The three had soon reached the town, people were everywhere, it was a wonderful sight to see. 

" Get your candy here!" A man shouted. A dog was under a man who was holding fire by his fingertips.

" Oh, man, this town is pretty weird," Naruto commented.

" I think it's fascinating," Aceso disagreed as they looked at everything that crossed their eyes. They stopped and looked at two balls spinning on the top of rocks, acting as a waterfall as a lantern spun.

" Naruto! Aceso!" Jiraiya shouted.

 " Huh?" the two asked as they looked at him.

" We're gonna crash here tonight," Jiraiya informed as he stood at the front desk of a hotel.

" What?" But why?" Naruto asked. " We can still walk."

" A disciple should always obey his master," Jiraiya advised.

" Look, I just want to learn some jutsu, okay?" Naruto brought up as they walked in." And Aceso just wants to scope out herbs."

" Yeah, no kidding," Jiraiya said. " That's what makes you a disciple." They heard heels clicking, they looked to see a beautiful woman in a blue dress walking past the place. Naruto and Jiraiya both giggled, and their cheeks turned red as the woman looked at them, she had black hair and light brown eyes.

" Heh-heh-heh, Naruto!" Jiraiya giggled, this was going to be a long trip. " Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!"

" Oh, yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!" Both of them giggled.

" Can I get a separate room?" Aceso asked as she looked at the lady at the front desk.

" Already been taken care of," the lady smiled. " You are located right next to them."

" Thank you," Aceso smiled back.

" Here's the room keys," Jiraiya said as he handed a hey to Naruto and one to Aceso. " I want you two to go, right up to the rooms, train for a little, make medicine, work on your chakra, and then get to bed, okay, Ha, ha!"

" What!" Naruto exclaimed. " Oh, so I suppose you're gonna tell me it's time for the grownups to play now! Is that the vibe here, you big perv?" The two went up to their rooms. Aceso sat in a single room, she was making more medicine and reading a magazine.

After a half-hour or so, Aceso went over to Naruto's room and knocked on the door.

" Naruto, I think I made something new, I want to try it out on you," Aceso requested as she knocked again.

" I heard you the first time!" Naruto exclaimed. " Honestly, I thought you were the Sage, already getting dumped by the pretty woman.

" Come on Naruto," Aceso said as she knocked on the door again. 

" Okay, hold on," Naruto groaned. " Let me just unlock it." The door opened and his eyes went wide. " Who are your two new friends?"

" Huh?" Aceso asked, she turned to see two tall men, she jumped back. He had two Sharingan eyes and one reminded her of a shark. They were both staring down at Naruto. The one boy reminded her of Sasuke.

" Hard to believe that such a child carries the Nine-Tailed Fox," the shark boy said as he presented his presence to Naruto.

" Itachi," Aceso breathed.

" Aceso," Itachi said. " Naruto is coming with us."

" State your reason," Aceso ordered.

" Why don't I and Naruto take a walk?"Itachi said. " My friend here can stay here with you."

" Hey, Itachi," the shark guy began as Naruto stepped out." It'll be a pain in the neck if this kid makes a run for it and I'm not in the mood to babysit. Maybe I ought to chop off a leg, and kill the other just in case." He grabbed the back of his sword as Itachi remained silent. " Right."

" Back away, " Aceso warned as she got in front of Naruto, holding out a knife. Her medicine fell, spilling all over the floor. Her little knife was going to do nothing compared to the man's giant sword, Naruto was shaking.

" It's been a long time," Itachi said, everyone looked over. " Sasuke." Aceso looked over to see Sasuke standing at the end of the hall.

" Itachi Uchiha," Sasuke said.

" Itachi Uchiha?" Naruto gasped. Sasuke was raging with anger, his eyes activated with Sharingan.

" Well, the Sharingan," the shark boy said. " And he looks an awful lot like you. Itachi, who is this kid?"

" He's my younger brother," Itachi answered.

" That's strange because the way I heard it, the whole Uchiha clan was wiped out," Kisame recalled.  " By you."

" Itachi Uchiha, I hope you're ready to die," Sasuke threatened. " It's just as you said, brother. I fostered my hatred for you all this time." The Chidori appeared in his hand. " I've lived my life purpose for one single purpose. To see you die! It ends here!"

" Sasuke!" Aceso exclaimed.

" Chidori?" Itachi asked.

