A/N: Nearly a year but I'm back-thought you all lost me didn't you. Well I've had a lot of changes in my life happen in that amount of time, quite frankly I'm surprised I even managed to get this done. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out before the end of the month. I promise it will NOT be another year before another update. I would like to address a few things some reviewers have pointed out.

"This story is utter shit...and there's 54 more chapters to go." I could have told you that...in fact I have, on several occasions. I absolutely loathe the beginning of this story and I intend to do a rewrite of it once it's finished.

"Your Naruto seems like an OOC." Naturally. I said at the beginning this was my take on where the story should've went. Naruto goes through some shit. He learns, evolves, and grows as a man and a ninja.

"I'm starting to realize this story doesn't have one hero, but a group of them." Of course. The very foundation of Leaf Village ninja system is teamwork.

"I was skeptical at first about this AU, but the originality totally works." Believe me, nobody is more relieved it worked than me.

Some of you are over this Ame arc. For those of you that are, I apologize but you've got at least another chapter to go with it. I've been planning this whole arc since the beginning. For those of you that are enjoying it, I'm glad you are. I really have enjoyed creating this new group of individuals. This chapter is influenced by one of my favorite movies of all time. Authorial praises to whomever can guess which movie!

As always, please read and enjoy. If you feel like it, leave a review. I'd love to hear the voices of my followers after this wayward writer finally returns.

Chapter 57: Wrong Side of Heaven

Rumbling.

"Sir, it's getting closer."

Rumbling so deep it shook the air in their lungs.

"I noticed. Keep moving."

Without giving the command they increased their pace, their footfalls echoing rapidly as they pushed through the darkness.

"Hachibane, how much further?"

Shards of concrete fell to the tunnel floor with the next rumble.

"A hundred meters. What the hell is that?"

The next rumble had them scrambling to stay upright, and Sojin swore. "This is a lot harder when you can't see shit."

"It's a straight shot," Sai said pushing off the wall and breaking into a sprint. "Those are class five explosive tags. Sojin—I believe you're familiar with them."

"Intimately."

Through the total black a small orb of steadily growing grey light could be seen. It grew stronger until the stagnant air of the tunnel suddenly pushed way and they broke into the huge cavernous room Konan had described.

"Secure the room," Sai said.

Four windsingers spread out in a fan, scanning the room for anyone other than themselves. Not that there were many places to hide though—it was completely bare minus the six great pillars that stood several stories tall supporting the street above them.

"I've located the body," Torou pointed deeper into the room. "Twenty meters."

"We're clear," Hachibane added. "No sign of enemies."

"Right, let's be quick then," Sai said pulling out a scroll. He placed it next to the deceased red head and went through the hand seals, only to fall over with the rest of his team when an explosion ripped through the ceiling.

Sai had enough time to glance up before he was screaming at his body to move. It wasn't the crumbling ceiling collapsing on them that had dread geyser through him. It was the twenty pairs of yellow eyes staring down at them in shocked surprise.

"Get back to the exit," he screamed sealing Nagato with one hand and jerking Sojin up with the other. "The whole fucking street's collapsing!"

He wasn't sure if they could hear him, he couldn't even hear himself over the sound of the tons of concrete and stone giving way. He just hoped they understood by his example of a quick exit. Sai's hand shot out as he passed the entryway, hooking onto the corner and redirecting his energy back towards the room. The pillars were collapsing now, crashing into one another and exploding from the force of their own weight. Sojin was next through, followed, by Hachibane, and then Torou.

The pillar closest to the entrance exploded under pressure, and Torou's head snapped to the side and he crumpled only feet from the doorway. A chunk of concrete stuck from his temple causing his body to seizure while unfocused eyes stared at them in the tunnel.

"No," Hachibane shot forward only to fly back as the pillar detonated across the entrance. "No!"

Seconds passed as the three tried to process what had happened, and regain their breathing in the dust laced air. Finally Sai turned his head towards the sound of Hachibane's struggled breathing.

"Torou..."

"Dead," came the response from the man's teammate, and Sai new he was staring at him with his Byakugan.

Sai's fingers numbly pressed the seal on his forearm, and heard two grunts as Torou's equipment appeared on them. He pressed the self-destruct seal next—not bothering to recover the Windsinger. It would be mangled beyond and recognition. A dull thump was heard as the seal activated and Sai fought the muscles in his throat.

"Come on," Sai said pushing to his feet. "We need to get back to base."

"He's right," Sojin said in a flat tone. "Come on Hachibane, we need you."

"...Yessir."

Raw breathes echoed in the tunnel as they pushed themselves to backtrack. And as they ran through total darkness Sai felt feelings just as dark begin to raise its head again.


Shikamaru slid the door to his room closed and let his head thump against it with a sigh. Between the Ame mission and the Uchiha trial he was sure he'd never reach the age of twenty. Stress was a killer after all. It was how his great uncle went. And he swore if he were to look up the definition of exhaustion he'd find his picture next to the word. Right now he needed a nice dose of bed.

"Oh Shika..."

Temari's husky draw forced him to crack an eye as a shiver danced down him. She lay on his bed in a black shear kimono open and pooling on her creamy skin. Under that a black mini corset bra and matching underwear made out of—Shikamaru swallowed—god help him was that leather?

She smirk, and Shikamaru's pants tightened, "You look like you could some rest." She arched her back, causing her chest to rise and Shikamaru to realize one crucial thing—Temari's bra was missing, well, bra. His initial glance missed the dark pink mounds now raising her kimono a little higher. "Won't you come to bed," she asked tracing his pillow with a finger.

Shikamaru's jaw ground as he soundless moved across the room. Technically he was going to bed—he just wasn't sleeping...yet. He captured her lips with enough force to sink her head into the pillow, and a happy moan vibrated into his mouth. A second later Temari's hands pushed his flak jacket over his shoulders and sent it to the floor with a loud thud, and not long after that his shirt followed.

Temari broke from the kiss, lowering to pepper his throat while she watched her fingers rise and fall over the muscles coating Shikamaru. A none to innocent giggle escaped her, she'd have to thank Naruto for the extra workouts. Her giggle turned to a sudden intake when he grabbed her breast and pinched a nipple between his fingers while sliding his thigh between her legs and pressing against her.

