A man dressed in a large red coat covered with the designs of a dragon, tiger, turtle and phoenix stood on top of a hill. He combed through his short brown hair feeling the wind as looked down upon Konoha. He lifted a flask from around his belt and raised it above his head taking a large gulp. After a moment he removed the flask from his mouth and wiped it with his sleeve. "I am a warrior...let the battle be joined."

The Shelter

Sakura, Tapion and Hikari made it safely to the mountain where the rest of the civilians. They walked down the dark hall. Tapion looked around as they walked. He followed the pipes that ran along side them as they went into the walls and out again. "Where do these pipes lead?" He looked up at Sakura.

"They're water, gas and waste pipes. The shelter is designed to sustain our people for a long duration period. There is enough food and supplies to last up to a full year." The red head kept walking. It took them twenty minutes to get to the gate. Sakura signaled to the Anbu to let them pass through. The door was heavy and made of solid steel about three feet thick. The door opened, Tapion could here the gears grinding. This was the last defense of Konoha he thought to himself. They entered the shelter. Tapion heard the door close behind him. Sakura turned to face them at this point. She had a serious look on her face. "You guys have to stay here. I don't care if you passed the first two tests of the chuunin exam. You aren't chuunin. You are genin. This is a war. Genin have no place on the battlefield. Trust me on this one." She smiled and then left the room. The two watched her departure of the shelter.

Tapion then turned to look at Hikari. "I have to find my mother. Will you help me?" Hikari saw the earnest look on his face. She then saw the desperate look in his eyes. She nodded and the two of them went deeper into the shelter.

The place was full of boxes and makeshift beds and chairs. Most of the people there were either children or seniors. Hikari watched a few kids came run through the halls. She then turned to Tapion. "You know I've never seen your mother. What does she look like?" She asked while she looked around at all the people. She saw a family huddle in the corner, the father and mother with their two boys beside them. The mother doing her best to comfort the boys while the father did his best to stay strong. Tapion frantically searched each room thoroughly but so far recognized no one. He was so focused he did not hear Hikari's question. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey," Her actions broke his concentration and returned him to reality. He shook it off and turned around to look at her with anger.

His anger however diminished as quickly as it arose. "I'm sorry." He paused. "She's average height I suppose. She has long black hair and black eyes." He closed his eyes for a second.

"We'll find her. Don't worry." She raised her hand and put it against his cheek. "Now lets go." The two wondered from room to room asking if anyone had seen Tapion's mother. They entered the fourth room. Tapion approached an old woman sitting on the far wall of the room. He began to describe his mother to her. The old woman's eyes went wide when he told her, his mother's name.

"You're her son aren't you?" The lady smiled. "My you have grown the last time I saw you. You were only a baby."

"You know my mom?" Tapion had a look of surprise. He had never seen this person in his life.

"Knew her?" She laughed. "I trained her myself. We were quit close...until...well responsibilities and your father. He was a good man." Tapion was speechless and lady sat back against the wall. "To answer your question no I haven't seen her. She may not be here. She could be out there fighting. I would be out there too but as you can see my age has caught up with me no matter how hard I ran." Tapion was confused as he watched her laugh at her own joke.

Hikari stood behind him and the old lady. This is no ordinary lady she thought. While Tapion listened and talk to her, Hikari could only utter a few words. "The fifth..." At that moment she heard a voice behind her.

"It is you, Hikari?" She turned around and saw Saitou. He looked past her and saw Tapion as well. "And Tapion too. I'm glad you guys are alright." Tapion looked back and saw Saitou and then turned his attention back to the old woman.

"We'll finish our conversation some other time." He stood up and walked over to Saitou. Hikari didn't move. She stood behind Tapion and Saitou at the moment. "Saitou, I see you decided to stay here where it's safe." He smiled and hugged his friend. "Its good to see you."

"You too." They let go and stood facing each other. Saitou looked at him and then at Hikari. "I have been searching this entire place looking for you guys. Yes you too Hikari." She was looking elsewhere, Saitou was wondering if she was even paying attention. "I about to give up, I think I have circled the entire shelter at least three times. And this place is pretty big. The entire village I think is here."

"If you did circle this place, then you must have seen my mom." Tapion asked hopping. Hikari turned her attention back to the conversation. Saitou shook his head.

"No I haven't. I was hopping to run into her while I was searching for you but no. I did not see her." Tapion walked past him and stopped a few feet away with his back to him. Saitou turned to Hikari. "What happened?"

Her expression saddened at Saitou's answer. She looked at him. "His house was destroyed in the attack."

"Oh," Was the only word he could say. He turned to Tapion. "Hey, just because she's not here doesn't mean she's..." He paused. "Remember she's a medic. She could be out there helping the wounded."

Saitou's words reassured Tapion's stability. He was feeling vulnerable and he hated it. If it weren't for what Hikari had said back there when they were trapped, he did not know how he would handle it. He then had a thought. "Maybe, but there's only one way to find out." Tapion smiled.

