Author's notes: Here we are at the start of my first multi-chaptered fic. Reader response is really important to me so please review or message me and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I may be ever-hopeful, but it's still not mine.
Prelude to Destruction
"Tell me your secrets, ask me your questions, oh lets go back to the start." –The Scientist by Cold Play
Konoha village, late summer. In the town that harbored both elite ninja and regular citizens a certain sense of peace had fallen. This was a rare occurrence for an area so often embroiled in conflict and, in recognition of the brief respite, people thronged the streets, enjoying the beautiful weather.
It seemed as if even the weather sensed the change in mood and allowed the sun to pour itself onto the buildings and people in a grand show of warmth. It was impossible to find fault with such a day and many passerby said exactly this to one another when they met.
Unfortunately, as is too often the case, dark storm clouds were already gathering not far away, as yet undetectable, but there nonetheless. A veritable eruption of trouble was approaching Konoha at this very moment, but for now the city remained blissfully ignorant of the fact.
It would only be later, after the fact, that many would question just what they could have done to avoid what was about to happen. The ultimate conclusion was, of course, nothing, for who can predict the unpredictable?
It is always a mistake to over-analyze past events because, in the end, they are just that: past. No amount of complaining, moaning or mourning will change them. It's simply impossible. Inevitably it is much more productive to remember that which is worth remembering and years later, when the aging generations recalled the end of that summer they would always conclude the following:
It was a truly beautiful day.
The Yamanaka flower shop was empty save for two teenage girls chatting over the front counter. Surrounded by blossoms of various colors and scents they too seemed to be blossoming, sparkling eyes and blushing cheeks not out-of-place in this floral arrangement.
The girl behind the counter was tall and slim, her purple and mesh day-wear covered by a pristine white apron that seemed an odd contrast to her finely toned shoulders and arms. Long golden hair fell in a sweep over one blue eye which was currently focused on her companion as she attentively listened to the story being told.
The second girl was slightly shorter, with a curvier frame. Pale pink hair fell in layers around a face that was entrancingly animated for one of her age. Gesturing with her hands she was relating an encounter between one of her teammates and an opponent on a recent mission. A mischievous spark lit green eyes as she finished with a sly joke that prompted several chuckles from her listener.
"How can Naruto be such a bonehead and such a fighter at the same time?" Ino asked. "I mean, it's one thing to have good luck and a knack for surviving, but he's a liability!"
"Naruto is…special." Sakura allowed. "But he trains hard for every accomplishment. I wouldn't pass him off as a fluke, Ino. He's saved me more times that I can count, and in a fight he's fairly reliable."
"Interesting to hear you say that, Forehead Girl. It's a complete 180 from, say, four years ago."
"Shut up, Ino pig." Sakura retorted, but the insult held no malice. "Naruto may be unpredictable but you shouldn't ever underestimate his ability."
"Hmm." They lapsed into a friendly silence, each girl wrapped up in her own thoughts.
"When do you get off?" Sakura asked, pushing back from the counter. "Do you want to go get dinner soon?"
"I can't." Ino sighed and leaned back on her stool. "Both of my parents are away on a mission for a few days, so the shop is my responsibility."
"Both of them? That's unusual." Sakura raised an eyebrow. "I thought they refused to do joint missions."
"They did when I was younger, but now that I'm older they don't have that huge fear of leaving behind a helpless orphan." Ino shrugged, "It was a rush mission anyway, they left really last minute so I guess it must be important."
"Really? Where did the orders come from?"
"No clue, there was a high classification on the whole thing." Blond hair was tucked neatly behind one ear. "As far as I know they went with Aburame-san so maybe it's a spy mission, considering the makeup of the team."
"Shino's dad?" Sakura was surprised by this information, "That is an interesting combination."
"Yeah." Ino smiled slightly, "The last time my dad teamed up with an Aburame was for the invasion."
"No use worrying about it I suppose." Sakura turned to leave, "I'm going to go get some dinner."
"Alright." Ino also stood, reminding herself it was time to rehydrate the tiger lilies. "See you later." Reaching for a watering can, she mentally ran through the watering schedule her dad had left her, she'd better check the hyacinth as well.
"By the way," Sakura turned back. "Shikamaru is back in town."
Ino watched as water from the tap filled her watering can. "Oh really?" She asked, tone carefully neutral. Inside her head, however, lights exploded. He was back? She hadn't even known!
"This morning." Sakura contemplated her friend's profile. "You haven't seen him yet?"
"No. Why would I?" Ino tested the temperature of the water before shutting it off. "His mission was a success?"
"As always." Sakura hesitated only a second before deciding to reveal what she'd been dancing around her entire visit. "The Sand nins came too."
To a casual observer Ino was unaffected, her hands were steady as she poured the first stream of water into the hanging pot, her facial expression remained unchanged. To someone who knew her well though, in this case Sakura, the news was clearly troubling to the girl. There was a moment of silence before either spoke.
"Temari?" Ino asked finally, wondering why she even bothered to torture herself this way.
"She's here too." Sakura chewed her lip anxiously, as Ino strode a bit too forcefully over to a flat of bright pink roses. "Ino…"
"What?"
"Are you going to tell him?"
"Tell him what Sakura?" Ino stopped herself before she drowned the flowers. "I don't recall having an urgent message for him."
Sakura frowned. "It's important Ino! I doubt he's even aware. You should try to talk it out at the very least…"
"Talk about what exactly?" Ino glared at her friend. "I already told you, there isn't anything to talk about!"
