fourth Mizukage, but he was somehow killed by an unknown assailant and the Biju disappeared. Lastly, the Jinchuruiki of the Five-Tails keeps to himself and thus you don't know how prepared he is. Even though he is technically a shinobi of Iwa, he seems to hate humanity."

Jiraiya nodded in confirmation., inwardly marveling at how much Naruto looked like a experienced and powerful shinobi in that moment. He was so proud of his godson.

"Ok." Naruto carefully took the map of the known world off of the wall, setting it on the table between himself and Jiraiya. "Since we last spoke, I have been thinking of how we are going to do this." He glanced up at the Toad Sannin. "I was thinking that we would be doing a series of short trips, each time visiting a different one of the Jinchuriki, help them however we can, and then come back." Naruto paused, checking to see if Jiraiya had any complaints about his idea. Hearing none, the Uzumaki continued. "These short trips will also allow me to go on the Chunin missions I need to go on with Sakura-Chan and Hinata-Chan. What do you think of the idea?"

The spymaster tapped his chin in thought. "It's a good idea." A thought occurred to him. "What about Uzumaki Clan things that happen while you are away?"

"I was thinking of asking Hinata-Chan to sit on the council as a Proxy Head for me. I'm going to ask her later today."

"Sounds like a plan." Jiraiya confirmed. "I can't think of any questions I have about your plan, but I'll let you know if I do."

Naruto nodded and leaned over the map once more. "I was thinking of starting the first Jinchuriki visit by going to see Gaara in Suna." He pointed to the desert section on the map. "Not only is he fairly close, relatively speaking, he is also the container of the One Tail and thus the first person the Akatsuki is probably going to go after." His finger moved to Kumo. "On the next trip we will go to Kumo. Given that Killer B is the Eight Tails' container, and Yugito Nii is the container of the Two Tails' we can warn them and also see if they wants to spar. I need to find a way to measure myself."

Jiraiya nodded in acceptance of his godson's plan. "My schedule is clear, so as soon as you figure everything out, we can head to Suna." Wincing slightly as his back popped, the older Sannin stood up and headed towards the door. "I'll be at Konoha First Hotel if you need me for anything for the rest of the day."

Stepping outside of the secured room, Jiraiya made his way back into the compound. Not wanting to head back to his hotel room just yet, he wandered towards the eastern edge of the Uzumaki compound, no particular destination in mind.

"Who the fuck are you?" A female voice demanded abruptly. Halting, Jiraiya slowly swung around to see a rather pretty red headed girl several feet away, her expression stormy. "How the fuck did you get in here?"

Tayuya had awoken with a pounding headache caused by the chakra deprivation she was still suffering from. While she wasn't going to pass out any time soon, the weakness and throbbing headache put her in a slightly foul mood. Not only that, but for the first time in her life, she felt safe in the Uzumaki compound as she walked the grounds. But then she discovered this white-haired weirdo wondering about the compound.

Jiraiya examined the girl closely. She looked to be about fourteen or fifteen and had, if he sensed it right, quite larger than normal chakra reserves for her age. Judging by how she had a hint of a kunai sticking out of her sleeve, he guessed that any sudden movements would cause her to react, possibly even violently.

"Hello." The super pervert smiled. "May I have your name?" Rarely had Jiraiya's charm failed him.

"I'm not giving you my goddamn name!" Unfortunately for Jiraiya, Tayuya was in no mood to be charmed. "I'm going to ask you one more time...Who the fuck are you?"

It was often said that Jiraiya liked to live dangerously. "Well, since you asked," A leer began to swim onto his face.

"Tayuya-Chan?" Haku's voice carried across the courtyard, "Who are you talking to?" Spotting the signature white hair of Jiraiya, Haku greeted the Sannin, her voice becoming polite, but not quite friendly. She still blamed him for not being there for Naruto all those years. "Jiraiya-San."

"You know this fu-" Tayuya froze, remembering Haku's warning about large amounts of foul language. Despite the fact that the ice user had never raised her voice, the newest Uzumaki had felt that she definitely should work on curbing her...expressive language. "...Fffff-" Tayuya's mind searched for a word that both fit her feelings about the creepy white haired man and also wasn't a curse. "...Freak?"

"Yes." If Haku found amusement in what she was about to say, it never showed on her face. "He is Jiraya. Better known as the Toad Sage."

"Holy Fuc-" Tayuya's eyes almost bulged out of her skull, barely managing to avoid completing the curse. If he was anything like Orochimaru, there was a chance that he might try to kill her. But...Haku was here, and Tayuya knew, despite only knowing the ice-user for a few days, that Haku would defend her. Just like Naruto would, if he was here.

"Who is she?" Jiraiya pointed with his chin at the mildly panicking redhead.

"She is Tayuya Uzumaki." Haku smiled at the redhead. Despite being rough around the edges, Tayuya reminded Haku of Naruto in a way. Plus, once you got past her cursing - something that Haku was working on correcting - Tayuya was a decent person, if not the most polite. "Through a series of events, Naruto-Sama did a blood test on her and discovered that she was an Uzumaki." Haku smiled gently at the Toad Sannin, but there was a hint of warning unhidden in her eyes. The temperature dropped a few degrees.

