Chouji, "Sakura - chan and Naruto - kun would never call Sasuke - kun a brat."
Sakura scoffed, "They should actually scold him, since talking calmly does not seem to work."
Naruto, "If my Sasuke - kun does this bullshit, I am just sending Tanna - nee after him."
Sakura, "She would lecture him into feeling guilty and giving up his ridiculous ideas. It certainly stopped Tsunade - Shishou from feeling ugly because of her age all the time."
Tsunade, "Um... What?"
Ino, "Who is Kuroda?"
Sakura, "My fiance, of course. We got engaged when we were still in Academy but agreed to get married after we either become Jounin or turn twenty."
Ino, "You are engaged???"
Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Why are you so surprised? You are the reason we ended up together in the first place."
Ino, "Oh! You are welcome? Wait, what about Sasuke - kun? I thought you liked him."
Sakura raised a hand, "Ino - chan, I am a lot of things. The Godaime's genius apprentice, the pink terror, the genius of Haruno clan, a soon to be big sister, etc, etc. The one thing that I am not however is a homewrecker."
Ino squeaked, "Homewrecker?? Wait, Sasuke is engaged too?"
Sakura, "From before we were even born yes, he is engaged to Naruto over there."
Shikamaru choked, "You are joking!"
Naruto, "She is not. Have a look? This paper is the agreement between the Uzumaki Head and the Lady of the Uchiha clan. It is legal and set in stone. Of course, it is upto the Naruto and Sasuke of this world to make that final choice."
Chouji sat down, "Damn!"
Naruto, "Where is Jiraiya? I am surprised, he is not here considering what happened."
Tsunade froze, "Jiraiya is alive in your world... "
Naruto, "He is dead too??? What in fucking nine hells!!!"
Sakura looked around suspiciously, "First, we learn one of the founding clan's massacred, then the Seal Master is dead. This is looking more and more like a systematic cut down of Konoha's strength. Sai - kun, tell me your brother is still alive at least."
Sai blanked, "I... I don't have a brother."
Sakura glared, "You hesitated and I am talking about Shin."
Sai, "You know Shin?"
Sakura sighed, "Know him? Please my Ino - tan is love rivals with him for you. It is funny seeing them compete for your attention. That is not important right now. Is he alive? Where is he?"
Sai looked away, "He was killed during a solo mission."
Naruto froze, "Shin - kun is dead? Fuck! This place is really a nightmare."
Ino looked between them, "Um... How about we make a list of people and compare?"
Sakura, "I will do that with you, Ino - chan. Naruto - kun, check on the security, please."
Naruto looked at a corner, "It is not nice to spy on people, Mr Akatsuki."
A voice came out as a man in orange mask appeared, "Well, well, well. Smart little brats, aren't you?"
Naruto, "I remember you. You gave us a headache when Ero - Sannin and I were searching for clues. I see you are still Akatsuki here too."
Sakura pulled the younger version of her friend behind her, "Still an annoyance no matter the dimension, huh?"
Ino looked at her back, 'She really grows up to be amazing."
Tsunade stood up, "You got some nerve coming here."
Kakashi got into a battle stance, "Naruto - kun, be careful."
Yamato, "You are surrounded."
Sai murmured, "Akatsuki inside the village."
Naruto, "Everyone, be careful. He can phase through the walls."
Sakura scowled, "Like Shadow Cat from Tanna Sensei's books?"
Naruto, "Yeah, exactly like her, only more unhinged and less cute."
Sakura, "Typical!"
The orange masked man complained, "Hey! That's not nice. You made Tobi sad."
Naruto, "Then suffer!"
Tobi stood straight, "Such coldness, my, my. What did I do to you in your world?"
Naruto, "You threatened to kill my nee - chan, you orange faced freak. I will castrate you, rip you limb to limb and keep you alive as I torture you till you beg for death, if you touch her."
Kakashi became tense as Naruto's voce took a demonic edge, 'Naruto... This woman, Tanna must be very important to you to bring out such a reaction.'
Tobi, "Ah yes! The one strange person who would adopt a Jinchuriki. I wonder how that happened, hmm?"
Sakura snarled, "None of your business! However, you are part of our kill list."
