To Start a War

by ThatOneTard

On Hiatus. With the Akatsuki split, Naruto joins forces with Nagato and the Taka to bring peace. But even with the Rinnegan, Sharingan, and Bijuu on his side, winning the war after losing so many battles won't prove easy. When Naruto started this war, he never considered the consequences...until his new family came into the picture. NaruHina SakuSasu

1. PROLOGUE: NARUTO'S RETURN

DESCRIPTION OF TO START A WAR: With the Akatsuki split, Naruto joins forces with Nagato and the Taka to bring peace. But then the dead became part of the equation. Even with the Rinnegan, Sharingan, and Bijuu on his side, winning the war after losing so many battles won't prove easy. When Naruto started this war, he never considered the consequences...until his new family came into the picture. NaruHina SakuSasu

RATING WARNING: Seeing as how the last fanfic I wrote the rating jacked up from T to M, I was a bit conflicted on how to rate this. When it comes to the language aspect, it will be kept tame, so while that factor is K-worthy there will be plenty of suggestive themes, enough to push the rating to T instantly. And then there will be references to illegal syndicates and interrogations...but mostly violence. Let me say that again. There will be blood, and there will be violence.

People will die. And be born.

I am a firm believer of Disney's "For every laugh, there should be a tear." Meaning I want you to experience both. Laughter too, so don't think this is going to be nothing but...well, a gritty war.

NOTE ON NARUTO'S EXTRA ABILITIES: Just because the story description has the words Naruto, Rinnegan, and Sharingan in the same sentence, that doesn't mean I'm going to give Naruto any of those powers. No. I DO NOT do that, but I have given him the Uzumaki's ability, their power to summon chakra chains, and a variation of his father's jutsu. The ability to teleport, except instead of being able to teleport to a spot branded with a seal or kunai, it's his DNA. And as for the Sharingan and Rinnegan being on his side, that's simply to say he has a strong alliance with both Sasuke and Nagato Pain in my version. He will also have some moves that he's picked up in his travels from different lands or people.

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STORY PREMISE:

What if Hinata had never confessed?

Events in history were forever changed when Pain attacked the village of Konoha, destroying it and succeeded in capturing its host, Uzumaki Naruto. As the village fruitlessly sought after him and began rebuilding itself with a new Hokage, Danzo, reigning, Naruto remained imprisoned in the Akatsuki's hideout, eventually unwilling to leave a lost Sasuke behind.

Befriending Sasuke's team, Taka, Naruto grew accustomed to being a part of their group, regardless the circumstances. In the meanwhile, the masked man brought him closer and closer to the truth of his past and origins until a final confrontation between them became fatal, ending Pain's trust with Obito altogether. Kabuto came into the picture, order was lost.

Spiriting Naruto away to his village, Nagato forced Naruto to face the fact that Konoha was no longer the same village he knew and the embodiment of everything that it had originally fought against was now wearing the Hokage's mantel. A battle between the Pains and him ensued and his bond with Kurama and the other Bijuu grew exponentially. But even then it took nearly sacrificing himself for the clash to end altogether.

Desperate to make everything right, he convinced Nagato to put his faith in him, resulting in his freedom and Kakashi's revival. But this came at a cost...Naruto returned home briefly, making Hinata his, then allowed himself to be taken into Konoha's custody, further laying out his plans. Later at the Kage Summit, he announced his birthright and independence then declared war, unleashing chaos on their world and changing it forever in the aftershock...

This is the story of that aftershock, and how he must fight the most seemingly impossible obstacles to protect everyone...and his budding family.

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TO START A WAR

_-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-_

Their world was teetering on the edge of chaos. The five Kage were just about ready to rip each other's throats out and if he didn't make the next move, Obito would...

And better him than Obito.

He stood, exposed before the five Kage. Shoulders squared, and feet planted firmly against the table, surrounded by those seated there, and he declared: "As son of the Fourth Hokage, ambassador of the Rain, and host to the greatest Tailed Beast, and extension of the others...To the Kage of all nations and all those who'd threaten peace or seek to gain the Bijuu as their own...To Obito and the Kage, I..."

The boy's eyes closed, it was not too late to stop this. He still could, he could save himself yet. But he didn't. He put such fear-filled and feckless thoughts behind him with a deep settling breath.

"Come at me and me alone with everything you got because I DECLARE WAR ON YOU ALL!"

Chaos unleashed in torrents, and somewhere in it he caught his enemies single red eye. In that single-second glance, that single eye screamed: I will destroy you.

And he smirked. Go ahead and try.

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_-xXx-_

PROLOGUE-The Beginning of the World's End

NARUTO'S RETURN:

_-xXx-_

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.

(ONE YEAR LATER)

.

Chaos.

This was Yamato's thought as he strode through the bleak halls belonging to the headquarters of the Intel Division. The grey tiles of which were contaminated by a trail of blood and discarded weapons, all of which were wet. The windows lining the walls were broken, letting in some of the pelting rain that had suspiciously come from nowhere.

Chaos. That's all that rascal is. An embodiment of discord.

Yamato knew very well who had broken in. And who the bringer of this unnatural rain was.

"Captain," a voice buzzed in his ear. Yamato repositioned his radio earpiece to better hear the speaker, an Anbu member. "What is it?"

"We caught him."

"What?" he barked, halting midway through a step. "What do you mean you caught him?"

"We caught him planting a device in the fourth quadrant. He's now being confined to room A-13."

Yamato shook his head. The rascal was uncatchable. They didn't get their hands on him unless he wanted them to. This was obviously a ruse of some sort. He was a hobgoblin of hidden agendas.

"Don't let anyone speak with him until I get there."

"Affirmative."

Goodness knows he had rendered enough Anbu useless with just his tongue.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The figure flew in the pelted darkness, leaping with inhuman speed along the whipping tree branches, dashing forward, even as the wind fought against them. And it did, whipping and lashing in harsh movements. Such fine chakra precision to advance through it all was unheard of, even by the Hokage's standards. Up above them, a crow screeched. They were nearing their objective. Through their pants, a smile broke free.

Finally...

Suddenly, a flash and a cackle of lightning exploded, cast in the skies as if by an angry god. Wood splintered, speckling the air in front of them. They skidded across the ground, cursing.

"Not so fast," a voice spoke. A figure soon followed the words, crouching on a huge branch above. Covered by darkness and a cloak, the white of his mask was the only thing that stood out. An Anbu member. One who stood a bit casually for his profession.

"Well, well. Came for the strong source of chakra and its intruder, and look who it is. Never thought I'd catch you like this."

He didn't need to remove his mask. Who he was was clear.

"Hatake Kakashi..."

His eyes shined from the recognition. "We've missed you."

"Listen, I don't have time for you." The atmosphere turned harsh. No. Desperate. And dangerous.

"Get out of my way."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Entering A-13, Intel's most secured cell-like room, Yamato took the room in as the smell of concrete and paper assailed him. It had been more than a year since he had used it for interrogation purposes for this particular young man. And unlike last time, numerous members of the Anbu Black Ops stood guard directly around the center where a metal table, a chair and its occupant sat, cuffed.

Seeing the heavily-guarded occupant, Yamato wasn't surprised to find the young rogue watching him, his elbows resting on the metal table coolly and a huge grin stretched out on his pale face, regardless the rings of silver encircling his wrists. What did surprise Yamato was the array of deep slashes - defensive marks - slit into those arms and the gash on his cheek crossing with the scar centered there.

Seeing them, Yamato instinctively stared at the wounds. The slashes were fresh and bleeding. And deep, as if the attacker had struck him in rage. Such damage was not akin to either the Anbu's or Ibiki's interrogation style. Someone else had done this. Recently. And this mysterious someone was seriously dangerous if they could land such nasty marks on the even him.

For a moment, the only sound was the harsh rain, beating across the ceiling. Yamato pulled up an extra chair to the table but didn't sit. Instead, only planted his palms flat on the cold surface, gaze still not leaving the captive whose smile widened.

"Oh hey, Captain Yamatoooooo," he drawled. "Howzit goin'?"

"Don't put up an act, Naruto. And get your elbows off the table. You're getting blood all over it."

Naruto chuckled, feigning a demeanor of innocence. "It's not mahogany, Cap.."

Yamato rolled his eyes. "I am no longer your captain. What are you doing here, Uzumaki?"

His questions on the boy's state could wait.

"That's Namikaze, dang it. Namikaze-Uzumaki," he hissed defensively. "And as for what I'm doing here?" Naruto shrugged. "I was just missing home. Can't I even visit without—"

"You're a rogue. You haven't set foot here in over a year. Instead you've spent it outside, busily building up your little kamikaze reputation." Yamato threw a folder at the table. Stamped on the front cover was Naruto's name. His personal file, overflowing with incriminating details. Naruto shook his head.

"Again, for one thing, it hasn't been a year, and for another I ain't a friggin' rogue! Geez, can't you people get anything right? And last I checked me and my team's operations are actually helpful. But is that filed in there too?" His eyes narrowed icily, contradicting his following and very exaggerated playful "Nah!"

Yamato fought the urge to rub his temple. He's been hanging with the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki again...

