Legion of Naruto

by DarkWolfy

He knew his clones were solid but someone finally clues him in that he can learn with them. Armed and ready, a simple idea would lead to a child's understanding of what a badass really could be. Cause if you can spam suicide clones, why not make it fun?

66. Chapter 66

-AN-

I won't lie, this took me a lot longer than I planned to write. But. Because of that, we get a plot line tied up finally, even if it's just a minor one. I'm thinking I'll have to start winding this towards an ending soon. Things haven't been the best lately and I'd rather not get stuck with dead fics. Here's to continued fun and a hopefully long life huh?

-Story Start-

Panting as he moved, Jugo sprinted in an attempt to flank the older and more experienced Itachi as Sasame tried to keep him in check with close range attacks and Kin was holding him at bay with her hand bell. Even now as Jugo watched, she rang it once and a tone sounded. In an instant a furrow dug its way through the earth where Itachi had previously been standing, back flipping away and out of harms way with Sasame hot on his heels with her Kusarigama, chain and weight shooting towards him with a flick of her wrist. Idly Jugo noted Hotaru working her way around the battle field, trying for the opposite hallway they had seen upon their entry to this place. It was the only area her sensei could be and her duty was to find him after all, not fight.

Itachi worked to keep a small grin off of his face, using one chakra filled kunai to keep the sickle end of Sasame's weapon away from him easily. He had to admit, she did have some talent and given a few more years she might just offer a challenge to him. But today was not that day. Leaning away as again she launched the weighted end towards his face, with a spin he buried a foot into her midsection, sending her away and clearing the space around him. Senses tingling as chakra gathered, a quick kawarimi carried him away as the area he had been standing in was reduced to a crater. Ears ringing from the blast of sound, he wondered how a hand bell could become such a devastating weapon. Was she a former sound ninja perhaps? Seeing the black haired girl smirk, Itachi lazily flicked a pair of kunai her way as he dove away from an arm that had been transformed into a living scythe. Again more earth was reduced to rubble, and he noted that Kin was able to flip away and maintain her distance from him. Sharingan blazing, he considered his options as he was yet again engaged in close combat by the orange haired Sasame. He couldn't find fault in her focus at the least. With a thought he began to mold chakra in his chest.

Ducking low to the ground in a split, Kin let a low yield fire ball sail over her head before spinning back onto her feet. Molding chakra and performing a shunshin to get away from Itachi trying to close the distance with her, Kin launched a few senbon along the ground, bells tinkling as they landed as she quickly came to the conclusion that Itachi was playing with them. He may not be smiling, but he had an air of lazy boredom. Molding chakra through her bell and mixing in wind nature chakra, she again launched another supersonic sound wave in his direction. She watched as he flipped away with ease, before another fireball was sent towards Sasame, who was forced to abort her attack in order to escape. Jugo had no such problem this time, skin dark brown and thick, he powered through the fireball to engage Itachi with heavy hammer like hands. Massive blows cracked and cratered the ground, but the agile Uchiha weaved and dodged around them with all the ease and finesse of a dancer. A short sequence of hand seals and Itachi palmed a hand on the ground, a wall of earth rising up to slam into Jugo's gut and launching him into the air to give Itachi room to move. With some breathing space, several shuriken were launched Sasame's way, forcing her back to dodge and weave to avoid the unpredictable storm of weapons. Kin waved her bell again with a ringing tone, sound wave dispersing the weapons, before launching more senbon towards the Nuke-nin who was now looking her way. A kunai flashed up, knocking away her weapons before being launched her way in return even faster. A kawarimi with a rock saved her, but frustration began to fill her being. Were the three of them really no match for the Uchiha murderer?

Completing a final evasion and landing next to Kin, Sasame was frowning as she brought up her weapon into a defensive stance, "He juuust might be out of our league." It felt like she was getting tossed around like a rank amateur.

Kin began to increase her hand bell tempo, going for more low powered sound blasts instead of the massive area destroying type, "You worry too much." Building up sound waves and amplifying them in a cone in front of her, she finally captured Itachi in a resonating space, the ground beginning to crack and break around him. Smirking as Jugo landed next to her, she began to pour on the chakra as her bell chimed nearly constantly now, "See now?" Winking at Sasame, she turned to focus on Itachi, "You're stuck here Uchiha! You better give up before I rattle your organs into mush!" Bell now almost a constant ringing, she worried that her chakra might not hold out for the full duration of her attack.

Stuck in the cone of sound based destruction, Itachi finally smirked as he looked at them. Cloak whipping about him and hands coming up slowly with some struggle, there were suddenly kunai in each hand before in a blink he was between them. A roundhouse kick caught Kin full in the chest, folding the young woman and sending her away to immediately halt her attack. Before her body even had a chance to return to the earth, Itachi was already turning to attend to Sasame, "Remember, you brought this on yourselves." He was forced to dodge around several enraged attacks from the orange haired girl, alternating between a furious dance with her chain and heavy slices from the kama. Quirking an eyebrow as the girl still couldn't seem to get the hint that close range with an Uchiha was a bad idea, he finally let her over extend an attack, tripping her up and weaving around to her back. Almost delicately but faster than most could follow, he drove a kunai into her shoulder to the hilt. Watching her drop like a stone as her weapon dropped from slack fingers, Itachi considered actually finishing her off but decided against it. Instead with a kick he picked up her body and held her in front of himself and against his body, a single eye focused on the enraged Jugo who had transformed again into a hulking mass of muscle. "Keep it up, and I'll snap her neck." Watching Jugo freeze and maintaining a line of sight with the downed Kin, Itachi nodded once as he felt the woman in his grip tremble, "Now then, since you're so set on continuing this, I have questions for you. You're in no place to refuse." Waiting and seeing Jugo nod once, body visibly trembling, Itachi hides another pleased grin, "Are you really here on your own, or did Naruto send you?"

Jugo shook his head, watching Sasame's blood drip on the ground, "Naruto did not send us."

"Will he come if you leave?"

"He does not know you are here, so that's unlikely."

"Hmm…" Itachi thought about that one. Even if Naruto did find out his location, by then he would most likely be long gone. "Do you know, has Sasuke rejoined Naruto in Uzushio finally?" Sasuke was closest with Naruto after all, it was only a matter of time before he left the Leaf.

Jugo shook his head, "He has not done so yet. At least, not when we left on our mission a few weeks ago."

Another hum leaving his throat as he traced a kunai along Sasame's throat, Itachi considered again if he should just end them. "Truly such folly. Attacking a foe so much stronger than yourselves, and for what? I am no threat to you after all, nor your country, at least not yet."

Grunting in his grip, Sasame can feel a trickle of blood beginning to form from his kunai digging into her neck a bit, "I promise, we're just full of surprises." A thin chakra string still connected to her Kusarigama, with a twitch of her fingers the weighted end is sent towards his head. He evades and then deflects it easily though he is forced to let her go in the process. Watching her turn in an attempt to continue her attack as Jugo roared his way, he stepped in to drive a front kick into her chest. Feeling ribs crack and maybe break as he sent her tumbling away to land in a heap, he was put into a backwards evasion as Jugo went full force into attacking him head on. Arms changing on the fly, Itachi marveled at just now many forms they could take. One moment, two giant arm blades, the next a pair of clubs and a third saw one arm become a shelled shield that blocked a kunai from him while the other became a spear in an attempt to impale him. And yet, for all the forms and ferocity Itachi still had no problems weaving and dodging around all of Jugo's attacks while looking no more pressed than if he was out for a jog.

"You can see this is futile yes?" Itachi leapt as a heavily muscled leg drove down into the ground he had been standing on, a wide crater forming before Jugo launched himself even faster after him, "Surely you all see this? You can't kill me. Hurting me is off the table even." Getting no comment from the enraged teen, Itachi leveled a bored look his way, "Perhaps I am being unkind. What kind of mental state must you be in after seeing two people so obviously important to you nearly killed." Ducking as another spear raced by over his head, Itachi put much more force and chakra into his next strike. A rising kick buried itself into Jugo's chest, this time absolutely feeling ribs shatter before his body is sent to crash into the far wall in a shower of dust and rock. Sighing and taking up a lazy stance, Itachi considered the field before him. The leader was now down, body returning to normal as he groaned and collapsed to the ground. The orange haired girl was dragging herself towards him, what she hoped to accomplish was a mystery to Itachi and the blonde looked like she fled. Best option for her really and easily showed herself to the be smartest of the group. The black haired girl, the support, was just now struggling to her feet, breath labored and legs shaking as around them bells tinkled and chimed. "I see. You just aren't going to get it. That's fine. Let me drive the point home." Raising a hand, Itachi snapped his fingers and reality shifted.

All three members of Riptide found themselves back where they started, standing before Itachi who looked as if he had never moved. Who now was watching them with pinwheels in his eyes, Kin's bell vibrated in her hand, "What?"

Sasame's eyes were wide, "The whole fight? Everything we did?"

Itachi nods, "Was nothing. The moment you made eye contact with me was the moment I trapped you." Around them the world shifts again, color bleeding away into greys and whites, "In here, you have no hope. In here, there's no one coming to save you." All three suddenly finding themselves tied to a cross, Itachi was standing before them all, "In here? I'm God. And though I have no need of you, you could be useful bait for who I really want." One Itachi for each of them, they all had a black rod pointed towards their hearts. "The only question is do I need all of you alive?"

