The lost soul..

To the world, it seemed as if the unlikely alliance of Kusa, Ame and Taki, had achieved a miraculous victory over the Konoha jinchuriki along the outskirts of fire territory. However, as the main forced moved deeper into Konoha's borders, ready to take the legendary leaf village once and for all, news reached them that two contingents of leaf ninja had taken the villages of Ame and Kusa, cutting them off from Taki.

The pursuit ended immediately, and the entire army immediately rounded back at full speed, intending to reach, and retake their cities before their Konoha pursuers caught up to them.

However, their efforts proved to be for naught, as they were intercepted by another contingent of leaf ninja, this one led by Maito Gai, joined by divisions of Anko and Ibiki's troops. The coalition, though holding a much greater numerical advantage was completely exhausted both physically and mentally from nearly a full two days forced march and so were no match for the well rested leaf ninja.

When the main Leaf force, that had turned around the moment word reached them of Anko and Ibiki's victories, were seen by the colaition's rearguard troops, the allied ninja had no choice and broke ranks.

With nowhere to return to, cut off from supplies and quickly loosing morale, the alliance that had seemed to be on the cusp of victory less than a week ago, was now on the verge of a total rout.

With nowhere left for them to retreat, the coalition forces fled to the abandoned fortress of Nanao on the border of Suna and Konoha.

The fortress stood little more as a ruin, built during the very first founding of Konoha, its military value had deteriorated long ago. Though its walls were imposing, little else of value rested within the fortress. Left by the military forces of Konoha for merely fifty years, it had become a sanctuary and refuge for many refugee's, bandits, rounin and missing ninja over the decades.

Soon after their arrival, they fortified their position barricading the walls of the fortress city once more. Some of the refugees fled, while others remained in their homes, neither having the will, or the strength to leave.

Naruto, leading the core of the army, rendezvoused with Maito Gai, leading a second contingent, and two more small units arriving from the south east, led by Hatake Kakashi and Mika, Guan's apprentice whom had requested the assignment, the leaf army swiftly proceeded to surround the city shortly after arriving, cutting them off from any supplies they may have hoped to attain as Naruto began his siege.

"Damnit." The dragon masked leader of Kusa snarled as he stormed into the main hall of the old, ruined fortress, Yoshino and Kenpachi following shortly behind him as he began pacing agitatedly up and down the length of the hallway.

"Lord Zaraki."

"What!" The Kusa nin growled as he rounded on Kenpachi's larger form.

The Taki leader sighed in exasperation. "I suggest you calm yourself, this is a situation that must be approached calmly."

The shorter man took a deep breath and visibly calmed before he nodded. "Yes…you are right." He looked to his two allies, taking in the serious and tense expressions. "From what I've heard, you two have dealt with this Uzumaki boy before…what would you suggest as a plan to get out of this situation?"

Kenpachi and Yoshino shared a glance before they motioned to the chairs and sat down in a semi circle. "In all honesty lord Zaraki." Yoshino began. "We only have one choice that can guarantee, at least the lives of our men, and that is to simply surrender to Naruto-san."

"Surrender?" He questioned. "The two of you are some of the greatest ninja Taki or Ame has ever produced, you two single handedly led to Kusa's defeat in their campaign to take the central marshlands. I know because I was there." He sounded just a little bitter at the last part, they noticed but let it slide. "You are legends in your own right…and you mean to say you cannot think of one single strategy that can help?"

Yoshino and Kenpachi sighed. Many of the legends of their strength were just that…legends…Naruto had helped in most of their exploits in one way or another…however, so as not to cause an incident both his and his Konoha comrades intervention had been kept a secret.

Of course they were both strong but any victory against the Uzumaki child one on one was a long shot, especially if he used his Bijuu.

Kenpachi spoke again. "I am afraid lord Zaraki…victory at this point, is nigh impossible."

"Nothing is impossible…every adversary has a weakness."

"Not this adversary." Kenpachi spoke again more forcefully. He leaned forward, staring straight into the dragon mask eyeholes with unwavering force. "You do not know this boy…when he was only nine he was already at the level of an elite jounin…I have little doubt that he is at, or beyond our level now…this is not just some green fool that has read up on a few strategy books…this is someone who was bred for this…someone who was made for this…this is not an adversary that we could defeat."

"You are wrong…that wound I gave him"

"Was received on purpose and has most likely already healed." Yoshino interrupted this time.

The room fell into silence after that and the three looked to eachother. Finally Zaraki spoke. "Then I suppose we have no choice…we surrender to the Uzumaki boy tomorrow."

