Disclaimer: Don't own...

A/N: It's been a long time... a reeeeaaaally long time. This is kind of short-ish (mere 3.100 words) but it's actually the 5th try for this sort of chapter. I needed something to connect a few things and at the same time give me more room for Naruto and his team. I think I got everything I wanted except Kakashi. Whenever I saw him he swept by as fast and silent as death and was gone before I could get my bearings. Damn ANBU.

Anyway, some foreshadowing in this chapter!

I hope you like my view on several canon characters!

Chapter Six

1 –Mitarashi Anko

A thin layer of frost crunched under soft footfalls as the slight woman made her way home. The streets were empty this early in the morning – or late in the night, depending on who was asked. Burrowing deeper into her brown trench coat only the top of her spiky purple-ish hair peeked over its collar. Still, it was not enough to ward off the bitingly cold air. The grey pre-dawn light gave the usually welcoming rows of houses a flat, looming coat that was only acerbated by the shadows beyond the few lone street lamps.

Anko was in a rare pensive mood. She didn't particularly like being pensive; it opened the doorway to feeling somber and depressed and Anko liked those states of mind even less. Brash and contrary was fine; angry and spiteful could be fun; scary and devious were her daily bread – but pensive; it was usually something that send her spiraling into memories and depression and anguish and had her out of it for days until either Kurenai caught her or she got assigned a new task.

Avoiding the smelling remains of an overturned dumpster she turned into a dingy back road for a short-cut. A pair of quarrelling cats came careening past her hissing and yowling; it sounded like screaming children. Anko shuddered -they were just toddlers! Screamingbleedingdying – monstrous deformations, unnatural – and pulled her coat another tiny bit closer. It was just cold; she didn't like children.

Sticking her hands more firmly beneath her armpits a scowl made its way across her face as she thought about the reason for her unwelcome mood. Yamanaka Inoichi had visited Ibiki in the late hours of the last evening. The Yamanaka Inoichi – the best interrogator Konoha had had for over two generations; the same one who had retired five years ago; urban legend had it he had dressed down the hokage to make a point that he would not consider coming back for anything short of the imminent destruction of the village.

So of course, it had the entire T&I buzzing with uneasy rumours when the interrogator was spotted walking down the corridors of the headquarters looking as implacable and businesslike as ever. Anko remembered nearly chocking on her dango stick when the manhad swept past the "lounge". Shortly after, five full ANBU teams and two teams of hunters were deployed.

Before she could make heads or tails of the situation (or could go bother Ibiki about it) a missive arrived asking her to show a team of six nerds from the intel and coding department around the achieves for files on former prisoners that had even the smallest suspected affiliation with Kumo. It warned her to be thorough and to supervise and double check everything the nerds wrote down.

The rookie who had brought her the news (and the coded message with the subject of the search – T&I wouldn't ever trust a rookie with any information) had probably been afraid for his life; after all, Anko Mitarashi didn't do paper work. At all. Ibiki knew this and she had made sure everyone else did as well.

This was the moment when Anko knew for sure that something serious was up and Yamanaka-sama wasn't there for a social call after all. Of course, Konoha had been on bad footing with Kumogakure since the incident with the Hyuuga girl. The always aggressive Raikage had successively tried to expand his region of interest and more often than not there were smaller scuffles of Konoha and Kumo ninja in Yu no Kuni that shared borders on Hi no Kuni's north-eastern side.

So far there hadn't been any reason for such a high-strung response. What had changed?

Unease knotted Anko's stomach that wouldn't leave her alone. It was hard to disregard the tension that had started to seep through the headquarters. She wondered if the Jounin had noticed already that unpleasant things were happening; maybe she'd go see Kurenai for a stick or five of dango later in the day.

Trudging up the run-down staircase to her apartment Anko had to suppress a deep yawn. Paperwork always made her feel washed out, headachy and irritable. She was rubbing one icy hand over her itching eyes while fishing for her key with the other when her feet got caught on something heavy. With an ungraceful stumble and flailing arms – wasn't she supposed to be a ninja? – she caught herself and barley managed to not land on the grey haired bundle that was half sprawled across the corridor.

