It was brought to my horrified attention that I posted the same chapter twice, so I checked my documents and the last chapter was then repeated over two chapters with this bit in the second chapter... so as an apology, I'm posting this and two more chapters! (tonight)

Sai looked over how everyone was doing... No problems. None. Weird.

Very weird... since they'd all expected to die today. Something was wrong, it couldn't be this easy. The Akatsuki seemed exhausted, they had when they arrived. Had they already been in a fight? Sai frowned and looked up at the sunrise, just visible over the roof of Yondaime's building.

That's pretty... I should paint it later...

He had sustained a couple of injuries, as had everyone, but not immediately life threatening.

"How's dickless doing?" He stood back to back with the weapon mistress Tenten and crossed his bloodied arms over his body, holding one of her scythes ready to strike. She called to Neji above the sounds of battle.

"Neji!" He turned, his Byakugan fully activated. "How is Naruto?"

"Fighting some guy in an orange mask!" He called back. Sai blocked a blow dealt by one of the cloaked Shinobi, "And Ugly dog?"

"Sakura?" Tenten translated for her friend. He glanced over to the two Kunoichi with a look of assessment.

"Just joined up with Shikamaru and that other sand sibling."

"He has a name Neji!" Tenten yelled; jumping into the air in a pirouette, bringing forth an array of shuriken and throwing kunai. Bringing down the storm of weapons on their assailant. Neji used gentle fist to take out one of Akatsuki's menservants.

"Yeah I know!" He ducked a blow to the head and kicked another underling into a tree. "I just happened to forget."

Eventually, there was only one left, excluding Itachi, but he was busy with his brother. This one was Tobi, his orange mask cast shadows over his Sharingan, hiding it from view. Yondaime and Naruto were uninjured, but so was Tobi...

"Maybe you should surrender and come with us to Konoha." Sakura suggested, smirking, "Maybe we'd go easy on you."

Tobi looked at her. "Would you?"

The girl's face twisted for a moment; in pure disgust, but she reigned her feelings back in and took a deep breath.

"No."

Behind his mask, Tobi grinned. "Then I won't come quietly." With that he started to yell and run in circles.

"What? Why's he doing that?" Naruto watched the running figure with shocked eyes. "Is it some sort of jutsu?" He pulled back a little.

Yondaime sighed and stepped forwards. "Tobi, Tobi's a good boy isn't he?" His voice was calm, soothing, laced with a little genjutsu Sakura noticed.

"Yes... Tobi's a good boy!" The Akatsuki member swayed slightly, only to be caught by Chouji, who looked at Minato.

"So, I just carry him back?"

The fourth Hokage nodded, turning and walking away.

Tobi's eye looked up at them all, spinning.

Kakashi gasped. "The Sharingan?"

Sakura brought up a fist. "Come to think of it... I haven't seen Itachi around." She steadied her feet in the dirt and smiled grimly. Naruto set his feet shoulder width apart and adopted the same position, but started when a hand grabbed his shoulder. He looked back at the blond man behind him, Kushina had taken hold of Sakura too.

"What?" Sakura gasped.

"It's too late." Kushina shook her head, "That's no ordinary Sharingan... I fear that we've been in an illusion since the very start..."

"What?!"

The ninjas stood in a group, Sakura, Ino, Shizune and the other medics started the healing process. "Does this mean..." Shikamaru demanded. "That all of Akatsuki are still alive?"

"No." Tobi giggled. "I killed them all except for Itachi! Itachi, you see, shares my vision so to speak! Get it? Eyes? Vision?" He burst into peals of raucous laughter. "Aw man, I crack me up!" His laughter faded to a small snicker. "Time for you all to experience your own personal hell."

What?! Mangekyou Sharingan? Kakashi 's free eye widened.

Review?