Part II: Retrieval

As the group of now five sat around the table, detailing the up and coming plan of extraction, two boys sat alone in different rooms, planning and brooding alike. The first, Uchiha Sasuke, couldn't figure out why the Sannin Jiraiya, and his teammates, would care about a lowly Chuunin when he, Uchiha Sasuke, was a genius that learned, fought, and regularly acted, better than any of his former teammates.

He was the number one ranked student in his class, for Kami-sama's sake, and yet a loud-mouthed open target was making him look less important than he was.

The other, said loud-mouthed target, was sitting on the floor, his Chakra replenished twice over, awaiting the chance he would have to start his escape. The Kyuubi, his cloest friend, sometimes sensei, and the source of his ultimate power, had finally come up with a good plan.

As the door opened, Naruto knew that things would have to come to a head, and when they did, he would need to be ready. If he knew anything, it was that someone would have noticed his disappearance, and that someone was coming for him. His attention was drawn, a moment later, to the opening of the cell door, and the exclamation of, "what the hell?"

As he stood, the Shinobi entered the room, a rope hanging on his side. Naruto created three Kage Bunshin, a distraction, while he ran over and knocked the guard out, his fist hardening to the strength of a rock. The Kage Bunshin, his main points of distraction, ran before him, going to the other cells, and finding other people in the same situation.

Sending a mental order, Naruto had them enter the other cells, and free the other two. The first, a tall, muscular male with orange, slitted eyes, jumped out of his cell and said, "arigatou." Naruto, noticing the man bore a Hitai-ate of Kirigakure, nodded and said, "Uzumaki Naruto."

"Kenshin", the man stated."Have you found the others? My partner was with me. If we can find her, I can save our lives."

"How," Naruto asked, "not to doubt you, or anything, but my sensei said that the Akatsuki are S-class nukenin, Kenshin-sama."

The man smiled, "let's just say, Uzumaki-san, that my partner and I have a lot more in common than any Akatsuki-nin. Now, will you help me find her?"

"Hai," the Chuunin said. "Good," he said, giving Naruto a picture, "her name is Seiyo and she is a Jounin like myself. She was down this hall last time I saw her."

As a pain-filled scream reverberated off of the walls, Naruto turned and ran down the opposite hall. He accessed a small part of his Chakra and honed in on his voluntary changes. Closing his eyes, Naruto barely missed a wall when he opened them and said, "Mokuchishi!"

As time around him slowed, barely, Naruto turned at breakneck speeds, hitting away small groups in his haste to find the woman named Seiyo. As he approached a cell, Naruto heard a yell say, "Uzumaki-san, I have Seiyo!"

Naruto turned, his hands burning as he touched the cell door, and turned to walk away when a voice say, "Naruto-kun?"

He froze, noticing out of the corner of his eye the guards standing. As he turned, Naruto paled and said, "Yugito-chan?"

Then, sudden realization came over him and he said, "KUSO! You mean they're collecting Jinchuuriki?"

He placed his hand to the bar, intending to rip it out when a menacing black Chakra covered the bars, and Kyuubi hissed, Nibi isn't feeling to friendly at the moment, gaki.

Naruto nodded, flaring his own Chakra a bit and trying again, surprised when the feeling intensified.

"What's wrong with Nibi-sama?" Naruto asked, and Yugito laughed. "She's hurt, angry and almost completely out of Chakra, Naruto-kun. Help me."

Naruto nodded, surprised when two flares of Chakra came around the corner. Naruto went defensive, as a deep brown, ugly Chakra and a large, red Chakra filled the air.

"Are you hurt, Naruto-san?" Kenshin called out, and Naruto sighed. "Hai," the Chuunin said as the man rounded the corner, his cold eyes following the scene before him. "You did not answer our call earlier, I assumed you were hurt? Are you chatting with a prisoner?"

Naruto shook his head, "No, I'm trying to figure out a way of getting my friend out of here," and said, "Yugito-chan, are you hurt?"

"Fine," the Kunoichi from Kumogakure stated, "running low on Chakra here at the moment, Naruto-kun."

Naruto smiled. Flowing through a set of seals, Naruto said, "we need to get you out. I'll try a Raiton jutsu."

"NO!" The woman said, "there is water in here, Naruto-kun. I cannot get free using that, or my body will die."

"I will release her," the woman beside Kenshin said. "I am well versed in this type of situation."

Then, she grabbed the door and winced, her Chakra flaring in response. "Which are you!" the woman shouted.

