Second Time's The Charm

by Reader06

Tobirama knew bringing back the dead was possible. He knew that anything was possible in the ninja world. That didn't mean, however, that he ever believed in reincarnation. But here he was, with a new family and a ragtag group of friends, in a village he barely recognized, facing the same demons as before. Would he ever find some peace and quiet?

35. Chapter 33

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"Where do we begin?"

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Tsunade sat at the head of the table, her elbows on the table and her fingers threaded together in a tight grasp. Standing behind her were her two aids: Shizune and Torune. There were present due to their role in assisting Tsunade, but were forbidden from taking part in the discussions. They would only observe and do as they were directed.

Opening her eyes slowly, Tsunade's expression sharpened. "We start at the beginning, with the Village Hidden by a Waterfall."

Koharu shook her head, "Then we already disagree. There is no denying that all this begun with Nara Kanoko."

Danzo nodded, "I agree with you, however, I also believe we should start with the massacre at the Land of Water. Best to start on common ground and move on from there."

Tsunade shifted her eyes from each side of the table. Seeing no objections, she turned to her ANBU commander.

The masked man nodded, "Jiraiya is out in the field right now, trying to gather more information, but for right now, we can confirm the presence of the newly formed group: The Akatsuki. Specifically, the Leaf's own Uchiha Itachi."

Danzo scoffed, his eyes narrowing, "Uchiha Itachi is not one of our own and you would do well to avoid saying such."

If the ANBU Commander flinched, it was covered up by the black dog mask and thick brown cloak.

"Regardless," Homura started, "The other villages will see it differently."

Koharu nodded at Tsunade, "Homura is right. Some will see our presence and Uchiha Itachi's involvement as one in the same. They will conclude this was a deliberate attack by the Leaf. The Sand is already pounding on our door with questions – hence the presence of the late Kazekage's children in our village."

"But they were not so disagreeable to deny a request by our Hokage." The ANBU Commander spoke.

Tsunade closed her eyes and exhaled deeply through her nose, "Those children did not aid us because the request came from me, but rather because of the objective of the mission."

Homura scoffed, a frown on his face, "And now we are back to Nara Kanoko."

Koharu looked between the two, "What do you mean, Lady Tsunade?"

"The youngest, Gaara, suggested that they were only taking the mission due to a debt he owed Nara Kanoko." Tsunade explained

This caught Danzo's interest, "What debt was that?"

The ANBU Commander cut in, "Reports from the Suna Invasion suggest Nara Kanoko removed a dangerous seal from the Jinchuuriki's body. The same mark placed on Uchiha Sasuke's neck by the sannin, Orochimaru."

The room was silent. Tsunade clenched her fingers together, "Orochimaru…"

"We are getting off topic." Koharu spoke suddenly, "We cannot afford to be deviated. Let us wrap of one discussion before leading into another."

Tsunade nodded, "Which leads us back to the massacre at the Village Hidden by a Waterfall. Do we have a solid clue as to why the Akatsuki targeted this village?"

"Besides the obvious?" Danzo told her harshly, "After Itachi's attempted kidnapping of the Leaf's Jinchuuriki-"

"Naruto. His name is Uzumaki Naruto." Tsunade told Danzo, her eyes cold.

Danzo continued as if he wasn't interrupted, "-it is logical to conclude that the Akatsuki's mission was to take their own tailed beast: The Seven Tailed Beetle."

The other members at the table nodded. Homura looked to Tsunade, "They are proceeding faster than Jiraiya anticipated. Is he still planning on taking Uzumaki Naruto from the village?"

The Hokage nodded, "Yes, but not right now. He will need more information on the Akatsuki's movements before it will be safe for Naruto to leave the Leaf."

"Which just leaves us with the fall out. As stated earlier, the other villages will be overly suspicious of our actions that day. We will have to be careful in our interactions with the other villages in the future." Koharu spoke thoughtfully before taking a moment to speak again, "We should put all our shinobi who are chunin rank or higher though the basics of foreign relations. There will be those who will try to provoke reactions out of our shinobi while they are outside the borders of the Land of Fire."

Homura nodded in agreement, "I would support such action. We should take all possible measures to avoid another war."

Tsunade turned her head and nodded to Shizune. The medic quickly jotted down the suggestion and labeled it for immediate action once the meeting was over.

Tsunade looked to the ANBU Commander, "Have you received any updated information on survivors?"

The masked man nodded, "The damage was concentrated outside of their hiddenvillage. It is likely, whatever their goal was, the Akatsuki got what they wanted before reaching the Waterfall's secret village."

The Fifth Hokage nodded solemnly, "If it was the Leaf instead, with their eyes locked on Naruto… I have no doubt in my mind that the fool would rush out there and given himself up, in order to protect the village."

"Even if we offer our help, at this point the Village Hidden in a Waterfall will turn us away. It is best to monitor the situation and provide what assistance we can from a distance. At the same time, we will need to solidify relations with our other allies." Koharu spoke, "Two of our allies have been weakened by nuke-nin originating from Konoha. This will not be overlooked so easily."

Torune took down the information this time.

The room went silent again as they all mentally prepared themselves for the next topic.

Looking at noone in particular, Tsunade spoke tiredly, "Who wants to start?"

Homura quickly jumped to speak, "Lady Tsunade, I think-"

Danzo interrupted Homura, "Leaving Nara Kanoko as an individual out of it for the moment, we cannot allow the Cloud to believe we will just stand idly by as they infiltrate our borders, disrupt the daily operations of our village, and kidnap our people."

"I agree with you Danzo, however, a decision on this topic cannot be made without also discussing Nara Kanoko and whether she plays a direct part in this scheme." Homura spoke low, trying to hold in his irritation at being interrupted.

Koharu leaned forward, her eyes closed as she spoke evenly, "Nara Kanoko is a mystery within a mystery. Her abilities, her knowledge of things before her time, her mental state, her vast skill set - we cannot continue to ignore such feats and pass them off as traits of a prodigy. A real discussion about her intentions, loyalty, and future here in Konoha needs to be had."

Homura smirked, grateful that someone was finally seeing things his way.

"However." Koharu started up again, opening her eyes slowly, "Whether she be a traitor or not, this has very little to do with the Cloud. They could have turned anyone. The fact that they disregarded all agreements made between the two of our villages by, once again, invading our lands and taking our shinobi, is inexcusable."

The ANBU Commander nodded, his arms folded over his chest, "I am inclined to believe Shikaku-san and his daughter. My agents have pursued the reports in the village surrounding Nara Kanoko. They report that these actions were unlikely to have come from the young Nara. For one, the approach was sloppy - unless the intent was to be noticed. Second, I was made aware that Nara Kanoko can perform the late Fourth Hokage's time/space jutsu. I don't believe I need to explain how easy it would have been for her to avoid being spotted. Based on these facts, I am willing to conceive these acts were a show put on by operatives of the Cloud."

