47 2/2

In this silent moment though, he found himself wondering though why they weren't like him. They were jinchuuriki like him, and yet he had seen them embracing friendships, and the woman even had a boyfriend. How could they weaken themselves by worrying about others? The strong only cared for themselves. He learned that long ago, an absolute truth that so far had been proven correct by everything he had experienced. He fought only for himself, to ensure his existence by ending the lives of others, not ensuring their well-being and happiness.

He cast the thought aside. It didn't truly matter to him. Ultimately, when the time came, he would kill them both and please 'mother'. 'She' was the only one who cared for him, protected him. He glanced up at the moon, closing his eyes for a brief moment, a sick grin slowly spreading as he imagined that day.

It was past midnight when Raphael and Anko started to make their way back towards their apartment building. After an enjoyable meal at the restaurant, they had gone to the movie theater to see what was playing. Several years back, Raphael had been quite stunned when Anko had taken him to see his first movie, as he could not imagine the idea of recording a story and displaying it on a large screen like that, as if it were really happening at that moment. It amazed him at how the technology of this world seemed both superior to that of the world he had left, but also in some cases inferior as well.

Tonight though, he had enjoyed watching the movie that was playing, an action comedy about a pair of shinobi in a large city who had to work together to solve a crime. It was humorous because they were a dysfunctional partnership, one being a strictly by the books sort of shinobi, while the other was a rogue who broke all the rules to get results.

Now the pair was on a walk, enjoying a quiet moment to talk and enjoy each other's company as they wound the date down. They were currently moving through one of the small parks, a former training ground that had been repurposed for recreational use as the civilian parts of Konoha had expanded in its earlier years. Anko stopped for a moment, leaning against the railing of a bridge they were on.

"Mmmm, definitely a nice night out here," she said, eyes closed as she enjoyed the soft coolness of the night air. Raphael leaned against the railing next to her, smiling.

"Yes. And quite a lovely moon out tonight," he said, looking up at the waning moon above. "There were times where I'd simply sit on the rooftop of our hideout in Rome and watch the moon, enjoying the relative peacefulness of the night."

Anko looked up at the moon as well, smiling softly. "Ohh? Any deep, contemplative thoughts, or was it just moon and stargazing?" She asked him.

Raphael let out a content sigh, eyes closed as he thought back to that time. "It varied, from time to time," he said quietly, after a few moments contemplation. "Some nights, I simply sat back and watched the moon. Other times, I used the quiet to deal with my thoughts or troubles. I do the same here some nights when I'm still at the warehouse."

Anko turned to look at him for a few moments, before talking. "Do you ever miss it? Your original home, your world?"

The assassin remained silent for several moments, before his shoulders slumped slightly as he spoke. "When I first came here, I'd say that I definitely missed my home. I was in a strange new world, surrounded by people I knew nothing about, who could do things many in my world would consider unholy or demonic. The only thing that stopped me from doing my best to escape was the simple fact that I had nowhere else to go. But now…I still miss some of my friends, my fellow assassins back in Rome. But I have made new friends here. There is much here to make me forget about my worries and sorrows."

"Good," Anko said with a smile as she nudged him in the side. "I'd like to think I had some small part in helping you feel that way," she added teasingly.

Raphael turned to her fully, gently taking one of her hands, making her blink as he stood straight. "The truth is Anko…you're the one who's done the most for me," he said softly. "Ever since that day you started mentoring me, it has been you that has helped me to feel more at home here. And I can't ever truly repay you for that."

Anko could only look at him in surprise, a slight blush in her cheeks as Raphael gently held her hand, lifting it to his lips and giving it a kiss. Not the playful, meaningless kisses he did when he had teased her in the past. This one was more genuine, and it caused a slight tremor in her as he did so. She unconsciously licked her lips, glancing down at her hand then back to his face, as he lowered and moved to let go of her hand, only for her to hold on. As he glanced up at her, she smiled a more genuine smile instead of her usual playful or teasing one. She just tugged his hand slightly, moving away from the railing and gently leading him till he moved next to her, the two walking hand in hand together.

