Missing Nins

Bold writing – Kyuubi is talking
'Anything in inverted commas' – A person thinking to themselves.
"In speech marks" – People talking (duh xD)
Slanted writing – Either a dream or a flashback.
T-T = Section Break

Chapter 12: Asuma and Kurenai;

Hinata felt a sharp pain throb in her lower chest, and proceeded to clutch the point where the pain protruded with a delicate hand, kneeling and succumbing to the overpowering agony. She looked up, and to her relief noticed the Hokage tower was only moments away. Hinata painfully stood upright, and continued onwards to the tower, albeit the painful sensation coursing through her body.

After several more minutes of walking, Hinata finally made it to the Hokage's tower, bloodied and beaten from her training with her relentless father. She gradually climbed the daunting steps leading up to the Elder's office, her footsteps nimble. Another few minutes slowly passed, and Hinata had made it to the top of the steps, out of breath and pained. She continued clutching her lower chest, and looked around the hallway. She noticed a door several metres from her marked, 'The Elder's Office', and sighed with relief. She limped her way to the door and apathetically knocked on the door a few times, "Yes, yes, just a minute." An elderly woman screeched from behind the door. Some seconds passed, and the door opened slowly, "Hinata-chan?" The elderly woman questioned with surprise once the door was opened. The old woman studied Hinata for several seconds, and instantly noticed her blood-stained attire, "Oh dear; whatever happened to you?" Before Hinata had anytime to reply, the woman raised a hand, "Never mind that. Do come in." She took Hinata by the hand and forcefully pulled her into the room, and closed the door tightly behind her.

Inside the room, a warm draft of air embraced Hinata, allowing her pain to ease slightly. Hinata studied the room for several minutes, and perched on the empty couch in the corner, "There's something urg-"

"HOMURA!" The elderly woman interrupted loudly, forcing Hinata to clench her ears with her open palms, "We have a guest!" Again the woman screamed.

A number of loud sounds could be heard in the opposite room, and then a loud voice rang from within, "Alright Komura, just give me a minute!" Another elderly voice shouted. Several seconds after the voice spoke, the door the voice protruded from swung open with force, revealing an elderly man with an annoyed expression across his face, "What is it you want? You know perfectly well that I'm sleepi-" Homura's voice trailed off once he caught sight of Hinata's beaten and bloodied self, "What in the world happened to you?" He asked, as he sat himself beside Hinata.

"Training with my father." Hinata reluctantly replied after an uncomfortable bout of silence befell the room.

Komura shook her head and tutted once she had heard the reason for Hinata's condition, "Those Hyuuga can be vile creatures." She whispered, as she performed a few hand seals, and then placed her chakra-infused hands upon Hinata's shoulders, "This won't take a minute." She smiled towards Hinata. Almost instantly, Hinata could feel the pain inside her alleviate.

"I'm sure you haven't come to us just so we can look at your wounds." Homura stated, "What intention do you have being here?" He asked as Komura removed her hands from Hinata.

Hinata smiled at Komura's kindness and turned her attention to Homura, "There's… something I only found out recently that demands your attention." Komura and Homura exchanged looks of worry and concern, but remained silent, "The Hokage is not who he says he is; he plans to extinguish Konoha, reducing it to mere rubble." Hinata explained, her voice barely above a whisper.

Homura scoffed at Hinata's claims, "And you expect us to believe you? These are very serious accusations you're making Hinata. What if you're wrong?"

"But it's all true! The Hokage has manipulated the Genin's to do his bidding, and each of them have pledged their allegiance to him."

Komura shook her head in disbelief, "But not you?"

"No; Sakura and Kiba approached me several days ago to see if I would join their cause, but I was unwilling." Hinata replied.

"It's just as Homura said; these are very, very serious accusations. Without any proof, we will be unable to believe you." Komura walked over to the door and slowly swung it open, "We're going to have to ask you to forget about any and all affairs linked with the Hokage." Komura gestured for Hinata to leave the room, "Just keep whatever accusations you have to yourself."