"Oh." Jiraiya's leer instantly faded and he raised his in surrender. "I didn't know." He backed up a few steps. "I'll uh…" His eyes darted towards the safety of the front gate. "I'll be going now." He immediately sprinted to the gate.

"Thanks." Tayuya didn't look at Haku, not wanting Haku to see the relief on her face. The redhead didn't want the ice user to think she was weak. "I don't want to be kicked out of the clan because I am weak."

"It's alright." Haku's gentle words comforted Tayuya, even though she strove to not show it. "Shall we go back inside, Tayuya-Chan? You need to recover your chakra so you can start training." As the redhead followed Haku back into the main house, she couldn't help but wonder if all of this wasn't just some dying dream her mind had conjured up as she lay dying and alone. To have acceptance; to have family; to have someone who cared, was almost too much to believe. "But if this is a dream, then I'll enjoy it as long as I can. And if it's not a dream," Her brown eyes flashed with determination, "I'll do all I can to keep this feeling alive."

Hinata Hyuga was a study in contradictions. She was what could be termed a gentle soul, but she would not tolerate threats to those she cared about. She preferred kindness to violence, but she not hesitate to take the lives of anyone who was a threat. But then her love and best friend had nearly been taken away from her, and now she would do whatever it took to keep him, and others she cared about safe.

Her first step was to reform the Hyuga Clan. Over the last few weeks she had been working with Neji, teaching him the beginnings of politics. Her father wouldn't be the Head of the Hyuga Clan forever, and Neji was the best option for the next generation. Currently Hinata was attempting to figure out exactly what she could do about the Hyuga Council. She preferred to remove them through political means or by Clan Law, but the council had solidified their power quite well, using tradition to keep themselves in power.

However, initial careful inquiries were promising. Most of the Branch House would happily support her motions - and Neji's eventual bid for Clan Headship - if their Caged Bird Seals were removed. Not only that, but several of the Main House were also sympathetic to the plight of the Branch House. But most of the Main House she had learned - Neji had carefully recruited several other Branch House members to assist in his spying attempts - were firmly against changing tradition.

Something would have to eventually be done about them. Hinata hoped that given time, they would learn to accept that the Hyuga Clan had to change. But if they would not...Hinata would not let them brand her younger sister, Hinabi. That was something she had decided some time ago, and Naruto agreed. And speaking of Naruto, she felt his chakra signature moving towards her location. Quickly finishing her note to Neji, the kunoichi gracefully stood and moved towards the gate of the Uzumaki compound.

Perhaps Naruto would be heading out to train his higher level jutsu, but she wanted to see her love before he headed out. To Hinata's surprise, Naruto's chakra presence headed directly for her. Spotting the blonde, her heart fluttered and she couldn't keep her smile off of her face. "Naruto-Kun." Happiness sung from her voice.

"Hinata-Chan." Naruto trotted over to his girlfriend, "I missed you." Spotting the brilliant smile Hinata gave him at his words, he couldn't help but pull her into a warm hug. Since he had been released from Hospital, he had so much to do that it barely let any time for his girlfriends. Times like this was rare, and he would savor it for as long as he could.

"N-Naruto-Kun." Hinata couldn't help but stutter, taken off guard by Naruto's hug. While being hugged by Naruto wasn't a new thing, it was rare that he initiated a hug her without warning. Feeling her face heat up, Hinata hugged her love back, letting her head rest on his chest. Here in his arms she felt safe, protected, and content. Her worries about her clan, the village, the factions arrayed against them, and the other ninja village's reaction faded away.

Sometime later Naruto spoke, his chest vibrating slightly - to Hinata's secret enjoyment -, "Hinata-Chan?"

"Hmmm…?" It wasn't perhaps the best response, but she was quite comfortable. "Yes Naruto-Kun?"

"I'm going to be going on a few short trips with Jiraiya and I need to ask you a favor…"

The council met two days later. When Naruto entered the council room, he was mildly surprised to be instantly waved at by Choza. Making his way over to the Akimichi, the Uzumaki sat down in the offered chair. Exchanging greetings with several of the other clan heads that was part of the alliance with the Uzumaki, Naruto looked around the room, mentally cataloging the other factions in the room.

The Loyalist faction, that was by far the largest faction, sat in the middle section of the long table. Their location wasn't mere coincidence. The last thing the Loyalists wanted was a civil war splitting Konoha in two. However, even they were not immune to the feelings of faction loyalty. Most of the Loyalists tended to visit and eat at village owned and operated restaurants. The formerly struggling Leaf-appointed businesses had been happily enjoying the recent resurgence for their shops' services. Several of the former Humanitarians had jumped ship, signing contracts with the village in exchange for being added to the "Loyalist" list.

On the far end of the room was the Humanitarians. They glared at the other factions, despising them for what they saw as abandoning their fellow man for a demon's ideology. After all, the world had been this way for a very long time, and changing it was not something they wanted. For most, it was the fact that the change had been brought on by Naruto Uzumaki, the one they believed as the Kyubi incarnate; the same Demon Fox who had killed their family and friends all those years ago. They remembered the fear and feelings of utter helplessness as the Fox rampaged through the village. And so they swore to never let go of their hate of the Demon Fox.

