A/N: ohmygod i kept forgetting to upload this to this site, set an alarm earlier today, and STILL forgot until now xD

It's okay at least I remembered again today at all!

As always, thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

"I MESSED UP!"

A fist of sand crashes down, melting to sludge as the acidic chakra of his tail eats it away. Naruto grimaces, bracing through the attack, struggling to think through the bubbling haze of fury that clouds his mind and fills his senses.

Everything is awash in shades of red.

He's just-

Not-

Big enough-

Snarling, he shoves off the rest of the demon's sand, tail lashing through it all and eating away at the Ichibi's chakra, cutting off the tendrils before they can reach him.

He can see Gaara, asleep and half-buried in sand up above the bijuu, but he can't get there! He can't climb up the Ichibi, the sand just eats him, and he can't scale a building and jump down, because the sand and wind bullets destroyed them, and he can't-

Get-

High enough-!

Snarling, Naruto gathers the Kyuubi's chakra, tries to leap to his target, only to get smacked out of the air.

Half a second tail bubbles as he claws his way out of the shattered road. Red wipes away his vision, leaving him blind, cut off from his body, for a long, long moment, before Naruto shoves it down with another snarl.

He can't get big enough to rival the Ichibi without more of the Kyuubi's chakra, but he can't control any more-!

He needs to stop. He needs to think.

He's not going to win like this.

He's not going to lose, either, because even just one tail of chakra is enough to keep him healing fast enough, defending fast enough, that the other jinchuriki can't really touch him.

Except Naruto's on a time limit.

His team is counting on him.

Even if he doesn't actually lose, if he doesn't catch up to Natsu in time, it's still a loss.

So THINK, 'ttebayo! Whaddu we do?!

The vague sense of mocking laughter is not helpful.

Memories flicker through, another clone dispelling, but it's not phase two yet, even if he's running out of time-

It's not going to work.

It may be the Kyuubi's own disdain that sparks the thought, as he dodges another of the Ichibi's attacks and his clones try to help him scramble up the demon before they're destroyed and he has to break away.

But the more Naruto thinks about it, he realizes it's true.

There's not a lot of time left. If he doesn't win literally right now, he won't make it in time to do his part.

…and unless he wants to take chances that the kyuubi will help if he pulls on more chakra, he's not winning right now.

Think, think, there's got to be SOMETHING I can still do-!

Naruto scrambles, claws digging into stone as he launches himself away, the lumbering form of the bijuu turning to follow.

And that's-

That's an idea.

Sorry, Sakura-chan! Change of plans!

"Oh sensei, did you really think that would work? At least try to show me something I haven't seen before. This is almost boring."

Both Kusa teams missing, one confirmed to be dead, and two of the three Suna genin missing. Hyuuga Neji, also missing, though somewhat unrelated. He was seen briefly in the area of the foreign competitors and hasn't checked in to any of the nearby commanders giving orders.

Kid like that, could have just thrown himself into the fight without orders. Or, it could be something else.

This is why I hate brats.

Kakashi leaves the Nara with one of the guards, summons his hounds. Considering Orochimaru disguised himself in one of the Kusa teams, the other is immediately suspect, but the missing Konoha team 12, which hasn't checked in anywhere since the invasion started, and whose sensei hasn't been seen at all since the end of Phase 2, apparently, could be its own concern.

Kakashi hates traitors.

"What're we looking for, Boss?"

Decisions, decisions.

Kakashi pauses, takes a moment to really think. He knows what his gut says.

"I need you to look for three missing Kusa genin. Bear-taichou has something you can use to track. Order them back to the barracks when you find them, but don't engage if they refuse. Let the ANBU handle it."

"On it Boss."

And that just leaves Team 12.

Kakashi has a bad feeling, but this way, at least, maybe they can head them off. Whether it was the Kusa team or Konoha traitors, either Kakashi or the ANBU could have a chance of catching them in a pincer with the Inuzuka hunters.

He takes off at a lope, following Bull as Pakkun goes to speak to the ANBU captain. High-level scent concealing jutsu means that one of them is going to lose the trail eventually, but unless it looks like he's about to re-tread places the Inuzuka already covered, there's still a benefit to this.

