Quietus

by Seraphina Scribes

When first he laid eyes upon her, he thought her the very personification of spring. He watches, from the depths of shadow; waiting to steal her away from the land of the living. Waiting to make her Queen of the Dead. Hades/Persephone retold. SasuSaku/AU.

64. Chapter 63

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. On with the story!

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Chapter LXIII

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Loss leads to anger, loss leads to despair,

Life can be cruel - and savagely unfair,

Answers to questions that cannot be found,

Spread fear and uncertainty all around,

Sadness cripples hearts in the dead of night,

Giving birth to burning fury – the will to fight.

---

Sakura sat on the couch in her living room an hour later, staring unseeingly at a spot on the carpeted floor, her ears barely registering the plethora of voices engaged in heated conversation around her. Everything had happened in a head-spinning blur; one moment they'd exited the Winter Ball venue to find masses of people lying strangely unconscious in the street – the next, the sound of approaching police and ambulance sirens had blared, and Sakura had been hastily bundled into Naruto's car and sped off home.

She'd spent the entire duration of the trip in stupefied, muted silence, unable to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. The adrenaline had worn off, replaced by crippling sorrow. Ino had held Sakura's trembling body against hers from one side, and Hinata from the other, in a desperate attempt to offer warmth and what comfort they could.

Kakashi, Gai, Sai and Neji had stayed behind. They'd been joined by Jiraiya, Iruka, Inoichi and Kurenai, who had assured the departing deities that they would see to it the 'situation' was handled discreetly, and that all the humans left behind returned home safely – including Kenji, who Sakura had been unable to rouse from deep sleep.

A gas explosion, they were going to account the horrifying events to, Sakura was certain she had heard Kakashi say. She wondered how in the world they were going to make the authorities believe that.

Asuma, Shikamaru, Naruto, Ino and Hinata had returned with Sakura to her house to inform Tsunade and Shizune about what had occurred at the ball. Tsunade, who'd frantically tried to contact Sakura after she hadn't returned home by the agreed time, had received the surprise of her life upon opening the front door, to discover them all shivering, drenched in water, clothes torn, hair ruined, looking as if they'd seen walking ghosts.

"Sakura!?" she'd exclaimed in dismay, reaching instinctively out to her daughter, demanding to know what had happened to them all as everyone had suddenly started talking all at once.

Shizune had pleaded for calm, before giving them all a fresh change of clothes and sparing doses of ambrosia to replenish and soothe their agitation. Tsunade was now being filled in on the events of the evening. She listened in silence to their account of the monster attacks, her expression shifting from disconcerted shock, to seething fury, and at present reflected deep concern.

A chimera, hydra and harpies on the surface? There was no doubt in Tsunade's mind who was responsible. It troubled her to think where the creatures could have been obtained from; was it possible that Orochimaru was perhaps artificially engineering them using extracted DNA samples he had progressively collected and saved over time? She certainly wouldn't put such horrors past him. Or maybe there was another explanation. Perhaps other forces were at play – and it was imperative that they find out what those were, before another attack took place which endangered further lives.

"-breaking the pact!" Naruto was saying angrily, as Sakura's numbed mind briefly tuned in again. "We have to meet with the Council right away! That bastard doesn't care about honouring a damn thing! Why should we?!"

"Naruto is right," Asuma agreed. "Cronus has acted in breach of the agreement not to harm innocents. The Council can no longer turn a blind eye to this."

"It was awful…" Ino rubbed tearfully at her nose with the edge of her pyjama sleeve. "So many lives lost…"

"We could've prevented it. They have to remove the seals on us," Naruto raged. "If we're to protect humans to our best abilities, and stop Cronus's fucked up plans, we need to be at full power!"

Tsunade held up a hand, signalling for him to quieten down.

"There's no mistaking that Orochimaru has a hand to play in the appearance of these beasts," she said, pursing her lips to form a grim line. "They no longer roam the surface in accessible areas, and his shady experimentation record is no secret. The Council won't ignore these events."

"They're working together," Shikamaru remarked. "So whatever that snake does, is under authority from Madara. We need to figure out what they're after, what their next move might be. Because an attack of this scale was no coincidence. Not with this many casualties."

"That's right," Asuma nodded.

Tsunade leaned forward. "Did they target any one of you specifically? Or was this a large-scale assault that didn't discriminate?"

"Th-they mostly attacked the mortals," Hinata supplied sadly.

Ino, who sat beside Sakura, peered at her best friend. She exchanged anxious glances with Hinata. Sakura had scarcely spoken a word since their return.

"The hydra and harpies also seemed to focus on Sakura," Ino added hesitantly. "But, that could've just been a coincidence- I mean all these years, they've never noticed her, so why now?"

Tsunade's concern deepened. "Sakura. You were not hurt?"

Sakura shook her head dully. "I used your necklace," she said quietly. "It's out of chakra."

Her mother's eyebrows drew together worriedly. Her daughter had clearly been shaken greatly by the night's events and the loss of her friends. Tsunade knew the chakra necklace wasn't anywhere near an ample enough supply to ensure Sakura's safety. Frustration crested within her chest. She wanted Sakura to be safe. Was it possible the enemy had finally turned their attention to the girl? It was Tsunade's worst nightmare come to fruition. If it was indeed the case, then Sakura needed further protection. She needed to be able to defend herself as much as possible.

She needed readily available chakra.

Her mind raced, scouring possible solutions. There was one way she knew that compressed chakra could be obtained – but it could only be granted with permission from the High Council. She made a mental note to herself to ask about it later.

"Let's assume that it wasn't a coincidence. That what we feared would happen, is coming to pass," Asuma folded his arms, echoing Tsunade's thoughts. "If he suspects Sakura, then he will be after her. We need to inform the Council of this too, and prepare ourselves, as well as the girl."

"And what is this about all the humans falling asleep afterward?" Tsunade questioned.

Naruto shook his head. "When we got out, we saw they'd just passed out, Baa-chan! We couldn't wake them up."

"The flames were also put out. The hydra suddenly vanished on us, too," Asuma added. "As did the harpies. The only creature left for us to clean up after was the chimera."

"Perhaps the Council can shed more light on that?" Shizune pondered. "Perhaps they were already aware and dealing with it? Danzo's ANBU division is very swift at that. They always keep watch."

"It wasn't ANBU," Shikamaru rejected. "These kids were asleep within minutes of leaving the building. If it was the High Council, we'd have known."

There was a rattling knock on the front door. Shizune got up, and opened it, letting Kakashi and Kurenai in, who hurried to join them.

Kurenai took a seat beside Asuma, pressing a hand to his arm. The two shared a look.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto jumped up. "Are you okay?"

"What news?" Tsunade asked.

Sakura blinked, dragging her eyes upwards. Nausea swirled in her stomach. "Kakashi-sensei… the people… are they alright? Kiba? Kenji? Did they all make it home?"

"We got them all home safely," Kakashi assured them. "They don't remember anything, and accepted that a gas explosion cut the evening short – no questions asked. Jiraiya and the others are still there making sure any remaining loose ends are tied."

"And," Kurenai went on, "the Council are aware. They'll summon us to a meeting tomorrow."

"So their memories really have been tampered?" Shizune contemplated.

"They knew they had arrived for a party. But they had no recollection of anything that happened within the building," Kakashi clarified.

Sakura thought of Kenji. His words drifted through her mind.

'It's crazy, but I... I really do like you.'

'I'd really like to know you better.'

'I was hoping that after tonight, I could take you out more often.'

Had he forgotten those words? Would he never recall that he had openly confessed his interest in her? That she had agreed to let him take her out?

She swallowed back the rising bile in her throat.

"Hinata," Kakashi glanced at the grey-eyed goddess. "Neji is outside with Sai. You might all want to go out to them," he looked pointedly at Ino, Sakura and Shikamaru in turn. As Naruto automatically moved to join them, Kakashi's hand shot out, gripping him by his shoulder. The sun deity gave him a perplexed look.

"Huh? Kakashi-sensei?"

"Not you. Come upstairs with me." He glanced around the room. "Give us a few minutes, everyone."

"Is everything alright?" Asuma queried, raising his eyebrows.

"Aaah," Kakashi's lone eye drooped. "I'll explain when we return."

With that, he and Naruto headed upstairs.

---

Sakura and her friends headed to the door. Upon stepping outside into the night, they found Sai, standing in the front yard with two motionless bodies laid at his feet. They were covered with blankets.

Chouji and Shino, Shikamaru immediately recognised. Their bodies had been retrieved.

Sakura's heart sank when she spied Neji, standing with his head bowed in the moonlight, carrying a slight, broken body in his arms.

"Tenten," she whispered, distraught.

Hinata, who had already reached Neji, placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. He slowly lowered Tenten's body, placing it gently beside those of her fallen friends.

Lingering beside her body a moment, Neji then rose to his feet.

"They must be buried," he said softly.

Ino wiped at her tears, and nodded. "Right. We need to let their families know. So they can arrange the funerals."

Coins, Sakura thought dazedly to herself. They all need coins… to pass across the river.

She had stepped out, but still not moved away from the front door. The chilling sight of the bodies cemented the very harsh reality of the situation they were in. It hadn't been a horrible nightmare as she had so desperately hoped. She would wake up the next day, and for the rest of her life, and Tenten, Chouji and Shino would still be gone.

They would never come back.

"Sakura…" Shikamaru began uncomfortably, noting that she was drawing closer. "You don't have to look-"

But Sakura wanted to look. She had to look. She fell weakly to her knees beside the corpse, her eyes flooding with tears as she finally saw the full, horrific extent of Tenten's fatal injuries. A quivering hand lifted to her mouth. Her friend's face had been sliced open, dried blood rendering her pretty features unrecognisable. Crusted crimson covered most of her body, and her head rested at an unnatural angle, revealing extreme trauma had occurred at the neck. It gave Sakura small comfort to know it had been a quick death; that Tenten had passed within a minute or two of suffering at most.

She had been Sakura's friend since childhood. An inquisitive and feisty girl, Tenten hadn't had a mean bone in her body, had always been so kind-hearted, with so many promising hopes and dreams to help others – and now she would never live to achieve any of them.

She had been stolen from them by death. No, Sakura thought to herself, anguish tearing away at her. Not death. Death had been the inevitable result for the mortal girl, of nature taking its course. No, it had been Cronus who had done this, the monsters under his cruel direction that had stolen Tenten away.

