The Littlest Sannin II: Sound in Autumn

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Sequel to The Littlest Sannin

Chapter 4

Kakashi weaved around and leapt over the ninja in his way. His target wasn't Naruto, it was the Hokage.

He nearly got there before he was body tackled by Inoichi Yamanaka. The clan leader's hands sped through a jutsu and he slammed his hand into Kakashi's forehead.

The lone eye rolled up and Kakashi was unconscious.

"Inoichi?" The Hokage said.

"We've got trouble Lord Hokage. The Uchiha are in the council chamber and…"

an explosion rocked Konoha and the gathered Leaf nin watched as the tower went up in flames and slowly crumbled.

Inoichi saw this and slumped. "Too late." He said.

"What happened?" the hokage asked.

"Not sure. The council was meeting about…" he shot a look to where Naruto was, then shook his head. "When Sasuke, Itachi and Madara appeared in the middle of the chamber. They had their eyes wrapped like they did during the invasion."

Inoichi shook his head as his friends came up and put hands on his shoulders as he was realizing his mistakes.

"They started attacking everyone. We're not sure how they could see. I was outside the room getting Anbu when the doors were sealed. Some strange red seal with a skull mark glowed. I came to get you when I saw Kakashi."

He looked at the man who'd been missing since the battle. Shikaku pulled the hitai-ate back to reveal the empty socket.

"Natas." The Hokage said the name with disgust.

Anbu were appearing. "Get search and rescue on the towers remains." He ordered. He looked at Orochimaru.

"It seems the leaf is burning around me." The Hokage said. "Orochi, I have a favor to ask."

"What sensei?" the snake sannin asked.

"I need to send the current Gennin and academy students away, its no longer safe here."

Orochimaru nodded. "Tayuya, Jirobo will remain until your genin and students are ready and lead them to the village…"

"The fuck I will." Tayuya said. "I am not leaving…"

"Tay." Kin said to her friend. "What would Naruto want you to do?"

"Fuck!" the red head said and crossed her arms. She looked at her Kin and Temari. "You take care of him. I'll double time the shit out of the Konoha Genin and little shits."

"No you won't." Temari said. "You're a softy with children."
Tayuya's curses had birds miles around fleeing in terror and Orochimaru becoming more pale with each colorful metaphor uttered.

"Quite a mouth on her." The Hokage said.

Orochimaru sighed. "We need to go." The latest attack making him nervous being exposed with Naruto in this much danger.

Inoichi picked up Kakashi and shouldered him. "I'm going with. I'll need somewhere secure to check him over…"

Tsunade growled. "And why should we trust you? After what you said about my son?"

Inoichi looked ashamed. "I spoke in haste, and for that I am sorry."

Tsunade looked at him, then without a word turned back to keeping watch over the comatose blond. Shizune and Temari exchanged a look, the blond fan user taking up a spot behind Yamanaka without appearing to do it.

"Tayuya, bring the Genin in when you can." Orochimaru said to the red head.

She looked like she wanted to say something, then a look at the whisker marked blond softened her eyes. "Keep him safe Milord." She said low and turned around to wait for the Hokage.

"Move out." Orochimaru called, he looked at the old man who was important to him for so many years. "Stay safe sensei. Don't die for this place."

Orochimaru left last, Hiruzen watched them go, the two Oto nin waiting silently, Tayuya's feet shuffling as she fought hard to not say the first think that came to mind.

XX

(Otogakure)

Shizune sighed as she made the rounds. They'd settled back in Oto, the village above and below being put on full alert.

The villagers had not been pleased to hear what had happened in Konoha, and even less pleased to hear about Naruto's condition.

The Konoha ninja that were with the group were given dark looks of distrust and disgust.

Inoichi had been given a room to do the mental evaluation of Kakashi, but was waiting for permission from Orochimaru who insisted that they delay the mindwalk until he could be present.

The Otokage was seeing to his village and as a leader as much as he wanted to be by the bedside of the boy that was family, he had to see to the citizens despite their own protests for him to be with the boy many felt was the crown prince.

Making the rounds, Shizune paused in the doorway of Kimimaro's room. The leader of the Sound Five was not in his bed like he was supposed to be. He was currently pulling on his boots.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? You're not cleared yet." Shizune said.

Kimimaro continued moving slowly. "Regardless. I have my duty." The bone user said in a flat tone.

Shizune put the folders and clipboard she had been carrying down and stalked around the bed and put a hand on his shoulder. She saw him wince and gave him the cold look reserved for stubborn patients, her mentor and a blond boy when she caught him in trouble.

"Lay back down this instant or I will dislocate your muscles until you are fully healed to MY satisfaction."

