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AU Changes: There is a few changes compared to canon, but that's more of a lack of explanation than a true AU Change.

And without any more delay, here's the next chapter. Chapter 55: Eyes of Grey, Eyes of Green

The rays of dawn stretched out over the walls of the Uzumaki compound like grasping fingers. It illuminated the softly glowing seals that covered the gates, walls, and buildings inside the compound. Patches of crimson, both wet and dry, contrasted the few untrampled areas of green. Unconscious men, women, and children laid on mats, dirty and bloodied bandages peeking out from torn clothing. A blonde woman, her hair in two pigtails, bent over a small boy, the wound on his side slowly closing.

"That's the last of them." Tsunade murmured to herself, inwardly cringing as her bloodstained hands dyed the edges of the white bandage she was wrapping around the boy's torso, but there wasn't enough water to spare for something as frivolous as washing her hands. She still washed them between patients, but there wasn't enough to spare to clean them twice per patient. With all that had happened in the last eight or so hours, water was a precious resource that needed to be governed carefully until the other water stockpiles could be accessed.

There was plenty of food, thanks to Naruto's stockpiles of sealed goods, but water was much harder to come by. She suspected that it was not so much of her godson's lack of preparation, and more of the fact that a simple water jutsu could produce a rather large amount. However, with the dangers from the Humanitarians and the Loyalists ever present, chakra needed to be conserved in case it was needed to fight.

The Yamanaka and the Hyuga clans had sent word that they too were bunkering down in their clan compounds. They were aiding the wounded and protecting those they could. The Inuzuka clan had sent what members they could spare to assist, but with most of their clan being skilled in combat rather than healing, they were assisting the recovery efforts and guarding the wall builders.

The Aburame and Nara clans had not reported in, but Tsunade was fairly certain that was because of their recovery efforts on the part of the Nara clan, and the Aburame clan was out of the way enough that they could not easily get a messenger to the Uzumaki compound. They would no doubt make contact when they were able.

Surrounded, with few options on how to keep up a defense against the enemies within and without, Tsunade activated the Fortress initiative. The idea was that they would erect a large wall and enclose different sections of Konoha, severely limiting how their enemies could attack. It was originally designed to withstand a prolonged siege from enemies during the Second World War, but it had never been used, and the sealing lines - aligned to earth chakra - had lain dormant ever since. From that defensible position, the Guardians would be able to defend those they cared about, and hopefully, convince the other two sides to stand down. The plan was enacted when it became apparent that the Humanitarians had - somehow - smuggled in a veritable army of missing-nin and mercenaries to fight for them.

However, due to the number of attackers, little construction had been accomplished. It had been much worse, but after Fu had cut loose for a moment, the number of people willing to openly attack had diminished greatly. The Jinchuriki had been nearly overwhelmed by two squads of missing-nin. She and Kiba had been trying to find survivors when the enemy ninja had struck.

From what the Inuzuka kid - Kiba maybe? - had said while Tsunade was stitching his shoulder back up, Fu had been taken down by the second squad of missing ninja that had appeared near the end of his and Fu's fight with the first squad. Unlike the first squad, they were highly deadly and skilled. Fu wasn't a naturally violent girl, and with all of the terrible events of the night, the young mint-haired kunoichi had been off her game.

Kiba had managed to take down one of the more elite missing-nin, but had then taken a slash to the face, falling briefly unconscious from the pain and stress. He was lucky, Tsunade admitted. Had the cut been much deeper, he would have died on the spot, rather than just losing an eye.

Fu, apparently friends with the boy, had lost it and drew on her Biju's power. She had summoned a titanic level of water, and obliterated the enemy squad within seconds. Afterward, she had looked out at the devastation she had caused and then collapsed. Partly from the stress of invoking more power than she was used to, and partly from the sheer mental overload of all of the events of the night.

The Inuzuka boy had staunched his wounds temporarily and scooped up Fu. He then staggered back to the Uzumaki compound for treatment. Fortunately, Fu had passed out due to chakra overload and would awaken within the next several hours. Kiba had taken a sword to the to his shoulder, that alone needed more than just a few stitches. His left eye was gone, and he would bear the wicked scar of the blade for the rest of his days.

"No rest for the wicked." Tsunade murmured to herself as she spotted the last group of Inuzuka enter the compound. Each of them carried a wounded civilian. Shizune was already making her way towards the group, popping what looked to be chakra restoration pills as she moved towards them. Pushing herself to her feet, Tsunade idly noted that it took more effort than normal to stand. She shunted the idle thought aside. Popping one of the chakra restoration pills herself, she headed towards the group. These people needed medical help, and she wasn't dead yet. It was what Naruto would do.

"Be quiet Honey." Sherri whispered to her daughter, Tama. "Don't let them hear you." The world had turned into a nightmare. Monsters had come, maiming and killing. The Tousta family two houses down had their door kicked in just a few hours ago. A few, terrible hours. Sherri prayed that all the monsters, those missing-nin, had done was kill them. Their daughter was pretty. Oh, how she hoped they simply killed them.

The Guardians would come, she was sure of it. But the village was vast, and there were so many monsters. The Guardians would come, they only needed to hold out; they only needed to hide until help arrived.

The Guardians would come.

The door exploded inwards in a shower of wood. The sound of the pieces skittering across the floor echoed in the silent home. Glass crunched under heavy boots. Stifling her gasps, Sherri clutched Tama tighter. Frightened eyes watched the shadows of the monsters hiding as men from the slits in the closet door. Coats partially hid her and her daughter, but it would not be enough if the opened the door.

A shattering crash came from the living room, the sound shrill. Her Mother's urn with her ashes if she were to guess. Tears slipped out, sliding down her face. She only had to hold out for the Guardians. Just...keep hiding. "Please…" She begged silently; desperately, "Please don't find us."

The rasp of furniture on hardwood echoed, and she knew that all was lost. The monsters would find them, and then they would kill her daughter, if she was lucky. A wild and insane plan flitted through her mind. Perhaps if she...offered herself to the monsters, they would spare Tama? "No." They would not spare her. Monsters knew no honor. But could she be a distraction? That...was an idea.

