The Butterfly Effect

"My pack? You make it sound like I'm some kind of leader. I am not a leader. I merely know what I value in this world, and to keep it safe I will weather any hurricane, hunt you down, and kill you. Questions?" Continuation of 'Butterflies'. Character death, Anbu operations, gratuitous violence and some adult situations. May change to M rating.

Arc 2: Peace, writ in blood – Chapter 31 – Consequences

3rd person PoV

8-8

"Sometimes life seems unfair. It always rains the hardest on people who deserve the sun." – Unknown

8-8

Kaminari Ei is not in a good mood. He had thought things through, plotted carefully, and wanted nothing more than to show Konoha and her allies that Cloud is still top dog in the shinobi world.

And now, he's paying the price.

Fourteen clans. Dead. Poisoned by Konoha's agents, no doubt. Only this time, not a slow acting poison. This time, there was no warning, no deal to be struck. Prominent clans of Cloud. Dead. Hundreds of Cloud's shinobi. Dead.

Ei's wife and son, dead.

Darui warned him, warned him that poking at Konoha again was unwise. Now, Darui gets to go home to his girlfriend. Darui gets to tell her bits and pieces of his day. Darui gets to tease her and gets teased in turn.

All Ei has, is this empty house, this empty district… this emptiness within him.

And the last words Darui said before heading home? "Raikage-sama, the first time you poked, you lost a team. The second time you poked, our people were poisoned and only recovered because you begged their Hokage. The third time, hundreds died. What do you think will happen if you continue antagonizing an enemy you didn't have to make?"

Solid advice. And yet, Ei only sees his empty district, his empty house, his empty bed.

"Konoha has no honour!" Ei bellows. "They couldn't face me in battle, so out of fear they struck at those too weak to defend themselves!" Says the man that ordered a team to attack the Namiki clan, and a battalion to attack the Land of Spring. I guess he expected them to defend themselves and die. Maybe that's the difference?

8-8

"Tsuchikage-sama, news just arrived from our contacts in Cloud." Oonoki gazes impassively, wondering just what this news is. "There's been another string of attacks. Fourteen prominent clans, all dead. Shinobi, non-combatants, even children and infants. All dead. Cloud suspects it's Konoha again, and they also suspect whoever's behind it only acted because of Cloud's company arriving in Spring."

"You mean attacking, don't you?" Oonoki doesn't like where this is going.

"No, sir. They never threw a single kunai. They were all but wiped out with a jutsu… a familiar jutsu, sir." The man explains nervously. Oonoki motions for him to get on with it. "Lava Release: Pyroclastic Flow."

How… damning. That's a well-known jutsu from Stone. If Ei, in his grief-stricken idiocy, gets it in his head that Stone was behind that attack…

"And you're sure they suspect Konoha?" Oonoki demands.

"Positive." The man assures him. "We're… not behind that, are we?"

"Of course not!" Oonoki bellows, almost throwing out his back. "But the fact remains that that is one of the jutsus stolen from Stone. Ei isn't going to be his most… analytical right now. Anything that points to a vent for his emotions will be attacked."

Oonoki shakes his head, wondering if there's a team in Stone, lying in wait, only needing the order to attack. "I need a meeting with the Shinobi Council. Now." The messenger stutters out that he will see to it personally, before quickly shuffling out of the room. Oonoki shouting is scary. Oonoki controlling himself almost too carefully, however…

Oonoki didn't survive fifty-plus years as Tsuchikage because of his strength; one of the reasons he knows this Ei won't make it another five years at the rate he's going. Third generation of Kaminaris to rule over Cloud, each generation getting stupider and stupider.

No, Oonoki survived because he knows when to cut his losses and save as many lives as he can. And right now, this war is looking more and more like a lost cause to him. He already suspects that Namiki Aya got her hands on the stolen jutsu library – how is unimportant. That means that Namiki was in Spring. That means that Konoha has in fact deployed troops already and will be sending word, a final warning, that they are in fact ready for war. Then it's up to the recipient to either buck up or bow out – both choices looking less and less like good choices.

Considering the two decisive blows –three if you include the warning shot– Cloud's been dealt, Oonoki doesn't doubt that things need to cool off. And quickly.

Now how can he do that, while putting the blame on Cloud and those other idiots? After all, Oonoki's been extremely careful not to show Stone's involvement. Even if those minor countries hate him for it, even if they hate Stone for it… they agreed, so it's on them.