Shikamaru watched the tension grow in Temari's face. She instinctively thrust against his leg, and a wicked smirk pulled up one side of her face as she pinned him with a desire leaded gaze. One he happily returned.

Temari closed her eyes when he began kissing her jaw back to her ear, allowing the warm, intoxicating feeling in her belly to spread as she continued to rub herself against him. Her chest rose and fell in a strained effort, each breath sending a small arc through her when her nipples rubbed across her kimono and pressed themselves against Shikamaru's chest. She felt him tense, and he growled into her ear, "I'm going to beat your pale ass raw."

Temari's face burst into heat, the kind that burned all the way to the tips of her ears. A mix of shock and excitement washed over her forcing her hair to stand on end.

"I-I know we like it rough," Temari said. "But I'm not so sure about..."

Temari opened her eyes when she felt Shikamaru move away with a mix between a growl and a sigh.

"How close are you," Shikamaru asked staring at the bedroom door. Whatever he heard caused him to scowl and click his tongue, "Fuck! Fine, I'll be out in a minute."

Temari let out a sigh fell back against the pillow, "Just when it was getting good."

Shikamaru leaned over her and captured her lips one last time, "Think of it as extended foreplay. I could always cuff you to the bed until I get back?"

Temari snorted, "With the hours you work—not a chance." She blink and then barked out a laugh, "Never in a million years would I expect those words to leave my lips."

Shikamaru smirked, "Don't get used to it."

"Too late," Temari husked running a finger lightly down her body, eyes never leaving his. "I think it's sexy."

Shikamaru's hands clenched until his knuckles blanched, turning towards the door with whimpering growl. Outside Shino stood with his hands in his pockets. He nodded once at the Nara before turning on his heels and striding down the hallway.

"So what's happened," Shikamaru asked.

"The package has been recovered; we lost another man in the process," Shino answered.

"Okay, and this requires my attention how," he asked as they exited his house and moved towards the main gate of the compound.

"The tunnel leading to the hidden room holding the package caved in, and the clones found it," Shino said.

"Meaning they now have a direct line to refugee building."

"It gets better. Some idiot thought it would be a great idea to keep a map of all the tunnel systems in the village somewhere other than in Konan's possession."

"Fucking hell..." Shikamaru increased his pace and Shino matched it. "Does Naruto know?"

Shino shook his head, "He's shitting enough bricks to build Konoha's wall. Meanwhile clones are going door to door with explosive tags like the Rikudo's Witnesses handing out pamphlets. To make it worse, we think they got their hands on the map. Reports from the Ame ninja standing guard are trickling in of clones using entrances only known to ANBU."

"Which means Ame no longer has an escape route."

"These people die—they die badly. Time's up. Your father wants us out, the Akatsuki are closing in, and if the other countries catch wind of this it could spell disaster for the alliance—technicalities be damned."

They cleared the rooftops and landed at a brisk pace, not breaking stride as they passed the gates of the Uzumaki's estate. Once they had, they broke into a sprint and Shino said, "It's all going to hell isn't it?"

"It was always going to happen," Shikamaru said, "it was just a matter of when."

"So what next?"

"Find a way to fortify Ame's position as much as possible and then get out."


The guard was nearly trampled when he opened the tunnel door, and by the time he'd shut and locked it the Konoha reinforcements were already at the stairs with no signs of slowing down. The lack of Hanshou waiting on them wasn't lost to Sai either. A few words as they pounded up the stairwell had the rest of his team peeling off to the rest of the group, Shindou barking orders, as soon as he appeared on the floor and the rest of the teams jumping into motion packing and shoving things into scrolls.

Sai continued upwards, and his mouth dried once his feet hit the third floor. Shouting echoed across the space, and the through the open doors he could see a flurry of movement. The baby wailed in panic, and ten steps from the door the smell of blood washed over him.

He blurred forward, only to nearly be knocked over as a doctor?Nurse, maybe? Fuck it, a medic rushed past him covered in blood. His eyes tore upwards to find Konan laying in a pool of blood, complexion deathly and dark circles under sunken and closed eyes.

"What happened," Sai asked.

Nobody answered. Instead one man looked to be massage Konan's stomach while yelling orders. Another came forward with a syringe and plunged it into her arm, as the medic from before reentered the room with clean blankets.

Sai was about to say something gripped his shoulder and turned him slightly. Hanshou appeared in his face, his own set grimly, "Unless you can do something, get out of their way."

Sai's eyes darted around taking everything in. Multiple IVs hung behind Konan—fluids and blood. A monitor displayed her blood pressure, heart beats, and respirations.

"What about blood pills," Sai asked.

"No," Hanshou answered. "The toxin byproduct enters the milk—like alcohol. We don't have any formula for the baby and the high stress environment already reduces milk production, even if we find a wet nurse."

Sai bowed his head and let out a breath that weighed his whole body down.

"Let them do their jobs," Hanshou said guiding him out. "Their professionals just like us."

The two stood in silence for the next fifteen minutes staring across the harbor. The yelling inside the room had died down by now, and the baby's crying had subsided as well. Another ten minutes went by before the man Sai had seen giving out orders stepped out of the office covered in blood and sweat. He locked eyes with the two men and trudged over.

"She's stable," he said when Hanshou opened his mouth. A world moving sigh escaped him and he took off his glasses and cleaned them with the spare bit of clean area remaining on his coat. "For now."

"What happened," Sai asked.

"Postpartum hemorrhage," the doctor said. "Unsurprising given her age and the type of delivery. Still, it caught us off guard with how severe it was. Being without our usual equipment didn't help either."

"How far back does it set our evacuation plans," Hanshou asked.

"She really shouldn't be moved for the next 48 hours."

"You don't have that kind of time," Sai said turning to Hanshou. "They know we have Nagato's body—the clones discovered us."

"How," Hanshou asked.

"The street collapsed from the explosives. Caved in right on top of us," Sai turned back to the window. "Lost another man in the process."

A moment of silence passed between them while the rain railed against the glass. The entirety of the mission and fate of everyone had finally breached the realm of utter hopelessness.

They were fucked. Each and every one of them. And now all there was left to do was find some way to survive for as long as possible.

Finally, Hanshou said, "So the clones are coming here next."