Koharu nodded, "Which dovetails into why the Cloud would want to kidnap Nara Kanoko. It is no secret that the Fourth Raikage has always been bitter of the late Namikaze Minato's jutsu – especially after facing off in battle with him. A young, impressionable shinobi with such genius likely appealed greatly to the Raikage's warmonger side."

Homura placed a hand on his chin in thought, "Add in the whisperings of Yamanaka Asami, and it is humiliating to admit we didn't foresee this coming."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, "I'm surprised Homura. I thought you still believed Nara Kanoko was a traitor."

Homura folded his arms, "Do not misunderstand me Lady Tsunade, I still greatly question her motives and actions in all of this. This doesn't mean we shouldn't have foreseen the possibility that another nation would flip Nara Kanoko against us. And it is something we must consider going forward – if this board decides that Nara Kanoko is not to be prosecuted."

"There is another factor here we have yet to talk about." Danzo started, "Not only did the Cloud attempt to take shinobi of the Leaf, but the Leaf's Jounin Commander's daughter. That, alone, should be considered an act of war. The Jounin Commander is essential to Konoha's military. He also holds a detail understanding of both the operations and the security of our village. For another village to hold such leverage over him…"

Koharu nodded, "Shikaku is also our primary war general in both tactics and resource management. We would have been at a great disadvantage if the Cloud had decided on a full invasion after successfully kidnapping Nara Kanoko."

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, a painful headache coming on, "If we go to war with the Cloud, after what happened with the Village Hidden in a Waterfall, we will be without any ally support. In fact, other villages may support the Cloud either out of hate for the Leaf or out of fear of us, believing we were the instigators in this whole situation."

Danzo turned to look at Tsunade, "The Cloud will not admit fault. They will point fingers at us and tell others that we planted Yamanaka Asami in order to start a war." Danzo's tone got darker, "But if we do not act, the Cloud will interpret our inaction as weakness and the next time, because there will be a next time if we do nothing, they will get what they want and we will be left vulnerable because of it."

A deafening silence fell over the room as Tsunade pushed her chair from the table roughly. Standing up, she turned around and walked over to the window. Staring out it, she thought, "What would you do, Grandfather? Would you go to war, sending hundreds or more to their deaths, or would you cripple yourself in the name of peace?"

Tsunade shook her head lightly with a small smirk on her face, "Great-uncle Tobi would simply knock Grandpa out and then put the Cloud in its place – all before lunch." With that thought, a lightbulb went off in Tsunade's head.

Turning around, Tsunade crossed her arms underneath her chest. With a smirk, she spoke, "Then we apply pressure in a different way."

Homura looked to Koharu and Danzo before turning back to Tsunade and speaking carefully, "The Cloud is economically more stable than the Leaf. Our merchants and farmers don't do enough business with the Cloud to have any sort of effect if we forbid them from trade."

"But we don't do enough business with their merchants, either, for them to hold anything against us." Danzo added.

Tsunade's smirk grew, "I'm talking about rubbing poison into an open wound and holding the antidote at arm's length."

Shizune opened her mouth, her face showing clear confusion, but quickly closed it when Torune sent her a look. She silently thanked him as the elders looked at one and another.

Slowly, Koharu asked, "What are you proposing, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade sat back down in her chair, leaning back with her legs crossed and a wicked smirk on her face, "The Cloud is determined to blame us for the witch known as Yamanaka Asami. While we will deny this publically, we will inform the Raikage that the Yamanaka was, in fact, an operative we sent in to learn more about the Cloud's militia and its weaknesses."

Torune's and Shizune's mouths fell open.

Homura choked slightly on his own spit as he struggled to find his words, "Are you insane?! You are provoking war with the Cloud!"

Tsunade smirked, "I didn't say we would tell the Raikage's staff. I said that we would tell the Raikage."

Danzo narrowed his eyes, "You're going to blackmail the Raikage…" The corner of Danzo's mouth lifted slightly, "Perhaps there is hope for the Leaf yet."

Koharu nodded, starting to follow, "The Raikage will take the threat seriously, since he was the one who was compromised. He will refuse to show weakness to his people by starting a war with the Leaf over something he will blame himself for. Instead, the Cloud will recoil and work on cleaning up the mess left behind by Yamanaka Asami."

Homura scoffed, "If he isn't consumed by rage at the gull of our outright extortion plot."

Tsunade frowned, her eyes narrowing, and spoke in a thin tone, "Do you have a better idea?"

Homura sighed, leaning back slightly, "No. There is no easy solution to this problem. You will have to be careful in how you inform him. If anyone else in the Cloud hears of this, they will form a coup against the Raikage. The Raikage will have no choice at that point, then to start a war with the Leaf – if only to distract his people from his own weakness."

"Then we will leave the Cloud situation in your capable hands, Hokage-sama." Koharu spoke, a small smile on her face.

Tsunade smirked back before clapping her hands, "Well, if there is nothing else-"

Homura jumped up, "Lady Tsunade! We have still not addressed the elephant in the room: Nara Kanoko!"

Tsunade frowned, humming low in irritation. Taking a deep breath, Tsunade pointed her darkening eyes at Homura and spoke, "I will only say this once, so I expect everyone to listen."

The Fifth Hokage paused to make sure all eyes were on her before starting, "This council was formed by my sensei, the late Sarutobi Hiruzen – the Third Hokage, to provide advice and input on matters relating to the village as a whole. I respect the knowledge and experience this council provides."

Tsunade's brown eyes sharpened as her expression turned harsh, "However. When it comes to individual shinobi, their development and loyalty to Konoha, I will neither be pressured nor questioned. We have systems in place for determining loyal. We assign trusted chunin and jounin to oversee the training of our ninja. I and a group of qualified shinobi of the Leaf determine which of these shinobi will rise to the rank of chunin and jounin. If you feel that there is gap or weakness in the system, I expect you to file a report, just like everyone else."

The Hokage turned to Homura, making him flinch slightly at the intensity of her chakra, "But if your intent is to waste my time with accusations lacking any concrete evidence, I will consider the quality of your knowledge and experience to have expired."

Koharu jumped in defense of her former teammate, "Lady Tsunade! That is too harsh! You don't know that these claims are factless!"

"And you have no proof that they are." Danzo told Koharu, "The Hokage is correct. This is a waste of time. Nara Kanoko has proved herself a loyal and dedicated shinobi of the Leaf on several occasions – which is more than the majority of the younger generation."