A smaller group of the Humanitarians feared the changes Naruto embodied. They did not want to leave the safe comfort that was predictably. Even though children were being trained as soldiers - not that they wanted that, at least if directly asked - it was they way things had always been done. Change brought the fear of the unknown, and remembering the fear that the Kyubi had brought on them all those years ago, they trembled.

Still an even smaller part of the Humanitarian faction needed to believe that Tsunade was lying. They needed to believe that Naruto was a demon, trapped in mortal form. Otherwise, they had deliberately, consciously, and willingly beaten a young child whose only crime was being born. They had delighted in his pain, the pain they caused fooling themselves into believing that they caused lessened their own pain that they carried inside their hearts.

And if Naruto was human, that meant that they had done evil things; monstrous things, just like the Kyubi...

"Naruto-San." Inoichi leaned forward to whisper to the Uzumaki Clan Head, "We must speak later. Something has come to my attention."

Naruto nodded, getting the distinct feeling that it was about the Yamanaka Clan. "Meet me at the Uzumaki Compound after the meeting." The Uzumaki Clan Head's voice was low. "We have a secure building that we can use."

Shikaku hesitated, knowing what Inoichi was referring to. The Nara Clan Head had observed the same issue in his clan. "No. I trust Naruto." "Naruto-San, Inoichi, can I join you? I believe it's the same issue."

"Sure." Naruto wasn't going to turn his allies away. "You all can come if you want." Any further discussion was halted by the entrance of the Fifth Hokage.

"Now since we have several topics to discuss today, let's get the easy ones out of the way." Tsunade picked up a small stack of papers, glancing down at the first one. "From the report I got from the Head of Housing, we have rebuilt approximately fifty two percent of the total housing lost when Sound and Sand invaded…"

"...And that's it for all of the proceedings. The influx of missions from grateful merchants who were saved by Leaf shinobi have managed to singlehandedly close the gap in Suna's payments." It went without saying, of course, that Suna simply didn't have the money currently to pay for all of the damage they had done. "In other news, we will be starting a campaign against Sound starting in about six months. We should hopefully gathered enough intel by then to start looking for Sound's main village."

Tsunade hadn't lied, not exactly. They were still looking for intel on Sound's main village. However, unbeknownst to most of the village, Tayuya Uzumaki's information had allowed the ANBU operatives to pinpoint several Sound bases. With any luck, Sasuke Uchiha would be at one of them. Tsunade still hadn't paid him back for nearly killing her godson. And even her plans paled in comparison to the retribution that was hidden - or not so hidden, depending on the kunoichi - that Hinata, Haku, and Sakura wanted.

"Now that all of the village proceedings are done," Tsunade right hand moved with deliberate slowness, capturing all of the council's attention, "Let's discuss these factions." Her hand came to rest innocently on the table. Several of the civilians flinched.

"What exactly is causing a difference of opinion? There is proof of Naruto Uzumaki's status." The godmother of Naruto Uzumaki didn't dance around the issue. "It can be verified using several different and distinct methods."

"But each of those can only be verified by Loyalists or Uzumaki Faction." One of the leaders of the Humanitarians pointed out, doing his best to be reasonable despite of the fact that his hated enemy was sitting in the same room, "How do we know that the results aren't manufactured?"

"Because doing so would be pointless." One of the Loyalists pointed out, the expression on his face showing exactly how much he thought of the Humanitarian's issue. "The Leaf is only strengthened by Naruto Uzumaki's presence, and doubly so now that it has been revealed that he is the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails." His look became condescending. "Do you think that the other Jinchuriki from the village will not think twice when they learn that the most powerful of Biju is housed inside a Leaf ninja?"

Naruto, spotting the opening, raised his hand, signalling for quiet. The room focused on him. "While we are on the subject of myself and the Uzumaki Clan, I am informing the council of a change that will be happening regarding my seat on this council." Confused looks were exchanged. What was the Uzumaki Clan Head talking about?

"I will be leaving the village on several short trips over the next few months. While these trips are of a personal nature, and thus private, I would be…" Unbeknownst to the council, Naruto scrambled for an appropriate sounding word, "...remiss to let my council seat go unattended." The Uzumaki's political mask was perfect. "Hinata Hyuga, my teammate and girlfriend, will be attending the meetings in my stead while I am away."

Ironically, the only faction that was alright with the news was the Uzumaki Faction. The Loyalist instantly started attempting to read between the lines, while the Humanitarians saw it as the Hyuga attempting to gain more power. Still other, more jealous clans, who were smaller than the Hyuga clan by a large margin saw it as a power grab. Voices began to ring out in protest.

Naruto waited calmly for the council to die down. Unnoticed by the blonde, his allies were keenly interested in how the Uzumaki Clan Head would respond to several of the accusations. However, when five minutes had passed and the uproar had only increased, Naruto decided that he had enough. He lightly flexed his chakra.

The result was instantaneous. All shouts ceased and everyone faced the Uzumaki, varied expressions on their faces.

