So my first metal fest for the year is out of the way (Wacken Open Air is next), and in comes a new Fire Paved Skies chapter. I promise I'm going to get to replying plenty of your reviews. Great job people for reviewing the story, especially Johnamasta(correct me if I'm wrong) for giving me much needed advice. I will take it. Seriously people, give me advice. I realize I am not perfect (compared to other authors I probably suck) and I am always looking for ways to make my stories and writing technique in general better. It helps so much.
With Satoshi's only artillery piece out of the way, the side of good is poised to strike back, indirectly that is. We also saw Kakashi come back and get into a bit of a brawl with Naruto, and an attempt for a return of Konohamru, a lot is still to be seen. Will Konohamaru be able to come, will Tsunade realize that the village is really in trouble, will Tenten be able to fly again, is Asuma ok? Wow lot of questions. Some will be answered here. Some will not be. But hey, it's never wrong to keep asking questions and wondering their answers, so just read on and sit tight. More adventure is on the horizon.
Symbiotic
April 10th
Konohagakure
Each child struck out Sakura in a way she had never expected. In a sense, they reminded her of her own group of siblings.
Timmy reminded her of one of her brothers, always out to protect ones he cared about. In this case it was Mary, whom Sakura believed Timmy was in love with. She also believed that Mary loved him as well, and in a way greater then brothers and sisters do. Talia was like her mother, even like Sakura herself, Amedeo was like her oldest brother, while Agnese was like the oldest one of her sisters, being kind of like a boss when Sakura wasn't there. All of them had some common ground with her own family. But it was the two children from the United Kingdom that reminded her of a lot more then her own family. "They remind me of two people I know," Sakura thought, "They definitely do." It was then that she felt a tugging on her hair. "Hey, which one of you?"
"Senorita," Isabella said, "Will you please tell me a story?" Sakura looked at her pocket watch, a gift she had received from Tsunade years ago, along with her Devastator and a few other things. But most of them, save the watch, the plane, and one other very special item, were lost during various different raids and things of that sort.
"But why Isabella," Sakura questioned.
"I'm scared," Isabella replied.
"Of what," the older girl replied.
"The big bangs and the chat chat chat sounds," the Spanish girl replied. "That's how my parents died, they were shot with those things that go chat chat chat."
"You mean machine guns," Sakura said, "That's horrible."
"It's all in gods plan," Isabella told her, "I am happy they are in heaven, in total bliss and total salvation, always under Christ's protection." Sakura sighed. Isabella was just like one of her little sisters. When religion was actually important to her, her sister Yumi would constantly remind her to say her prayers and talk about the glory of heaven. In the last few years of her life however, Sakura hardly cared about religion. In fact, for extra money, a local landlord paid her and the others to destroy a protestant church group that had taken up residence on his land. Not only was the church destroyed, but much to Sakura's disgust, so was the congregation inside. Not one man, woman, or child was spared from a bombardment of machine guns, cannon, and rockets. It would later come to be known as "The Shepherds Massacre", because the church was called "The Church Of The Holy Shepherd Christ".
A few months after that incident, the landowner was killed mysteriously by a hail of bullets in his home. His mouth and rectum were also found stuffed with ryo bills, and his eyes were gouged out, replaced with coins. The killer was never found.
"It's good to know that you have a good outlook on things," Sakura replied, "And sure, I'll tell you a story, but on one condition."
"What," she questioned.
"The other kids can listen in as well," Sakura told her, "Is that fair?"
"That's perfect," Isabella said happily, "Everybody, Sakura is going to tell a story."
"Really," Amedo said, picking his head up away from the five cards he had in his hands. "Is this true?"
"Amed will you cut that out," Agnese ordered, slapping her brother on the forehead.
"Madon Agnese," Amedeo said, rubbing his forehead, "Alright I'm coming. Come on guys." Kristijan and Hansi followed Amedeo and sat next to him. Isabella and Fabienne sat together, and Agnese sat with Mary and Timmy. Talia and Natalija sat together, the Serbian girl sitting in the Russian girl's lap.
"So what's the story," Talia asked.
"It's one of magic and mystery, action and excitement, romance and desire," Sakura said, sounding like the voice in movie previews.
"What's it called," Fabienne questioned.
"It's called," Sakura began to say. The telephone then began ringing. "Hold on, I got to take this." She then got up and walked to the phone, picking it up off the receiver.
It would be the first action Sakura would take in the siege.
"But Kurenai," Anko whined, "I am perfectly fit to fight."
"I think a little r&r is good for you Anko," Kurenai told her, dragging her friend by the arm.
