I'm BACK!

Sorry guys...I know it's been like 3 months since I last posted. I didn't mean for it to take this long, but it did. I had a hard time figuring out the language I wanted to use in this chapter, but even then, it shouldn't have taken this long. But! Chapter 8 is finally here. We're getting close to the end of the intro, and once the 2 and a half year time skip happens, the NaruHina will finally be there. I'm just waiting for them to both be 16 for when we start getting more...adult. Anyway, I'm back in the writing mood. So the next wait shouldn't be three months.

Naruto's POV

It hadn't stopped raining for three days. In a way, it seemed like it was deserved. The world shouldn't look happy now that his Jiji was dead. No matter what anyone said, everyone had loved him. Konohamaru broke down during the ceremony, and Iruka had comforted him. Naruto wanted to be the one doing that for Konohamaru, but he could only watch from the sidelines. They hadn't let him get close.

Naruto had seen the pang on his friends faces when he'd been denied access. He'd let them go anyway. Naruto wanted to be alone right now. He wanted to mourn in peace, without the civilians and ninja getting in his way. He would mourn later, when it was over. When no one would be there, and he could talk to Jiji in peace.

He sat between Jiji and his father's head. That was two father figures he'd lost. Two people who should have stayed.

'You shouldn't have become Hokage!' "You should have stayed put so that I could see you again…!"

"Whining's not going to help, ya know." The Kyuubi said.

"It makes me feel better...and what would you know? You've never been attached to anybody."

"I was attached to somebody…"

"Hm?"

Naruto didn't get a response. The Kyuubi cut off the contact between them. "He could at least explain himself…" Naruto muttered. The rain continued to pour around him. His normally spiky hair had drooped, lying flat on his head. His clothes stuck to his body, and his entire demeanor was gloomy.

"I wonder what it's like...being dead…" Naruto began to say. "Is it nice?"

"Naruto Namikaze!" Naruto looked behind him. Two ANBU had just landed. "The Council has called for you." The one in the wolf mask said.

"What for?" Naruto snapped, looking back over the village.

"We don't know. Come with us." She commanded.

"Not now."

"You've been summoned."

"You can tell all those geezers to wait awhile. I'm not coming." The ANBU shook their heads.

"You have been summoned, by the council. You will come." Naruto knew he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't need the council to have another reason to banish him. Reluctantly, Naruto stood up, and followed the ANBU into the village.

They slowly made their way through the empty streets, towards the tower. There was still wreckage from the invasion. Missing buildings and smoking houses. Some of the invaders had been captured, and were being interrogated, while others had escaped or been killed in the invasion.

They finally stopped at the base of the tower. Naruto entered alone, while the ANBU went off to guard against bandits seeing an opportunity in the weakened Konoha. Naruto walked up the abandoned stairway. Every person had gone to the funeral. Apparently, the council didn't hold the same love for Jiji that the rest of the village had. Probably because they couldn't get away with some things. Like their ability to change laws.

"We want him gone!" ...or his banishment. Naruto slid the door open. The council room was filled with shouting and squabbling. Jiraiya was standing by the desk, looking like he'd like to be anywhere else right now. Probably the baths.

"You called." Naruto said tiredly. They stopped talking, looking at him in the doorway.

"You're late!" Haruno screamed at him.

"A ninja is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to." That was a quote Kakashi had used once.(A.N. Haha! Reference…)

"Don't talk back!" Naruto ignored her, walking over to Jiraiya. He gave a pained smile to Naruto, who just grunted back.

"You keep doing that and you'll end up like that emo friend of yours." Naruto did smile this time, but it was still small.

"What's this about?" He asked, turning to the council. He ignored most of their glares, catching Hiashi's eyes instead. Hiashi didn't show any outward emotion, but Naruto did notice the warmness in his eyes, something he didn't think the Hyuuga were capable of, with the obvious exception of Hinata. He nodded subtly to Naruto, before turning his attention back to the council.

"Jiraiya has called for you. For what, I don't know." Said some civilian. Naruto looked at Jiraiya.

"You know damn well why I called him here!" Jiraiya yelled, slamming his hand on the desk. "You're trying to banish him without giving him a right to defend himself! You are already taking advantage of my Sensei's death, and on the day of his funeral!"

"What kind of demon has the right to defend itself?" Jiraiya growled at the civilian.

"We still follow the laws. Naruto is a citizen of Konoha, and the laws apply to him too."

"What's the reason anyway?" Naruto asked. He wasn't feeling it today. Today was the worst day for this.

"You released the Kyuubi! That's treason on the highest level!"

"I did not. And even if i did, nobody was hurt." Naruto stated bluntly.

"It doesn't matter. It is your job as the Jinchuuriki to protect your village from the beast! You are it's jailer!"

"SO NOW I'M HIS JAILER?!" Naruto screamed. He couldn't believe it. "ALL THESE YEARS OF TORTURE, AND NOW YOU FINALLY BELIEVE ME?! THIS IS BULLSHIT! I PUT UP WITH SO MUCH, ALL BECAUSE PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS THE DEMON, AND NOW YOU CALL ME THE JAILER JUST SO YOU CAN BANISH ME!" Naruto had half the mind to just stab the guy!

"Ehh...kid. You might wanna calm down." Jiraiya stated. Kyuubi chakra was leaking out already.

"NO! I WON'T CALM DOWN! THIS IS ALL I EVER HAVE GOTTEN FROM THIS VILLAGE! TWISTING THE WORDS FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT!" Naruto's throat began to burn, so he dialed it back a bit. "I won't calm down!"

"...The Kyuubi was spotted on the outskirts of the village near the end of the invasion. We would like to hear what led to these events." Inoichi said. "Would you share?"

Naruto tried to keep the edge out of his voice when he responded. "That kid, Gaara." he began. "He was their weapon...he's a Jinchuuriki too. Sasuke was chasing after him, and Kakashi-Sensei sent Me, Sana, Shikamaru, and Hinata to stop him...Shikamaru left to stop some invaders from following us, and when we got their, Sasuke was fighting Gaara."

"So the Uchiha was the one who defeated him." He heard from their whispers.

"No actually. The curse mark started acting up, and Sasuke couldn't move anymore. I was the one who beat him."

…

"Basically, he let out the Ichibi, and I summoned Gamabunta to stop him…"

"So when did the Kyuubi appear?"

"It was Gamabunta. We were using a henge so that we could grab the Ichibi and seal him back again."

"Jiraiya-sama, you gave the scroll to Naruto?"

"Yup, he's the next Toad Sage."

The Council whispered among themselves, glancing at Naruto every once in a while. Naruto couldn't care less. He leaned against a neary wall, waiting them out. He'd just wanted a normal day...well, as normal as today could be.

