"Tell me, Yorukage.." The Lord Hokage said, teeth clenched around his pipe characteristically, "How is it that you and your village are so quick to offer us aid? After all, we are the Village who…."

"Killed off our most powerful clan, simply because you felt you were threatened?" Yorukage Yoake finished bluntly. Yoake was a no nonsense woman, and had to be as disciplined as they come to keep the position she was at. At the moment, her eyes were narrowed in intense dislike as she penetrated the Hokage with her most poisonous glare.

The Hokage paused, not daunted by the venom in the woman's voice. To her, she was just a child, but he regarded her with caution, as one would a five-year old with a kunai. Yoake was nothing more than a young woman with enough power to wipe out a small nation, certainly one of the greatest shinobi ever to come to be. She had chosen a difficult path, but the Hokage thought that it suited her. The difference in their age was great, but the difference in their power levels not so.

"Yes…" The Fire lord mused after a spell, not meeting Yoake's gaze, "And I am not proud of what my predecessor did, you can be sure of…."

"Save it, Hokage." Yoake snapped, her arms folded across her ample chest, "I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones…after all, the wound you rendered us has been healed. That is to say….there is one Tasogare left."

The Lord Hokage looked up, alarmed.

"What's this?" He gasped, and for one of the few times in his long life he look completely and utterly at a loss for words. Yoake suppressed a wide smile with difficulty.

"Satoshi Tasogare's daughter survived the attack you made all those years ago. The girl is one of our genin, in a cell under my charge. Let me assure you, she is the most skilled in the way of the Tasogare that I have ever seen in all my years! Of course, should anything ever happen to out last Tasogare, and it somehow points to Konoha, I would be forced to withdraw Yorugakure's support in the coming war between sand, sound, and leaf. Rest assured, Lord Hokage. I did not come here to warn you of the sand and sound alliance, and to offer you our support in vain."

'Yes, so I see.' The Lord Hokage thought with a touch of sadness, "Can't even the simplest of tasks be carried through in these dark times without one party or the other being manipulated? In offering much needed aide to us in this time of trial, Yorugakure is ensuring the safety of the only person that can possibly bring about the demise of every village in this land! Put that on top of the other two genin under Yoake's instruction, and the Village hidden in the night has much more to gain than Konoha!"

"I can sense your hesitation." Yoake said, taking a step closer to the Hokage, "And it is understandable. After what you did to us in the past, you may find it hard to believe that we would be so quick to forgive, and to forget. And not to mention that your so called ally, Sunagakure has turned on you. However, our offer is sincere. You may not think it possible, but secret roots of pain and betrayal grow deeper in sand and sound than in leaf. Consider this a token of my village's agreement."

From the folds of her robe, Yoake produced a severed human head, holding it unceremoniously by the hair, which was ratty and caked with blood. The Lord Hokage forced down a shudder of revulsion as the Yorukage placed the grisly thing on his desk.

"It was from the Otogakure genin, Kin." Yoake said, no emotion in her level voice, "Hebigiru Shinri, one of my genin, er…retrieved it."

"Otogakure will be aroused!" The Hokage said quietly, still staring at the head of the girl, "You realize this? You think sound will stand for this outrage? One of their own?"

Yoake's mouth broke into a demonic smile, "Oh, I know. That makes it so much better."

The Hokage raised his gaze, and peered intently at Yorukage Yoake, "Konoha accepts your aide, and hopes that it will be as true as the rising sun."

"Always." Yoake said solemnly, then continued swiftly, "I have spies placed in both the villages of Suna and Oto, poised to kill any number of rather important persons therein. What is our first move?"

The Hokage forced himself to examine Kin's severed head. Her face was almost unrecognizable, with long and deep cuts, but those features were still there. An even closer look revealed that her once so pretty face was twisted in what must have been agonizing pain.

He sized up the young Kage in front of him.

"No more unessesary bloodshed," He said plainly, "Not yet. Konoha and Yoru will wait."

"WAIT?" Yoake hissed, her countenance twisting, and turning dark, "WAIT? Your life is in danger, as are the lives of every man, woman and child who call you Hokage! Have I not told you before how far along the plans of sand and sound are to bring this village down? One of your jonin is DEAD!! What could you possibly be waiting FOR?"

The Hokage was silent for a moment, lost in thought. He rested his chin on his interlocked fingers, and thought about the Yorukage's words…and remembered all those that he loved.

And how he had felt when the news of Hayate's death had reached his ears.

"Very well, Yoake." He said eventually, " Sand and Sound will very soon know the wrath of leaf and night!"

Yoake smiled once again at the hidden meaning in the Fire Shadows's words, "And what other genin do you want us to polish of first, Hokage?"

The Fire Lord felt a flame from the olden days rising in his heart as he narrowed his eyes, and spat, "Surprise me."