A/N: Hey guys! I'm SOOOO Sorry about posting this chapter late! I had the school musical… Footloose! And All-State! URGH! AND I'm a senior! I'm a busy, busy bee! BUT I've also been working on the other future chapters, so I should not be late on future chapters! So without further chit-chat, chapter 10! :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Misashi Kishimoto does.

Chapter 10: The Hawk Strikes

Neutral POV

"Welcome, Team Hawk." Madara greeted the four teenagers sitting around the table. None of them said anything, except for Sasuke, who gave a dull "Hn." at his uncle. "I have called you all here today to give you your first mission." He stated matter-of- factly, as if they didn't know that already. "Sasuke, you are the head of this team. It will be your job to make sure this mission is successful. Am I understood?" The young, brooding Uchiha rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He replied. "Sasuke. Am I understood?" Madara said, his voice turning stern. Sasuke again rolled his eyes. "Yes." "Good. Your first mission, Team Hawk, will be to attack the town square. Kill a few civilians if you must. You need to get a reaction from Konoha Resistance. If Tsunade did indeed receive my little note… she will be suspicious, and send forces, only to find you." The masked man said, letting out a darkly delighted chuckle. All but one member of Team Hawked perked up at the details of the mission. Sasuke's face was stoic, emotionless, but on the inside, he was distraught. "If we kill civilians, Konoha Resistance is sure to step in… And that means Sakura will be there." He thought, despaired. He clenched his fist in frustration. Madara quickly noticed Sasuke's silence. "Sasuke-kun… Something the matter?" He asked curiously. Sasuke looked up boredly. "Nothing. Is that it?" Madara smirked from behind his mask. "Not quite. Once Konoha Resistance engages you, do not hold back… Show no mercy. That is an order. By the time you're finished with them, they need to believe there is another enemy they're dealing with, if we are to be successful in the coming days. We need them… Distracted." Said the masked man. Sasuke stood from his seat and left the room, and Suigetsu quickly followed him, with Karin and Juugo at his heels. Madara stared after the four teenagers bemusedly, before smirking. "Sasuke… You will surely make an interesting prospect in the coming war." He whispered to himself. And with a dark chuckle, the masked Uchiha too left the meeting room, and back to his quarters, with dark thoughts in his mind.

Sasuke's POV

"Hey, Sasuke-san, where are you going?" Suigetsu called, chasing me down the hallway as I left the meeting room. I was far too worried about Sakura to listen to or care about what he was saying. "Hey, Sasuke!" He yelled, grabbing me by the shoulder. I stopped. "What, Suigetsu." "What the heck is the matter with you Sasuke-san? You were acting really strange back there." "Strange?" I asked. He shrugged feebly. "You know… Not yourself." He scratched the back of his head. I sighed. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine." He scoffed. "Come on man, you really expect me to buy that?" He asked with a toothy smirk. I glared stoically at him. He put his hands up defensively. "I'm just saying Sasuke-san… You know me better than that, and you know I know you better than that." I sighed and tried to make up an excuse. "I'm just thinking out strategy. I have to make sure this mission is successful. If it's not, Madara will give me one of his stupid lectures." I lied smoothly, even throwing in a smirk at the end. Suigetsu eyed me somewhat suspiciously, and then laughed. "Don't worry Sasuke; this team isn't TOTALLY helpless… Well, except for Karin." He snickered, just as she approached us. She glared at him. "SHUT UP SUIGETSU, YOU BAKA! STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME LOOK BAD IN FRONT OF SASUKE-KUN!" She roared furiously. He scoffed, blowing her off. "I think you do a pretty good job of that by yourself…" He whispered under his breath. "WHAT'D YOU SAY?" She yelled, raising a fist angrily. He snickered, not exactly taking her seriously.

Juugo sighed, watching them both, and I did the same. "You two shouldn't fight so much…" He murmured. "I wouldn't fight with him if he wasn't so stupid!" Karin muttered bitterly. Suigetsu just grinned a sharp-toothed grin. "I just speak the truth." "Enough." I said finally. They both continued to glare at each other, but said nothing more. "So what is the plan, Sasuke-san?" Suigetsu asked, getting back to the mission. I thought for a few minutes, before finally coming up with something. "Alright. We'll meet in the Town Square promptly this afternoon. Suigetsu, you and I will begin the main assault. You heard Madara… Kill a few civilians. Juugo, you will attack those who interfere, and fight back. No mercy. And Karin… You will alert us of any enemy chakra you detect in the area… And look out for Konoha Resistance." "And if they come?" She asked. "Hmph. Then, we attack... Simple as that." Suigetsu snickered in delight. "This is gonna be fun!" He said to himself. Karin rolled her eyes, and Juugo simply shuffled his feet from side to side. "If you excuse me…" I said, before turning and heading towards my room.

As I left them behind, Suigetsu and Karin resumed their bickering, while Juugo tried to break them up. Honestly, I was glad to be rid of them, so I could think in peace. I clenched my fists angrily. "Damn you Madara…" I growled inwardly. He was getting in the way of my own plans, and to my dismay, I discovered, going to foil them. I slammed my fist into the wall next to me. This all was a disaster. I sighed and tried to calm myself. "Maybe all is not lost…" I thought to myself, as I tried to devise a way to succeed in the mission while protecting my own agenda. However my thoughts were to be interrupted again, this time by another voice. "Sasuke-kun." Itachi called. I growled at the disturbance and turned to face him. "What's the matter? Something troubling you?" He asked as he approached. I sighed and looked away, shaking my head. He chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. Would you like to talk about it?" He put a hand on my shoulder in an attempt to soothe me. "I can't talk right now… I have to prepare for a mission…" "Ah, a mission. That's what's got you all riled up, is it?" He asked in his knowing way.