"You can't be serious. This isn't one of our pranks, we well get in serious trouble if we do what I think you are suggesting."

"I know, I know." Tapion said. He seemed lost in thought for a minute but soon snapped out of it. "Well are you coming?"

Saitou smiled and shook his head. "Did you even have to ask? However getting out of this place is going to be tougher than it looks."

"Leave that up to me." Both Saitou and Tapion turned around to look at Hikari. "We're a team remember and besides. Someone has to look out for you two idiots."

The village

It had been eight hours since the attack had began. After the initial shock the shinobi of Konoha were able to take control of the fighting and get the civilians to safety. The battle was turning but which side was it leaning toward. Slowly the enemy ninjas were showing themselves. The military had all but retreated from the area and the fighting turned from bullets to chakra.

Seven enemy shinobi emerged from the shadows. They spotted a young woman standing in the street and moved around and formed a seven-point barrier around her. Three of them stood at rooftops, four on street level. She saw them and crouched with arms up. Opened palmed, her sapphire hair dancing in the wind, she stood ready for anything. The enemy shinobi signaled to each other and all seven charged at once. The three on top jumped down and the other four sprinted at the woman. She saw all of them and smiled contracting and tensing her muscles before launching her own counter attack.

"Hand of the Eight Divinations: Heavenly Spin!" The woman began to expel chakra from every one of her tenketsu. Then she spun her body like a top while continually expelling the chakra from her body in a twisting sphere. The enemy shinobi closest were torn apart within the sphere of the attack while the ones farther away were flung into the buildings on either side of the street. When she slowed down and eventually stopped, she looked around. All the enemy shinobi lay limp either on the ground or in the side of a building. She checked the area; it was cleared. But as soon as she was ready to move she three more appeared in front of her. She let out a sigh and decided on a different stance to engage them.

She put her hands together and was about to form a hand seal when the two enemy shinobi were suddenly struck down by several shurikens and throwing knives. The third shinobi turned around just in time to be surrounded with a swarm of insects. He struggled for several moments before falling limp to the ground. Tenten, Shino and Rock showed up at that point. Tenten walked up to the woman. "Hinata we thought you could use a little help."

"Its good to see you all." Hinata turned to Rock. "Neji has been looking for you." She turned to Tenten and then the bodies on the ground. "I am the only one left in this part of the city. I had to resort to defensive techniques to reserve my chakra. These shinobi are strong, all of them match our Anbu or stronger."

"Well now that you aren't the only one how about you take a breather," Tenten placed a hand on her shoulder. "Shino and Rock can hold the line for a while."

"What?" Rock asked. He was about to object when Shino grabbed his arm. He turned back to look at him and Shino shook his head. Rock shrugged and the two of them departed to check the surrounding area. Hinata and Tenten entered a small building where they could talk.

They walked into what looked like a shop. It was full of food items and appliances. They found a spot to sit. Tenten and Hinata looked at each other. "How are you holding up? I know what happened five years ago, Neji told me."

Hinata smiled. "Neji..." She thought back to her older cousin. "I am alright. I've been too busy fighting to protect this village to think about it. And its something I don't want to discuss now lets go. We can't let Shino and Rock take on our load...my load." Hinata stood up and waited for Tenten. Tenten gave her a look telling Hinata that this conversation was far from over. Then she got up and the two of them left the store to back up their friends.

Eastside of the village

Sasuke and Gouda stood at a standstill. The entire block had been reduced to rubble from the bombings. Sasuke stared at Gouda intently. Sasuke stood in his Jounin Uniform. Gouda was wearing a large dark blue coat and underneath a full body black suit. Gouda just smiled. "Aren't you going to use that marvelous Sharingan of yours?" Gouda felt confident in this battle; he had grown much stronger since their last encounter.

Sasuke continued his glare. "I don't need it to kill you murderer." He flatly stated. Sasuke was tempted to use the Sharingan but this way would be much more satisfying. He opened and closed his hands loosening both his nerves and his muscles. He would make no mistake; Gouda was a force to be reckoned with. The two were at a stand off.

"You will come to regret that decision." Gouda said with great anger. He then raised his arms high in the air, throwing off his coat. He brought his arms down, stretching his muscles. "Now lets end this." He said coldly and began performing hand seals.

Sasuke smiled in agreement. 'Yes lets end this. One of us will not see the next sunrise.' He matched Gouda with his own hand seals. Gouda finished his seals and clapped his hands together releasing a huge shock wave. Sasuke managed to jump over it. In midair he put his hands to his mouth and breathed several fireballs at Gouda. Gouda quickly dodged the attack. Sasuke landed several feet to the right; he pulled out a long knife and held it with a reverse grip and ran at his opponent. Gouda pulled his own knife to counter Sasuke's attack. Their blades clashed; Gouda's and Sasuke's faces only inches apart, each pushing against the other. They finally let go and jumped backwards. 'We are still equal it seems' Sasuke thought to himself. He brought his thumb up to his mouth and bit it before performing a sequence. He placed his hand on the ground and was soon engulfed by a cloud of smoke. Gouda saw this and did the same jutsu to counter Sasuke's summoning.