Sighing, he murmured, "Tell me then, why have you still avoided Konoha even after all this time, Naruto?"

"Because Obito wasn't the only one I declared war on."

"My point exactly. And not only that but you even dragged others into your mess."

Again, Naruto shrugged, casting his eyes to the door in seeming disinterest. The fact he was cuffed to the table and guarded was no variable whatsoever to him if he chose to leave right this moment. By now this dance was just mere procedure and nothing more to the escape artist.

His feigned cool was harshly broken, although, when the doorknob rattled.

Breath catching, he tensed dreadfully. From under the table his hand slid to his thigh, fingers twitching over what was no doubt a hidden blade. So slightly, anyone less keen than Yamato would have missed it.

And for the first time, Yamato saw true fear in him.

And that made Yamato afraid.

When the intruder turned out to be Ibiki, Naruto breathed a huge sigh of relief, before masking his previous anxiety with a goofy grin.

"Man, Ibiki, just you."

Something is wrong, here. Seriously wrong...

The head of Interrogation chuckled, taking his place across the Jinchuuriki in the chair Yamato had prepared. "Just me, kid? What am I? A cuddly plushie?" He began rummaging through Naruto's file. "This is gotten fuller since last I went through it..."

"So?"

Ibiki was anything but someone to feel relaxed around. A hulking brute of both mass and height. Not to mention he didn't make it to the head Konoha's Interrogation Unit unscathed, and the scars on his face highlighted this truth. He was a person to fear, and yet, Naruto was completely at ease around him, like he was just a civilian and not the person who could render this night a very sleepless one.

Then again, Naruto was already reportedly an insomniac, one who had some nasty enemies who made Ibiki look like child's play. No, that wasn't right, Yamato reflected. Naruto's enemies made Ibiki look like a doting granny.

But he had never been truly afraid like he had just shown...

Ibiki's smile turned serious as he shut the file and turned to Yamato, murmuring, "Sorry I'm late. I was checking the perimeter. No sign of his team. Namikaze's actually here alone."

Naruto laughed, his smile wide and artificial. "I could have told you that, buddy."

Ignoring him, Yamato nodded, and Ibiki leaned forward, studying Naruto closely, offhandedly scribbling a few notes on his own file. "So solo this time, huh?"

"Yup."

"It's been awhile."

"Yeah, so where's my welcome party? I want Ichiraku...super-sized, if you don't mind."

Ibiki chortled. "Same drill kid. Clear some things up and I'll consider it. Heck, I'll even treat you myself, two servings."

Naruto smirked and propped his feet up on the table. Leaning the chair back slightly, he chuckled. "Tempting...But it's either three at least or it's nothing."

Ibiki grinned. "Very well."

With the introductions out of the way Yamato cleared his throat. "Naruto, no games this time. What do you really want here?"

Naruto sighed, giving the room a long glance before settling on Yamato in an expression of boredness. "This is it in a nutshell: I want any files Konoha has originating from Uzushiogakure or filed from my mother, Uzumaki Kushina. I need them."

Not so much as a flicker in his chakra, a telltale hint of a shinobi's dishonesty. Heartbeat normal pace. And no sign of his pathetic attempt of a poker face. This both captain and Intel head noted, the latter documenting it down.

Yamato's brow raised. "Why now?"

"Should be obvious. Before being butchered, they were the most elite sealers. I need to find a certain seal, to find one that has the power to...well. To do something for me."

"You want to free the Kyuubi," Yamato guessed.

Naruto blinked. "Wow, you're pretty good, Cap. Wow...Howdja...?"

"Tell me why," Yamato snapped.

"Yeesh, okay. So I just want it, okay. And preferably one that doesn't kill me in the process. I've literally searched the world over for any method that could separate us, but ..." He threw his hands up in defeat, as much as his handcuffs would allow. "No luck, man. But even so, I promised Kurama his freedom...And I don't mean to sound selfish but I don't want it come at the expense of my life, y'know."

"Again, Naruto. Why now?" This time it was Ibiki who asked.

"All you need to know is that I need it," Naruto said. "Now run and get it and I'll be on my way."

"That isn't how this works, Naruto." Regardless their not-too-pleasant time together, in this same room no less, Ibiki rather liked the kid. He always had. He admired his ability to not talk. With information at least. With anything else he put the babbling of brooks to shame. To the point of being annoying. Or rather, before the Crystal Incident. After that—

"Even if we had such secrete scrolls, why would we turn them to you?" Yamato asked.

Naruto gave the room around them a long glance before he said warily "I was hoping...since you owe me one, you'd—"

"I don't owe you anything."

He lowered his feet back down, and leaned forward, an angry expression on his face. "When you were captured, who was it that got to you first, Captain?" Naruto persisted. "Your precious Hokage, or the prisoner you were ordered to bind with that wood jutsu of yours? I mean we're supposed to be a friggin team, Captain."

Yamato looked down, refusing to acknowledge the faintest trickle of guilt threatening to surface.

"I risked my life, everything, going back there for you and I got scars for it." For emphasis he traced a finger along his arm, ignoring the dab of red he smeared across his skin in the process. "This one I got while freeing you from his jutsu. And this?" Another scar. No more words needed to be said.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I really am," he sighed, words and expressions completely earnest, regretful even. "But the day you were taken Team 7 was no more. And just because you two are back, that doesn't mean the consequences can just be reversed like that... And I never asked you to make such a risky move for me, and it was a risky move on your part. A terribly stupid one."

"But I did it. And helping me now is the least you can do."

"Naruto," he said slowly. "Even if we had such scrolls, you would have already stolen them like you have every other one from the classified archives."

"Ugh! I don't steal! I borrow! There's a huge freaking difference!"

"Please."

"And here, take them back, well except the documents on my birth. I still need to fix them." He began reaching for his wrist. Gasping, an Anbu guard rushed towards him, pointing a spear at his throat threateningly. "Nice try, host!"

Naruto paused, glancing at the wall in an annoyance. "Captain Yamato, you need to get your men under control."

Yamato rolled his eyes. "Pull back."

On his word, his guard reluctantly complied and Naruto finished what he had intended to do; pulling a pile of scrolls from the sealed band wrapped around his left arm, much like Sasuke's. His right was also covered, but by bandages, serving only to hide the skin there. "See? No shuriken. Just scrolls. "

The Anbu scoffed.

Yamato reached for one of the parchments and studied it. Reading the description label, his eyes widened and he nearly stuttered, "W-what? Even I don't have the clearance to read these! How did you..."

Naruto's lip pursed. "Really? I don't see what the big deal is, that one was just some tedious report on—" An Anbu rushed towards him again, this time whacking him on the back of the head. "You will not speak of its classified contents!"

"Ow. That hurt," Naruto complained. "You do or don't want me to talk. Make up your mind, dude!"

"The host would be wise to remember we are bound by obligations and protocol and unlike him we won't break them."

"Your problem. Not mine." Naruto turned his face towards a clock hanging on the wall, obviously counting the numbers on it. "Hey Yamato, ya got them or not?"

Finally Ibiki could no longer take it.

"That's three times you've looked at the clock," he declared, warranting a flinch from Naruto. "Got something planned for the evening?"

Recovering, Naruto tapped his fingers on the table. "Nah, it's just it's getting pretty dark out pretty early, you know, seasons changing and Konoha always looks amazing around twil—"

"True the warm colors are a sight to admire. But there's no window in here."

Naruto swore, but quickly recovered. "I think it's dinner time. Clock says so and I'm famished. Where's my ramen?"

Ibiki smirked. "I don't think so."

Naruto growled. Ibiki had him.

"Really, why come here first, unless you needed such scrolls now? Someone's chasing you. That's why you're insistent on you and the Kyuubi being separated as fast as possible. Someone is forcing your hand."

Again, Yamato sensed the unease surfacing. He nodded to Ibiki. The interrogator could take over.

"Who says I'm being chased?" Naruto said, face impassive in attempt to play this game right. "That's an awful big leap for you to take."

Ibiki leaned forward again, fingers rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, since up until now you've had no such desire of freeing the Kyuubi yourself made known to us, the village who would want to contain it. I'm assuming there's a new player on the field, one who wasn't there before. One who's good. Very good. Enough to hit you, which explains the cuts on you. You were just in a fight, weren't you?"

Naruto said nothing. Just pulled the sleeves of his dark military-styled shirt down. "Again, you're making assumptions, 'Biki-man. I got these...sparring. You know how Sasuke...is."

Ibiki gave a laugh. "It's amazing you two've lasted on the same team this long, with your highly conflicting views on justice."

"Yeah, it's actually that we fought over just a few hours ago. When he found out Danzo was somehow still alive...Man he was ticked!"

The Anbu in the room stiffened. He would surely be back to try to finish the job, with or without Naruto's support.

Ibiki sighed, smiling. "You're mixing truth with lies, Naruto. A clever new tactic, but one I already know about."

Again, Naruto flinched. "What? We really did fight recently. And that's exactly the reason I'm alone right now."