Tama tensed beside her. The words of the young girl's Sensei echoed in her mind.

"...If you want to be truly strong, then find something to protect. Strength, true strength, comes from inside. And there is no greater resolve; no greater will, than the one when you stand between those you care about and those who would harm them…"

Even though she was merely twelve, Tama knew that the bad men would hurt her mother and herself. They would do...terrible things. And that was something she would not allow. Her left hand curled into a fist. Fear was pushed aside. Her breath evened. Silently, she began to recite the words Sensei had taught her, had taught her classmates.

"There is steel in my soul."

The boots headed into the hall where the closet was. Her feet curled under her.

"My hands are iron."

Muted laughter, twisted and vulgar, slipped past her ears as her hand rested on the ground, steadying her as she coiled like a spring.

"My mind is lightning."

Photo frames hit the floor, dislodged by careless hands. Visualization was key, all muscles needed to move as one.

"I forge myself anew."

The boots were nearly upon them now. She leaned forward, out from under the coats. They would be a barrier, and she needed to move faster than she ever had before.

"I fight to protect those I care about."

A hand, covered in dried blood, gripped the handle of the closet door. Twisted. Tama sucked in a breath, her right hand that pressed against the floor flexing.

"My hands protect. I am unbreakable."

The door swung open, and Tama exploded into action. Launching herself upwards like an uncoiling spring, her fist slammed into the monster's jaw with a thunderous crack. Landing on the balls of her feet as the missing-nin staggered back, the young woman surged forward. Right hook. Body shot. Keep them off balance. Body shot. Left snap-kick. Leaping spin. Uppercut. Hammer fist. Bodyshot. Bodyshot. Bodyshot.

Danger. Snapping her arms up, Tama still hurled backward by the force of the kick. Pain radiated from her arms. Skidding to a halt, she slowly stood. The mercenary glared back, blood oozing from the man's nose. Despite the damage Tama had inflicted, the monster was still standing. The element of surprise was gone. Rage bled through every pore of the missing ninja's body as he reached up, and snapped the dislocated nose back into place. The crunch as it snapped back in place echoed.

"There is steel in my blood." Blood pounded. Her heart thudded.

"My hands are iron." Veins pulsed near her temples, standing out against the slowly reddening skin.

"My mind is lightning." Pupils shrank and eyes became white.

"I forge myself anew." Near invisible wisps of chakra curled around her fists.

"I fight to protect those I care about." Every muscle focused, a machine with a singular purpose.

"My Hands Protect. . Unbreakable." Tama charged.

She shot across the small space between her and the enemy. A fist rocketed towards her face, fast but not fast enough. Knocking the hand away with a shout, Tama slammed her foot on the floor. Twisted. Fist chambered. Shot forward like a piston. It slammed into the man's stomach, doubling him over. Pushing off the floor, Tama spun to the side and out of the man's way.

"Haaaaa!" With a roar, Tama's fist slammed into the monster's jaw. The monster's head snapped to the right, jaw shattering. The monster dropped unconscious to the ground.

Tama made it two steps towards the living room, towards the other monsters before the pain slammed into her like a boulder. She had reached her limit. "No. I can't fall. Not until Mom is safe." Staggering, she made it another step. Dimly, Tama noted that his mother was shouting for her, the sound warped and echoing inside her head.

The window shattered in the living room. Panicked shouts rebounded off the walls for the moment before going silent. Tama rocked on her feet before settling into a protective stance. "Don't worry Mom, I'll protect you." Someone dressed in green stepped into the hall.

"Sensei?"

"You did well." Lee smiled at his swaying student before blurring forward to catch Tama before she could hit the floor. "You can rest now. Your mother is safe."

Allowing herself to smile as he drifted off to painless unconsciousness, Tama knew what she was now. She was a Guardian.

"You are certain that you have counted correctly?" Hiashi Hyuga fought to keep the calm emotionless mask in place, "There isn't a chance you made a mistake?" The branch member shook his head, the expression sorrowful.

"No Hiashi-sama. I double-checked the counts myself. I could have missed some, but I believe the number stands."

Glancing down at the numbers written down on the list, Hiashi added them to the others on the list next to him. Had he been not trained in the art of emotional control, he would have cursed. He frowned, the expression weary as he would let himself show it. Ever since dawn, what few Hyuga he could spare were sent to use their bloodline to count the rough number of dead. And with the final count, it was...horrific.

By Hiashi's estimates, fifteen percent of the village was dead.

Fifteen percent in less than fifteen hours.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the useless thoughts, the Hyuga Clan Head looked back up at the branch member still standing in front of his desk. "Thank-you, Natsu-san." It would have been easy to simply refer her as a branch member, but Hiashi had promised himself that one day their clan would be one again. It was slow going, with most of the main branch unwilling to share their power, and the Hyuga Council blocking every move they could, but he was determined. "Please work with a few other branch members of your choice to inform the clan that I will be speaking to them in ten minutes." The council had cautioned him that he could not be rash and force the clan back together, but the time for caution was passed. If they wanted to survive, there must simply be only the Hyuga clan. As one.

Natsu bowed, her short green hair shifting as she did so. Once she had been no more than just another branch member assigned the duty of being Hanabi-sama's maid. She had resented the young child at first, but over time had grown to love the girl as if Hanabi was her own child. Then Naruto Uzumaki had barged into the Branch Family's lives, inspired them to continue living, and then had somehow inspired Hiashi-sama to try to fix the breach between the two families.

She had an even greater part in that than Hiashi realized. Neji-sama had enlisted her as one of his spies. With her position as Hanabi-sama's maid, many times the Main House members would speak freely without giving her presence any thought. The Main House would not give up the power they had, no matter what Hiashi-sama believed. It was a noble goal he had in mind, but a foolish one. The Hyuga Council paid lip service to him, but when he was not around, their true feelings were shown. They craved the power and prestige of their positions, and would not let that change.

