Welcome back readers, to yet another chapter of 'The Nine'! It's slow going but I think we're getting to some of the juicy parts of this fic and I hope everyone's ready for something good. I know, I toiled pretty hard to make it so. Anyway, I don't own 'Naruto' but maybe I'll get the whole series in both manga and DVD set form. Enjoy!

"Iii" = speech

Iii = thought

Chapter 8: Escalation

The rest of the week became roughly the Uchiha household's new routine, their quiet life now long gone in the face of numerous guests constantly coming and going. Most of the time they saw their guests were for meals, usually off having meetings or when the moment caught them, having said talks at the table. Anyone could swear that various items usually left on its surface became part of the conversation as they were moved around, acting as people or buildings. As per her job and her personality, Yugito usually led such talks, some of the Nine and various shinobi in attendance. Despite his promise to do chores no differently than any other household member, they saw very little of Naruto as he was usually in a meeting or at one of the training areas with Gaara. Kushina was also a rare face, staying mostly within the guest house so to better protect her from not only their unwanted attackers but any villagers or shinobi who felt ill will against what she represented. The few times anyone saw Karin it was in a simple kimono with a sour look on her face. The one time she did speak, it was to almost literally screech at Kankuro about something he'd said to her. Kankuro was sent running, Karin spending the rest of the day grumbling angrily, her smooth face pinched with irritation. When Kushina did leave the property, it was to go to Hokage Tower to meet with Tsunade or Fugaku during office hours, always with her guards and Itachi to guard her. A few times, Kyuubi went with her before he finally stayed at the house watching what few of the Nine were still there. Without his mask and hood, Kyuubi was revealed to be at least 25 years old with blazing golden yellow eyes and flame red hair that was similar if not a tad longer than Naruto's. A few of the locks were even touched with bits of orange, adding to the flame aspect of his appearance.

He differed from Naruto in appearance and personality both, his skin a shade lighter, standing nearly a full head taller and when not on duty was more open. Everything about his manner was carefree with a lack of arrogance, becoming polite in a blink when facing a certain person or situation that called for it. Otherwise, he acted no differently than a normal person did when out and about or going around the house. Up until halfway through the week, Sasuke had nothing against the man. Up until halfway through the day in question, Sasuke had wondered just what it was that made Naruto wary of his cousin. He, Naruto, Gaara and Kyuubi had gone to one of the training areas only to find it was currently in use by a team of shinobi the demons had yet to meet but Sasuke knew well. Team Gai were well known not just for their almost perfect record as shinobi but as having an odd mix of people. Gai, team leader and a jounin, wore a green jumpsuit of all things with a bowl cut of raven black hair covering his head. The same could be said of his protégé Lee Rock, who was practically a smaller copy of the older ninja. To everyone's relief, their other two members remained as they were, both Tenten and Neji Hyuga keeping their regular attire. Though Sasuke hadn't seen them in a while, he noted that the pair had changed their clothes, Tenten with a white blouse with matching red fastener and hakama style pants paired with fingerless gloves, a shuriken holster and a large scroll at her back. Neji dressed more to the style of his clan, mostly white and made to be loose-fitting material with pants to match though anyone could admit the black apron was odd to Sasuke, though his drawstring back wasn't. Neji, like all of his clan, had dark hair and pale skin that nearly made his pale eyes vanish, sticking out only due to the light lavender coloring. Compared to him, Tenten was a stark contrast with her dark brown hair and steel grey eyes, her skin a healthy pink. Lee, much like his teacher, had black hair and eyes with bandages on his arms and hands. Only the orange legwarmers contrasted with his matching green jumpsuit and standard issue shinobi flak jacket. From behind his ANBU mask, Sasuke knew this was bound to get interesting.

"Sirs." He stated coolly from behind said mask, "It would seem this area is in use. May I suggest we seek another space where you can train in private?"

The grin that came onto the tall redhead's face made Sasuke fight down a full-body shiver. "Nonsense! I'd like to see what some of the shinobi of this village are capable of. Do you know them by chance?"

Not about to be impolite, Sasuke answered as honestly as he dared, noting how Naruto was watching his cousin with a dark gaze. "I do, and each are capable warriors. You'll be pleased to know their strengths are mostly in hand to hand combat rather than jutsus. The one with the pale eyes is of the Hyuga, renowned in this village for having an unusual sense of vision that is near impossible to match."

"Hmm, you're just giving me more reasons to take them on!" Kyuubi shot back, confidence making him chuckle, his grin taking on a dangerous edge.

Unsure of what to do but keeping his calm, Sasuke hoped to avert a coming disaster. "Sir, I highly suggest-."

Only the tall demon frowned deeply, waving away his words. "That it's unwise, yes, yes. And I've noted your concerns. I, on the other hand, am very interested in seeing how this turns out."

Just behind them, Naruto spoke up, his own voice oddly lacking emotion. "Perhaps you should hear him out cousin, lest you bite off more than you can chew." Sasuke heard the warning in his words, but from the way Kyuubi merely frowned some more told him the man wasn't taking the hint.

"Your concerns are also noted, cousin. As I said, I merely wish to test myself against them. Is that so wrong?" he asked innocently, giving his cousin one last look before turning away from them.

He was off and walking toward the quartet before anyone could stop him, the man practically jogging as he called over to them. From under his straw hat, Naruto scowled after him but didn't say anything, following at a much slower pace with Gaara and Sasuke in tow. Sure enough, Kyuubi was already amongst the shinobi, stating his case with a beaming grin on his handsome face. True to their nature, the four ninja listened intently and politely as he spoke with his confidence plain to see. "..And I was wondering if you'd be so kind as to lend your skills to us, perhaps in one-on-one matches?"

Looking at one another, the shinobi didn't need to speak to agree, Lee the first to voice their decision. "Your words are fierce and I can see you have great vigor. So I, Rock Lee shall take your challenge!"

"Atta boy Lee! Show this guy what you're made of." Gai stated, ever boisterous and loud mouthed, much to Sasuke's chagrin. Still he watched the pair intently knowing the other shinobi present would be helpful in covering the open expanse of land around them should an enemy try to approach them. Next to him, Naruto, dressed in his usual blue yukata and orange sash, was watching just as carefully, sky blue eyes razor sharp as they took in everything both men did like a hawk. Gaara stood next to the blonde, dressed in a navy red shirt with black pants and a Suna shinobi vest on appeared ever bored and impassive, though his eyes of pastel green betrayed him if the flash of interest was to go by. He too was curious on how this fight would unfold. What Neji and Tenten thought, Sasuke didn't know but going by the way Naruto was watching his cousin, he could only imagine things were bound to spin out of control.

