Nel here, hope you all enjoy this next chapter! There is quite a bit going on in here but I took extra time and care to try and make it flow smoothly and make sense. There is a little bit of a time hop halfway through so hold onto your reading glasses! =] Until next time!

xxx

"Yeah! We finally made it!" Naruto cheered when their boat made contact with the island. Guy jumped out and started kissing the ground.

"Land sweet land!" Tears of joy streamed down Guy's face. Kakashi and Yamato just laughed. It had quickly become apparent that sea travel was not for Guy, but he had endured his sea sickness like a champ.

"Well Naruto, just a little way up the island is a temple. Killer B should be waiting for you outside to begin your training. No time to waste!" Kakashi gestured for Naruto to run along. "We will be there as soon as we unload the boat."

"Alright!" Naruto took off running.

xxx

Everyone in the room was going crazy, Shizune knelt next to elders closing their eyes. Tsunade had used every vulgar word she possessed in her vocabulary and was barking orders, Sai hadn't even had a chance to get up off the floor yet, and Suigetsu had quickly overcome his initial shock and had started assisting Shizune with the bodies.

"Things have just changed! Madara has declared war, not only has he killed our own but he has kidnapped one of our most valuable resources, and one of our friends. I will not stand for this!" Tsunade stood in front of the four representatives. "Report back to your Hokage's at once and tell them that I am calling a Five Kage Summit. It is time for action." The four nodded furiously not wanting to incur her wrath and quickly headed out. "Sai!" She turned to him. "Put the Anbu on high alert immediately."

"Yes, my lady." Sai disappeared.

"Suigetsu, is there any way to track them?" He looked up from helping Shizune.

"Not that know of and even if there was I think he took the one person who could."

"Damn it! Damn it all!" Tsunade punched her desk and it split in half.

"My lady! Please calm down, we can't keep replacing desks like this!" Shizune pleaded. Tsunade let out an exasperated sigh.

"Get these bodies to the coroners. We will need to begin preparations for a service." Shizune and Suigetsu nodded.

"Yes, my lady."

xxx

When Madara reappeared in the woods outside of the village he let Sasuke out.

"Well that was quite the show." Sasuke said flatly.

"Take me too them."

"I will, just know it is going to take some time to get there if we don't want to draw attention to ourselves. Additionally, once we get there I will only be able to tell you the general vicinity of their location. I've never cared to know and you pulled me away so hastily instead of giving me time to gather more intel and meet up with you." Sasuke chastised him.

"The vicinity will do. Just get moving." Sasuke just shrugged and started walking. Over the next few hours Sasuke told Madara what he knew. That Yamato, Guy, and Kakashi had taken Naruto to some top-secret location somewhere in the Raikage's territory to train with the eight tails jinchuriki. When they finally stopped for the night Sasuke was exhausted. Since he hadn't had time to pack anything he just made himself comfortable with his back against a tree. Once he was sure his companion wasn't watching him he reached into his mouth and pulled out the small object Sai had passed to him earlier. It had slid into the back of his throat and had been choking him all day. It had also made it challenging to talk. Which he had done an uncharacteristically large amount of throughout the afternoon. He looked at the small black pouch in his hand, it had a note on it.

5 ink messenger birds. Use them wisely.

Sasuke smirked and silently thanked Sai. Receiving them certainly had been uncomfortable but they were worth it. They were a lifeline. When this was finally over, they would look back and laugh, well, maybe, you never really know with Sai. He put them safely in a pocket and closed his eyes as he leaned his head against the tree. All he could think about was how much of a pain traveling with Madara was going to be. To his surprise, he didn't really feel any different since the Elders deaths. Sure, he was glad they had finally gotten what they deserved, but it wasn't his priority anymore. He only cared about Naruto now. Nothing else mattered. Naruto was his family and it was time to leave the past where it belonged and focus on the future.

xxx

Naruto flopped down on the ground and leaned his back against the wall, he panted as he tried to catch his breath. He had been sparring Killer B for hours in the special room that was able to withstand two tailed beasts fighting at nearly full force. Even though the last month had gone by quickly the days had felt agonizingly long. It had taken almost three weeks to reach Killer B, but ever since they arrive Naruto had been putting his all into training. He had made astounding progress for it only having been a week. He was determined to make quick work of his training so that he could get back to Sasuke. Every day they were apart was an opportunity for Madara. The thought of Sasuke and the village having to face Madara alone made him feel sick. Sasuke was incredibly powerful and without a doubt the only one close to capable of going toe to toe with that evil bastard but even he was outmatched. They had to do this together or all would be lost.

