Hello, for those of you who do not know, I am UnlikelyLoveUnlimited. It has a very, very long time indeed, but I can now give you the first part of the final chapter of Three Stars. I hope you all enjoy the beginning of the end to this labor of love. Hard as it was, I enjoyed writing every line.

The sun rose once again over the village of Konohagakure, and there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air. The Godaime Hokage, the slug Sannin Tsunade, was scheduled to wed the Rokudaime, Naruto Uzumaki, on the tenth of November, just two weeks away. The wedding was fast approaching, and everyone in the village was scurrying for this unprecedented event. It was easily the most momentous marriage that Konoha, if not all of the Fire Country had ever seen. Everyone in town, shinobi and civilian alike, was scheduled to greet the couple as they returned from the Fire Shrine after the ceremony, and that evening would mark the beginning of a week long festival. Koyuki Kazahana, the princess of the Land of Spring would in attendance, as well as The Kazekage and his sister, along with dignitaries from almost every nation within the Elemental Continent. Even the non-allied country of Earth had dignitaries coming into the village. There were messages of attendance sent as far off as Crescent Island. The only noticeable absence was Rain Country, which had not even responded to the announcement. Konoha was also flooded with merchants from all over the continent, especially from the Land of Waves, which held Naruto as a personal hero, having gone so far as to name their economic lifeline after him. Stalls full of merchandise of every sort commemorating the couple could be found just by walking down the street. In addition, there was also a surge in illicit material concerning mature women and younger men in the adult bookshops, but if anyone saw a direct correlation, they prudently chose to not mention it.

Even in her second trimester, Tsunade was, as ever, Naruto's tutor and teacher, and that fact was reflected in his position as Rokudaime. Since Naruto's ascension to position of Hokage, people had continued to call Tsunade "Lady Hokage" and had begun referring to Naruto as "Young Lord Hokage." The inference behind the "Young" in the title had not escaped Naruto, and it had irked him to no end that he was still being underestimated even after achieving his ultimate goal. Realistically, however, he was also understanding, given his young age and direct elevation from Genin to Hokage. Thankfully, under the auspices of Tsunade and Anko, Naruto was rapidly blossoming as a fine shinobi leader. In addition to Naruto's other training, including taijutsu under Gai and elemental training under Yamato, Naruto had gained a command over most of Jiraiya's, Anko's and Tsunade's ninjutsu techniques.

At the moment, in the downtown shopping district, Tsunade Senju and Naruto Uzumaki had returned to their apartment, after spending the majority of the morning utterly buried with the preparations for their upcoming marriage. Jiraiya had arrived in the village just that morning, and he had left a messenger toad in the office that said to meet up with him that evening. Most likely he had a report on the Akatsuki and their movements. Having finally set aside some private time in the early afternoon, Tsunade had hauled Naruto away from his new duties back to their home, where she had ordered several boxes sent over from the village archives. Tsunadebent down to move one of the boxes out of the center of the living room where it had been left. Her body strained against the weight, her once monstrous strength and chakra control thrown out of balance by her pregnancy, causing her to struggle with the heavy box, and have difficulty with her balance.

"Help me carry this to the table, won't you, Naruto-kun?" Naruto ran over and helped his beloved with the box, the two of them getting it to the coffee table without any mishaps.

"Okay, but what are all these boxes for, Tsu-chan? They're all really old looking."

"With Danzo nipping at our heels, questioning the legitimacy of your kagehood, I though that by digging up some documents about my grandfather and granduncle, as well as your father, we might solidify your position in the minds of some of the village clan heads. This box alone is full of the Yondaime's things, including a lot of documents and heirlooms he left behind." When Naruto became the sixth Hokage, he had gained access to information about his father, which had come as a shock to him, to say the least. "I was also thinking that by going through them with you, that you might gain a little perspective about the Hokages who you are now succeeding."

"Leave it to you to turn this into a homework assignment, Tsu-chan." Naruto mumbled under his breath.