Kimimaro looked at her.

Shizune glared.

Kimimaro sighed and allowed her to help him put his legs back up.

"Your healing at an accelerated rate, don't push it." She said after running a diagnostic. "You didn't aggravate anything, good." She looked at him.

"Don't look at me like that." Kimimaro said.

"Like what?" Shizune asked.

The pair looked into one another's eyes, neither saying anything for a long time.

XX

(Oto, Upper Village)

Tayuya felt the tension leaving her as the mock village into view, the farmers and merchants that lived here smiled at seeing one of the Oto headbands with the group of Genin.

"Ms. Tayuya."

She looked and noticed one of the hidden guards. "The Genin of Konoha. Jirobo is coming behind…with the Hokage." She said. "I need to report to Lord Orochimaru, bivouac these turds in the restricted zone." She kept walking.

"HEY!" the blond genin called Ino yelled. "You can't leave us here!"

"Can, have." Tayuya said not stopping as she went for the main building and used the hidden lift.

Once she was in the base she paused. She knew she had to report, but there was something more important than that, and her feet were already leading her to the hospital wing.

She slipped past the duty nurse and went to where she knew he would be. She nodded to Kidomaru who was guarding the hall that ended in a dead end.

"Any change?"

He shook his head, his six arms crossed.

Tayuya entered the room and wasn't surprised to see Tsunade sitting there, nor was she surprised to see Haku. The ice user was looking paler than last, her eyes had shadows under her eyes.

Tsunade looked up and Tayuya saw that the Slug summoner had bags under her eyes as well.

Deciding to say something as the sound of the support machines was soft beeping was depressing. "The Konoha Genin are in the zone up above." Tayuya reached the bedside of the silent blond, her gaze softened.

"No change." Tsunade said, her voice was showing the strain the woman was experiencing.

"Any word from Master Jiraiya?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Orochi is sending runners. In a couple more days is the supposed deadline from Natas."

Tayuya put a shaky hand on the blonds forehead and brushed his bangs aside before her hand moved to his cheek and traced the whisker marks.

"One of the brats said her dad's one of those mindwalkers."

Tsunade nodded. "He's with Orochimaru in interrogation of Kakashi, they found a seal traced into the eye where his sharingan had been."

"Who is this fucker?" Tayuya asked. "He's mocking you and the other Sannin, and he's taunting the rest of us."

Tsunade shook her head. "Not sure. He's been a pain in our ass for years. We met him in the wilds before we founded Oto." Tsunade said remembering the fear in her gut when she'd been hit and helpless as Naruto was confronted the first time by Natas as a child.

Tsunade sighed. "I have asked Orochi to have Inoichi brought here after he's done with Kakashi."

"You really going to let one of those hateful Konoha bastard near him?"

Tsunade sighed. "I need to know." She said softly. "Seeing him like this…"

Tayuya nodded. "Where are the others?"

Tsunade snorted. "Orochi's keeping them busy. Temari is with Sakon and Ukon checking the border. Kin has been assigned as a runner and is making her way to Mt Enya."

Tayuya nodded and looked at Haku. "And frostbite here…" she looked at the other girl and knew that she herself might have ended up like her too. Shaking her head she looked around. "And Anko?"

"She's with Kabuto right now. he's been awake for a bit longer period."

"If he didn't have a healing factor to rival Naruto's he'd be dead." The red head said.

Tsunade closed her eyes.

"Lady Tsunade, when the time comes, I request permission to come with and deal with this Natas fucker." Tayuya said.

"You too?"

She opened her eyes and saw the girls look. "Kin and Temari already made the request."

Tayuya nodded. They might compete for Naruto's heart, but she knew that all four of them loved the blond with every fiber of their being.

"Me…."

Tsunade and Tayuya looked up seeing Haku looking up. "Too." The ice user said, her hollow eyes looked at Naruto.

"Haku?"

The dark haired girl nodded slowly.

"Welcome back." Tsunade said. She knew it would only be time before she came around, and now that she had a goal, she nearly had a moment of pity for Natas as not only did he have her looking for his head, but four young women that loved the comatose blond.

Haku closed her eyes and actually slept in her chair, Tayuya pulled her flute and played a soft tune, something from one of the books Naruto had gotten for her on one of their dates. It didn't have anything to do with battle, but in this moment, it was more magical and powerful than any of her chakra powered attacks.

AN: Next time we see what is going on. Next time "Inside Naruto"

This is my last post until after the new year. I do the family x-mas with 30 relatives as we do the tree thing, decorating and cooking things. Fun…not pretty, but fun. See you when I see you. Happy holidays.