Cronus, who had waged war upon the surface. Cronus, who had poisoned her in her original life. Cronus, who had led his own family to their dooms so heartlessly, and who had clearly not learned his lesson or accepted defeat. Sakura felt a simmering rage bubble into existence deep within her chest. An anger that burned fiercely, that she told herself she needed to hold onto.

Memories of the years she'd spent with her dear friend flooded through her mind; when they'd first met in school when Sakura had been just eight years old, the countless cinema and shopping trips, having sleep-overs and study sessions when they'd all been together back at the Academy, letting Tenten try to put makeup on her face, the endless phone-calls, silly arguments and precious moments they'd shared.

Grief was like a chasm that swallowed her up whole. She bent over Tenten's cold body, resting her forehead against her friend's still chest, and wept.

---

Kakashi closed the door to the spare bedroom shut behind them. It felt as though his throat had been wedged shut, making speaking a laborious task. His chest felt heavy and his pulse skipped uncomfortably fast, knowing what it was he now needed to do.

He'd intended to leave the devastating news to Jiraiya to tell Naruto in the privacy of his own home. But with the night's sudden, unexpected developments, Kakashi knew they could not afford to waste any further time. He had to tell Naruto the truth about Minato and Kushina. And then he would head straight down to deliver the dreadful revelation to the others.

When they faced the High Council, they needed to put forward every piece of evidence for the dire transgressions Cronus was committing.

"What's up, Kakashi-sensei?" Large blue eyes turned toward him, as Naruto hovered in the centre of the square-shaped room. It was a tidy, cleanly decorated space, with an oak wardrobe, a single bed, a chest of drawers and a small bedside table. Some of Shizune's belongings were laid out on the table. Kakashi knew she stayed over often.

He met Naruto's gaze, feeling terrible. How did he begin? Knowing nothing he could say would soften the blow in any way, he drew a deep breath and took the plunge.

"Naruto. Some of what I'm about to tell you now doesn't leave this room. Do you understand?"

"Sure…?" Naruto rubbed at the back of his head, feeling oddly nervous at the serious tone his old sparring tutor had taken.

"You're angry at Madara. But what happened this evening will only be the start of his plans."

He saw Naruto's jaw visibly clench. "That bastard! Kakashi-sensei, you and I knew this would happen! If the old Council chooses not to change their views on the pact again-"

"They'll listen this time," Kakashi assured him. "Do you remember the lessons you had long ago about the three ocular gifts passed down through different deity lineages?"

Naruto shook his head, uncertain of where the conversation was heading, and why Kakashi had pulled him out specifically to discuss such a seemingly arbitrary subject. "Uh, yeah?"

"What are they?" Kakashi prodded, like a teacher helping him cram in some last minute revision for his end of year exams.

"Umm…" he searched his memory. "The Byukagan, Sharingan, and the Rinnegan… right?"

"That's right," Kakashi replied, folding his arms and leaning back against the wall beside the wardrobe. "And you remember which is the most powerful?"

"The Rinnegan," Naruto supplied, his confusion growing by the minute. "But that eye hasn't been seen in forever, right? Anyway, what has this got to do with-"

"Madara intends to awaken the Rinnegan and use it to break the seal your parents placed on him, as well as take revenge against us," Kakashi interrupted. "And," he added solemnly, "I'm willing to bet, enslave the rest of the world while he's at it."

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?!" he exploded.

Kakashi held up a hand. "Keep it down, Naruto!" he uttered harshly, glancing uneasily toward the door, listening intently for the sound of any footsteps. When he heard none, he continued, "Rinnegan can, in theory, be obtained by the merging of Uchiha and Senju DNA, provided the wielder has the Sharingan. But even then, its appearance isn't absolutely guaranteed. It could take centuries to activate. Many have tried this method to obtain it in the past, and it never activated at all. They say only the ones chosen by the Fates can awaken it, or those of the purest bloodlines. Madara is taking his chances. He was the first Uchiha that descended from Kaguya's line of sons, after all."

"But," Naruto spluttered, "He'd need Senju DNA. He's trapped on Olympus. How is that even possible, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi was silent for a long moment. His heart drummed, dreading the reaction he anticipated he would witness in the seconds that followed. Then he pushed away from the wall, and moved over to where the sun deity stood.

Placing a hand on his right shoulder, he squeezed it hard, and said gently, "Naruto. I'm sorry to be the one to break this to you. Madara has Minato and Kushina's bodies on Olympus, preserved in crystal. He has had them all long."

He watched, as Naruto's eyes grew impossibly wide. His lips parted, and a disjointed breath escaped them. All colour rapidly drained from his face, and Kakashi internally braced himself, expecting an explosive detonation of fury to erupt in the air.

But instead, Naruto was deathly silent and still. Kakashi felt his chest constrict. That was worse. That was so much worse, somehow, than the blind rage he had anticipated.

The turmoil, confusion and agony he could see swirling in those cobalt blue irises was utterly heart-wrenching.

"What… did you say…?" Naruto finally got out, and Kakashi's could feel the fine tremors overtaking his body, detected the quiver in his hushed voice. "Kakashi-sensei…" he whispered. "What did you say…?"

"Madara has your parents," Kakashi repeated. "There's more. He intends to use the forbidden technique, Edo-tensei, which is capable of reviving the dead, making them puppets under the control of the one who summons them."

Naruto's hands balled into fists and his expression grew increasingly more incensed as Kakashi continued, "It's likely he kept them for this cause; he intends to use them against us. Reanimated, they would retain all their abilities, and those abilities would be at Madara's disposal-"

"That BASTARD!" Naruto yelled, roughly shaking free of Kakashi's restraining hold on his shoulder.

"Quieten down, Naruto!" Kakashi entreated urgently. "I know this is difficult, but there's more to hear yet!"

Naruto's body shook violently from the magnitude of emotions that tore through him like a devastating rip-tide, tears of misery and anger pooling from his eyes. Re-opened wounds allowed fresh grief and guilt to lodge heavily within his chest, as if a slab of crushing concrete had been placed upon his lungs, so crippling in weight that simply drawing a breath seemed terribly challenging to manage.

"Damn it,"he said more quietly, tears spilling freely down his cheeks. He could still see them, so clearly; the faces of his parents, smiling at him, in the last interaction he'd ever had with them. To think that Madara held their corpses hostage, that'd he'd had them all along, for all this time, holding such sacrilegious intentions for their physical remains…

The insult and grief were too much to bear. Naruto's heartache was absolute. He stumbled back, deeply disturbed and distressed, until the backs of his legs bumped into the base of the bed. He slumped down onto it, bowing his head in sorrow, hands fisting angrily at the blond spikes of hair atop his head.

"Damn it…" he whispered once more. A ragged sob dragged from his chest.

Kakashi's eye lowered sadly, as he gave the sun god time to process the upsetting news.

---

"Sakura…?" Ino touched her arm as they headed back inside the house. "We couldn't have known this was going to happen. We couldn't have stopped it. I know that look on your face. You're taking responsibility, when you were a victim as much as everyone else there. I feel Tenten's loss, too." Her eyes glimmered with tears. "But this wasn't our fault. It was Cronus who did this."

Sakura swallowed down the thick lump in her throat. Ino knew her too well, and was trying to give her comfort as best she could. It didn't help. The image of Tenten's corpse was permanently ingrained in her mind, as was the sight of the lifeless bodies that had littered the function halls of the venue. The sight and stench of blood wouldn't shift from her memory.

"I just… I need to be alone," she answered softly. "Tell my mother I'm tired, and am going up to rest in my room for a bit."

Ino bit her lower lip unhappily, hesitating. "But Sakura…"

"Please," Sakura closed her eyes, feeling drained, emotions swirling in a malevolent storm that threatened to wash away what little shreds of composure she had left.

Ino finally nodded, and let her go, turning away to return to the living room.

So much mindless death and destruction, Sakura thought, as she slowly trudged up the stairs. So many innocent lives lost. Every single one of those victims had started the evening in excitement, looking forward to a magical, memorable night.

Instead, many had been robbed of their lives, and, according to Kakashi, most of the guests had been left with no memory of what had happened. As she reached the landing and padded quietly toward her room, she wondered how that was even possible. What had made them all collapse in slumber, so suddenly? The entire street had been affected. If it hadn't been the Council, then…?

The sound of muffled voices gave her pause. Sakura turned her head to the right, glancing down the hallway. They seemed to be coming from the guest room. She caught snippets of conversation, recognised Kakashi's voice as one of the people speaking, and was about to respect his privacy and turn away, when she overheard words that caused her to freeze abruptly in place.

"-from Sasuke."

Her head snapped immediately back around, her body instantly alert. She stood for a moment, hovering with indecision. Guilt gnawed away at her. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop. She knew it. But the nagging voice of curiosity would not be silenced. Why was Kakashi locked away in a room upstairs, and why was he discussing Sasuke?

"Sasuke told you what?!" she heard a second voice exclaim in disbelief. Naruto.

She inched slowly along the wall, heading closer to the guest room. It was separated from her mother's bedroom by a bathroom in between. Sakura quietly stepped inside, locking the door, and made her way to the bathtub against the wall. Leaning over, she pressed her ear against the bricks, pulse quickening as she picked up the conversation much more clearly.

"-so I went to the Underworld to see him."

Sakura's mouth opened in an astonished 'O'. Kakashi had gone to visit Sasuke, recently? But why?

What was going on?

"I don't get it," Naruto's voice sounded thick with emotion. Like it was wobbling. "Why would Sasuke ask to see you?"

There was a pause. Then Kakashi answered so quietly, that Sakura had to strain to make out the full sentence.

"-promised not to tell. You mustn't say a word, Naruto. Not until we figure this out. If Sasuke knows I've spoken, who knows how he'll respond."

"What is it? Kakashi-sensei, what's happening with Sasuke?" Naruto now sounded frantic.

"He called me to place a seal on him," Kakashi replied.

"Say what? Why?" Naruto exclaimed.

"He has the Curse Seal of Heaven," came the reply.

There was a tense silence. Sakura listened intently, her mind spinning. What did Kakashi mean by Sasuke asking for a seal to be placed on him? What was the Curse Seal of Heaven?

When Naruto responded, his voice sounded panicked. "The Curse Seal of Heaven?! What?! But is that-? That's-!"

"The serpent's seal, yes," Kakashi sighed.

