Chapter 54: And the Hits Keep Coming


1048 hrs

"What's wrong with Sai," Karin asked as they appeared within the Uzumaki grounds, feet already moving for the steps to the mansion. A soft retching could be heard from Neji behind them—a usually response to their first time using the Homing Beacon Seal.

"We've lost contact with the teams," Jihibiki answered. "And for the life of me I can't figure out why. The same thing happened during the festival operation right before it hit the fan."

Karin's eyebrows nearly touched as she picked up the pace, "The seal utilizes chakra to transport voices like a radio, correct?"

"Yeah."

"So wouldn't it be right to hypothesize another chakra source could run interference?"

A smack echoed off the walls of the stairwell and Jihibiki groaned into his hand. "How did we not think of that?!"

"It's okay jiji, you had a lot on your plate. You all did." Karin opened the door to the Control Room to find Shino fixing his gaze on a map.

"I'm glad you're here, Karin-san." Shino's voice was tight. "I trust Jihibiki has filled you in on the situation?"

"Yes," Karin said entering the room and moving along the walls. Her eyes shifted back and forth looking for the coding she needed. "We've already realized the problem—that's half the battle. All we need now is a solution."

A heavy breath filled the room and Karin glanced over her shoulder to find Shino's rigid form slumped slightly.

"Relieved. Stressed. Torn."

Karin bit her lip and refocused, "Don't worry Shino, I'll get you reconnected."

Though his words were soft, she still heard the despair, "That's half the battle."


1040 hrs


"Fabricate a black log entry of a dead Hokage?" Shino stared at nothing, trying—and failing—to process the new order from Naruto. "How the fuck…"

"Root," was Shikamaru response.

Shino moved to the table and opened a separate screen from the map—its red frame and words demanding clearance before further progress. "Pass code," Shino pulsed.

"Shinsei."

The word flashed into the box, and the meaning wasn't lost to Shino as he hit enter. The clearance box disappeared. The room fell quiet. Then, a shift of fabric and Shino turned to find a blank mask staring at him before kneeling.

"What are your orders, Vengeance-sama?"

"Stand." Shino said and the man did so. His mind turned as he tried to place the man, but the indistinct features drew a blank for even him. "Identify yourself."

"Operative B-0N3S."

"Bones," Shino said connecting the man to the registry. "You were with Sai the night of the Operation Spring Cleaning."

"Correct."

"Remove your mask," Shino said feeling irked at the curt response. "I believe your commander ordered your group to begin integrating back into society, why do you still wear it?"

"Forgive me," Bones said removing his mask, and Shino had to duck his head behind his collar to hide his mouth that fell open. "We've spent so long in the shadows; it's been a struggle for most of us to break away from our ambiguity."

Shinbunshi Daisho, the founder of the newspaper distributed throughout Konoha every morning. The very same that often employed genin to distribute their work, and sometimes worked in tandem with the Ninja Academy to feature some of their students stories. Shino had written one for the man himself.

"I have a job for you," Shino said regaining his voice. "I needed you to find someone capable of recreating the Sandaime's handwriting, and create a false entry into a black log of Uchiha Sasuke's S ranked mission to abandon the village and join Orochimaru as a spy. However, I believe I'm correct in saying I'm looking at the very man for the job."

Daisho's head dipped, but Shino noticed the ends of his mouth twitch. "You're correct, sir."


1054 hrs


Wind howled through the open room as Konan and her Anbu stared at the blank mask of the man that'd saved them. Behind him, two other paled eyed warriors watched the surrounding with blood limits bulging and weapons at the ready. But the silence between the two groups was interrupted by the world outside, explosions echoed through the streets returning them to the situation at hand, and in that moment Konan regained her composure.

"Hanshou, check your men."

"Sound off," Hanshou said moving away towards his teammates lying about the room, though the new arrivals always remained in his peripheral.

"You're Konoha's reinforcements, correct?" Konan asked.

The masked man nodded.

"May I know your name?"

The young man's head bobbed again, and he lifted his mask away to reveal pale skin and black eyes, "Uzumaki Sai—adopted brother of the clan head, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Naruto's brother," Konan breathed.

"Adopted brother."

Konan watched Sai as he replaced his mask and motioned with his head to the room. "It's obvious this area is no longer secure. While your extraction takes priority, I refuse to leave my men behind. Is there a safe location we can fall back to while I send out a search party?"

"We were in the process of issuing an order to fall back to the eastern port," Hanshou said standing from the desk where Piper lay.

Konan's eyes asked the unspoken question, but Hanshou shook his head. She inhaled a breath before letting it out in short burst, her eyes falling to Beaver who stared at the hole in the ceiling in a pool of his own blood.

Two. They'd lost two of their most valuable shinobi. Two they truly couldn't afford to lose.

"But it could've been three," Konan's eyes shifted to Loon who sat propped against the wall, his shoulder being bandaged by Crayfish.

"We'll move once the rest of the teams arrive," Sai said motioning to Hachibane and Torou.

The two separated, one heading to cover the door and the other jumping up through the hole they'd created.

"I've never seen a breach executed so quickly or efficiently," Hanshou said coming to Konan. "Konoha truly has some quality shinobi."