"I heard that." Tsunade said, playfully but not so gently pinching Naruto's cheek.

Scrolls and folders of papers spilled over the floor as they rummaged through the box of the Yondaime's personal affects. Tonton sneezed at the dust that rose up from the old documents.

"What in the world are these?" Naruto asked, taking a pair of wooden shoes with pointed toes out of a box. "These geta look really weird."

Tsunade chuckled at her fiancés confusion. "Those are called clogs. They are traditional footwear from your father's homeland." Naruto cocked his head, his eyes squinted shut in confusion.

"Wait, you mean he wasn't from Fire Country originally?"

"Yes, the Yondaime's family was originally from one of the few outside nations that trades with the Elemental Continent. You may not realize it, Naru-kun, but your hair and eye color combination is very unusual in Konoha, although personally, I find it very handsome."

"Wow, so my father's family was from beyond the ocean, huh...so how did my dad become a ninja, then?" Naruto said, absentmindedly spinning a miniature windmill he had found in the box. "

Tsunade sat down on the couch and put a finger to her chin in thought. "Well, back in those days, foreigners were normally only allowed to operate within a small section of the coastal trading ports, but Minato's father bribed some of the local constables and slipped away with his family into the mainland under the false name Kazama. It is not known for sure, but it was speculated that they may have been refugees, fleeing war on the other continent. They eventually ended up in Konoha, where Sarutobi Sensei took pity on them and allowed them to integrate and become citizens, albeit monitored for the first few years as a precaution against spying. At the academy, your father's amazing skills eventually got Jiraiya's attention."

"What was so amazing about him?" Naruto asked.

"Well, most people need to practice Ninjutsu when they are very young in order to expand their chakranetworks, otherwise the networks become stunted and jutsu becomes impossible, but for Minato, your father, it was different. He was a genius, who naturally understood chakra nature forms, and intuitively created seals. Though years of hard work and raw ability, he won himself Jonin rank, and eventually the Hokage title when Sarutobi first chose to retire. Later, after the war, in his diplomatic travels as Hokage, he met your mother in the Village of Whirlpools, and well...the rest as they say, is history."

Tsunade paused after her explanation and asked Naruto a question. "You have a special interest in Minato, right? Once you found out he was your father, and gained access to the confidential files, you dove head first into his records. Was there something in particular you wanted to find out?"

Naruto sighed, his eyes downcast and voice a little sad. "Well, Tsu-chan, I was always interested in the man who people said was stronger than the Kyuubi, who I measure my will against every day, and also...well, I guess even now I'm still a little angry at him. For someone who was such a genius of ninjutsu, he really didn't understand human nature at all. Even now, I wonder what kind of life I would have had if he hadn't used me to seal away the fox. Why didn't he seal the fox into himself, and take it with him as he died? Instead he cursed me, regardless of his intentions. I never really understood that choice he made, so I wanted to gain some understanding of the man himself. I guess both bonds of hate and love tie me to the role of Hokage."

After a silent and awkward moment, Naruto's eyes cleared up and excitement sprang into his voice. "But as long as I have you, Tsunade, I'll be glad I became Hokage!" He said, suddenly hugging her tightly. Tsunade smiled warmly and returned his embrace, enjoying the feeling of holding him.

After a few minutes like this, Naruto's arms slowly snaked their way to Tsunade's bosom. Tsunade sighed, exasperated. "Naruto, is now really an appropriate time?"

"Well, would you would prefer to wait for when Hinata gets back from the Hyuga compound?"

Tsunadeemphatically shook her head no. It was a rare chance when they were alone this long, and Hinata's duties at the Hyugacompound made for the perfect opportunity for fooling around, and Anko was still out cold in the back bedroom, having been receiving almost exclusively Naruto's attentions all last night, so for all intents and purposes, she was dead to the world.