"But WHY?" Naruto demanded. "Kakashi-sensei, why the hell would Sasuke ever accept that? He doesn't need something like that- he'd never go willingly to that creep for help!"

Creep? What creep? Sakura pressed her ear harder against the wall, her heart racing.

"He wouldn't say," Kakashi supplied. "You know Sasuke; he only gives the part of the story that he chooses to. He wouldn't explain how he ended up with it, or why. But it's an aggressive form. I had to seal it, to slow down its progression."

"Shit!" Naruto cursed. "What do you mean, aggressive? That damned bastard… what the fuck is he doing?"

Sakura frowned, pressing a palm to the base of her throat, as Naruto went on near-hysterically, "Will the seal hold it? Will he be okay? What happens if it progresses?"

"So long as he doesn't draw on chakra from the curse mark, and so long as he doesn't exhaust his own reserves, he should be fine. The seal will slow down any chakra contamination in his body."

Sakura gasped softly to herself, covering her mouth with a hand. Contamination? What were they talking about? What had happened to Sasuke? She didn't understand what they were saying. She didn't know anything about specific seals and their natures.

"And Sasuke…" Naruto was saying. "Sasuke really told you he saw my parents? But why would he speak to that son of a bitch?!"

Naruto's parents? Sakura stared at the bathroom tiles in shock. Weren't they dead? Who had Sasuke spoken to?

"I don't know why," Kakashi replied sullenly. "I can't think what they had to discuss, but it was enough for him to find out about these plans."

"That makes no sense! He can't be- he can't want anything to do with that bastard!" Naruto's voice broke. "Not after what happened to his clan! Sasuke's not like that!"

"Naruto…" Kakashi sounded tired. "Things don't look good. If the Council find out about his visit, there's nothing we can do to protect him anymore."

"Then we shouldn't say anything!" Naruto replied indignantly, his tone desperate. "Something doesn't feel right, Kakashi-sensei. Tell me you feel it, too!"

There was a brief pause. And then, "Sometimes I wonder, Naruto. Sasuke doesn't exactly help himself in situations like this, when he chooses not to be transparent."

"Sasuke wouldn't ever tell you about my mum and dad if he was- if he was just one of their lackeys! There's no way someone like Sasuke would ever let himself be controlled like that!"

"I agree. Playing pawn seems out of character," Kakashi sighed back. "But it doesn't change the fact he bears the Curse seal, and he has made contact with what's off limits to us all. Both are a breach of Council rules and they'll punish him for it. On top of everything that's happened with Sakura… he'll be in trouble, Naruto. We can't protect him from this; it's only a matter of time before he's called to answer for this actions."

"I just don't understand, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto sounded frustrated. "This isn't like him at all. He would never- he hates that bastard Cronus!"

There was another long silence. "Maybe he hates us more…"

"Maybe- maybe if I could just talk to him-"

"Absolutely not, Naruto!" Kakashi rejected severely. "If he finds out I've told you, who knows what he'll do. Remember; he gave Sakura a year with us. Something he didn't need to do. I don't want any rash actions upsetting the agreement we made any more than it already has been."

"So what will we tell everyone?" Naruto pressed. "They need to know about what that bastard Cronus did to my mum and dad!"

"We'll tell them that part. We won't tell them about the Curse seal, or that Sasuke was up there. I'll simply say that Sasuke shared this information with me. No other details. Until we find out the exact reasons behind his actions, we'll keep quiet. The Council has enough leverage on him without the need to add any more. Not a word to anyone, Naruto!"

Sakura backed away from the wall, tuning out the rest of their conversation, her mind too overwhelmed to listen to anymore. Her heart pounded and confusion ran rampant in her mind. From what she had understood, Sasuke had found out something about Naruto's parents, and chosen to share it with Kakashi. He'd also acquired some form of a 'curse' seal and seemed to have gotten himself into some sort of trouble. Sakura had no idea what a curse seal was. She made a mental note to research it; if it was something that negatively affected the body and caused some form of contamination as she'd overheard, then she was certain her mother's medical textbooks would mention it somewhere.

She heard the guest room door open and tensed, freezing in place like a deer caught in headlights. What if they tried to come in here? She thought frantically. It had been a private exchange that hadn't directly concerned her. After all, just as she had thought earlier in the night about her affairs on the surface being nothing to do with Sasuke, what he chose to do was also none of her concern – not unless it somehow jeopardized her friends and family.

Had this –whatever it was that Sasuke had chosen to do – done so? How was she meant to find out, without making it obvious she'd listened in to a personal conversation?

She heard feet head down the hallway, thankfully bypassing the bathroom altogether. Sakura waited, counting to twenty in her head, then slowly unlocked the door, stepping out – only to bump bodily right into Naruto. She gasped, caught red-handed by her friend.

He stared at her with eyes that were a darker shade of blue, almost stormy in hue, fixing her with a look so grave, so at odds with his characteristically happy demeanour, that Sakura was physically taken aback.

"N-Naruto!?" she stammered guiltily, flushing with shame.

"You were listening," he said to her. It wasn't a question. "Weren't you, Sakura-chan."

"I'm sorry!" she said, words overflowing in a nervous rush. "I was just going to my room, and then I heard voices and- and you were speaking about Sasuke, and I know I shouldn't have listened, but I thought that maybe…"

The sun god abruptly grabbed her arm, and pulled her along the hallway, down to her room. Pushing her through the doorway, he followed her inside, closing the door behind them.

"It isn't what you think," he started heatedly. "Sasuke would never work with Cronus. I know him."

"I don't understand," Sakura shook her head, eyes wide with horror. "Are you saying he spoke to Cronus?"

"He's gotten caught up in something," Naruto winced, as if pained. "I'm sure of it. He'd never talk to that son-of-a bitch first! Cronus must have approached him, the damned bastard!"

"A seal? I heard you say something about that. What's happened to him?" Sakura interrogated.

"We don't know how he got it. We're gonna try and find out," said her friend.

"But you said contamination," Sakura persisted. "What did you mean?"

"Sakura-chan," Naruto met her gaze levelly. "You trust me, right?"

She stared at him. She did. With all her heart and soul, she did. "You know I do," she answered.

"Then I need you not to ask any more questions about this, until we find out the right answers. I promise you, Sakura-chan. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and when I do, you'll be the first to know."

It wasn't good enough. Sakura opened her mouth to argue that if Sasuke was in some kind of trouble, she ought to know about it. After all, she was meant to return to his world by the end of the following summer. It was her business, on second-thought, to know about his affairs, since he had tied her irrevocably to his realm.

"Please, Sakura-chan," Naruto put his hands on her shoulders. "Sasuke's not a bad guy. I know it in my heart. Some bad things have happened to him. Everyone else wrote him off, but I just- I can't. He's my best friend. He was the closest thing to a brother I ever had. Whatever's going on, we'll find out. And if he needs help, I'll- I'll do what I can, even if he won't accept it…"

Sakura was stunned. For Naruto to continue to hold such deep devotion to someone that had discarded their friendship so long ago… what had Sasuke ever done to deserve such loyalty? She stared at the blond deity, stricken.

A wave of anguish passed across his face, so apparent that Sakura felt her throat constrict. She swallowed, and decided not to push the matter any further. Not for now. If Naruto needed time to get answers, and wasn't giving her any out of uncertainty, then she could accept that. But that didn't mean she wouldn't do any of her own private detective work.

"I… I'm sorry," Naruto said hoarsely. "It's been a rough night, huh, Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto…" she began hesitantly. "I don't want to pry, but I heard you mention your parents, and…"

His head lowered. The hands at her shoulders dropped. He swallowed, and replied in a hushed voice, "Kakashi-sensei's gone to tell the others. Cronus has their bodies. He… he wants to resurrect them. As his puppets, to get back at us. And I…" he struggled. "I'm…" he broke off thickly, as if unable to continue.

Sorrow, pain and anger swelled within Sakura's chest, flaring even more hotly than before. First the destruction at the ball. And now this. The reality of the monster they were up against slammed into her, made the fire within her blaze into a roaring inferno. It gave her the drive and strength she needed to snap out of her state of shock. She'd been too weak to save her friends at the ball, even when she knew there was nothing she or anyone else could have possibly done to prevent such a coldly calculated tragedy. Without a weapon in hand, without adequate chakra, and in the face of a terrifying sea creature, she had been helpless, had needed to leave the fight to Naruto, Shikamaru and the others.

Frustration clawed at her throat, like a scream that was begging to be released. Sakura fiercely told herself that she needed to get stronger. She needed to find a way to become faster, smarter, more resilient. She needed to find a way to channel a supply of readily available chakra at will.

She needed to be able to protect Naruto and the others – as well as herself more effectively. She couldn't let him – let them - shoulder all of this alone. Whatever was in her power to do to help, Sakura vowed she would do it. Her time in the Underworld had taught her that giving into desolation and crying helped no-one.

The harsh reality was that they didn't have the luxury of time to spend moping around in sadness. The loss of her friends had hurt Sakura deeply, but this attack by the enemy had been a wake-up call for them all. They couldn't allow fear or indecision to cloud their actions. They needed to fight back, and they needed to do it with force.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her friend's slumped, shuddering shoulders, pulling him into a tight, comforting hug.

---

When they re-joined the others and stepped back into the living room, a stunned silence met them. Kakashi had just informed the surface deities of the news about Minato and Kushina, that Sasuke had been the one to disclose it, and all eyes turned to Naruto.

Jiraiya, Iruka and the other elder deities and seraphs had returned in the time that Sakura had spent upstairs. Naruto met Jiraiya's gaze. The older deity's jaw tensed and he nodded grimly at him; it had been his wish to deliver the news himself, but duty had required that he stay behind to ensure the situation in the Town Hall had been completely cleaned up and the High Council fully briefed of developments.

"N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata said softly, a hand clasped closely to her chest in dismay. Looks of despair coupled with anger, were mirrored on all their faces.

"To think that all this time, he has had them sealed in such a way," Shizune murmured, deeply perturbed.

"That son-of-a-bitch," Tsunade hissed.

"Whatever it takes, Naruto, we'll see to it that Madara pays for this heinous crime," Jiraiya added with conviction. "The Council will be informed at first light, and given the severity of these attacks on us and mortals, they must acknowledge that removing our seals is paramount to securing the safety of the surface and removing the threat Madara poses to us all."

"We'll make this right," Ino agreed, her hands closing into determined fists.