"Ungh..!", it grunted and blinked blearily up at her.

"The fuck? Kenji-baka, what are you doing here?"

Kenji grimaced and stiffly pulled himself up the wall. "S-sorry Anko", he mumbled with chattering teeth, "I guess I fell asleep…"

A concerned frown flittered over Anko's face so fast it was barely noticeable.

"So you wanna tell me that you've been here loitering for what; the whole night? My flat's not a homeless shelter, you dolt!"

Kenji didn't answer. In fact, he didn't react at all save for a small shudder. Anko would have liked nothing better than to rant at him but that wouldn't help the fact that the idiot boy was probably close to hypothermia. Instead she heaved an exasperated (and exaggerated) sigh, opened the door and shoved him placidly into her crammed two-room apartment.

She didn't miss – but ignored; nothing worth noticing - the small flinch when she touched him.

Leaving the shivering boy to sit on her run-down couch the kunoichi busied herself making a pot of tea.

"Hey, Anko-san", Kenji timidly interrupted her thoughts, " Have you ever fought against ninja from Kumogakure?"

Anko's hands stilled imperceptibly before she continued to pour hot water into the pot.

"Aa", she murmured quietly and nodded.

Dread knotted her stomach – clashing metal, screaming rage, steel slidingcuttingtearing through tissue, redredred– and she shook her head slightly to get rid of - no, there were no memories! - the hair that had fallen into her eyes.

She decided to go see Kurenai for a stick or five of dango later in the day.

2 –Yamanaka Inoichi

The scissors snapped unhurriedly along the tangled green vines that grew along the greenhouse corners and up to the roof in graceful arches and loops. Red, yellow and green berries adorned the stems and were added to the small twigs that were already lying in a basket.

The blond haired man sidestepped a dense patch of vibrant caladium and reached past a fully grown bush of belladonna to snip off more of the nightshade's vines.

The bittersweet was probably the least dangerous plant in his immediate vicinity right now.

Nonetheless, Inoichi was covered from head to toe in white overalls. A breather that resembled a surgical mask covered his mouth and nose and wide goggles shielded his eyes. His hands were wrapped in thick rubber gloves and even his hair and feet were covered completely.

Doll's eyes, hemlock and thorn apple grew within this poisonous retreat as well as yellow jessamine, giant hogweed and even one young manchineel tree – a very recent addition to his deadly cabinet.

Some were fatal by ingestion, some by touch or breathing their pollen and some were potent enough to poison water reservoirs and rivers by merely placing their leaves in the fluid.

Inoichi hummed lightly; working here among his plants let him relax. The winter sun sparkled through the clean glass panels and the old but trusty water heating system beneath the floor warmed the air to a comfortable temperature.

He was alone; he didn't need any weapons here; needn't censor his words because there was no one to talk to, no one to interrogate. No one was here who's mind he could unknowingly bend.

It still scared him, when he remembered that one day more than five years ago; the look on his late wife's face when she noticed what was happening; his daughter's blue, blue eyes, so innocent and trusting; believing his every word; believing she'd done right.

Psychology and interrogation; the disassembling of the human mind; to twist it and remake it into something new – the village had demanded he be proficient at it and he became the best they had. He hadn't noticed how ingrained in his everyday personality it had become. Not for a long time.

" I heard you have a new friend, Ino-chan"

A beaming smile. "I wanted to have one. A girl-friend. Not like tha' lazy Shikamaru."

His wife's tinkling laughter rang through the room.

"I saw her and I liked her hair. It's pink." The grave wisdom of a four-year-old swung in her words. "Then I made it so she likes me too!"

Inoichi taught by example. What an impressive influence must he have had on his daughter to have twisted her so out of shape before her fifth birthday.

"I made it so she likes me too!"

The scissors came to rest at his side. Ino was intelligent, he had never questioned that. Not even before … before Sakura. After, he knew that she could be one of those child soldiers; one of those Kakashis and Itachis that Konoha was so proud of producing (he didn't want to think of the other child soldier – merely a year older than his little girl).