Neji-sama had been working with someone - she suspected Lady Hinata but had no proof - and they had been slowly pushing for laws that allowed the Branch House greater anonymity. The end goal was not clear, but Natsu knew Lady Hinata well. Lady Hinata was kind and gentle to those she cared about. But...like a lioness, she cared little for those who threatened those she cared about. She could be ruthless, just like the other members of the Main Branch. Natsu had seen the cold rage flash across Hinata-sama's face when Naruto Uzumaki had been insulted by the Main House, and given how they would do anything to protect their interests, Natsu knew that they would betray the Uzumaki clan if they were able. That was something that Lady Hinata would not allow.

And so, as Natsu spoke to the other Branch House members, she kept an eye on the Main House. If there was a time that they would betray Hiashi-sama and other moderate clansmen, now would be the time that they would do it. She wasn't sure how she would help, but she would be damned if she let her clan fall.

"Clansmen and clanswomen." Hiashi stood on the wooden porch that raised him a foot above the crowd of gathered Hyuga before him, "We now stand on the precipice of disaster. The Leaf, our village; our home, is now locked in a war with itself." His eyes swept out, glancing over the crowd of his clansmen, noting with well-hidden sadness that the two Houses stood apart, even now. Here and there dotted a few that stood close, but there was a distinct line between the Main House and the Branch House. Fortunately, all eight elders were standing behind him, showing their support. "Since this village was founded all those years ago the Hyuga Clan has stood beside her village, as both one of the strongest clans, and as her sons and daughters."

The Hyuga Clan Head began to pace. "We have stood steadfast during three world wars and countless missions. We have not let the Leaf falter, not once. So how is this 'civil' war any different?" The crowd shifted, the mood uncertain. "Because this is not about land or borders on a map. This is not about one leader deciding war was the best option. No…" Hiashi shook his head, "This war is about fear. It is about greed. It is about misunderstanding. It is all the darkest parts of humanity fighting to succeed."

"We, the Hyuga Clan, made an oath to protect this village. We swore to protect, guard, and stand alongside the Guardian faction. They stand for all of us. The downtrodden. The powerful. The weak. The strong. They believe that strength comes from within, and through it, we can protect those we hold dear." He stopped and turned towards the crowd who was listening spell-bound, perhaps in spite of themselves. "We have so much we wish to protect. So much that we have built. Even now those who are governed by hate, fear, and greed wish to tear it all down."

The elders stepped forward. Hiashi nodded, believing to understand their motives. "But in order to fight something that threatens all we hold dear, we must fight as one. No longer can we stand apart as two houses. No longer can afford to be divided. No longer is there a Main House and a Branch House." The Clan Head spread his arms, indicating the entire crowd before him, "With the full power vested in me as the Hyuga Clan Head, I now dissolve the Main and Branch Houses. We are now one. We are the Hyuga Clan."

Stunned silence.

It was understandable, Hiashi reasoned, that they were silent. For the Main House, it was a complete transformation of what they took for granted, that some in the clan were born to serve. For the Branch House, it was freedom for the first time in their lifetimes. The elders had warned against his move, but he was the clan head, and they were merely advisors. But...the Hyuga clan was strong. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they would join together. His clan would become one, and they would shake the world.

"I know that this is a shock, but it is a needed one that our clan needs for the coming days ahead. Darkness has fallen on our village, and we need to use our gifts to help them see the light again. We will be the guidin-" Something jolted his right arm, causing it to fall to Hiashi's side. A split-second later, his left fell to his side as well. Chakra blazed in Hiashi's mind, but never made it to his chakra point. Lightning fast blows rained down on him from the sides and rear, and all he could do was collapse to the ground.

"You should have listened to us, Hiashi-Sama." One of the Elders knelt next to Hiashi's prone form, his voice quiet. "We warned you not to take this path. You have no one to blame but yourself." Cries from the crowd, some in surprise and fear, other in satisfaction echoed in the clearing.

Less than a moment later, the Branch House flared their chakra as one, their Byakugan flaring as they rushed to the defense of their clan head. Several of the Main House joined them as well, charging as one with their clansmen. As one, the elders raised their hands and wove through the hand signs for a specific technique.

Seals lit up in harsh green, and the Branch House line practically collapsed, their caged bird seals rendering them helpless as intense pain rocketed through their bodies. It was simply to disable, not to kill. The few Main Branch members who charged with them were quickly subdued.

"I'm sorry." One of the Elders shook his head sadly, "But this is a necessary sacrifice. You simply need to learn your place." He looked over at the few Main House members who were struggling to escape and help the Branch House. "Cease your resistance, least we are forced to apply the seal to you as well." Most of the few Main House members who were struggling went still. They did not like what was happening to the Branch House, but the did not wish to join them in servitude.

But not all were so easily cowed.

Hanabi Hyuga's pale eyes practically blazed as she fought against the much stronger Main House members holding her captive. The eleven-year-old seethed as she strained against the arms keeping her kneeling down. The Hyuga Council had hurt her father, her caretaker, and everyone on the Branch House. The Branch House, minus one or two members, had never treated her with the coldness that the Main House had, and they were part of her clan. To see they writhing in pain flared up something fierce within her. If only she could get a hand free…

"Calm yourself, Hanabi-san." One of the Elders moved towards her, the Main House members stepping out of his way. "You are old enough to receive the Caged Bird Seal." His words seemed to enrage her all the more. "Fine." Faint traces of annoyance leaked through the Elder's emotionless mask, "I have no recourse but to brand you." Reaching into his robe, he unsealed a slightly glowing inkwell filled with green sealing ink and a sealing brush. Something pulled against the hem of his robe.

Turning to look, he spotted one of the Branch House members - Natsu if he recalled correctly - grasping his robe. Her face was set in determination, dirt staining the white parts of her outfit brown where she had dragged herself across the courtyard. "Don't…" She forced out amidst the pain wracking her body, "D-Don't tt-t-touch Ha-Hanabi-sama."

Annoyance flashed across the elder's face and his foot lashed out, snapping her head back and bloodying her mouth. He huffed once and turned back to Hanabi, pausing for the briefest moment to consider how all of the Branch House members were attempting, with varying degrees of success, to drag themselves over to protect Hanabi. Another application of the Caged Bird Seal, held for five seconds this time, stopped their foolishness.

"Don't touch her." Even helpless as he was, the sheer gowling threat in Hiashi's tone gave the Elder pause.