Homura got over his shock and slammed his hands down on the table, "Just what kind of evidence are you look for Tsunade?! Nara Kanoko herself admitted that Jiraiya was not teaching her fuinjutsu! From who is she learning such advance fuinjutsu, if not from Jiraiya?! What about when she fled the village to find Naruto and Jiraiya?! No one knew she was gone until her parents were looking for her! Nara Kanoko is no ordinary ninja! Just lining her up next to her peers, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Neji, is a laugh! They aren't even on the same level! How does a genin, now chunin, become so powerful in the short timeframe of 12 years?!"

Homura panted heavily, having shouted all that out quickly.

"You seem to forget, Homura, who Nara Kanoko is related to." Danzo spoke, his eye closed and his tone even.

"And that information is supposed to comfort us?" The ANBU Commander spoke, "While I find no evidence of disloyalty from Nara Kanoko, there is no doubt in my mind that Rokumaru is looking to fill the power gap left by the Uchiha with the Nara clan."

"Enough!" Tsunade shouted, her voice gruff, "Nara Kanoko is a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, and I will do what I see fit with her, as is my right as the Hokage." Tsunade narrowed her eyes at her audience, "Unless anyone would like to challenge me for that title…"

Eyes shifted away as the room went quiet.

Hearing no arguments, the Fifth Hokage continued, "I will entertain one last concern, if there is one. Though, I warn you… if the words: Nara or Kanoko is in that sentence, you are going to learn firsthand how far I can throw a person."

Silence took over for a moment until Koharu spoke up, "What of... the girl's teammates? The ones that claim she wasn't kidnapped. What of them? Has an interrogation taken place?"

Tsunade rested her head on her hands before answering slowly, "Just after word had travelled that Shikamaru's mission was a success, both were found dead. My medics tell me the likely cause was suicide."

"I see…" Koharu spoke, "Do we have any leads on why they would lie?"

"Yes." Tsunade thought, trying not to look at anyone, "No, but a full investigation will occur."

Koharu nodded before speaking, "Then I have nothing else to ask or add. I will assist your staff members with the education of foreign relations, if you don't mind."

Tsunade nodded, "Not at all." The Hokage looked to the rest of the group, "We are adjourned. You all may leave."

The group nodded to the Hokage as they rose to leave. Tsunade watched them all file out. When the door closed, Shizune spoke, "Wow. That was intense!"

Torune nodded, "I agree. It was rather interesting that Danzo supported Kanoko against the others."

Shizune raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean? I thought you said that Danzo respected those loyal to Konoha."

Torune nodded, "He does. However, before I left on my last mission for Danzo, I overheard the tail end of a conversation between him and Rokumaru. They left on poor terms, to say the least."

Tsunade turned to Torune, "What do you know?"

Torune shook his head, "Not much. Just that they both are planning something and that they have competing interests."

"That doesn't sound good…" Shizune spoke, frowning.

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her forehead as she looked out the window, "No. No it does not."

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"Ahh!"

*THUD*

"Uggg… I hate you…" Shikamaru groaned out, his words slightly muffled by the floor. He was currently spread out, flat on his stomach, with his face pressed into the ground.

Kanoko leaned over slightly, looking down at her brother from on top of the bed. Raising an eyebrow, she spoke, "I warned you. No drooling. Ever."

Shikamaru turned his head to glare tiredly at his sister, "I was sleeping… How was I supposed to know I was drooling?"

Kanoko shrugged, "The rest of us seemed to have it figured out."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "And just how many other people do you sleep with?"

The only answer Shikamaru got was a pillow to the face.

The sound of the door opening caused both siblings to turn from each other and look up at the door curious. Blinking a couple times at the scene, Sasuke decided to ignore the Nara on the ground and turned his head towards the one in the bed.

"Yes Sasuke?" Kanoko asked, curious as to why the Uchiha would be in her hospital room.

A couple seconds passed before Sasuke spoke, "Can I speak to you…" Sasuke look down at Shikamaru, "…alone?"

"No." Shikamaru answered before his sister could. He was now sitting up and staring blankly at Sasuke – his eyes locked on.

Kanoko rolled her eyes at her brother, "Ignore him." Kanoko started to push off the sheets, "I wanted to visit Sakura anyways. We can talk and walk."

Shikamaru got up quickly and stood in his sister's path with his arms crossed, "You, literally, just got checked into the hospital. You aren't going anywhere."

The younger Nara's eye twitched, "Since when do you tell me what to do?" Kanoko stared at her brother. Inside, she was just plain confused, "He'll bitch, gripe and moan, but demand? Order? I didn't think he knew how…"

Shikamaru didn't move.

Kanoko shifted her eyes from her brother to Sasuke, "Give us a couple minutes." She told Sasuke.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but turned around and closed the door behind him as he walked out.

Turning her eyes back to Shikamaru, Kanoko spoke, "What is going on Shikamaru? First you're being clingy, which isn't all that usual now that I'm saying it out loud, and now you're ordering me around?"

Shikamaru slid his hands in his pockets and stared at his sister, eyes half-lidded, "Barely half a day ago you face off against a possessed Tou-san, a demon-like Naruto and who knows how many Cloud shinobi. You're suffering from a stomach wound, chakra exhaustion, and a head wound – which would explain so much if this wasn't normal for you."

His fists tightened in his pockets, his tone getting harsher, "And just weeks before this, you come home with a half healed hole in your chest. Barely a month before that, it was internal bleed and, what do you know, chakra exhaustion! Again!"

Shikamaru gritted his teeth, his whole body tensing up as he yelled at Kanoko, "And before that you nearly died! You think I didn't feel that?! You think I don't feel any of it?! I do! I felt every punch, kick, stab, blast, burn… I could go on!"

Kanoko's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "You mean you don't know how to suppress it?" Kanoko shrugged, "I didn't realize. I apologize. I can certainly teach you how to block it-"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Shikamaru roared at her.

The former Hokage was rendered speechless. She had seen Shikamaru this passionate on only a handful of occasions and not one could she recall him aiming it all at her.

Shikamaru let out a shaky breath. He rubbed his face with his palm and counted backwards to calm himself down. Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru spoke again. This time calmer, but still a little shaky, "I don't want to suppress it. If I suppress it, the not knowing if you are ok or if you're dying in a ditch somewhere…"

"I… don't know what you want from me, Shikamaru." Kanoko admitted honestly.

Shikamaru shook his head, giving her a tired look, "I know. And me asking you isn't going to change anything."

Kanoko looked into her brother's eyes, hoping to find the answer. When she didn't find one, she looked out the window.

Shikamaru stared at the bed Kanoko once occupied.

Nothing but the faint noises of the hospital's computers was heard as the two siblings stared at anything other than each other.

"What would it take… for you to stop throwing yourself around like your life is expendable?" Shikamaru asked quietly.