"Wait." Yoshino spoke again. "We must make it very clear to him, that the peasants here had nothing to do with this…I do not want them suffering his wrath."

The two other men nodded in agreement.

Konoha encampment; Outskirts of Nanao

Naruto again stood at the edges of the camp, observing the crumbling walls of the old outpost/city as he watched the enemy ninja frantically work through the night to bolster the defenses to a respectable degree.

Foolish really.

The strongest defenses were little better than an inconvenience if manned by an exhausted army whereas a single hill could be held by a well rested and alert one.

He didn't really know why he did this…he could easily send a scout to watch and report the enemies movements. But for some reason he preferred to do the mundane task himself. Perhaps because he found it more effective that way, or perhaps simply because it helped him mentally prepare for the coming confrontation.

Perhaps it was just simply one of his...quirks?

Was that what Kakashi had called it?

He mentally shrugged, whatever the reason, he found this to be one of his few indulgences.

However, over the last day or so he felt a strange…ache. Like a gnawing feeling in his chest. He didn't know why really…his troops were in position and ready to lay waste to the coalition at a moments notice, his scouts hadn't reported any change in Iwa's march to Kumo's borders in the north and Suna was still in a civil and military turmoil. No help was coming for them and there was no reason for this feeling, no reason for concern.

Perhaps because of the enemy themselves…desperation breeds determination after all. The tides could always turn at a moment's notice. He could not let down his guard, especially against these opponents.

He was startled out of his thoughts when he felt a small drop fall onto his cheek. He looked up to the dark sky as they rumbled with thunder. Like battle drums overlooking the battle to come...

It had rained that day too.

Naruto again found himself walking to the flower field, it had become something of a ritual really. Every day whenever they were both in the camp, they would meet in this field. They did not always speak, sometimes they did not have to.

The sky rumbled, as if it was growling as it released the waters held within it, the heavy shower falling like sheets

The battle today had been more brutal than usual, the Kusa-nins had holed themselves up in a local village and had taken refuge in the homes of civilians…in the ensuing chaos many combatants and non combatants lost their lives, something that was weighing heavily on the mens morale

He found her where he always did, her eyes were closed, staring up to the sky as she basked in the cool drops that fell over her skin, running down her face and for a moment Naruto could have sworn those were tears.

He stepped forward, ignoring the flowers he crushed under his feet as he made his way closer.

Finally, when he stopped at her side she spoke.

"This weather…its nice." Her voice was melancholy and Naruto could hear the strain there and he realized that he had not just been imagining her tears.

"Why do you cry Yoshino?" He questioned. "What was done today, was necessary. There is no reason to cry over it."

She smiled, still not taking her gaze from the black clouds even as lightning streaked through the sky, illuminating everything for a brief moment.

When she spoke, her voice was heavy and Naruto realized again, how very different others were from him. Unlike himself, she carried the deaths with her, every flame she snuffed out was yet another weight on her heart. She carried them, he discarded them, like petals to the winds in a storm, never to be found again.

"When one is a figurehead for the soldiers…you can never show weakness. If you show weakness they will weaken because of it…you can never let your emotions get the better of you…because then that will make them worry. You must be their pillar of strength…you must be the one to keep their resolve strong."

She took a deep breath as her smile widened slightly.

"But…here….in this rain…I'm free."

"I do not understand. What do you…" He began but stopped as she walked forward and embraced him, her hands clinging to his cloak, it was almost desperate in nature as she held him tight.

"Yoshino-san?" He questioned in a confused tone as she held him tighter.

"Just…hold me Naruto…just for a little while…just until the rain stops"

He was confused by her need for physical contact from him, but…decided to comply and slowly wrapped his arms around her as the rain fell over them…

Naruto watched the rumbling clouds as the memory of that day washed over him, he looked back to Nanao once more before swiftly turning on his heel to walk back to camp.

Yoshino sighed silently as she sat in her tent, swirling some sake in the saucer she held in her hand. Despite what she stated…she knew…and she was sure Kenpachi knew as well, there was a very real possibility Naruto would not accept their surrender. They had become close, at least slightly, and betrayal was not something anyone handled well.

'I can only hope…' She pleaded as she fingered a small necklace, in the design of a butterfly between her fingers. Smiling softly at the memory of just how she had gotten this pendant, and Kenpachi had gotten the marble Buddhist beads he held everywhere.

Naruto Kenpachi and Yoshino stood on the borderline of Konoha, a small contingent of Ame and Taki ninja behind their two leaders, and Naruto's remaining Anbu behind him.