"If you have an exit plan, now's the time," Sai nodded. "If they surround this place in full force there's no telling what will happen."

"We had an exit plan, but with Zetsu clones in the tunnels now…" Hanshou visibly shook, and Sai could see him restraining himself from breaking something. Taking a deep breath he said, "Won't the seal hold?"

"I learned a long time ago to never put all your faith in one plan," Sai said. "If the seal fails what then? Roughly 2,000 clones will descend on this place. I'm an Uzumaki in name only, I don't have the innate ability running through my veins like the rest of my family. We can't trust my seal to hold.

"I've been ordered to retrieve Nagato's body and return to my village. But I refuse to leave a family member behind." He turned back to the doctor, "I'm taking Konan and the child with us. Assemble a two-man team to care for her while we travel. My birds can handle a max load of five, but depending on the equipment I don't know how much weight it'll be able to bear."

The doctor glanced at Hanshou and the commander nodded, relief evident on his face.

"She's not moving for the next 24 hours," the doctor said. "She's still at a huge risk of hemorrhaging again after that, but it's almost a certainty if she's moved before then."

"We leave in thirty," Sai said stepping away and making for the stairs.

"Hours?" Sai said nothing and the doctor's face set, "I'll have a team ready for your departure."


Omoi shifted on his worn out and tattered mattress and stared at what he could only assume was the ceiling. The cell he was locked in was devoid of light, so what was actually in the room was anyone's guess. But he lie on his back, so the natural thing to think would be he was staring at the ceiling.

A sigh escaped his lips and he rolled to the side and stared at the wall...maybe.

The only thing worse than being locked in solitary confinement for 24 hours was being locked in solitary confinement with nothing to do. He drove his teammates up the wall with his thoughts—be trapped with them all to himself was his own personal hell in a way.

He figured the shinobi here would be biased towards him. Sure a little foot dragging in getting in touch with their village and confirming his identity, but this was ridiculous. It was almost as if they intended to keep him prisoner here.

What if they never did confirm his identity? What if his teammates got killed in the war? His existence would be erased, he'd be trapped as a prisoner here for the rest of his life. Maybe they'd even execute him. Maybe…

Omoi let out a frustrated grunt and jumped to his feet, only to stumble from the disorienting feeling of not being able to visually balance himself. He shuffled over to the door and gave it a quick rap, and caught muffled voices in response. Seconds ticked by until a glaring flash blasted through the door and forced Omoi to stumble back and cover his eyes.

"What is it," A man asked through the slot in the door.

"When are you letting me out," Omoi asked.

"When we receive confirmation from our village."

"Hasn't it already been a day?"

"Something is going on at the village so we're still waiting."

Omoi's stomach tightened, "An attack?"

"No, we'd have received orders had our village been attacked. Something else is happening that's consuming all of the higher ups attention. Until then you'll just have to wait."

"In solitary?"

"It's all we have."

"Can you at least leave the damn slot open? We're on the same side after all."

There was a pause. The man turned and mumbled something and a got a response before turning back, "Fine, but keep your mouth shut."

"Definitely writing a review when I get back," Omoi grumbled shuffling back to his bed. "One star—would not stay again."


Madara eyed the seals in the create and marveled at the ingenuity before him. As much as he loathed to admit it, Naruto and his family had created something truly incredible. Incredible and powerful—something that couldn't be allowed to exist. His eye shifted to the bundle in his hand and he allowed a smirk, which lasted a heartbeat and his eye narrowed.

He twisted, a kunai slung from his sleeve and through the eyes socket of the presence that'd appeared above and behind him. a pale body smacked to the floor, and not a second later another zetsu clone appeared in the rafters.

"We've found Nagato's body," the clone said. "The only problem is the team from Konoha managed to get it first."

"Where are they," Madara asked.

"Holed up in a building on the east harbor."

"The mission has changed. Forget razing the city, we can do that later. I want every available clone heading for that building."

"Understood, but there's one problem," the clone frowned.

"Let me guess, Uzumaki?"

The clone nodded, "A barrier has been erected, and none of the explosives can penetrate."

The sinew in Madara's hand groaned in protest until he took a deep breath and relaxed. He close, so very close to obtaining what he needed. And he had just the thing to help him obtain it.

Madara tossed the bundle to the Zetsu, who caught it as it jumped down to his side.

"You know the plan so finish up here. I'm heading back."

Zetsu nodded and removed the paper covering to reveal the contents.

Seals.

They resembled their brothers and sisters packed away and ready for departure except for one glaring difference—they'd failed their inspection.

Zetsu grinned as it removed one and slipped it into a bundle in the crate, "Bad day to be an Uzumaki."


"Didn't expect you to be a smoker."

Hanshou glanced over his shoulder at Sai before turning his attention back to the fat, slow downpour half a step in front of him.

"Only after a good fucking," he said letting out a breath. Sai raised an eyebrow while mirroring Hanshou's lean against the frame of the propped open double-doors. "And since Life isn't going to smoke afterwards, I might as well."

A snort echoed between them, and they stared at the expanse. A ceaseless one of ever undulating water spread out before them, but to the right a deep, red scar cut a swath through the city and climbed into the darkening sky.

"Rumors are circulating you've got a plan," Sai said.

"I might."

"Well?"

A long drag. Then, "Storm is coming. You can always tell by the rain. Starts off fat and lazy, but after a while it picks up."

As if rehearsed the wind picked up for a few seconds angling the languid rain into focused sheets.

"So you do have a plan," Sai said, "just not a good one."

"Oh it's fucking awful."

"And?"

Hanshou dipped his head and stared at Sai from his peripheral.

Sai stared back for several seconds before his eyes widened, "God, you're actually going to take the bridge..."

"I'm out of options," Hanshou shrugged.

"You could hold out?"

"Tunnels are compromised. All it takes is one of those explosive tags on the basement door and they're in."

"I can seal it," Sai offered.

"With the amount of explosives they have, they could just tunnel into us from the side." Hanshou's head tilted towards the sky and he breathed deep. Dropping the cigarette, he stamped on it and turned to Sai. "You've done enough, just get Konan to safety. What we do here isn't you're problem anymore."

Sai followed Hanshou with his eyes into building, walking past rows upon rows of injured and dying shinobi. He opened his mouth, but Soji's voice cut him off.