"Hinata-Chan is one of my most precious people." Naruto began, inwardly wishing he could just simply tell the council shove off, but knowing that he couldn't do that, not right away at least. "I trust her with everything. And as such, given that she has political training, I felt that she could best fill the Uzumaki Clan seat while I am away." A calculated pause. "But rest assured, Hinata won't be making any major decisions not related to clan business." Naruto smiled disarmingly, "She's mostly here to warm the seat."

Relieved laughter, strained though it was, filtered throughout the room. The Fifth Hokage couldn't help but be amazed at how effective Naruto's charismatic charm was. Somehow, his demeanor convinced the Loyalists and perhaps even some of the Humanitarians. While it wasn't said, everyone knew that ultimately they had little say in who Naruto appointed to his Clan Seat, especially given the agreements that the council had agreed to in regards to the Uzumaki Clan's dealings.

Privately, Tsunade was thankful for the laughter. It was the first positive noise she had heard inside the council in quite some time. Outside it was getting worse. Tensions were rising in the village, and would only increase as time went on. While no business had yet denied entry to someone from a different faction, she knew it was only a matter of time. Legally speaking, there was no law against refusing service to anyone.

Given that she wasn't about to offer up Naruto as a sacrifice to keep the peace, the Fifth Hokage wondered how long it would be before she had to choose between her duties as a Fifth Hokage and her duties as a godmother. Tsunade knew what choice she would make.

But the Slug Sannin wasn't giving up. Knowing that at some point spars between members of different factions would get ugly, she was planning ahead. At the next meeting she would be presenting the idea of having to sign legal forms before any sparring match would occur. It seemed excessive, but she didn't want to take the risk of one faction blaming another for someone's death.

And she would keep trying to find a way to lower the tension, but it seemed impossible from where she was sitting. The ideas and concepts that had festered beneath the surface during Hiruzen's reign now flourished in the open. While she didn't wish to speak ill of the dead, Hiruzen's complacency and unwillingness to take a hard stance had created the undercurrent that was affecting everything today. Tsunade prayed that this tension wouldn't explode into open civil war.

As long as her authority remained unchallenged, the tensions could only simmer. But what if someone refused her orders? How far could she go before the faction they were apart of took violent offense? The Fifth withheld a sigh. It was going to be a long day and even a longer night. She wouldn't let her precious people be caught up in a war if it could be somehow avoided.

Inoichi was relieved as he made his way out of the council chambers. For several moments he had thought that the Humanitarians would make threats against Hinata, rather than just being angry about her placement. Because if - he was trying his best to maintain his optimism in these troubled times - anyone would threaten Naruto Uzumaki's precious people, the blonde would have only one response. He would threaten back, and in doing so, force the parties to either strike back or cower away. Either way, it would spell the beginning of the end for Konoha as it currently was.

Ignoring that very small part of him that didn't mind the idea of leaving the village for a new one, one that was populated with Yamanaka and it's loyal allies, the Yamanaka Clan Head moved towards the Uzumaki Clan Compound.

"So," Naruto closed the door, turning to the gathered Clan Heads of the Yamanaka, Nara, Hyuga, Akimichi, Sarutobi, Kurama, Taketori and the Aburame. "What's on your minds?"

Inoichi looked down and sighed. He really didn't want to have to admit this, but he knew he had to. Not only for the sake of his fellow alliance members, but for his Princess; to take a stand; to believe in Naruto's vision for the future; to believe that a better world was possible. And he had taken a stand, to make the hard choices to work towards the brighter future.

"Since you were officially revealed as the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi, I have noticed a few things in my clan." The blonde Yamanaka seemed to age ten years in a moment. "Some of the members of my clan have expressed opinions that we should have not joined the Uzumaki Faction." Shame colored Inoichi's words. "I believe that some of them might even be Humanitarians." The words hung in the air, tainting it. It was hard to admit that some in your clan might be working against the clan, but Inoichi couldn't ignore the evidence he had observed.

"And what will you do about it?" The Uzumaki Clan Head's voice was not accepting nor was it condemning.

Inoichi was quiet for a moment, searching his resolve. Could he really take the step? "Yes." His resolve hardened, "Even though it hurts to know my clanmates may work against peace and protecting, I cannot falter. I will help make a brighter tomorrow. So that someday no child is forced to become a soldier."

Inoichi glanced up, no hesitation tainting his words. "If any Yamanaka members attack a member of our alliance, or they conspire against our simple goals of protecting that which we hold dear; to try to stop us from making the world a better place for our children and our children's children, then…" He took a deep breath, knowing that he could never go back from this decision, "...They are no longer Yamanaka."

There was stunned silence in the room. What Inoichi had declared was quite a statement. Disowning someone from a clan was not a minor thing. Forever would they be marked as Clanless, and often times they would hate their former clan.

"I must ask if we are all here for the same thing." Shikaku asked. "Inoichi has the same issue I do." Murmurs of agreement echoed in the small room. "While it is a minority, I know personally that several Nara have Humanitarian sympathies." A there was a pause as he struggled with his decision. He had been entrusted with his clan by his father, but sometimes there was more important things than just a clan name. It was protecting those you cared about. And if there was those, even if they were in your clan, who worked against the goal of protecting those you cared about, the Nara Clan Head knew he had to take a stand.