Ino was surprised as Sakura took out a sword, since when did Sakura use a sword and attacked the orange masked shinobi. Naruto supported her by using a scroll that had multiple sealing tags inside that he threw at the shinobi. The ANBU escorted Lady Tsunade to safety as Kakashi joined the two fitting into the attack pattern very easily. If he was impressed by the efficient way they cornered Tobi, the silvered haired man was not saying it. Then, just like the older Naruto had warned them the blasted Akatsuki member phased through the walls of the Hokage tower. Naruto barked out an order to protect Lady Hokage and to search the perimeter with the help of the Hyuuga and anyone who refuses would be taken in for strict interrogation by the T & I unit. Sakura nodded and took the ANBU to do a perimeter search, since she had dealt with that particular Akatsuki member twice now.
Ino, "Wait! We are coming with you."
Sakura, "NO! Sorry, but Ino - chan, you are not as powerful as my Ino - tan. Naruto - kun, would you explain, please?"
Naruto, "Yamanaka - chan, have you mastered mind body sharing jutsu over the entire village's shinobi population?"
Ino blanched, "In that radius? Is that even possible?"
Naruto smirked, "Well, our Ino - tan did and she is gunning to become the Head of T & I as well."
Ino narrowed her eyes, "Is she now? Well, looks like I have to get stronger. Losing to forehead during the Chunin exams was one thing but to myself. Yeah, I am not accepting that."
Naruto, "Heh! I wish you luck. Ino - tan is pretty close to getting the seat of T & I and she is just eighteen years old."
Ino, "Challenge accepted!"
Chouji, "What about Shikamaru and I?"
Naruto's smile softened, "Shikamaru - kun is the head of inter - shinobi relationships while also preparing to take over as Clan Head. We hope, he will have proposed to Temari - chan soon. As for you Chouji, you are the Head Chef of Konoha and one of the Daimyo's favourite person in the world. Even Tanna - nee did not achieve that as quickly as you did."
Chouji blushed, "Seriously?"
Naruto, "Like a heart attack! Shikamaru - kun you are a Jounin, right? Come with me."
Shikamaru sighed, "Troublesome! Fine, let's go. Stay safe you two."
The blond and the Nara heir rushed out after the pinkette and the ANBU who were doing a perimeter search around the village. Naruto talked to Sakura and Shikamaru could not help but marvel at how mature the two hotheads could turn out to be as adults. In fact, it was making him a little excited for the future of his own two friends who still had a long way to go when it came to growth. Naruto and Sakura meanwhile were quietly discussing what happened in this dimension already and wondering if they should change a few things like the Academy curriculum at least. The young Genin were nothing but canon fodder at the current level they were in and Naruto knew if his nee- chan was here she would try to help them. It was just who she is as a person, Tanna would joke about being a people pleaser but that was not how they looked at her. Not to forget, Naruto, Anko, Kakashi and many others would never allow anyone to take advantage of her, besides what if she said no and someone retaliated?
Naruto shook his head, "We should help this place out by planting the seeds at least. I know nee - chan did that before."
Sakura gave a small smile, "I agree! You know? You maybe adopted but in my opinion, you are more Tanna - Sensei's kid than anyone else."
Naruto beamed, "I really hope so."
Shikamaru crossed his arms, "You two really love and respect this Tanna person, don't you? She must be quiet the kunoichi."
Sakura sighed, "She is not a kunoichi, Shikamaru - san. She does not even have chakra coils."
Shikamaru gaped, "What? But you two talk about her like... Well, you said she is your Sensei so I thought... Damn! I need a smoke."
Naruto, "You smoke?"
Shikamaru shrugged, "Keeps me calm."
Sakura narrowed her eyes but did not say anything instead throwing a shuriken in the opposite direction, saying it was not nice to eavesdrop. A dark chuckle was heard as the orange masked shinobi appeared again and they started to battle. Naruto ordered everyone to be careful and the fight began to either capture or kill the Akatsuki member. However, just like in their own world, Tobi turned out to be a slippery snake and escaped from Konoha. Shikamaru cursed under his breath as he ordered another team to track down the rogue nin who they noticed had a sharingan too. Tobi had been forced to use it when Sakura and Naruto's teamwork had proven to be dangerous and he almost had his head chopped off by a gleeful pinkette. Tobi had cursed mentally wondering exactly how badly his other counterpart had pissed off those two and he should definitely be careful with his too. Either way, he had to figure out a way to send these two back, they were too dangerous to stay here.
Sakura, "He will be back and the retaliation for this humiliation will be big."
Shikamaru, "Troublesome!"