Chuckling and still feeling a connection with her chakra, Kin maintained eye contact with Itachi, "Kami you really are a wordy one aren't ya?" The Itachi in front of her gently rests the black spear above her chest.

Itachi frowned as he looked up to her, "What's so funny girl?"

"Tell me, what's the last thing you remember hearing?" Grinning as a bell tolls high above them, Kin gives him the finger, suddenly not tied down like the others, "Genjutsu is most effective by either the eyes or the ears, two senses tied directly to the brain. Consider, sound waves too low in decibel to be noticed." Around them, the Tsukuyomi begins to crack and Itachi's eyes begin to widen in surprise. "This wasn't about winning. This was about stalling, asshole."

Watching the technique fail, the inverted world shattering around him, Itachi's eyes open to an empty cave. Interested as someone finally figured out a work around for the Tsukuyomi, he felt out with his senses. There certainly wasn't any chakra in the area anymore, so the team was long gone. Turning and sprinting towards the holding cells, racing down dark hallways and empty rooms, there is a sense of agitation as he sees in fact that they made off with the jinchuriki. Well, now they had his interest. But in the meantime, this body no longer had any use for him. Taking out a kunai and turning it on himself, with a thought he drove it into his neck to the hilt. Gurgling blood and dropping to the ground, Itachi blinked and was no longer in that dark and useless cave.

Blinking again and coming out of his meditative trance, Itachi considered the false body technique such a useful tool. Now he had information and some potential targets. That anyone had a method for breaking the Tsukuyomi was troublesome. That was something to deal with sooner rather than later. Standing with a groan and stretching he did have to hand it to them, the Uzushio ninja were smarter than he gave them credit for. Now however it was time for him to go. With this last mission Akatsuki was functionally a dead end for him now. Which meant he had one last self imposed mission for himself. It was time to hunt down Sasuke.

Sprinting away with all the speed of a team who knew their worst nightmare was right on their heels, a worn out Riptide team carried the frantic Hotaru and the weak Utakata as they made their escape. Low on chakra but alive, they gave thanks to Kin's carefully executed backup plan. Kin coughs up blood as they run through the trees, body not used to forcing so much chakra through one technique. She was mentally happy though, now able to say she outsmarted an Uchiha with genjutsu. Beat that. "That was close." Wiping her mouth free of blood, she focused what chakra she had left on running.

Sasame shook her head, "We were lucky. Extremely lucky." Body still shaking, as even a few seconds within the Tsukuyomi had nearly drained her of her chakra. "Let's not do that ever again." Adjusting the not so light Hotaru on her back, she too focused on running.

Jugo shook his head as Utakata groaned on his back, "It wasn't luck." Seeing Kin and Sasame look his way as they jumped through the trees, Jugo nodded once, "For someone as skilled as Itachi Uchiha, that we got away was because he let us. No more, no less."

Using one hand to fish free a soldier pill to toss to Kin who thanked her, Sasame frowned, "What makes you think that? Why would he want to let us go?"

Jugo shakes his head again, "I don't know and I don't want to speculate. Let's focus on getting as far away from this area as possible. As far away from the Akatsuki as we can."

Seeing the team struggling and weak, Hotaru firms herself and speaks up, "My clan home is not far and I gave my word. We will follow you for this, so the least we can do is allow you to rest within our home. The Tsuchigumo village is not far from here."

Sasame holds up a hand and gives the girl a thumbs down, "No can do. If there's a chance we're being followed we only have one place we trust to go for safety. Especially with a threat like Akatsuki."

Kin finishes taking down the soldier pill before grinning. "It's straight to Uzushio for us. Just hope Uzumaki-sama isn't mad at us for this."

Jugo sighed, "He really is rubbing off on all of us."

Kin grinned as she flipped through the air to look at him, "You worry too much."

Sasame could already feel the lecture coming from the blonde leader of the Uzumaki clan, "You don't worry enough." It was going to be a long journey home at this rate.

-b-

The ocean was calm and the waves low as a merchant ship made way for Kiri. Today was bright and sunny, cheery looking clouds floating above them as their ship was followed by a small pack of gulls. This close to land they probably assume this was a fishing vessel, but they would find no easy meals here. No, instead the captain was offering food to their two cast aways. Tobi and Kurotsuchi had been found and rescued by the helpful ship who had seen their signal fire. Well, he had assumed it was a signal fire, such a large construct of wood and dry leaves had to be such. "So how did you find yourselves on that island anyway? You're nearly at the northern edge of Uzushio waters."

Tobi sighed as he considered that the only reason they had been saved was because Kurotsuchi burned down their only shelter. What incredible luck, really. "It's a really long and somehow impossible story. But thank you all that same." Not even having the energy to keep up his playful persona, he was happy to finally be back on track. Hopefully he would be rid of this infuriating woman soon and maybe he wasn't too far behind in capturing the Sanbi. "You said you're on the way to Kiri correct?"

"Yes yes, with the borders open again it is a very good time to be a trader in these waters. Of course…" Here the captain, a fairly round and bearded man of average looks grinned, "Rumor has it that it's thanks to Uzushio for Kiri changing its ways. They have an in with the Mizukage apparently."

Scoffing and cradling a warm bowl of soup, Kurotsuchi looked down into it as if it held all of her answers. Kiri was in the opposite direction of where she needed to go, but at least she was off that island. She would be grateful and charter a boat back to Wave when they arrived. "I doubt such a small nation would have any chance of influencing one of the major ninja villages. More like Kiri is using Uzu as a cover for something." What that something was would be the real mystery. If she had time maybe she could uncover it before completing her personal quest.

Shrugging at the thought the Captain leans against the wheelhouse wall, "You must not be from around here then. Uzu was quick to become a big deal in these waters. And thanks to their leader and his family, they've entrenched themselves into many a big pot. Men and women like me are trying to get a hand in while we can."

This perks up Tobi's interests, "Their leader, do you know who it is?" Tobi hadn't been paying much attention to the nation of Kushina's dead clan. It was doubtful enough of them had survived to pull off a feat like this.

"Well, a lot of it is rumor and second hand of course. It is a ninja city and anyone not of Uzushio are hard pressed to get any concrete information out of them. But word is that the Uzumaki are rebuilding, and doing it fast."

Tobi freezes in place as Kurotsuchi begins to ask more questions about that. Mentally thinking about Kushina again. His former sensei's wife…there weren't many Uzumaki left. The dregs that were had most likely been captured or killed by now. So who could be free enough and have enough influence to pull this off? Or maybe…did she survive somehow? Did her brat still live? After retrieving the Sanbi maybe he would have to go and take a look himself. This was certainly a mystery to figure out, quickly. Any collection of Uzumaki could ruin everything.

Kurotsuchi was once more focused on her own task, "Uzumaki huh, have you heard of the Maelstrom then? You have any rumors about that guy?" Lost and stranded as they had been, she needed to get up to date as quickly as possible.

Looking at the young girl oddly, the Captain shrugged, "I don't know if he still goes by the Maelstrom anymore, but last I heard he is actually the Uzukage. Getting to him these days is just about impossible." Of course, many a person still tried from what he heard, mostly women. Suddenly the girl's interest started to make sense.

Kurotsuchi is not privvy to his thoughts on the matter, "Don't you worry about that. I'll find a way. I just want to have a chat with him." Said chat would most likely involve kunai and various high powered jutsu, but oh well. He brought it on himself.

Nodding sagely as his thoughts seemed to ring correct, the Captain gave her a knowing smile, "There certainly are a lot of young ladies traveling to Uzu for a chance with the 'Lord of Endurance.' I wish you luck, I think having a story about getting stranded on an island for a chance to see him might carry you far."

Blinking and letting his words sink in, Kurotsuchi quickly started to shake her free hand back and forth, "No no no, not like that! No! I not interested in that guy like that at all!" She couldn't come out and say she wanted to kill him, "I have much higher standards. There's no way!"

Ignoring the protesting going on behind him as he walked away to enjoy the ocean waves going by, Tobi sighed and leaned against the railing of the modest ship. Empty bowl hanging from one hand, Tobi mentally plans while hoping the woman with cursed luck didn't set him back to much. He had a schedule to keep now.

-b-

Naruto wanted to say traveling with his team was just as amazing as it was when they first formed up, Team Seven was back together and ready to raise some hell! However, he now had to include his not quite human sister and her girlfriend. While Fuu was a bundle of energy and easy to get along with, Naruko was her own collection of issues.

Said girl was jumping through the trees with them, nestled nicely between Sasuke and Sakura as Naruto and Fuu led the way. "Sooo, still a no go on some fun time?"

Sakura really, really wished she could toss the girl into low orbit, "Once again, no. I'm not sharing Sasuke with anyone else!" Amaru was a special case. That was more than enough.

Naruko leaned in a bit closer to her, "What if I was more interested in you instead?" Seeing the pinkette blush and edge away, Naruko scored a point for herself. "Fuu certainly can vouch for my, talents."

Rolling his eyes as he could hear what sounded like a battle going on ahead, Naruto looked back to his friends, "Knock it off Naruko, we have work to do."

"Aw, you're no fun." Catching up and bounding through the trees next to Fuu, Naruko gave her brother the finger, "You can't say you haven't considered it."

