Hello! I hope you'll like this chapter!

Disclaimer: I own the OCs in this fic, the rest is Masashi Kishomoto's. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or any OCCness.

Character age:

Akane, Itachi: 22

Naruto, Sasuke: 17

Shisui: 26

Kakashi: 31

"We need to isolate them." I pointed at the five enemy outposts near the border. "From the information we gathered, there is a pattern. All transmissions for Ame gotten on the battlefield does not go to Iwa directly," I explained to the people gathered.

There were Taka, Kakashi, Shisui, Jiraya-san, Dai and I.

"Bringing the battle to the Land of Grass is not an option after the disaster Taki was, so we need to intercept the transmissions before they leave the country for this outpost." Jiraya-san pointed at a red circle in the Land of Rivers. "From what we know from Fugaku, it is the most important one for Ame before the Land of Fire."

"Knowledge is key, we need to cut the contact between them," I continued. "We need to split up in two-man teams to go between each outpost. We'll use the battles there are at the moment to slip between their first defenses."

"If the transmissions don't go to Iwa, then it means the Tsuchikage…" Shisui trailed off with a frown. I pursed my lips.

"He's most likely somewhere close yeah."

"From what Team Eight gathered, there's a three-people emissary that leaves the country every week, during the night of Sunday to Monday," Jiraya-san informed them. "It will be our last resort window. Getting our hands on their transmissions is the main goal, if we can kick them out of the country it's an added bonus, but don't go wasting your lives on that." I nodded, like everyone else.

I had no idea how it was for Iwa, how much Ame and the Akatsuki actually was helping them but...since Taki we were better off than them now unlike when we got here.

I was put on a team with Suigetsu. It wasn't bad. Shisui was put with Juugo, he could use his sharingan in case he went crazy, Kakashi with Dai and Sasuke with Karin.

"Uzu." I looked at Suigetsu when we left the tent. He was staring harshly at the ground. "Did you really see my brother?" I blinked and looked down, Dai stopping next to us.

"With mine yeah. The last generation of the Swordsmen was there, so Zabuza-san was there too, and we'll encounter them again as the summoner is still around.

"The Fourth and Second Mizukage were brought back as well. Actually, the reanimation were only Mist shinobi except for the Uchiha Shisui faced," Dai added.

Suigetsu took a deep breath and looked up for a second before setting his purple eyes on me.

"Authorization for Bloody Mist protocol?" In other word, go back to our way of doing back then.

All shinobi from the Bloody Mist knew what the Bloody Mist protocol was. Sensei invented that term when she became the Mizukage, so that when the situation was too bad, we'd be allowed to use what we learned during Yagura's regime without repercussions.

Right now…

"Granted." I raised a finger before the boys could utter a word. "If you're in a position where you'll die if you don't go there. Understood?" Suigetsu nodded without a word and I looked at my teammate.

"Understood," he accepted grimly.

"She was trained by Tsunade-sama."

"Well I know that Sasuke!" Karin shot back with a frown. "But Sakura-san is still too good to be true at medical ninjutsu at what, seventeen?" Sasuke pursed his lips.

"Actually, eighteen in three months."

"It feels like this war has lasted for more than four months."

"Hn."

It was dark and they were hiding in a tree. So far, there had not been accident on their side. They did now know for the others though.

"Two shinobi and a kunoichi coming our way," Karin stated suddenly. Sasuke stood up.

They waited for a couple of minutes before three shadows moved swiftly below them. It was quickly done actually. First Amaterasu, and once they were focusing their attention on him, they were stuck in a genjutsu.

It was easy.

Too easy.

Something was not right. Karin shrieking out of sudden only confirmed his doubts.

"What is it?"

"A lot of powerful chakra. Some are...more alive."

"Edo Tensei then. How fast?"

"They're going to catch up with us if we use the safe road, but going back to the front line is suicide with them after us." Sasuke frowned.

"Seal it."

"Huh?" Sasuke stopped, like Karin.

"The scroll we got, seal it so that even if they get it back they can't use it."