Kakashi follows his packmate easily, lone eye scanning their surroundings, until the red surges.

…the Nara clan forests are on fire.

It's spreading fast.

Kakashi stops, groaning, and casts a look to his summon. "How much would you like to bet," he drawls, "that our kidnapper is over there?"

Considering their trail has been heading towards Nara-clan territory to begin with, though a little further out than where the flames are coming from…

If they planned to escape over the wall from the Nara forests, having someone prepare the exit point before meeting up with the kidnappers is probably the way to do it. So, Team 12 prepares the exit while the Kusa team kidnaps the genin and heads to rendezvous. If I head there, find their exit and wait, then likely Pakkun and the Inuzuka pursuit teams will catch them between us.

…as long as they don't balk at Natsu's fire.

Shit, we really didn't warn everyone that he can control who it burns. Hopefully someone tests it out, and they don't give up the trail because they can't put it out.

"Change of plans, Bull. We head straight to the wall, find their exit point. Fire like that, Team 12 might go to back up the kidnappers, but I'd rather have that exit guarded."

Bull barks his assent, and they're off.

In the distance, the Ichibi roars again. It's a sound of frustration and fury and it rattles Kakashi's bones, but Jiraiya's on it. Right now, he's got a team to save.

"How cute. Did you really think they'd be able to help you? You should have told them to stay out of it, if you didn't want them throwing away their lives."

Jiraiya is not on it.

As though just waiting for Jiraiya to call for his own summons, reports start reaching him of Orochimaru's serpents, summoned outside Konoha's walls in multiple locations.

No sign of Manda, but-

It shouldn't be possible for Orochimaru to make clones who could summon, right? The amount of chakra that would take- even for Orochimaru, that would be too much!

But there's no way that guy would share his summon contract with just anyone either-

Teme, what's going on here!?

However Orochimaru pulled it off, Jiraiya's stuck. He's got a bijuu in the middle of the city -still not moving, Kakashi must be holding it off at least- and a dozen summons too large for any chuunin to handle right up against their walls, and Jiraiya has to make a choice.

Which is more important? Time, or chakra?

He could go after the summons himself, conserve chakra but take extra time physically hunting them down.

He could summon a dozen of the larger toads, send them out to deal with the serpents and go to back up Kakashi with less than half of his reserves.

How long can Minato's brat hold out against a bijuu? How much did he use his Sharingan before the jinchuriki popped?

Dammit, whose bright idea was it to leave the information specialist floundering without any information?! Teme, this is uncalled for!

Kakashi's biggest issue is his reserves. Master of a thousand jutsu, but the Sharingan will lay him flat if someone doesn't back him up.

Grimacing, Jiraiya flies through the signs for summoning again.

The smoke hasn't even cleared as he starts barking through orders, positions, estimated numbers and locations and currently-present forces to back up, and the toads leap away as Jiraiya throws himself forward, chakra surging as he nearly flies towards the towering form of the ichibi.

The ichibi that's-

Moving away from him?

And avoiding the civilian bunkers?

…what?

"What's that look of hope for, sensei? Surely you don't think you can still win."

Kiba still looks nauseous, Akamaru buried in his hood, paws over his nose.

Shikamaru's not too sure what they smell, something human noses aren't meant to pick up likely, as all he smells is the earthy scents of the forest and the occasional tang of blood that Naruto's clone says belongs to Sasuke.

Shikamaru will take its word for it.

He needs more information, but the clone knows nothing. All it knew was that they started by pursuing two guys who'd taken Sasuke, and then caught the scents of two more.

There were never any signs of Ino.

The scents of the guys that took Sasuke reminded them of Orochimaru, which-

Putting aside how Team 7 ran across Konoha's most notorious nukenin, is not what Shikamaru wants to be running into with a gaggle of genin, even if he was assured by his clan that a jonin would be contacted and sent after them as soon as they could find one.

Shikamaru asks why Orochimaru would want Sasuke-

The clone laughs, brushes off the question, doesn't answer.

Shikamaru asks who is tracking the team with Sakura. Inochi's explanations means he has something of an idea, except if Inoichi's explanations are right Sakura isn't even Sakura and Shikamaru's not entirely certain how someone else could track while in her body.