"Since you're a local, you don't mind if I take the first strike do ya?" Kyuubi asked, a bit too nonchalantly, slowly pulling his sword from its sheath with a dark look in his eyes.

If Lee saw this as a red flag, he either didn't acknowledge it or simply didn't see it (as usual, the ignorant fool). "Of course not. As this is your challenge and an honorable fight between men and warriors, I see no reason not to deny you the honor."

"Why thank you." The red head stated, deep voice still too calm to be a good thing. In a flash, and to everyone's surprise, he was suddenly towering over the young chunin with shadows to accent the hungry look in his eyes and his fanged grin. Like a rumble of thunder, he spoke again, voice a shade deeper. "I plan on making the most of it."

Everything after that was mostly blurs of color and clouds of dust, both men working hard to strike or block, Kyuubi's grinning face sticking out like a madman's. Next to them, Sasuke noted that Team 11 flinched at this sudden shift in the red-haired man's personality but made no move to intervene. For all they knew, such a thing was normal and neither was trying to kill one another. At some point in the fight, Naruto must've noticed something was off about how Kyuubi was fighting. How the mad look in his eyes was taking over too much of his focus, making everything about him shift in the wrong direction. As much as Sasuke truly wished he'd seen it, Naruto saw it first for in a blink, he was suddenly between them before he could do anything to stop the blonde. Lee must've seen whatever it was in Kyuubi that made Naruto move and the chunin was already trying to back off, undoubtedly not swift enough so not to be chopped in half. In a second Sasuke followed the blonde, planning on using his sword to block Kyuubi's so the man's cousin wouldn't be wounded by accident. At some point between bringing his blade down and seeing the two men now in his path, Kyuubi seemed to come back to himself to slow his strike down, none of them aware of the sand that'd dashed forward to grab the stunned Lee away from the trio. The kind of strength Kyuubi had put behind the strike, Sasuke didn't know, or wanted to for when the man's sword clashed with his, the hit making every bone in his body shake. He was quite certain if the fox demon hadn't slowed his attack, both of Sasuke's wrists would've been broken along with his sword, maybe along with a number of other things that was vital to him being a shinobi. To his shock, and relief, a hand had come up and around him so to grip the blade, stopping it better than Sasuke ever could.

It took all Sasuke had not to look back at the blonde he'd stepped forward to protect, the same man who'd just kept him from being turned to mush in a single move. Ever the professional, at least in his mind, Sasuke held firm to both his stance and his bladder since his companions would likely smell his 'reaction' to what he'd just endured better than his fellow human counterparts. And it sure as hell wouldn't matter if I was wearing black, they can probably smell it just through my sweat. He thought as he fought to get his now racing heart back to its normal speed. Undoubtedly the demons within close proximity could hear it beat no differently than a bird's song, its tune slowly slowing its tempo. Much to his relief, the pair he stood so bodily between were too focused on each other to really pay him any mind. There was no doubting the look of passive awe on Kyuubi's face. As the dust around them settled, the redhead spoke first. "That was most reckless cousin, even for you. One such as you should be more cautious about such things."

The way Naruto responded made Sasuke force himself not to shiver at how cold his voice was, keeping his attention on the redhead before him. "Same could be said of you cousin. If not for Hawk-san, I have a feeling I might have needed to resort to more…drastic measures to keep you from harming one of our allies. An ally, as I feel I must remind you, was just in a friendly sparring match with you."

What it was about Naruto, either his face or his tone, Sasuke couldn't tell but it was enough to make the taller man in front of him blanch. If but a flicker, there was no way to not see how fear came into the man's brilliant eyes. Regaining his composure some, Kyuubi pulled his sword away, sheathing it as Sasuke did the same, if at a slower and more guarded pace. The last thing he wanted was the fox demon to start the whole thing up again once he thought they were all in the clear. At some point, Naruto had pulled his hand back, reminding Sasuke of his original duty to the blonde and his companions. "Are you injured Naruto-san?"

The blonde man shook his head, not looking at Sasuke in favor of watching his cousin retreat to a favorable distance. "No, the sword's edge was blunted. Likely the most intelligent thing my cousin has done all day. If anything, it'll ache a little but nothing else." He said casually, shaking his hand as he turned to the other redhead in their party. "Gaara-san, how is our friend?"

Turning to the younger demon, Sasuke's eyes widened behind the safety of his mask: Lee was being held up by a massive arm and clawed hand made only of fine-grain sand. As strange and dangerous as the limb appeared, its smallest appendages appeared to only grip the thick collar of the chunin's flak jacket which thanks to its zipper was keeping the man held aloft less than two feet in the air. Staring with his usual disinterested expression, the man looked at the blonde. "No worse for wear, Naruto-sensei." Gaara returned calmly, ignoring Gai's nervous stammering and Lee's unabashed staring. Tenten appeared as if she was shocked and was hiding it poorly while Neji seemed the most composed of the bunch. If anything, the Hyuga prodigy was trying to make sense of how both Naruto and Gaara had moved so fast.

Beaming happily, the blonde nodded in glee. "Good. Perhaps the lady would like to test her skills next. What say you Gaara-san?" Naruto asked suddenly, his voice suddenly light and casual.

Not even sparing Lee a passing glance, the red-haired tanuki slid his jade-colored eyes to the brunette woman who was desperately trying not to look uneasy at his gaze on her. "If the lady so wishes." He stated easily enough, what little tone his voice had denoting his attempt at politeness towards the kunoichi. Next to him, his sand claw had dissipated, allowing Lee to stand on his own power, though the chunin still appeared stunned by the whole thing.

Regaining some of her composure, Tenten steeled herself, her expression fierce. "I wouldn't mind at all."

Still smiling kindly, Naruto was close to grinning at Sasuke. "In that case, come Hawk-san, let us clear the field."

"Sir." Sasuke returned respectfully, glad the moment had passed but feared it would come again if Gaara expressed the same lack of self-control.

As he and Naruto moved to rejoin the others as Gaara and Tenten moved to take the field, Neji was the first to speak, opaque orbs of lavender giving the blonde a curious look. "If I may ask, Naruto-san, why does your companion call you 'sensei'?"

