A Konoha Coup d'etat Chapter 17: No More Hiding, a naruto fanfic

I do not own Naruto…

Chapter 16: No More Hiding

Level dark eyes stared dully at the clock hanging opposite him; although they followed the progress of the steadily ticking second hand, it was apparent he was not really seeing the clock at all. His mind was busily engaged in the careful crafting of a plan.

One would not expect much brain activity to be coming from a boy in his state. He still had the healthy looks of an active shinobi, but three nearly sleepless nights with little food had left immense shadows of purple beneath his eyes, and every inch of his body screamed weariness. His clothes and skin bore the slime and grunge expected from time in the lowest dungeon. At that moment, he was seated in a simple chair, ankles and wrists secured, in the center of the Hokage's office. The man in power was not currently in the office, however, and Shikamaru assumed that his fate would be revealed when the wily old man arrived.

The men who had brought him up from the depths of the tower left him there nearly an hour ago. Since they had departed, and after Shikamaru's eyes had readjusted to being in the light, his mind had been busy at work; he pondered Kokuzoku's plans, what his companions outside the tower were doing, how he could possibly manage to pull off an escape….

Amidst all this planning, his thoughts continuously jumped back down to the dungeons and the grimy, bloody finger he had seen protruding from the trap door, belonging to one of the three prisoners hidden beneath. They had been kept alive thus far by an unusually kind Chaita secretly supplying them with food and water. With Shikamaru's removal from the dungeon, however, the Chaita had no excuse to return with his small gifts of life; Shikamaru wondered how long the three would last, and how long it would be before someone discovered their bodies.

This melancholy train of thought ended as the door opened. It was not the silver-clad Kokuzoku who entered, however. Shikamaru's eyes widened.

"Neji."

The last time Shikamaru had seen his friend had been in that office. Neji had been in Chaita clutches for over a month at that point, an occupant of the very cell Shikamaru had proceeded to inhabit. Their encounter, however, had not been a pleasant one. Shikamaru had watched in horror as Kokuzoku, gleefully grasping the gaunt cheeks of his Hyuuga prisoner, had ensnared Neji with his halsegan; the pearly, lunar glow had faded from the Hyuuga's pale eyes and was replaced with the harsh glint of Chaita silver.

"Fancy seeing you here," Shikamaru drawled, cocking an eyebrow and eyeing his friend for some sign of recognition. "What are you doing, Neji? You're working for Kokuzoku? The insane old man who massacred your entire family?"

No response showed on the pale face; Shikamaru tried a different route. "Look what he's got you wearing. I'm sorry to say, Neji, but silver is not your color."

The Hyuuga stared at Shikamaru without the slightest trace of recognition; if possible, there was less emotion displayed on that familiar face than usual.

Shikamaru let out a sigh; from the still-open door, he heard a cackle of laughter. Raikou Chaita, slithered into the open.

"Giving up so soon? I suppose that's the smart track. Neji is beyond any help you could provide."

The willowy girl sauntered gracefully across the room, giving the conscious prisoner a glinting smirk. "He's on our side now. Isn't that right, Neji?" she simpered, snaking rippling arms around his neck, pressing herself against his back. Nestling her sharp chin into his shoulder, she gave a small titter of laughter.

Shikamaru shot the woman a burning glare, pointedly ignoring the spidery hands now caressing their way up and down the Hyuuga's chest.

"Does your grandpa get to feel when you do that to his prisoner, because I'm sure he enjoys it very much."

Raikou's self-satisfied smirk disappeared. Her hands stopped roaming, instead clenching at her prisoner's shoulders with white knuckles.

Like venom from a snake, she spat, "You feel this is a time for wit, Shikamaru Nara?"

A harsh laugh burst into the room. "This young man always feels it is the time for wit. Do not let it affect you, Granddaughter."

The Viper and the Wit turned to see Kokuzoku enter the room, leaning heavily on his cane and glaring coolly at his prisoner. He walked right up to Shikamaru, bending down to bring his face mere inches from that of his prisoner. Shikamaru slammed his eyes shut, but Kokuzoku only laughed. Drops of saliva showered Shikamaru's chin and mouth. He felt the old man's breath wafting over him as the old man whispered excitedly.

"The end is near, though. Oh yes. Soon, young man, you will have no time left at all."

…

It was as though the clouds had assembled to bid farewell to their companion; the noontime sun was lost behind a dark, rumbling sea of the sky's largest inhabitants. The villagers assembling in the Chunin stadium to witness the execution muttered amongst themselves, pondering this foreboding omen. The audience was not nearly as large as that of Kokuzoku's recent assembly; those who had come gathered on the combat turf before the newly constructed execution platform.