Sakura took a seat beside her mother, who gave her a silent look which questioned whether she was alright. She nodded briefly, slipping her hand into Tsunade's, who clasped it tightly.

"You said Sasuke told you this," Asuma started. "What reason would he have to communicate this to us?"

"And how was he made aware of this himself?" Iruka wondered aloud.

"How can he possibly have access to Madara's plans?" Kurenai asked.

"Out with it, Kakashi," Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Don't try to protect the boy. Is Sasuke working with them? Has he been in contact with Madara? How else could he possibly have known this?!"

Sakura's heart drummed. The thought of Sasuke – who she knew had no love for Madara – actively working with the Uchiha patriarch didn't add up in her mind. It seemed impossible. And yet the troubling question remained; just how had he gotten hold of such information?

Naruto spun on her, eyes blazing indignantly. "If Sasuke was really working with them, why would he tell Kakashi-sensei that bastard's plans?"

"A trap, perhaps…?" Shizune guessed.

"It was no trap," Kakashi responded sharply. "Sasuke met me in his palace. I was on his terrain. It would have been the perfect chance for him to attack me, but he did no such thing."

The surface deities exchanged uneasy glances.

"He clearly wanted to make sure there was no chance we might be overheard," Kakashi went on. "If Madara plans to use Edo-tensei to re-animate fallen gods, then that doesn't benefit Sasuke and his kingdom; he must also ensure the safety of the Underworld. Many lives would be lost. The balance of life and death would be disturbed. Maybe that's why he chose to tell us. Though, as I have said, he wouldn't answer me when I questioned him about it."

Tsunade gave him a hard look. "You are certain, Kakashi," she pressed. "I know he was once a student of yours. Don't let a past fondness obscure your judgement. Sasuke must have had a motive, and a means to come to know this. He didn't mention anything at all?"

"Unfortunately, as he did not say, we can only speculate," Kakashi sighed.

"I suppose it hardly seems fair to guess, given that this news will likely sway the Council into removing our seals," Jiraiya remarked.

"Something's off," Tsunade muttered, frowning with displeasure. "He has never interfered or helped us before. Given how he holds us accountable for his family's demise, and what he did to Sakura, I wouldn't trust that Uchiha brat as far as I could throw him." Her hand around Sakura's tightened protectively.

"It doesn't matter how Sasuke found out," Naruto replied, his voice once again shaking with emotion. "Our fight is with that son-of-a-bitch, Cronus. I won't back down this time, believe it! If the Council refuses to do anything about our seals – then I'll break the pact myself, to hell with the consequences!"

"Naruto," Shikamaru began in warning. "Now's not the time to do anything reckless-"

"Reckless?!" Naruto echoed, eyes simmering with fury. "Reckless? He's had my parents' corpses on Olympus since the day of the war! He wants to bring them back to life, to use as his puppets. All this damned time the Council made us believe he was cooperating – when he's been planning to stab us in the back all along! He attacked us today. He doesn't care about upholding any kind of promise!"

"Naruto is right," Jiraiya supported him. "Cronus has deliberately disrespected us, and with the news of Zeus and Hera, we should not fear for consequences, when Madara clearly pays no heed to any himself. Human lives mean nothing to him. He has made his move," he looked around the room resolutely. "It's now time for us to make ours."

---

After sharing further debates and discussions, the party turned in for the night an hour later. They opted to stay over, resting downstairs until morning light. Shizune prepared makeshift beds and the seraphs took it in turns to take watch outside. They'd agreed on strength in numbers, to band together as much as possible in anticipation of any further attacks.

Sakura lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Ino was sleeping beside her, back turned. They'd spoken a while more, and then the blonde had tossed and turned for a bit, before finally drifting off to sleep.

Sakura wasn't so lucky. She couldn't switch off; the night's events kept replaying vividly in her head. She kept thinking of Tenten, of Chouji and Shino, of all the people who had lost their lives. She thought of Kenji, how confused he had to have been upon waking up to find her nowhere in sight, and with no apparent memory of what had happened. She felt terrible for him. And worse still for those who had been killed, for their families who would discover that their children and siblings would never come home again.

Fresh tears burned at her eyes. In her hand, she held her cell phone tightly. It was broken, flooded with too much water to switch on or function anymore. Any precious photos she had taken of the night with her friends were lost forever. Sakura swallowed. She supposed it was for the best, and had happened with everyone else's devices, too. But somehow, she still couldn't bring herself to throw the phone away, even when she knew she would have to sort out a new one at some point the next day.

She glanced restlessly at her bedside table.

The clock read 04:23AM.

It was late, and there were only a few more hours until everyone would wake up. But how could she possibly sleep? She thought of the Council. What would they do? She thought of the horrendous creatures, that she never imagined she'd ever see attacking her home on the surface. Her mind then fixed on Tenten again. Her friend's body had been returned that night to her family by Neji and Sai, but hadn't been buried yet. That meant her soul was still stranded on the banks of the river in the Underworld.

She couldn't imagine how afraid Tenten's soul would be upon arriving. Would she remember what had happened to her, what had caused her life's demise? Countless worries hurtled through Sakura's head, chasing away her exhaustion. It made it so much worse that she had seen where the deceased ended up, knew exactly what journeys they would take as soon as their spirits departed their bodies.

Will Sasuke see her? Would he recognise her? Will he let her pass to the white boat? I hope she'll be alright.

Sasuke… what's happening with him…?

It was with the King of the Dead haunting her thoughts that she eventually dozed off into fitful sleep.

Ino stirred, then jolted abruptly awake as she became aware of soft whimpering sounds beside her. Hastily blinking back the sleep from her eyes, she turned to find Sakura asleep beside her, features twisted as if in pain - or as if she were experiencing a nightmare.

She was mumbling incoherently in slumber. Ino frowned lightly and leaned in closer, trying to decipher the words. They slurred together and made no sense. She reached out, meaning to shake her friend awake.

"…suke…"

Her hand froze before it reached Sakura's shoulder, catching the end of an uttered name. She stared into her friend's face, watching it contort with distress for a minute longer – before slowly relaxing as her breathing settled once more.

Ino blinked, wide-eyed, equal parts stunned, confused and concerned, as she registered with alarm who it was that Sakura had unmistakeably called out to in sleep.

Sasuke.

---

"So, they protect the mortal girl," Madara lounged back in the throne, rubbing thoughtfully at his chin.

Beside him on the dais, stood the cloaked, masked individual.

"It is as we suspected," he confirmed in a deep voice. "They rally around Tsunade's child. In addition. It appears that the girl is able to harness simple forms of chakra. She felled some of the harpies using nothing but her fists."

Madara's blinked. "Indeed?" he remarked in surprise. "Interesting. If she were truly mundane, and a useless reincarnation, then why would she be of such import? And where would she have obtained chakra from? Regular humans cannot harness it; it would take mortals years of disciplined study to achieve the most basic control."

"Perhaps, given who her mother is, the girl has been taught the means of basic self-defence," the masked man surmised.

"Perhaps," Madara mused.

"And then there is the matter that Sasssuke took her… there is clearly more to her than meets the eye," Orochimaru, who stood at the base of the steps, commented.

"I propose we continue to watch the girl," said masked man advocated. "They will likely have their guard up following these attacks and anticipate another, which means we must hold back a short while."

Madara smirked smugly at that. "Yes. Monitor her. She is a harmless sitting duckling for the taking. Let the pieces continue to fall in place." Then he blinked, the mirth waning from his lips. "And what of the other surface gods? They were able to subdue Orochimaru's pets, it seems."

The serpent ran his tongue over his lower lip. "There are many othersss ready to be summoned…"

"The chimera was dispensed quickly enough," the masked man reported. "The hydra was decidedly more difficult. Their seals limit their abilities – and it shows."

Madara slanted a sidelong glance up at him. "That may not be the case for long, once the High Council hears of the night's events, and the casualties accrued."

"I would not worry," Orochimaru assured them. "I am certain an arrangement can be made to at leasst delay the unsealing of their abilities…"

Madara's eyes narrowed at that. "See to it," he instructed.

"On that note," the masked individual added. "The hydra was not defeated. Rather, it was removed from the scene. Those in attendance were also placed under sleep upon escaping the building."

The Uchiha titan's dark eyebrows lifted at this revelation. "Indeed…" he murmured. "Genjutsu."

"It may have been the High Council," the masked man supplied.

"I wonder about that," Madara contemplated, tapping his fingers upon the throne's arm-rest.

"There hass been a further development," Orochimaru chimed in. "Two of my research facilitiesss have been torched to the ground. I anticipate the others will also be targets for the individuals responsible, and will prepare their defencesss accordingly…"

Madara blinked at him. "Sasuke," he said, certain that the Underworld's ruler had to be the one responsible for the attacks.

Orochimaru inclined his head, affirming the statement. "He hasss a tracker nymph in his possession. I have no doubts he is working within a unit… though they have been meticulouss to leave no trace of their presence thus far."

"Hmph," Madara scoffed. "It seems we have made a petulant new adversary. A pity we could not come to an agreement, but that is to be expected of Sasuke. He has always been hot-headed, and his petty actions are no doubt in response to his anger at obtaining the curse seal." He waved a hand dismissively. "No matter. He cannot stop its progression for all his acts of protest and will be a marionette under my command soon enough. Fortify your bases, serpent. Continue to work on relocating to the new premises. And you," he nodded to the masked man. "Continue to monitor the girl. Discover as much as you can. When we find an opening – exploit it."

They nodded before taking their leave.

---

The riverbank was flooded with souls. Sasuke scowled, displeased, as he stood upon a raised ridge of rock overlooking it. Too many had been buried without coin, or worse, had yet to be buried – including, he knew, victims of the event that had transpired earlier that evening on the surface. After sending the survivors to sleep, Sasuke's unit had dissembled for the night. He had matters to attend to, and some thinking to do, and intended to resume the hunt for Orochimaru's next base the following day.

He stepped back, meaning to make his way down to the shore – when his entire body suddenly tensed, feet rooting to the spot as he heard a fleeting whisper echo in his head. Alone in the privacy of his Kingdom, his body openly betrayed his inner hesitation.

'Sasuke…'

His jaw clenched, hands balling into fists. What did she want?