"But the Hokage killed Tsunade!" Hinata desperately stated, shocking both Komura and Homura. Komura slowly closed the door while maintaining eye-contact with Hinata, "Ino told me that the Sixth did murder the Fifth, and that he also knows you have your doubts of her supposed suicide; the Sixth is not to be trusted." Hinata wept, her voice almost non-existent.

Komura placed herself beside Hinata. Komura and Homura both exchanged glances of worry. Komura placed a sympathetic hand upon Hinata's shoulder, "Are you certain about this?"

"Of course she's certain! Nobody would blame a Ninja of a crime of this magnitude." Homura replied swiftly as he began tapping his foot against the ground furiously, "I never trusted the Sixth. He won't even give us the general decency to show us his face, or even tell us his name… there's always been something suspicious about him."

"What are we to do?" Komura quickly asked, removing her hand from Hinata's delicate shoulder.

"Isn't it obvious? We have to stop him before he kills anyone else." Homura turned his attention to Hinata, "What exactly is it that the Hokage is planning to do?"

"He-he plans to destroy Konoha, to eradicate the Ninja's and villagers, and then to rebuild it in his own image."

A long silence then followed Hinata's words. Komura was first to break the silence, "And who did you say was aiding him?"

"J-just the Genin's… with the exception of Naruto and I." Hinata shakily replied.

"So you and Naruto are the only ones we can give this mission to…" Homura sighed deeply before continuing, "Hinata, you and Naruto are the only two who can stop the Hokage. This isn't going to be easy by any means, especially if the Hokage is as corrupt as you say."

"W-what isn't going to be easy?" Hinata reluctantly asked, as she shuffled on her seat.

Homura and Komura once again shared a look of worry, "The Hokage must be stopped," Homura repeated, "And the only way for you to do that is if you defect from Konoha." Homura slowly spoke.

Hinata raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Defect? You mean become M-Missing-Nin's? Why is that the o-only w-way?" Hinata's stuttered returned with great competence.

"Because we must strike not only the Hokage, but his followers as well." Homura whispered.

"You mean… we have to… k-kill the Genin's?" Hinata asked, her stutter becoming more present with each word.

Homura nodded solemnly, "That is precisely what I mean." He said emotionlessly.

"B-b-but why must it be Naruto and I? Surely the Chunin or Jounin are more capable of this than Naruto and myself?"

"Perhaps, but can we trust them?" Komura quickly stated, "Maybe some of the Chunin and Jounin have also joined the Hokage." Komura placed her hand upon Hinata's shoulder, "We trust you and Naruto can fulfil this mission."

After a brief moment of silence, Hinata shakily nodded her head in response to Komura's question, "Good. Then it's settled." Homura indicated simply, fundamentally sealing the mission in stone, "For this to work, it must be as believable as possible. The Hokage must be convinced that you became Missing-Nin's for other reasons, such as… lust." Hinata blushed deeply once she heard the word 'lust' as she instantaneously thought of Naruto, "It's no secret of your love for Naruto, and young love is the most dangerous entity in our world. Eliminating both Sakura and Kiba would justify your love for each other. I don't need to explain why." Homura said, before picking up a small cup of tea from the desk directly in front of him. He lifted the cup towards his mouth and took several small sips, "We need to inform both yours and Naruto's Sensei of this condition."

"B-but you just said that we can't trust the Jounin." Hinata blurted out.

"Kakashi and Kurenai have been as loyal to Konoha as the first five Hokage's. We can trust them with our lives." Homura again spoke, before taking a few more sips from his cup of tea.

"What is to happen after the mission is over?" Hinata asked quietly.

"By that time, the exploits of the Sixth will have been revealed to all, so you should have no trouble returning to Konoha, given of course the Hokage and all his followers have been dealt with." Homura explained, as he gently lowered his cup of tea on the antique wooden table.

