Chapter 2:

"I wonder what Kagome meant by Chiriku wanting to speak with me? Oh well, I'll find out sooner or later." Kikyo thought to herself as she made her way to her master's room. Upon arriving she kneeled in front of the door and knocked.

"Chiriku, I heard you needed to speak with me?"

"Ahh yes. Come in Kikyo"

Kikyo stood up, slide the door open and walked in, closing the door behind her. She saw Chiriku sitting in front of Shukaku's shrine, blessing the deceased monk. Kikyo sat next to him, also giving her blessings. There was a silence, Chiriku broke that silence.

"You and Kagome are to stay in Konoha and help Naruto control the demon and it'll be nice to see Kaede again right?"

Kikyo gave a curt nod.

"Also, I heard that both Kaede and Sota are back from their Anbu mission to the Village Hidden in the Rain."

Kikyo eyed wide stared at Chiriku. She didn't know what to say.

"You are to leave at once. Get your things ready." Chiriku said.

"Yes Chiriku." With that, Kikyo got up and started heading to the door. He turned to stare her leave and once she was out of the room, she bolted

"She's excited" he said to himself

Kikyo ran to her and her sister's room. She had a big smile on her face. She was happy to go back to the village. She walked in the door and saw Kagome getting her ninja clothes ready.

"Get ready Kikyo, we're going back to Konoha!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Yes!"

They both began changing. Kikyo dressed herself in her long-sleeve white kimono top and a red-apron skirt and under, she wore black shorts. She strapped on her low heel, knee-high boots. She undid her braids and let her hair down. Kagome dressed herself in her white short-sleeve Kimono top, white shorts and a green apron-skirt. She strapped on her blue sandals and after, tied her hair in a high ponytail.

"Finished" they both said in unison. They looked at each other and giggled. They both grabbed their backpack, putting in clothes and products.

"Hey Kikyo, are we taking the items with us or will we leave them here?" Kagome asked

"We'll take it with us. I'll go get them just meet me at the entrance, okay." Kikyo replied.

Kikyo grabbed scrolls and ran out the room heading towards the shrine room of the temple. She came in and saw the two halves of the Shikon Jewel, the Tenseiga and Tessaiga on a pedestal in the middle of the room. Kikyo went forth and sealed the two swords in two separate scrolls. She then grabbed the two halves of the jewel, on putting on her neck as necklace and the other in her pocket.

"Okay, I'm done!" she said to herself. She made her way to the door then came to a stop. She turned to her left and noticed the Hiraikotsus.

"I should take them too, and I should give one to Tenten, I know she loves seeing new weapons."

Kikyo went to them, grabbing another empty scroll and sealing all four of the weapons.

"Is that all now?" she thought. She also notices the two bows and quivers, full of arrows as well

"I guess not." She places the scrolls in her pouch and hangs the bows and quivers on her shoulders.

"Okay! Let's go!"

She made her way to the temple gates and sees Kagome and the other monks waiting for her.

"Kikyo, I got your bag" Kagome said

"Thanks Kagome. I also got your bow and arrows, also the other half of the jewel." She replied.

They both exchanged the items and Kagome put the jewel on as a necklace. They both turned to the crowd behind them. Their hearts were saddened by the fact they had to leave. Chiriku walk up to them and place his hands on top of their head, as if her was telling that this was not a goodbye, but a see you later

"Kikyo, Kagome. I will see you guys again. And i wish you good luck on your mission." Chiriku said to them.
The two sister gave a curt nod. Chiriku removed his hands from their heads placed his hand in his attire and pulled out two Konoha headbands, one blue and one red.

"Here you go" Chiriku said, giving a soft smile. Kikyo took the red one and Kagome took the blue one. Both tied them to their forehead, symbolizing them as Konoha ninjas. They both went to hug their master.

"Thank you Chiriku! Thank you for everything. To us, you are more than a master, you're like a father to us." they said in unison.

