..Chapter Five..

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Sakura slammed her fist into a tree, crushing it. She growled as it began to crumble and fall. The sound was everlastingly long in the dark and silent woods. Her hand flamed with blue chakra even after she took out her rage. They'd been so close this time. So bloody close. And like usual, just like in Sand, he'd blipped off the radar. In Sand they'd even went so far as to try and cut him off ahead of time with Itachi and Kisame chasing behind him. Hell, even Sand had joined in to help to no avail.

She hated that worm and his master. She should of killed him when she had the chance to over twelve years ago. She should had squeezed hard enough to pop his idiotic head off his neck. She would have taken pleasure in seeing it roll across the floor of the compound.

She growled and continued to stare icily at the tree which crushed under stress.

"Getting mad won't help, Sakura."She heard the calm and cool voice of her lover behind her. She felt Itachi's presence as well. She didn't move as he wove his hands about her waist from behind.

"No," she said coolly. "But it make me feel better."

He breathed in her ear softly, yet deeply. "I can take care of that."

"Tch..." she muttered, but didn't pull away. She was just too upset to take comfort in his touch. Not when her daughter was in Konoha and had no idea who she was, her mother. She wanted to be done with this bloody ten plus year chase. She wanted to be rid of Orochimaru and the Akatsuki as much as Itachi. She wanted to go home. To her daughter and to her friends. What she wouldn't give to have an ice cream with Ino. So much of life had been wasted hunting people down.

He sighed and took her further in his arms. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair. "I miss her too." It had pained him just as much as it had her to leave that day. She had just been easier at showing it. No matter how hard she tried to be the cold badass like he was it always came back to the reality at the end of the day. She was hard and cold like he was,... but, there always those moments of softness she didn't show anyone else but him.

"I love you," she whispered, voice sounded defeated despite her anger and rage moments ago.

"I know," he sighed. He still couldn't say it yet. He wanted to... but he couldn't and he didn't know why. In some way, he hoped she knew just by the look in his eyes that he loved her.

Itachi came next to them and stared down at the broken tree. "We need to change our tactics. This isn't working."

"Really?" Sakura said with a heated tone. That wall was back up, that defense. Sasuke could feel it, but he didn't blame her.

"As if it wasn't obvious." She muttered more to herself than anyone near her. "He keeps avoiding us at every turn, and we miss him by a mile. Him and the worm both. And when we finally do catch him, he slips away again."

Itachi nodded. "We need to get him in one strike. Both of them. We can't keep biding our time with these long drawn out fights. It gives him too much time to think and react."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "And we still have the Akatsuki to deal with afterward. We can't go another twelve years doing this, Itachi."

"It's too bad we can't take them both out in one fell swoop." She sighed.

Itachi glanced at her then, thinking it seemed. Like her words had brought something to the surface of his mind. He looked back at the tree, thinking better of it.

But, Sasuke caught it. "What?"

He paused.

"Spit it out," his voice was cool and demanding as always.

"We could take them all out in one fell swoop... but..."

"But what?" Sakura asked.

His eyes shifted in thought, lids narrowing on a tad. "We'd have to enlist all the help we could get. We'd need every village, small and large on our side. Every available ninja. If you did an attack in mass and if they were all in the same place... well, sheer numbers would overwhelm them. Every village has great shinobi. More now than when I was a Genin."

Sasuke took pause, weighing this thought in his mind. How could they do it? Sure, Leaf and Sand were united and had been forever. Even more so now that Naruto was Hokage. But what about the rest of them? It had taken over nineteen years just to get Sand and Leaf united enough that no bad blood existed between the two anymore. Whatever had been there had died with the last of those who thought ill of the two holders of the tailed beasts died as well.

They might be able to get all the Kages in one room, but getting them to agree to this... united front was another entirely. They might do it though if they had the right voice on the job. It was very possible since every village felt the same threat the Akatsuki posed. And he was sure they weren't too keen on Orochimaru. He'd started trouble in nearly everyone, his dirty hands in very pot.

He spoke up though. "It would work. We would just need to have them all in the same place at the same time. And we would need someone who can motivate them with his or her words."

There was a long silence, but it was Sakura who finally spoke up. "Wait... when are the Chuunin exams?"