As the clouds of smoke dissipated two large animals appeared between Gouda and Sasuke. In front of Sasuke stood a large brown dog as tall as Sasuke and twice as long. He growled a bit. "Sasuke what have we have here?" He barked.

"I need you my old friend. Bunt, the village is in trouble and he is at the source." Sasuke stated, as he got ready for the next bout. On the other side of them stood a grizzly bear twice the size of Bunt.

The Bear let out a growl as it went up on its hind legs. "What is the meaning of this Gouda? Is this little dog my enemy?" The bear came crashing down on all fours grinding the rubble underneath its feet to sand.

Bunt growled, "You dare call me little! I will sink my jaws into your neck!" Bunt charged at the enormous beast only to be batted away by one of its claws. Bunt landed on its feet ready for another attack.

Another part of the City

Hikari, Saitou and Tapion emerged from an underground tunnel. They each stumbled out into the streets. "Whew, I thought we'd never get out of there." Saitou stuck his noise out to smell the fresh air. "And the smell, lets never speak of this again." He looked over to Tapion who readily nodded in agreement. That was one experience that he did not want to repeat, one that he hoped he didn't have to at least.

"You guys done, come on this isn't exactly the safest place." Hikari said, looking about to check for any signs of shinobi friend or foe. "Remember if we get caught we well be in serious trouble. I don't even want to think about what happens if we run into an enemy shinobi." She crouched down and made her way into an alley to conceal herself. Tapion and Saitou followed suit. What they were unaware was that someone was watching them.

"Alright, let's check the medical bunkers first then proceed outward from there." Tapion said. "We have to find my mother."

"I just hope we don't run into any trouble along the way." Saitou replied. At that moment a figure dropped down behind them. They turned around. A figure in a black cloak covered in stars approached.

"I believe your hopes were just torn asunder." He stopped several feet away from them. "I won't hurt you if you tell me how you got out of that shelter of yours undetected." He removed his hood revealing his face awaiting their answer. He stared at them with his black eyes.

"Don't tell him, he's an enemy. He wants to hurt our people." Saitou said preparing for the fight that was about to come. Hikari and Tapion nodded and got into similar stances. The man shook his head at their actions.

"Very well if you wish to die so badly." He withdrew a small blade six inches long. "I will hasten that wish." With his right hand he held a hand seal and immediately vanished. He appeared in front of Hikari and immediately struck down her with the butt of the blade knocking her out of the alleyway into the street. She lay on her stomach with her face in the dirt not moving. Saitou looked back and then at the enemy charging him with all his strength, Saitou missed and hit the wall of the alleyway destroying a piece of the wall itself.

"Dam it," Saitou said as he hit the wall. He then turned around just in time to see his foot hit him in the face. He landed a few feet from where Hikari was. Tapion moved to the side throwing a kunai at the enemy. The enemy deflected the kunai with his blade and grabbed Tapion's throat and pinned him to the wall, their faces a few inches away.

"I give you one final chance, tell me what I want to know and you won't die. Its that simple." Tapion felt his handgrip tighter on his throat. He tried to break free but the grip only tightened making him gasp out for air.

With all his strength Tapion managed to say two words. "Bite me." He uttered. The man was furious and threw him in the direction of his fallen friends. He dropped his blade and then did several hand seals.

"Solar shpere no jutsu!" His hands began to glow and he trusted forward releasing a bright bolt of light at the three young genin. Tapion was the only one still conscious. He looked on at the approaching attack and braced himself. As the bolts flew at them two long decorative spears plunged them selves into the ground forming an X shape. The ball of light impacted against the spears and shattered like glass against a wooden table. Then two figures appeared each grabbing a spear and pulling it out from the ground. They twirled the spears and then held them at their sides. They stood unwavering. Tapion looked up. They were dressed in traditional samurai armor except without the helmets. One thing he noticed was that the guards' had bandages wrapped around their eyes several wrapped around their faces. They were blind guardians standing ready. The enemy shinobi let out a laugh while he walked out of the alleyway and into the open street. "Where are you? Show yourself Vidina."

"As always, I am here Roosta." Vidina replied out. Suddenly a man appeared in front of Tapion but behind the guardians. He had a flask around his waist and held a wooden flute with both hands near his mouth ready to play. Tapion noticed his coat. It was large covering most of his body. A deep red color with intricate designs of the four great protectors on it: the red phoenix, blue dragon, black turtle and white tiger.

The main building

The sixth walked into the room. He had called his aid, Sakura and Shikamaru. They stood waiting for him. He looked at his aid and bodyguard dressed in white with the Anbu mask and nodded. His aid returned the gesture. He then turned his attention to the two Jounin. "The evacuation is complete. The counter attack begins now. Tell the others." The three nodded and left as quickly as possible.

A/n: oh man I can officially say that I no longer have control of this story. This story has a life of its own; I guess that's what happens when you put a lot of effort into a story. Tell me what you all think so far. Review!