"But it wasn't what you think it was," Anko complained, "It really wasn't."
"Oh ok all that you were doing says that you weren't doing what you were doing," Kurenai said, rolling her eyes.
"But I..."
"Enough," the older of the two women shouted. After that, Anko was finally quiet. It was then that Sakura walked into a communications hut and picked up a telephone, dialing the number for the HQ building.
"You're so going home," Kurenai muttered. Anko sat on the floor with her arms folded and an angry look on her face. After Kurenai dialed the number, she waited a few seconds for who she wanted to answer to get the phone.
"Hello," Sakura said.
"Sakura," Kurenai said, "Everything alright back there?"
"Yeah everything is fine," Sakura told her, "Is something wrong on your end."
"Yes there is," Kurenai said, "We need to send Anko back."
"Why," Sakura said, "Should you..."
"Anko's going to need some rest or she'll go insane," Kurenai said.
"What exactly gave you that hint," Sakura questioned.
"She had her hand in her panties, screaming oh yes please more and..."
"So she was masturbating," Sakura said.
"Yes," Kurenai said, "Anko was masturbating."
"Hey," Anko yelled, "It's called self satisfaction, not masturbation."
"Whatever you want to call it," Kurenai shot back, "Anyway, she's coming back to fill in your place. We're sending a staff car to take you to the tower."
"Kurenai, just because Anko is masturbating doesn't mean she's insane," Sakura said, "Ino does it all the time, and she's not insane."
"Yeah but this is definitely not what Anko does," Kurenai said, "But can you come out?"
"I don't know," Sakura replied, "The kids really need someone."
"Then have have Talia get Anko to help with the babysitting," Kurenai said. A soldier then burst through the door of the hut. "Excuse me please."
"Madame, two Blood Red airships and twenty aircraft with them," the soldier said. Kurenai exhaled and smiled.
"I got to go," Kurenai told her, "Be over here when I get back, I got a special mission for you." Kurenai then hung up.
"Lets go hunting," Kurenai said, walking out of the hut.
Sakura put the phone back down and walked back to the children. "What was it," Talia asked.
"Nothing," Sakura replied, "Nothing at all."
"Are you sure," Talia asked.
"Yes, it's nothing," Sakura shouted. All the children seemed a little aghast, since they had never seen Sakura get angry. "Now who wants to hear a story."
"Mich mich," Hansi muttered in German. "I want a story."
"Then lets get stared," Sakura replied, sitting down in a chair, and beginning to let ideas from her head leave her mouth.
Around the same time, within one of the barracks, the rest of the Goddesses who were actually fighting were sitting in the same barracks as before. Ino was playing cards with a group of Black Swan pilots. "Alright boys, lets play a game I really like. How about some acey ducey?" Many of the pilots began to talk.
"Will you all just shut up," one of them ordered, "Yeah blondie, I think the boys and myself could enjoy playing some acey ducey."
"Perfect," Ino said. "Hook me up with some sake then, because this is going on all night." One of the pilots passed her the sake, then watched as Ino began shuffling cards and dealing them out. Not far away, Hinata and Hanabi were playing a game of hangman.
Hinata was playing hangman with Hanabi, the two of them having found a good way to pass the time while waiting for something important to do. "Ok," Hinata said, drawing up a new hangman chart on a blank piece of paper. "You'll never get this one."
"You say that all the time," Hanabi said, "And look, I got them all."
"Yeah but those were just tests," Hinata said, "This one is guaranteed to get you for sure, I am quite positive of that."
"Then bring it on niichan," Hanabi ordered, Hinata then showed her the hangman drawing, the empty noose and seven empty spaces.
"Is there an E in it," the younger Hyuga female questioned.
"Oh there goes the head," Hinata said, drawing a head onto the noose, "Try again."
"An O," Hanabi asked.
"Nope," Hinata said, "Dang imouto chan, are you trying to kill the guy because," Hinata said, drawing his left arm on. "There's his left arm."
"Ok no more playing around," Hanabi said, "I pick D."
"There's the right," Hinata told her, drawing on the stick figure's right arm.
"A T," Hinata's sister asked.
"Nope," Hinata replied. She then gave the man a torso.
"An R," Hanabi said. "There has to be an R."
"No R either," Hinata said, drawing on the left leg, "You guess one more wrong, you loose."
"Ok ok," Hanabi said, thinking hard about it. "I got it. An S?"
"You lost," Hinata said, drawing on the left leg. Hinata then began laughing while Hanbi began to get very angry.
"Why you little bitch," she yelled, ripping the clipboard with the paper out of Hinata's hands and throwing it across the room. The clipboard's ultimate destination was found on the back of Naruto's head.
