Author's Note: So I got around to finishing this. And it's late, so what's new… :(

Again, as usual, I am sorry that this was late, and I'm not going to try to make excuses.

This chapter is set in Konoha, as many of you want to see Sakura and Sasuke. This marks a major deviation from my original plan, which was to make this fic entirely Naruto centric.

I am excited to try this out, but it something I've never done before, so let me know how I did, and go easy on me.

Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Reviews: (As usual the reviewer's comments are in parenthesis)

Need to make something clear about this section. I will not feed trolls. If I skip your review, this is why. If you feel I have made an error in my assessment PM me and we can discuss. I will always welcome genuine criticism, no matter how negative, but pure flame, or an attempt to troll will simply be ignored.

That is all.

BV

Animaman – (Nice, although hopefully you would include what is going on in Konoha, at least show some character with Sakura remembering her past with Team Kakashi.)

As requested we are back in Konoha this chapter, and probably the next. We get to see just how Sakura and Sasuke are coping without Naruto around. Didn't really get to the history much, as this is more character development than anything else. Though Sakura is a bit moody at the start, you'll see.

EroSlackerMicha – (good to see it. Naruto's gonna be hard to catch up with. And he's not so low profile if he keeps spamming Shadow Clones. keep it up)

Yes, Naruto's going to be hard to catch, and he will probably be a tier above MOST of his enemies MOST of the time. That isn't to say he goes straight to full power, there is still a lot of room for him to grow, I just hope I can live up to the awesomeness I create.

That all being said, his allies, especially Sakura, Sasuke, and now Ino, are not going to be slackers either.

McGeezel – (Thanks for the update. Not sure about the prophecy yet but the 4chakras sound awesome.)

You are welcome to have the update, have another.

The prophecy, hmmmm, not much I want to say about that at the moment, as for the four chakras, I was sure that was where we were going once nature chakra was introduced. Apparently it isn't, but then I watch the anime, I don't read the manga, spoilers, so it may still happen, who knows.

KCWolfman – (I couldn't log-in because I had left a review on the previous version of this story, but I thought this was a very good and original chapter you put together. It was interesting and full of action and written well. My only complaint is I would have liked to have seen a little bit of what life was like back in Konoha with Naruto gone with the other characters. I would think that many people would blame Sasuke and especially Sakura for him being gone. It would be cool to see how much flack those two are receiving from people because of it. One suggestion if you don't want to kill your story with a lot of readers and that's stick with the Sasu/Ino pairing. If you go the route of Sasu/Hina you will hack off a great many fans of Hinata who while many of them prefer Naruto be paired with Hinata can live with her being paired with someone else except Sasuke. Good luck with the next chapter.)

Thank you for the compliment, and yes we are back in Konoha. As for the people blaming Sasuke, Naruto's departure, at the moment, is a village secret. He is on an extended solo mission as far as anyone is concerned. This was to prevent a war, it's all in there somewhere I'm sure, anyway, long story short, no flack atm, it may come later, we'll see.

Also this chapter clears up the pairing, no spoilers here…

Exxcaliburr – (LOVING EVERY SINGLE BIT SO FAR! will this be a really long fanfic? or those short ones that go up to like 50k words? this has the potential to go up to the 100k mark easy)

Ahh, a question about length, good.

Version one ran to about 8 chapters, each was at least 2000 words, so 16k words, I actually thing it was closer to 20, but I'm not certain. Anyway, that version consisted of perhaps two of the 20 points of my story outline. We hadn't even seen the main villain. I was still setting the scene.

This story is, as of this chapter, an expanded version of that story. This chapter, 4k words, never existed, nor did the next one. This story is going to be long, just how long scares me sometimes, cos I am going to have to write it. Enjoy!

Azfaerydust – (I'm loving this story and I hope you continue it. How old is Naruto?)

Thanks.

The story starts about 5 years after Sasuke's departure from the leaf, and 18 months after the Pein attack, with Naruto's departure. I will always tend to refer, at least for now, to either departure date or wedding date, they were only a month apart, so it's much the same, just context, but Naruto was about 18 at that time. This chapter is 6 months later, so 18½ or so.