Shaking it off, he turned to the fallen Clan Head. "Don't worry my son. You will join her in the Branch House soon."

"Why?" Hiashi focused his chakra inwards, pushing against the chakra blocks that had been placed on him. It was agony to try to force through them, but he would not allow them to harm his daughter, not while he still breathed. "Why are you doing this, Father?"

"For the good of the Clan." Hideaki Hyuga answered, turning towards his fallen son. "The Hyuga Clan is the greatest clan in Konoha. Too long have we stayed in the shadows of lesser clans. Too long have we been denied our rightful place. Too long have been forced to stay in the dark by the lesser clans such as the Uchiha or the Yamanaka. But now…" There was a disturbing fervor to the Elder's tone, "...We will stand into the light. We will bring order to this chaos, and once the dust settles…" There was nothing warm in the smile he gave, "We will stand tall. We will take our rightful place as the rulers of this village. With the authority of the Hyuga Elder Council, I hereby revoke your status as the Clan Head of the Hyuga."

"No." Chakra surged along Hiashi's body, sparks of pain echoing with every motion as he pushed himself to his knees. "I refuse to let you do that." Forcing his aching body to stand, Hiashi dropped into the Hyuga fighting stance. His hands trembled, the chakra points partially damaged as he pushed chakra past the blocks placed on them. "I will not let you destroy our clan."

"So be it." Hideaki's face could have been carved from stone. "Take him." The Main House members surged towards their former Clan Head. Hiashi swept the glowing hand away from himself and his hand flashed twice, dropping the first attacker. Two more attackers surged forward, hands glowing with chakra. Even weakened as he was, Hiashi was not helpless. Deflecting both of their palm thrusts, he drove his right palm into the man's chest and into the other attacker's midsection.

Pain burnt along his legs as he forced chakra through them. Hiashi leapt towards Hanabi. He made it ten feet. Stumbling as he landed, the Hyuga barely managed to block the three attacks streaking towards him. Chakra flickering, no longer a sustainable glow, he dropped two more attackers. A blow jarred his left shoulder, all sensation falling away from the limb.

Spinning, his hand glowed once more as he struck. A flash of whiteish grey alerted him to an attack, and Hiashi ducked, feeling the chakra charged hand ruffle his hair as it passed. Burying his remaining working limb in the attacker's midsection, Hiashi's body jerked as three more blows rattled his torso. Gasping, the Hyuga deflected three more attacks, his arm growing more and more numb with each block.

A knife hand slammed into his thigh, and Hiashi fell, a hand whizzing past his head as he slammed into the ground. "Father!" White chakra burst from Hanabi's hands as she strained against the hands holding her down. "Leave him alone!"

Lashing out, Hiashi took down two more before they disabled his remaining arm. Hands, rough and angry, grasped his shoulders and pulled him to his knees. They pushed down, hold him in place. "I was wrong, Hiashi." Hideaki returned the sealing ink and brush to the pocket in his robe, "You are far too dangerous to be left alive. If only you had joined us. But now, I must put you down for the good of the Clan." Grey-white chakra glowed on his right hand. "Goodbye, my son."

"No!" Hanabi's cry echoed, "Don't touch him!" The glowing hand neared Hiashi's head. "Don't you hurt him. I'll kill you!"

Hideaki's hand snapped upwards, deflecting a blurred attack that would have ended his life. The kunai made a metallic ping as it bounced off the ground. "Who dares?" His eyes swung to the unoccupied area of the courtyard before widening. "You. I thought we poisoned you."

"You did." Neji lowered outstretched arm, "But I had the antidote. Now…" His white eyes narrowed. "Let my clansmen go."

"Foolish child." Hideaki raised his hands and formed the command seal for the Caged Bird Seal. "Kneel." He activated the hand seal.

Neji did not fall.

Hideaki wove his hands through the command seal again, ensuring that each hand sign was correct. He activated the command seal again. "Kneel."

Neji did not fall.

"What did you do?" It was a demand. "What did you do?"

"I chose my Fate." Bringing up his hands, Neji flipped through the hand signs of the command seal, but in reverse. The last hand sign became the first. Ending on the final hand seal of the reverse command seal, he locked his gaze with Hideaki. "I choose a world where we are not bound. I choose a world where the circumstances of our birth do not dictate our fate. I choose the world that Naruto Uzumaki dreams of." He activated the command seal. "This...is the Fate I choose."

Neon green lines traced down his face from the center point on his forehead. It flowed down his cheeks and some of the lines circled his eye sockets, while others continued downwards to disappear below his shirt. A moment later it flowed out onto his hands, stopping at the center of the back of his hands. From that point, smaller lines flowed down his fingers to the tips. White chakra ignited on his hands, burning bright.

"Get him." The Elders took a few steps back, "Stop him."

The mob surged forward, Hanabi and her father forgotten. Opening his hands, Neji flowed through the opening stance of the Gentle Fist. He surged to meet the oncoming horde.

It was like a rock slamming into a wave. Two of the Main House members went flying backward, skidding across the ground. Three more followed a moment later. Deflecting and counter-attacking, Neji fought like five men, like Hiashi had in his prime. The mob rapidly dropped in disabled or dying members. Still, they pressed inwards, and the number of attacks that Neji had to defend against rose sharply.

"Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation."

A dome of white-blue chakra burst out from Neji, blasting away the attackers. Stopping his rotation in a moment, he charged forward in a blaze of chakra. The more experienced Hyuga remained, but they could not stop him. One by one they fell. Until only the Elders remained. As the last Main House member fell, Hideaki's voice rang out. "Stop, or I will kill Hiashi." Neji spun to face the voice.

The Elder held a glowing palm against his son's head, ready to pulse the destructive energy in an instant. "Now, Boy, I want you to kill yourself, or I swear, I will kill every single Branch House member here." It was beyond shameful to be reduced to threats like this, but the Hyuga Clan must survive.

Neji froze. In all his plans, he had never imagined that the Elders would stoop so low. Catching sight of Hanabi leaping up and taking out one of the Elders silently, he knew what he had to do. "How do I know that you won't just kill them after I end myself?" Another Elder went down.

