Chapter 38

SIATA

In another time and place Siata would have gladly watched Sunshine and Gaara fight. But she couldn't, her not going after the sound ninja and getting ready now would only be playing into Oruchimaru's plans: The bitter prodigy unrecognised by his master comes to kill him. And Hiruzen had yet to harden his heart about Oruchimaru. Siata guessed he never would. The more Hiruzen had given him leeway, the more control Oruchimaru had over his grotesque experiments.

She shot into the woman's bathrooms and henged into a generic ANBU member. Then she summoned the Zombie.

"We'll need as much Jounin free to assist the Hokage. Zombie-san, do not harm any civilians or leaf ninja only the ninja that are from sound or sand."

"Arrrgg," Zombie-san nodded.

"Good. Now I'll take care of the other problem."

Siata took silent steps out of the bathroom, through the corridors and leaned against the wall closest to the Oruchimaru's henchmen. She went as far as sliding out her Tanto from its sheath and hiding it under the ANBU coat. She couldn't stop herself from looking in their direction without appearing suspicious. They were standing underneath the Hokage's booth and were disguised as normal civilians who looked entirely uninterested at the fight that was going on below them.

She locked on to each soul familiarising herself with them, but couldn't tell which one out of the four was her target. Taking the target down as soon as they revealed their true form would have to do. But she'd have to move quickly.

She casually let her eyes pass them, leaned back and waited. Below Gaara was miserably shaking from his flashbacks and mental struggles with the Ichibi, confusing Naruto when he seemed to become delirious. She could hear Naruto's insistent shouting about friendships and how hard it was to not have your existence acknowledged like Gaara. Soon the Ichibi's presence seemed to build and overtake. Next thing the explosion of the Ichibi sent mass panic.

White feathers floated down on the arena and Siata dispelled the genjutsu.

"Magic circle: Zombie summons." Siata summons around 30 zombies around the arena. Meanwhile her focus was locked onto the four sound ninja. They were making their move. Going up towards the roofs. You have just one chance.

Siata gathered a large amount of chakra into her jump seal and latched on to her initial target that was dashing up to the roof. The girl that used the flute.

"Soul genjutsu." Siata attacked the girl with her genjutsu making her suddenly slip. Siata dashed towards her in high speed before anyone noticed and reached the girl- raising her tanto and slashed down on the girls neck. Siata froze as the blood splattered and her head rolled.

With this the seal would be incomplete. People can assist the Hokage.

She inhaled a sharp breath and dashed up towards the sealing where all hell had broke loose. ANBU were fighting off the three sound henchmen. Some assisting the Hokage fighting Oruchimaru, some fighting the first and second Hokage.

Siata surged forward and tackled one ANBU out of the way from the first Hokage's kick and they retreated back to where Hiruzen was.

Siata crouched low and stared at the First, Second Hokage's and Oruchimaru.

"We will assist you Hokage-sama!" The ANBU shouted.

Five ANBU jumped towards the first Hokage while Siata stayed by Hokage-sama side with several other ANBU. The others attacked Oruchimaru and his henchmen.

The second Hokage sent a burst of water their way.

"Wall seal!" Siata's walls protected the Hokage and other ANBU from being washed away.

Suddenly the first Hokage came dashing towards them.

"Get behind me Siata." Hiruzen ordered.

The Hiruzen blocked Hashirama's kick then got smashed in the face with his punch.

Siata jumped up just before the second Hokage emerged and turned on her sharingan and sparred with Tobirama.

Shikamaru started running towards the Hokage's area.

"SIATA!"

Kakashi and Gai looked up to see her barely holding up against Tobirama-sama. They nodded and let the zombies deal with the rest of the sound ninja and dashed towards the Hokage to help.

Meanwhile, Siata got sent flying and crashing into the roof and rolled wheezing.

"Secret tree element technique: Birth of the Trees"

Hiruzen was trapped in the trees but managed to summon his monkey summons and create the pole weapon to fight Oruchimaru. While the other ANBU dealt with the Tobirama and Hashirama from behind the scenes. Siata shook to stand up again as Oruchimaru punched Hiruzen on his back and the Hokage did not get up.

