I'd like to apologize for the very long wait. I'm not looking for sympathy so I won't give you a sob story; however I will clear some things up about story progression and posting.

1) First off as far as posting goes it will be whenever I have time and an internet connection.

2) My original intent had been to do this story in alternating arcs that follow our two leads, there progression yadayada. Then throw in chapters that act as general plot pushers. The general Idea will stay the same with us swapping arks between Team Tayuya and Team Naruto.

Plot pushing segments will usual cover down time, crack scenarios, the type of things people

get up to on goofy days. Some will be used for 'The Story So Far' or 'Two Ships In The Night' type settings.

3) Most of the world building and character sheets I did for the original Heat died a couple computers back so Im going to make this up as I go and hope for the best.

4) I don't own Naruto.

Now on with the new prologue of the rebooted Heat.

Warnings of blood, cussing and implied character death. Not one of the light hearted chapters.

No really I went out of my way to lean new curse words in several languages to add diversity to the way Tayuya could cuss. You were warned.

\Thoughts\

Snake thoughts

Pain. White hot crippling agony. \I… I don't…\ Images flashed through a fading mind. Giving chase, another team. Leaving people behind one by one. The pain continued to arc through a beaten body like lightning leaving behind twitching muscles and burnt flesh were ever it passed. …\oh…That's right, it is lighting….\

\Can't….. I… I can't think. So much… t-to much pain.\ The young boys addled mind tried to focus, grasping in vain at fading thoughts. Trees, chase, bones dancing. Darkness edged in bit by bit. Slowly edging out consciousness, leaving only a void. \Why is this…why is any of this happening?\

Noodles, and old man, a hat he dreamed, ached, to one day claim. Chalk, silver hair, pervy teacher, big swords, ice, face, building-home?, sad smile.

Pain, always more pain. \I…is that… the sky?\ With no warning, cold lanced through the pain forcing the confused brain awake. They sky above was gray as slate, pouring rain down in sheets, Burnt ozone and blood, which had filled the air moments ago, washing away under the relentless torrent. The roaring waterfall drowned out his ears and dragged him under, back into the dark.

\NO! Sasuke…. Fight, gotta fight!\ Just as quickly as the water brought clarity, like the boy, it was sweeping it away. Face again, only with names now, Iruka, Ayame, Karin, Kiba, Hinata, Neji, Garra. Was the light from the sun growing dimmer? Places, people missions. Sakura Land of Snow Sasuke…. \Why is it getting so dark? Why can't… Why can't I remember?\ Lighting shouting….fighting against, against….each other.

\That's right. I had almost forgotten….I'm dead.\ What light was left faded away. Currents swept the body off deeper into the dark.

Blood. So much blood. It stained everything from her shirt to the grass around her, to the tree she leaned upon. Oozing out from a rend in her side so deep one hand had to be used to keep some of her inside…. Well of her. "Fucking bollocks! When I get a hold of that blond helleve…Gakt!" More blood bubbled fourth from the fiery young women's lips. "Yomi's Bells!"*

The redhead swayed, hacking and choking on her own blood. Looking left and right there was nothing trees. Most of them had large portions lobbed off the top, there missing halves littered the ground around. \If that jutsu had any more power behind it the blond tart could leveled the full Fucking Forest! Of all the saitei…\ More blood bubbled forward from her lips.

Pushing off her temporary perch she began picking her way to the still intact tree line.

Subconsciously dipping into her cursed seal for a much needed pick me up only to find her power slipping away. \Hey….hello….Answer me you FUCKWIT! I-I know you can!\ Yelling, even mentally, took far too much energy, already strained breathing turned ragged as the Sound kunoichi attempted in vain to move further.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH child is now really the time to be wasting what little energy you have left?

\I wouldn't…. I wouldn't need to worry about that if…if… if you would stop messing with my damned seal you douche…\ With little preamble and against her will she slid to her knees on the forest floor. Emerald grass and jade leaves began to suck the color ruby as her skin turned another shade paler.

You seem mistaken, it is now and always has been my seal. I must admit you were one of my favorite toys Tayuya, however I've run out of games to play with you.

"Sard!" Tayuya's fist slammed into one of the recently felled trees. "You listen to me and you listen good ya slither….slithering cockroach! You better hope these Leaf bitches…. off me because otherwise…," ragged breathing had degenerated to the occasional huff, adrenaline and chakra spent the black was closing in.

Tch tch tch oh Tayuya you are already dead.

With a muffled thud Tayuya hit the ground face first in a pool of her own ichor.

Yomi's Bells!: a pun on Hells Bells