Sai snorted earning confused looks from his counterparts. "It was sloppy at best," he nodded to Torou by the door who he knew could hear. "They're new to this though their Byakugan does help make up for some of their inadequacies."

"Still," Konan said. "To be so effective despite their inexperience is impressive."

Sai shrugged and dropped his Windsinger allowing his strap to catch. "My Root teams are better trained for these types of missions and are much more familiar with the equipment. I'd have brought them instead if possible."

"So you are Root," Konan's voice was unable to hide the tinge of disdain layered within. "Then the rumors of Shimura Danzo's death are true."

"Yes, though I might add the Root you know is no more. With Naruto-nii's help we've been working to bring the group into a new age."

Konan nodded. The uneasy edge she felt melting away at knowing Naruto had his hands in the group now. But her eyes trailed the weapon hanging from Sai's shoulder, and the lingering stare caused his hand to rest on top of it. Before either one of them could speak though, Hanshou's head twitched to the side.

"Newt has secured a route to the new headquarters."

Sai's focus snapped to him, "You have communications? Ours went dark not long after entering Ame's proper."

"It's the Zetsu clones," Konan said motioning to the bodies. "They can release chakra infused inorganic spores which jam communication lines. When they die the interference does as well."

"All teams report," Sai said opening his link.

"Comms back online," Akido asked. "Enroute to designation white—ETA one mike."

"Thank god," Shindou said. "Red team is touching down now."

"This is Blue team," Renai answered. "ETA is two mikes."

"Package is secured," Sai said. "LZ is the top of the tower. Hachibane is covering your approach."

A pause.

"Sir, what about Sojin," Akido asked.

A breath. Two. Eyes closed. Then...

"We lost contact with Yellow team shortly after entering. We believe they were ambushed by the bridge while securing the primary objective."

"So that means—"

"Never assume," Sai snapped and the entire room glanced at him. He took a breath, forcing his voice to remain steady and ignore his closing throat. "Get your asses here, that's all you need to focus on."

"…Yes, sir."


1103 hrs


If they went any slower they'd be going backwards. Despite the pace though, Sojin's lungs burned for air and his back and shoulders screamed at him for a break. Banno was killing him. The poor bastard couldn't help it considering his condition—but the man had no fine motor control and was spooking easily. They'd had two close calls with clones already, and both times Sojin had nearly been knocked out from getting chin-checked as Banno raised his Windsinger at the ready.

The rain wasn't doing much to better his mood, but admittedly it certainly helped numb the pains throbbing across his body. That and the fog setting in helped keep their movements obscure.

Ahead Setsuna gave the signal to halt, and Sojin pushed past the migraine as he opened his Byakugan and peered past him to where Hebitsu crouched at the end of the alley. Beyond that was movement, but either do to exhaustion or pain the figures were only blurry. Muttering an entire page worth of curses he hobbled along the wall to Setsuna and slid Banno down next to Mizo.

"Cover us," Sojin signaled to Setsuna. The man nodded and Sojin crouched with his Windsinger ready, crab walking up to Hebitsu who was hunkered down behind some trashcans.

Despite it only being midday, the light available was poor at best. The skyscrapers around them shrouded most of the roads in darkness. Combined with the rain and gathering fog it seemed more like dusk.

"What is it," Sojin asked.

"Movement fifty meters ahead," Hebitsu answered. "Looks to be about a twelve. There was another dozen but they moved out. This group looks to be setting traps. What do you want to do?"

The pounding in Sojin's head intensified, and he pressed his fingers into his eyes. Definitely a concussion.

"Let's go around," Sojin said. "I want to avoid everyone if possible. They can't accidentally kill us if they never see us."

"Can't back track to the right—street dead ends after another block with no intersections. Going left will take us closer to the fighting over in the western sector."

That was something they were going to avoid at all costs. Sojin had no idea what kind of hell was happening there, but the explosions had been continuous and big. Very big. He'd rather accept a proposition from a painted up man in the red light distract than go through that shit.

Roof tops were out. They were in no shape to carry the others up the sides except for Hebitsu and Setsuna. Forcing them to make multiple runs up the building and shuttle everyone across the tops was just asking for them to get caught.

"Any ways ahead," Sojin asked clenching a fist as a wave of pain and nausea rolled over him.

Hebitsu waited for him to get his breath back and nodded. "Ten meters ahead there's an alley intersection. If we stay low then we might be able to swing to the right for a few blocks before the next obstacle."

Next obstacle—ever the optimist. But Sojin was in no mood to debate, so he nodded and waddled back to Setsuna.

"Group of local nin ahead," Sojin said. "We're going to sneak by them. It looks like they're setting up traps. With any luck we'll be free of hostiles once push through."

Setsuna glanced at Mizo and Banno, "How close are we getting?"

"Too close," Sojin hoisted Banno onto his back.

An awkward crawl back to Hebitsu ensued, the entire time Sojin's screaming inside at how vulnerable they were.

"You first," Sojin said looking at Hebitsu and pointing an unsteady finger to the alley ahead.

The man nodded, activated his Byakugan, and tensed. A few seconds later he disappeared with nothing more than a soft splash drowned out by the rain. Sojin held his breath.

