Hey ya'll! I adopted this fic from a good pal, RamenLoverNaruto. They told me they killed the fic, and I stepped in. Vola~ My new fic.

Pairing:
NaruHina
SasuSaku
ShikaIno
KibaMisaki [[These two will get a side-story, don't worry~]] (Surprise Pairing later! (One Remaining!))

Chapter Thirteen: The Akatsuki Makes Its Move

Miyu followed the man named Tobi into a old building to see eight other people wearing the same outfit as him. "I presume you are the Akatsuki..." She stated as a woman with blue hair walked forward before a man with orange hair held his arm out before walking instead.

"We are. Tobi, who is this woman and what of those following her?" The orange-haired man asked.

"Leader, this woman is also seeking the Nine Tails!" Tobi said, dancing around a fish-like man.

"Hmm... What is your name you go by?" The 'Leader' asked.

"I am Miyu, leader of the Shōraiski, a group devoted to making me the Queen of all Five Nations. I am followed by Miyu, she's the child-like girl, Takumi, he's the silent brute, Takehiko, my trusted guard, Masuyo, my sensor of sorts, Daiki and Tamiko, my strongest team and finally, Tsubaki, my young apprentice." She introduced each, all removing their hoods when they were introduced.

'Leader' nodded slightly. "I am Pain. This is Konan. Then there is Kisame, Hidan, Kakuzu, Sasori, Zetzu and you already have met Tobi. We are currently two short at the moment. Uchiha Itachi, Kisame's partner and our other sensor, and Deidara, Sasori's partner, are currently being held by a village."

Mira raised an eyebrow a little. "A village... Would the village happen to be the Hidden Leaf Village?"

Pain and Konan shared a look of shock before Pain spoke again. "Yes, how would you know?"

"My own target is residing there. She knows too much about the Shōraiski and I must use her to achieve my goal... Speaking.. What is your goal?"

Konan spoke next. "Simple. World peace. That's what we seek."

Mira turned to Takehiko slightly. "Takehiko, how do you think we should approach this?"

Kisame blinked before chuckling. "I take it he plans things? Perhaps he and our Leader should talk strategy."

Pain nodded. "If that is alright with Mira here."

Mira smirked slightly. "We'll need cooperation to take care of our goals." When Pain and Takehiko left to talk, Mira, Konan and Mira's female followers went about talking about their abilities while the remaining members also talked about jutsus they loved to use, Hidan of course, trying to see if anyone else believed in Jashin. Mira looked out the window and had the most devilish looking smile. 'I'll use these suckers to get Misaki, then eliminate them using her Jibakugan. Then no one will oppose me!'

Naruto stopped eating and had a weird look on his face as his teammates and sister looked concerned. He closed his eyes to see if he could detect what he was feeling, or if Kurama had an idea about it. 'Kurama, why am I so uneasy?'

'Because there could be an even bigger threat than what we all believe... Especially for jinchuriki like you, kit.' Kurama pointed out, not laying down for once and actually on guard as he tried to also point out what was going on.

"Naru-niisan?" Misaki whispered, before Naruto's eyes shot open. "What's going on?"

Naruto clenched his fist on the counter before speaking. "There's something huge going to happen.. Kurama even said it may be a threat to even jinchuriki like me and Octo-pops..." He suddenly felt jealous that his friend Gaara no longer had to worry about being a jinchuriki, since he had Shukakku extracted. He only recently found out about Gaara's kidnapping and was glad that Team Asuma was able to help, with Team Guy as backup. "By how uneasy I'm feeling, I think it's stronger than we have ever faced."

To hear their friend say he's uneasy about something, Sakura and Sasuke both exchanged looks before Sakura spoke up. "I'm sure if we all work together, we can at least help. Nothing has ever made you say you are uneasy in the past..."

"Hn. Even when I went rouge, nothing stopped you from trying to get me to come back." Sasuke commented.

Naruto smiled and had his normal glow again. "Thanks, teme and Sakura-chan..." After he paid for the meal, he nearly was tackled by Ino when they turned a corner. "Ino, what's the rush?"

