Note: This chapter was the 2nd chapter of a two-chapter release. Make sure you have read chapter 281 first.

AFFLICTIONS AND ROYALS – INO-SHIKA-CHO

South Ewoa

"No sign of Elliot?" Sheer asks.

"No," Clyde says, returning from his scouting mission. "It's like he disappeared into thin air. I was certain that he would be in one of the nearby villages but nothing. I don't understand it, if he had some sort of new information to act on why wouldn't he tell us about it?"

"Perhaps our involvement would have caused him problems."

"He is a very independent and hardworking man but I don't think he would act on intelligence by himself. Nobody sticks to procedure more consistently than Elliot. Procedure means he would tell me if he knew anything."

"Why are we worrying about it?" Mirai asks. "He is gone. He will either return to us having succeeded in his mission, or he won't return at all."

"That's not very cheerful for you," Blackburn says.

"Why would I be cheerful? When was the last time we had any serious success with our mission to disrupt Homeworld's operations? We haven't made things difficult for them here in Ewoa. Thanks to our ineffectiveness General Alaa hasn't even needed to depart from his headquarters to fight against us. We are just too weak to bother them."

"Have faith, we will find a way," Clyde says.

Temari approaches Mirai and rests a hand on her shoulder. As the only other shinobi in the group she understands the Hidden Leaf Military Leader's anguish. This situation has been sustained hopelessness for so long now, longer than any of them were expecting. When they came to Homeworld as one team they had great hope for the future. They all believed that they were following the man who could defeat anyone, a man who could not be stopped. When they studied in the academy and saw what the emperor could do all that hope was lost.

Temari explains it to the general. "General, my generation fought in a great war. At the time we believed it would be the final war to decide the fate of our world. Until you arrived that seemed to be the case. As you know the greatest hero in that war was Naruto. Naruto meant a lot to the people of our world. He was the Hokage but he was more than that, he was a hero to the people of all the villages.

"We don't even know if Naruto survived past that day. We occasionally hear whispers of what is happening in the war at large, hints that a pocket-worlder may be leading the charge, but we don't know who that is. I have heard Naruto's name a couple of times, but for all we know this is all just propaganda that other survivors are spreading to make people hopeful. The only reason we all came here together is because of Naruto, and if he is no longer with us what hope have we got? Can anyone else defeat Furst?"

"We just have to hope that he is alive," Clyde admits.

Suddenly, there is an attack. The attackers are a group of two colonels accompanied by many captains. Mirai quickly realises that this group has been chosen specifically to take them down, with one of the colonels being a 'light' user, an ideal element to fight against Clyde's 'darkness' energy. She does her best to shout a counter strategy to Clyde's many subordinates, but it is a chaotic attack. This ambush has been setup perfectly, they approached obscured by the terrain, attacking those with the slowest reactions first to limit the number who could fight back.

Thankfully since returning to Homeworld Clyde's and Lara's subordinates have been the recipients of elite training at the academy and have developed strength similar to that of their Imperial Guard counterparts. General Peterson particularly has lived up to his prodigious reputation, he fights through the attackers with ruthless efficiency, second only to his commanding officer.

Clyde may be a 'darkness' user as the colonels have prepared for, but he is not an average fighter. Clyde is exceptionally skilled for a citizen of Homeworld and has worked on improving further ever since his defeat to Naruto. Moreover Homeworld has been controlled by the empire for years, during which time the Imperial Guard has gained very little fighting experience, and during which time Clyde has fought nonstop.

When one of the captains approaches Temari, Mirai is quick to intervene and take her down. Mirai's power has decreased significantly since her failed attempt to fuse her elements in her core. Now she is merely a 'wind' user, but a powerful one nonetheless, a warrior who can hold her own against the Imperial Guard. With a final powerful gust of golden 'wind' she redirects a series of kunai at the captain, saving Temari from her attack. When she raises her head she sees that the battle is over, and thankfully they have prevailed.

Clyde lifts the 'light' user by his uniform.

"You knew we were here. Tell me how!"