"I can say, absolutely with one hundred percent certainty that I have not thought about banging my best friends." Naruto sighed and shook himself, focusing instead on the noise they all could now hear ahead, "We don't have a lot of details right now, but we should be coming up on the shrine holding Shion and her people."

Sasuke nods, coming up to just behind Naruto's right shoulder, "If she dies I'm pretty sure we can consider that a mission failure." Smirking as they broke the tree cover to find a large compound designed much like a daimyo's mansion under attack by what looked like a detachment from a local army, Sasuke begins to pull his sword free, "This looks fun."

Naruto nods, "Naruko, Fuu, take on the army and help where you can, we're going to find Shion."

Fuu cheered and formed her wings with her biju's help. "On it!" Clasping hands with a grinning Naruko as Naruto and the others raced away and went up and over the defensive wall. Up into the air Fuu went, now within distance to see that the attackers weren't alive at all, but instead stone golem of some sort. Naruko was already frowning about that, a finger to her chin.

"They don't look as advanced as the golem Karin and Honoka can make…but there sure are a lot of them. And the chakra is…weird." Something within Naruko was pulsing, resonating with the chakra in the air. That small part of her she had started to ignore, the part that screamed and raged that she should be able to generate chakra, was suddenly awake and curious. "Let's put them down quickly and get back to the others!" Unsealing several smaller bomb scrolls, Naruko was ready to fight.

Fuu noticed this and nodded, winding up and tossing the long haired blonde forward, "Give em hell Na-chan!" Her explosions were always such pretty colors.

Over the wall and homing in on a grouping of strong chakra signatures, Naruto and company flew over tiled rooftops and surprised guards. Ahead of them was what looked like the inner sanctum, where they could see a group of four ninja standing over two downed men and one pale woman who looked more than a little afraid. Eyes shifting into the Rinnegan, Naruto dug into his power, thrusting a palm forward quickly. "Shrina Tensei!" Watching the four ninja rocket out of the rear of the shrine, blowing through the wall in a shower of dust and debris, Team Seven alighted upon the floor and stood over the wounded. Naruto stood over the pale eyed woman, wondering if maybe this was Shion. Sakura was already kneeling, beginning to tend to the bloody guards while Sasuke walks up to stand next to Naruto, watching the hole in the wall for the return of the enemy ninja.

"Any chance they take the hint and run for it?" Sasuke couldn't even keep a straight face, smirking as Naruto chuckled and shook his head.

"Does anyone ever take the hint?" True enough, the enemy team returns through the wall, all four standing against the two of them with hate in their eyes. Naruto took them in, all four of them wearing thick white robes that covered most of their bodies. There were three men, and one lone woman, who was sporting a rather bloodthirsty grin at the moment. One of the men, sporting white hair and a muscled frame was chuckling and walking forward to stand at the front of the group, while another with longer pink hair grumbled too low for Naruto to hear, making the last man, a stern looking guy with long blue hair to chuckle a bit. All in all, Naruto wasn't ready to consider them a threat at all, but, they did attack his client. "Look, I don't know who are you, but you can leave. I have business here, and Uzushio doesn't take kindly to anyone interfering with that. So leave peacefully, or die." Eyes shining as sage chakra began to course through him, Naruto couldn't help the smirk that tugged at his lips. "Either option works for me."

Kusuna had considered this an easy mission from Lord Yomi. Attack the shrine, kill the priestess, and return to help unseal the Moryo. Easy enough. Her guards weren't ninja after all and the stone army would keep everyone else busy. But now they had some nobody here to get in his way. "Sorry friend, but we have a mission to complete." He'd figure out how the guy knocked them all away later. Probably have to pull the information from his corpse in the end. "Gitai, take them."

Chuckling, the white haired man cracked his knuckles and nodded, "Got it." Chakra swelling up to upper jonin levels, the very earth responded and a giant dragon of earth began to build just outside the wall behind them. "I'll bury you in an instant and then we'll kill the priestess."

Knowing they had a moment, Naruto turned to Sasuke, "Wanna shoot for it?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes but nodded, "Sure sure." Holding out a hand, they both pumped their fists three times, "Jan, Ken, Pon!" Both hands fell, Naruto putting down a paper while Sasuke smirked at his scissors. "Gotcha."

Definitely not pouting, as real men didn't pout, Naruto powered down and let Sasuke step ahead, "Hurry it up. You don't want me to get to bored."

Sasuke nods, turning to take in the frustrated looking ninja ahead of them, "Yeah. I'll make this quick."

Gitai was nearly foaming at the mouth, his technique finally finished building, "You dare mock me! I'll show you who will make this quick!" The dragon flew over his team's heads, straight and true for the two ninja opposing them and hopefully the priestess as well. He'd get credit for killing her in the end.

Sasuke was already moving, sword drawn and lightning coursing along its length. Activating his Sharingan, he finds it easy enough to cut apart the dragon of earth to render it useless, the chakra neutralized by his lightning. Continuing forward as the rock and earth fell to the floor, in a burst of speed, Sasuke is at Gitai's back. "You're much to slow to be a problem for me." Sword plunged backwards, it erupted from Gitai's chest to skewer his heart cleanly.

Chakra fading, Gitai stared down at the blade coated in his blood. "H-h-how?" He was blessed by his lord's chakra, how could he have been defeated so easily?

Sasuke shrugged, eyes never leaving the other three team members that had backed away with his sudden movements, "You just aren't as strong as you think you are, that's all." Pulling his sword free in a spray of blood, Sasuke didn't even look back as the man's body dropped to the floor, blood pooling under him. "Well then." Eyes hardening, Sasuke took another step forward, "Who's next?"

The pink haired Kusuna was already turning away, "We'll be back! We'll complete our mission!" And then they were gone, leaving Team Seven alone with one dead body and lots of questions.

Sasuke sighed, flicking the blood off of his blade in a flourish before returning it to its sheath, "Well that was anticlimactic."

Naruto nods, tracking their chakra with his eyes before letting his Rinnegan fade back into his normal blue, "It's fine, things never are this easy and they'll be back." Turning to the woman staring up at him with something close to awe, Naruto grinned and held out a hand, "Naruto Uzumaki, I take it you're Shion?" Hand gently grasping her own and helping her to her feet, Naruto missed her blush as he turned to Sakura, "Need any help over there Sakura?"

"Nope, almost done here." Sakura ran green hands over the downed body of a brown haired man wearing glasses. He groaned, but was conscious at least, "You okay? What's your name?"

"Taruho, and yes, thank you. If not for you I would be in grave danger. Or worse." Taruho sat up slowly, grunting as he took in the scene around them, "You came at the perfect time."

Naruto nods as Shion gets to her feet, dusting her off lightly before turning to address the others, "It's what we do."

Sasuke could already see the gears turning in the Priestess's head and sighed, "All is right with the world again, I'm safe."

Naruto gave him an odd look, "What was that Sasuke?"

"Nothing nothing."

Shion took a step back before bowing deeply to Naruto, gaining everyone's attention. "Thank you, Lord Uzumaki, for coming so quickly. The world is in grave danger and your assistance is greatly needed."

Sakura could already feel the headache coming, "Remember what I said about once in a lifetime events?"

Naruto chuckled and scratched his cheek, "Yeah well, it's us."

"It's you."

Naruto turned to Shion, "You're letter said you needed some help, was this it? Some Ninja out for your life?"

Shion shook her head, "No. They are a minor worry. The real concern is a shrine I must reach in the Land of Swamps. I need you to escort me there." The pale eyed woman wearing lavender priestess robes looked left and then right, before raising her eyebrows, "I believe there was another I requested as well. Your…sister correct?"

Arriving as if summoned, Fuu and Naruko burst through the open doorway to slide and stop just behind the others, Fuu pumping a fist in the air, "All stone bad guys are down and out."

Naruko grinned and put her hands on her hips, "You missed a real party." Idly she looked over the pale blonde haired girl and shuddered. Something about her screamed for her to run away. Again, more oddities in this place.

Naruto nods and turned back to Shion, "Yeah, she's here too, so. You have a request for us yes?"

Standing a bit straighter and making sure her robes were straight from where the Uzumaki's large and warm hands had brushed her down, Shion nodded firmly, "We must reach the body of the Moryo. Someone is attempting to unseal it, and if they do, it could plunge the world into thousands of years of darkness. My duty is to prevent that, but I must reach the shrine. I am no ninja, neither are my gaurds really, so I need your escort."

Turning back to the others and seeing no dissent there, Naruto turns back to the blonde who reminds him of Hinata and gives her a thumbs up, "Sounds easy enough, Uzushio will take the mission. You need to get to the Land of Swamps, so we'll make sure you make it there in one piece. Saving the world is becoming a specialty." Her attackers seemed like pushovers anyway, so the most they would probably have to worry about is some ancient demon.

'Don't belittle the threat before you meet it.' Kurama's voice piped up and Naruto nodded mentally.

'No worries, I'll shove a v2 or a dozen down its throat if need be.'

'Atta boy.'

Sasuke turned back to Sakura, who was now healing a different guard, a more portly man, "Did he just jinx us?"

Sakura scoffed, "He is a jinx, he does it just by existing."

"I can hear you both you know."

