After Naruto returned to Konoha after defeating pain he got ordered to head straight to where all of the injured were being healed to have the medics heal him if necessary by Danzou.

Naruto said to the old man "I'm fine, really. Sage mode heals my injuries really fast, and as you probably know the nine-tails heals me as well.

Danzou thought to himself *sage-mode. Damn him, that bloody demon kid has become a sage just like that ant Jiraiya. I definitely need to get rid of him now... I know.* Danzou then said to Naruto "I know that, it's just standard procedure you see."

Naruto said "oh, alright then; see ya'" then Naruto walked off to where he knew Sakura was.

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5 minutes later Danzou arrived at where the other council members should have been; when he got there he found only rubble from Naruto's blast when he had transformed into the Kyuubi Danzou smiled and said "at last, I finally have legal grounds to get rid of him, after all this time..." he scoffed at what he was about to say "...I must say it is kind of ironic that it happened as he was trying to save everyone. Oh well, time to get rid of the demon..." Danzou then called one of his 'root' members and told them to call the clan heads.

When the clan heads had arrived Danzou started to speak when Hiashi Hyuuga interrupted him saying "what have you called us here for?"

Danzou replied "now, I truly am sorry for what I am about to say."

Inoichi said "I doubt that."

Danzou said "nevertheless, we must banish Naruto Uzumaki."

Shikaku Nara said "why, it's clear that he's just saved the entire village from being destroyed; and it is common knowledge that you have always wanted to get rid of him."

Danzou said "now, now, calm down. I am suggesting this as an alternative punishment to what would normally be meted out."

The head of the Aburame clan said "what do you mean?"

Danzou replied "unfortunately in his desperation to defend the village when he transformed into that nightmare from almost two decades age he killed the other council members."

At that statement all of the clan heads looked between each other and started murmuring about his statement; when Shikamaru came looking for his father to tell him that everyone in the village that died had for some reason come back to life and saw all of the clan heads in one place he asked his father "what's going on dad?"

His father answered "Naruto is going to be banished for killing the council members."

Shikamaru replied "why, everybody is coming back to life."

Shikaku said to his son "look over where everybody is looking. Nothing could return if their entire being was destroyed."

Shikamaru said "you know that Tsunade will never agree to such a thing right?"

Shikaku said "I think she might, after all, normally the punishment for killing even one of the high council would be death, and he killed two."

Shikamaru sighed and said "I see, fine, do you mind if I tell him then?"

Shikaku turned to the gathered clan heads and said "do any of you mind if my son tells Naruto about what is happening?" When nobody disagreed he turned to his son and said "alright, go ahead, I don't think that anyone here... well, except the old warhawk over there would want to tell him anything of the sort, especially after what he just did."

Shikamaru said "thanks."

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While the meeting was taking place Naruto had arrived at the medical centre and walked to where Tsunade and Sakura were and said "I'm back."

Sakura rushed to him and hugged him and immediately proceeded to inspect him for any injuries that he may have taken, when she was done she sighed and said "you're just as healthy as usual."

At this point Shikamaru entered the tent and said "that's good, he'll need to be."

At that statement everyone turned to him and Sakura asked "why's that?"

Shikamaru sighed and with a voice filled with regret said "Naruto, you've been banished."

Naruto felt as if the ground had just crumbled away under him and started stuttering "b-b-b-ban..."

Sakura full of rage said "banished... why... on whose orders?"

Shikamaru said "all of the clan heads', apparently he somehow killed two of the council members. According to my dad killing even one of them carries the death penalty."

Sakura sighed and said "is that so."

Naruto by now had processed the situation said "well then, I suppose that they must punish me some way."

Sakura said "Naruto. We'll find some way to fight this ruling."

Naruto sighed and said "don't bother; I'd be no Konoha shinobi if I asked anyone to break the rules entirely just for me."

Sakura said "Naruto..."

Shikamaru said "well, you better get away right now; after all now that you have been banished there is a time limit of three days for you to get out of the land of fire."

Naruto said "right, well then, I'll be on my way... Sakura, Tsunade, see yah later."

Naruto and Shikamaru then left the tent and then Naruto turned to Shikamaru and said "if I remember the banishment rules correctly one shinobi of chuunin rank or higher is to accompany any exiled shinobi to the border, am I right?"

Shikamaru said "yeah, that right."

Naruto said "well, come on then."

Shikamaru said "okay."

Then the two of them walked to what was left of the gates of Konoha and then took to the trees.

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2 days later at the border...

Shikamaru turned to Naruto and said "so, what are you going to do now?"

Naruto said "don't know really; guess I'll go to check out my bridge."

Shikamaru asked "what do you mean 'your bridge'?"

Naruto who had walked a few metres away by this time turned his head and said "ask Sakura, she'll know."

Shikamaru said "fine then, how troublesome. See ya"

Both of them then went their separate ways.