Ruefully, I nodded. "Come Sasuke, what's bothering you?" He asked as we walked down the hallway. I sighed. "Madara expects me to be a leader to this team… He always expects perfection, which I deliver. And I still get an earful. I'm tired of him." I admitted, not telling the complete truth. I really was tired of Madara's lectures even when I completed a mission successfully, but it didn't bother me as much as the mission. Which, I couldn't tell him, or anyone, for that matter. He nodded. "I understand Sasuke. His lectures do grow tiresome… But, he only wants you to succeed. However, perhaps he is asking too much of you. I'm still not happy he sent you alone to retrieve Juugo, nor the fact that Juugo is on your team. He's quite the handful I hear. Incredibly deadly as well." I smirked. "You worry about me too much, Nii-san." He smiled down at me. "What kind of brother would I be if I didn't?" He asked, flicking me in the forehead. I rolled my eyes.

"Sasuke, maybe after this mission you should take a break. You're working too much, and I think it's beginning to wear on your nerves." I smirked again. "How did you guess?" He laughed. "It's decided then. We will go to the summer house." I nodded. "Thanks… Itachi." I said, smiling faintly. "No trouble." He said, patting my head. We then headed off in different directions, me going to my room, and he going back down the hallway we had just traversed.

As soon as I closed the door, I allowed my thoughts to drift away from the mission. I was glad I would soon be able to spend some time with Itachi without having to worry about any missions, or my new team. It had been awhile since we had simply spent time together as just brothers. I smiled. Though it was difficult for me to say aloud, for I've always had a hard time expressing my emotions, I did love Itachi. However, as I pondered, I wondered if I didn't show it enough. I frowned slightly at that. "Ridiculous," I thought. Itachi knows that I care, wither I choose to openly show it, or not. Because we're brothers, and brothers simply know. I nodded, happy with that answer, and went and lie down on the bed. I soon found my thoughts drifting to Sakura and the night before; how we had kissed, how her lips felt like soft, fresh petals, how her skin was warm to the touch, how her skin flushed when we kissed, how her hand felt against my cheek. I felt dazed, intoxicated by her. Even the aroma of her hair, her skin... "Tomorrow can't come soon enough…" I said aloud to no one. My thoughts came to an abrupt halt then and reeled back to the mission.

"How am I going to avoid Sakura? She's sure to come when we attack… If she discovers that I'm the one doing this… Everything will be ruined." I thought worriedly. Then, my eyes fell upon a long, black cloak draped over a nearby chair. I stood and grabbed it from the chair, examining it, before pulling it on. It had a hood, which I quickly drew over my head. Then I examined myself in the mirror. The hood was almost like a dark veil that covered my face completely, but somehow still allowed me to see through it, and stopping just above my mouth. I smirked. This was perfect. THIS was what I needed in order to succeed in the mission, without jeopardizing my own plans. "Sakura will never know." I said to myself. Content with my new, clever disguise, I took the cloak off and re-placed it on the chair. Then I returned to my bed and lie down, beginning once again to construct my plan.

Sakura's POV

It was early afternoon when I awoke. There was an insistent rapping on my door that drew me from my more than pleasant dreams. I yawned. "Come in…" I said drowsily. The door opened to reveal Shikamaru. I immediately unconsciously slapped myself for being so stupid to not ask who was there first. "What am I going to tell him?" I thought worriedly, as I regarded last night with deep thought. Last night had been wonderful, almost dream-like… Only, it had been real. Sasuke Uchiha had admitted his feelings for me, had kissed me; and he was the enemy. On top of all this, I had admitted my own feelings, whatever they were, for I still tried to figure them out, and agreed to meet him again tomorrow. Shikamaru must have sensed I was in deep thought, because he cleared his throat before speaking. "Sakura-chan…" He said. I snapped my head up. "Yes, Shikamaru-kun?" There was an awkward pause of silence. He sighed. "What happened last night?" He asked, a tone of agitation about being out of the loop in his voice. I blinked a few times.

"Oh." I murmured, scratching my head. "Think Sakura, think!" My mind screamed. He tapped his foot expectantly. I sighed. "I… I didn't get anything from him… He was cleverer than I thought… He said I would have to meet him again to get anything." I said quickly, pretending to scowl. He sighed. "I knew it wouldn't work…" "Hey! It did work… Just not as well as I thought it would." He seemed to perk up at this. "Well?" I inwardly smacked my palm into my forehead. "Idiot!" I scolded myself. "Well… He… He's very easy to manipulate. I pretended that I was interested in him, and he was easily fooled. I'm sure if I go again, I'll be able to get something more!" I said. He groaned. "Sakura-chan, that's just not good enough. Besides, what if something had happened to you? I would have lost my neck! I can't risk something happening to you just so you can go play heroine." I shot a glare at him. "Shikamaru, please. Just let me do this. I know I can be of help! Don't take this chance away from me, I am begging you!" I pleaded. He stared at me and then looked away, and then back. "It's too dangerous Sakura…" "It isn't. He kept to his word. We were completely alone." He sighed, getting agitated. "Sakura, he alone makes this too dangerous. He's an Uchiha! He possesses the Sharingan, and an immense arsenal of Jutsu." "But nothing happened! Shikamaru, please! I know you're worried, but I can handle myself! I don't need protection!"

