TimeShifter: Just so everybody's on the same page, Hinata was still in the Hyuuga estates. With that out of the way...Kakashi's children wouldn't have the Sharingan, anyway...unless he gave his eye to one of them... Anyway, moving on. The invasion is similar, but I can assure differences. I hate to follow exactly when I write it out, anyway. Interesting ideas for Danzo, and I'll admit I already have plans for him. I do hope you enjoy this chapter; though, it's admittedly not as intense.

samueltm2: Thanks as always, let's see if the energy can continue.

serin2: I'd say something about not stealing, but I find myself not really minding... Ha, anyway, Shinra Tensei seems to be the 'do anything' technique. It was used at a small level to repel anything or a large scale to blow up most of Konoha. I double checked before I wrote the chapter just to make sure as I wasn't a hundred percent certain myself.

Chapter 21:
Cacophony

Karin came to an abrupt stop and nearly fell from the branch she barely landed on. Shortly thereafter, the rest of Hawk stopped to turn and look at her. Their glares were inquisitive, but nobody spoke. Her eyes were wide from shock, so they knew she was in a trance-like state from a powerful expulsion of chakra. They had to wait for her to recover to ascertain its source and direction.

Eventually, she recovered enough to look up from the ground. Her gaze fell in line with Hawk's trajectory. She stared straight ahead, to a distance her eyes could not traverse. The rest of her teammates followed her line of sight to see where she was staring off to. Finally, Sasuke spoke up. "Karin, what did you feel?"

"I-..." Karin stammered for an answer. Her body convulsed as she shored up her resolve. "I don't know..." She trailed off as her thoughts raged. "It was huge, whatever it was. I don't know if it came from Konoha or just somewhere up ahead, but it's definitely in the direction we're traveling." She looked expectantly at their leader.

He barely nodded his acknowledgement. "We're staying on course. If we run across whatever Karin sensed, we'll determine then if it's a threat we need to deal with or not. Anything of note about the chakra?" It was more an order than a question, but he understood the importance of a calm, reassuring tone than the snake sannin who trained him.

She nodded as she carefully considered what she sensed. Whatever it was, it wasn't there anymore. At least it was too weak for her to sense. She sorted through what she felt and pushed past the shock that clouded her judgment. Though she sensed the impatience of her annoying teammate, Sasuke and Juugo's calm kept her in the right state of mind. When she was confident she could relate what she felt, she started.

"I've never felt anything quite like it. It was an immense jutsu, so I couldn't get a clear reading. It was definitely some sort of time/space jutsu, only on a scale I've never even dreamed of." She paused to think about it. "Well, no, I can't say that...with Konoha's Fourth that is." She shook her head of meandering thoughts.

"I can't accurately gauge it, and it seems to be too far away for you guys to sense... However..." She looked at her leader in careful consideration. "I'm sure it was a raw jutsu, seal-less or genetic. Your eyes can't copy it. If whoever used the jutsu turns out to be an enemy, we have to fight without holding back."

Sasuke's brow ticked once. He hated running across powerful techniques his Sharingan couldn't copy. Try as he might, even the Rasengan was beyond his ability to copy. He'd seen it countless times, but it was a raw technique requiring no seals. He thought it would have been easy to copy because of the rawness, and he understood how it formed. In practice however, he failed to produce it.

He knew he was missing something and could learn it himself, but he had already realized that he'd have to learn the steps the same way as his former teammate. The news that a powerful technique was beyond his grasp was never something he wanted to hear. With a nod, he was forced to accept it. He turned and, wordlessly, continued. Hawk followed without hesitation.

Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon frantically rushed through the apartment complex. They had to make sure all the residents were evacuated. Most were shinobi, but some, like Kurenai or Rikka, were inactive or students. They passed on orders to active shinobi, and tasks were quickly joined.

The genin squad led all remaining residents to the Hokage tower. Kurenai cursed slowing the group down, but her body refused too strenuous an activity. Nobody accused her of delay, and everybody was supportive. In fact as it often is, it was the pregnant that set the pace rather than the elderly or infirmed. In Konoha, the more precious were the unborn who inherited the future.

As they moved towards the monument and safety, the group grew. To ensure protection, several chunin, a squadron of ANBU, and a single jonin joined their ranks. It was a concerted effort to bring those who couldn't fight to refuge. Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon were eternally grateful for the aid. They were confident in their abilities, but umbrella missions were always the most dangerous to life and limb.

Fortunately, they weren't waylaid by any of the Pein bodies moving through the city. Any such encounter would have ensured high casualties. Unfortunately, one of the many summon creatures happened upon them. An ANBU and two chunin took responsibility for the great beast. Nobody noticed a small body slip out in the confusion as the group hurried along.

Without further incident, the group, several times larger by the point, arrived at the Hokage monument. Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon were congratulated on a job well done even as a headcount was taken as the denizens of Konoha entered the carefully constructed sanctuary.

It was the panicked pleas of Kurenai that broke up the monotony of routine. A single head was missing from the count, an academy student named Yuuhi Rikka. The jonin was trying to reassure her, but she was insistent about talking to ANBU about her charge. The genin assigned to the residential evacuation gathered in a small circle to discuss their options.

