Naruto

"How are you feeling?" Kyofu asked as she entered the tent smiling as she walked up to the chair at his bedside. If a bed was not overstating the stretcher-hammock-cot thing.

"Like I should have gotten out of here days ago." Naruto grumbled. He was decidedly not pouting… nope...not at all... "I keep telling everyone I'm fine! Good as new!"

She sat down, offering him a chiding expression. "It takes almost a week to fully recover from chakra exhaustion Naruto. We're not letting you out of here in only three days."

He glared at her. "Is that why you, Ryoko, and Itachi are taking shifts watching me? So I don't try to escape?"

"If you need to ask the question…"

He was really...really...really not pouting. "I hate you."

"Don't care." She chirped, flipping to marked page of her book as she took a seat.

"Could you at least tell me what's going on?" Naruto pleaded. "Itachi was really tight-lipped when I asked and I was practically asleep when Ryoko-chan came in."

She sighed, closing one eye and peeking at him with the open one. He never did get that habit.

She answered slowly and, when she finally answered, hesitantly. He could see that she had to think about what would be ok to tell him. "The battle-group is coordinating with others to establish a more thorough defensive perimeter around the border: setting up patrols, trap grids, early warning systems, and such.

"I meant with Itachi and me." He clarified.

Naruto knew that it hadn't taken long for the Konohagakure Jounin to piece together that a mass illusion had been used; given the shouts of the Iwa ninja and the mass disorientation in their actions.

When they found him, Itachi, and the seal design Naruto had remained conscious just long enough to hear some of the conversation before he finally lost the fight with chakra fatigue and blacked out.

From what he gathered from the scraps of conversation he overheard, the higher ups were equal parts pleased at the innovation and angry that they hadn't gotten approval to utilize it beforehand.

Something about using an untested, unproven, original design seal on allies being unsafe.

Untested yes, Naruto had thought. But unsafe? Never.

He was good at seals. He didn't need some Jounin with less than half his expertise on the subject looking over his shoulder and possibly trying to 'correct' his work.

Itachi trusted him enough to go along with it, she was the only one besides him at risk there besides him if his seal and backups failed.

He wasn't sure if he was in trouble, or if he was getting off scot free, or somewhere in the middle. The uncertainty, as well as his unlawful imprisonment in this damned medic tent, was wearing on his nerves.

She shrugged. "Not sure. But it can't be anything too bad really. I mean, you did play a very big role in the enemy's defeat on the field."

"I guess." He said. "The Jounin sounded pissed though and if I wasn't getting in trouble why wouldn't Itachi just tell me about it?"

She shrugged. "Try not to worry about it. Anxiety will slow your recovery."

"I guess." The blond grumbled but decided to give it a shot.

For about fifteen seconds.

Just as he was going to open his mouth to complain again, the tent flap was thrown open. "Uzumaki" a Jounin he didn't recognize called. "You good to walk?"

He practically sprang up to his feet, stopping somewhere past a sitting position. "Yes!"

He nodded at Naruto, "Good, Captain wants to talk to you and your Uchiha partner. Figured three days was enough for you to at least walk on your own."

He blinked. Well that didn't sound...good or did it?

He was so confused.

"Ummm. Ok." He said .

It was minutes later that he was outside. Kyofu had managed to get him dressed in fresh, simple -albeit ill-fitting- spare clothes. There weren't many chuunin his size.

He, the Jounin, and Kyofu made their way towards the eastern edge of the "camp" and he used the term only inasmuch as it was a place where the ninja's presence was visible. All they had in tents were the injured and some provisions. Things and people that couldn't be moved easily. It made strategic sense since nearly the entirety of their force was mobile; there was no strategic value to assaulting this "camp" barring war crimes. If someone wanted to catch the battle-group asleep, they'd have to find hundreds of individual hiding places first.

From what he understood, soon there would be a caravan of Samurai, or some-such force, with wagons to escort the most grievously injured to the capital.

Then there would just be a handful of tents with spare supplies. Not even food would be left here.

And after they established the defensive grid, the early warning systems and patrols, the whole force would pull back to a more centralized position to better respond to breaches along those perimeters.

In short, there'd be nothing left to mark the battle ever took place here.

Somehow… that made him feel very sad.