Again, it was quiet. He began to pace, tapping his fingers together, an unusual habit he had picked up when we were kids. Finally he stopped and stared at me. "Fine... But if anything happens… you send a signal from Hokage's Rock. That's the only way I'll agree to this." I nodded. "Alright then…" He turned away from me and headed to the door. "Sakura-chan?" "Yes Shikamaru-kun?" "I meant what I said last night. Be careful… Or I will not hear the end of it." He turned and smiled briefly. I laughed and nodded, and with that, he left and closed the door behind him. I smiled and lay back down, closing my eyes and replaying last night's events in my head for the millionth time. I pictured Sasuke's smiling face; his beautiful, genuine smile. I saw his serious, passionate onyx eyes that were so captivating, and the way his hair framed his face perfectly. I smiled. I was snapped out of my thoughts once again by a loud booming voice. "EVERYONE ON DECK, IMMEDIATELY!" I immediately jumped out of bed, knowing the voice: Lady Tsunade. More importantly, I knew that tone of voice: Something was wrong.

Neutral POV

Captain Tsunade was pacing anxiously along the wooden planks of the deck, Shizune by her side. One by one, the crew assembled, anxious and worried. She scanned them over, noting each one: Neji, TenTen, Lee, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Sai, Naruto, Sakura, and the two former Anbu, now Jonin she had, Kakashi and Yamato. She took a deep breath and sighed. "Lady Tsunade, what's the matter? What's happened?" Sakura asked worriedly, not liking the look on her master's face. Tsunade stopped and sighed once again. "Konoha is under attack." They all inhaled sharply. Though she didn't catch it, Shikamaru flicked his eyes over to Sakura, scrutinizing her, before shaking his head. "Uchiha?" He asked. "I suspect so, but…I don't know. These perpetrators don't match the description of the Akatsuki, and none of them have the Sharingan, according to the report." She said, brandishing a letter from her coat pocket. Shikamaru took it and examined it. His head snapped up from the letter as soon as he was finished. "We'll be going then?" She nodded. "Defend the village. Gather as much information as you can, and, if possible… get rid of them. Then report back to me."

They all nodded in synchronization. "Kakashi, Yamato. Look after them." "Hai." They said at once. She nodded and dismissed them. They all scattered and headed below deck to gather their supplies. "Lady Tsunade… Do you think it is them? The Uchiha, I mean… After that letter?" "I don't know what exactly to believe Shizune, but I don't trust Madara. I have no doubt in my mind that he's up to something. As for this…"So called" cease fire… I don't buy it for a second. If these shinobi attacking the village aren't Uchiha or Akatsuki…" She said unsurely, before turning in the direction of her cabin. She sighed. "No. There's no possibility. It has to be them." "What will we do if it isn't though, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune asked, barely above a whisper. "There's no way it won't be. Come on." She said going back to her cabin. Shizune bit her lower lip, coddled Ton-Ton briefly, and then ran to catch up with Tsunade.

Once everyone had gathered what they needed, they all returned to the deck. They all gathered into one single line except for Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Yamato, who stood facing them, examining them all. "Man, this is such a drag…" Shikamaru murmured, scratching the back of his neck. Kakashi smiled at him in a friendly manner. "Don't worry Shikamaru. Everything will be all right… You have us by your side, so, things won't be so bad." Shikamaru smiled sheepishly in reply. Once everyone had quieted down, Shikamaru cleared his throat. "All right, you all know why we're here." Again, Shikamaru glanced at Sakura, who returned it now, and they each looked away. "We're to find out who is attacking the village, and put a stop to it." "Enough with the bullshit, it has to be those bastard Uchiha!" Naruto yelled from the crowd angrily. Shikamaru looked thoughtful, but didn't answer. Kakashi answered instead. "We can't know for sure Naruto. You need to calm down." Naruto glowered at the floor. "All right. Ino, do you think your dad might be at Headquarters?" She bit her lip. "I'll check. I'm not sure, knowing my father…" she then began the jutsu.

"Daddy?..."

"I'm here, Ino."

She grinned happily and made a thumbs up at Shikamaru. "All right," He said, "Now you need to connect us."

"Father, Shikamaru-kun needs to speak with you."

"Understood."

…

"Yamanaka-san."

"Shikamaru-kun."

"Yamanaka-san, what's going on over there? Tell me everything."

Inoichi sighed.

"A few hours ago, four shinobi, they can't be more than a little older than all of you, began attacking everyone in the village square. Men, women, and children. There were a few casualties. We sent a few shinobi to go and handle it, but they were killed as soon as they arrived, and the attacks have grown worse. We've now sent more shinobi, and they are currently engaged in battle with the enemy. We're suffering more casualties than we can afford though, and we can't even seem to land a scratch on them! From what we have been able to gather on them though, they're incredibly powerful, and they have a tracker ninja. We need you all as soon as you can get here."

"I understand, Yamanaka-san. Thank you… We'll be in contact again soon."