Sortofbored – (Awesome! Keep it up.)

Will keep it up.

As long as I have even 1 reader I will keep working on this thing, the crazy ride that it can be at times.

Rise of the Fox Sage

By Ben Vilhaven

Chapter Four: Keeping the Faith

Konoha – Hokage Monument

4:00 pm, Six Months after Naruto's Departure

Sakura stood and stretched, her muscles had knotted from just sitting and staring down at the village, a village that kept on living day to day. Sometimes Sakura didn't know how they did it, and sometimes Sakura almost forgot herself what had happened. Every time she came up here though, to Naruto's favorite place, she would be hit with it all full force again.

She didn't come here often, it wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling, knowing Naruto was out there somewhere, and she couldn't do anything about it. The only thing it did was make her want to get stronger. That was why she kept coming back, if just living without him wasn't always enough to motivate her, this place was always here. No matter how she felt, she would always press forward as long as this place existed.

"Sakura, here you are, Sasuke said you might be here…"

Sakura turned to the familiar voice.

"Hey, Ino," said Sakura, greeting her friend, before turning back to the sight of the village.

Ino said nothing, and walked over to stand next to her pink haired friend.

"It's a beautiful view, isn't it," Ino said, after a little while. "I can understand why Naruto enjoyed it so much up here, away from everyone, but still just close enough."

"Yeah," was all she got for a response.

"You miss him, I mean, of course you do, and you called off your wedding and everything…"

Sakura just looked at her, waiting for her best friend to continue.

"I mean, Ahhhhh, why is this so hard, why'd they make me do this. Sakura, some of your friends are concerned, you push yourself so hard, every day, sun-up to sunset, if you're not working or on a mission you're training. Sakura…"

"I want to be ready, Ino. If this is what it takes, so be it. Whether he returns on his own or I have to go drag him back here myself, he will return, and when he does, I will be ready to stand by his side."

"But…"

"Ino, I appreciate your concern, and the others too, but would he do any different in my shoes."

"Sakura, you are not Naruto! You can't…"

"Ino, why do you think I want to stand by his side? I am not Naruto, I cannot carry his burden, I know this, but I will not let him carry that burden alone. For years he was there for me, whether I was able to see it or not. I will be there for him, and right now, all that I can do for him, is to get ready. Don't worry Ino, I know my own limits."

"Sakura…" was all Ino could manage. She couldn't dispute anything she had just heard.

Then she had an idea, and the absurdity of it just made her desire to do it all the stronger. She turned to her friend.

"Let me join you," she demanded.

Sakura was taken aback for a moment, then a sly grin began to slowly spread across her face. Cold shivers started to run up and down Ino's spine at that look.

"I won't go easy on you, nor will I let you slow me down. Can you keep up with me? Do you have the motivation to train day in and day out? Do you, Ino?"

"If it means I will be there when you finally crack, then yes. And if you never crack, if you truly are the superhuman you seem to think you are, then I will get to stand alongside the three of you as we change the world."

Sakura's grin intensified, as Sasuke arrived.

"You sent your girlfriend to do your dirty work Sasuke?" asked the slyly grinning kunoichi.

"Whatever, if the three of us are training, shouldn't we begin?' responded Sasuke.

"Right then, be sure to keep up," said Sakura, as she vaulted forward off the Fourth Hokage's head, an earth jutsu already being cast for the landing.

Earlier that Day

Sasuke had finally finished for the day. He had been assigned to help rebuild the village, as part of his probation, but since they were down to putting the finishing touches on the last of the buildings the foreman had taken to letting Sasuke go early.

"Ninja are good for heavy lifting, but when it comes to the nuance of construction, frankly, you stink…go home," had been the foreman's words.

Sasuke didn't mind, much. Getting off early wasn't a bad thing.