Itachi saw the wheels in her head rolling and he was starting to catch on as well. "In a few months. Maybe two or three at most. They're being held in Konoha this year."

She smirked. "And who do we know that's great at motivating people with his words?" She turned in her lover's arms and looked up into his eyes.

Realization dawned on him. "You want to get Naruto to do it." It was a statement.

She nodded. "Who else? Naruto has proven time and time again he can get people to do what is needed in times of great stress. He changed Tsunade and she became Hokage. He changed Neji and he no longer hates Hinata. He changed Konohamaru and he's grown up to achieve Jounin as well as become a teacher at the Academy. If anyone can do it, Naruto can."

Itachi turned to stare at them both. "But will he?"

Sasuke nodded. "He wants the both groups gone as much as we do and all of the other villages do. The want is there, he just needs to start the fire and get it going."

"And then we can go home," she whispered, staring into his chest.

"Yes," he looked down at her, tipping her chin up to look into his cold eyes. "Then we can go home. Go home to our friends and our daughter."

She hugged him then and he embraced her back, his eyes closing to hide the pain in his eyes.

Itachi nodded. "You two continue to lay low and try to keep a trail on Orochimaru. I'll go to Konoha and speak to Naruto. I'll meet back up with you near Sand in two weeks time so we can prepare. Understood?"

They both nodded and he dispersed in a flash of movement.

ooo

Kei moved around the long and large family dining table, counting place settings. She looked at her hands and counted again, her fingers moving and her tongue stuck out to one side in concentration. Then she looked at the table again. She sighed momentarily and then went into the kitchen where her mother and another woman were.

They were both talking excitedly as they drank tea from small tea glasses. They were quite wrapped up in their conversation as things cooked on the stove. Kei wanted to asked her something, but thought she might wait as she headed to the pots. She glanced down into one of them and inhaled. Hmm... her mother did always make such great food. In all honestly they could have a chef do it, as there were many hired servants, but she preferred to make her family something instead. Still, there were occasional nights when she got busy with clan business and she had to get someone else to cook for the family. None of them ever minded.

Kei moved towards the sink and washed her hands, preparing to cut up some more vegetables and add them to the pot. She smiled as she listened to the conversation between her mother and, yes, aunt.

"Where's your son tonight, Hanabi?" Hinata watched her sister's face with an arched brow. She, like so many others had grown up and done very well for herself. She still didn't smile much, like in her youth. But, over time she had learned to be more informal with her actions and speech.

Like every other member of the Hyuuga clan she had the same ivory depths that seemed to stare right though a person. Her long brown hair actually went farther than her sister's, reaching just the back of her knees in a long, thick braid. Strands of it whispered about her soft cheeks and narrow brows. Her lips were a pale pink, seeming glossed in something.

Her normal ninja attire had changed as well. A long white skirt that went to her ankles was spit up the side and open enough that you could easily see her black skin tight clad legs. Around her hips was a knotted belt that hung loose; it was metal looking in design and passed through her skirt loops. Tucked into her skirt was a netted top much like her sister's and over that a chain mail top with a hood of all things. The top had no sleeves, unlike her mesh one beneath. It laced in the front and only hung just to her midsection. Her feet were covered in some soft and flat type of leather boots with a light cuff at the top.

She smiled slightly at Hinata as she took a sip from her tea glass. "Ryuunosuke is busy with his his two cousins at the moment. But, they'll be in shortly."

Hinata nodded. "Neji and Shinobu? Yes, he has been busy most of the day. Perhaps I should send someone to go spend some time with as Neji well. She might find such time better spent than desecrating the Hokage monument." She turned and pointedly looked at her daughter.

Kei grinned slightly as she stopped chopping an onion. "You heard about that, huh?"

Hinata narrowed her eyes slightly. "Let's just say if your sensei hadn't caught you first, you'd be doing more than just scrubbing paint on your father's face."

She grinned still and rubbed the back of her head slightly. "Yes, Mama."

Hanabi chuckled into her tea glass. "Don't be so hard on the girl."

Kei broke out in pure joy. "Thank you, Auntie."

And then her face turned stern. "Now, if she fails the Genin test one more time over something so trivial... well... I'd personally send her to Gai and Lee."