…

"I just talked to Ino's father. It's bad. These shinobi are incredibly powerful… We've suffered casualties… which we can't afford. We need to get over there."

"Hai!" They all said at once. Shikamaru glanced around once again, and noticed the fear in many of their eyes, and tried to wonder what they must be thinking… If someone they knew had died… A family member… A friend… Who this enemy was, and what they wanted… Fear of a foe they had yet to face. He understood…and he knew they were all looking to him to guide them. "Guess I can't really fool around anymore… what a drag." He groaned inwardly. In honesty, he too was fearful… Of the pressure. He was in charge of all of his friend's lives, and protecting those of the resistance, and the villagers… It bothered him in a way he didn't know how to describe. He closed his eyes and exhaled. "Let's go."

With those two words, everyone was in the boats, and rowing toward Konoha. Ino glanced at him and offered him a reassuring smile.

"You can do this Shikamaru-kun."

He smiled. Somehow, both metaphorically and literally, his girlfriend was always able to read his mind. She hadn't broken the connection, which was what he wanted. She grinned and batted her bubblegum blue eyes at him in an "I know, I know, don't thank me." fashion, which made him even more fond of her. No matter how irritating she could be at times, she always had a way of drawing him back with those pure blue eyes, and her simple smile. It drove him crazy honestly. He remembered the first time they met; they got in a fight, because she was going gaga over some new boy on the ship, which was driving him mad. He got so mad in fact, he kept throwing paper balls at the back of her then short, blonde pigtailed head. He paid for it of course, and that drove him even more insane… and then, she smiled for the first time at him. The same smile she was smiling now. And it was then that he knew he would be with her, no matter what.

"Sh-Shikamaru-kun…" Hinata stammered. Shikamaru snapped out of his thoughts. "What's the matter?" Hinata couldn't speak, her mouth only hung open in stunned silence. "The town square… four shinobi… and… many casualties…" It was Neji who answered for her. Shikamaru clenched his teeth. "Row faster! We need to get there, fast." They listened, and rowed even faster than before, and soon approached shore. Naruto jumped out of the boat and ran onto the beach, and into the village. "NARUTO!" Shikamaru yelled after him. He realized it was no use though, and that the blonde was long gone. "Come on, we need to catch up to him, before he does something stupid." He said. So they tied off the boats and ran as fast as they could, first down the beach, and then down cobblestone roads. "How much further Hinata?" "Not much… a few more blocks… LOOK OUT!" She screamed, back flipping towards the members of the group. There was a large crash and thud, as if a meteor had just struck the earth. Dust swirled around them and danced in their eyes, and upon settling it revealed… a monster.

"W-What is that thing?" Ino cried. The monstrous thing unfolded its blood-soaked claw like arms from around itself and glared at them with the intent to kill. Blood dribbled from its fangs, and had eyes of black and pupils of gold. Its hair resembled flames. It was almost human, save for its extreme monstrous qualities. For a moment, it simply glared at them, and no one moved. "Get ready…" Shikamaru murmured to them all. Their bodies tensed. "Konoha Resistance?..." The thing growled lowly. The voice was on the verge of demonic. Hinata was paralyzed with fear, until Neji touched her shoulder gently. They looked at each other and instantly her fear ebbed. He would be by her side to help her, if she needed it. She nodded and smiled faintly, before turning her attention back to the enemy. "Yes." Shikamaru answered. There was another pause of silence, and instantly, the aura around the creature shifted; turned darker somehow, more evil than it looked. Shikamaru's fingertips twitched at his pockets.

Then, the creature rushed them in the blink of an eye. "MOVE!" Shikamaru yelled. They all did as he said, and Shikamaru did hand-signs faster than he'd ever done them before. "Ninja Art: Shadow Sewing Technique!" Shadows sprung from the ground and walls and attacked and swirled around the monstrous creature, and pinned him down to the ground. Shikamaru held him there, though he knew it wouldn't last long. "Neji, do you think you're team can handle this creep?" Lee and TenTen stared fearfully at the creature, yet nodded. "We'll do our best." Neji answered. "Kakashi, take the others, get them to the village square…I'm counting on you. Ino and Sakura, heal as many villagers and Resistance members as you can. I'll catch up with you as soon as I help deal with this creep." "Understood," Kakashi replied quickly. "Move out everyone!" They all did as they were told, but Ino lingered behind, before continuing on with the group.

The monster cackled maniacally. "YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY SO EASILY? I WILL KILL YOU!" it roared. Shikamaru paid no attention to it… "Neji… what's the deal with this guy? I can barely hold him…" "His chakra levels are through the roof… He's insanely powerful… Almost as powerful as Naruto…" He winced. This wasn't good. "Neji, do something! I can't keep him held like this for much longer, he's too strong!" He nodded. "I am ready to fight. I look forward to the challenge of defeating this strange creature, so I may make Guy sensei proud." Lee proclaimed exuberantly. TenTen looked at him incredulously. "You're insane!" she yelled, annoyed by his overwhelming ambition at such a bad time. Neji growled. "Enough! Shikamaru… When I count to three, release him. Lee, you attack him directly…I'll back you up. TenTen, stay close, and make sure your arsenal is ready." They all nodded. "One… Two… Three!" Shikamaru released the jutsu, and the creature charged.