"I won't tell you anything, Clyde the Traitor!"

"If you don't tell me anything I will bring you with us as a prisoner," Clyde says. "I will release you after a one month wait, upon which time you will return to the Imperial Guard and they will question your loyalty. Have no doubts colonel, I will leave enough 'evidence' to make sure they believe you are the traitor."

"Ha-ha, do you think you can scare me? I know who you are Clyde, I know how you betrayed General Lara. Colonel Elliot will make sure that Lara is avenged, he will see to it that you don't survive this conflict."

Clyde throws the colonel in Blackburn's direction and the bulky general quickly knocks the incoming guardsman unconscious.

"He betrayed us," Clyde says, clenching his fist.

"I don't believe it," Brooks says. "I knew him for years; he was always loyal to the military. I don't understand what could have come over him. Sarutobi, you spoke with him more than the rest of us, did you ever think he would betray us?"

"Never. That traitor! He said he was with us! I know he believe in what Lara said. Why would he sell us out like this Clyde?"

"Perhaps we never understood him at—"

"Look out!" Sheer says, pointing at the second colonel.

The colonel is still conscious and has just re-manifested his golden 'explosion' cloak. He raises his hand, gathering energy into it rapidly. This is all part of the preparation for his concentrated attack, an omni-directional attack used by many people with powerful elements. When he slams his energy into the ground the impact will hit them all, and from an attacker this strong there is no guarantee any of them will survive.

The colonel slams his hand downwards, but it is stopped! A shadow is keeping him from reaching the ground, a shadow powered by 'darkness' divine energy. It is strong energy, but it is not Clyde's energy.

An 'ink' bird soars down from above carrying a woman on its back. She shouts for everyone below to stand out the way, dismounting the descending bird at the last second. She slams into the ground, creating small tremors as she does so. The woman gets to her feet, expanding her hand and enhancing it with 'size' energy. She grabs the 'explosion'-using colonel and throws him as far away as she can.

They all watch as the colonel descends towards the ground and explodes in the distance. This woman just saved them. She is quickly joined by two more familiar faces.

One face brings tears to Temari's eyes.

It is Inojin, Shikadai, and ChouChou.

The Royal Palace, Dunstone City, Ewoa

Ming Dai awakens in a strange place. He remembers Sasuke recently told him about trying to be stealthy, so he keeps his eyes closed to make it seem like he is still asleep. First he uses his other senses to work out where he is. He can hear the footsteps of a single person. There is a slight echo to the footsteps so he is in a large room. He can smell freshly cooked food. He can feel stone beneath him, but it is perfectly smooth. On his wrists he feels bindings, much as he expected to.

Finally Ming Dai opens his eyes and surveys his environment. He is in a large cage, but not in a prison. This is one of the most beautiful rooms he has ever seen, the ceiling a marvellous dome shape. This building is an architectural marvel far beyond even the Hertz Family Compound. At one end of the room there are a couple of steps with red carpet draped over them, at the top there is a throne, and sat on said throne is Queen Mauer Sabine.

Ming Dai can hardly believe his eyes; he is being kept as a prisoner in the throne room of the Ewoa Royal Palace.

"Are you OK?" Shao Chin asks.

"I've been better," Ming Dai admits as his comrade helps him to sit upright. "What is she doing?"

"She's eating at the moment," Shao Chin answers. "She summoned her staff here earlier this morning and randomly executed two of them. She has been giving contradictory orders to everyone all morning. She told one captain to let nobody enter the storeroom except her, she then told another one to force his way into the same storeroom. Only one came back so I can guess what happened. I don't understand how anything gets done in this place. She's crazy."

"It sounds like her actions are completely random."

"She told us that her element was 'chaos'. That is what this seems like to me. 'Chaos'."

"But why, what is the advantage to this?"

"It keeps us strong, prince," Sabine says as she approaches.

Now that he has time to inspect Sabine calmly, Ming Dai has never seen a person like her. Her skin is an unhealthy green looking colour, and she looks as if she hasn't blinked in years. Her hair is clumped together in a mess. Just as before she has a wide unending grin revealing her yellow teeth.

