CHAPTER 4

Sorry guys, this is a bit of a boring chapter. It's more of explaining what's going on. I promise It'll all make sense soon. And then all the dramatic stuff can happen!

I'm sorry about taking so long to upload, and you may have gotten told that I had a chapter up earlier saying chapter 4 was up, I personally apologise if you read and/or were disappointed to realise that there was no chapter.

That issue has been fixed, although it did postpone this chapter for a while.

But it's okay. I'm back, and keen to finish writing this story again. Thank you guys for sticking by me, you're all really awesome!

Now, I just want you to sit back and enjoy my writing. I write it for you to enjoy, so do so! Haha, much love, Taz xx

** DEMON COUPLE **

LAST TIME:

Sahana nodded, "Because, you know what? We deserve it. We have worked hard, and we deserve it."

"We're strong enough to make it happen, and we will make it happen." Kiba smiled.

Shino smiled underneath his collar, "With the strength of teamwork, perseverance and determination, we are capable of anything."

"Oh, and don't forget skill, we'll probably need that too!" Kiba laughed.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but smiled. He was happy the recent additions came into their home, they gave the group something they hadn't had for a while. Hope.

And sometimes, that was all you needed.

"... So, what are these 'rules' that Danzo created?"

Oh, right.

** DEMON COUPLE **

** DEMON COUPLE **

Shikamaru opened his mouth to answer the question, but a loud bell sounded just outside the house. Naruto jumped to check out what was wrong, but Ino held out a hand to stop him.

"Hold up, this is a part of Danzo's 'rules'." Ino explained, watching as eyebrows raised in her direction.

"What's going on?" Hinata asked, hey byakugan activated. She could see people getting out of their houses now, in large groups, heading to the market area, the streets, parks, wherever they wanted; but all of a sudden, everyone was moving.

Ino sighed, "I have to get going, I work at the Yamanaka shop, but have Shikamaru explain it to you. He's got nothing he needs to do. Who knew it would be so good being 'dead'?" She stood up, and along with Choji, Lee and Kiba, they all left through the front door, to join with all the civilians appearing into the streets.

Sasuke relaxed back into the chair. He was confused, but he knew he was safe at the moment. He was about to get a bucketload of new information, and was going to have to sort through it all.

So he was going to get comfortable.

Sahana, Naruto and Hinata followed his example, and took a seat on the three-seater couch next to him. Shino was already seated on one of the singe-person recliners, so Shikamaru sat on the other, his eyes focused on the four on front of him.

"The first law that Danzo created was that no one was allowed out of their homes in certain hours. He knows that there are defiant ninjas still out there, loyal to the old Konoha, so he did all he could to stop them from taking the village back." Shikamaru explained, pausing to see the understanding appear on the quartet's faces.

"What are the hours?" Sahana asked out of curiosity.

"Everyday, no one is allowed out of their property. They can step outside of their homes – within the houses property – for moments, but will be attacked by the root ninja if they stay out for more than five minutes. The time frame where we are allowed out begins and 11 AM, and a bell will ring again at 5 PM, to call the end of the day." Shikamaru tried to explain to the best of his abilities, "You aren't allowed out for longer than ten minutes of the ending bell, or else you'll be taken to be jailed and/or attacked, before sent back to your home."

Sasuke was shocked, "How does he do it? I mean, how can you keep an entire village under your control like that?"

Shikamaru looked into Sasuke's eyes, "Fear. That's the one thing that can keep everyone twisted around his fingers. First, he killed his oppositions, the best shinobi that could stand a chance against him, then he started setting out examples. If civilians wouldn't do as he told, he would kill them on the spot, sometimes even hang them publicly, to prove his point. Follow his rules, or die."

Hinata shivered in disgust at this brutality, "So people are only let out of their homes for six hours each day. How do they live? They can't earn enough money to live with only six hours of work!"

Shikamaru nodded, "I have wondered the same thing. All throughout the six hours, they have to work for five solid hours, and have one hour to buy their supplies, necessities, before having to run back home. They get paid almost triple than what they should, though, and all our products are shipped in to us. I believe that Danzo's doing some back-door deals to get all the money, and free resources in which he sells to the civilians for the extra money going into him."