After a few moments of silence as they walked together, she finally spoke. "The truth is Raphael, every moment I was there for you…you were there for me," she confessed, looking at him. "Before you came along, I barely had anyone I could even trust in this village, let alone care about as a friend. Now thanks to you, I've got good friends, my own genin team, and…well I've got you." She squeezed his hand as she said that, making him smile and gently squeeze back. "So really…I don't think either of us can pay the other back, since we both owe each other."

Raphael smiled softly at her, nodding quietly. "I can live with that," he said, slowly interlacing his fingers with hers, as they moved from the park and headed back towards their apartment building.

As they drew near to the building, Anko looked to him, the playful grin returning. "I hope you don't think I'm going to put out on the first date," she said to him.

He gaped for a moment, then seeing her grin and realizing she was teasing, he chuckled softly. "Certainly not, senorita. If I was attempting that, I would have gone in a completely different direction with regards to this date. Probably some fine wine, romantic music, and seductive poetry and wordplay my mentor Ezio imparted to his male recruits for such events," he said with a grin.

Anko raised an eyebrow at that, stopping for a moment. "First off, why would your mentor be teaching you stuff like that, and second of all, do you really think that would have worked?"

Raphael gave her a grin. "Well, he taught us that in case we needed to get close to female targets or informants, and probably not. You would have seen right through it and left me bloodied and bruised, if not humiliated as well."

"Mmmm, probably would have involved you in your underwear being chased by a swarm of angry poisonous snakes through the center of the village," she mused, tapping her chin in thought, before they both burst into laughter as they headed up the stairs to her apartment door.

Once there, she pulled out the key to her apartment, setting it in the lock before turning to him. "Well I had a very wonderful evening tonight. I hope my company was satisfactory?" She asked with a smile though there was a very slight hint of worry in her tone.

Raphael just smiled at her, as he gently took her hand once more. "More than satisfactory, Anko-chan. I fear my own company must have paled in comparison," he said, bringing her hand to his lips for another kiss.

However, she pulled her hand away, and as he gained a slightly bewildered look, she smirked as she gently grabbed his chin, and pulled him into a full kiss. His eyes widened slightly at that, before he started to return the kiss as well.

She finally pulled back, releasing his chin and grinning at the stunned look on his face. "I look forward to the next date," she said, lightly brushing her fingers across his lip. "Till next time, Raphael-kun," she said, unlocking the door and entering her apartment.

Raphael just blinked as he saw the door closed, his mind returning to the present after shutting down, before he grinned as he turned away, humming to himself as he headed to his own apartment.

In her own apartment, Anko leaned against the door, letting out a breath she had been holding while blushing. She slowly waved her hand as if to fan her heated face, moving towards the kitchen as a silly grin spread onto her lips.

Passing into the kitchen, she filled a glass with water and drank it, before heading to the couch to drop onto it, pausing only to point at Hinata's door. "Don't think I don't know you were spying on us, imouto. Get some sleep before I decide to give you double the training workload tomorrow."

Hinata just giggled as she snuggled into bed, her Byakugan deactivated now. "Whatever you say nee-chan. By the way, was he a good kisser?"

"Shaddup," Anko replied, even as she grinned and touched her lips, plopping onto the couch and trying not to squeal like a schoolgirl.

The Next Morning, Uchiha District

Kakashi watched, his arms crossed, as Sasuke was punching and kicking a training target, adjusting to the weights that he was using to increase his speed to help him with the strategy they were coming up with to defeat Gaara. The first step was to increase his speed and stamina, as well as enhancing his ability to manipulate lightning jutsu.

Standing with him was a couple of the other Uchiha who were asked by Mikoto to train Sasuke as well in Uchiha fire ninjutsu and taijutsu. Kakashi was still somewhat irked at that, wanting to be able to focus Sasuke's training along the path he wanted in order to ensure Sasuke got the absolute best training and dominated the Finals, but he couldn't argue with the head of the clan. He at least could say that Sasuke was quite dedicated to his training, pushing himself to almost complete exhaustion to get every ounce he could out of his efforts. Thankfully there didn't seem to be any problems with the sealed Curse Seal, beyond Sasuke occasionally mentioning a very slight ache or itch from where it was located.