"Just as Homura said before, we must convince everyone in the village that you became Missing-Nin's for other reasons. Hinata, I regret to tell you this, but you must eliminate Kiba, and Naruto must eliminate Sakura." Hinata could feel her eyes widen with terror, as several small droplets of tear fell from her eyes, "Naruto's affection for Sakura is painfully evident to all, but only a selected few know of Kiba's fondness for you." Hinata blushed violently and tore her vision from Komura, replacing it with the lush carpet on the floor, "I can't begin to imagine how you feel, but you must understand that what you and Naruto need to do is in the best interest for all of Konoha. It goes without saying that you must keep this mission a secret, and you mustn't return to Konoha until you and Naruto are ready to face the Hokage. Kakashi, Kurenai, Homura and I will do our best to contain the situation from within Konoha." Komura concluded.

"A-and what of Asuma-sensei? Surely he can be trusted." Hinata shakily asked.

Komura shook her head delicately, "He may have been the son of the Third, and a member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, but Homura and I have always had our doubts as to whether he was working for or against Konoha." Hinata shot a look of concern towards Komura, causing Komura to raise a hand, "You needn't worry about mine and Homura's thoughts. All that you must know is that Asuma can't be trusted in the same way as Kakashi and Kurenai."

Hinata exhaled a large breath, and leaned back on the couch, "Kiba is my friend, and a member of my team. I don't want to k-k-kill him." Hinata whispered.

"If you don't kill him first, he will kill you." Homura coldly stated, as he continued drinking his tea, "It's as simple as that. The same goes for Naruto. When you leave this office, you must wait for Naruto somewhere you both know; this mission starts the moment you walk out that door."

"You must take care of your end. Kakashi will seek you out once you've left Konoha." Komura gestured towards the door, "You should be leaving now. Your father will surely be wondering where you wondered off to." Hinata nodded, wiping away her tears in the process, and lifted herself off the couch, slowly making her way towards the door, "And one more thing. You must let Naruto, Kakashi and Kurenai know we have summoned then, and that it is of the upmost importance." Hinata nodded slowly, and opened the door. She walked out the room and closed the door behind her, "I never trusted the Hokage." Komura whispered, as she clenched her fist.

"Yet another thing we have in common." Homura humorously stated, "Konoha has been through a lot of dire situations, but this is beyond dire." Homura's voice lost all sense of humour, "I never would have suspected any of what Hinata just told us. Sooner or later, the Hokage and all his followers will face justice."

"Even if it's the last thing we do." Komura said in agreement. Several minutes later, a distinctive knock came from the other side of the door. Homura and Komura gave one another a quick glance, "Come in." Komura said coolly.

The door open swiftly, divulging a tall grey-haired man, and a black-haired woman, "We crossed paths with Hinata, and told us you needed to speak with us. She also said it was urgent." Kakashi spoke, as he and Kurenai entered the room. Kakashi closed the door behind them, "So, what is it that is so important to interrupt my mid-day stroll?" Kakashi plainly and lazily asked, as he sat himself on an empty seat. Kurenai remained standing up, and leaned against the wall.

Homura took several deep breaths, "The Hokage is plotting to destroy Konoha, and he's using the Genin's to do it." Homura stated as simply as he could.

Kakashi and Kurenai both squinted their eyes, "What do you mean 'destroy Konoha?' What are you talking about?" Kurenai asked, as she scratched her head in confusion.

"The Hokage plans to eradicate Konoha, eliminating all of the Ninja's and villagers within the very walls of Konoha that do not join him in this 'crusade'. It goes without saying that he must be stopped before his plans fall into action." Komura quickly answered.

"This… this can't be true. It was Hinata who gave you this information, wasn't it?" Komura and Homura both nodded simultaneously, "The Genin's who have been… deluded by the Hokage must have tried to recruit Hinata… that would explain why she came to you with this information." Kakashi whispered in disbelief, "How many of the Genin's are under the influence of the Hokage?"