Ino looked worried. "The Akatsuki made a move! They are attacking the Hidden Cloud!" She said as they all rushed toward the village center, where others from their generation gathered. "Lady Tsunade is about to make teams to go and help Lord Raikage."

Naruto tensed up while they waited for Tsunade to brief them. "Octo-pops won't go do easily... I know it! He has the Eight-Tails, Gyūki. Plus old man A won't let anyone get closer to Octo-pops." He tried to both reassure his teammates and sister, as well as himself.

Tsunade appeared and removed her headgear, something she always did before a serious announcement. "As you may have heard, our friends in the Hidden Cloud are under attack by the Atatsuki... The Sand Village already has sent help, the Hidden Mist also sent their own. Now we, the Hidden Leaf, must send our own reinforcements to help. Therefore, I have decided that there will be four teams of three to head out, with Shino Aburame staying behind to monitor the teams using his insects. In his place will be Misaki on Team Kurenai. Team Kakashi, Team Guy and Team Asuma will also go. Be very careful. Shino, Shikaku and Inoichi will guide all of you. With that, go with speed and help our friends!" She dismissed them, Team Kurenai and Kakashi deciding to go together while Team Guy and Asuma went another way.

Meeting up at the gates, Shikamaru groaned as if he was not enjoying this. "This is such a drag.. But, we're needed to help the Cloud... Don't any of you die before we reach there, let alone die at all." He pointed out before Lee broke in.

"Yes! Let us work our way towards victory and show the energy of youth!" Lee chanted, even getting Misaki to sweatdrop at the way over excited personality.

"Clam up, Lee... No one needs that." Neji stated cooly before turning to Naruto and his cousin's team. "You will protect Lady Hinata, right?"

Naruto looked annoyed. "Have I failed to protect anyone yet, when I wasn't being bogged down?" Hearing silence, he grinned. "I vowed to protect those dear to me and I never go back on my word." Satisfied, Neji and the rest of his group headed out first. "Man... Neji needs to relax more.." When he said that, Sakura bopped him on the back of his head. "Ow! Sakura-chan, what was that for?"

"Some of us are being serious and you want us to relax? You are such a baka!" Sakura steamed.

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke added, hiding a smirk.

Naruto glared before he figured he'd be leading the team. "Alright. I think it's time to head out. Let's go help Octo-pops and old man A!" He raised a fist to the Hokage Monument before they also started their way towards the Cloud Village. While he was running, Naruto went into his subconscious to talk to Kurama about a strategy. 'Kurama... We will have to have a plan for fighting the Akatsuki... Taking into account the wide variety of ranges we have... Any idea?'

'... Why ask me? Why not ask the Hyuga or Uchiha for a plan? Since the Nara or other Hyuga aren't with us, those two are the closest to coming up with a plan.' Kurama shot back, not even caring his retainer was even talking to him.

'I want to come up with something by myself! Okay... I'll just run a few ideas by you since you're so stuck up that you don't even want to help Gyūki and Octo-pops!' Naruto grumbled before sighing. 'Alright... Since Kiba, Sakura-chan, Hina-hime and Misaki-imouto are close ranged, me and teme are both... I suppose I could use a transforma... No... That won't work.. Maybe Kiba and Misaki could combo someone while Hinata uses her Gentle Step to attack their chakra points? Then, while they're recovering, teme, me and Sakura could combo them again... Man.. I think I should really let Hinata or teme do the planning. Even Sakura-chan is better at it than me..' He dropped down on his back before he realized Sakura was calling to him, leaving Kurama to either sleep or something else.

"Naruto!" Sakura tried again even though she knew he was talking to Kurama.

"What?" Naruto asked, as if he was listening.

"I hope you won't go off and show up late again. Not all fights need drama." She chided gently.

"I won't. I need to help Octo-pops and Gyūki... Besides, I was trying to be like Shikamaru or even Neji by coming up with a strategy." He admitted, his head dropping at the fact he probably wasn't going to be like the two 'geniuses' of his class.

Sakura sighed and smiled slightly. "You'd rush in anyhow, even with a plan. That's how we all know you and can work so well together.."

