35. Target: Pakura (Part II)

Mikoto awoke after being betrayed by Yuffie to find herself strapped to a table. She realized from the oppressive heat that she was in the punishment level, and began to fear that the Animal Curse Mark had been applied to her while she was unconscious. But her mind was put at ease by an unlikely source when Akame upon noticing she was conscious said, "No, we haven't modified you yet. Before we proceed to that step I thought it prudent we have a little chat first."

Mikoto gave a chilly and unconcerned smile as she replied, "I thought you would have learned by now Akame that I'm not one for small talk."

Akame didn't look amused as he replied while he pressed a button thatraised the table from horizontal to vertical, "Funny, I would have thought..."

Mikoto interrupted him as the table completed its journey and seeing that they were alone commented, "Where's your little lapdog? I figured she'd be here."

A look of anger appeared on Akame's face at his being interrupted. Hiding his annoyance, he said, "I assume you are speaking of Seven. Well you see the thing is. I'm not quite sure I can trust her anymore. Therefore, I am going to have to eliminate her. She'll provide one last useful service in really testing out my men. I'm sure that once she realizes that she isn't going to be leaving morning training alive, she'll put up one spectacular show."

Mikoto was aware that Akame could be testing her in order to see if Seven had been a participant in the jailbreak plot that the Uchiha had mentioned to Yuffie. Therefore, shrugging as best she could due to the straps said dismissively, "Oh well. Guess she'll just have to learn that betrayal comes with the life."

Mikoto's eyes hardened as Akame replied with an amused chuckle, "I suppose you would know, considering the family you come from. Still, whether you truly do not care for her fate or you are putting on an act, it doesn't matter. Lord Danzou and I have come too far to let it all fall apart for one kunoichi, even for one as exceptional as she."

Mikoto kept the concern she felt from her face and voice as she asked, "Then why spare me?"

Akame chuckled again in amusement as he replied, "I've asked that question myself many times. However, I finally believe I know the answer as to why Danzou keeps you around. You're not exceptional, but just had the good fortune to be rare. Think of yourself as an endangered species, but I don't think even that would be enough to keep you alive if not for the connection you share with Sasuke."

Mikoto understood exactly what the prison warden was driving at as she said, "The Mangekyō Sharingan, you hope to unseal it in Sasuke by having me and him fight so that when he kills me..."

"Not quite," Akame interrupted, "we believe he already unlocked it when he killed your other son, " Akame saw a look of shock, surprise, and pain appear on her face so delighted that he had managed to crack her calm exterior said, "You didn't know. What am I saying? Of course you didn't. It is strange though, considering that Itachi plunged a sword into your chest, I would have figured that hearing of his death would generate a more joyful emotion in you."

Fighting back tears, Mikoto said, "What would you understand of it? Itachi loved the Leaf Village; he deserved more than to be hunted down as a missing-nin."

"He likely would have gotten it," Akame countered, "if he had only followed through with his orders. Ironic don't you think, the one thing he loved more than the village was what killed him."

Mikoto glared at the man wishing she had the ability to use the black fire of Amaterasu to reduce the man to ash. "Then since Konoha has the Mangekyō Sharingan my usefulness is at an end."

"Perhaps it would be if we had the Mangekyō Sharingan. Yet sadly poor Sasuke chose to abandon the village in order to pursue his desire of killing Itachi." Akame chuckled as he said, "If Itachi didn't have bad luck, then he would have had no luck at all. And that's where you come in my dear. I believe that we're going to send you after that little traitor and you're going to kill him thus unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan for Lord Danzou's use. Whether he'll allow you to keep those eyes or simply rip them out of your head who can say."

"You are more delusional than I thought if you think I'll help you."

Akame shook his head clearly amused by her defiance as he walked around the table. "What makes you think you have a choice? Yuffie has told me that you believed the means of controlling this army of degenerates lied within the Animal Curse Mark. You were partially correct." Akame stopped in front of her after completing his circuit around the table to continue, "The truth is that due to the beastly instincts the curse mark unleashes it makes them far easier to control." Akame flipped up his eyepatch and showed that beneath the piece of cloth resided a Sharingan, "Especially with this little beauty. It truly is a remarkable Kekkei Genkai. I can almost see why you Uchiha had such a chip on your shoulder. I'm told that this eye in particular once belonged to your dear husband. It was quite kind of you to chase away Itachi's accomplice in the massacre, since we've always been of the opinion he was the one that stole many of the eyes of your clan."

Mikoto stopped listening as Aakme described how they only knew of him because of her feverish whisperings. She began to recall how she came to in her home after Itachi had stabbed her through the back to find a masked man standing over her husband. Despite her injuries, she had managed to drive him away likely only because of his surprise at finding a survivor. She collapsed seconds later and he probably would have finished her off if not for the arrival of the Anbu black ops. When they had burst into her bedroom all they had found was her and her husband and unaware of the truth of the massacre they had taken her to the hospital. But, upon her survival reaching Danzou's ears, she soon found herself within the walls of the Leaf Maximum Security Prison.

"In any case," Akame continued unaware of her tuning him out, "soon you will be one of our perfect little obedient soldiers. Sadly, now that the man responsible for rediscovering the process of applying the mark has returned to Sea Country, I'm afraid those he taught the process to are just not quite as good and as a result it appears the process is quite painful." Akame pressed a button causing an IV drip to start which Mikoto could feel was trying to lull her to sleep. The prison warden smiled darkly as he said, "But until I get permission to proceed, stay down here and sleep the sleep of the damned."

Unable to fight the chemicals putting her under, Mikoto thought of her friend Kushina and wondered how their lives had ended up so dissimilar from what they had dreamed. However, she was comforted by the thought that perhaps soon she would be joining her friends and family in the afterlife even as she apologized to Kushina for not being able to protect her son. Yet she wasn't surprised that she had failed as Akame had already proven she was incapable of protecting her own family.

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Tsunade was approaching the main camp flanked by Yuugao and Koharu as the sun rose behind them. With the latter being henged to appear as the old woman she had been before becoming one of Naruto's lovers. However, they could feel the presence of another member of Naruto's flock blocking their path. Upon spotting said woman, Tsunade waved the other two women forward who nodded and passed on either side of Ino while the Hokage stopped on the branch opposite of the Yamanaka.

