desslok69-Thank you for your wonderful well thought out review. One of the very reasons I started to write stories in the first place was that I became sick of how authors would just have Naruto forgive the leaf-nin, and forgive his father no matter what, I mean I understand he had to seal the Kyubi into his son I don't have a problem with that, what I do have a problem with is him not providing for his own damn son that's what really pisses me off...he had to know how his son would be treated. As for Sakura I always thought she has great potential as a villain if the author would take the time to try to develop her.

As far as the whole Yoruichi thing, I don't think he's blindly following her, but I can see how people might see it that way. So far they pretty much agree on which path to take, that doesn't mean that, that will always be the case. He may very well start to question her later on or he may not time will tell...Afterall it's still pretty early in the story. Once again thanks for the amazing review.

BrownPaperBag51-This chapter has lots of konoha in it, it also shows more of Hinata's feelings, and the Hyuga's relationship with Root. I'm still debating whether or not to do time skips.

To everyone else that reviewed thanks.

Chapter10: Root of the tree, Fall of Amegakure

xxxxxxxxxx Hyuga estate private garden xxxxxxxxxx

Hinata sat on a small wooden lounge chair in the middle of the estates walled flower garden pressing flowers into a beige colored book. It was a long time hobby of hers that would always manage to calm her nerves as it brought back fond memories of when she had learned the art from her mother. Memories of days gone by when she was still young , and somewhat innocent...before she had ever heard of 'Ne' ( Root ), or ever met her former 'friends' Ino, and Sakura.

She had so much going on right now that she simply needed to take a break. The last few months had been pretty hectic for her, from her duties in 'Ne'... to the theft of the scroll, it still shocked her that her mother, and sensei had been behind the Uchiha massacre because of their role in her kidnapping. If that weren't enough she also had to deal with her feelings about the departure of her long time crush, Naruto.

'I wounder where you are now Naruto-kun?' The Hyuga heiress thought looking up at the white fluffy clouds that dotted the sky.

"Wherever you are I truly hope you're finally happy." She whispered softly before returning to her book.

"Still thinking of Naruto, Hinata?" Her sister Hanabi asked walking towards her.

"Something you wanted Imootosan?" ( younger sister ) Hinata asked while pressing a white rose into the page.

"Yes, Oneesan ( older sister ) I've been thinking over the conversation I had with Sakura-san in the park, and I think she makes some valid points about how the Leaf has grown soft over the years. Tell me something, why are you so against her becoming Hokage?"

The young Hyuga took a slight step back as Hinata's head snapped up glaring at her.

"Because I know Sakura, not the Sakura that she presents to people of the loyal patriot that would do anything for the village, but the true Sakura, the one that would do anything for power, the one that was so willing to betray her team in the name of patriotism...believe me she doesn't give a damn about being a patriot."

"That's only your opinion of her Oneesan, besides I'm sure most people who want to be Hokage want power as well. In the end though isn't she the kind of person we should want as Hokage...someone who's willing to do whatever it takes to protect the village, and bring it back to it's former glory."

Hinata laughed bitterly.

"Wow, only a couple of months and It seems that Sakura's tails of strength, and glory have not only been able to make an impression on you, but also made you question your sister, and future clan leader Hanabi-chan..."

"Why do you do that?" Hanabi hissed, fists clinched in anger. "Why do you always insist on treating me as if I am a child... besides you're only the 'presumptive clan leader' Hinata, I can still challenge you."

Hanabi lost some of her resolve as she felt a rather large spike in Hinata's killing intent, before it vanished.

"Because you still are Imootosan, all you can think of are her inspiring lies, but have you ever once stopped to think of the cost of her ambition?" Hinata paused letting what she had said sink in.

"Sakura.. the real Sakura has only one interest, and that is to gain power at any cost...believe me she will manipulate, and sacrifice as many loyal Leaf-nin as she has to, to reach her goal, and you can bet since the Hyuga are the most prominent clan, and we have a large number of 'Ne' operatives we will suffer the most from her single minded ambition." Hinata said sagely.

