Chapter Eighteen: Twins at War

Relations between the villages of Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Konohagakure and Otogakure were slowly deteriorating. Naruto had sent many of his friends to Oto in an attempt to establish peace. Each time they had left, they had come back unsuccessful. Even Sasuke, a former resident of Otogakure, was ineffective in the attempt. Each time they were met with hostility. It was clear to Naruto that the unknown leader of Otogakure desired a war. Relations with Sunagakure were more stable, as the leaders were old friends. Kazekage Gaara had promised to send backup if requested, and Naruto had promised the same to his friend. However, in the village of Kirigakure, civil war raged. The Mizukage had died a mysterious death, and some of the Shinobi investigating suspected murder. As the leaderless village literally ripped itself in half, rouge Shinobi ravaged the other great Shinobi Nations. Konoha had lost already a few of its best. Kotetsu had fallen, and Maito Gai was recovering from a grave wound inflicted from a trap. All of this had affected the entire population of Konoha Shinobi, from the Academy Students to the Hokage himself. To make everything that much worse, Ino was expecting, and Choji, as an ANBU captain, was always away. Naruto tried to keep him near her as much as he could, yet he could not always do so.

Ino was days away from her delivery date, and yet Choji had still not returned from his last mission. He was leading a squad deep into the heart of Otogakure, and had left more than a month ago. Ino was inconsolable, yet she did not give up hope that her husband would return safely to her side. She sat just inside the Yamanaka Flower Store, calmly rocking back and forth in a chair, just waiting for something to happen. She had little to do these days, and even so she tried to remain active. The kicks in her stomach were growing stronger and more frequent. She started to stand up, but just as she did, she felt a rush of liquid flow from between her legs, and she dropped to one knee. As she stood up once more, a messenger from Naruto came to her side.

"Lady Ino! Lord Choji has returned, but he is gravely injured. Please come with me to the hospital."

His words rang hollow within Ino's soul, and despite her water breaking, she ran with all he speed to her husband's side. As she flung the doors of Konoha General Hospital open, she was wracked by pain, and Sakura quickly called for a bed. Ino lay down obediently, but her mind was not on her babies, but on Choji.

"Sakura, please tell me: Will Choji be alright?"

Sakura looked away and closed her eyes before she spoke.

"He's suffering from blood loss, stab wounds, and he has a hole in his stomach that just barely missed his spine. He might live, but I can give no guarantees. It is much like when Neji came back from the mission to retrieve Sasuke. He seemed to stumble back here through sheer force of will. The last words he said before he blacked out were: 'Tell Ino I love her.' He has been back nary twenty minutes, and we've done nearly all we can. And his insides are being torn to pieces. He used it, Ino. He used the Secret Pills."

Ino slumped over and burst into tears. She knew about the Akimichi Secret Pills, and what they could do. She also knew about their deadly side effects. Sakura drew her friend into a hug and smiled.

"I will do everything I can to save him Ino. Tsunade left the antidote in my care. But I need to deliver your babies first. I'll have Shizune prepare the antidote. Come on; let's get them in our world."

Ino nodded and sighed. She knew Choji would want their children to be born as soon as they could. Just as they reached the delivery room, Neji rushed into the room with a grave look on his face.

"Sakura! Our Shinobi are dropping like flies. We need you out here. And Naruto is out there fighting. Hinata is worried sick about him, and Sasuke is with him. And to make it all worse, all hell has broken loose. It's like Orochimaru's invasion all over again. Enemy Shinobi are inside the village. Naruto is showing his leadership abilities. He ordered Hinata and Tenten to hole themselves up in the Hyuga Manor, with Iris, Hanzou and Sayuri. So many of us have fallen, yet as long as Naruto fights, I will too. Please Sakura, tend to our wounded."

Neji said as he bowed slightly and retreated from the room. Ino looked at Sakura and shook her head.

"It's alright Sakura. I'm a medical ninja too. I can deliver them on my own. Go tend to them."

Sakura hesitated for a brief moment and darted out of the room. Ino cried for a moment and she proceeded to push after changing. She delivered her twins in a matter of hours, and soon the cries of the newborns joined the moans of the fallen and wounded. Ino calmly wrapped her babies in blankets and laid them to rest. After she had seen them to sleep, she laid them on a bed and rushed to the main hall to assist Sakura with her healing duties. What Ino saw caused her heart to break. So many of their friends were here and hurt. Shino was suffering from a kunai to his leg. Kiba was unconscious from blood loss. Choji was near death. So many had been hurt, but how many more would die? It was not until Ino grabbed Sakura by the hand that she broke down completely.