"Ino," Tsunade said with a curt nod, "What is it? In cases it has escaped your notice I'm rather busy."

Ino frowned at her fellow blonde before answering, "Both Temari and Asuma have refused to send any help after Naruto. They both tell me you are the one that issued that order."

"I did..."

"Why," Ino snapped angrily, "He's out there facing god knows what and you don't even care enough to send..."

"That's enough," Tsunade barked angrily. "Do you have any idea how much it is tearing me up that I can't send anybody? Has it not occurred to you that I would much rather take this Training Force and march it off after Naruto?"

"Then why don't you?" Ino said her voice sounding accusing, at least to Tsunade's ears.

The Hokage slammed her fist into the trunk of the tree as her head was lowered thus casting a shadow over her eyes while she tried to rein in her anger. When she looked up to meet Ino's eyes the younger kunoichi could see a smoldering anger there. She was about to apologize when Tsunade said in a cool and collected voice, "You forget yourself. I've felt the pain that you are trying to avoid. The reason I don't march off after him is because he would never forgive me for forgetting my duties as Hokage. You say you want Naruto to stop being reckless and to stop taking what you consider as unnecessary chances." Tsunade took a deep breath before saying, "You think that makes you the one that cares for him the most out of all of us. But to me Ino, that makes you the most selfish."

Ino gasped from the Hokage's words. She was about to respond angrily, but in the face of Tsunade's calm tone as she continued the Yamanaka found that the fire of her anger was suppressed. "There is nothing I'd rather do then lock Naruto away in a tower where I know he'll be protected. But that isn't love. That would just be me selfishly trying to protect my own heart. Naruto never hid his desire to become Hokage and a Hokage's duty is to protect all those that need it. Not just those that he loves and cares for. You fear that means you might lose him and that is a valid one. But if you could convince him to stop risking himself for strangers, with the same callous disregard for his own safety as he would for friends, then Ino, I think you would find that you'd lose the thing that made you love him in the first place."

Ino didn't know how to respond so Tsunade leapt from the branch she stood upon to land next to the Yamanaka and gently placed a hand on her shoulder as she said, "It would destroy me too if Naruto were to die because I couldn't send help. But I know he would want our forces here protecting the people of Konoha."

Ino nodded but hugged her shoulders as she felt a chill pass through her when she said, "I don't know if I can continue on in a relationship with him knowing that he's going to keep throwing himself headlong into every situation."

Tsunade inclined her head as she understood that for some people it was difficult to care for the type of people who ran in the direction that other people were running from. She leap away in order to reach the main camp leaving Ino with her thoughts, and was confident that eventually the young kunoichi would come to understand that even should she keep her distance from Naruto. It would in no way lessen the pain she would feel should the worse happen to the young man who had found a place in her heart.

*****************************

Temari stepped up with Asuma as they approached Tsunade, who was dressed in the standard Konoha flak jacket and uniform of a shinobi prepared for battle, upon her entering the main camp. She was not surprised when the man that she had never seen without his trademark cigarettes said, "Lady Tsunade, the squads have surrounded the prison and the Katsuyu clones have been divvied out among them. Now perhaps you'll tell us what this is about?"

The Hokage gave a grim smile as she answered, "It would be my pleasure." She then held up another clone of her summons and began speaking. Aware that her voice was being heard by this various squads made up of both Leaf and Sand shinobi she said, "May I have your attention. Let me first say that those of you who have participated in this grand experiment may not be aware of this, but you are now a part of history. Oh shinobi from various villages have worked together before, but never in times of peace and never would one village have turned to another when a potential weakness has been exposed as we have today."

Temari could see the various confused looks from the multitude of shinobi unaware of what was happening inside the prison. Although not aware of it at first, she herself had been surprised to learn that Kiyomi had always intended for Suna to have a role in dismantling the threat the prison posed. She had always been of the mind that they would somehow take care of it without the outside world ever learning the truth. But as she heard Tsunade continue and it dawned on some of the Suna-nin still in the main camp that the Leaf was trusting them enough to help deal with a problem they didn't even know about yet, she couldn't help that it was the perfect way to erase any of the leftover scars from the Sound-Sand invasion.

Tuning back into Tsunade she heard, "The only thing I regret was that I was not to be up front with you all from the beginning as to what The Training Force's true mission is from the start. However, Gaara and Temari had only ever assured me that when the time came, the Shinobi of the Sand would be ready to stand with their friends and allies in the Leaf. Now you must be asking yourselves, what is she talking about?" Tsunade took a deep breath and then said, "Several months ago it came to our attention that a threat was growing right under our very noses. As we speak, a rebellion is brewing within the walls of the Leaf Maximum Security Prison. Considering that the facility that houses this threat was supposed to be one that protected it, I was not sure where to turn as I was beginning to see enemies everywhere. Luckily for me, there is one person that I feel I can turn to no matter the crisis and despite sometimes being known as the number one hyperactive knucklehead of the Leaf Village. He has always seemed to be able to find the clearest path through whatever obstacles are thrown in his way."

Temari felt a smile tug at her lips and she was sure was an action being mirrored on the faces of a few other women. Tsunade's speech continued as the Hokage said, "Although he didn't know the threat I proposed was real. Without a second's hesitation he told me, well I'd just ask my friends in the Sand for help." Although not exactly true, Temari supposed it got the point across.

"That young man is currently chasing down enemies of not only Suna and Konoha, but of the remaining shinobi villages from the five great Elemental Countries. We have just received word that Kumogakure has also experienced an abduction like the one that happened yesterday. While I know some may believe otherwise that this incident with Pakura is a kidnapping. We have it on good authority that both Kirigakure and Iwagakure also have recently lost shinobi to mysterious attacks. Therefore, I ask that you leave that matter to a shinobi of the Leaf as we ask you for your aid in helping us put our house in order."

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Naruto after having dealt with Ichi looked at the Katsuyu clone riding on his shoulder in surprise upon learning that the people that had kidnapped Pakura had also likely struck in other villages. He wasn't sure how the small slug clone had caught up to him, but was glad Tsunade had sent it to inform him that he was going to have to deal with the threat alone. He understood why naturally, since they would need every available shinobi to make sure the prisoners did not get out of the prison as from what he understood of Kiyomi's plan it did call for a jailbreak.

