The path led them into an open clearing, illuminated by a litany of torches, portable lanterns, and flame jutsus. The ceiling couldn't have been more than three meters high. Every few steps, a stalagmite rose from the ground, piercing the roof as if being the only pillars which kept everyone from being crushed.

Naruto and Sakura encountered them. Hundreds of them—normal ones, those still among the sane and thoughtful.

As Naruto approached, so did their glances. It was a mixed reception of both relief and fear.

"Is that Naruto?" several whispered.

"Yeah, I think that's him."

"It can't be."

"Why's he down here….?"

"He's come to save us!"

The group closed in on him. Children crashed into his thighs, some crying, some laughing. The adults were more reserved. Some even snickered and turned away.

"What's going on out there, Naruto?" a child asked.

"Will everything be okay?" another begged.

"Naruto, where's my mommy?!"

"Will you beat up the bad guys, Naruto-san?"

Naruto turned to Sakura, his face caught between a frown and a smile. Just one month ago, they came to him in thanks. Now they begged for salvation. How fickle gratitude is, Sakura thought.

She stood frozen, not really knowing what to do.

A figure in a bandanna emerged from the crowd and pushed everyone back. He wore a frustrated smirk and a tight blue sweater.

"Alright, alright, everyone calm down."

"Those shades…" Naruto started.

The banadanned man approached Naruto but faltered, having tripped over his own feet. He stumbled to the floor with a hollow tune of thuds. Naruto and Sakura cringed at the sight. The man regained his footing and realigned his crooked sunglasses.

It was Ebisu, Konohamaru's instructor.

"And you!" Ebisu stuck out his finger towards Konohamaru. "You're late!"

Konohamaru shuddered. Ebisu nudged through the crowd until he was standing within an arms' reach of Naruto. He outstretched his hand, accidentally knocking over several children in the process.

"Oy, oy, come on everyone. Give the kid some room."

Ebisu motioned to the crowd until they finally dispersed back to their original stations. Some of the kids ran quickly back to their parents, who smiled at Naruto softly and quietly chattered with their youth. Others reposed critical glances.

After the masses spread, Naruto attempted to approach Ebisu, but found his leg locked in place. He looked down and found a little girl with her head pressed into Naruto's gut. She refused to let go of Naruto's leg.

"Mila!" a voice in the crowd called out.

The little girl startlingly looked into the crowd then back at Naruto.

"You'll find my daddy, won't you? He was out buying me ice cream when the bad men all appeared."

Naruto turned to Sakura, who froze at first, then smiled. She nodded. Naruto passed the reassurance onwards.

"Of course we will. I promise." Naruto smiled and flashed a thumbs up. It wasn't a Rock Lee-caliber grin but it would have to do. Sakura held in a frown. She didn't like talk of promises and "nice-guy" poses, but exceptions could be made for children.

She knelt down beside the girl and cleared the mess of bangs from her eyes.

"Can you tell us anything about your daddy?"

Mila shuffled her feet and turned away. "Let's see. Umm, he likes dogs and birds and plays catch with me all the time!" Naruto grimaced. This was not a time to be cute, though its tenets were welcome in this dark crevice of a hideout.

Sakura chimed in.

"What Naruto meant to say was... what does your daddy look like? Do you remember what he was wearing?

She continued.

"Oh and he's big and scary looking but he has big soft brown hair and big green pants and really big boots and uh, a shirt with a big yellow eagle on it." Mila flapped her arms, mimicking the aviated design. Children speak better with their hands, Sakura remembered.

"A big yellow eagle?"

Mila nodded. "Mhm!"

Naruto knelt down beside Mila, nearly bumping Sakura over. Their thighs were touching and Sakura felt conflicted between punching Naruto and maintaining her composure in front of this distressed child.

"We'll definitely find your dad! Naruto reiterated.

The little girl ran back to her mom. The two waved goodbye and Naruto turned his attention back to Ebisu.

"Hey old man…"

His hearing found a screaming match. Ebisu was scolding Konohamaru and Konohamaru was in full defense. Or offense, if volume were a weapon.

"Young master! Where in the Hokage's name were you!? I was so sick and worried!"

Konohamaru interjected. "Jesus, Ebisu! You're not my mom!"

"That's not the point! You were supposed to be studying before, before… all THIS happened!"

"I was, damn it! But me and the Ninja Squad were on patrol!" He crossed his arms and lifted his chin in self-admiration.

Ebisu clutched the air."On patrol for what!?"

"Vandrels! That's how this all started? They started it!"

Naruto's eyes widened.

"Wait, what the hell are you talking about!?" Naruto jumped in. He and Ebisu were both grabbing at Konohamaru's vest.

Sakura reached in to pull Naruto back. "Guys…"

Naruto pulled away. "What do you mean they?"

Konohamaru regained his composure. "The scary guys!"

Naruto immediately recalled the figures in the Golden Masks. Konohamaru had seen them as well!

He shook the young child.

"Konohamaru! Tell me everything!"

Ebisu joined in. "Wait one second!"

Konohamaru's eyes raced to and from Ebisu and Naruto. His mouth was agape and blip of mucus stripped from his nose. He was visibly frightened.

Sakura raised her voice.

"Hey, guys."

Ebisu interrupted.

"No questions just yet! Naruto, I must ensure the safety of our young master as he has just experienced a life threatening ordeal. Now is not the time for an interro—"

Naruto ignored him.

"Konohamaru! Who did all this!? And how!?"

Sakura could take no more of this.