"Say, Tsu-chan, have you noticed, they have gotten even bigger lately, like, even more than normal." the whiskered shinobi said, giving Tsunade's breasts a soft squeeze. It was true, the medic nin's legendary mounds were already swollen with milk from her pregnancy, causing them to seem to reach even larger proportions, and were more than a little uncomfortable for the former Hokage. "You know, I'd be glad to help you relieve some of the pressure whenever you want." Naruto offered, a naughty undertone in his voice.

"How about right now?" Tsunade answered in a sultry tone as she undid the belt holding her top on. It was clear she was getting hot under the collar, her pregnancy having done nothing to reduce the libido that Naruto had helped reawaken in her. As they began fooling around on the couch, their research temporarily postponed in favor of research of each other, they had to push several things out of their way. The living room was already crowded with the boxes from the archives and the pile of wedding gifts that had arrived in the mail over the last few days since their wedding announcement. In particular, they had received a small mountain of gifts from the Crescent Island's royalty, King Michiru Tsuki and his son, Prince Hikaru.

Naruto's lips quickly found their goal on Tsunade's ample bosom, suckling gently on his older fiancée, who gave off a low moan at the treatment. Ton Ton, oinking in annoyance at being ignored, began rooting around in an adjacent room. Just as the rest of their clothes were about to join Tsunade's sash and top on the floor, Hinata Hyuga walked unceremoniously in though the front door, a stack of paperwork from the Hyuga household in both hands. Taking one glance at the pair on the couch, she merely muttered "Of course. Should have guessed." Looking around, she shook her head at the condition of the living room.

"It's like there was an earthquake in here, what a mess...let me see...Anko sensei is still sleeping, right?" With a silent nod from the duo, Hinataplopped her papers on top of the coffee table, then marched off to the back bedroom, where a loud thump and Anko's cursing could be heard.

"That white eyed skank just kicked me out of bed!" Anko Mitarashi bemoaned as she made her first appearance that day, wearing nothing but one of Naruto's shirts.

"Ohh...well, you have been asleep all morning...ahh...." Tsunade haltingly gasped out. Naruto said nothing, his mouth otherwise occupied.

"Well, I was really tired and sore! And what's with you two getting busy behind my back, huh? You're lucky I enjoy watching you work, Naruto, or I'd have half a mind to take my time showing both you and Hinata what happens when I get woken up before I'm ready."

Anko seemed to be in an irritable mood, which was odd, given that most mornings after a romp with Naruto she felt like a million Ryou. Hinata sighed and went about straightening the room. She knew she would have to have a chat with the purple haired kunoichi. Narutohad become central to Anko's life, but she still retained a bad habit of hiding her pain from others, especially Naruto, who tended to worry in excess over the women in his life. The fact was that what she was playing off as a bad mood upon waking up could just as easily be her curse seal acting up. Rousing herself from her thoughts, Hinata snapped at Anko.

"Just leave Tsunade-sama and Naruto-kun alone for now."

"But why should baachan get all the fun?" Anko pouted angrily. At this, Tsunadestiffened and Naruto shrunk down slightly, afraid that Anko's use of his old nickname for Tsunade would trigger violence between the two half naked women. Hinata stepped in trying to diffuse the situation, having become more protective of the two hokages since Tsunade confided in needing Hinata's help with her relationship with Naruto.

"Anko, please help carry these gifts back to the guest room, there is no room in here anymore." Hinata asked.

"No way! Why should I?"

"Look, we can't be tripping over all this stuff coming and going, and there will probably be even more on the way. Just do it, okay?" Tsunade said, having finally caught her breath from Naruto's ministrations.

"Make me, ya old cow." Anko growled.

A vein visibly pulsed in Tsunade's bejeweled forehead."Grr...just please make yourself useful for once, you shin guard wearing lunatic!" Tsunade barked.

With a grumble, Anko along with Hinata started clearing our the gifts from the living room, leaving Naruto and Tsunade to continue their fun uninterrupted.

As they finished stacking the piles of gifts in the guest room, they both sat down and took a break.

Hinata asked "Why do you still hold up this facade of acting tough? I can tell why your in such a bad mood, It's your curse seal, right? I'll take a look at it, if you want."