"So what if we lose a few clan members as long as the Leaf remains the strongest I feel it is worth the cost, besides you yourself told me that one of the greatest honors a shinobi can have is to sacrifice his or her life for their village, and their Kage."

"There is a difference between sacrificing ones life for their village, and throwing your life away for the ambition of a tyrant." The elder sister hissed. "A kage has to be powerful, and to some extent want power I agree with you there, but a kage must also have a kind heart, and care about the people under his or her command."

"You mean someone like Naruto, it seems you are letting your heart blind your judgment Hinata, you also seem to have forgotten that he's gone now... he chose to abandon Konoha."

Hanabi knew she was entering dangerous ground mentioning her sisters long time crush, but at the moment she didn't care.

"No Hanabi, if I had chosen to follow my heart I would have left with him, but not before I killed as many of those bigoted villagers as possible." The clan heir hissed. "But as always, as clan-heiress I was forced to choose the clan, and village over my own happiness."

Hinata got up tucking the book under her arm as she headed back toward the main house, but stopped to look her sister in the eye.

"I love you Hanabi, and I promised mother that I would look after you before she died, but make no mistake if you choose to side with Sakura, and challenge me for the title of clan head I won't hesitate to do what's in the clans best interest, even if that means killing you." She warned before continuing onto her destination leaving a fearful Hanabi in her wake.

xxxxxxxxxx Konoha Hokage Tower xxxxxxxxxx

"Tsunade-sama, Sarutobi-sama." Shizune greeted as she brought in a scroll that had just been delivered by messenger.

"What is it Shizune?" The Godaime asked before poring herself another cup of sake.

"A scroll from Suna." Shizune replied handing it to her mistress.

As Tsunade opened, and began reading the scroll her facial features went through several different changes...from shock, to confusion, to anger, and finally fear.

"What is it Tsunade?" Sarutobi asked before taking another puff of his pipe.

"Suna has selected a new Kazekage..."

"...Well you can't be that surprised that they would be so quick to select a new leader in the condition they are in after their failed invasion of the Leaf."

"You don't understand sensei...it's the Shukaku jinchuuriki, Sabaku no Gaara." She said tossing the scroll to him.

"Why would they choose the very same jinchuuriki that attacked our village to be their new Kage?" Shizune asked standing by Tsunade's side.

"Simple." Tsunade spat angrily. "They want to show their strength while at the same time rubbing it in that they still have their weapon, I would bet every bottle of sake I own that, that desert-rat Chiyo had something to do with this."

"Why though, it makes no sense?"

"Sure it does, not many villages would willingly take on a village with a Kage that is also a jinchuuriki, not to mention at the same time reminding us of the fact that we have recently lost ours which leaves us at a disadvantage." Sarutobi answered for Tsunade.

'That's right, Naruto left... I've been keeping such a close eye on Sakura lately while continuing to do my normal duties that I had forgotten all about him leaving.' The dark-haired medic-nin thought somewhat sadly remembering the blonds departure.

"So what are you going to do, Tsunade?" The former leader asked.

"Theres nothing we can do, the new treaty we signed after the invasion didn't stipulate who they could, or could not choose as their new Kage, you said it yourself with Naruto gone we are at a disadvantage should we fight Suna again Gaara could do serious damage to the Leaf if he went all out, and don't forget several other villages have jinchuuriki as well."

"Maybe we could send a team to try to convince him to come back, maybe let him know about the people who are after him, explain that we can offer him protection, and that we are truly..."

"...What, say we're sorry that we let you grow up in abject filth...Sorry for all the beatings committed by the damn villagers...Sorry we knew about you're parents, but chose to lie to you for years!" The Godaime spat.

"Besides if these people are as strong as they seem to be we wouldn't stand much of a chance of protecting him anyway not to mention the threat he made before he left...he does still has leverage over us after all, or did you forget about that?"