Giving the raven-haired shinobi a kind smile, Naruto kept his voice light and friendly though his words still held an air of formality to them. "As the leader of the Nine, it's my duty to ensure our younger members are properly trained, even if they're older than me. Thankfully, Gaara-san is the same age as us though his weapon is not as strong as mine, it still warrants caution. Despite the fact he has wielded the Gourd longer than I the Blade, his skill is still lacking in some areas, thus causing for my authority over him in this matter."

"How long has he had it?" Neji dared to press, glancing between Naruto and Gaara with calculation clear in his eyes.

Either ignoring said gaze or merely not acknowledging it, Naruto merely shrugged, as if the information weren't all that valuable. "From what I know, since he was three. I did not wield the Blade until I was roughly three and a half, perhaps four."

"You've had that sword since you were four years old? No wonder Auntie lets you wander around with it." Kyuubi stated with some awe in his gruff voice, though the light sneer on his face denoted his irritation at his cousin.

Orbs of sky blue shot to meet golden yellow, holding the other man's gaze with unblinking confidence. "If not, all of our clan would be endangered every time I walked around the compound or into their homes. Now the risk is lessened due to my skill and ability but the danger remains. You shouldn't be so quick to judge cousin. It seems to get you into trouble at every turn."

"Don't start with me." the flame-haired swordsman growled, his lip curling angrily.

"Enough. Let us see how our compatriot fares." Naruto shot back patiently, breaking their small staring contest in favor of the pair before them.

Kyuubi scowled in clear annoyance but didn't say anything, instead pointing his displeased expression at the two people now standing across from one another like gunslingers in the Old West. Only, instead of guns, one had a large scroll and kunai in hand while the other merely stood still as though no one else was around. It seemed at first they would spend all day standing about until Tenten finally broke the quiet by tossing several of her kunai at the red-haired demon. Without moving a muscle, a wave of sand rose seemingly from nowhere to catch the metal weapons but the brunette woman was already on the move, scrolls in hand as she bit at her thumb for the necessary blood needed. The life water was soon spread across the cream colored paper, bringing forth a variety of weapons of every shape and size with small poufs of smoke. With a wave of her arm, the weapons fell toward Gaara like a metallic rain, many of the blades striking dirt while others collided with his sand barrier. Behind his mask, Sasuke could only blink at the display since he'd known Tenten was a weapons expert but had yet to know the true degree. On top of that, he'd only experienced Gaara's sand abilities at the hospital and was surprised the versatility the redheaded man employed though he didn't move to activate signs or seals of any kind. This went on for a good while as Tenten worked to try and get past the tanuki's defenses with as many weapons as she could throw, picking up a few along the way for good measure. Yet each attempt was blocked and knocked aside with little effort from the redhead who had yet to move or speak. At the same time, it seemed that his attacked did little to hurt the kunoichi, merely rebuff her and wait for her to try again. Their battle continued this way for a while, Tenten changing her strategy several times to try and defeat her opponent.

A contest of wills that was cut short when a piece of paper floated seemingly from nowhere and toward the red-haired demon, his orbs of green spotting it with mild interest. It seemed that once he recognized what it was, said eyes widened considerably before he bodily moved to avoid the innocuous object. At the same time, what sand that was around him shifted to shield both him and Tenten just in time for the paper to explode with a loud bang! Smoke and fire filled the space where the pair had been, everyone shielding their faces from the dust cloud filled with debris from the explosion. Already Sasuke was in defense mode, his fellow shinobi relaxed but wary of this new development. From the dust came orbs of sand that headed for them with a level of sentience Sasuke knew better than to be wary of, the large balls already opening to reveal both Gaara and a very stunned Tenten.

"Are either of you hurt?" Naruto asked, barely glancing at the pair as he remained focused on the dust cloud before them.

"No sensei, I made sure of it." Gaara affirmed, using his sand to writhe on the ground in case something else came at them.

The blonde nodded, accepting his answer. "Good. You did well Gaara-kun. And you madam, are you prepared?" he asked, turning to the lone female of their group.

Coming out of her awe, Tenten's face tightened as she nodded back at him. "I still have a few scrolls left that I can use."

"Most astute. Now which of you is the swiftest?" Naruto asked, glancing between the shinobi gathered.

Close to shouting, grinning like a fool, Gai saluted the blonde proudly. "Both Lee and I are pretty nimble if that's what you're getting at."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow while Sasuke rolled his eyes under his mask. A typical response from the overly enthusiastic man, his student already matching his teacher's grin. Still Naruto kept his composure. "An interesting claim but it'll do for now. One of you must head back to the village to retrieve help."

Gai all but gaped, Lee doing the same as they balked at the idea. "What?"

"This foe is unknown to us but their demand is simple: the demon weapons Gaara-kun and I carry. To face this person or persons with such a small number would be unwise." Naruto warned them, turning his gaze to the now subsiding cloud of dust. In the distance, two shapes were already visible.

"And this is their fourth attempt to retrieve them, the third while within the confines of your village. This alone should give you reason to be cautious." Gaara added, his voice soft but grating with truth.

Glancing at his student, Naruto spoke again, voice questioning. "Gaara-kun, did you recognize the paper? You seemed to react very quickly to it."

"I did sensei, for it's the same paper that was key to attacking me back in Suna. It would seem one of my attackers has recovered their strength." The redhead responded, irritation cutting into his cool voice dangerously.

"Truly? They must have a skilled healer amongst them if such a thing is possible so soon, even after fighting you."

Next to them, Kyuubi scoffed loudly, already pulling his sword out again. "These people don't sound so ominous. Let me handle this cousin."

Naruto's arm and sharp glare stopped the taller man, making him scowl at his relative in clear annoyance. "Don't be foolish. These people are strong, apparently strong enough to heavily wound Gaara and force me to reveal two of my tails."

"T-two of them? They were that great?" Kyuubi asked, his surprise making it easy to gauge how rare it was for one like Naruto to use such power.

The blonde nodded grimly at his cousin, turning his gaze back the shapes in the distance, looking very much like people. "The pair I fought certainly were, and I've taken on two pairs. It's possible they attempted the same on Gaara but at the same time. Likely they believed him an easy target. Whoever they've sent now will be more careful." Looking at his cousin again, his voice became dark with caution. "Brash action will only do us ill cousin, do try to remember that."