Startled, Naruto winced and said, "so it's true then? When I saw Yugito-chan, I figured you were like us, too."

"A child? You are a Jinchuuriki, Child?"

"Hai," Yugito said, "he carries the Kyuubi no Kitsune."

"Kyuubi, in Konoha? How did that happen?" the woman asked, "I'm suitably impressed."

Naruto grinned. "Arigatou."

After Yugito was released, she said "Nii Yugito, Kumogakure."

"Kenshin and Seiyo, Kirigakure." the two Mist-nin introduced themselves. Naruto smiled, "Uzumaki Naruto, Konohagakure."

"As pleasing as it is to meet you all, I must insist that we retreat ourselves as fast as possible." Seiyo stated. "I agree," Kenshin muttered. Naruto turned, looking sheepish, and rubbed the back of his head. Yugito, who had remained quiet during the exchange, nodded in agreement, and said, "I, of course, concur."

"Good," Kenshin said, "then, unless you have any better ideas, here's what I think we should do."

As the Kiri-nin detailed his plan, three identical grins covered the faces of his comrades.

Jiraiya

Jiraiya sighed as he eyed his partners. They had spent the last several hours of information gathering, and only know had the five of them come up with a viable plan of extraction. As the white-haired Sannin sprinted to his point of entry, the man pressed the communication device on his ear.

"Are you all in place? Status report!" He ordered.

"Genma here, in position."

"YOSH!" Gai stated.

"Maa, the cat just got away. Kakashi in position."

"Here Jiraiya," Asuma smiled. "Ready."

Jiraiya nodded. "Alright, on my signal."

Soon, the wall in front of Jiraiya exploded in. Jiraiya ran forward, wincing at the sound of snapping bone under him. Catching the sight of a red clouded cloak, Jiraiya sighed. Simultaneous blasts were heard throughout the compound, as the rest of his team entered the sanctuary.

Light flooded in front of him, Asuma's gaunt gaze meeting Jiraiya's questioning eyes. The Jounin son of the Third Hokage growled, preparing to strike. Jiraiya met his gaze, and the two nodded, ducking their heads as they ran forward.

The sound of a similar blast came from up ahead as they passed a corner, a resounding crunch causing the jounin beside him to pale. They ran forward, where a Suna-nin lay, with a distant look in his cold eyes. Asuma cursed and said, "I know him. That's Yuura, one of Suna's closest advisors."

Jiraiya simply nodded, as the dangerous, glint filled face of Genma entered, stepping over the rubbage.

They ran forward, and for the first time encountered resistance. Two men stood in front of them, their cloaks glittering as light seemed to refract. The blonde turned toward them and said, "Sasori, we've got intruders yeah!".

Sasori turned around, the bundle on his back causing the hunched man great pains. "We don't have time for this. Deidara, take care of them."

Deidara nodded and smiled, running forward at a high rate. As he neared, a pidgeon comes out of his pocket, and flies at the trio.

Jiraiya's eyes widen, and a second later, a wall of earth had risen in front of them. Seconds later, a small explosion met their ears. "Sasori, former member of the Red Sands, and Deidara, a clay explosive specialist. Asuma, you're better at short ranged attacks than I am. It was the one area Sarutobi-sensei always had problems with in my training. You take Sasori. I'll take care of Deidara. Genma, you watch our backs."

The two nod at him. Jiraiya looks at his team mates and, simultaneously, the three nod. Suddenly, a second explosion hit the wall in front of them, and a voice said, "I think they ran away, Sasori."

"Would you destroy the wall already, I'm tired of waiting."

Deidara laughed, but by then Jiraiya had heard enough. Extending his right hand, Jiraiya focused Chakra into his hand and said, "Rasengan!"

Asuma and Genma looked on as a giant hole was blasted through the wall, the pieces that fell on top of the Rasengan speeding forward and blasting the two S-ranked Nukenin.

Asuma immediately ran over to Sasori and said, "You'll now face Sarutobi Asuma of the Kaji juunikeishu ninja."

Sasori growled under his breath, and whipped off his cloak. Soon, a large, white skeleton flew from his side and Sasori said, "you'd better not bore me."

Asuma smirked, dropping his cigarette onto the ground. With that, he pulled out his two trench knives, which glowed a soft blue. Sasori growled under his breath, and ran forward, as the leader of the Sarutobi clan jumped over his head. Asuma turned to kick the Suna nukenin, but was surprised when Sasori brought the skeleton to life, revealing its true nature.