"Trying to hide a lie by covering it up with a true account, truly a way to get past lie detection. But here's the thing, Naruto. I'm not an amateur. It's a tactic famous in the Sound where it's my understanding you stayed for a few weeks after the Summit. And not to mention..." He paused for emphasis, clearly enjoying this. "Your awful poker face is back." Younger Naruto would have squirmed, but eighteen-year-old Naruto just shifted.

"So..."

"And then there's the things I can see, Naruto. Those cuts on you? Someone was going at you with the intent to seriously injure, only missing your arteries by millimeters. That's either insane luck or extreme precision. Also, those type of cuts don't match Sasuke weapon preferences. Perhaps a wide weapon? Definitely not the common blade."

Naruto said nothing.

"Then there's the state of your clothes."

Wait..., Yamato thought, looking at the young man closer this time. That dirt coating him...matches the soil from the west. Far, far west.

Ibiki had already pieced together what it meant, its color and consistency.

"Here's what I think. You were in a fight recently, but not with Sasuke. No, this was with someone else, far away, why else would you have rushed here from such a great distance? The soil on you, it doesn't originate from the Land of Fire. Ours' is a big land and you would of had plenty of time to wrap up those cuts of yours getting here from where that soil originates."

Naruto closed his eyes, sighing. He had gotten really careless.

"Therefore, you were chased and so panicked you were that you didn't give yourself time to report back to your base and recover or even to update your team which explains why you're here alone. Instead, you came here first. Why? I would love to know, but for whatever purpose you let yourself be captured with the intent to find out the whereabouts of these scrolls you assume we have, the ones you claim could have the power to separate you and the Kyuubi..."

Sensing what this all boiled up to, Yamato murmured, a bit ruefully, "Meaning they didn't kill you because they're after Kurama."

Ibiki nodded. "And by your rush...this new guy wants him now."

Naruto nodded, expression darkening. "Well. I always was a bad liar. I'll admit that you're right...I screwed up bad. I..."

The following quiet in the room felt smothering as Naruto slid his fingers along his forehead, obviously not wanting to continue his account.

"What happened, Naruto? Who hurt you?"

He shook his head.

"Naruto," Ibiki said. "We already know this much, now we need to know who is the new player. The faster you get on with it, the faster something can happen and we both get what we want. Dilly dally...and we'll have to resort to other methods."

Naruto's fingers froze but his facial expression remained impassive to Ibiki's threat.

Ibiki shook his head. "We both know such methods will only be a waste of time and energy. I don't want more sessions like last year's."

"'ight," he mumbled. "It was supposed to have ended, it should have, I mean we were so close to the finish but, I...I couldn't stop it from happening. I couldn't..."

Yamato and Ibiki exchanged a glance.

Finally, after a long moment of silence, Yamato just said it. "Is it the Fourth?"

Naruto shifted after a long pause of awkward silence, head bowed. "...No."

"Who? Just tell us and we can help you. And get you bandaged up. You have serious wounds that need proper attention," Yamato urged, switching tactics. Scaring him wouldn't work just as much as torture methods wouldn't. "We'll help, Naruto. Just talk to us."

Naruto exhaled slowly, opening his eyes. "No."

"Why? Give us a good reason."

"This is my battle. Mine and Kurama's."

"You can't keep trying to be the shield to the world, Naruto. Especially now that you're a..." Yamato couldn't even bring himself to say it. Just stood there, mouth open before he quickly closed it, his sentence left unfinished.

Ibiki and the Anbu watched him with puzzled expressions. "Captain Yamato?"

Naruto chuckled a little. "Guess I couldn't keep that in the dark from my captain."

"Yes. And you can't keep hiding—"

"I'll tell you what I told Kakashi-sensei. You have no room to lecture me on what's left behind for safety's sake."

"You sound like you're still trying to convince yourself of that, Naruto."

Sighing deeply, Naruto nodded. "Honestly, I am. This was never what I wanted. It was just the only way, but still, at the heart of it all, all I've ever wanted is a home. To go there. But I can't. At least, not right now."

"You're the one who stopped that from happening." This was so sad it wasn't even funny. "You really need to stop and think about this path you put yourself. You are not the only one it's affecting."

"I am, Captain Yamato. I am."

The haunting seriousness of his tone and expression sent a chill down Yamato's spine. Barely had he registered it when the cuffs clattered to the ground. Yamato cursed. They were going to lose him again!

"Wait, Naruto!"

But he was fast, sweeping under the spear of the nearest Anbu. Without even a sound, he pushed a powerful thrust of his palm into the man's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Before the man even hit the floor and more could be taken out - and Naruto would take them out, very quickly - Yamato dashed forward, grabbing him by his dominant wrist in a single movement. "STOP IT!"

Ibiki was also up, his chair spilling over as he latched onto Naruto's other arm. His voice boomed threateningly, "You're not escaping again."

Hissing, Naruto twisted himself back.

And that's when Yamato realized: Naruto wouldn't risk getting captured. Not by this new enemy, nor Konoha.

Without a second more, Yamato shoved Naruto against the wall with a quick snap of his wood jutsu, binding him there. He had only seconds, so his fingers moved quickly, undoing the bandages until the skin of Naruto's wrist was exposed.

And bare.

Ibiki let out a curse and Yamato gritted his teeth.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, flickering free from Yamato's lock and stood off, rolling the long black sleeve down. "I'd appreciate if you never did that again," he hissed. "I like to keep that covered."

The remaining Anbu moved, only to be stopped by a harsh glare and sudden seizure. In less than a second, Naruto was behind him, arm wrapped around their neck. "Listen carefully, Anbu. I'm done here. Oh, and Cap...?"

Yamato swallowed, frozen solid by the sudden harsh change in Naruto's demeanor. "Yes?"

"I had naturally assumed you guys would have the scrolls and would lead me to the correct ones, but I wasn't completely sure so there are bombs scattered around different points of the village as a contingency plan, located right where the confidential archives are. So unless you want the rest of the Hokage's dirty secretes in the wrong hands, I would go find them. Pronto."

Yamato gritted his teeth. Naruto just had to pick bombing up from the Akatsuki.

"And if you come after me..." He released his hostage, pushing him down. "I'll detonate them."

And just like that, he was gone.

One of the remaining Anbu stirred. "Sir, what was on his arm—No—ah! The Jinchuuriki, he's—!"

Ibiki sighed. "Don't fret over it. It was just a shadow clone."

"A shadow clone? How do you know for sure, sir?"

Ibiki shook his head. "Can't say. Medical confidentiality."

"But he's a criminal..."

"At the time of his initial medical and psychological examination, he was just a recovering abductee. The files were updated by none other than by Miss. Haruno herself."

"But she's..."

"Not important. What is, is that he's gone. He shouldn't have been able to teleport." He glared at the man accusingly. "Was he not injected beforehand?"

"He was, sir, witnessed it myself..."

Yamato rubbed his temple. "He must have bribed the medic to switch the drug when we weren't looking..."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Ibiki sighed. "In any case...Captain, you know him better than I do. Should I send Anbu squads after him first? He'll still be in the village, most likely at the Hyuuga Estate."

Yamato shook his head. "Don't bother. The real one probably got to her hours ago and is long gone. Just find those bombs. They won't be in the proximity of any civilian - that goes against his moral code - but still...Find them."

Suddenly, an Anbu burst through the room, door slamming into the wall behind him. "Captain! We have a triple S-threat!"

Looks like Naruto's demon had followed him straight to the village.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

To the south, a crow screeched. A dark-haired man gave pause in his track. Somewhere in the proximity of that bird's shriek, a presence like none-other loomed. His target, and not far off.

Around him, the once quiet village was being swept with fuddled shadows, Anbu scurrying around in vain. Looking for a single person. They wouldn't find him, at least not in time.

And they would get in his way...His fingers danced into movement, weaving seals, his lips forming into the first shape of the syllable that would soon spell out a dangerous and widespread jutsu to destroy them, "Katon—"

He never finished.

A shift of chakra.

Target changed, he disappeared in the shadows again.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Hours ago" was only a bit off. By, well, a few minutes.

Hinata stopped frigidly in her steps when she sensed it. A strong presence, approaching, just behind the shoji door in front of her. For an instant, she saw the faintest flicker of its shadow through the blue-tented paper.

Swallowing, she placed her fingers on the end of its wooden frame.

"Ko?"

No answer. The only thing she got back was a strong scent of blood, growing stronger by the second.

Fear gripped at her. Whoever was in there was not her Hyuuga guardian, neither were they a Hyuuga at all, the only people who should be at the Estate this late.

Focusing her chakra, she uttered, "Byakugan." Her field of vision instantly changed, showing the inside of the next room in x-ray vision, inside of which she could see light blue lines from the chakra veins of a man. She did not completely recognize its pattern. It seemed sporadic, and powerful. Familiar yet odd.

But a threat all the same.

"A Zetsu," she whispered, eyes narrowing. Squaring her shoulders, she braced herself, raising her hands in an offensive stance.

But out of nowhere, the intruder's presence was suddenly behind her, seizing her wrist and she let out a startled scream.

How fast!

"Shhh!" the villain hissed, cold digits clamping over her mouth.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Hatake Kakashi..."