"Like Inoichi, I will take a stand. If any Nara willingly betrays our alliance, they have cast off their own Clan Name."

One by one the assembled Clan Heads stood, declaring that they would take a stand for what they believed in, no matter how much it pained them. Soon on the only Clan remaining without saying anything was the Aburame Clan Head. Shibi stood. "The Aburame Clan has known about Naruto's status as a Jinchuriki for some time. Unlike many , we have always prided ourselves on logic and reasoning." His voice was monotone, but carried the undercurrent of something close to pride for his clan.

"Not only that, but we have experienced first hand the illogical presumptions of the village. To my knowledge, no Aburame member wants to join any faction other than the Uzumaki Faction. However, if they do, they will no longer be allowed in the Aburame Clan hive."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think that anyone who's part of my clan will go against our alliance, but if they do…" Naruto sighed. "I'll stop them personally."

The other members appreciated Naruto's words, even though they knew that it was, for all intents a purposes, impossible for the two members of the Uzumaki Clan to betray the alliance. It was the thought that counted.

"Now that the heavy confessions are over," Naruto stood and opened the door, sounds instantly filtering in from the outside, "Who would like some cookies? Haku-Chan just made some." None of the Clan Heads turned down the rare opportunity to taste some of Haku's legendary cooking.

Things seemed to move quickly after that. Within six months Naruto had secured secured an alliance with the Kumo, both sides promising to help each other with the Atataski when the time came. Killer B and Naruto sparred for several hours, only stopping when they realized they had completely devastated the land around for several miles. Promising to return to learn how to fully control the Kyubi's chakra, Naruto had left Kumo, assured that both of Kumo's Jinchuriki would be able to defend themselves until help arrived.

However, it was Suna's reaction to the news of the Akatsuki that surprised the blonde. Upon hearing of the danger to their newly instated Fifth Kazekage - apparently Rasa had informed the village all that he had done, causing them to look at Gaara in a completely new light - the news spread like wildfire. Within five hours, the entire village gathered at the base of the Kazekage's tower, vowing to protect their leader. It still baffled Naruto why exactly the village had changed their opinion on him. When he had asked Gaara, the Jinchuriki of the Shukaku hadn't known either. Regardless, Gaara promised to train so he could not only protect those he cared about.

During the six months, Team Eight went on several high-profile missions, gaining both renown and prestige with not only clients but the ninja world at large. In addition, they had a mission in the Land of Snow, protecting Princess Yukie from attacks by rogue ninja. Unfortunately for the rogue ninja, Team Eight quickly decided that completing their mission would be completed faster if they permanently took out the rogue ninja and his lieutenants. In doing so, Team Eight inadvertently freed the Land of Snow from its corrupt leaders.

Princess Yukie, after a stern lecture by Sakura and Hinata, as well as encouragement from Naruto, revealed to the citizens of the Land of Snow that she was the daughter of their beloved leader who had been killed many years before by the rogue ninja - who had then taken over once they had assassinated Yukie's father-. The joyful citizens had immediately thrown a celebration in honor of the return of their rightful leader and to a victorious Team Eight. In the days that followed, the Land of Snow agreed to an alliance with the Uzumaki Clan.

Tayuya flourished under the tutelage of Kurenai Yuhi, the redhead's almost unnatural talent with music-generated genjutsu meshing well with Konoha's Genjutsu Mistress' teachings. Hinata was rapidly burning through the techniques that her father was teaching her, and was on the beginning stages of creating her own unique technique. Sakura was learning medical jutsu and medical training from Tsunade who had quickly realized the pink-haired girl's natural talent for medical techniques. Haku was now able to create entire constructs made of diamond hard ice and was currently studying how to give them rudimentary sentience. Naruto was still increasing his ever expanding repertoire of jutsu, kenjutsu, and close range combat techniques while still refining the techniques he already learned.

However, conditions were not getting better back in Konoha. Faction tensions had increased to the point that many faction specific stores and restaurants would only serve members of their faction. While the Uzumaki Faction allied businesses would not refuse service, only Uzumaki Faction members shopped there. Sparring matches with opposing faction members had grown more vicious, and more often than not, someone ended up in the hospital. The village was a power keg, and would only need the smallest spark...

Sasuke swiped his hand across the fogged mirror, creating a clear area to look at himself. Staring at his reflection, Sasuke couldn't help but catalog what he was seeing. His skin, while always on the whiter side, had grown slightly more pale, undoubtedly caused by staying inside Orochimaru's base for so long. There was slightly dark circles under his eyes, caused by the frequent nightmares he suffered through several nights a week.

Flicking chakra to his eyes, the Last Uchiha wasn't sure how he felt about his eyes, now that he knew more about the Uchiha Clan's ancient and bloody past. The Sharingan evolved when the user was pushed to their emotional limits. But three tomoe wasn't the final evolution of the Sharingan. Feeding even more chakra into his eyes, Sasuke ignored the stinging sensation from his eyes as he watched his bloodline morph into the Mangekyo Sharingan. The three black tomoe merged into a six pointed blood red pinwheel.