Naruko turned to Fuu, both watching the team banter back and forth, "Should we join in?"

"Do you want to start a fight right now?" Fuu watched Naruko really consider the option before he lightly poked the woman in the ribs, "No. Bad Naruko."

"But Fuuu~" Naruko did not whine, no she did not.

"No buts, no fighting while on mission."

"Lame."

Naruto snorted as Taruho showed him a map and a potential route they could take, "Listen to your better half Naruko."

"I will cut you."

"You will try."

-b-

Most of a day's worth of travel over with, Naruto and group found themselves making camp for the night within a cleared space within a hollow of trees. Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura set about putting up tents and building a fire, Naruto himself making clones to keep watch and scout ahead, while Shion sat on a downed log to wait while Taruho and his fellow guardsman Susuki set about making her comfortable and getting her dinner ready. Naruko and Fuu, with nothing to do for the moment having decided to sleep among the trees, sat down to get to know the Priestess.

Fuu starts off, all smiles as she sits between Shion and Naruko, "So, what does a priestess of Demon country even do? Are you exorcising lost spirits and evil monsters all the time?"

Giggling, Shion shook her head, "Oh no, my duty is much more important than that. I was tasked with preparing for the eventual return of the Moryo, a grand demon that seeks to build a kingdom to rule the world with its stone army. My mother performed this duty once, and now it is my turn. No other family has the ability to seal away this monster, so special is our technique."

Lip twitching, Naruko nods at what Shion is saying, "Huh, so no random demons or spirits for you, just the biggest and scariest of them all huh?" Seeing Naruto twitch in the distance, she had a feeling Kurama had something to say about that. "Doesn't sound like you get out much though, I'm sure you've gone through some really crazy training up until now."

Shion shrugs, "Less than you'd think actually. Most of the ability is in my blood after all, and I was forbidden from training as a ninja in the first place." Here something in Shion slips through, face becoming a bit less put on as she stared up into the evening sky, "I somewhat envy you, to be able to travel and see the world as you do. I only have my little corner to see and not much of it at that."

Fuu and Naruko looked at each other before turning back to Shion, "We understand actually." Fuu pointed to herself as Shion turned her eyes to her, "I actually had never left my village until I joined up with Naruko and Uzushio. It's actually one of our shared dreams to travel and explore the world. To see everything that it has to offer."

Shion watched them, seeing the odd feeling Naruko nod brought her some comfort, "Well, I'm sure you'll be able to achieve that dream one day." Her vision played before her eyes again, twin blondes racing ahead, a giant multi-headed dragon roaring into the sky, and then nothing. "Dreams are to be cherished."

Having set up his team's tent and stretching his back, Naruto grinned at the three, "Everyone should have the freedom to explore and live as they please. If you wanna see the world, you should. Don't let anyone stop you."

Shion nods again, "You are, correct. Life is worth living."

Fuu nods, "Yeah yeah, you get it." Giggling as she decided this Shion girl was friendly if just a bit quiet, Fuu wanted to be friends with her. "Don't you worry, we'll get you to the shrine just like Uzumaki-sama said."

Shion nods, "Oh I know you will, it is your duty after all and something worthy of great praise." Taruho knelt down next to her, offering her a bowl of warm rice with several slices of thick tuna on top.

"Here, Shion-sama, you must eat. You have a great duty to attend too soon and must keep your energy up." Taruho had a feeling that while her mood had been better recently, not all habits would change right away. The look in her eye had him worried as well as he waited for her judgement.

"Hmmm, that is correct." Shion eyed the food for a moment as if to inspect it before casually tossing it away into the dirt. "You know better Taruho. Do it again, it's not good enough." She shrugged at the wide eyed looks from Fuu and Naruko, "Servants, they always seem to need their better's instruction don't they?"

Fuu couldn't believe what she just saw. Did this cute and friendly girl just toss away perfectly good food? Who did that? Maybe she wasn't as good as Fuu thought she was.

Next to her Naruko mentally was agreeing with her, writing off Shion as now someone to avoid, "Huh." To not only belittle her guard but to also toss out perfectly good food that was made for her? Nope, spoiled brat could get tossed on a bed of spikes later.

Having witnessed everything and walking over, Naruko quietly knelt to pick up the bowl and carefully scoop up as much of the food back into it with great care as everyone else watched on. "You know, sometimes we focus on the great things we have to do, that we forget the little things that are also just as important." Gently wiping away some of the dirt from the fish and placing it bowl and all next to Shion, Naruto stared hard into her eyes, "As a leader, your duty isn't to lord that fact over other's heads. You are to offer a strong face in times of uncertainty, to bring clear direction in times of crisis." Naruto looked down at the bowl before standing slowly, "Stepping on the efforts of your people or tossing them away just because only makes you look less like a leader, and more like a child."

Shion leans back, eyes not leaving the bright blue of Naruto's, "You don't understand just how important I really am. People have sacrificed themselves for me to make it this far. Given their lives so that I could live. That is my importance."

"You're right in that I don't know you or understand." Naruto nods slowly, as Taruho looks at him with something like respect, "So I don't know how important you can or can't be in the long run. But I do know that your importance doesn't change the fact that other people are important as well. Taruho doesn't have to labor to make food for you. But he does, because he believes in you. Your guard Susuki didn't have to lay down his life for you, but he did, because he believes in you as well. Do not so casually trample on their feelings, one leader to another." Nodding once, Naruto began to walk away seeing as Shion had nothing more to say on the subject, deep in thought as she was. He missed her slowly take the bowl from where he placed it, eating what little was left while grumbling about know it all blondes.

Sakura leans into Sasuke as they watch the confrontation from the sidelines, "Wanna make a bet?" Feeling Sasuke perk up, Sakura points lazily at Naruto walking to the treeline of their little clearing, "Think Naruto is gonna win this woman over with his usual antics?"

Sasuke shook his head, "No bet. It's alright a done deal, he's got her hooked." He watched as Naruko and Fuu have stood and are making their way towards the pair, "If anything, we can bet on how fast she confesses her feelings first."

Naruko grumbles, still not over the prissy princess, "If Naruto charms that sow I'll eat her."

Fuu swatted her as she giggled, "You'll do no such thing. Maybe she's just had a hard life. Like Naruto said, we don't know her." Fuu did shrug as Naruko gave her a look, "Though even your brother might have a hard time reforming even that girl."

Sasuke and Sakura give them knowing looks, like they knew a secret the other pair weren't privy to just yet. Naruko knew better but didn't seem to want to spoil the fun. "C'mon, you can help set up tents."

Naruko groaned, "Booo, I'd rather pound dirt." But she set about helping anyway, best be useful while on an actual mission.

Naruto was off to the side, ignoring everyone else as his senses spread out over a large area, searching for trouble. In his mind however, Kurama grumbles.

'This is boring. Go and find that Moryo, unseal him so we can have a fight.'

'By the Kami are you really that bored? This is an ancient evil that wants to take over the world and you want fight it?'

'Can't be stronger than me, so yes, maybe it'll put up a decent fight.'

'You're so broken.'

'Wait till you see a real biju dama put to use, it'll knock your socks off.'

Rolling his eyes, Naruto can't help but feel like the ambient chakra in this country just felt, different. Something was bugging his senses and making him feel like an itch was working along his back that he couldn't just quite scratch. 'This is dark chakra, but not exactly like the Zero tails, close though.'

'More and more opponents seem to be tapping into it recently. Something to look into?' Kurama was curious about it, but not enough to pass up a fight.

'Well, can't do anything about it, so I won't stress over it for now. Nothing an elemental rasengan can't take care of.' Some training had begun to pay off finally. He did have access to every element after all, would be a shame to waste it. Stretching and pulling his chakra back, Naruto decided to let the clones keep watch on their own. Fate had a way of helping him out with these sorts of problems, no reason to exhaust himself. Besides, he had more than enough crazy skills to level countries, what was one ancient demon that wanted to take over the world?

'You jinxed it. I'm telling.'

'Hush.'

The next morning brought a dew filled landscape and a low early morning sun. With a bit of effort and some convincing to get a certain princess up and moving early, the group is traveling quickly along their planned out route. Naruto is now carrying Shion on his back while Taruho and Susuki keep their pride and labor to keep up with the rest of the team. Traveling just a little under their usual speed for their sake, Naruto and the others make good progress as the sun works its way into the sky and the early morning mists burn away to give them a great view of a wooded countryside far below the hill they were running across.

Naruko grins as she watches Shion blush and hold tightly to Naruto's neck, "Enjoying the ride their prissy pants?"

"I'll have you know I am I proper Priestess, and you will show me respect, eeep!" Shrieking as Naruto made a longer leap over a downed log, the feeling of weightlessness pushed her heart into her throat before they returned to running. Heart hammering in her chest, she flatly ignored the look she knew the other blonde was sending her, "I was just surprised was all." Naruto's hands were very firm on her thighs weren't they?

Naruko grinned as she ran along, Fuu flying next to her, "Uh huh, sure thing prissy pants."

Sasuke sighed and kept an eye out, "I'm getting some major chakra flare ups in the distance, more of that stone army maybe?"

Naruto keeps his gaze straight ahead, "Would be the biggest possibility. Where are they coming from anyway?"

