A/N: Okay, hopefully this chapter will be better than the last one. (Really, sorry about that. It just sort of died on me.) And I think that this fic will probably be about three or so more chapters after this one. Thank you to my reviewers: iNsAnE nO bAkA, terracannon876, Haruka-Hime, WhyMustIWrite, and InARealPickle. You're all great!
Disclaimer: I tried to buy Naruto, but they laughed at me.
Far from Konoha, another group of shinobi were just as focused, just as intense. The Rock nin drilled relentlessly, practicing attack formations and jutsu both simple and complex. Moves and techniques that they had thought they knew were practiced, the theory and possible applications discussed until many of the shinobi felt that they were learning something entirely new.
Hand-to-hand and weapons training took up their mornings until lunch. By the time they were able to break for food, even the best of the Rock's Jounin were covered with bruises. The shinobi rested during the heat of the day, many napping before the early evening was spent studying tactics and the best maps of Konoha that the undercover pair had sent. Another break for supper, and then nin- and gen-jutsu practice late into the night.
But not one of them complained. Though their leaders were driving them harder than most of them had ever imagined, and they did not yet know how they were going to breach the outer walls, they swore and sweated with sharp smiles and sparkling eyes. Konoha was going to fall – and every shinobi in Rock Village wanted to help it go down.
-
Back in the Hidden Leaf, the mood in the air depended on the company you kept. Iruka was currently keeping rather good company – namely himself – so he found the day quite pleasant. He was currently taking a lunch break, relaxing on a bench in one of the many small parks in Konoha. After spending all morning in the markets, listening to everyone who would speak with him and cautiously probing for hidden bitterness or anger – not to mention having to flag down a member of ANBU and report his progress – he needed to spend time amongst people who he didn't have to analyze everything they said. Hence the park.
Iruka was a people person, he always had been, but he particularly enjoyed the company of children. They were so open, so honest, and the joy and pride and wonder in their eyes when they understood something new… Yes, as irritating as they could sometimes be, Iruka wouldn't trade his time with Konoha's children for all the glory and honor in the Fire Country.
Right now he was watching the civilian ones, smiling around his food and chuckling at the little ones' antics. The girls were playing various quiet games, such as jump rope and clap-hands, the now-familiar chant of "su-zu-me" in high voices, but they only briefly held the teacher's attention. No, his interest was caught by a group of the boys playing 'ninja' as they called it, using the civilian term for his profession.
Iruka fondly shook his head, fighting back a chuckle as the boys made up 'hand seals' for a group 'mega attack', the apparent leader of the group energetically scolding a few of the boys who 'did it wrong'. Needing a respite from the tension in his comrades, Iruka took his time with his meal, enjoying the simple pleasure of watching the children play.
-
Across the city, the mood was also one of relaxed pleasure. Though if anyone had known to look for it, they would have seen the smug edge to the smiles playing on two shinobi's lips. Of course, most of those who knew that the pair were shinobi would have been shaking in their shoes at the sight. The Recruiter's little smile deepened into a full smirk, bright eyes filled with satisfaction as the young shinobi spoke. "So you see, it's all going according to plan. We're almost ready, just a few more days – a week at most – and we'll be good to go. The others are ready, aren't they?"
The older of the pair nodded, his own smile shifting as he answered. "Yes, they are. They're still running drills, but once they get the report I sent this morning, they'll stop. So all of our men will be rested, and all of Konoha will be caught off guard."
The Recruiter snickered, the sound oddly cynical. "Even if they are on guard now, it won't matter. We'll bypass the walls, let our friends straight into the Village – and Konoha will never anticipate how."
The man raised a glass, and his partner clinked their tea cups together with laughing eyes and deceptively straight faces.
-
Yet in a house not far from the plotting, there were no smiles to be found. Kazumi looked yet again towards the front door of her house. Her son was at the Academy – after much convincing – her daughter was at her school, and she had the day off of work. In other words, she had too much time to think about everything that had gone wrong yesterday. Or more specifically, how she didn't know what had gone wrong yesterday.
Finally she sighed, unable to stand it anymore. She crossed to the phone, rifled through the address book sitting beside it, found the name she was looking for and dialed the number. After two rings, the click of the receiver being picked up echoed on the line. "Hello?" Kazumi smiled slightly, her relief at hearing her friend's voice short lived. As she heard the distress in the other woman's tone, her own worries suddenly seemed less significant. "Sachi-chan, what's wrong?! What happened?"