Far too focused on Neji to notice Hanabi and her actions, Hideaki's eyes narrowed. "I give you my word that they will remain unharmed as long as they know their place." Another Elder dropped, Hanabi staggering under his weight for a moment as she laid the unconscious man down quietly.

"They know their place as slaves you mean." Neji used every ounce of emotional training to not betray Hanabi as she took down the fourth Elder.

"They should be honored to serve us." Sensing that Neji was stalling for some unknown reason, Hideaki's emotionless mask cracked. "Now end yourself or I will kill them all, I swear it. You have until I count to five."

"One."

Hanabi's hand flashed three times, dropping the fifth Elder to his knees. She struck his temple, and he dropped to the ground.

"Two."

Neji raised his hand to his own temple.

"Three."

Hideaki smiled, the last obstacle to the clan's success was about to be removed.

"Four."

The sound of a body hitting the dirt wiped the smile from his face. Spinning, he spotted Hanabi charging towards him, the bodies of the other Elders laying on the ground.

"No!" He surged his chakra through the command seal. Screams of agony erupted from the Branch House. Hanabi leapt, knowing she had mere seconds before they died. Her glowing hand lashed out. Hideaki deflected her first strike and his free hand swiped downwards. Chakra pooled in the young Hyuga's legs as she twisted around the strike. She jumped. Her hand snapped forwards and into the Elder's forehead. With a wet crack, the back of Hideaki's head exploded outwards. The Caged Bird Seals faded, the Branch House members gasping for air.

Hideaki's body hit the ground.

Blood stained Hanabi's hands for the first time.

"Jiraiya-sama," The Aburame ninja hurried up to the white-haired Sannin who was leaning over a table that had a map of the city on it, "We have doubled the guard on the streets and buildings as you requested."

"Good." Jiraiya scanned the map, half erased lines crisscrossing recent lines, the map being constantly updated as new information came in, "What of the Yamanaka and Nara clans?"

"The Inuzuka scout teams have not returned yet." Emotions slipped through the cracks in the Aburame's control, "But if they have not reported to us yet…" He shook his head, bringing his emotions back under control. "We have successfully converted one of the buildings to the right of the Uzumaki Compound into a medical shelter for the wounded. Over a dozen of my clan watches them along with two hives."

"Anything else to report?" Jiraiya circled the building next to the Uzumaki compound in blue before finally glancing up at the Aburame. When the man indicated that he did not have any additional information, the spymaster dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "Shibi-san." He turned to the other man looking over the map, "I am going to check on the status of the wall. Add any information to the map using the correct colored pencil."

Shibi nodded, not taking his eyes off of the map, memorizing it so he could properly direct his insects to find out more information. The world had gone completely illogical in the last twelve hours. His clan had awoken to the sound of explosions late last night, balls of fire lighting the night like beacons. The sounds of deadly combat echoed soon after. The Aburame had reacted by executing the plan they had practiced and developed over the last year.

They had closed the compound gates, set up the defensive hives, and moved the young and old members to the underground bunker they built in their compound. Once the sun had risen, they prepared to set out, sending their strongest fighters and healers out to assist the Guardians. Then a massive explosion of chakra and water had shaken the ground, and they had decided to wait an additional two hours before heading out. The last thing they wanted was to be caught in the crossfire with a Jinchuruki.

On their way to the Uzumaki Compound, they had been assaulted by several bands of Loyalists and missing nin. The former had been incapacitated and marked to see who came for them, while the latter was dealt with in a more permanent fashion. Soon after they arrived at the Uzumaki Compound, Jiraiya the Sannin had swept in. He swiftly took charge and organized the chaos in short order.

It was, Shibi mused as he relayed mental orders to his colony, like seeing the late Hiruzen back in his prime. Casting the thought aside, the Aburame clan head fully focused on relaying his orders to the queens he was bonded with. They needed to make certain that the wall builders were safe.

He needed to find a way to even the odds, Jiraiya decided as he strode through the Uzumaki Compound. Perhaps a strike deep in the heart of the Loyalist or Humanitarian sections? No, he dismissed the idea, it would take far too much manpower and resources to accomplish an effective enough strike. Glancing at the porch where Tsunade and Shizune lay, he felt a slight spike of guilt. The pair had been healing nearly non-stop since the conflict had started, and had refused to quit when he had suggested that they rest.

It had been a simple matter to spike the tea they were using to stay hydrated. They had fallen into a restful sleep soon after, and shortly after that, the Aburame medic nin arrived and took over. While they were not as skilled as Tsunade or Shizune, they made up for the fact by having more to their number than two medic nins.

"Tsunade-hime is going to hit me for knocking her out." Humor touched Jiraiya's lips for the briefest of moments, "Perhaps I should be elsewhere when she wakes." After she got the anger out of her system, she would forgive him. She always did. Refocusing, he nodded to Aburame guards standing near the gate and tapped the seal that would let him out. After a few seconds of verifying his identity, the gates swung outwards. Distant sounds of combat and the choking smell of death, dust, and ash assaulted him the moment the barrier opened.

With a spike of chakra, Jiraiya shot forward towards the wall.

Arriving at the wall a few moments later, he found himself frowning at their lack of progress. While they had raised the wall by a few inches, it was slow going; far too slow. The wall extended perhaps three or four inches from the ground. It extended across most of the Guardian district, completely blocking off roughly a third of Konoha to connect to the wall surrounding the village itself. The enemy would assault long before they finished it, much less before the seals were applied to keep it strong and prevent enemies from climbing it. Konoha would not fall. He owed the dead far too much to let it fall. He owed Naruto far too much to let it fall. Spotting one of the foremen, the Sannin strode over to the man.

"Report." The spymaster's tone allowed for no excuses, "What is taking so long?"

"Sir." The foreman snapped an instinctive salute at the command, "Progress is slow. With the Aburame Clan's help, we have been able to increase the speed of building by using a honeycomb framework and then filling in the holes afterward. Using those techniques, we have increased our pace to about one inch an hour. By my estimates, we should be completely finished, minus the seals, in ten days."