"One. Two. Three…"

Nothing. No alerts or shouts of suspicion.

Activating his Byakugan, Sojin pierced the corner of the intersection to find Hebitsu with his back to the wall, glaring back with his own blood limit active. He waved the all clear.

"Your next," Sojin said to Setsuna. He shuffled Banno off his back and passed him over. "If they see you just surrender. I don't need to explain friendly-fire to the Commander."

"And if they attack?"

"Hebitsu and I will deep six the bastards."

Setsuna shifted Banno around—who was looking worse and worse by the minute judging from the lolling head and pale skin.

He steadied himself, took a breath, and disappeared like Hebitsu had done—except his movement was much more noticeable.

An Ame ninja twitched and looked straight at the alley Setsuna and Banno had just exited. Sojin held his breath, refusing to so much as blink until the shinobi seemed satisfied, and turned back to the box he was unloading wire from. Blood slammed against his ears and put his orientation on full tilt.

"We're next," he rasped throwing Mizo's arm around his shoulder.

A soft groan escaped Mizo before his eyes fluttered open. "One more explosion goes off near me and I'm going to put a round through my own fucking skull."

"Might want to hold off on that promise," Sojin muttered moving them to the mouth of the alley.

Byakugan active and searing into his brain again, he waited until the closest men to them had their backs turned and pumped chakra into his legs. The world blurred forward as he leapt into the open.

It was sloppy. Loud. Far too slow. And halfway across, he heard the shouts.

"Movement!"

Sojin's heels dug into the pavement, his feet sliding in the oil slicked puddles and jolting them forward briefly. He turned to the shinobi throwing his only hand in the air. "Friendli—"

Light bloomed from the center of the Ame nin. A roar broke concrete, cracked walls, and Sojin's feet left the ground. He tipped back, shoulder slamming into the wall behind him, and felt his breath evaporate in the heat washing across him. The world blackened—muted—then restarted as his ass met the ground.

He heard screams. Groped for his Windsinger, and his fingers found purchase. He could see fighting ahead, white bodies dancing around muted greys and blacks. Mizo lay before him, screaming his lungs out while clutching his ear in one hand and swinging his weapon towards the group with the other. He'd kill everyone there.

Sojin lurched forward, tackling Mizo's hunched form to the ground and covering him with his own.

"Sorry," he said propping his Windsinger across the man's chest. Before he could receive a reply he squeezed the trigger, and even with his Byakugan active it still took two burst to range and drop the closest clone.

But his orientation was fucked. His target acquisition slow as shit, and chakra control none existent. Because the next time he laid on the trigger small, rapid explosions, rang out the barrel right above Mizo's head.

The effects were immediate. Mizo's entire body arched, throwing Sojin off, and causing even more attention to be drawn to them. Sai warned what would happen if he fed too much chakra through the receiver. But that meant little to him now as pain lanced across his cheek from a kunai being thrown his way. He sighted another clone and fired, and more fell as Hebitsu and Setsuna opened up from their end, giving the Ame shinobi time to regain their orientation and launch a counter assault.

In the span of thirty seconds fifteen bodies lay in a blood and smoke filled alleyway.

As the world started to slow once again, Sojin was vaguely aware of a hand grabbing his shoulder and yanking him to his feet. His Windsinger fell from his grasp and his left hand shot forward in Jyuuken strike—only to be caught by Setsuna.

His mouth moved, but nothing came out. Sojin's brow furrowed, and Setsuna shook him hard.

"Breath, Sojin! Breath!"

Sojin's eyes widened and a massive rush of air sucked into his lungs. His legs numbed and weight shifted, luckily onto his teammate.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I think so," Sojin said. But his eyes widened further and he lunged away with stomach bile shooting from his mouth. Setsuna's hands gripped him under his armpit and forced him upright. "What about Mizo?"

"Alive for now," Hebitsu said kneeling over the silent man. "Looks like he passed out from the pain."

"Probably for the best," Setsuna said.

"Any survivors," Sojin asked rolling his head to the Ame shinobi.

"Looks like a few," Setsuna answered. "Most appear to be wounded though."

"Fan-fucking-tastic," Sojin said and retched again. After a few more gasps of air and blinking the tears from his eyes he nodded towards the group. "Take us over there."


1106 hrs


"Now that the distractions are out of the way, let's continue," Tsunade said slamming her gavel. "Defending the accused today shall be Nara Shikamaru and Uzumaki Naruto. Acting on behalf of Konohagakure shall be…"

"Shit!" Naruto's eyes cut to Shikamaru who scowled at the man who'd appeared ten meters to their right.

"Prosecutor Bengoshi Kensatsu." Tsunade extended her arm towards Naruto's group, "The defense may have the floor."

Naruto turned to Shikamaru, and nodded. With a sigh, Shikamaru motioned to a small podium raised between them and the balcony. "Hokage-sama I'd like to call Uchiha Sasuke to the stand."

Tsunade nodded and Ibiki appeared behind Sasuke, placing a hand on his shoulder and guiding him to the pedestal. While this happened Naruto asked out of the corner of his mouth, "What's the problem?"

"Bengoshi Kensatsu," Shikamaru said. "One of the best prosecutors in the entire Elemental Nations."