From what Sasuke had read of the Uchiha Clan scrolls - He didn't ask where Orochimaru had gotten them - the Mangekyo Sharingan was the ultimate evolution of the Sharingan. It boasted powers that almost any ninja would kill for. Not only that, but in addition to being a more powerful version of the Sharingan, each Mangekyo developed a power that was supposedly unique to that set of eyes, in addition to several standardized powers. Sasuke had yet to discover the unique ability of his eyes.

However, the price to develop the Mangekyo was high, too high in Sasuke's opinion. It required that immense stress to be placed on the brain at the time. But it wasn't just any stress, it was specifically stress related to someone who was very close to you dying, normally by your own hand. The scrolls had been very specific. The regret-filled stress would perhaps trigger the evolution. However even then it was not guaranteed to evolve. Luckily, the existence of the Mangekyo Sharingan was known only to a few, preventing the Uchiha Clan from possibly killing everyone closest to them.

Sasuke knew that he had gotten the Mangekyo when he had thought he had killed Naruto Uzumaki, who had perhaps come the closest anyone had ever gotten to becoming Sasuke's friend. For little under two weeks Sasuke had gone through the motions of training at the Sound's base with the emotional zeal of a zombie.

Then he had learned - once again, he cared little how Orochimaru had learned it - that Naruto had survived and was perfectly healthy once he recovered. Sasuke had promptly thrown himself into training, vowing to never again use the Cursed Seal. Shortly thereafter, Sasuke began to reexamine his life and his motivations. He had found several dozen books on human psychology from a dusty corner of the base's library. Eventually Sasuke had realized that he had unconsciously placed Naruto on a pedestal, making the Last Uzumaki into someone larger than life.

Once Sasuke understood that he had done so, he began to slowly understand that he had never really dealt with the trauma of all that had happened to him. It was hard to even come to terms with it, given how long he had engrained in himself to ignore the trauma in favor of the much easier emotions of anger and hate.

But Sasuke was determined to not let his hate and anger rule him, never again. He had felt what it was like when he let the monster inside take control. The Last Uchiha had never realized just how much he had relied on the caustic emotions of hate and anger until he had attempted to stop using them. Once the hate and rage was gone, guilt began to attempt to choke him. Sometimes, just sometimes, he wondered why he lived when everyone else died.

It was a slow process, and even now, six months into training, he still struggled with the rage and hate every day; to not fall back into those self-destructive habits. He still struggled with the pain and madness brought on by his hallucinations.

But the Last Uchiha had hope. When he first arrived at the Sound base, he had multiple terrible nightmares every single night. Once Sasuke had the revelation about Naruto, he realized something else about the Last Uzumaki. If Sasuke had nightmares of a single terrible night, how many more nightmares Naruto have, given that that the Uzumaki's life had been...beyond horrible from the moment the Last Uzumaki had been born? And if Naruto didn't let the nightmares control him...How could he, Sasuke Uchiha, let them control his life when his nightmares must have had much less fuel than Naruto's?

It was with this mindset that Sasuke had attempted to ignore his nightmares. It was a work in progress. It amazed and almost sickened Sasuke once he realized how much he had depended on his hate and anger to get him through each day. But he was trying to learn how to live without focusing on his hate; slowly putting his shattered pieces back together.

The Last Uchiha suspected that he would never be 'fixed' or 'whole' again, given that not only was there no psychiatrists in Sound and Konoha's psychiatrists were definitely unavailable; and he also had gone far too long without help to go back to being 'good' or 'whole' without them. He still hallucinated, the images vivid as always, but he would not let them control his life.

It didn't matter in the end anyway. Sasuke could only see one path forward, and that was directly to Itachi. He had no plans past that, and sometimes, on the more terrible nights when he couldn't fall asleep, he wondered, even if it wasn't consciously, if the Uchiha line should have ended some time ago; if he should have died with his parents; that he should have died instead of them. Perhaps once he killed Itachi the Uchiha Bloodline would end on that battlefield as well.

But Sasuke wasn't at the battlefield yet. He still had much to learn from Orochimaru and Sound. And once he had learned all that he needed, Orochimaru was going to die. These last few months had given Sasuke an understanding of the different kinds of evil. What had happened to the Uchiha clan was evil. What drove the Leaf to attack a small defenseless Naruto was evil. What Orochimaru did in his quest for eternal life and unlimited knowledge was evil.

However, not all of the people in Sound were evil. Some stayed out of fear, and other stayed because they simply had nowhere else to go. One such girl was Karin Uzumaki. Sasuke grunted in annoyance when he thought of the red haired girl. She had a crush on him - He recognized the signs from when he had fangirls back in Leaf - and for the longest time he didn't have the faintest idea why.

He had tried to get her to leave him alone. Bluntly telling her that he despised the fangirlish behavior had only brought her fervor to a more manageable level. She still felt the need to be close to him, and for some unfathomable reason, it bothered Sasuke. He had pondered his feelings on the matter for a few weeks and only recently figured out the reason behind it.

Karin wasn't broken like him. She hadn't spent years focusing solely on hate. She had a chance to live a better life, one with family and friends. One that Sasuke would give anything to have. But he could not, for his path was set, and it was a path he had to walk alone.