And just as soon as her face had been lit up it dropped. She slumped slightly and went back to cutting. "Who needs enemies when I've got family." She was mumbling.

Hinata laughed and set her glass down. She went over to her daughter and hugged her. "I love you, darling. Don't worry. You'll pass this time. And then? Maybe in a few months you can take the Chuunin exam. Wouldn't you love to have your father watch with proud eyes from the stands as his little girl passes?"

She sighed and stopped chopping, but nodded. "Yes..."

She kissed the side of her cheek from over her shoulder and moved away.

"Mom?" She looked up at her.

Hinata turned from her sister. "Yes?"

"Who's coming for dinner tonight? I counted eleven place settings instead of the normal seven." Cold blues blinked a few times in a questioning manner.

"Well, Uncle Gaara agreed to come over since he's in town on business. And... ah yes." She tapped her chin idly. "Neji, Tenten and Shinobu. Plus Konohamaru."

Her face lit up at the mention of Shinobu. He was one of her many cousins in the Hyuuga clan. But, she'd never seen him as, well, family. She glanced down at her onion and blushed beautifully. He was always so quiet, so reserved. Just like his father, Neji. He was a great up and coming shinobi in the Leaf and she admired him more than any one else. He was never mean to her. He never once even asked about her eyes like all the other members of the Hyuuga clan when they first met her. He could have, but he didn't. And for that he was her best friend.

"Kei?"

She blinked out of her reverie to look at her Aunt. "Yes?"

She smiled only slightly. "Will you please go retrieve your two cousins for us? Dinner will be ready shorty, little one."

Kei nodded and dropped her onion into the pot. She wiped her hands clean quickly and dashed out the door.

Hinata sighed. "What am I going to do with that child?"

Hanabi shrugged. "No one ever knew what to do with Naruto. Well... accept you." A smirk laced her lips as she idly brushed back a strand of hair and leaned her back into the counter next to her sister.

She set her empty tea glass down and nodded in agreement. "You're still very lucky with Ryuunosuke."

She shrugged, "You know as well as I do Ryu can be just as bad as your daughter. Those two are like a bomb waiting to go off when they're together."

She laughed. "Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if he helped her paint the monument."

And then there was silence...

Hanabi shook her head. "Nah... he wouldn't would he?" She blinked and thought it over.

..."...That was an awful lot of work for one little girl... shinobi or not..." Hinata began.

They both thought for a long moment and then just started laughing, deciding, that Kei really was enough of a prankster to do it all on her own without any help from the family.

ooo

Neji eyed the two young boys in front of him, narrowing his eyes slightly as he kept his stance. His clothing hadn't changed much in the last couple of years despite the fact that he was now ANBU Black Ops. He chose only to wear the mask and garb required when on a mission, unlike many of the ANBU themselves. Some of them made it their life's mission to be on duty all the time; whether they had a family or not.

He swept his long hair tied only at the end behind him as he kept his gaze on his son and Ryu. Had Kisho not been so busy with the ceremony today he would be here as well. Same with Kei. He didn't mind, but, all three boys could be a handful to handle. Kei as well. The girl might act like she didn't have a decent thought in her head when it came to the art of the shinobi, but, he knew she was just as much a genius as any of the other kids in their large extended family.

"Byakugan," Shinobu whispered, calling on his blood line technique. He eyed his father, waiting for some type of opening in his movements. His long black hair was pulled back in a series of braids for the top half keeping much, but not all, of his long strands out of his eyes. The rest of his hair was down and flowing around him, small silver bands attached in varying places; connecting to other small strands with bands as well.

He wore no shirt, only a simple black vest with the front wide open to reveal his lithe but fit form. Black wraps covered his hands and much of his wrists. White pants hung low on his hips, slightly puffed and stopped just past his knees, tightly bound by more black wrapping that wound down into his shinobi sandals of the same black color. They did bear white designs to match his pants.

He glanced over at Ryu, trying to see if the boy had any sort of idea in mind.

Ryuunosuke. Or as his friends preferred, Ryu, took a stance that seemed a mix between his mother's more graceful style of open hand fighting and his father's loose and relaxed form of hard hitting taijutsu.

