Chapter 11 Fire and Pain

Cool summer's night air blew though the village hidden in the leaves and while everything seemed calm on the surface it was far from it. The mood of the village was clearly tense and it all came from the fact that almost three thousand people where crammed into on small housing district which was surrounded by a makeshift wall with armed guards standing post.

"Well this sucks." stated Kiba Inuzuka as he and his teammate Shino Aburame as they stood on top of one of the newly built buildings in the prison camp. On a normal night standing post as it was called was nothing out of the ordinary, every ninja did it and they all hated it. The job mostly consisted of watching the streets and responding to emergency calls. With the destruction of the Uchiha clan almost two decades ago the policing duty fell to the regular ninja core. "We are treated like criminals for nothing, they fear us because we are different."

"People are always afraid of what is different." explained Shino as he opened his hand as a small insect landed on his open hand. The winged insect quickly entered his body and delivered its message. Kiba felt a bit of guilt building in him, he knew that the Aburame clan was shunned in the Leaf. They were shunned not because they were evil or because they had done horrible things in the past, they were shunned because of their strong bond with a type of animal which most people crushed with their morning newspaper.

"I guess you would know that almost as well as Naruto." explained Kiba

"I had my family growing up, Naruto didn't." pointed out Shino "Maybe it is a reward for all his pain that he now has two vixens."

"And what about your pain apart from Hinata and me you had no close friends." explained Kiba "And your demon has no one."

"Hoshea and I have a similar beliefs, duty comes first and truth be told I was never that interested in relationships." explained Shino as his high collar which covered most of his face moved a bit. Since Kiba had been around him for so long he knew how to read Shino's face just from the movement of his jacket collar against his face.

"You're smiling?" asked Kiba "Why?"

"Before what was I?" asked Shino before he answered his own question "I was the best at gathering information and I was next in line for my clan leader. That leadership meant certain duties would have to be done."

"Arranged marriage." stated Kiba knowing that the Aburame clan was one of the few clans that still practiced the old ways of an arranged marriage. Most of the clans who still fooled that custom did it with a more wink and a nudge then everything else. A couple starts dating and before they get engaged their clans make the arrangements so that it could still be called an arranged marriage however sometimes it was still forced one people. "Do you really think your parents would force a marriage on you?"

"It's more of my grandfather which would force it." explained Shino "He wanted to make sure that his grandson is married before he pasts away."

"Wanted?" asked Kiba

"Do you really think that anyone would let a jinchūriki lead a clan?" asked Shino

"They let Gaara lead a village?" explained Kiba with a grin believing he had Shino cornered.

"They allowed that since they are believed there was only a handful of demons which they could control." explained Shino "Now there are thousands and that will scare people."

"I hope your wrong." added Kiba as suddenly he noticed dozens of ninjas on the other side of the wall moving away. For a moment he wondered what was up until he noticed smoke coming from one of the other housing district on the other side of the village. "Looks like a house fire."

However before Kiba could say anything another source of smoke appeared.

"Another fire?" asked Kiba as third fire broke out in the village. "Something is up, do you know anything about this?"

"My little bugs haven't heard anything about this." stated Shino as Kiba moved to wake Naruto. "What is the point of waking Naruto or anyone else when there is nothing that can be done."

"He needs to know about a series of fires?" stated Kiba

"He will not be able to do anything about so why wake him?" asked Shino as Kiba gave him a blank look. "Let him sleep, give my insects time to learn what is going on. Do you understand my thinking?"

"I do." admitted Kiba as he moved back toward his friend.

Hours later as the warm rays from the sun started to appear over the horizon Karin Uzumaki began to wake. At first her body refused to move, it was too sore from the hours of sex it had just been though. Every part of her body hurt but she couldn't help but smile as she opened her eyes only to see she was face down in her pillow. She could feel another body lying down on top of her almost nude body, slowly she moved her head to her right only to see Sasuke's sleeping face beside her. Her smile only grew wider as she looked at his sleeping face, his jet black locks hanging over parts of his face. She closed her eyes for a moment only to come face to face with a red demon fox.

"That was nice." purred Rina as the demon smiled just like her new partner

"Yes, it was." moaned Karin "I still don't understand how you were involved? But I don't care."