Shion considered that problem, having heard news that the shrine holding Moryo's soul had been ransacked. "Someone has the soul of the Moryo, so most likely they are using it to bring forth the terracotta army."

Naruto nods, "And the final piece, some despot who wants to take over the world, it all makes sense."

Sakura grumbled from next to Sasuke, "It all made sense the second you started charming the princess."

"What was that Sakura?"

"Don't you mind Naruto, just keep from blowing up anything important."

"No promises!" Chuckling and feelings a dagger like gaze on his back, his senses went haywire, "Heads up!" Jumping as high as he can, the team is scattered as a monumental water technique crushes into the ground between them all, scattering them. Naruto has already shifted into the Rinnegan, but with his hands full he considered his options. It was that team from yesterday again, so no real threat to him then. "Catch up later will you! I'm gonna take the Princess ahead!" Saluting the others, Naruto does just that, landing softly on the ground for a moment before racing away faster than any of their opponents can hope to keep up.

Sakura and Sasuke pair up, standing before the assembled three attackers before turning back to Naruko, Sasuke speaking up first, "We don't all need to be here, go and catch up with him. He's the only one who can top off your chakra after all." And re-summon her if the worst happens.

Naruko nods, turning and pecking Fuu on the cheek, "You better not fall to these weaklings."

Fuu winks at her, "Don't worry, you're the only one I'll fall for." Taking Naruko's hand, Fuu gathers wind around them before spinning and tossing the other girl in Naruto's direction, again faster than any of their attackers can hope to prevent. This allowed the mint haired girl to relax and focus on them, "I hope you put up something of a fight though, you're separating me from my girlfriend after all."

Taruho and Susuki looked at each other, before Taruho hooked a thumb over his shoulder, "Catch up with Shion-sama?"

Susuki nods quickly, "Yup, let's beat it." And they ran.

Sakura begins to crack her knuckles, already singling out the other medic on the team and already irritated that he had pink hair just like her. "No offense, but I feel like cracking your skull open."

Kusuna turned to Setsuna and Shizuku, "Fight smart and take them down quickly. We have to catch up with the Priestess." Watching them both nod before jumping away, they each are pursued by one of the other team, leaving him alone with the pink haired girl who he focuses on. "No offense taken, the feeling is mutual." Producing scalpels from his pouch a grin spread on his face, "Please, bleed for me."

Sakura is already jumping forward, chakra gathered in a deceptively dainty fist, "Don't worry, I've got plenty of something for you!" Bringing it down, Sakura releases the pent up energy, area cratering in a wide 10 meter diameter and dropping the ground level several meters. Kusuna only just manages to jump away, tossing scalpels in an attempt to kill Sakura quickly. She weaves through them, pursuing him easily, "My future husband has better aim than that."

Smirking, Kusuna gives a fake look of shock as they dodge and weave around each other, "You? Getting married, I almost mistook you for a man, with such mannish hips and all." Ducking under and wild swing, he's unable to follow up before a lightning fast knee rises to meet him. He blocks it and lets the momentum carry him away to back-flip to safety, but his hands are rattled and he does have to acknowledge that she has a lot of power in that small frame.

Sakura however has a tick mark growing on her forehead, "Say that again. I'll drive you into the ground like a stake."

Oh ho, so she was sensitive about her femininity was she? Perfect. Kusuna's smirk widened even more, "I know some children with a larger bust that you. Maybe your husband has certain tastes that need to be looked into." Blinking, he isn't ready for the face full of angry pink woman that was suddenly before him. "Eh?" And chakra coated fist buried itself into his gut, even he could feel something or several somethings rupture inside of him. Body folding over her arm and losing grip of his weapons, Kusuna is launched away at speed, body crashing through several thin trees before coming to rest in a heap. Body numb and chest shuddering, Kusuna coughed up blood as he could feel his bones grinding and rubbing against each other. "Eh?" Just, how did she move so fast?

Walking up to her target with a smirk, Sakura tugged off her gloves and put them back in her pouch, "I know I'm the medic and mainly here for support, but my teacher has always held true that we should be able to put on the hurt when necessary." Coming up next to him, she squatted down to look him over. Shattered ribs, spine was most likely broken and both legs were hanging at odd angles. He certainly didn't have much time left. "I can put you out of your misery, make it quick."

Chuckling with pain, Kusuna looked into her jade green eyes, "Who was…your teacher?" To be able to put him down in a single hit, truly she was a talented monster.

"Lady Tsunade, of the Densetsu no Sannin."

"Ah…a legend trains a legend. Of course." Kusuna relaxes completely, accepting whatever came next. While before his mind was full of hopes of supreme power and future greatness, now his journey was already over. So pitiful.

Sakura nods and stands, beginning to raise a foot, "I'll make it painless." No sense and making him suffer. She needed to meet back up with the others.

Further away in a different section of the woods, downed trees and gouged out earth complimented the battlefield of Sasuke and his opponent, the long haired Setsuna. The man was using high powered wind style techniques with abandon, and the usual fire nature Uchiha was considering what he wanted to do with this. Ducking into a roll to allow a new wind blade to travel over him and cut down yet another tree, Sasuke was back on his free and weaving ever closer to the man. "I'm going to be done with you quickly at this rate. Don't you have anything else to use?" Sure his techniques were powerful, but it was so one dimensional. There was no thought here, just overwhelming power. Naruto put more thought into his fights than this.

Setsuna was grinning, knowing that he would overwhelm this welp soon enough, "You pretty boys are all the same. I bet you have some cool and flashy move you're just waiting to unleash and use. But I have real power! My Lord has gifted us all with the chakra of a god. You can't hope to win against me." A short chain of hand seals and a monstrous gale palm rocketed forward. Sasuke was already out of the way but the section of woods in front of Setsuna was blown away and a new clearing was born. "Hold still!"

Sasuke shakes his head, sword in hand as he continued to bide his time, "I wonder how long you can keep this up." Sharingan blazing, Sasuke could see that Setsuna's chakra was diminishing rapidly. Either this guy wasn't used to such high level techniques, or was arrogant enough to believe he could kill his opponent quickly. "Plus, you're only using wind style. It'd be a shame if I could counter that." Sasuke was being cautious, not believing anyone would focus so hard on one set of abilities so much, but apparently this guy was doing just that. Against an Uchiha of all people. Pausing and beginning to cycle chakra through his lungs, he waited for what was coming.

Setsuna grinned, seeing the boy pause most likely to catch his breath. "I'll crush you and finish off your friends!" Another short sequence as he gathered more chakra than ever before. "GALE PALM!"

Sasuke grinned and held his fingers to his lips, releasing the white hot flames of a Grand Fireball. The flames fed on and grew from the chakra laden Gale Palm, returning to Setsuna with even more ferocity than before. Barely finished with the first, Sasuke Launched a second faster variant in the direction he had given Setsuna space to retreat to, before ending it and following in its wake.

Setsuna balked at the massive ball of white hot flames, diving to the side and augmenting his movement with wind in order to get away just in time. He has time to watch the woods behind him literally turn to ash within seconds, before he just catches the second smaller fireball in the first's wake. Pressed and knowing he wouldn't make it, Setsuna still made a leap for it. While covering his body in chakra. The fireball technique connects, covering him in elemental fire and burning him alive. Clothes blackened and skin peeling and burnt, Setsuna drops to the ground in agony but alive if only just. Panting and rolling to his back, he fights to move and comes up empty. Everything was in agony, and he couldn't feel his limbs at all. Most likely all of his nerves had been burned out in the fire. The smell of burnt hair and flesh hit his nose and he knew he was done for.

Hands folded into his jacket, Sasuke walks to stand over his enemy with a frown, Sharingan still blazing, "I have some questions for you. Is Shion really your end goal? I'm sure there's a lot more to this right?"

Setsuna turns his head to spit onto the ground, seeing nothing but blood wasn't all that much of a surprise, "I won't betray my Lord to you scum."

Sasuke nods calmly, blinking slowly before making direct eye contact with the man, "That's okay, your resolve is commendable but…" The tomoe in his eyes began to rotate slowly, "I'm going to get the information that I want, one way or another." He needed the practice with casting genjutsu anyway.

In yet another section of the woods edging on a rocky terrain, Fuu flew through the air followed closely by the orange haired Shizuku who was skating along on a wave of water. Weaving through trees and brush alike, Fuu considered that the acrobatic girl was easily keeping pace with her. At least for now. "There's no chance we can sit and talk about this is there?"

"Will you give up and lay down your life for Lord Yomi?"

"Um…no I don't think so."

"Then die!" Fuu did her best to avoid a literal wall of fire that was sent her way, ascending up into the air as they came out over what looked like an area that had suffered a landslide recently. Rocks and debris gave no space to tree hop here, not that either of the women needed it. Shizuku launches stream after stream of fire in hopes of taking down the bug like girl, "Hold still so I can kill you!" Features beginning to change, skin paling while blue lines crawled down her face, Fuu wondered if she was a container herself.

Rolling and dancing in the air, Fuu shakes her head, "That sounds dumb, you sound dumb. Why would I let you kill me?" Diving down under another grand fireball, Fuu retrieved a kunai for each hand and considered her options. Shizuku seemed to want to keep her at a distance, but Fuu could make out twin kunai linked together by a thin chain in her hands and sighed. So the girl had a close range back up as well, that sucked. And all this fire was going to prevent her from using many of the bug like techniques Chomei granted her. Why was it always fire? Zipping along and pouring on some speed, Fuu would just have to focus on that. No flashy techniques today.