Her sensei's eyes shined from the recognition. "We've missed you...Sakura, dear. Leaving like you did wasn't very polite, or even like you for that matter."

He gazed at her, expecting an answer, and no doubt-taking in her battle-worn appearance. Her fists were bloodied as were her clothes; her longer hair in disarray, but bound by a thin cord in attempt to tame the light strands.

"Listen, I don't have time for you," Sakura insisted swatting her hand. She started again, attempting to run past his block. He let her go, allowing her to enter through their village, pushing past the civilians—tourists were rarer these days, and not to venture out this late at night, so slipping through them all wasn't that big of an event.

Then again, a number of the people out, including the guards at Konoha's gates, were unconscious, something Kakashi instantly became suspicious of. So he continued following right behind her. Her expression became frantic when it became clear he wasn't going to leave her alone until he got an explanation.

"Get out of my way!" she exclaimed. She made a quick turn in attempt to lose him, and he regretted that he no longer had his Sharingan. Still, the Anbu was not to be underestimated. He quickly leaped to the nearest building—an apartment complex—and jumped down, swinging himself across a light pole, right in front of her. This didn't even deter her as it might of in the past.

"What's the rush?" he asked, pushing his chakra nearly to its limits trying to keep up with her chakra-boosted speed.

"Naruto's in trouble!" she called, leaping over a wall. He quickly pushed himself up after her.

"What happened? Where is he now!?"

"There's no time to explain! But he's in serious need of medical attention! And he disappeared before any of us could do anything!"

So he was alone, this Kakashi took in with a sigh. "Where is he now?"

"Issuing a Code Black—" this almost stopped Kakashi up and he swore— "And he's not going to stop until he reaches her. She's in danger!"

He didn't need to ask who "she" was.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

This wasn't the first time the Hyuuga Heiress had been attacked in her own home. She used the assailant's own momentum against him, swinging him over her shoulder. He smacked back-first into the ground, arm painfully gripped in her pale fingers. She thought she heard a crack, but her Byakugan told her otherwise.

She let her Byakugan vision fade just enough so she could the see intruder's outer appearance, to identify him. She didn't gasp as she took the appearance in, the short blond hair, the fiery blue eyes that would have shot euphoria into her any other night. The Zetu was in Naruto's form, a stunt she wasn't going to be fooled by again.

"Who sent you this time, huh?" she demanded, tightening her bone-cracking grip, ignoring the groan that matched the sound of Naruto perfectly. No, she would not fall for it, not his looks, not his sounds. Not again. "Kabuto?"

"It's me, Hinata!" he groaned out, squirming underneath her. Hissing, she swung her palm towards the Zetsu's chakra center, preparing to cripple it with her Gentle Fists style. Realizing what she was attempting to do, the fake twisted free last second with insane strength, whipping his arm free.

"It's me!" The Zetsu exclaimed, hopping up and blocking her counterstrike. He lunged for her arms, puzzling her for a moment until she realized their goal must be to capture her alive. But dead or alive, it wasn't going to happen, she swung her feet towards his, tripping him. And he fell, tumbling clumsily. She wagered that this wasn't his first fight tonight and it showed. This Zetsu must have fought the Hyuuga guards and her neighbors to get to her. It left him tired, and sloppy.

But the Zetsu's plight ended now. He wasn't getting past her.

"Gentle Step-Twin Lion Fists!"

The power of her chakra lit up the room in purple-flickering blue chakra; the Zetsu's spasmed as it got sucked into hers and he crashed through the screen doors, ripping through them and landing in the next room.

He recovered fast, bouncing back up and leaping at her with the momentum. They crashed into a dresser, his hands holding tightly to her wrists. She groaned, trying to twist from his persistent grip.

"Shhhh, keep it down! It's me, Hinata!" he repeated, fighting against her struggles. "Stop it!"

"Let go of me!"

Inexplicably, his hold loosened for just a moment, and this was all she needed to allow her to escape his grip, and slam a Gentle Fist into his chest. Hissing, he fell back. But she wasn't done, her hands raced up all his tenketsu chakra points, closing off and crippling every single one of them.

"You're not getting him!" she exclaimed landing on him in his fall. She quickly set herself on top his sternum, knees locking around his sides and hands holding his wrists down in opposite directions, panting. He was panting too, staring at her with his fiery blue eyes... Sweat dripped down his face.

This was the first sign that something about this Zetsu was a little off.

Zetsu looked a lot like humans, but they didn't exert perspiration or any other kind of bodily discharge like blood. And this one was covered in both blood and sweat.

If he wasn't a Zetsu, then he was a ninja using a transformation technique, or so she told herself, feeling doubt begin nip at her. Gritting her teeth, she tightened her hold on him. "Who are you?"

"Hinata...," he rasped. "It's me. I swear it is! The real deal!"

She stared down at him, heart caught mid-beat. And he stared at her, directly in the eyes, his body warm underneath her, chest rising and falling quickly. "It's me, okay." He wasn't fighting back, or struggling against her hold but...It could all be a ruse to gain her trust. To fool and hurt her again.

"How am I supposed to know for sure?" she whispered, the grip on his arms almost trembling. She wanted it to be true so bad...To be assured that what she felt deep down was right, but if it wasn't...

"The cat."

She blinked.

"I'm the only one besides you who knows our code."

Her lips trembled. "The thirteenth?"

"Some say cat, but me, personally, relate to the fox...Take your pick. I'm also one of the few who know what you're fighting so hard to protect that's a couple of rooms down. He's about three months old now, isn't he?"

He. Him.

She felt tears well up in her eyes. "Three months, five days."

He smiled softly, in a way only her Naruto-kun could. "Sounds right."

Hopelessly, she began to cry. "Oh, I'm so sorry I thought you were the enemy! I can't believe I just..."

He nodded with a grimace. "Yup. And for the record, I didn't just get my butt kicked by a girl. This totally did not just happen..."

She laughed, all her tenseness melting into pure happiness, and high on it, she fell into him, too happy to express in words how relieved, how blissful! she was, not caring they were both out of breath and covered in sweat from the scuffle.

Finally, they were together again. It's done. It's done. And he smiled as she lay on top him, and began kissing her, moving his lips from her cheek to her mouth. Pressing into her desperately, clinging as if she would disappear if he did not.

A year was a long time. Especially for him.

Shifting, a bit nervously, she leaned up.

Grinning still, he teased, "Not that I don't mind this...position, but I'd like to be able to move, honey."

Blood raced to her cheeks and she jumped off with a yelp. "Oh, I'm so...sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about." He laughed, at her embarrassment, which caused her to blush more. "And whaddya do to your hair?" he added, raising an eyebrow. "It's...short."

She giggled, touching the ends of her hair. She had it cut to shoulder length. "I got tired of it getting pulled..."

His eyes narrowed. "Who the—"

"He doesn't know any better, and I didn't always remember to tuck or tie it back."

"Oh." Sobering, he attempted to sit up but ultimately failed, landing back to the floorboards with a groan. "Man, you Hyuuga's and your Gentle Fists are no joke. And I'm guessing you've trained with Sakura, too..."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, setting herself beside him. "She's been a great help with her medical knowledge."

"She is," he agreed.

On that, she set to reopening his chakra and pressure points. He grimaced but lay through the process pretty well. When it was over, he sat up and embraced her in a tight hug. It seemed as if he would never let her go. He was trembling, absolutely trembling.

And it hurt.

"I'm so sorry it's been so long," he whispered into her shoulder, his scent enveloping her. "You're more...on edge than I've ever known you to be." He pulled back, a look of regret on his face. "You've been attacked by someone in my form?"

She nodded. "Repeatedly. But I should have known it was you."

He gave a grim nod. "Hinata...I would never hurt you. Ever."

Her face drew down, unable to speak her feelings out loud. Not physically, at least. But...

She did how ever inquire, "Though, why is the Kyuubi-I mean Kurama's chakra dammed up?"

His expression became one of sadness as he got to his knees in preparation to stand. "My attempt at extra protection. Don't really know what else I can do right now."

"But it's over now, isn't it?" she asked hopefully, extending her hand out to him. He grabbed it, and managed to get back to his feet with her help. "You're home. After all this time...And oh my gosh! You're hurt!"

Now that she knew the intruder wasn't a Zetsu, the cuts visibly lining him alarmed her greatly. There were nicks on his face, hidden by a layer of dirt, even his hand which she held was slick with blood, and his limbs and clothes were in even worse shape. Just where had he come from like this?

He rolled his eyes, yanking his hand back. "It's fine. I'll have my medic patch me up later, right now we've got more important things to take care of."

She looked down bitterly. "It's not over...Is it?"

He buried his head in her shoulder. "I'm sorry...but it's not. It's a Code Black. I've already made sure that Nagato and Konan went into hiding. The Bijuu statue—not even in this dimension...I think. Now there's just you and him left to take care of."

Her heart stopped beating. "But..."

His fingers encircled her face, lifting it. "You are the only thing they would need to undo everything I've spent a year fighting for. We can't afford that risk."

"But I've protected myself thus far," she protested. "What could be worse that we wouldn't be able to handle?"