Naruto, "I did not like the calculating look in his eyes. He is planning something, Kyuubi is wary of him too."
Shikamaru did a double take, "You and Kyuubi are close?"
Naruto gave him a look, "He has been with me since I was a literal toddler, Shikamaru - kun."
Shikamaru, "Ah! Right, my bad!"
Sakura, "I will not lie Shikamaru, outside my team, I trust the Kyuubi with the lives of my loved ones next. Which means he is pretty high up there."
Shikamaru, "I see. A lot of things have happened to you, hasn't it?"
Naruto gave a wry smile, "Pretty sure those things happened to our younger counterpart or will happen to them. Did anyone from team seven here get involved with an organ harvesting ring yet?"
Shikamaru, "What? No! No, I do not think so... We do not exactly talk about our missions when we get together."
The two shared a look which was starting to frustrate Shikamaru, they had given information yet none at all. The Hokage had even ordered him through ANBU signal to find out more about them but he kept getting surprising information. Being close to and trusting the Kyuubi of all things to organ trafficking to telling them about their older selves making Ino and Chouji focus on a brand new goal all together. These two were surprisingly good at diverting attention from themselves to others using information about them. Like how they figured out who Yamato was and called him ANBU Kitsune to get something done in the heat of the battle with the Akatsuki. He is pretty sure the rest of the ANBU noticed it too but were not saying or doing anything, most likely due to the Godaime's orders. The two looked like they were done with their silent communication and turned to him as one, while he stood straight.
Naruto, "Shikamaru, we are going to investigate a few things, including what happened to the Chiringgi noble clan."
Shikamaru blinked, "The noble clan that was wiped out years ago by rogue nins?"
Sakura narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean wiped out?"
Shikamaru took out a smoke, "No one in that family survived, everyone was found assasinated, it caused a riot in the capital since they were one of the more popular noble houses. Asuma - Sensei proved his mettle by keeping the Daimyo safe during those times."
Naruto had a dark expression, "I see, thank you for the information, Shikamaru - kun."
Sakura watched him go, "Ruru... I will make sure he is okay. See you in a bit."
Shikamaru let out a breath, 'Heaven help anyone who pisses Naruto off. I should make sure not to anger our own blond if that was a hint of how powerful he will become.'
Yamato, "You sure you want them out of your sight?"
Shikamaru, "They are not, I am monitoring them through the shadows."
Sakura rushed after the blond and found him sitting on top of the Hokage monument, "Naruto - kun, she is alive back home. We just need to return home."
Naruto glanced at her, "I know... It is just I always wondered what my life would have been like if nee - chan and I never met... I guess I got my answer to that question."
Sakura sat beside him, "Hey! Let's just find a way home."
Naruto, "You do not look happy either."
Sakura, "My shadow clone just sent me memories of what I found in this Sakura's diary."
Naruto, "That bad?"
Sakura had a scowl on her face, "Did you know her parents never wanted her to be a shinobi?"
Naruto looked shocked, "What? But you are one of the best kunoichi I know Sakura - chan. You made that energy candy, that tastes way better then those chakra pills and has a higher nutritional value too."
Sakura had a bitter smile, "The only reason they allowed her to be a kunoichi was because Sasuke - kun was on her team. Her entire existence turned into revolving around a guy. I can't believe my value in this dimension is tied to how loyal I am to a guy who is not even here for Kami's sake. If Tanna - sensei was here, she would have ripped into that couple."
Naruto winced, "Man! I feel pity for her although it does explain the surprised looks on everyone's faces when you told them you were engaged to someone else. Okay! Let's give the itemized list we made to Baa - chan and to Shikamaru. This Academy seriously needs a huge anti - misogynistic overhaul. We are a shinobi village, we have no time for that bullshit."
Sakura nodded, "Damn right about that! They can deal with their own Akatsuki. We have our own to worry about."
Tsunade looked up late in the night as the two older versions of her shinobi barged in despite the seals, "What brings you two here, at this unholy hour? What is that?"
Naruto slammed the two feet tall stack on the table, "Plans for you to renovate and completely overhaul the shinobi Academy. I am sorry to say this but your shinobi and security sucks big time, Baa - chan. It is a miracle this village is even standing."
Tsunade took some papers, "Are you calling my shinobi weak?"
Sakura noticed the ANBU tense, "Tobi just walked in and out of Konoha like he owned the place, Godaime - sama. I believe that fact alone answers your question."