"Let us vote. We are a council, and we decide things democratically!" Inoichi declared. "All in favour of the banishment of Naruto?" The civilians raised their hands. "All in favour of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze being released of all charges?" The Shinobi raised their hands. "It's an even split then. Let us move on."

"No! I refuse to allow the banishment of the demon to hang in limbo. This is ludicrous, thi-ack…" The man fell dead to the floor. Naruto stepped away.

"Jiji's law is still in effect." Naruto backed himself against the wall again.

"Well...it seems the tie has been broken." Hiashi stated, amused.

"Huh?"

"You have lost one of your members, and therefore the Shinobi council outnumbers you. Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze has been released of all charges." The civilian council grumbled. By law, they couldn't argue against that. They planned to change that in due time.

"We need a new Hokage." Naruto looked over. That Danzo guy spoke. He gripped his cane. "There is a power vacuum now, and it must be plugged. Any suggestions?"

"I nominate Hyuuga Hiashi!"

"I refuse. My time is already occupied with Hyuuga affairs."

"I nominate Danzo-sama!"

"I second the nomination!"

"If I can butt in," Shikaku said. "Danzo is pretty old right now. Wouldn't it be better to nominate someone a little younger, and connected to the previous Hokage?"

"If so, I nominate Jiraiya!"

"Whoa, whoa! I have networks to manage! And books to write! I can't do that." Jiraiya waved his hand in front of his nose.

"You are best fit for this position. You were trained by a Hokage, and you trained a Hokage. It is fitting."

"It's not my thing. I'll end up driving this village into the ground." Naruto watched the exchange. He didn't think Ero-Sennin would be that bad...granted, all female ninja would be forced to wear mini-skirts, and there would be viewing booths to the women's bathing area.

'Hinata would look good in a mini-skirt though…Shut it!' Naruto slapped himself, which didn't seem to draw anybody's attention.

"Then who else?"

"What about...Tsunade."

"She hasn't been in the village since the war. She goes missing very often. You however, are in the village currently, and easily trackable."

"So what? She was trained by Sensei too, she's also the granddaughter of The Shodaime, and this village could use a little diversity…anyway, she would probably be better." He muttered.

"She hates it here. She will never accept the offer."

"I'll go look for her. I've been here too long anyway. I'll bring you the Godaime Hokage, but only on one condition." He held up his finger.

"What's that?" Shikaku asked. Jiraiya pointed his finger at Naruto.

"I'm taking Naruto with me. I promised to train him, and I had a good idea for a technique for him."

"No-Take Sasu-"

"I see no problem with your demand. I say we vote." Hiashi said. "All in favour of granting Jiraiya's request." The Shinobi again raised their hands. "It seems that we have a majority." His eyes glinted. "When will you be leaving?"

"I think tomorrow. Some of my connections said they had seen her around a village to the north. We'll start there."

"I hope that you find her within the next two weeks or so."

"Don't worry, we'll have a Hokage here soon." Jiraiya got up to leave.

"Then this meeting is complete. We are dismissed." Naruto followed after Jiraiya, jumping out the window after him.

"What are you gonna teach me?!" Naruto asked, face shining. No matter how sad Naruto was, the prospect of learning some cool Jutsu could excite him.

Jiraiya chuckled. "I wanna make sure you connect with the Rasengan more consistently, so I wanted to try something." He looked up. People were moving through the village again. His face darkened. "Hey...If you want to pay respects, now would be the time. Before the burial." Naruto stopped smiling. He glanced down at his feet, looking back at Jiraiya for just a second.

"Thanks." He turned away, making his way through the crowds. Jiraiya watched his hair weave through the crowd, hanging low over Naruto's eyes.

"..."

"..."

"Naruto looked at the picture of Jiji they had placed over the coffin. He didn't like it. It didn't do justice to Jiji. It was just that, a picture. It didn't show the life that Jiji had possessed. One that had been snuffed out by Orochimaru.

FLASHBACK START

"What are you doing here Naruto?" Jiji asked him. Naruto lay panting at his feet.

"I was fighting with Sasuke today...and he beat me! He just has to wait! I'll beat him next time!"

"That wasn't an answer."

"Sorry Jiji." Naruto stood up. "I was training!" I wanna learn how to roof hop, so I started jumping through the trees...but I missed one, and I fell into the river. But look what I got!" Naruto reached into a nearby bush, pulling out a fish almost as large as Naruto himself. "It's so big! And tasty looking!"

The Hokage sighed. "Naruto, that is an extremely poisonous fish. It may be tasty, but you'll be bedridden for weeks." Naruto's face fell. "But if you want fish, I guess we'll have to get some!" He walked to the river with Naruto in tow. "Watch." He bent down towards the water. He watched for a moment, before his hand lit up, and he plunged it into the water. When he pulled back, a sizable fish was stuck on his hand.

"Wha-Bu-How'd you do that?!" Naruto asked.

"It's a chakra scalpel. You focus your chakra into a blade like shape on your hand, and you can stab almost anything." Jiji smiled. "Why don't you try." Naruto looked at the river for a moment. He held his hand up to his face, his eyes trained on his hand. He made the same handshape Jiji had, and concentrated all his willpower into manipulating his chakra. He had only recently been taught how to manipulate it, but it never seemed to do what he wanted. It always either exploded on him, or didn't even respond at all. And he seemed to be the only one in his class who couldn't control his chakra. Even Sakura had done it, and all she did was stare at Sasuke!

"Hng!" Naruto grunted. His chakra wasn't responding. "Come on!"

"Calm down Naruto." Jiji placated him. "Chakra is the mixing of your strength and your mind. If your mind is too focused on controlling the chakra, it's not making the chakra is it?" He smiled.

"I guess?" Naruto didn't really get it, but Jiji had never done anything wrong to Naruto, which was a stick above almost everyone else.

"Try again, and stay calm. Don't force it." Naruto held his hand up again, trying to breath as Jiji instructed him. "There you go."

"Wha-WHOA!" Chakra shot up Naruto's hand like fire. It was a nice blue, just like Naruto's eyes. There were specks of red, but Naruto ignored that.

"Now try to sharpen it into a kunai blade." Jiji instructed.

"O-okay!" Naruto looked back at the chakra flowing out his hand. 'Get Sharper.' It started to straighten at the edge. "Yeah! Keep going!" It started to resemble the edge of a sword. "Yes! That's good!" It didn't stop, and chakra was beginning to leak out of Naruto's hand, making the blade longer and heavier. "Stop! Stop!" His chakra kept growing. "Stop! Jiji! He-elp!" The extra weight dragged Naruto's hand, and by extension, Naruto, and dragged it into the lake. Naruto came up spluttering, wheezing for air.

"Look at that. You caught some."

