AN: Thanks to all those who have written reviews! I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far, and I hope the remainder lives up to your expectations. The biggest problem I've had is that, because of when the story is set, there is very little character development I can do with the main characters. This is why I've concentrated mostly on the Smoke ninja and, to a certain extent, Genma… I've also tried to show the rivalry between Neji and Lee in a mission setting. I hope it's to people's liking. :)

Translations: Kekkai Genkai is bloodline limit. Henge is the transformation technique. Kaiten (Short for Hakkeshou Kaiten) is Neji's divination whirl.

12- Battle for the Smoke: "Either Way, It Ends Here!"

Nekoya ran down into the street, Toramaru at his heels. He had awoken to find the five Konoha ninja gone. He couldn't believe he was being left behind!

"Sharino-san!" he shouted, seeing her talking with Kakashi. She looked at him and sighed.

"Nekoya, you should still be in bed! You are not recovered enough to fight today!" she said.

"I can fight! I'm absolutely fine!" he replied. Kakashi smiled at him.

"You remind me of Naruto," he said. "But you have already been a great help. You did very well against those ninja yesterday."

"Nekoya, look at you," said Sharino. "You are strong, but you overdid it yesterday. I doubt you could summon enough strength to perform a Henge. Please rest today." He looked upset, but Toramaru looked up at him and mewed in agreement. He growled at the cat.

"You're against me too?" he said. Then he nodded in submission. "Ok, I'll stay behind this once, but next time, I'll be out there with you!" he said. Sharino laughed.

"You think I'd have it any other way?" she said. He smiled, but then his face became more serious.

"Defeat them. For Kenshin," he said. Sharino nodded solemnly before she motioned to Kakashi and they turned to head out into the forest.

Nekoya watched as Sharino, Kakashi and Genma left with Kakashi's Genin team. He was disappointed that they would be fighting and he would not, but he had to admit that he still felt weak. In the worst case scenario he would only get in the way, but even if he didn't there would be few ways in which he could help. After a little while, Nekoya turned and walked, much more slowly, back towards his home.

When they had walked a little way, Kakashi asked Sharino where the other teams were.

"Gai and his team left early, so that he and Neji could perform some reconnaissance," she replied. "Reiboshi and Isako are getting final orders from my father. I expect they will catch up with us soon."

"Is it wise to have Reiboshi with us?" Kakashi asked, wondering about throwing the bearer of the Kekkai Genkai that the Missing-Nin were searching for into battle with those that wanted him. Sharino smiled.

"I know what you think, but he'll be fine. Though he looks like a sixteen-year-old, he's trained me since before I became a Genin. He is the most experienced man we have. I, for one, am extremely glad he was in the village at the time these attacks started." Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Is he away often?"

"Officially he is not even a Smoke ninja anymore," Sharino explained. "He is a Hermit. But he still helps us occasionally with missions. And he is a good friend." Kakashi nodded. Sharino didn't mention that Reiboshi also carried a sword that was a fearsome treasure of the Yumeda clan, a weapon that few fought and survived. If all Reiboshi's other abilities became useless, that would keep him safe.

"Has your father relented to let Isako fight today?" Kakashi asked.

"It seems so, though he was not easy to convince," she said. That was an understatement. It had taken her and Isako practically begging him for nearly half an hour before he had relented and said she could go, on the condition she stay with a Jounin at all times. Sharino was not sure whether to be touched by his concern for her sister, or to be jealous that he never seemed to show the same concern for her.

"I am glad," Kakashi said. "I have heard of her strength in fighting in these conditions. Her help will be needed." Sharino nodded. With over half of the Smoke's shinobi either still away on missions or unable to fight, they needed Isako more than ever. Even her father had eventually realised that. Perhaps if more of the Nekozaki clan were in the village, or if the rest of the Yumeda clan were willing to fight in this battle then Isamu could have his way and protect Isako, but there were too few of them. They needed her.

"This will be the last battle," said Sharino. "Either way, this must end here, today." Kakashi nodded his agreement. Sharino looked at the tall Konoha Jounin at her side and was once again extremely glad of his presence.

---

Neji looked as though he was staring into space, although the veins on his face standing out made it clear that he was using his Byakugan. He was looking towards the enemy camp.

"Are they there," Gai asked. Neji nodded.

"I cannot see how many, but they are there. They do not appear to be on the move, either." Gai nodded.

"They are probably unsure of what to do now that their spy jutsu has been discovered." Lee stood a little way behind him, wishing that he could see what Neji could see. There were enemies out there, waiting to be fought. He itched with excitement, barely able to keep still.

"What is the plan today, Gai-sensei?" Lee asked. The meeting the previous evening had gone on quite late. By the time Gai had got back, Lee and Tenten had already worn themselves out in the village's training ground and fallen asleep. Neji, though awake, had not been in a mood to talk, so Gai had left him walking around the dark streets of the village.

"Today we are taking the fight to the enemy," Gai said. "My eternal rival, Kakashi and I came up with a plan to attack them."