Kanoko exhaled deeply through her nose, closing her eyes as she did, "Shikamaru…" Kanoko stopped to turn to her brother, looking at his face while he looked away, "It is my duty and my responsibility to defend this village, its people, and those I care about to the fullest of my ability."

Shikamaru bit the inside of his cheek, still refusing to look up at his sister.

Kanoko started to move until she was standing at his side – each sibling facing the opposite direction. Looking towards the door, Kanoko spoke quietly, "I would never forgive myself if I gave any less, and something horrible happened because of it."

The room fell silent again as Kanoko opened the door.

Taking another breath, Kanoko whispered, "Especially if that cost ended up being you."

And with that, Kanoko walked out, closing the door gently behind her.

Shikamaru stood there, staring blankly at the bed before him. Biting down on his bottom lip, his mind started to run at a thousand miles per hour. The image of his sister being slammed continuously into the side of the cliff, the moment when Naruto's demonic claws sunk into her skin, her tired, battered body struggling to pull herself up as they traveled back to Konoha – all of it replayed over and over in his head.

He knew she wouldn't stop. He knew she wouldn't listen to him. And he knew that this wasn't going to be the last time he stood in the middle of a hospital room, worrying about his sister.

Perhaps that was what had him the most worried. That one of these times, it would be the last time he stood in the middle of the hospital, wondering if she was going to make it or not.

One of these times, it was going to be "not".

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Kanoko approached Sasuke, who was leaning his back against the wall with his arms crossed. When he saw her approach, he pushed off the wall. Looking over her shoulder, he raised an eyebrow at her.

Kanoko shook her head and started walking in the direction of Sakura's room.

"What did you need to speak with me about?" Kanoko asked, her eyes focused ahead.

Sasuke paused, before speaking low but clear, "I want you to train me."

Kanoko stopped suddenly.

Still staring at the path ahead, Kanoko paused before speaking, "I've changed my mind. Let's go to the roof." And with that, Kanoko turned towards the stairwell.

After making their way up the stairs and to the roof in silence, Kanoko walked over to the edge and placed a hand on the railing. She stared dully at the view below. The hospital was on the edge of the village and a good distance away from any homes. Taking a moment to take in the sight, her eyes shifted to Sasuke, looking sharp, as she spoke.

"Tell me, what is your purpose?"

"To get stronger." Sasuke answered quickly, a slight annoyance in his voice as if the answer was obvious.

Kanoko orange eyes focused on Sasuke's onyx colored ones, "You misunderstand me. What is your purpose in life? What do you hope to achieve in this short life given to each of us? What keeps you moving, breathing, living?"

Sasuke frowned. Crossing his arms, he closed his eyes, "My purpose for living… is to avenge my clan by killing the one responsible."

Kanoko turned her head and stared at the buildings in the distance, her eyes half lidded, "Then I can not train you."

"What?" Sasuke asked, surprised. His tone quickly turned angry, "And why not?!"

Sasuke froze when Kanoko's eyes locked onto him. With an emotionless tone, Kanoko spoke, "Forthcoming shinobi must suppress their emotions, create suitable rules that they then follow and avoid extraneous conflict."

Kanoko turned back around to look out in the distance, "You have already failed the first rule of my teachings."

Sasuke's fists tightened, "But you'll train an idiot like Naruto and an emotional wreck like Sakura!"

"And that's your other problem." Kanoko spoke, ignoring Sasuke's angry tone, "You keep comparing yourself to those around you. While it is important to remain aware of your surroundings, including the skills and abilities of both your friends and your enemies, you are setting yourself up to fail by placing their limits on yourself."

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he tried to calm himself down, "What do you mean by that?"

Kanoko turned to Sasuke, "I don't care if you become the most powerful shinobi to ever walk the earth, your strengths and weaknesses are going to be different than everyone around – and you are lying to yourself if you believe you will be without weaknesses. You are not going to have perfect chakra control, you won't have the largest pool of chakra to use, you aren't going to be the best water jutsu user in all the lands, you aren't going to be the number one expert in every sort of ninja tools, and you're never going to by a gentle fist master – unless you trade in your Sharingan for a Byakugan, which I doubt you would ever do."

Sasuke didn't say anything, but agreed in his mind that he would never willingly give up his eyes.

"Do you see why you only make yourself weaker by comparing everyone else's abilities against your own? There are some ninja arts that are easier to learn than others, but in my experience, the shinobi that take the time to master their skills are the ones that survive battle after battle until none are left." Kanoko told the Uchiha.

Sasuke relaxed his fists, but focused his eyes on Kanoko, "Then explain to me, why the gap between you and I is so large."

Kanoko paused, searching her mind for the correct words. Looking out at the village, she smirked, "It's not. There is no real gap between us, when it comes down to chakra reserves, endurance, and speed. The gap you see, which makes you believe you are inferior, has to do with wisdom, experience and intelligence."

Sasuke's eyes twitched, "She better not be calling me dumb."

"Essentially, I'm calling you an idiot." Kanoko said, turning her smirk at Sasuke.

The black haired boy glared at Kanoko.

Kanoko just continued to smirk, "You are your own worst enemy Sasuke." The smirk on Kanoko's face died down into a tired frown. Exhaling through her nose, Kanoko gripped the railing with both of her hands, "Do you know what an Uchiha's greatest strength is?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but responded quickly, "The Sharingan."

Kanoko shook her head, "The Sharingan is just a tool, as is the kunai you carry on you. If the Uchiha were expert kunai users, would tell others that the kunai was the Uchiha's greatest strength?"

"No." Sasuke answered.

The wind blew through, pushing hair into their faces as silence took over.

After a few moments, Sasuke spoke, "If it is not the Sharingan, then I don't know."

Kanoko turned her eyes to the sky, "There is no clan that feels a deeper love for those they care about, than the Uchiha clan. Once an Uchiha knows love, in whatever form it takes, it is almost as if all of his or her previously checked emotions are released. With this love, they awaken a profound power within themselves."

Sasuke stared at Kanoko in bewilderment. "How do you know all this?" Sasuke asked, his tone full of curiosity, rather than animosity.

Kanoko continued as if she did not hear Sasuke, "This is also the Uchiha's biggest weakness. When an Uchiha who has known love, loses that connection either by death or by betrayal, it is replaced by an even stronger emotion: Hatred. This hatred changes them."

The young Nara pointed a finger at her eyes, "This is how the Sharingan is formed. When an Uchiha withers in agony over the loss of a great love, a unique chakra is released inside their brain, reacts with the optic nerves and these changes take form in the user's eyes. Eyes that reflects their heart."

"The Sharingan taps into the power of that person's heart, rapidly increasing their strength, along with the power of their hatred." Kanoko finished with an even tone.