"Bu…"

"I'll hold them back."

"It's madness!" she retorted with wide eyes. "I know you're an Uchiha and strong and bla bla bla, but it's madness! None of us have been at a hundred percent of our capacity for a while now and you're no exception!"

"Then find a way to get back-up."

"Sas…"

"Don't get caught," he told her before going back.

"I'm different?" Itachi just nodded.

"In a good way I'd say." Sasuke just took a sip from his water as they were taking a break from training with genjutsu.

His brother was not cleared for missions yet, but it didn't mean he couldn't help him train. Not that Sasuke had much of a choice, his brother wouldn't have taken 'no' for an answer. He was pretty sure he convinced Akane to say 'yes' because when he asked her, she just confirmed he could without looking at him in the eyes.

Or she was forced, or bribed, either way his brother was training him. It wasn't half bad anyway.

A few years prior he would have fumed, but now he could accept training with Itachi once more. His main fighting style was not his brother's at all, so having one similarity because of their sharingan was fine.

And if people compared them...then he'd electrocute them to show them…

Alright, maybe not.

"So I matured." Itachi smiled a little.

"I wouldn't go that far." Sasuke rolled his eyes and laid back down, his hands behind his head. "You saw things, didn't you?"

"Akane had to go around the country, she didn't want me to come with her but I made her agree eventually." Itachi looked at the clouds as well. "It's a real mess. Most people are happy the regime changed but are broken, and in spite of everything others were seeing profits in so much bloodshed. It just...it's eye opening."

"I don't doubt that for a second. Wars are terrible already, civil wars...growing up in that context must be awful."

"Well, you must have seen for yourself how desperate they all were back then. I witnessed it more than all of you, you avoided a few things." The tensions there were…

Zabuza had scolded Akane and some chuunin. Zabuza. It was saying a lot.

"Mangetsu was scared Suigetsu might get killed at a street corner from what he told me." Itachi looked down.

"He seemed to be a good person."

"He was a good teacher for sword, but yeah. He was. Nee-san told me him and Suigetsu actually reminded her of us, well the other way around because she knew them before." Itachi hummed.

"I'm not surprised."

"You guys would have gotten along pretty well I think." Itachi closed his eyes with a smile. "Actually, I get along with most of the people I know in Kiri and you'd be the same."

"Really now?" Sasuke nodded and sat, leaning back on his hands.

"They were discriminated and persecuted because of things they did not choose, kind of like us. We just...dodged a bullet they received straight in the face." Sasuke looked at his brother from the corner of his eyes. "Makes me want to keep it that way." Itachi looked at him.

"You couldn't be more right Sasuke."

Years ago, Akane asked him who was Sasuke behind the hitai-ate and the symbol on his back, why he was fighting. Back then, it was to be noticed, and when he'd see Naruto getting better faster than him, he'd be jealous, and be an asshole to everyone. Of course to Naruto he still was, but it was their usual friendly banter they had since they were kids, nothing like the toxic jealousy and competition there was on his side.

Then, for a long time, he did not have a clear answer. He had seen a lot of injustice in the world now, and he knew he could make a difference, he had the ability to do so. And wasn't that the goal? He could fight, so he should be able to fight for those who could not, right?

Except if they were not Konoha or allies, or Uchihas. When he went back home, it was obvious the tensions were still there. Tsunade assured him he played his part perfectly and the alliance between Konoha and Kiri was strong, but it didn't keep people from his clan to still…

He gritted his teeth.

He knew it was his clan, but why would he fight for people like them, who were so absorbed in their own ego and selfishness? Just because he had the same fan on his back?

And the people in Konoha, his fellow shinobi, did they think he would beg for their forgiveness to be fully accepted when they were still prejudiced against his clan? Sure, there were still many wanting more from the village, but there were also those who were tired and realized how seeing themselves as Uchihas before a shinobi from Konoha was not the answer. You could be proud of your clan, Sasuke would be damned if he denied being a proud Uchiha in spite of everything, but the Uchiha clan joined Konoha. Yes, they were prejudiced, but instead of claiming what they thought was their due, they should show the example and show they were part of the village as well, not just a founding clan wanting to be respected as such.