As Sachiko spoke, obviously fighting tears, Kazumi's eyes slowly went wide. The two civilian mothers spent two long hours on the phone, talking about the heartbreak that each of them had seen in their sons. Kazumi finally understood why Aki had been so very quiet the day before, not to mention so hesitant to return to school that morning. And Sachiko was able to finally talk about the brutal lesson her child had been taught.
Once they hung up the phones, both mothers sat quietly in their homes, reflecting on the lives their sons had chosen, and the fact that it would not be long before they would lose the ability to understand what their babies were going through.
-
All throughout the city, various Jounin helped the ANBU search over and over again. They kept eyes and ears open for any trace of hostility, any hint of dissatisfaction among their people.
Of course, their students didn't know that.
Shikamaru briefly considered sitting up and glaring at the other teenagers around him, but decided that it wasn't worth the effort. 'Besides' he thought pragmatically, 'if they're not phased by Neji and Shino's combined death glare, I seriously doubt that adding mine will make much difference.' The three Genin teams – 'and one Chunin' he reminded himself, not yet accustomed to his new rank – had been gathered together because Asuma and Kurenai thought that they would benefit from mixing up the teams for a training exercise. And of course, when Lee heard Kiba talking about it he begged to be allowed to participate. Gai was ecstatic about the idea, something about "the incredible teamwork built in the springtime of youth!"
And so, the three teams had shown up. And then, Asuma and Kurenai had left without a word. And Gai had followed them, wondering – loudly – where they could be going. And so the teenagers had been sitting around, bored stupid, for the last hour and a half. Lee had already challenged every person in the group at least four times, and Kiba had taken him up on it once. The younger Green Beast was currently doing three-fingered push-ups under the watchful eyes of Shino's bugs, while Tenten tossed random weapons at Kiba's head when he and Akamaru got too loud. Chouji was quietly discussing cooking with Hinata, of all people, and Neji… was being Neji. Enough said.
Since they hadn't been dismissed – and their teachers had threatened varying degrees of horrible punishment if they left before their exercise was done – Shikamaru had nothing to do but think. His mind went over facts slowly, but in what most people would consider to be painful detail. He carefully considered a multitude of tiny, seemingly unrelated facts such as: the increase of ANBU he had noticed on the streets – not to mention the ones he was sure he had not seen. The fact that both Asuma and Kurenai had spent so many of the teen's training sessions with their heads bowed close together, mostly ignoring their students in favor of unusually serious discussion. The fact that he had seen normally unsociable Jounin actually talking to other Jounin. The decrease in the number of cigars that Asuma smoked – the man always put out his cigars when stressed. Shikamaru's own father pulling out his maps…
Shikamaru considered all these things, and he came up with only one solution. "Guys" he stated. Chouji and Hinata looked over, but everyone else ignored him. A light frown crossed his face, followed closely by an exasperated sigh. He sat up, his expression taking on an unusually serious edge. "Guys." he called again. This time, the cold, commanding tone in his voice earned him their undivided attention. Shino even let Lee get up and come over. He looked over the other eight teens as they gathered around him, their expressions ranging from Ino's shock, to Kiba's curiosity, and even to Neji's 'mission mode' focus. Shikamaru sighed mentally, but his voice was strong as he spoke. "Guys, I've been thinking about it. I think we have a problem…"
-
As the teenagers were discussing the likelihood of some sort of all-out attack on Konoha, one other teenager was silently going through every calming exercise he had ever learned. They weren't helping. When the dark haired woman stepped out, Eri felt his heart hammering in his chest. "The Hokage will see you now." the woman – she had told him her name, but he couldn't remember it – informed him.
He couldn't believe that he actually got a meeting with the Godaime of Konoha, but he steeled his nerves as he stepped into the office. Though the impression of sheer power he got from the blonde woman behind the desk nearly sent him running back out. The young man stepped into the center of the room, bowed as was appropriate, and then dropped to the floor. On his knees, ankles crossed behind him and hands out to his sides, Eri's position was very uncomfortable, but clearly impossible to move quickly from. His head bowed, exposing the back of his neck to the shinobi he knew were standing nearby – even if he couldn't see them – he spoke to the floor.
"Hokage-sama, my name is Asano, Eri – Chunin from the Village of the Hidden Rock…"