His attention was pulled away from what was going on back at the prison by Katsuyu saying, "If I'm not mistaken we are near Mount Shuminsen. That mountain range connects Fire, Earth, and Waterfall country. You should tread carefully; a Leaf shinobi isn't exactly welcome in Earth or Waterfall." Naruto nodded feeling that it was a shame that relations with Taki had suffered due to the incident that had resulted in Fu now living in Konoha.

Naruto saw another of the large gates approaching so said to the small slug, "You might want to get somewhere more secure. If I was the enemy, I'd leave someone at the gate to see if either my ally or the enemy survived the battle at the first one." Katsuyu nodded her eyestalks and Naruto giggled as she slid down his body before settling in his pants pocket.

Reaching the gate he didn't see anyone and guessed his opponents had vastly underestimated him. Therefore, without stopping he began to run up the front of the closed barrier but was forced to leap away as silently large spear like projectiles shot down at him from the tops of the canyon that the gate blocked. Landing on the ground, he saw to wolf like creatures covered in armor snarling at him from atop the canyon walls as a woman appeared on top of the gate. She dropped down in front of it as the two armored wolves ran down the cliff face to join her.

"Oh my, what a handsome one you are. And is that a kunai in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

"Would you believe it's a slug?"

The woman looked at him in confusion, before a dark look appeared on her face as she asked, "Are you mocking me?"

Naruto shook his head before saying, "Look I don't have time to mess with you. Now either get out of the way, or end up like your pal did."

"Oh my, a tough guy, huh? I really love men like you, especially the way they scream." Pointing at Naruto she shouted, "Get him." Her two armored pets charged forward obeying her command.

Naruto waited preparing to meet them in close combat, but the creatures had other ideas as one of them stopped to fire the two spears mounted to its back. Naruto jumped up to avoid the projectiles causing the other one to stop and try to impale him with its own projectiles while he was unable to dodge. Naruto created a clone that pulled him out of the way and tossed him at the closest creature even as it took a spear in the chest. He then created a Rasengan and avenged his clone by smashing it into the creature as he landed as it tried to retract the spear it was tethered too.

Dust flew everywhere, and when it settled the only thing Ni saw was the shattered body of her summons. However she sensed the attack just before it happened as Naruto appeared from the ground beneath her with another Rasengan. She flipped backwards and pulling her whip, cracked it and succeeded in wrapping it around the wrist of the hand Naruto was holding the Rasengan with. "Now," she shouted to her remaining summons as she pulled her whip taunt upon Naruto's landing forcing him to end the jutsu.

The armored wolf leapt at Naruto's back intent on biting into his neck. Instead of panicking at his inability to move, the blond man dug into his pocket and pulled out Katsuyu who fired a stream of acid right into the creatures gaping jaws.

As the creature's insides were consumed by acid, Ni said, "You really did have a slug in your pocket." But then upon noticing the fate of her summons shouted, "You'll pay for that you bastard. I'll keep you here just long enough for Master Hiruko to absorb that bitch you're trying to save. Then you can try and stop a go..."

She lost her balance slightly as Naruto, after placing Katsuyu back in his pocket, pulled a tri-pronged kunai and then used it to cut the whip. He then tossed it at the kunoichi, who prepared to dodge it, but to her amazement lost sight of Naruto as he disappeared in a red flash. Only to reappear right in front of her as he slammed a Rasengan into her stomach which sent her off flying. She smashed into and through the gate and before everything went dark heard Naruto say, "If that's the case, then I'm afraid I really don't have any more time to stick around here."

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Seven knew that despite how everything appeared to be normal, something had changed with Mikoto's imprisonment. She didn't believe that the Uchiha had betrayed her, but figured that Akame was just going to ensure there were no loose ends. She believed that whatever he had planned for her would likely go down during the morning training session. She watched as the other prisoners gobbled down their breakfasts as the chunin guards kept a careful watch over them led by Akame's number two man Bekko.

Having arrived to the mess hall early, Seven had walked the perimeter of the room in order to place the seal that Kiyomi had drawn upon her hand at various points. Her sister had told her that when she activated the seal. That it would in essence, short out the one that had been placed upon each of the prisoners to deny them their chakra. Since both Kiyomi and she had spent so long as prisoners themselves. They both knew that without the means to control them, and regardless of whatever deals they had made with Akame, the prisoners would turn on the guards the moment the restrictions on their chakra were removed.

Seven placed her hand against the wall as she spent a second inspecting the bottom of her sandals as if she stepped on something. While grousing about slobs who couldn't throw their food away she could feel her hand heat up slightly as Kiyomi's seal transferred to the wall. Her circuit around the room complete, she then headed towards the serving area. She could feel Bekko's eyes upon her as she moved and again wondered if the Kirigakure kunoichi that had told her the night before that Mikoto had been captured was working with Akame or was trying to cut her own deal in the ever shifting alliances within the prison.

After receiving her meal, Seven turned to look for a seat. Looking towards the section where the Kunoichi Alliance normally sat she wasn't surprised to find most of its members missing. Figuring that Akame was giving his newest lieutenant and her allies the grand tour decided to make her move. She figured it would be rather ironic for the women that had betrayed Mikoto to still be tethered to Akame as the rest of the prisoners' chains were broken. Not that it would do any of them much good, since the Training Force would be there to round up the prisoners as they tried to escape.

Her decision made, she dumped her tray into the nearest trash can as she made her way for the exit. She made eye contact with the Kirigakure kunoichi and deciding to trust her made a small motion with her head to head towards the exit. The brown-haired woman nodded and got up to leave the cafeteria. Bekko having notice Seven's strange behavior came up behind her and clamping his hand down on her shoulders asked, "Where are you going prisoner? You really should have eaten your breakfast. You're going to need your strength during today's exercises."

Seven looked back over her shoulder and gave a dangerous smile as she replied, "Sorry, I don't think I'll be participating today. I don't think I'd be able to give my best knowing my friend was being held by scum like you."

