The sun shined dully over the Konohagakure, casting large shadows from the shops onto the streets. Three years after the imprisonment of Naruto Uzumaki to the Blood Prison. The loss of his passionate attitude and bubbly nature solemned the entire village reminding the villagers and shinobi alike of his radiance.

Ramen Ichiraku the ramen shop favored by Naruto not only being one of its largest contributors but a place of acceptance and tolerance was getting ready to close the shop permanently without their main source of income missing for years, various deals and bargains from the wealthier merchants to strip Ayame and Teuchi of their connection to Naruto but they stood strong waiting for the day their favorite customer would return. Umino Iruka would stop by as often as he could to eat there when he not only had time and budget, the only other noticeable patron to the homely, little stall was Choji Akimichi, Nara Shikamaru, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and on occasion all the members of Gai.

During Naruto's second year within the Blood Prison, Jiraiya the Sannin was killed in conflict with the Akatsuki but due to the terms of his imprisonment Fukasaku could not notify Naruto of his sensei's death. Tsunade Senju still retaining her position of Hokage shut herself in for a time, where even Shizune could not console her, Sakura's training under Tsunade came to a shuddering halt of which, when was renewed it shifted from the principal of healing and reflection to ruthless practice and refinement, Sakura was sad to see the shift in her sensei but blossomed under the training.

Kakashi Hatake outwardly didn't seem affected by the disappearance of his bright student; however anyone who knew him would tell you differently. He would be late to any mission under S-Rank for a minimum of two hours and he would no longer read his Icha-Icha and seemed tired all the time and most notably Kakashi would refuse any challenge issued to him by Gai and began losing to the point where Gai would no longer challenge him.

Despite all of this Team 7 never disbanded. Early in the third year of Naruto's imprisonment Uchiha Sasuke returned to Konoha accomplishing his quest for vengeance completed at the bittersweet cost of learning the truth about the night that his family was butchered by one of their own.

Tsunade called for blood along with most of the Rookie 9. Influences and bribes from the civilian council ensured his life but he was sentenced to house arrest and under the watchful eye of Tsunade's anbu, all of which supported Tsunade's call. Team 7's missing position was filled by the former Root Anbu, Sai suggested by Yamato. Sakura no longer held her crush for Sasuke, and Sasuke had to live with cost of his actions.

Today is October 6. In Konohagakure. Team 7 stood in Tsunade's office awaiting their orders from the Hokage.

"I will be leading this mission."Tsunade said to her shinobi."It's time to bring Naruto home, the minimum time of his imprisonment is over. The council no longer have any ties on Naruto and I can obstruct them from any futher action against Naruto."

Today is October 6, the day where people in Konohagakure believed that everything would return to how they used to be, today would be the first of many where they would be proven wrong.

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