A/N: Phew, ok... *AHEM*
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Thank you all very much for your patience (or, you ingeniously disguised impatience, LOL), and for bearing with me and my [painfully] slow updates! :D
Alright, let's get right into it!
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Things were finally getting underway.
The slow, dragging pace the night began with had all but dissolved into a flurry of activity spurred on Naruto "sounding the alarm." And even though he was NOT a fan of ANY strategy in which that loser got a more important role than he did, Sasuke couldn't fight off the adrenaline-fueled excitement that set his heart to racing, nor could he quell the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he hurriedly made his way to his designated post - the belfry of a bell tower located near the center of the village.
Determination burned brightly within his obsidian eyes as he hunkered down and waited. Tch...that loser thinks he can show me up? Well I'll show him... His left hand clenched into a tight fist around the kunai he'd just removed from his holster. I'll make sure I disable as many of these explosives as I can before he even gets to leave that dock...and by the end of all this, EVERYONE will know that I'm bet-
"Sensei, they're starting to head into the village now!"
The sudden intrusion of Naruto's whisper-shouting voice in his ear effectively snatched him out of his declarative thoughts; he quickly readied himself, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head and equipping a second kunai.
Kakashi spoke up in response not even a second later. "How many?"
"I counted fifteen of them!"
"Alright. Sasuke, Sakura...create your clones right now and get them deployed and into position. STAY SHARP. Do NOT lose track of ANY of these guys...and the moment their explosives are planted and abandoned, you know what to do."
"Right!" Sakura responded immediately.
"Got it." Sasuke responded shortly thereafter, quickly summoning five clones and deploying them out.
He exhaled deeply, gripping his kunai even tighter as he set about scouring the area in anxious anticipation, his mind almost willing those Yahagi scumbags to appear before him.
It's go time...and I will NOT be outdone by you, Naruto...
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Sakura allowed her gaze to trail after her three departing clones for a few seconds before she quickly slunk back into the shadow of her rooftop hideout. She tugged at the hood on her head, taking a few deep, steadying breaths in an attempt to get as laser-focused as she possibly could.
"Alright...ok, Sakura, you've got this..." she murmured to herself, brandishing a kunai as she shifted her attention to the grounds around the gates at the village's entrance.
She'd been given a...special mission, of sorts. And while she had no idea if anything would even come of it, she was absolutely determined to see it through to the absolute best of her ability.
- FLASHBACK -
"...You want me to monitor the village entrance...?"
"Yes." Kakashi replied with a quick nod. "I could be wrong, but I've got a sneaking suspicion that we might see some action on that front as well."
Sakura arched an eyebrow. "You really think they'd try and walk explosives right through the front door?"
"It's possible, but highly unlikely."
"Well then why would -"
"There may not be any explosives making their way through the front door," Kakashi interjected, shifting his gaze in the direction the village entrance, "but, there may be people - or perhaps, a person - who might show up to prematurely bask in what he undoubtedly believes will be a resounding victory..."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Wait...you're talking about the Yahagi gang's leader..."
"Exactly." Kakashi replied; his gaze landed on the pink-haired girl once more as he bent down and placed a hand on her head. "Your clones are to handle disabling the explosives, while you keep an eye on the front door and stay ready to alert in case Mr. Yahagi decides to show up. Are you up for it?"
"Is that even a question? Of course I'm up for it!"
"Great! Glad to hear it." The silver-haired jonin stood up straight then, shoving his hands into his pockets. "There's a visitor checkpoint about 50 feet away from the entrance, along the left side of the main road. You'll be within earshot and have a clear view of the gates and the surrounding area from there."
"Understood. You can count on me, sensei."
"I certainly hope so..."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Nothing, nothing..."
- END FLASHBACK -
Sakura huffed in delayed frustration, her hand tightening into a white-knuckled fist around the kunai in her grasp.
"Sensei can be such a jerk...was he seriously doubting me?!" she grumbled quietly. "Honestly, you'd have to be a massive idiot to ruin a mission as simple as this one."
She doubled down in her efforts then, zealously scouring every inch of the area under her patrol and keeping her ears open for anything approaching the entrance to the village.
Well I am NOT an idiot...pretty sure Naruto has that title locked up. She huffed again as she slid closer to the short barrier surrounding the building's rooftop and peered over. Kakashi-sensei will never doubt me again when this is over - I'll make sure of it! ...And as for idiot Naruto...
Her frustration deepened in that moment; a deep frown overtook her expression as her fist shook with the force at which she clenched her weapon.
I bet he won't be so keen on blatantly ignoring me when he discovers that I've completed my mission more efficiently than he ever could! CHA!
"Yeah, I'm sure he won't."
Sakura bit off her startled shriek before it could reverberate through the air and immediately ducked behind the rooftop barrier. Oh crap!! Did I say that out loud?! Who even was that?! And how could anyone even hear me from up here anyway?!?