" Enough!" Sasuke snapped. " You're dead!" He shoved his arm against the wall and dragged it as he charged at his older brother. " Die!" His hand shot forward and Itachi grabbed it away, there was an explosion, creating a big hole in the wall. The Chidori slowly died. That attack should have crushed Itachi. There was some intense sound, Aceso looked back to see Naruto using the fox's chakra, it circled at his feet and started to cover him.

" Ah, the air is ripe with chakra," Kisame said. " This must be it, the power of the Nine-Tails." Sasuke began shouting.

" Enough," Itachi ordered as he snapped Sasuke's wrist and let go, Sasuke screamed in pain.

" Sasuke!" Aceso yelled as she went to Sasuke's side.

" All right, that's it," Naruto growled before biting his thumb.

" Too slow," Kisame said as he swiped his sword right through the chakra. Aceso took Sasuke's wrist.

" I need to reset it," Aceso said.

" Don't you dare," Sasuke grunted.

" One...Two...Three," Aceso said before she snapped it back, he screamed out in even more pain. She put her hand on his wrist and focused on it. Her hand turned green and she sees the bones starting to heal.

" Sorry, kid," Kisame apologized to Naruto. " My blade, Sharkskin, cuts through chakra and devours it." Naruto watched as the sword moved under the wrappings. " We don't need the hassle of this kid whipping out anymore Jutsu. Forget the legs. Maybe I ought to start off with those arms of his." Naruto tried to get some chakra, nothing was working.

" Naruto!" Aceso called, she reached into her bag and threw a container, but Itachi caught it and looked down at the two, Sasuke was still shaking.

" You're wasting your time," Kisame warned as he raised his sword. Smoke puffed out and the blade stopped. " What the?" The smoke cleared revealing a human-size toad.

" You two don't know me at all, do you?" Jiraiya asked as he popped up behind Naruto with the lady from earlier. She was knocked out. " Should have done your homework. Jiraiya, the Toad Sage falls victim to no woman's charm. Rare beauty is dropped for me like blossoms in a storm. It isn't in my nature to be duped by the wiles of women. When you reach the stature I have, the ladies kneel and worship at your awesomeness." Everyone looked at him and the toad. 

" Aah, don't give me that!" Naruto yelled as he pointed at him. " One wink from a pretty girl, and you turned into a mountain of mush! You fell for it like a ton of bricks, Pervy Sage!" Itachi opened the container and sniffed it.

" I really wish you wouldn't call me that in front of other people," Jiraiya wished.

" Are you kidding me?" Naruto exploded. " We've got worse things to worry about than what these guys think of you! Get with it, Pervy Sage!"

" Didn't I just ask you not to call me that?" Jiraiya cried out.

" We don't have time for that!" Aceso exclaimed. " Get focused, would you?!" The shark boy chuckled.

" Whatever name you go by, Master Jiraiya, I must say, you're something of a disappointment," Kisame laughed. " A lecherous old man with the disposition of a child. It's almost impossible to believe that you are one of the three Legendary Sannin."

" What?" Naruto exclaimed. " You--You already know who he is?"

" Uh, don't be fooled by appearances, or you know, anything this little squirt might say," Jiraiya suggested.

" So, you somehow managed to release the genjutsu we cast on her, eh?" Kisame asked.

" What kind of coward would do something like that?" Jiraiya asked as he gently placed the woman down, against the wall. " Using his Saimingan to inflict illusion Jutsu on an innocent woman, all in order to separate Naruto from me." He stood back up. " I know that he's the one you're really after." Sasuke, Aceso, and Naruto all gasped.

" That explains how Kakashi knew," Itachi said as Aceso sat Sasuke up against the wall. " Now I understand. He learned it from you. You're right. Naruto is the prize that the Akatsuki are after. And we will have him." The toad then disappeared.

" No way you're getting Naruto," Jiraiya declined.

" We'll see about that," Itachi debated as he closed the container.

" Actually, this is all very convenient," Jiraiya admitted. " I can eliminate you both at the same time."

" Stay out of this," Sasuke ordered as he got back onto his feet, getting into a stance.

" Huh?" Naruto, Aceso, and Jiraiya asked. 

" The only one who's going to eliminate him..." Sasuke began." Is me!"

" Go away," Itachi ordered. " You don't interest me at the moment."

" Well, get interested!" Sasuke threatened as he clenched his fist and charged. Itachi lifted his leg and sent Sasuke flying back into the far wall.