Naruto nodded before turning serious. "Let's speed up to get there as quick as possible!" Just as they were about to launch into a higher speed, kunai intercepted them and forced them to skid to a hault and ready their own weapons. "Who threw that?! Can't you see we're in a rush?!"

"Nine-Tails... Calm yourself..." Came a voice that only Misaki recognized and a man about Sasuke's height walked out with three others following him. "Ahhh... Misaki... You've really been an annoyance to the Mistress, you know that?"

Naruto turned serious and stood in front of his adopted sister. "Who are you and how do you know her?"

The orange haired man removed his hood and opened his hazel eyes before a smirk worked its way to his face. "She knows of who I work for and knows about our organization... Too much knowledge a girl should not have." He stated. "Do you know my name, young Misaki?"

Misaki clenched her hand around her kunai. "How in the world could I forget that ugly smirk, Takehiko... As for me being an annoyance, I just realized you were just going to use my kekkai genkai for your personal gain!" She threw back before remembering Ino said to use her emotions to her advantage in battle and glared at two of the figures beside him, seeing a smaller one and a slightly taller one. "And you even brought Rina and Takumi?"

Takehiko clapped slowly. "You remember us, how nice. I have orders to keep you and the Nine-Tails alive, but your companions won't get any special treatment.." He bridged his fingers and Misaki realized the jutsu.

"Move!" She kicked Naruto to the side, signaling the others follow suite as Takehiko summoned pointed stones and sent them towards them, nicking Misaki's leg and left arm slightly before she jumped to safety. She saw Sakura and Sasuke each hide behind a tree until the attack ended, with Kiba hiding under the tree she was on and Hinata using her Protective 64 Palms to block all the stones aimed for her and Naruto. They came out of hiding before Naruto had to speak up.

"What was that?" He asked.

Misaki frowned. "Takehiko is a very skilled Earth style user and can make any weapon out of stone, without even showing hand signs. Rina is a Mist-Style user which can make it harder to track Takumi, her partner who is a Lightning Style user... And very good at it.. I don't know the other one with them." She informed.

Sasuke already had his Sharingan activated, so he could tell from the chakra who it was. "It would be Sasori... Of the Red Sand, I assume?"

The red-haired man chuckled. "You are indeed Itachi's younger brother... Uchiha Sasuke..."

Sakura punched her hand and cracked her knuckles. "Alright, if you won't move, we'll have to force our way through."

Takehiko sent Sakura a very annoyed look. "Pipe up, you little ama." He made just the Boar hand seal before kunai-shaped stones flew towards Sakura, almost too fast for some to track. Before he could warn Takehiko of the Uchiha, Sasori already knew how fast Sasuke had gotten, rushing over to use Susanoo to block the attack from hitting her, which shocked Takehiko. "No one has been able to guard against that jutsu!"

Sasuke moved the arm blocking his eyes from view to show his Mangekyo Sharingan. "Hn. Pitiful justu to use against those with the Sharingan. It was a weak thing to use." He pointed out before staring right at Takehiko and putting the sword he had drawn earlier back into the sheath on his hip behind his back.

The instant Takehiko insulted Sakura, Naruto was livid, as were the others. Seeing Sasuke already guarding Sakura, Naruto used Takehiko being distracted to rush forward and aim a punch at him when Sasori appeared and sending him a few meters away with a swish of a puppet's tail. "Gah. That hurt. But, I've taken a lot more than that." Naruto taunted before summoning a shadow clone and forming the Rasengan.

Mwah-hahaha! Cliffhanger! I need to leave some suspense here. The next chapter will be as battle heavy as I can do.. ^.^;

Deidara: ... Wow... Takehiko INSULTED Sakura?

Sasuke *Poofs out of nowhere and glares with EMS active*: Why have you done that?

Me *sweatdrops*: Sasu-kun... Relax.. It's all a part of Takehiko's personality. If I promise to never let him insult her, will you read a review?

Sasuke: ... Only if you promise... From this same chapter: 'Hmmmm the plot thickens' From Ayrmed.

Me: Indeed! You'll love where I'm going!

Me/Sasuke/Deidara: Keep Reviewing~