"Sir, we're ready to go."

Sai stared after Hanshou for a few seconds longer before turning to the Hyuuga and nodding.


"Yellow squad clear."

"Blue squad clear."

"Red squad clear."

"Green squad clear."

Sai scanned the rooftop one more time before letting out a breath and ordering his bird to climb, "Package is clear, initiate exfil."

Copies echoed in his ear as he switched channels. "Control this is Vengeance, package is clear and enroute."

"Copy that Vengeance, I want updates every sixty."

Sai focused his pelican to climb and within a minute they'd passed the barrier he'd erected. His world glowed red, the chem sticks hanging from the inside of the bird's mouth the only light they now had. Behind him two doctors with their compacted equipment hovered over Konan and the baby.

With any luck, they'd make it out of the village without any issues.

"Enemy sighted," Renai shouted into his ear. "Center of the village with—god is that?!"

The roar reached his ears before he could turn. A resounding boom that shook the air in his lungs and woke the baby in a fit.

Sai banked his bird, and his eyes grew when he saw the huge monstrosity thrashing next to the massive sink hole he'd been in only a few hours before. The Gedo Mazo reared its head and let loose another roar, this time pillars of lightning splitting off from its back and cutting trenches through concrete and asphalt.

"God save them," Shindou muttered.

"It's heading right for harbor," Sai thought. "It probably thinks we're still there."

"Sir..." Soji asked, and everyone collectively held their breaths as they waited for a response.

Below, the Gedo Mazo let loose another bellow and hunched forward. Four pillars of lightning shot forward carving through buildings in a blatant path for the Ame survivors. A blinding flash deafened his ears and forced Sai to shield his eyes, and when he looked back the barrier he'd erected pulsed blue for a few seconds before fading.

"It worked," Setsuna said. "The Commander's barrier held."

"They'll be alright then, won't they," Hiro asked.

"Should be," Kirito said. "It's an Uzumaki barrier after all."

Sai's mouth pushed into a thin line.

"Sir, we should move while the beast is distracted," Renai said.

"I agree," Shindou said.

Sai said nothing, instead activating Vengeance completely earning a gasp from everyone in the bird. The Gedo Mazo roared again, this time lowering itself to the ground. Its maw opened and stretched until the sight looked like something out of a nightmare, and a haze began to build around the creature. An unstable black sphere began to warp and wobble into existence, floating just in front of the beast.

"What is that," Soji asked, the radio not hiding the horror in his voice.

"Bijudama," Sai whispered.

The black sphere shrunk rapidly, then disappeared, and if it weren't for his mask Sai doubted he'd have been able to follow. The bijudama slammed into the invisible barrier, once again springing to life in a brilliant blue color. The sphere pressed against its opponent until it was nearly flat, then blinding cracks appeared and the energy was released in several beams that wrapped around the dome and created trenches in the lake past it.

"It survived the most powerful attack known," Shindou breathed. "Unbelievable."

"Yes," Sai said glaring at his work. "But only just."

The others hadn't seen it, most likely because they didn't know what to look for, but Sai did. He saw the spiderweb cracks appear at the base of the barrier and climb their way up nearly a meter. If the Gedo fired another, stronger attack—which Sai had no doubt it could—the barrier would fall.

The orders left his lips before he even had time to finish the thought, "Banno, take control of my bird. Hachibane, Red, Blue, and Green teams are with me. Yellow team is to continue escorting the package."

Sai didn't wait for a response. The pelican's mouth opened and Sai jumped, another bird springing from his scroll which he landed on banked sharply back around.

"Sir, what are we doing," Renai asked.

"Causing a distraction so Hanshou can get his citizens out of the city," Sai said.

"And then what," Soji asked. "There's an entire fucking army!"

"All you have to do is cover them from the air," Sai said. "Let me worry about creating the distraction."

"Sir, I object to this," Soji said. "This goes against the mission."

"You're only objecting because you gotta sit this one out," Bokken grinned.

"That's not the point—"

"The point is, I'm giving you a direct order," Sai said. "You are to escort Konan and the child back to Konohagakure. Am. I. Clear?"

"...Yessir."

"Good," Sai said. "Blue team will circle outside the barrier and pick off any visible targets. Stay high and mobile."

"Yessir," Renai answered.

"Red and Green team, begin clearing the traps in the street along the shoreline that runs to the east bridge. Reset them at any point where there could be an ambush and then set a few of your own."

"Copy."

"Yessir."

"Hachibane," Sai said as he sided up next to Tauro's bird and allowed the man to transfer. "We'll rendezvous with Hanshou and let him know our intentions. You all have your orders, move out!"

Sai pushed his bird into a blistering nose dive, and as he did Shino's voice burst into his ear, "Vengeance, why have you broken formation?" Sai said nothing. "Vengeance, do you copy? I repeat, why have you broken formation?"

"The tailed beasts sealing vessel has been summoned and is attacking Ame's stronghold."

The pause in his ear gave Sai the perfect image of Shino's shocked face. "Will the barrier hold," Shino finally asked.

"No."

"Then get away from there before the barrier fails and they realize who's missing."

Sai blinked in disbelief before allowing his face to form into disappointment. He stared at the Gedo statue as it thrashed around, sending seven story buildings crashing to the ground in great plumes of dust.

"We promised to help these people," Sai glanced at the bird carrying Konan and her baby. "Someone's responsible for that promise."

"What?!"

"We're responsible. I'm evacuating the village."

"Sai wai—!"


If horror had a sound, it was the silence permeating between the four people standing in the top room of the Uzumaki house. It bloomed to life in the breath of their exhaled disbelief, gorged itself on their confusion and grew, and died with their last sputtering flame of hope in salvaging the original mission in some way.

And then Shino spoke in his ever neutral tone, though his words broke, "Shikamaru, figure out what we can do. Renge and Jihibiki, assist him in whatever way you can. Naruto is not to know about this. Karin is not to know about this. Am I understood?"

The other three nodded at him.

"Good, I'll be back as quickly as I can. In the mean time activate contingency one, and try to find some way to stop this massacre."

Shino didn't wait for a response—as he blurred away Shikamaru was lighting his pipe, Renge was punching a code into the table, and Jihibiki was sitting in the corner of the room.

