Can I just say, from the bottom of my heart:

My bad.

(And this is pre puppet Sasori, btw.)

▪▪▪

"Sakura!"

Sakura jumped into a defensive position. Her right sandal landed in a mud puddle and she slipped, falling roughly to her knees.

She looked up into the furious face of her mother.

She stood in the common area of the retired ANBU housing, panting and hot after a long day of continual chakra enhancing and hand-to-hand sparring. Kou-sensei sat on a lawn chair besides her, reciting Shinobi codes from memory.

Takeda-sensei was there too (he was the one who had been fighting with her, rather mercilessly, if she did say so herself), but he was just reading a book of advanced espionage techniques.

"Mom?" Sakura asked, hardly understanding what was going on.

"You ignored me," Mebuki pointed at where Takeda-sensei was reclining. "You went with this- this- this murderer!"

"Eyy, lady," Kou-sensei snarked. "Who're you calling a murderer?"

Mebuki continued in her angry rant, completely ignoring the blind man. "We allowed you to go to the Academy because you weren't going to become one of those horrid shinobi who kill people! You promised you'd become a teacher, like Umino-san, or a messenger bird trainer, or even just a gate guard! Yet now I find you here, with these horrible murderers, even though you promised you wouldn't!"

Sakura ducked her head a little closer to her exposed collarbone. She'd taken off her coat after almost two hours of sparring, and now her pale arms and scuffed and calloused hands were in full view.

"B-but Takeda-sensei is-" Sakura tried to protest.

"You lied to me!" Mebuki shrieked. "How could you do that?!"

"Mom-" Sakura almost yelled. "They're just teaching me! They're helping!"

"How dare you defend them!"

"Why would you attack them?" Sakura straightened, feeling her own anger kindle inside of her. "Takeda-sensei has taught me so much! If it wasn't for him-"

Mebuki's voice was deadly calm. "Are you telling me you want to stay with them? To let these murders stay your teachers?"

Sakura took a deep breath. "Yes."

"I see," Mebuki seemed to get better control over herself. "Don't come back. I won't have monsters under my roof. You can come home once you've denounced these men and quit being a ninja."

Feelling sick, Sakura raised a hand towards her, opening her mouth to beg, to plead, to have her mother's love.

She didn't say anything.

She couldn't.

Mebuki looked her over and scoffed, turning on her heel and leaving.

She didn't say anything.

She still couldn't.

Sakura felt her legs give way under her, and then she was sitting on the ground watching her mother's back getting further and further away.

Takeda-sensei came up behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Sakura made no move to acknowledge his proximity.

"I'm sorry," he apologised. "Do you want to stay with Kasumi tonight?"

Sakura managed to shake her head. "I- I should go."

She managed to make it to her feet again, stumbling a little, and fled the scene.

Everything is going to be all right.

It has to be.

Right?

▪▪▪

Tsume's face was dark with rage as she held the young man close to her. She seemed such a contrast to the blank young Inuzuka, so filled with emotion even though he seemed to have none. Her hand stroked his head, surprisingly gentle.

The other clan heads also seemed absolutely furious, the anger displayed on their faces in various degrees. Shikaku's was more of a calm, simmering anger, but Inoichi's whole face was bright red.

Tsunade watched the nin buzzing like angry hornets. Shibi Aburame was literally buzzing, beetles swarming around his head in dark clouds.

They sat around a circular table in the council room, silencing seals pulsing over the windows and ANBU Tsunade knew she could trust guarding the doors and rafters.

She held folders, the contents of which would send this fury spiraling into madness so deep the only way out of it would be Danzo's head.

When Tsunade herself had read it, she'd almost cried. She, the hardened, unflinching Sannin. The absolute horror of what Itachi Uchiha had been forced to do...

If the clan heads knew someone had the power to end an entire bloodline, wipe out a whole clan, that they had abused it...

Well, there would be one of three things that would happen.

One, the clans would rebel. They'd likely kill the council, Danzo, even her. They'd reinstate a clan member as Hokage, and put preventative measures up to ensure nothing of the sort would ever happen again.

Two, they'd pack up and leave. This was honestly what Tsunade feared most; the clans evacuating Konoha to live in another land where their children would never be kidnapped and they wouldn't be killed in cold blood. Any land would fight over them, over their loyalty, and without them, Konoha would undoubtedly fall.

Or three; they'd join forces with her and kill Danzo so thoroughly it would be like he'd never existed. They'd wipe his names from the very history books, burn everything he'd ever touched, end his entire bloodline.

Even the mention of him would be gone.

While not very ideal for Danzo, this was what Tsunade was aiming for.