8-8

"Danzo-sama, Stone is calling for an emergency shinobi council meeting." Fu relays. "The seals are in place, a full report of the meeting will be brought in as soon as it becomes available. And the highlights will be called in."

Danzo nods gravely. He's more than a little curious if Oonoki is getting cold feet. After all, he'd no doubt have heard about the attacks in Cloud. And the reports on Namiki in Spring won't do him any favours. At this rate, it would take Oonoki himself on the battlefield to spur his shinobi on. Same for Ei with Cloud's troops.

A kage on the battlefield is not something that starts a war, it's a sign that the war's at its peak or ending. And doing that now will make them look weak in history books. Even if they win the war, just fact that they had to fight the war themselves is damning.

This is why Danzo is grateful Tsunade is currently unable to join the war effort. A dodge, perhaps, but this will ensure Konoha shows her Hokage isn't her only defender. After all, wars are fought and won by soldiers, not by leaders.

"What's the status from the Hokage Team?" Danzo asks.

"All's quiet. Jiraiya-sama is still with her, and the Hayashi women haven't left her side." Fu answers.

"And the gate team?" Danzo presses. One thing he's learned, just because you thought of it first, doesn't mean the enemy won't use it against you. He's been having the gates monitored to make sure no plausible threats fly in under the radar.

"Three plausible threats identified. Already rerouted to Hokage-sama's Anbu and are monitored around the clock." Fu offers.

Good. Good.

"Correction. Two plausible threats. One suspect was just brought in. Ibiki's seeing to him now."

Better.

People may not like Danzo, but he's good at what he does.

8-8

Days later, in Ryuuhou, Mitsuzaka Tetsuhiko is just coming from a meeting himself – a conference call really. One with the daimyo of Land of Lightning, Tsunade-him in Konoha and her most fanatic guard, Jiraiya of the Sannin. The poor daimyo was so busy apologizing for his Raikage's mistakes that nothing else was discussed. Why?

Because reports have come in the so far three towns were razed, Lightning's people scattered but alive. In any other situation, their daimyo would have been FURIOUS. But, seeing as Cloud struck first, and repeatedly, there really isn't anything to do but to heel, roll over, and beg.

It's especially damning for Lightning –and Cloud particularly– that not one life has been lost other than the attacks on Cloud. However thousands have had to flee from their homes, families uprooted. War is an ugly thing, but when you have to send out the army to house your people, when you have to consider the structural damages, and the damage to the trust once unequivocally offered to Cloud's shinobi forces to protect the people of Lightning…

"Mitsuzaka-dono, another call." Tetsuhiko turns to his assistant, questions in his eyes. "The daimyo of the Land of Waterfall." The grin on his face says so much more than it should.

"I'll be right there, I just want to stretch my legs. Start the conference call with Tsunade-dono as well. I'm sure she'll need to hear whatever needs to be said." She bows and leaves without another word. "Oh me, oh my. It would seem that everyone's getting jittery. Why then, did they start beating the war drums?" Tetsuhiko asks no one in particular. "Maybe I should act pre-emptively and call the daimyos of Grass and Rain? I have no doubt they'll want words with me soon."

He shrugs and heads back into the conference room to see what's so important that he has to be called by two daimyos in one day.

8-8

Wolf is not impressed. She's being attacked by dozens, hundreds… soldiers and samurais alike. She's done her best to not take lives if she can help it. But frankly, if after your weapon melts in your hands, if you try to strike at her or her team then you die.

She does like that when she channels lava release chakra into her kodachi, that it glows a bright pink. And she certainly likes how her blade will melt through anything it touches. She especially likes that.

"Na-na-na-na-na-namiki AYA!" She isn't too impressed with the cowering idiots though. Still, better to run and live than fight an enemy you can't win against.

"OI! SHE'S NOT THE ONLY NAMIKI HERE!" Miwako cries out, already slicing through another few idiots. Unlike Aya, Miwako couldn't care less how many she kills. In fact, Miwako's whole team couldn't care less – maybe Keito could, if he tried. The quicker this war ends, the less likely Aya is to break. So, they plough through the enemies, making sure they know beyond reasonable doubt that fighting isn't the smarter choice.

Team Wolf, however, is pretty much having the time of their lives. Hoshie finds that she enjoys the smell of fear on a man three times her age and at least four times her size. She especially likes how people freak out when they see three different versions of Namiki Aya in the battle. After all, Aya and Hoshie both take after their mother. The only difference is size, and Aya with her scar and glasses. All Hoshie does is cackle madly as another group tries to overpower her. "Bring it!"