He didn't answer her question, only spoke further of his safe house plan. "You have to get away from any village with a shinobi force. Just stay away from them, find one that's either too small to be known, or as off the grid as you can get." He then spoke ruefully, pulling away from her completely, "And from me. Especially me. Get rid of any connection, allow no recognition, and above all, keep him and yourself safe."

"But I'm just now seeing you again! I just can't up and leave the estate, what about—"

From the next room a shrill small voice began crying.

Naruto froze, his eyes wide. Expression a mix between sadness and pure bliss. "That's..."

She nodded. "Our baby...It figures he's up. It's about his feeding time."

Behind the following shoji door, was her bedroom, filled with toys and tissues, and a crib. The cold colors of the Hyuuga no longer dominated her room with bleak greys and whites, and lonely blues. In the past few months, it had been changed to more friendly warm colors, perfect for the perfect child. A child she would do anything for.

Naruto reached out, as if to enter their son's room, when a noise sounded from behind them. They both turned, to see a Hyuuga man, dressed traditionally, with white eyes and dark hair. A most common and dominate trait even in present day.

Ko, her faithful guardian.

"Hinata-sama," Ko said, hesitantly. "I thought I had heard some noise...I wasn't aware you had a...guest."

Naruto and him exchanged a brief look, the older man not quite sure what to think of the blond's sudden appearance, and the father a bit wearily towards the other man who was reaching for his son.

"This is Ko," she explained. "Remember him? He's been helping with the baby. Besides my immediate family, Father and Neji, he is the only Hyuuga who knows about him. Outside the family, only Kurenai and Sakura know of his existence. They've all helped me so much, protecting him from the uppers of the village and Hyuuga. And from Obito's attacks."

He had also helped her out greatly, conversing and helping out when the nights got hard or stressful, and they did tremendously at times, both before and after her son's birth, but she didn't say this out loud, for fear of worrying Naruto further.

Naruto nodded. "It's safer this way, or at least until the war's over and I can have some words with the elders about it."

Obito was no longer a problem. Others were.

He glanced to Ko. "You have my thanks."

Ko nodded. "And thank you for allowing me to see the first freed child." The band covering his forehead suddenly seemed a lot heavier. "It's been a privilege."

From inside the swaddle of saffron threads in the elder man's arms, light blond hair stuck out, and an almost musical "goo" followed.

Naruto let in a sharp intake of breath, taking the noise in, and smiled. He started reaching for his boy, yearning to finally hold him in his arms...When he stopped, hands hanging midair. Crimson dripped down them, tear-like.

Hinata gently tugged Naruto's hand. "Ko, can you please get the first-aid kit and lay him in his bouncer. I'll feed him in a moment."

The Hyuuga bowed. "Yes, Hinata-sama."

The man disappeared into the hallway with the child, leaving the couple alone. There was a clap of thunder outside, lighting the room up and Naruto froze frigidly for a moment before chuckling. "Made me jump. Certainly a night out, isn't it?"

It was an artificial smile. And he was somehow paler than he had been a second ago. "What has you so spooked?" she asked, looking him in the eyes. "Tell me."

He surprisingly answered after a short while. "I just...I can't bear the thought of losing anyone else."

"I'm not going anywhere...And you know this, so why Code Black? What could possibly get worse that I would need to go into hiding for?"

Naruto's following expression as he looked at her in almost an air of hopelessness gave her the chills. Something was seriously wrong.

But then he shrugged it off again. "What's his name?" Then a bitter laugh. "It's pathetic I have to even ask. It's just...you've never mentioned it so..."

She smiled grimly. "I wanted you to be here to name him."

Naruto paused. Then giggled. "What in the world do I name him? After a Hyuuga? My Hokage father? Whatever I call him, he'll live with for the rest of his life."

She hummed in agreement. "You should get to know him first, then. He's such a sweetheart. Lively, precious...He's my honey. But," she said. "He needs his father. And I my husband."

"I know," he mumbled. "I want to stay with you, and I want you to stay here but...This ain't like when I was a kid, and until it's over I'm just endangering you and him and if something happened to either of you I would never forgive myself. Hinata...It would break me. "

"But we—"

Suddenly, a great crash noise sounded, as if the house itself had been ripped apart, Ko shouted and the most terrifying presence filled the air, room subsequently dropping a few degrees. And somewhere in it, their honey started screaming bloody murder.

"It's already too late," his voice snarled behind her.

"The baby!" she screamed, already running...but Naruto's absence at her side made her halt, she turned around, eyes wide to see him pulling out a thick, ancient looking scroll. Thrusting his hands on it, blood flicked from his fingers, glowing with chakra.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do. But I have to contain what I can—or a lot more people are going to die!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

They were quickly nearing the Hyuuga Estate. This late at night, the great estate was mostly pitch but a few Hyuuga forms could be seen near lighted candles and lanterns. Their lights flickered deep behind the safe recesses of screen panels, completely oblivious to the incoming dangers that would rock their world.

The particular room that they were heading for was unique, in that it was nearly in the most centermost point of the estate. That of the heiress...Assuming that he still knew that she still retained that position after she had betrayed the Hyuuga clan's marriage traditions. Traditions he would no doubt try to eradicate when he became Hokage.

Suddenly there was a great flash and a great colourful barrier rose up from around the place of her dwelling.

Sakura skidded to a stop. "Oh no," she muttered. "We're already too late!"

Kakashi stilled, sensing a nasty presence in the air...and it wasn't from the barrier, although that seemed to be emitting some energy itself. The barrier was one that he did not recognize but he could already tell that not only was it a long-lost forbidden kind as even he didn't recognize it, but it had to be an S-Rank at least. That barrier, he must have picked it up from the Uzumaki clan ruins.

"That idiot!" Sakura hissed. "He can't do this on his own! DANG IT! STUPID IDIOT!"

Up above them they heard a swish of movement. A giant white bird was gliding across the skies, heading their way.

Sai.

Sakura on the other hand, was still too riled to see there was still a way to reach him. "That idiot! He KNOWS he's not able to seal him away yet! And he's in no shape to fight! But he just had to—"

Kakashi grabbed Sakura's shoulder, shaking it. "Sakura! All jutsu have a weakness. This one as well. We'll break it!"

"But how!?"

The Root member leaped down. "Kakashi. Naruto's—"

"We already know Sai, hurry, if we're going to reach him before it's too late, we're going to need your wings!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do. But I have to contain what I can—or a lot more people are going to die!"

After a great flash, the only thing she could see was glowing colors outside the window, hovering within the rain. A barrier.

"What are you doing?" she repeated. Why was he doing all of this? Why was he was trapping them?

Before she could attempt to puzzle the answers, he was already dashing off towards where the screams had come from.

Refusing to tuck tail and hide she raced after him. Seeing her, he must have known he wouldn't have been able to dissuade her because he called over his shoulder, "Which direction is the breaker box?"

Confused, she pointed to the general direction. "Why?" But they had reached the baby's room before he could explain himself and once there, she wished the setting desperately away.

The atmosphere alone was enough to put fear into the most hardened of individuals. It reeked of blood, and seethed in darkness. The room was shredded, the furniture split clean into parts, and in the midst of it, a man stood, calmly. In a gloved hand was a strange wide weapon. A gunbai, she realized, and possibly what was used in a dramatic spin that tore the room apart. And holding it still, he stood casually, as if he had been expecting them, and not the least bit warily after his trek here.

Behind the man, her guardian stood, sporting deep gashes across his front, trembling with the baby held protectively in his arms. He gasped out, "The K-Kyuubi's not here!" before he noticed them. His pale eyes widened when he did.

The intruder noticed the couple as well.

"There you are," he spoke in a simple tone, his back to them. There was something almost hypnotizing about his voice in its cool calmness. "The Kyuubi host of this generation. Our meeting was cut short last time."

Naruto's following swallow was audible and his expression did nothing to hide his fear, it hovered over him as his hand clamped around his wrapped wrist, shaking slightly. Regret, fear, and even abashment, all the more to thicken the tension smothering the air like a fog on a bleak night.

Our meeting was cut short...

Realization dawned on her. This was the assailant that had Naruto running. No one made Naruto run. No one, yet...

Hinata glanced back to the intruder, wanting to understand what was happening. Long hair graced past his back in spikes of ebony that blew softly in the wind coming from a rift now torn in the wall, and under his mane of hair was a barely visible Uchiha crest, adorned proudly on his back, free from the armor he was wearing. Such armor placement spoke of arrogance, as if he challenged anyone to get him from behind.

And really, that crest alone spoke of arrogance.

"I long laid out a plan for the day of my revival but..." He turned now, casting a stern look towards Naruto. He was, by many standards, attractive. A sturdy build, and perfectly shaped face. The only mar to such perfection was how his skin was deathly pale, and his sclerae were black, contrasting with the deep red of his irises. The eyes of the reanimated, those brought to life for death matches, and the Sharingan, those of the Uchiha.

The Uchiha who Konoha sent to their graves long ago. And this particular one, this strange enmity from the past...

Naruto shot a panicked gaze toward Hinata, mouthing, Don't look in his eyes! She lowered her gaze, nodding.