'Leverage, what leverage could he possibly have on the village that would stop Tsunade-sama from retrieving him?' Shizune thought as she looked on between the two.

"What about your new apprentice Sakura, he always did seem to have a crush on her, maybe we could use her to convince him to come back?"

"Perhaps." The Godaime said as she got up from her seat, and walked to the window. Neither Tsunade nor Sarutobi noticed Shizune tense up at the mention of the pink-haired kunoichi's name.

"But first we have to locate Naruto, and even then I wouldn't send her anywhere near him until she was properly trained...Let's not forget Naruto is a jinchuuriki, and he does harbor resentment towards the Leaf." She sighed heavily looking over the village founded by her grandfather, and granduncle.

"Sometimes I wonder if you should have just listened to Danzo in the first place, and turned him into a weapon."

"Tsunade you can't be serious!" Sarutobi spat angrily jumping up from his chair glaring at her.

The busty blond spun around leveling a glare of her own.

"Oh can't I. Considering what you, and Jiraiya decided to do turned out so much better! At least if you would have went with Danzo's plan he would have been our loyal weapon instead of a possibly dangerous wild card!" She barked back.

Sarutobi's expression softened slightly as he fell back down into his seat.

"I really messed things up didn't I?" He said softly looking every bit his age.

"Maybe we can figure a way out of this mess, maybe talk to the other elders, and Danzo."

"Today probably wouldn't be a good time to do that, I doubt Danzo will be in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Oh, and why is that?"

"Don't you remember today is the anniversary of 'her' death."

"That's right, I do believe today will be a very difficult one for the old war hawk." The Godaime said as she turned back around to look out the window.

xxxxxxxxxx Other side of the village xxxxxxxxxx

The aging one armed leader of 'Ne' ( Root ) sighed heavily having just placed a single Lotus flower in front of the stone monument that sat in the middle of the Hyuga clans memorial garden, a tear slowly falling out of his unbandaged left eye down his cheek as he lightly ran his left hand lovingly across the name that was etched on the surface, Hyuga Nori...the love of his life, and co-founder of 'Ne'. His old bones creaked slightly as he stood back up, and stepped back continuing to bow his head in reverence.

"Nori-chan, I wonder if you would even recognize this old crippled fool standing before you today..." He paused trying to compose himself. "...It's been oh let's see, ah yes...it's been about thirty six years now since you died at the hands of our teammate Hyuga Kisho.

--Flashback thirty six years ago--

A then twenty five year old Danzo raced through the forest past the villages main gates ignoring the calls from the chuunin guards to halt.

"Please be alright, please be alright." Danzo kept repeating as he raced towards the Hyuga compound as fast as he could...

"Let me through I have to see her... Let me in, now!!" He yelled as he fought with the Hyuga guards to get into the compound.

"Let him through." The then thirty three year old Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi said approaching the scene from inside the compound.

"Sarutobi how is she?" Danzo asked desperately the Sandaime just tipped the brim of his hat with his hand looking at the ground not able to look his rival in the eye.

Danzo just pushed him aside and ran into the main house until he reached the Shoji door sliding it open startling the two female branch members who quickly recognized him and moved out of his way.

He slowly walked over to her Futon ( mattress ) which was placed on top of Tatami ( Mats basically Japanese floors. ) and fell on his knees looking at her peaceful form lying there cold..never to wake again knowing that he was too late, she was already dead.

He began to slowly stroke her long black hair lovingly as tears streamed down his face. "Nori-chan, my beautiful Nori-chan." He said continuing to cry.

Suddenly he heard commotion outside as the Hyuga matriarch, and Nori's mother Uchiha Dai walked in with several branch members.

"What is this filthy commoner doing in here with my daughter!" Dai snarled as Danzo stood to face her.

"Dai-sama I'm so sor..." He stood there shocked unable to finish his sentence as she had just slapped him.

