Naruto POV~

Things moved quickly from then on. 

Apparently, Orochimaru was the one responsible for reviving the four Hokage. His reasons for doing so were vague, but he didn't seem to be much of a threat anymore. He also seemed to lose interest in Sasuke, which was great. If he tried anything, nothing was stopping me from caving in his skull. 

The four Hokage also couldn't stay forever. I said goodbye to my father as he left, floating away in a column of light. After that, my heart felt lighter than ever before.

It also seemed that Obito was going back to Konoha. He wasn't allowed to walk free, obviously, having been an S-class criminal for a majority of his life, but he clearly changed. There was a deep, contemplative look on his face last time I saw him, and there was a change in his eyes.

Obito's views of the world were shifting, and for the better. I knew Kakashi would do everything he could for Obito, proving that even after everything he did Obito still had someone who cared about him. 

Of course, he would never be fully accepted within Konoha. Why would they accept him, after all the crimes he committed? 

But, when he finally walked free again, Kakashi would be there for him. I would be there for him.

Then there was me.

The Hidden Villages seemed to finally accept that I wasn't going to return to them like a lost puppy. We came to an agreement, of sorts. Nobody would try to capture me and drag me back to Konoha, and in return I would help them if they needed it. There was no more hiding, no more running away, yet at the same time I was completely free from their control.

Change was coming to the ninja world, and it was for the better.

As for the Bijuu, there were a lot of people who changed their views on them. Kurama helped a lot with that, although I wouldn't dare call him a 'Tailed Beast rights advocate.' Last time I did that he tried to throw me into a lake.

As of now, I was with Tsunade and Pervy Sage outside the village gates. The two old toads were there, too. They told me to call them 'Pa' and 'Ma,' which I was not doing.

Fukasaku sighed, "You know, if you want, we might be willing to teach you sage mode."

I blinked at him, then broke out into a grin. "Really?"

He gave me a pointed look, "I'll take it on a case-by-case basis."

I smiled, "Deal."

After that, they disappeared in a puff of smoke. I was kind of hoping they weren't joking about the sage mode thing. That shit is cool.

"So, Naruto." Jiraiya draped an arm over my shoulder. Even though I was much taller than I was three years ago, he still towered over me. "Looks like you've taken a similar path as me. 'The wandering shinobi.'" he punctuated the phrase with a wave of his hand towards the sky.

I faked a cough, "Please don't call it that."

He boomed a laugh. Tsunade smiled fondly at the two of us, then tried to hide it by slapping Pervy sage on the head and shouting at him to shut up you big oaf.

"Oi, dobe."

I turned to the sound of Sasuke's voice. He walked over, katana strapped to his back and hands in his pockets.

I looked him over contemplatively. "You done already?"

He shrugged, looking somewhat shaken. "Danzo had a lot to answer for. He..." he took a shuddering breath, "He had the eyes of my clan. He was collecting them for his own use."

I blinked, silent, then put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. I was angry, but I was past letting my anger get the best of me. "It's a good thing what happened today, then. I've been waiting for the day that rotting piece of shit was thrown in jail."

Sasuke nodded, then smirked, "He had no argument. There was nothing he could've done to get out of it, especially after everyone saw what was under his bandages." He looked at the sky, "Now that the truth is out, we can finally start dismantling ROOT. Danzo's reign over the underworld of Konoha is over."

I smiled at that. "How's Obito doing?"

Sasuke, looking marginally better than he did five seconds ago, said, " I've visited him. Kakashi has too. He's caused a lot of shit, but at this point..." a small smile appeared on his face, "He's a changed man."

I nodded, "I'm glad."

There was a moment of comfortable silence between the four of us. That is, until Tsunade dropped a bomb right in the middle of it by saying, "I think I'm going to retire."

A pause, then all three of us reeled back, Pervy Sage and I shouting a simultaneous "What?"

She scowled, but it had no venom behind it. "I said, I'm going to retire."

"Well who's going to Hokage, then?" I shouted, waving my arms in the air in my panic, "Konoha needs a decent Hokage!"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "I was thinking Kakashi would be good for the job."

I stopped, then lowered my hands, smoothing out my cloak. "Yeah, that's fine by me."

Sasuke snorted, "I don't think Kakashi would like that much, though."

"No he definitely wouldn't. But he's the best candidate I could think of, especially considering the current situations. Besides," a shit-eating grin pulled at Tsunade's lips, a sign that she was going to say something terrifying, "this would be great payback for all those time he came in through the goddamn window, instead of the door."