Siata managed to get back up and when Tobirama attacked her all she could manage was to flitter around him and barely blocked his moves. The issue was his speed- and overall strength.

"Crow dispersal!" Siata barely managed to dodge Tobirama's upper punch as he gripped her wrist. She landed behind him then body flickered just in time to dodge his water jutsu.

"Hiraishin" Tobirama flashed towards her. Siata's eyes widened as she body flickered away from him. She gasped as he punched her across the face. Then another. And another.

"Shield Seal! Soul dispersal. Soul genjutsu!" Siata used the time to slap on as many explosive seals on him and slashed up his body into pieces with her Tanto- his body unnaturally softer due to it being fake.

She exploded each seal when a piece of Tobirama's body was about to be formed again.

Siata turned just in time to see Oruchimaru charging at Hokage-sama and jumped to get between them when something pulled her back.

"Shikamaru?! Let me-"

"Calm down!" He shouted at her furious. She pushed at him and they struggled. She stopped when she saw Gai sensei and Kakashi sensei pushing Oruchimaru back along with Hokage-sama, and now more ANBU and jounin were arriving at the scene.

She could see Genma, Yugao-san and Hayate-san starting to finish off the Hashirama-sama with a similar explosion tag technique. Neji was fighting the spider sound ninja side to side with Hiashi. Choji and Ino with Ibiki-san were fighting the chakra sucking sound ninja. Kiba fighting that double headed sound nin with Anko while Sasuke and Naruto were dueling the Ichibi out with their huge frog and snake summons.

"What the hell were you thinking jumping in like that in front of the Nindaime! Are you insane!" Shikamaru shook her.

"What was I supposed to do?! I had to buy time. And they were about to make a barrior seal, so I managed to disrupt it then I just got caught into it." Siata explained.

Shikamaru couldn't fight back with her logic and just made some frustrated sound at the back of his throat. Her eyes flickered back to the Tobirama who was now getting back up again as the explosive seals had run out.

"Now can we go kick some Nindaime butt?" Siata offered

"Mendokuse..! Fine. Let's do this- as a team." Shikamaru finally grinned. Siata grinned back.

The two dashed forward to spar with Tobirama.

"I can only hold him for a second each time so make it count!" Shikamaru shouted.

"Shadow possession!" Shikamaru for a brief moment trapped Tobirama who jerked. Siata slashed both his arms off but wasn't quick enough to go for the legs. Shikamaru used his shadows instead and slammed the Nindaime into the ground and jumped back. They waited.

"Water release" Water surged and almost crashed on them.

"Fūinjutsu: Water explosion!" Siata released all the water in her water seal causing an explosion of water from both sides. The roof raining down in water.

"Water style: severing wave" said Tobirama. Suddenly a huge long line of water burst out. Everything it touched from the roofs to the trees got cut like butter. And it was quickly aimed towards them. Siata and Shikamaru dodged again and again as the bursts aimed at them. Behind them the water cut through the rock of the cliff and it started exploding and collapsing on them.

Someone tall slammed into both of them and put them in a safe location up top of one of the tree branches.

"Ensui-jisan!" Shikamaru sighed in relief

Siata blinked up at the man who avoided her eyes.

"Mmm. The adults will take care of it now. You two stay back."

Ensui jumped down hopping down one branch and another. Suddenly a large sickle made of shadow appeared in his hands.

"Shadow arts: Cursed reaping." Ensui's sickle sliced Tobirama's head off from behind him. But surprisingly it didn't grow back. Ensui didn't stop and continued to slash up Tobirama until he couldn't attack.

Oruchimaru was retreating and managed to run away. Tobirama and Hashirama faded away only leaving the dead bodies.

Down below Siata saw Naruto and Sasuke supporting eachother while limping towards Gaara who was exhausted flat on the ground. They seemed to exchange some words before Temari and Kankuro arrived to support Gaara up- then they left.