At five minutes to twelve, the overseers of the execution appeared and made their way onto the platform. Shizune and Tsunade, looking appropriately morose for an execution, settled themselves quietly on the chairs designated for them. Kakashi, Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai assembled behind their Hokage, and numerous other Chaita officials and guards stationed themselves on and around the stage. Lastly, straight-backed and somber, Kokuzoku made his way onto the podium, flanked by his granddaughter and his Hyuuga slave. The trio stood formally at the front of the platform, facing the crowd of several hundred. Quiet fell.

"My good citizens, it is a grave affair that brings us here today. The taking of a life is never a simple matter. Deaths on the battlefield are different, because one is facing nameless enemies. A battle of self-defense is one in which death is sometimes the only answer. We are not on a battlefield today, citizens, but this is indeed an act of self-defense. The man we face today threatened the very foundation upon which our lives are built: the village. He attempted murder on our Hokage who, we all know, is the very heart of the village. For this crime, he must be duly punished."

At these words, two Chaita approached the stage, a bound, hooded figure struggling between them.

"Alas, citizens, there is more afoot in this display of justice than attempted murder. This would-be murderer is not a nameless enemy, but a member of this very family we call Konoha. He went to Academy with your children, enjoyed the safety of these walls, participated in community events. And yet, he still felt it necessary to try and destroy this peace we live in by piercing the heart of Lady Tsunade, the heart of our village, with a kunai. Thankfully, the attack was stopped." He lay a hand to his chest, pausing a moment to reflect upon his act of sacrifice. Several people in the crowd hesitantly applauded.

Kokuzoku stepped to the hooded figure now kneeling before the crowd. "This criminal is none other than your own Shikamaru Nara!"

Despite the crowd already knowing this tidbit of information, a sizeable gasp was heard as the hood was torn away to reveal the worn and weary face of the young Nara.

"Justice shall be ours!" Kokuzoku roared into the crowd, raising a fist. "Our village is strong, and will not fall to this evil little hand!"

He turned and gestured to the blond woman seated behind him, who stood and joined him before the crowd. She echoed his cry. "Justice!" The emotion Kokuzoku had been failing to draw from the villagers surfaced with the encouragement of the woman. Shouts for Shikamaru's demise rose and more fists were thrust into the air.

The victim stared out at the crowd with dull eyes.

Well then. If this is how it will end, there's quite a bit I've left undone…

Casting his gaze to the clouds, his minds eye filled with images of a blond young woman with lively blue eyes.

A long, lethal sword had been produced and was now clutched comfortably in the hands of a particularly burly Chaita. For the last time, he heard Kokuzoku spout his word-vomit.

"Your time has come, Shikamaru Nara; the village has deemed it so."

His gaze was ripped from the sky as hands roughly shoved Shikamaru forward until his forehead smashed into the wooden planks. A foot was firmly planted atop his crown. Silence fell on the crowd and, closing his eyes, Shikamaru let a long, slow sigh escape his lips.

I'm sorry, Ino.

A roar like a tidal wave smashed into the stadium. People turned, swamped with sudden terror, and saw once again figures mounting the wall of the stadium. Kokuzoku, his triumphant gaze on the victim at his feet, turned and let loose a howl of rage. His sound was lost, however, in the din of a second cacophonous wave of sound. Kokuzoku felt shivers dance along his spine and down to his fingers and toes as the sources of the voices leapt from the wall, still emitting their earth-shattering battle cries, and flew directly toward the platform. Towards him.

A fire erupted inside Shikamaru as two cherished voices roared his name.

"Shikamaruuu!"

Kokuzoku shrieked, "Kill him!"

But too late.

The swordsman was bulldozed by a bellowing comet of armor and hair.

A warm body smashed into the Nara and seized him in a determined grasp. Shikamaru let himself be carried with her momentum and the pair rolled off the platform, landing in a dusty heap below as the sounds of battle erupted above. His mind spun; Shikamaru struggled to right himself, this simple task impeded by the arms bound tightly behind him. Familiar arms, grasping his shoulders, pulled him upright and enclosed him in a desperate embrace.

"Ino," he gasped, struggling to catch a glimpse of the face buried in his shoulder. "Ah, Ino…"

Her frenzied heartbeats thudded in his chest.

For several moments breathing was all they could do; slowly, deep, calming breaths replaced the rapid pants of adrenaline.

Shikamaru spat a stray strand of blond hair from his mouth.

"Please untie me, woman."

Shikamaru felt his rescuer stiffen. Ino lifted her face, indignation rising in her glinting blue eyes. She opened her mouth but before she could speak, Shikamaru leaned forward and brushed his cracked, thirsty lips to hers.