Not to be outdone, Asuma held the chakra enhanced knives out, and sliced through one tier. He ran forward, dodging the errant strikes.

"You cannot defeat the will of fire," Asuma said, his father's words echoing in his spirit. Sasori snorted, and threw the puppet straight at him. Not having time to dodge, Asuma threw one of his knives and said, "Kawarimi!"

He puffed out of existance, and ended right behind Sasori, taking a chunck of the slow man's armor as he did so. Asuma had struck the first blow.

Deidara wasn't, on the other hand, faring as well as his team mate. Since Jiraiya had taken it upon himself to fight the claymore weilding wildman, Deidara had depleted his supply of clay fighting the man off. Around him, the scattered debris of his best creations, were mixed with the blown through stone structure of their hideout.

Deidara ran forward, weilding one last creation, and threw it toward the white-haired Sannin. Suddenly, a killing intent flowed through Deidara, and he found himself in front of his creation. Deidara winced, prepared to take a direct hit when Sasori's puppet intercepted the blow, shredding it to pieces.

The two S-ranked nukenin glared at the intruders. Suddenly, a fourth explosion, further up the hall, garnered their attention. "Ninpou: Kabe-nuke no Jutsu!"

Jiraiya took the oppurtunity presented to him, and struck Deidara in the chest with a fire dragon missile. Deidara screamed as his body was forced to stand against the wave of fire in front of him.

As he collapsed, Jiraiya growled. The body fell away to reveal another shinobi.

Asuma, quit holding back. These aren't the real Akatsuki, they're just corpses used as a diversion. Kakashi, Gai, did you copy?"

"Maa," Kakashi said, "we understand. Gai..." he said. Whatever he said was cut off as a yell of, "YOSH!"

The three shinobi then looked at each other and ran ahead. When they caught up, the ground was littered with bodies, and Kakashi was looking at Gai, who had a look of superiority on his face.

"I have eighteen, Kakashi! You have seventeen!"

Kakashi struck out and sent the still chirping Chidori though another enemy. "Maa, Gai, I have eighteen also."

Jiraiya looked at Kakashi and nodded. The man nodded and said, "Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu!"

A group of dog summons appeared. The leader, a pit bull, said, "Kakashi? What's up?"

Kakashi looked at Genma, who pulled out a black suit and said, "can you track this scent, Pakkun?"

Pakkun nodded. He held the suit out to the other dog summons. They took in the scent. Kakashi nodded and said, "GO!"

The dog's scattered about, going in each direction. Kakashi looked around and said, "all we can do now is wait."

It didn't take long, suddenly, Pakkun was back. He looked at the waiting Shinobi and said, "I've found them. The area they're held at is under heavy Genjutsu. I doubt even you'd be able to see past it, Kakashi. It's just up this way."

The group nodded, Kakashi in front, Genma behind him. Gai in the middle. Asuma was after him, and Jiraiya was behind them. The group moved swiftly. They stopped in front of a wall. Jiraiya stepped toward it and felt. He said, "you're right. I know it's a Genjutsu, but it still feels real. Obviously, it was made so even the Sharingan couldn't see though it."

Kakashi nodded and said, "Maa, I wish Kurenai was here."

Jiraiya shook his head as a faraway look grew in his eyes. Nodding, Jiraiya closed his eyes and went through a seal set. "Kai," the Sannin said. As the wall disappeared in front of them, Jiraiya walked in.

As the other's did so, the wall reappeared behind them. Jiraiya looked around, and cursed.

The reason was clear. In front of them, a man and woman, one glowing a sickly blue, the other a horridly bright orange, were glaring at them. The killing intent in the room was palpable. Jiraiya walked forward, trying to introduce himself when he saw a sight that made him pale.

The woman, glowing orange, had whisker marks on her face. Her eyes were slitted, and her teeth were slightly elongated in the front. The worst, though, were the six tails protruding out of her backside. On her forehead, the symbol for Kirigakure was prominent, and Jiraiya swore, as he got closer, that the woman was starting to make small, hissing sounds.

The man, a pale blue surrounding him, also had slightly longer whiskers. His nose was heightened, and his pupils dilated to the point that Jiraiya was sure he didn't miss anything. Out of his back were three tails of Chakra. Behind them, Jiraiya was relieved to see, was Naruto. He was carrying a woman, a very beautiful woman the sannin noticed, who it looked was running low on chakra.