Bekko's eyes shot open in surprise at what Seven was admitting. But, before he could call for his guards to move against her, he grunted in pain as she kicked him in the stomach sending him flying into Mizuki's table. The members of Mizuki's faction cursed and shouted as their meals were sent flying. As the head guard scrambled to his feet, Seven activated the seal she had place around the room causing a beam of light to shoot from her hand which upon hitting the first seal bounced to the next. This repeated several times until each seal had been activated, which filled the room with a bright light. Seven didn't stay to see what would happen next as she darted for the exit. She grabbed the Kirigakure kunoichi's hand pulling her after her, confident that now that they were free of their chains those behind her would act exactly as expected.

****************************

"After them," Bekko shouted ignoring the grumbling of Mizuki and the various men and women who had signed on with him.

He heard a smug tone in Mizuki's voice as the former chunin said, "Oi, you bastard. You should apologize for the mess you made."

Bekko didn't bother to look behind him as he slammed his elbow back into where he believed Mizuki was standing. He grunted in disbelief when it felt like his elbow had struck a brick wall, so looking over his shoulder was about to tell Mizuki where he could stick his apology. But, to his surprise felt a cold splash of fear cut through him as she came face to face with Mizuki in his Animal Curse Mark form. The beast man grabbed him by his head as the man made the hand sign to reactivate the chakra suppression seals of the prisoners. When nothing happened a large smile appeared on the tiger like face of Mizuki who said, "Sorry boss, looks like I won't be making it to the training session either."

Mizuki then squeezed Bekko's head crushing it as the screams of the other guards began to fill the cafeteria once the prisoners realized that at least for the moment they were masters of their own destiny again.

*****************************

Yuffie followed behind Akame as the alarms of the prison began to go off. Despite her still being a prisoner it imposed no problem for her to be running about freely in Akame's mansion, since due to the early hour none of the civilian prison workers had been let into the facility yet. She, as well as a good portion of her Kunoichi Alliance, had been invited to the warden's home to celebrate their joining his plot officially. However, unbeknownst to every member of her alliance, even her two teammates, Yuffie had always been working for him. It wasn't that she was particularly loyal to the prison warden. It was just she was aware of the single truth of the world and that was that what people considered loyalty was nothing but a weaker force latching itself onto a stronger one.

After all, her own home of Taki had been doing such for years. She had little doubt in her mind that should Konoha ever fall, her home would help trample on its ashes as readily as the other villages, even though they were supposedly allies and had been so for close to a century. It was the truth brought about by the founding of the great shinobi villages after all. The shinobi clans that had been unable to match up to either the Senju or the Uchiha before the founding of Konoha had quickly joined forces with them. Those clans that were more ambitious than the ones joining the fledgling village of Konoha quickly answered the other daimyo's calls to form villages within their own lands and thus led to the founding of the other four great shinobi villages.

Villages such as hers however had been unable to attract the talent necessary to compete and so had quickly approached Konoha for an alliance. Her village had been rewarded for their foresight by being the only minor village to receive a Bijuu as the first Hokage tried to spread a message of peaceful co-alliances. Yet, in the end it was not to be as her village would send an assassin after the first Hokage in the hopes that with his death the clan's making up Konoha would turn on each other in order to become the next Hokage.

The plot failed naturally and although older than her teammates even Yuffie wasn't around during the early days of Taki. However, her teacher had been teammates with the assassin and would remain bitter at how his village had treated Kakuzu upon his failure to kill the Hokage. He would instill in her that while loyalty was good, especially to one's teammates, it was a tool used by those in charge to bind their subordinates to them, while not possessing the same feelings for the men and women they often sent to their deaths.

Yuffie understood this more clearly now due in part to the near decade she and her teammates had spent in the Leaf Maximum Security Prison. But also because she would willingly sacrifice all the women that made up the Kunoichi Alliance, except for her two teammates, in order to secure their freedom. If she had believed that Mikoto could fulfill her promise of freedom then she would not have turned the woman over to Akame. Yet that had been her role from the beginning which was to gather any intelligence on forces within the prison plotting against the warden.

However, she felt a cold vestige of doubt enter her that she had made the right choice when she entered the prison command center located in Akame's mansion and saw the chaos on the many security monitors. She could tell that Akame was just as surprised as she was as he barked, "What the hell is this? Where's Bekko?"

"Dead sir," a chunin guard said obviously not prepared to deal with the situation. "He was killed by Mizuki after the prisoner that calls herself Seven did something to somehow short out the chakra repression seals. W-what should we do sir? The prisoners have already made it to the lower levels and we can't call for reinforcements from Konoha without raising the question of how so many..."

"Be silent," Akame snapped and Yuffie could see that he was on the verge of collapsing under the pressure of his scheme falling apart around him.

Yuffie also felt the same pressure since her own plans were on the verge of being undone. Trying to think of some way to turn events in her favor she was about to back out of the control room but stopped when Akame said, "Just where do you think you're going to bitch?"

The Taki kunoichi narrowed her eyes at the man as she replied, "It doesn't seem you'll be able to fulfill your part of the bargain we struck. I see no reason to risk myself for a losing cause."

Akame glared at her, but then with a grim smile that wasn't entirely sane said, "Then let me help you see things more clearly." Yuffie went on guard, but with her chakra still being restrained was helpless as the Sharingan that Akame revealed was beneath his eye patch convinced her that there was still a reason to fight, his revenge. Having a general idea of where Seven was heading he told Yuffie to gather her alliance and to arm themselves in his armory where he would put those that resisted under his command to hunt down and kill his traitorous Lieutenant.

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Naruto pushed his legs harder as he caught sight of the strange birdlike summons as it descended towards a fortress that lay beyond the last gate with Pakura clutched in its talons. Running along the barren landscape, he diverted his course towards a large rock formation in order to gain some altitude. He ran up it quickly, and upon reaching the top created a clone which after he passed it one of his special kunai, henged itself into a Demon Wind Shuriken which Naruto tossed at the man riding the birdlike summons. The man easily deflected it upwards, but was surprised when the clone dehenged itself and tossed the tri-pronged kunai it had been given.