Sasuke stared at the sky behind Kanoko, "For an Uchiha, hatred makes us stronger… Is this why Itachi murder our parents and our clan? So that I my hatred would grow until I was strong enough to challenge him?"

Kanoko sighed heavily, "You are misunderstanding me again."

Sasuke shot a nasty look at the kunoichi, "How could you possibly know what I'm thinking?"

Kanoko locked eyes with Sasuke, "Because I've seen eyes like yours before. You're thinking the stronger you hate, the stronger your Sharingan will become. But that is not what I said. Hatred will not make you stronger. Hatred will make you weaker. It will make you act irrationally and impatiently. It will cloud your judgement and will prevent you from reaching your goals."

Sasuke frowned, "But you said as the Uchiha grows their power, the stronger their hate become."

Kanoko nodded, "Exactly. It is the curse of your clan. The more power you gain, the more the hatred inside you will try to take control. Your hatred will not make you stronger, it will only weaken you."

Sasuke went silent as everything Kanoko just told him ran through his head – replaying over and over in his mind. Slowly, he walked over to the side of the roof, staring out into the village. His eyes traveled to his clan's compound – on the very edge of the village and separated from the rest.

Kanoko caught the direction of Sasuke's gaze and stared at the Uchiha compound with him, "I had placed them in a position most suited for them. None but the Uchiha were stronger in mind and spirit. If any other clan had been given the curse of the Sharingan, they would have self-destructed long ago."

Kanoko shifted her eyes to Sasuke, "By no fault of his own, he has already been placed on the path of pain, hatred, and destruction. Only he can determine his future from here."

"I have been told that love can overcome hatred, just as hatred can overcome love." Kanoko started, "I don't know how much of that is true. I resolved myself of deep emotions some time ago, but the love I feel for this village and those within it remains strong, and that feeling makes me work harder, longer, wiser in order to become stronger."

Sasuke remained silent.

Minutes passed. Birds chirping lightly in the distance, the sound of the wind blowing through the fence, the humming of the motor on the roof powering the hospital – the two continued to stand there barely listening to these noises, their minds focused elsewhere.

After what felt like an hour, Sasuke spoke, "Then I propose a pact."

Kanoko shifted her eyes to the side, "…Go on."

Sasuke continued, "Train me. Train me how to become strong with and without my Sharingan. Help me become strong enough to avenge my clan by removing Uchiha Itachi from this world." Sasuke turned his face to lock eyes with Kanoko, "And in return, I will pledge my abilities, my loyalty, and my life to the Konoha you love so much."

Kanoko matched Sasuke's serious look with one of her own. She did not utter a word. Instead, she fought herself internally, "Uchiha Itachi already attempted to kidnap and harm Naruto. The chances that our paths will cross again are high. I do not know if this will lead to a battle to the death, but it may. But I would be a fool to believe an Uchiha's hatred would stop there. Madara is the prime example of how an Uchiha's hatred never stops growing."

Kanoko closed her eyes, "Hashirama offered Madara a peaceful way out. One that he accepted – for a time. In the end, Hashirama was forced to put Madara down. Is there really any way to stop an Uchiha's hatred from growing once that seed has been sowed?"

Orange eyes opened slowly and met onyx colored ones, "I…" Kanoko stopped talking, "He's determined and stubborn. He's reaching out to me now, but he'll reach out to another if I turn him away. The chance that he uses what I teach him against Konoha is higher than I'm comfortable with. Am I willing to carry that burden on my back?" Kanoko stared at the onyx eyes, "Every other option leads to a higher probability of mutually assured destruction. The only option that guarantees the safety of Konoha is to murder this child in front of me."

Kanoko shifted her eyes to the village, "But, to kill a child, a child of Konoha on the possibility alone – no matter how high – would go against everything my brother stood for. It would go against every this village stands for."

The former kage looked back at Sasuke, "If I do this, his actions, his life, it all becomes my responsibility."

Finally, Kanoko spoke, "I will agree to these terms, but only with one added condition."

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, his heart beating slightly faster in excitement.

Kanoko stared him straight in the eyes, "We work together in rebuilding the Uchiha clan's place in Konoha. This means cleaning the streets, fixing the buildings, renting out houses, bringing in businesses – everything that it takes to reintroduce the Uchiha clan in a positive light." Kanoko clasped a hand on Sasuke's shoulder while smirking, "Good luck finding a woman that is willing to put up with you and your small army of children."

Kanoko started to walk away, but chuckled before voicing her thoughts out loud, "I don't know who I'm going to feel more pity for: your wife or Shikamaru's?"

Sasuke glared at Kanoko's back, his eye twitching dangerously.

Kanoko just continued walking, chuckling quietly. Just as she started to open the door, Sasuke called out.

"Kanoko!"

Kanoko turned to look back at Sasuke with an eyebrow raised, "Yes?"

Sasuke nodded, "I accept your terms."

"Good." Kanoko turned back to the door and smirked before yelling back at him, "Don't listen to anything Naruto and Sakura tells you! They're liars and wimps!"

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Shikamaru stared at the ceiling in annoyance, "How long does it take to get from Sakura's room and back?" The young Nara was lying on his back, one leg propped up with his other leg resting on his knee, with his hands behind his head. He was waiting patiently in the hospital bed for his sister to return.

"What did Sasuke want with her anyways?" Shikamaru grumbled low, "Troublesome woman…"

The sound of the door creaking slightly caught Shikamaru's attention, "Kanoko?" He thought, turning his head to the side to get a better look.

"It's that guy…" Shikamaru thought as the Nara elder he met before his mission walked in. Standing tall, the man shifted his eyes around the room before they settled on Shikamaru.

"It seems the hospital staff did not hear me correctly. I was looking for Nara Kanoko's room." The man spoke, his face expressionless.

"Kanoko went to check on her teammate." Shikamaru answered plainly, not quite sure he wanted to get into a conversation with this man again.

The elder either didn't hear Shikamaru or chose to ignore him. Shikamaru watched the man carefully as he moved across the room and picked up his sister's chart. He watched as the older man's eyes scanned the words before speaking low, "No lasting damage. Good."

And with that, the elder started his way back towards the door.

"You said something before my mission that makes me wonder…" Shikamaru spoke suddenly.

The elder turned around, an eyebrow raised.

Shikamaru continued, "You said, 'I simply wish to help my granddaughter from the darkness this village holds and to prevent my grandson from offering his life in exchange for hers.'" Shikamaru paused to look the man in the eye, his own eyes sharp, "As it turns out, that exact scenario occurred."

The man's bored look sharpened slightly, barely noticeable, but enough for Shikamaru to catch, "Is it not strange to assume such a situation would occur before hand? This is your sister we are speaking of."