Of all people for Kabuto to reanimate! His last and final trump card.

"The plan, my Infinite Tsukuyomi was simple," he continued, voice rich in both amusement and anger teetering on the edge of insanity, of chastisement towards Naruto, for, in his mind, was he to keep an Uchiha waiting, "and most importantly, my plan was absolute. But, I wake to find things have not gone accordingly. Three crucial pieces have been...misplaced, one of which I'm told you bear."

Naruto swallowed, then in attempt to gather himself and reconcile the situation, placed himself between her and the reanimated villain. Meanwhile, he slowly pulled out his folded bow from the small of his back which also had a couple of blades strapped to it as well, having run out of room on his leg holsters.

"So you're here for it, then. Uchiha...Madara." He thrust his custom bow down, letting its limbs lock into place. Next he pulled out a strange arrow, that had some contraption on the point of it. He placed a battery in it, wincing when it shocked him. "How did you know to come here?"

Madara sneered cruelly as Hinata gasped at the confirmation of the name. She had been hoping it had just been some twisted genjutsu. But no, Naruto knew better. Had expected it. "I ask the questions, host. Now, you will account for what is mine, Kyuubi. The Hachibi's location and the Rinnegan. Once I have them, I will take care of you."

Hinata's eyes widened in horror, dread pricking her soul. No, of all times, not now...Not HIM! Naruto's hurt! The baby!

Naruto on the other hand, seemed to have found his confidence, perhaps it was knowing what was behind the man. The most precious possession he could ever hope to watch over. Confidently, he raised his weapon, drawing the string back and wak!, the arrow was shooting out with lightning speed...towards the direction Hinata had pointed a moment ago.

It must of had some bombing jutsu on it as well because it shot through the wall in an explosion, contained by the barrier, and almost instantly, every light or electrical thing in her house blacked out. Leaving them nearly in pitch, the quiet only broken by the muffled cries of the baby.

To blind an Uchiha...

"Who says I am, anyway, dude." He snapped his bow back into place. There was no room to use it properly in the space he had confined them to.

Now barely visible only by the flashes of lightning raging outside and the glowing red of the barrier, the Uchiha's lips curled in a mocking smile that made her blood run cold. "Summoning Jutsu!"

Naruto was sent to his knees, hugging his stomach in pain and gnashing his teeth. "Naruto!" She reached for him, only for him to shake his head, through his groans. She could feel him grab her hand, squeezing it gently before uncurling her fingers so her palm was out, as if to say attack.

"I'm alright. Stay back."

Another squeeze.

"The Kyuubi indeed," Madara said in a monotone voice. "Where is Nagato, the Rinnegan?"

Wobbily, Naruto began to stand. "Like I'd tell you."

Madara blinked, and even so minute a action like that put fear into her, because such expressions would precede his fury, a fury only rivaled and contained by the First Hokage himself.

Why couldn't Naruto just transport them away? Then it came to her. The baby. He would need to grab their son as well, and Madara was blocking him. Or perhaps he was in bad enough shape that his new technique was temporarily lost to him.

Her heart raced. This man was a monster. He would slaughter millions and not even care. Naruto had casted the barrier because of this, to lesson the deaths that would inevitably result from this man's revival. But even if Naruto had some master plan, he wasn't ready to seal such an immortal god-like shinobi away. They would need a whole team of ninja, and experts in each field at that.

As if sensing her fear, his grip on her hand tightened, and he said calmly, but loudly, "He's nothing to worry about, Hinata." He said it as if he was ignoring the monstrous entity in front of them. "Uchiha's are like dogs. Dogs fighting over who's Alpha, trust me, Sasuke and me do it all the time. It's just a matter of starin' them in the eyes and establishing—"

Madara's foot swung in graceful but utterly swift movement, connecting harshly into Naruto's face. The impact sent him crashing into her and they landed in a pile.

The Uchiha scoffed. "You must be a fool."

"AUGH!" Rolling off her, Naruto rubbed the blood from his face. "You okay, Hinata?"

Displeased, the Uchiha almost growled as he wrenched Naruto towards him by his collar. "And to think, not only have you've hidden my Rinnegan eyes and the Hachibi away, but you've taken my pawn, as well."

Naruto twitched at the comment, his fingers curling into a fist. But he smirked, playing it off. "Yeah, I did. By the way, I have a name. It's Namikaze Uzumaki Hyuuga. Naruto. Might want to remember that. The one who'll stop that little daydream of yours."

And then he was moving, fast. Hinata caught glimpses of him in the lightning, his silhouette slamming his fists and feet at Madara, throwing blades and slashing away, in moves that would kill a normal human, but even in the dark, the Uchiha was keeping up perfectly.

Silently, the Hyuuga Heiress uttered, "Byakugan." Allowing her to see their chakra as it spiraled and flared in the darkness like fireworks.

But Naruto's reserves were low, and his insistence to wall up the Kyuubi's tampered with his fighting. As for Madara's...she had never before witnessed someone with his levels. Naruto did come the closest of all those she knew, but that was with Kurama's reserves included as well.

Did he want to fight Madara like this? Then Hinata realized why he was acting the way he was. He was trying to keep Madara's attention wholly on him and not at Ko who was attempting to sidle out in the shadows.

Yes...Get the baby out...

Their clashing blades and gunbai seemed to light up the room in sparks, continually lit aglow by moves with chakra. Both of fire and gushes of spinning chakra. But each time Madara lit a flame, Naruto was made even busier just trying to tame it, and Madara knew this, relished it.

Feeling both the need to hover over her child, and to protect her husband, Hinata stared at her hand, which Naruto had unfurled. Attack. Fight.

A shout broke through her panic-filled thoughts. Naruto was thrown across the room, where Madara grabbed him by his throat. "Where?"

There was a length of a pause, one Hinata knew better than to look up for. Ko was almost to the door...And the man sighed. "So you've trained against the Mangekyo. Interesting. But you will still tell me."

Naruto let out a groan. "You're not getting any of them, you freakin' relic."

"Then I'll pull the Kyuubi from you right now." His hand pulled back, preparing to strip Naruto of the Kyuubi, his fingers glowing with Hn chakra. Hissing, Naruto's hands clawed at Madara's arm and...

"Gentle Step-Twin Lion Fists!"

This time, her technique lit up the entire room, blazing with chakra. She couldn't kill him, yes, but she had to at least try to help! And she ran, when all of a sudden she was sent flying, holding her stomach.

"Bothersome, woman," Madara thrilled.

"Hinata!" Ko called but it was too late. She crashed into a table, breaking it.

"Ugh..." Her vision flickered and she could feel blood ooze down her head.

The newly-formed Madara clone that had attacked looked down on her, eyes cruel, and measuring. The real one tightened his grip on the young man, squirming in his hold. "Tell me Uzumaki scum, is this Hyuuga your lover?"

Naruto hissed, angrily. "This fight is just between me and you—leave her out of this!" He swung a summoned-katana up, slicing the hands holding him off. But no squirts of blood came, only ash as the hands began reforming themselves.

"No." His reply was spoken in a nonchalant tone, and careless. "This is between me and the Kyuubi, you're just a mere carcass in the way."

The Uchiha's knee sailed up, Naruto pushed his hands down to defend against it, when Madara began weaving seals now that Naruto was preoccupied.

"Crap!"

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"

A huge volley of flames shot out of his mouth, Naruto barely jumping out of the way in time. He landed near Ko, skidding across the seared floorboards. Behind him, the frame to the door Ko had been making his way to buckled from the flames, trapping him. And then it got even hotter, the baby screaming at this point.

Glancing to the Hyuuga and his son, Naruto gritted his teeth. "Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"

On his command, the clones surrounded Ko in a defensive stance. Under one's breath Hinata thought she heard him whisper, "You drop my son and I'll kill you..."

"I'll protect him with my life! But watch out for Hinata-sama!"

To both men's horror Madara kept his gaze on Hinata, a look of disgust on his face. "A Hyuuga and an Uzumaki. For one of the so-called great clans to abandon their heritage. What a whore. The village that Hashirama I created has degraded so much."

His hands, again, started moving, readying for yet another wave of a fire-based jutsu.

"I don't think so, hag." Naruto snarled, the skin around his eyes beginning to change to orange, his irises to yellow. "What you call degradation I call process!" He raced toward Madara , swinging his limbs at Madara in a variety of different styles in attempt to confuse him, all fast to prevent him from using ninjutsu again. Some of his strikes were modern, others obviously foreign like his tiger claw form. Hinata briefly recognized some of Gai's taijutsu moves as well.

"And you're wrong to underestimate the Hyuuga," Naruto hissed, arms locked in Madara's block. "Do it!"

He hadn't been talking to Madara when he had said the latter. Just as prompted, Hinata came from behind, the lion-shaped auras already formed all over again and glowing with all the power left in her. "NOW Hinata!"

The man's head was ripped off...until a chunk of wood replaced it. She sailed through the air, landing at Naruto's feet. "I'm so sorry," she exclaimed. How can I land a blow when he can just foresee it?! Frustration boiled in her. She wasn't like Naruto, she hadn't trained to fight the Sharingan. No, her clan relied heavily on the very thing they surpassed with those eyes!