"And who the hell hired him," Naruto asked.

"One guess," Shikamaru said glancing at the jury box above them.

Naruto followed his eyes to find Tsume staring ferociously with her arms crossed. Squaring his shoulders, Shikamaru followed after Sasuke, and Naruto turned his gaze to the newest threat. Kensatsu was well dressed in a dark navy suit with white pinstripes and close cut black hair. His dark eyes glittered with sharp perception and intense intelligence—the kind of intelligence that could screw everything with the right question or observation.

Naruto blew out a breathe turning back to the others, "Perfect."

"Uchiha Sasuke, you were assigned an S rank mission by the Sandaime Hokage despite being only ranked Genin," Shikamaru asked walking in a slow circle around Sasuke. "Is this correct?"

"Yes," Sasuke said loud enough for the word to echo.

"And what were those orders?"

"To infiltrate Orchimaru's ranks, gain his trust, and assassinate him when the time came."

"Were you successful?"

"He's dead isn't he?"

Shikamaru stopped between Sasuke and the balcony, leveling him with a hard gaze. "You're not the only dangerous ninja in this world, Uchiha. Answer the question."

Sasuke's lips thinned, but he nodded. "Yes, I was successful in my mission."

"You were meant to return to the village afterwards, correct?" Shikamaru asked returning to his slow, circular walk.

"Correct."

"But you didn't?"

"No."

"Why?"

There was a pause—murmurs within the crowd rippled out but none spoke too loud to ensure they could hear Sasuke's response.

"To kill my brother."

Over the din that exploded from the surrounding stands, and the gavel's slams, a voice cried out, "Objection!"


1110 hrs


"Oi, any of you still breathing?" Sojin stood—or rather—leaned against Setsuna and ran his eyes over the ninja scattered about the alley. He nudged one with his foot, "Hey, wake the fuck up!"

The man jolted awake, eyes darting around him to take in the battered forms standing before him. "W-Who are you," he asked raising his hand.

"You're knights in shining armor," Sojin answered.

"Um…"

"Who's in charge here?"

"Th-That would be…" his eyes trailed around. "Akiba-san."

"Brown, frizzy hair," Setsuna asked and the man nodded. "Dead from the explosion."

"Then, Sayaka-san. She was his right hand."

"Also dead," Hebitsu said.

"Then…"

Sojin glared at the man quivering before him. "You, fucktard. You're in charge now."

"M-Me?!" The man's eyes shot wide and his face sucked air like a fish. "No…I-I can't."

"Take a look around you," Setsuna said and the man did as he was told. The others were coming to, but it was clear the blast had done more damage to them, or were too young. "You appear to be the next most seasoned ninja capable of commanding a unit."

"B-But I just graduated to Chuunin."

"Hey, who are these guys Wakazou," one of the other boys asked rubbing his head.

"Konoha reinforcements," Sojin said without looking away from the newly named Wakazou. "When did you graduate?"

"T-Today," he stuttered, eyes shifting around his awakening teammates. "I'm only fourteen."

"He received a field promotion after successfully delivering twelve resupply runs to the front lines," a blonde haired girl said holding a bloody arm.

"You gotta be kidding me," Sojin said. Wakazou was either too frightened or too unsure of what to say so Sojin just swore again. "A god damn Genin?!"

"Wakazou-kun was really brave and earned his promotion," the girl said standing up.

"A field promotion is only means something if you can survive to the ceremony," Setsuna said. He turned his head and dropped his voice, "Ame must be struggling if they're already promoting Genin. We must make it to the designation point ASAP."

"Wakazou isn't up for being the leader then I'll do it." The boy from before said.

"It's not your right, Kugana" the girl said.

"C'mon, look at him, Alice-chan. Wakazou is scared out of his pants."

"That's enough from you brats," Sojin snapped causing all three kids to stiffen. He shrugged off of Setsuna and stood full—albeit slightly hunched—height. "We're leaving for your leader's tower. You can either come with us, or stay behind and squabble like the kids you are. Either way we're out of here in the next thirty seconds before this place is swarmed by more of those clones. Now I don't know about you, but I'd feel a hell of a lot better if we had a larger group and someone who knew where the fuck they were going in this godforsaken maze of a village. Understand?"

The kids nodded, and Sojin pointed to Wakazou. "You're with Hebitsu." Said Hyuuga gave a short wave, "On point. Take us to Konan's tower. The rest of you, gather up those who're still alive. I don't think they'd appreciate being left behind for these white freaks."

It took sixty seconds, and lot's of swearing, to have everyone capable of moving up, and carrying those who couldn't. All in all nine Genin and one freshly minted Chuunin stood shaking in the rain and scared out of their minds.

"We're gonna die," Sojin thought motioning for Hebitsu and Wakazou to move. He shifted Banno on his back, who'd awoke looking ready as ever to slam his Windsinger into Sojin's face again. "We're all gonna fucking die."


1121 hrs


"Sir, they're here." Hachibane's voice echoed in Sai's ear.

Sai nodded and looked to those still in the room, "Everyone topside—we're heading out."

"The tunnels are a safer way of travel," Hanshou said.