"GUYS!" Sakura boomed, jolting the three men. Her eyes scanned the room, escorting their glances to the crowd of concerned refugees—their unsuspecting audience. Many of them frowned, unsure what to make of the exchanges. Sakura knew the tension demanded reprieve and this talk would have to conclude someplace where little children were not crying.

"Can we please take this conversation somewhere else...?"

The three men nodded.

"Sorry about that."

Naruto dropped his head in remorse. A minor infraction against Sakura yielded a typical beating, an uppercut to the chin or a hammer fist to the cranium. A more unsettling argument, however, beckoned a silent storm. Sakura spoke well with her hands. Like a child.

Lke Mila.

"No more apologies today. It's okay… We're all a little… tense."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah…"

Their gazes met then quickly dispersed. Sakura averted concerned eyes and Naruto dropped his stare onto the ground. Ebisu and Konohamaru glanced between the two unsure of the awkward silence that had arisen between the two. There was an unseen electricity brewing and Konohamaru knew better than to meddle in what most people around him called to as "adult affairs."

Sometimes.

Konohamaru prodded Ebisu.

"Hey, what's going on?"

Ebisu realigned his frames. "I haven't the slightest idea."

Naruto had a habit of doing that, Sakura thought. Apologizing. Even after he had saved the damn village from Pain, from Gaara. He never stopped.

Apologizing. I never asked him to, she thought.

She clenched her fist and felt the blood pumping chakra through her fingers. But Naruto had said something stupid that day and she was recalling the scene in her mind's eye.

The images flashed suddenly.

A shredded exam. Food on the floor. A broken pencil. A falling sun. Shadows casted along the streets. An uncomfortable chill. Naruto stood in front of her, her tears welling up, clouding her sinuses and a better judgment. Leaves ruffling. She was fuming. She hadn't been this angry in a long, long time. And they had never fought like this before.

None of them saw it coming.

She saw his mouth move and faint echoes slipped past.

"Sakura… sorry... return... when… Tsunade… she…

His movements ghosted into black and orange blurs. He appeared a blob, an out of focus vision that animated with large movements and splatters.

She heard her own voice. She was speaking to him. Frustrated.

"This… believe… this… watch over… me…. anymore"

Naruto spoke again, this time his voice much clearer.

"I know but… times… you just… and know…"

She raised her hands in defiance, streaks of peach and her gloves fading into the bloom of the sun.

"I didn't… for you… this… never…."

His voice became startlingly clear then.

"If this is about Sasuke…"

She lost it. She could not control her voice any longer.

"This is not about Sasuke!" she yelled.

Sakura felt the ground under her feet once more. She was standing amongst Naruto, Konohamaru and Ebisu in the room. She had zoned out and a fog had welled in her eyes. Thoughts of him and fighting over him had that effect.

Naruto was talking to Ebisu. No. Yelling. The stern instructor had his arms crossed and shook his head to each of Naruto's arguments.

Another yelling match was ensuing.

"What do you mean I can't go up?!" Naruto screamed.

"With those things out there? It's suicide Naruto! We need you here."

"Doing what!"

"Being safe! You're the Jinchu…" Ebisu paused. Naruto's eyes had shrunk into a glare. He hated being reminded that he was both a monster and asset in the same sentence. Like a band-aid laced with acid.

The words echoed in Sakura's mind.

Jinchuriki. Jinchuriki. Jinchuriki.

Ebisu fixed his posture and recomposed himself. "After all, you're… our village's savior."

Naruto retorted.

"Savior, my ass! What kind of savior sits on his hands and does nothing for his people!"

Ebisu shook his head again. His shades failed to hide the frustration in his eyes. "This is a different kind of battle, Naruto-kun! We're not just fighting those mysterious nin—we are fighting ourselves. The peaceful residents of Konoha!"

Naruto's furled eyes lost their intensity. The realization was finally kicking in. Ebisu continued.

"We are fighting against monsters who can turn us into their own and we have no idea how to quell this. Not without… violence."

The room fell silent and gazes roamed for answers. Ebisu's forehead was drenched from the humidity of the room and his bandana. He wiped his brow. Sakura turned to Naruto and felt his anger. His eyes fluxed between confusion and ferocity.

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean we can't still help them. I'm going to do just that." Naruto turned and headed for the door, back into the main corridors. "And there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Sakura raised her hands in protest but nothing came out of her mouth. She was on the fence about what to do. Rescuing the stranded villagers risked exposing one's self to that hideous transformation. But staying in the caverns meant less efforts to control the collateral. It was a lose-lose scenario, all around.

Naruto opened the door but jumped back.

"Maybe not," a voice called out.

A man in a jounin vest walked in, escorted by two ANBU agents. It was Yamato, Team 7's new leader. "But I have to."

"But Yamato-san…!"

The ANBU agents tensed their muscles and gripped the hilts of their soon-to-be unsheathed blades. Their facelessness had always bothered Sakura, no matter how many times she had seen them guarding Tsunade's private quarters.

"But nothing, Naruto. We must keep you safe. By orders of Danzo and the head council. In the event that the village is completely overrun, we must ensure your safety and relocate you to a safer vantage point."

Naruto grit his fang.

"Fuck Danzo! Relocate?! You mean leave everyone here!?"

"If it becomes necessary…"

"It won't become necessary! We've got the Jounin, we've got Granny Tsunade, we've got an army. If you can give me one good reason why…"

"Naruto!" Yamato dropped his eyes. "The Hokage Residence… has been compromised."