"From what Hinata said, it seems like all of them, with the exception of herself and Naruto."

"All of them? Including Kiba and Shino?" Kurenai questioned in a violent tone.

"Unfortunately, yes." Homura replied reluctantly. Kurenai tore herself from the wall and collapsed on an empty seat in a fit of rage.

Kakashi remained relatively calm given the circumstances, but was struck with a large feeling of disbelief, "So, Sakura is part of the Hokage's plan as well." He thought aloud, before clenching his fist, "You couldn't have called us just to tell us this fact. You want us to do something about it, don't you?" Kakashi questioned, his voice losing its usual calm quality completely.

"This mission has been given to you, Hinata, Naruto and Kurenai with much regret, but it must be done." Komura replied almost silently, "Naruto and Hinata was eliminate Kiba and Sakura in order to become Missing-Nin's."

Both Kakashi and Kurenai rose to their feet in a speedy manner, furious with what they just heard, "You want to end the lives of the very Ninja's we were supposed to protect and train?!" Kakashi screamed, as he forcefully pounded his fist against the wooden table, "There's no need for this bloodshed! Surely the Genin's can be talked out of this; there's no need to kill anyone we sought to protect."

"Kakashi's right," Kurenai stated in agreement, "Bloodshed is futile; we should try to convince the Genin's that they have taken the wrong path-"

"We have already discussed this matter with Hinata. Unfortunately, there is no other way to solve this. The Genin's are obviously too 'fond' of the Hokage to betray him… like they have betrayed Konoha." Homura stated viciously, as if a thick, venomous substance was dripping from his throat.

Kakashi slowly lowered himself on his seat, "I can't believe the Genin's would willingly do this to Konoha…" He whispered aloud.

"There must be a mistake. The Kiba and Shino I know would never willingly turn against the very village they were raised in." Kurenai stated boldly. She tapped her foot against the floor in a steady pattern, "The Sakura that Kakashi and I know would never do this. Maybe Hinata just got mixed up wi-"

"There's no use holding on to false hope Kurenai; you must see things for what they really are. It doesn't matter if the Genin's were forced or if their decision was willing. All that matters is that they must pay for their treason. I know this must be painful for you to hear, especially given how you're the Sensei's of those Genin's that must meet their untimely end, but if this doesn't happen now, it will be the end of Konoha." Komura said, before gesturing towards the door, fundamentally signalling for Kakashi and Kurenai to leave the room, "Before you leave, there is a certain task for the both of you."

"Naruto and Hinata will need frequent help from within Konoha once they leave. We trust you both with seeking out Naruto and Hinata, and aiding them in whatever way you can, be it by means of information or training." Homura quickly finished, earning himself a slight nod from both Kakashi and Kurenai.

Kakashi swiftly opened the door and left the room. Kurenai soon followed, and closed the door behind them, "That was unexpected." Kakashi said dryly as Kurenai closed the door, "I'm still shocked at the Elder's request."

"I don't like it any more than you do," Kurenai began as she pulled herself away from the wooden door and began walking down the hallway, "But if the Elder's say it's the best thing to do-"

"I don't care about what the Elder's say!" Kakashi abruptly interrupted, "They want to kill Sakura, the very Ninja I swore to protect, and they want Naruto to do it." Kakashi shook his head violently, "It's just not fair. We'd be more capable with this mission."

"Kakashi, you have to see things for what they are." Kurenai attempted to console the distressed Kakashi, "The Elder's choice may not be agreeable with you, but it is in the best interest of Konoha." Kakashi looked at Kurenai and – after several seconds of silence – nodded his head gently, "We should get back to the streets of Konoha. If the Hokage catches us here, he'll be suspicious." And with those final words, Kurenai and Kakashi left the Hokage's tower in utter silence.