"That's far too long." Annoyance stabbed Jiraiya, "You need to have it completed faster. Our enemi...-the other factions," He corrected himself, "Will not wait ten days to attack. We need to have our defenses raised as soon as possible."

The foreman scrubbed his hand across his face, doing his best to not snap at the current leader of the Guardians. "Look." There was a bite to his tone, "We are going as fast as we can. My men and I haven't had a break in four and a half hours. If I push them and harder, they are going to run out of chakra before the next group can take over, and we are going to fall behind." He had sworn an oath to follow Naruto Uzumaki, not this Sannin who expected a wall to be magically created in an hour. "So with all due respect Sir, unless you have an unlimited supply of chakra, I suggest that you leave us to work."

Part of Jiraiya bristled at the man's tone, but a larger part mused at the foreman's words. "Unlimited chakra, huh?" Glancing back up at the foreman, he tapped his chin in thought. "If I did find unlimited or almost unlimited chakra, what would you do with it?"

"If you did conjure that out of thin air," The foreman once again fought the urge to simply leave the conversation, "I could use that energy to power the earth seal arrays, which would allow my builders to direct it. Hell," He shrugged, "If you could find enough energy, we could just redo the earth seals onto the wall itself and create the entire damn wall. Granted," Another almost dismissive shrug, "It wouldn't be the sturdiest thing, but we could thicken it out. Plus that would let us start on the seals immediately."

"Start redoing the seals." The Sannin ordered after a moment's thought, "I'll secure the chakra we need."

She had lost control and killed them. No, she hadn't just killed them. She had obliterated them. With one swing, she had destroyed so much. She had taken, not asked, taken Chomei-chan's power. In one single moment, all of the resentment and anger had boiled over; all of the things she pushed deep down inside - it was better to be happy than angry right? People liked happy people, right? - came rushing forth. In that instant, she had become the monster everyone in Taki said she was.

Hugging her knees to her chest, Fu closed her eyes, and once again the moment played in her mind. The moment when everything fell apart…

"Come on Fu." Kiba pointed at the building off to their right, just up ahead, "I think I heard someone calling for help over there." The pair along with Akamaru - Kiba's ninken partner - sprinted across the rooftops, doing their best to save those they could. Fu's Jinchuuriki chakra levels let her create shadow clones to move the wounded, and her prowess as a kunoichi enabled her to take down anyone who attacked her.

Kiba's highly honed ears along with Akamaru's sense of smell enabled the pair to locate those trapped under mounds of rubble, and in battle, they were a terror to fight against. Together with Fu, the three had saved over two dozen civilians and Guardians. Tiredness edged at Kiba's mind, but he could not afford to rest. Not now when others needed to be helped; to be protected. His clan could take care of themselves - he had to believe it...he had to… - and he needed to protect those who could not protect themselves. The Inuzuka were the guard dogs of Konoha, and he would not let the Leaf, the good parts of the village, die.

Leaping off of the edge of the building at an angle, the Inuzuka ran along the wall of the building opposite for a moment, twisting to face the new direction he wanted to go, leapt off of the wall, redirecting his momentum towards the building that he had heard the sounds from, rolled when he hit the ground, and continued running.

Fu followed a moment later, leaping off of the building as well. Having plenty of chakra to spare, the kunoichi spun in mid-air to face the right, lashed out with her chakra threads, and pulled herself upwards and towards the building. The rush of adrenaline and the momentary strain as she hurled herself into the sky like some great spider never failed to thrill her, no matter how many time she did it. Here in Konoha they frowned upon such displays, and unlike in Taki, she had to be mindful of how her actions could affect her friends.

But now, in this moment of freedom, with the wind rushing through her hair, she felt alive. She could forget the horribleness of the village around her as it tore itself apart; she could forget the dead and broken bodies they had pulled from the rubble, arriving too late to help; she could forget the blood that stained her hands.

Gravity took hold, and the moment of joy passed like the sun behind the clouds once more. Sending out more chakra threads, Fu wrapped her hands around the shining green threads and pulled herself back down to earth and the horror that was the civil war.

Trotting to a stop in front of the broken remains of what was a house, the mint-haired kunoichi surveyed the home closer. Kiba was examining the wall that had fallen down, blocking their sight on the inside of the home. The left outer wall had collapsed, seemingly snapped off at ground level by some heavy impact, crushing what would have been the living room and part of the front. The wooden front door, once solid, now laid in splinters. Jagged glass shards glinted in the early morning light. Akamaru growled lowly, his hackles raised.

It seemed lifeless and ruined, just like the others. They had arrived too late. Again.

"Wait." Kiba dropped to his knees at what would have been the front left side of the house and pressed his ear to the shattered wall, "I think I hear someone." Closing his eyes, he concentrated on pushing chakra to his ears, enhancing his hearing to near superhuman levels. "Yeah." He pushed himself away from the wall and trotted over to the broken wall that was blocking them from entering the home, "There's definitely someone down there. I think they got into the basement."

"Fu-chan," He glanced at the kunoichi, can you pull the wall away?"

"Yep." She nodded rapidly, "Leave it to me." Green chakra glowed around Fu's form as she moved to stand several feet away from the collapsed wall, "Let me just create a few clones first." Forming the hand sign for the shadow clones, she and the clones sent chakra threads out at the wall. The emerald strands latched onto the wall. They began to pull.

With a grinding sound of wood and metal on stone, the wall shifted and began to slowly lift off of the house. One foot. Two feet. Three. Four.

A sudden spike of chakra was all the warning Fu got before earthen spikes shot out of the ground. One of her clones, reacting before their creator, dove at Fu, arms outstretched. The impact of her hands slamming into Fu's torso knocked the wind out of the kunoichi, hurling her backward. Her eyes widened as the earth spike slammed into her clone's chest in Fu's place. Akamaru, reacting before his partner could, grabbed Kiba by the back of his shirt, and hurled the Inuzuka away from the deadly eruptions. Springing to the side, the ninken twisted to avoid the spike. Rather than being impaled, it scraped along his flank, tearing through skin and muscle in an eruption of blood. His yelp of pain echoed across the broken grounds.