"You're what? Sorry, sorry don't you dare finish that sentence how dare you stand there, and tell me you're sorry. My daughter is dead, and her husband is a missing-nin all because you could not keep your lecherous hands off of her...Get out of my sight you damn teme ( bastard )... If I ever see you in here again I will kill you myself!" She bellowed in pure rage as she pointed to the exit.

As Danzo walked into the courtyard, and out of the compound he didn't notice Nori, and Kisho's six year old son, Hyuga Hiashi watch him coldly, or hear his seven month old brother, Hyuga Hizashi in the arms of a female branch member crying for a mother that would never wake.

Ten years later members of Danzo's 'Ne' killed Kisho during his attempted theft of a rare scroll in the Northern part of fire country.

--End Flashback--

He was taken out of his memories as he felt a familiar chakra signature heading his way.

"Hello Hiashi-san." The aged man greeted the current Hyuga head.

"Hello Danzo, visiting mother I see." He responded somewhat coldly.

"Yes the Hyuga elders afforded me the courtesy of having access to the memorial gardens so I come by every now and then to talk to her...you know Hinata-hime reminds me so much of her grandmother she's one of my best 'Ne' agents.."

"Don't speak of my daughter as if she belongs to you..the only reason she or any other Hyuga are in the 'Ne' program to begin with is because my mother helped found the organization nothing more. Remember Danzo..." Hiashi spat his name as if it were poison.

"... Hyuga belong to the clan first, the village second, and root last, now if you will excuse me I would like to be alone with my mother." Hiashi said gesturing to the stone monument.

"Of course Hiashi." The old war hawk said turning to leave, but stopped to look back. "For what it's worth I truly am sorry about your parents." With that he continued on his way.

xxxxxxxxxx Konoha Housing district xxxxxxxxxx

The pink-hared kunoichi sighed as she entered her rather large, lavishly furnished two bedroom apartment, it was amazing what being a high ranked operative of 'Ne' could afford one.

She yawned as she placed her keys onto the end table by the couch as she sat down unbuckling her boots letting them fall to the floor next to her. Standing back up she slipped off her pink skirt leaving only her black bicycle shorts. The kunoichi craned her neck to the side as her hands reached up to the collar of her red sleeveless vest unzipping it to reveal a black bra underneath, she paused though as she was about to take it completely off.

"Like what you see Ino-Buta ( Pig )?" Sakura asked as she felt the all too familiar presence of her long time friend, and sometimes lover Ino.

"You know it Forehead, I've always enjoyed watching you strip." The blond replied as she shimmered into existence, and slowly sauntered over to her fellow shinobi swaying her hips suggestively.

"Not now Ino, I have a lot on my mind."

"Don't tell me you're still worried about the Hokage's assistant, Shizune do you really think she suspects anything?" The blond asked as she slowly moved behind her, and started to massage her shoulders.

"I'm not sure, she may just be jealous of Tsunade taking on another apprentice, after all up until now she was the only one." She sighed slightly annoyed at this possible new complication.

"Look Forehead if she does turn out to be a problem we will simply kill her and be done with it." Ino said before she slowly began to nibble on Sakura's ear lobe making the pink-haired kunoichi shiver.

"Oh kami-sama." ( god ) Sakura moaned bitting her lower lip.

"It's not that simple Ino." The pink-haired kunoichi said as she began to purr in pleasure.

"We can't just kill the Godaime's assistant." She whispered as she slowly ground her hips into her lovers body as Ino started to slowly run gentle kisses along the side of her neck.

"We could poison her using some of the 'Ne' advanced poisons our scientists have created, no medic-nin would detect it." The blond suggested.

"No normal medic-nin would detect it, that's true enough, but that hag, Tsunade would find it which would inevitably spark an investigation which would raise too many questions, questions I don't want asked, not when I'm so close to my goal. This problem would have to be handled very delicately..." She paused slightly as Ino hit a particularly sensitive spot on her neck.

"...No if she proves to be a problem I will simply have you use your families Jutsu to alter her mind. I'm sure you can convince her to see things my way." The pink-haired kunoichi said as she turned around to seize Ino's lips in a passionate kiss, both girls tongues quickly began fighting for dominance.