But Karin didn't have to follow him down that path, not when there was a better place for her. And so Sasuke began to plan.

Karin couldn't help but feel giddy as she headed towards Sasuke's room. "Sasuke-Kun personally asked for me to come to his room!" She had quickly fallen for the broody Uchiha, knowing that all his damaged heart needed was some love. "And once he opens up his heart…" Karin withheld a giggle. During the Chunin exams, she had been cornered by a extremely large bear in the Forest of Death. Knowing she was about to die, Karin had squeezed her eyes shut, praying that it would be quick.

But, like a shining samurai from legend, Sasuke had swooped in and saved her, killing the bear with skill worthy of song. Even his question if she had an Earth Scroll was just his cool way of asking if she had been alright. Karin knew that Sasuke hadn't stuck around because he couldn't be seen with someone who was technically his enemy. But now...they were allies and she would heal his damaged soul! In return, he would protect and care for her, just like in the Chunin exams.

"Sasuke-Kun," Karin hurried into the room, eager to be close to her crush, "You called for me?"

"Yes." Sasuke nodded, taking several steps away from the overly excited redhead, "Sit down." Karin promptly made her way to his bed, sitting on the edge of it. The last Uchiha ignored the look she gave him. "Why do you like me?" His tone was blunt.

Karin couldn't help but flush. "This is the confession scene." She mentally squealed, before shaking her head, calming herself slightly. Sasuke, after all, didn't like fangirlish behavior. "Well," She sat primly up, adjusting her glasses, "I liked you since you saved me at the Chunin exams from that bear."

Sasuke dimly recalled saving someone from a bear because he didn't want their scroll to get damaged, especially if it had been an Earth Scroll. They didn't have an Earth scroll, so the Last Uchiha had just moved on. "Apparently that had been her." He mentally shrugged. "That's not what I asked. Why do you like me, not when did you start liking me?"

"I like how cool you are," Karin began, feeling twinges of embarrassment from having to spell out her reasons, "And also how you are just a hurting hero, waiting for someone to come and love you."

Anger flickered into Sasuke's consciousness, but he shoved it away. "I'm not a hero." The words came out harsher than he intended. "In fact, I did my best to kill the most heroic person I've even known." Karin's eyes widened. Realizing that he was getting through to her, the Uchiha pressed onwards. "And you can't fix me. I can't be put back together." A bitter, empty chuckle escaped his lips. "I don't have all of the pieces yet and I don't think I ever will."

"I struggle with anger and hate almost every waking moment of the day. I shoved a lightning coated fist through the person I secretly considered my friend. I train to kill my brother, and there is no future beyond that." It felt good, Sasuke reflected faintly, to admit how he felt about himself.

Karin felt her heart breaking. He had been badly hurt in his past. He wasn't a larger than life hero. He was just a person; a very skilled person, but just a person none the less.

She was alone, and no one would protect her. Sasuke's next words brought her back to her former crush.

"But you are not me. You still have a chance at a better life." Sasuke's eyes pierced Karin's. "I know you want a protector. That you fear what will happen the moment you stop being useful to Orochimaru." He shook his head, thinking of how he had lived his life. "That's no way to live."

"B-But what should I do?" Karin tried to be brave, but Sasuke's blunt words didn't give her anything to hide behind. She wasn't a fighter. She couldn't fight off attackers, from within Sound or without. Her talents were developed for a different path.

"You need to leave Sound."

Karin's eyes widened. Leave Sound? She would never make out of the base, let alone somehow navigate the wilderness to safety. And where could she even go? "T-That's impossible." Sasuke wasn't who she thought he had been.

"The Uzumaki Clan still lives." Sasuke revealed.

"B-But Orochimaru-Sama said they all died." Karin's head whirled. The Uzumaki Clan; her clan, was still alive? She had family somewhere out there? It was too good to be true.

"Orochimaru lies when it suits his plans. But I know for certain that the Uzumaki Clan exists. I met the clan head."

"I'll never make it." Karin denied, knowing that the other sensor ninja on base would instantly detect if she tried to avoid the patrols using her chakra sensing abilities.

"Here." Sasuke handed the redhead a map ."This will guide you to Konoha, where the Uzumaki Clan is located at. You leave tonight. The guards won't be patrolling the western corridor or the western exit. You need to not use your sensing abilities so you can avoid detection while in the base."

Karin couldn't believe it. She had made it to the outer western door without even spotting one guard. Quickly patting her pockets and backpack, the redhead verified that she had all of her supplies, the map Sasuke had given her, and the information she had...liberated from Orochimaru's labs. She wasn't stupid. Just because she was an Uzumaki didn't mean that Konoha would let her in without issue. She fully intended on bargaining her way in, using the extensive amount of knowledge she had of Orochimaru's experiments as well as the information she had sealed inside the half-dozen scrolls.

Casting a silent prayer for Sasuke, praying that he could find someone who could help him, someone who could see him for who he was; rather than place him on a pedestal, the redhead pushed the door open.

Sasuke watched Karin leave from the shadows, some unknown emotion stirring faintly within him. He pushed that feeling away and refocused on the guard he was holding captive. The guard had investigated the western corridor, and thus unknowingly sealed his fate. The Last Uchiha buried a kunai into the vulnerable throat of the guard. "No witnesses."