"I suppose this is goodbye then." Yoshino spoke with a somewhat sad smile on her lips. Naruto simply nodded not revealing anything beneath the mask that covered his features. "Yes…it is." He spoke emotionlessly as he always did. "Farewell." The situation felt strangely uncomfortable to him and so he quickly decided to end it. Bowing once before turning and beginning to march to his men.

"Naruto-san." He heard Kenpachi c all and turned to face the larger man as he held out a red oak box, about four feet long and two feet wide, offering it to him.

Naruto took the box carefully before sliding it open as Kenpachi spoke. "I noticed many times in our battles that you favor wielding two weapon. I believe these will serve you well, they were made with Taki's finest, chakra-channeling steel."

Naruto finished opening the box, and unrolling the purple silk within, was greeted by the sight of two scimitars.

The same ones he'd wielded ever since…

Kenpachi smiled, easily seeing the surprise, if only slight through the minute changes in his posture.

Yoshino smiled and walked forward, holding a small item wrapped in red cloth. He closed the box, placing it gently down to the floor before taking the offered item.

He unrolled the cloth revealing another nearly identical to his own. He turned it over to look on the inside, finding numerous small seals over the forehead and cheek areas.

"They'll help conceal your chakra that way you can focus more on the job rather than actively concealing it." She said with a small smile shifting a little from foot to foot. "Will you try it on? I wasn't really sure about the size."

Naruto paused for a moment before slowly unclasping his original mask with a clicking sound. When he finally removed it both Kenpachi and Yoshino had to hide their frowns as they were again greeted by his young features.

Naruto placed his new mask on and looked to the two. "My apologies…I did not realize it was a tradition to exchange gifts during a departure and as such I have not acquired anything for you."

The two again hid their sadness at his lack of understanding as they smiled and spoke. "Naruto-san, it is no tradition. We are comrades, and you have assisted us greatly and as such we want to repay you for everything you have done."

"I see." He spoke slowly, though his tone betrayed some of his confusion. Yoshino walked over and hugged him, she felt as he stiffened and pulled back smiling up into the blak featureless mask that stared blankly back at her. "Take care of yourself Naruto."

He nodded before he turned and vanished in a swirl of leaves along with his men.

Three months later

Yoshino sighed tiredly as she entered her room. The last two months had been nothing but boring negotiations between Kusa Ame, and Taki. Peace agreements they were called, but it was the most boring thing on this earth, and today had been no different, stuffed bureaucrats with enough of a pretty penny to hire herself and Kenpachi as guards arguing over foolish matters. She just wanted to crawl into her bed, read her book and pray that tomorrow was the last day.

However, just as she moved to do just that something gave her pause, something that was not there before.

A small wooden box was placed over her pillow. Now…she knew that the staff at this establishment didn't leave such things. And so she approached carefully, picking up the box after making sure there were no traps and then making sure there were no booby traps that she could detect inside of it. She carefully opened the box and gasped at the sight that greeted her.

A necklace in the design of a butterfly, with a silver chain. The butterfly was small but made with beautiful sapphires that gave it an almost purple tint when the sun hit it. When she looked into the box she found a note.

She picked it up and read it.

'This necklace has a small seal that can store up to the chakra capacity of an average jounin. It may help sometime in the future.'

It took her only a moment to realize just who gave her this and she smiled fondly at the realization.

A knock at her door brought her out of her thoughts. Opening the door she found Kenpacjhi fingering some red beads. "I assume you received one as well judging by the look on your face. Mine helps guard against Genjutsu"

Neither noticed the figure that leapt away from the rooftops.

The shadows time in the light, is only fleeting, before returning to its darkness.

Yoshino sighed if only things were different. She wished so much for it to be different, and she was certain Kenpachi must feel the same way. But they had both sworn to defend their village from everything that threatened…even if it was an old friend.

She sighed, fingering the necklace again before tucking it into her shirt.

'Naruto.'

The next morning:

Naruto was overlooking preparations that his ninja went through for the eventual assault on Nanao, everything from some basic chakra control exercises to light sparring and even sharpening their weapons.

However, one sight brought a strange sense of…perhaps nostalgia was the proper word…

Everywhere he looked he could see ninja, ninja of different nation…while the unity of Konoha had been broken it was being replaced by another unity. A unity forged through the desire to survive. He held no delusions that his people loved him, in fact…many probably loathed him. He didn't care as long as they did not spread their hate. But he knew that through fear of him was because why many followed him, now that he had conquered Kiri, was keeping the three major nations at bay and now had this coalition against the ropes so to speak some held a faint glimmer of hope or belief that his mission was possible, but many still believed he was nothing but a fool, and so they were now helping eachother out of interest for their own survival.