After several minutes, the pair reached the doors leading back to Konoha, "I need to get home and… and think." Kakashi whispered in a distraught manner. He slowly opened the large double doors, revealing blinding sunlight and glorious structures, "I'll see you later." Kakashi again whispered, as he began walking towards his home, his back hunched and both hands in his pockets.

Kurenai watch Kakashi walk away into the distance. She sighed, displeased with the Elder's decision to eliminate Kiba and Sakura. She turned her back to the streets of Konoha, and walked back into the Hokage's tower, closing the large doors behind her, ceasing the light from entering the large, daunting building.

Back inside the Hokage's tower, Kurenai made her way to the Hokage's office. It took her a mere 2 minutes to walk up the formidable stairwell leading back to the large hallway. She gradually climbed the steps, and found her way to the hallway. She began walking down the hall, and noticed several picture frames with no photographs within them. She shrugged the thought from her mind, and quickly noticed the Hokage's office out of the corner of her eye. She walked towards the door and knocked on it several times, "Come in." A voice rang from the other side of the door. Kurenai took a deep breath and quickly opened the door, "Ah, Kurenai. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The Hokage smiled, as he rose to his feet, "Please, close the door behind you." Kurenai nodded, and walked into the office, closing the door behind her, "So, what is it you want? You know I don't like people seeking an audience unannounced." The Hokage sat back down on his chair.

"Hokage-sama," Kurenai began, her voice barely above a whisper, "There's something that demands your attention." The Hokage raised his head in anticipation and gestured for Kurenai to continue, "The plan to recruit Hinata failed."

"Ah, a pity." The Hokage tutted quietly. He placed both hands on his desk, "Is that all?"

Kurenai reluctantly shook her head gently, "No… there's more. Hinata told the Elders of our plan."

The Hokage took a deep breath and then forcefully exhaled seconds later, "The Elder's always had their suspicious about me. Now their suspicions have been brought to light." The Hokage got up from his seat and leisurely made his way to the window overlooking Konoha, "Soon, this entire village will be under our control. If the Elder's – or anyone else for that matter – stand in our way, then they must be removed." The Hokage turned away from the window and gazed at Kurenai, "How much do the Elder's know?"

"Not much, but enough to take action; they know that you plan to purify Konoha, and they know that all but two of the Genin's have joined you."

"But they don't know the other's that have joined our cause." The Hokage whispered with relief, "Who else knows?"

"The only other person is Kakashi."

"Kakashi?" The Hokage smiled, "He doesn't present much of a problem. What do the Elder's plan to do with the information they have gathered?" He asked, before returning to his chair.

"They plan to use Naruto and Hinata to eliminate us." The Hokage again gestured for Kurenai to continue, "What I mean is, they have given both Naruto and Hinata a mission to become Missing-Nin's in order to stop us. They will become Missing-Nin's by means of… eliminating both Kiba and Sakura in full view of the entire village." Kurenai whispered.

"Sakura and Kiba? If we do anything to intervene, they'll know someone who was with the Elder's at the time Hinata told them is working for me…" The Hokage thought aloud, "It's a shame, but there's nothing we can do to spare Kiba and Sakura."

"So we just leave them to die?" Kurenai questioned with distinctive venom in her voice.

"That is exactly what we must do. Think of them both as being martyrs for our cause."

"When I joined you, you promised me all of the Genin's would remain safe. You said-"

"It doesn't matter what I said." The Hokage quickly interrupted, "The Genin's knew the risks, and they knew joining me could result in their death. It's extremely difficult to keep anyone safe when trying to keep my identity from everyone."

Kurenai huffed a large quantity of oxygen in her frustration, but soon nodded her head, "What do you want me to do then?"

"To keep acting as you have been; the Elder's and Kakashi must remain oblivious to the fact that you're on my side." Kurenai again nodded at the Hokage's wishes, "Good. Now, before I forget, Asuma came by earlier and asked me to tell you he wished to speak to you. You shouldn't keep him waiting; he's almost as impatient as me." The Hokage smiled one last time before Kurenai swiftly left the room.