Sakiko isn't any different from Hoshie in this – other than the looks. She's quite proud of her Namiki heritage, adopted or no. To inherit just a fraction of her Aya-nee's reputation, and having Aya-nee herself training her day in, day out? The highest honour for her. So each time someone is stupid enough to try to get close to her Aya-nee, she snaps, creates a Sound Ball and rams it into their ear! Oh, Sakiko gets a twisted pleasure from messing with people.

Katsuo isn't too different in this. He mostly keeps out of the fighting, if he can help it, but he's slit his fair share of throats using his Namiki shuriken. Mostly he's keeping close to his Kiko, and keeping an eye on Hoshie and Aya-nee. If anyone gets too close, he'll happily slit another few dozen throats.

Chouji is trying to show he's not just here for show. Well, that and making sure to thin the numbers before they even get to his wife. He's quite happy with his new bo staff, but he isn't too happy at the effect it has on human flesh. There are only so many times he can smell burnt flesh… And yet, each time his staff melts through his opponent's throat or chest –bones included– all he can think is that this is one more person Aya won't have to kill. He's going to regret it tonight when he tries to sleep though. And he really needs to figure out why Sakiko and Hoshie seem to be enjoying themselves.

8-8

Total distance travelled, one hundred and eighty-two metres. Kill count, four-hundred fifty-nine. Elapsed time, thirty-one minutes even.

"Mi-mi-mi-mitsuza-za-zaka-dono. H-h-h-h-how nice to s-speak with you again." The Waterfall daimyo isn't quite himself. Maybe it's seeing Team Wolf and Team Rabbit in his throne room? Just two teams tore through his guards, his samurais, everyone!

"Nakadan-dono, is that you. You look a little pale, old friend." Tetsuhiko teases. "What seems to be the problem?"

The man tries sipping some tea, he tries clearing his throat repeatedly. He even tries rubbing his tired eyes. He calms down somewhat, but it's obvious he isn't very collected at present. "You're… messengers have just arrived. I… see that declaring war against Konoha was in fact a very stupid and wrong thing to do."

"Oh? Has Aya-chan already made it past your guards? Truly remarkable. Is she alone?" Tetsuhiko asks, amused. That lesser countries still have the guts to try these things. Sure, Earth and Lightning Tetsuhiko can understand. No one, not even Aya or Jiraiya, can take down a Great Five country on their own. It's just not possible. A country like Sound, or Waterfall? Meh.

Again the Waterfall daimyo clears his thoat. "There are nine here. Three of which can't be older than ten years of age."

"That would be the Namiki clan, alright. Let me guess, Aya-chan. You brought Katsuo, Hoshie and Sakiko along with you?" Tetsuhiko asks, if anything even more amused now. Having Aya be so ferociously loyal to Konoha and the Land of Fire is one thing, having her raising and training three that are just as loyal and are now aiding in her conquests? Tetsuhiko is quite the happy man.

"Got it in one!" Miwako enthuses.

"Ah, and Miwako-chan too? Well, well. Nakadan-dono, I surely think you are right. Declaring war on Konoha was foolish. Whatever were you thinking?"

"Hnn?" Tsunade sounds confused. "Aya-chan, weren't the Uchihas', Uzumakis' and Kakashi's teams with you?"

"We spilt up." Aya answers simply. "They're taking out Hidden Waterfall."

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what!?" Two teams taking out his entire guard is hard to image. Three taking out his hidden village!?

"What? I've taken out hidden villages with a smaller team." Aya intones, her blank stare unnerving Nakadan. "Surrender." She demands, her kodachi pointing at him and glowing ominously.

8-8

Meanwhile in Hidden Waterfall, Shibuki isn't having a much better time than his daimyo – not that he knows what's going on in the capital. All of their civilians are already bound by some black ropes he can't seem to identify. Most of his shinobi and bound my eerie, ghostlike chains that seem to spring up from the ground. Those that aren't bound by these chains are obviously hypnotised, and now sporting three tomoes in their eyes, just like those four Uchihas.

Shibuki had hoped to strike a decisive blow to Konoha. But if three teams –one of which hasn't lifted a finger yet– can take out his whole corps?

"Hey, uh, I'm not sure if you've figured it out yet… but we're purposely not killing anyone. If you keep rubbing the bridge of your nose like this isn't happening, we'll start making other plans." Mikoto offers 'helpfully'. The whole time all she can time is how good it feels to be out on missions with her boys and daughter-in-law.