Their lips parted as both lovers needed to catch their breaths after the heated exchange.

"Of course Forehead, with the right motivation I'll do anything you say." She replied with a rose colored tint on her cheeks as Sakura undid her purple scrunchy allowing her platinum blond hair to cascade over her shoulders.

"Well Ino-Buta, looks like I'll just have to motivate you then." She breathed huskily as she gently stroked Ino's smooth soft cheek as she leaned forward, and began nibbling on the nape of her neck while unbuttoning her purple top revealing her lacy white bra before her hands slowly began roaming the delicate curves of her body.

Sakura suddenly stopped her ministrations however as she felt a new chakra signature, turning her head to look behind her at the other side of the room.

"What the hell do you want... Sai?" The pink-haired kunoichi asked, annoyed at his intrusion into her apartment.

Suddenly a black-haired boy appeared in a swirl of jet black ink.

"At the moment to join in, so what do you say gorgeous?" He asked lecherously while staring at Ino's now exposed cleavage with his patented creepy forced smile.

The blond promptly put her hands on her hips. "Sorry, not interested."

"That's a damn shame..."

"You had better have a damn good reason for coming into my apartment uninvited, now what the hell do you want?" Sakura hissed dangerously.

"Yes..I suppose I should get to the point. Well Sakura It seems I have come across a rather valuable piece of information that might prove beneficial to you, and in exchange all I want is your help..."

"...If this is about your petty revenge then my answer is still the same." She interrupted.

"I'm not going to risk everything that I've worked so hard to accomplish by helping you kill Danzo, besides you know as well as I do that if something happens to Danzo, Hinata being the highest ranked Hyuga would more than likely be his successor. That's a chance I simply can't afford to take, not until I become Hokage anyway. I'm sorry about your brother, but I refuse to get involved."

Sai narrowed his eyes slightly, though still keeping his forced smile.

"Not even if I told you I have a way that would not only neutralize Hinata as a threat, but also firmly place her under your thumb."

"Oh, and what could you possibly have on Hinata that would accomplish that?" She asked somewhat sarcastically knowing full well Hinata hated her far too much to ever obey her.

"Well as I said before I have come across some interesting new information about Hyuga involvement in the Uchiha massacre..."

Sakura sighed heavily, while rolling her green eyes. "...Tell me this isn't another one of your damn Hyuga, Uchiha conspiracy theories again. I couldn't care less about what happened to that arrogant clan, any information you have on them is as worthless to me as Sasuke was." She interrupted mocking her former teammate, and his family which made Ino giggle slightly.

"But what if I told you this wasn't just a theory, what if I told you that I had actual documented evidence of not only Hinata's mothers involvement, but also her sensei Kurenai?"

Sakura, and Ino's eyes widened in shock.

'Could it be? With that kind of information I could finally have Hinata under my thumb.' The pink-haired kunoichi thought as she couldn't help but get excited at the prospect of having control over Hinata.

"What proof do you have of this?" The pink-haired kunoichi asked, her green eyes boring holes into his black ones.

"Well I learned from a spy of mine who's mother is a high ranking member of the branch family that the Hyuga had a dark secrete that involved the massacre, and that there was proof hidden deep within the clans archives, so I had her steal it, and bring it to me."

"Why would an Hyuga want to give you info on something that could possibly hurt their own clan?" Ino asked suspiciously.

"Well it seems she's hated the main branch for quite some time, you see several years ago Hinata had disciplined the girls older sister in front of her for disobeying a direct order, but she wouldn't capitulate which infuriated Hinata who in a fit of anger at her insubordination decided to make an example of her by activating the caged bird seal which killed her...she's hated Hinata, and the main branch ever since."

"Did you bring the scroll with you?" Ino asked.

"Now, now Ino, do you think that I would be stupid enough to bring my only bargaining chip with me, besides I doubt that I could beat either one of you, let alone both of you together...I have read your files, and 'Ne' mission reports after all."