Watching the insect like girl flit about in the sky, Shizuku began to mold even more chakra in her chest as she rode about on her wave of water, "My Lord is going to establish his thousand year Kingdom and rule this dirty and impure world! You can't stop us! You're only fighting against the inevitable!"

Fuu giggles as she tosses several kunai Shizuku's way, watching the other woman melt them into slag just because, "It's a shame, if your Lord is so powerful why does he have such weak followers?" Watching a furious scowl burst onto the white clothed girl's face, Fuu watches her drop to the ground and water begin to form around and behind her. More and more built up before two large water dragons formed up and locked onto her. "Oh, whoops?" Flying up and away with all the speed she had, Fuu looked down to see both dragons crash down on where she used to be and dig an furrow into the landscape. That wouldn't have been pleasant. Seeing the attacks end, she again sent Kuani Shizuku's way and smiled as the other girl stumbled more than dodged out of the way. "Such chakra heavy attacks can't be good for you. How do you plan on keeping this up?"

"My Lord shall provide all that I need!" Shizuku tried to dig deeper for more chakra, but realized that she was coming up short, where was Kusuna?

Fuu shrugs, "Pulling all that water from no where takes a lot of chakra doesn't it? Especially after drying out the air even more with those fire attacks." Pulling more kunai free and flipping over a meager fire blast, Fuu dive-bombs towards Shizuku, "You weren't very fun. You should have surrendered!"

Shizuku stumbled out of the way of Fuu's dive-bomb, watching the girl arc up and race away unable to fight back properly. Kusuna was taking too long and she needed more chakra. She needed her Lord's blessing. "I'll kill you slowly for this!"

Fuu nods, "Sure sure. I believe you." Out of the corner of her eyes she can see two figures walk out from the tree line and she pauses to wave towards them, idly dodging up and around several small fireballs. "Sasuke! Sakura! Are you done already?"

Sasuke nods, hands still in his pockets, "Yes, what's taking you so long?" Individually this team was pretty weak, relying on being able to overwhelm their opponents quickly and then run away to top off their chakra when needed. So boring.

Distracted, Shizuku turned to face them, "What's the meaning of this?! Where are the others?"

Fuu took her chance, appearing behind Shizuku while waving to the others, "Just another moment!" Twin kunai flashed forward, and Shizuku's world tumbled end over end. Why was everything suddenly so cold? Why couldn't she scream?

Far away Naruto was focused as his senses began to scream at him that something unnatural lay just ahead. Shion held tightly to his back and Naruko running quietly next to him, something in his very soul cried out against whatever the hell they were approaching. Moryo huh? Something that absolutely needed to be destroyed, and quickly.

Shion casts a worried look back the way they came, trees long gave way to rocky and humid terrain, "Will the others be alright?" Naruto's chest rumbles as he laughs long and loud, which comforted her somewhat.

"Sasuke and the others are really strong, they'll be just fine." Fuu was a Jinchuriki as well, worst case scenario she went full biju on them and that would be that.

"I think I'm more worried for Taruho and Susuki. They aren't combat ninja like you."

Naruko begrudgingly decides to speak up before Naruto, still not liking the prissy woman, "Fuu will look after them if they get in trouble. She won't let them get hurt." Here though she smirks, "It's good to see you worried about your people Prissy Princess, maybe there's hope for you yet."

Shion blushes and looks away from Naruko, "I'm just worried about some underlings is all, I'd hate to have to replace them."

Naruto grunts as Shion's arms tighten around his neck, "Must you Naruko?"

Naruko nods, facing forward as something within her thrums with an excited energy, "Got to say Princess, the tsundere look isn't good on you."

Shion puffed out her cheeks as the terrain blurred by them, "It doesn't mean anything. They just…when everyone else left me behind, Taruho and Susuki believed in me. They stayed by my side." Shion relaxes into the warm back of her savior and sighs, "I…I was alone a lot because of one of my powers. Something I don't have full control of."

Twitching, Naruto could relate to that, "Not a crazy demon sealed inside of you is there?"

Giggling, Shion shook her head, "No. Part of my power allows me to see the future. But, it's centered around how one dies. Specifically how they die in my place. I wanted to make friends, to grow strong and live a full life. But because I am the Priestess, the future savior and the only one who can seal away Moryo should he return, I've been locked away. Isolated." Shion rests her head on the broad shoulders in front of her, "Very much alone."

Naruto and Naruko can relate to that, exchanging looks before Naruko nods to Naruto who sighs and takes a breath. "I can understand that kind of loneliness. I spent a lot of my childhood alone because of a power I had no say in having. A grand biju, the strongest of all, sealed away in my gut to protect my village. But I was hated for that power, shunned and ignored. Compound that, I am an Uzumaki, a family that many would do anything to exploit and steal from. It was hard, and I nearly gave up a few times." Here Naruto looked back to the woman and grinned as a valley came into view and they all paused to look down into it. "Eventually I figured out that you have to take your life into your own hands. No one will approach you? Then approach them. Show them who you are, force them to acknowledge you. Build bonds and friendships and sooner or later you'll find your happiness." Naruto eyes the shrine suspended over a deep chasm, the bottom of which he couldn't see. Sutra and seals were strung nearly everywhere that he could see, but an eery blue light was coming from the shrine itself. That was worrying, "Eventually I rebuilt my ancestral home, made a few friends, too many wives, but a home all the same. I think you could do the same if you wanted."

Shion giggled at how he ended his story, "You sound like you're complaining about multiple women loving you."

"It's not a laughing matter, I'm going to die at this rate. My heart'll explode."

Naruko grins and leads the way down towards the shrine, "Flirt more later, we have work to do."

Shion tightens her grip around Naruto's neck as he follows after his sister and spouts denials. Could she do it? Take her fate into her own hands? Again her vision swims in her mind. Twins jumping into action, before a flash of light and then, nothing. Could she change it? Could things be better if she just tried?

Making their way down into the valley and coming to the bridge that connected the shrine to the valley wall, Shion tapped Naruto's shoulder, "Let me down please." Doing as ordered, Naruto lets her go, where she steps forward and turns to address them both. "I must go it alone from here. Please wait here and keep anyone from trying to interfere."

Naruto nods, "Sure thing, we got this." He and Naruko turned as they could feel a rumbling in the ground around them, "Is that?"

"Moryo's stone army, someone absolutely has his soul and thus, control of his army." Shion turned to focus on the shrine, "I must defend the seal and prepare to seal away his soul again."

Naruto grinned and started walking back towards the the valley's rim, "Watch after her, I'm gonna go blow things up."

Naruko nods and they bump fists, "Don't go to crazy. The others should be on their way to us."

Naruto was already bounding away, "No promises!" He was already welling up chakra, fingers crossed in his familiar seal as he considered the best way to fight a massive army.

Naruko shook her head and turned to watch Shion make her way to the shrine, a strange chakra welling up inside of her and producing a pink glow. "Well that's new." Again something inside of her recoiled against it and once again she wondered at just what part of her was still missing. They had figured out the portion that held some of Kurama's chakra, Naruto's and Kushina's. But there was one more, the part that raged and called for blood. The part that screamed that she should be complete but wasn't. Here, this close to the body of the Moryo, it was nearly howling at her. Was she connected to its dark chakra somehow? Feeling an explosion of chakra, Naruko turns to look over her shoulder and takes in the literal legion of Naruto's flooding over the valley wall. That was one way to deal with a stone army she supposed. Starting forward, Naruko decided to stick close to Shion just in case. Sure she said she needs to go it alone, but that nagging feeling was only getting stronger, might as well follow it.

Shion stood before the doors of the shrine, confused at the slightly open doors and the torn seals. Someone was already here, maybe she shouldn't have come alone. A hand dropped to her shoulder and her heart leapt into her throat, "Eeeek!"

Shushing the woman, Naruko calmed her down, "Jeez Prissy, you act like someone's gonna stab ya in the back."

Hand to her chest and feeling her thundering heart, Shion gave Naruko a hard look, "You were supposed to stay behind."

Naruko shrugs, "Yeah well, me and my brother aren't big on listening or doing what we're told." The ground shook and they could see several mushroom clouds rising in the distance, "I told him not to go crazy."

Shion shook her head, pushing the doors open and walking into the dark interior of the shrine, "Just, stay out of the way. The seal I must perform is complicated." Ignoring the strange Uzumaki following behind her, Shion focused on the man standing at the rear of the open shrine, a dark aura surrounding him. This must be the one who stole the Moryo's soul. "The Moryo's soul was sealed away in my home country, in the Land of Demons, while the body was sealed away here, in the Land of Swamps. My mother, Miroku, had hoped the division would keep this very scenario from happening."

Naruko rubbed at her arm, odd feeling even stronger within this place. "So completing the Moryo spells the end of the world does it?" Seeing Shion nod and they both come within a dozen meters of the silent man staring up at the mass of glowing blue chakra in front of them, she pointed at him, "Friend of yours?"

Shion shook her head, hands coming forward, "Most certainly not." Hands beginning to glow a light pink, she began to concentrate.