"Huh?" Naruto looked at his hand. There were 3 fish all stuck on the blade, each one roughly the size that Jiji's had been. "I did it! I caught some!" The chakra dissipated. Naruto grabbed the fish, and carried them back to his little training grounds. Jiji slowly followed behind him. On the way, he thought he saw something blue disappear behind a bush. JIji just chuckled. He also thought that the bush had peeped, but bushes didn't peep, so Naruto elected to forget about it.

"This is quite the setup Naruto." JIji said. They sat at a small campfire in a clearing. Roughly 20 feet away, a makeshift target was stuck to a tree, a kunai lodged in the 3rd ring. "Is this where you disappear to when you should be at the academy?" Naruto just grinned.

"Look what I can do!" Naruto grabbed a kunai from his back pocket, and quickly grabbed a rock. He put some grass into the campfire pit, before repeatedly striking the rock with the kunai. Quickly, a spark hit the grass, and began to heat up. Naruto kneeled down, softly blowing on the ember, until it had consumed most of the grass. Naruto carefully lay some sticks he'd stacked nearby, and soon, they had a true cooking fire.

"Impressive." Naruto beamed at the compliment. "Now help me gut these fish." Naruto quickly grabbed one of his fish, and dutifully pierced it's abdomen. He carefully gut into the fish, removing the parts that he didn't want to eat. He threw them into the woods, knowing that some animal would probably come by to eat it.

Naruto and The Hokage used their kunai to create skillets, and placed the fish over the fire.

Timeskip: 1 hour

"Would you look at that. The stars are out." The Hokage said. Naruto bit into his second fish, glancing up at the sky.

"I like the stars. They're pretty."

"They are. They really are."

"Thanks for teaching me that chakra hand thingy!"

"It was my pleasure." Jiji smiled. The campfire had simmered down to glowing embers. "You took to it quickly. I'm proud."

*Shuffle*

"Did you hear that?" Jiji asked.

"Yeah." Naruto said, staring into the woods. His eyes searched through the canopy. "There's something in there, probably a fox."

"Oh really. How can you tell?"

"I can see something moving."

"I'm surprised you can see into such darkness." Naruto jumped up.

"That's me! Konoha's Number One Surprising Academy Student!" The thing shot out of the woods. "Hey! I was right! It was a fox!" Naruto laughed. The fox slowly approached the fire.

"You know, most of the time, animals avoid fire." Naruto started to stroke the fox over the head.

"I know! But the animals like me!"

"That's nice."

"I wish more of them came forward though. I wish they weren't afraid of the fire." The Hokage stared up at the heavens. "Jiji?"

"All animals, including humans, Shinobi and Civilian alike, are afraid of what they do not know. They treat the fire poorly, and it burns them, and they fear even more."

"That's not good."

"It is a sad truth. An endless cycle of fear. It is only when the fire continues to shine light and warmth on the animals that they began to approach. That is when they learn. The fire has to give so much, until the animals cease to fear. This fox here, he does not fear. He sees the care the fire gives. He sees the life that fire brings."

"But doesn't fire burn down trees and fields?"

"True, however, it is only to make space for the beauty of the next season. The fire is essential. This fox has learned and accepted this. He does fear anymore, so he is not burned anymore. And perhaps the bunny will approach soon as well." Jiji smiled at the bush. "But perhaps the bunny should go home now. It is dark, and the bunny's father is surely worried." He heard the quick patter of feet.

"Wha?"

"Soon, the bunny will approach, and then, the dog and the snake, toad, slug and so on, until no animals fear the fire, and the fire is free to bring light to the darkness. Then, the fire and the animals will be at peace.

"...I like the animals more than the people...the animals don't hate like that…"

"..."

"I wish I was an animal, so I didn't have to deal with them."

"But if you were an animal, would you be able to talk to me? Would you be able to learn like humans do? Would be able to love?"

"...I don't know…"

"In truth, I don't know either."

"...Jiji?"

"Yes Naruto?"

"What is love? You always say that you love the village, and that you should love thy neighbor. But what is love? What does it mean to love?"

"That is a complicated question Naruto."

"Could you stop using big words I don't know?"

"Of course. Complicated means hard to answer or understand. But I'm getting off track...There are three types of love. There is the love of ones family...the love of ones friends, and then the last one is very special…"

"But I don't have a family, or friends…"

"But you do. I can be your family. You do not have to be related to be family...listen Naruto. I love the village. Not the people, but the village. What the village represents, and what the goal of the village is...not the goal of the people. Yes the people are part of the village, but the village is not just made of it's people...it's made of the ideas the people have, the collective consciousness of the people. To love...is to have a deep desire to protect and care for something. To love ones family, is to want to protect them, to keep them together. The strong desire to do anything for them. To love ones friends is the same, but to a lesser extent. Though, sometimes friends and family are a blurred line. A good friend can become family to you if you deem it so." Naruto stared up at him. "That is one way to build your family. My love for the village is the familial kind. I must protect them, at all costs. All Hokage think like this. That is why The Yondaime sacrificed himself like that. He loved them too much…"

"What about the last one?"

"Ah, that...That is a special love. A love between two people. It is a combination of friend and family. That love is reserved for one, very, very special person. They are your best friend, and your closest family. It is the love of a married person. They are the ones who build family's of blood. They build new love. The love of parents."

"But I don't know my parents…"

"So? They still love you, no doubt of that."

"...Will I get a love like that?"

"Of course. Everyone can get a love like that...but some people force it, or they don't do the necessary work...To love like that requires much effort. Sometimes you feel so empty, so sad. It gets...confusing."

"It sounds confusing."

"Hah, yeah…"

"So I will get to love like that, right?"

"Yes...but, there will be people who tell you it's dangerous to love as a Shinobi. And to some extent, they are right. You don't know if you'll make it home to them sometimes. And you always fear that they won't be home to greet you. You fear that you failed to protect them. That you didn't deserve them, because they could have survived if you didn't know them." Jiji's eyes shone with tears. "But the people who say this are wrong. Life without love is meaningless. You will never truly be happy without love. They only live as shells of humans...to be a ninja in love, that is what makes you powerful. Because you must protect them. Protect your loved ones. That is why I protect the village."

"Is that...is that what the village stands for?"

"The way I choose to see it...Yes Naruto...that is why we hold teamwork above all else here. You grow to love your team, and they make you stronger. That is what I love. That idea of loving your friends and family. It's beautiful...something that must be protected from those who seek to destroy it."

"If...If that's what the village stands for, then I love the village too!" The fox in his arms jumped, hightailing it back into the woods. "Hey! Come back!"

"Let it go Naruto. Perhaps it has its own family to care for."

"..."

The Hokage looked up at the sky. The moon shone just above their heads. "Of, look at that. It is getting late...come Naruto. It is time to go back."

"One more question?"

"Of course."