When they finally cleared the thicket, it was to the sight of three other Jounin standing around his seal-work, along with Itachi herself.

He stepped forward. "Uhhh...sup?" he asked, struggling not to fidget.

"Uzumaki." One of them greeted with a nod. He had a scar across his face, quite literally. The thing meandered down from his left temple, to cut clear between his brows, and end at his right jawline. "Good to see you're up. Now, we can all talk. Perhaps, evensee what exactly we're going to do with you."

"It was a dangerous stunt you pulled." Another, this one a kunoichi, spoke up. "If this seal had malfunctioned, gods forbid it backfired, it could have affected your allies instead. There's a protocol for a reason."

"That," A third Jounin finally spoke up. There wasn't much notable about him. A fact that Naruto disliked, immediately remembering Kabuto. "is the biggest question in my mind. Why didn't you consult with your commander, who would have consulted with us?"

Naruto looked to Itachi who stood off to the side. She, on the other hand, was looking elsewhere, staunchly refusing to even glance in his direction. He didn't think she was pissed at him so that only left-

"Answer the question." The Kunoichi demanded.

Yup. Definitely instructed.

"No real time." He half lied. "Designing the seal was complex and time consuming enough. Asking a superior, explaining it to him, who would have then come to you, and you all would've needed another explanation. Then gods knows how much more time you'd all need to come to a decision. The battle would have been over by the time you all gave the go-ahead."

"A lack of time doesn't give you the right to put the whole battle-group at risk." The Kunoichi hissed. He got the distinct impression she didn't really like him.

He frowned. "The only risk the seal presented was to me. If it backfired, I would have taken the full brunt of its cascade failure."

"You never tested this thing before! Don't you know that even the slightest mistake can alter a seal's effects to dangerous and horrific degrees?! Not to mention, the wildly fluctuating and unforeseeable potential outcomes. You went off on a hunch and decided that you could handle it."

"Evidently he was right." The first Jounin, 'Scarface', spoke up. "Ninja don't follow strict military disciplines or engagement strategies. We adapt to the situation. He knew his technique, ran with it, and came out on-top. Far as I see it, it's fine. Even if I'd rather him not repeat the stunt."

"And what happens next time and it's simply 'not fine'? What happens when he decides to gamble again and, because of him, we end up losing gods knows how many shinobi? Whether he was effective or not this time is completely besides the point. He didn't utilize any precautions whatsoever here! Blind luck isn't something I'm willing to bet my life, or the lives of our men, on."

He wasn't sure what it was; perhaps something in her voice or just the words themselves. But something in him - something dark and ugly - uncoiled in the pit of his stomach, spilling acid through his blood.

"That's not how I do things." His voice was poison as his fists clenched and shook at his sides. Seething with something more insidious than simple rage. "I don't hurt my friends. I don't let them down! Suggest it again and I promise there won't be enough of you left for them to cart back with the rest of the injured."

He barely noticed Kyofu's sharp gasp behind him or the way Scarface grimaced like he got a bad taste in his mouth but the other spoke up.

"Uzumaki. You may be under a lot of stress and medication, war affects everyone differently, so I'll forgive the outburst." He held up a single finger. "Once. But, threaten anyone under my command or act insubordinate again and I promise that you won't like the way the story ends. Are we clear?"

Naruto didn't answer, gritting his teeth against the venom that was rushing through his system. He...was lecturing HIM on the effects of war!?

"Are we clear!?" The man barked, now looking at him with anger.

Naruto couldn't have been less impressed if he'd tried.

The kunoichi glowered, nonplussed, before she turned and looked to her colleagues. "I think that just about says it all about how careful or smart this one is. My previous recommendation stands."

Scarface stared between the whole lot of them. "I still say sanctions and disciplinary actions are too harsh for a technique that ultimately worked and saved a whole bunch of asses. Give him a fine or something and lets call this a day."

The Jounin commander nodded. "Duly noted. Uzumaki, though your rash temper does you absolutely no favors I'm guessing by the surprised looks from your teammate and Itachi here that this isn't normal. However, this seal is beyond my comprehension. Whether you two achieved this through luck or skill I have no way to judge. So, you, Itachi, and this seal design will be sent back to Konohagakure. An expert there will review your work and disciplinary action will be merited out then. Who knows, maybe this thing can be refined and replicated."