When he returned back to the estate they'd be considered traitors to the village. Depending on the outcome of the mission—traitors to the Elemental Nations as well.


Shino appeared in front of the Hokage tower and flung the doors open. Tsunade hadn't been at her home which could only mean she was still stuck with work. He climbed the staircase three at a time before wrenching the door open and greeted by the surprised look of her occasional fill in secretary.

"I need to speak to Tsunade-sama, an emergency has come up requiring her immediate attention," Shino said.

The young woman looked blinked before recognizing him and shaking her head, "Hokage-sama isn't in. She's in the second floor's conference hall speaking with the Allied Commander."

Shino swore as he twisted and disappeared in a burst so sudden the secretary's paperwork was thrown into disarray.


"All able bodied water users are to rendezvous on the roof now," Hanshou said over the shouts of the men and women running around him. "Earth users are to meet in front of the building." Turning to his second in command he said, "We can't wait to see if the barrier will hold. Erect as many walls as you can between the barrier and this building. Once you're done, move south and secure Bay Street. It's the most direct path to the East Bridge."

"Yessir."

"We'll cover you from above to mask yours and the villager's movements."

Newt snapped a salute and strode to the doors, but as she tried to push them open they were nearly ripped off their hinges as a pale face nearly crashed into her.

"Sai," Hanshou's confusion last only a beat before it twisted into anger and panic. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your sorry asses," the young commander said striding forward and shaking off the rain. "Don't worry, Konan is on her way back to the Hidden Leaf as we speak."

Hanshou's shoulders slumped slightly and he ran a hand down his face. "Thank you, but why did you return?"

"Because we promised to help your village, and an Uzumaki never breaks their promise." Looking around Sai asked, "What's your plan?"

"I've sent out shinobi to clear the most direct path of traps and adjust them to provide protection."

"What about your wounded? Even with the traps and protection from above they'll be easy targets."

Hanshou's expression shifted into a grim visage, "They can either try to escape or stay here."

Sai opened his mouth, but an explosion rocked the building to its foundation throwing grown men and women to the ground and causing cracks to appear and snake their ways up the walls.

"The seal won't be able to handle many more of those attacks," Sai said. "The civilians aren't fast enough to cover the distance between here and the bridge before the next attack either."

"I'm hearing a lot of problems, but no solutions," Hanshou snapped while sending an order over his shoulder.

"The tunnels," Hachibane said. "Let's use the tunnels for the civilians and injured while the shinobi cause a distraction."

Hanshou shook his head, frustration tugging at his collected demeanor. "The tunnels are compromised, remember? It would only take a few clones to turn the evacuation into a blood bath."

"Then send an escort to lead them through."

"Even if I did," Hanshou said throwing his hands out, "that kind of close quarters combat would eventually end with civilians caught in the crossfire. My ninja are good, but even that kind of fighting would be impossible."

Sai stared at Hanshou for several seconds before turning to Hachibane with both arms out in presentation, "Did you forget who I came with?"

Hanshou's eyes shifted to Hachibane who grinned and gave the thumbs up, and then back to Sai. "It…never occurred."

Sai smirked and patted the older commander on the back, "In situations like these, you've got to learn the KISS method."

Hanshou recoiled in a mix of horror and disgust, while Sai walked towards the stair.

"I'll need some clarification before I follow anything with that acronym," Hanshou said.

"Keep It Simple, Stupid," Sai said over his should with a straight face and a thumbs up. He then turned back to his path leading towards the stairs. "Red team return to the barrier."

"And what are you calling stupid exactly," Hanshou asked following Sai. "The simplicity of the plan or me?"

Sai shrugged, "Open for interpretation."


"Ibiki," Shino called across the Intelligence floor while striding towards his office. "Ibiki!"

"What," the man asked sticking his head out the door of his office. His perpetual scowl disappeared when he realized who'd been calling his name. "What's wrong?"

"Sai is staying in Ame to help the village evacuate. I need the encryption codes for the Land of Grass."

Ibiki's face shifted from shock to a frown, "Can't give them to you."

"Why not?"

"Because all outside communications have been backstopped by a DVC," he said turning back into his office.

"DVC? Hang on," Shino grabbed Ibiki's arms and forced him to turn around. "DVC? What the hell even is that?"

"Direct Verbal Command," Ibiki said reclaiming his arm. "It means the Hokage has to give the go ahead."


Hinata's eyes opened in the way sandpaper does when it's rubbed against itself. She'd given specific instructions, so why did she hear knocks at her door?

Sliding the door open only a crack, she glared out from her make shift cave at the intruder only to blink when she found Shikamaru staring back.

"Shikamaru," Hinata asked, then realized he wasn't alone and opened the door further. "And Karin? What's going on?"

"I need the rest of the Hyuuga prisoners assembled and escorted to Naruto's in less than a half hour," Shikamaru said. He didn't wait for a response, turning and striding back the way he came. Karin remained where she was.

Realizing what'd happened, Hinata blinked and called out, "About the mission—"

"I will give you full details when you arrive," Shikamaru said glancing over his shoulder. "Please hurry, speed is everything right now."


Shino brushed the door to the second floor conference hall open and locked eyes with Shizune, "Where's Tsunade?"

"She's in the meeting with the Raikage," Shizune glanced towards the conference room door.

"Pull her out," Shino said turning and pacing back towards the door. Reaching the door he twisted back to find Shizune staring at him. "I said pull her out!"

The door clicked open and both of them turned to see Shikaku's firm visage slip through the door, gaze fixed on Shino.


"Listen up," Shindou said glancing around the circle Red team had formed. They continued to check equipment and the weapons, but he noticed the shift in attention. "This is most likely going to be messing. The only way any of us walk out of this is if we stay focused."

He held out his Windsinger, "These bastards are nice, but they can make us lazy. Don't rely on them. Remember they're just like any other tool or piece of equipment, they'll break when you need them most."

A few snickers and nods bounced around the circle. Shindou's eyes flickered around the group again, "I'll take point. Hiro and Bokken in the middle and Kirito watch our six. If things go south don't think—just drop the smokes and kill whatever moves. And remember," he jerked his head over his shoulder, "If we fail, they die."

The confident smirks in the group melted away as their eyes shifted to the mass of civilians rocking back and forth in waves behind Shindou.