Initially he bristled at the menial work of helping rebuild, until Naruto pointed out that it had been his pride that had landed him in this situation to begin with. So he sucked it up and worked. He even found it enjoyable at times, though he also enjoyed what time off he got. He needed the time to keep training, so he could at least keep his ninja skills from decaying.

So it was that Sasuke found himself walking towards the training grounds when he was waylaid by Ino, and dragged off to who knew where.

Sasuke didn't quite know how he felt about Ino. Sakura had made it clear that she felt Sasuke and Ino should be a couple. She had made it clear in no uncertain terms.

As for Sasuke, he certainly didn't mind Ino. She didn't try to pry, though she would always listen to him. It had been weird, how their friendship, Sasuke thought that was what it was, had slowly developed.

It had been just after the wedding, Sakura and Sasuke had continued just being friends, talking, training together, they were still a team, even after all the wedding stuff had blown over.

That was when Sakura had started introducing others into their circle of two. Sakura reckoned Sasuke needed more friends. It wasn't healthy having only one, especially given their occupation, so she brought her other friends along when they did stuff, hoping he would strike up friendships with them as well.

It had been Ino though, out of all of Sakura's friends, that had hit it off with Sasuke. Unlike the others, she didn't pry into Sasuke's time away from the village, and that was what Sasuke enjoyed about her company, he supposed, peace and quiet. And through Ino, Sasuke had found a window back into the world of ninja he had left when he left the village behind.

That was why Sasuke didn't mind Ino, and that was how he found himself dragged to a meeting of Team 10 plus Tenten.

"Ino, finally, you found him," said Tenten, as Ino led Sasuke to the table the other ninja were sitting around. They had decided to meet at Choji's favorite BBQ restaurant.

Sasuke had barely sat down when Tenten began bombarding him with questions about Sakura. Apparently the weapons mistress had come upon her passed out in the field several times over the previous month and had grown concerned. She had dragged Ino into it, thus Team 10 was involved, and the four of them had grabbed Sasuke, hoping to involve him too.

After all, no one in the village was closer to Sakura than the Uchiha.

"Look, Sakura and I train daily," explained the Uchiha. "Often I am called away to help with the reconstruction, but it certainly isn't uncharacteristic for either one or the other of us to train ourselves into the ground on a daily basis. The other helps the first home and we both rest for the next day. Rebuilding has just been hectic recently, so I haven't been around to help her home. We've been doing this since just after the wedding."

Sasuke's explanation left Tenten speechless.

"Troublesome," was all Shikamaru said.

It was enough to get Choji to stop eating.

Ino was the first to respond.

"And you don't see a problem with that?" she asked incredulously.

"If your concerned, Ino, talk to her about it. This time of day, she's either at training ground 7 working on Taijutsu, which was where I was headed when you grabbed me, or she will be atop the Fourth Hokage's head. She goes there when she's feeling out of it, it motivates her. You can all understand why," said the Uchiha.

And so, Sasuke found himself and Sakura atop the Hokage monument, with a new training partner.

Two Weeks Later

Ino was exhausted, and it was only early afternoon. She was doing her utmost to keep up with Sasuke and Sakura, but their training regime was insane. It had only been two weeks for Ino, but already she could feel the differences beginning to show.

Every morning they would run laps of the village for an hour, as a warm-up, then came strength training and taijutsu. Once those finished it was usually about 10 am, and Ino had to go to work at the hospital, which was her saving grace. It was her days off from the hospital that she dreaded now.

While she was at the hospital, Sakura and Sasuke would practice kenjutsu, as long as Sasuke didn't have work too. Ino was curious as to why her friend would want to learn the sword given her strength and evasion. One evening a few days earlier, when she had a day off, she finally asked her pink haired friend about it.

Flashback

"What, Ino?" responded Sakura, she really had been focused on reading about a new Earth Jutsu, and had missed the question entirely.

"Why learn to use a sword? You're a medic, aren't you, and you have Tsunade-sama's strength, why learn to use a blade?"

"Reach, Ino. It's all well and good to be strong, but if I can't reach an enemy, if I can't touch him, what good is it. Couple my strength and control with a good blade, and I have a truly scary weapon. It's my ace in the hole, if you will. Never show all your cards, Ino."