"How does this make anyone strong?" Ming Dai asks.

"I don't understand how anyone can be strong without it," Sabine says. "Look at Queen Nadia with that brain of hers, working out how every last event will unfold. Look at your rebel masters, recruiting secretly across the lands. Look at the Imperial Guard, with their structure and their mighty generals. They all need everything to go to plan, otherwise things get dangerous. If things get dangerous it could be the end, you all start to panic, you have to hope that you're strong enough.

"When coincidences go against you it can cost you your life. You are only strong when things go according to plan. The plan is holding you back, not the coincidences. In this place there is no plan, everything is a coincidence! If something bad can happen to you it will, that is the beauty of chaos. You build your plans so that you can protect those who need protecting. I sew my chaos so that the survivors are those who need no protection."

"You are insane," Ming Dai says.

"And yet my insanity took me to the pinnacle of this world. In the end of all your great heroes of order only Endou Akashi could stand up to me."

"A new generation is emerging," Shao Chin says. "Soon Endou Akashi will be the least of your worries. A group of people with incredible power will appear, they will follow the path Naruto has created for them and they will make you regret what you have done."

"Don't say the rebel's name as if I should fear him. He has surely seen the glory of true chaos and yet he continues to protect the weak. I will not let someone like that defeat me a second time."

"Soon he will become a class 9 warrior, and you won't have a choice."

"Uzumaki Naruto will never become a class 9 warrior," Sabine says. "He is a man that wants to remain hidden, difficult for me to locate, but that is why I have brought you here. You are the bait, my key to locating and defeating him before he reaches class 9."

"He won't come to this palace!" Ming Dai says. "He may value our safety but he won't risk our lives in a fight with you before he has broken through."

"You are not bait for Naruto," Sabine says.

Ming Dai starts.

Sabine smiles. "In order to find a man who rejects chaos I need someone who truly understands order. You are the bait that will bring her here."

South Ewoa

"Is it really you?" Temari asks as she stretches out her hand.

Shikadai takes her hand. "It is really me, mother."

Temari hugs her son tightly. It has been far too long since she saw him last and so much has happened. They have been apart since the last time Hashirama tried to defeat Naruto. In that time Temari has been separated from the remainder of the shinobi, run for her life when Jonas attacked the academy, and seen multiple setbacks in this group. It has been a stream of continuous losses until this moment.

"It is good to see you mom."

"Thank you Shikadai. Thank you for coming back to me."

"What are you talking about?" Mirai asks. "Last time we met you convinced me that Clyde had attacked Naruto. You made me hurt Sarada! Now suddenly you come along and save us from one colonel and you expect all to be forgiven!"

"That did not go as planned," Shikadai admits.

"It didn't go according to plan? What was your great plan Nara Shikadai?"

"My intention was to earn Boruto's trust without anybody dying. I knew how important he was to everyone, both as the Shadow Hokage and as a trusted friend. Once I gained his trust my plan was to slowly convince him that his plan to destroy Homeworld was wrong and bring him back to our side. Fortunately when the Shadow 7th Hokage and Lady Sakura turned up our plans accelerated."

"Your Shadow 7th Hokage is dead," Sheer says. "I remember bringing him back and sending him against your village. Sarada mastered her eye-powers to save everyone. And if I'm not mistaken Lady Sakura is Sarada's mother who lost her life during the attack."

"No this was a different Sasuke and Sakura," ChouChou explains.

Mirai looks at Shikadai with disbelief.

"You'll have to trust us on that. This wasn't one of my best plans," Shikadai admits. "I didn't anticipate that the conflict between Lara and the rest of you would become so intense. I thought Naruto would expose me as the traitor before any real damage could be done. After that point everything I did, that I asked Inojin and ChouChou to do, was to gain Boruto's trust. I am sorry."

"Where is Boruto now?" Mirai asks.