Naruto then Hiraishined himself above San with a Rasengan at the ready. Instead of targeting the man, who would likely be able to defend himself, Naruto slammed his jutsu into San's summons. The bird creature screamed in pain as it was propelled back down towards the earth. It released the tied up Pakura, causing Naruto to leap from the crippled summons and snatch her out of the air. He was about to teleport again. But before he could, his ankle was grabbed by San, who having leapt from his doomed summons used his handhold on Naruto's ankle to pull himself up and kick the young jinchuriki in the face. The young man saw stars, but refused to give up his hold on Pakura and reacted by pulling his leg free of San's grip before retaliating by kicking the upside down man in the side.

Aware that the ground was quickly approaching, Naruto created several clones which he used as stepping stones in order to try and slow his downward momentum. However, just as he was beginning to feel it work, he was tackled from behind as San hit him like a human bullet. Due to the speed and impact at which the man was traveling Naruto found himself unable to hold onto Pakura. Therefore, he created a clone which kicked both him and San away as it reached for the Suna-nin.

Naruto grabbed San in a death grip as the man tried to pull himself free in order to go after the kunoichi. But a moment later focused on Naruto as the clone disappeared in a red flash with his target.

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Pakura felt her breath get knocked out of her as she and the clone impacted the ground upon their appearing near the kunai the first clone had thrown earlier. The clone holding her wrapped itself tightly around her as they rolled on the ground, but her cushion disappeared in a puff of smoke shortly thereafter. Still bound, she could see Naruto and her kidnapper still striking at each other as if they were unaware of how quickly the ground was approaching.

Just before they impacted it, she shouted, "No!" But then she quickly looked away, as she was unwilling to watch her would-be savior meet his end that way. She heard the sickening impact of a body hitting the ground but at the same time also heard the sound of somebody hitting the ground near her although it sounded like it had to a lesser extent.

She cracked open eyes slowly causing her to see a blurry blob of orange nearby, but she was too afraid to look, not wishing to see the young man's broken body. However, her eyes shot open when the blurry blob sat up and rubbing his back said, "Ow, ow, ow, ow, no more reckless stunts like that for a while."

"Naruto," Pakura shouted happily as she tried to stand despite being bound.

The blond gave her a warm smile as he said while pulling out a kunai to cut her free, "Hey, you're a hard lady to catch up with. I don't suppose you'd mind to horribly much is we found a nice quiet place to rest after such a long and trying day, " Pakura wasn't sure why she felt her cheeks heating up from what he was suggesting, considering how innocuous he had phrased it.

However, before she could answer she caught sight of San preparing to attack Naruto from behind. The jinchuriki sensed the attack and turned to use his kunai to counter his opponents. As the two men pushed against each other's blade Naruto said, "You're a lot tougher than your two teammates were. How did you survive the fall?"

San smiled at him as he tried to bear down and overpower the blond while saying, "What makes you think I'm the one that took it?"

Naruto was confused by the man's words so directed his attention towards the crater and caught sight of what appeared to be two broken forms inside of it. Aware that San had somehow summoned his two teammates and used them to break his fall said angrily, "Bastard!"

San was surprised by the heat contained in Naruto's voice as well as his eyes momentarily flashing red. Still he recovered quickly saying, "Why so angry? They were already dead weren't they?"

"You didn't know that," Naruto said growing angrier. "You would have sacrificed them regardless."

"All too true," the man with the three purple tattoos replied amused. He then surprised Naruto by ending his resistance causing the blond to stagger forward only to be kicked away by the man.

Naruto landed roughly on his back prompting Pakura to call his name. Yet, he quickly recovered and rolled to his feet. He felt Katsuyu slip from his pocket from the movement so remained crouched on the ground. He picked the slug up and put her on his shoulder, but he was surprised that San didn't try to follow up his attack. He got a sense of the reason why as he heard the large doors of the fortress behind him begin to open.

Naruto stood as he watched what appeared to be a bandaged child step through the fortress entrance. Despite the newcomer's appearance, he could feel the power radiating from him. However to his surprise the man directed his attention to the slug on Naruto's shoulder and said, "Katsuyu, my you haven't changed at all over these many years."

The jinchuriki could hear the shock in Tsunade's summons voice as she said, "Hiruko!"

Before Naruto could inquire as to whom it was he was facing, both Hiruko and San attacked forcing him on the defensive as he protected the still bound Pakura.

**************************

"Hiruko!" the clone of Katsuyu riding on Tsunade's shoulder said causing the slug princess to direct her gaze towards it in shock.

"Is that who Naruto is facing?" She asked worryingly, which grew in intensity when her summons nodded its eyestalks. She cursed feeling the overpowering sensation to abandon her mission in order to go support her lover. Yet aware of how he would react to finding out she had quickly put a lid on the desire and focused on the coming fight.

Tsunade landed on a tree branch and asked her summons, "Where are they now Katsuyu?"

The slug remained silent as it searched the many copies of itself looking for some sign of Tsunade's quarry. She waited patiently and allowed her mind to recall what forced her to step onto the battlefield.

Tsunade had been in the main camp processing the various reports from the Training Force units that were engaging the rioting prisoners. Much as expected, the prisoners once free to use chakra had turned against the guards of the prison. Over the past few months of planning on how to best deal with Danzou's rebellion, one problem kept making itself abundantly clear, which was how to overcome the Leaf Maximum Security Prison itself without it turning into a long drawn out siege. After all, all the qualities that made it effective place to keep people inside, also made it just as effective as keeping them out. Unfortunately, the best solution they had come up with had been to let the prisoners succeed in their escape to a certain extent.

/]

[/Naturally this was only to be the case if the chunin guards of the prison were unable to reestablish control. If they were, then Tsunade would have the Training Force swarm the prison under the pretense of having noticed something amiss. Sadly, when several batlike creatures attacked the tower on the opposite side of the lava crater and managed to get the drawbridge to lower, Tsunade knew they would be forced to use the riskier strategy.

/]

[/Much as expected, with the drawbridge lowered the prisoners began storming across it. To her surprise though, most of them didn't appear to be gifted with the Animal Curse Mark. Still she had given the order to attack and once the prisoners were far enough away to not easily make it back to the prison the Training Force sprung its trap. The prisoners put up the fierce fight of those seeing their hopes about to be dashed, but it was proving to be for naught against the combined might of the Leaf and Sand. At least that was until the horde of transformed shinobi began to storm across the drawbridge.