"I heard about Yuuhi-san from boss." Konohamaru started. "He said she's Hinata, dog-breath, and bug-boy's jonin sensei." He was proud to rattle off Naruto's names for his friends; though, he couldn't figure for the life of him why only Hinata had no nickname. He did remember him saying she was a 'shy, dark, weird girl' before, but he said she was one of his 'precious people' all the same.

Moegi nodded. "Didn't he also say she was a crazy scary genjutsu lady?" She, as Udon, knew the members of Team Kurenai - Hinata, Kiba, and Shino. As her teammates, she could also rattle off Naruto's nicknames for all his 'precious people' without thinking that hard. Hinata was the only one he never really could come up with a nickname for.

Udon nodded in agreement. "Yuuhi Kurenai is the widow of Sarutobi Asuma, but she's pregnant with her first child." He noticed his friends concentrating on the very unusual puzzle. "Who's this Yuuhi Rikka? I've never head anything about anybody under her care... What about you, Konohamaru?"

The boy in question shook his head. "No, I haven't heard anything." He snapped his fingers in a sudden look of excitement. "Oh, I know! Our job is to escort non-ninja residents here, so why don't we volunteer to look for Rikka-san?"

Moegi's blush broadened as she excitedly exclaimed her agreement. "That's a great idea, Konohamaru-kun!" She was eager to get more experience in the field, and she really wanted to see some more fights. Some of the chunin and jonin were incredible fighters, and she could learn a lot just watching them.

Udon couldn't hide the twinkle in his eyes as he wiped some snot from his nose. "All right, we can ask Yuuhi-san for a description and head out. It won't be good to burden our superiors with our assigned task." He also knew, as his teammates, that such a negative blotch on their records just wouldn't do.

As they genin squad approached the temperamental, pregnant kunoichi and backed-into-a-corner jonin, the scene quieted. The jonin, thankful and happy for the interruption, turned his attention to the three children. "Excellent job, genin. I'll be sure to report this to your jonin sensei. What's his name?"

Konohamaru tilted his head to one side. They hadn't really done anything but gather the residents. They hadn't even fought off that nasty looking summon. "Ebisu-sensei is our squad commander, sir." His tone was careful and polite.

"Oh?" The jonin thought for a moment. "I guess that makes you Konohamaru-kun..." He turned his attention to the other two. "...Moegi-kun, and Udon-kun." Deciding he was safe to escape, he turned to Kurenai. "I must return to duty. I'll inform Hokage-sama of your concerns." He was gone before she could protest.

With a growl, the genjutsu mistress tried to track his chakra, but he was long gone. She turned to the genin, somewhat disgruntled that they interrupted her. She managed a smile for them anyway. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I suppose you should be returning to your duties as well..." She bit her thumb, seriously contemplating leaving the safety of the Hokage monument to seek out an ANBU operative.

Konohamaru smiled widely. "Yuuhi-san, our duty is to escort all non-shinobi to safety in the Hokage monument. Our duty includes ensuring the safety of inactive shinobi and shinobi academy students." He brightened in hopes that the wily genjutsu artist caught his meaning.

Kurenai was at least as intelligent as he had hoped. She carefully considered his proposition. She could not assign him a special mission in a state of emergency, so he had to know his team wouldn't be paid any extra for finding her charge. Still, he was her late husband's dear nephew. She made her decision quickly when she saw a pair of civilian medics rushing towards her.

"You can call me Kurenai. My Rikka-chan..." She maintained cover by describing what the girl looked like and explaining that she was a distant relative. She noted how the genin took mental notes and kept their attention focused on her the entire time. As children their age, they interrupted with questions they thought were important. Their innocence and youth forced a smile she was fighting to cross her lips.

As they scurried away to fulfill their latest mission, Kurenai allowed the medics to lead her away. She was close enough to her expectancy date that they wanted to keep her under observation. She also noted that all pregnant women were under the same scrutiny. Too much stress was bad for the body, but it was worse for the unborn and underdeveloped.

She accepted their ministrations for what they were. They were concerned over the most important lives to the village. It wasn't just duty, though. They were truly concerned; they were desperate to protect. Without the right facilities, premature births were nearly certain to be fatal.

Looking through the crowd, Kurenai noticed something disturbing. There were no Hyuuga. Among the mighty clan, she knew there were civilians and inactive shinobi. She had expected to see a few of them there. She also understood from Hinata that there were several expectant mothers. She narrowed her eyes as a thought occurred to her. "The explosion was over the Hyuuga estates?"

Madara glared blankly at the silhouette of his servant. The technique was similar to the one used when Akatsuki members communicated over long distances. Unlike Gentoushin, it was absolutely secure and chakra could not be transmitted. Before his Tobi persona was a member of the central figures of Akatsuki, he would 'intercept' and listen in on business transmitted through the link.

Of course, he also knew when and where to look for the link. Gentoushin's main weakness was that it could be intercepted, but it was necessary to share chakra for Genryuu Kyuu Fuujin. He smirked under his mask. Yes, Gentoushin could be intercepted, but one still had to know when and where to look.