"Well my way is safer," Sai replied pointing at the hole. "Topside. Now."

Hanshou and the other Anbu bristled, no doubt hating the fact the help from their ally were trying to take control of the situation. But Konan snapped her fingers bringing obedience at once, "Do as he says."

In a matter of seconds they were through the hole and bracing themselves against the rain and wind. Three giant birds perched near their exit, with three teams of four standing before them.

"The Commander will take the lead bird, the rest of his team will split up with the others." Pulling a scroll and release three more birds from within. "Konan will take the center of the formation."

Jumping onto the closest bird Sai continued, "Akido, Hyororito, Toiki—you're with me. Shindou will head operations until we link back up."

"Yes sir," twelve voices rang out before bursting into movement.

Gravity ceased to exist, and both rain and wind attack his eyes as Sai's mount launched into the air. With any luck he'd be able to get the radio seal in range and locate Sojin and his team. With any luck, they'd still be alive.

"You will never assume."

His jaw ached in protest to his grinding, and he pushed the bird harder ignoring the sapping burn on his chakra coils. "Everyone hold on."

The others let out surprised shouts as they turned nearly vertical. Their faces rippled and eyes burned, but Sai refused to relent on their speed and ascent. Finally, after felt last far too long, they broke through the lower stratosphere and the rain turned to a fine mist. Four breathes exhaled at once, forming a miniature of its surrounding brethren.

"Sir, was that neces—"

"Quiet," Sai ordered. The others glanced to each other, but Sai said nothing else, staring intently out over their ride. He shifted his weight, angling the bird more towards the eastern border of Ame.

Another minute of silence. Then…

"M…..I….lo…..n…d…."

Sai strained his ears and without warning pushed the bird higher, ignoring the cries of his other passengers.

"Control this is Vengeance, do you copy?"

Static. The distant rumble of explosions half a mile below.

Feedback.

"Control, do you copy," Sai asked again.

"Th…e! He..lo?...an you…ear us?"

"Control there's heavy interference on the channel. Unable to ascertain your message."

Another pause. Then a massive burst of feedback causing Sai to grunt and cup his ear.

"Can you hear me now," Karin's voice replied clearly.

"Nii…Uzumaki-san?"

Multiple voices muttered to each other before one quieted the others, "Vengeance this is Justice—what's your situation?"

Relief trickled down Sai's neck and his eyes shut, "Ame is under attack by Madara's clone army. Approximately one half the village has been destroyed, and access to the village has been reduced to the eastern bridge. Angel is being relocated to an alternative base in the eastern port while a search team looks for Yellow team."

"They're alive," Shino said. Another wave of relief. "But three are injured—two severely. What's more, their progress has slowed even further. I believe they may've linked up with local forces retreating to the secondary base."

"Location?"

"Ten blocks West, Southwest. Comms will most likely cut out again."

"They will," Sai said. "The Zetsu clones are capable of jamming transmissions using chakra infused inorganic spores."

Indistinct talking followed, fast, low, but Sai managed to catch a couple of phrase about Fuuin jutsu. Shino's voice came back to the receiver, but hesitated and Karin said, "Just let me explain it!"

Despite the situation Sai smiled.

"The Radio Seal is using a using a medium wave length to cast its chakra transmissions," Karin said. "We originally had it developed this way because of Fire Country's terrain."

"I remember," Sai said. "There are no impeding geographical barriers so we could use a ground wave type signal without the worry of any interference."

"Yes, and we did this to save on additional chakra expenditure during transmissions."

It made sense. No point in using the communications if it ended up drying the users out.

"But you're beyond the horizon," Karin said. "And while there are no real geographic barriers, the distance combined with atmosphere is breaking the signal up and causing it to be absorbed."

"Which is why we placed additional conductor seals on the way to Ame."

"Yes, but with these inorganic spores now filling the atmosphere of Ame they're most likely deflecting and scattering the signal."

Sai's brow furrowed, "Which means if we switch to high frequency…"

"Change to shortwave, and alter the antenna to collect and broadcast skywave signals, we'll be able to reflect the signal off the spores and create a perfect link."

"You're a genius."

She started to speak, but Shino's voice reappeared saying, "Yellow team is under attack!"


1123 hrs


Every breath throbbed from the raw, humid air. Every stride moved in unfeeling, automatic rhythm. When had they stopped burning from exhaustion? When had every sound, thought, and feeling given way to taking one more step?

Her fingers rubbed together and felt a sense of wetness.

Was it raining? Were they in Ame? How long had they been there?

"Samui!"

Samui's eyes cut to Karui just in time to see her legs give out and slide across the mud. She skidded and twisted, reappearing at her teammate's side just as Karui turned her head, too exhausted to lift it.

"I can't keep going," she said. Her mouth worked furiously to get oxygen back into her body. "I need a break."

Samui stared at her for a second before looking the way they came. She'd completely zoned out, so focused on pushing her body she'd failed to even pay attention to her teammate or her surroundings. If she kept at this rate she'd be in poor shape when they arrived in Ame.

"I'll find us shelter," she said pulling Karui around her shoulder. "We'll rest for a few hours."