But he was right there, whispering, "Don't stop there!" filling her with newfound exhilaration for just a moment. Even hope. "Spin me!"

Nodding, she grabbed his arms, swinging him around. Carried by the momentum, his feet sailed into Madara's face, and before the man could recover, she came right behind Naruto, her Byakugan blazing, and her movements fast...but chakra-less. There would be no keeping up with her this time by just his Sharingan alone. Of course, without chakra's aid, the technique didn't quite work, but the two blades Naruto had thrown to her nearly helped make up for it.

Ash speckled the air along with stripes of paper-like substance.

Naruto actually laughed at Madara's temporary fix before joining back in, a massive Rasengan spinning in his hand.

"Hell hath no fury, eh?"

But that was when the scale tipped over to Madara's side all over again in the colorful flames of a huge and only partially formed rib-cage. A huge blade crashed down, distancing them from the man and the earth itself seemed to tremble in its wake, the floorboards splitting in different directions. Looking back, perhaps Naruto's barrier was the only reason Madara hadn't called the entire Susanoo into being. Or perhaps he didn't consider them worth the trouble.

"The Hyuuga did once nearly rival the Uchiha clan," he stated boredly, regaining his flawless appearance in the light of his strange jutsu. There was not a trace of wariness in his voice. Even after all their attacks, there was nothing to show for it.

"But they are no longer even a fraction of what the Uchiha are. We outpowered them eons ago." He glared at Hinata, causing Naruto to growl in clear anger.

Naruto raised his hands, fingers weaving into signs with practiced speed. "Those you call "whore" are gonna be the ones to send you back to where you belong! NOW COME AT ME!"

The man laughed. "You're a pathetic container, not even a full bred Uzumaki." The Rasengan shredded from the Uchiha's hand to his shoulder, yet he continued. "You have no hope of getting out of this the victor, unless you give me what I want." He used Naruto's position against him, flipping him face-first into the ground and locking him there. "Now, again, where are my Rinnegan?"

Naruto spat at him.

"I am loosing my patience with you, now. You are becoming boring."

Naruto grinned. "And I ain't gonna stop. And I'm guessing you ain't either, so let's just skip this part and move on to the next phase or this ain't ever going to end!"

The Uchiha glowered. "So you have inherited the Senju's infuriatingly annoying Will. That is unfortunate...For you."

Before Naruto could break free, a Madara clone ran for Hinata...And before Naruto could conjure all the chakra in him to teleport to her, the real Madara's eyes absorbed Ko's, and he swung his arm, the wide reach of his gunbai tearing through Naruto's clones until it struck its final target just as Naruto landed into Hinata, arms wrapped around her...

Blood sprayed on them and Hinata screamed.

Naruto frantically glanced back, shouting, "NOOO!"

But it was useless, with one second, one well-played move, Madara had won.

The man who had served as her guardian her entire life now lay on the floor, and the baby screamed in Madara's arm, a kunai pointed toward his wailing face. "I will give you one last chance, host."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Sakura! All jutsu have a weakness. This one as well. We'll break it!"

"But how!?"

The Root member leaped down. "Kakashi. Naruto's—"

"We already know Sai, hurry, if we're going to reach him before it's too late, we're going to need your wings!"

Kakashi pointed upward. "If my hunch is right, there's a failsafe that's been altered into it, Naruto would do that. Up above, in the direct center, with enough force of both chakra and impact, it'll break and dissolve!"

Sakura nodded, raising her fists. "Right!"

The white and black ink bird crashed into the ground, lowing its smooth body and spreading its wings. "Get on! Quick!"

Inside the barrier, flashes of a fight could be seen in exploding blues and reds. They had to do this quick...Kakashi pulled out a scroll from his pouch, praying it would be enough.

The bird flapped its wings and they became airborne. While flying towards the top, Kakashi explained further. "We have to do this together. Sakura, I'll need your strength, and remember, it has to be in the direct center or it'll amount to nothing! Then I'll have to use my Lightning Blade, understand?"

"Yes!"

"Now break it!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

From the man's arms the baby wailed, but Madara's eyes were glued to Naruto's as he held a blade close to the baby's neck.

Hinata looked him in desperation, but he was frozen there, eyes squeezed tight and brow furrowed in so many emotions. Anger. Despair.

There was no use begging.

Even so. "Madara, keep this between us." He threw down his weapons, letting them clatter to the floor. Please. "Just between us!"

The Uchiha scoffed. "You play surrender like a dog but we both know you don't mean it."

Hinata looked towards him, feeling a wave of helplessness, only to see him still standing firmly. Defiant.

"I made it to where I am the only one who knows where he's in hiding, Madara. Only me and nothing on Earth can force me to talk. And you know this! I will not give you the Rinnegan, the Hachibi, or Kurama. You will never have them again. That is my final answer. I will die keeping them from you if that is what it takes, and you will never find him through anyone else because I'm the only key, Madara!"

Madara frowned. "You may be willing to die, but what about the life of this child? You would toss it aside for you idealism? The woman must disagree. How could a mother forsake her own child?"

Naruto remained resolute, eyes not leaving Madara's.

"So you don't care."

The clear streaks sliding down his cheeks signified otherwise.

"You kill him, you lose me for sure. That is the only middle ground. And when I'm gone, who knows how long it'll take for the Kyuubi to be revived! Then you'd have to search all over for those eyes and the Hachibi, and I swear on my life you will never find them."

Madara's frown deepened. Hinata's insides burned, leaving her shaking. "No...Take me instead! Just put the baby down!" She ran for him, Naruto yelling, "No! Stop!" and Madara instinctively began weaving seals with just a single hand and a gush of Wood Style ripped from the ground, throwing her towards Naruto again, or rather one of his clones.

"You're useless, woman." The baby wailed and Madara didn't even bat an eyelash as a drop of blood slid down the baby's neck. The scratch was not deep but the threat was clear and she was forced to hold her cry in as Naruto held her. She struggled for a moment but the thought of the knife pointed at her son... "Now Jinchuuriki, you will comply with me or they will suffer for it."

His fingers were digging into his palms, but he still managed a resolute "No."

"So be it."

"Please, Madara," Naruto said through gritted teeth. He fell to his knees. "This is between me and you! I'm begging you, hand him to his mother and we'll take this outside the village. Just leave them out of this!"

He was shaking. Gold light started flickering from him, on the verge of breaking out into his chakra mode. Madara sneered cruelly. "I do things on no one's terms but my own. You will obey me or bathe in the blood of those you care for most until I have my way."

The man paused, glancing up. "This barrier you created, even it will crumble, just as your rebellion will."

Madara lowered his blade only long enough to produce a vial that he then dropped to the floor. It rolled to Naruto who stared at it numbly. "I will take this sack of flesh with me. If you wish for it to reunited with its mother in one piece you will retrieve the Rinnegan and deliver them and the Hachibi's host, unconscious, to me yourself, and alone. If you refuse I'll slit its throat ." His eyes flicked to hers now, as she was struggled against the clone. "Then the Hyuuga whore's."

Naruto's control over his emotions, all the training he must have been put through, was the only thing keeping his trembling fists from swinging or his golden chakra from enveloping him in the Kyuubi's power. The only thing protecting their son from the blade held inches from his young, innocent body.

And one wrong move...So Naruto continued to swallow his pride. "Where?"

Madara grinned, pleased. "The Valley. I think you know the one, host."

And the Uchiha made to move, Hinata finally lost it, screaming "No!", running after the madman again but it was too late.

He. Was. Gone.

He disappeared through a transportation jutsu just as Sakura broke through his seal and the rest of Team Kakashi landed in. Just as he had said, the barrier broke, allowing him to transport out of there. And it didn't matter. He would have found a way out anyway.

It was over.

Kakashi started. "Naruto!—"

Naruto's more collected facade crumbled completely, the vial falling, and his fist slamming into the already broken up floorboards. "No!"

Hinata timidly approached him, touching his shoulder. "I'm s-sorry. Ugh." And then she began sobbing into him. Her cries wracking through her entire body. "What have we done!? Ko...And the baby!"

He embraced her, burying his head into her shoulder for support as he too began to give in to the hopelessness of the situation and cried.

This was far worse than anything he had ever gone through. Far worse. This was a defenseless baby, his only hope or the destruction of the world as they knew it.

No. It couldn't happen.

"I'll get him back. I'll get him back," he kept repeating like a mantra. They remained like this for a moment, until finally Naruto somehow managed to get a hold of his emotions and glanced around at his teammates now surrounding him, all at a loss of words.

What had been a room with four living people, now was two. There was a great pool of blood soaking the floorboards, and Sakura didn't need to look at the source to know it was too late for that soul. The seal on his forehead long deactivated.

"Naruto," Sakura whispered after a long pause. "Let me heal you."

"Just as much as needed," he said, voice hoarse. "I can't teleport anymore like this."

"Where you planning to go?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto didn't answer. Just shifted his hold on Hinata so Sakura could began healing him. His head fell back to her lap, and he closed his eyes as her hands hovered over his sternum, glowing green with the power of her Kage-leveled Ninjutsu.