"Yes, Honored Envoy." Kyuubi responded with obvious reluctance but still kept his sword in hand, watching the two shadows with wary suspicion.

They didn't have to wait long for from the far edge of the dust cloud, more sheets of blank paper came shooting forth. Slicing through the air, the paper sheets shot through the air with the clear intent of taking on the two oni standing among them. They dove and weaved through the air like birds though flat and spotless, darting up and around them as if to try and strike from behind. Only Gaara's sand wouldn't allow it, the shifting material rising up to intercept before the paper could get very far. This exchange was swift as it was violent with almost no end in sight. There were even a few instances where Gaara wasn't quite fast enough, a sheet or two of the lethal paper shifting towards their targets before Kyuubi cut them down or Sasuke set them ablaze. Tenten and Neji assisted with kunai only for the metal instruments to be rebuffed as if striking armor and not something as delicate as paper. Sure enough, the paper wouldn't cut, wouldn't burn but could be pushed away though for how long began to come into each of their minds. Huddled in the center of their small group, Gaara's pale face had lost a shade, a few beads of sweat traveling to his chin in his concentration and waning strength. If this went on any longer…he didn't want to fathom the consequences. He'd escaped these people once before. Perhaps he could do so again. Using as much energy as he dared, Gaara concentrated not on what was around them, but below. Already his sore body was aching, his veins trembling as his brain begged him to stop but he insisted on completing what he'd started in favor of giving up too early. When he finished, Gaara grabbed hold of Naruto's shoulder mere seconds before the earth under them caved and the sand that shielded them moved to harden over them as they all fell with shouts of surprise.

Upon landing in the darkness, they all landed in piles of soft sand that muffled their shouts and eased their arrival in their new settings. They were all able to calm themselves easily, making it apparent that Gaara was gasping loudly in the black that surrounded them. From somewhere, Naruto called out. "Gaara-kun! Are you alright?"

"I…I can't…" the redhead panted from somewhere in the dark, every breath heavy and labored.

Letting out a light curse, Naruto spoke again. "One moment." None of them were very sure what the blonde did, only that small lights, small and bright like fireflies were suddenly in the room around them. Several of them hovered lazily near the ceiling, revealing a room as big as Tsunade's office. "There." The blonde muttered before getting up, barely even bothering to dust his clothes of dirt to check on the still struggling Gaara. Sweat coated his pale face, eyes lidded and misty with fatigue as he labored to breathe properly.

Getting up using his sword as leverage, Kyuubi didn't hesitate to comment upon seeing the young oni's condition. "Spirits above, I knew his condition was tremulous but to this degree? You should've told me cousin."

"Today was meant to be a test on how to regain his strength. After what's just happened, I fear that such things must wait." Naruto said, holding up a hand to Gaara while taking the redhead's with the other so that a few of their fingertips touched. "Here, take what you must."

To the astonishment of the shinobi, dim light appeared where their fingers were touching, Tenten warily asking. "What're you doing?"

Blinking at the inquiry, Naruto didn't dare look away from the young oni before him as he remained focused on his task. "Any oni worth their mettle knows how to give aid to another, either for wounds of the body or wounds of the spirit. Gaara's is dangerously low, most of it spent on healing. It's now clear that his recovery has taken a great step backwards."

"Will he be okay?" Sasuke asked, mostly since it was his duty to protect the pair during a situation like the one they were now in. Just by watching, Gaara's desperate breaths slowed and his vision cleared, some color coming back to his face.

Frowning, Naruto shook his head as he released the tanuki's hand. "The most I've done is stabilize him but we must get him to a physician of proper skill if he's to recover properly. I only know how to give emergency aid, I'm afraid. We must get him back to the village." He paused, glancing at his pupil warily, who had yet to move outside of steady breathing. "And soon."

At that, Gaara's soft voice cut through the stillness around them. "They'll…they'll have prepared for what I've done. I escaped this same way from them when last I fought them. It almost wasn't enough." Green eyes met sky blue with concern in their depths. "Sensei, we must move quickly."

"I concur. Our situation is grave but not if we let it." Naruto stated, appearing reluctant to take the lead for once. So he turned to his kinsman instead. "Cousin, aid the others in our defense for I must focus on my student."

"You needn't ask for what I'm already prepared to offer." Kyuubi rumbled proudly, a grin spreading across his face that worried Sasuke. How many times was he going to see that wicked smile today anyway? "I shall fight with these noble warriors. As the Chosen Sword for the Kitsune Clan, I choose to take up the rear as the shield as Gaara-kun has done. I ask our human comrades to use this as a means to properly gauge this threat so that they may defend against it when I fail."

"Now that I must see. Failure isn't something you take lightly, cousin." The blonde joked weakly, even smiling wryly to his own quip.

"Yes, but isn't high time I laughed in its face?" Kyuubi responded, chuckling at the jest anyway, probably to lighten the mood.

Almost in a flash, Naruto's expression became grim, bending so to help Gaara to his feet as he spoke. "I'm skilled in earth jutsu and can prepare the tunnels ahead. Hyuga-san, if you'd lead the way as we do so." He told Neji, making the still very tired looking Gaara wrap an arm over his shoulders.

Neji blinked, puzzled on why the blonde oni had spoken directly to him. "Me? Why?"

"Normally my senses are as finely-tuned as yours but I must focus on keeping Gaara-kun from becoming worse than he already is. I know of your clan's special talent and see no reason to waste it here. Your friends can assist Hawk-san and my cousin in covering our retreat." Naruto spoke with the voice of a firm leader, his tone stiff and commanding.

"Why not face them then!? Take them on for all their worth!" Lee asked with his usual child-like vigor though his teacher appeared stone-faced.

Naruto merely gave Lee a look of pity, as if speaking to a child who had yet to know the true dangers of the world. "My exuberant friend, you misunderstand: these people seek to use the weapons we guard with our lives for reasons that are not for the best of others or themselves. Gaara uses his easily because it's suited to his level, but still as dangerous as the others. But of all the weapons, mine is the strongest and makes the others look like mere toys and your three Sannin and past Hokage mere students to the master that is this sword. In the almost twenty years I've had it, I've never drawn it save during training under extreme conditions that would kill a lesser man, oni or human regardless." His words made the room fall still and blood run cold, even Kyuubi appearing shocked by this explanation. Looking Lee right in the eyes, the shinobi visibly pale, Naruto kept on. "They seek power from items that are beyond their ability to wield, that no sane human can wield without suffering horribly. Why else would the oni clans of all the nations seek to hide them from those who would seek to use them? Claim them in the name of their land or household, to seek glory that's just a fantasy? Only to find that these weapons wreak havoc on anyone and everyone foolish enough to be close to those who attempt to use them? Such is the duty of me and my friends, of the Nine. We are the few the clans trust to keep these horrid weapons from such madmen."