12 minutes passed, and Kurenai found herself back in the streets of Konoha. She looked around, noticing the beautiful sunlight eradicating the dark shadows in all directions around her. At a moment's notice, she remembered Asuma wanted to speak with her, and so quickly made her way to Asuma's house.

The magnificent sunlight refused to subside, as it continued illuminating the heavy shadows that once polluted the streets of Konoha. Many of the villagers ventured outside, populating the very streets, the warm sunlight and the early cries of the numerous birds entrancing the villagers. Kurenai whispered bitterly under her breath; she knew the sudden increase of people in the streets would only serve to slow her down. She pushed past a number of villagers in the hopes of getting the Asuma's house sooner rather than later. Pushing and shoving her way through a large crowd of villagers proved difficult without aggravating them, and so Kurenai leapt to a nearby rooftop and continued her journey on the roofs.

Kurenai sighed with relief, glad that she no longer had to be in the vicinity of the numerous villagers. She looked around the gain her bearings and quickly noticed Asuma's house in the distance. She began walking, her footsteps almost non-existent as her feet tapped along the stone rooftops.

Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, it took Kurenai close to six minutes to reach Asuma's house. Conveniently enough, the area surrounding Asuma's house was as populated as the harsh desert, making it easy for Kurenai to jump to the streets without begin slowed down by any villagers. Kurenai brushed some dirt from her clothes and looked down either end of the street. Kurenai was unable to see another soul. She shrugged, and slowly made her way to Asuma's front door. Kurenai studied Asuma's porch for several seconds as she passed through it. The lush grass grew to some height, reaching as far as Kurenai's knee. The bright colour of the stone path was beginning to fade with time, taking on a duller colour compared to the original candy red. Kurenai was just opposite the front door. She raised her hand, formed a fist, as brought it close to the door. Before she had a chance to knock, the door swung open, "I thought I heard something outside." Asuma cheerfully stated, as he gestured for Kurenai to enter the house. Kurenai simply nodded and walked past Asuma. He then closed the door.

Upon entering the small house, Kurenai was greeted with eternal darkness; none of the lights were on, and the windows were covered with a dusty coat, stopping all sunlight from entering the room. Kurenai coughed, the musty atmosphere of the suffocating room bathed her lungs. She looked around, and instantly noticed numerous items thrown lazily on the floor; empty ramen pots, various pieces of dirty clothing and half-eaten pieces of food were among the many things Kurenai could see. She carefully made her way to the cleanest spot she could, being careful not to touch anything even remotely unpleasant. Asuma only watched as Kurenai traversed his unsanitary front room. Kurenai eventually made it to a clean spot situated next to an untouched dresser. She leaned on the dresser uncomfortably, "I see you've been keeping the house in shape since I was last here." She said sarcastically, her voice cold and affectionless.

Asuma scratched the back of his head and smiled, "Yeah, I've just been busy."

Kurenai tutted under her breath, "The Hokage told me you wanted to speak with me. What could be of such importance?" She questioned in an almost bored tone.

"Yes. Now obviously I didn't make you come all this way just to see my mess." Asuma leisurely walked towards his bed and sat on it quickly, "It's about the Hokage."

"Hmph. When is it never about the Hokage?" Kurenai whispered to herself, "What about him?"

Asuma inhaled a large quantity of air before forcefully breathing out silently. He instinctively unsheathed a small pack of cigarettes from his pocket and pulled one out, placing it in his mouth, "Well, it's not really about the Hokage himself, but more about the Genin's." Asuma's words were slightly muffled due to the cigarette in his mouth, but Kurenai was still able to make his words out clearly, "Shikamaru told me the other day that he wants to be more actively involved in helping the Hokage."

"So why are you telling me? Why don't you tell the Hokage yourself?" Kurenai asked Asuma before yawning loudly.