" Sasuke, no!" Naruto cried before charging. " Damn, you lousy!"

" No Naruto!" Sasuke protested. " Don't butt in. Mind your own business!" Naruto grunted to a stop as Sasuke got back up. " I told you before, I've lived my whole life for this day, this moment. This fight is mine!" He charged at his brother yelling." Itachi stopped him once again, he kneed him in the face and sent him flying back. He coughed out blood when he slammed into the wall.

" Sasuke," Aceso breathed as she started to make her way toward him.

" Don't," Itachi said as he stepped on her.

" Not...finished," Sasuke insisted as his hand shook. " Get off of her. This fight is between you and me."

" So be it," Itachi gave in. Jiraiya went to go forward but was stopped by Kisame.

" You heard him, old man," the shark boy said. " This fight is none of our business. Let's let the two of them sort it out." Itachi took his foot of Aceso, dropped the container, and walked over to Sasuke. He looked up grunting.

" And now finally!" Sasuke shouted as shot up. Itachi jabbed him in the throat, kicked and punched him around, before letting fall to the floor, picking him up, and slamming him into the wall.

" You're still too weak," Itachi revealed as he held Sasuke up to his eye level. " You don't have enough hate. And you know something." He stepped closer and whispered something in his ear, before stepping back. Moments later Sasuke was screaming out in agony. 

" What's happening?" Aceso asked, her eyes were wide.

" Isn't that heartwarming?" Kisame asked. " Using Tsukuyomi on his own brother."

" That does it. I'm through standing around!" Naruto growled. " Aah!" Naruto took off and Kisamee ran after him. Aceso's eyes glowed green, she held out her hand and stopped Kisame in his tracks. Aceso had been doing training since she learned of her own Kekkei Genkai, the hospital wouldn't tell her anything. So, she sneaked files on her own father and read through, she's been able to move things without touching them, her father could just use his eyes. As she learned that his name was Aeson. He had red hair like her and black eyes. She doesn't know much about her biological family at all, and she's just starting to gain information.

" What the-?" Kisame asked as Naruto stopped running. They looked to see red weird stuff started to cover everything. So they were enclosed in it.

" What the--what's going on?" Naruto asked.

" Ninja Art, Toad Mouth Trap," Jiraiya said. Sasuke got sucked into the wall. " Let go Aceso." She did as she was told as the inside of the mouth took hold of Kisamee's and Itachi's feet. " You've both just been swallowed by the Mountain Toad. Welcome, my friends, to the belly of the beast. He has a very sensitive digestive tract. Be careful not to upset him. Not the most glorious way to die, is it? It must be humbling to know that you've been reduced to toad bait. Heh-heh-heh."

" Whoa, I'm not liking this at all," Naruto said as he looked up.

" Naruto, stay still," Jiraiya ordered. " Just remain calm. Trust in my jutsu."

" Kisame, come," Itachi ordered. He ripped his feet out and ran over, but stopped cause his sword was still stuck.

" Easier said than done," He said as he looked at his weapon. He broke free before he continued to run.

" It's useless," Jiraiya said. " The ninja hasn't been born who can survive this powerful stomach." The two ran around the corner and Jiraiya grunted and the fleshed cashed after them. There was an explosion and Jiraiya took off.

" Hey, Pervy Sage," Naruto called before he ran after him, Aceso ran up to Sasuke and put her hand in through the wall to his head. She could hear the others still. " What the heck happened? They both got away." Aceso began to heal Sasuke. " What is this stuff anyway? Some kind of black fire?"

" Stay away from it!" Jiraiya insisted.

" Aah!" Naruto yelped. Aceso removed her hand and Sasuke opened his eyes a little.

" Ace-" Sasuke began.

" Don't speak," Aceso advised as she put her hands and began to heal them. The wall began to spit out Sasuke,

" Sasuke!" Naruto gasped as Aceso caught him. The Sage stomped his foot and the inside of the Toad's mouth began to disappear.

" Naruto," Sasuke breathed weakly as Aceso put him on the ground, Naruto knelt beside them. Sasuke then held a blank stare at the floor.

" What did he do to him?" Naruto asked.

" I'm not sure," Aceso answered as the knife lodged into the wall.

" Huh?" they asked. They heard someone running towards him.

" Guy?" Jiraiya began to ask.