Before him, all were speechless save his cousin who found his voice enough to say. "I had heard rumors…this is all true, cousin?"

"That mountain I was training on didn't just vanish cousin, the sword turned it to dust quickly enough." Naruto responded, making Kyuubi's eyes widen as memory provided him with the past vision of such a feat.

After a moment, the older oni was speaking again, this time in growing fury. "And yet you kept this a secret? Why? I could've aided you!"

"And see you injured? Or killed? Dammit Kyuubi don't be a fool! I've always known you to charge into things like a bull but now you're being especially stupid! How could I tell one of my childhood friends that my new position could kill him in a blink? How could I do that knowing my mother hopes one of us will take over for her? We both know Karin's too focused on herself to do it! It's a wonder I didn't kill my teachers or the man I was inheriting the blasted thing from!" Naruto practically shouted, making both oni stare at him as if they'd never heard him shout in such a way before. Sasuke had yet to hear the blonde speak in such a way so he suspected it was rare for the man. Blinking in realization, the blonde quickly ducked his head so that his hat hid his face in the dim brilliance of his werelights. "Apologies…I too am not in the best shape at the moment. It would be wise that we leave before our enemies seek us out." Naruto muttered into the stunned quiet of their man-made cave. The way the blonde avoided his cousin's openly shocked gaping was clue enough that something very personal had just occurred.

Deciding to break the spell, Neji moved to the wall, his Byakugan active so that the veins just under his skin were heavily exaggerated along with the intense look in his eyes. "The village is this way Naruto-san."

"Then that is where we shall go." Naruto stated, glad the moment was past and avoided his cousin's gaze in favor for a part of the wall. Raising his free hand, Naruto glanced at them all briefly. "Be ready."

With a wave of his hand and a flash in his eyes, the earth wall before them shifted and bent as if giving way to a force it couldn't resist. The insistent burrowing got louder just above them, being more than enough to get the group moving through the newly-made tunnel that stretched as they walked. Behind them, the small room they'd been in vanished as it was refilled by the dirt and rock that once occupied that space. Progress was slow but steady, everyone on edge for anything new that might come at them from their foes still working hard to give chase as best they could. So far, they'd yet to succeed in catching up to them. Thanks to Naruto's skills and Neji's directions, they were able to send their enemies on a wild-goose chase as they headed to the edge of the village. But at some point, their pursuers likely wised up to their scheme and the loud rumbling was back, the slight ruffle of paper muffled but distinct. Only difference being that the ceiling was starting to bulge as if on edge of giving in to a tremendous weight. They only had a few seconds to ponder what it could be prior to the thick layer of packed dirt finally caved, filling the small space with rushing water. Along with it came shouts of surprise and angered curses, mostly from Kyuubi as they all scrambled to get away from the wave heading toward them with a loud roar. They didn't get very far, the water quickly catching up and sweeping them off their feet and rushing toward the walls. Mostly out of instinct than anything, Sasuke was able to perform the necessary hand seals to bring his lightning ability to bear. It took what concentration he had to channel the electric blast back through the water and toward the user rather than all around and into his compatriots. Either the threat of the attack or Sasuke scored a hit, he didn't know for the water soon stopped and was sucked into the greedy dirt under them so that it became a sticky mud. Not caring, Sasuke moved forward as soon as he could stand properly, moving to the hole in the ceiling despite being soaking wet. Sword drawn and annoyed, the young Uchiha glared up at what little bright sky he could see, his Sharingan active for anything that might come his way. Even though his blood was boiling, Sasuke kept his mind focused on his task. Behind him, he heard Kyuubi moving to join him by the hole in the ceiling while the other shinobi took to shielding the two other oni. Having regained his balance, Naruto didn't hesitate to use his earth skills to keep making the tunnel ahead.

"See anything?" Kyuubi muttered at him, orbs of gold darting about in search of a target.

Next to him, Sasuke shook his head, also keeping his voice low. "No, just sky." He glanced at the older oni, hoping the man's fine-tuned senses would bring some sense of mind. "Sense anything?"

Kyuubi frowned, as if thinking of it for the first time. "I do not. They backed off?"

"Or they're regrouping. We must be ready." Sasuke cautioned, the hairs on the back of his neck sticking up. He could tell something was about to happen but didn't know what.

"Agreed. Let's go." The older man stated as they began to edge away from the hole.

They barely moved back two steps when a shower of paper sheets came flying in, the flow of living parchment knocking the two men back, making Kyuubi curse loudly. Sasuke barely had time to react as sheets of paper stuck to his body as they pushed him roughly against the wall behind him. There must've been a rock there because when the back of his head hit, it was like he'd been cudgeled. Trying to ignore the pain, Sasuke blinked rapidly behind his mask only to see stars as muffled shouts filled his hearing before several sheets blinded him by covering his masked face. Coming back to his senses some, Sasuke found he couldn't move no matter how desperately he tried. His sword was still in his hand but that too was all but bolted to the solid dirt wall still slick with water. Though he couldn't see what was happening, his hearing was still intact and his senses told him the small space was alight with chakra. Kyuubi was still cursing angrily coupled with Gai's almost idiotic shouting with Lee shouting like a moron right along with him. Worse, the paper was starting to constrict as if to crush him and he could do little but try to breathe evenly until someone got him out. Trying not to panic, Sasuke kept on breathing as evenly as possible, only to find the paper came down on him with each exhale, forcing him to take smaller breaths. Already he could feel his ribs protesting to the pressure despite his body armor, his ANBU mask even cracking loudly in his cocoon. Clenching his teeth, Sasuke could only hope someone got him out soon before he suffocated or the paper crushed him to death.