"The Hokage is fonder of you than he is of me." Asuma stated simply as he lit his cigarette and took several puffs.

"Now you're just making excuses." Kurenai whispered bitterly, "You were the first to join the Hokage, and you had the foresight of knowing Ino would be of great use to the Hokage."

Asuma blew the smoke he had inhaled out, and took another large puff from his cigarette. He again inhaled and then blew out the smoke trapped in his lungs, "I may have been the first to join, but that doesn't make me his favourite. He would dispose of me at a moment's notice if he could, but he knows you would return the favour if he did." Asuma again took another puff from his cigarette. The misty air was replaced with the consuming stench of smoke, causing Kurenai to cough. Asuma inhaled the smoke and blew out. He gazed at his lit cigarette for a split second and noticed it was about halfway burnt. He placed the cigarette on an ashtray, "Which is why I need you to get Shikamaru higher up in the Hokage's 'good books' as he likes to put it." Asuma concluded.

Kurenai shrugged in answer to Asuma's request, "What is it that Shikamaru wants exactly?" She asked.

Asuma picked his cigarette back up and placed it in his mouth, puffing on the intoxicating fumes as he did so. He breathed out the smoke, "All he told me was that he didn't want to be left out of all the action; he wants a more direct approach concerning the objectives of the Hokage."

"Is that it? So he wants the same job as Sakura and Kiba?" She asked, before quickly remembering that Sakura and Kiba were more than likely about to be killed.

"I guess so." Asuma shrugged as he extinguished his cigarette.

Kurenai bit her bottom lip gently, "There's also something you need to know." She whispered. Asuma nodded with concern, "Kiba and Sakura… they're going to be killed."

After several moments of silence, Asuma laughed, "C'mon Kurenai, I never knew your sense of humour was that dark." Asuma quickly noticed Kurenai's grave facial expression, and quickly realised she was being serious, "Fuck… you're not kidding." Questions then began to flood Asuma's mind, "Why? How? How is this happening?"

"The Hokage wanted to expand the amount of people he could trust, and tried to recruit Hinata. Needless to say, Hinata had other ideas, and told the Elder's everything."

Asuma leaned back so his back was touching the wall, "Fuck." He repeated, "So, the Elder's know everything about the Hokage then?" He questioned with concern.

"No, not everything, just what Hinata knows, which isn't that much; all she told the Elder's was the Hokage's plan, and that the Genin's have joined the Hokage."

"Let me guess. The Hokage plans to kill the Elder's because of their knowledge?" Kurenai simply nodded, "That's a shame. I always liked Homura. Who else knows?"

"Kakashi."

Asuma closed his eyes and hung his head slightly, "Kakashi was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's a real shame the Hokage will deal with him as well."

Kurenai merely nodded once more.

T-T

"T-to kill Hinata and Naruto?" Ten-Ten asked, her words stuttered and her voice breaking.

"I'm sure you heard me the first time." Orochimaru whispered, as he pulled himself away from Ten-Ten and Neji, "I'm sure you're both capable of taking a life?" He questioned oratorically, as he smiled to himself, "Good. Ino?" Ino grunted an incoherent response, "Go fetch Kurenai. We'll be needing her."

"Kurenai-sensei? She works for you as well?" Neji grunted before disrespectfully spitting on the carpet, "Who else have you manipulated to do your dirty work?"

In a split second, Ino lunged towards Neji and jabbed him in his stomach, forcing him to the floor in a burst of pain. Neji wheezed for several seconds, the abrupt force of Ino's punch expelling all the oxygen in his lungs, "I haven't manipulated anyone. Most of the people working with me – not for me – did so at their own choice. Others, such as yourself," Orochimaru deliberately stared at Gai's decapitated head, "Had to be convinced by other means."

Neji rose to his feet, "So… so what do you want with us?" Neji asked.