Shikamaru shrugged, "Just found it strange. That's all."

The man chuckled low, "I don't know whether to be impressed by your deductive reasoning, even if your conclusion is wrong, or to be disappointed by your quick surrender. You are indeed just like your father."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "For someone who is trying to pass themselves off as my grandfather, you sure are doing a poor job at hiding your intentions." Shikamaru wrinkled his nose, "And I've had enough being compared to my parents to last for a lifetime."

The dark haired man smirked slightly, "Yes. Asami could never quite let things go, especially when it revolved around your parents."

Shikamaru sat up at that, his eyes sharp again, "This old geezer either has great connection or my suspicions are correct."

The elder opened the door, "Yamanaka Asami may be dead, but if she could see what is about to transpire, she would know she got what she wanted in the end."

"What are you saying? What is about to occur?" Shikamaru asked quickly, his mind working on overdrive, "Does it have to do with Kanoko, and her status as an active shinobi?"

"Your sister is worth far too much to this village to simply cast away as if she were a rookie genin from a civilian family." Dark eyes met Shikamaru's. In a deep voice, the man asked, "Tell me, Shikamaru, what difference does it make to you?"

"She's my sister." Shikamaru answered, his tone dull as if to say the question was a stupid one.

The tall man simply raised an eyebrow, "It is not as if you have any power over the situation."

The young Nara frowned.

"If your sister continues on this route, she will only be sent on higher ranking and more dangerous missions. They will use her for her abilities and she will allow it to happen – all in the name of the village's continued prosperity." The man paused for a moment before continuing, "And one day, she won't come home."

Shikamaru was silent, "It's not like I could tell her to stop. I already tried…"

The elder Nara spoke again, "I don't know why I continue to waste my breath. Any fool can see you have already conceded."

Shikamaru's eyes snapped up. With a frown, he spoke with a drawl, "You say that like I have any power over the situation."

The man scoffed, "That, you definitely get that from your mother." Looking Shikamaru straight in the eyes he spoke, "You and your sister are twins. You both are essentially the same, which means your potential is the same. And of the two, you are the boy. Tell me, Shikamaru, why do you choose to be inferior when you could be equals?"

Shikamaru went silent again, not knowing how to answer.

The sound of the door creaking open was followed by one last comment by the mysterious man.

"My name is Nara Rokumaru, by the way, in case you wish to check the validity of my claims."

And with that, Shikamaru was once again alone in the hospital room. He stared at the door with a blank expression as his mind trying to sort out everything that just occurred. A smaller part of his mind, the part he was trying desperately to bury as deep as possible, repeated three words over and over again.

"…Could be equals…"

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Kanoko walked through the halls of the hospital until she reached the room she was looking for.

"OWW! SAKURA-CHAN!"

Kanoko sighed, "Do they ever change?" Smiling slightly in amusement, Kanoko pushed the door open and entered the room.

"Kanoko!" Sakura exclaimed, a large smile taking over her features, "I wondering how you were doing! I wanted to go see you when were checked in, but the medics won't let me leave my room…"

Kanoko raised an eyebrow, "Well, most people that blow themselves up, multiple times, don't typically get up at all. So I can understand the medics' needed to keep you in one spot for a while."

Sakura blushed, looking embarrassed, "Well… I just thought… it seemed like my only option at the time…"

Kanoko nodded, leaning back against the wall, "I know. And we are going to fix that moving forward."

Sakura's face lit up and opened her mouth to thank Kanoko before the Nara held her hand up, "Don't thank me yet. As of this moment, I am revoking your use of explosives – in all of its many forms."

"What?!" Sakura called out, "That's not fair."

Kanoko shrugged, "Life's not fair."

Sakura just crossed her arms roughly and pouted at Kanoko before mumbling too low for Kanoko to pick up.

"Haha! She told you!" Naruto shouted, laughing hard as he pointed at Sakura.

Sakura's face turned red in anger. Picking up her glass of water, she chucked it at Naruto's head while yelling, "NAAAARUTOOOOO!"

"ACK!" Naruto cried out, diving out of the way as Sakura started to throw anything within her grasp at the blonde.

Kanoko shook her head at her teammates, "Those two look like they are ok and in good spirits. That's good." Kanoko's expression softened to smile at the two of them.

Kanoko quietly opened the door and slid out of the room. Kanoko was a few feet down the hallway when she heard her name.

"Kanoko!" Naruto called after her while running up to her side.

Kanoko shifted her eyes downward, an eyebrow raised at her blonde teammate, "Yes Naruto?"

Naruto started chuckling, a wide grin spreading on his face and he placed his hands behind his head, "I know the perfect remedy for a 100%, speedy recovery!"

"And that is?" Kanoko asked, decided to humor him. It's not like she had anything else to do.

Naruto's grin grew before shouting, "Ichiraku ramen!"

Kanoko sighed, wondering why she didn't see that coming, "Naruto. I think you have forgotten. I'm not allowed to leave the hospital until the Hokage contacts me personally."

Naruto just slapped an arm over his teammate's shoulder and grinned evilly, "What the old hag doesn't know won't hurt her."

The brown haired girl just rubbed her face with her palm tiredly, "I should have stay with Shikamaru…"

"Come on!" Naruto said, pulling Kanoko towards the stairwell, "I know every exit and entrance in this place! They'll never even know what happened!"

Kanoko just pointed towards the end of the hall where nothing but empty space lay, "And my ANBU guard? What do you plan to do with him?"

Naruto looked back at the empty hall. A mischievous grin took over Naruto's face as he turned back to Kanoko.

"No." Kanoko quickly shot him down.

Naruto stuck out his bottom lip, letting it quiver slightly.

Kanoko crossed her arms, "No."

"Come OOOOON!" Naruto whined, pulling Kanoko towards the stairwell doors.

"No Naruto!" Kanoko told him firmly, digging her heels into the ground.

Naruto let go suddenly, making Kanoko stumble back slightly. Giving her an irritated look, Naruto spoke, "You gave me no choice. Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

"What?! Narutoooo!" Kanoko shouted at her friend as clones of him appeared around her and lifted her into the air.

"To Ichiraku's we go!" Shouted the real Naruto. "YEAH!" The others chorused.

Kanoko started banging her fists on the tops of the many Narutos' heads, like the game whack-a-mole, as she growled at Naruto, "Put. Me. DOWN!"

The ANBU flickered behind Naruto and Kanoko, staring at the two of them as they made their way out of the hospital. He sighed through his mask before thinking, "They're Taichou's students. That's for sure."

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Tsunade sat quietly at her desk, staring down out at the paper on her desk. After the, less than subtle, hint from Kanoko, she delegated her authority out to Torune, Shizune, and, just as payback for bringing a monster into the world, Shikaku. They were now handling a good portion of her paperwork between the three of them and only the most critical documents made it to her desk.