"Hey," Naruto said, rubbing his head, "That hurt."
"Sorry," Hanabi said, "But niichan gave me an unsolvable hangman problem."
"What's the word Hinata," Naruto asked.
"You want to know," Hinata said. Both her sister and Naruto nodded their heads. "Do you really..."
"Tell us," Hanabi said, beginning to shake her sister with her hands, "Tell us already niichan. I must know the answer."
"It's hangman," Hinata said, "Now will you cut it out."
"Hangman," Hanabi said, stopping the shaking of her sister, "That's it."
"Yeah," Hinata said. "That's it." Both Naruto and Hinata were amazed. Breaking their trains of thought however was a knock on the door. "Who is it?" Kurenai then came into the barracks.
"I need Naruto, Hinata and Ino," Kurenai said, pointing at all of them.
"For what," Ino asked.
"A special mission," Kurenai said. "A very special one."
April 10th
Within Fire Country
A couple of hours away from Konohagakure, at a port near the ocean, a ship bearing a red flag with a hammer and sickle crossing each other came into port. Waiting for it were four companies of Black Swan, each one armed to the teeth with as many weapons as they can carry, the men and women's eyes open at all times. A dozen T34's were sent with them, along with several ZSU57mm mobile anti aircraft guns, and seven SU85 tank destroyers. "Asuma sir," a soldier said to his commanding officer. "Can we really trust these guys?"
"Can we trust them," Asuma said, "There is no time right now to be worrying about trust man. We need this shipment right now." The ship's crew quickly began docking the vessel, moving rapidly to begin the offloading. One of them came up onto the deck, holding a Black Swan flag in his hands. "I knew it was him."
"Who is this guy," the soldier asked. Asuma took one long puff from a cigarette, the smoke coming out of his nose.
"Dmitri," Asuma yelled up to the man on the ship. "Is that you?"
"Asuma," the man replied, making Asuma chuckle at his heavy Russian accent. "I told you these organs will get here on time."
"Organs," the soldier said confused, The bow of the ship opened up, and out came a dozen Kayusha mobile rocket launchers. As they left their seagoing vessel, a group of planes and a large airship flew over. "Who are these people, and what are those things?"
"Those are Stalin's pipe organs," Asuma said. "And they are going to be making some beautiful music."
April 11th
Konohagakure
In the confines of another building, where repair crews were making constant repairs to keep Devastators, Furies, Ravens, and Brigands flying, Kurenai led the others to a back room. The ground was covered with used papers, napkins, cigarette butts, and the saliva of men using chewing tobacco.
"Ah the command center," Naruto said, looking at the disheveled mess, "What a place."
"We don't have time right now," Kurenai told him, "I need you guys out there, right now." All three were led over to a map on a table. "I need you guys to do some escort duty."
"Alright," Hinata said, "What's in the bag sensei?"
"Around midnight Asuma had led a small force to go get some Kayusha rocket launchers, what you heard before as Stalin's pipe organs," Kurenai told them, "I ordered Asuma to head back to the city, and he's on his way as we speak. However, they were forced to put the rockets back in hiding here," she said, pointing to a spot on the map.
"Naparo," Hinata said, "Why there?"
"Blood Reds wouldn't bother looking there," Kurenai said, "And they were looking for those rockets. They have planes heading for miles out looking for them. I'm assembling a flight of special planes to head out and go get these guys."
"How special," Naruto asked.
"Northrop P61 Black Widows," Kurenai said, "Six of them. You're joining that flight."
"So that means we each got to take up a role," Naruto said. "It is a three seat plane."
"Ino you got the radar," Kurenai said, "Naruto you're in the gunner's seat, Hinata you're flying the plane."
"Hai sensei," Hinata replied, "Lets go guys, it's time to play sharks and minnows, sky pirate style."
April 11th
Near Konohakure
It was 3:00 in the morning, the men under Asuma had covered hundreds of miles in one day, from Konohagakure to the port of Hitsuryu and now going back. Now they wanted nothing more then to rest, especially Asuma himself. Slowly but surely, Asuma walked over to a small "deuce and a half" truck, his legs hardly able to support his body. "Is any body in there," he said slowly.
"Yeah but come on in sir," a voice said. Kenji then popped his head out.
"Adakara," Asuma said, climbing into the vehicle. "What's going on?"
"Not much sir," Kenji replied. "Just you know the normal shit of doing what I do for a living, just a bit less fun." Asuma give a light chuckle at Kenji's remark.
"You need to see a shrink you know that you insane son of a bitch," Asuma replied.