Shivers erupted from the contact, exploding through her body. But before her mind could wrap around this new and pleasant sensation, Shikamaru rocked backward, staring at the girl with one eyebrow raised. Ino blinked, her eyebrows up by her hairline. She hesitantly raised one hand, and for a moment Shikamaru feared it coming into brutal contact with his cheek. However, he had no reason to fear. A triumphant laugh burst from the young woman as she seized Shikamaru in another embrace and returned his kiss with the determination and confidence that characterized the Ino he loved.

Above them, the battle roared.

"That needed to be settled before one of us died," Shikamaru breathed as they broke apart, reluctantly. Ino nodded, flushed and slightly out of breath. "Now, please untie me."

Ino scuttled behind him and saw, to her dismay, the glowing metal cuffs binding Shikamaru's arms. "I need a key," she groaned. "I can't break these."

Shikamaru hissed a sigh. "Dammit. Well, you should go help. I'll think of something."

Ino nodded and, stealing his lips for another moment, leapt upward, rejoining the battle. She found chaos.

Sakura and Tsunade had left the platform and were battling with enormous destruction around the stadium. The audience was trying to escape the battle, but many were forced to change their direction as student and teacher exchanged colossal blows. Likewise, Sasuke and Kakashi were creating quite the disruption as lightning sparked between the pair at each exchange. Kiba wrestled with Kurenai as Akamaru tore at many a Chaita grunt foolish enough to engage the dog. As she watched, Chouji lifted above his head the bulky Chaita he had stopped from executing his best friend; with a victorious bellow Chouji sent the man flying across the stadium and the man landed with a glorious rumble in the stands.

Chouji swung to face Ino, eyes blazing and cheeks alight.

"He's okay," Ino yelled. "We need a key to unlock-."

A roaring and a flash of metal sent the two skyward, blood trickling from shallow cuts on both bodies. They were followed upward in their flight by the bellowing bear that was their teacher. Shikamaru was temporarily pushed from their minds as Ino and Chouji recovered, engaging the Chaita-minded Asuma now bearing down on them.

The Chaita and their prisoners, no longer the victims of surprise, were swiftly organizing themselves and soon the rebels found themselves facing more than only the people they had initially targeted. Lee and Tenten, who had yet to reach their target, were now separated from their Hyuuga by an impassable wall of green spandex and silver. Hanabi had managed to land a hefty blow to Kokuzoku's gut before she was sent spiraling off into the arena by a strike from her cousin. The old man himself was bellowing orders while fighting to avoid coming into contact with an enraged and snarling orange figure. Likewise, Temari and Shino were working towards Kokuzoku but continuously found themselves confronted with fresh Chaita troops.

Battle raged in the arena as the last of the civilians managed to flee. Chaos reigned as students and teachers faced off, taking down much of the stadium as they fought. The students fought as best as they could, but each knew that the likeliness of victory over their teachers, in the current situation, was not high. They were waiting for the force that made their teachers the enemy to be destroyed. They were waiting for Naruto to make contact with Kokuzoku.

After nearly ten minutes of battle, that moment came, and every person in the stadium knew it. The signal? Naruto's normal combat snarls and yells came to a halt. The few seconds of silence that followed were then broken by the mightiest battle roar ever to resonate in the walls of the arena.

Kokuzoku realized, the instant Naruto laid hands upon him, that more than his dreams, his regime, and his family were in danger; Naruto Uzumaki could and would take his life if given the chance. Kokuzoku was determined not to give him that chance.

Breaking away from the youth's clutch, Kokuzoku turned on Naruto and had at him with his cane. Naruto threw up his arms to shield his face from the lightning-quick rain of blows descending upon him. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he continued to push forward, searching with his foot for the old man's leg. Kokuzoku avoided his probing appendage with nimble steps as he changed the speed and timing of his blows. Foregoing his shield, Naruto plunged forward, arms outstretched, to seize Kokuzoku around the waist. The cane delivered one last, splintering blow to Naruto's brow before it flew from its wielder's grasp. The pair crashed to the floor. Blood gushed from Naruto's brow onto Kokuzoku as the young man began to pummel the Chaita like a piece of disobedient meat. In an instant, however, he felt a familiar presence at his back. The next thing he knew jabs were connecting with chakra points all over his body with the speed capable only of Neji Hyuuga.

"Neji!" Naruto gasped. The slave seized the limp Naruto by the shoulders and tossed him away like a rag doll. Naruto soared from the platform and landed on the dirt of the arena. He scrambled to right himself, his arms and legs not wishing to cooperate as they protested the blocking of their natural inner flow.