Naruto focused on taking slow, deep breaths. The indignant anger that had flooded his system kept a firm hold on his thoughts as he glared at them.

Then another thought occurred to him. "What about Ryoko and Kyofu? I'm not abandoning my teammates here!"

"You'll do as ordered." The kunoichi hissed. "Frankly you're getting off light. If it was up to me-"

He opened his mouth, ready to bite out an answer of his own when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Turning to look, he found Kyofu staring down at him, a worry held in her gaze.

"It's alright." She assured. "We'll be fine Naruto."

This moment; this second was one of the few times he could remember, possibly the only time, that he genuinely hated what he was here. Who he was.

Uzumaki Naruto. Twelve year old Chuunin.

A nobody.

He'd been the man who had been at the head of nearly every offensive, been at the rear guard at every retreat. When he spoke people listened, when he said he could do it people believed him. They'd known that he did his level best every time for all of them no matter who they were or where they came from.

He was the one that people believed in. Put their trust in.

And now…

Now he was just…

Uzumaki Naruto.

Twelve year old chuunin.

He didn't consider himself a prideful person… but…

These three weren't Tsunade. They weren't Sarutobi, Itachi, Kakashi. Hell they weren't even Iruka-sensei or fucking thrice damned Orochimaru.

They were… no one. They were literally no one to him.

To sit here in front of … these three… three children… all with half his skill and a third of his experience and they - they - wanted to pass judgement on him?!

It felt like a slap to the face. Like he'd unknowingly drank a poison that was just now bursting across his insides.

"Getting away from the battlefield will help." Itachi spoke up. "These were your first kills, weren't they?"

Naruto blinked, turning to look at her, wondering, just for a second, why she would say that. Then realization slipped in.

She had just given him a way to salvage the whole charade, a way to explain his behavior right now.

And it worked, he felt Kyofu's fingers squeezing his shoulder, her surprised 'Oh.' Even the Kunoichi seemed to soften her gaze ever so much.

Somewhere he realized, as far as this lifetime was concerned. She was right.

He nodded stiffly, gulping down a breath as he bit out the words. " they were."

The lie came easily. But this time he couldn't help but wonder for whose sake it really was.

(X)(X)(X)

The palace halls were quiet.

That was the most notable thing really.

There were no servants moving about the halls or cleaning the room. No criers calling out the hour from the courtyards. No soldiers in the training grounds running their drills.

They were all out of his sight.

It was good. Koutou wanted quiet.

Well, he wanted peace. He would settle for quiet.

Anger, frustration, sorrow, listlessness; all of these things warred within him. A cacophony that had brought him to a state where he'd drank himself into drunken rampages for the past two days. The first episode sent him stumbling through the western wings of the palace despite the concerned protests of his braver servants. For their efforts, he had summarily banished them from his presence.

He cursed them, and then cursed anyone he could think of for this failure.

Kusa, Ame, Taki, Kumo, Suna, Kiri. Hell, even Konoha and Onoki himself hadn't been spared from his wild, delirious imaginings.

His work, his efforts, his hopes, all thrown back into his face.

Koutou could remember only one other occasion where he'd experienced failure of this magnitude. And he detested it then just as much as he did now.

But, that was yesterday. This was today. The luxury of drinking himself through his sorrows had to be put aside.

His country was at war.

And he was… the Daimyo.

When he stepped out of his rooms it was to find, Kaito. The oldest servant in the palace. He was kneeling not ten feet from his door.

"Koutou-sama." He greeted, bowing, his head touching the floor.

"Call in the servants." He commanded. "I must bathe and dress to see the court."

Kaito bowed again. "Of course, Koutou-sama."

The Daimyo didn't bother waiting for him to finish his sentence before turning around back to his rooms.

(X)(X)(X)

"Where exactly do we go from here?'

The question was soft, almost careful. Sarutobi allowed himself to sigh, staring out from his window to the expanse of Konohagakure. "Everything that can be done, has been. We're still recalling the bulk of our forces from their active missions, increasing our patrols, and securing our borders. For the time being we need to take stock and carefully plan our next move."