Like the one in front of her.

Rubbing her temple, she look up at the sound of someone entering her office, "Yamato. Why are you here and not at the hospital?" Her tone getting thinner as she spoke.

Yamato tensed, rethinking his plan.

"Well?" Tsunade barked, "Out with it!"

"Naruto may or may not have kidnapped Nara Kanoko and taken her to Ichiraku's!" Yamato spoke fast, cowering at the intense chakra and rage pouring out from his Hokage.

*CRACK*

A thick, jagged line split Tsunade's desk in half as she stood up and roared.

"NAAAAAAAARUUUUUUTOOOOOOOO!"

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Kanoko glared at her teammate.

Naruto laughed at his friend's misery, "Come on! You love this! Just admit it!"

Off to the side, Sakura giggled at Kanoko's appearance. Somehow, Naruto had managed to inform all their friends that there was going to be a party to celebrate the success of mission: Bring Kanoko Home. So here Kanoko was, sitting in everyone's favorite barbeque restaurant, against her will, with a party hat on her head, and confetti hanging off of her clothes.

"It's just a shame we couldn't do this at Ichiraku's…" Naruto whined, leaning back.

Sakura gave Naruto an annoyed look, "Ichiraku's would have been way too small! Why can't you be realistic Naruto?!"

"Because he's Naruto and that's what we love about him!" Choji shouted, leaning over the table to grab a piece of meat off of his teammate's plate.

"Stop it Choji! Keep your chopsticks in your own space!" Ino yelled at the bandaged boy.

Choji grinned, "Shikamaru doesn't mind, do you buddy?"

Shikamaru just waved his hand lazily, "Eh, I don't care."

Ino crossed her arms and huffed. Turning to Sakura she whined, "You're so lucky, Sakura, that you have at least Kanoko on your team!"

Sakura giggled at her friend as she got into a chopstick battle with her teammate.

"How are your injuries?" Neji asked from down the table.

Kanoko turned to him, "Nothing of concern. You?"

Neji nodded, "The same."

Tenten looked between the two, "Wow. You guys are really boring to listen to."

Neji grunted, giving his teammate a look, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Tenten shrugged, "I don't know. I figured this would be your moment to pull a Lee and declare your undying love for Kanoko. After all, you nearly died so the others could continue on and bring Kanoko back home." Tenten's evil grin growing with each word.

Neji went beat red as choked on the tea he was trying to drink.

"How romantic!" Ino shouted, looking between the two.

Hinata gave her cousin a soft look before turning to Tenten with a frown, "Tenten-chan, please don't tease Neji!" More than anyone, Hinata knew what it was like to be embarrassed in front of your crush.

Shikamaru scooted closer to his sister's seat, glaring directly at Neji with everything he had.

Kanoko, on the other hand, looked suddenly pale, "I'm going to be sick…"

"TENTEN!" Neji shouted, after he finally stopped choking.

Tenten just laughed before saying, "I'm joking, I'm joking! Gosh!" Although, the grin on her face said otherwise.

"Speaking of Lee, where is that crazy guy?" Kiba asked, while chewing on a piece of meat.

"He said if we were going to have a party about Kanoko's rescue, there were three others that needed to be here." Tenten answered, not quite sure what Lee meant.

"Sakura-chan! How good it is to see you up and moving around! You are radiant as always!" Lee's loud voice boomed as he raced over to see Sakura.

"Lee!" Naruto greeted him, "Where's the others?" He added with a grin.

"What? Miss us already? Man, you guys are going to have a rough time when we leave then - not that I can blame you." Kankuro spoke with a smirk on his face. Standing next to him were his two siblings.

"Well, well. The whole gang's here." Temari said with a smirk of her own. Nodding to Choji, she asked, "Hey kid, looks like you are doing better."

Choji nodded with a grin, "Yeah! That pill you gave me really saved me!"

Temari just shrugged, "Some guy named Shikaku gave it to me. Thank him."

"Thank you anyways." Shikamaru told Temari, looking up at her.

"Anytime." Temari smirked, making her way to an empty seat between Sasuke and Tenten.

Kankuro moved over to the space next to Kiba.

Dark chakra filled the air, "How come I wasn't invited?" A smooth, even voice asked.

Naruto jumped, "Ahh! Shino! What the hell?! You can't just sneak up on people like that!"

Shino turned his dark gaze upon Naruto, "But it is ok to forget important friends?"

Naruto groaned, "Come on! I just checked with Torune and he said you were still out on a mission! You know I would have invited you!"

Kiba laughed at Naruto's struggle, "Give him some slack Shino! You know Naruto would never leave out a friend!"

Shino looked over to Shikamaru and Choji, who nodded in support of Naruto. After a few moments, Shino made up his mind, "I will forgive you… this time."

Kiba just laughed, "Find a seat and eat up! It's all on Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru bolted right up, "What?!"

Kiba grinned wickedly, "Hey, the leader always treats the team and the mission was to save your sister anyways!"

A chorus of laughter mixed with "yeahs" had Shikamaru groaning as he dropped his head on the table, "You're all such a drag…"

Kanoko patted her brother's back lightly, "I'll help you out."

Shikamaru turned his face to look up at his sister who was smiling softly down at him. He stared at her face causing her to raise an eyebrow, "What? Did Naruto flick something on my face?"

"Hey! Why is your first instinct to blame me?!" Naruto shouted while holding a piece of meat in the air.

Sakura crossed her arms, "When isn't it your fault?"

"Lots of times…" Naruto mumbled out.

"Ha!" Kiba shouted, "Name one!"

Naruto glared at Kiba, "How about that time you puked in Sakura's seat, huh?!"

The room went silent as chakra sparked in the air, "Naruto… are you telling me… that you knew I was going to sit in puke… ruining my favorite dress and embarrassing the shit out of me… AND YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING?!"

Naruto went pale, "AHHH! SAKURA-CHAN!"

"CHAAAA!"

Naruto held his head from the pain of Sakura's punch, "Ow…."

Kiba just laughed harder, pointing at Naruto as his eyes started to tear up.

"Kiba…"

Kiba stopped laughing immediately, freezing in his seat. Slowly, his head shifted around to the raging pinkette behind him, cracking her knuckles with a wicked grin on her face, "If I'm willing to do that to my teammate… just think about what I'm going to do to you…"

"AHHHHHHH!" Kiba screamed, his voice hitting a high octave as he did so.

Temari barked out a laugh, "Man! I love it here! I thought you Leaf kunoichi were nothing, but pretty faces! Boy was I wrong!"