"What happens to a ninja who lost the people he loves?"

"Well...that is the strongest of them all. If he has lost his loved ones, he fights with no regard for anyone, not even himself...for what else does he have left to lose."

FLASHBACK END

"I love you, Jiji."

"You're leaving? For how long?" Hinata asked. They were standing outside the Hyuuga Manor, and Naruto felt pretty self conscious being watched by all the guards.

"I don't know. The pervy sage is taking me with him while we go find his teammate." Naruto said.

"But why?"

"...He wants to train me."

"Now he wants to train you?"

"I know...but I need to get away from the village for a little bit. It'll be good for me. I'll see you when I get back."

"...A-alright...I'll see you when you come back." Naruto nodded and smiled, before gripping his backpack. HInata began to walk back towards the Hyuuga compound. Naruto watched her until the doors were shut behind her. He turned away, heading for the east gate.

"Ready?" Jiraiya asked when Naruto arrived. Naruto nodded in affirmation. Alright. We're heading to a village in the north. We should be there in about 2 hours if we walk. Maybe 20 minutes if we run.

"I don't feel like running today."

"Alright then. We'll walk." Jiraiya turned, and with Naruto following,they began to follow the road.

The trip itself was uneventful, but when they arrived, the village was bustling with activity. It was so alive, even Naruto started to get excited. "What's going on?"

"Looks like some kind of festival. You know what...I'll go around for information, and you can go and enjoy yourself for a while.

"Really! Thanks Ero-Sennin!" He reached into his pocket. "I've been saving up for a long time. Look how cute he is!" He said, holding up his frog wallet. "This is gonna be fun!" Naruto started to run off, but Jiraiya held him back by his collar.

"Hold up! Haven't you ever heard of the Three Shinobi Rules?"

"NO! NOW LET ME GO!" Naruto struggled against his grasp. "I just want to spend some of my money!"

"You're breaking one of them. Alcohol. Women. Money. Without moderation, you will never become a good Shinobi."

"Like you can talk…" Naruto muttered. That earned him a rough shake.

"Now then." Jiraiya took his frog wallet, and took out three bills.

"Only 3000 yen?!"

"See! You've already been consumed by your lust for money. This is all you get, and I'm keeping your wallet. Now then. Shoo." He pushed Naruto away.

"HEY!" Naruto turned, trying to get his wallet back. Jiraiya had disappeared into the crowd. "Dammit." Naruto stuck the bills in his pocket. "Might as well enjoy myself." Naruto began to walk the busy street.

'Damn...almost forgot what it feels like when I'm not surrounded by haters...I should leave the village more often.'

"Hey kid! You look like you'd want some water!" One of the street vendors yelled.

'I am kinda thirsty. We did walk for a while…'

"No! He wants a Soda!"

"No! Water!"

"Soda!"

'I think I'm gonna go…'

"I only have 400 yen left...I have to get something small." Naruto looked up at the stands. He knew that Ero-Sennin had walked in this direction, so this was probably where he was. "Fried Squid!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'll take two!"

"Two fried squids, coming up!" The man called to his coworker. He looked back at Naruto, looking at the hiate on his forehead. "You get one on the house, for your dedication to Hi no Kuni."

"Thanks! You're really cool!" Naruto grinned. The man handed him his food. "Bye!" Naruto raced down the street, carefully holding his squid in hand.

"Hehe!" Naruto skid to a stop. He recognized that perverted laugh. Naruto entered into a more secluded area of the street. His head was filled with smoke, and Naruto began to feel a bit dizzy. "Hey kid!" Jiraiya called out drunkenly.

Naruto observed the scene. Jiraiya was surrounded by at least 4 women, all of whom should have been wearing more clothing. There were opened bottles of Sake on the table in front of him. He had a perverted grin on his face. Then, Naruto's eyes were drawn to his empty frog wallet.

"...remind me again what the Three Rules of Shinobi are?"

"Eh?"

"Cause you sure seem to have broken all of them! You emptied my wallet! And I know that you could have afforded all these things yourself!" Naruto pulled Jiraiya up by the collar, completely forgetting about the squid in hand. The squid flew backwards, hitting a pristine white trench coat. Naruto didn't notice, but the man wearing it sure did.

"Hey kid! That was a designer coat! Pay up!" Naruto looked at him with a bored expression.

"What'd it cost?"

"10,000 yen!"

"WHAT?! 10,000 yen for such a raggedy coat?!" To be fair, it wasn't raggedy, but this is Naruto we're talking about.

"Hey!" Another man entered the conversation. "My brother happens to have won the kickboxing championship a couple years ago! Pay up, or get beat!"

"If you haven't noticed, I'm a ninja!" He shook his hiate. "I doubt you could do anything to me!"

"You asked for it!" The man cocked his fist back, running at Naruto. Naruto sidestepped, forming a Rasengan in hand. He rushed at the man. He dodged, attempting to chop Naruto's neck, but Naruto twisted his body, and brought his free hand up to block. Holding the man in place, he planted the Rasengan into his chest. The man flew backwards, hitting a toy stand, which shattered under the pressure.

"Ooh...sorry."

"I'll pay for the damages...and I'll buy some balloons" Jiraiya handed the vendor a stack of bills, taking what he'd asked for. "Come on." Naruto followed after him. The only training Naruto could think of that needed balloons was the Rasengan, but Naruto had already mastered that.

"What kind of training am I doing?" He asked once they'd left the village. Jiraiya had gotten info that Tsunade was in a village to the east.

"Chakra control."

"That's it?!"

"Hey now! With better chakra control, you'd actually be able to stand a chance against some Jonin on your own. Take this." He threw Naruto a balloon. Naruto looked at him. "Make a Rasengan on the inside." Naruto spun a Rasengan inside the balloon, still pretty confused.

"Good good. Now the left hand."

"Huh?" Naruto switched hands. It took a little longer, since it wasn't his dominant hand, but he did it.

"Catch." Naruto looked up just in time to see a second balloon coming towards him. He reached up and caught it in his right hand.

"Now do it with both hands. At the same time." Naruto looked at the balloons. He started to form the Rasengans, but quickly realized that he was still using the same amount of power he used for one. When he tried to double it, he lost control, and the balloon burst in a cyclone of wind. Naruto's palms were burned from where he'd formed them.

"See. Until you can do both, you don't have sufficient chakra control. So keep at it!" Jiraiya turned to keep walking. Naruto sighed. He should've expected something like this. Ero-Sennin wasn't going to help him at all. Naruto blew up two balloons again, and held them in both hands. He followed behind Ero-Sennin, staring at his hands. He tried to do it slower this time, and then began to pour more chakra into both spheres. They didn't pop.

"YES!" As soon as Naruto stopped concentrating, they spun out of control and ripped away.