In front of them, Yomi considered his next task. This was the end of the road for him after all, his duty done. "You can't stop me." Turning a dark eye to stare at Shion and the odd blonde next to her, a grin stretched his face, "It's already to late."

A pink tinged barrier sprung into life, surrounding the mummified body of the Moryo and Yomi together, trapping them inside while Shion began to sweat, "It's never too late to see evil fall. And without Moryo's soul, you'll just become another part of its flesh."

Yomi's body began to bulge, "Silly priestess, jumping to conclusions so quickly. Who said I don't already have its soul?" Body ready to burst, Yomi gloated with wide insane eyes at the surprised pair, "I'd gladly sacrifice my life to see our lord returned to this world." Giving thanks to his Lord, Yomi gave up the fight and let Moryo's soul rip free.

"Muahahahahha, I'm free! Free! At last, I can complete what I started all those years ago!" The deep and booming voice of the dark spirit echoed across the valley, long and sinuous form arching up within the sky inside of the barrier before arching down to slam into the frozen husk of its body.

Shion began to sweat, knowing without fail that her barrier would not hold. She wasn't meant to seal away the Moryo itself, just a portion of it. This would take more power than she actually had. Straining as the body began to pulse and vibrate within her barrier, Naruko came up to her side, "Can I help?"

"Unless you have purifying chakra, I think not!" Shion's efforts were already coming up short, cracks beginning to form along her barrier as the body of the Moryo began to enlarge and seep corrupted black chakra. "Run while you can, this is my duty not yours!"

Estimation of the Priestess changing yet again, Naruko turns to see stone golem rising from the depths of the mists below them, "Bad time to mention we're under attack huh?" Pulling free several modified kunai, she launched one and watched as several dozen terracotta warriors were tossed through the air in an artful explosion. "No rush but uh. I'm not my brother, I don't have unlimited chakra." Nor had she unlocked the Rinnegan like he had, purple eye still nothing more than a discoloration.

Shion grunted as one hand began making new and longer chains of seals, "I have to seal him away before he regains his full power! You have no idea how powerful a being the Moryo truly is!"

Naruko nodding while her body was going haywire. Chakra and senses surging like never before, her thoughts about being connected to dark chakra all but solidified, "Yeah uh, got it. Big bad guy is horrible news for the world." Turning to look back at the struggling Shion, Naruko can see chakra gathering to a single point just in front of the Priestess, dark and full of malice. Something screamed at her again, and without a thought she moved. First to gather Shion up in her arms, and the next to leap away with a wind chakra assisted dash through the front doors.

"You fool! What are you-" And then there was light.

Flung away ahead of a massive chakra explosion that ruptured her feeble barrier, Naruko and Shion tumbled through the air in a uncontrolled fall before Naruto is there to catch them both. Wind rushes around them, slowing them somewhat before they're landing with a harsh crash with Shion in Naruko's arms who herself was held by Naruto. Both girls woozy and dizzy, they looked up at the monster that was the Moryo, long dragon like body twisting and turning as if to stretch from a long and comfortable nap. "Well…shit."

Naruto grinned and put Naruko down, "You should have called me sooner if you needed help." Whistling and taking in the form of the great demon, inside Naruto was cackling. Finally, a worthy test subject!

'Stuff a disintegration bomb in his ass!' Kurama was all for violence at the moment.

Shion nodded, the blonde woman's thoughts mirroring her own, "I…I don't know if I can seal him away like this…" The aura of malice it put off, her mother fought this thing? And won? How could she possibly do the same? Again, that vision crosses her mind and she firms up her resolve. "We need to tie him down. I have to restart the sealing process!" They were on a smaller outcropping of rock, the valley falling away as the mists burned away to reveal more of Moryo's army. "I'll only have one shot at this."

"You'll do no such thing!" Voice booming above them, Naruto grabbed Shion and he and Naruko jumped away as a tail smashed and destroyed their previous resting spot. "My reign is just beginning! There's no one who can stop me now!"

Shion looks up to the determined looking Naruto, "We can't destroy him. He's too powerful now. Sealing is the only way."

Naruto nods, "Well, sealing is an Uzumaki specialty." Another jump carried them further away to land at the outer edged of the sunken valley, where Naruto turned to a panting Naruko. "You okay over there?"

Naruko was not okay. Something was howling inside of her, burning in a way she had never felt before. Her features were becoming more beastial, hair shaggy, teeth and nails sharpening, and her eyes were once more completely red. "I…I have an idea." Looking down on Moryo as his army began to move, Naruko turned red eyes to meet Naruto's purple Rinnegan. "Trust me with this. Think you can smash him into the ground?"

Naruto was already letting Shion down, flexing an arm with a smirk, "Ask and you shall receive!"

Shion looked between the two, her vision lining up with reality and with a heavy heart she shook her head, "You can't! You'll die! I can't see anything past my vision, and this is it!"

Naruto turned a kind smile back towards her, winking for good measure, "Don't you worry. I make a habit of breaking reality and making the impossible possible." Naruto turns back to Naruko, "You sure about this?" His eyes shine as he begins to circulate sage chakra through himself, light orange beginning to filter at their edges.

Naruko nods almost without a thought before taking another moment to shrug, "Yes. No. Maybe. It's…a feeling."

"Good enough for me!"

Moryo raises his head to the sky, the great black dragon gloating at its victory. "I will plunge this world into one thousand years of darkness! My kingdom will rise and humanity will fall!"

Naruto and Naruko nod to each other once, before boosting themselves with wind and jumping as high as they can straight up. Naruto grunts, and looks back to see Shion clamped onto his jacket and holding on with everything she has. "You idiot!"

"I won't sit this out! Use my power as well!" Pink light began to suffuse them both, and Naruto nodded at Shion's determination.

"You got it Shion!" Coming just above Moryo who's mouth was opening to gather chakra, Naruto led by holding out both hands and gather as much chakra as he could. "Try this on for size asshole! SHINRA! TENSEI!" Grinning with satisfaction as reality seemed to warp and bend to his will, he watched as Moryo was crushed down into the earth, down into the very bedrock. Destroyed army falling down around him, crushed and mangled in an instant, Naruto floated with the assistance of some wind chakra as Naruko continued to fall. "Good luck, little sis." Holding onto Shion who's energy circulated through him, and watched and waited just in case he needed to assist.

Naruko was grinning, landing and latching on to Moryo's head with something just short of euphoria. This was what she was missing! She could feel it! This chakra! "I CAN EAT YOU!" And with a thought, she began to pull at the dark chakra being.

"Foolish mortal! None can destroy me!" Moryo could feel however that its very essence was bleeding away and rapidly.

Naruko could tell the same, "Never said I was going to destroy you! I'm an Uzumaki!" The final piece she needed finally settled into place and she was just that much more complete. Black chakra chains erupted from her back, beginning to wind and trap his body. "I'm going to seal you in the perfect container!" As more and more of the Moryo entered her, her very core dished out chakra, her chakra. Not Naruto's or their mother's. Her's.

"No one has survived sealing me like this." Moryo finally worked himself free from the earth, but his body was sluggish, weakening. How had she already taken so much from him? Shaking his head in an attempt to throw her off, another pressure from the boy sent him crushed back down into the earth. "You're only giving me the chance to devour your soul!"

Shaking her head, Naruko reached for something even deeper within him, "That's a chance I'm willing to take if it means I'll finally be whole!" Eye's changing from their bright demonic red to a deep but clear violet, Naruko pulls and even his flesh begins to meld with her body. "Hope you like your new accommodations!" With a deep breath and a blink, suddenly she isn't in the valley anymore. Deep within herself, her mindscape that had before been such an empty place, now writhed the chained and bound Moryo. Watching the enraged demon thrash and try to escape, she finally understood what she was missing. Yes, she needed a real body, but her chakra one was modeled after Naruto. And what did Naruto have that she didn't? Right, a giant chakra construct with massive chakra reserves. Her body had been siphoning off chakra to maintain this empty space for nothing. Until now.

"What is this? You whelp! Release me at once!"

With a thought, giant bars came crashing down in a circle around Moryo, trapping it in place before chains erupted from the floor to further tie it down and lock it in its new prison. Shaking her head and heaving a sigh, Naruko looked Moryo in the eye, "Listen up! I have no illusions that you'll one day be a good dude and change your ways. So instead, I'm sealing you up nice and tight. I'm your jailer now. I use your chakra how I see fit, and one day you'll pass on to the spirit realm with me when I die." Naruko struck a pose and winked, "But don't you worry! I'll use your body all I want in the meantime!"

This child sought to degrade him so? This was blasphemy! The injustice of it all! "I will feast on your entrails! I will rend your soul and bath in your blood and the blood of your loved ones!"

Wiggling a finger in her ear, Naruko gave him the finger, "Yeah yeah. Kami, Kurama wasn't as bad as you back then. I'll pop in for a visit sometime Mo-chan. Ta-ta!" And then she was gone, eyes slowly opening to take in just what she had done.

Naruto had been watching from the outside, keeping himself and Shion aloft with wind chakra as the giant body of the Moryo was pulled into Naruko with seeming no end. She had asked him to trust her, so he would, and so far nothing seemed to be happening short of the massive amounts of chakra that was gathering within her. And as the last bits of Moryo disappeared, there was a bright flash of purple light and a wave of energy that decimated what was left of the valley. A quick glance showed Shion safe and sound with her arms around his neck, so he began to lower himself towards the dust cloud. Who would come out? Naruko? Or Moryo?

