Madara, Mikito, and Syrus were floating, weightless, surrounded by silence. It seemed they were adrift in the void itself. Then consciousness began to return. Their bodies began to jerk from blissful unawareness, thrashed in the dark green fluid of the tank, creating a stream of bubbles that rose silently to the surface. Their hearts began to pound; they could hear the blood rushing through their veins. Their eyes popped open in time to see Ahiko come over to adjust some of the settings on their tanks. Within seconds their heart rates slowed and the involuntary thrashing of their limbs settled. Though their bodies were calmed by the tranquilizer, their minds were now fully alert and aware. Memories of motion and pain flickered across their minds.

The sights, sounds, and smells of combat.

Only a thick glass window separated the bodies from nine of their watchful comrades. Daishiro, who appreciated the openness of the medical center, was standing beside Chie, Akira, Ahiko, Izuna, Touma Haji, Gotou, and Touma. More would arrive when they were finished with their duties. Daishiro was the first to exhale in relief. He knew that, despite the grim atmosphere of the chamber enclosing him, the trio were finally out of danger and in the best of mechanical hands. Clad only in white shorts and tops, the trio hung in a vertical position inside a transparent cylinder with a combination breath mask covering their nose and mouth.

Ahiko was attending to the trio with the finest skills. She was aided by Takeo. Gracefully, the two worked a switch that brought a gelatinous red fluid pouring down over the trio. This gel, Daishiro knew, could work miracles, even with patients in such dire shape as war ridden. As the bubbling slime encapsulated their bodies, they began to thrash about.

"Watch out..." Syrus moaned. "Pack creatures.'

"Dangerous..." Mikito moaned. "Go to to Saki and Izuna..."

"Make it in time..." Madara moaned.

Daishiro had not the slightest idea what they were raving about. They hadn't encountered any pack creatures. Gotou was also perplexed by their babbling, expressed himself with a grunt and crossed his arms over his chest.

"They don't make sense to me either. We were in that battle and got to see their abilities up close." Izuna replied.

Haji commented. "We can't afford for them to be selfish. It would be most unfortunate."

"They did something..." Chie said observed matter-of factly. "It wasn't just the Shadow Lands. They did something!"

"It's those creatures they keep talking about. That includes the ones we were battling until recently. They were able to break the limits of the shinobi. Now I think I understand..." Akira said with some relief in her tone, looking at the grimly staring Daishiro.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean..." Akira paused for effect. "By joining the amalgamation, as we're being called by outsiders."

"We've doubled the patrols." Chie started, trying to choose her words and tone carefully. "We sealed the hole as well. That should be the last of them."

"How do you know for sure? They're ferocious. Worse than any shinobi foe I've come across." Touma said with severity.

"Forget it." Izuna said brusquely.

Right now he was concerned only for the trio in the fluid.

Their bodies sloshed through the brightly colored substance, the healing properties by now taking effect. For a while it appeared as if the trio were trying to resist the healing flow of the translucent muck. Then, at last, they gave up their mumbling and relaxed, succumbing to the healing properties. Ahiko and Takeo turned away from the trio who were entrusted to his care. Ahiko tilted her head to gaze at Daishiro and the others.

"They are responding well to the healing fluid." Takeo announced, his commanding, authoritative voice heard distinctly through the space.

"They're out of the danger zone." Ahiko affirmed."

Their words immediately wiped away the tension that had seized the group. Akira sighed in relief, and Daishiro and Touma grunted their approval of the duo's treatment.

"We need them to be coherent." Touma said.

Ahiko gave the man a stern gaze. "Starting with that right away will do no good. Let's just see how they interact with everyone."

Syrus had no way of estimating how long he had been out. But now he was in full command of his mind and senses. He sat up on his bed in the medical center.

What a relief. He thought.

Ahiko was removing the protective bandages and padding from his healing face. His eyes were uncovered and he was beginning to perceive the face of someone standing by his bed. Gradually the smiling image of Haji came into focus. Ahiko gracefully moved toward Syrus and gently brushed his wild hair out of his eyes. "The healing fluid is working well. The scars should be gone in a day or so. Does it still hurt you?"

"I'm fine thanks to you." Syrus nodded slightly.

Across the room, the door banged open.

Gotou grunted a greeting as he walked toward Syrus, and Daishiro moved toward Syrus's bed.

"It's good to see you three again."

"Thanks Daishiro-san." Madara said with a grateful smile.

"We're relieved as well." Haji translated helpfully.

Madara was certainly grateful for the man's concern. He wasn't sure how this was happening, but it was. He didn't need to know the details at the moment. But before he could reply to either of them, he was met with yet another interruption.

"Hi, Madara." Saki greeted him boisterously as she and Ai burst into the medical center.

Ai hummed a friendly greeting.

"You look strong enough to wrestle some rounds." Daishiro observed.

"I'll say. Your chakra is remarkable." Saki agreed.

Madara felt that strong, and felt grateful to his comrades. "Thanks to you guys."

"That's two you'll owe me." Saki joked.

Madara gave Mikito a devilish grin. "Well...It looks like you arranged to keep me close by for a while longer. You won't be so lonely that your eyes simmer in the wind."

"I had nothing to do with this, it is Ahiko that is taking the best care of us. Takeo is offer his assistance." Mikito said hotly, annoyed at Madara's sudden vanity.

"Is that all?"