"Dammit!" Naruto blew them up again. He'd keep going until he could do it.

"So...Itachi Uchiha...I didn't think I'd see you again."

"Hello Kakashi...Sensei."

"I'm not your squad leader anymore."

"It is respectful to refer to ones superiors with the correct title, is it not?"

"Not from a traitor."

"Of course...how could I forget."

"Let's get this over with. We need to get the kid."

"Quiet Kisame…in due time."

"You're after Sasuke? Trying to finish what you started?"

"Actually, we are searching for the blonde one."

"...Naruto?"

"Yeah. The Jinchuuriki."

"Quiet Kisame."

"What do you want with him?"

"That is unimportant."

"He's part of my team. That makes it important to me."

"I see…"

"I'm guessing that Akatsuki sent you."

"How did you know?!"

"Well first, that...and we have our sources."

"Then I assume that we will not be leaving here peacefully."

"You are correct." Kakashi lifted his hiate. "Asuma! Kurenai! Whatever you do, don't look at him!"

"Alright kid! We're staying here for the night." They entered a rented room.

"Finally!" Naruto collapsed onto a futon. His hands were burnt, and he was tired.

"Eat this." Jiraiya threw a ration bar at Naruto. Naruto bit into the tasteless snack, feeling a bit more alive.

"G'night!" Naruto rolled over, ready to go to sleep.

"Oh No! We're still not done!" Jiraiya shouted, kicking Naruto in the stomach.

"What?!" Naruto hit the wall. "What's left?! I still haven't finished the Rasengan!"

"That's not the only way to get better chakra control." Jiraiya picked him up off the ground. "You're spending the night on the ceiling." With those words, he attached Naruto's futon to the ceiling.

"That's impossible!"

"No it's not. If you learn how to control your chakra in your sleep, imagine how good you'll be when your awake."

"But I'll won't get any sleep. As soon as I start sleeping, I'll fall!"

"Then you better learn fast." Jiraiya lay down on his futon. "You'll be a very powerful ninja if you can pull this off...only the Sage of Six Paths could do it…"

"You mean that guy who invented Ninjutsu?!"

"Yep!"

"...I'll try…" Naruto went up to the ceiling, carefully attaching his back to the ceiling. "Will you try with me?"

Jiraiya cracked an eye open. "Of course not! I'd never get any sleep!"

Timeskip: The Next Morning…

"Dammit kid! I didn't get to sleep at all!"

"Neither did I!"

"You didn't have to land on top of me everytime!"

"I wasn't paying attention…" Naruto yawned. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Yeah...Tsunade has got a lot a people looking for her. She's in a lot of debt...so most people are willing to give some info...but it'll still take awhile. She's always moving.

"She sounds like a gambler…"

"She is a gambler. She's lost so often that people have given her a nickname…"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yep. The Legendary Loser." Naruto sweat dropped. "Now keep training." Jiraiya tossed Naruto the two water balloons.

"Again?!"

"Yep!" Jiraiya began to walk down the road.

'This is stupid...he knows that I'll never get great chakra control. What's the point even trying this?'

"There's always a purpose…"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"I can't believe he left me here just to flirt with some woman...Damn Ero-Sennin!" Naruto flopped onto the Futon in his room. As soon as they'd arrived at the inn, Jiraiya had left with some woman who gave him the wiggly eyes, and Naruto had to take care of all the stuff. Thankfully, he had not taken his refilled Toad Wallet.

*Knock knock*

"Huh?" Naruto stood up, walking towards the door. "Was he already rejected?" Naruto reached for the doorknob, opening the door just a crack, like he'd been trained to. However, A hand reached in between, and forcefully pried the door open.

The man was dressed in black robes covered in blood red clouds. The collar extended all the way up to his eyes, which were a swirling red. The man stared down at him with an expression that Naruto could only call contempt.

"Y-You're an Uchiha...Sasuke's Brother?"

"He knows who you are? Are you that famous now?" Said the blue man standing behind him.

"Please, come with us." Itachi commanded.

Naruto jumped back into his room. "No way! I'm not going anywhere!"

"Come on brat. If you won't come, we'll take you." The blue man said.

"Please Kisame."

"Hey wait! I have some questions for you!" Naruto shouted, remembering that he had no idea why he'd wanted to find Itachi.

"You want to question us? Come on Itachi. Let me cut his legs off." Kisame, hefted a sword wrapped in bandages. Naruto paled.

"I...found you." A voice said. The trio turned, and they saw Sasuke standing at the end of the hallway. The look in his eyes was very familiar to Naruto. It was the same look he'd had when he was brooding. A hard glint. A determined gleam. Hatred. "He attacked Kakashi-sensei, and now he wants to take you too."

"WHAT?!"Naruto looked at him. "You'll pay for that!" Naruto began to charge some chakra.

"No! Naruto...this is my fight." Sasuke glowered. Itachi turned to him with a sneer.

"Let's see how you've grown."

"RAH!" Sasuke ran at Itachi, aiming a punch for his solar plexus. Itachi simply grabbed his arm, and flipped him to the side, kicking him back down the hall. Sasuke grabbed his rib. It felt broken. Sasuke went in again. He kicked Itachi in the knee, trying to gain leverage but Itachi simply locked Sasuke's trailing elbow, and Sasuke's arm shattered under the pressure. Kisame grinned.

"A little passionate are we?"

'Sasuke's getting beat, I gotta help' Naruto gathered chakra for a Clone."

"Can't have that can we?" Kisame took his sword off his back. The bandages flexed, and Naruto felt his chakra disappear. "I thought we'd need your legs gone, but your arms will do.

"Chidori!" Sasuke dragged his arm through the wall, leaving a trail of broken wood behind him. Itachi looked on in pity. He grabbed Sasuke by the neck, pinning him to the wall. The Chidori faded away, as Sasuke struggled for air.

"You are weak. Still as weak as that day."

"H-how? H-how is the g-gap still this big?"

"You don't hate enough. You still don't understand what I did…Tsukuyomi!" Sasuke collapsed against the wall, a blank look in his eye.

"W-what did you do to him?!"

"The same I did to your Sensei."

"Y-Y-You're evil! I thought maybe you were misunderstood, but your just a dick!"

"Itachi, let me dismember him." Kisame stepped forward, the bandages shuffling.

"Kuchiyose: Gamaguchi Shibari!" The walls began to swell up, becoming spongy underneath Naruto's feet. He turned to where the voice had come from. Jiraiya had his hands on the floor, the woman from earlier draped across his back. "Using Genjutsu to distract me, and then go after my student...cunning." He glanced at Sasuke, who was still faint on the floor. "This is the stomach of the giant toad. I control everything here, no one ever escapes." The walls began to close in on the duo. They glanced at each other, before turning the corner behind them. Jiraiya picked Sasuke up, sticking him to the wall. A woosh of flame was heard, and when they went to investigate, all they saw was the open landscaped, and black flames.