"Naruto, MOVE!" Naruto had not even seen Shikamaru, slumped in the shadows, when the other youth shouted the warning. Naruto turned to see where the danger was coming from and managed to leap away just as Sakura came rocketing from across the stadium, landing with an enormous crash in the dirt Naruto had just occupied. Naruto leapt to her side but had only put a hand to her shoulder when Tsunade arrived. As Sakura reengaged her teacher, Naruto's eyes sought Kokuzoku. He found the old man draped over Neji's back, the pair disappearing over the wall. Initial panic subsided as he saw the two familiar figures on Neji's tale, assuring Naruto the Hyuuga would be followed. He would follow, too, as soon as his hokage gave him the chance.

…

Tenten, never losing sight of Neji from the moment they entered the arena, saw her teammate take hold of the Chaita lord and head to the wall, away from the battle.

"Lee!"

She pointed, letting fly a handful of senbon with her other hand.

"We must follow!" Lee growled. With a mighty roar, he seized the duo he had been battling and threw them with all his might at his teacher. "Come, Tenten!"

Temporarily free, the pair leapt into the air, hot on the tail of Kokuzoku and Neji. They remained close behind all the way across the village. Tenten did not let them travel in peace, keeping a steady barrage of pointy objects flying towards their prey.

Rage boiled in her stomach as, time and again, Kokuzoku maneuvered her friend, his taxi, to act as his shield.

"These are for you, you bastard!" She bellowed, after four more of her senbon buried themselves in Neji's arm.

Kokuzoku's only response was to urge his vehicle onward, pushing the Hyuuga to move even faster. Lee and Tenten would not be shaken, however, and kept on their tail up to the gate of the Hokage's Tower. Skidding to a halt inside the front gate, the pair froze. Kokuzoku was disappearing through a door at the far end of the entrance hall, leaning heavily to one side. Standing before them, all alone, was Neji.

Tenten let out a menacing growl. "Kokuzoku did this on purpose; he knew we would want to stay with Neji, so now he can escape."

Lee had eyes only for Neji, and responded to Tenten with a low curse. "I would have hoped we would not take either of them single-handed, but it looks as though he is forcing our hand."

He tore his gaze from Neji and seized Tenten's, eyes blazing. "I will follow K-."

The wall behind them exploded, sending the pair flying forward. A familiar roar resounded in the enormous hall.

"Naruto!" Lee called, springing to his feet and turning to the other boy. "Kokuzoku has gone through that door, alone!"

In a flash of orange Naruto dashed after Kokuzoku. A flash of silver from the opposite side of the hall made to block him, but green spandex intervened.

Lee seized Neji around the middle and, with a roar, threw him away from Naruto.

"No you do not, Neji Hyuuga!" Lee raised his fists, massive eyebrows set, a frown that blazed with determination firm on his face. "It is with Tenten and I that you shall engage! Kokuzoku shall control you no more!"

Neji twisted in the air, but before he could make use of his momentum a flock of kunai hit him, pinning him to the opposite wall. He struggled as Tenten and Lee approached, identical pain etched on both faces.

"Neji," Tenten stared hard at the Hyuuga's face, searching for pieces of the Neji she loved. Cold, hard silver was all she found. "Where are you, Neji? What has Kokuzoku done with the real you?"

The Hyuuga met her gaze, twisting his face into a contorted smirk. "What do you mean? Neji is right here."

Lee and Tenten stood mere feet from their friend, the closest they had been in nearly four weeks. For missions, this was acceptable; for any other reason, unnatural.

"We did not ask for Kokuzoku," Lee blazed, raising a finger to the Hyuuga. "We want our friend!"

"You're a member of Team Gai, Neji, don't you remember? We're your team-."

Neji's leg dislodged the kunai pinning it and landed a swift blow to Tenten's gut, sending the girl reeling backward.

Lee's eyes widened briefly before his brows came down heavily upon them. "I see," he said, in a tone of resigned acceptance. "Kokuzoku has grown attached to you, Neji. He will not give you up without a fight."

Another instant, the rest of the kunai pins clattered to the ground.

Lee was there to meet him. "And so he will have one!"

…

Hanabi, scrabbling to her feet, debris tumbling from her, saw Naruto disappearing over the wall of the stadium. Sweeping the battle, she saw the figures now missing from the mix. In an instant her decision was made; like a shadow of lightning she bolted after the orange blur.

Arriving at the tower minutes later, she found Tenten and Lee tearing it apart with Neji. Weapons littered the ground, chunks of stone had fallen from the walls and now littered the ground, creating a perilous battle field. The three nin moved with a speed new to the eyes of Hanabi. She had seen Neji fight, but nothing of the past compared with the fluidity and power displayed before her. On their part, Lee and Tenten matched him blow for blow. The stakes in this battle were unlike any other.

