"Both formerly and now, it is only suffering that I describe, and the cessation of suffering"- from the Sutta Nipata

Stepping back through the throng of Genin surrounding the academy, Anbu glanced back to give the building a considering look.

So that had been the Hagorom's prodigy.

The Inuzuka child Anbu had passed when entering the building frowned, body tense in a way Anbu knew meant she was considering asking the agent something. Anbu tilted their head, giving the girl another once over. She was surer on her feet then many of the other sprout-Genin standing around. Likely then a recent graduate and not one of the fodder given a field promotion last night. Still, Anbu would remember the girls face.

A surge of chakra flowed effortlessly into a shunshin.

From a rooftop halfway across the village from the academy, Anbu stretched out their chakra sense. As expected of the Hyuga, their compound was empty. The Hyuga would have long evacuated.

Suppressing a sigh, Anbu quick stepped from the roof to the cracked street below.

Fishing about in a vest pocket produced an old ration bar. Behind the porcelain mask, Anbu grimaced slightly. It would taste awful but it should help combat the chakra strain Anbu was starting to feel.

With two more compounds to check before branching into civilian neighborhoods, Anbu unfurled the wrapper and pushed the granola behind the mask for a bite. Chewing quickly, Anbu took off again.

That child. That Hagoromo.

Anbu had heard rumors of course, that the fading Hagoromo had been blessed with a prodigy child.

At first, Anbu had assumed it was nothing more than the usual political posturing of a dying clan. Titles such as 'prodigy' were not given easily and it seemed unlikely one would be blessed to the Hagoromo of all clans. But then the Aburame had acknowledged the title and made an open (and very public) request to meet. Anbu had known then, even if it wasn't a true prodigy, that the Hagoromo clan had someone of great interest among them. The Uchiha had caught on around that time too it seemed because in invitation from that them had come not long after. It must have been a nice sucker punch for the Hagoromo to deny the Uchiha first visitation.

Having now meet the girl themselves, Anbu still wasn't quite sure what to think. The child had not possessed the hard-edge typically found in prodigy children…but the chakra coming off that child. That Anbu would not soon forget.

Anbu Moon was a decent chakra sensor, skilled enough for basic tracking but not sensitive in the way some gifted individuals were. The chakra coming off that girl had been enough to make Anbu nauseous. Gifted chakra sensitive's sometimes reported getting headaches or nausea from long exposure to Hagormo clan members, but Anbu Moon had never experiences such a thing until their chakra had honed in on that girl. It had been pure luck to stumble across her while on the way to check the Yamanaka compound and the whole way to the academy Anbu had been forced to emit a steady stream of their own chakra to counter balance and ground themselves.

Jumping another rooftop Anbu Moon caught the faint sounds of crying down a broken street to the left.

Anbu paused.

She knew this street. Her own childhood home had been right around the corner from this very spot. Most of these houses here were crushed. She had been in war zones for so long she had thought her heart immune by now but god fucking damn it. This was her home.

The wind whipped past, pulling breaths of fresh air intermingled with ash and death.

Unbidden, her thoughts turned toward her daughter. Her own little moon, tucked away with her father in the fourth quadrant shelter.

The crying continued.

She closed her eyes and forced air hard, out through her nose.

Anbu turned away from the sound.

Other agents would be assigned to those neighborhoods and Anbu had been tasked with searching for clan children first. To deviate from this without cause would bring unnecessary confusion and inefficiency for all involved. Anbu would search where Anbu was bid to search.

And if she finished quickly, she would have no reason not to return and seek out the source of the crying.

When Yuuko woke she was still tired. Tired in a way she had been only one time before. It was the kind of bone emptiness that came from numbness. She had probably been in shock. For all she knew she was still in shock.

Yuuko pushed her eyes open, ignoring their grittiness and the still calling lull of sleep.

She was in a basement.

Or at least that was her best guess, judging by the thick slab windowless walls and the slight damp cool that clung in the air. The floor was unfinished concrete. Yuuko was laying on one of many padded quilts that littered the room. And there were children too- many tucked beneath blankets of their own and sleeping deeply.

In the very center of the room however there was a man with a toddler on his back.

Pushing herself into a sitting huddle, sure to keep the blanket wrapped around her, Yuuko watched the man go down and then up – down and then up – down and up.

A few other children were huddled around him, watching quietly, man bent his elbows, lowering himself with controlled precision. He hovered, chest just barely above the floor, and then he rose again, back completely straight. And again he rose. And again."I wans up too!" one of the kids pouted.

The man laughed. It was a good laugh. Very kind.

His arms never paused but he turned his head, his black hair shifted, and Yuuko caught just the corners of a grin. "Climb up then! And I will lift you both 800 times!" The man proclaimed. The children clapped in awe but one little boy shook his head in disbelief, "no way! No one can do dat! Dats too many!"Lowering himself smoothly down again, the man actually lifted a hand to flash the boy a thumbs up. "You too then! Climb up and I will show you the power of my youth! And if I don't lift you both up 800 times I will run on my hands to Suna and back!"