"Uchiha-san, whether I surrender or not is irrelevant at this point." Shibuki drones, still pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Actually no, it isn't. You see, if you surrender, no one has to die. But, by all means, stick your head in the sand. I'm sure a few hundred deaths won't weight too heavily on you."

"I can't surrender. Only the daimyo can." Shibuki presses. He still wonders what possessed that man to declare war on Konoha.

"Maybe you should call him then?" Mikoto suggests. "I'm sure by now Aya-chan's already in his throne room. You might even end up in a conference call with the Fire daimyo and Hokage-sama."

Shibuki isn't sure he likes how certain she sounds. But, he heads to his office anyway, the redhead Uchiha and her husband coming with him – just in case.

The second he sits down, the phone rings. He blinks, but answers nonetheless.

"Sh-shibuki, my boy. Is that you?"

"Nakadan-dono, are you alright?" Shibuki asks, concerned. His daimyo isn't a man given to stuttering, and he certainly never calls sounding like he's about to shit himself.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Listen, you… wouldn't happen to have three teams from Konoha there, would you?" Nakadan asks, almost as if he's begging for a no.

"Yes, milord. I understand you have other Konoha shinobi with you?" Shibuki really doesn't like where this is going.

"You could say that."

"Oi, Aya-chan, we got out side done in fifteen minutes, you?" Asami asks, her tone teasing and let's not forget the obvious smile in there.

"Thirty-one." Aya answers.

"Ha! See that, Sasu-chan, I told you they'd take longer."

"Hnn." Sasuke smirks, liking that they got one up on Aya.

"You didn't take a new samurai clan this time, did you?" Asami presses, her tone still light and teasing.

"No." Aya answers simply.

"Aww, don't be like that Imouto-chan. We know how you usually are. Come on, live a little, sweetie."

"Hnn." Sasuke sounds annoyed this time.

"Fine, fine. Aya, did the daimyo surrender? Or are we supposed to execute the shinobi?" Asami asks, obviously the spokesperson of this relationship.

"He surrendered. Unconditionally." Aya answers. Shibuki doesn't like how blank she sounds. Is she being controlled?

"Good. Thanks. We'll let you know if anyone tries to resist, but frankly Karin is scary good with those Adamantine Sealing Chains of hers. Jeez, if you'd take her along, we'd probably have taken hours." Asami tries teasing a reaction out of Aya, but she isn't too surprised when the line simply goes dead. "Well, let's go Shibuki-chan. You have to tell your shinobi what your daimyo decided. But don't worry, we might actually walk away and leave you alone if you're smart enough to not fight us."

"Surrendering before we can even throw a kunai. Father must be turning in his grave."

"Hnn." Sasuke frowns. "You declared war on Konoha. Moron."

8-8

Not surprisingly, not one Waterfall shinobi was dumb enough to try to attack the Konoha shinobi after that. Frankly, they're glad no one had to die for this. It would have been a slaughter, plain and simple.

"This list is our demands." Mikoto offers professionally. "It includes your shinobi aiding us in our war effort with your former allies."

"Wait, so we get to live AND we get to crack Stone skulls!?" The men sound quite pleased with that. "When do we leave!?"

"We'll let you know. For now, just try to remember that you don't want to piss us off again, dattebayo!" The blond announces.

8-8

Back in the capital, Wolf and her team are just rounding things off. They watch as the idiot calls his buddies in Grass and Rain, and tells them –plainly and unambiguously– that they're been complete idiots for picking a fight with Konoha.

Neither daimyo seems impressed. Even as the Fire daimyo adds his two Ryou, warning them that they'll be next, they laugh it off.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow." Wolf tells the Grass daimyo.

For some strange reason, every available shinobi from Hidden Grass is immediately ordered to come to the capital that same day. How odd.

Wolf knows the next city will be incalculably harder to take. She's fine with it, mostly. She just wants this stupid war to end. And soon. And frankly, she's hoping that Stone will keep playing the 'fence sitters' that they are, so they can focus on one country at a time.

8-8

End Chapter 31

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A/N: Fret not, only Waterfall is falling this easily. Grass is next... then comes Rain. And, who here believes that an emotional and grieving Ei is going to sit this out? His own fault or not, he'll figure out some way to get his shinobi out on the battlefield. But... there's also the political backlash he needs to worry about from the Lightning daimyo... hmm? Just what will that develop into?