Chiriku placed his hands on their heads again. They look at each other. The girls noticed the tears forming in his eyes.

"Hurry and go help the jinchuriki."

Yes!" they both said. They were on their way when Kagome was stopped by Sora, grabbing her wrist.

"Will I see you again Kagome?" he said, pink tinting his cheeks. Kagome nod and moved her hand from his grip, also having a small tint of red. Kikyo stared at them both, she knew Sora had a thing for Kagome. She couldn't help but smile.

"Of course, we are friends after all." She pokes his cheek, a way for her to show how much she cared for the monk. He smiled as he watched them both leave.

"Bye!" the two girls yelled behind them, monks waving good bye as well and thus their journey begins.

…

They were walking on the road heading straight for the village.

"Kagome?" Kikyo asked, making her sister jump

"You know Sora likes you." She stated, elboxing her younger sister. Kagome turned red and looked away.

"No, he doesn't. he's just a friend and besides…. I like… well, you know….".

Kagome turned to Kikyo. Kikyo stared back and laughed loudly.

"What's so funny?!" Kagome asked. She wasn't too happy. Why was Kikyo laughing? Was she mocking Kagome?

"Nothing. You're just so adorable." She smiled at her younger sister, pinching her cheek. They stopped and Kagome was giving Kikyo the stink eye. Kikyo walked up to her sister and poked her forehead with two fingers. Kagome was surprised and touched where the fingers once were.

"Come on, let's go Kagome." Kagome nodded and followed her sister.

As they kept walking at their pace, Kikyo suddenly stopped. She turned to the west of her as if something startled her. Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on the auras around her, and she felt it, the same aura that grabbed Kikyo's attention.

"Kikyo, was that…" Kagome asked nervously. She hasn't felt such an evil aura since . . .THAT DAY.

"Naruto" she thought

"Yes, that was the Nine Tails. Kagome! We are going to it!" Kikyo exclaimed. Kagome was surprised at her reaction.

"But aren't we supposed to go to the village first?!"

"Our mission is to help Naruto You want to help him don't you?" Kikyo said.

Kagome didn't know what to say or how to react, but she did wanted to go to that aura. Kagome became serious. She raised both her thumbs to her mouth and bit them, breaking skin and eventually blood leaked. She performed the necessary hands signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!" she yelled, both hand of the ground. Two Nekomata appeared from the smoke.

"Kilala, Kuroro. So nice to see you again!" the two sister joyfully said. The two cute, small cats jumped on them. Kuroro to Kikyo and Kilala to Kagome.

"Kuroro, Kilala. Can you fly us to where that aura is at?" Kagome asked the two kittens. The two kittens looked at eachother and transformed to two bigger, ferocious versions of themselve. Kikyo got on Kuroro's back while Kagome on Kilala's. The two began to soar up high in the sky, giving the two priestesses a bird's-eye view of what was around.

"Kikyo, what's that?" Kagome asked, pointing at the big dust cloud ahead. Kikyo turned to her and knew she was worried. They both knew that Naruto, somehow was being taken over by the demon.

"Don't worry Kagome, he'll be fine." Kikyo said with a smile. Kagome was happy with the small gesture, so much that she was no longer worried, she just nodded and looked ahead.

"Let's go!" Kikyo yelled pointing in the direction of the smoke

"Yes!" Kagome replied. The two cats began making there way to the scene.

…AT TENCHI BRIDGE…

"That thing, is Naruto?" the kunoichi thought as a sword was trying to pierce him, the demon him. The sword had no effect on him, causing it to break. Naruto let out a mighty roar, making both Sakura, Yamato jump up.

"This is no longer a battle between ninjas. It's now an epic battle between two monsters." Kabuto said, giggling in between.

Sakura didn't know how to handle this. Her heart ached. She clenched her fist at her chest, reminiscing the younger naruto, the Naruto she knew and cared for. Naruto roared once more.

"I can't believe he go this far, becoming that just to save Sasuke. He's gone and allowed the Demon to take over. How pitiful." Kabuto stated, staring at the beast.