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One and a half days after Shikamaru and Naruto parted ways in Konoha, Kiba, Ino, Hinata, Neji and Sakura had packed their gear to go after Naruto and bring him back to Konoha and were meeting at the gates where they had been intercepted by Kakashi, Gai, Kurenai, and Tsunade. Tsunade said to the group "and where do you think that you're going?"

Sakura said "we're going to find Naruto."

Tsunade sighed and said "don't you remember what he said before he left?"

Sakura said "he said 'what kind of Konoha shinobi would I be if I asked others to completely break the rules just for me' or something along those lines."

Tsunade said "and yet you still want to go after him?"

Kakashi said "you know what he wants more than anything right?"

Sakura said "to protect his precious people."

Kakashi said "and just what do you think will happen if you leave the village right now?"

Shikamaru who had arrived just in time to hear the conversation said "you would all be considered as traitors and sentenced to death upon your return."

Tsunade said "right; and do you think that that would make him the least bit impressed or happy?"

Hinata said "no Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade sighed and said "look, we all feel just as strongly about the way he's been treated as you all do, the fact is that unfortunately if he set's foot anywhere near Konoha he will have a death sentence on him. That damned Danzou thought everything through this time."

Shikamaru said "Sakura, Kakashi I'd like to talk to you later if that's alright."

Sakura asked "why's that?"

Shikamaru said "tell ya later."

Sakura said "alright"

The rest of the gathered shinobi left except for Tsunade and Shikamaru. When they were alone Tsunade turned to Shikamaru and said "alright, what did he say?"

Shikamaru said "I don't have any idea what you're talking about." When Shikamaru felt Tsunade gathering chakra to her fist he quickly said "although on second thoughts there might be a way to find out later on."

Tsunade said "thought there might be."

Shikamaru sighed, scratched his head and said "troublesome... oh, is there anything that you want me to do while I am still here?"

Tsunade said "yeah, sure thing, you are now promoted to jounin"

Shikamaru shocked stuttered "j-j-jounin, this is a joke right?"

Tsunade said "no."

Shikamaru still in shock asked "why?"

Tsunade said "you'll need such a rank to be able to command other's of equal rank whilst we are rebuilding Konoha."

Shikamaru said "right... so I'll be seeing you later right?"

Tsunade said "yeah."

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7 hours later...

Kakashi, Tsunade and Sakura were gathered in team seven's training area and were waiting for Shikamaru to arrive and Sakura said to Kakashi "I wonder what he's doing now."

Kakashi said "I imagine that he is depressed about what happened."

Sakura turned to Tsunade and said "you don't think that he'd take his own life do you?"

At this point Shikamaru arrived and said "I doubt it."

Sakura turned at the sound of his voice and said "Shikamaru. So what did he tell you to tell us?"

Shikamaru replied "he actually didn't tell me to tell you anything." The three shinobi that were gathered looked at Shikamaru like he had grown another head or something; seeing the way that they were looking at him said "although he did tell me that he was going to check out 'his bridge' whatever that means."

Sakura turned to Kakashi and said "you don't think he means..."

Kakashi sighed and said "yeah"

Shikamaru looked at them and said "uh, can you let me in on the secret please?"

Kakashi said "on our first mission outside Konoha when we were still team seven was to the country of wave and we ended fighting Zabuza the demon of the mist"

Shikamaru said "yeah, and?"

Sakura said "the bridge builder was so impressed by Naruto's desire to never give up that they named the damn bridge after him."

Shikamaru said "I was wondering how 'the Great Naruto Bridge' got its name."

Tsunade said "so you think he's gone there then?"

Kakashi said "we'll Zabuza and his assistant did have a great impact on Naruto and so it's likely that he's going there to see if it's worth going on."

Sakura said "Haku was the first person to show Naruto that 'protecting someone important to you' may involve sacrifice."

Shikamaru sighed and said "well then, what are you going to do about this Tsunade?"

Kakashi said "well, we all want to go and find out what his plans are right?"

Sakura said "yes, of course."

Kakashi said "well then, why don't we have Tsunade assign us a mission to the wave country then?"

Shikamaru said "well, for starters I can't go because Tsunade here dumped the rebuilding of Konoha onto my shoulders. Two; Sakura, you and Tsunade can't go either as you both specialise in medical ninjutsu..."

Kakashi said "which leaves me."

Shikamaru said "I'd send Hinata as well."

Tsunade said "why?"

Shikamaru said "why? Because then you can disguise the mission as political in nature."

Tsunade said "alright consider it done. Kakashi you and Hinata are to leave for the wave country immediately."

Kakashi said "understood."

Shikamaru turned to Sakura and seeing the sadness on her face said "come on, you're needed here more than anything else."

Sakura said "I know; I really do."

Shikamaru said "but you still want to go."

Sakura said "yeah."

Shikamaru said "well you know that you'd be branded a traitor if you went outside the village now."

Sakura said "yeah ah well, I'll just ask for some time off after everything is taken care of here."

Shikamaru said "now that is more like what Naruto would want you to do."