KONOHA

As the victory sounds and cheers rang across Konoha, Siata double checked. Naruto, Sasuke, the Hokage, and Shikamaru was alive. She finally let go of a sigh and slumped into Shikamaru who was still resting exhausted but smiling in relief as well.

"Good job." He pat her head.

"Thanks Shika. You did a good job to. It was fun at the end fighting with you."

"Well you nearly gave me a heart attack.. guess I still have a long way to go." Shikamaru grinned

"Wasn't Tobirama-sama amazing?" Siata perked up to face Shikamaru her eyes shining. "And his water jutsu- the severing wave technique! That was just… I have to learn it."

Shikamaru blinked at her then burst out laughing.

"You know.. usually Uchiha's aren't that fond of water jutsu's in general but you use it quite frequently. Have you gotten your nature chakra tested yet?" He asked her.

"Huh, no it never crossed my mind." It could be something to work on afterwards.

Night came and Siata was released exhausted back home after everything that day. The other ninja clapped eachother on the back. Siata reunited with Sunshine and Duckling and listened to how they had made a new friend with Gaara and smiled. Tomorrow they would start repairing the village. A day of construction became several days and weeks.

Konoha was rebuilding itself- the buildings and people. Siata trailed around the damaged buildings collecting wood, or took a break underneath a cool shade. It turned out not just team 7 but the other rookie teams had to help with the rebuilding.

During the days where both their teams shared the work Siata and Shikamaru would sit together and talk with eachother. They wouldn't talk too much and didn't mind they did. There was a peace in simply being with eachother. Sometimes after the work they would talk while walking together around the village.

The rebuilding continued. Every day Sand would offer their services to console themselves in other ways of displaying their loyalties once again.

Sand and Leaf had various serious political discussions. Sand was pardoned due to their Kage being disabled and they agreed to help with Konoha's repairs and damage. Gaara helped a lot in building the houses such as helping with bricks, cementing, moving heavy materials.

The sand counsel was going all out to do anything to forge better bonds and urged the three Kazekage children to make good connections and stay in Leaf to help out.

Meanwhile Team 7 and Shikamaru were noted for their skills, leadership, decision making styles, and future abilities to manage a team, and so were promoted to Chuunin.

They had a celebration party. Yoshino-san organised the dinner with Sasuke. By now she had gotten to know the rookie 9 and their teachers quite well. Everyone eventually seemed to make their way to Sasuke's home again. Even Hiashi-san came at her invitation bringing Neji and also his team around. It was nice to see how much they trusted eachother now, turned a warm face and open eyes towards eachother for comfort and laughter. Siata and the group of ninja, had really grown to like eachother no matter how different they were.

LAND OF SOUND

Mei had a whole arsenal of men under her control and many were attractive in some way, yet there was something about Zabuza. When he stepped out of the shadows with his men behind him, dressed in black pants, a huge sword and nothing else. The man, unlike most, had the nerve to let his men step back as he approached her without fear.

"Took you long enough, Zabuza. You couldn't find your shirt?"

Zabuza stared then smirked, "Skin washes blood off the best. You should try it sometime."

Chojiro came down landing infront of Mei his Hiramekarei drawn before Mei could respond.

"How dare you talk to Mei-sama like that. Mei-sama please allow me a death match against this trash."

"Denied Chojiro. We'll need plenty of blood drawing in a few minutes in there." Mei tilted her head to the cave entrance surrounded by mist.

"I agree. And I believe you get too ahead of yourself Chojiro-san," Haku was crouched on a branch. His twin kiba swords casually drawn towards him, "we are the ones with the information and knowledge about the situation. So in fact you, who've accomplished nothing for mist despite your efforts to control the civil war with Mei-san and her men, are whats called trash."

Chojiro and Haku's killing intent spiked in the air.

"Haku."
"Chojiro."

Mei and Zabuza pressed their chakra suppressing everyone who was lying ready in wait for the ambush.

Haku and Chojiro flinched before backing up, withdrawing their swords.