As he monitored the connection, Madara noted his servant's growing unease. He knew impatience couldn't possibly be the problem. Finally, the immortal Uchiha addressed the silhouette. "I trust you've accomplished all tasks set before you?" He wanted to ensure the remainders of Yumiko's children were dead in addition to a swift end to the negotiations between Konoha and Kumo.

The silhouette shifted uncomfortably. "Security heightened around Yumiko's children after the first attempt. One has been adopted by the Konoha's mistress of genjutsu, Yuuhi Kurenai. The other is imprisoned in ANBU headquarters. With the increase in ANBU patrols within their vicinities, that task remained incomplete."

Madara sighed. "The lengthy explanation wasn't necessary." He already felt a headache coming on. "Oh well, not all servants are as worthwhile." He paused to form an ice-cold glare. "At least tell me the other task has been completed!" His voice was stern and request was easily seen for the order it was.

The silhouette nodded. "The Hitohana of the Juunihana no Kumo perished. I ensured his eyes saw a servant of the leaf." The servant obviously understood the 'memory seed' that the Raikage would see after his current Hitohana's death.

Madara's visible eye danced in delight. "You eliminated Hitohana. That clears another condition." He nodded. The biggest obstacles weren't the villages themselves. The elite warriors were the real hurdles. Each Kage was certainly a threat, but the elites that surround them were trouble.

He recounted each. Fire's elite warriors were mostly dealt with. Only the slug sannin remained, and she held the dual responsibility of Hokage. Most of Water's elite warriors were dead, missing, or rogue. Wind relied on its jinchuuriki, but the Kazekage was trying to revive the ancient traditions of a particular group of warriors. Earth only lost a couple of its elite in its failure to defend its jinchuuriki. Lightning was dealt a fierce blow with the loss of its most powerful elite warrior…even if he had a replacement candidate.

"Madara-sama, your servant requests some information." The man hidden by a silhouette waited a moment as the cold eye sent him a fierce glower. When the orange swirled mask finally bobbed with his head in response, the servant continued. "I hope your minion is called off before I have no village to rule over. I will be freed from my condition once this is over?"

Madara forced back a maniacal laugh. He didn't want to give the wrong impression. "Oh, I'll fulfill my end of the bargain as long as you fulfill yours." He paused as he put a finger to the chin of his mask and looked thoughtfully to the sky. "However, I need a replacement if I lose you. Tell me, have you made appropriate arrangements?"

The silhouette nodded. "I have. I applied the 'war hawk' to my most prized pupil. My position has been most helpful. Even now, I can avoid pesky eavesdroppers." He sounded pleased with himself.

Madara narrowed his visible eye dangerously. "You say your 'prized pupil'?" The silhouette nodded. "Where is the fourth war hawk, then?" He didn't like the idea of not knowing who exactly his tools were, and he appreciated less not knowing where they were.

"He's outside the village." The servant answered swiftly. Then more calmly, he continued. "Tsunade feels Oto is a priority and foolishly chases any information she gathers on her former teammate's whereabouts. Well, since he's dead, I suppose she foolishly chases what remains of him."

Madara was about to say something, but the response caught in his throat. He looked, wide-eyed, at what he was certain was his victory over the Hyuuga. His expression turned to one of curiosity as he tried to figure out the strange occurrence. The dust was finally settling or being blown away, but it was settling oddly.

He shook it off and returned to his servant. "Does anybody suspect your ambitions or goals? I'm sure wishing to be Hokage would have many see you as a possible mutineer." He wasn't really concerned, but he'd learn a lot from the response.

The silhouette actually chuckled. "Oh, they've known my displeasure at never being nominated to rule as Hokage for a long time. They think me inept now, and that suits me just fine. The fools don't think I can pull off a coup."

Under his mask, Madara's lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "Ah, a coup de tat certainly brings back memories." With a bit of inspiration, he delivered a cryptic message. "Don't forget, sometimes interference comes from the most unexpected of places." With that, he ended the communication technique.

He returned his gaze to Konoha. He wasn't concerned for the Hyuuga estates. Nothing could survive Shinra Tensei at its most massive. Tendou wouldn't be able to use his technique for five minutes, give or take, but the Pein Rikudou weren't interested in pure destruction at the moment.

His Sharingan responded as he watched the six bodies move through the village. They were gathering information. Any death and destruction caused on their course was by coincidence and skirmish. Chikushoudou continiously summoned creatures to keep the shinobi on their toes and in tumultuous disarray.

It was a wonderful sight to behold.

Gai practically plowed through Tsunade's door and was quickly followed by Lee, Neji, and Tenten in order. ANBU still present to protect her stared at them incredulously, but they ignored the glowers they were receiving in order to ascertain the situation. "Hokage-sama, pardon our un-youthful interruption!" Gai started. "We saw the massive explosion and are ready to receive orders."

Tsunade sighed. She had expected as much, really. Gai was impetuous and was liable run off and do his own thing. Still, he was useful…in his own way. "I need you and your team out in the field. Akatsuki is attempting an invasion, and we won't let them through!"

Gai saluted and overzealously yelled. "Yosh!" He pumped a fist in the air as fire danced in his eyes. "We will show our youthful exuberance on the field of battle and expel the would be invaders!" He started rushing out the door but jogged in place as Neji and Tenten blocked the door. "What do you want my youthful students?"