"What's going to be able to do," Kenji replied, punching Asuma softly on the shoulder. "I've been in this state of mind for as long as I can remember. No shrink is going to get me out of it, at least not easily."
"Well then don't hook up with Ino," Asuma warned. "She likes toying with people's minds."
"Well she ain't a shrink," Kenji replied, picking up his M1 Garand rifle and looking at his watch. "Personally I wouldn't mind her messing with my mind, or any other part on my body for that matter. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go on watch right now. Later sir." Kenji then jumped out of the truck and left Asuma alone.
"Sick little bastard," Asuma said, lighting up a cigarette with a ronson lighter. He took one big inhale and exhaled most of the smoke. "He may just what Ino needs in her life."
April 11th
Konohagakure
As Kurenai began to wonder how well Naruto, Hinata and Ino were going to come out of their mission, a black Mercedes stopped outside of the group of hangars at the air guard's personal airfield. "Thank you boys," Sakura said, "You drove nicely." One of them then came to her and bent down next to her. "Excuse me?"
"You know," the guy said, "I am open for a..." A click clack then rang through his ears, all other noise being silenced by it.
"Ask me again," Sakura said, "You'll be blood red."
"Baby don't do this," the guy begged, "I can be..." Sakura shot him in the foot.
"It'll be your head next time," she said, holstering her Colt M1911 in the holster on her hip. The other soldier who was in the car with her rushed to his wounded brother in arms. Sakura walked into the hangar, where she saw Kurenai sitting in a chair with a nine millimeter Webley and Scott pistol in her hands. "Kurenai," she called out. The older woman looked up and then motioned for Sakura to come over. "How are you?"
"Fine," Kurenai said. "But I need you to get out there, and fast."
"Why," Sakura questioned.
"Please do not laugh at me when I say what I need you to do," Kurenai said, "Please don't."
"I'm not in the mood to laugh," Sakura said, "Especially after one of your men tried hitting on me before."
"I'll deal with him later," Kurenai said, "But listen, this is very important."
"And apparently amusing," Sakura said, "At least according to you. What is the mission?" Kurenai inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "Kurenai?"
"I need you to take a group of ANBU to go out of the city, get Tsunade and Shizune, and bring them back here," the older woman said rapidly. "There I said it." Sakura didn't seem affected at all. "Phew, I thought you'd be..." Sakura started to laugh, then began laughing harder, and harder, and harder, until she fell on the floor. Kurenai rolled her eyes, for it was exactly what she had expected. "Figures."
"Oh that is rich," Sakura said, trying to make it sound coherent through her laughter, "Even with ANBU, there is no way I can take both Tsunade and Shizune back to this place."
"Then negotiate," Kurenai said monotonously, "I didn't say to beat her up."
"Listen Kurenai," Sakura said, getting control of her laughter. "Tsunade is not going to listen to me."
"You want to fight me to find that out," Kurenai asked. Sakura was now scared.
"Yes ma'am, assemble the masked freaks and I'll take them to Tsunade," Sakura said in a hurry.
"Then go," Kurenai ordered. "Right now." Sakura ran off, quickly heading to get her Devastator ready to fly.
Clear over the dark sky of the Fire Country, the flight of the six Northrops was approaching Naparo. "How we doing fuel wise Hinata," Ino asked, fiddling around with the radar.
"We're fine," Hinata said, "We'll have enough."
"Good to know," Naruto said, "Last thing I want to do is crash again."
"We won't," Hinata said, "That's a fact." Another plane flew up alongside of hers. It was a single engine one, with small struts coming out of each wingtip. After seeing it, Hinata was prompted to activate her Byakugan. By doing this, she was able to spot an airship.
"Unidentified airship, state your business," Hinata ordered.
"Sixth Squadron of Comrade Stalin's might Soviet air arm," a voice said.
"Russians," Naruto said, "Like Talia."
"Somewhat," Hinata said, "Are our pipe organs on the ground?"
"They are," the voice said again, "My name is Agripin, and my boys will help you get them to Konoha."
"Where's Dmitri buddy," Ino questioned, "I don't trust any Russians other then a girl I know and Dmitri."
"Dmitri is heading back to Russia," Agripin told her, "He's not flying these days, hurt himself in a crash."
"Damn," Ino said quietly, "Alright, you flying Fire Arrows?"
"What you call Fire Arrows," Agripin replied.
"Whatever, Hinata can we get out of here," Naruto asked.
"Lets go men," Hinata said, "We got a tight flight ahead of ourselves. Nothing, I mean nothing, is like dogfighting in the dark."