Sakura stared at the beast, tears forming. The cloak of the demon and Four tails is what she saw. Tears now flowing down her cheeks, helplessly falling to the ground. Was that the real Naruto? Again, Naruto's promise to her when they were young, kept playing in her head.

"No, it can't be!" she thought. She couldn't take it anymore, she had to do something.

"Naruto!"

She made her way to Naruto, running full speed.

"Sakura come back. you have to stay away from him!" Yamato yelled.

Sakura ignored him and ran past Kabuto, calling out her friend's name.

"Naruto stop, it's okay, I can rescue Sasuke. Stop please!". She stopped in front of the boy hoping for him to remember her but he didn't. He growled at her and swung one of his tails at her. It hit her on the arm and she yelled falling back.

"Sakura!" Yamato Yelled

"Damn, i was too late." Yamato did the necessary hands signs and Naruto was wrapped in wood, halting his movements. Naruto let out a loud roar, trying to resist. Sakura was now on the ground, holding the wound, bleeding, in pain.

Kabuto stared at the young girl, then Naruto and Back at the girl. he began walking towards her, lifting his right arm but eventually yamato stopped him, wrapping wood around it.

"Don't you dare hurt her!" Yamato yelled

"You misunderstand. I no longer intend to hurt any of you. in fact, it's quite the opposite." Kabuto replied.

"What?" kabuto asked under his breath.

Kabuto's hand began to glow green if chakra. not to far from Sakura, the chakra made its way to her wound, healing it. As this was going on, Naruto began roaring, fighting and breaking the resistance placed in him.

"Kill as Many akatsuki members as you can to pay the debt of me healing her." he stated, green chakra disappearing and after he disappeared in smoke.

Yamato ran up to Naruto, performing the necessary hand signs and jumping towards Naruto.

"Hokage Style Elder Jutsu" Tenth Edict on Enlightenment!" Facing palm forward, he made his way to naruto's Necklace, making contact with it. chakra connected from the necklace to Yamato's hand. ten wooden pillars form around naruto. Suppressing Naruto's demon chakra, naruto winced in pained. the cloak disappearing to his belly. Yamato and Sakura can only watch and hear his pain. He screamed in pain as the cloak disappeared.

"His body, is covered in wounds." Sakura thought

Naruto was now aying on the ground. the ten pillars disappeared.

"It's finally over." Yamato stated. Upon hearing this, Sakura ran towards Naruto, yelling his name. She began to heal him, green chakra on her hands, over his chest. she pumped more chakra but winced in the pain because of her injury.

"Captain Yamato, can you teach me that jutsu." Sakura asked

"That is impossible. Only i can perform it because i carry the first hokage's dna within me."

Sakura turned to her captain, saddened by what he told her. She turned back to her comrade lying in front of her, in pain as she healed him.

"It's always like this. the only things I can do for Naruto are the little things anyone can do." Sakura stated, still healing Naruto as well.

"It doesn't matter if the things you do for him a great or small. What matters most is how much you really care about Naruto. I can tell just by watching you Sakura, just how much you..."

"Sakura." Naruto said, faintly enough to be heard. His teammates turned to him and Sakura gave a wide smile and tears began to fall.

"What happened? I remembered going after Orochimaru and then… What did i do after that? What happened Sakura?" Naruto asked, looking at Sakura's direction.

"Sakura, what's wrong? Are you crying?" Sakura began to wipe her tears away and replied

"No, i'm fine. Just got something in my eye, that's all." She faked a smile while doing so.

Naruto stood up in the defensive putting his fist up in the air.

"It was Sai, wasn't it. I swear if that snake said anything hurtful to you like you're ugly or you got monster strength." Naruto exclaimed

Sakura sighed and a tick mark formed on her forehead while Naruto kept blabbing on. she clenched her fist in front of her, read to punch him.

"No, Sai didnt say anything..." Sakura said in annoyance

"Really, he didn't?"

