So, a short-ish chapter, but at least it's here!

The Best Plan Lasts…

Naruto sat quietly in 'his' tree, waiting for Shika and Shino to bring their teams while Sasuke scouted the town with a Kage Bunshin, Sakura, and the Sand Trio. He was glad that half, including Hinata, of the group he was going to be talking to had already been convinced, otherwise the 'briefing' would have been the stuff of nightmares.

Once Kiba, Ino, and Choji were convinced, it would be time to bring in Kurenai. Between her and Kakashi, they should be able to convince Gai and his team pretty easily, but Asuma… safer to leave him out for now. There was still too much at stake and there was no guarantee that his estrangement would mean he wouldn't feel compelled to warn his father. The Sandiame could not be told, not yet. Not unless they managed to kill Orochimaru before Sarutobi got killed.

But Gai and his team would be great assets once convinced. Their loyalty was rivaled only by the Inuzuka and Aburame, a rare gift.

Thinking of which… both those Clans could probably be safely brought into the know, but it would be difficult to convince them, even with Kiba and Shino helping… Well. That was a plan for another day. Right now, Teams 8 and 10 were coming.

xxxx

"Just how much of an idiot do you think I am?" Kiba demanded, his indigence echoed by Ino.

"Yeah, right. Like I'll believe that."

Naruto sighed, "I don't think you're an idiot, Kiba, and this isn't a prank, Ino," he glanced at Choji, who pulled out a bag of chips and began to munch, not commenting after looking at Shikamaru for a moment.

"I'm just trying to save my village," he finished in a harsh whisper.

Ino was the one to break the uneasy silence. "All right, fine. Let's say we believe you. What would you have us do?"

"Train, first and foremost. I want you to survive what's coming. Train with all the jutsu you know until you can do them in your sleep. Train with weapons and in taijutsu. Train with your families until you have mastered the clan jutsu you know and then learn the next stages up.

Train until you can keep up with Sakura, until teams of any three of you can hold off Sasuke when he's serious. Train both individually and as teams; get to know each other and each other's moves. Be able to work together with anyone I pair you with. Keep training until the six of you can hold off Gaara."

Kiba grimaced, "OK, I believe you."

Ino grinned, "Heck you had me convinced when you used the word 'foremost'."

Naruto glanced to Choji.

"Shikamaru believes you," was all he said.

Naruto nodded, "All right. I have one kinjutsu I'm going to teach you—Kage Bunshin. Don't make more than one at a time until I tell you you can. It's a kinjutsu for a reason. Use it—set one to training with whatever you're training in and it'll speed up your progress. And learn to dodge instead of block whenever possible—you'll last longer."

xxxx

Is that Tayuya? Sasuke wondered, spotting a familiar form several blocks away. He channeled chakra to his eyes briefly, enhancing sight.

Kuso. Snake-face was stepping up his game if he was sending in that freaky lunatic tomboy.

Naruto…

xxxx

Kill her if you get the chance, Naruto ordered darkly, but be careful. She's got the Heaven Seal… and, this time, you don't.

Burn the body? Sasuke asked.

A slight sense of affirmation was the only reply as Naruto turned his attention back to his 'new' recruits. "It looks like we're going to have to step things up a bit," he said wryly. "I should have realized that Orochimaru wasn't going to take getting beaten back in the forest lying down. He's sent in some of his Sealed."

Sasuke had only seen Tayuya, but where she was, more followed.

"Shino, I need you to bring your father here," Shibi he could convince, with Shino's help. Tsume as well. "Kiba, your mother. Hinata, bring Kurenai, but leave Asuma out for now."

Sasuke, get Sakura and the Sand Sibs to find Team Gai and send the lot of them this way. You keep tabs on Tayuya until you have a chance to deal with her.

Things were about to get complicated. At this rate, they might have to bring the Old Man into the know.

Kuso.

xxxx

"My student has done nothing wrong," Kakashi said sternly, glaring at the majority of the Council. Several of the major Clan Heads were missing… and where was the Sandiame?

Something stank of sedition and betrayal.

It was only a minor relief that those main Clan Heads weren't there. There were enough—even Hiashi—there that over half the village was represented.

"His skills are far beyond that of an ordinary Gennin," Hiashi stated, "Do you deny this?"

Kakashi glared, "He is talented. Is it his fault that he had to learn quickly and hide what he learned in order to survive in his own village?"

A few of the Councilmembers shifted uncomfortably, but not nearly enough.

"How can you defend the monster that killed your beloved teacher?"

And that was what it all came down to. The Kyuubi… or was it Juubi now that he had another tail? That aside…

"For one thing," Kakashi bit out, not happy with the line of questioning, "The Kyuubi didn't kill the Fourth. He sacrificed himself in order to stop it's killing rampage. And… even if it had… I seem to have more faith in Arashi-sensei's abilities than any of you. I do not doubt his sealing—the boy is not the demon." A few of the Councilmembers exchanged glances, starting to doubt themselves.

"He must at least be in contact with the beast in order to be so advanced."

Danzo. Damn him.

"Yet he hasn't killed anyone in Konoha, despite years of abuse?" Kakashi asked, knowing enough not to refute the accusation directly. "Does the Hokage know of this… 'meeting'?"

That got a bit more uncomfortable shifting.

Kakashi snorted, "I didn't think so. I'm leaving."

"You have no authority to-"

Kakashi didn't wait to hear the rest of what Danzo had to say. He used shunshin, heading for the Tower. The Hokage had to be informed… and so did Naruto.

xxxx