/]

[/Tsunade had quickly realized that the first wave of prisoners had likely been those of the lower levels and had been freed by the ones taking part in Danzou's rebellion to spring any ambushes waiting for them. She had wondered briefly whether or not it was the work of a person possessing a tactical mind guessing they may encounter further resistance outside the prison or if they had sensed the Training Forces presence through the heightened senses of the animals they now resembled.

/]

[/The Training Force had reacted quickly and had managed to prevent the second wave from breaking through either, at least until two large men that had been transformed into elephant-men had joined the fray. Having a small idea of who the juggernauts were Tsunade had decided to confront them herself and had left Koharu in charge of directing the Training Force on how to recapture the prisoners that had broken through the lines.

Tsunade was pulled back to the present by her summons saying, "A squad has encountered the Brothers roughly three hundred meters to the West."

With a nod, Tsunade took off in the direction her summons had told her and quickly came across the two elephant men just as they were finishing in their demolishing of the squad Katsuyu had mentioned. Landing between the two Legendary Stupid Brothers and the wounded squad she said angrily, "I thought I told you two to stop causing trouble."

The two men instantly recognized her, but instead of the fear they normally showed in her presence they ignored her with Fujin saying, "Come on Rajin. If we don't hurry Mizuki said there won't be anything left for us to eat in Konoha."

Tsunade's eyes grew wide upon realizing that the two behemoths were heading straight to Konoha. She also realized it was likely that Mizuki was using them as a diversion since with their combined strength it would likely have taken several squads to deal with them. Digging her heels in she said, "You monsters aren't setting a foot inside the village."

"What did you say? You won't stop Fujin and Rajin from enjoying the feast that big brother Mizuki promised," Fujin the eldest brother said, his grayish skin turning red revealing that the two brothers still had the tendency to go berserk.

Looking back over her shoulder Tsunade shouted to the recovering shinobi, "Get out of here now that's an order!" The shinobi hesitated as the two monstrous men charged not willing to leave the woman to fight by herself. However, when she caught a punch from Rajin and shouted back, "I said move it. You'll only get in my way," they quickly scattered. Especially since, she spun pulling Rajin off his feet and tossed him into his charging brother.

Fujin simply raised his head and used his tusks to lift his brother up and over him allowing him to continue his charge. He then smashed into Tsunade and picked her up off her feet as he charged through several trees with her. He suddenly came to a stop causing Tsunade to continue in flight, but he caught her with his trunk. He then tossed her towards his brother who raised his massive fists above his head and spiked her into the ground.

Tsunade wobbled slightly as she got back to her feet and felt a grim smile reach her face as she said, "Looks like I'm going to have to remind you two who it is you're messing with."

The Brothers didn't respond as they were still in their berserker state, and unable to understand her words charged. Tsunade braced herself and just before they reached her leapt over the beast men. Landing behind them, she punched the ground causing the earth to split and crack which threw the two men off balance. Charging Rajin, she delivered a blow straight to his stomach and although it caused him to cough up blood as he skidded away from her, to her amazement he appeared otherwise unharmed.

Her shock nearly cost her as Fujin recovered his balance and attempted to maul her with his tusks. Tsunade leapt away at the last moment, but before she landed was sent flying as Rajin raised his trunk and unleashed a gust of wind that carried her away. She hit a tree that she then slid down as the two brothers closed in on her.

Getting back to her feet, she prepared to face the two again but was surprised when two figures dropped down in front of her. Instantly recognizing her apprentices she said, "What the hell do you two think you're doing here? You're both supposed to be at the main camp hospital."

Sakura looked over her shoulder and with an amused smirk countered, "With all due respect Tsunade aren't you supposed to be there also."

Shizune nodded in agreement with her fellow apprentice as she added, "Indeed, in times of battle the generals should remain towards the rear."

"As should the medics," Tsunade said agitated.

"Well since you were our teacher it is no wonder we never took to that lesson," Sakura replied as she cracked her knuckles.

"I've told you many times Lady Tsunade. You don't need to take on everything by yourself." Shizune then with a smile looked over her shoulder towards her teacher as she continued, "I would've thought it was something that our new life would have taught you by now."

Tsunade smirked as she stepped between her two students while saying, "Why did I ever agree to take on two such willful women as my apprentices? Very well, but don't come crying to me if you're too tired or bruised to enjoy our stud afterwards."

Shizune and Sakura took off charging towards the two elephant men with the youngest saying, "Don't worry about us Lady Tsunade. We'll handle this if you're starting to feel your age."

"Hey," Tsunade said in annoyance especially since Sakura's quip was followed by Shizune's amused giggles. Still as she watched her two apprentices face their opponents she couldn't help but feel a measure pride. However, not willing to be left behind just yet decided to add her might to the fray.

**************************

Kiri prisoner KK-one-one-seven-six was rifling through the research notes that she could find in order to take them before she would follow Seven in escape. Finding a file she believed may contain the keys to recreate the animal curse mark she scanned it quickly, but learned that although it did contain the original recipe that Mizuki had used. It didn't contain anything on how to prevent the side-effects of accelerated aging. Cursing, she placed the file in a scroll and continued her search.

Turning she began to scan the room, but paused a moment to take in the damage that Seven had left as she had rescued Mikoto. She still had a difficult time grasping that the woman seemed even stronger than she had been during the training sessions they had participated in. The way the heavy metal doors of the elevator and converted cells had been ripped open as Seven had displayed an ability to use Magnetic Release as she had searched for Mikoto was awe inspiring.

Seven had first shown it by ripping the doors to the elevator shaft open in order to drop down to the punishment level. Reaching the lower level of the prison, Seven had then easily torn through the guards as she prevented the metal kunai and shuriken the men had thrown when she had appeared from the shaft from reaching them. After making the weapons come to a stop in midair, she had reversed their course killing many of the guards who had thrown them. The few that remained had tried to battle her in close, but learned that her hand to hand skills were as sharp as ever.

/]

[/After dealing with the guards protecting the prisoner on the punishment level they had quickly found Mikoto, but learned the woman likely wouldn't be leaving under her own power due to being drugged. Seven had managed to rouse Mikoto to a semi-level of consciousness before freeing her of the table she was strapped to, and although the Uchiha kunoichi was barely lucid she was at least able to aid Seven somewhat as they searched for an exit. Upon finding a secret passage which the Kiri-nin suspected was how Akame had smuggled in the supplies necessary for the research into the Animal Curse Mark. Seven had turned to her in order to say, "Let's get out of this sweat locker."