"No, but I think you just did...SO, WHO'S THE SNAKE?!" Sakura yelled, punching Naruto in the stomach making him hold it in pain.

"Speaking of Sai. Captain, where is he anyways?" Sakura asked.

Captain Yamato face was stern, Sakura and Naruto knew something was up by their captain's expression.

"He's gone off with Orochimaru. They're together." He stated

Sakura and Naruto both gasped.

"They're... together?!" Sakura asked confusedly

"We have to go, you two follow me." Yamato ordered.

Sakura and Naruto followed Captain Yamato, crossing the bridge towards the battlefield between the Demon and Orochimaru. They stood in the middle of the Crater. Naruto wided eyed looked around, confused. He even tapped the ground with his foot.

"The ground, it's still soft." He thought. He turned to his teammates

"This place, it's torned apart and the bridge was destroyed... Will someone tell me what actually went in here?!" Naruto yelled, as he looked at his surrounding, taking it all in.

Yamato face was surprised then turned serious because of Naruto's question

"You don't remember anything?" he asked

Naruto scratched his cheek and placed his hand behind his head, giggling; a sign that he didn't. Then another though came into his mind.

"Oh and another thing. Why was i unconscious?" He asked, looking at Sakura

Sakura wore a pain look. She couldn't meet Naruto's face causing her to turn to the ground. The captain took noticed and all he can do was wait for her to answer.

"Orochimaru... He attacked you and knocked you out..." She replied. She waits for him to say something but sees him frown and clench his fist. He wasn't too happy to know that he was knocked out in the first hit.

"What?! Ugh, are you kidding me?!"

The wind blew and the sound of paper startled them. They turned to the ground and saw a scroll, Paint puddle and brushes.

"What happened?" She thought. She noticed something under the ruble and went to investigate. Under the scroll, she noticed a picture book.

"Sai's things are scattered all over and why would he leave his picture book here? It doesn't make sense, this book is Sai's prize possession yet here it is." She said, while looking at the book.

"To have left something precious behind, even he was startled by Orochimaru." Yamato stated

"You talk about it as if you saw what happened Captain." Sakura said.

"I didn't but my wood clone did. Thanks to our wireless radio, I maintain contact."

"Anyways, what happened to Sai?" Naruto asked looking around for his team mate.

Yamato sighed.

"Two thing happened. One, Sai had a conversation with Orochimaru. Two, he left with him and Kabuto." He frankly stated

Both Sakura and Naruto gasped. What did their Captain mean?

"Why?! What is the meaning of that?!" Naruto yelled.

"What did they talk about.?" Sakura asked

"I don't know, my clone was too far away to listen." He replied.

"What if he was forced to go along against his will?" Sakura asked in a worry manner.

"Kidnapped? Nah, didn't seemed that way. Sai approached Orochimaru and handed his something. Its was more like he was trying to ingratiate himself." Yamato stated while having his fingers on his chin.

"Hey, hang on! Sai may be the biggest jerks I've met but you're not saying he'd betray us?!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Wait, it's possible" Sakura stated. Naruto turned to her, eye wide.

"What?" Naruto asked himself. He was beyond confused about Sakura's statement. Did she know something that he didn't?

"Captain Yamato, do you know a man named Danzo?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, I do." He replied

"Who is this Danzo guy? I've never heard of him." Naruto asked, he wasn't sure what they were talking about now.

"He's a member of the Hawk faction who once opposed the Third Hokage and also Sai's superior." Sakura stated

Yamato placed his fingers again to his chin, now deep in thought.

"Sai making contact with Orochimaru may be a move on Danzo's part and it may be possible that Sai may have his own mission, entrusted to him by Danzo." Yamato stated his thought.

"So you're saying that all this time, Sai was playing all along just to get in touch with Orochimaru?!" Naruto yelled.

"That's the gist of it." Sakura added

"This is something of a wild guess but, I think Danzo may be plotting the destruction of the Leaf Village." Yamato said.