Tenten shrugged, "Eh, the men here are just pansies."

Temari grinned back, "All the more reason for you guys to come back to the Sand with us."

"Temari… stop trying to poach." Gaara spoke in an even tone.

Temari smirked at her brother, but held up her hands in jest, "I'm just providing options, is all."

Kanoko shook her head. Turning her head from the blood bath in the corner, Kanoko turned to Gaara and bowed her head slightly, "Thank you for responding to the Hokage's request and backing up my comrades. I fear what may have transpired if you and your siblings were not there."

Gaara bowed his head back, "I was simply returning a debt."

Kanoko raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

The redhead nodded, "I have been able to sleep because of you."

Shikamaru's head snapped back to his sister and the Sand nin sitting across from her, "Don't tell me…"

Ino, having seen her teammate snap his head to his sister, placed a finger on her chin. Staring in between the two seemingly emotionless people she spoke, "Gosh Kanoko. I wish I had as many admirers as you."

Kanoko just groaned as she slapped her face into her palm, "Ugg… How many years am I going to have to put up with this…?"

Kankuro choked on his food while Temari laughed loudly, "My little brother? With a crush on lazy bones' sister?" Temari stared to laugh harder.

Gaara gave his sister a bland look, which she ignored.

Tenten grinned at Shikamaru, "You sure have your work cut out for you!"

Shikamaru grumbled, "Troublesome…"

Ino, never one to pass up a good opportunity, grinned wickedly at Kanoko, "So Kanoko, be honest with us. Who would you chose? The noble, but high maintenance Hyuuga Neji? Or the cool, but silent Gaara of the Sand?" Ino paused to smirk, "Or maybe another shinobi all together?" Her eyebrows wiggling around as she spoke.

Kanoko gave Ino an annoyed look, "None of the above. Ever."

Shikamaru smirked as Ino, crossing his arms.

Ino glared at her teammate, "Come one Kanoko! There has to be someone you care about!"

Kanoko nodded, "There are plenty."

Shikamaru's head snapped back to his sister, his eyes wide, "P-p-plenty?!"

Kanoko continued, standing up as she did, "I care about everyone here. You risked your lives, leaving your homes, and the people closest to you, in order to rescue me from a fate what would have killed me in more ways than one. You were brave in the face of enemies that even a jounin would have had trouble with. You fought against enemy nin from two separate villages, all while knowing that there would be no back up on the way. And in the face of death, you pushed yourselves harder – unwilling to let a friend down."

Kanoko looked from Gaara to Temari and then to Kankuro, "And to our allies from the Village Hidden in the Sand, for your wiliness, bravery, and sharp skills…"

Kanoko bowed to the people around the table, "Thank you. Thank you to each and every one of you. Thank you for not only coming for me, a comrade, but also giving each other strength and fighting for something greater than yourselves."

Standing up straight, Kanoko smiled, "You are all true shinobi… and ones that I am proud to call my friends."

"BELIEVE IT!" Naruto shouted, raising up his glass for a toast.

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Tsunade walked out from the restaurant where the rookie nine, Gai's team, and the Sand siblings sat and ate. Crossing her arms over her chest, she smiled up at the stone faces of the past Hokage.

"If only you could see them… You would be so proud Ojii-san. Both of you would be."

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Shikaku slowly walked into the room his daughter was assigned to. He knew the room would be empty, since he was still walking around the Hokage's tower when he heard her yell out Naruto's name then run down to Ichiraku's with a promise of pain.

He slowly approached the bed, his eyes traveling up it until he caught was he was looking for: His daughter's medical chart.

Staring at it for a moment, he tentatively picked it up.

"Severe chakra exhaustion, cracked ribs, punctured abdomen, internal bleeding, concussion, head gash…" Shikaku read, the writing getting harder to read as his hands shook violently. Dropping the chart on the bed, he let out a shaky breath he was holding in – leaning against the bed as he did so.

He recalled a similar chart he read earlier, "Water in lungs, bruises around the neck, chakra exhaustion, several other minor wounds."

Shikaku's fingers twisted in the fabric beneath them, his knuckles turning white as his breath turned ragged.

His son, his lazy, sarcastic, smartass of a son… Banging against the shadow barrier, preventing him from getting air and watching as the oxygen escaped from his lungs.

His daughter, little girl, the one that likes to remind him of how important he is to the village and to his family, and the one that reserves a special smile, just for him… Her face smashing over and over again into the side of the cliff as blood poured down her face.

His son, the one that looks and acts just like him, back in the day. Who loves to play shogi and is always curious about something or other… Thick, black tendrils wrapped tight around his throat – cutting off any air and trying desperately to snap his neck in half.

His daughter, the one that is a mystery to even him most days and that is cold to nearly everyone she meets, but will bring him lunch, will help him feed the deer, will chat about her day and how she can't wait until her teammates get through puberty, and will let him know, in so many little ways, how proud and grateful she is, to be given him as her father… The blood on her face and stomach dripping from her clothes as she struggled to stand – yelling at him and begging him to stop, to remember who he is, to fight back.

A small gasp followed by choking noises erupted from Shikaku throat as he tried to inhale. He couldn't breathe. His whole body shook violently as he felt the acid travel up from his stomach.

Falling to his knees, he slammed his head against the side of the bed, small whimpering noises coming out of him as water fell freely down his face.

"Shikamaru… Kanoko… I'm so sorry! I'm sorry! I… I'm… I'm…" No more words followed as the sound of broken man echoed off the cold white walls of the hospital room.

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Author's Note:

So this chapter officially wraps up the Cloud Plot Arc (even though you will be seeing/reading the effects for some time) and we will now be moving on to setting the stage for Shippuden. There will be a lot of jumping around in these next one to two chapters, but I will try to make it as smooth as possible!

Honestly, I'm just really excited to get to Shippuden. I've wanted to write Shippuden since after chapter 10, but I knew I couldn't just jump into it.

Thank you everyone for making it this far with me! I know I've stumbled and face planted quite a few times, but your support, your kind words, your suggestions, and your thoughts are making this story grow! I honestly couldn't have done this without you guys!

Also, thank you again to FreelanceBum! He has spent a lot of time editing and making suggestions to my wording, which I think has really made a difference in the story!

Second to last, AnimeLover229 asked to add a scene with Gaara, so you have her to thank for that little part. :D

And finally, I am always open for suggestions and am pretty good about letting the requester know whether I can fit it in or not. It really depends on the story and the already established characters. But if you write a suggestion as an ANON, then I can't reply, so please review or PM me while signed in!

THANK YOU TO YOU ALL FOR BEING THE BEST REVIEWERS/READERS/FOLLOWERS/FAVORITORS (is that a word?) THAT AN AUTHOR COULD ASK FOR!