Seeing Sasuke finish his current round of sparring against the dummy, he nodded. "Good work Sasuke. Take five and then we'll put you in a real spar," he said. Sasuke nodded and moved to where a towel and water bottle waited for him. Kakashi turned away, only to stop as he saw a hooded figure watching them from a rooftop. His eyes narrowed, knowing it was one of the Assassins, this one most likely being Kiseki. Nodding to the other two Uchiha to take over the training, he shunshined away, arriving next to the Uchiha assassin. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

Kiseki didn't even turn to look at him, her eyes on Sasuke. "I'm looking out for my clansmen. Mikoto-sama has been like a mother to me, and I intend to do whatever I can to help her, especially when it comes to Sasuke," she said quietly.

Kakashi just frowned as he watched her. "He is perfectly fine and safe with me. There is no need for you to be here. Especially since the last thing I want is someone with conflicted loyalties spying on my student," he said, causing Kiseki to stiffen slightly.

"What do you mean by conflicting loyalties, Hatake-san?" She demanded, turning her hooded head towards him. "How do I have conflicting loyalties?"

"You are a shinobi of Konoha, and of the Uchiha clan. And yet you joined that group of vigilantes operating outside the full authority of Konoha. Not to mention that two of your fellow 'members' are in the Finals as well. For all I know, you could be spying on Sasuke to give them an advantage," Kakashi accused, his one eye still narrowed.

Kiseki turned fully to him now, rage evident on her face as she moved close to him, getting into his face. "Let us get one thing straight here. Even if I was that dishonest, underhanded, and willing to betray my own kinsmen, those two genin wouldn't allow me to betray my clan in such a fashion. They would attempt to gather the information on their own, to improve their own skills. So don't you dare accuse me of something like that without proof."

Kakashi remained stoic through her rant, before responding. "Even still, if you are not part of Sasuke's training, I would ask you to leave. I do not want my training methods to be leaked to his enemies and opponents. I'm sure you understand," he said to her.

Kiseki glared at him for a few moments, before snorting. "Fine, Hatake-san. If that will soothe your ego and paranoia," she said, disappearing in a shunshin. Kakashi just frowned at her words, before going to rejoin those training Sasuke.

Elsewhere, Naruto and Ino chuckled as they listened to Hinata tell them about what she saw last night, as the trio were spending a small break between training with Anko and splitting up to train with their various other sensei. Ino found it all cute and sweet, while Naruto was happy that two of the people he considered as good as family were finding happiness with each other.

"And then this morning, she couldn't stop grinning the whole time she was making breakfast and getting ready," Hinata concluded, giggling as she remembered that morning. The other two laughed softly with her, only to receive a halfhearted glare from Anko.

"That's enough chit-chat! You got enough energy to gossip, you can get to your sensei! Move it!" She shouted at them, trying to look stern.

"Yes sensei!" They chorused, still grinning at her as she halfheartedly grumbled, turning so they couldn't see the return of the grin on her face that had been present for most of the day since she woke up. The trio of genin quickly moved away, smiling to each other as they did.

"So we'll meet back up after training today, to shadow Anko-sensei and Raphael-sensei and see if they get up to any antics," Naruto said, as the two kunoichi nodded, all three grinning as they thought of the potential blackmail they could get on their sensei. Their after training plans finalized, they split off to meet up with their other sensei.

Naruto eventually arrived at the training area Jiraiya had designated for their continued training, only to frown as he couldn't see Jiraiya anywhere. Closing his eyes, he slowly focused on his senses, listening for any sign of the sannin, trying to feel any flare of chakra that might give away his position. What he didn't expect to hear was the sound of giggling girls.

Eyes shooting open, he turned in that direction, approaching carefully as he did not want to startle anyone. He soon found himself at what appeared to be a natural hot spring, being constantly fed water by a thin waterfall, which provided a cloud of mist and steam as the cold water hit the heated water of the hot spring. He blushed as he saw a few girls obviously enjoying themselves, each thankfully clad in swimsuits.