"Clever little teme ( bastard ) aren't you..." Sakura said narrowing her emerald eyes. "...But then where is your proof?"

"I have this." He said reaching for the pouch he had on his hip, but stopped as Ino pulled out a kunai, and Sakura held a hand sign ready to unleash a genjutsu.

"Slowly." Ino hissed, neither kunoichi willing to take any chances.

"Easy ladies it's just a copy of the scroll..." He said holding out his left hand while reaching into his pouch with his right.

"See, catch." He finished tossing it to Sakura who proceeded to open, and read the scroll as an ominous smile appeared on her face, before she tossed it to Ino.

'To think after all these years, you will be mine once again.' She thought happily, the prospect of forcing Hinata back into the fold exciting her even more than Ino had.

"Well Sai I believe we may be able to come to some sort of an agreement."

xxxxxxxxxx Amegakure no Sato ( Village hidden in Rain ) xxxxxxxxxx

The almost never ending rain continued to fall in the village as the guards took off their hooded cloaks having just entered the guard station next to the main gates of the village as they prepared for the shift change.

"So how was you're shift, anything interesting happen?" One of the replacement guards asked filling out his time sheet.

"Are you kidding me with the constant rain and all nothing ever happens in the village."

"Cheer up somethings bound to happen sometime."

The guards that protected the entrance of the village suddenly saw a black vortex begin to appear before them growing larger and larger while several others opened in the middle of the sky, some of the villagers also took notice and began to approach the strange sight.

"Stay back." One of the guards ordered trying to keep the bystander's at bay.

"What's that!?" Another of the guards yelled as three figures emerged from the main vortex while dozens of black-clothed ninja appeared out of the vortexes that littered the sky.

"Quick sound the alar...Arkkk!" The watch commander was pierced through his chest by long black claws before he could finish.

"Taichou!" ( captain ) He screamed before having his throat clawed out by the mysterious woman wearing a black gown.

"You fools know what to do, now get to it!" Lust yelled looking up into the sky at the black clothed-nin who bowed leaving to attack the villagers, and burn the village.

xxxxxxxxxx Akatsuki Base xxxxxxxxxx

"It's only a matter of time before Kagura finds out that we poses shikon jewel shards, and discovers that we belong to this village." She paused to gather her thoughts.

"We have to be ready for her, and her demon-nins to attack at any time, we'll need to strengthen the villages defenses." The stoic woman with blue hair which was adorned with an origami flower said calmly.

"Yes Konan I agree with your assessment of our current situation, but I also think we should prepare a counter offensive...maybe we can use the shards to our advantage." The man with medium length reddish-brown spiky hair, and facial piercings responded.

"In my personal opinion I still believe that we should get rid of the jewel shards maybe we can throw them off the trail..."

"...No." Pain interrupted. As a god the shikon jewel is my birthright we will gather all the shards there by completing it, the jewel along with the Biju..."

"What is it Nagato?" She asked slightly concerned.

"I'm not sure, I sense somethings happening in the village several powerful oras have just appeared, but I can't seem to detect their exact chakra levels or pinpoint their movements in my rain." He responded wondering how they were able to confuse his rain Jutsu.

"Could it be another assassination attempt by those once loyal to the former Hanzo government?"

"I don't think so they have to be very powerful to be able to evade my rain." He said with a slight hint of concern which the blue-haired kunoichi had never heard before.

"Konan when I stop the rain I want you to use your Jutsu to find the intruders, wait for me do not engage the enemy until I get there."

"I will take care of it." She said seemingly ignoring his warning about the enemy.

Pein narrowed his eyes slightly, but didn't say anything as he made the hand sign releasing his Jutsu.

"Alright it's done, you know what to do."

"Hai." She replied performing a single hand sign transforming her body into thousands of sheets of paper which all transformed into butterflies that went to perform their task...