"Haji thinks it's dangerous for anyone to leave the compounds until the marriage of Shin and Usagi happens."

"That makes a good story. But I think you just can't bear to let him out of your sight." Syrus joked.

"I don't know where you both get your delusions, laser jutsu for brains." Mikito retorted.

Saki, amused by this verbal battle between three of the strongest human wills she had ever encountered, let out a laugh.

"Laugh it up, Saki. I've heard some stories about you." Mikito said good naturedly.

"You didn't see us alone in the shadow lands."

Until now, Syrus had scarcely listened to this lively exchange. Madara and Mikito had argued frequently enough in the past right in front of him. But that reference to the shadow lands sparked his curiosity, and he looked at Mikito for an explanation.

"We were alone."

"She expressed her true feelings for me with passion and intensity." Madara continued, delighting in the rosy flush that appeared on Mikito's cheeks.

"Is that so?"

It sure is. Come on, Mikito. You act like you've already forgotten."

"You stuck-up, half-witted oaf!" She sputtered in exasperation.

"Halfwit?" Madara grinned. "I must hit pretty close to the mark to get you exasperated like this. Doesn't it look that way to you, Syrus?"

"Yeah, she can barely control herself." Syrus said, staring at the Miktio incredulously. "It does look like you're a little exasperated."

Mikito looked over at Syrus with a strange mixture of emotions showing on her flushed face. Something vulnerable, almost child like, was reflected in her eyes for a moment. And then the tough mask fell again. "It looks that way? Well, I guess you don't understand everything about women, do you wonder boy?"

Syrus only shrugged, agreeing silently.

He agreed even more when in the next moment Mikito leaned over and kissed Madara firmly on the lips. Then she turned on her heel and marched across the room, slamming the door open in front of her.

Everyone in the room looked at one another, speechless.

"Looks like you got the three of us to cooperate." Mikito conceded, looking at the group gathered with her simmering eyes.

Ahiko hummed softly. "That's just half of it. We still need Souji and Yuko to get back here."

"When are they supposed to make landfall?" Izuna inquired, coming forward with urgency.

Takeo kept the younger man composed. "About now."

"Where?" Izuna inquired, trying not to sigh in annoyance with himself.

"Himari Domou and Shin Domou are going to meet them from our end." Takeo explained.

Haji looked at Syrus and Mikito. "I sent Usagi and Tsugi with them."

"Is that the best idea?" Chie questioned, beating Syrus and Izuna both to the punch.

"A six person unit is our forte, after all."

There was an air of unusual celebration in the halls of the compound. They had scored a resounding victory over the humanoid creatures that were sealed away, they scored a victory over the Water damiyo's armada, the Hoshigaki were now members of the amalgamation, and the jubilation of the feast Sekizawa and Serizawa had thrown to mark the victory lingered in the air. During training sessions, reports, drills, and lessons, students could be heard whispering excitedly as details of the battles and ceremonies were shared. The humanoid creatures that had been attacking were completely wiped out with the remainder being sealed back in the shadow lands where they had came from, some said. Others insisted Syrus himself had taken down the entire attacking force. There were rumors that they were defenseless, and it was only a matter of days before everything was ransacked by the Water damiyo and those clans reveling in bloodshed.

Madara and others knew that much of what was being said was exaggerated or inaccurate. The humanoid creatures had been routed, but a great many had managed to escape the battle. Syrus hadn't attacked them by himself, he had rallied a counter attack in preparation for the inevitable counterattack Mikito, Madara, and the others would launch. Konoha, Kumo, the Sarutobi and Hyuga, and the mainland were still well beyond the reach of the amalgamation.

Their priority had to be the Water damiyo and those clans reveling in bloodshed.

On the orders of Gotou and others, however, the instructors allowed the enthusiasm of their apprentices to go unchecked for the sake of improving morale. The mood at the compound had little effect on Syrus, however. It had taken three weeks of regular sessions in the tank before he satisfied Ahiko and Takeo with the samples they needed. Most of the time a loss in the dueling ring required only a day or two in the tanks before the student was ready to resume training. Of course, most of the students didn't unlock something as profound as Syrus, Mikito, and Madara had.

His father had been too free with his fists, and Syrus had suffered more than a few severe thrashings growing up. The punishments of his youth had taught him how to deal with physical pain, but the mental trauma that the shadow lands, in achieving his new power, gave him was far beyond anything his father could've done. Syrus shuffled slowly down the pathways of the compound, though his measured pace was one of necessity. He couldn't make any quick motions until Takeo and Ahiko cleared him. A pair of laughing apprentices approached, regaling each other with supposed factual accounts of the victories recently.

Their conversation stopped as they neared the solitary figure.

Syrus nodded his head to avoid meeting their eyes as they passed.

One whispered something unintelligible, but the affection in her tone was unmistakable. Syrus didn't react. He was dealing with the emotional pain in the only way he knew how. The same way he'd dealt with it as a child. He withdrew into himself, tried to make himself invisible to avoid the attention and focus of others, and of course it didn't work. His return to the compound with answers-so public and so complete-had solidified his suspect reputation with both the students and the leaders.

Even before he left, many had sensed that his power was growing rapidly. Now their suspicions had been confirmed. Syrus had become a center of attention at the compound, feared and revered by the other students and even feared by the leaders. Even Mikito and Madara gave him proper respect. Still, he wished he hadn't become a center of their focus and attention.