"We are linked, everything you feel I feel that is the same for pain as well as pleasure." explained Rina

"I see." added Karin as she opened her eyes again and looked at her arm, she couldn't help but notice as rather large stream of dried blood which ran down her arm. She followed the line to a spot just above her shoulder where it joined with her neck. Slowly she moved her hand and felt the spot only to feel a rather deep bite mark, which hadn't healed like all of the others, for some reason her fingers started to trace the mark, counting each of the teeth marks for some reason it was turning her one even as the bite was turning into a scar. "Sasuke-kun bit a little too hard, there."

"Good." stated Rina "A bit like that is a mate bite, it tells all the others that you are with someone else and that they should back off. You bit Sasuke too."

"I see." Purred Karin as she thought about that she had marked Sasuke as hers, soon her thoughts turned to the other important thing that happened last night. "So did you think it worked?"

"The ferity justu I taught you should increase the chances of getting pregnant but the more times we mate the better our chances will be of becoming with child and rising up to be the 1st mate." Explained Karin as Sasuke started moving again. "And looks like we will soon have another chance to improve those odds."

A few blocks away from Karin and Sasuke, Ino was slowly waking up herself only instead of finding herself face down in a pillow, she was laying on her side with a warm arm wrapped around her stomach. She was still half asleep when she felt movement coming from on the other side of the sleeping man beside her. Slowly she lifted her head up to see her best friend Sakura Haruno getting out of bed before she started to put on her cloths.

"Where are you going?" asked Ino

"I want to get a shower before all the hot water is taken so that means you have Naruto-kun all to yourself." explained Sakura as Ino smiled "But he is all mine tonight."

"Don't I get a say in this?" joked a half asleep Naruto

"No." stated Sakura as she walked out of the room "Now have fun you two."

"Oh we will." stated Ino as she rolled over grabbing Naruto's hands with her owns pinning him to the floor. Naruto couldn't help himself from grinning as he looked into the deep blue eyes of the buetiful woman who was pinning him to the ground. "So Naruto do you want to take this slow and steady or shall we make it fast and hard?"

"How about none at all." stated a new voice as both of them looked toward the door only to see ex-boyfriend Sai standing there.

"Sai." stated Ino as she covered herself up as she looked at her ex-boyfriend turned away from her and his best friend.

"I came to tell you that the Council has called for you." stated Sai

"The Council?" asked Ino "Not Lady Tsunade?"

"The Hokage is head of the council I am sure the old lady is there." Explained Naruto as he stood up and quickly got dressed. As he was about to leave he bent over and kissed Ino softly on the lips "Don't worry I will be back soon."

"Alright." Said Ino as she watched Naruto and Sai walk out of the room.

For the longest time neither Naruto or Sai said a word to each other as they walked toward the gate. The streets where just starting to fill with people most of whom were either heading toward the shower tent or toward the one source of fresh food in the compound, the food tent.

"Listen Sai, I am sorry you had to see that." apologized Naruto as he lowered his head a bit "I should have told you that I was sleeping with Ino and asked your permission."

"Why would you need my permission?" asked Sai as they neared the gate "She isn't my propriety, she is a free woman and if she is happy with you then why should I stop her."

"But she was your first true love and you always remember that." added Naruto as Sai stopped mid step and turned away from his friend.

"Naruto you and I are friends so I am going to say this to you." stated Sai as he looked at the ground for a second. For what seemed like forever the two of them just stood there until Naruto finally spoke up.

"What is it Sai?" asked Naruto

"Nothing forget I said anything at all." Stated Sai as he turned and headed straight back into the housing area leaving Naruto alone at the gate. Naruto just stood there and watched as Sai disappeared into the crowd.

"Naruto Namikaze are you ready to head to the Council chamber?" asked a nearby guard as the gate separating the prison camp from the rest of the village opened up.

"Alright." Answered Naruto as he turned and headed toward the Hokage building.

While Naruto was heading toward the council chamber located inside the Hokage building, Sakura was getting out of the shower only to see Ino stepping into one of the other shower stalls in the tent.

"Well that must have been fast." joked Sakura as she walked past Ino.