"You don't listen well, do you Neji?" Orochimaru questioned rhetorically, "You and Ten-Ten must eliminate Naruto and Hinata. The sooner the better of course." He said, as he walked back to his seat and sat upon it, "Ino, we need Kurenai. Find her." Ino nodded and darted out of the room in a split second, "Shino, go back home. Your parents might wonder where you are." Shino nodded, and also darted out of the room, "And then there were two." Orochimaru whispered to himself jokily, "I'm deeply sorry about Lee. You must understand that I have to take… certain precautions when it comes to recruiting."

"You're a savage." Ten-Ten whispered spitefully.

"Now that's no way to speak to the very man that holds your life in his hands, now is it?" Orochimaru asked, "When Kurenai gets here, she will brief you on exactly what to do. You must understand that it is essential to dispose of these 'pests'; they are becoming increasingly bothersome. If that's not enough motivation, then this should do the trick; the only reason I had to eliminate Gai was because of Naruto and Hinata. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't of had to take matters into my own hands to get rid of them. I know it's frustrating to lose a friend, but in this life, death is a common danger." At that moment, a gently knock was heard at the door, "That would be Kurenai. Come in."

The door opened, and in stepped Kurenai and Ino, "You called, Hokage-sama?" Kurenai asked.

"Plan B is in effect. You know what to do." He said simply, as he gestured for the trio to leave the room.

Kurenai nodded and turned her attention to the Genin's, "Come with me. We have a lot of work to do." Neji and Ten-Ten reluctantly followed Kurenai out of the room.

"Ino," Ino nodded and closed the door, "Once the Genin's have finished their task, kill them for me would you?"

"Consider it done Hokage-sama." Ino gleefully replied, her thirst for bloodshed only moments away from being quenched.

T-T

Kakashi looked out of his window overlooking Konoha. Looking out the window, he could easily spot the scene of where Sakura's and Kiba's death would be presented. He shook his head several times, frustrated with everything, but more so with himself. He had promised to keep his Genin's safe, and not only had he failed with Sasuke, but he had now failed with Sakura. He violently punched the wall with force, all the while peering out of the window. Several minutes passed, each second that passed increased Kakashi's ever-growing anxiety. Before long, he could see both Sakura and Kiba walking down the street, followed closely by Naruto and Hinata. He kept watching, his body frozen with anticipation and his eyes wide with worry. He continued watching, and noticed Hinata unsheathe a kunai. His heart began pounding; he knew the worst was yet to come, "AKAMARU!" Kiba screamed, his cry piercing the tranquil atmosphere. Kakashi could only watch helplessly as Hinata swiftly disposed of Kiba's pet dog. Then, Kakashi watched as Naruto took the stage, and lashed out at Sakura with a flurry of brutal attacks. Kakashi attempted to tear his gaze away from the grizzly scene, but was frozen with terror. The screams and shouts of terror from the villagers rang Kakashi's ears, causing him to cover both his ears with his hands.

Again, Kakashi's helplessness was omnipresent; as he watched Naruto and Hinata savagely murder both Sakura and Kiba, he knew there was nothing he could do to save them. With all of his willpower, Kakashi tore himself away from the window. He began gasping for air, and collapsed on his bed. He stared at the ceiling for a few moments in utter silence; only the sounds of the villagers screams and the sound of battle could be heard. As quickly as it all started, the sounds almost immediately ceased. Kakashi sat up on his bed, and peered outside. The sight that greeted him shook him to his very core. Sakura's lifeless corpse lay sprawled across the floor, her entrails exposed and her skull reduced to small shards of bone. Kakashi again tore his eyes away from the sight. He collapsed to the floor, falling on his knees, his back slumped. He felt several tears form in his eyes, "Sakura… I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Naruto… I'm sorry I couldn't protect you…" Kakashi repeated those 14 words over and over.

A single tear then fell from his eye.

A/N:

Took ages, but it is here; better late than never, eh?
Yuuuup, that's about it. :D