Turning to move away, he stopped as he heard a softer giggle, this one from a deeper, masculine voice. Frowning he headed to the source, where he found his sannin sensei crouched in a bush, peering at the girls and giggling the whole time in a lecherous manner, all while writing notes in a notebook.

Naruto just let out a mental groan, before deciding to have a bit of fun with Jiraiya. Moving back a bit, he created a shadow clone, who nodded before disappearing into the underbrush. Naruto meanwhile grinned as he then focused on his chakra, transforming.

Jiraiya, enthralled by his 'research', didn't seem to notice the figure in the tree branches above him. The figure, readying themselves, extended one of their hidden blades before dropping towards Jiraiya, only to be grabbed from the air and slammed into the ground, all without disturbing a single leaf or branch of the bush. Jiraiya just sighed as he looked down at Naruto, annoyance and disappointment in his eyes. "You have to get up a lot earlier than that to get the drop on me," he said.

Naruto just grinned up at him. "But I'm not the real attack," 'he' said before dispelling. At the same time, a female voice cried out near him.

"EEK! A PERVERT! PEEPING TOM!" Shouted a young woman in a kimono with a rather curvy figure and two long blonde ponytails and blue eyes. Said woman was pointing at the bush Jiraiya was in, still screaming and pointing the whole time.

The girls in the hot spring, now alerted, let out their own cries as they quickly grabbed up towels or robes, covering themselves as they began chucking rocks, sandals, and anything else they could into the bushes. Jiraiya was forced to retreat, shielding himself with his arms as he did so, while the girls rushed over to grab their things and flee.

The blonde woman smirked, disappearing in a cloud of smoke and being replaced by Naruto. He was soon joined by Jiraiya, who looked forlornly where the women had been washing and playing. "Damnit brat, do you know how much research you just cost me?" He asked.

Naruto shook his head. "You're supposed to be training me, ero-sennin. Not perving on girls. Now what should I start on?" He asked him.

"I actually was hoping to talk to the leader of your summons," Jiraiya said, becoming professional. "If you wouldn't mind asking him to meet with me?"

Naruto blinked at that, looking confused. "Why do you want to speak to him?"

"You'll learn why when I talk to the boss summons. Now if you please?" He asked.

Naruto frowned but shrugged, quickly summoning one of the fennec foxes and making the request. The fox disappeared with the message for Kikite, as Naruto waited quietly with Jiraiya.

Jiraiya, deciding to break the silence, looked to Naruto. "So, you obviously seem quite taken with these assassins," he said.

Naruto nodded quietly, feeling a bit wary. "I am, yes. Why do you ask?"

"Well I mean…you just seem quite devoted to their methods and teachings. I'm just curious as to why?" He asked, hoping to get some insight into Naruto's mindset regarding the assassins, and maybe find something he could exploit to get Naruto away from them.

The blonde genin assassin was silent for a few moments, before speaking. "I suppose part of it was because when I first was learning from them, I was really just a small kid who was latching onto the people I respected and admired. The first people who actually seemed to care about me. The way they described being an assassin, it sounded just like being a shinobi, except I'd be helping more people. I guess part of me felt like I would get to be a hero."

Jiraiya frowned slightly as he heard that, as Naruto continued. "As I grew older though, I began to realize there is more to it than just being a hero. The assassins aren't just working to protect people. They're seeking to bring about a world of peace. A world where people set aside prejudice, anger and hatred, and can exist together in harmony."

"How can they want peace when they kill people?" Jiraiya blurted out, incredulous about what he just heard. Naruto gave a rueful smile in response, thinking back to the day his younger self heard about the ironies from Raphael.

"I would have to explain a lot more about the assassins then I'm allowed to. But really, the people we kill are those who would prevent such a world from coming about. They would either force peace onto people at the tip of a sword, or they would prevent any chance of peace because of profit, hatred, or thirst for war. I think the reason I want to be part of the assassins, besides feeling like I'm part of a family, is because I want to help make a world like they describe. A world of peace, where we can all live together, and there's no need for shinobi and assassins to kill people," Naruto said.

