Sorry I've been gone, just things I needed to take care of. Thank you for staying with me despite that absence, and, I've been forgetting to do this, thanks to all reviewers.

…...

She opened her eyes to a miracle. Her silver-haired attacker's own sword was imbedded deep in his body, the massive blade piercing from his throat to his collarbone. The youngest Uchiha peeked around the dieing man, a sheepish look on his face.

"Sorry I'm late, I got lost."

Blood flew freely as he pulled back the weapon from its gory home. Sasori released his hold on the now cooling corpse, letting it fall to the ground with a gruesome thud. All members of the group were stone faced as they made their way past the fallen enemies, not a passing glance given when they exited the blood spattered chamber.

There was no room for sentiments on the battlefield.

…...

Kimimaru charged forward, veering past obstacles as he made his way to the creature's center. The shifting mass let out a deafening roar as he propelled a bone spike into the monster, cracking the surface and burrowing deep. That's when a blur of pink and red dashed by him with a fist full of chakra.

She could feel the energy in her fingers and hand, pulsing like second being, and feverously hoped her theory worked. Coarse grains of sand laced themselves around her limb, first in a small stream, before exploding into a writhing wave engulfing her arm up to the shoulder. She pulled back, readying herself and pushing every scrap of energy in her body to the forefront of her being.

She hit her target, the bone advancing in a quick blur to rest in the crystallized corpse's ribcage. The screech of the behemoth and the scrap of bone on its hide was an earth shattering noise. Shards leapt through the air around her, dancing with cherry strands, and creating shallow cuts on ivory skin. Sand rushed in quickly behind the projectile, following its path before the regeneration started. It ripped apart the long deceased woman within her clear, iridescent tomb.

Sakura had only just regained her footing on the metal ground when thick, glowing dust filled the air in a flood of choking particles. She dove into action, running to Zetsu and quickly helping him to feet. A soft pressure was felt on her shoulder before Zetsu's weight was gone, and Gaara was in front of her with him draped across his back.

"I've got him; follow me."

Another light touch brushed her bloody knuckles before enclosing around her wrist, gently but firmly. Kimimaru pulled her through the dark and suffocating cloud. She grasped at her shirt, tugging it over mouth and nose, and wiped at her irritated, watery eyes with her free hand as she ran. The jarring cry of ripping metal filled the room as the door was torn out of Gaara's way and across the floor.

They almost fell into safety as sand sealed off the prison block door, hardening and forming an impenetrable wall. Gulping oxygen and trying to push the deadly powder out of her lungs, Sakura looked around the small hallway. Zetsu was wincing in pain, but very much alive, frowning as he brushed off the thick film in his hair and on his clothes. Gaara was shedding a layer of what she assumed to be sand, easily ridding himself of the grime, and Kimimaru looked to be doing an odd dance as he attempted to reach the long points that grew from his shoulder blades.

The chiming giggles stunned all three men into freezing. Questioning stares landed on the girl's laughing form.

"We're alive; we're almost free!"

Their pessimistic minds wanted to comment that it was only for now; that they could die at any moment. Yet, as her warm presence filled the tight corridor, no one spoke a word. They only smiled, and prepared themselves for the next hurdle in their escape.

…...

All Neji could hope to do was slice at the hulking figure uselessly with a kunai. Being that his opponent was covered with thick mud, he could not reach the chakra points he needed to hit. Ducking a heavy hit, he jumped backwards, flipping mid-air and landing easily. Hidan bounded past him, sending long strokes of his scythe through the enemy's armor. Neji's sharp eyes caught his chance when Hidan's scythe lodged in sideways and became stuck. He could see skin.

"Hidan keep that gap open!"

Hidan, though livid at being commanded, surged forward, grasping the edges. He grunted as two massive hands closed around his head and applied crushing force, trying to stop the relentless pull he used to keep the breach from closing.

"You better fucking hurry, I may be immortal, but it's a pain in the ass to regenerate my fucking head!"

Hidan was aware of his face collapsing, that was fine, and he would deal with it. Feeling the pressure he recognized as a foot on his back, however, his pride wouldn't allow.

"What the fuck are ya doing!?"

He was ignored as two fingers, glowing with energy, entered his vision and jabbed at his attacker's skin. The fluid motion slackened the colossuse's grip on his head. It had also stopped his heart. The thick plating crumbled away, and as the now dead man fell back, he pulled both unbalanced fighters with him. They landed with a crash, knocking out their breath.

"Get off of me, bastard!"

Hidan jumped up, angry.

"It's not like wanted to land on you, I'd much rather it be Sakura!"

Neji jumped up now, temper flaring as well.

"How dare you talk about her like that!"

A fight ensured, followed by a walk to the next battle with insults bouncing back and forth. Thus was the norm when it came to Hidan.

…...

Pein had immediately come to a barrier on his way to defeat Orochimaru, coming to him in the form of a large unmovable door. He had tried every method and justu at his deposal before he realized the center-point of this barrier was elsewhere. He now resorted to staring at it, and waiting for the issue to resolve itself. He finally sighed, getting up to find whoever was holding up the justu. As he left the room he heard an odd, slight sound from behind. He turned to look, and what he saw made his lower eyelid twitch.

The doors were open.

…...

Well, there ya go, enjoy.