Kakashi heard the crashing and the monstrous roaring behind him, and scowled. Whatever they were dealing with was far more advanced than he expected. He hoped Shikamaru, Neji, and the others would be alright. "Stay focused everyone. They'll be alright." He said reassuringly, as he led the group to the town square. Sakura smiled, wondering how he always knew what to say at the right moments. "Kakashi-Senpai…" Yamato started. "I know…They're watching." He said, speaking of the tracker ninja whose chakra signature he could feel focusing quite particularly on his. He wondered why they were paying more attention to him, instead of Naruto, or perhaps even Yamato or Hinata.

As he thought of Naruto, his thoughts went to the Kyuubi. "Yamato… Is Naruto alright?" He nodded. "His chakra levels are normal and steady." Kakashi was satisfied. He just couldn't help but worry about Naruto… when he became extremely enraged, the Kyuubi's chakra could leak through, and if Naruto lost control… The Kyuubi's chakra would start forming a cloak around him, and develop tails… And as each tail grew, so did the state of Naruto's transformation. Once during training, he and Jiraiya had pushed Naruto to four tails. The results of that training had nearly killed Jiraiya. Not that Kakashi had gotten away unscathed… He was in the hospital for a few weeks too. He brushed his thoughts to the side, as he noticed they were coming upon the Town Square. He stopped everyone.

"Alright everyone. I want you all to be extremely cautious. This isn't a game… You all saw that thing back there; who knows how strong these opponents may be. But don't be afraid. Give it everything you've got! And always know… I won't let you get hurt. I will protect you all, because you are my comrades and teammates, and I will gladly lay down my life for all of you." He said, smiling a friendly smile. Everyone smiled and nodded, their hearts reassured and refilled with courage, and admiration. "All right then… Let's go!" He then pulled up his headband, activated his Sharingan, and led them into the town square.

Blood covered the cobblestone roads, and the walls of homes and buildings. There were hundreds of bodies everywhere, and the air was so thick with the stench of death, it was hardly bearable. Sakura and Ino ran off in different directions and began healing as many people as they could. Hinata looked at her hands, and tried to resist the urge to cry. She couldn't understand how anyone could do this. Her heart was sick with sadness, and fear. She was afraid for her family. She prayed desperately that her father and sister were safe, as well as her other family members. Her family being apart of the resistance, she knew they would be fighting, or strategizing. She could only hope that they were safe. "Hinata…" Kakashi called softly.

She snapped out of her thoughts. "H-Hai, Kakashi-Sensei…" She suddenly became resolute and activated her Byakugan and began searching every corner, every alley, and every rooftop for their enemies. "I'm going to do everything I can here today. If I can find these enemies, I can help protect my family and my friends…" She thought firmly. She used her Byakugan to scan over the entire area, and finally, she caught a chakra signature. "Kakashi-Sensei… I found one. On a rooftop three blocks away… A tracker ninja." "So that's where she is… Hmph. Good work Hinata. Where are the other two?" Hinata didn't have time to answer him, because there was a large crash a few feet in front of them, directly in front of the fountain. "Huh. So there they are." Kakashi growled. The source of the crash was two figures cloaked in long, black cloaks. One carried an extremely large sword on his shoulder, while the other, a simple katana. Kakashi stepped forward. "Who are you?" He called to them. "We're nobody." The one with the large sword answered. Kakashi glared. "Why have you done this?" he asked. "We thought it'd be fun." The figure with the large sword answered again. "Who sent you?" Kakashi asked, growing annoyed. This time, the other figure answered. "No one has sent us. We simply mean to destroy this village, and Konoha Resistance. Cleanse the world of its filth…Then move on to the next." He said quite calmly.

The air became tense. They all glared at him, hate surging through their veins. Kiba growled. "You mean to tell me… You did all this… 'Cause you thought it was fun? To "Clean" the world? You sick bunch of bastards… I'll KILL YOU BOTH!" He charged, but Kakashi grabbed him and held him back. "Calm down Kiba… Don't let your emotions get the best of you." He whispered. Meanwhile, the boy with the large sword started cackling as if he'd heard the best joke ever. "That's rich... HE'LL kill US… Oh my, I'm shaking in my boots! BAHAHA!" Kiba growled and bared his teeth. "You really think you can kill us? That's seriously the best thing I've heard all day… Oh man, all this talk is really boring though. How about we play instead?" He asked, pulling back his hood to reveal his face. He had short white hair, purple eyes, and pointed, shark like teeth. Ino's heart nearly skipped a beat, but then reminded herself firmly that he was the enemy. Suigetsu caught her gaze and winked at her. Ino turned her head in disgust, though she was also secretly a tad bit happy.

"Suigetsu, stop playing around." Sasuke growled. "Aw Senpai, you're no fun…"Suigetsu said with a smirk. "Hinata, Kiba, Shino. I want you to lead this assault, alongside me. Yamato and Sai, go see if you can take care of that tracker ninja. Choji, go to headquarters…We need to let them know we've arrived. Tell them we'll handle the situation." "Hai!" They all answered at once. Suigetsu scoffed. "Look's like they're gonna play after all. This'll be fun." He said with a smirk. Sasuke paid no attention to him, but instead focused on Sakura, whose glare was fixated on him. He knew she couldn't see him, but seeing her stare so intensely at him made him uncomfortable. "Senpai?" "What?" "What do you want me to do about them?" Suigetsu asked, motioning to the members who were running off in different directions. "Ignore them." Sasuke said, unsheathing his katana. Suigetsu shrugged, and focused his attention on the four shinobi left standing in front of them.