This man, Yuuko thought, this man had to be Might Guy.

His voice was boisterous but not the overwhelming boom she would have assumed it would be.

The children clapped in amusement and the other boy joined the toddler on Gai's back. The added weight did nothing to disturb his control of speed but he did lift his head to grin more widely at the impressed children's cheers.

His eyebrows were thick but not nearly as comical as they had been shown from Before. He had large dark brown eyes. There was no saving that jumpsuit though.

He seemed so very young.

Yuuko closed her eyes. She was avoiding. She didn't want to think about…anything. She didn't know even how to begin.

Time passed slowly- hours dragging by.

Gai was surprisingly skilled at keeping the children behaved. He was jovial and friendly enough to keep their attention and didn't mind playing childish games either. His strange mannerisms and impressive, if silly, exercise challenges kept the children focused on him and not on the things that had happened the night before.

The Anbu agent that had rescued Yuuko returned briefly twice more, passing along a few other children, signing quickly with Guy and flitting off again.

Still feeling tired and shaken Yuuko snuggled deeper into the makeshift bed. She drifted softly in and out of slumber, safe under the warm blankets but was unable to really sink into sleep. Turning in her side, heedful of her bumps and bruises, she observed the other children.

There was a very young toddler dressed in gold embroidered pajamas, a pair of dark haired twins sitting together in a far corner yawning at each other, a bright blond haired girl only slightly older looking the Yuuko who had to be a Yamanaka. There had to be fifteen or so kids. All children from wealthy politically sensitive ninja clans.

That had to by why they were all being personally guarded by a valuable asset like Might Guy. It was why they hadn't been dumped upstairs in the halls like the common folk.

Yuuko bit her lip hard and closed her eyes again.

What had happened to her family? What about Nao and Jun? The Uchiha? Those kind librarians? The morning market fruit-stand lady? That blacksmith she had watched? Were any of them still alive?

'Ayaha….Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ….'

Yuuko cast her thoughts to Amitabha, the Buddha of infinite radiance.

'Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ …. Oṃ Amideva Hrīḥ…

Ayaha….may you one day awaken in Sukhāvatī…

Avalokiteśvara, one of infinite compassion, please help free me from my suffering…

Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ…. Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ… '

The Hokage was dead and the Bijuu defeated.

Task understood, Jun bowed to the Aburame elder and departed. This would best serve to get there quickly. Jun could only hope that Nao's patience would stretch a bit longer. Nao's ambitions would but be curbed only so long, threat of sting or no. It would be an ill day when Nao completed their immunity training.

The upper streets of the Aburame compound had suffered damage but compared to the destruction in other parts of the village, Jun considered that they had gotten off rather lightly.

Several other Jounin greeted Jun at the walls breach. Konoha's outer wall had huge chunks missing and the chaos within meant it would be all too easy for foreign enemies to sneak past their borders and take advantage. All active Chounin had been called to form reach and rescue parties. Genin were divided among the hospital and shelters and they would be mitigated to reconstruction as soon as feasible. Half of the Jounin, including Jun, had being called to form triple deep patrols- to surround Konoha. The other half of Jounin were split between completing what active missions had been on going and aiding Genin and Chounin. What Anbu did was not any of Jun's concern.

Coming upon a familiar pair of Yamanaka and Nara, Jun nodded in greeting.

bǔniǎotakazhū burst from Jun's coat collar.

They took to the leaves and the grass, flying far and reaching out to cast an invisible net.

Jun listened to the clicking.

The bǔniǎotakazhū chattered in irritation, the smoke and dust did not bother them but the lingering demon chakra burned their sensitive systems.

Several yards away a bǔniǎotakazhū clicked in familiarity. The sound echoed down the line and Jun's head tilted in surprise.

If the boy was here, where was - ?

It would have to wait until later. Jun had a duty to fulfill.

The hours passed slowly.

Eventually of course, little tummys ran empty and not even Guy could entertain away hunger. Some of the children cried loudly. Yuuko tucked the blanket up higher and tried to plug her ears. She was relieved when a Genin came carrying water pouches and ration bars to appease them.

One their hungers were sedated the children all settled in for a nap.

The room grew quiet but for the soft sounds of children snores and the steady breaths coming from Guy in his 700- something crunch.

It was not long after the children all went down that the little sanctuary was invaded. (It was illogical, but Yuuko half wished no one would ever show up at the door. She just wanted everything to stop. Stop for just a moment. She wanted everything to just stay where it was for just a few hours until she was ready to have to start coping.) One by one, parents and family members came to collect their missing children.

Growing uncomfortably stiff after all the time on her back, Yuuko crawled out and settled on top of the blanket. Her left foot slid up on to her right knee, forming a half lotus position. Careful of her bandaged leg she decided against resting her right foot on top of it. Half lotus would do fine.

She closed her eyes and breathed.

Her fingers curled and twitched, unconsciously counting invisible malas beads.