The clone, predictably, flails and stutters and eventually changes the subject.

Shikamaru tries asking questions a couple times as they follow the trail through the forest, and the clone. Doesn't. Answer.

How troublesome…

Fighting not to grind his teeth, Shikamaru tries again.

"Oi. I'm a strategist. I can't do anything without information. I get that there's some classified shit going on with your team, Naruto, but I need you to tell me something so I know how to play this. If you can't give me anything else, at least give me Natsu's combat style, so I can arrange our team to support him. Hinata and Shino are injured. I'm a support. I know Sakura's more of a support herself, so you need to tell me if Choji and Kiba are our only frontliners, or if I've got more to work with. Understood?"

"O-oh. Um…" the clone trails off, and the silence lingers long enough that, if it were anything less than Ino being kidnapped, Shikamaru would call this whole thing off.

It's suicide. He can't take a team of genin against anyone powerful enough to catch Orochimaru's eye. He doesn't know what kind of support he's got. He can't-

"Right!" the clone exclaims, shaking itself vigorously. "You're totally right! Who cares about Inoichi and all his secrets'n'stuff, ya need to know, dattebayo!"

The clone hums, then nods. "So, fer combat n'stuff, Natsu's super strong! I think I remember he said somethin' about S-class stuff before, when he was talkin' to Kakashi-sensei. But I know there's lots of stuff he can't do since he's stuck with Sakura-chan right now! Mostly he just lights stuff on fire and uses taijutsu! And he's really good, he fought that Zabuza guy even though the mist made all of us blind, and he didn't lose! I mean, I don't think he really won either, but since Kakashi-sensei said Zabuza was A-rank, that's probably still really strong. And Natsu's fire is so cool- it only burns enemies! I don't really get how that works, Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei both agree it's a kekkei genkai, but Natsu swears it's not. But Natsu's fire only burns people he wants it to burn, which is so cool. And ever since that mess with Orochimaru, Sakura-chan's been able to talk to everyone again, which is even better because she can come up with awesome plans while Natsu fights, and she's super good at hiding evidence! Or- uh, ehehehe…"

"And enhanced senses are part of that?"

"Uh, yeah! Mostly smell and hearing I think! Or at least if his eyes are better, it's never come up cause obviously Sasuke's are better than anyone's, so it hasn't mattered…"

"Heh. Fair enough. Alright. Once we catch up, Choji, I want you to keep your focus away from whoever Sakura's fighting. Better to divide our frontliners. Shino and I will support you. Kiba, you're more agile, so I want you moving between targets and hitting anywhere there's an opening. Hinata, we don't know what condition Sasuke is in, so you're our visual support. Enemy reinforcements, traps, anything like that, you need to let us know. Got it?"

There's a chorus of agreement from his classmates as Team 8's sensei drops to run beside him.

Shikamaru doesn't startle.

(much)

"Sounds like a plan. I'm a genjutsu specialist, and Inuzuka Toru is a capture specialist. We'll see if we can put together a trap for you to herd them toward. Inuzuka Hana will prioritize Sasuke and Ino, as she's a trained medic. We don't know much beyond Orochimaru's involvement, so we'll be prioritizing rescue and retreat. Try not to get separated or too deep into a brawl."

Stress uncoils from his spine. The tacit approval of his plan, coupled with the fact that he no longer needs to consider being in charge… Shikamaru nods and waves Kiba back, letting the unfamiliar Inuzuka take the lead so his classmate can take a break.

"Glad to see you sensei!" Kiba offers cheerfully, and Kurenai shakes her head in clear exasperation.

Kiba's sister takes the rear, and their formation restructures a little as they move through the forest.

Shikamaru can feel the eyes of the deer on his back, weight growing heavier and heavier until-

"Is something burning?" Kiba asks, scrunching his nose from Toru's flank.

The wind blows toward them, carrying the unmistakable scent of smoke, and to Shikamaru's right, Hinata activates her Byakugan.

She gasps.

"W-we need to be careful! Th-there's traps ahead!"

"How far?"

"C-closer to the fight, it looks like N-Naruto-kun's gear…"

"Alright. Toru, fall back, let Hinata take point. We'll be single-file, Hinata, guide us through!"