Hiroto tried to stand, but Tsume wouldn't let go. "How many of our pack still stand?"

He was silent for a few seconds, glancing at Tsunade. She nodded, and he answered.

"Of the several that were taken, only three remain. The others died in training or on the field." His tone was so flat and emotionless that he could have been talking about the weather.

"Your nin companion?"

He hesitated a moment, and then in the most human display he had shown yet, Hiroto ducked his head. "Seomaru was killed in front of me."

It had seemed impossible for Tsume to get madder, but her lips twitched up into a snarl as her eyes promised to send the one who had killed her clan to the ninth circle of hell.

"Tsunade," Tsume growled. "Who did this? Was it Hiruzen? How dare-"

"The Third was not the one who did this," Tsunade bowed her head. "Though there are victims from each clan, their capture was not the worst thing I discovered."

Surprisingly, it was Shibi who spoke next. "What could be worse than the theft of our children? Their imprisonment and the stamping out of all their emotions?"

It was more than he usually said in a month.

Tsunade may have been bad at betting, but she was putting everything down on the hope that the clan heads would stand with her.

She placed the innocent looking manilla folder on the table.

Although this was probably something that could be explained verbally to save time, Tsunade wanted then to see it themselves. She wanted the silence to stretch on as clan head after clan head took their turns reading Uchiha Itachi's orders.

The longer it took to get through this meeting, the longer the clan heads would stew in rage and fury.

The longer this meeting lasted, the shorter Danzo's time would be.

Tsume lunged for it, ignoring the way the rest of the heads were eyeing it. Although she had to release Hiroto to grab it, she was back in her seat before he had gotten up.

She flipped it open.

And stopped.

The minutes ticked by, and the emotions spewing across Tsume's face were getting more and more entertaining to watch. She went from abject fury to confusion to horror to grief all in the short time she read the single page.

The file trembled in her hands as her clawlike nails sank into the paper.

"Lady Tsunade," Tsume asked, setting the paper down and unhooking her fingers. "Is this real? Are you sure?"

Shikaku reached for it. The Inuzuka let him take it, her onyx eyes never leaving Tsunade's face.

Tsunade bowed her head. "Though I wish more than anything it was not..."

The folder had been passed down the line of leaders. It now rested in Hiyashi's hands, the usually calm Hyuuga flushed with rage.

"The name of the one who did this," he almost spat. "Give us his name."

Tsunade didn't answer.

"His name," Tsume straightened in her seat. "Now, and never will the Inuzuka betray you. If you refuse, I shall go home, rally my pack, and we shall leave this village at once. If you protect them," here, her voice dropped to a low growl. "You're choosing them over us, and my shinobi deserve to serve one who puts them first."

"The Aburame stand behind that decision," Shibi said.

"The Hyuuga as well."

The heads went around the circle, one after the other threatening her. Tsunade waited until every single one of them had vowed their loyalty to her if she told them the identity of the one who had stolen their children and killed an entire clan.

"His name," Tsunade lifted her chin.

"Is Danzo Shimura."

▪▪▪

Toph was actually having a pretty good day.

She'd woken up feeling moderately well-rested, had eaten the breakfast Kisame-sensei had made her, sparred a bit with Konan, and then-

She dodged a swipe, falling backwards as the blade slashed where her head had been a millisecond ago. While her attacker overextended, Toph took initiative and buried USS's hilt in his side.

The shinobi wheezed and fell back.

Now, she, Kisame-sensei, and Itachi-san were tag-teaming to take down a gang of rogue nin that had been bothering Amegakure farmers.

Toph sprang after her opponent, holding her sword in a reverse grip and molding the ground with her toes, lunging forward in quick, controlled motions.

She studiously ignored Kisame-sensei's mini-massacre to her left as she focused on the man in front of her. He held a sword about the same size as her own, and as such, Kisame-sensei had left him to her. He'd told her to learn from him.

So this fight was good for her in that she could learn from someone her own size.

The shinobi slashed sideways at her; she caught the blade with her own and deflected it. Her foot, encased in stone, crashed into his other side.

Besides, unlike Kisame-sensei, Toph wasn't in the habit of killing all who stood against her. That meant he got to live once she was done with him!

This was a win-win for them both!

He crashes into the ground. Toph followed him, stabbing down. He managed to get his own sword up to defend, but he lay in a weak position and Toph was quick to take advantage of that.

She stabbed down again, the tip of her blade sinking into the top of his shoulder.

He let out a pained grunt, and the next thing she knew was stinging pain as he threw dirt in her eyes.

"You little," Toph swiped at her eyes, falling back a few steps. "You're lucky I don't actually need these!"