Neji narrowed his eyes and gazed right at Tsunade. "Pardon my rudeness Hokage-sama, but what news do you have on my home?" He was desperate for information, any information. His Byakugan still couldn't see through the dust and chakra left over from the attack. It was…unsettling.

Tsunade sighed and was about to answer before a lazy drawl spoke. "It's bad, real troublesome." Everybody looked to Shikamaru as he entered the room rubbing the back of his head. "I left Chouji and Ino to clean up what mess they could. There are a lot of casualties, but most of it seems caused by debris blown up by the attack."

Neji looked down fighting apparent rage. He seethed with it. His eyes and fists clenched, he made a request through gritted teeth. "Team Gai formally asks permission to investigate the disaster area."

"Denied." Tsunade coolly answered.

"Why…?!" Neji and Tenten cried out.

Tsunade held up her hand as Neji was about to continue. "You're hardly in any condition to help out at ground zero. Instead, I need you patrolling the streets. If you encounter any enemies, kill them. If you see an opening, permission to capture is granted." She looked Neji in the eye, nerves steeled. "If our information is right, the attacker is Pein and his bodies. Knocking off or capturing the leader of Akatsuki is too big an opportunity to waste."

She watched them for several apprehensive moments. Gai knew her orders were absolute and didn't bother aiding either side of the debate. Lee was torn between defending his friend's position and acknowledging Tsuande's own. Tenten nervously awaited Neji's response.

After a moment, he regained his composure. "Of course Hokage-sama, rage is best used on the battlefield. In my current state, I would be of little use rescuing survivors. I apologize for my behavior." He swiftly bowed before turning and leaving. If he couldn't help his family, he was just going to avenge them that much quicker.

Tenten followed swiftly after; though, she gave a polite farewell bow to their esteemed leader. Lee nearly jumped as his excitement and anxiety bubbled over. He barely got a farewell out before rushing after his teammates.

Gai approached Tsunade. "Neji's eyes would be a great asset in the rescue effort. Are you sure about this?" He gave Shikamaru a passing glance. He could guess why the tactical genius was standing nearby.

Tsunade shook her head. "I'm not sure of anything at the moment." She bit her thumb nervously. "Nothing like this has ever happened before. Usually the enemy attacks from one of the gates, and nobody has ever summoned themselves into the village." She looked Gai squarely in the eyes. "He knew about our observational barrier, and he immediately disrupted our ability to read his movements."

Gai nodded his understanding before suddenly turning his attention to the window beside the esteemed leader. "Oh, my eternal rival has shown up at just the right moment! You burn with coolness and hipness!"

Kakashi wasn't in the mood for Gai's antics, so he ignored him and addressed Tsunade. Almost like standard operating procedure in a serious situation, his little book was nowhere to be found. "Sakura asked me to tell you all medics, shinobi and non alike, have finished preparations. The civilian medics are already at the Hokage monument."

Gai gritted his teeth as fire filled his eyes. "That is so like Kakashi, my eternal rival! He is so suave and cool that he ignores me and continues as if I'm not even here. Well played my eternal rival, well played." Ending his internal monologue, he saluted their leader. "I must be off to assist my youthful students!" He kicked up a cloud of dust as he ran down the corridors to join his squad.

Kakashi sighed. "Anyway, everything's running smoothly at the hospital and Hokage monument." He looked to the emergency scroll Fukusaku left behind. "Are you going to call Naruto to join us?" He was eager to see how his sensei's son had progressed, but he was afraid of interrupting the very valuable training.

Tsunade contorted her face into a look of extreme thought. It was a difficult subject to broach. They sent Naruto away not only to train but keep him out of Akatsuki hands. If he was stronger, he most certainly could help repel the invasion. If he had perfected senjutsu, he was a super weapon even without Kyuubi no Kitsune.

She sighed and shook her head. "I'm not going to order Naruto to be recalled. I'll send a messenger, yes, but to determine his readiness, nothing more." The last part was added before the Copy Nin could get a word in edgewise. She knew he cared for the hyperactive knucklehead, and she deeply appreciated that fact.

His visible eye upturned as he smiled. He understood her reasoning and wasn't going to argue. He was also concerned about interrupting his very valuable training. He was one of the few to see senjutsu, and he knew Naruto would benefit from it. He turned and prepared to join the fray below in the streets.

"Kakashi…" He turned to face Tsunade. "Naruto's lost too much already." Her eyes pleaded with him, and he understood her meaning. He nodded, saying nothing, and disappeared in a burst of smoke and leaves. She turned weary eyes to her unofficial tactical officer. "Shikamaru, I need a game plan."

He rolled his eyes. "Troublesome." His peace said; he sat nearby and concentrated. As he brought his hands together into a circle, he thought on everything he had seen and heard throughout the day. The enemy was strong, and he was confident beyond belief. However, his attack had shattered one of the village's cornerstones of resolve. Without the Uchiha, the Hyuuga were the backbone of the village.

It was daring, but it was cunning. The morale of the village took a sharp downward dive. Rumors were already rampant, and such things were deadly in a crisis. The shinobi did their best to trudge through the mess, but even they would grow weary from the incessant pessimism from the non-shinobi populace.