He heard Danzo lean forward where he sat, shifting his weight onto his cane. "Sarutobi. You cannot honestly think I believe you would be so incompetent as to simply leave it at 'take stock and careful planning'." The old warhawk snorted. "We've both exhausted all possible simulations and battle-plans in the event of another war with Iwagakure. If you do not wish to tell me, just say so. Do not insult my intelligence by pretending you can take me for a fool."

"Then I don't wish to tell you." He said easily, turning away from the window and back around towards his desk. Sitting down he didn't even look at Danzo before he began perusing his paperwork. "I'll be blunt. I require your ROOT Anbu."

Again, Danzo snorted. "If. If ROOT still existed, I might have been willing to oblige you. Hypothetically speaking, what objectives would you have asked them to carry out that you couldn't do with your own forces?"

"If Root existed, I'd instruct you to turn your eyes to Suna and Kumo." He answered. "We need to know if the first will try to distance themselves from our alliance As for the latter,to determine if they will seek to throw their weight behind Iwa in the conflict. Or perhaps even open up an entirely new front. Our forces are stretched thin at the moment and burdening the Anbu-corp with these objectives will only needlessly weaken our battle lines."

"I will see if I have any old contacts remaining in those countries then. I cannot promise their effectiveness, given that they are not ROOT Anbu of course. But, I will see what can be accomplished. In the meanwhile, what exactly did you acquire from your raid on Iwagakure?"

Sarutobi smirked. "Quid-pro-quo, Shimura, I only arrived yesterday. There are many things I'm sure I haven't been brought up to speed with just yet."

His old rival offered a single dry chuckle in response. "You have missed quite a bit. Most notably the fact that your successor decided to return from the grave. Or at least a perversion of his technique did."

That...was not what the Kage had been expecting.

"What?"

Danzo chuckled. It was rare to catch Hiruzen so flat footed. "Indeed. The Uzumaki child may have been bereft of the Kyuubi… But...dare I say that I am beginning to wonder if the trade off was, perhaps, worth it. I have it on good authority that he's been sent back to Konohagakure along with his partner, Uchiha Itachi."

"What exactly did they do that has you so impressed?" He asked, rather incredulously.

"It's not every-day a pre-teen and an Uchiha princess with familial baggage manage to turn away the bulk of Iwagakure's army so decisively that the causalities our forces suffered barely reach the double digits. I don't have specifics on the technique. However, rumor has it that they used some kind of illusion and seal combination. I can say it worked. Rather effectively at that."

Hiruzen was, indeed suitably impressed by the descriptions. His lips and mouth twisting in an expression of surprised approval in order to hide the surprised irritation.

Just how many high ranking spies did Danzo have in his employ along the front lines to enjoy such accurate information so quickly?

Strangely, it was simultaneously dismaying and reassuring.

"Quid-pro-quo as you said." Danzo said as he leaned back in his seat. "What did you learn?"

Sarutobi closed his eyes, reaching into his robe to pull out his pipe.

"Onoki is dead."

Now, it was Sarutobi's turn to enjoy the surprise of his old rival.

Danzo offered no facial expression but the way he slowly straightened in his seat and tightened his grip on his cane said more than enough.

He couldn't blame him.

Sarutobi'd had the same reaction.

It was strange… if he were honest with himself, Hiruzen could admit he felt a certain sorrow settle over him whenever he thought of it.

Onoki was dead.

They'd only met each other on the fields of battle or at the end of their great wars to discuss terms.

There should be nothing but enmity in his heart for the old bastard…

And yet...

"I...I see." Danzo finally said.

The two of them fell into silence, until finally, Shimura cleared his throat.

"This...is very good news."

"Potentially." Sarutobi cautioned. "His replacement could be much more antagonistic."

"True, but it will take time for Iwa to find a replacement, and more time for the boy to establish himself adequately. They're on the back foot, giving us time to tighten our defenses or prepare a full offensive into their territory. By all reports they have suffered grievous casualties and injuries. An invasion is not out of the question...if…"

Danzo trailed off, and Sarutobi could tell he was not about to like the turn the conversation would take. "If?"

"We have no battle ready Jinchuuriki, Hiruzen."

Sarutobi straightened, his features tightening.

"No." Was his immediate command. "Do not ask it again."