It became clear to him once he got back home. He talked about it with his mother, who shared his own opinions. What was not his surprise to discover she did not want a coup either. She just wanted the culprit for Naruto's parents death to pay and stop sullying their name.

So while they were his comrades and he'd help them if needed, they would not necessarily be his priority.

No, it would be the people who could not fight back the injustice brought upon them by the shinobi world, people who suffered from shinobi conflicts while they were just trying to live their lives.

And his close circle, of course.

He was a shinobi.

He was a Konoha shinobi, he was an Uchiha, but at the end of the day, even without those he'd still be a shinobi.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, clenching his fingers around his katana.

At the end of the day, he was a shinobi who wanted a fair world where people who had nothing to do with their systems would not be involved involved. He'd do anything to do that, be it in the light in the war, or in the darkness preventing conflicts to escalate.

It was almost ironic how he understood the first Itachi Akane had met and his sacrifice. But it was not just Konoha.

As his blade, covered in lightning, went through rocks and slashed through a reanimated Han, he smirked.

Nor Iwa or Ame would leave unscathed. They wanted a war, they would get one. Then Obito would pay for everything. He just needed to buy time.

His Susanoo was quickly around him.

That was not expected.

Facing Obito was not expected.

He stole a kunai from me and sparks flew when my blade grated against it. I grabbed Suigetsu, knocked out by a genjutsu he didn't see coming, and put some distance between us. I sat Suigetsu against a rock and checked his pulse. He was alive.

"I didn't want to be interrupted, that's all," Obito said in my back.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" I turned around to face him.

"Me? How about you? You're fighting the inevitable like all those idiots Akane." I fought the urge to sigh.

"So what, you want me to follow you?" He nodded. "After you brought Fubuki back and used him like a puppet? You seriously expect me to follow you now more than before!?" There was a pause.

I frowned at Obito, who was strangely silent.

"The guy using the Edo Tensei on the battlefield is on your side, isn't he? Or she for all I know." He nodded slowly. "What, he didn't run to you who he was going to bring back?"

"Obviously not." I was taken back at the bitterness in his voice.

It wouldn't make me forget though.

"You're going for emotional pain to break us down? What's next, Rin's brought back in front of Kakashi?" His whole body tensed, and I readied myself for potentially having to defend myself.

I mentioned Rin without thinking, who knew how he would react.

To my utter surprise, he didn't become suddenly violent like Yagura could be.

"You really didn't know?" I asked with caution.

"Does it look like I knew?"

"Aren't you like...the boss?" He scoffed.

"Don't you have the answer to that question already?" I blinked, cold sweat running down my back. "Zetsu...brought back some information regarding you you know."

Shit.

"Tell me Akane, what's a Yuurei?" I froze. "If you don't tell me I'll get the answer out of you eventually, so you might save us both the trouble." I moved my left foot back. "Really? You're gonna lose anyway."

The air started to swirl and being distorted in front of me. However, it stopped abruptly. Kakashi landed in front of me in the blink of an eye, Dai going to Suigetsu.

I looked up.

The sun was starting to rise.

I shot Kakashi a look. He was incredibly tensed, I could see it in his shoulders and how tight the kunai was held in his hand.

"I don't know what you're looking for in Akane, but you won't get it."

"You really have a gift for always being here when you're not needed Kakashi, but never when you are, don't you?" Obito retorted coldly.

I blinked when I saw the red of his sharingan landed on me briefly.

"I won't be that nice next time," he said as he started to leave.

Kakashi grabbed one of my kunai and threw it in the distortion.

"That's useless." Then, he was gone. Kakashi turned around and looked at me.