Activating her Byakugan, she saw Naruto sprinting up several flights of stairs in hot pursuit of the old man desperately barricading himself inside the Hokage's office. With a frown, she watched as squads of Chaita entered the stairwell, some heading up after Naruto, others tumbling down to discover the source of the ruckus.

A hand landed on her shoulder; Hanabi spun, chakra rushing to her fingertips, but stopped when she recognized the offending limb's owner.

"Where are Naruto and Kokuzoku?" Kiba demanded, his eyes narrowed on the three battling before them; blood dripped from a long gash along his jaw, but he seemed not to notice. Shino stood grimly behind him.

Hanabi gestured, and the three dashed across the battlefield, managing to avoid an interaction with Team Gai.

"There are Chaita running up and down the stairs," Hanabi gasped, staring upward, Byakugan activated, "And Naruto is already at Kokuzoku's office."

"I'm there!" Kiba raced up the stairs; a moment later Hanabi and Shino heard him encounter the guards above.

...

…

Tenten slammed into a crumbling wall. Her back screamed in protest, but in an instant she had pushed herself to her feet. With gritted teeth she stumbled a few steps back toward Lee and Neji. In a flash, two crushing kicks to the shoulders sent the young woman crashing to the ground; a wail of frustration escaped her lips, catching the attention of her teammates.

"Tenten!"

Lee's gaze flew from his teammate to the woman standing above her, whose silver eyes were glinting with mirth.

"Would you like some assistance, Neji?"

Lee gave the woman a withering glare, shouting, "Our friend needs no more attention from you Chaita scum!"

Raikou gave a small pout, turning from the bushy-browed ninja to the Hyuuga. "Neji, are you going to let this boy talk to me like that?"

Tenten let out a roar and, in a flash, twisted Raikou's ankles with her own and sent the older woman crashing to the ground. "Don't talk to him," Tenten hissed, her eyes blazing, "Like you know him!"

Twisting herself into the straddle position, Tenten managed to pin Raikou's hands. Raikou struggled, but to no avail; the older woman was several inches taller than Tenten, but could not compete with muscle mass.

This slick, serpentine woman and her simpering tone towards Neji, her Neji, brought forth a rage within Tenten the likes of which she had never experienced. She could have pummeled Raikou to a bleeding, broken pulp in a heartbeat. However, Tenten delivered only one devastating punch to Raikou's cheek before she was knocked from her prey to the ground. The hands gripping her, the chest pressed against her, were familiar, and this sudden rush of recognition momentarily disarmed Tenten. She flopped to the ground and found herself pinned, staring up into his stern, beloved face.

"Neji-."

In a flash his hand was around her throat and a kunai was inches from her brow.

…

The young man, tall, with long dark hair held in a loose ponytail, sat very still. His legs were folded beneath him and his hands rested gently upon his knees. His face was relaxed and his eyes were closed. What was he thinking?

He did not know. He did not think. He simply was.

He sat, and sat, and sat, lost in an ocean of white and silver.

What was his name?

…Neji.

His lips gave the slightest twitch.

Neji?

…

Kokuzoku paced, his heart and mind racing. At any moment, Naruto Uzumaki, or one of the other rebels, was going to try and break into his office, he was positive. Of course he had been expecting trouble at the execution; it had been planned, in part, as a way to lure out the rest of the rebels hiding out in the city. However, he had not expected there to be so many, and he had not expected them to put up such challenge. If he was honest, he had been most surprised to find Naruto Uzumaki on top of him after only ten minutes of battle.

Calm. I must be calm.

He moved quickly to the desk, wincing from the pain in his leg and chest. Trembling hands sought pen and paper, upon which he scribbled a quick, frantic message. He fumbled a messy seal, then spun on the spot, searching in vain for a mean of transportation.

The sound of a small explosion right outside his barricaded door sent the old man to his knees. Wall-hangings wavered and a bottle of ink rolled off his desk and smashed to the carpet with a tinkle. Kokuzoku tossed aside his message and dragged himself upright, clutching at the desk for support. The door hinges rattled as something ferocious battered against them once…twice….

They exploded inward; the barricade of furniture scattered as the orange-clad figure burst into the room.

Kokuzoku knew he could not run.

…

At Tenten's cry, Shino turned from the stairwell and peered into the entrance hall. His brows contracted at the sight of Raikou. Putting a hand on Hanabi's shoulder, he said quickly, "Be careful."

