Mitsuki heaved a breath, sweat pouring down his face.

"Turn down the thermometer," he gasped. "Too hot!"

"Tell us why you were in the company of an Edo Tensei." The Konoha ANBU glared at him. The door slammed open.

Mitsuki sucked in gulps of fresh air.

"He hasn't answered any of the questions. What about the other?"

"The Edo Tensei's mind was as impenetrable as the other's."

Mitsuki's heart jerked.

"Naruto-sama's here?" he asked, standing up a little. "She's here?! Still?!"

"Yes," the other man answered, looking at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because -"

"Mitsuki!"

The wall collapsed as the yell penetrated the room.

Naruto stood there, looking odd in unfamiliar clothes.

"Naruto-sama!" Mitsuki leaped onto the other Edo Tensei.

"She is going to be furious, Mitsuki. You need to run." Naruto removed him from her, and he looked up at her. He agreed.

"But I can't." He shook his head.

Naruto-sama's eyes widened. "I am giving you an order, Mitsuki. Please... Just do it."

~:~

Saki bumped into Sasuke, who withdrew his sword.

Tonight was the first part of the ceremonies; Saki had no time to find the Kusanagi no Tsurugi.

Nevertheless, she set out the Imperial Regalia of Amaterasu that she had borrowed. The magatama jewel and the ancient, crusted mirror.

Sasuke set his sword down in the place meant to hold the Kusanagi no Tsurugi.

"Sasuke, there's no way that your sword will work," Saki said, quite displeased.

"My sword is the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. Orochimaru found it and cleaned it up before giving it to me." Sasuke looked at the dais in the shrine. The few Uchiha remaining stood there, looking blank in their formal wear. Saki gaped at him for a moment before recovering, kneeling before the candles.

Saki closed her eyes. "It is time," she breathed as the beginning of the eclipse started.

One would be lit tonight. When the sun started to rise, they would light Amaterasu's candle - the eclipse would be happening for ten minutes.

They had a small window of time.

Saki lit the first candle, on which was a single piece of dark, Uchiha hair.

It was a small, fragile hope on his part.

They began their silent prayers.

~:~

In a cave in Oto - or what was left of it - her son's destination made the leader of the rogue forces angry.

For a moment, she simply stood there after reviewing Naruto's memories.

Then she stood up, raising her arms.

A hair-raising scream exploded.

"NARUTO!"

~:~

Naruto dreaded the moment when she found out.

She was isolated, in a cage created by her people the Uzumaki.

ANBU started running back and forth, but she paced in fear.

Shiro's ice-cold rage flooded her body.

Destroy Konoha. Her rage poured into Naruto's body.

Naruto had no choice but to obey.

She burrowed under the ground, easily leaving the caged area.

~:~

"Susano'o, of the summer storm." Well, they had collected summer rainwater, so... That counted, right? "And Amaterasu of the sun." Saki lit the middle candle last. "I must selfishly ask for a gift. The gift of life for two brave souls, two dead warriors that died before their time."

Itachi lit the candle for the deity of the Uzumaki Clan, Inari.

"One of Uchiha, who may not linger; and one of the Uzumaki, who's soul is in unrest."

Saki took out something precious of hers - her mother's broach.

Shisui brought out his first sword, lovingly cared for.

Itachi brought out a beautiful necklace made of ruby and moonstone, a thin piece of obsidian in the middle. One of his mother's pieces of jewelry.

Sasuke brought out a kunai that had never been used. Saki instantly recognized it - the kunai that Itachi had given him upon entering the Academy.

And Madara took out a hairband.

It was old, and obviously belonged to someone precious to Madara.

Amaterasu's candle went higher with the other candles - Inari's candlefire exploded.

But none of the items were taken.

The Mirror's tarnished surface rippled.

I will grant your request as a gift. Remember to do this again, Uchiha clan, or I shall take back my gifts as I have given them.

The mirror's surface flattened. It sparkled, looking new - like the Magatama and the Kusanagi.

The candles blew out, Susano'o's being the fastest to go out.