"I'm good. Wha…"

"We've received a distress message from Karin. They're the ones who got noticed, Sasuke is buying us time. Alone." Kakashi-sensei didn't like that much. "I'm sure by now Jiraya-sama knows but…"

"Send Pakkun to Shisui's team, tell them to go at the outpost before the Land of Grass. They're destroying it." I looked at Dai and walked to them. "I'm sending you to the outpost." He nodded and they went.

"We find Karin and go to Sasuke." I nodded.

"Let's go save his sorry ass."

He was exhausted. When he started fighting, the night was still very much present. Now, the sun was hidden by gray clouds, the smell of rain heavy in the air.

The Edo Tensei was very annoying to fight against. He had a full Susanoo, but his opponent kept coming back. He'd need to seal them, but the few he managed to seal were unsealed by others, the summoner behind clearly knowing enough about fuinjutsu to cancel his.

But then, what happened? His ancestor came out of nowhere, looking very much, too much to his liking, like him and it was his yellow Susanoo against his purple one.

But now? His arrow, burning with Amaterasu, just disappeared in a translucent cube. The Edo Tensei disappeared, leaving an army of Iwa shinobi in front of him.

The following minutes seemed longer than they actually were, dodging jutsu and weapons. When another cube came at him, he stopped his Susanoo and fell to the ground before he was caught in it.

There were screams when Kirin landed on people, but he didn't seen the another cube.

"Jinton: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!" Sasuke blinked when he realized he was in the cube, the small old man in the air glaring at him.

Oh.

The Tsuchikage decided to join the fun.

"It's over now." Sasuke closed his eyes, waiting for the blow.

The silence was deafening. The rain was falling, hitting the ground softly, the wind was blowing in the naked trees.

His back met something solid and a hand was on his hand.

"You really love giving me heart attacks, headache of mine." Sasuke opened his eyes and tilted his head back, internally relieved to see Akane's mismatched eyes.

"Did you have fun?" Kakashi asked him, crouching next to him.

"...I've known better." Kakashi just smiled at him.

"I'm sure." He stood up and raised his hitai-ate as Akane walked forward. Her nodachi was in her hand.

She pulled it out of its sheath and dug it in the ground, the temperature dropping from several degrees.

"Now, as you've so graciously given me the name of 'Frozen Flash of the Mist', should I honor it?" I set my eyes on the Tsuchikage. "What do you think? I've been wondering if I could do better than the Yellow Flash, aren't you curious too!?" I felt back-up arriving.

I shot a quick look above my shoulder. Karin was back as well, her hands glowing green in Sasuke's back.

The Tsuchikage pursed his lips, his eyes lingering on me and Kakashi then on someone behind us. Indeed, Jiraya-san was quickly on my level. He raised his hand to the grandpa.

"Hello Tsuchikage, it's been years hasn't it!?" The fake sympathy seemed to work. I leaned more on my nodachi. "Should we continue?"

I smirked at him, my teeth grazing my bottom lip.

"It's enough for today."

He gave order to his troops to leave. I fought the urge to wave at them.

"I have things to tell you," I told Jiraya-san as we were going back to the outpost.

"Not good things from your tone."

"Precisely."

When we were back, I grabbed Kakashi to drag him with us in the tent. I immediately started pacing nervously in front of them, my arms crossed.

"So, Kakashi saw it, we were intercepted by Tobi," I ended up saying.

"Yes, bad indeed," Jiraya-san confirmed with a sigh. "And?"

"He tried to get you to come with him again?" I nodded and gulped.

"He said it was the last time he'd ask nicely and this time he meant it. Next time I won't have a choice."

"Something's changed?" I pursed my lips.

"In Taki, Zetsu got me. He knew about me and basically forced me in a position where I had to use the Claw." They shared a concerned glance. "He told him. Tobi asked me what a Yuurei was, and I don't know if it was to taunt me or if he really didn't have the details." Kakashi jumped on his feet.

"He knows!?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?" I replied annoyingly.

"Well it's not as if we could go back in time. Anything else?" I looked at Jiraya-san.

"He didn't know about my brother being brought back." Kakashi frowned. "I mean, he seemed sincere when he told me he didn't know but again...I can't say for sure."