"Hold on," Naruto sat up straight, "If everyone has to work five solid hours and have an hour spent on buying things, why are you and Shino still here?"

Shikamaru grinned, "According to Danzo," He looked at Shino, letting out a humourless chuckle as he did, "Shino and I are dead."

"What?"

"Danzo went for the people he suspected to be threats, and I was very highly ranked on that list. And so was Shino." Shikamaru explained, "He sent some of his root after me, and Ino got into his mind, and convinced him that he had killed both me and Shino. He went after us, because of my knowledge and strategic skills, and he went after the entire Aburame clan because of their infiltration skills." He gave a sad glance to Shino. "Their bugs could get into places completely undetected, and could find out things Danzo would want hidden. So this was a threat to him; a big one. So he didn't rest until all the Aburames were dead – or so he believed."

Hinata let out a loud gasp of horror, and jumped up to hug Shino tightly, "I'm so sorry Shino-kun." She whispered into his jacket, "You shouldn't have had to deal with that."

"I know." Shino muttered quietly, bringing his arms up to hug her back – tightly. "But it has happened, and my family are gone. So are yours. So you shouldn't tell me you're sorry, I should be the one apologising to you. I let your family try to hurt you."

"Unknowingly," Hinata whispered back, "It's not your fault."

"Then neither is it yours."

Hinata let go, knowing the hug was starting to make Shino feel uncomfortable, and moved back into her seat beside Naruto. "Sorry for the interruption." She blushed, "What else is going on?"

"There is a strict 'no chakra' rule against everyone during 'outside hours' and no-one is allowed near the Hokage Tower." Shikamaru summarised.

"What's going on at the Hokage Tower?" Sasuke asked, sitting up straighter. Attentive. "If we're not allowed near the Hokage Tower, there has to be a reason for it."

Shino nodded in agreement with Sasuke's statement. "We have already discussed such details. Shikamaru-san and the rest of us have pondered over the subject and have come to the conclusion that there could be a number of reasons why we are not allowed near the premises of the Hokage Tower."

"One," Shikamaru started to list of their deducted ideas, "That is where Danzo remains situated. He knows that there would be a number of assassination attempts made on him, therefore by not letting anyone near him, he is safe to further run the village."

"It would make sense, since most of the population appear to hate him." Sahana nodded to herself, trying to take in as much as possible as she didn't know anything about this village and the people in it beforehand.

"Two," Shikamaru continued, "There could be something else going on behind those doors. Possibly those back-door deals that Danzo is getting all of the village's money from."

"What could he possibly be hiding in the Hokage Tower?" Naruto mused.

"A number of things," Shino answered swiftly, "But the most reasonable solution would be that the Hokage Tower simply holds a meeting room of sorts, where the dealings take place."

Shikamaru nodded, "That's not saying there are even back-door dealings to start with. These are simply theories on our end. We personally know next-to-nothing about what is happening with Danzo, we only know what the consequences of his actions are when they appear in the village."

"The money, for example." Sasuke nodded, "You know he's getting loads of money from somewhere, you just don't know the how or the why."

Shikamaru nodded, "Exactly."

Naruto let out a loud sigh, standing up from his position on the warm couch, "So, is that everything that's been happening?" He asked, walking over to the windowsill to glance out at the now bustling streets.

Shino and Shikamaru both nodded in unison, Naruto couldn't see it, but they knew he sensed their movements.

Naruto nodded in understanding. "Are you the only guys left?" He asked soberly, eyes clenched shut, waiting to hear of the deaths of everyone else he loved and was sworn to protect.

Hinata chocked in a breath at that question, not realising the full impact on what was happening until the question left Naruto's mouth. Sasuke went rigid and Sahana glanced at Shino and Shikamaru quietly, waiting tensely for an answer.

Shikamaru glanced around the room, "Not quite."

"There is one thing that we haven't shown you yet." Shino added, before standing up from his place on a recliner.

All eyes turned to Shino, holding hope within their orbs, the desperate want to see their loved ones again.

"Follow me." Shino muttered, walking further back into the house.

And silently, they did as he requested.

** DEMON COUPLE **

** DEMON COUPLE **

END OF CHAPTER 4