"Oof." Fu landed on her back, skidding slightly from the strength of her clone's push. A rapidly enlarging shadow fell over her, and her orange eyes widened as an enemy dropped down from above towards her, a blade gleaming in their hand as they fell towards her.

Rolling to the right, she dodged the blade as it slammed into the dirt she had vacated with a dull thunk. Rolling onto her feet, she created two water swords with a mental flick of her chakra and readied herself.

"Akamaru!" Kiba's cry of rage and anguish shook her concentration, and she snapped her head to look at her fellow Guardian. It was the tiny window the missing nin needed. Tearing out the shortsword of the ground, he shot forward three steps and lashing upwards at the caramel toned kunoichi. Snapping back at the last second, Fu blocked the attack with her left water sword out of pure instinct.

Slashing with her right sword to force the enemy to back off several feet, Fu used the momentary breathing room to concentrate her chakra in her right arm. She had trained for weeks in order to get this move down. Thrusting her right sword at the enemy, and the water sword burst. Less than a heartbeat later it formed into two dozen water senbon and streaked towards the surprised enemy.

"Look out!" Kiba's cry saved her from having her throat slit from behind. Spinning, Fu registered a kunai rushing towards her throat. Unable to get her left sword up in time, Fu grabbed the blade inches from her throat. Pain spiked as the blade's edges dug into her fingers. Crimson stained caramel as blood trickled down Fu's hand and arm. The enemy kunoichi leaned forward, shoving the kunai ever nearer to Fu's throat.

The Guardian's hand tightened on the water sword still clenched in her left hand. She drew the sword back in a flash of movement...and buried it up to the hilt in the missing ninja's stomach. The missing nin gasped, the sound wet and the force behind the kunai slackened.

As Fu tossed the kunai aside, she spotted three more missing nin drop from the rooftops in front of her. She had no choice. Even though it would be a chakra beacon, she would have to draw on Chomei-chan's chakra….

"Fuck YOU!" Kiba shoulder slammed the first missing nin, slamming knocking the nin into the ground. "You aren't hurting anyone else." Razor sharp claws, strengthened by chakra, almost opened up the second nin's throat, the man leaning back at the last moment. Stepping forward, the enraged Inuzuka slammed his other clawed hand into the nin's chest, gouging out a chunk of muscle. The man's scream was cut off as Kiba opened his throat with a slash.

The body hit the ground with a meaty thud.

"Which one of you assholes hurt Akamaru?" The Inuzuka rushed the third nin, but the element of surprise had worn off. Exchanging quick blows, they locked arms, struggling to overpower the other. Hearing the first ninja she had fought standing back up, Fu grabbed the kunoichi she still had impaled, and ignoring the slashes of pain in her bleeding hand, picked up the choking kunoichi. Green chakra highlighted her form. Spinning on her heels, she hurled the dying enemy where she thought the enemy was.

A white masked enemy sidestepped the flying body, the symbol for 'root' marring the otherwise blank mask. Showing no reaction to Fu's opening attack, he finished the final hand seal for the jutsu he was casting. His hands splayed outwards, and with a sharp, abrupt thrust, he shoved them towards the sky. Spikes of earth rocketed out of the ground. Snapping a hand upwards, Fu yanked herself out of danger's way with a chakra thread. Kiba dove out of the way. Landing hard on the ground, he could only watch as Akamaru disappeared in a flurry of spikes and bloodied fur.

"No!" The scream tore its way out of his throat, the sound primal, "Akamaru!"

An impact arrested Fu's flight, slamming her to the ground as someone slammed into her from the side. A scream bit past her lip as uncaring gloved hands snapped out and bent her hands and arms back, pinning her to the ground. A knee drove into the small of her back, shoving the hair from her lungs. Facing the direction that Kiba was slowly standing back up in, Fu prayed for a miracle.

A snarl from Kiba rumbled out from the Inuzuka's chest as his hair lengthened, and his claws grew longer and more vicious. With a roar, he charged. Claws gleamed. Tears slid down his cheeks, mixing with the bloody froth that dripped from his mouth. The berserking Guardian charged.

Before the ninja holding Fu down could react, Kiba slammed into him with a crunch of bone. They skidded across the ground. The masked ninja grabbed the short sword lying nearby and rammed it into Kiba's shoulder. The Inuzuka didn't even notice. His hand snapped out and latched onto the masked ninja's throat. With a snarl, the wolf nin squeezed and then pulled.

The throat came apart in a spray of blood. Scrambling to his feet, Kiba lunged for Akamaru's killer.

He never made it.

Flashing out of the alley, another masked ninja shot past Kiba. The katana gleamed, it's surface wet. Kiba collapsed, blood pouring from his face.

Dimly, Fu noted that another masked ninja joined the two. The were unsealing scrolls of some kind. But such thoughts were secondary. Her gaze remained fixed on Kiba's prone form. Something stirred within her chest.

"You…." Her breath deepened, "You….hurt Kiba and Akamaru…" The ninja froze. "You killed him." A snarl ripped out of her, the sound far too large for her slender body.

Her breath grew ragged. Rage filtered in. Images flashed through her mind. Times in Taki when she was called a monster. When they cursed her. Denied her food. Made her feel like nothing.

Harsh green chakra flames ignited on her form.

Flashes of her friends. Naruto. Sakura. Hinata. Haku. Mrs. Haruno. Mr. Haruno.

Kiba.

Four tails flared into existence, spreading like wings behind the Jinchuuriki. Glowing orange eyes glared.

"Just..."

"...DIE."

Fu screamed, and a tsunami responded. The water tore through the landscape around her, barely missing the prone Inuzuka. It obliterated the enemy ninja. Blasted apart buildings. Shredded roads. Shattered windows. Fires winked out. Rain poured down from the sky, weeping for her loss.

The scream faded, and with it, the rage.

Blackness swam in her vision, and as Fu fell towards the ground, she thought she heard her friend once more.

"I got you."

"Hello, Fu." Jiraiya crouched down next to the Jinchuuriki, "How would you like to use your powers to help?" A mint green head lifted slightly. "You won't have to hurt anyone." His voice was gentle and understanding. "We just need your chakra." She flinched. "Not like that." The spymaster hastened to reassure her, "Not like before. I wouldn't ask that of you." Jiraiya placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "There is a wall that I'd like you to help construct."