"The best defense is a good offense!" agreed Lee. Neji grunted disdainfully. Lee glared at the back of the Hyuuga's head with eyes so hard that he would have felt them even if he didn't have the Byakugan. 'It's all right for you,' he thought 'not all of us have a defense like the Kaiten!'

"Is that glare another challenge, Lee?" Neji said, still not looking at Lee. "Do you want to get beaten again?" Lee narrowed his eyes, but Gai rested a hand on his student's shoulder.

"There is no time to fight amongst ourselves. We have an enemy to face." Neji turned on Lee, his Byakugan still active, his eyes seeing through everything. The corner of Neji's mouth turned up in a half-smile and to Lee those eyes said 'a dropout is a dropout,' over and over again. They dared him to challenge Neji, but Gai was right: The Missing-Nin were the enemy. Lee forced himself to turn away from him, ignoring the Hyuuga's penetrating eyes that still drilled into the back of his head.

At that moment, two Smoke ninja, Isako and Reiboshi, appeared nearby.

"Are they still in the camp?" asked Reiboshi. Gai nodded.

"It seems so," he replied. Reiboshi looked briefly around, then back to Gai.

"Sharino is with Kakashi-san," he said. "I will go and tell them. Isako, go with Gai-san to guard the East Side of their camp and make sure none of them escape, and fight those that do. We will attack from the West."

"I understand," said Gai. With that, Reiboshi disappeared, heading back towards the other group. In a way, Gai was disappointed that he wouldn't be fighting with Kakashi, but for the plan to succeed in stopping the Missing-Nin, they needed to have forces on both flanks.

Isako beckoned to him, and they followed her in a roundabout path that avoided the points where Neji located lookouts or traps. When in position, they found places to hide, and watch, and wait.

---

"They are ready," said Reiboshi, landing next to Sharino as he appeared out of the trees. She acknowledged him with a nod and motioned to Kakashi and Genma. It was time to move. Sharino looked at Naruto and the other Genin to see how they were faring. Naruto looked excited and determined. Sasuke looked grim. Only Sakura showed any sign of fear, but she was putting on a brave face. If Sharino had been Kakashi, she would have been extremely proud of them.

"Let's go," she said and they started on their way.

---

Ketsume kicked Jirou's bowl out of his hand and it landed in the stream.

"Of course you can't see anything!" he shouted. "As soon as that Smoke kid found out you were involved she will have found who held the jutsu and dispelled it! If only those Sand meddlers hadn't shown up! We would have what we want by now. As it is we've lost a couple of our best ninja to them!" He growled in aggravation.

Suddenly another Missing-Nin bearing the symbol of the Hidden Waterfall Village on his forehead protector appeared.

"Ketsume-san," he said. "There is a group of Konoha ninja attacking from the West, with two Smoke shinobi.

"So that's how it is, is it?" Ketsume said, his expression grim. "Jirou, gather the men. We have some ninja to fight!"

---

Sharino took a deep breath, watching the ninja in the camp. They did not seem to be ready for a fight, but she guessed that they had already been alerted of the imminent attack. There were bound to have been lookouts somewhere along the path of their approach. Kakashi and Genma were beside her. Kakashi looked at her. She nodded. Her left hand was on her Katana's hilt, ready to draw it. Her right hand was raised in front of her as she molded chakra for the coming battle.

They lunged forward, four Jounin and three Genin all rushing into the camp at once. The enemy ninja were up and ready to defend immediately. One seemed to have had a jutsu ready, as he formed a seal as they attacked, and a wave of water rushed from the stream towards where Kakashi and Genma were standing. The two Konoha Jounin jumped out of its way, Kakashi forming his own jutsu at the same time.

Before he could complete it, there was a loud crack of thunder and all the Leaf and Smoke ninja looked to the other side of the camp. Ketsume, the Cloud ninja stood there with Jirou and three others, to add to the numbers in the clearing. If any of them had been hoping for an easy victory, that hope was now gone.

Sharino shouted "Reiboshi, I'll take the Cloud ninja! You get Jirou!" Reiboshi was about to do as she said, but Jirou and Ketsume had other plans. Jirou jumped over to where the three Leaf Genin stood, blocking them. The other ninja, nine in total, surrounded Kakashi and Genma, hoping to overwhelm them with numbers. The Leaf Jounin stood back to back in the centre of the circle, neither looking particularly concerned.

Sharino and Reiboshi were left facing the ex-Cloud shinobi, both looking up at him as he stood on his branch, all too confident in his abilities and in the abilities of his companions. He smiled. Sharino and Reiboshi glanced at each other, then back at him. As one, they drew their swords and started forward.

---

Neji dropped into a fighting stance, so the others with him did the same.

"What is it?" said Tenten. Neji glanced at her, then back to where he had been looking. "Eight enemy ninja, heading our way," he said. Gai smiled.

"For the springtime of life!" he said, winking at Isako. She smiled in return; finding that she liked this rather oddly dressed ninja of the Leaf.