Reaching carefully controlled coils of rolling chakra out along the connection they shared afforded by the seeds, Sasuke detected the familiar warmth of Sakura's typically soothing chakra signature. It pulsed restlessly, seemingly troubled. And yet, as he probed further with his mind, discreetly so as to ensure she could not sense him tuning in, he recognised that she was asleep.

Confusion filled him. Why, then, was she reaching out to him? He could sense that she was in no immediate danger. She had no need, no reason to try to establish communication between them.

The memory of her voice, so close behind him just before his team had departed the surface, had plagued him enough - all soft, gentle concern for the single, unfamiliar name she'd uttered. Kenji, she had said. He hadn't known who that was. He told himself it didn't matter.

It was utterly nonsensical that she would call to him in slumber. Sasuke doubted she was even aware of it – but it made the call no less annoying.

Tapping into her dreams, he saw that she was experiencing an unpleasant nightmare. He saw lifeless, bloodied bodies were strewn around, floating in water within her vision. Her mind's manifestation of the trauma she had endured that night. He blinked. In an instant, he took the nightmare away, replacing it with a dreamless state. Immediately her chakra signature settled. Then, scowling sullenly to himself, he slammed a mental shutter down on the summoning, severing the line, blocking her out.

No. He would not respond any further.

He released a slow, silent exhalation, relieved when he sensed nothing more. Then, his poise fully restored, he walked down toward the river's edge. The eerie spectres turned to him as he wove carefully between them, reaching out toward his cloak, moaning in agony, pleading for help, for clemency. But none could touch him; the ghostly digits passed straight through his clothing.

He reached the shore, intending to instruct Nagato upon his impending arrival, to permit any children under sixteen to board without payment first. The bag of gold coins in his hand would suffice to allow their passage across.

He tuned out the haunting calls – when his ears suddenly picked up on one particular lament.

'Hinata. I-Ino… Sakura… I don't know where I am… I don't know where everyone has gone…'

His head turned sharply to the right, and immediately he found its source. A young woman was huddled on the shore, knees drawn up to her chest. Her ghostly features were hidden beneath the arms that cradled her head.

Sasuke stared at the spirit.

'Look at me,' he silently compelled.

The girl's head rose, large, tearful, muddled eyes turning up to him – and after a moment, he was hit with recognition. This was one of the girls he had seen in Sakura's frequent company before he had taken her to the Underworld.

Tenten, he recalled, immediately able to place any spirit's name. So she had perished in the attack. She looked slowly away from him as his mind released her, and began to rock herself consolingly in place.

"…" He watched her another long moment – before turning his attention to Charon, the Ferryman. "Take the children," he commanded, depositing the weighty bag of coins into his subject's skeletal hand. Then he slanted his head slightly to the right to signal his intended target. "And," he added, his thumb flipping another coin from his supplies pouch into the ferryman's outstretched palm, "that one."

Nagato bowed his head in obedience.

---

Sakura awoke to sunshine streaming through her bedroom curtains. She blinked blearily, rubbing at her stinging eyes, momentarily disorientated as she glanced across at the time.

08:42AM, the clock read.

She closed her eyes tiredly, thinking that it felt as though she hadn't slept much at all – and then the previous night's events suddenly slammed into her, causing her eyelids to fly open again.

The Winter Ball. Kenji. The monsters. The deaths. Chouji, Shino and Tenten. It had all happened. She'd woken up and the nightmare remained unchanged.

"Morning, Forehead," Ino's voice reached her. "You're finally up. How are you feeling?"

Sakura turned her face to find her best friend sitting at the vanity table, already awake and dressed in pale blue skinny jeans, white ballerina flats and a snug looking, fuzzy baby-blue sweater. Her long hair was tied neatly back in a ponytail. Despite the late hour at which they'd slept, Ino looked remarkably fresh-faced.

"My head hurts. I didn't hear the alarm go off," Sakura said apologetically, recalling that she ought to have been awake at 8AM sharp.

"Oh, I turned it off. Figured you could use a little extra shut eye." She met Sakura's bleary eyed gaze, and raised a slender blonde eyebrow. "You had a nightmare last night."

"I did?" Sakura blinked back. She couldn't remember. She hadn't even realised she had fallen asleep at all, and found it astonishing that she had managed to salvage a few hours considering the evening from hell they had all endured.

"Yeah," Ino's lips pursed into a thin line. "You don't remember what you dreamed about?"

Sakura's brows creased together. Her mind drew a blank. "No," she answered. "Why? Did I scream in my sleep?"

"You were pretty restless," Ino replied.

"I'm sorry. Why didn't you wake me up?"

Her best friend gave her an odd, unreadable look. Then she turned her face away. "Don't worry. It's nothing," she dismissed. "You settled before I could wake you." Rising from the swivel stool, Ino gestured, "We'll be leaving to go see the Council soon. I'll make you some breakfast."

"Ino…" Sakura began, as she sat up in bed.

"Hmm?" Ino paused by the door.

"Thank you…" her best friend said softly.

"Eh? For what?" the blonde siren tilted her head inquisitively.

Sakura swallowed. "For always looking out for me."

Ino stared at her for a long moment, surprised at the unexpected display of gratitude. But Sakura, realising how fleeting and precious life was, had felt the inexplicable need to express it.

She hadn't gotten the chance to do the same with Tenten.

Ino's beautiful features then softened, as if she understood. Somehow, she always did, reading Sakura like an open book. The goddess of love walked across the room, leaned down, and enveloped Sakura in a tight, warm hug. Sakura gripped onto her, her eyes stinging suppressed feelings. How many times had Ino been her anchor throughout life? How many times had she helped pick Sakura up whenever she felt down?

"You look a mess, Billboard Brow," Ino whispered, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Don't embarrass me; go freshen up."

Sakura released a choked, emotional little laugh despite herself, as Ino exited the room.

---

An hour later, they had set out and arrived at the High Council's base. Sakura gazed around at their surroundings in hushed awe as they passed through the rectangular-shaped antechamber leading toward the grand assembly hall. The impressive archaic building was one that she had discovered could only be accessed through teleportation, achieved by a very specific formation of hand-seals. Performing them had alighted the surface gods and their seraphs onto a large circular 'teleport pad', enclosed within an impenetrable golden force-field. Her mother had informed her that the force-field was a protective magical barrier fused of dense, concentrated chakra upheld by the High Council's members, and it was only ever lowered to grant entry to permitted visitors. Any unauthorised personnel were immediately discarded out.

The stunning structure boasted a cathedral-shaped layout, featuring impossibly high, meticulously carved vaulted ceilings, mighty stone pillars and towering arched wooden doors. The perfectly symmetrical windows were divided into two glass panels, separated by a slim central mullion, with a pointed arch at the top filled with geometrically patterned circles.

The heels of their shoes struck upon the stone tiles underfoot, causing a loud echo to bounce around the space. As they walked, Iruka and Shizune explained to Sakura that ancient scriptures were kept under heavy guard in the residence; scrolls and texts of old containing a wealth of knowledge about the past and ancient times, precious records they had saved from Cronus's destruction. There was an apothecary room for brewing medicines, an alchemy room for the study of magic, as well as a large library and various study rooms.

Sakura listened in riveted fascination. It sounded like precisely the kind of place she would love to explore. She wondered if she would be permitted to look around after the purpose of their visit was complete. People dressed identically in brown hooded robes passed them as they walked. The High Council's subjects, she was told, who assisted in their affairs and ensured the security and general maintenance of the building.

Finally they reached a set of steps that led up to the imposing, arching double-doors of the assembly chamber. Jiraiya lifted the circular golden door-knockers, and the wooden doors parted.

They walked into a spacious hall, with a wide rectangular entrance space, overlaid with a gold-trimmed, black strip of carpet, which then opened out to form a huge circle. Majestically carved winged griffin statues were spaced around the room and the vaulted ceilings here were even more magnificent in their detail. Tall, arched, gothic-carved windows were set into the stone walls. Black and gold swathes of heavy cloth hung between them. The entire room was illuminated by bright, warm torchlight attached to iron sconces in the walls.

A large, stately iron-embellished circular table took up the centre of the room. And before it, at the farthermost northern wall behind which was a spectacular tapestry stitched with metallic threads bearing Konoha's Leaf Insignia, sat four individuals in intricately carved wooden seats behind a long, rectangular table covered with black cloth.

The High Council, Sakura realised. Her eyes widened when she recognised one of them.

Chiyo gave her a crooked smile. Then she nodded at her mother, who respectfully bowed her head in greeting.

"We welcome you all," Homura greeted, gesturing for them to sit. "Please, be seated."

"Danzo Shimura," Jiraiya's voice boomed around the room, as they took their seats at the roundtable. "How good of you it is to join us."

Tsunade felt one corner of her lips tug back at the poorly concealed sarcasm she detected in Jiraiya's words. The insufferable fool was one to talk; he'd often missed their own assemblies in the past, endlessly chasing women and wine – though she had to hand it to the old idiot; Jiraiya had certainly become consistently present since real trouble had reared its ugly head. She would not tell him, but she was grateful he had decided to stick around. Zeus and Hera had not trusted him so well for nothing.

The individual he had addressed showed no reaction to the words, and instead quipped, "There is much for us to discuss."

"Let us begin," Koharu opened the meeting, peering down at a scroll before her. "We were informed by yourselves that a chimera, hydra and harpies attacked humans at a civilian event last night and that this appeared a targeted and deliberate attack with the intention of inciting fear and bloodshed. Many lives were lost due to this. The matter has since been resolved and we have taken steps to ensure no further investigations will be made by humans. This occurrence is, of course, of great concern to us. Those that were present, have you anything to add to this account?"

"All the creatures had red eyes," Shikamaru spoke up. "If they were all in their natural forms, they wouldn't have looked like that."

"You're right!" Ino exclaimed, nodding at him. "I noticed that, too!"

"Then that implies they were being controlled, somehow?" Inoichi folded his arms thoughtfully.

"Most likely," Shikamaru sighed. "They also seemed to emerge from glass orbs. We have one, here."

Sai stood, and handed the cracked glass sphere over to the High Council, who inspected it closely.

"Hmm. It seems these beasts are being compressed into spheres and drawn out on demand, in a similar principle to the way chakra orbs work," Homura remarked. "That is a concern."

"Let's cut the crap," Naruto said impatiently. "We all know who was responsible for this! You can't turn a blind eye to that bastard Cronus anymore! Not when you hear what else he's-"

"Naruto," Kakashi admonished. "Let them finish."