Pein's blow wasn't just physical; it was psychological. It was the metaphysical blow that probably hurt the worst. As Pein attacks, Konoha has to divide forces to three fronts. They need to evacuate non-shinobi. They need to perform a search and rescue. They have to repel invaders.

It was all so troublesome.

Chouji and Ino moved as quickly as they could through the rubble. Through their efforts, most of the debris between where they started and the Hyuuga estates was cleared away. The non-shinobi were immediately evacuated thanks to nearby genin squadrons. Those shinobi not too injured were conscripted to the search and rescue.

The Inuzuka and Aburame clans volunteered a couple of teams to help search the rubble for survivors. The search and rescue was greatly aided by their assistance, and a new pace was set. Chouji helped further by using his family techniques to enhance his size and strength.

They were surprised to find as few casualties as they had. Almost all injuries were caused by debris thrown up by the initial technique. Shikamaru had noted as much when they first started, but he had to hurry off to the Hokage's summons. They had secretly expected the situation to change as they moved deeper.

Instead, all deaths were caused by rubble crushing them to death or asphyxiation. They still had no clues to determine the technique used, and they were close to the Hyuuga estates. The area was still heavily shrouded in dust, and the chakra in the air made it hard to sense anything, creating another benefit to the tracking-specialized clans.

The Inuzuka had better olfactory and auditory sensory awareness than even the best shinobi. The shifting and sifting of rubble didn't damage their ability to distinguish sounds, and the dust didn't cloud their ability to sniff out any body...living or dead. The dogs they employed as partners were no slouches, either.

The Aburame were calm and calculating. It was difficult to raise swarms of insects because they responded easily to the emotions of their host. Through their logic, they hatched efficient plans to excavate survivors. Through their insects, they found and tagged what dogs and shinobi missed. They had a certain synergy.

As they neared the Hyuuga estates however, the dogs and insects, oddly, became less effective. The dogs moaned and whined, more eager to engage the perimeter than continue forward. The insects chattered and jittered more nervously as they approached the threshold.

They couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like the dust cloud hung in a hemisphere over and around the massive complex. Feeling a tremor of nervousness, the group unanimously decided to continue around the perimeter. Their numbers were large enough that doing such was easy enough to accomplish.

In surrounding the perimeter, they linked up with other teams who had come to help and come to the same conclusion. There was definitely something odd handing in the air, and nobody seemed to fully understand what it was. They only knew something settled into the pit of their stomachs and made them churn and ache.

Eventually, they had to approach the Hyuuga estate. It was the obvious epicenter of rubble and debris. Buildings fell outward from the force of the attack, centered above the powerful clan's homes. Expecting the worse with no real hope, they approached the once proud walls that protected her perimeter.

Chouji and Ino approached the main gate followed by a single clan member from each the Inuzuka and Aburame. The Inuzuka's canine partner yowled a final warning, and the Aburame's insects buzzed anxiously. It was disconcerting for all those involved.

Then they saw something nobody was expecting. The dust swirled and distorted at the portal. They weren't close enough for the strange dust cloud to react to their presence. It was fading away to something else. The wind picked up and finally started carrying off the last remnants of the ominous cloud.

They saw figures take shape and heard bouts of couching. The figures looked vaguely human. One was broader just below the shoulders, and one walked on all fours. Did one have two heads? The four waiting outside the Hyuuga main gate took a step back and prepared for a possible confrontation. Could the enemy have used the attack to mask a second raiding party?

In surprise, Chouji and Ino were finally able to recognize the approaching figures. They rushed forward to immediately start checking them over for injuries. The Inuzuka and Aburame also moved in. They were interested in the safety of the survivors as well. Shortly behind them, more and more figures started emerging from behind the high walls which protected the Hyuuga from the prying eyes of the village.

Hinata was at the lead. She was carrying an unconscious, red-haired girl piggyback style. Her fragile arms hung limply over the Hyuuga heiress' shoulders. They were covered in soot but appeared otherwise fine.

Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru emerged not carrying anybody. They were, however, ready for an attack. When they saw the rescue party, Kiba smirked, and Shino pushed his glasses up. Akamaru yipped happily.

ANBU Hawk carried an unconscious daimyo priestess, ironically enough, in princess style, also known as bridal style. She looked around and immediately understood the situation. The shinobi in the area were conducting a search and rescue without any non-shinobi personnel.

Hawk gently laid Shion down. "Hinata-sama, I must report to Hokage-sama for further orders. The area has been secured. Please ensure a nearby genin squadron escorts all non-shinobi to assigned shelters. In this state of emergency, you may remove yourself from the inactive list and join or allow genin to escort you to safety."

Inwardly, she hoped the heiress would choose the latter as she disappeared into wind and leaves. She was on her way to see Tsunade, and she couldn't stick around. The rest understood. The ANBU were the personal bodyguard to the Kage they served. They were the Hokage's army to move as she saw fit.

Ino turned a disbelieving, if happy, glare to Hinata. "How did you survive that?!" She wasn't mad. In fact, she was happy, overjoyed even. She fought back tears as she resisted the urge to run up to the girl and embrace her. She didn't want Momiji to be dropped, after all.