"I thought you said no one ever escaped?"

"No one ever did…"

Why hello, Tsunade-san…"

"Orochimaru...What do you want?"

"As feisty as ever, Tsunade…

"I heard that you attacked Konoha, and killed Sensei! How else am I supposed to act?!"

"It was his time! All things end one day, you ought to know that by now?"

"I have a proposition for you…" Kabuto reached for the bandages covering Orochimaru's hands. As he unraveled them, Tsunade recoiled in fear. "Even after all these years...you are still scared." Orochimaru teased, even though a fine layer of sweat covered his face. He raised his arms into the air. His flesh, was a dark red, shriveled and burnt, however, they continually oozed blood from their pores. Orochimaru grinned. Nawaki and Dan were covered in blood...I guess that would trigger it.

"Stop it!" Shizune shouted. Tsunade had backed herself up against the wall, shaking, whimpering and paling in fear.

"Of course...I could bring them back, for a price. I've learned it. They would be back here in flesh and blood...as if they had never died!"

"Don't listen to him!" The pig snorted in agreement.

"Heal my arms...and I can bring them back. I'm already immortal! Death has no hold on me! I can take them back from the Shinigami...and they can come back to you…" Kabuto began to redress the bandages, allowing Tsunade a moment to calm down.

"Please, Tsunade-Sama! Don't listen. The Shinigami doesn't take kindly to people messing with his property…"

"I assume that the fact that we still stand means you will at least consider it."

"..."

"Tsunade-Sama!"

"Allow me one week to decide...please."

"Of course...we'll meet here once again. Come Kabuto."

"Wait!" Tsunade said. "If I heal you...what will you do?"

"I won't lie...I'll annihilate Konoha once and for all!" Orochimaru disappeared into the forest.

You can't even be considering this Tsunade-Sama, can you?!"

"..."

"C'mon Naruto! If we're fast, we might catch her. She was just here!"

"My hands are burnt! Give me a second!"

"Just pour some water on them, we don't have time!"

"Fine!" Naruto dunked them into the water. He grabbed his pack, following Jiraiya into the town. It was getting late, and they still hadn't stopped to eat.

Suddenly, Jiraiya cracked a grin. "Found her" He pointed at a big breasted blonde woman. She wasn't looking at them, but Naruto saw that her face was wrinkle free, and a purple diamond was painted on her forehead.

"I thought she was your old teammate...Shouldn't she be 50?"

"Yeah, but she uses Genjutsu to always look young…"

'Faker…' They approached her from behind. Her companion, who happened to be holding a small pig, seemed to recognize Jiraiya.

"Hey Shizune." He greeted. Tsunade flinched, turning around with a blush. Probably from the massive bottle of Sake in her hand.

"Didn't think I'd see both of them in the same day…" She muttered. Jiraiya's face darkened.

"I knew he would…" Jiraiya said. "Don't do it. Orochimaru's not to be trusted."

"Grr!" Jiraiya flinched as he felt Naruto's demeanor darken. Apparently, Orochimaru was a trigger.

"Who's this kid?" Tsunade asked. He reminded her a bit of Minato.

"This's Naruto."

'So he is their son, and that fox…' She looked him over. He was shaking. "Is he okay?"

"Uhh…? He's just mad about it." He began to leak. "The seal uh…"

"I'm gonna kill him." The pressure faded, and Naruto's normal face came back. "Haha...sorry?

"W-what?" Shizune asked. The pig whimpered in her hands.

"I told you kid. Stop getting so angry." JIraiya sighed. "Look, can we join you?" He gestured to the empty seats.

"Yeah, yeah…" They sat down nearby. A waiter placed the complimentary dish in front of them, which Naruto dug into immediately, but Jiraiya turned to them.

"What did he offer you?"

"Doesn't matter. I wanna know why you were looking for me."

"...I'm sure you heard the Sensei died, right?" Tsunade nodded. "Well...that means Konoha is without a Hokage...and they want you to replace him." Both Tsunade and Shizune looked at him, mouths hanging open.

"And I wanted to know if you could heal my friend. He injured himself during his fight, and they said he'd never be a ninja again, but you're the best healer ever. You could totally do it, right?!" Naruto somehow got through his mouth full of food.

That shocked Tsunade out of her stupor. "No. I'm not throwing away my life. The Kage's a fool's job. And it's your friends fault that he got himself hurt. He shouldn't throw his life away like that." Naruto stared at her.

"I'm sorry...What?"

"I said no."

"...What's wrong with you?! You're a healer, HEAL! And what's wrong with being Hokage?! That's a respectable job! Aren't you related to the Shodaime anyway?!"

"Sensei threw his life away, and my grandfather died without reaching his goal. Everyone who's taken the mantle has died before their time. It's a fool's job, and only a fool would take it up.

"YOU WANNA TAKE THIS OUTSIDE?!" Naruto shouted, pointing the chopsticks in her face. She shoved them aside.

"Fine."

"Are you sure, Tsunade-Sama?" Shizune asked softly.

"I gotta teach this kid a lesson."

"I'll show you!" Jiraiya sighed. Naruto didn't know how much this was gonna hurt.

"So how is this gonna go?" She asked once they were in the alleyway outside.

"If I win, you come with us!" Naruto declared.

"And if I win?"

"Won't happen." Naruto lowered himself towards the ground. "Ready?"

"Yeah yeah. And to make it easy, I'll only use one finger." She grinned.

"Don't underestimate me!" Naruto rushed at her, shocking her slightly with his speed. He was definitely faster than the average Genin, but not fast enough. She blocked his punch, and wrapped her finger around the arm that had attacked her. She threw him to the ground, and was understandably surprised when he disappeared into smoke. Naruto came at her from behind, trying to at least hit her, but she always seemed to know what he was about to do.

"This is pointless kid."

"Not true! I beat Gaara, and he was way scarier than some Old lady who hides her age!" Jiraiya sweat dropped. Naruto never knew when to keep his mouth shut.

"Brat!" Tsunade flicked him so hard, that Naruto broke the cement when he slid back. There was a definite path from him to Tsunade.

'She's just as strong as ever…' Naruto picked himself out of the ground. His body protested. It did not like being knocked into the ground like that. His hiate landed at his feet, being knocked off in the blow.

'Okay, she's really strong, like really really strong. I can't hit her with Taijutsu, even when I'm using clones…'

"Hey brat." Tsunade said. "Why does the Hokage's position matter so much to you?"

"Why?" Naruto grinned. "Cause I want to be Hokage one day!" Tsunade froze, staring at his face. Shizune and Jiraiya understood why.

Chakra began to swirl in his hand, condensing into a ball. Naruto rushed forward. "RASENGAN!"