"It's not your call to say what to do," Shikaku's voice was low and barely restrained. "It's not up to you to say whether or not it happens."

"It is happening," Shino said.

"Shino," he held his fingers apart. "You are this close."

"Am I? Am I really that close?"

"You are this goddamn close—"

"I am not going to leave him in Ame with an invading army and nothing but his dick in his hands. Now you tell the Hokage to request the Raikage send support—do your fucking job!"

For a few seconds, the air shimmered from the glaring contest between the two as Shizune sat a few feet away wide eyed. But it didn't last, and Shino knew he'd hit a wall when Shikaku straightened his back and set his jaw. A snarl of disgust blew past Shino's lips as he twisted on the spot and stalked away.

He's feet had just hit the street outside of the Hokage tower when he ran into Shikamaru and Karin, causing his eyebrows to jump together before twisting into a scowl.

"No luck with my dad," Shikamaru asked.

Shino shook his head, then nodded towards Karin and opened his mouth.

"Figured as much," Shikamaru said tilting his head at his companion. "Karin's already onto us, and she has an idea."


"Where's Yamanaka Inoichi," Shino asked striding into the middle of the I.D.

"He's with Hokage-sama facilitating the meeting," Ibiki yelled from his office.

"Then find the Yamanaka Ino," Shino said.

The room fell silent as everyone stared at him until someone asked, "How?"

"You're the fucking Intelligence Department," Shino glowered, "Find her!"


"Everyone get ready," Shindou shouted.

The crowd behind him responded less in words and more in apprehensive nods.

"Not all at once now," Shindou muttered facing forward, "they'll hear us coming."

He nodded to Ame ninja in charge of guarding the door and activated his Byakugan. The door slid open as if it were weightless, the only sound being the new draft that scurried by and plunged ahead into the darkness.

"Red team beginning exfil."

"Copy that," Sai said. "We'll hold their attention."

"Catch you on the flip side," he said taking the first step and disappearing into the abyss either meant to save or kill them. A few seconds later the head of the civilian crowd followed behind, hands pressed to the sides of the tunnel to help steady them in the total dark.


Shindou's voice echoed in Sai's ear before the seal cut out.

"I highly doubt it," Sai thought raising his head to the sky. The rain had lessened and fell at a lazy pace, yet despite that it was just as Hanshou had predicted—the storm was about to let loose any moment now. From their spot on the tallest sky scraper still standing it looked as if the idle, pregnant clouds just above their heads would burst if he stretched out and touched them.

"Alright," Sai said lowering his face and staring down at the smoking ruins of the city. "Let's remind Madara why you don't fuck with Konoha."

Cheers and reckless laughter met his ears. He glanced over his shoulder, the remaining teams stood behind him in a perfect line, all the image of a perfect shinobi with the exception of the strange white backpacks, a last minute ideas he was curious to see how they'd turn out. He faced forward, took a breath, stepped into the air and over the edge of the building. The wind roared past his ears, beating his hair and skin as the distant cement below rapidly approached him. Over the rush, he could make out the hoots and jeers as all three remaining Hyuuga teams followed suit in a free fall. A few hundred meters ahead of them he could make out the hazy mass of civilians bursting through the double doors of the giant shelter and race along the edge the lake.

If it weren't for his mask tears would probably be slipping along the sides of his temples from the blister wind. They couldn't stop the darkness creeping in from edges of his vision though, and he had to strain his neck to keep his head from being pushed back from the suicidal nose dive.

"Now?" Renai's voice echoed in his mind.

"Not yet," Sai muttered back.

The windows of the buildings blurred together into a continuous reel of film.

"Sir?" Renai asked, a hint of anxiety lacing into the usually stoic man's voice.

"Hold," Sai commanded.

The concrete appeared to reach up to greet them. What was only thin narrow lines a few seconds ago now spread out in an ocean of asphalt and cement.

"Commander!?"

Fire and smoke shot into the air next to the crowd of civilians which could only mean one thing—the ambush had begun.

"Now!"

Wings burst from his back, and a grunt forcefully left him as his momentum shifted from down to bat-out-of-hell forward. He could only spare a glance down and behind, having enough time to note that everyone's wings had activated and the asphalt below was not sporting a new coat of fresh Hyuuga.

His head snapped forward and he shouldered his Windsinger. The distance of three hundred plus meters between them and the fleeing "civilians" closed in only a few seconds. Handling the speed was intense, but the real test came with how their reflexes managed.

Sai aimed down the sights and let out a burst, forgoing the control that allowed the weapon to be silent and traded it for the echoing cracks to sow confusion. He blurred by the clone so fast he didn't even have a chance to register if he hit or not. Not that he needed to see, as Toiki sounded in his ear.

"Perhaps you should slow down, sir? No sense going fast if you can't hit anything."

Sai scowled, "And how are you managing?"

"I got two," Toiki said.

"One for me," Hiro said.

"Got four of them," Nejimaki offered.

"Quit it," Renai said, "you're going to make the Commander feel inadequate."

"Fuck off," Sai replied. His wings folded in as he slipped between power lines, exploded outward again as he rocketed into and arc, performed a semi barrel roll to right himself, and dove again for another pass.

He tapped into the power of his mask and felt his senses sharpen. A pack of ten clones jumped from the windows of a building over a group of the civilians. Sai strafed them, effectively nail two to the side of the building. He dipped down and angled sideways, allowing his left wing to graze the sidewalk and bisect two more clones unfortunate enough to caught in his path. Pulling up he dropped a tiny paper bomb ball which landed between three more clones and decorated the surrounding area in clone streamers.

"Hey Toiki," Sai said arcing around a building. "How many was that. I was going so fast I couldn't see."

Snickers were his response followed by Toiki muttering, "Show off."

Hachibane cut in, "I hate to rain on your parade—" A string of curses and boos met him over the radio. "But we have caught a certain someone's attention."

Sai angled up and broke over the tops of the buildings just in time to catch the Gedo turning towards their location. Even through the distant and hazy air he could still make out the blip of an orange mask staring them down.

Sai allowed himself a smirk fueled by violent ideas, "That's your cue then."

"Copy that," Hachibane said, "Let 'em rip!"