We stared at her, and Sasuke leaned in, saying, "Remind me not to piss her off."

That startled a laugh out of me, the easy atmosphere making laughing out loud so much better than ever before.

Then a thought occurred to me, and I stopped, turning to Sasuke. "Hold on, Sasuke. Remember what you said about the Eternal Mangekyou? I thought you wanted to get Itachi's eyes."

Sasuke, to his credit, didn't startle at all to that. Jiraiya and Tsunade also stopped, waiting for an answer.

"No, I don't think I will." he said, "At this rate, I might go blind, but for now...I think I'm okay, without using my brother's eyes."

Silence. I couldn't stop the grin, though, as I pulled him into a half-hug. 

"That's fine, Sasuke. Do whatever makes you happy." I said. At my reassurance, he seemed to relax, too. 

"Sure, dobe."

I laughed, and as I did, Kurama's chakra began to leak through and shape into his chibi form.

"Are you done? We have to get moving." Kurama grumbled.

"Aw, you don't mean that." I swatted at him, "We can take a moment, can't we? Isobu can wait."

"That stupid turtle's patience is smaller than your attention span." Kurama huffed.

Jiraiya laughed, "Aw, come on, Kurama. Loosen up sometimes."

"I'm plenty loose. I am far more lenient than I like." Kurama snapped, which just made everyone laugh. I smiled at their easy bickering. Everyone had been so accepting of Kurama. At least, everyone who I cared about enough to consider friends. Then again, who else really mattered?

"Kurama's right. We should probably go. Isobu doesn't like being alone with a bunch of humans, so we should probably be there to help him move into his new home." I said.

Kurama scoffed, "Honestly, ever since we first went off to help him all those weeks ago, it's like he needs someone to hold his hand every time he does something. He practically begged us to help him adjust to going back to his temple in Kiri."

Sasuke huffed, "You should've seen how he was while he was staying here. He wouldn't leave Son Goku's side."

That began another round of chuckles, and I held up my hands.

"Okay, okay, stop making fun of Isobu, you assholes." I poked Kurama, "Be nicer to your brother."

Kurama grumbled, his chakra melting back into my body. "No."

"No?" I echoed, "What do you mean, no?"

He didn't answer, but I could hear his laughter rumbling in the back of my mind. Asshole.

"Are you leaving without saying goodbye?" came Kakashi voice. I turned to see him and Iruka coming up to the gate, Kakashi opened to a page of the new Icha Icha Tactics. It was at times like these that Jiraiya deserved to strangled for creating that book.

I sighed, "You know I'm coming back like, tomorrow, right?"

"That's no excuse." then Kakashi just strolled up to me and hugged me. Then Iruka joined him. And before I knew it Pervy Sage and Tsunade piled up on top of them, until I was squished in between the four of them with Sasuke looking at us from the outside with a poopy look on his face.

"Join us, Sasuke." Kakashi said, lighthearted.

"I'd rather die." was Sasuke's response.

"I can't breath." I said, deadpan. Not that anyone bothered to listen. "What is it with everyone giving me random hugs nowadays?" I said with a sigh, no real bite behind my tone.

"We love you and care about you too." Kakashi said, ever the asshole.

"Fuck you, too."

"Oh, my student. What a foul mouth thee has." Kakashi mocked.

"Alright, alright. Imma go now." I pulled away, somewhat reluctantly. They all pulled off, too. Iruka giving me a fond pat on the head.

"See you later, Naruto." he said, his warm brown eyes softening at me. 

I grinned at him, "See ya, Iruka sensei." I rolled my eyes, "And bye, Kakashi. Better?"

"Much obliged." Kakashi said, sarcastic.

I laughed and turned to leave. Before I ran off, though, I made a point to call over my shoulder, "I'll be there for your Hokage coronation, Kakashi!"

"Ok - wait what?"

There was a grin on my face as I turned and ran, the laughter behind me fading as I got further.

'I'm glad I have friends.'

"Me too, kit. Me too."

People will speak of him later.

Some see him as a hero. Others still doubt. 

But this boy?

He freed others of the shackles they put upon themselves. He freed others from the shackles put upon them by those who didn't believe in them.

He freed himself, and in doing so, declared that none could force him into submission.

People would talk. They would debate. There would always be mixed feelings about him. 

But no matter what anyone says, this boy, he with sunshine for hair and endless clear skies for eyes, had the strength to do what no one else had done. 

In the end, he stopped running from his demons. He turned and faced them down with a smile as his weapon and the love of his precious ones lifting him up.

In the end, he was a true hero.