"Did you teach him that Jiraiya?" Tsunade jumped out the way of Naruto's charge. "This is why he has delusions."

"They're not DELUSIONS! I WILL!" Naruto turned around. His Rasengan began to shake, and release some of the chakra contained within as another one formed in his other hand. He charged again. Tsunade jumped once again, but Naruto brought the other one around to hit her, she flicked his stomach and he gasped for air, the two Rasengans dissipating. "You're pretty good kid, but you still haven't won."

Naruto formed another Rasengan. He threw a kunai above Tsunade's head, Tsunade preemptively dodged, just barely avoiding the ensuing yellow flash and crash to the ground that Naruto made. The Rasengan tore up the cement below, implanting Naruto in the ground.

"I don't know how you learned that technique, but it won't help you. Give up."

"Never! I'm not the Hokage yet!" Naruto yelled at her. He pulled himself out the ground. "I'm...just getting started!"

"That's enough kid." Jiraiya said. He didn't want Naruto beaten so badly. Tsunade looked down at Naruto. He was panting, but he stared at her with determination she'd only ever seen in two people.

"I like you. You know what?" Tsunade started. Naruto narrowed his eyes. "If you can manage to land a hit on me by the end of the week, I'll go back to Konoha, but, if not...I get all the money in your wallet." She tossed his wallet into the air.

"H-hey! When'd you get that?!" Naruto checked himself. She really did have his wallet.

"I'll even throw this in." She said, fingering a necklace that hung on her. It was a simple string drawn through some kind of mineral. The rock was a pale green, bordering blue.

"Why would I want some shitty necklace?" Naruto stated. Jiraiya sweatdropped.

"Hey now...That necklace belonged to the Shodaime Hokage. If you sold it you could probably buy mountains." Naruto's eyes lit up, picturing cupboards filled to the brim with Ramen. "Oh Okay!"

"Now c'mon, let's get a room." Jiraiya left the alleyway, following Tsunade and Shizune to their hotel. "You're slow Naruto. That's why you couldn't land a hit."

"What'd you mean "slow"?!" Naruto cried. "I'm faster than some ANBU! They've rarely caught me!"

"There's a difference between movement and combat speed. You may run fast, yes, but you're reaction speed is slow. You're resting on your destructive power and the Kyuubi, when you should be training your reflexes. You need to fight faster."

"...that's confusing…"

"Imagine this: You can across Konoha in 7 minutes. That's pretty good. However, it takes you .20 seconds to react to a punch. A chunin can do it in .15. A Jounin can do it in .10...An Uchiha in .025."

"That's fast."

"That's the power of the Sharingan. You need to think faster."

"How do you "think" faster?"

"Okay, this is gonna get complicated...The civilian brain runs on .07 volts. That's less than .001 percent of the power that the Chidori uses."

"Okay?"

"The ninja runs on .3 volts. That means the brain has a little more power to do more things with."

"And?"

"An Uchiha usually runs on .7 volts. That's 10 times more than a civilian…"

"Uh-huh."

"And the Fourth Hokage ran on 1.6 volts. Imagine how much his brain could do. How fast he could analyze situations How fast he could react, even without the Hiraishin."

"I'd say you run on .1 volts. Less than most ninja, and much less than your friend."

"Yeah, and how do I train that?"

"You need to learn how to anticipate attacks, and you need to start training your brain. And that means you need to get smarter. Right now, you're an idiot."

"Hey!"

"It's the truth!"

"Naruto...please come with me." Naruto was getting hyped. He had a week to get fast enough to hit Tsunade in a fight. He didn't know how it would be tested, probably some spar at the end of the week, but he was super ready.

"Okay lady!"

"I'm Shizune...and this is Ton-Ton." The pig snorted.

"What'd ya need?"

"You must understand...Tsunade-sama doesn't hate the Title of Hokage...she hates how it tears loved ones away."

"What?"

"Her younger brother and my uncle...her lover, both had the dream of Hokage...and they both died brutal deaths...you haven't seen war like Tsunade-sama has!"

"Well...yeah, but I've seen some shit too!"

"That's not the point! That necklace she offered you...no one other than Tsunade can wear it."

"Why?"

"Any person who wears that necklace other than Tsunade...have died the next day."

"Really?"

"Her brother Nawaki...her lover Dan...they both were murdered! Nawaki was only 12. It was the day after his birthday! The dream of Hokage has taken everything away from her! She doesn't need to go through that pain again!"

"..."

"Do you have anything to say?!"

"I won't die like they did."

"C'mon Fox! You're like a bajillion years old! Help me out! You have to know something about thinking faster!"

"NO!"

"Asshole!" 'Okay...stay calm...you're gonna be Hokage...you can figure this out. Ero-Sennin said that my reflexes are slow...so...that means I need to dodge...and that double Rasengan thing…' "Jeez...good thing I can make shadow clones. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

"Alright! I'll we'll throw weapons at each other, and we'll get better at dodging. We might not make you physically better, but in terms of chakra and mentally, we can help." A clone said.

"Hey! What about the Rasengan?!" They stared at Naruto.

"Kami, we are dumb...you do know that we don't chakra like that." The clone sweat dropped."

"But the chakra is split evenly between us! I have the same amount as you guys do."

"But you're real. You're already making your own...we can't."

"Okay...why are you smarter than me?" The clone just shrugged, turning back to the crowd.

"Let's go!"

"YEAH!" A third of them died as soon as they started.

'I can't believe that he's still out here. It's been four days...And he won't quit!.' Tsunade watched from a small distance away as the army of Naruto's practiced dodging. The original was holding the two Rasengan's in hand, as the clone helping him dissipated.

"Ugh! Why can't I do this by myself! Using a clone to do it works, but it's so slow!" Naruto screamed!" The Rasengan's exploded in his hands, driving him into the dirt. The clones began to pop as they ran out of chakra. Naruto sighed, forming the hand sign, and 50 new ones appeared. They were just as annoyed as he was.

"This isn't working! We're not getting better!"

"Just keep going!" Naruto commanded. The clones grumbled, pulling out some kunai as they prepared to dodge again.

Tsunade watched as Naruto worked himself to exhaustion. 'Why does he try so hard?'

"Why! WHY AREN'T WE GETTING BETTER?!" A clone screamed at the sky. "The other clones turned to look at him. "IT'S LIKE...WE'RE WEAK! WHY AM I SO WEAK?!" Red chakra began to leak out his body. The other clones began to scramble away in fear. "NOTHING WORKS!"

The real Naruto rushed over. He had no idea what was going on! Since when could his clones use the fox's chakra?! He pushed his fist into the clone, flinching at the burning feeling he felt. The clone went up in smoke, along with the rest of them.