"I'm gonna have fun ripping these bastards to shreds." Kiba mumbled with a smirk. "Kiba-kun, please, don't let your emotions get the best of you…" Hinata murmured, placing a hand on his tense shoulder. "Hinata's right." Shino said, staring intently at the two enemy shinobi. "These guys are serious. How do I know that? Because they have slain thousands, and their chakra is hardly depleted." He said as he held his finger out for a returning bug. "That's so clever Shino-kun!" Hinata beamed. Shino smiled, and summoned more of his bugs. Kiba shuddered. "No matter how many times I see you do that, it still grosses me out." Shino smirked. "Just like how I will never be able to get over your wet dog smell." "Hey, come on guys, let's not argue." Kakashi called over his shoulder. The three teens nodded, and prepared for battle. Hinata got into her stance, while Kiba unsheathed his katana. "Get ready… They're going to make the first move." Kakashi whispered.

"DIE!" Suigetsu screamed, charging at the three teens. He swung his beheader blade effortlessly, going every which way, causing them to go on the defensive. Sasuke charged at Kakashi, charging his own katana with chidori. Kakashi saw him coming though, and easily fended him off with a lightning charged blade of his own. Their blades clashed and clanged, the sound of crackling lightning buzzing in the air. Sasuke swung upwards, but Kakashi swung down effortlessly, sparks showering the ground. "You're pretty good, kid." Kakashi said, swinging at his side. Sasuke glided out of the way and swung below, aiming for Kakashi's leg. Kakashi leaped into the air and landed on the wall. "Hmph. You're not so bad either." Sasuke gazed at him coolly, and then his eyes widened in surprise. "He…Has the Sharingan?" He thought, taken aback.
Kakashi took advantage of the enemy's distraction and leapt forward at him.

Meanwhile, Suigetsu continued his assault on Hinata, Kiba, and Shino. He swung swiftly and dodged with ease, which agitated Kiba. "God damn it! If this keeps up, we're gonna be turned into chopped liver." "Don't you mean…Dog kibble?" Shino called, smirking. "SHUT UP SHINO! I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas!" Kiba growled. "You're wrong. My plan has already been set into motion." Shino snapped his fingers, and several bugs flew out at Suigetsu at once. "Heh, too easy." Suigetsu scoffed. With a mighty swing, he killed the swarm. "Wow, that was genius." Kiba said sarcastically. "Just wait." Shino said, smirking. Suddenly, Suigetsu started screaming. Hinata used her Byakugan to examine what was happening, and realized Shino had put him in a genjutsu. "S-Shino, I thought you couldn't?" "I can't. My bugs can though. Those bugs emit a poisonous hallucinogen gas upon being killed. Therefore, once he cut them open, he was unknowingly sprayed with the gas." He said, smirking in Kiba's direction. "Oh, shut up." Kiba growled.

Sasuke, who was dealing with Kakashi, heard Suigetsu's screams. "Shit." He thought agitatedly. With brute force, Sasuke kneed Kakashi in the chest, and kicked him away from him. "Release!" Sasuke yelled, placing his hand on the back of Suigetsu's head. Suigetsu collapsed to the ground, panting. "Be careful. These shinobi aren't to be taken lightly." Sasuke then swiftly turned just in time to catch Kakashi's fist in his hand. "Wrong move." Sasuke murmured. He then twisted Kakashi's arm behind his back and shoved him to the cold hard cobblestone. "Suigetsu." Sasuke called. "Shit, this isn't good…" Kakashi thought to himself. Suigetsu turned, a wide, murderous smirk on his face. "No you don't." Hinata murmured, before doing some hand signs. "Gentle Step: Twin Lion Fists!" She formed chakra into her fists, and the chakra formed into the shape of a lion. She ran at Suigetsu and swung at him, but he turned just in time, and blocked with his blade. Hinata continued to swing, and suddenly, there was a loud crack.

Suigetsu's eyes widened. "That bitch just cracked my sword…" He growled angrily. Then he smirked. "Looks like this one's serious. All right then. I'll get serious too." Hinata prepared herself. "Hinata, don't mess with this guy!" "No Kiba. Let her do this." Shino said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "But Shino," "No. Hinata is stronger than you think she is." Kiba sighed, and bit his lip worriedly. Hinata looked back at Shino and Kiba and nodded, thankful that they wouldn't stop her. She then turned back to Suigetsu. "Well come on then. Make your move." He taunted. Hinata stood silently. "All right then… guess I'll do it." Suigetsu then dissolved into a puddle. Hinata's eyes flew around the perimeter. "Where did he go?" she whispered to herself. She looked intently at the puddle. Suddenly, Suigetsu rose from a puddle of blood a few inches behind her. Hinata turned on her heel and swung at him, aiming for his chakra points. Suigetsu nimbly dodged each blow, and Hinata knew he was toying with her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed another form of him climb out of another puddle of blood. Clones! "Then where is the real one?..." She wondered to herself, as she gracefully dodged one of the clone's attacks.