" Dynamic entry!" Gai shouted as he kicked Jiraiya as Aceso put her hands on Sasuke's head and began to heal him

" Dad?" Aceso asked as he was laughing, he looked at her, then everyone else, and he was no longer smiling. Aceso had to leave Sasuke's side and heal Jiriaya's nose, he was growling.

" I guess I was a little over-enthusiastic," Gai laughed as Jiraiya held a tissue under it. " You see, I--I was trying to hurry and I couldn't see very clearly. Using my headband to peer into the opening, all I could see were two sinister figures so..."

" Do you know what?" Jiraiya growled as Aceso removed her hands, it was a quick and easy heal. " If this is your way of saying sorry, it stinks."

" I'm sorry but it was a simple misunderstanding," Gai apologized as Aceso went back over to Sasuke.

" Simple-minded's more like it," Jiraiya argued. 

" Never mind that now," Aceso interrupted them. " Gai-Sensei, I need to take Sasuke back to the village and put him in a hospital bed."

" I'm fine," Sasuke breathed weakly, he then went back into a blank slate.

' How powerful was that jutsu?' Aceso asked herself. ' Is Sasuke still under it? Is he beating himself up?'

" No, you're not," Aceso declined. " Sasuke is badly beaten up, his arm is still recovering from a recently healed broken arm, and he's very dazed as if he is still knocked out by whatever jutsu that was that Itachi used on him."

" Aceso, Sasuke is gonna be all right though, isn't he?" Naruto asked with worry.

" Physically yes," Aceso answered. " But whatever happened to his mind is what I'm worried about, it's taking a bigger toll than I thought."

" What the heck. What did Sasuke ever do to deserve this?" Naruto asked in an angry voice as he shook with anger. " Okay, Pervy Sage, Aceso...it's time for a new game plan, starting right now. I admit I let those goons scare me a little. But that's over. No more running. After all, it's me they're after, right? Well, okay then, it's time I give them what they want."

" Nice speech, kid," Jiraiya scoffed. " But I'm afraid you wouldn't stand a chance against them. You're not in the same league. What would have happened if I hadn't shown up just now, huh? It took all I had to get them away from you."

" Is that right?" Naruto growled. " So what are you suggesting? That we just do nothing? Sit here waiting for them to hit us again? What kind of strategy is that?"

" Just be quiet," Jiraiya snapped, Naruto looked away. " You haven't earned the right."  I'm sorry Guy, I wanted to let Sasuke fight his own fight. I see now I should have intervened sooner."

" This is obviously the same sort of jutsu that Kakashi was hit with," Gai said. " We don't know when he'll come out of it."

" Kakashi-sensei?" Aceso gasped as she put her hand back on Sasuke's head. It was healed, but Sasuke was quiet. Gai put a hand on her head. 

" There's nothing worse than seeing your students fall in battle," Gai said. " It's like losing little pieces of your soul." He was talking about Lee.

" We need another medical specialist," Aceso said. " And soon. I can't do this alone."

"  You're right," Jiraiya asked. " And the woman you're talking about is the one we've come to find."

" Huh?" Gai asked. " The woman?"

" Huh?" Naruto asked.

" You don't mean--" Gai began. Jiraiya chuckled.

" Yes, that's exactly who I mean," Jiraiya confirmed. " Another of the Legendary Sannin. The Queen of Slugs and Elixirs...The Gambling Fool and Mistress of the Healing Arts, Lady Tsunade."

" Who?" Sasuke asked as he looked up.

" Sasuke!" Naruto gasped. He shakingly tried to stand up.

" Stay down," Aceso advised.

" Not..strong..." Sasuke advised before his eyes closed and he started to fall over, Aceso stood up and caught him. " Let me go."

" Just eat this," Aceso said as she took out a small food pill. She put it in his mouth, he weakly ate it and then was out.

" What did you do!?" Naruto demanded.

" Relax," Aceso held up a hand. " He's just asleep."

"When will he wake up?" Naruto asked as he danced around.

" In a few days," Aceso answered. " This way he can sleep and let his body recover as well, hopefully, his mind will as well."

"Remind me to not let you use that on Lee," Gai said.

" I already have," Aceso informed. " He offered to try it out when I made it for the first time. Slept for three days like a baby."

" Lady Tsunade is going to love you," Jiraiya laughed as Gai's eyes went wide and his mouth dropped.