There was an ominous silence between all three. Sakura and Naruto eyes widened by the hypothesis their Captain came up with.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked

"What i mean is that Danzo may be conspiracing with Orochimaru to attack the Village. If they were to succeed, Lady Tsunade will be ousted as Hokage." Yamato said

"So, you're saying they want to wipe out the village just for that?!" Naruto yelled.

"That's not the only reason!" Sakura quickly answered back

"After the current regime falls, he'll take center stage as the new Hokage." she added.

Naruto was sickened. He formed fists, shaking in anger. "Grandma Tsunade." he thought.

"So in other words, Sai's mission may be to join Orochimaru's ranks and be the messenger between Danzo and Orochimaru?" Naruto asked. Both Sakura and Captain Yamato nodded

"Danzo knew the odds for encountering Orochimaru were high, that's why he put Sai on our Team." Sakura stated.

Yamato looked at both Sakura and Naruto, they were looking back at him and sighed.

"I'm afraid that we might need to do something about Sai." Yamato demanded.

Kakashi's students gulped.

"You don't mean?" they asked in unison and their captain just nodded.

"Eliminate Sai?"Sakura asked herself. The wind blew and it rattled the scrolls on the floor and the wind eventually flipped the over. Naruto went to them to investigate . he noticed something on them.

"But we can't, just like that?" She asked

"My wood clone is on their trail. I suggest we follow pursuit." He said

"Yes!" Sakura stated

"Sakura….?" Naruto stated/ Her and the captain turned to Naruto who was holding Sai's scroll. SHe walked up behind him and saw the scroll as well and gasped.

"Doesn't that look like…"

"Yeah, it does. It looks just like Kikyo" she replied. Naruto saw what it appeared to be in a white robe by a waterfall. Yamato just saw them in

"And this one too." Sakura said as she walked to the other scroll and picked it up. Naruto looked to her in question

"This one looks like Kagome…" she said looking at the scroll

"What?!" Naruto yelled as he snatched the croll from Sakura. The scroll showed Kagome in her miko attire picking herbs from the hillside.

"Isn't Kikyo the priestess and Kagome her younger sister?" Yamato asked

"Yeah. Both of them are our good friends. But i wonder how Sai knows them?" Naruto asked

"I guess we'll find out sooner if we head out" Yamato said.

"Yes!" they said in unison. Naruto put both scrolls in his pouch. The three ninjas Began running at full speed to Sai's location.

"Kagome, when will i see you again?" Naruto though as he ran.

.

.

.

.

-MOMENTS LATER-

"Kikyo, What's that up ahead?" Kagome asked. Kikyo squinted her eyes, trying to get a closer look.

"Not sure. Lets go check it out." Kikyo responded.

The two sister signal for their Nekotamas to hurry up and they arrived to the crater on the ground. Kikyo got off first, feeling the dirt in her hands. "Its fresh." She thought. Kagome got off and look around. The crater was huge.

"What could have done this?" Kagome asked.

Kikyo turned to her sister, not avoiding eye contact.

"It was Naruto."

Kagome eyes widened. "Naruto…. Naruto did this?"

Kikyo placed her hand on her sister's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

"Naruto is fine Kagome" She said with a smile. Kagome nodded and smiled back.

Kikyo clapped her hands together and closed her eyes, concentrating on all the auras in a wide area.

"I can sense Naruto, Sakura and somebody else: not sure who they are but they have a powerful jutsu. I also sense Orochimaru and Kabuto up ahead as well, with someone else…." she stated, opening her eyes.

"Shall we follow?" Kagome asked

"Yes." Kikyo replied

"Maybe you'll get to see Sasuke again…." Kagome said

"I'll like that." Kikyo said with a smile. They both got back on there Nekotamas and began their trip once more.

"Naruto, I'm coming to help you." Kgome thought

"Sasuke, I've missed you so much. I long to embrace you once more." Kikyo thought