"Thanks" Anko mumbled as she moved over next to Hinata and took Naruto's t-shirt off. Hinata's hands massaged the black mark, running some healing chakra though it. "What is your problem, anyway? First thing you do when you wake up, you try to mess with Tsunade. Are you going to act like this at the wedding?" Hinata asked.

Anko pouted "I'm just goofing around."

"Well, you could have fooled me." Hinata responded.

Anko replied seriously. "I promised myself that I would not be upset when Naruto and Tsunade got hitched. I'll behave, I promise."

Anko sighed happily at Hinata's treatment, her muscles relaxing as the healing chakraran through her. "But you and Naruto have become my reasons for wanting to stay here, like this." she said, waving a hand around the apartment. "For the longest time I cared about nothing but killing my old Sensei and proving my strength to Sarutobi and the other ninja, but now I don't need to struggle for acceptance."

Hinata looked down on the spiky haired kunoichi's shoulder. "You shouldn't hide the curse mark from Naruto, He would turn Konoha upside down to find a way to help you."

"I know, but Naruto doesn't need another thing to worry about, what with all this wedding nonsense."

Hinata smiled. Anko could be more considerate than she looked. "But you still can't be all hyper possessive of Naruto, it's not normal." Hinata rejoined

"When have I ever been normal?" Ankolaughed, then sighed. "This wasn't exactly what I really had planned, you know, being the lover of one of my own students, and being his mistress while he gets married to someone else. But despite that, ever since you and Naruto came into my life, I no longer feel alienated or afraid of the future. So I never want to be far from the side of the people who makes me feel that way, ever."

Hinata had given some thought to just why Anko clung to Naruto so closely. Naruto had seen her when she was at her very lowest, and he was there for her, which is why now she needed him so much. As much as it bothered her to draw connections between herself and her "rivals" for Naruto's affections, Hinata could identify with that part of Anko.

Hinata turned to Anko, their eyes meeting. "Anko sensei, I can promise you this, Naruto will always be there for you, he promised us both as much. No matter if he loves Tsunade or anyone else, when he promises to be there for you, he will."

"I know..."Anko almost whispered. After a minute of silence, Anko ventured. "Say, do you ever hear about Naruto's mission to Mother Island?"

Hinata thought for a second, then it came to her. "Oh, yeah! Naruto-kun went to the Land of the Sea, along with Ino and Shino-kun, with you as their team captain. I heard he went missing after he got sucked into a whirlpool."

"Believe it or not, I was kind of scared for him, although I didn't let it out at the time. Even back then, I had already begun to admire him. I was actually very impressed by him when he summoned Gamabunta and defeated Amachi, the mad scientist, and his seemingly invincible water elemental. And most importantly, he redeemed the heart of a local diving girl named Isaribi....you know, she lives in konohanow, and I've actually received several visits from her, and she still thinks of him often. Also, there is Amaru, a medic nin Naruto saved who immigrated to Konoha and is working as a surgeon at Konoha'shospital, she also often comes by to ask about him. Between them and Tsume and her monthly "urges", and her subsequent requests for Naruto to come over for "coffee", I guess me being jealous of every girl that has an eye for Naruto is kind of a useless endeavor. It is a wonder he has any time to be Hokage at all."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm sure Tsunade-sama is even more frustrated by that fact."

"Hehe...actually, it kind of does." Anko chuckled sardonically.

"Speaking of that, shall we go back and see how they are doing?"

"Sounds good." Anko said, slipping the t-shirt back on.

Upon returning to the living room, they found that Tsunade and Naruto had both dozed off after their activities had reached their literal climax. Nodding to each other, they both sat down and curled up to Naruto, the four of them lay there, enjoying the heat radiating off one another, Naruto in the center. If only for a moment, there was peace in the Uzumaki-Senju household.