She shuffled them over to a stand of trees where Karui collapsed against a trunk, and proceeded to hang canvas above them. All the while, doing her best to ignore the nausea in her gut and the screaming in her head to not rest.

To press forward. Find him. Save him.

Tell him the truth.

Her back pressed against the tree trunk and she slid down next to Karui. They sat in silence, blankets wrapped around them as they stared at a small fire with the soft beat of rain enveloping them. Samui knew she should get a little sleep, but no matter how tired her body was her mind refused to slow, so she watched the tongues of fire twist before her. Tried to ignore the ones agonizing her on the inside.

"Does it hurt?"

Karui's voice jerked Samui into focus, and she found her teammate watching her despite Karui's heavy lids and dark circles. "What do you mean?"

"Your seal," Karui said. "You keep rubbing it."

Samui's eyes fell to her lap where her finger was indeed pressed against the black ink stained on her skin.

"No," she said clasping her wrist.

Out of her peripheral Samui caught Karui give a sleepy nod. "You better tell him when we find him."

The fire crackled, mixing with the rain in a soothing yet warm lullaby.

"Yeah," Samui's chin dipped. She had no tears left, but that didn't stop the all too familiar burn in the back of her throat from flaring up. "I will."


1137 hrs


The door gave way under his sandal and Sojin charged into the apartment, Byakugan cutting through the darkness. Behind him Wakazou and Alice carried Kugana who screamed while clutching the side of his face. Behind them came Setsuna who drug both Banno and Mizo by the backs of their gear. Once in the room he dropped them and returned to the door, his Windsinger muttering death into the street until another body blurred through.

Hebitsu landed on his side, twisted, and kicked the door shut behind him. Not taking a second's breath, he was already scrambling to his feet and pulling Mizo over his shoulder.

"Where to next," Sojin said over his shoulder moving deeper into the building. They needed to keep pushing forward. The ambush two blocks back had killed all the other Genin and nearly gotten their guide killed as well.

"Straight out the back," Wakazou said over his teammates cries. "It'll take us out to one of the main streets leading straight to the tower."

Beside him Alice shook from effort while tears ran down her cheeks, but the Chuunin hadn't fared much better. The faint hint of piss hadn't had time to wash out of his pants despite the downpour.

Sojin pushed his Byakugan past the mind numbing pain ringing through his skull and checked the street.

All Clear.

"Everyone out, now!"

Hebitsu and Mizo were just exiting when the exploding tag hooked to the door frame on the other side of the building tripped. Windows shattered out into the streets with plumes of smoke, sending tiny splinters of shrapnel into their backs while they pushed their bodies past their breaking points.

The buildings rising up on either side of them provided some coverage from the clones running in tandem with them, but ahead the street widened and opened up; four lanes wide with large sidewalks on either side. They'd be out of cover within seconds.

With little options left, Sojin reached into his pocket and grabbed four smoke bombs. Ten meters from the opening he threw them, and the street disappeared in a massive smoke screen. A second later a vacuum palm thrust forward, creating a pillar of smoke that extended down the widened street instead of up.

"Go," Sojin said falling back past the Ame Genin to cover his own men. "Go, go, go!"

The tower was in the distance. He could see it without his Byakugan. Four more blocks, a straight shot, and they'd be there.

Movement on the rooftops behind them and Sojin swiveled, a three round senbon burst tearing through the clone and its partner. A second later dull smacks filled the street as the bodies bounced off the pavement. But more came. From the rooftops, the side streets. God help them, even from within the building. It was like the entire army had found and converged on them.

The slide to his Windsinger slid open, and Sojin stutter stepped left, then jerked right, dodging kunai and jamming a new tag home.

They just had to make a little further and the tower could reinforce them. Just a few more blocks and—

An explosion halted Sojin's backpedal and threw him forward. He tucked, rolled with the momentum coming up on a knee, and dropped five clones trying to rush him. He pivoted to his right and held the trigger, a cloud of untraceable metal flew into the gaping hole now spewing a mountain of debris across the street. But it did nothing to stem the impending doom bleeding out of his gut. His Byakugan told him just how bad it was.

Their quickest route was cut off.

A scream washed into the street. Low at first, but continuous. The eerie sound rebounded of the buildings unrelentingly, and everyone—Sojin, his men, the clones—all stopped and looked at one another for an answer. But there was none, not to Sojin at least.

The scream increased, along with a sense of danger, and Sojin pushed the limit of his eyes. Bloody tears sliding down his face as he tried to locate the threat. His body coiled, and just when he thought he might completely lose his hearing he saw it.

A rain drop shaped object the size of a child's ball falling through the air. A hundred feet up and closing fast. But it was the kanji painted on the side that had Sojin's ass puckering as he turned on his heels and sprinting towards the others.

Explosion.

"Move your asses," Sojin said scooping Kugana under his arm from the Ame kids and blowing past them. Hebitsu and Setsuna were already working their way towards the mountain of debris blocking the street. He thought he heard their footsteps behind him, but he couldn't be sure over the terror inducing wail.

The explosion wasn't as big as he thought it would be. About the size of a normal paper bomb. But it served as the distraction they needed to gain some distance from the encroaching forces, and just as they were about to begin their climb movement swept over them and continued to their right.