Outside Sasuke's paper prison, the room had descended into chaos: Gai and Lee were indeed shouting, mostly in protest to the countless sheets of paper they couldn't fend off. Neji and Tenten were having the same trouble and not just because of the confined space though they didn't let that deter them. At the front, Kyuubi was hacking and slashing as best he could, setting what number of the paper sheets he could ablaze. His concern was split between Sasuke and his cousin and Gaara. He knew his cousin could hold his own, even with Gaara weighing him down but it was the human shinobi that held his concern the most. Sure the ones behind him were doing their best and he knew just from being in their village a few days that they were capable people. But it seemed that Sasuke was different, and whenever the young Uchiha was near his cousin, the air became charged. More so, he'd spotted his Aunt Kushina speaking with the young man but had refrained from listening in. She must've said something shocking to him, for the raven blushed madly, his fair skin burning with a flame Kyuubi had rarely seen except from what few female oni that caught his eye. His aunt had even laughed at the reaction, by no means insulting, just amused. The fact something his aunt said had such an effect not just on her but on a man he presumed was icy and unfeeling told him that there was something amiss. If nothing else, the raven-haired ANBU hadn't hesitated to jump between him and Naruto earlier, readily shielding the blonde from harm as was his duty but still Kyuubi sensed something more. If the two realized it yet he didn't know but he could find out later. Amidst the chaos, Kyuubi's golden eyes widened at spotting that the paper cocoon Sasuke was trapped in was starting to constrict, his sensitive ears picking up the man's slowly failing breaths. Whoever was in control of the paper was a sick one, crushing their enemies so that everything broke and they died gasping through the blood flooding their lungs. No warrior deserved to die like that.

Rage set Kyuubi's form ablaze with molten red chakra, the new protective layer boiling much like his cousin's, the cloak's heat turning the water still trapped in the mud beneath his shoes into steam. The once indestructible paper sheets that flooded the room were set aflame just being in the vicinity, Kyuubi pressing the heat into the walls so that it filled with hot mist and soggy ashes. With but a thought, the icky fog was sent out the hole so that the air within the room was fresh and clean. Off to the side, Sasuke had collapsed to one knee, using his sword as support, as he desperately sucked in air via rough gasps and wet coughs from behind his now cracked hawk ANBU mask. Kyuubi's nose picked up the barest scent of blood, keen eyes spotting a small dribble of the crimson liquid escaping from under the stark white clay. The way the young Uchiha was clutching at his ribcage only added to the suspicion that something had been damaged. The man looked like he was about to stand when more paper shot through the hole in the ceiling, this time heading right for him. Sasuke froze but didn't move, his condition clearly making movement difficult though the raven still shifted in order to try and jump out of the way. Kyuubi almost wasn't fast enough to come between them, the stalk of paper creating sparks as they slide across the flat side of his blade and were driven in the wall. Taking no chances, Kyuubi placed a glowing red hand on the paper and forcing his chakra into the mass of sheets, making them shrivel and burn all the way up and out into the open. And straight to the source. A cry of surprise and pain met his efforts, whoever was controlling the paper pulling their control back so to abandon the lost sheets as they became thin bits of ash. If there were any exploding tags in the mass of rubbish, Kyuubi wasn't about to stick around and find out. Grabbing Sasuke by the scruff of his armor, the redhead marched back towards the small group of people who'd been watching the whole thing. His moving back toward them snapped them back to reality, the hole in the ceiling swiftly closed as the wall before them caved under Naruto's jutsu. Sasuke let out a wet noise when Kyuubi moved him but the raven didn't say anything. He merely let the larger man half drag, half carry him along, not bothering to sheath his sword since his limbs ached from being put under such pressure.

Above them, the werelights Naruto had made were still spreading their brilliance into the dark of their moving room, Neji politely giving the blonde directions. The room was filled with their steady footsteps and Sasuke's quiet gasps, each one sounding horribly strained and wet as time dragged on. In the dim light, all of Team 11 had paled at hearing their fellow shinobi's suffering but didn't comment. When Sasuke's legs finally gave out, making him stumble though Kyuubi still had a grip on his flak jacket, the red-haired oni finally spoke up again. "Maito-sensei, can you carry him? I must be free if I'm to act as the rear guard."

"I can. Can't you or Naruto-san heal him?" the jounin dressed in green asked, moving to take the practically lifeless raven ANBU from his strong grip.

Kyuubi frowned, shaking his head. "My cousin must keep his chakra levels stable to support Gaara-kun and we both don't know enough about humans to render proper care. I sadly admit I have no such healing abilities and bid you take him until proper aid can be given."

"I have a first aid kit." Tenten stated to the room, brown eyes already examining the fellow shinobi from afar.

For the first time in ages, Sasuke spoke up, not bothering with his cold politeness as he pulled his cracked and bloody hawk mask off. It slipped from his grip, falling to the hard earth where it shattered even more. Sasuke was in too much pain to feel bad, he could always get another one later. "N-no, most of it's internal damage, extreme bruising maybe, so I doubt anything you do would help. Thanks anyway Tenten."

"Thought I'd suggest it." the brunette woman muttered before reaching for her canteen instead. "Water?"

"That'd be good, thanks." Sasuke croaked, letting Kyuubi take his sword so he could sheath it, Gai holding him up as Tenten held the canteen for him. The first sip was tainted by the blood in his mouth and he had to spit it out. The second try was better, the Uchiha drinking as much as he dared so the cool liquid could soothe his aching organs. After a sip or two, Sasuke gently pushed the woman's attentions away, lightly gasping against the cold of the water and the pain in his body. "Ugh, give me a minute."

"Better?" Tenten asked, everyone watching their friend recover.

"Much. Help me up." he said, letting the two maneuver him onto Gai's back. Once there, the jounin took hold of his legs while Sasuke tiredly wrapped his arms around the man's neck, neither caring about the metal gauntlets the raven was wearing.

Grinning like an idiot, some of Gai's exuberant spirit came back as he said. "Rest Sasuke-kun, I shall carry you far and wide if I must!"

Sasuke could only groan at this prospect. He was in too much pain to deal with this idiotic man right now. "Just to the nearest clinic, thanks. Otherwise I might have to knock you out to get you to stop."

"Surely you don't-."

Holding up a hand, his palm already alive with small bolts of electricity, his lack of hand signs disturbing in itself as Sasuke spoke in a very grim tone. "Gai-sensei…I may be down for the count but I'm not out. Do us all a favor by shutting up and get walking." Off to the side, Kyuubi appeared amused, Naruto was holding down impish chuckles while the rest merely stared, Gai already sweating bullets. "Or do you want me to set your hair on fire?"