"I can't do this anymore. I'm utterly sick of the medic ninja role. And even our friends are out there fighting, while I'm here doing nothing. Sakura, I have to help them. I know you can do this on your own. I'm going to get Hinata and Tenten, and we'll help out."

Sakura nodded and sighed.

"Come back alive. I heard from Shizune just before you came here. Choji will be alright. He just needs rest."

Ino smiled at her friend, turned on her heel and ran for the door. Just as she opened the door, she slammed headfirst in Temari of the Sand.

"Temari! I'm going to help them fight. Come on!"

Temari grinned her cocky trademark smile and nodded.

"Now you're talking Ino."

They both laughed and ran for the center of the village. They stopped short as Hinata and Tenten entered the plaza.

"Looks like we were all thinking the same thing. Come on, they need our help."

Said Tenten, with her favorite katana in her hand. Hinata was dressed not in her Hyuga robes, but in the jacket and shorts she always wore before. Her long raven hair hung over her shoulders, and she smiled.

"Don't worry, the babies are all safe. I left them with Hanabi."

And with those words the four of them nodded and ran for the scene of the battle. As they reached the Ninja Academy, Hinata stopped suddenly and whispered to herself with her eyes closed.

"Byakugan!"

She opened her eyes, and activated her family's Kekkai Genkai. She was looking for Naruto, just to make sure he was ok. She smiled as she found him. She turned and ran to the east, and she stopped short of the battle to watch her husband fight. She observed them very carefully, crouched behind a shrub. Naruto was in his usual orange and black clothes, and he was currently engaging four Shinobi at once. Sasuke was somewhere off to his left, in full Curse Seal Level Two. A Chidori was charged in his hand and he smiled as he brutally plunged his supercharged hand into the heart of the nearest foe. Neji was surrounded on all sides. Shikamaru was using his Shadow Neck Bind from a distance to efficiently kill his foes. Iruka was also in this battle, fighting with just a Kunai. The most noticeable fighter was the calm and collected Gaara. He was crushing foes with his Sand Coffin, leaving only broken bodies and blood. Temari clenched her teeth as she watched her youngest brother fighting. Hinata stood and ran to Naruto's side. Naruto looked to his side for a brief moment as he plunged a Rasengan deep into an enemy's gut.

"Why are you here? You should be with Sayuri!"

Hinata shook her head and smiled.

"We're both Konoha Shinobi, Naruto. Mother or not, I will fight as the wife of the Hokage."

Naruto clenched his teeth and nodded in dissatisfaction.

"Just be careful."

Hinata nodded and smiled, but it quickly faded as a chilling voice rang out in the air.

"We meet again… Naruto-kun. Or should I say Hokage-sama?"

The crowds of Otogakure Shinobi parted ways.

"So the leader finally steps onto the field, eh Kabuto?"

Sasuke said with a snarl. Kabuto laughed a bitter and hollow laugh.

"Oh Sasuke-kun, I didn't expect to find you here. This will be even more interesting than I thought."

Naruto stepped between them both and looked Kabuto directly in his eyes.

"What is the purpose of starting a Third Great Shinobi War? Why do so many people need to die for your sick and twisted games?"

Kabuto laughed loudly and smiled with a wintry glare.

"I don't even know myself. I'm just acting according to contract. Since your good friend here killed Orochimaru, Otogakure has become a mercenary nation. We were hired by some unknown man. He didn't give a name or anything, just gave us our Ryo and our mission: Capture the Hokage's daughter."

Hinata stepped forward and glared at him with Byakugan fury.

"What do you want with my daughter? Why do you want my Sayuri?!"

Naruto put his arm around her and whispered.

"Where is she?"

Hinata smiled at him.

"With Hanabi."

Naruto smiled and nodded.

"Neji, go with her and see to the children's safety."

Neji nodded and ran to his cousin's side. They quickly ran for the Hyuga Manor, and Naruto stood his ground. Kabuto sneered and motioned for them to follow. As soon as they took a step, their legs were crushed by Gaara's sand.

"You're not going anywhere. We're going to fight to save that precious child. And you'll have to go through us all to reach her."

Kabuto shrugged and smiled.

"Very well. Juugo!"

The one they had left behind in the base, Juugo, stepped forward and he looked very different than he had that day nearly a year ago. He was no longer a silent man, but a very fierce and brutal monster.

"I will kill you all."

Naruto looked at him and he knew this would not be an easy fight. Sasuke had defeated him once before, but it was only because of the Sharingan. Just as they were about to begin, a voice rang out.

"He's mine! Don't touch him."

Ino looked up and turned around to see Choji standing before them, fully healed and looking very different. He seemed to have wings made of Chakra, and they took the form of butterflies.

"I owe him for the last time."

And so Choji and Juugo were about to face each other down, and Choji seemed to have a secret.

To be continued…