Note: Every time I write a new chapter something in life comes up and distracts me… Anyway, thanks for the 1800 views (views broke 1000 after my last chapter). I've now been on fanfiction for a year and have only released 6 chapters now for this story. I don't get anything done around here do I?

Organization XIII

Xemnas – Alive
Xigbar – Alive
Xaldin – Alive
Vexen – Alive
Lexaeus – Alive
Zexion – Alive
Saix – Alive
Axel – Alive
Demyx – Alive
Luxord – Alive
Marluxia – Alive
Larxene – Dead (killed by Hidan)
Roxas – Alive

Akatsuki

Pain – Alive
Konan – Alive
Itachi – Alive
Kisame – Dead (killed by Demyx)
Deidara – Dead (killed by Roxas and Shikamaru)
Sasori – Alive
Hidan – Alive
Kakuzu – Alive
Tobi – Alive
Zetsu- Alive

Independent

Shikamaru – Alive
Temari – Alive
Riku – Alive

At the Organization's Castle

"I guess I'll get a chance to test out my new sword," Demyx remarked, as he traced patterns in the air with his sword.

Itachi acted quickly and sent a burst of flame down the hallway. He kept the flame going. The hallway would circulate the flame straight towards his opponent. A blast of water spurted through the flame. Suddenly, Demyx and Itachi were back-to-back.

"Hey there," Demyx said playfully.

Time seemed to slow down. Itachi spun around and diverted a strike from Samehada. He lashed out with a kick which was blocked, but Itachi then used his foot to plant himself there and bring his other leg up and managed a clean kick upside Demyx's head sending him into the hallway wall. Itachi back flipped and landed a ways away and sends out another burst of flame, but Samehada bursts out of its bandages and reveals its true form. Something about Demyx made Samehada like him a lot for some reason.

"Ugh, I'm feeling pretty drained." Demyx said lazily.

Itachi quickly observed his surroundings. The other Organization member was gone. That meant he needed to work quickly to finish his opponent off.

Elsewhere in the Organization's Castle

Xigbar went down the various hallways stumbling every so often. Red-Eyes had did something to him. He just couldn't figure out what he had done to him. He eventually ran into Vexen and Zexion.

"I thought I sensed something off," Zexion said at seeing the state Xigbar was in.

"Always the all knowing one aren't ya?" Xigbar replied. "Anyway, hate to break it to ya guys, but there's an Akatsuki freak loose in the base. I left Demyx to sort things out."

"You left Demyx, to sort things out," Zexion asked incredously.

"Yeah, sure. I thought, why not?" Xigbar replied. "Just thought I should warn some others about the situation."

The trio stood in silence a moment, and then it was broken by Vexen.

"I'll go personally. It will be an opportunity to obtain combat data on our enemy."

"Really now? Aren't you busy Vexen?" Zexion half-asked, half-told.

Vexen merely gave Zexion an infuriating grin. He then walked off.

"You're not going too?" Xigbar asked, not really caring.

"I have other things to do. I'll let the others know though."

In Konoha

Just as Sasori was about to kill Roxas, Sasori was hit from behind and was sent flying into the wall. Roxas was released from this tail's grip and fell to the ground, coughing and trying to catch his breath. A white haired man with a mask was standing in the doorway.

"Shikamaru! Take Temari and go!" the newcomer yelled.

"But-"

"Just do it!"

Shikamaru hesitated further but then picked Temari up, and left. By this time Sasori was recovered, and his other puppet was now poised to attack.

"Hmm, Kakashi… I had not expected you to get here so quickly. Not after the injuries I gave you." Sasori said contemplatively.

"I'm tougher than you'd expect."

Roxas had recovered and was now ready to go on the attack. Kakashi regarded Roxas warily, but seemed to accept him as an ally. For now. Kakashi turned his attention back to Sasori and used Shadow Clone to come from multiple directions. Sasori sent his puppet towards Roxas. It sent poison darts at Roxas, but he deflected them in a flurry of defensive moves.

Kakashi and his clones had meanwhile closed in on Sasori and attacked. Sasori responded by spinning his tail in a wide arc which caught one clone. The others jumped out of the way, but another was caught by poison darts from Sasori. Kakashi's jump had taken him against the wall. He used the wall to push himself like a missile at Sasori. He used Chidori as he pushed himself away from the wall, but Sasori brought up his left arm and shot more poison darts. Kakashi's chidori simply sliced through the darts, but it had diverted him enough that Sasori had avoided the attack. Sasori then struck out, using his tail like a lance. He impaled Kakashi and rose him high in the air. A second later, Kakashi exploded into smoke.

Roxas had pushed the puppet into a corner. Roxas sent a volley of fire magic at the puppet. It caught on fire slightly, but it did no real damage. Roxas opted for a melee attack to finish the puppet. He attacked with Oathkeeper, but had it blocked by blades that had suddenly sprung from its chest. Roxas then brought Oblivion around and struggled to push the other blades away. The puppet brought its face forward to deliver more poison darts, but Roxas called upon Thundaga to shock the puppet into submission. The puppet was knocked back, and Roxas delivered a Blizzaga attack the froze the puppet. Roxas then finished his opponent off by shattering it.

Suddenly, Kakashi rose from the ground using another Chidori. Sasori was unable to avoid the attack, and took the full brunt of the attack. Roxas let out a sigh of relief. This fight was over, but it wasn't. Sasori rose from his fallen position.

"You damaged my armor…" Sasori said flatly.

The now apparent armor fell away from his body and Sasori rose to his full height.

"Surprised, Organization member? I am a master of puppets. Never take anything for granted."

There was another newcomer standing in the doorway. Roxas saw him and apparently Kakashi heard him. Kakashi backed up a step, and let out a gasp.

"What…?" Itachi exclaimed.

'Yes. My newest and greatest work of art. The kyubi, Naruto Uzumaki." Sasori said with satisfaction.

Standing in the doorway was a puppet version of Naruto.

In a cave in Akatsuki's world

Xaldin and Lexaeus went down the dark passage that led deeper into the mountain. They eventually emerged into a sparsely lit chamber that was dominated by a statue.

"What is it?" Lexaeus asked in his usual brief way.

"It's where Akatsuki has sealed something called the tailed beasts. I wonder… I wonder if we could make use of these tailed beasts." Xaldin said in contemplation.

"You will not do anything of the sort," a woman's voice called out.

Xaldin and Lexaeus turned to see a woman up on a cliff, higher in the cave. She was flanked by a red-headed man with multiple piercings.

"So… you reveal your greatest resource just to lure us into a trap?" Xaldin asked.

"We will have no trouble dealing with you." Pain responded.

With that, Lexaeus was lifted off the ground and flew straight at the duo. Lexaeus responded by calling forth his weapon and then sending a boulders flying straight at his opponents. Lexaeus stopped flying towards Pain, but Pain dodged the attack. Xaldin was rising on the wind with his lances at the ready. Konan took him on by sending paper blades at him. Xaldin responed with a burst of wind that pushed them all away. He was soon on the cliff outcropping. He grinned at Konan as his lances swirled around him. Pain jumped down towards the ground to continue his fight with Lexaeus.

In an unknown location

Hidan and Kakuzu had been left behind. Zetsu had proceeded with Riku to the secret location where he would meet another member. Zetsu would have blind-folded Riku, but… that was already done. They eventually arrived and Zetsu motioned for Riku to go in. Inside was a single person. He wore a mask with an opening for only one eye.

"Hello. I am Tobi, or as you're going to know me, I am Madara. I'll make you an offer." Madara said.

Riku regarded Madara for a moment, and then nodded. He would at least listen to his offer.