She was also, he noticed, glowing a black Chakra, and had two tails behind her. Jiraiya paled, though, as he saw Naruto.

Naruto's furious red Chakra was surrounding him, and instead of three tails like he anticipated, there were four. Naruto's features were more noticable too, his eyes were slit like, and his whisker marks were deeper than before. On his arm, the furous chakra was sticking to him like fur, and claws eminated from his fingers.

"You're all Jinchuuriki," Jiraiya asked. The four of them were all on guard, the killing intent in the room bringing the jounin behind him to their knees. Jiraiya sighed and closed his eyes. He flowed Chakra to his eyes and opened them, shooting his own Killing intent out. The enraged jinchuuriki were set aback.

Orange walked forward. Jiraiya said, "I came to rescue Naruto."

She paused and looked back, surprised that Naruto wasn't moving. The Sannin looked over at his student and said, "Naruto, Tsunade-sama asked me to retrieve you. Are you able to come?"

Naruto didn't move. Behind him, the Jounin were starting to move. "Naruto, it is me. If you need proof, just ask. I know in this state, you can't be fooled by Genjutsu."

Naruto glared and held out his hand. A sickly feeling flowed over Jiraiya, as a red filled ball of Chakra filled his students hand. Naruto held out his hand and Jiraiya merely nodded.

The other Jinchuuriki, as well as the Konoha jounin watched, as a similar blue ball filled his hand. Jiraiya said, "Rasengan."

Naruto looked around, his eyes telling the others that they could trust the people in front of him. He lifted the woman leaning on him, over his shoulder, and carried her toward the five shinobi.

"Sensei," Naruto's gruff voice said looking to Genma. "Ero-Sennin."

Jiraiya smiled. Then, noticing that Naruto's companions weren't coming, said, "Would you like to come with us? We can contact Kirigakure and let them know you're alive."

The jinchuuriki looked at him, and then to each other, and nodded. They walked forward, and toward the wall. They approached the wall. "We can't get out. We've tried."

"It's a genjutsu. One placed here before anyone was held prisoner here. It's as natural as the surrounding. The only reason we found it, was because of Pakkun."

"Which one is this Pakkun?" The woman glowing orange asked. Jiraiya held out his arms, where the pitbull said, "hello."

The woman looked in the dog summons eyes, and smirked as Pakkun paled and said, "um... bye Kakashi."

Jiraiya guffawed as a killing intent again filled the room. The group turned.

"Uchiha Itachi," the man stated.

Itachi sighed and looked around. He walked forward and nodded, his eyes flashing through to the Mangekyou sharingan. Kakashi frowned, and pulled his Hitai-ate over his eye. "Go," he said, "I'll only be able to match him."

The group nodded and Kakashi said, "It's been a long time, Itachi."

Itachi sighed and caught his eye. Less than a second later, Itachi said, "seventy-two hours of torture, Kakashi. You can come out now, Gai."

Gai ran forward and grabbed Kakashi. He kept his eyes low to the ground and said, "I will face you, if I must. Itachi."

"You hold no challenge, Gai. Leave if you must, and take Kakashi with you."

The jounin didn't need to be told twice. He disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Border Amegakure

Gai stood puzzled as Kakashi motioned to be let down. He sighed, covering his Sharingan clad eye with his blank hitai-ate once again. He walked forward and said, "may I borrow a scroll, Jiraiya-dono?"

Jiraiya nodded and watched as Kakashi wrote a message down. He then said, "Uchiha Itachi is working under Hokage Special Order 7. He asked me to send a message along to the current Hokage. If you will pass this message along to Tsunade-sama, I would appreciate it. This cannot leave us, Jiraiya-dono. I, because I was his captain in ANBU before he left Konoha. You, because you are a Sannin."

Jiraiya nodded and placed the scroll in his backpack, as the man said, "I'll see you in a few years. We're leaving Amegakure tonight."

Jiraiya nodded and said, "be well, Kakashi."

"Well," he said as he passed into Kusa no Sato. "let's go."

The group, Naruto still holding the woman in a fireman's carry, ran forward as fast as possible.

Konohagakure

Tsunade sighed as she signed the last paper for the day. The order sitting on her desk was one to make four ranking shinobi nukenin for undertaking an illegal mission. The order, signed by the Konoha Council, had also placed a bounty on the head of Uzumaki Naruto, and all it needed was the Hokage's signiture.