More clones began crawling out of the many puddles of blood, and soon she was outnumbered. "What am I going to do?" She thought worriedly. "Hinata, be careful!" Kiba yelled. The many Suigetsu's circled in on her, as Hinata continued to search for the real one. Suddenly, they ran at her. "Protection of the Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms!" She yelled, as a large expanse of chakra began flowing around her. She struck each one down and defended herself, using chakra needles to block each clone's chakra points, which made them disappear. "There!" She had found the real one, a few inches behind her. "Take this!" She turned agilely on her foot and began striking him in his chakra points. Before he could take too much damage though, he dispelled the jutsu and again melted into a puddle, only to re-emerge behind her. He grabbed her by her long, navy blue strands and lifted her from the ground, before throwing her in the air, and kicking her in the back, sending her flying. "Hinata!" Kiba screamed.

Suddenly, there was a flash of yellow, and Naruto caught Hinata in his arms. "Hinata are you ok?" "N-Naruto! Yes, I'm fine… T-Thank you... For saving me." She said as their eyes met. Naruto smiled and nodded, gently setting her down, before turning to the two enemy shinobi and glared. "I won't let you touch Hinata." He growled. "Naruto!" Shino, Kiba, and Kakashi yelled simultaneously. Sasuke slackened his grip and kicked Kakashi away. Naruto glared at him. "How dare you… How DARE YOU! YOU BASTARDS! You murdered innocent people… Families! Women and Children! And you hurt my friends! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Sasuke smirked. "You think I care about your forgiveness? I couldn't care less. My only goal is to cleanse the world of the useless…and Konoha is useless. You're all pathetic. You can't even protect your village. Your Konoha Resistance has failed. None of you deserve to live." He said coldly. Naruto charged at him, Katana in hand. "You take that back, you no good bastard!" He swung at him ruthlessly, but Sasuke easily avoided.

Then, Sasuke, with his incredible speed, appeared behind Naruto and stabbed him with his Lightning enhanced blade. "NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata screamed. "Naruto!" Kakashi yelled, panicked. Kiba and Shino stared wide-eyed at what had just taken place. Hearing the screams, Sakura turned to see what happened. Her eyes widened. "N-Naruto… No…" She whispered. The hooded figure shoved the blade in deeper, before shoving Naruto off. "NARUTO!" Sakura screamed, as Naruto collapsed, clutching at the wound. Tears streamed down Hinata's face as she ran at the enemy. "Hinata, don't!" Sakura yelled. Hinata stopped and turned towards her, surprised. "You're hurt… and you're chakra's low. Let me." She said reassuringly, unsheathing her blade. Hinata tried to stop her tears, but couldn't, and collapsed.

"H-Hinata-chan… Why… Are you crying?" Naruto asked, weakly standing. Hinata looked up, wide-eyed. "N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata stammered, shocked. "Naruto, don't!" Sakura yelled, running towards him. "I'm not going to die… Until I become Hokage… So please don't cry Hinata-chan… You know I hate it when you're sad." Naruto said, smiling lightly at her. Hinata continued to stare, and finally wiped away her tears. Sasuke stared at Naruto, surprised he could move at all, let alone stand. "Hn. I won't make the same mistake twice. You will die here today." He said nonchalantly. Sakura caught Naruto just as he was about to fall again. "Naruto, don't fight him! Don't move! You're badly injured…" "Sakura-chan… I'll be fine." He said, trying to pull away. "No. I'm ordering you not to fight. You can't die on me, you understand? You're my best friend." She said, wiping away a stray tear. "You really scared me back there, you big jerk." Naruto grinned and chuckled. "You cry too easily, Sakura-chan…" He flinched from the pain of his wound. "Ino!" Sakura called. Ino came running and dragged Naruto away, so she could heal him. Sakura stood and pointed her blade at the hooded man. "You're battle is with me now." Sasuke's stomach clenched. "Oooo, what are you gonna do, Pinky? Kill him?" Suigetsu cackled. Sakura glared at the white haired, shark toothed man. "Yes. That's exactly what I intend to do."

Again, Suigetsu roared with laughter. "I can't wait to see this." He said with a maniacal grin. He clenched his stomach in pain, as he realized that the Hyuuga heiress actually had managed to hit a few decent blows. Just at that moment, Juugo arrived. "Suigetsu… Senpai… I think it's time we leave… I'm out of chakra… and their reinforcements will be arriving soon." "Did you kill ANY of them?" Suigetsu questioned in surprise. "No… They proved to be more of a challenge than I expected. The birds also told me Karin has been jeopardized." He said, almost as an after thought. Suigetsu snickered. "Of course she has… She's useless. All right. Senpai? Shall we go? I think we've had enough fun for one day…" Suigetsu said, putting a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke continued to stare at Sakura, taking her in. He smiled faintly. "Sakura… You really are remarkable." He thought, as he remembered how concerned she'd been for her teammate. She had never looked more beautiful to him, and he had to fight the urge to just grab her and kiss her.

"Senpai?" Suigetsu asked. Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts. "All right. Let's go." He said, "Until we meet again… Konoha Resistance." He said, bowing graciously, before turning and jumping onto the rooftops. Suigetsu and Juugo did the same, and Sakura watched as they disappeared into the distance. "Kakashi sensei…" "Let them go Sakura." Kakashi said, turning to where Ino was still healing Naruto's injuries.