"Last time we spoke Boruto went looking for the 7th Hokage. Sasuke and Sakura went to find Sarada. The 1st Hokage and 5th Hokage were being controlled by Tao Ma's Hive Mind Technique. Mitsuki decided to stay with the 5th Hokage so she wouldn't need to feel alone."

"So you guys and Boruto are back on our side?" Peterson asks.

"That's right."

Clyde holds his head in his hand. The changing allegiances have become confusing for him. Once all the pocket-worlders were on the same side united against Homeworld. Ever since Tao Ma interfered with his conflict against Lara, the loyalties of various pocket-worlders has been difficult for him to follow. However, from the sounds of things Naruto's son is back on their side. Boruto is a powerful warrior who caused them difficulties several times in the past, Clyde would much rather fight with him than against him. Yet news of this Hive Mind is disturbing.

"Is dad not with you?" Shikadai asks his mother.

Temari takes Shikadai aside with Inojin and ChouChou.

"I'm sorry to say this. Shikadai your father died along with Ino and Choji during a mission to recruit an aristocrat known as the Red Teardrop."

"He… died, what happened?"

"The aristocrat sounded like she could help the rebellion, it sounded like she had enough reason to as well. Unfortunately Clyde and Lara's daughter attacked. Her name is Hannah. She was created from their divine energy as a being with perfect instinct. She couldn't control herself, so she attacked them and she killed them. Unfortunately she killed Lara as well."

"Does the general know this?" Inojin asks.

"He knows that Hannah killed Lara. He was there during the final moments. Mirai was close to Lara, she didn't take it well. At the end I felt that Lara was really one of us. She died as our friend."

"Does he know she killed my mother?"

"No. Shikamaru spoke to me at the end with one of the Imperial Guard's communication stones. I didn't think letting Clyde know would do any good. He has already endured enough."

Shikadai nods and gestures for the four of them to return to the others.

"Do you know where I can find a Hokage?" Shikadai asks. "Because my dad is… in my father's absence the responsibility for coordinating the Hidden Leaf's strategy falls to me. I need to report to a Hokage."

"Until you told us about Hashirama and Tsunade we hadn't identified any surviving Hokage," Mirai says. "We gave up the search a while ago. Now we are doing our best to make things difficult for the Imperial Guard here in Ewoa. Shikadai, you have a better mind for this than any of us, if you seriously want to help us, then stay."

"I can't stay. My job is to coordinate strategy for the Hidden Leaf. There are shinobi out there somewhere and they need me. But Mirai, you once commanded our forces, seeing you would surely boost the morale of any shinobi we find. Come with us, we could use your help."

"I have responsibilities here. If I left these guys I would be letting Lara down. We have just suffered one betrayal, there can't be anymore setbacks here."

"Then I hope you won't mind if I go," Temari says.

"You want to go with Shikadai?" Mirai asks.

"Yes."

Mirai is reluctant to accept this. In theory she could claim that her position at the head of the Hidden Leaf's forces makes her the supreme commander. In that case Shikadai should be reporting to her rather than a Hokage. However, she is certain that he would point out some logical flaw in her argument. Shikadai usually thinks everything through before the rest of them. This decision will leave her as the only pocket-worlder in this group. She will surely feel more alone than ever.

Temari hugs Mirai. "You've done a really good job. Shikamaru was very proud of you and I am too. You truly are your father's daughter. If you choose to stay here then I will be just as proud of you. Lara was important to you, and if you want to stay to honour her I understand completely. She was lucky to have met someone like you."

"… if we don't win this," Mirai says.

"We will," Temari says.

"But if we don't, I'll see you on the other side. It has been an honour to serve with you. All of you."

With their decisions made it is not long before Shikadai departs with his teammates and his mother. The Hidden Leaf is more fractured than he ever realised, but if anyone can use logic to bring them back together again it is him. He will use all the skills he has learnt to find a way to reunite the Hidden Leaf and to help them win this war. Homeworld will be free, that is what his father died for, and if needs be he is willing to pay the same price.

Author Note

Hi All,

Apologies for not uploading a chapter yesterday.
The site was having problems hence the two-chapter upload today.

Thanks,
Me