"Naruto, you can let the Kyuubi's chakra go now," she whispered. "He's long gone."

"Un."

From deep within, Kurama voice echoed. 'I am deeply sorry, but you did the right thing, Naruto...'

"I should have listened," the Hyuuga whispered off to the side. "I should have fled the moment you said Code Black."

"Calm down, Hinata," Sakura whispered, even as her own eyes were starting to water. "Naruto, we can still remedy thi—"

"Shut up!" he screamed. "This is all your fault!"

He had not meant to say it out loud but he had.

Sakura pause in her healing and multiple pairs of eyes, her's and Kakashi, and Sai's, stared at him and even though he hadn't verbally specified to who he was yelling at, his arm that was wrapped over the seal on his stomach made it clear. Kurama...Hinata bowed her head, delicately bringing his arm down.

"Please," she whispered. "Don't blame him for this. It was my call. It-it should have been me...I would rather it have been me than him." And even with Naruto's hands cupping her face she began to cry again. "I'm sorry. Don't blame Kurama for this. It's me! Ugh! Ko, and my baby! My baby!"

She had never been separated from him before.

His facial expression twisted. "I'll get him back...No, we will."

But she sobbed more, inconsolably. "My baby's gone! Why not me?!"

"Because you are still a Hyuuga. He could hurt me more by using our baby." He shook his head, whispering to her as he wiped her tears. "We can't regret that you're safe. That we still have at least one of you now. I won't."

"But the—"

"Shhhh, it's going to be alright." He picked the vial up, squeezing it. "I'll see to that."

"But you can't do that, Naruto! You can't give him what he wants, it'll be the end of everything! He'll rip the Kyuubi from you and you'll die! Kurama'll be enslaved by the Juubi and then he'll imprison everyone in the Infinite Tsukuyomi! I can't lose you! We can't allow that! Ever! But if you don't he'll kill our son!"

"We're still alive. We can still do something. And we will, I mean, it's because I came here that this happened."

"Even if you hadn't, it would have still come to this." This was spoken by Kakashi, who was surprisingly calm, the only other person just as calm was Sai, who watched quietly from the side.

Naruto paused, no doubt listening to the voice that resided inside him once again. "You're right...but doesn't change the fact I have to do this. And I'm taking you with me Hinata. I'm never leaving you again."

She nodded. "Yes, Naruto."

Collecting himself he stood, Sakura backing away as he did so.

Looking at her, he blinked in confusion. "How in the world did you get here so fast?"

"Sasuke," she answered. "He was livid about you suddenly leaving on us, you just...left. We tried going after you as fast as possible but..." She looked around. "Once we reached the village I lost him. I don't know where he is now..."

Kakashi eye brows arched up. "Well, that's concerning..."

Sai nodded. "But we don't have time to find out where he disappeared to."

"No," Naruto said. "We don't. He'll catch up to me on his own anyways."

He grabbed Hinata by her hand, and began leading her over a pile of broken furniture. "I'll pay for the damages," he mumbled.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does."

He gave the room one last glance.

The house was utterly destroyed, leaving nothing behind. The walls had been disintegrated, the interior torn asunder. Sniffing, he cast his eyes to the floorboards, charred black from the flames of Madara's jutsu and crimson from the man who was killed for Naruto's colossal mistake. But then something caught his eyes, inexplicably, a small glimmer of silver shined in the starlight. Bending down, he picked it up.

It was a bolt.

From what felt like a whole other world, an infinity of universes away, Kakashi's voice spoke. "Naruto, we'll need to meet up with the rest of your team. Take us to your base too."

He twisted the piece of metal between the pads of his forefinger and thumb, staring at his grimly.

"Brother doesn't allow guests to the base, friends or not. No intruders. I'm making an extreme exception with just Hinata. Besides, I need to handle this myself."

Kakashi had expected such an answer. He knew Sasuke. But he also knew Naruto.

"Well, what just happened has proven otherwise, Naruto," he said. "You're going to have to let us help you. We don't exactly have any other choice, do we? No. The outcome of this encounter affects the entire world's continuation, Naruto. Not just your family."

After a long moment, Naruto nodded. "I know."

And I still can't give up.

He didn't know why but he found himself slipping both the world-ending vial in one pocket and the bolt in the other.

A bolt...So seemingly insignificant, but all the more precious; the lone surviving glittering jewel from a night of pure destruction. A sign that not everything was a lost cause.

Through the faults, and trials, and even the accumulated events leading to this very night, he thought back, to how he got here. How it all began, and he swore that when dawn passed, there would be no more regrets.

This is how it ended. How it began:

Chaos.

---

_-xXx-_

TO START A WAR TABLE OF CONTENTS /Previously + Up Next:

EPISODE 0. PROLOGUE: The Beginning of the World's End (NARUTO'S RETURN)-A year after his declaration and all the trials that would follow, a more mature and battle-scarred Naruto dares to return home to hide Hinata and their child away, only for everything to fall apart and into the final enemy's hands. It's his family, or the future. How the heck did he get here?

PART I: ART OF WAR

EPISODE 1. Taka's New Wings-

Naruto has just declared war. And subsequently drags his new team along for the ride. Sasuke is not happy. But what else is new? What? Naruto suddenly disappears? AGAIN!? Welcome to the Elemental Nations, Year One

EPISODE 2. Meet the Hyuuga

EPISODE 3. Welcome to the Sound

EPISODE 4. A+B=D. (Darn Drama!)

EPISODE 5. The Ruins of Uzushiogakure

PART II: SONG TO THE SIREN

EPISODE 6. What Becomes of Snow

EPISODE 7. We Who Wander This Wasteland

EPISODE 8. I Started a Joke

EPISODE 9. A Death in the Family

EPISODE 10. APOCALYPSE

PART III: TO THE FUTURE

EPISODE 11. Hero (Tianxia)

Episodes listed above will occasionally take more than one chapter to unfold and lead into story arcs.

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CONCERNED READERS/REVIEWERS PLEASE NOTE: What you've just read, the Prologue, is actually from a future episode, (yes, this is a flash-forward ) that I will build up to. It is NOT A Death in the Family, so do not murder me after seeing that title. A Death in the Family has very little to do with Boruto, if any. But as to who it involves? Well, you'll have to keep reading to find out unless you're that one person who I told. ^.^ If you're not then I'm afraid you will have to wait, or guess (but please don't guess and spoil it in the review section!). There are other things I know I hinted at here that will be exposed later as well, such as where Sasuke mysteriously ran off to...

Anyway, and firstly, I would like to give a big thanks to BriEva for checking my plotline MONTHS ago (last September, from a version officially began in July — Yes this is that old!) and even giving some suggestions regarding Sakura. But to have a completely fresh look I sought the wonderful help of a beta, A-Dream's-Nightmare, once this chapter was done, so a big thanks to them for that. And thank you guys for reading this, especially if you are a veteran. I just beg those weary of the past or know not of it, to give this fresh start a chance. And more importantly STAY WITH ME! Even if it's takes awhile and if the updates seem like forever. And about that, I apologise to the Shogi Veterans. I had promised this in November...What happened? I'm not sure.

Anyway, I would love reviews! They encourage me to write, and to write better, because I read every single one of them and reflect on their points. Drop me your likes and dislikes, your predictions and concerns and whatever else you feel like sharing that's relevant. Because you hold the potential to have a say in some of these episodes.

Especially for things such as people you'd like to see revived in Kabuto's reanimation jutsu. Speak now before it's too late and I can't find a proper place in story to place them, because as of now I only have Madara, and family members of Suigetsu, Sasuke and Naruto in line. And Haku and Zabuza, so if you wanna see someone else that had potential but Kishimoto never pulled it (like a reanimated Kushina) please tell me! I enjoy and want interaction on here, and I'll try to respond to reviews so don't be shy.

My goal with this story is to honor the characters and world Kishimoto created but to pull a different ending, more simple but dramatic, yet bittersweet in its realism. (That is why I said way above that there would be character deaths...(and births))

And let me say this again to CONCERNED READERS/REVIEWERS: I am writing with the goal of SIMPLE but dramatic. To keep it simple, I may change things or remove them, such as Madara's ability to apparently awaken the Rinnegan on his own, as you can obviously see by his need to go after Naruto to get those eyes back.

But if you REALLY want to get that technical with canon (please don't), then consider that perhaps, before this chapter, something was done to him to prevent his eyes from activating that far.

Regardless, trying to remember and look up all the specifics of all the ridiculous ocular evolutions and more, I found myself just wanting to stick to the simple and dramatic concept where he'd just try to get them back from Nagato. Seriously, instead of killing Konan over them, Obito could have just evolved them himself couldn't he? These are the few liberties I will take when it comes to the characters. Everything else will just be minor and go with my "only AU after 437" rule.

Thank you so much, and to some bittersweet days ahead

—the one and only hot pink otaku fan: HotPinkWriter. AKA HotPink Subs/Gamer.

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PS Check my channel for my Good Background Music (Shogi/War) playlist. Trust me, I bet there's a least something there you've not heard before and if there's something I should add just let me know! Because music is a big source of inspo for me. :)