Hinata released a heavy sigh. "Not right now. We have to find a genin squad and get whatever civilians are in the area evacuated, first." She gently set Momiji near Shion's form. Activating her Byakugan, she looked around for her target. Her vision was fuzzy through the heavy haze of chakra.

Ino gave in, but she was certain to get an answer once their main objective was complete. They decided to split up to search. Hinata, Shino, and Kiba and Akamaru stayed behind to defend Shion and Momiji. Most of the Hyuuga shinobi were ordered to join the defense of the village. The Hyuuga that remained surrounded their heiress defensively.

Chouji and Ino shortly returned with a squad of genin each in tow. Once enough squads were gathered, the Hyuuga non-shinobi were escorted to the Hokage monument. Hinata gathered up Momiji again while Shino and Kiba placed Shion on Akamaru's back. They were personally escorting the visiting dignitaries to safety.

Ino insisted on hearing how they survived, and Hinata obliged. On the way to the Hokage monument, the shy heiress explained the bewilderment she and her teammates still felt. It wasn't something Chouji or Ino could easily grasp either, but it was certainly worth a headache to know how their friends survived.

They were laughing and joking. Their spirits were high, and they had a small, red-haired girl and her new friend, a canine, to keep them entertained. They were certain they could break her from her shell. She was surrounded by friends, and Naruto's group was guaranteed to just love her.

Of course, it went without saying that arguments happened. Kiba and Shino were key examples. They were the best of friends, but they didn't agree on every point. They often argued semantics friendly insults. Perhaps it was wrong, but Hinata and Shion were instigating. At least they had a few laughs along the way.

Momiji was talking to Akamaru as they played a childish game. The large, white dog played along to appease the entertaining girl. His large tongue hung to one side as he panted to relieve his body of excess heat even as he lifted one paw to gently pat a hand the girl held out. He yipped excitedly as she giggled and continued their game.

Her conversation was hard to follow. As most children her age, she spoke quickly and sloppily. If she messed up or tripped over a word, she would continue without catching her mistake. The large dog seemed to follow along just fine, but it was difficult to tell if he was being honest or simply kind. Supposedly he was capable of using human speech, not just understanding it.

It was in the middle of a 'move' in their game that Momiji suddenly stopped. Akamaru, confused, tilted his head to one side and whined. Then, he followed her gaze skyward. In alarm, he stood and started barking and growling. There was an unnatural accumulation of chakra pushing and swirling the clouds.

As his human master looked up, he yipped and yowled what he was starting to sense. Kiba's eyes went wide as a physical distortion manifested. The midmorning sun was replaced as the brightest star in the sky, but it wasn't a star illuminating the skies above the Hyuuga estates.

Hinata and Shion stood slowly and purposely. Shino was already on his feet. His insects writhed around him in a visible cloud as they clicked and buzzed their irritation. Kiba managed to stammer to his feet. They could feel the chakra pushing against them, oppressing them. The reason was obvious.

They were in the middle of the targeted area!

The Hyuuga estates were being targeted by an enemy attack, and the open courtyard they occupied was near the center. In a moment of panicked dread, the teens shared a common thought. "We should have gone to the park today..." It was a selfish thought quickly dismissed.

They couldn't waste any time. They had to find as many people as they could and evacuate them. Shino and Kiba knew the Hyuuga. They would insist that the heiress be evacuated. They looked to each other and nodded. It was the only plan they had, and they had to act fast.

"Hinata, take Shion and Momiji and get out of here!" Kiba frantically called as he rushed towards his partner.

She was about to protest when Shino interrupted. "You must leave first. Why? The Hyuuga will refuse to leave if you are in danger."

She was about to protest again when Shion rested a friendly hand on her shoulder. Kiba was already escorting the scared child to them. "Your friends are right. I hate to admit it, but my personal guards are the same way. Mizukura and his men would never abandon the palace until they knew I was safely evacuated."

Hinata hated to admit it, but Shion was right. She was responsible for her clan while her father was representing Konoha to her interests abroad. She had to ensure the power structure remained intact, so she shored up her resolve and watched Shion scoop Momiji up protectively.

They hardly took one step before it happened. The swell of power just...stopped. The oppressive aura increased several fold, and a feeling of dread settled into their marrow. The power imploded, and, in a single majestic sweep, expelled all the accumulated power.

The shinobi looked up in horror. The non-shinobi passed out as the pressure all but stopped even involuntary muscle movement. Momiji let out a single cry as Shion dropped, unable to stand up to the immensity of the chakra. In a single moment, time seemed to stand still.

Hinata, Shino, and Kiba and Akamaru looked at Momiji. They shared a common thought. "How is she still conscious?" The involuntary seizing is a defensive mechanism. A non-shinobi isn't trained in handling chakra, so non-threats are always passed out in areas where large amount of chakra are being used. The oppressive aura was a mixture of killing intent and chakra, and greater amounts affected larger areas.

The three had to admit that rarely was such an expenditure of chakra as huge as they were experiencing. Usually the defense mechanism was enough that extraordinarily powerful shinobi could distinguish threats from nonentities.