To many, he wasn't anything grand to look at. His eyes were the only striking thing about him. Those same eyes his cousin next to him sported. His hair was long, but not strait. It jutted out farther and more spiked than even Naruto's when it was undone. But, normally he kept it tied back in a band, the rest of it spiking out behind him in a mess of steel gray. His face was angular, cut and raw. He looked more like an aristocrat gone cowboy than a ninja. His sharp nose perfectly accented his high cheek bones. His ears were barely seen when his hair was down, but up, they were only slightly noticeable.

His clothing was pair of monk style pleated pants. Something you might see a priestess wear. They were deep dark midnight blue. Almost so dark you might mistake them for being black. They tucked about the ankles with what looked like a type of wrapping. Around his waist was a series of belts all woven together and tied loosely at his hip to one side. The top of the pants peaked out just a bit over all of these, lightly brushing his stomach. His top was loose and open in the front but tucked into his pants. The sleeves were belled but only went to his elbows. Beneath this, long sleeved and tight was a deep garnet netted top. He wore no hands guards or wraps.

The only thing out of place on this small boy, and in the normal world might make you arch a brow, was the odd tattoo around his left eye. To look at him it would be your right. It was curling, black and red and seemed very tribal.

Ryu looked over at met Shin's eyes. He grinned charismatically and winked. They could do it. So what if they hadn't beat the ANBU member in what... oh never... It's not like anyone expected them too. He had far more years under his belt than the two of them.

Still, he looked back as did Shin, it would be nice.

On Shin's signal they went at him. Both boys flew, Ryu sweeping to kick his feet from under him while Shin moved to hit him open palmed in the chest from above. Neji lept immediately and turned at the same time. Shin when flying past him, but managed to grab his footing and turned around. Ryu dashed back the way he came, but not as far away. The steel haired boy reached into a pouch on his back and pulled out a few shirikin. He threw them at Neji as he dashed around the side of him.

Shino came back at him as well, pulling out a scroll and unwrapping it haphazardly as he bit his thumb and ran it across the scroll. Two swords were produced and he grabbed them, ignoring the scroll as he continued towards his father. They began to glow a light blue, infused with his chakra as he swung at Neji.

Neji blinked in a bit of surprise. So, he'd mastered Yin and Yang already? Damn, the kid was getting fast. He knelt down immediately and his son was forced to block the shirikin now coming his way. And he did, with amazing speed. Each weapon hit the ground with a clank.

"Neji-sama! Shin-kun! Ryu-kun!"

All three stopped and blinked at the small girl as she dashed towards them.

Ryu smiled and stepped forward. "Hey! Heard you got in trouble today."

She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him with a knowing smile. "Yeah, you could say that."

He blushed slightly and scratched the back of his head, understanding her meaning perfectly.

Shin looked at her with unmoving features, but dancing eyes filled with warmth, "Hello, Kei-san."

She somehow managed to stop her cheeks from pinkening at the sight of him and the hear of her name so formally on his lips. "You look like you were having fun." She pouted. "I wish I could have joined in. I was late cleaning that monument."

Neji smirked slightly. "Yes, I heard... "

She was grinning again up at her oldest cousin. "I'm sure the whole village has heard by now, Neji-sama."

He allowed a chuckle. "Yes, well, it's not any worse than your father did as a child. So, don't feel too bad about it."

She smiled. "Thank you, Neji-sama." And then it dawned on her. "Oh, you guys have to go in. Auntie Hanabi and Mama wanted me to tell you dinner is ready."

Neji nodded and began to head towards the direction of Naruto and Hinata's area of the compound. "We've done enough for work for today anyway. You guys should all be ready for the Genin exam tomorrow."

All three kids smiled as they followed a good few feet behind Neji. Well, Ryu and Kei smiled. Shin barely allowed for one as always. But his eyes showed he was happy.

"We pass for sure tomorrow." Kei was saying with some determination as she held her hands in fists on either side of her, elbows bent and forearms facing her chest.

Ryu nodded. "It'll be my first time. I'm not too worried. How about you, Shin?" He looked over to the other side of Kei.

He looked back, his voice impassive yet soft. "I'm sure we'll all do well."

Each one of them nodded, continuing to talk amongst themselves as they made their way back to Kei's home.