Sai's arcing glide slowed and he unconsciously held his breath as he stared down the giant statue as it began another charge. Nearly five seconds passed with nothing happening, until the roof of the building next to the creature exploded followed by four more explosions that cratered around the feet of the beast.


Ino hummed as she adjusted the bouquet Choji had sent her in a vase. Who'd have thought he knew how to arrange flowers and understood their meaning too? Her lips pulled higher as she stepped back to examine her work, she seemed to be smiling constantly these days following the festival and her date with the Akamichi. The only thing that really put a damper on anything would be Sasuke's trial. From everything that had happened so far, from Sasuke's confessions to Sakura's bomb shell, she felt like she didn't know those two anymore. Granted, Sasuke had always been a mystery to her, but Sakura had been her best friend. Was her best friend. Nothing had changed—hopefully. If she were honest with herself though, it was probably time they had a proper chat.

She'd just taken off her apron and turned for the door when she let out a gasp at finding Shikamaru standing inches away from her.

"Shikamaru? What are—"

"Explain later," He said grabbing her and whisking her away in a shunshin.

When Ino finally registered they had moved she pulled her arm away and glared at her kidnapper, "You have five seconds to explain before I get the answers myself."

"Save the drama Ino, we have crisis on our hands and don't have time it."

Ino blinked at the terse and rather authoritative voice of Hinata, before she blinked again and realized she was standing with what could have been considered a small army in front of Naruto's house.

"Um...what," Ino said looking around.

"Ame is currently fighting with everything it has to prevent itself from being purged from the maps by the Akatsuki," Hinata said.

"What," Ino repeated.

"Sai is currently there leading a task force of disowned Hyuuga to defend the village and evacuate the population," Shino added.

"What?!"

"Furthermore these actions were not sanctioned by the Hokage, and by coming here to aid us you've effectively labeled yourself as a traitor," Shikamaru finished.

"WHAT?!"

"We thank you for your loyalty to your friends," Karin said motioning to a table before her and the map of the elemental nations. "Now please join me so I can give you a more thorough run down of the situation."

Ino stared numbly at the table as Shino and Shikamaru gently moved her towards the others.


"Sweet Rabbit Goddess riding tits out on a rabid Kyuubi," Sai said willing his winged backpack to gain elevation. "Did you even try to hit it? In case my orders weren't clear, the target is the giant fucking statue!"

Someone started laughing in the background.

"Sir..." Hachibane began, "The rounds are acting weird."

The laughing grew louder.

"Weird how," Sai asked over the laughter.

"They went all...not straight."

Hysterical laughter.

"Not straight," Sai echoed. Seriously, whoever was laughing needed to breath.

"Like fucking squiggly," Hachibane yelled. "I don't know how to—would you shut your fucking cock holster Renai!"

Sai blinked, that was Renai?! The man could be heard gasping for air and it was causing the others to begin laughing too.

"The rounds are acting like they're passing through multiple air currents or something," Hachibane tried to explain. "From this elevation I don't know if it would be effective to continue firing."

"Well considering you've already gone through half the rounds it might be a good idea to get closer," Sai stated.

"Six Paths save me," Hachibane sighed, "we're never going to live this down are we?"

"Probably the same chances of you hitting the giant statue," Matane chimed.


Ino rubbed her temples slowly as she processed the plan she'd just heard, "This could work."

"We thought so too," Shino said.

She shot him a glare, "Emphasis on 'could'! The problem is even if I manage to locate the target, and if I manage to broadcast Karin's message, we're still dealing with a distance that is laughably outside my range. For something like this I'd need an OCS-EFP machine.

"A what," Shino asked turning to Shikamaru.

"Ocillating Chakra Stabilizer-Enhanced Frequency Projector," he clarified.

"Oh, that thing," Shino said.

"Yes that—wait, what do you mean 'that thing'?"

"Oi, Pineapple, I think it's ready," Jihibiki appeared out of nowhere in a brilliant flash. "It was the closest thing matching your description in the room, Karin-chan seems to know what she's doing and Renge-chan is...handling some complaints."

Ino's head snapped to Shikamaru, "You found one available?"

"Of course," Shikamaru shrugged. "Konoha has a few at the I.D.

"And it just happened to not be in use?"

Shikamaru seemed to busy himself with packing his pipe, and Ino's stomach dropped at a terrifying rate. Happy with his results he nodded towards her, "Go ahead then."

"Now wait just a min—" Ino's indignation turned into a scream of terror as her body felt as if it stretched, thinned, and then slingshot back to normal.

Karin stood off to the side, clacking away at a keyboard as her eyes danced across the screen. Behind them, a series of loud bangs and shouting could be heard. A quick glance over her shoulder and a sweat drop formed. One of her clansmen was bound in gagged, his eyes bulging when he recognized her and his face turned to scarlet. Next to him a chair wedged under the handle of the only door in the room, and on it sat Renge sipping tea and apparently deaf to the threats and demands from the other side of the door.

"Let's be quick about this," Jihibiki said ushering Ino over to the machine and sitting her down. "Every second wasted is a life possibly lost."

Ino stared at the deranged elderly man, unsure of just how loose a grasp the man had on his sanity. Her eyes never left him until the contraption slid over her head and engulfed her in darkness.


"Did I just hear a scream," Naruto's voice echoed up the stairs followed by his footsteps. "Is everything alright?"

Hinata locked eyes with Shikamaru as he took a drag of his pipe and nodded towards the door.

"Everything's fine, Naruto-kun," Hinata said crossing the room and appearing at the top of the steps.

"Hinata-chan? I thought you were sleeping."

"I was but..." Hinata trailed off as she wracked her brain for something and took a step down.

"But..." Naruto echoed and took another step.

"...But I..." Her eyes darted over Naruto pleading for some kind of response. "...I-I..."

"Are you okay, Hime?" Naruto said, another step.

Hinata's eyes widened and she descended rapidly stopping a step short above the blonde man.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Hina—"

His response was effective cut off when Hinata wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him into her chest. Heart slamming in her ears and face a few degrees from bursting into flames, she leaned down and whispered into Naruto's ear, "I-I got l-lonely and...wanted t-to...t-to...um...you know."

She squeezed Naruto tighter into her chest and his struggling died instantly. His body stiffened and his eyes slowly traveled to hers, facing burning just the same but a ravenous lust hiding within.

