A/N/: Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review!

Disclaimer - I don't own Naruto... I really want to though, alas, I do not.

Slowly at first, a red glow started to seep out of Naruto's stomach. The tendrils began to wrap around his body, down and around the arms and the legs. Sasuke noticed and began to swat it. "No! Damn demon! You've done enough!"

"Sasuke. Look." Sakura said. The tendrils had begun to heal whatever it touched. The cuts and blood vanished, and the bruises faded. They began to focus on his fatal wound, healing it inside and out. Naruto was left just as scar free as the day he was born. But the tendrils didn't fade. They began to thicken, wrapping around Naruto's body tighter and closer together until Naruto was covered just like he was as if he was in the red Kyubi cloak. He began to glow, brighter and brighter. The three had to look away as Naruto became to bright to look at. Then, as soon as they all had looked away, the bright light had gone.

But so had Naruto's body.

In a dark room, deep underground, a lone body rested on a table. It was too dark to make out any features, yet the body was male. The dim glow of a candle in the far corner was all the light the room had. It illuminated the jars on the shelf around it, making eyes and fingers visible, along with the odd organ and piece of skin. The heavy door on the far side screeched open, and in stalked a tall... Thing. It seemed to be human, apart from the tail, ears and wings. Oh, and it was more like a lion then a human really. Okay, the only thing that made it seem human was that it walked on its hind legs and had hands. The open door behind the creature allowed more light into the room, making the body's golden locks glow. The creature walked up to the man, stroking his hair before checking the data on near by machinery.

"Soon, Naruto. Soon you can truly be free from the chains of being a human in the ninja world."

And with that, the creature strode back out of the room, locking the door behind him.

And two blue eyes flickered open, before turning to black.

"Kuso!"

Boom"

"Kuso!"

Boom!

"What am I doing wrong?!"

It was three years since Naruto's body vanished from the battle field. Three long years since the day Team 7 had truly fallen. Sasuke was trying to perfect his new technique - cooking.

Sakura was pregnant, and like all expecting mothers, she had a peculiar appetite and was very, very moody.

"Sasuke~! It the banana and pork cake ready yet?"

Sasuke looked at the food in front of him on the kitchen counter. He didn't know why Kami-sama hated him, but the god had to if Sakura was like this. She wanted the most horrible cake, and Sasuke didn't know how to bake even a sponge, let alone turn on the oven. In a stroke of manly wisdom, he decided to use explosive notes to cook the food. Unfortunately, it was a little over cooked.

"Erm... Sure? I'll bring it out now"

"Hurry up!"

"Hn."

Sasuke carried the cake thing through to Sakura, hoping that she wasn't going to be too upset. Sakura took a look at the cake.

"Sasuke-kun~? What is this?"

Sasuke gulpped. "It's a cake...?"

"Oh, is it now? Care to have a slice with me?"

Sasuke dropped the cake and ran. "Feck am I having a piece of that!"

In the Konoha high street, the Konoha 9 were all eating at the most popular restaurant in town - Ichiraku Ramen. After the war, and everyone had heard the tales of Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, many decided to help honour him by eating at his favourite restaurant. The Konoha 9 always ordered an extra bowl when eating there, for old times sake. Also, any money donated was given as mission pay to help search for Naruto, although - after three years - many had chosen to give up.

"-and then Sai even asked what a cake was! I mean really, who doesn't know what a cake is?" Ino said. Sai just sat their and looked on, happy that he had made Ino happy.

Tenten and Lee were finished with their meal, and were about to head out, after paying respects to the Naruto shrine. A single stool stood to one side, where a bowl of ramen was constantly seen.

Tenten and Lee turned to leave, bidding goodbye to the others. They were going to meet up again tomorrow. It was a tradition now, after all, tomorrow was his birthday.

"See you guys at ten, right?" Tenten asked.

"Yeah, usual spot." Kiba replied.

"Yosha! Then lets let the power of You- Ouf!" Lee cried out. "Oi! Watch where you're going! Oh, hey Sasuke! The power of Youth must be stong in this one!"

Sasuke and Lee were both sprawled out on the floor. It looked like Lee and Sasuke were very intimate, with Sasukes arms on either side of Lee's head, and a knee inside Lee's thigh. Being the Uchiha he was, Sasuke quickly stood up and acted as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, hi Sasuke. Are you busy? We were wondering if you're coming to the Hokage monument his year..." Hinata asked. She was still quite upset over Naruto's passing, but was coping well. She took it as an opportunity to make herself stronger because she knew that Naruto wouldn't be happy to see her so upset. She had long gotten over her stuttering.

"Yeah Sasuke! I know Team 7 usually do something else, but all of you should come to our thing too!" Kiba said.

"Stop being troublesome, Sasuke..." Shikamaru moaned.

"... Let me ask sensei." Sasuke said, before rushing off.

"I wonder why he's in such a hurry," Ino thought, resting an elbow on the table, and put her chin in her hand.

"He is in a hurry to escape Sakura. Why you ask? I do not know, yet if you listen you can hear Sakura coming." Shino replied, and sure enough, if you listened closely, you could hear Sakura yelling "Shanaro" at the top of her voice.

Not long after, the group had all finished and got ready to leave in order to make preparations for tomorrow. A man in a hooded cloak walked into the restaurant and sat down on a stool. Only to be kicked off it seconds later.

"Oi! What's your problem?!" He yelled.

"My problem. My problem! Can't you see that the stool is important?!" Choji bellowed back, fist pulled back ready to swing again.

"It's a stool, I want ramen, so I shall sit here and eat it." the man said with a sense of finality in the statement. He turned around, but was pulled back by a different arm.

"My youthful acquaintance, I cannot allow you to sit there. It is reserved for a dead friend of mine. May I ask your youthful name?" Lee asked, not actually shouting for once.

"Isn't it not polite to introduce yourself first?" the man asked.

"Yosha! Forgive my unyouthfulness, dear friend! I am the mighty green beast on Konoha, student to the most youthful Maito Gai! I am Rock Lee! With me here is Tenten, Ino, Sai, Choji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino and Shikamaru!" He said, pointing to each person in turn.

"Nice to meet you, Rock-san. I am Tatsumaki Menma. Can I sit and eat ramen now?" the newly named Menma asked. He crossed his arms, clearly annoyed.

"Tatsumaki-san, we are leaving now, you can sit in our seats." Ino offered.

"Thanks, but can I ask a question?"

"Sure!"

"Who was the dead friend? Why is he so special to you guys to even get a seat and a bowl of ramen in death?"

The group collectively sighed. Although it wasn't rare to meet people from the other towns and cities who didn't know the significance of the stool, they still didn't want to discuss it with a stranger.

"You've heard of Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, right?" Shikamaru asked. Menma simply face-palmed.

"Who hasn't?"

"That is his stool."

"Oh..."

"We were his closest friends, although the rest of his team isn't here right now."

"Okay..." Menma bowed his head in shame. Inside, he was laughing, and only really bowed his head to hide his smile. Closest friends to Naruto? Who were they kidding? "Sorry, I'm off now, I'll eat else where."

The group didn't bother telling him it was okay to eat at Ichiraku's. They were all mentally upset over the conversation. However, Shikamaru's mind was swirling with ideas.

"Guys? I don't think we should leave him alone. At least we should shadow him. I'm going to see the Hokage... Troublesome." Shikamaru jumped off with no explanation, although that was quite normal after the war.