Across from her, Hiashi was glaring at the paper also, hoping that it would burst into flame. He looked at Tsunade, counting down the final minutes of her forty-eight hour deadline.

Hiashi glared and said, "Tsunade-sama."

She glared back at him and said, "Where the hell did they find Council Special Order 57?"

Hiashi sighed and said, "When it was declared that Uzumaki Naruto was no longer the concern of the Konoha Council, they set out to force your hand. The idea was to delay sending someone out for Naruto, until they could be sure he was dead. Since you reacted faster than they, it was decided that you were acting based off the needs of one, and not the needs of many. They then wrote and enacted Council Special Order 57 which states that the Konoha Council has the right to overrule any action taken by the Hokage, if it threatens Konohagakure."

"And they decided that sending out a Sannin and three Jounin to recover a Chuunin of this village, and Yuujou to the Kazekage is a bad thing?"

Hiashi stopped and said, "Uzumaki Naruto is the Yuujou of the Kazekage?"

She nodded. Hiashi stood, as the clock struck noon. He cursed, as the door opened and two elders, Homura and Koharu, said, "Well, Tsunade. Sign the paperwork."

She glared, dipping her quill into the pot on her side.

The quill was a second away from touching the paper when Jiraiya entered the room. She smirked and stood. "Report!"

Jiraiya looked at the situation and said, "what is going on here?"

Homura sighed, his back bent as he walked out the door. "Nothing, nothing at all, Jiraiya-san."

Jiraiya glared and moved to the side. Naruto entered, walking forward and embracing the woman.

"Naruto-kun," she said happily. "It is good to see you are alright."

Naruto smiled. "It is good to be back, Tsunade-baachan."

The woman's grip around his head hardened. "Mission was a success, Tsunade. We retieved Naruto exactly one day ago, along with Tatakai Kenshin and Seiyo, and Nii Yugito. They are also Jinchuuriki, Kenshin containing the Gobi, Seiyo the Rokubi, and Yugito the Nibi. Akatsuki were holding them in separate cells, draining each of them of their chakra, to make escape impossible."

"Then how do you explain this?"

"They underestimated the amount of Chakra that Jinchuuriki contain. Yugito alone as enough to level Konohagakure should she be made made enough, and she's statistically speaking, the weakest among them."

"Welcome to Konohagakure." Tsunade said, "I will arrange apartments for each of you, until you decide what your plans are."

Kenshin said, "with respect, Hokage-dono, we would like to return to Kirigakure. We were taken in the night, and would like to return. I would request you send a mesage to the Mizukage, informing him of our return."

She nodded and turned to Yugito. The woman said, "I, unlike them, was betrayed by Kumogakure. After I returned with the Hero's Water, the Raikage was assassinated and I was framed for her death. Naruto can affirm, after having met the Raikage, that I was next in line for the position.

I was held in their prisons for a number of months after this, Hokage-sama. Then, two members of the Akatsuki, Kakazu and Hidan, arrived. I was set for extraction tomorrow. I thank you for arriving, Naruto-kun."

Naruto smiled.

"It is good to see each of you. Naruto-kun, I am happy that you are alive and well. I am also sorry that my colleagues on the council tried to abandon you to death. It is my understanding that Neji still occupies your residence, should you like to see him."

Naruto nodded to Hiashi and said, "arigatou, Hiashi-sama."

Yugito smiled and said, "Hokage-sama, I respectfully request to join Konohagakure as a Kunoichi. As my last act as a Kunoichi of Kumogakure, I would request that you release the details on Raiton jutsu to all Konoha shinobi and kunoichi, as well as Kenshin-san and Seiyo-sama, as a return of their kindness."

Tsunade nodded. "Fine, you'll need to sign an official petition to join, of course. But, you can do that tomorrow. As for now, I would ask that Kenshin and Seiyo remain in borders until I can contact the Mizukage and request a delegation come to retrieve you."

"They can stay at my place," Naruto offered. The woman said, "are you sure Neji won't mind?"

Naruto laughed and said, "Neji'll be fine with it, Tsunade-baachan."

She smiled, "alright. Naruto, you're dismissed. Kenshin, Seiyo. Feel free to go to the Kazama Compound. Yugito, I will ask you to write a written request tonight and come by tomorrow. Dismissed."

The woman nodded.

As the jinchuuriki left, an explosion was heard from inside the Hokage's office and Jiraiya yelled, "THEY DID WHAT!"

End Chapter