Momiji's cry, however, was nothing over the howl of the foreign technique. The teens and canine looked up as the attack approached in slow motion. Their ninja training kicked in, but their minds knew they couldn't escape. It was approaching too fast, and their heightened state of awareness was all they could do to understand it.

In desperation, they covered Shion and Momiji, and they pooled their chakra. If they were going to die, the least they could do is try and ensure the safety of a visiting dignitary and her child. Hinata felt a final wish flow freely through her thoughts. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun. I hope Shion and Momo-chan can make you happy..."

Then, they felt it. The implosion and subsequent explosion and oppressive aura had masked it. They didn't know how to identify it. It was both foreign and nostalgic. They were reminded of a friend with sun-kissed blond hair. His azure eyes passed before their eyes, but they were surrounded by...visible chakra!

They looked to Momiji and realized she was crying. She was murmuring something too low to understand. Her sobs and convulsions made it impossible to read her lips. As the chakra from the outer fringe of the technique pressed against them, they realized the chakra from the red-haired girl was kicking up a storm at ground level.

Their heightened senses took in everything in slow motion. They felt the emotions the chakra was emitting as intimately as if they were their own. They saw flecks of red and blue, but it was mixing and blending to form purple... They were confused when they noted gold and silver.

Momiji's cries became shrill, and her chakra jolted skyward as piercing as her voice. They continued to cover the dignitary and her adopted child even as powerful chakra rushed outward and upward in a strange display from an innocent child. The felt deeply the fear of loss. They breathed in deeply the desire to protect. The negative of fear was overpowered by the desire to protect.

Time returned to normal as they watched the interaction in the sky. The swirl of chakra from Momiji seemed to solidify and encase the Hyuuga estates. The wash of chakra from the foreign technique draped over it like a prism of power. The multifaceted colors shook them to their core.

Who was capable of the show of power they just witnessed? As they turned back to Momiji, even Shino couldn't stop a gasp of shock. His was just shorter as he regained his composure.

She was covered in a cloak of chakra. It couldn't decide what color it was. It shifted between red and blue. Sometimes it mixed and blended showing a deep violet. They could have sworn to anybody they saw flashes of gold or silver. It wasn't the color of the cloak that was most surprising. It wasn't even the shape.

The horn-like protrusions of hair they thought were just cowlicks extended and blackened. They perfectly matched the long, curved horns adorning the head of the chakra clock. Chakra hung down from her arms forming the sinuous muscles of powerful legs. The hump at her shoulders furthered the illusion.

The powerful muscles portrayed through the cloak made her look like a powerful bull brimming with chakra. His tails whipped out behind him.

Eight long, thin strands of chakra puffed out at the end exactly like the tails bulls have.

They knew and accepted that a creature was sealed within the young girl, but they never imagined it was one of the legendary bijuu. They were unaware of the bijuu from other countries, but they were aware of the existence of others. They knew there were nine in total, and they were extremely powerful. The bijuu were like pure existences of chakra.

It died down before Hinata could activate her Byakugan. The teens continued to stare dumbfounded even as Akamaru yipped and insects buzzed. The air was thick with dust that swept in from without the Hyuuga estates. It was inundated by chakra from the massive clash of techniques.

When they next looked at Momiji, she was sleeping peacefully. Her horn-like cowlicks were still dark and elongated, but they were receding and lightening to their normal appearance. It was obvious without any special senses that she was exhausted, but she was safer than a moment ago.

They breathed a sigh of relief as they noticed Hyuuga approaching. Among them, Hawk appeared and ran towards the heiress. The ANBU captain looked around to ensure everybody's safety. "Pardon my tardiness Hinata-sama. I was unfortunately distracted by unconscious bodies when I felt the oppressive chakra. I should have been here; I have no excuse."

Hinata shook her head. "No, you can't be everywhere." She carefully leaned down and draped Momiji over her shoulders. She looked like she was carrying her daughter or younger sister piggyback style while the younger was unconscious. "Could you carry Shion for me, Hawk? We have to evacuate."

Hawk felt her lips twitch as she repressed as smirk. The heiress was showing her leadership capabilities by taking control of the situation. Hawk didn't hesitate. She picked the daimyo priestess up easily. She was too heavy to carry piggyback while unconscious, so she opted for bridal or princess style. "Let's go, Hinata-sama."

Hinata nodded and activated her Byakugan. Her vision was blurry, but it was enough to see her way through the estates to the exit. "I'm sure Hokage-sama has initiated a state of emergency. We have to leave the premises now...before it comes under attack again." She didn't need to ask twice. Everybody moved to follow her and her teammates.

Madara stared out over the expanse between him and Konoha. His visible eye was wide, and rage boiled deep in his soul. The dust and chakra kicked up by Shinra Tensei had cleared enough for him to see the fate of the Hyuuga. He could clearly see the tallest of Hyuuga residence still standing proudly.

Pein Rikudou had failed to deliver a fatal blow to Konoha! His lips twitched in anger. He knew why Nagato attacked the Hyuuga estates. It wasn't out of vanity. He wanted Konoha to feel pain, and the most effective way to deliver his message was to tear out the cornerstones on which the village rests.