"Y-you wouldn't!" the jounin stammered, unnerved by the younger man's show of power and force.

"Try me. Just try me." Sasuke snarled before letting the energy in his hand die down in a silent bid for them to start moving again.

This effectively silenced the green-clad jounin into doing as he was told, the streams of panic-fueled tears clue enough that the man he carried had scared him greatly. In his pain-filled haze, Sasuke could only wonder why his old teacher Kakashi hadn't threatened the stupid man into silence all this time but didn't dwell on it. They walked for maybe another few minutes before something above them began to shift in one big heave of dirt. From the sound of it, large amounts of it were being pushed aside all at once with a great amount of strength and effort from whoever was doing the digging. Almost like a bad omen, paper sheets cut through the ceiling like a knife through butter only to fold and move up. The mass of dirt shifted and moved with the sheets like it would for a shovel, bits crumbling apart and falling to the floor as slivers of sunlight were revealed to them. With a big heave, the large chunk of dirt was pulled out and tossed aside, revealing a pair of people dressed in black cloaks with little red clouds adorning the grim fabric. Standing to the right was a man with orange hair and eyes of brown, his handsome face wrinkled by an irritated frown. Next to him to his right, and their left, was a woman with blue hair and orbs of molten amber accented by lavender eye shadow, a piercing in her lower lip and an origami rose in her hair with a pale face. Unlike her partner the woman didn't seem to have an expression, as if nothing about their situation interested her. On top of that, they both had headbands showing they were former Amegakure shinobi, the hard line through the Hidden Rain symbol a clear sign of their allegiance. Her partner, the man, spoke in a clear, deep voice past the frown on his face. "Surrender and hand over the weapons peacefully and none of you will be killed."

"Lies! That was not the approach you used with me not too long ago!" Gaara hissed with a rare show of anger, his smooth face twisted in growing rage.

The man with orange hair only frowned deeper at them. "We did not believe you would listen, since the most you oni ever respond to is force." Brown eyes switched to Naruto, who was glaring from under his straw hat. "Our friends know this for a fact."

"Only because their madness spurred it from us, same as yours does now. Whatever mission you and your group are in the midst of, abandon it while you still can. I know not exactly what it is but it's clear that it's a fool's errand. No matter your plans, you won't succeed in any of it." Naruto snarled back, blue eyes flashing red in his seething fury. These people just didn't know how to give up! Couldn't they see that what they were doing was foolish?

Finally the woman spoke, her voice almost as dead as her expression. "That is for us to decide, not you. We only wish to free you of your burdens, little else. Our plans for the weapons are not your concern."

Naruto stared, openly shocked at their response. "N-not my concern? Madam if you think that, then you're truly beyond hope! The objects we carry are sleeping beasts of war! You take them and use them with whatever folly that is so heavily guiding your minds and you'll start a new war that could destroy everything that exists at this moment. I know not the circumstances that've driven you and your group to this course but you must reconsider if not for yourselves but for the world around you! Do you not care what happens to the innocent people you'll endanger just by holding on?"

"It's for the people that we do this. Our motives are pure, unlike yours." The man bit out in clear frustration. "You're an oni, whose only real purpose is war and death, bringing pain on people you think are below you. With these weapons in hand, we can avoid this entirely."

"As talented as you both are, you seek something beyond your level of ability! Those of my order have been trained since childhood to wield these weapons as instructed by those who held them before us. To do so without that knowledge…it's suicide!" Naruto persisted, hoping that as stubborn as these people were, they might see reason.

"We know. All the more reason you should let us try." The man insisted, clearly annoyed with Naruto's pleas.

Naruto scowled, offering no subtlety in placing his free hand against the wall, blue eyes hard as rock. "That, I will not do."

The two strangers blinked but it was too late: tree roots from who knew where burst from the earth to grab the pair, grabbing the man by the limbs while the ones around the woman merely came up and around in a human-sized cocoon. "Konan!" the man shouted as he struggled against the bonds that held him, watching helplessly as panicked orbs of amber disappeared behind thick brown roots.

Once both of them were properly fastened in their situations, Naruto went on. "I'd thought I'd seen your lovely friend somewhere before but couldn't place her until now. Such a shame really, that such talent and ability has been wasted on such a fruitless quest. I'm sorry to say that you won't be leaving with what you came for…nor will you be leaving at all."

"Bastard! Let us go!" the ginger-haired man snarled, glancing between the cocoon and the blonde with hatred in his eyes.

"I shall not, for you shall now face justice at the hands of your peers." Naruto growled irritably, smoothing out his face and voice before turning to the green-clad chunin. "Lee-san, if you'd be so kind as to fetch the ANBU to take our friends into custody."

"Oh, yes! Of course, on my way!" Lee responded with a big smile, not hesitating to jump out of the hole and sprint toward the village just in the distance.

"Damn you! I'll get you for this!" the man snarled angrily as they just stared at him.

"Cousin, silence him would you? He's starting to irritate me." Naruto stated with lacking interest in their former attacker, gently pushing Gaara toward the edge of the hole as if to gauge how to get out.

"My pleasure." Kyuubi returned with a nasty grin, sheathing his sword as he moved toward the man.

Brown eyes widened as the demon got closer before he glared furiously as the larger man jumped out of the hole to face him eye-to-eye. "I swear if any of you touch her-!"

"Certainly not! We all may be warriors but to harm a woman is beneath us. She merely sleeps. As will you." Kyuubi told him before bringing a large fist down on the man's head, effectively knocking him unconscious and forcing him to go limp. That deed done, the large oni turned to stare at his clansman with a careful eye. "Are you well, cousin?"

"I'll inform you when this madness is over. Until then, if you'd help me get Gaara-kun out of this hole Neji-san. I'm sure the ANBU coming to aid us will have what we need when they arrive." Naruto stated wearily, watching the shinobi move to assist him. From where he stood, Kyuubi merely watched with faint concern on his face.