Fu hesitated.

"Naruto would help if he was here."

Slowly, after what seemed to be a lifetime, Fu nodded. She leaned into his touch for a moment, soaking in the warmth. Then she stood and moved towards the door. It was, Jiraiya told himself, necessary to ensure that the Guardians survived.

Sometimes...Jiraiya hated himself; Hated how easy it was to justify the grey.

-Line-

-Line-

The sound of Orochimaru's laughter was something that all in Sound learned to fear. There was no joy in the noise, never joy. On the best of days it was barely hidden mockery, and on the worst days, it was edged with the terrible cruelty. The sheer delight in the Snake Sannin's tone made Sasuke's skin crawl. Still, information was power, and learning what the Sannin found enjoyable was worth the uncertainty. The last thing the Uchiha wanted was for Orochimaru to discover the Sasuke's plan to kill him.

"Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru grinned at his apprentice, his mouth just slightly too open for the expression to be considered friendly, and not open enough to show teeth, "I've got some very exciting news." Yellow slitted eyes glinted in amusement as the Snake Sannin paused, waiting for a moment before continuing. The Sannin, Sasuke had learned, was prone to fits of dramatic displays. Come to think of it, every Sannin was like that. The Uchiha shelved that line of thought for a later time, opting to blankly stare at Orochimaru.

Not reacting drove Orochimaru nearly up the wall, but his pride would never let him admit it, and Sasuke was far too important to punish. The Sannin's smile slightly dimmed. Sasuke didn't so much as twitch. Shaking himself, Orochimaru coughed slightly and leaned forward, determined to not let his apprentice ruin his good mood.

"Just over six days ago now, a series of explosions rocked Konoha in the middle of the night." Sasuke's attention snapped towards him. "Yes. You heard right." Orochimaru leaned back in his throne, steepling his fingers. "While my spies weren't able to determine why the bombs went off, they were able to determine what happened next…" Sasuke unconsciously leaned forward.

Orochimaru hid a smile behind his hands at his apprentice's reaction. "You are so easy to manipulate Sasuke-kun…" Outwardly, he continued his story. "...The Leaf tore itself apart. Not knowing who set the bombs, each faction turned on one another. Smoke clouds choked the moonlit sky. Screams echoed through the broken streets. The war…" The expression was almost sickening in its dark amusement, "...wasn't very civil."

"While my spies haven't been able to get a precise count, they estimate that about twenty percent, give or take, have died since the incident started." Pausing, Orochimaru considered the thought he just had. "I wonder if we can get a hold of any of those bodies. They could be useful to experiment on." He shook his head a moment later. " No, that wouldn't work. Since Konoha destroyed my bases near them, I wouldn't be able to move the bodies easily."

Refocusing on Sasuke, he continued. "While there were quite a few events that my spies could only estimate at, we do know that the Seven Tails unleashed her power twice. The first time was to destroy several blocks, and the second time was aiding in the construction of a wall that blocked off a section of the village."

"As of this time, there are three walls separating Konoha into thirds. Logically, each of the factions has erected walls to keep the other factions out. Suna is preparing to set out to guard the Leaf against any other village seeking to take advantage of the civil war. Kumo will be receiving the news of the civil war within the week, as will Iwa. Ame probably won't care either way, and Kusa will be staying neutral. As for Kiri…" Another savage smirk slashed Orochimaru's face, "Their spies have gotten...waylaid. The knowledge of their ally's predicament won't be reaching them."

Shunting the emotions that rose up at the news aside for later analysis, Sasuke focused on gathering information. "Do you know why it suddenly exploded into a civil war?" The Uchiha frowned at his unintentional choice of words. "Was this something that was brewing for a while before the bombs lit the spark?" His frown deepened again at his word choice. "Or was this a surprise?"

"It didn't surprise me that the civil war happened," Orochimaru carefully replied, "But I'll admit that the bombs caught me off guard. It was a rather blunt attack. I may know more if my remaining spy in the Leaf manages to make it out alive, but," He shrugged, "I don't expect him to be honest. He doesn't have any real chakra levels, and can't stand up to a ninja."

"What was his name?" It was a more idle curiosity, but if he could pass an anonymous message along to Naruto somehow...

"It's A-something? Atakin? Atatkin?" Orochimaru shrugged again. "It doesn't really matter. He was nothing more than a cover spy designed to get caught. After all, the Leaf expected me to have a spy in their village, so I would give them one. He's probably dead honestly."

"Oh." Sasuke nodded. "Was that all?"

"Other than that Naruto Uzumaki is nearing Konoha, that is all." Orochimaru smirked at how Sasuke froze at the mention of his ex-friend of the briefest of moments before continuing out of the room. "You haven't changed at all Sasuke-kun. Still caring about others. Still having that weakness." It wouldn't be long now until he was ready to take the Uchiha's body. Already the body he currently residing in was deteriorating. The numbness was lasting until near midday now, and - if the normal patterns held - it would start to ache within a few weeks.

The Sharingan would be his.

What did you think? Drop a review and let me know.

On Root's actions in this chapter: Danzo has always wanted Jinchuriki under his control. As a result, while making plans for what to do in the civil war, he fully intended on extracting Chomei from Fu if he could, and then blaming it on the other factions/missing nin.

To my reviewers' direct questions:

Dark Link M Smith: I apologize, but I'm unsure of what you are referring to. Please feel free to PM your question and I'll do my best to answer.

Starfire99: That point is actually part of a future arc, so I ask you to wait just a bit longer for the reveal who was listening in.

PralineMaster: First, I want to thank you for your awesome review. It really made my day. As for the harem, it was mostly a combo of two things. The first was that when I write (as odd as this sounds) the characters don't always do or act the way I plan. I just try to write them as people. Secondly, and more of the lion's share of the combo, was the fact that I wasn't confident that I could write a harem. I wasn't planning on writing a harem because I didn't think I could. But...the characters just kinda kept going in that direction, and eventually I was like "Welp, looks like I don't have a choice in if it's a harem or not."

Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: I'd really like to answer your questions, but I can't due to spoilers.