Naruto grit his teeth. He was bursting to tell the Council about his parents. But Jiraiya's firm hand on his shoulder cautioned him to have patience.

"Hold, Naruto. Let's hear their assessment, first."

"Cronus is powerless," Danzo said, his voice reverberating around the hall. "He has not the means to create such abominations."

"He isn't working alone," Tsunade replied. "The Snake Orochimaru is aiding him. We have seen and heard evidence of this."

Homura squinted at her. "And to what end would he assist? Cronus does not share power, and the Serpent is no fool. Orochimaru has always dabbled in the dark arts, it is known. But he does so for his own personal gain, to advance his own research, and has always kept mostly to the shadows of his own affairs. He has not taken up arms against Konoha on such a scale before."

"Well, he is now," Tsunade retorted. "It's high time we dealt with him. Who knows what he's experimenting on? These creatures couldn't have come from anywhere else, and the only person capable of replicating them is the snake."

"I must agree," Jiraiya seconded. "There can be no doubt of his involvement in this. And once again, we know for a fact he is in line with Madara."

"I see," Homura picked up a scroll. "There is the possibility that these beasts can indeed be replicated, if their DNA has been acquired. But this would be no easy feat. If it is true the snake has dealings with Cronus, then he would have had to have been working to engineer this for many decades, at least."

"If I may add. Their power seemed equivalent to their original forms," Sai supplied.

Koharu glanced at Danzo. "Danzo. Are you able to deploy Root to investigate this issue further? If Orochimaru is indeed developing clones of these creatures with malicious intent, then he will doubtless have facilities to do so. If we can locate these facilities, we can put an end to this."

"Very well," Danzo replied gruffly.

Naruto stood up, and before anyone could say anything else, erupted, "That bastard has my mother and father's bodies sealed in crystal on Olympus!"

Koharu and Homura looked taken aback. Danzo and Chiyo, however, retained disturbingly calm expressions.

"Sealed?" Danzo repeated aloofly. "Zeus and Hera perished in the war. What nonsense do you sprout, boy?"

"It isn't nonsense!" Naruto raged, turning wild eyes to Kakashi. "Tell them, Kakashi-sensei!"

Jiraiya grabbed at his arm and jerked him roughly back down to his seat. "Don't let your emotions get the better of you, Naruto!" he scolded.

Four sets of eyes turned to Kakashi.

"Naruto is right," the masked deity confirmed. "Madara has their corpses sealed. He intends to awaken the Rinnegan to break free of his seal and resurrect them using Edo-tensei."

"The Rinnegan?! Edo-tensei?!" Koharu and Homura chorused in disbelief. They exchanged alarmed glances with Chiyo, who simply sat with her hands resting atop her walking stick, listening intently to the proceedings.

Then Homura questioned, shock plastered on his features, "How have you come to know this? These are grievous crimes if they are true, indeed. One must be absolutely sure-"

"We're sure," Kakashi replied, taking a deep breath. "I was informed by Sasuke."

"Sasuke?" Homura and Koharu were astonished.

"Aaah," Kakashi elaborated. "He made contact specifically to tell me this. As you know, it isn't in his nature to do so, given his quarrel with us. I have every faith it's the truth."

Danzo's voice thundered across the room. "Sasuke Uchiha?" he said derisively. "And you believe the words that come out of that defector god's mouth?"

Sakura held her breath, hands clasped tightly in her lap under the table.

"Of course you'd shoot him down," Naruto glared, fists shaking with anger. "You've always hated the Uchiha! Sasuke wasn't responsible for the war, damn it! He was a victim, just like the rest of us! He lost his entire family-"

"Well deserved for the destruction they intended to inflict upon us!" Danzo retaliated. "Do you forget that Cronus used that child's," here he pointed straight at Sakura, who tensed, "original vessel to poison the lands and strip mortals of their livelihoods? The Uchiha acted under his command to facilitate this. Hades is of the Uchiha, and he was on the battlefield, slaying our soldiers!"

"Sasuke didn't-" Naruto tried to argue desperately – but Danzo cut him off.

"Your feelings will be your undoing, God of Sun. I have told you this before. They make you weak, and prone to blindness. But I see things perfectly clearly for what they are. Sasuke is not to be trusted!"

"Now wait just a minute," Jiraiya began, surprising Tsunade, who shot a murderous look his way. Was he about to actually defend the Uchiha brat? "Sasuke has never approached us before. I don't particularly find the boy amicable myself, but if we consider that Edo-tensei will result in the massacre of mortals and the impact this will undoubtedly have on Sasuke's Kingdom, then it makes perfect sense that he would choose to share this information with us."

"On the contrary," Koharu commented. "The fact he would suddenly choose to initiate contact makes his actions all the more suspicious. How could he possibly know Cronus's designs unless he has been in contact with Cronus himself? How could he see Zeus and Hera in their supposed confinements, unless he had ascended to Olympus? And if he has done so, then it must be Cronus's wish for us to know, and he has likely dispatched Sasuke to communicate that to us."

"Further crimes for which he must be charged," Danzo insisted.

Sakura swallowed. She wanted to say that for all his faults, she genuinely found it difficult to believe that Sasuke would ever actively team up with Cronus, given that the Uchiha patriarch had been the one to march his family to war in the first place. But everyone was suddenly talking all at once, and she didn't think her voice would be heard – or hold much weight before the High Council. Besides, she didn't want it to be an opportunity to invite them all to quiz her on the time she'd spent in the Underworld – not in front of everyone else in attendance. She chose to stay silent.

"What?!" Naruto screeched, furious at their immediate judgement and the prejudice with which they viewed Sasuke simply because he was an Uchiha. "You're making assumptions-! I'm telling you Cronus has my parents, and your main concern is Sasuke?!"

"That isn't fair-" Kakashi interjected, feeling equally as frustrated. But he had anticipated the focus would turn to the Underworld's king, given that he was already on the Council's radar. The masked deity couldn't tell them about the curse seal – that it made him quite sure that Sasuke was in no way willingly playing the part of pawn in Madara's schemes – however he had ended up roped into them.

"What you have told us perfectly aligns with recent news that has also reached our ears," Homura added.

"What news?!" Naruto demanded. He wanted to leap out of his seat and throttle the elders – but Jiraiya's large hand was still closed firmly around his arm, as if he anticipated that Naruto might do something reckless.

Danzo smirked contemptuously at them. "The Sasuke Uchiha who informed you of this so-called 'plan' is the same Sasuke who attacked the Eight-Tailed Jinchuuriki host and Guardian of Olympus, Killer B, just this last week."

Shocked gasps and murmurs filled the room.

"Let me remind you," Danzo continued. "The Guardians are stationed at Olympus to ensure nobody ascends to the pinnacle of the mountain, and to keep anyone from setting foot outside of it in the event Cronus's seals ever fail. And yet Sasuke attacked Killer B with a unit of three others, completely unprovoked!"

A stunned silence ensued. Sakura's lips parted in horror.

"Wh-what?!" Naruto was aghast. "No! That doesn't make any sense- he wouldn't!"

Sasuke had attacked a guardian? Why? This was incriminating, damning news. Sakura's heart thudded unpleasantly within her chest, thoughts reeling with confusion. It didn't make any sense for Sasuke to do such a thing. And a unit? Sasuke had been working with others? That didn't seem like him either.

"My Root subjects have confirmed this," Danzo clipped coldly. "Sasuke was indeed seen approaching Olympus. He engaged Killer B in combat and left him unconscious, robbed of the blade B uses to defend the mountain. The Sand Siblings confirmed that he was found in a critically unresponsive state. This must have been before he ascended to meet with Cronus."

"You don't know that!" Naruto roared. "Sasuke wouldn't need to fight any guardian to make it to the top of Olympus! He isn't sealed like we are. You just hate him, you- you damned-"

"Naruto!" Tsunade called to him in warning. "Hold your tongue!"

"It is the truth," Danzo's visible eye narrowed. "You cannot deny the charges against the Uchiha. He stole a living human from the surface. He has attacked a Guardian of Olympus. And now this news, that he has ascended Olympus and communicated with Cronus! He must be summoned to court at once to answer for all these misconducts!"

"Kakashi," Homura attempted to restore order to the proceedings. "Did Sasuke tell you how he came to know of Zeus and Hera's captivity?"

Kakashi looked sullenly at them. "No," he replied. He was trapped, unable to disclose the whole truth, for fear of damning Sasuke even further.

"Because he has something to hide. It is as I always suspected. The boy would one day make a move against Konoha, and that time has now come," Danzo sat back with satisfied conviction.

"We didn't come here to talk about Sasuke," Naruto snarled. "And if Sasuke hasn't told us how he found this out, then everything you're saying is just speculation! Maybe he snuck up there without Madara knowing. Maybe he found out some other way! He'd never let himself be used as a pawn, damn it! You don't know him!"

"And you do," Danzo said, his voice chilling. "And how did he reward you, son of Zeus? He betrayed you, did he not?"

"That isn't what happened! Cronus brainwashed him along with the rest of his family, I'm sure of it!"

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered sadly.

"Still holding onto a child's hope," Danzo censured patronisingly. "You have no evidence, and yet you speak with such certainty."

"What, you mean just like you are?!" Naruto retorted impertinently, slamming a fist down upon the table.

"Insolent, immature and uncultured. A fine job your parents did of raising you," Danzo's voice dripped acid.

Naruto's eyes widened. Overwhelmed by events and his overflowing emotions, he literally saw red, his pupils narrowing in wrath – and began to leak ominous, bubbling, red-orange chakra. In a heartbeat he had leapt back to his feet. "Say what-!?"

Sakura's eyes widened. What was thatglowing around him?

Hinata gasped and clutched at Neji's arm fearfully.

"Stop antagonising him, damn it!" Tsunade said in alarm. "Jiraiya!"

Jiraiya inhaled sharply. He reached out and pressed a palm against Naruto's abdomen, quickly uttering words Sakura couldn't catch. Naruto grimaced. Then he fell to his seat and slumped forward, head in his arms, groaning as if in pain. The strange aura around him immediately diminished.

Sakura held a hand to her chest, feeling her heart pound. What had just happened?

"Peace, all of you!" Chiyo's voice rang out clearly. "I am getting a headache from the noise you are making. Continue this din and I will turn you all into wretched toads!"

A tense, uncomfortable silence followed, in which both parties stared each other down.