Help arrived in less than five minutes, Lee returning covered in sweat but smiling like a fool anyway as the various shinobi spread out to deal with the various issues. Gai refused to put Sasuke down, insisting on carrying the raven to the hospital, forcing one of the ANBU to stay behind as Naruto's guard who could only watch as the blonde also insisted on taking his compatriot back to the mansion. Neji, Lee and Tenten stayed behind to deal with the two unconscious intruders while Kyuubi followed his cousin. Once back at the Uchiha estates, the red-haired man pulled Naruto back to the guest house once Gaara was claimed by his siblings and the healers Kushina had brought with her. Naruto had protested against such treatment until his older cousin commanded he rest rather than work himself half to death as the blonde was prone to doing. The blonde had scowled for a moment before giving in, annoyed that his cousin would force him into doing something he didn't want to do but saw no logical argument against the older man's point. Most likely that if his mother discovered he hadn't rested properly after using his powers, she would come close to tearing his head off. So Naruto gave in and turned in early, though it was the middle of the afternoon, despite falling asleep as soon as his head hit the soft pillow of his bed. Gaara, once given a cautionary check-over by the healers, did the same but with less protest, the redhead too tired to even put up an argument on the matter. He merely despised that he wasn't able to do more even as his master's words calmly circulated through his mind, that taking his time in getting better was part of the process. Like Naruto, his frustration was short-lived when he collapsed on the bed, falling asleep within minutes of lying down.

Sasuke spent nearly half the day in the hospital, being looked over by the doctors, all but interrogated by Kakashi and other jounin before they all eventually let him leave. Breathing was easier though walking was difficult when his breath would suddenly shorten on him, forcing him to stop. Probably why they said to get plenty of bed rest, once I get back to the house. The raven thought as he headed toward the gate at a slow pace that irritated him but could do nothing about until his body healed itself. Many had called him 'lucky' for surviving the infamous Konan, the Paper Angel, an S-rank shinobi like the rest of her captured companions. Her companion Yahiko was a known troublemaker of no real renown but still dangerous. As of yet, none of the rogue ninja they had in custody had yet to talk. This information wasn't surprising. S-Rank shinobi who spend the rest of their natural lives on the run are usually the best the village has to offer before they split off for whatever nonsensical reason that's known to them and whoever was left alive from their defection. Needless, the trek back home was irritably long but otherwise peaceful since he rarely showed himself in the village enough for anyone to know exactly who he was. True to his shinobi training, Sasuke slipped in and out of crowds and down streets with people giving him ample berth upon seeing the Uchiha fan on the shoulder of his shirt and the larger one on his back. For this he was grateful, not exactly up to forcing his way around the midday crowds. Yet as he closed in on the mansion, he could sense that something was off, like he was being followed. The feeling persisted as he closed in on his home, making him stop and look around, his eyes blazing red with his Sharingan. Whoever it was, wasn't using genjutsu or he would've noticed. Then he saw it, a flash of white, making him gasp before becoming engulfed in darkness all over again.

Yugito had been looking over a scroll on the back porch, the neko-oni kunoichi letting the afternoon sun warm her, when soft footsteps brought her out of her thoughts. Looking up, the blonde woman sat up straighter at seeing the youngest Uchiha, Sasuke come walking through the back door, his dark eyes slightly unfocused as he shuffled in his well-hidden pain. Rolling up the scroll, Yugito moved to stand when something caught her attention: the man before her smelled off, like something unnatural. Unsure, Yugito spoke up just as Sasuke moved to step into the yard between the two houses. "Uchiha-san, are you well?"

The raven didn't speak, but paused to look back at her. Orbs of black stared without any real life, no recognition. Another sign to her that something was amiss, how the man before her wasn't the one she'd come to know in the last few weeks. She barely had time to pull a kunai from the pouch on her leg before there were sheets of paper everywhere that the sharp metal blade in her hand only created sparks when she tried to cut them from her view. Leaping away from the mass of paper, Yugito's dark green eyes widened in shock at seeing that Sasuke wasn't Sasuke anymore but a tall woman with blue hair and striking eyes of amber. Worse, she was wearing the black cloak with the red clouds she recalled from the reports she'd gotten from the Leaf shinobi. Another sign that she was in deep trouble. With very little hesitation, Yugito put her kunai away in favor of pulled the Matatabi Claws from her belt, the heavy metal blades shimmering in the sunlight. The strange woman spoke in a dull tone. "Ah. So you're one of them are you? That eases my efforts on finding you. Hand over the Claws and I shall not hurt you."

"That's not what I hear, criminal. I hear you strike like a coward and run when thing get too tough for you to handle." Yugito snarled, the Claws already glowing with the blue chakra flames the weapons were known for as she held her defensive stance, dark eyes glaring at her opponent with rage in their depths. "And I certainly won't let you harm my brethren or anyone in this house."

The woman before her didn't so much as blink a the scathing words. "Odd that you say that, when I have one in my possession."

This information clicked in Yugito's mind, reminding her that the rogue kunoichi before her needed to know what Sasuke looked like in order to copy his image. That means-?! She thought before redoubling her enraged stare. "Return him. Now."

"I shall. But only after my friends are released and we have the nine demon weapons in our custody. Then you may have the boy." The cloaked woman retorted calmly, too calmly to be normal. Was she so assured of her position that she wasn't even scared or was she just unaffected by things?

"How do I know he even still lives? For all I know, you're lying." Yugito growled, hoping to stall for time, for someone to come and help her against the woman.

"I know better than to lie to an oni, especially to one of your caliber. That would be dishonorable of me." the strange woman retorted easily, again not all that bothered by the blonde kunoichi's infuriated expression.

"Now you think of honor? Don't make me sick!" Yugito sneered, her dark eyes dilating like a cat's, her teeth sharpening by themselves as her rage spiked. "Return him now!"

"Meet my demands and I will. Alive if you follow through. Dead if you don't." the woman responded coolly, amber eyes narrowing a little as if she were annoyed with Yugito's response but otherwise didn't react. Then, in a flutter of white paper sheets, the woman was gone, leaving Yugito alone and cursing every god she could name. She could only imagine just how Sasuke's parents would take what she'd just learned. Her guess: not very well.

Ugh that took forever and I'm really sorry you guys. I'd usually go a little longer but if I do that just means I'm stalling even more which I'm sure you guys would hate. So, I'll just move on as best I can to keep this party rockin'. Okay, here goes:

Next chapter:

Chapter 9: Rescue!

Is this it? Will things end like this, in a hostage exchange that may be doomed to failure right at the start? Or is it just the precipice of more danger than anyone could possibly anticipate? Am I trying to be over the top about this? You bet your asses I am. See if our beloved Sasuke survives in the up and coming:

Chapter 9: Rescue!