/]

[/However, Kiri prisoner one-one-seven-six had refused as she backed up saying, "I can't, at least not yet. I'm going back for the research notes so that I can barter my way into another village."

/]

[/"Don't be an idiot. You can worry about that kind of stuff after we make our escape. The riot upstairs might have the guards too busy to bother us, but that isn't a reason to delay our departure."

/]

[/The Kiri-nin had been unable to prevent her gaze from darkening as she said angrily, "That's easy enough for you to say. You're probably just going to run back to Iwagakure. But what about me, there's nothing for me in Kirigakure. My own village sent an assassin disguised as a bodyguard whose job it was to kill me and my squad at the first sign of trouble. I'm not going back there and that means I'm going to need something by which I can barter my way into another village."

/]

[/The woman, who could barely remember her name since she had discarded everything of her hometown village, thought that Seven had looked like she was about to invite her to tag along with her to wherever she was heading with Mikoto. However, she appeared to think twice about it before saying, "Then this is where we part ways. Don't dally here; eventually even the other prisoners may realize there's another route out. A bargaining chip isn't of much use if you run afoul of the wrong person."

/]

[/The Kiri-nin nodded before dashing back to the room where they had found Mikoto and begun her search for what she believed she needed to start a new life in a new village.

The former shinobi of Kirigakure was about to return to her search when her senses screamed at her that she had overstayed her welcome. Pulling the blade she had liberated from one of the dead guards she scanned the entrance to the room as she looked out into the darkened corridor while wishing that Seven hadn't done quite so much damage to the lighting fixtures. She was about to perform the Hidden Mist jutsu so that she could sneak past the people her senses were telling her were just outside the doorway. However before she could start the first hand sign, a large four pointed shuriken flew into the room forcing her to deflect it.

Battering it to the side, and recognizing it as the favored weapon of Yuffie, she attempted to call out to her former ally. Yet before she could another of the women of the Kunoichi Alliance charged into the room. Before she could call out to Tifa and ask why they were attacking her, the Taki kunoichi landed a punch to her solar plexus that knocked the wind from her lungs. Tifa followed the blowup with a kick to the stomach the sent her flying backwards into a medical counsel that sparked as it collapsed under her weight. Before she could get back to her feet two more women of the Kunoichi Alliance charged into the room and pulled her back up as they held her between them.

She noticed immediately that unlike Tifa, who appeared almost robotic in her movements, the women holding her were in complete control of themselves. She was about to ask what was going on when the familiar voice of Akame cut in as he said, "Excellent, I was afraid exerting so much control over the three would dull their fighting edge. I'm glad that appears not to be the case." Akame stepped into the room followed by Aeris and Yuffie as well as the remaining members of the Kunoichi Alliance. Giving her a sadistic smile he said, "Ah, so this is where you are. I was wondering why you didn't join us for breakfast. Yuffie told me you weren't feeling well. What's the matter come down with a case of betrayal?"

Sounding defiant the Kiri-nin replied, "Perhaps I should put the question to you as well." Indicating the three Taki-nin with a nod of her head she added, "Something tells me that being turned into a puppet for you wasn't what Yuffie had in mind when she joined forces with you."

The smile never left his face even as he backhanded her for her insolence as he replied, "I would imagine that you are correct. It's such a shame that she was willing to become such a villain in order to secure her teammates' freedom. Sadly though, her loyalty to me only extended as far as it needed to in order to achieve that goal. Luckily with the exception of those teammates, who were quite displeased at my treatment of their team leader, the rest of you kunoichi are proving to be far more dependable."

"I think gullible would be a more apt description."

Akame sighed as he reached for his eyepatch while say, "I guess I'm going to have to put you in the unwilling to be of use column. Fortunately I have ways around that stubborn pride of yours." Lifting the eyepatch that he wore, she was surprised see a Sharingan which tomoe began to spin as he said, "Now why don't you be a bit more cooperative and tell me exactly what happened here."

Unable to stop herself, she told the Warden of the prison all that he wanted to know and as he and the other kunoichi geared up to attack a woman strong in Magnetic Release chakra felt tears begin to appear at the corner of her eyes as she followed along behind them as they took off to kill Seven.

***************************

Temari rolled backwards as a wolflike creature leapt at her from the tree above her as he tried to decapitate her with his claws. She got back up to her feet and managed to bring her closed fan up in time to block the Wolfman's attempt to rip her throat out with his teeth. She winced as he bit down on her fan, denting the heavy metal with the pressure he exerted on it. A moment later she was sent flying as he used his teeth's grip on her weapon to toss her away like a ragdoll.

Landing roughly on the ground, she still managed to roll into a crouch and then dug into her pouch to pull out a pair of kunai as she had been unable to maintain her grip on her fan. The wolfman spit her weapon to the ground before a dark grin broke out on his face. He leapt towards her but before he even began to descend back towards the earth a weighed cord wrapped around his neck. Temari's gaze drifted along the cord of the Johyo to the woman wielding it as she was crouched on a tree branch.

Just as the cord was about to go taunt, Matsuri dropped down from the tree. She let the cord fall over the branch she had just been standing on using it as a pulley of sorts as gravity pulled her to the ground while holding onto the handle. Much as the Suna chunin planned the chord grew taunt faster and with her downward momentum she was able to pull the wolf creature back and suspend him in the air. He gasped for breath as he hung suspended beneath the tree branch. However a moment later a large metal cable hit the branch snapping it.

"You little bitch," the wolf shouted reaching for a massive umbrella strapped to his back as they were joined by a man whose animal curse mark gave him the form of a jackal.

"Quite the pathetic display you're putting on Shura," the newcomer said snidely.

"Go to hell Monju," the Shinobazu leader shouted as his umbrella shot a stream of flame towards Matsuri just as she managed to unravel the cord of her weapon and pull it back.