Ino was nine and he had slacked in training her. There was no need in peaceful times. Inoichi was unsure if she even remembered the origins of her friendship with Sakura any more. He hoped she didn't.

Carefully, Inoichi repotted two colorful flowers into two small violet cachepots. Trying not to think about the true reason he had shut himself into his poison garden he rather contemplated the first Yamanaka clan-technique his uncle had taught him something like thirty years ago. The mind-body switch would be a useful thing for Ino to know when she graduated.

A dull thump interrupted him and made him look up. Pouting lips were pressed flat against the glass panes of the greenhouse, a tongue followed and blue, pupil-less eyes were crossed in a grimace while small fists pounded on the pane. Inoichi smiled under the mask and stood up.

"Ne, daddy!", the monster on the glass pane shouted, "Shika told me that his dad told him to tell me to tell you that he's waiting at the Yaku… Yaksu… Ya-su-ku-ni shrine at 1500. Shika's dad, I mean. It's 1430 right now!"

"I'll be right out, Ino-chan!", Inoichi responded.

"Da-ad! I'm no one's -chan! I'm nine!"

Having succeeded in riling up his daughter, he retreated to the decontamination area and changed out of his protective gear.

Ino was waiting for him outside in the frigid sunshine. Kicking up dirt with her shoes and crossing her arms resolutely she gave him the evil eye. "Took you long enough, daddy", she pouted. "You promised to get me from the Academy today…"

Ah, yes. He had forgotten about that…

"Well, this is why I have a present for you, Ino-chan." For good measure he pulled slightly on her pigtail.

"Dadyyyyyy, stop being mean!" Ino's mouth was still downturned but Inoichi could see the curiosity winning over the glare in her eyes.

Slightly smiling he brought the two vibrant plants out from behind his back (He ignored that cold part of his consciousness that reminded him that he was such a manipulating liar).

"Wow, they're beautiful", his daughter whispered in awe and reached to touch them before stopping suddenly. "You just brought them out with you, didn't you?", she asked cautiously and Inoichi didn't know whether to be proud or sad that Ino didn't lose her head over beauty and enthusiasm.

"I did", he anwered instead. "They are a desert rose and a daphne. Both are poisonous and can be deadly."

Ino nodded earnestly and looked up at him with serious, blue eyes. "You'll teach me then", she stated and eagerness shone brightly on her young face.

"Aa. I'll teach you, Ino."

Taking the plants from him carefully, she walked away with a slight spring in her step.

"See you later, dad!"

Slowly, Inoichi made his way to the shrine of the fallen warriors.

Ino was nine and now there seemed to be a war on the horizon and there was no time for him to slack in training her any more. She would do well, he knew.

"Troublesome", he borrowed his oldest friend's favorite expression and a fond smile flitted over his face.

3 - Utatane Koharu

The office was brightly illuminated.

Now, the average citizen that liked to read their detective stories would likely expect the room to be swathed in shadows and flickering lights that crept along the walls and concealed much more than they illuminated.

Koharu felt a small bubble of unsuited amusement rise as she imagined herself starring as a conspirator in a cheesy political drama.

To be quite honest, she did like reading such books. They made her feel lighthearted in the knowledge that their dramatic plots would never work out in reality.

Real conspirators met in rooms without shadows. Without shadows there could be no spies.

Not that there was much of a conspiracy going on at the moment. She had been tangled up in much worse and much more condemning positions as the one she was in now.

"Well, I do agree with Hiruzen on this", Koharu started when her companion made no move to speak "He seems surprisingly adamant in his approach."

Her longtime friend pushed up his glasses and let himself sink into one of the chairs in front of the heavy oak desk in his office.

"Indeed", he murmured staring into the distance. "We have been at the verge of war with Kumo for a depressingly long time now. I would assume that he has grown as tired of the games as we have."

"He was very fast in recalling young Inoichi to duty, Homura. A few years ago, he would have balked at the idea of forcing a partly unwilling shinobi back into his ranks. It makes one wonder about his students…"

"Ah. Jiraya's frogs have made an appearance unusually often for quite some time now", her former teammate paused and a frown marred his face. "There was never a question of Jiraya's willingness to serve, everything considered; but her, the last Senju… what a shame."