His reply was a barrage of those annoying throwing needles all shinobi except her seemed to have. Toph batted them out of the air with her free hand, shifting USS II so it assumed its usual positioning.

Although her eyes were watering, Toph's toes were just fine. She caught the flicker of motion as he charged forward, and she held her own in the flurry of blows they traded.

"Hurry up, Toph!" Kisame-sensei called.

Other than his and Itachi-san's vibrations, that side of the field was completely silent. Out of a patrol of nine, only the swordsman Toph fought lived.

A flicker of metal caught her attention. Toph caught his sword blade on blade, then grabbed the kunai in his other hand and gave it a wrenching twist! He tore back, taking with him only the handle.

There was a short pause.

"What are you?" His voice was raspy and hoarse, rather familiar, although Toph couldn't quite place it.

She grinned as wide as she could and tossed his kunai blade aside. The metal was crushed like a tin can, absolutely useless and irreparable.

"I'm Toph Bei Fong," she announced. "The best Earthbender in any world, and Kisame-sensei's student."

That seemed to satisfy him. He sank down into a ready crouch, brandishing his blade as he prepared to strike.

Toph readied herself too, taking her katana's hilt in both hands and raising it above her head.

The smile never faltered.

▪▪▪

"I totally had him!" Toph complained as she stalked along behind her mentor. "Just another minute and he would have been toast!"

"You took too long," Kisame cut her off. "If ya wanna take down your opponents, you have to be faster. A shinobi strikes like lightning. Anything less than that is too slow."

Heaving a sight, Toph finally went quietly.

For one (1) minute.

"So why does Leader-sama want to see me, anyway?"

Kisame silently regretted a few life choices in his head and steeled his resolve. "If you have to ask-"

"I do."

He shot her a flat look she couldn't see and continued. "If you have to ask, I'd say it was because of your sword mastery."

She cocked her head. "But I'm not a master."

"No, you're not," Kisame allowed. "But you're being taught be me, and I am. You're a combat veteran, and you pick stuff up really fast, so you're a lot closer to competency than others would be."

"Daww," she cooed. "That's the nicest thing you've said to me all week!"

He rolled his eyes so hard they were in danger of popping out of his skull. "Don't get used to it."

They turned the corner and came to Pein's double office doors. Kisame knocked politely, but then shoved the doors open before any reply from inside.

Toph bopped altogether too peppily along behind him as he stalked up towards where his boss sat behind his large wooden desk. He stopped a respectable distance away, and crossed his arms.

"You wanted to talk to us?" Kisame asked, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

Pein kept his eyes on his papers a moment longer before leveling his cold gaze at them. Toph wisely stilled, standing at attention slightly behind him.

"It has come to my attention that you, Bei Fong," he started, and Kisame felt his stomach drop. "That you, while experienced, are lacking in certain... aspects."

Kisame shot Toph a side glance. She didn't react to his critiques, looking surprisingly docile and calm. Her hands stayed crossed in front of her, covered by her green half-kimono.

"What aspects are those?" Kisame asked, looking back to his boss.

Pein didn't reply. He leaned slightly forward and crossed his fingers together. "Bei Fong, how is your chakra mastery coming along?"

Oh.

Kisame hadn't taught her anything about that.

"I will work on that as soon as I know what it is," Toph told him.

Face, meet palm.

"As far as I am aware, Hoshigaki-san's specialties fall more along the lines of swordsmanship, not chakra control," Pein raised a pierced eyebrow. "Am I incorrect?"

"No," Kisame gritted his teeth. He knew where this was going, and he didn't like it.

"I am sending you both on a mission," Pein told them. "Hoshigaki-san, you and the Uchiha will head to Kumo. There's a merchant by the name of Akihiko Ao. Take him out." Pein tossed a sealed scroll at the swordmaster.

"Bei Fong," he turned his eyes to the blind teenager. "You will go to Wave."

He felt Toph start, opening her mouth to protest. Kisame shook his head minutely.

"You will accompany Sasori," Pein continued. "Who better to teach chakra control than a puppet master?"

"Sasori?" Toph echoed.

The man in question, red hair short and spiky, face stuck in a permanent scowl, stepped out from behind Pein. He strolled over to where they stood, footsteps silent.

"This is who I am to teach?" He snorted. "Get ready girl. We leave in an hour. Don't make me wait on you."

Toph's calm expression never slipped for a moment. "Of course, sir!"

Sasori left the room without looking back.

If he had, he might have seen the sharklike grin that stretched Toph's face, or the matching one Kisame gave her.

"Give him trouble, half-pint," Kisame whispered.

"Oh, don't worry," Toph smirked. "I will."