"Naruto-kun was called to the council before we could do anything." explained Ino as she turned on the shower only to jump back as she felt the ice cold water run down her body. "What the hell, we can't be out of hot water already?"

"It was like that when I got here." explained Sakura "And I was one of the first here, probably just a problem with the water heater."

"This morning just sucks." answered Ino as she stepped into the cold shower, a second after she did a voice spoke up.

"Attention demons." Stated a female voice over a loud speaker. "Per the Hokage's orders we will allow supervised visits back to your homes to collect personal items."

"Finally some good news." Said Ino after the destruction of the Leaf village by Pain, they had redesigned the housing areas into separate district. Each district has its own small market and bunker in case of an attack. It had the effect of making a mini village within the village itself.

"We will be going in groups, first group will be in the Adonis and Enfys housing districts." stated the voice

"That is us." Said Sakura with a smile "Lady Tsunade must have ordered them to start with us."

"All those in those housing districts report to the main gate in ten minutes." ordered the voice as Ino turned off the water.

"Aren't you going to finish your shower?" asked Sakura

"Once I get back hopefully by then they will fix the heater." stated Ino as she got dressed "I can get some new cloths, some that are actually clean."

Miles away from them Naruto walked into the council chamber. The room was set up like a mini arena with bleacher seats running around the top of the room all with a view of the large U shaped table in the center of the room. Unlike the Hokage's office this room was open to the public, most of the time the room was empty apart from the occasional school trip or office worker using it as a shortcut.

"I always hated this room." Thought Naruto as he looked up to see that almost half the seats in the gallery was filled. "I understand that the council is supposed to control the Hokage so that they don't become a king but all these ones have done is nothing but trouble."

"Thank you for coming Naruto." Said the oldest member of the council Homura Mitokado as he and the other members of the council moved toward their assigned seat.

"This is strange, only the Uchiha and the Hokage's are empty." Thought Naruto as he looked around at the faces of the leaders of the most powerful clans and a single councilor chosen by business leaders and another by popular election of the villagers themselves.

"What is wrong with that?" asked Kyuubi

"You were a Kage, how often did you have a whole council meet and not be there yourself?" asked Naruto as he looked at the empty Hokage chair.

"Not often." answered Kyuubi

"Naruto Namikaze we have some things to discuss." said Homura

"Such as?" asked Naruto "And where is the Hokage."

"Lady Tsunade is currently having an emergency meeting with the other Kages." explained Homura "It is my job as senior member of the council to call this meeting to order."

"And what are we here to talk about?" asked Naruto

"Two key items, first is to inform you that the Daimyo's are currently holding a meeting to discuss the demon situation." explained Homura before smiling "We hope to have a solution soon."

"That doesn't make me feel better." Thought Naruto as he keep looking at the old man in front of him "The Daimyo's are more likely to fuck everything up with some half cock stupid idea, I hate daimyo's."

"Lydia is our Daimyo and you slept with her when you mated with Ino last night." Pointed out the Kyuubi as Naruto tried not to laugh at the demon.

"Alright I take it back, I hate all the daimyo's apart from Ino-chan." corrected Naruto

"Second item is that last night we had some….minor disturbances in the village." added Homura

"What do you mean disturbances?" asked Naruto

While Naruto was in a meeting Ino and Sakura along with over two dozen other new jinchūriki where walking down one of the main streets of the leaf village heading to the housing direct where their actual homes where. Of the two dozen people all only a quarter of them had any ninja training, most of them where villagers with no military training.

"Isn't this kind of overkill." said Ino as she looked at the ANBU guards moving beside them both on the streets and along the rooftops "They have to have at least fifty men guarding us."

"Maybe." confirmed Sakura as she looked up at some of the houses, the normally open windows where shut and the few people that where in the streets either ran away or cursed at them. As they entered the housing district a scream filled the air causing both of them to tense up.

"My Shop what happened to my shop…home!" yelled a woman as she ran in front of the ANBU toward the burnt remains of a building. The blackened wood still smoldering as the woman dropped to her knees in front of the remains with tears in her eyes. "I worked my entire life to build this place, what happened?"