Kakashi was the one to break it. "I have something further to add. Last night, when we left the building, we found all the human survivors had been put to sleep. They had no recollection of the evening's events. You said you had no part in enforcing this memory loss. The only other way to achieve memory loss on such a scale is through the use of a Sharingan's genjutsu."

"What are you suggesting?" Koharu leaned forward.

Kakashi met her gaze. "I believe it was Sasuke who cast it. The hydra we were battling vanished suddenly. Along with evidence of the harpies. The enemy intended for all those creatures to be left behind. You hadn't found out about this event until we told you. Sasuke's interference is the only possible explanation."

The surface gods and seraphs exchanged disbelieving looks.

"Of course," Naruto lifted his head, still wincing. "Kakashi-sensei, you're right! That must have been it. It would make perfect sense!"

"That's speculation," Asuma was dubious. "You can't be sure that he was the one who did it."

"There's nobody else who can," Jiraiya mused. "Kakashi is right about that. Besides Kakashi and Madara, Sasuke is the only other individual who possesses Sharingan."

"Why would he help us?" Neji asked, arms folded.

"An illusion of such a magnitude would cause a great deal of strain," said Kurenai.

"Yes! Those Youths were not of his concern, given his domain is the Underworld!" Lee piped up.

"Because he hates Madara," Naruto exclaimed. "There's no way he would ever team up with that bastard! And if he cast that illusion, and told us about my parents, then it's obvious he's helping us and not Madara!"

Sakura didn't know what to think. The reports on both sides were conflicting. One account painted Sasuke as a dangerous threat. The other as a potential ally. Which was he?

It frightened her that she wasn't entirely sure.

"And yet, he attacked Killer B and cannot account for how he knows of Cronus's supposed plans!" Danzo countered.

"Silence, all of you!" Chiyo spoke. At once the entire room quietened respectfully at her input. "The issue presently at hand is not the little Uchiha King's apparent inconsistencies. It is that Cronus has broken the terms of the pact. He wishes to awaken Rinnegan and cast Edo-tensei. This is a grave threat and our priority, and what we must first address. We must ensure that Orochimaru's experiments are curbed so that no further attacks on mortals will occur. I am certain my fellow Council members will agree on this. We will deal with his transgressions, and then shift our focus to Sasuke and his affairs."

"You reside in the Underworld. Perhaps you can resolve this for us right now, if you but tell us Sasuke's dealings. Surely you must be aware of his actions and-" Koharu began.

"I will do no such thing," Chiyo reproached. "I have said we will address the matter of Cronus first, before any trial is held. Since you require my assistance in bringing Sasuke to the surface, I suggest you hold your tongues and proceed as I advise."

Danzo shot her a withering look. But he did not object.

Naruto released a quiet sigh of relief.

"We are concerned for the safety of mortals," Jiraiya stated. "And also for the welfare of Sakura. If the enemy were to suspect her true nature, they would likely seek to exploit her once more. For this reason we ask that our own restrictions are removed, so that we may protect the surface and counter the threat of Cronus."

"It's troublesome to think, but if Madara has attacked like this once, he'll do it again before long," Shikamaru agreed.

"We cannot just wait around like sitting ducks for his next move," Tsunade slammed a fist forcefully on the table. "As we are now, we're compromised. You must remove our seals. It's clear that Madara has no respect for any pact. And these seals severely limit our ability to fight back."

"He has my mum and dad," Naruto's voice quaked. "I'll do whatever it takes to stop his screwed up plans, and if you won't help us-"

"Enough of that," Chiyo waved dismissively. "There is no need for such theatrics, child. We agree unanimously that Cronus has violated the terms of the pact." She cast a glance at her fellow High Council members, who all nodded. "Assuming the news Kakashi received from Sasuke holds weight, then Cronus seeks to remove his own seal using the Rinnegan which will allow him superior control over space and time. He will be free to write reality as he sees fit, and humans will doubtless be caught in the crossfire."

"Our priority above all else is to protect Konoha and its civilians, to uphold the balance of life and death," said Homura. "We will do our part and ensure the ANBU Root division keep watch over any further threats the enemy may be preparing. In the meanwhile, we recognise that you would be better equipped to handle any future events unsealed."

"You are not to use your powers for personal gain," Danzo stated stiffly. "Or for any purpose but the protection of mortals and the curbing of any threat posed to Konoha. Once the threats are subdued, and order restored, you will return to your sealed states."

"Why?" Naruto demanded. "Why can't we remain unsealed? You don't trust us to wield our own powers? If that bastard starts attacking us a lot more, even you won't be able to clean up in time. There's only so many times you can cover shit up before something slips and then the whole mortal world will know all about us anyway!"

"Mind your language before us," Chiyo rebuked. "The seals are designed to protect you in turn, limiting your chakra usage so that you cannot inadvertently go against your roles. We no longer have replacement deities for any of your functions. We will monitor your activities unsealed closely. Particularly you," she nodded at Naruto. "Given what is in your possession, we must ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands."

What was in Naruto's possession? Sakura made a mental note that she would ask him later.

"If we deem that any of you use your abilities for personal gain, you will be summoned before us and held to account," the old crone finished.

"We understand," Kakashi nodded solemnly.

"So you're agreeing?" Naruto said hopefully. "To remove the seals? We're finally going to get our powers back?"

Homura gave him a look. "We agree they must be removed for the sake of protecting humanity. However, we are not the ones who can remove them for you."

There was a long, surprised pause, in which every surface deity and seraph stared at the Council members in shock.

"Eh?" Ino pushed her side fringe out her eyes. "You can't?"

"Wh- what do you mean you can't remove them, Great Council?!" Lee sputtered. "I do not understand!"

"But you're the ones who enforced them, are you not!?" Guy exclaimed incredulously.

"Minato had you all tagged before the war, to allow the seals on you to activate simultaneously," Koharu explained. "We are aware of the formation to set the seal. But the formation to undo it is not within our possession."

"What the hell does that mean?!" Naruto burst out. "How can you not know how to undo it?"

"A dire oversight on Minato's part," Danzo spat.

"…" Sai's eyes slipped onto the Root leader, once again noting his bitterness.

"A clever precaution," Chiyo disregarded Danzo's words. "Had the formation been given to us alone, and had we been targeted by the enemy over the years, then your powers could never again be unsealed."

Naruto felt pride swell in his chest. That was his brilliant father, through and through – always planning ahead for all eventualities.

Shizune shook her head in bewilderment. "Then how can they be removed?"

"Jiraiya-boy," Chiyo called. "Come forward."

Jiraiya obligingly approached the Council's table. Chiyo handed him a rolled up scroll. He returned to the roundtable and opened it to find a world map imprinted on the parchment, marked with four crosses.

Tsunade peered over at it curiously. "What is this?"

"That is a map to the locations of the four relics Minato scattered across Konoha and neighbouring countries," Homura explained. "Each relic contains a sequence of seals. When the four relics are obtained and pieced together, they will provide the full hand-seal instructions for unsealing your abilities. These seals must be performed by those of you who carry a fragment of Minato's powers."

Kakashi sucked in a harsh breath. Words from a time long since passed drifted through his mind. Words he had never been able to forget.

'You take them to safety, now! I've entrusted a fragment of my power to you – and within my son. When the time comes, you'll know how to wield it.'

Was this what Zeus had meant?

"A fragment of his powers?" Kurenai repeated, perplexed. "But how can that be?"

"Unfortunately, he failed to elaborate," Koharu frowned lightly. "He insisted it was a necessary precaution that only those individuals entrusted with it would know." She peered around the hall. "If that is any of you here, you are duty bound to inform us at once."

Kakashi remained silent. He wondered why Minato had not mentioned it to the High Council. It was the fact that their deceased king hadn't, that made Kakashi choose to say nothing.

"Evidently they do not know," Danzo spoke scornfully. "So even if they locate these relics, they will be unable to help themselves without that final element."

"Let them find the relics first," Chiyo said jovially. "Your pessimism is quite the annoyance, Danzo."

Danzo's visible eye narrowed, but he fell silent at that.

"He left us with further instructions," Homura continued, clearing his throat as he recited, "One in Flame. One in the Shadows of Illusion. One by a Mortal's Blade. One in Lightning."

"Not cryptic at all," Shikamaru muttered to Neji under his breath.

"What does that mean?" Ino's brows drew together, as she threw up her hands helplessly.

"It means that only four who bear those specific chakra elements can enter each location and remove the barriers to obtain the relics. There are protections placed on each one to prevent them falling into the wrong hands, and Minato would have ensured that each location is heavily guarded. We have not ventured inside ourselves, not for lack of trying. It seems the barriers are very specific in who they respond to," Koharu informed them.

Sakura's mind repeated the prophecy in a chant. Flame. Illusion. Mortal blade. Lightning.

"Four elements," Chiyo clarified. "Only those four may enter each. Find those locations and you will find the way to unlock your abilities."

"Most of these locations are days of travel apart," Asuma studied the map carefully. "And their paths are only accessible by foot. These forests in Wind Country, for example."

"It will indeed be a laborious journey," Chiyo agreed merrily. "But worry not. Only four amongst you must make it, and it is the only way. Now, we are in agreement. Danzo will deploy Root to track down Orochimaru's research facilities and ensure no further cloned creatures are engineered. We will make contact remotely with Cronus to highlight his transgressions and formally charge him with the violations he has made against his pact. We will tighten security at Olympus and ensure ANBU keep closer watch over civilians in the village at all times. And you will visit the locations on the map, retrieve the relics and unlock your seals."

"What about my parents?" Naruto demanded. "They're up there. We can't just leave them!"

"No, we cannot," Homura agreed. "We will convene over this matter amongst ourselves, and inform you once we reach a decision. Perhaps Lady Chiyo may confirm the details about your parents with the one who provided them. Give us some time to do this."

Danzo rose from his seat. "You are making a mistake, delaying the Uchiha's trial," he uttered frostily. "Do not seek my assistance if he steps out of line again before one is held." With that, he briskly took his leave, exiting into an arched wooden side door set against the eastern side of the chamber.

Bastard, Naruto thought to himself in disgust. He had never understood why his father had appointed Danzo as a member of the High Council.

"If that is all, then you are dismissed," Koharu nodded. She and Homura got up from the table and took their leave, lost in deep conversation.

The surface gods rose from their seats, also engaged in discussion, passing the map between them, speculating over who would travel on the quest to obtain the relics.