Tsunade, "You... Since, when are you so mouthy?"
Sakura, "Since, I noticed so many blind spots in your security, that would make Yamanaka - dono and Ibiki - dono suffer from heart attacks."
Naruto, "In my nee - chan's words, this village is a giant bull's eye target."
Kakashi spoke, "That is a little harsh there, Naruto."
Naruto, "Kakashi - san, records say you did not get involved with Naruto personally, before he became a Genin."
Kakashi, "Yes, that is true."
Naruto, "It was the opposite for me. I grew up with you or rather with Kashi - nii who always came over for dinner and sometimes picked me up from the Academy after classes were over."
Sakura nodded, "Naruto and Kakashi are pretty close to the point I am sure Tanna has adoption papers for Kakashi - Sensei. She just never got him to sign it yet."
Kakashi stared, "I see, that is something else."
Naruto smiled, "Now, Kakashi - Sensei is dating Iruka - Sensei and Tanna - nee and everyone else is rooting for them."
Sakura smirked, "A lot of the girls started shipping wars over it."
Naruto grumbled, "No need to remind me. Fangirls and fanboys are so terrifying especially if they are fujoshis and fudanshis. What is it to them who tops or bottoms? Sasuke and I are both men for sanity's sake!!!"
Shikaku, "Too much information there, Naruto."
Naruto, "Shikaku Oji, you are here too... Sorry, that just came out."
Shikaku waved his hand, "Do not fret it! I suppose we are close in your dimension."
Naruto, "Yeah, Yoshino - Sensei and Tanna nee - chan are pretty close."
Sakura, "More like Tanna - Sensei united all the women from different clans in Konoha to come under one banner, children's education."
Shikaku, "May I?"
Naruto, "Go ahead!"
Shikaku hummed as he quickly went through the papers, "Oh! And all this was done by a civillian woman?"
Naruto, "Nee - chan always had a bright mind despite her disadvantages."
Shikaku, "Godaime - sama, if I may be so bold, these plans are pretty decent and having more than one seal specialist, is not a bad idea, as well as covering so many basics of shinobi arts."
Tsunade, "Let me see."
Shikaku, "Here!"
Tsunade, "Basic chakra control, basic medical studies? You had medical classes as Academy students?"
Naruto nodded, "It was the basics, first aid, broken bone arrangement, stitching up cuts that were non threatening, venom treatment and identifying medical herbs that are eatable and useful in more ways than one."
Tsunade, "We will go through this with fine tooth and comb before actually implemeting it."
Sakura, "Smart! We could have missed something. It was Tanna - Sensei who came up with this originally, not us. I wonder how they are doing."
Naruto looked outside, "It is already early morning... Damn!"
Kakashi, "Come on! You can stay at my apartment."
Naruto, "Is that okay?"
Sakura, "We have trained to stay awake for multiple nights in a row, Sensei. You trained us yourself after all."
Kakashi, "It is fine. And you have attracted some attention which is not really great."
Tsunade muttered, "Danzo is going to fight us on this."
Naruto, "Elder Danzo? But he agreed to increase training and practicals before. Less money and time needed to train Genins after all."
Tsunade, "Huh? Danzo? Agreeing with us? You really are from a different world, aren't you?"
Sakura opened her mouth then, "Well, it was accepted by majority by vote and the cost comparison helped, I think... There was a cost comparison right?"
Naruto nodded, "Yes, but we did not add that here... What is the cost of raising and training Genins, Shikaku - san?"
Shikaku, "I do not mind you calling me Oji, Naruto, as for the costs, I will deal with it. I am sure Inoichi and Chouza will be interested too actually."
Naruto, "Oh yeah! You were in charge of allocating funds to orphaned kids who wanted to be a shinobi but did not have clan backing. Do you do the same thing here?"
Shikaku smiled pleased, "Yes, we do. I am glad some things remained the same no matter what."
Naruto nodded, "Alright! We will leave this to you. The shinobi of this world is yours to guide, lead and care for after all. Ero - Sannin is no doubt already trying to figure out how to get us home as we speak. It may take a few days but I know he can do it."
Kakashi hummed, "I think I recall you mumble about them being related."
Naruto, "According to Ero - Sannin, he is related to her through his mom. She married his Dad and I guess Ero - Sannin is kind of Tanna - nee's Great Uncle."