Hanabi, surprised, turned as he disappeared back through the doorway. The next instant, however, a figure stumbled down the stairs from the battle above; it was not Kiba.

Like a cat Hanabi leapt at him; he was fast and on guard, managing to block her jabs. She leapt back a few feet, quickly taking in her enemy. He was young, the youngest Chaita she had seen; his eyes, studying her, widened.

"A Hyuuga!"

Her family's name, spoken on Chaita lips, sparked a fire in her chest. With a roar she lunged forward. He did not move to defend himself as her kunai buried themselves deeply in his chest.

Bunta let out a groan, sinking to his knees, hands flying to clutch at the wounds now spurting blood. Hanabi gave each knife a twist, stepping back to glare at the man with more hate in her eyes than she had ever felt.

That hate dissipated in a sentence.

"Hinata…is your sister?"

His tone froze her from top to bottom. Affection, pain, sympathy, urgency.

He slumped forward, grabbing her hand in one of his bloody own. With wide, tearing eyes, he stared up at her and gasped, "She's alive…in the dungeon…the hole-."

He crumpled, the floor forcing the knives deeper. Hanabi stared down at the man, her whole body numb. She watched his torso give a final twitch, then lay deathly still. She glanced up the stairs, down which sounds of Kiba's battle were rolling. A spark lit in her chest.

In an instant, she was in the other stairwell, hurtling down three stairs at a time.

Hinata!

…

"Neji, stop! That is Tenten!"

Lee leapt forward, meaning to intervene. Raikou jumped to her feet, throwing herself at Lee and knocking him off course. For a moment they wrestled, but Lee swiftly subdued her with his enormous strength. Desperately he turned back to his friends, Neji with his kunai still poised above Tenten.

Tenten was staring up at him, eyes blazing, brows knit, one hand gripping the wrist holding the kunai. She held his gaze with hers; not a muscle moved in either body.

Momentarily transfixed by this silent battle, Lee did not see the kunai until it was buried hilt-deep in his thigh.

He let out a howl, not of pain, but rage at his own stupidity. He whipped back around to deal with Raikou and saw Shino darting toward them. The heavily clothed shinobi seized the unsuspecting Raikou under the arms and, in an instant, lifted her out of the hall.

Raikou did not appreciate this and, after Shino had released her, sprang at him in a vicious attack. The bugs were already streaming from Shino's coat.

…

Within minutes, the Hokage's office was a blown-out shell. The wall of windows looking out on the city was demolished and the battle between Kokuzoku and Naruto had moved onto the rooftops. Words were not exchanged; Naruto was, for once in his life, incapable of conjuring words to adequately express the storm of feeling inside him. Kokuzoku had nothing to say. He was in a fight for his life, and could spare neither time nor energy for speech. This young shinobi was like no enemy the aged Kokuzoku had ever faced. Every ounce of mental energy he could muster was needed to provide the necessary defenses and put forward acceptable attacks.

The mental strain was beginning to drag him down.

He had only one choice.

Although it killed him on the inside, he knew it was all he could do to even hope for a victory. Slowly, he began to cut his mental ties.

…

Battle raged in the arena as the rebels waited for some sign that progress was being made in the battle against Kokuzoku. As first Lee and Tenten, then Naruto, Kiba, Shino, and Hanabi, left the arena, the battle began to tip in favor of the Chaita. Not only were the remaining rebels facing three to one odds, but the enemy's control over their teachers did not appear to be waning at all.

Sasuke and Sakura continued to destroy the stadium as they faced Kakashi and Tsunade. Akamaru dealt with Kurenai as gently as possible, not understanding why Kiba had ordered him to face her, but aware that something out of the ordinary was happening. Chouji had taken control of the battle with Asuma, leaving Ino to aid Temari in the battle against Gai, Shizune, and the rest of the Chaita. The blondes could have held their own against the dozen or so Chaita, but the addition of Gai and Shizune was causing problems.

Shikamaru was having an intense inner battle under the execution platform. He was practically useless while his arms and chakra remained unusable, but listening to the others' struggles, particularly the cries of Ino and Chouji, was driving him mad.

His problem was solved when Shizune was knocked off the platform and saw him.

"Ah!"

As Ino dodged a rain of blows from a wiry, swift Chaita, she saw Shizune drag Shikamaru out into the open. Shikamaru used his legs and head to defend as much as possible, but Shizune easily dodged his attacks. Soon he was pinned and Shizune was reaching for a weapon with which to finish the young man.

Ino let out a scream, trying and failing to disengage herself from her adversaries; she had to get there, to stop her-.

"Nooooo!"

With a blade in the air, Shizune froze, then crumpled; her weapon clattered to the ground, her eyes closed.