The answer came quick, a woman's body was hurled from the smoke, tumbling through the air. Seeing the shock of blonde hair, Naruto is already flying towards her, catching the surprisingly heavy Naruko and taking in her form. Her clothes were barely hanging on, but her features had returned to normal, all but her eyes. No Rinnegan here, but they were a bright violet color all the same. She blinked at him quietly for a moment before grinning and giving him a thumbs up, "I'm back."

Landing and bounding once more, a few more hops carried them to the valley's upper ridge. Setting down the unsteady woman, Naruto raised an eyebrow at what his senses were telling him, "Wanna clue me in on what you just did?" Letting Shion shimmy down from his back, he noted that not far away the rest of the team was finally catching up, Sasuke and Sakura in the lead. Around them, what was left of the stone army had fallen silent, their eyes dimming with the loss of their master's chakra.

Naruko takes a minute, looking down at herself in wonder. Hands clinching into fists and releasing, she lightly bounced on her toes for a moment before twirling in place. "I…I sealed the Moryo." Turning and seeing Fuu flying towards her with a wide smile, Naruko holds open her arms and both girls come together in a twirl and a hug. Looking into each other's eyes, Naruko grins, "Kiss me!"

Fuu blinks but with a shrug does as her girlfriend asks as Sasuke and Sakura come up to stand besides Naruto. Sasuke takes one look at the girls before turning to Naruto himself. "I'm not kissing you."

Naruto gives him the finger, "Go kiss your girlfriend then."

Shion is waving off the worried forms of Taruho and Susuki, "Should we be concerned?"

Naruto shakes his head, "Not yet I don't think." Something had changed. It was on the tip of his tongue, just out of reach.

Coming up for air, Naruko cheering and wrapped her arms around Fuu's waist. Fuu giggled before shaking her head, "What's gotten into you?"

Naruko stops herself from blurting out 'A giant world ending demon' and instead pulls away and removes a kunai from one of her pouches. Turning it before anyone can stop her, she runs it over her thumb. Getting shouts from everyone, Naruko grins at the thin line of blood that forms there. "It worked." Eyes widening even more, Naruko can feel herself vibrate in place. "It worked! I have a body! I'm a real woman now! OOOOH YEAAH! BELIEVE IT!" Jumping in literal joy, she pulls Fuu back in for a tight hug.

Turning away and giving the happy girls a moment, Naruto sighs and motions to Shion, "Welp, guess that's the end of the world ending demon then huh?"

Sakura punches him in the arm before leading Sasuke away, "I'm repeating myself, but no more once in a lifetime conflicts please? Let's go fight some bandits. Assassinate some noble somewhere. You know. Actual ninja stuff?"

Watching Sasuke get dragged away, Naruto waves them off. "No promises." Turning to Shion who was now in front of him, Naruto bowed his head lightly, "What do you say, mission accomplished?"

Shion nodded, coming to stand just in front of him. "You were correct, Lord Naruto. You do make the impossible, possible. "

Naruto gives her a thumbs up, "Stick around, it's a regular thing for us."

Shion hums at that while Sasuke facepalms behind him, "Hmmm, is that a fact?" Coming closer and pressing into his side, the priestess smirks, "Maybe I'll do just that. Without the Moryo to seal away, I suddenly have a lot of free time. Plenty to travel and see the world." Here as she looked up into his widening eyes, Shion pressed closer, "Perhaps, a certain little corner of yours?"

Behind them, Sakura sighs and fully turns away to take in the pair of Jinchuriki, one of which was new, "We shouldn't be surprised, should we?"

Sasuke wraps an arm around her waist, "Save the princess, defeat the bad guy, save the world. This was a true and through Naruto mission from start to finish."

Leading Naruto away, Shion was all smiles while Taruho and Susuki began to fret, "So. What is the weather like in Uzushio?"

Naruto is still a bit oblivious and answers honestly, "Well, it's comfortable most days. A little chilly with the sea breeze. Most of the citizens when not working like to get away with wearing beachwear, especially the women."

Giggling as they lead the group out of the destroyed valley, Shion nods, "I see, I think I'll have to come and visit then. You'll help me pick out some appropriate clothing yes? And maybe help me with another matter?" Seeing Naruto look down at her, Shion looked away with a blush, "The mantle of Priestess is passed on from mother to daughter. So, I will need some assistance with that. You won't mind will you?"

Naruto shakes his head, "Not at all, I'll help however I can." Blinking and thinking about that for a moment, the light bulb finally goes off in his head. "Oh uh. Wait." Kurama was already cackling in his head.

Sasuke groans, "This is exactly how you usually get yourself into trouble."

Sakura nods sagely with her arms crossed, "I pray for you and what the girls are going to do with you."

Giggling and holding his arm tightly in her arms, Shion nods quickly, "It's settled then! Let's make haste and return to Uzushio!"

Taruho sighed and leaned against an equally tired Susuki. "I need a vacation."

Susuki nods, "Rebuilding the shrine without the Priestess around is bound to be peaceful."

"I'll take it."

Naruko easily carried the lighter Fuu in her arms as they walked. She was so ready for the fireworks when they got back home. But for now? She was going to enjoy this new body of hers to the fullest. Starting with a night with her girlfriend.

-AN-

This took, much longer than I thought it was going to be. But, this also ended up being…well. A lot longer of a chapter than I thought as well. So, here we are. This will probably be the last orginal movie plot line that I'll use in my fic, so expect less filler from here on. Shion has entered the fold, like I'd let her chase anyone other than Naruto, Naruko has a body, and the world does not have some new demon lord to crush them under his scales. What does this mean for the future? Who knows. Because Naruto needs to get back quickly.

The summit is here.

-OMAKE-

It had been a few days worth of travel in the back of the merchant wagon, and it did not make for happy children. Hanabi and Konohamaru had bore it as best they could but today saw them gain their freedom. The merchant had pulled into a busy port town and among the hustle and bustle they had slipped out and away, now walking among the crowds and busy stalls of the market district as they made for the docks.

Konohamaru walked with his arms behind his head, lazily following along next to the Hyuuga princess, "You know, there's no shame in admitting you have no clue what to do and heading back. I'm sure you won't get in too much trouble." That he would certainly get in a lot of trouble went unsaid. But his bro would understand if they did find him.

Hanabi raised her head just a bit, too proud to admit that she had stalled for the moment. "I have a plan."

That surprised Konohamaru and he voiced it, "Oh really? Wanna share in this plan of yours?"

"Of course not. Simpletons should just follow orders like good dogs." Continuing forward as Konohamaru slowed down, she missed him pulling down an eyelid and sticking out his tongue at her.

Catching back up to her, Konohamaru shook his head as they reached the docks, several working men and sea goers gave them odd looks, but no one stopped them. He hadn't noticed many kids, but this was a small village, there were bound to be more than a few.

Hanabi considers several boats along the docks, a few looking like merchant vessels or maybe charter boats, and she nods in satisfaction. They couldn't be more than a day or two of sailing away from Wave, so that was their best move in her mind. "We will charter a boat."

Konohamaru turned to her quickly as they paused at the water's edge, "Wait what? Since when?"

"Since now, I've made up my mind."

Alarm bells were beginning to chime in his head and Konohamaru shook it quickly, "We could walk it you know. Wave isn't that far from Konoha and we spent a few days in the wagon. So we're bound to be close."

"This Hyuuga will not be walking to Wave. You can if you wish." Strutting away towards one of the larger boats that looked to be loading cargo, Hanabi misses Konohamaru give her a tired look before shrugging and following after all.

"Did I hear you need a boat?" A tall and lanky man with a scraggly beard walked up next to them, easily keeping pace with the smaller children as he smoothed out his roughshod sailing wear. "I happen to be a captain of a rather fine boat myself. Where are you headed?"

Senses telling her that this man was not a ninja, Hanabi shrugged as that meant he was not a threat, "Wave, do you travel that way?"

Clapping his hands together with glee, the Captain nods, "Why you're in luck, Wave is our next stop! Come come, my cute boat isn't far from here. Just behind this trawler." Leading the children away from the vessel they had been approaching, they instead find themselves soon to be in front of a massive ship which was equally loading crew and supplies. "I call her the Minnow. She quick and agile, I've slipped away from many an attacking ship in my days." Holding a hand up and whistling, he is answered by cheers from the crew.

Konohamaru leans over to Hanabi, whisper to her, "I would like to mention, that this is a bad idea. We should just walk."

"You worry too much. You're welcome to stay here alone." Hanabi answered right away as the captain led them on board.

Konohamaru shakes his head as they reach the boarding ramp, "As a man, I couldn't leave a woman to a bad fate. So you're stuck with me." Looking around, Konohamaru could have sword he saw an all black flag being stuffed away below deck. "Yup. Alarm bells are fully ringing now."

Hanabi snorted, idly listening to the ship captain boast about his vessel, "How worried should you possibly be about traveling with a bunch of non ninja? Even you should be fine handling them."

Konohamaru shrugged and linking his hands behind his neck again, "When this goes tits up, I'm shouting I told you so at the top of my lungs."