This happy resolution was thankfully becoming more common for the group. Under Tsunade's supervision, they were managing to work and "play" together in a semi-functioning manner. Even though Naruto was now Hokage, he still studied under Tsunade and sometimes Ebisu on matters of the Kagehood. Anko still trained with Naruto and Hinata, refining their combat, and they were becoming skilled at working together. The group's teamwork was also improving in the matter of their evening activities as well. Although Tsunade, Hinata and Anko were all prone to jealous feelings toward each other about Naruto, they were beginning to get used to sleeping as a group, as well as getting used to each others many intricacies.

Each of them had their own hang ups, and on Naruto's insistence, they worked around them understandingly, and without judgment. For instance, Tsunade, despite her youthful appearances, had a hint of old fashioned sensibilities, and it was taking time for her to get used to sharing a bed with Hinata and Anko. As for Naruto, he disliked having power taken from him, most likely in connection to his past of loneliness and powerlessness, and refused to ever be tied up or in any helpless or submissive role, with the sole exception being Tsunade and Anko's penchant for riding on top of him. Hinata was still getting used to Anko's bisexual attentions, and so by Naruto's request, Anko never tried too much on any given night, usually sticking with just some rubbing, kissing and touching. Hinata also disliked the taste of Naruto's semen, and she was greatly embarrassed by that, as she considered it a failure of her kunoichi sexual skills, but with Tsunade's encouragement, she had learned to use her breasts to try to make up the difference. And for everybody's sake, Anko was not allowed any bedroom toys. In actuality, although Anko tended to take control with Hinata, she had no problem with being submissive to Naruto, which Tsunade thought was psychologically interesting. In fact, much to Naruto's relief, Anko actually preferred being the one to be tied up. By working together and understanding each others needs and shortcomings, they were all slowly becoming a sort of loving, if awkward, family.

After about an hour resting together like this, the group roused themselves. As hesitant as they were to end their little group hug, Naruto still had to meet with Jiraiya that evening. As Naruto and Tsunade, Ton Ton in tow, headed out, Anko grabbed Hinata by the arm and dragged her back to the bedroom "What are you doing, we have to go meet Jiraiya sama!"

"Naruto kun and Tsunade baachan can meet up with the old man. You, however, are going to make it up to me for waking me up so rudely." Anko said, licking her lips. "Eep!" Was all the beet red Hyuga could manage before the bedroom door closed behind them.

Narutohad met up with Jiraiya at one of the better bars in town, atypical of a place of Jiraiya's choosing, as there were no scantily dressed hostesses around, which made for a change. The white haired hermit waved them over to a booth where he was seated.

"Naruto, it's good to see you again. How are your girls treating you? Having your own harem, you truly are my finest student." Jiraiya chuckled.

Naruto just shook his head and sighed as he sat down. "Whatever, Ero-sennin. I didn't ask for a harem or anything like that."

Jiraiyatook a shot of his sake and smirked. "Didn't you? No, of course not, you just wanted to help and protect absolutely everyone you met regardless of circumstance, nationality or creed, that's all." Jiraiya remarked, a hint of good natured sarcasm in his voice. "Face it, Naruto, the fact that women would fall in love with you is a natural outcome of the way you carry yourself as a man. Anyway, getting back on topic, I have some surprising info that as Hokage, you should probably know."

"Shouldn't you have come by the office then?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya laughed and said. "Well, I have a pair of reasons for that. First, I like the laid back atmosphere here better and second, I thought you could use a drink before you hear what I have to say."

Looking both ways to see if anyone else was listening, Jiraiya nodded to the only other person in the room, the bartender, who nodded in response, and walked out of the room.

"I have valuable intelligence on the Akatsuki, but first I think there are some things you should know about one of their members, namely Itachi Uchiha. The elders and Danzo may have tried to hide it, but I think you should know everything."

Naruto tensed up visibly at the name. It was Sasuke's older brother, the one responsible for transforming Sasuke into a revenge driven sociopath. Jiraiya continued. "You see, the Uchiha massacre of fourteen years ago was a mission ordered by the Sandaime." Naruto and Tsunade were both absolutely stunned.