Hefting the now dead Sound nin, Sasuke made his way to the nearby storage closet. Dropping the body on top of the others, he closed the door, thankful that all of Sound's door were designed to not let smells or sounds escape. Once Sasuke was sure that Karin had moved far enough away, he would seal the bodies into several sealing scrolls. From there, the scrolls would be 'misplaced' when Orochimaru sent him on his next mission...

"Why is so much of the village so foolish?" It had been a question Danzo had wondered for many years, but never before had it been so starkly brought into focus. The Humanitarian Faction was full of those who didn't deserve to be sheltered under the great tree that was Konoha, much less sit on a council. To think that they still didn't believe that Naruto Uzumaki was the Jinchuriki was pure folly, not to mention annoying, if he allowed himself to be honest with himself.

Danzo had plans for Naruto Uzumaki, both past and present. Years ago it was to emotionally break the boy, opening up a ripe opportunity to place the Uzumaki in Root. But Naruto's annoyingly resilient mental state had ruined that. The next attempt to bring the boy into Root had been less subtle. The sheep were so easy to provoke into action, and eventually needed no prompting. However, as the years passed, their methods became less and less useful to Konoha.

And now, they could potentially threaten everything Danzo had worked so hard to create. "Sai." He turned to face the pasty white Root member, "Tell Team Twelve that they are to prepare themselves for a capture and switch mission tonight."

"The Target?" The Root Shinobi's voice was emotionless.

"Jiro Fukagan, the Head of Medical Procedures and Policies. Use an Enhanced Shadow Clone."

"Where should we bring the target?"

"Here. He is to be interrogated for all of the information he knows on the Humanitarians."

"Any limits on the interrogation techniques?"

"Nothing that could be irreparable after medical jutsu." The leader of Root paused, considering something. "We are not going to erase his mind when we are done. Instead, when you have extracted everything, kill him. Make it look like a heart attack and put him back in his home. When you have done so, tell Team Fourteen to make sure Mebuki Haruno is placed on the short list for new Head of Medical Procedures and Policies." A pause. "And then insure that she wins."

"It will be done Danzo-Sama." Sai bowed and moved out of the room to carry out his orders.

While it was not the solution he would wanted, Naruto Uzumaki would have much less of a reason to leave Konoha if everyone he knew was in the village. Unlike Hiruzen, Danzo didn't hide from the cold hard truth. Naruto Uzumaki was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and thus more important than a hundred of Konoha's Shinobi. Root would do whatever it took to keep him in the Leaf. And if some had to die to keep Konoha standing, they should be honored to die for the greater good...

So what did you think? Drop a review and let me know!

On removing the Cursed Seal: By removing the cursed seal in the manner that Naruto did, Orochimaru is unaware that it was removed. In addition, only a select few in the village know it was removed…

On Naruto and the Council: Politically speaking, Naruto would loose more then he would gain if he threatened the Council at this current time. Given that they haven't threatened those he cares about, Naruto is still attempting to work with the Council.

On Sasuke: Sasuke isn't better by any means, but for the first time he is trying to help himself. He hit rock bottom in chapter 31 and is now attempting to slowly pull himself out of the pit of his own making.

On Karin: Given that she hasn't encountered any reason to change, her personality is largely like it was in canon. However, it will certainly not stay that way once she gets to Konoha.

To my reviewer's questions:

MeleeSmasher: I'm honestly not sure. I have a few plans for Konoha, but after that, I honestly don't know.

JLdark: While I don't want to spoil anything, I can say that Ino didn't help Naruto with the exam.

acw28: The Kyubi is a giant mass of sentient chakra. As far as I can tell, it lacks the organs to have a gender. It sounds like a male, but that's just how it sounds. It doesn't identify with any one gender in particular.

Animaman: There won't be any girls added to Naruto's harem (if it happens, given that I'm still trying to work out the dynamics of how it could work). Generally, the Humanitarians is made up of those who experienced the night the Kyubi attacked. Currently everyone in the village hasn't joined a faction, especially some of the younger ninja and civilians who don't have big clans.

Hagarenaruto: I'm carefully including several of the movies and/or fillers that fit with the "feel" of HotE.

kurifu gari: Obito does have some plans for Konoha, but I won't spoil if the decline in relations is part of that or not.

Guest: It is my understanding that Haku's bloodline allows her to create and control ice and/or cold. However, given that presumably it's much easier to manipulate water outside of people's direct control (she could easily turn a waterwall to ice but turning the water inside a person would take a bunch more chakra. Currently she is learning the limits of her bloodline so then she can push those limits. Expect to see some awesome stuff when she gets into fights in the future.

bigmatt365: As an Uzumaki, Tayuya will be learning seals. She won't be quite on Naruto's level due to Naruto also being the son of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, non-Uzumaki seal masters.

SageModeSasuke: Danzo didn't put the contract out. He didn't stop it either though.

SageModeSasuke: I don't want to spoil a future event that may involve Bear somehow.

Gunato the Great: Given that Karin left Sound this chapter, she will be showing up in Konoha soon.