He turned his eye back to the bodies of Pein running through the streets. There were small skirmishes wherever they visited, and the dead and injured were piling up. Nagato never killed without reason. He wanted to cause the most pain possible. His main target was Naruto, but he wanted revenge against the leaf.

As his thoughts passed through his mind, Madara calmed greatly. One failed plan wasn't the end of the world. Jiraiya's death had made them step up their plans to find the Hachibi and Kyuubi. Sasuke failed to find the Hachibi, but that was only a small setback. With the Kyuubi in hand, they could step up operations to full scale.

He felt a smile spread across his lips. It was only a matter of time, and time was commodity he had plenty of. The Hyuuga would be dead and buried in time, just like the Uzumaki. The Senju were on their last legs, and there was only one Uchiha descendant of his traitorous brethren left.

Konoha would fall in due time. "Yes, time is something I have plenty of." He nodded. Pein could well finish the job before the dusk. With the capture of the bijuu, Madara could finally see himself as a god. Nobody would ever defy him again!

They were almost home clear. The Hokage monument was in plain sight and growing closer. Hinata's full range of sight was restored, and they were avoiding skirmishes as necessary. There was no point looking for trouble. Even Kiba agreed, and he was eager to kick some invaders out.

Shion and Momiji were still unconscious, but they weren't surprised. They had probably never felt anything quite that oppressive. They still were reeling over the red-haired girl's ability. She had constructed a solid barrier with her tenant's chakra. The bijuu hadn't even tried to take over her body.

The fact they acknowledge such docile behavior from a supposedly evil demon brought several questions to mind. Was it just self-preservation, or was the bijuu interested in fulfilling a desire to protect? The latter made more sense with the size of the barrier, but the former fit centuries old tales. It was a conundrum they didn't have time to wrap their heads around.

The street exploded in front of them, and they were forced to stop. They looked in the direction the attack came from and noticed a disturbing body. Hinata gasped at the sight. As the silent, grinning Shuradou jumped down to street level, everybody but Hinata assumed battle stances. She couldn't while holding Momiji, but she was still recovering from his appearance.

Shuradou was disturbing to normal vision, but he was absolutely appalling to Hinata's Byakugan. His body didn't seem alive. His coils looked sickly, like they'd collapsed long ago. His cells didn't seem to regenerate chakra, but she could see faint trails of chakra flowing in and out around his piercings. Worst of all, a sick, sludge-like aura surrounded him.

The sludge-like aura pushed back at the very life in his immediate vicinity. The very dirt seemed to tremble in fear under his feet. Flowers wilted or turned away. Weeds retreated. The sound of animals disappeared at the rise of battle, but she could see mice leaving their burrows just to escape his vile presence. It was...unnatural. She had no other word to describe his presence, his chakra, or his being.

He was vile. He was disgusting. She wished and hoped no other Hyuuga could see him as she did. She hoped the strange colors that had first appeared when Yakedo first took her consciousness were unique to her. Otherwise, any Hyuuga who saw a being like Shuradou would balk in terror.

His eyes rested on Hinata for a moment before firing a high-intensity blast at her. It was so sudden that nobody noticed his exact movements, but Hinata was a trained shinobi. She was out of the way before her mind processed the information. She couldn't fight back with a child on her back, but she wasn't without recourse if attacked.

She sighed in relief as her friends assaulted the brute. Kiba already looked bestial, and Akamaru already looked exactly like his partner. Shino was sending out waves of insects to intercept and drain the walking corpse. Ino backed away to let her allies fight and heal them when necessary. Chouji coordinated his powerful strikes with the waxing and waning of battle.

They were all experienced with fighting along side each other. Hinata wasn't about to be left out. She used her Byakugan to search for any weaknesses and shout out to anybody who might not be expecting to dodge.

The battle was far from easy. Shuradou's smile was creepy enough, but his body was altered in even creepier ways. He easily shot his forearms as missiles, and they reattached quickly even as he shrugged off attacks. His body was well toned, but he was sluggish compared to the agile teens.

As the fight continued, the shinobi realized something important. The man they were fighting seemed more like a distraction. He could take hits and keep on coming, but he didn't seem capable of much more. His attacks were powerful, but they were predictable and easy to dodge.

Hinata concentrated her vision, but she saw no other unnatural warriors nearby. Her gut twisted as she came to a decision. It would leave any plan of attack damaged, but it was the only course she had. "Chouji, Ino, you're with me! We need to get Shion and Momiji out of here!"

As I write my full-on assault, it looks like the canon is slowing down. I hope people see the differences. I'm writing the invasion because I see the reasons for Madara and Pein moving their plan into motion. Though my story is divergent from canon (big duh?), cause and effect are still active. I'm also hoping people recognize the Pein Rikudou names I'm using as I really would hate to try to describe them, and the romanized names aren't quite as interesting. I mean, Tendou and Diva Realm? Well anyway, enjoy!

As always, reviews are appreciated, and flames outright ignored.

Story Word Count: 8,026
Story Page Count: 17.5

Terms and Jutsu:

Gentoushin - Lit Apparition Technique: Akatsuki has used this to communicate over vast distances and includes chakra sharing.

Genryuu Kyuu Fuujin - Complete Nine Mystical Dragon Seal: Akatsuki uses this to seal bijuu.