"H-hai, sensei…"

Naruto's clone bounces up to take her place, looking towards Kurenai, as Shikamaru falls back a little to let Kiba go in front.

"Should I dispel and let the boss know you're coming?"

Kurenai nods, and the clone disappears in a cloud of smoke. In the distance, Shikamaru catches his first glimpse of fire, licking between the trees.

The eyes of the deer bore into his spine.

"Oho~? I'm honored! It's been a while since someone's made you resort to this, hasn't it? The God of Shinobi, in the flesh!"

Sasuke is going to kill his team.

He's going to wrap his fingers around their throats, and he's going to strangle them to death.

He hasn't even seen Naruto, just a bunch of clones, and now he hasn't even seen any of those, it's just Natsu, Natsu and his stupid fire-

Whatever Naruto's planning, at this point Sasuke wonders if it will do anything but make the situation worse.

The air is thick with smoke, and while the fire doesn't touch him, Sasuke still has to breathe.

Every cough feels like a kunai between his ribs, and Sasuke's one bad cough away from choking up blood, he's almost certain.

White-hot pain sparks through his torso as he chokes on the smoke, and Sasuke only barely throws himself to the side in time to avoid one of the creepy spider-guy's attacks.

Sharingan clarity catches sight of the flute-bitch escaping with Glasses, and Sasuke snarls, dodging another attack to leap after them.

Flutes are wind instruments, right? She's got to be more affected by this than the rest of those freaks!

Natsu's doing his best dancing the big guy and the twin guy around the traps - again, WHAT WAS THE PLAN HERE? - and without those weird flute monsters clearing out the traps, hopefully that will slow glasses down enough for whatever Naruto planned to take effect and trap them.

…I swear to the kami if it turns out these idiots didn't even have a plan I am going to request a team transfer. Shikamaru's smart. He probably has plans all the time.

"You know, I really did want to show off this technique I perfected. I think you'd have enjoyed it quite a bit. A pity that little girl forced me to change some plans. I truly do think your face would have been utterly delicious."

Haruno fights with a savagery that belies every report and record Kabuto could find of her. Every Academy record mentioned a practically stereotypical civilian child. Distressed by blood, uncomfortable in more shinobi-oriented lessons, bad at rough camping and taijutsu, all book-smarts and chakra control with little else. Perhaps with the right sensei she could have taken her chakra control and flourished, but all records expected her to wash out and retire without ever advancing to chuunin, just like her father.

That… is not what he's seeing now.

Whether she doesn't know, or simply doesn't care about the Nara Clan's retribution for burning down their forest, Kabuto can't even begin to guess, but from a tactical standpoint it was not a bad move. Not only do the bright flames and black smoke cause their own problems by blinding and choking their enemy, they also make it almost impossible to see the traps scattered through the forests. Twice now he's only just cut himself loose from childish rope traps in time to avoid Team 7. Kidomaru's webs are almost useless, bursting into flames almost immediately, leaving Jirobu and Sakon to bear the brunt of the fighting, as Tayuya and Kabuto make their escape.

…or try to.

The Uchiha lunges after Tayuya with a glare that feels personal, and Kabuto wonders if it's better to help her, or make his way out with the Yamanaka heir while they're distracted. Clearly Sasuke-kun has found her personality as grating as everyone else does, and Kabuto's just not sure if it's worth saving her.

And at this point, he acknowledges, attempting to capture Haruno is likely impossible. Even if he knocks her out, her kekkei genkai doesn't need hand signs, and while he'd be fairly confident in his ability to keep her unconscious for the entire trip, fairly confident isn't fully confident, and all it would take is one second to potentially compromise everything.

The Yamanaka heir must know something, and information is more important than taking foolish risks that can't be guaranteed to pay off.

The Uchiha…

Kabuto grits his teeth, tightening his grip on the Yamanaka.

He'll just have to hope those four can actually do their jobs, he can't risk his own standing here.

Leaping into the trees, Kabuto ignores the lick of the flames and makes for the wall.

Only to jerk to a stop as something red crashes through the trees just in front of him, carving a swathe of destruction that steams the air.

They should have brought Kimimaru.

"Farewell then, sensei."