Shikamaru stared at the unconscious woman, and knew that, finally, someone was getting to the heart of all the trouble.

…

Hanabi had never been to the Konoha dungeons before, but there was no time for sight-seeing. She flew from floor to floor, scanning each cell as she passed, searching frantically for some sign of life, some sign of her sister. On the third floor she froze and used her Byakugan to stare down, down through four more floors until she found the very lowest dungeon.

There she saw three figures. And they were alive.

…

Even as he released Shizune from his command, Kokuzoku felt one connection waver, and it was not one he planned on relinquishing. Quickly severing his control over two Konoha elders and Kurenai, he poured even more energy into his bond with Neji Hyuuga.

I will not, he thought desperately, leaping skyward to avoid a lunge from Naruto, give up such a weapon. Not that easily.

…

Tenten stared at Neji as she had never stared before. She felt as though she was trying to send more than just images into his silvery gaze; their history, their friendship, their team, anything to try and break the control Kokuzoku had on his mind.

For an instant, the silver flickered, and Tenten was gifted with one fleeting glimpse of pearl. A gasp escaped her frozen lips.

As quickly as it appeared, the pearl vanished in a rapid fog of silver. The muscles beneath her wrist flexed and Tenten found herself fighting against him once again.

Lee entered the fray with a roar and soon the kunai was gone as the pair wrestled amid the stones and debris.

Tenten had seen the light; Neji was there, and she was going to break him free.

…

Kiba had seen the guard slip past him and rush down the stairs. He meant to shout a warning to his companions below, but was not given the chance. The last guard crumpled before him and Kiba took a moment to catch his breath. His ears caught no sound from immediately below; deciding Naruto did not need his assistance at that precise moment, Kiba leapt back down the stairs to where he had left Hanabi and Shino. Neither were to be found; a dead Chaita lay in a pool of blood at the first floor landing. Kiba would have gone back up the stairs, but a set of small bloody footprints caught his eye. With a low growl, he leapt after them as they descended with apparent urgency down into the dungeons.

Dungeons were never a place he frequented, if he could avoid it. His sensitive nose caught the foulest smells often undetected by other humans. As fast as he could he descended the levels, sensing the desperation in the steps he followed. Hanabi's scent filled his nose; as he crossed the seventh landing, a familiar, beloved smell hit his nostrils that made his stomach lurch.

No. Not here.

The cells he had passed were devoid of humans completely. Kiba feared he was about to encounter a corpse that would haunt the rest of his living hours. Almost timidly, he approached the last staircase. Muffled sobs met his ears.

He peered down the stairs, Hyuuga scent flooding his nose.

Two figures huddled on the stairs, one clutching the limp form of the other. The sobbing intensified.

"Hanabi," Kiba called, an unintended sharpness in his voice alerting him to his own fear. "What-."

She turned and in the faint light Kiba saw the salty glaze on her cheeks. But his gaze did not stay there for long. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped in horror at the skeleton clutched in the girl's arms; his stomach turned to lead when he saw that it was breathing.

"Hi…Hi…"

He gulped. The word would not come out. Clumsily, he scooted down the stairs, reaching a trembling hand toward his teammate.

She raised hollow, tear-stained eyes to him. She croaked a whisper that sounded like his name.

"Hinata-."

Kiba found tears sliding down his cheeks. His fingers brushed the filthy bones perched atop Hinata's skeletal wrist, hesitantly, then gently. He was sharing the stair with Hanabi and together they cradled their beloved Hinata, the tears speaking for them all.

…

When Kakashi collapsed, Sasuke knew things were finally turning in their favor. Kneeling at his teacher's side, he called him back into consciousness. With one long, low groan, Kakashi's one visible eye fluttered open. It roamed, coming to rest on Sasuke's anxious face.

"Oh my…could you catch your old teacher up on what is going on, Sasuke?"

With a smirk he could not contain, Sasuke gave his sensei only the most urgent details, as well as the action that now must be taken.

Staggering to his feet, Kakashi took in the scene as Sasuke narrated.

"Yes, I'd say that messy little knot needs our help the most." After a few rapid stretches, Kakashi put a hand to his head. "I feel like someone put a blender to my mind. When this is over we need a long chat to fix this up."

Sasuke grunted, and together the pair leapt across the arena, pitching themselves into the knot of Chaita and blonde kunoichi battling it out around the execution platform.

Inside the knot, Ino's stomach clenched, bracing itself for the kick Gai was about to land and which she was unable to block. However, the pain did not come; suddenly Kakashi stood before her, taking the blow to his own torso before lunging forward and engaging Gai himself.