What was happening outside?

The scrapes on her left leg itched, they had to be scabbing over.

Where was Hayato?

Focus was hard to achieve.

"Hello my young friend!"

Yuuko breathed deeply- feeling her nostrils flare, her lungs fill from the very bottom to the top. She released the breath slowly through her mouth.

"I have been most remiss in introducing myself! I am the great fighting green beast of Konoha, Maito Gai!"

Yuuko let her eyes fall open.

He was squatting on his haunches, hands resting on his knees, face breaming at her. She marveled a little at him. It was so strange. So strange to see that face given physical form. The prominent Asian nose, the high cheekbones, sharp white teeth.

"Hello Gai-san," Yuuko blinked calmly, proud her voice was holding steady and sounding a bit more like herself.

The young man twisted sharply and clutched a hand to his chest, "So cool!" he shouted.

He really was a dramatic one, Yuuko thought as he twisted back towards her.

"So cool a response from such a lovely flower!" he grinned.

Flower?

"what is your name, cool flower?"

He was so ridiculous it was hard to believe. She could feel amusement creeping up in her as she answered, "Yuuko Hagoromo, Gai-san."

His eyes seemed to light up brighter at her unusually masculine name and he guffawed a bit of a laugh. He sounded almost impressed, as though her name was her own doing. "A strong name for a fierce cool flower!"

He stood straight up to full towering height and flashed her a thumbs up.

There was a heat in her chest. Her eyes were soar from exhaustion and all the smoke from earlier and her hair was a rats nest. The world felt like it was falling apart again. But there were still people like licked her chapped lips a little and felt her lips twitch a little into a small smile. "Thank you, Gai-san. I- I think your name is quite unique too." A knock at the door pulled his attention away and Yuuko let her eyes fall shut again.

Breath.

It was a little easier to concentrate now.

She repeated her mantra- over and over and over.

Another few hours gone by and Yuuko was one of the few remaining children left.'What if no one ever comes for you?' dark thoughts whispered across her mind. Yuuko pushed them away. If no one came, then no one came.

The door opened without a knock. Yuuko's eyes blinked open in surprise.

It was Shisui.

A tired, scratched, and battered looking Shisui. But definitely an alive looking Shisui. A Shisui with a gleaming headband shining against his dark hair.

When had that happened?

Yuuko was on her feet before she could even think. Faster than even that, Gai moved across the room to block the doorway. "Young Uchiha!" he greeted in a cheery voice. Shifting to look around the Jounin, Shisui's eyes flickered around the room and settled on Yuuko. He moved to take a step and Gai bent and put his grinning face right into Shisui's own."My most youthful young friend! I am Konoha's infamous fighting green beast! What brings you to our glorious gathering here?" he shouted happily at Shisui's face. Several of the remaining children giggled.

Shuffling a bit to the side, Yuuko watched Shisui from around Gai's impressive bulk. She stepped forward a bit. "Gai-san?" she murmured a little. The Uchiha rocked back on his feet a bit, giving ground to the Jounin. The boy loosened his face onto a smile, shoulders remaining just a bit too tense. "Apologies Gai-san."

"Oh ho ho! So you know the identity of Konoha's green beast!" Gai exclaimed proudly, hands on his hips.

Shisui hummed an affirmative "Yes, and I am –"

"Shisui Uchiha." Yuuko interjected, stepping forward a hit more. "Hello Shisui." She added. 'I am so glad to see you are alive' she doesn't say.

"Hey Yuuko-chan," He smiled tiredly back. Returning his focus to Gai, he explained, "Yuuko-chan is a close friend of the Uchiha family. When Mikoto-sama learned that she was here, I was asked to bring her to the Uchiha compound. We can watch over her for now."

For now? What did that mean? How did you know where I was, Shisui?

Gai stepped back and put a hand to his chin.

Yuuko bit her lip a bit, thinking hard. "I know Mikoto-sama, Gai-san. I have been the main house a number of times." She told the Jounin.

That seemed to settle the matter for him. Gai spun and struck a pose at her, "very well, cool flower! I will accompany you to the Uchiha compound!"

"Isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing?" she heard Shisui mutter.

Yuuko gave Gai a confused look. Wasn't he supposed to watch the remaining children?

A puff of white smoke cleared her confusion.

Right. Clones.

I have been so very honored by all he reviews I've gotten. Seriously, all of you are amazing. I don't really know what else I can say besides- 'Thank you!'. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm not really happy about where it ended but I just want to get this out. I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any more.

Amitabha- Principle Buddha of Sukhāvatī. His name means 'infinite light' or 'infinite radiance'.

Sukhāvatī- Western Paradise or Pure Land. The idea is sort of similar to heaven, prominent in Tibetan Buddhism.

Avalokiteśvara- Buddha of compassion ties to Guan Yin. They have been mentioned before at Yuuko's first funeral, if you remember.

Malas bead- prayer beads often used to count. Sort of similar to a rosary.