"Kakashi," Chiyo called. "Stay a moment. I wish to converse with you. Tsunade. I received your message. Await me outside."

Tsunade nodded, and followed everyone else out of the hall.

---

Kakashi approached the table, as Chiyo pushed herself to her feet, and shuffled along over to him with her walking stick.

"Allow me to save you some time squabbling over who amongst you will complete the journey," she croaked. "Naruto is the sun god, and commands flame. Your proficient command of lightning should allow you entry into the locations. The mortal amongst you, is the girl, Sakura. And finally, shadows of illusion. Well. None of us here on the surface wield that power…"

Kakashi's lone eye widened in understanding. He felt his gut twist unpleasantly.

"Sasuke…" he murmured.

The old crone inclined her head in affirmation. "The foolish boy has allowed himself to be compromised. You know of what I speak," Kakashi's heart skipped a beat. She knew about the Curse Seal – and had chosen not to reveal it to the other Council members?!

But why?

"You are wondering why I have not shared what I know," Chiyo seemed to read his mind directly. Her mouth twisted into a tight smile. "Sasuke's lot has been a hard one. I do not wish to damn him anymore than he has already damned himself. In addition, I once did give my word to…" she pursed her crinkled lips, as if catching herself. "No, never-mind that now. I cannot interfere with the Council's wishes to hold him to trial. The law is the law, Kakashi. But I will propose his cooperation as one punishment for his actions. After all, what would irk the handsome little King more than assisting you all in unsealing your abilities? Ehehehehehehe!" she cackled.

Kakashi imagined Sasuke would be absolutely livid to be forced to help them undertake such a task. Dread filled him. Travelling with Naruto and Sasuke would be an utter disaster. And then he had poor Sakura to think about. Internally groaning, the masked deity wondered why the Fates enjoyed tormenting him so. The mission was stressful enough on paper, without throwing volatile, tattered relationships and unbearable, inflated egos into the mix. He could just imagine the headache of listening to them all bicker and squabble amongst themselves, one deity vying to outdo the other. He could feel a headache coming on simply thinking about it.

He sighed heavily. He supposed he'd have no choice but to do his best to ensure Naruto and Sasuke didn't kill each other, and that everyone returned back from the mission in one piece.

"You will assemble them when instructed and you will lead them to the locations. I will put this forward to the others, and when it has been formally agreed, that is when you will depart."

"And how am I to tell Sasuke this?" Kakashi asked.

"Leave that to us," Chiyo reassured him. "Young Minato consulted the Fates themselves when setting the barriers on the relics – and those are the elements preordained. Inform the others; they may very well object, particularly Tsunade. Let me handle her. Take anyone else with you, and you will find it a waste of time. You hardly have any time to waste, do you?" She chuckled again in amusement, slipping her arm through his.

Kakashi walked slowly with her to the chamber's entrance doors. Stepping out the assembly hall, they found Tsunade waiting at the top of the steps.

"Off you go," Chiyo shooed Kakashi away. Then she turned her attention to Tsunade. "Tsunade. You took the child to the pool, did you not?"

Pain and guilt flashed in the harvest goddess's honey-hued eyes. She glanced back at where her daughter stood talking to Kurenai and Shikamaru.

"You have not yet told her," Chiyo observed. "You must. Know that the enemy has taken a keen interest in her."

Tsunade inhaled sharply. Of course, it was inevitable, but hearing Chiyo openly confirm it was unsettling.

"He… suspects her." she said.

"He suspects not all is as it seems with the girl."

"Sasuke," Tsunade's hands balled into fists. "Sasuke did this. Had he not taken her-"

"Tsunade," Chiyo gave her a level stare. "You dislike the boy; that much is apparent. His thoughtless actions wronged you and wronged your child. But do not lose your head. You may not see it as such, but your daughter is bound to the Underworld – and so she has the Underworld's protection. You might find that fact may come in useful, yet."

Tsunade shook her head sceptically but sullenly did not respond.

"I received your message and I am in agreement that we must give Sakura every tool to protect herself," Chiyo continued. "The girl cannot summon chakra adequately alone. Let us go to the alchemy room before you depart. We have a collection of chakra spheres that will afford Sakura a means to better defend herself. I suggest you bring that silly little love goddess along, too, since her abilities are inactive."

Tsunade met the old crone's eyes, and swallowed. Then she nodded curtly, and turned to call her daughter and Ino.

---

The alchemy lab was a mystical delight, something straight out of a fantasy story book. Sakura gasped as she entered it. Generously sized, the square-shaped room's walls were lined with wooden shelves containing glass bottles of every shape and size, holding mysteriously glowing liquids and an extremely impressive collection of labelled ingredients. The room was illuminated by candlelight and the purple and turquoise luminosity of brewing spells. Various potion-making paraphernalia such as pestle and mortars, weighing scales and testing tubes were strewn atop the three wooden tables in the room, as well as thick leather-bound books and scrolls. Mixing pots were set above burning flames, and the giddy aroma of herbs filled the air.

"Whoa…" Ino marvelled. "This is so cool."

Chiyo came to a stop by the largest central table. Atop it was a basket containing glowing, crystal spheres of varying hues.

Sakura stared at them, mesmerised by their pretty colours. They seemed to swirl with live, pulsing energy.

"Chakra crystals," Chiyo explained, lifting one of the glowing blue orbs in a wrinkled hand. "They house fragments of deity powers and elemental chakra, compressed within a sphere. If you are trained in chakra control, you can harness the power within these orbs and call upon their boons."

"You mean with these we can use elemental attacks?" Ino's eyes widened.

"Amongst other things," Chiyo nodded. "These crystals were initially forged as gifts from the gods to humanity; they granted temporary boosts in power and endurance in order to allow mortals to overcome hardships and to ensure their survival back when the world was plagued with all manner of creatures. Back when chakra was new to humans, we believed that if they trained their minds correctly, they would be able to use its benefits to do good deeds in the world, to protect it."

Sakura picked up a yellow orb, staring at it in fascination. She felt her fingertips tingle strangely.

"Lightning orbs, water orbs, orbs of earth, wind and fire, of healing, cloaking orbs, orbs to enhance strength and agility; we have scrupulously gathered all the crystals still known to exist. Unfortunately, our wishes for humanity proved futile. Humans quickly became greedy and began to steal from and kill one another to acquire these sacred boons, using them for selfish gain, not for the means they were intended. So we took them away. All that remain are now housed within our chambers, here at the High Council. These are but a selection of them."

"How do they work?" Sakura asked.

"You equip them within an arm brace, and focus your mind on the chakra contained within them, absorbing the energy within your body, where you will be able to redirect it using precise chakra control."

"Here," Tsunade lifted one of the metal arm braces laying on the table beside the spheres. She clipped it around Sakura's right forearm, adjusting it to size. "Set the orbs in this slot here." She pushed one of the red spheres into a circular opening, slotting it snugly inside. It clicked securely in place. "Now see if you can draw on the chakra, just as you would from the necklace I gave you."

Sakura concentrated on the elemental sphere resting on her arm. Reaching out with her own chakra network, she brushed against the orb's energy, feeling its warmth. Drawing it into her body, she felt heat suddenly run up her arm, and a moment later, an exuberant little flame burst into life at her palm.

"No way!" Ino exclaimed.

Sakura looked delightedly at the fire. "I did it!"

"As expected," Tsunade nodded proudly. "You have already mastered the basics of chakra control, after all."

Excitement filled Sakura. With these, she could protect herself so much more confidently. If only she'd had access to them earlier!

"These orbs will provide you with temporary boosts in power should you be required to engage in combat," Chiyo stated. "But pay heed; they are not unlimited. The more chakra you draw out at a time, the more powerful the attack will be – and the quicker the orb will deplete of its contents. Once all the chakra has been spent, it empties, and you will have to replace it with another."

"I gave you the necklace as an emergency back-up supply of chakra," Tsunade told her daughter. "These will provide you with a more readily available source."

"I wish I'd had them before," Sakura lamented.

"All these years of feeling, useless," Ino frowned unhappily. "Why haven't you shared them with us?"

"These orbs can only be bestowed by the High Council," Chiyo answered sternly. "They are not granted freely, or light-heartedly. We have saved them for when the need arises. And that need is now. Given that Cronus is on the move, and has attacked the surface unprovoked, you must all have a means of protecting yourselves - especially you, Sakura."

Sakura nodded.

"Use these sparingly," the ancient goddess counselled. "I will grant you each a generous supply and variety of orbs."

"Can they be refilled?" Ino asked, inspecting a soft green hued one. "What's this one?"

"A healing orb," Tsunade notified her.

"I can replenish them for you when absolutely required," Chiyo replied. "But it takes some time to collect and brew specialist chakra into these spheres. Do not waste them needlessly. Tsunade will inform me if your supply runs low. You may then return here to restock; I will ensure adequate supplies are left for you. But these should be plenty for now. Take this basket, and share them amongst yourselves."

"Thank you, Goddess Chiyo," Sakura said earnestly.

The old crone waved away her gratitude. "Yes, very well. Off with you all now."

"Carry these at all times with you from now on," Tsunade instructed, as they turned to leave the room. "It will put my mind at rest, knowing you can defend yourself."

Sakura nodded. Ino held up another brace to Tsunade as they walked. "Can you help me put this on right?"

They trailed ahead, leaving the room. Sakura hesitated before she reached the door, glancing back at Chiyo, who fixed her with a questioning look.

"Well, pretty Petal? Why do you tarry?"

Sakura hesitated despite herself – before blurting out, "Did Sasuke really attack a guardian?"

The old crone raised her eyebrows at the question. Then she answered, "Oh ho! Do I detect some concern for the Little King?"

"I- what?" Sakura floundered, caught off guard by the bluntness of the remark. "No! I just-"

"Ehehehehe!" Chiyo chuckled in amusement at her open discomfort. "Get you gone, child. You'll hear nothing more now of Sasuke from me."

Sakura bit her lower lip, remembering that the mysterious goddess only ever revealed what she chose to disclose. Then she turned away and followed hurriedly after her mother and Ino.

---

Author's Note

---

Next chapter will be a Sasuke-centric one with a lot of flashbacks from his point of view, which will give some more insight onto what happened to him immediately after the war on Olympus. Thanks for reading and please do consider kindly taking the time to leave a short feedback comment. I'd love to hear from you!