On the days she didn't have work, Ino would train the afternoon away, just like her two training partners. Ino didn't want to use a sword like Sakura, and so she would work on her clan jutsu alone or with her father when he was free. She was becoming quite proficient at even the harder of her clan's secret techniques.

The afternoon and evening would be jutsu, whether practice or theory, refining the old or learning the new, they worked on what they needed most. At least they would until one of them, usually Ino, collapsed.

This particular day was different though, Sakura had been called away by the Hokage, and it was half an hour before she returned, backpack in hand.

"Mission?" asked Sasuke.

"Escort some medic-nin trainees, teach them about medicinal herbs and collect some for the village stores, we are running low, apparently there was a fire or something. Anyway, I'll be gone for a five days, maybe a week," explained the pink-haired kunoichi.

Ino was relieved, a few days off.

"Don't slack off, Ino," said Sakura, with that scary smile of hers fixed on her face, before she disappeared in a Shunshin.

It was two days before they found the body…

He was a chunin, responsible for the administration of certain C-rank missions.

Tsunade's Office

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter," called the village leader, grateful for the distraction from the paperwork that seemed to swamp her desk every morning.

An ANBU entered and kneeled before his leader. This was the last thing Tsunade expected, and she was suddenly, and inexplicably, very worried.

"Bear, report," demanded the Hokage.

"A chunin of the hidden leaf, one Naoki Karamura, has been found dead, an apparent suicide. He left this note, which we believe to be authentic upon a cursory examination of the handwriting. Given his position in the village, and the contents, I felt it prudent to bring this to your attention immediately. Naoki-san was a member of the mission assignment team," explained the masked man.

Tsunade took the note that her ninja produced and began reading, her sense of dread growing the whole time.

Suicide Note

I cannot go on.

They kidnapped my family, told me I had to do what they said if I wanted them back.

They said to send them someone important, like a clan head, they didn't care who, they just wanted someone.

I'm sorry!

I set the fire in the medical stores.

I sent that Haruno girl out, the Hokage's apprentice.

I told them where they would be.

I sent her to her death.

I can't go on.

I'm sorry!

Hokage's Office

Tsunade hoped that this letter was a fake. That something else was going on. Part of her even hoped it was an elaborate plot to get away with a murder, but Tsunade knew in her gut that it wasn't so. She knew if there was any hope she had to act now.

Bear, ready your team, and bring me all relevant information regarding the mission Sakura Haruno has been dispatched on, immediately.

With a nod, bear disappeared to do as he was commanded. He knew every second counted, particularly to the Hokage.

Same Time

30 Kilometers Northwest of Konoha

Sakura had had enough, the three 'medic-nin' she had been assigned to train were, as far as she was concerned, little more than petty brats. Over the past two days they had hardly stopped arguing, and twice the three had come to physical blows. The second time they had learnt their lesson about fighting. Sakura had put the nearest one to her through a tree, and then healed him, just to show she could.

She was glad that they were about to reach their destination, at least then she could show them what herbs to collect and send them away to find some.

The forest slowly thinned out to grassland, as the ninja moved ever closer to the open plains where the particular herbs they were after, a small blue flower that was helpful in chakra recovery, grew. Sakura was hopeful to be able to set up a camp soon, and get these three monsters in her care doing something useful.

Three Hours Later

With Sakura

Finally, finally they had found a place to set up camp. Sakura had decided to let the younger ninja decide, hoping the joint responsibility might produce some semblance of teamwork.

Unfortunately, the three medic ninja Sakura had been given didn't seem to know the first thing about setting up a ninja campsite.

The first site they had chosen was in a depression. Sure, it would hide a fire, but if there was a flash rain storm, common in the open grasslands this time of year, they would be flooded out.

The second had been near a nest of snakes, which had made their displeasure at being disturbed clearly evident.

Finally, on their third attempt, with far too much guidance from Sakura for her tastes, they decided to camp on a large rock that sat in the middle of the large open fields of grass that surrounded them.