Suigetsu drolled picking at his ear. His Kabutowari dangling on his shoulders.

"Sheesh Haku man, and you blue-hair-glasses-kid calm down. Can't you tell the two are flirting? There're like in their 30's for mists sake. Do you want them single for life? It's a crucial time..." said Suigetsu causing Haku to laugh.

"That is exactly what's unacceptable! I will protect Mei-sama's smile!" Chojiro clenched his fists and growled at Zabuza who ignored him and continued to talk logistics with Mei.

"Can you all please stop flaring your chakra like that?! Its bloody counterintuitive to do an ambush while alerting the entire prison- THAT WE ARE HERE." Karin huffed.

"It doesn't matter if they know. I'll crush them all anyway." Jugo's spoke calmly sitting beside Haku, his eyes fixed on the cave entrance.

"If your team is so great then why call on all of us?" Ao, his one eye alone was piercing enough towards Zabuza's men in a warning to maintain their respects, while he equally glared at Chojiro -sternly reprimanding him to get back in line ready to fight.

"Zabuza-sama does not want any... Unnecessary deaths of future allies. Currently we have information that this Sound prison contains a large number of experimented people - many children." Haku explained, "If they realise they have been infiltrated they will kill the test subjects to protect their research. Speed will be the key for this ambush to be a success."

Chojiro flinched and looked up towards Zabuza and muttered, "...children as. Human experiments?!" his arms started to shake in anger

"Us three are some of the few that's been experimented on extensively and survived. So we know what crappy lives those kids are living in. If it hadn't been for Zabuza-san and Haku we'd probably never be out here breathing fresh air." Suigetsu explained and grinned. "starting to warm up to us now little squirt?"

"We are close in age!" Chojiro flamed. But the edge in his eyes weren't there anymore.

"Mei-sama. Zabuza-sama. The south, east and west entrances are now ready for the ambush," said Ao, awaiting orders.

"The caves from here will lead us to the back section of the experiments where the prisoners are kept. However, the black market and slave traders are close to the section and Oruchimaru will have stationed extra men in the borders of the cells closest to the entrances and auctions. This is my operation so if any of you mess up, I don't care if you're the second to your Mei-sama or Mei herself. I will slit your throat and then fill your-"

"Let us not waste time telling us how much you care for the little ones safety Zabuza-san, while I like a domestic man, I believe we now understand the little details. Shall we?"

Zabuza grinned and gave the signal. Mei nodded giving the ok to her men.

Their stomachs dipped as all mist units and men dropped high from the cliffs and into the darkness of the caves. The unit was fast and ignored the small fry, Haku reaching the children's cells first. Grabbing the keys he jumped and slit the throat of one guard as behind him already a pile of bodies were silently dropping fast.

Then the screams and curses started to echo inside the walls.

"Hello babies! It's your new daddy!" Suigetsu said, while flinging open the cell doors. He whizzed through as many cells as possible while killing as many guards. Adrenaline clearly draining all the blood from his brain.

The kids just screamed and ran away from him, clinging to Haku who gently eased them off telling them to go outside quickly now.

Mei simply melted all the cells down and let the children run out, crinkling her nose at the cells dumped with rotten flesh and bile. "The hospitality here disgusts me."

Zabuza burst through the sea of men coming after them now, covered in blood. He grinned while splitting open a man screaming in half. "I like my house immaculate."

Three more came at him in differnt angles and Mei burned them to molten as they gargled in anguish burning alive.

"Would you like to get dinner after?"

Zabuza fisted a man's face with one hand and threw him away- the man's face dented in the rock walls. He didn't look away from Mei and grinned wider.

"I make killer sushi."

"Shall we finish this around an hour?" Mei beamed while skinning alive a swarm of scientists who were trying to run away from her lava

"I think I can hurry and make it in 10 minutes." Zabuza appeared in the mist whispering in her ear and Mei eyed him with a smouldering look while making the entire cave rain lava. The heat swirling around them as Zabuza stepped closer to her dropping his sword on a man's chest and pulled Mei closer as she obliged.