It was born out of desperation, as many things in the Shinobi nation were, but he knew, that if he won this battle, it would evolve into camaraderie, and finally loyalty to each other. Perhaps eventually to him.

He was brought out of his musings as a chuunin messenger frantically ran towards him, he didn't even reach him completely before he yelled out. "Naruto-sama, Nanao's gates are opening!"

That caught Naruto slightly off guard but he quickly schooled his features and spoke. "Send word to the other commanders, I want them to ready their men for anything and to meet me at point five immediately."

"Understood Naruto-sama." The chuunin bowed before he ran again in the opposite direction.

A few minutes later Naruto stood facing the drawn lines of the coalition, the leaf and Kiri ninja at his back, Kakashi, Guan, Ginchiko and Kimimaru flanking him. Slowly, from the center of the formed up enemy ninja, three began making their way towards him. One he recognized as the one who injured him, the other two he recognized from old memories. immediately.

Zuroku Kenpachi and Mizumi Yoshino, the leaders of Taki and Ame and two people he would have once called comrades.

His eyes narrowed as he began walking forward, the four commanders following behind him after a brief moment's hesitation.

As he approached he watched the features of his two former allies carefully. While they could hide it to the world they could never hide it to him.

No, not him.

He could see their anxiety, their nervousness and their fear clearly as if they were fresh out of the academy.

The distance was closing between them, enough for him to see into their eyes. They stared back, but they could never pierce the veil of shadows that shielded him.

Finally the leaders of the two armies stood face to face, their soldiers standing tense behind them, ready to spring into action on a mere moment's notice. He heard Kakashi as the man slipped a kunai into his hand. The subtle shift in Kimimaro's stance indicating he was ready to strike out with his bones at a moment's notice.

He let his eyes travel to Kenpachi to his left, the man met his gaze steadily, with that same powerful countenance he always displayed with every obstacle.

He let his eyes travel to the next person, standing directly infront of him as he looked into the slited eyeholes of the green dragon mask of the Kusa leader before finally setting his eyes on the last leader of this coalition. It may have simply been coincidence or something more, but at that moment the wind blew heavily, shifting his hood enough for a brief flicker of light to reach his eyes. Cold pools of ice stared into hazel brown before he turned them back to the Kusa leader as he addressed him.

"Naruto…sama." The title was strained as it escaped his lips, obviously this man felt he was beneath his respect despite the situation he currently found himself in. "We are here to discuss terms of peace."

"In other words…you are here to discuss your surrender." He stated blandly. He could practically hear the man's teeth chipping from the force with which they clenched together. When he spoke again one could easily hear his anger.

"We are willing to accept an immediate cease of hostilities, and we will pull back our men fro…"

"Your plea for surrender is denied." Naruto spoke, his voice firm and unwavering as he turned his eyes onto the three coalition commanders. "Your three villages sought to destroy us when you thought we were at our weakest. I will use you and your men as examples for any other fools that dare to cross me."

He turned and began leaving as he spoke. "I suggest you make your peace…tomorrow is your last day on this earth."

Even his own men seemed surprised at his decision, Kakashi and Ginchiko's discomfort could be seen easily Guan and Kimimaro's was hidden, but he could still detect it.

He paused as a familiar voice reached him. "Wait."

He turned and saw Yoshino as she approached him. Kimimaro, ever the present sentinel, along with Guan placed themselves in her way.

Naruto held up his hand, waving them off. They stepped back, allowing her to pass.

She walked up to him, staring straight into his glowing eyes before she bowed and spoke. "Naruto-sama…please…don't let your anger towards myself and Kenpachi cloud your judgment…don't make all of these ninja pay for our actions…"

The entire group of people present looked decidedly shocked and even took a few steps back as if they'd been smacked.

Naruto stared at her for a long while before she bowed her head a little lower. "Please…if it will appease you then simply kill me…but spare my men…I beg you."

The ringing sound of a sword being drawn echoed in her ears before she found the tip of a sword held at her neck, forcing her to look up into his eyes he spoke.

"You would die for them then?"

She nodded without a moment's hesitation.

His grip on the blade shifted…

Before the glow and cracking of lightning reached their ears and the Kusa leader appeared behind the jinchuriki, blade cracking with lightning as he brought it down.

"NO STOP!"

But it was too late, Naruto sidestepped the attack and grabbed the man by the throat…

After that, chaos erupted around them as the two armies clashed.