By this point Sakura had had enough, she used a simple fire jutsu to get a campfire going and started cooking some of the rations she had packed. The three other ninja she had been tasked with teaching sat around the fire.

It was then that things turned from bad to worse.

Kouske was glad to finally rest his feet. Sure he didn't like Amaru and Shimimura, but he certainly was glad to be able to leave the village as a ninja, with Sakura Haruno no less.

When that Chunin had offered him the chance at the remedial lessons, he had lept at it. He couldn't help but be thankful that a ninja of Sakura-sensei's caliber had stopped to help him and his two classmates, and he was going to tell her as much, even if the chunin had said not to mention it.

"Um, Sakura Sensei," started an intimidated Kouske.

"What is it now, Kouske?" responded Sakura, tired and fed up.

"Um, I just wanted to say thank you. When I failed the academy exams for the fourth time, I thought that was it for me as a ninja, but then you came along and took us three under your wing, and though we don't always get along, I just wanted you to know that I will do my best, whatever it takes to be a ninja."

"What? The three of you aren't even ninja?"

Sakura was suddenly on the defensive. What was going on here? Who were these people and why were they here? The mission information clearly stated that these were three high level Genin, Medic-nin trainees.

Kouske and his two classmates, Amaru and Shimimura, were stunned. Sakura-sensei was suddenly very tense, looking everywhere, like she was expecting an attack at any moment.

"This mission is scrubbed, we are returning to the village immediately, pack your things," demanded Sakura.

"What? Why?" demanded the three remedial students, for the first time their goals aligned. Their hopes slipping away, was Sakura Haruno really not interested in their wellbeing after all?

"Ninja follow orders! I'll explain on the way back, but right now we need to move!"

The three students scrambled to gather their belongings, packing camp in record time. An angry Sakura Haruno did wonders for their teamwork.

Same Time

Leaf Village

Bear was growing more disturbed the deeper he looked into this 'mission' the Hokage's apprentice had been sent on. Apparently, after conferring with one Ino Yamanaka, the Village medic nin responsible for new applicants to the Medic training course, the medic-nin that Sakura Haruno had departed with did not exist.

What he did find, however, was that there were records of three individuals who had, after repeatedly failed to pass the Genin exams, and the remedial practical classes, been removed from the ninja program. Bear had the overwhelming fear that Naoki Karamura had recruited these three remedial students to his cause.

Same Time

Konoha Main Street

Sasuke was taking a break for dinner. Even he couldn't train on an empty stomach all day.

It was the distressed sound of Ino calling his name, however, that had his attention at that very moment.

"Sasuke, Sasuke…"

"What, Ino?"

"Sasuke, something's wrong with the mission Sakura's on. The three ninja she was supposed to go with, I just had an ANBU question me about them. Sasuke, they don't exist, there is no one in the medic-nin program by that name. I would know, I'm in charge of processing the new applicants. Sasuke, I think Sakura is in trouble, someone set things up to get her out of the village. We have to help her!"

"Ino, are you sure?" asked Sasuke, all he got as a response was an annoyed glare. Of course Ino was sure, she wouldn't joke about Sakura's safety, ever.

Sasuke grabbed Ino's wrist and began walking towards the Hokage tower. This could be big, life altering big, world changing big, at least as far as Sasuke was concerned. If something happened to Sakura while he wasn't there, he would never forgive himself.

Two minutes later he found himself before the Hokage's office door. The door was locked, but Sasuke had already decided that today was no day for pleasantries, if Sakura was in trouble, he owed it to himself, and Naruto, to act, whatever the cost.

And so he acted.

The Hokage's office door was never designed to withstand a Chidori.

Unfortunately knocking down the Hokage's office door tends to cause certain ANBU to think they are under attack.

It was only Ino's presence that saved Sasuke from a quick death by the Hokage's guards.

She stepped between the oncoming ANBU and Sasuke. Ino was one of only three people the Hokage had instructed to allow to enter her office without question. The delay her actions caused allowed cooler heads to prevail, as Sasuke made no further aggressive moves.