"Can you two stop eye raping eachother already and tone it down a bit?! The kids are watching! Don't worry kids Daddy here!" Suigetsu shouted over the collapsing cave ceilings chasing after the kids.

"Yes! And I mean- do you have to impress eachother by how violent you can kill- I'm gagging right now at the pile of bodies ok! Gagging!" Karen jumped away from a rock and screamed at them

"Think of the children. THE CHILDREN! WE ARE DOING THIS FOR THEM- YES?! Mei-sama? MEI-SAMA NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Chojiro sobbed as Zabuza and Mei disappeared around the corner leaving chaos and destruction in their path- their eyes only locked on eachother.

Haku placed a hand on Chojiro's shoulder. "Please do not disturb their sweet time Chojiro-san."
"SDLKSFGLSJDFN WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ANBUSH SON OF A MIST! COME BACK HERE ZABUZA YOU BASTARD!" Chojiro ran after them, followed quickly by Haku.

From the corner of the caves peeking out from the VIP auction section a man stood confused as to what he was seeing

"Oh my. What is going on here."

"I take it then this rounds batch of children won't arrive on time." Another man said, despite his bandaged eye he had no trouble navigating through the collapsing rocks without one injury.

"Is that not one but four legendary mist swords being used by people in the same unit? How irritating. And here I through I'd managed to keep mist as chaotic and miserable as possible... I swore the last agents you sent me had dealt with any rebel mist groups- Danzo-san?" He confronted him.

"Get me this week's quota then. And I'll see what I can do." Danzo didn't step down.

His business partner chuckled, "You really should make them last just a bit longer Danzo-san. Your selection process is too extreme for a kid, let alone an adult body to survive. What are you aiming for really? A perfect genius like your former pet Itachi? I can't get you an Uchiha when you made them a rare delicacy after all."

"Hmph. Just make sure you're ready to get me one when I request it from you. If its quality... I can wait."

His business partner giggled, and they both faded into the shadows.

KONOHA

Siata developed a reputation, a notable face after the tournament around the village. She was recognised, known for her quick and accurate execution of missions. Naruto as well surprised himself now that some of the villagers would call out to him as he walked through the market in a good way. Things were looking good.

Soon after, Naruto, Sasuke and Jiraiya went to get Tsunade who would be the new Hokage. Siata was to stay with the shortage of hands in the village.

Because Hiruzen was alive, she didn't have to worry about Itachi coming to Konoha, and inciting Sasuke to defect. Oruchimaru would be crazy to think Sasuke would join him now when he looked so stable in his community and with his friends as he hung out with them and helped out. Also because the boys trained together and more or less understood their own growth, they didn't have to feel jealous about eachother. Sasuke didn't feel like he had to rush things.

This was really good.

Haku also sent a message saying some good news was occuring in mist thanks to Siata's information. Zabuza housed the kids in a section of mist and helped them. The community started helping eachother and growing. They also made stronger relationships and contact with the other renascence groups and they start helping eachother out- it was only a matter of time before Mist was united. Mist was starting to change.

Siata was shocked and really surprised and amazed at the people they were able to save thanks to Zabuza and Haku's involvement.

Then a few days later Naruto and Sasuke were back with Tsunade-san, and Naruto with his signature blue necklace. Tsunade had also given Sasuke a set of her best senbon.

Siata saw closely how Tsunade worked with Shikaku-san to fix Lee's leg with success, and how Jiraiya-sama also spent time with Tsunade.

What surprised her the most was that Tsunade-sama did not get appointed as Hokage but rather became recognised as Hiruzen's official nominee for the next Hokage spot.

Meanwhile Tsunade-sama continued to familiarise herself with Konoha, taking a special charge around Konoha medicine and the hospital. On her spare times Tsunade-sama would often be seen with Jiraiya-sama supporting her and laughing heartedly in one of the popular bars. And soon it became well known knowledge they Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama began to be in a relationship.

Authors Notes:

Glad I was finally able to write that as well as the scene with the mist ninja which was fun to write. Hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading and commenting!