Jiraiya just nodded quietly, while feeling himself somewhat shaken. Hearing Naruto speak like that, he couldn't help but be reminded of Minato, hearing the same conviction and strength in his voice. And yet at the same time, he knew Minato reached out to other people to try and talk to them, convince them of his ideals. Naruto and the other assassins killed those who stood in their way, removing them altogether rather than trying to reason with them.

Before he could respond though, there was a poof of smoke between them. There was a sudden blur that slammed into him, almost bowling him over, as well as a somewhat high pitched male voice crying "NI-SAN!".

Naruto, somewhat winded by the blur that smashed into him, looked down into his arms, only for his eyes to widen as he saw the canine grin on the face of his fox friend Tomo. His eyes started to water slightly as he realized he was holding his first friend ever in his arms, before hugging Tomo, who was wiggling and snuggling against him happily, his tail wagging happily.

Kikite smiled softly as he watched the reunited pair. "Naruto-san, it is good to see you again. Young Tomo was quite insistent in seeing you again when he heard I was being requested," he said.

Naruto could only smile happily as he held Tomo in his arms, unable to speak, but just nodding gratefully to Kikite. The elder fox turned towards Jiraiya, nodding his head to him. "You wanted to speak to me?" He asked.

Jiraiya however was focused on Naruto, seeing the pure joy on the boy's face, before he looked down at Kikite. "I think that can wait a bit," he said softly, unable to continue as he saw how happy his godson was and not wanting to interrupt that.

Kikite, sensing as well that what the toad sage wanted to talk about was not quite appropriate at the moment, simply nodded as he turned back to watch Naruto and Tomo.

The young fox grinned up at his human friend, tail still wagging madly. "I've got so much to tell you ni-san! And I can talk! I can talk to you! Isn't this great?" He said excitedly.

Naruto nodded, kneeling and setting Tomo down before wiping tears from his eyes. 'Y-Yeah, it is Tomo. It's really great," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "And I want to hear all about it."

Tomo barked happily, going into an excited explanation of everything he had done and seen since heading to the fennec fox realm. Naruto just smiled, listening to everything intently, everything around him fading away as he was reunited with his friend.

Desert out of Suna

The Kazekage of Suna glared at Orochimaru as he and his two bodyguards arrived. The snake sannin simply smiled at him, bowing his head. The Kazekage didn't return the gesture, annoyance in his eyes. "What are we doing out here Orochimaru? If there's anything about the upcoming invasion you need to discuss with me, it could have been done in my office."

"I'm afraid not, Kazekage-san," Orochimaru hissed out. "This is something best talked about where there are no prying eyes or ears."

"Very well, what is it?" The Kazekage asked, only to turn as he heard gurgles behind him. His eyes widened in shock as he saw both his bodyguards standing there, their necks pierced by white bone blades from an albino youth standing between them. He whirled, golden sand gathering to strike at Orochimaru, only for his chest to be pierced through by a straight blade extending from Orochimaru's mouth.

Orochimaru smirked, pulling his sword from the Kazekage's corpse, while his shinobi removed his blades from the two bodyguards. "Well done Kimimaro," he said. "With this, the final stages of my plan are coming to fruition."

"As you say, Orochimaru-sama," the albino youth stated, bowing his head.

Orochimaru just grinned, as he leaned down to the Kazekage, slowly performing handsigns and touching the dead shinobi leader. His smirk widened, as his face began to morph into that of the Kazekage, before standing again, now a perfect replica of the corpse on the sand before him. "And now, to finish preparations. Soon, Konoha will burn," he said, disappearing in a shunshin along with Kimimaro, leaving the corpses behind.

Sorry this one took so long, but honestly, I had a hard time writing this chapter. Just couldn't get it right. Still pretty sure I didn't.

I do hope however that you all enjoy this chapter, and if not, sorry for not being on top of my game. This chapter was just difficult, and I've had some problems here with one of my family members. I won't say more than that, just that it's made it hard to be motivated to write.

Thanks again to my beta's Kyuubi123 and Bill Alain for their work in betaing my chapter.

Till next time!