"What was that," Sojin asked. His Byakugan had failed, his normal sight barely making out objects in front of him.

"It's the Commander," Setsuna said as his Byakugan tracked the bird flying by. A second explosion echoed between the buildings off to their right. "Yellow smoke?"

Sojin's breath caught, "Extraction point!"

He didn't hear a response, but the grunts around him told just how deep they dug to push themselves. Halfway across the street another scream began. Then another. And another. Sojin's eyes widened as a cacophony of wails plummeted towards earth, their Commander seeming intent on filling every inch of space between the raindrops with explosives.

They were ten meters from the alleyway when it began. A wave of explosions ripped apart concrete, shattered glass, and ground stone from the far end of the street, working its way rapidly towards them. They just cleared the corner, the explosive force tossing them further down the narrow pathway, bouncing off the walls, ground, and each other when Sojin realized the message Sai was sending.

Danger close.

He stared at the grey-black expanse above him, blinking only slightly at the rain splattering across his face. He tried moving, but all he managed was a shoulder twitch. The howling in his nerves told him his sense of pain was still working though.

"I get tossed one more time I'm calling it quits," Setsuna said through a groan.

"Bet the other teams didn't have put up with this shit," Hebitsu said rolling onto his side.

"God forbid we share this fun with anyone else," Sojin raised his head off the ground. A clone burst through the smoke with a kunai only to collapse forward onto its face after a wet crack.

Sojin stared at the body, before trailing his eyes over the other team members, none of which had their Windsingers up. A soft breeze pushed the smoke back long enough for Sojin to get a look at the street they'd been in seconds before, now reduced to a deep trench rapidly turning into a lake. But more clones were already running towards them, and before Sojin or the others could react, they started dropping into the water with gaping holes in their body.

Holes far too big or powerful to be caused by their weapons.

Another shadow passed between the buildings above them, and Hebitsu let out something between a sigh of relief and a prayer, "Hyororito and Toiki."

Sojin's head flopped back with a splash. Those two carried Windlances. Their Commander was tilling streets with explosives and two of their own were sending down precision steel to cover them. The loyalty wasn't lost to Sojin.

"Everyone up," he said scrapping his legs under him. "We need to get to that smoke."

"What's the point," Wakazou asked slumping up against the wall. Blood ran down his forehead and over his eye. "This alley dead ends into a courtyard for an apartment complex. How are they supposed to get us out?"

Sojin stood with a wince, ignoring the explosive rounds Hebitsu carelessly fired at the mouth of the alley. "Our Commander will get us out. That smoke is our ticket to ride. Unless you'd like to stay here?"

Wakazou's eyes trailed to the opening of the alley where a steady pile of bodies was forming. He nodded and the group struggled to their feet. The choke point formed by the alley would offer them a little respite while Sai came for them. How much Sojin couldn't say, but chances were it wouldn't be long. He could only hope the extraction would be quick.

The Ame Genin took the lead, followed by Setsuna carrying a still unconscious Mizo. Sojin followed, dragging Banno by the back of his vest—whose jaw he was certain had fused from pain—while Hebitsu covered the rear, firing occasionally to keep the clones back. Out in the street, screams cut off by explosions still rocked the buildings every couple of seconds.

The smell of phosphorous tickled Sojin's nose, and the air around them tinged yellow. They were close.

At the risk of breaking his concentration of placing one painful foot in front of the other, Sojin glanced ahead to see a wall of yellow billowing up. With a final grunt, he plunged through the smoke and disappeared into a world of yellow obscurity. Seconds passed, and the burning in his lungs intensified as they screamed for oxygen only to receive a diluted, smoky mix instead. His head started spinning, his legs shaking so bad they promised to give out any second, but he pushed further through the smoke until a strong breeze blasted him in the face and the sea of yellow was pushed back.

One of Sai's birds beat its wings, hovering a foot of the ground, waiting for the command to take off at a hair twitch of an order. Hyororito looked down his barrel, Byakugan cutting through smoke, rain, and fog, occasionally firing a senbon down the alley while Toiko grabbed the Ame genin one at a time with a single hand and yanked them onto the mount.

He grabbed Mizo off of Setsuna next, who then turned and began firing up at the rooftops where seconds later more bodies connected with the concrete. They were running out of time.

Sojin dropped his Windsinger and used both hands to hoist Banno up into Toiko's wants arms. The bird dipped at the weight, and Toiko said, "We can't take anyone else. The Commander will come in after we're clear to get you."

"Go," Sojin waved gripping his weapon again and turning to the alley.

Powerful bursts of wind rushed by them, and it seemed like an eternity before they finally died down. Toiko had been lying. They were well over the carry capacity of the bird—they'd be lucky if they could clear some of the higher buildings in the area.

The explosions had ceased, signaling Sai was on his way. But the promise of escaped also meant no more cover from above. The attacks doubled in strength, wave after wave of Zetsu clones rushing them from everywhere.

Hebitsu, Setsuna, and Sojin stood with their backs to each other, firing their Windsingers and burning through far too much senbon and chakra. There was no control, only survival at this point. And in their desperation they were getting sloppy.

The air filled with sound of metal cutting through it, and the three prepared to deflect the blades. But then Setsuna screamed, "Bomb!"

