Doberman Pinscher

(Author's Note: the events of this chapter concern the goings-on in Konoha while Kankuro was suspended from his job, and which Kiba mentioned in his letter in the last chapter. Because of the length of the chapter, it has been divided into parts.)

Part 1: The Return of Sasuke

It had all began with the Aburame and Akimichi clans.

Chouji had returned home from a gruelling mission to find his father comforting his aunt Zakuro, while his mother looked after Ringo and Momo, her children. Zakuro sat, Chouza's arm round her shoulder, with her head buried in her hands, her fingers twisting her long red hair, her back visibly shaking. Sounds of anguish were coming from her.

"Dad?" Chouji asked. "Zakuro-san? What's happened?"

Zakuro tried to speak, but all that came out were isolated syllables. Shiitake, one of the other clan members and Sanae's former boyfriend, took Chouji aside and told him what had happened.

Sanae Akimichi was one of the many women who had been raped during the war by Amegakure troops. Although, like Temari, Hinata and many other victims, she had suffered from psychological trauma as a result, she and Shiitake had managed to rebuild their life together, and were trying for a baby. However, when no baby came, Sanae went to a medic for an examination, where it was revealed that the rape had left her infertile.

While Shiitake slept, Sanae had written a note for her mother and siblings to find, saying:

Dear Mum, Ringo and Momo

I am writing this to say goodbye. I know I will bring shame on the Akimichi, but I cannot go on any more. Because of what happened during the war I can't have kids. I always wanted to be a mum but I will never have the chance.

I hate myself for what happened to me. I'm not worthy to be a shinobi. I hope Shiitake finds someone better than me.

I'm so so sorry for doing this to you. Please forgive me, and please ask Uncle Chouza, Aunt Megumi and Chouji to forgive me too.

I love you,

Sanae xxx

She had then climbed to the top of the mountain behind the Akimichi compound and jumped over the edge. Her broken, twisted body was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of the mountain by a group of shinobi on patrol, who had alerted Chouza. Around this time, Momo had found the note and run off by herself to look for her sister, only to be caught by her brother, who told her to come home immediately. She came home to find Chouza, her mother, and the shinobi who had found Sanae's body all gathered together.

Chouji immediately drew the sobbing Shiitake close to him and held him while he cried. He said nothing. There was nothing to be said.

Two weeks earlier, a similar thing had occurred in the Aburame clan, when one of its kunoichi had been found dead, her flesh and organs almost entirely devoured by the bugs that had lived in her body. Chihiro, Shibi's wife, had found the corpse and been violently sick. On behalf of the woman's family and the Aburame clan, Shibi had taken it upon himself to observe the month-long mourning rituals for the family of a suicide: every day he would be obliged to smear ash on his face, to wear a black kimono, and to visit the former Uchiha shrine to pray. In his usual stoic fashion, he had simply gone about his business without a word. Now it was Chouza's turn; both he and his sister volunteered to carry out the rituals.

Shibi and Chouza, tainted by death, attracted stares wherever they went. Since little Kakashi Hatake had come home to find his father's body hanging from the ceiling, there had not been a peacetime suicide in Konoha. Suicide was a great taboo in the shinobi world; while suicide in a situation of war, such as blowing oneself up with explosive tags, was considered acceptable as it was an act of war – the ends justifying the means – suicide in ordinary circumstances was not. Chouza remained calm and positive for his sister's sake, but inside he was eaten up with guilt and sorrow.

I am the head of the clan, he thought, and I could not save my poor little niece. If only I'd known what was wrong. What kind of shinobi am I if I can't protect my own family?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Amid this cold, dark atmosphere, Naruto had called a meeting, chaired by Shikamaru. With Sakura and Iruka flanking him, and Shikamaru, Shikaku, Hiashi, Shibi and Chouza gathered round the table, he began to discuss the recent elections for the second Jounin Commander. Due to injuries he had sustained after the war, Shikaku had announced that he could not do the job alone. He was getting more tired, having to walk with a cane and needing more rest, and he required a partner. Moreover, he added, as the Kage of the strongest military power among the five Hidden Villages, Naruto would need all the support he could get. Although Konoha had never had more than one Jounin Commander before, Naruto had declared, "Sod it," and announced that nominations would be open. Only one person had been nominated, but Naruto had decided to let voting go ahead anyway.

"The results are in," announced Shikamaru. "Neji, Hiashi-sama and I did the count last night. Admittedly, as you all know, we only had one nomination, but there was always the chance people would want to re-open nominations. However..." he looked at Naruto.

Naruto continued. "There was, as Neji here said, an 'overwhelming majority'. Not just people from the clan, either – loads of villagers. From what I've heard, a big part of it is how you led your team in the war, you used your jutsu to defend others, the refuse work you did, you carried me to the hospital when I was unconscious, you were running around like a mad thing looking after people who'd lost family...you get the picture. I can't say I'm surprised, I mean, you're definitely a good person for the job. Especially as you and Shikaku have worked together so long." He stood up. "Chouza Akimichi, I hereby appoint you the second Jounin Commander of Konoha. That is, if you accept."