An enormous sigh escaped her lips; her gaze sought Sasuke and found him leaving the main battle, racing instead toward the pair still battling alone in the stands.

Akamaru was anxiously bathing the face of Kurenai in saliva, urging the unconscious woman to wake. Shizune had not moved, her slack face resting in the dirt. Shikamaru was searching her person for a key.

Suddenly, shockingly, Ino saw victory looming on the distant horizon.

…

Denkou could hear the red-eyed toddler before him, making small cooing noises interspersed with the handful of simple words she had learned. She banged something small and wooden against the floor several times, moved her attention to small packages of vegetables and herbs, stacking them, knocking them down.

The blindfold prevented him from actually seeing the child, but his well-trained ears could figure this out on their own. He also learned, judging by the sounds drifting to his ears from another room, that he was being kept in some sort of store. From the smell: it sold ramen. Good ramen, at that.

Denkou dove into himself, blocking out the pain of the cramps forming in his bound arms and legs. Breathing as deeply as he could through his gag, he concentrated on the silver strands anchored in his mind and branching all throughout the city. Latching onto the thickest, closest one, he slid along it until he found the mind of his prisoner.

You are to come to the closest ramen restaurant. Find the prisoner in the back. Release him.

Knowing the slave was on her way, Denkou sighed, long and slow. Leaning back against the wall, gently, he settled down to wait.

…

Battle in the arena ceased. Those fighting for the Chaita, Gai, Asuma, and Tsunade still among them, simply turned and fled as fast as their legs would carry them. The Konoha shinobi, taken by surprise, simply watched them go and took the moment to catch their breath.

Sasuke, one arm around a somewhat battered Sakura, guided his partner back to the execution platform, where the conscious were gathering.

"What was that about?" Ino asked, digging through the pockets of the nearest Chaita corpse. One of these bastards has to have a key…

Shikamaru leapt lightly onto the platform, staring up at the wall with dark eyes. "I would guess Kokuzoku is calling them. Judging by this," he nodded to Kakashi, Kurenai, and the still-unconscious Shizune, "He's not having an easy time."

Chouji, still breathing heavily from his fight with Asuma, gave Shikamaru a broad smile and a one-armed hug. Shikamaru returned the smile with his own twisted grin.

Kakashi carefully lifted Shizune from the dust, staring at her face intently. "It's a long journey back to your proper mind," he remarked. "She's been under him from the beginning, probably."

Kurenai, restored to consciousness by the diligent licks of Akamaru, scratched him gratefully as she said, "Where is Kokuzoku?"

"He left with the Hyuuga over the wall," Temari remarked, leaning on her fan. "Although I bet…"

In several quick leaps she stood on the wall. Shielding her eyes with a hand, she surveyed the city.

"Yes…I'd say that's Kokuzoku and Naruto over there."

In a moment the others had joined her. Her pointing finger was unnecessary; in the distance, the huge clouds of dust and the sound of explosions told them the whereabouts of their enemy and, presumably, the rest of their team.

Ino, who alone had remained on the platform, gave a shout of victory, raising into the air a small, iron key.

Chouji gave Shikamaru a warm clap on the shoulder before leaping away with Kakashi, Kurenai, Sasuke, Sakura, and Temari towards the fight. Ino landed next to Shikamaru and, smiling victoriously, set to work on the bonds.

"Ahhh," Shikamaru sighed, stretching his numb arms above him as the cuffs fell with a clank. "That's b-."

Before his arms came down Ino had seized him in another vicious hug. This time, Shikamaru could, and did, return the action. For a moment that seemed shorter than it was, the battle was forgotten. Everything that mattered was contained within the protective circle of their arms. Shikamaru's brow came to rest on a warm, welcoming shoulder. He let out a small sigh. Ino smiled into his shoulder, eyes shut tight.

As they pulled apart, Ino took firm hold of Shikamaru's hand. They exchanged a blazing gaze.

"Let's rid ourselves of Kokuzoku, please. He's so irksome."

"HELL YES!" Ino roared, and together they leapt toward the battle.

….

THANK YOU WONDERFUL READERS! Those of you who choose to remain nameless and those who leave reviews, you are truly the most wonderful, devoted readers an author could ask for. 3 The Elven-Spear, MuSiC HaTs, ObamaHater, Tsebe Uchiha, Stiehl, siny, M.O.N.S.T.E..POCKY., Arrowachi, Wandering Wonderer, The Laughing Phoenix.

Was it worth the 7 months I made you wait? I truly hope it comes close. I'm trying! My inspiration for this story comes in waves. BUT…

This story shall be finished before the end of the summer.

I hope we all make it through!

I'll see you all soon!

Reading Maid, over and out.