"But if he finds a way to make you talk or get in your head…" Kakashi trailed off before running his hands in his hair. "We need to consider Akane as a leak." I bit the inside of my cheek. I knew it was the right thing to do, but it was not nice to hear.

"I'm going to contact Tsunade and inform her of this development, she'll tell Gaara and Mei."

"It's not just the information." They looked at me and I put a hand on my stomach. "I indirectly have half the Kyuubi inside of me, remember?" Jiraya-san just growled.

"We left on a good note and we come back and you tell us that? Thanks Akane-chan!" I smiled awkwardly and shrugged. "Shisui better brings good news."

His team came back a few hours later, Shisui tired but grinning.

"Outpost sabotaged! They should leave it soon."

"Was it okay just the two of you?" I asked him with a raised brow. He nodded and pointed at his eyes. "Of course, how silly of me to forget your greatness." He nodded vividly.

"I'll remind it to you once the war's over." He handed something to me, that I took without understanding. "I'm not fluent in fuin." I frowned at the paper and showed it to Jiraya-san.

"Does it seem sketchy to you?" He gave it a quick look.

"Doesn't seem so on first look."

I sent some chakra in it, but nothing, meaning it was just a regular message in fuin and not a seal.

"The one shinobi competent in fuinjutsu seemed to be under Kurotsuchi's orders," I told them. "I'll get back to you once I've deciphered it." I left the tent and went to my bed, in the tent reserved for my team.

"I've go…" I stopped mid-sentence. Shisui was spitting water to a pile of smoke on the ground.

"The scroll Sasuke and Karin got blew up," Kakashi told me. "What about you?"

"I deciphered the message." Jiraya-san, Kakashi and Shisui, who wiped away soot from his face, looked at me. "It's a meeting."

"Well, it seems like you were right after all," Jiraya-san stated, shooting Kakashi a quick look.

"Huh, don't be too happy." I clenched my toes in my sandals. "We need to get in the Land of Earth. As in, S++ ranked infiltration mission."

"You know where?" I shrugged at Shisui.

"I have a small idea that I hope to be true."

I guess I'd rely on Hiruzen and Minato.

"Point is…"

"Point is it is an extremely dangerous mission you want to embark on," Jiraya-san cut me off, stretching out his hand for the message. I gave it to him and he scratched his head as he read it. "I mean, if it's true then it'd be great progress but…"

"We need to get in Iwa at some point anyway, to stop all this." The sannin stared at me. "I don't need your authorization to make a team and go, but I'd appreciate you contacting the Kages to let them know."

"And who would even go Akane-chan? Huh? Your whole team…"

"Hatake Kakashi, Terumi Dai, Uchiha Sasuke and myself." He pursed his lips in thoughts. "You know infiltration like I do Jiraya-san, it is a good team."

"Wait, what about the rest of your team?" Shisui asked me. I looked at him.

"They'll stay here. I mean...you guys still can use back-up." He just stared at me for long, long seconds.

"What does it say exactly?"

"A meeting, a month from now. No place is mentioned but...we can track them." The sannin looked at Kakashi, who nodded.

"In spite of everything, Iwa is strong. If we can get a look of how it is on the inside...I say it's worth a shot." I looked at Jiraya-san expectantly. His face was resigned.

"Once you're behind the enemy line, you're on your own. You better be prepared." I nodded.

"As long as Gaara and Tsunade-san, maybe even sensei, can put men behind the borders and pretty much cut off Iwa from Ame...I say we have a shot."

"Are you sure about Sasuke?" I nodded at Shisui.

"You know, he is my apprentice, and not just in fuinjutsu. I taught him a lot about infiltration, like Dai did." He crossed his arms, staring at the ground.

"Okay. You're leaving as soon as I've gotten a reply from Tsunade."

"Thank you," I thanked him sincerely.

Well, I did pack for infiltration in case after all.

Hey! Thanks for reading and leave a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter! Thanks to mikan26 for the review!

Bye!