Monju laughed in a similar manner as the creature he now resembled before controlling his cables to deflect the kunai that Temari tossed at him. "Nice try," the man beast said amused as the kunai fell around his feet. Pulling his arm back he was about to use the cable wrapped around his forearm as a whip, but frowned as she ducked behind one of the nearby trees. Confused as to why she believed the barricade would provide her protection since she had already witnessed his ability to cut through the trees with ease, he receive his answer a moment later as his heightened sense detected a hint of smoke. "Shit," he cursed as he noticed the exploding tags wrapped around the handles of several of the kunai that she had thrown. He attempted to leap away but was still caught in the blast as they went off.

The explosion also had the added benefit of causing Shura to stumble. He released the trigger on his umbrella causing the flamethrower in his umbrella to switch off. Matsuri used the opening to dash from her cover but Shura recovered and bringing his umbrella in line with her said, "Too slow."

He pressed the trigger, but she threw off his aim by dropping into a slide and reaching her target kicked Temari's fan over his head towards the outstretched hand of Temari. Shura, believeing the Suna Jounin was the greater threat and aware that armed with her fan, her wind powered jutsu would render his flame attacks as dangerous to him as to his enemies spun to attack her. It was a costly mistake as Matsuri leapt back to her feet. She then threw the weighted rope of her Joyho so that it wrapped around his umbrella as he tried to bring it to bear on Temari. As Matsuri expected he used his greater strength to yank her off of her feet. Prepared for it as she was, she allowed him to succeed so that she landed on his back where she affixed two exploding tags over his eyes. She leapt away as he tried to pull them free but failed as they exploded removing his head and a good portion of his torso.

While Shura was panicking in his last moments Temari caught her fan and spun towards an enraged Monju. Although a mess the beast man still had plenty of fight as he charged towards her whipping his cables around and clear cutting the forest as he made his way towards her. Only able to open her fan so that the first moon was visible due to the damage it has received, she swung it so that a small but powerful Wind Scythe shot towards the man. Monju erected a barrier of cable in front of him, but it provided little protection as the jutsu cut through it as easily as his cables had the trees around him. He continued forward for several more steps, but then his torso separated from his body as Temari was already turning away.

Matsuri approached her fellow Suna kunoichi who nodded her appreciation for the chunin's aid in getting her weapon back. As Temari affixed the fan to her back Matsuri asked, "Has there been any word from the rest of the squad?"

Before Temari could answer the sound of a body hitting the floor reached their ears. Turning towards the sound both women saw a large struggling creature that was wrapped like a mummy. Maki appeared next followed by two other chunin and with a smile said, "I guess I was worrying over nothing. It looks like you two have things well in hand."

Temari smirked for a moment, yet aware that the situation was anything but said, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I will not consider this our victory unless by the end of the day we can account for all of the trash currently running through these woods." Directing her attention to the two chunin that had followed Maki she ordered, "You two make sure this thing gets locked in a cage back at base camp. Once that task is completed link up with any incomplete teams that are doing likewise before returning to the field."

The chunin snapped a crisp pair of salutes before picking up the struggling wrapped up mole man that was the only remaining member of the Shinobazu. Once the three women were alone, Matsuri produced their copy of Katsuyu and with a moment of free time asked for an update on how their lover was doing.

********************* *******

Pakura watched mesmerized after managing to get to a kneeling position, despite being bound nearly head to toe, as Naruto battled it out against the man that had abducted her and what appeared to be his master. Her gaze drifted to the diminutive man in white. She winced as he managed to dispel another of Naruto's clones leaving the blond in a two on one match. Although Hiruko' taijutsu appeared decent, Pakura had the sense that it had improved only recently. The reason she believed this was because of the way the man had appeared to be struggling against the clones he had faced. Granted he had still managed to dispel all the clones that Naruto had created upon the battles commencement. However, he had struggled against the superior numbers and had only managed to prevail due to the limitations of the Shadow Clone jutsu. Which was their inability to take much in the way of punishment.

Her gaze shifted to the true Naruto, who had used his clones to tie up Hiruko while he attempted to deal with San. Yet, despite the jinchuriki's strength, the final member of the team that had kidnapped her had proved to be difficult to put away due to his own taijutsu being far superior to what she could see of his master's.

San demonstrated his superior taijutsu skill as he received a kick from Naruto to the chest. However, far from it being a devastating blow, he lessened it by falling backwards and while Naruto charged in as he tried to capitalize. He lashed out with a kick of his own catching the jinchuriki in the chest in turn. San landed on his back after connecting with his attack and then leapt back to his feet to follow it up.

Naruto managed to block the overhand punch that was directed at his jaw. But, it left him open to Hiruko as he struck with a spinning kick which hit the blond in the side near his kidneys. He grunted in pain as he spun away in order to bring his two attackers in front of him.

However, Pakura had the sudden desire to yell at him that he hadn't created enough distance to adequately do so, but stopped upon realizing he had made sure to keep himself between her kidnappers and her. Recognizing that unless she managed to get free she would, in a sense, be an anchor dragging Naruto down by limiting his movements. She again began to strain against the chakra infused ropes binding her. Cursing the seal that had been placed over the ropes and were denying her access to her chakra, she began to even gnaw at the ropes in a desperate bid to get free and aid her would be rescuer.

Yet despite her struggles, the ropes remained stubbornly tied. She thrashed wildly in frustration and nearly fell onto her back. She was about to try again when a soft cultured voice said, "Please refrain yourself from making such movements for a few more moments. I wouldn't want you to make the situation worse by needlessly injuring yourself."

Pakura stopped as she wondered who was talking to her, but then realized that it must have been the summons that had been on Naruto's shoulder when Hiruko had appeared. She struggle to look at her back and could see the slug chewing on the rope. As the summons did so, small whiffs of smoke would appear making her believe something in the slug's saliva was acidic.

With a sudden snap the ropes broke away from her and as her chakra flooded through her again, Pakura with a pissed off shout charged towards the battle. Hiruko and San leapt away from Naruto as two of the suns that she had generated using her Kekkei Genkai flew on either side of the jinchuriki.

Both men managed to avoid them till they burnt out and as she flew past Naruto herself she said, "You handle the bastard in white. The pretty boy and I have some unfinished business."

Naruto nodded his acceptance of the dance partners that Pakura had set, so squared off against his opponent as the sounds of the kunoichi using her fists to vent her frustration at being kidnapped on hers.

*****************************