There was a sigh from the doorway. "If you want to be that stubborn about it, fine, I wash my hands of this." The door chime tinkled as Sakura stepped out into the street. "But don't say I didn't warn you Ino pig." Another peal from the door charm and she was gone.
Ino finished watering the flowers and cleaned out the floor gutter. Replacing the water can where she'd found it she took a moment to sweep the floor around the counter before returning to her perch on the stool.
It was only then, as she stared at the wooden grain of the countertop that she allowed herself to react to what Sakura had told her.
"Damn it." Her fist hit the counter making paperwork flutter. "That idiot…just…damn it."
Dusk was beginning to fall when the warning came from the north gate. A trio was approaching the walls, but no signal or identification had been provided, a major breach in protocol regardless of their identity. Using binoculars and sighting techniques, the entrance guards were able to get a glimpse of Konoha armor marred by what seemed to be dirt, blood, or both.
As the three neared the walls a strange scene began to reveal itself to the watching shinobi. Though all three persons were clearly of Konoha origin they seemed to be fighting amongst themselves. Not petty bickering either, what was unfolding was a full out battle.
"Call the Hokage. Tell her there are unidentified nin approaching, a possible diversion technique." An exploding tag detonated on the dusty road. "Tell her to hurry."
The response to the summons came within three minutes. With medical team and two ANBU members in tow, Tsunade reached the wall just as the three crested a small hill that lay a mile or so from the gate.
"What in the world?" Leaning forward the Hokage watched in disbelief as the lead nin took a kunai to the shoulder in an attempt to shield the injured teammate he carried. "If I didn't know better I would think that was Yamanaka and Aburame."
All doubt was erased as a swarm of insects exploded from the trailing man's sleeves. As the onlookers watched in horror, the insects bunched into a dark needle-like formation before diving straight at Yamanaka Inoichi and the woman he carried.
Her fingers forming seals faster than the eye could follow, Tsunade drew back and shouted wordlessly, releasing a hasty wind attack in the direction of the insect horde, knocking them and Shibi off balance just long enough for the Yamanaka to reach the safety of the gates. "I want all jounin and ANBU here now!" She ordered, sprinting to the arriving shinobi, Shizune at her side. "And get me the Suna delegation, I may need more wind users to handle those bugs." She threw a look at the sky, measuring the time they had before the bugs regrouped from her attack. "Scratch that, get me Aburame Shino. Now!"
The area exploded into action as passerby were herded back and shinobi were gathered forward. Street barriers appeared from nowhere, reinforced by strong chakra enhanced shields as the northern corridor was effectively closed off from the rest of the village.
Konoha was a ninja village to its core and had the emergency routines to prove it.
Tsunade moved past the rapidly appearing defense force, cautiously approaching the man who'd just staggered through the gate.
"Inoichi?" The tall blond man didn't acknowledge her, instead spinning in a tight, protective circle, his teeth bared in defiance. The woman in his arms was limp, her long brown hair trailing over his arm.
Tsunade eyed him warily, "Inoichi, what happened? What is the matter with Kaoru?" From measuring the pair's chakra levels she'd already determined that Yamanaka's wife was still alive, but, from all appearances, completely disabled. Inoichi, despite all signs that he'd just endured a long, desperate flight was simply pulsing with energy. So much of it in fact, that Tsunade held up a warning hand for the people behind her.
"Stay out of range of any potential Yamanaka jutsu." She warned. Shouts announced that Aburame Shibi had reached the gate and she signaled the first pair of ANBU forward, "Disarm him. When Shino gets here I want him to do whatever is necessary to hold off his father's bugs."
Turning back to the first arrival, she cursed under her breath as she realized what he was doing. Having shifted his wife's weight back against his body, Inoichi was currently running through seals Tsunade recognized as being a prelude for a hypnosis technique. His target?
None other than Tsunade herself.
Resigning herself to the fact that questions would have to be asked later, Tsunade ducked under the man's flimsy guard and laid a kick to the top of his left leg. Apparently not expecting a taijutsu attack in his frenzied state, Inoichi crumpled almost immediately, stunned by the blow to his patella tendon. Tsunade snatched Yamanaka Kaoru from his hands as he fell.
Jounin moved forward on both sides to restrain and transport Inoichi, who was recovering at an astonishing rate. Shizune was attending to the man, her eyes narrowed.
Tsunade concentrated instead on the unconscious woman she held. Eerily, the Kaoru's eyes were wide open, the pupils contracted to pinpoints. Her breath came fast and harsh, hands clenched almost to the point of contortions.
"Do you recognize this?" Shizune asked, arriving at Tsunade's side. "Yamanaka isn't responding to any stimulus. He seems almost…feral."
"Yamanaka Kaoru has been poisoned." Tsunade frowned as she registered the woman's high temperature levels. "Perhaps all of them have." From the corner of her eye she could see that the younger Aburame had arrived and had managed to call off the majority of his father's insect attack. Shibi himself was currently being restrained by five jounin as they readied him for transport to the hospital.
"Tell Hatake Kakashi I want him to meet us at the hospital, I need him to scan all three for any signs of genjutsu, ninjutsu…anything he may have seen before." She ordered.
"Make sure Aburame Shino comes along, and have someone fetch the Yamanaka girl. She's the only other one with clan abilities right? Good. In addition I want anyone who knows anything at all about Lightning Country. Got all that? Good. Let's move!"
"Lightning Country?" Shizune asked, as the large group rapidly dispersed around them. "Why?"
"Because that is where these three were spying up until yesterday." Tsunade said grimly, "I have the feeling we are going to need as much knowledge about the area as possible. And soon."