"We will need at least him", Koharu agreed quietly. "And the old monkey seems to be willing to use all his resources in the face of this blatant act of war."

She remembered Sarutobi's grave face when he had handed them the dirty hitae-ate. There had been steel in his voice when he informed them of the actions he had already taken (And there was no hesitation in his old eyes, no weariness; only resolve and a hint of regret). ANBU were deployed to Yu no Kuni's border; Hunters were send out; an ANBU retrieval squad had been given a priority one order to secure the teammates of the two ninja that had brought in the news and had already come back confirming the grim report.

Indeed, she mused, Hiruzen had acted very fast. They – her and Himura– had only been informed after everything had been organized. In these days, such a thing was very unlike the old Hokage. Maybe there was more left of the Shinobi no Kami than they had realized.

By now, nearly two days later, Konoha was already teeming with rumors. Those too young to have fought in the previous wars were anxious over illusions of heroism and death; those that were born and made as shinobi in the Third War had their barely scabbed over wounds ripped open again and were desperate to hide their hurt by appearing relaxed and laid-back; those older ones that had survived and fought in more than one war were quietly accepting but could be seen visiting family and graveyards, making their peace.

Koharu was familiar with the high strung tension in the village and suddenly felt every bone in her body ache. Resentment welled up in her like acid bile when she thought about the foolish Kumo ninja and their aggressive Kage. She did not want to see another war (but that was a thought she ruthlessly suppressed as uselessly maudlin). Konoha was threatened and they would respond accordingly.

An unexpected snort interrupted her dark musings.

"Wouldn't you have liked to see Shimura's face when Hiruzen broke the news", Homura's usually tight expression relaxed nearly unnoticeably; "He always did like to surprise his old rival."

Memories played across her mind's eye of the one-upmanship Hiruzen and Danzo used to fight back when they were still Team Hokage (and much, much later, too, if she was honest).

"Well, I should think they'd not have greatly differing opinions this time, at least," she answered and allowed a tiny smile on her face. Whenever Hiruzen and Danzo decided to work together they made a terrifyingly effective team. Koharu felt her smile grow wider.

Homura's glasses glinted ominously and his strong jaw displayed an uncharacteristically pronounced grin. "Kumogakure will learn to fear us again."

The present

Team Matsuri had gathered in front of the large gate leading westwards out of Konoha. They made for a rather sorry sight; Mai was fretfully biting her nails looking nervous and slightly frightened, Kenji was yawning every five seconds and the deep shadows under his eyes suggested that he hadn't slept well for a while and Naruto found himself scowling at both of them. He was trying to ignore the way his heart rate would speed up slightly at the thought of leaving the village (and wasn't that terribly unbecoming of a ninja?).

It had been a tense few days and he could now appreciate why Genin were generally kept out of the loop of important business. Just the thought of hundreds of anxious kids running around and adding to the tension was making his skin crawl.

He conveniently ignored that he was younger that most Genin.

The mission they had been assigned was a standard one. Ito Daichi, the mayor of an old port town connecting Hi no Kuni to the former Uzushiogakure, had reported several incidents with bandits. Some of the few merchants coming to his village Ishinomaki had been robbed and several fishermen had gone missing over the previous month.

The mission requested them to find out what happened to the fishermen and rescue them in case they were alive and to permanently deal with the bandits.

All in all, it was a normal C-rank.

Naruto really hoped that Matsuri-sensei would be able to dispel the lingering tension a little bit.

A few minutes later the blue haired woman arrived in a shower of leaves and – strangely enough – water droplets.

"Yosh! Let's depart my dear little students!"

(TBC)

I hope it wasn't too disjointed. I was really anxious to finally post a new chapter and was afraid I'd just delete it again if I read over it one too many times...

BTW, thank you for your kind reviews, everyone!

Next chapter: Will the team get along for this C-rank? And what is bugging Matsuri-sensei about Uzushiogakure? Stay tuned!

Cheers, ginoeh