"Since when were you inside the clones too?!"

"Since always brat! I get split every single time! Whether I like it or not!"

'Tomorrow's the day, huh?' Tsunade thought. She'd been watching Naruto again. She'd watched as he'd finally begun to improve. 'He did get better...he just didn't realize it.' She walked to the hotel, deep in thought. 'He is so much like Nawaki...that smile...that face...that dream...that stupid, deadly dream! It takes away so much! And for what? The chance to lead? I don't want that! Why should I risk my life for the village! And from the stories I've heard, they're not that great either!' She noticed Shizune walking in her direction. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to check on Naruto...he hasn't come to the room since the bet started. He must be exhausted." Tsunade smirked.

"Just look at what he did to the environment. I'm going drinking with Jiraiya." She continued walking. Shizune watched her for a moment, before continuing on her path.

'What'd she mean by that?' Shizune pondered. 'Please Tsunade-sama…do not tarnish their name...What the hell?!'

"I'm guessing that tomorrow's the day Orochimaru's expecting an answer?" Jiraiya stated, taking a sip of Sake. "The village honestly wants you to become Hokage...if you go and help that traitor...I'll have to kill you personally." Tsunade scoffed.

"You'd never have the balls." Jiraiya grinned.

"Probably…but I'm serious. Orochimaru brutally slaughtered Sensei...with Sensei's own teachers." Tsunade stiffened. "He brought them back. The First and Second Hokage. That has to do wonders for your mental health…"

"That's sick."

"Orochimaru...that teme never did care for others much...he offered to bring Nawaki and Dan back right? It's not true...they will be back...but do you know what it costs?" Tsunade didn't answer. "It's at the cost of another human life. You need to sacrifice someone's life to bring them back." He looked away, into the distance. "That wouldn't be what they wanted...right?" Jiraiya took another sip of his Sake. It tasted funny, but he was getting drunk. "It would be disrespectful to their memory...the dead should stay dead, no matter how much it hurts. That's what you need to keep the peace. Leave the dead to live their new lives…"

"C'mon lady. Wake up." Naruto shook Shizune. He'd woken up on a bed, which was odd, since he remembered falling asleep by one of the trees...well, stump. Shizune began to stir.

"Tsunade!" She shot up. "Wait...how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine!"

"You collapsed from exhaustion! How are you alright?!"

"I've always only needed one night of rest to get right back up! You don't ever have to worry about me! Well, except that one time…" He trailed off. Shizune stared at him, remembering that he was the Kyuubi container. "Today's the day! Where's that old hag?!"

"She went to...she went to the castle."

"Then let's go! I have to beat her!"

"W-wait. It will be dangerous! You stay here!" Shizune rushed to the window.

"H-hold up…" Jiraiya panted. He was holding himself against the wall. "S-she drugged me-me...we h-have to stop her...b-before she does someth-thing she reg-grets."

"What happened to you?!" Naruto yelled.

"Don't yell...please."

"I...it's best you come with me. Shizune got to work on helping Jiraiya out of his haze.

"She never was the best at letting go of the past…" Jiraiya said.

"Where's your medic?" Tsunade asked.

"Your response?" Orochimaru asked, ignoring her own question.

"...I'll do it...but you won't attack Konoha."

"...heheh. Very well." He lifted his arms up. Tsunade activated her palms. They began to glow a soft green. She reached for his arms.

"I thought you were smarter than this Tsunade." Orochimaru said. Tsunade hardened her eyes, she punched the ground beneath him. Orochimaru jumped onto the nearby wall. "I guess not." Kabuto appeared beside him.

"The others are coming."

"And here I thought that this would be easy. I was even willing to spare Konoha...pity."

"Yeah right." Orochimaru jumped away, leading Tsunade on a wild goose chase to field on the outskirts of the village.

"I've never fought her before…"

"You won't be the one fighting her." Kabuto said. He activated his palms. "I will."

"Oh no you don't!" Tsunade dodged the first strike. She smashed her palm into Kabuto's face, whipping his neck around. "You're weak."

"Says the old lady." Kabuto growled. He palmed at her leg, forcing her to jump over the blow. While she was in the air, he tried to palm her chest, but she knocked his hand away with so much force that Kabuto spun on his feet.

This exchange of blows continued, until her old age began to catch up with her, along with her stagnant training. He hit her in the arm, and it began to spaz out, unable to control the the muscles there. Using that opportunity, Kabuto severed the sinew in her chest. Tsunade collapsed at his feet, finding it difficult to breath.

"I told you...the new generation is always better. You've grown weak. Y-" Kabuto fell to the ground. "...!" He couldn't speak.

"I messed with your nervous system...it's all been scrambled." Tsunade weezed. She began to heal her chest. "This is the one time having massive tits have saved me." She muttered.

Kabuto struggled on the ground. 'She just messed it up...she didn't destroy it...that means I can figure this out!' He tried to move his hand. His knee wiggled. 'Okay…' He slowly regained control of his body. He staggered to his feet.

"What?"

"I've learned where the new signal's go."

"I'm impressed. But that won't stop me."

"But this will." He took a kunai from his holster. His hand shook slightly, but he succeeded. He raised his kunai towards his arm. In one move, his wrist was slit, blood pouring to the ground. Tsunade paled, backing away.

He rushed at her. She was paralyzed with fear, to the point where she couldn't move.

"Oh no you don't!" A kunai flew between Kabuto and Tsunade. Shizune, Naruto and Jiraiya landed between them. "Wait a sec...I know you! You were that guy who quit at the Chunin Exams!"

"Not now Naruto!" Jiraiya said. "Okay...I'll take Orochimaru...you and Shizune take him on." They nodded. Kabuto retreated to Orochimaru's side. Popping a soldier pill, the bleeding stopped and his skin repaired itself.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Kabuto summoned a moderate sized snake for Orochimaru.

"Go! I'll take this idiot." Kabuto returned to Naruto and Shizune. Jiraiya went off to face Orochimaru.

"I wanna know...why'd you betray Konoha?!" Naruto asked.

"I never did...I was never a ninja of Konoha. I was a spy, gathering info for Orochimaru."

"On what?"

"Your friend. The Uchiha. He holds one of the strongest Doujutsu this world has to offer...he is nominally stronger than you."

"I read one of his journals...what do you want with him?!"

"We will train into the most powerful person on the planet...and then Orochimaru will take his body, to use the Sharingan to learn all jutsu this world has to offer!" Kabuto cackled. In Naruto's eyes, Kabuto was just as twisted as Orochimaru was. And that was a no-go.

"You won't touch him!"

"He will come to us willingly! In search of power! The Uchiha might as well have already died!" Kabuto sneered.

Okay! That's the end! Please Rate and Review! I like hearing your feedback. I want to know what you guys want in this Fanfiction.