"I-It's been awhile since...s-since..."

It was technically true, they hadn't been intimate since their make up. Between Sasuke's trial and the mission in Ame the two just hadn't had time together.

Something was up, Naruto wasn't stupid. He could tell Hinata was trying to prevent him from going into the control room. But there was something about the look she was giving him. Maybe it was flush on her cheeks against her pale skin. Maybe it was the feathery breaths causing her chest to push together against him. Or maybe it was her softly parted and glistening lips that practically invited him in. Whatever it was, Naruto felt the need to know slipping away as he pulled Hinata into a kiss. He was perfectly fine with indulging in this particular distraction.

While his tongue slipped out and teased at a game of hide and seek, his hand came up and caressed the side of her neck—dragging his tips slowly across her skin and leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake until he reached her hair and gave a gentle yank. The drawn out gasp that followed put him into a fever. His hand moved around, grasped the two bubbles of perfectly formed muscle, and yanked her into him.

Hinata attempted to hide her moan by burying her face into his neck while she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. "B-Bed, Naruto-kun," she murmured into his ear and gave it a nip. "Take me to bed."

Naruto's hand tightened on her ass and ground her into his length, silencing her next moan with his lips. Hinata was vaguely aware of the bright flash and change of scenery as she began working her hands through blonde hair.

In the control room, smoke poured from a pipe as Shikamaru stared at the map and moving blue dots, trying to forget the sounds that had just echoed up the staircase. His teeth cut into the wood, knuckles had blanched, as he tried to keep negative thoughts from taking form.

After a few seconds of silence Shino glanced over at Shikamaru saying, "Are you okay."

"Lucky fucking bastard," Shikamaru growled.


"Should we be concerned about that," Hiro asked Shindou without taking his eyes off the tunnel in front of them. Five massive explosions had just rocked the tunnel, causing panicked cries to begin echoing off the acoustic nightmare they were walking through at a painfully slow pace.

"No," the squad leader grunted. "I think we should be concerned with the fact that we haven't seen anyone clones yet.

So far the trip had been smooth. And while the pace left much to be desired, they were escorting civilians through a tunnel wide enough for three people across in total darkness. Managing only three hundred meters was understandable at this point. Understandable, but not acceptable.

They needed to reach the bridge first.

"Maybe we'll get lucky and nothing will be down here," Hiro suggested.

"Or maybe something is..." Shindou said activating his seal. "Kirito, anything behind us?"

"Only the smoking ruins of my dreams of a hot shower and a nice soak between a pair of thighs," Kirito replied and Bokken snorted. "Why? Should there be something else?"

"There should be if it'll make us go faster," Shindou suggested.

A pause, followed by, "Oh. Gotcha."

From the very back of the group there were shouts, followed by the cracks of a Windsinger being fired down the tunnel behind them.

"The enemy is behind us! Everyone hurry and no pushing, we'll handle it," Shindou ordered will cracking a glow stick and holding it up to light the way.

"Kinda ballsy," Hiro muttered breaking into a jog beside him.

"No choice. We need to reach the bridge first or else we'll be caught between two armies."

"Just hope we don't end up running head first into an ambush because we've picked up the pace," Hiro said.

"Even if we do, don't stop."


"Found him," Ino said nodding her covered head and hold out a hand. "I'm not as good as my dad, but I'm close. You'll have about two minutes to explain everything."

Karin knelt down in front of Ino and placed her head into the woman's palm.

"Hello Tatsuya, it's been awhile." The red head smirked at the man's screams. "I'm calling in a favor. There's someone you need to speak to."


Shikaku growled as his finger tapped his against his folded forearms. He knew who was behind this, all he needed was one tiny clue so he could go up to the Uzumaki estate and forcefully shut everything down. Who else would be able to seal a door tighter than Konoha's vault? The door to the room containing the OCS-EFP equipment had a guard outside. The key word being had. There was no one in sight and the keys wouldn't budge the lock. Now the Sealing Corp were finalizing the seal for a controlled explosion on the outside of the door frame.

"We're done sir," the man said packing away a brush and moving back to allow the three ANBU joining the Jonin Commander to move forward.

"Do it."

A short, loud report cracked through around the room as a cloud of dust and smoke shot out. Shikaku didn't wait. He pressed through and kicked the whole door frame in, his eyes taking the whole room in before he stepped through the entry way. His mouth thinned and he twisted on the balls of his feet, striding back out in less than a second and came face to face with the guard meant to be stationed there blinking in confusion at the group before him.

"Sir, what's going on?"

Shikaku growled and smashed a desk he passed on his way for the exit, feeling the eyes of everyone on him, "We've been played." His eyes unseeingly bounced around as he dissected the details of everything. "What did I miss..."

His eyes widened as everything fell into place.

"Get a team up to aviary now. I want a count of all our messenger hawks!"


"Think he bought it," Shino asked.

Shikamaru glanced over to Karin who had the trademark Uzumaki grin plastered over her face.


"Sir, one of our hawks is missing," Boar said popping his head out of one of only three giant housing coops for their primary means of communication.

"Which one," Shikaku asked.

"One of the Black Tips."

Black Tips—medium range, high velocity falcon. Shikaku's face came together as he forced himself to calculated the max range on a mental map.

He blinked.

Then lowered his calculation to an estimated...and came up with nothing.


Shikamaru's eyes shifted from Karin down to the bird of prey contently nestled in her lap, "Definitely bought it."


"Sir, what do we do," Boar asked.

Shikaku stared from the rail in the direction he knew the Uzumaki estate sat. Seconds passed and the group held their breath until finally the Jonin Commander's shoulders sagged.

"No more games. Send a squadron to the Uzumaki estate and arrest everyone there." He was vaguely aware no one had moved, and his face twisted, "NOW!"


Karin tilted her head, stood, and walked over to the balcony. "Time to go home," she nodded to the bird.

"I take it we should be expecting company soon," Shino said.

"Oh, definitely." Karin chuckled. She tapped a finger to her chin a few times and said, "Fifteen...no, sixteen high chakra signatures headed this way."

Shino turned his attention to Jihibiki and jerked his head, "Looks like your up."

Jihibiki's grin matched Karin's as he popped a straw hat on and waltzed towards the door.