Pein stood in front of a blank wall raising his left hand touching it as a small hole appeared then widened revealing a huge room with six bodies which laid in suspended animation as his second body slowly got up out of the mechanical bed.

'Time to hunt the intruders.' The new body thought as the original one got into its own bed.

xxxxxxxxxx Entrance of the village xxxxxxxxxx

Konan looked at the bodies scattered everywhere as the strange woman in a black evening gown, and long black gloves laughed maniacally as she slaughtered her fellow Ame-nin.

"What are you doing in this village, did Kagura send you?" Konan hissed as her origami pieces started to merge together forming wings as she hovered in mid air looking down at the corpses that were scattered all around the gate.

"Kami-samas Tenshi." ( Gods Angel ) A little girl barely managed to whisper right before Lust speared her through her lower back spreading her fingers essentially ripping her in half spraying blood all over her teddy bear killing her instantly.

Even though Konan didn't show it, she was infuriated by the cold blooded display.

"You hear that Tsubaki, she thinks we work for Kagura." Lust said amused as she saw the dark priestess' eye twitch.

"No, we don't work for that demoness." The white-haired woman hissed barely able to contain her rage.

"We want the shikon jewel shards that you and your partner posses." Sloth interrupted wanting to get this over with.

"I'm afraid I can not allow you to have them." Konan said as she flapped her origami wings sending chakra infused paper kunai towards the three women below.

Tsubaki's right eye glowed forming a shield around herself, while the two Homunculi were both impaled by the sharp projectiles, Sloth turned into a puddle of water which reformed shortly after being pierced, while Lust fell to the ground with multiple paper kunai sticking out of her like a pin cushion.

'Well at least my kunai was able to kill one of them...' But before the female Akatsuki member could finish her thought Lust snapped upright into a seated position and started to pill out the kunai.

"Well now looks like you like to go right for the kill...that's funny so do I." She said as she flicked her black gloved hand detaching her sharp nails sending them towards the hovering woman which pierced harmlessly through her origami skin.

"When I'm in this form projectiles can not hurt me." The origami woman boasted.

"Really how about water?" Sloth said as she crossed her arms then extended them sending out water jets which soaked Konan causing her to fall to the ground.

"Hand over your jewel shard." Tsubaki said holding out her hand.

"Never, you'll have to take it from me."

"Fine we will just rip the shard out of you then." Lust spat as her clawed hand shot out at blistering speed slicing off the nuke-nins right arm.

"Arghh!" Konan yelled grabbing onto her now bloodied stump.

"Damn it Konan, I thought I told you not to engage the enemy." He hissed seeing her trying to heal the wound.

They looked over to see a man waring the same black cloak with red clouds. He had a long reddish-brown hair a long ponytail and large bridge piercings.

"I know Pein-sama, but I could not just stand by while they destroyed our village, and killed our children." She replied tilting her head towards the dead villagers.

"Konan get out of here now!" Pein ordered.

"But Nagato..."

"I said now damn it!"

"Neither one of you are leaving this village alive!" Lust hissed as she started to move towards the injured kunoichi.

He ran through some hand signs slamming his palm on the side of a building "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" ( Summoning Technique ) He yelled.

Suddenly a huge crab like creature burst through the wall heading for the women swinging it's huge claw knocking Lust off course into a building while the other two women managed to jump out of it's way. Tsubaki quickly focused energy to her right eye blasting it to pieces, then sent the same attack towards the man who quickly flipped out of the way narrowly avoiding the same fate as his summon.

He watched as Konan disappeared into the rain forests that surrounded the village, then quickly ran through the hand signs again summoning a huge chameleon like creature which held onto the sides of the huge metal pipes which made up many of the buildings.

"That eye of yours is quite impressive." He said looking down on the dark priestess who just glared back up at him.

Suddenly she smirked as criss cross marks began to appear around her right eye as it started to turn blood red and glow as beams of energy erupted sending blueish smoke from her eye shooting out at the salamander, and it's summoner who quickly move out of the way as the bluish smoke continued to fallow them which suddenly transformed into a solid three tailed wolf demon.