"Sarutobi never told me that!" Tsunade exclaimed. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"There was an impending coup d'etat by the Uchiha clan, and almost every last Uchihawas complicit. Itachi was a doubleagent acting for the village. Itachi spared Sasuke against the Hokage's orders. He then voluntarily exiled himself, and ever since has been monitoring the one responsible for the Uchiha coup, the Uchiha founder, Madara, who is alive today and the secret leader of Akatsuki."

"That's impossible, he would have to be, what? 100 years old? And my grandfather killed him in a duel." Tsunade exclaimed.

Naruto continued "And the reports I've read, many of which coming from you, Jiraiya, said the leader was called Pain."

"I've found out a great many things since we last spoke. Pain is a puppet, in every sense of the word." A melancholy look filled Jiraiya's eyes. "And when the time comes, I'll deal with Pain personally...In any event, this is all background information to inform you that I've received reports that the Akatsuki are accelerating their plans, and using more force than necessary to capture the tailed beasts, Including breaking their previous pattern of using two man cells. This brings me directly to why I've called you here today. You see, the Akatsuki are coming to Konoha. As we speak there is chatter of mobilization from the Land of Rain." With this solemn declaration a hush fell over the room.

Naruto fumed. The bastards knew he was marrying! And they were messing with him! This just had to be personal for the Akatsuki on some level. What did Madara have to prove by attacking during the greatest festivities the Fire Country had ever known? Why not attack a few months before he was Hokage, when he didn't have the entire Anbu at his beck and call? There was no mistaking that there was something deeply personal about this. Swallowing his anger, he asked Jiraiya a single question "How many? And can we count on itachi as a mole?" Naruto's voice was calm but with a serious undercurrent.

Jiraiya sighed, his whole body seeming to be weighed down by age as he answered. "All of them. All surviving members are mobilizing for Konoha, including their leader, Madara, and his second in command, the man known as Pain. As for Itachi, now that Sasuke has abandoned Konoha, I'm really am not sure whose side he is on anymore." A dread hush fell over the room. All of the Akatsuki...all at once. Tsunade was shell shocked. Only two of them had been enough to hold off the strongest of their elite Jonin.

Narutowas the first to speak. "They're making their move immeadiately?"

"Yes, there are reports that over half of them are already within Fire's borders, and that they are all converging on Konoha."

"How could they have infiltrated the border?"

Jiraiya shrugged "It's hard to say. Perhaps they had forged papers and disguises, or maybe help from the inside."

With all of them coming, it would be a massacre of unprecedented proportions. Tsunade looked worriedly to Naruto. Naruto's eyes squinted shut, his arms crossed and his head tilted slightly to the side. After a moment that seemed to stretch on into an eternity, His eyes opened, and he said "Okay...here's the plan..."

To Be Continued in Three Stars finale, part two: Wedding Crashers

This final chapter has become a major undertaking in its own right, so much so that I have decided to divide it into four pieces, so that you fine people don't have to wait another four years for me to finish. As always, feel free to let me know in a PM or review if I've made any boneheaded grammatical or spelling errors. Connecting the elemental continent of Naruto's world with feudal Japan, I decided to make Minato Namikaze originally from the Netherlands, since in real world feudal Japan, the Dutch and Portuguese were the few outside nations that were allowed to trade with Japan during the Tokugawa period, and I thought It might help explain Naruto's having blond hair and blue eyes in the middle of a secluded ninja village. Although I still don't know if trying to apply reality to Naruto is a good idea or a bad one. LOL. On a side note, I have been reading a large amount of other fanfics lately and I am amazed at the quality of the writing. Some are sweet, some clever and some are even a little kinky, but all of them are top notch. Looking back on this, I am in awe at all the raw amateur talent of . Thank you all, you inspire me! Part two is being made as you read this. I know myself better than to give you a hard deadline, given the months and months I've procrastinated on this, but it is coming, nonetheless. Believe it.