"Your soft-heartedness for your students does you no credit. The Jinchuuriki, Han of Iwa, is reported to be one of the strongest ninja Iwa has ever produced and the Gobi's previous Jinchuuriki famously cooked nearly a hundred Shinobi in a matter of seconds in the battle of-"

"I know our country's long histories just as well as you do, Danzo."

"Then you know that if Han is as powerful as the previous Jinchuuriki we have very limited options in order to counter that power."

"Tsunade would sooner tear down this entire village with her bare hands than willingly hand you her six year old daughter Danzo." Sarutobi warned.

The warhawk snorted. "Then I suggest you control your student. Certainly, the child would never be ready to face Han by the time this war begins but she can be made ready, perhaps, for the next village that tries to utilize the current situation to their advantage. We don't have the luxury of simply waiting another decade for her to be even at a marginally respectable skill level. Give her to me-"

"No!" Sarutobi barked, all amicability evaporating as he glared at Danzo. "Would you like to test how weak my attachment to my students has left me? You try it, breathe in Akane's direction, and I'll reduce you along with everything you've ever built to smoldering ashes."

Danzo sneered.

The silence that fell between them was thick with tension, both old rivals staring at each other across the room.

"Fine.", Danzo folded. Despite his mockery and criticism, Sarutobi was a very very dangerous enemy to make. " Then at the very least take her out of the accursed academy. Place her with a Jounin sensei Hiruzen."

"I will consult with Tsunade." He conceded. "IF and only if she agrees will I begin looking into such."

Danzo shook his head, equal parts irritated and disgusted by his condition.

(X)(X)(X)

The road to Konohagakure was a quiet affair. Only he, Itachi, and a handful of other Shinobi were cleared to return from the front and none were in an overly talkative mood.

Kyofu and Ryoko were still with the battle group and even though he knew the battle was done, that by all reports Iwa's attack force had pulled back behind the border, Naruto still hated that he'd just left them there.

They were his friends, his teammates. They were strong, some of the best Kunoichi he'd known.

But he couldn't protect them while they were there and he was here...

The thought was like a dog gnawing on a wound. Every step, constantly picking at the raw nerve that was the fact that he was getting further and further away from his friends when they might need him.

He was so lost in his thoughts, he nearly jumped when Itachi's hand came down on his shoulder and brought them to a dead stop.

"Huh?"

"Lets talk." She demanded, looking down at him as the rest of the ninja pulled further away at their sedate pace.

"I'm fine." Was his immediate statement.

He was sincerely growing to hate that perfectly arched eyebrow of hers.

"No. You're practically spitting fire techniques every time you open your mouth. At what point did the words of a single Jounin kunoichi hold such influence over you? What exactly did she say that riled you so much?"

"It's…" He paused, sighing before shaking his head. "Forget it, just forget about it. I'll get over it."

She offered him a look, one that let him know she didn't quite believe him before she nodded. "If you need to-."

"Yeah…" He interrupted, nodding. "Yeah...Thanks. Really. But let's just get back home."

(X)(X)(X)

For Iwagakure's last remaining Jinchuuriki the fever had taken in. The slight cut from the legendary Kusanagi blade had delivered its equally infamous poison.

He wasn't dead. But, even his heightened immune system was having trouble fighting off the effects.

As such, his temperature was through the roof, nausea churned his stomach, and fatigue rushed through his muscles.

He managed to travel relatively unhindered though. Simply trusting that his body would throw off the sickness after another day or so.

He moved north, back towards Iwa.

It was expected of a loyal Shinobi after all.

The orange masked ninja, Tobi, was gone, as he said he would be.

He wasn't sure where. The man had schemes within schemes and plots within plots. Though he played the role of a fool, his hatred for Konohagakure was, perhaps, more extreme than even Han's hatred for Iwagakure. His request was simple.

Fuel the war.

Keep the two countries fighting each other. Make the two bleed each other. Whenever Iwa gained an advantage, sabotage them. Should Konoha gain too many advantages turn the tide.

Frankly, he cared nothing for Konoha's destruction. Tobi could do his own dirty work.

If they were bled white while fighting Iwa. So be it. But he would do nothing to hinder their advance. Distracting the advance force towards the Daimyo's locations had drawn their veteran forces away from the front far better than he could have ever anticipated.

The fools really did love that old bastard, hadn't they?

He couldn't help but smile at the thought.

This was just the start as far as he was concerned.