"Yo, Naruto, you tired bro? I'm thinking maybe it's time to go! Ow!"

"Yeah, I think I am done for the day, nine tails chakra mode really takes it out of me." Naruto groaned as he got up from the ground, everything hurt.

"Working with the nine tails ain't no joke, if you ain't careful you'll get broke! Ow!" Killer B's constant rhyming and rapping always lifted his spirits, even if it was horrible. When they came out of the room Kakashi was waiting.

"Finally done hm?" Kakashi scanned the two of them for any major injuries.

"Yeah, I'm exhausted and starving!" As if in response to Naruto's words, his stomach growled.

"Well you're in luck, Yamato just finished making dinner a little while ago."

As the three made their way to camp Naruto's thoughts drifted to Sasuke. During the day he was always so busy with training it kept him distracted but at night Sasuke was always on the forefront of his mind and he missed him like crazy. When he had packed for this trip he had taken one of Sasuke's shirts and wore it to bed every night. It still had a faint trace of his scent and helped ease the ache in Naruto's heart a little bit. Once they got back to camp Naruto had scarfed down three bowls of the so called "dinner" Yamato had made, changed, and was laying on his sleeping mat. His body felt heavy with fatigue, but as tired as he was his mind was restless. He felt such a weight to finish up his training, even though in only seven days he had gone from barely being able to control the nine tails chakra when a third tail appeared to being able to maintain full nine tails chakra mode for hours he wasn't done yet. He closed his eyes and vividly recalled the first day of training, even though it had only happened a few days ago it felt like eons...

xxx

...He had been sitting at the center of a grassy hill in the center of a shallow stream. Before him a small waterfall cascaded over the rocks keeping the water flowing at a smooth pace. He had his legs crossed and his hands rested in his lap. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath relaxing all of his muscles. Suddenly he was face to face with himself. He jumped back.

"Whaaa! What the hell is this?" The darker version of himself merely chuckled.

"I'm you, can't you tell? I am the embodiment of how you truly feel. Face it Naruto, you hate the village and everyone it in, think of how they treated you, what they did to you. They only accepted you because it benefited them, they don't really care about you!"

"No! That's not how I feel!" Naruto screamed at himself. "I love the village, and they only did all those things because they were scared, they didn't know any better!"

"Stop making excuses for them! No one cares about you, not even your friends, they only put up with you because they have too!" His darker self wore a scowl that could kill and spit the words like venom. "All because of the nine tails, you should just kill yourself and take him with you!"

"Stop it! That's not true! You don't know anything!"

"But Naruto, I do. I know everything about you, I am you, and I know that's how you feel." Naruto lost it at that and snapped back to reality, beads of sweat had formed on his brow.

"How did it go Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

"Horrible! That was the worst thing ever!" Naruto fell onto his back and let out a frustrated sigh.

"To overcome the nine tails, you must first overcome all yo fails! YOW!"

"What does that even mean?" Naruto whined.

"In order to win the internal battle you are going to fight with the nine tails you have to face all your feelings of hatred, he feeds off of your hatred. If you do not face the darkness inside you, when the time comes you will lose." Naruto gave Yamato a puzzled look.

"And you got all that from his rap how?" Yamato chuckled at Naruto's comment but didn't give any further clarification.

Needless to say it took him a few tries before he succeeded but he defeated the darkness within himself.

xxx

He certainly was glad that part of training was behind him. A tear slid down his face as he thought about meeting his parents. He could still hardly believe it. Parts of them had been sealed away inside of him waiting for the moment when he undid the seal completely to face the nine tails and take control of his chakra. Without them he may not have been able to succeed. He had only had a few moments with them but they had been the best moments. He had been so confused at first when the Fourth Hokage appeared to him, but when he admitted to being his Dad it clarified a few things. So many emotions had welled up inside at that moment. At first, he was angry at his dad but then he realized it wasn't worth wasting precious moments and it switched from angry to overjoyed. They had held each other and cried and shared a few words before he vanished for good. Then there was his mom, she was amazing. Gorgeous and amazing. How he wished they could have stayed. Meeting them had filled an emptiness that had always been there but broke his heart at the same time. He couldn't wait to get home to Sasuke and tell him all about it. Thinking about that brought a smile to his lips. What an eventful week it had been. His eyes had grown heavy and sleep was finally beginning to take over, he gave in willingly.