Everyone applauded. Shikamaru and Shikaku smiled broadly. Even though Chouza was wearing his normal shinobi uniform instead of his black mourning kimono – at Naruto's request – he still had ash smeared on his face and didn't feel like a Jounin Commander at that moment. What he really wanted to do was to go home and comfort eat. But, forcing himself to smile, he stood up, bowed to Naruto and said, "I accept. Thank you, Hokage-sama. It is an honour."

"Alright then," said Shikamaru briskly. "Next, the Chuunin Exams..."

A small dark blur shot through the door like a kunai and collapsed at the Hokage's feet. Hiashi gave a start as he recognised his younger daughter.

"Hanabi! What is the meaning of this?" He noticed she had activated her Byakugan. "What's wrong?"

Hanabi babbled, "Itsthetraitorisawhimcomingnarutopleasegetdowntothe..." Chouza held up his hand to stop the kunoichi. "Hanabi! Slow down, will you, girl?"

Naruto, suddenly alert, asked, "What is it, Hanabi-chan?"

"It's the traitor, Sasuke Uchiha!" Hanabi cried. "He's returning to the village! I saw him in the distance when I was on patrol duty, and he's headed for us!"

Shikamaru later said that at that exact moment, it was as though the entire room had been preserved in amber. Even the dust itself seemed to stand still. "It was so silent," he added, "that you could have heard an ant's footsteps."

Then there was an outburst of noise.

"Byakugan!"

"Sasuke...Uchiha?"

"I don't believe this. I don't believe this."

"Taki! Oh my gods, who's with Taki?"

"Ahh! Fuck! Where's my staff?"

"Sound the alarm!"

"Go, my insects, alert the rest of the clan. At once."

"Naruto-sama! Wait!"

But Naruto and Sakura were gone.

"We'd better go after them," said Shikamaru briskly, as a horde of Shibi's bugs buzzed rapidly out of the window. "Hiashi-sama, Chouza-sama, you two had better go and warn your clans. Get as many of them to come as you can. And if you find Inoichi, Kurenai, Konohamaru, Tsume or Dad, get them to come as well. We need as many jounin out there as possible. Neji, set the alarm off. We've got to warn the villagers." Hiashi winced slightly at being ordered around by a younger man, but Chouza simply saluted and barked, "Ossu!" and ran, the corridor shaking under his feet. Hiashi followed, while Neji sped off to sound the alarm.

Chouji, his fiancee and Megumi were on their way home when they saw Chouza running towards them. Chouji noticed that his father's long red hair was tied back, and that he was wearing his forehead protector instead of his usual headband, and realised with unease that something was very, very wrong. He knew that his father rarely wore a forehead protector, claiming he 'didn't really need it that much', and it took an extreme situation indeed to get him to put it on.

"Chouji!" Chouza bellowed. "Shift your arse! We've got an emergency at the gate! The Uchiha traitor's back!"

Chouji's expression did not change. He turned to Yumi and said quietly, "Go back to the house and take Mum with you. And lock all the doors." Yumi nodded grimly, and she and Megumi hurried back to the Akimichi compound as Chouji went to catch up with his father. Elsewhere, members of the Aburame clan were receiving messages from Shibi's insects telling them that the traitor had returned and that they were needed.

Hiashi, meanwhile, headed straight to the Hyuuga compound, gathering up every shinobi he could find and ordering them to the gates. Although she had small children to look after, Hinata entrusted them to the care of one of the younger girls from the branch family, and sped off to join her father. Even though she was no longer a shinobi, she still wanted to do what she could. Kou was probably already down there. She hoped her children would be alright and that the shinobi of Konoha would be able to thwart whatever awaited them.

Kiba was walking Akamaru when the siren began to wail, and Akamaru along with it. Everywhere, civilians were fleeing to their homes or to the shelters, while jounin, chuunin and even a few genin were racing in the direction of the village gates. Rock Lee and Tenten came storming up to him, Lee crying, "Kiba! Come down to the gate! He has come back!"

"What the fuck are you babbling on about, Lee?" growled Kiba. "Who's come back?"

"Sasuke Uchiha, of course," replied Tenten. "C'mon, Kiba, move it. We need all the shinobi we can get." Shouldering a huge scroll which Kiba presumed contained weapons, she ran off, Lee almost instantly overtaking her.

Akamaru began to whine, and Kiba ran down to the gates, beckoning his dog to follow him. A huge blonde teenage girl from the Akimichi clan with Chouza's facial markings, who he knew to be Chouji's cousin Momo, nearly knocked him over as she came roaring past, screaming, "Alriiiiight! Woo! Let's kill the cunt!", a skinny, grinning Branch Hyuuga girl and an Aburame boy following her.

He wondered what Naruto must be thinking right now.