"Kill him my precious demon!" She yelled.

The wolf demon obeyed jumping high into the air bringing it's clawed paw down slicing through the salamander. 'Pein' was barely able to jump off it's head before Tsubaki's demon wolf sliced through.

'Damn it, she was able to destroy two of my summons so easily...just who the hell are they?' He thought as he summoned a three headed dog which engaged her demon wolf destroying several buildings as they fought.

'Got ya.' Tsubaki thought as her demon knocked the dog summon through several buildings, but to her surprise it split from one dog into several dogs which begin to charge her demon wolf all at once.

Her wolf demon was able to defeat the dogs, but only at the cost of its own life.

"You will pay for destroying my demon!" Tsubaki yelled angrily as Sloth, and Lust flanked her.

'Pein' Quickly summoned two more bodies one was a large, fat man with several cone like piercings...the other was a tall slender man with long hair and a diagonal bar through his nose.

Tsubaki's again focused energy into her right eye sending a huge blast of energy towards 'Pein', but the fat man jumped in front of him absorbing it, what surprised the three women though is that he not only survived, but showed no signs of damage.

"Well, not bad let's see you absorb this." She said as she summoned three Shikigami ( magic spell paper ) in the shape of snakes which flew out of her right eye. The fat man jumped in front of the summoner once again, but unlike last time all three snakes bit him one on the throat, and the other two on his arm and legs.

"Get these damn things off of me." The huge man screamed as Tsubaki started to recite some ancient mystical prayers causing the huge man to scream as his blood, and life energy was being siphoned out of him leaving a slowly decaying husk, which then turned to dust leaving only the Akatsuki cloak behind.

"Back to me my Shikigami!" She yelled as they returned back into her eye.

'Damn she managed to completely destroy one of my bodies, they're to damn strong I don't think I can win this, but I'll take as many of them with me as possible.' He thought angrily as he performed one more summon. Suddenly the remaining four other bodies joined them.

"I don't know how you managed to destroy one of my bodies, but the five of us will kill you three!" The five 'Pein's' said in unison as his bodies, Tsubaki, and the two Homunculi all charged each other.

xxxxxxxxxx Rain forests outside of Amegakure xxxxxxxxxx

Konan breathed heavily as she raced through the rain forests that surrounded Amegakure no Sato, it had been a long time since she had run from anything or feared anything. A long time ago she had promised herself that she would be strong not only for the village, and herself, but most importantly for Nagato... but she had failed him by now she assumed that he was dead as the smell of burning bodies filled the air looking over her shoulder she saw a huge plume of smoke rise from the village.

She had managed to defeat several of the black clothed ninja, but there were just to many. She could barely fight in her weakened condition not to mention she was still wet which made it impossible to change into her origami form and if that wasn't bad enough she was quickly running out of chakra.

Too weak to make the jump onto the next branch, she tumbled to the forest floor below. The impact of the fall caused her wound to open back up, blood slowly starting to seep out of the stump where her arm used to be.

All she could do is prop herself up using her good arm watching in fear as ten ninja slowly approached her.

'Well, so this is how it ends huh.' The blue-haired woman thought bitterly as she fell flat on the ground drifting in and out of consciousness.

"Doton: Yomi Numa!" ( Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld )

Suddenly A medium sized swamp materialized under the ninja trapping them. They fought to free themselves, but the more they fought the faster they sunk until they disappeared completely. After a minute he canceled the Jutsu walking over to the woman.

"You, I thought you were dead?" The white-haired man asked astonished thinking she had died long ago approaching the heavily injured kunoichi.

"J-Jiraiya-sensei?" She whispered softly before finally passing out.

Well theres chapter ten. The Pein Tsubaki fight was influenced in part by Naruto manga chaps 372-382. Also I thought that I would experamint with longer chapters tell me what you guys think. I really wanted to flesh out Danzo, and Root a little in this story...I want Root in this story to have some depth not just be a mindless villainous organization.