"What is the meaning of this, Uchiha? We are in an emergency meeting! Get Out!" demanded the Hokage.

"Sakura Haruno," was all Sasuke said. It was all he had to say.

"How do you know?" asked Tsunade.

"I told him, ANBU questioned me about her companions, who don't exist, someone orchestrated her absence from the village. We need to do something," interjected Ino.

Tsunade took a deep breath before continuing.

"Ino, Sasuke, we are aware of a plot to move against Sakura. She wasn't targeted specifically, a leaf chunin, one involved in mission selection, was blackmailed into dispatching a high value target on a dummy mission."

"I'm going. Where is she?" Sasuke Uchiha had made up his mind.

"I forbid it!" stated Tsunade bluntly. "You are still on probation. You may not leave this village without my leave, Sasuke, and that is something I expressly refuse to give. If you go, you will be declared a missing nin and traitor. I am dispatching ANBU operatives to retrieve Sakura."

"I'm going! I will not sit idly by while my best friend, my brothers love, is out there, unaware of a plot to capture her, or worse. Probation or no, I choose my death over hers."

Ino was shocked. When she had gone to Sasuke, she had hoped the two of them would be able to go rescue her friend. She had never realized the consequences such an action might have for Sasuke. Ino wanted to save Sakura, but she couldn't accept Sasuke just throwing his life away. Couldn't they let ANBU handle it? Wasn't Tsunade's solution a viable alternative?

"Sasuke, can't we let ANBU deal with this? Isn't Sakura strong enough for us to trust them with it?" asked Ino.

"Ino, yes, Sakura is powerful, but not only do we not know the strength of the enemy she is facing, she is alone, and protecting three non-combatants. I can't stand by and do nothing. Ino, she is my teammate. What if it was Shikamaru or Choji, what would you do?" replied a Sasuke Uchiha that few had seen.

The man he truly was was showing forth, full of conviction, for Ino, the Hokage, for everyone present to see. A huge chunk of Sasuke's shell fell away that day.

Ino stood there, aware of the truth of Sasuke's words, in awe of the man he showed himself to be, but hoping that there could be some other way than his death. That day she found someone she could believe in.

The Hokage could hardly believe her eyes. Sasuke Uchiha, this was Sasuke Uchiha. No longer the avenger! No longer a brooding hurt teenager without a home or family! This was a man standing before her. A man full of power and conviction, a man who's family had been threatened. A man who would do anything, even lay down his life, for that family. A family of three.

Team Seven, scattered to the winds it may be, but it was finally, irrevocably, whole. And, Tsunade would later reflect that this would also be the moment that the inevitable addition of a fourth member to that family begun.

"Uchiha," everyone turned to the Hokage at her words.

"Given the fact that I cannot stop you, and the fact that I don't want to kill you over this, you have my blessing. You, along with Team Ten will leave immediately to retrieve Sakura Haruno. All necessary force is authorized, though if possible I would like to know who has the audacity to strike at the leaf so openly. An attack on my family is an attack on me. An attack on the Hokage is an attack on Konoha itself. We will respond. Now, go bring her home."

And so it was that Sasuke Uchiha received his first mission outside the Leaf Village, accompanied by Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji.

To Be Continued

Author's Note: Well, that was different than how I expected it to go, Sasuke was going to take a lot longer to accept his place, and his family, but the chapter, at least that part, seemed to write itself, at least once I got past the writer's block. Anyway, I hope you don't think I'm rushing things with Sasuke's development as a character, but this sort of thing was inevitable if he returned to the leaf.

Sasuke is still Sasuke. He is just not being quite so aloof, especially when it comes to his family, Team 7. I would also point out that it was a high pressure situation, people's true colours tend to show when they are under pressure.

Again I would like to apologize for the delays. I would say here just how long the next chapter will be, but I don't really know anymore. Sadly the next two weeks are the busiest of my year, 16 hour days, little time for anything but work and sleep.

I will update when I can, and as always, I promise to finish this.