Sakura bit her lip, before going over to Naruto's side. "Here, let me help Ino…" Sakura said, putting her hands on top of Ino's. Sakura used her chakra to help guide Ino's to the proper injured tissue, and strengthened its power. Ino smiled feebly at her. "Sorry…" she mouthed. Sakura shook her head. "Its fine, let me take over." Ino nodded and stopped the jutsu, allowing herself to relax. Her chakra was completely depleted from healing. She smiled, as she looked around at the villagers and Resistance members she and Sakura had been able to save. There were still many dead though, and she bitterly thought that maybe if she had half the chakra control that Sakura had, maybe they could have been able to save more. "Ino…" Sakura called. Ino turned and looked at her. "Don't blame yourself. You did your best." Sakura said, staring intensely at her. Ino sighed, and smiled ruefully. "I know… Thank you." Sakura nodded and continued the healing process.

Just at that moment, Shikamaru and Neji's team were approaching Kakashi. "What happened here?" Shikamaru asked. "I'll tell you later. Is everyone alright?" Shikamaru nodded. "Minor scrapes and bruises. Nothing we can't handle. How about on your side?" Kakashi motioned to Naruto. "Oh no… Is he gonna be ok?" Kakashi laughed. "I'm sure he will. He's in the very capable hands of Ms. Haruno… not to mention his own insane ability to heal quickly." Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair. "So they got away?" Shikamaru asked, noting Kakashi's own injuries. He nodded. "Damn it… Ours did to." "Yes, I know… He showed up a few minutes ago. I suspect that they're heading towards Yamato and Sai, to retrieve their Tracker." Shikamaru sighed. "Lady Tsunade won't be pleased…" "Don't worry about it. We at least know they aren't associated with Uchiha…that's what she really needed. However…" "However?" Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know… Something just seems… Off about this whole situation."

Shikamaru nodded. "I've been feeling the same way." Shikamaru then noticed Ino staring at him. He smiled as she ran into his arms. "I was so worried about you!" She whispered, holding onto him as if she hadn't seen him in years. He rolled his eyes, but smiled and held her closer. "I was worried too… I'm glad you're alright." He murmured into her hair. She smiled as she leaned up and kissed him. "You know," Kakashi said. "This reminds me a lot of Make Out Tactics, Chapter Seven, When Kairi and Jin are finally reunited after Jin's Journey and then they decide to go all the," "KAKASHI SENSEI, YOU PERVERT!" Ino screamed. "What? What? I'm just saying… Sheesh." He said with a chuckle.

Neji crossed over to his cousin who was kneeling next to Naruto. "Hinata-Sama, are you alright? Are you injured?" She looked up and shook her head. "I'm fine… Are you ok?" He nodded. She smiled lightly and returned her attention to Naruto. "Hinata-Sama… I'm sure Naruto-kun will be alright. Why don't we go find your father and sister? I'm sure they will be eager to know that you are safe." She smiled and nodded. She then ran her fingers through Naruto's hair one last time, before standing and leaving to go find her family.

After a few minutes, Naruto opened his eyes. "Hinata-chan?" "You just missed her. She left three minutes ago." Sakura said, continuing to heal the hole in his chest. "Is she alright?" He asked worriedly. Sakura smiled. "She's fine. She's very worried about you though." She said reassuringly. Naruto smiled lightly, and re-closed his eyes. Sakura shook her head. "What a fool… He's so oblivious!" She laughed to herself. Finally, after a few more minutes, she was able to seal the wound and stop the bleeding.

Kakashi crossed over to them. "Is he ok?" "He'll be fine. I suggest we take him back to the ship though. He needs to rest." Kakashi nodded and lifted him up on his back. Yamato and Sai appeared next to him. "What happened?" Kakashi asked. "They got away… Is he alright?" Yamato asked, motioning to the sleeping Naruto. Kakashi chuckled. "I'm sure he'll be alright once he's had some sleep." Yamato smiled and nodded. "All right everyone; let's head back to the ship." They all nodded and made their way back to the beach. Sakura stopped and looked around one last time, as villagers came out of their homes to gather their loved ones who had been able to be saved, or mourn the dead, and take their bodies away. "Kakashi Sensei… May we take some time to find our families? Or help the villagers?" She asked. Kakashi stared at her, and then the others. Each one had worry in their eyes. He sighed, and smiled. "All right, go. And be careful out there." He said, as he lowered Naruto into one of the boats. Yamato and Sai boarded the boat as well. Some members parted separate ways to go and be with families, while others, like Sakura, stayed and helped the villagers. Sakura made her way to the Hospital, to be of help there, and looked up at the now setting sun. She wondered what Sasuke was doing, and if he was thinking about her. Little did she know how close he actually had been today.

A/N: Well that's it guys! I sincerely hope you all liked this chapter; it's my longest one yet! (24 pages on Word, not including A/N's!) I also packed in a WHOLE lot of fluff, so I hope that kind of makes it up to you… That and all the action! But, just in case, I also threw in pervy Kakashi… So if that doesn't work, I don't know what will! Please review, because reviews make my heart feel super happy! All right, next time: Shikamaru and Kakashi meet with Lady Tsunade, only to be surprised by a special guest…Then, Hinata goes to visit Naruto, but is surprised to discover he's gone missing! Later on that night, our favorite couple is reunited… But somebody's eyes are watching, and Sasuke will have to risk his life to keep Sakura safe, and make sure she doesn't discover his plan. Will he succeed? Weeelll… You're just gonna have to wait to find out! Until next time readers! ~xXxLoveisPoetryXxX