Chapter 1- A Village at War

"Oleanders are so pretty," Ino thought to herself holding an oleander cautiously by the stem. She smiled at the small pink flower," I love how something so beautiful can obtain something so deadly. One taste of this can give you extremely horrific gastrointestinal and cardiac effects."

Ino loved being a medical ninja as much as she did a botanist. "If I'm going to do anything with this before I head out, I better do it quick," she murmured. Ino had already promised Choji that she would take him out to eat tonight since she had to bail on him for an important mission that required her medical assistance. After grinding up the flower and adding it to her toxin she had been making, she decided to close up shop.

"Ino!" It was Choji.

"Hey Choji; you ready," Ino asked, knowing her purse was going to be empty by the end of the night.

"Of course," Choji responded with a happy inflection in his voice. With that, Choji lead Ino to his favorite BBQ restaurant.

In between mouthfuls Choji managed to keep a fairly steady conversation. "Asuma-sensei is off on a mission again and Shikamaru is off yet again to the sand village to do who knows what!"

"He is off seeing his girlfriend Temari," Ino gossiped," he always does that; nothing ever changes."

Choji whined," It's sad we never get issued out as a team."

Ino nodded," We must be the worst team ever. We never train as a team; we never work as a team; we never act as a team. That's why I have been doing my own personal training. Not only do I do my physical training, I do my medical training, and have even been dabbling in poison-making as of late."

"Wow, you've stayed busy it sounds like," Choji said in amazement.

"I try; life is just getting too boring lately. It's not that I want anything terrible to happen, but everything has lost its luster. Missions have become simple and dull as well as all the rest of life. Sakura is off constantly doing who knows what, so I have even lost my only competition!"

"Eh... for once I don't feel that hungry anymore," Choji stated miserably pushing his plate away from him.

"Yeah, me either," Ino said standing up.

They both walked the streets together moping about. Choji's face lit up," How's about we ask Tsunade if there are any new missions we can do?"

"Guess it can't hurt, but its getting really late. I wonder if she will even be in her office," Ino replied.

As they were heading towards Tsunade's office, they saw Shikamaru and Sakura.

"Sakura! Shikamaru! What are you two doing back so soon," Ino said with a hint of excitement.

"All ninjas were called back to the Leaf Village. We were taken off our current missions," Sakura explained briefly.

"What? Why?" asked Choji.

"Tsunade's orders." Shikamaru blatantly responded," Not like we had much of a choice anyways."

Ino looked around and saw many of the Leaf Village ninjas starting to gather. The Konoha 11, excluding Naruto and Sasuke, were gathered as well as their leaders. Mumbles and whispers buzzed through the air. Everyone wanted to know why they were all called together.

Tsunade walked out onto her balcony," Everyone, I am sorry for interrupting those who were on missions and calling you back on such short notice and for those who were not. There is only one reason why you are all gathered here tonight. We are forced to play a risky game that could destroy everything we hold dear if we do not play it right. The Akatsuki has a new leader, our former Sasuke Uchia, and a new agenda. Although I cannot explain this to all of you in great detail, I will be informing all of the team leaders on our next mission that we will all being starting tonight." With that, all the Jonin leaders followed Tsunade inside.

Ino looked around carefully at everyone and picked up on a sense of anxiousness.

"Sakura," Ino called," we need to talk. Now." She grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her aside from the crowd.

"What Ino?"

"Tell me everything that has been going on. Where is Naruto? And is it true Itachi died? What do you know about Sasuke? Spill everything billboard-brow."

Sakura stared at her a bit, thinking how she should approach her slew of questions.

"I cannot tell you everything, but as far as I'm aware, Itachi is dead. Sasuke is not the same kid we once knew either. He would have no problem killing any of us; he might actually enjoy killing us. He's a monster, but a powerful one at that, I even question if we can bring the Akatsuki down along with him. But I am surprised to hear he would challenge us so soon, he has only been their leader for a short period of time. He must feel pretty confident in his abilities."

Asuma walked up at the end of Sakura's sentence," Ino, its time."