A foot connected with Sojin's side, bringing a burst of crippling pain at the pop his rib made, and careened away to the ground. But he never touched the concrete. Instead his body went limp as a blinding shock wave slammed into him, carrying him into the back wall of the apartment complex where the world went dark.


1155 hrs


He heard nothing. His ears didn't even ring. Only throb, throb, throbbed with pain. A nauseating pain that made his entire being feel like he was tumbling through a void at mach three. He felt hot. Hot and wet. Why was he wet?

Ame.

Sojin inhaled, but he didn't smell rain. Only sulfur and blood. Whose blood? His?

"Open your eyes!"

But it was easier thought than said, his lids feeling as if they'd rusted shut. His entire body had been beat to hell, and pushed to the point where he couldn't even open his fucking eyes.

"Open. Your. Eyes!"

Light split the darkness he existed in, and the world came into focus only to move in a blurred slow motion. He couldn't blink. He couldn't even will his eyes to move. He could only stare at the spinning, muted world in horror.

Clones filled the area, standing, smiling, watching as Hebitsu struggled with one on top of him, both fighting over control of a kunai. But he was losing. The clone used its weight to slowly push the blade down until it sank into Hebitsu's chest. His mouth opened in a scream Sojin didn't hear as the blade inched deeper and deeper into him.

He was going to die, and the realization finally touched Hebitsu because he let go of the blade and wrapped his hands around the clone's throat.

To Sojin's left Setsuna lay on his back, clones standing around him watching as he head lolled back and forth while his hand flopped for a kunai just out of reach. His left leg was missing below the knee, and they seemed happy with just watching him bleed to death.

One of them took notice of Sojin, its lips moving but no words reached him. But he knew it was about him, because a few approached him. He tried to grasp a weapon but couldn't. Tried to move his legs to stand, but couldn't. Screamed at his body to do something, but instead a glare fashioned across his face as he stared back at the creatures.

He couldn't fight to the death like Hebitsu, or resist with his last gasps like Setsuna. His body had finally given up, and all he could do was glare.

So he did. Sojin's face hardened with pure defiance at his enemies standing inches away. Burned into the creature as it knelt and pressed a kunai to his throat. Raged with pride as his final thoughts—free thoughts—imagined death and malice towards them.

The kunai twitched against his skin, and fell away.

Sojin stared at the clone, waiting for the darkness to take him. But it never came.

Instead the Zetsu slumped silently to the side. The other clones next to him looking wildly around before they toppled over dead as well. Sojin's face contorted in confusion, and in slow motion more clones collapsed. Then a mass of white blurred into the center of the courtyard, and he watched as the pale mask of his commander sprang from his mount. He moved at a speed not even the slow world Sojin watched through could process. Scrolls fluttered around Sai releasing larks of ink that buried into chests and heads, his Windsinger cutting a swath through the crowd before being dropped and a tanto slashed through more bodies.

Then more movement appeared, slower, labored and weighed down. Akido threw Sestuna onto the back of the bird before turning to Hebitsu. He grabbed the man, who lifted his Windsinger and fired a silent burst through a clone's head coming up behind his savior.

Alive. They were all alive.

The thought moved something deep within Sojin, and his strength returned. It wasn't much. More like determination converted into energy. But his arm slid out in front of him, and pulled his body forward. Then the other, dragging him through the death flying inches above his head.

Akido turned, eyes locking on him, and he was pumping his body through a cross fire of hell and metal towards him.

The world remained mute, but it was speeding up again. Akido slid to his knees beside him, and Sojin threw an arm around his shoulder. His cousin yanked his body up, throwing him across his shoulders before turning back to the bird which was becoming riddled with kunai. Only a few more and the mount would collapse into ink.

But Sai recognized this, and pure ink flowed from his brush, wrapping around the bird and reinforcing it. Sojin's body twitched with wave after wave of fire in cadence with Akido's footfalls, but he didn't care.

A kunai sliced through Akido's side and the man stumbled, but he pushed through the last few meters ignore another kunai that buried into his thigh. They reached the bird. Akido threw him into Hebitsu, who caught him despite the knife still buried in his chest, and passed him to Sai.

Limbs flashed before Sojin, cutting his vision of what was happening around him into images.

He saw Hebitsu turn back to Akido. Reach out to him. Akido grinned, saying something as he grasped the hand and hoisted himself onto the bird.

And then his head lashed back. A blur of metal sinking into his eye, and he slumped backwards. Out of Hebitsu's hand. Through the air. Back to the ground.

The world froze in that moment. So many emotions tore through Sojin he didn't know. But he knew he was moving, lurching forward after his cousin. Except a set of hands gripped him and wrenched him back. His eyes bounced around until they fell on Sai, and within his commander he saw unending sadness. Sai turned away, and the bird broke from the earth so fast Sojin's breath left him.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught Sai pressing a seal on his forearm, and in a puff of smoke a Windlance appeared. Akido's Windlsinger.

Another seal was pressed, and Sojin's body grew slightly heavier. Akido's munitions being transferred and dispersed to those present.

The last seal was pressed, and Akido's rapidly shrinking body disappeared in the flash caused by the incineration seal.