"Well it burned down." laughed a nearby Jonnin as both Sakura and Ino turned and glared at Jonnin who took a step back in fear of the two women. The two of them turned back just in time to see a little boy many seven or eight years old moving toward the woman.

"It will be alright mommy." said a little boy as he wrapped his arms around his mother "It's just things."

"Thanks dear." cried the woman

"That is tragic." said Sakura sadly "I wonder why they couldn't put the fires out in time, maybe they had too many guards around us and they didn't get to the fire soon enough."

"Forehead I am no Shikamaru but if that building burned to a crisp wouldn't the nearby buildings have some damage as well?" asked Ino as Sakura studied the nearby buildings, to her amazement apart from some destroyed areas of paint the buildings on either side where perfectly fine.

"And why would it burn down, all chunin's have to learn a water justu to put out fires." added Sakura

"You have half an hour to get whatever you want from your homes however any weapons will be seized." ordered the ANBU commander

"I guess we better get going." laughed Ino "It may take half an hour to pack my cloths alone."

It took them only minutes to reach their apartment

"No this can't be." Said Ino as she looked at the broken doorframe which lead into their apartment, the door which had stood there had been violently ripped off its hinges and was broken on the floor. Slowly both of them entered the once perfectly clean apartment only to see holes busted into walls and cabinets ripped down from the walls. All their dishes and glass where was in pieces on the ground. The once white walls where black and scorched as if someone had started a fire that just didn't take.

"How could this happen?" asked Ino as she bent down and pulled a broken picture of her late father from the floor

"This was targeted." Stated Sakura as Ino blinked as she looked at her best friend who was heading toward her room. Like the front door her bedroom door was ripped down and Ino could see that the room was trashed with ripped cloths on the floor.

"How can you tell?" asked Ino as Sakura looked over her shoulder, toward the kitchen.

"That is kind of a big hint." Explained Sakura as Ino followed her friend's eyes toward the wall.

"BURN IN HELL YOU DEMON WHORES" read Ino Yamanaka as she looked at the words painted in right red spray-paint on the wall. Ino's blood began to boil however she suddenly felt something brushed up against her. She turned toward the source only to see her cat Isis rubbing up against her, her pure white fur was covered with ash and small amount of blood ran down from a cut on her front left leg.

"Isis." said Ino as she picked up her cat and gently stroked it.

"Finally some good news." said Sakura as Ino held her cat purring cat in her hands.

Miles away from the remains of the destroyed apartments Sasuke Uchiha was finally leaving his little love nest, leaving Karin behind. He moved to the roof to get some fresh air while waiting for Karin to wake. For the longest time he just stood there watching the movement of the guards along the wall.

"If you are looking for an opening to escape I have already found one." Stated a voice behind him as Sasuke turned to see Shino standing there.

"I have already found seven." grinned Sasuke

"Only because you kill the guards." stated Shino as he moved to stand beside the most famous missing ninja in the entire history of the Leaf village. "If you don't want to kill them then there is only one way."

"Did Naruto order you to find a way out of here?" asked Sasuke

"No." stated Shino

"Then why?" asked Sasuke

"The same reason why I didn't tell anyone that the humans where burning our homes and shops and the ninja core stood back and watched." stated Shino as Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that news.

"Why did you hid this from dead last and not me?" asked Sasuke as he turned to face Shino

"Simple, my duty is to protect the people and because like me you realize the truth about our situation." stated Shino as Sasuke grinned "We are not members of the Leaf anymore and the sooner they all realize the better."

"You realize that when we leave this village, they will come after us and a war will begin." stated Sasuke with a grin

"That is why I am counting on you to defend them." explained Shino

"Why would you trust me to defend them? I have no interest in them." Explained Sasuke

"You care about fighting and defending these people will be the fight of your life and you love to fight." Stated Shino as he turned and started walking away "Which is way I can count on you to protect the people."

Finally I have returned, I had to deal with a lot of different things since I left. First my laptop was delayed for 10 days and then even though I paid extra for them to install Microsoft office and virus defense they didn't and while I was installing all my different programs I got infected. In the end I had to totally whip my new computer's hard drive and reinstall everything. Now I hope you forgive me, the next chapter will be soon. Thanks Wilkins75