"Even with the threat of his pathetic little village being blown sky high, I'm willing to bet that he'll STILL try to resist the inevitable! That damn decrepit old fool!"
"Boss, please keep your voice down. We have no idea if any of these villagers are still outside and within earshot..."
A muted gasp escaped her then. Wait a minute... Tugging her hood as far over her cherry blossom hair as it would go, she slowly peeked over the barrier toward the village entrance. Her eyes widened when they landed upon two men standing just outside the gates, neither of whom appeared to be making any real attempt to conceal their presence. You've got to be kidding me...
"Oh for the love of...do you know why I chose midnight as the time to offload the explosives into this village, Aoru?"
"Well aware, boss. However -"
"In the two-and-a-half weeks that I had all of you gathering everything we needed, I did nothing but stake out this entire village."
"Yeah I get that, but -"
"It wasn't an easy feat, keeping myself confined and out of sight in that cramped old bell tower - especially after I discovered that they still use the damn thing! Thought I was gonna go deaf for sure..."
"Ok, but -"
"But in that effort, I learned three things...ALL of which practically guaranteeing our triumphant takeover!"
"I do not need to hear this again -"
"One, the people here go about their days in an almost dreadfully predictable routine; two, the dock at the northeastern corner of the village is 100% unused AND unmanned; and - most importantly - three, NO ONE is outside past midnight. I was able to literally walk around the ENTIRE VILLAGE after midnight every. Single. NIGHT!"
"Ugh..."
"We have nothing to worry about. Come this time tomorrow, we'll either be in complete control of this place, or we'll be rebuilding it from its fiery remains!"
"Please stop talking..."
It was all Sakura could do to keep her jaw from dropping to the floor as she processed everything she'd just heard. THIS is supposed to be the Yahagi gang's leader?! Absolutely UNBELIEVABLE... she mentally groused as she ducked behind the rooftop barrier and pressed a finger to her comm.
"Sensei, reporting in..."
"Go ahead, Sakura."
"Your suspicion was correct. Toru Yahagi and one other showed up at the village entrance; it doesn't look like they plan on entering, though."
"They're still there?"
"Yeah, they're still here. Also...this Yahagi guy might actually be a complete idiot."
She could almost hear the half-smile in Kakashi's voice. "Is that so? I'm assuming you managed to pick up some useful intel then..."
"Yeah, plenty of useful intel...and it all came straight from Mr. Yahagi's mouth."
"Alright then, good work. Continue your surveillance, and report back if their position changes in a way that could potentially jeopardize what we're doing here."
"Understood." she replied as she returned her attention to the village entrance just in time to see Toru and the other guy (Aoru, was it?) walk away from the village entrance and disappear into the trees lining the road. You'll never doubt me again...will you, Kakashi-sensei? She smirked slightly to herself, even more determined now to see this mission through successfully. And I bet you won't be able to keep ignoring me, will you...Naruto...
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A/N: This one takes the cake as the most difficult chapter to write, partly because I had a hard time deciding who I wanted to put more focus on in this chapter. I may go back later a fine tune some things, but for now, I think I'm ok with how it turned out. I hope you guys are as well.
Now, check out what I'm dubbing an "After The Credits" bonus scene. Just because I felt like it :)
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Toru snatched away from Aoru as they marched further into the tree line. "What the hell did we have to leave so quickly for?! I'd wanted to go in and check on the gang's progress."
Aoru rolled his eyes and groaned. "Seriously?! Boss that is the last thing you need to do, especially now! What are you, an idiot?!"
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me "boss" and to call me by my damn name! We're brothers for god sakes! And who the hell are you calling an idiot?!"
"And I told you that I call you boss as an act of solidarity, to show the other guys that you're not playing favorites in choosing me as your right hand simply because I'm your brother!"
Toru huffed as he folded his arms across his chest. "That argument is completely invalid, especially since everyone already KNOWS that you're my brother."
"Ugh...moving on..." Aoru muttered, heaving a deep sigh. "On another note entirely...does this grand scheme of yours have a contingency?"
"You mean aside from the explosives? No...why?"
"My eyes could've been playing tricks...but I could swear I saw movement on top of one of the buildings about 50 feet into the village."
Toru tensed for the briefest of moments before relaxing again and chuckling slightly. "Likely some sort of small animal, Aoru. Like I said, nobody ever stays out past midnight in that village."
Aoru rolled his eyes once more. "I certainly hope you're right about that - especially with all that uncouth spilling of your guts earlier."
"Hey!"
"Regardless, I'll devise a contingency to your contingency...just in case."
Toru nodded in understanding. "Yeah...to be on the safe side, I suppose that's for the best." he remarked; a grin spread across his face then as he threw his arm around Aoru's shoulder and all but drug the younger Yahagi into his side. "Ya see? This is why YOU are my right hand man!"
"Don't push it."
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I'll see you guys again soon!