From the Ashes

𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝒸𝑜𝓇𝒹.

Morning arrived in a matter of hours, and the village was in an uproar when the news of Sasuke's defection reached the shinobi's earshot.More specifically, the Hokage's earshot

Tsunade sat in her chair in the Hokage Tower, hands folded over her mouth as she mulled over the shinobi available for a retrieval.A small frown was hidden by her hands as she looked over the crowd, almost all genin as she'd sent most of the jōnin and capable chunin out to reinforce the borders and continue the impression that Konoha was still capable of receiving all the missions they did.

Thus,she had a skeleton crew of inexperienced genin and a single fresher than grass chūnin soon to arrive.

Before her was the blonde she'd grown to love,Naruto Uzumaki.Together with Neji Hyuuga,Inuzuka Kiba Choji Akimichi and led by Nara Shikamaru, the team of five would pursue the Uchiha and halt him before he could successfully get to Orochimaru.

As she prepared to finalize the roster for the mission however, the bandaged visage of Danzo had made itself visible in the door,pausing to deliver two of his own recommendations for such a mission.

Two ninja cards slid to her side of the desk, she immediately recognized the blood red dots upon the forehead of one before she made out the Yuki clan sigil in the corner of the opposite card.

"Uzumaki Saryn,and Yuki Haku.Genins who are far and away chūnin—I dare say jōnin material."  Tsunade only cocked an eyebrow at the beholder of such info.

"And tell me,just how did two out of three remaining shinobi on Team Eleven make it into your sightlines,Danzo?" The old man shrugged his shoulders.

"Your pointed words hold no weight,the Uzumaki approached me in an hour of need and in search of strength,then her ice wielding charge follows her light like a shadow." His only remaining eye regarded the princess of the Senju calmly.

Tsunade would've scoffed and waved the old bastard off but these two she realized, these two were everything he said they were.It'd be worrying knowing the...conditions that many of his ROOT were subjected to but alas,there were bigger fish to fry as of right now.

Tsunade would still examine those two when the opportunity arose however.

For now,she turned back toward the team standing off to the side.Tsunade would find out just who had given the man access to such info without her or Shikaku's say so.

Hiruzen's journal would be invaluable in deciphering this ever-present warhawk.

"Alright!" Tsunade clapped her hands together. "You all have your orders,go get that wayward child back quickly!" They vanished in a second,leaving a panting Shizune to burst through the door.

"Sh-Shizune?!"Tsunade was wide eyed at the condition of her assistant.Her assistant only grabbed onto her.

"It's Kimimaro! The Kaguya's-e-escaped his holding cell and is on the run!" A chain of curses left the blonde's mouth before she relieved herself of Shizune's grip, quickly teleporting to catch up with the retrieval team to no avail,the gate guards had already seen them off on their mission and they'd made haste.

The kage only prayed as she stared into the green expanse of land beyond the village,a singular thought in mind as she understood the power of the freed Kaguya.

Be safe,kids.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At the gate two shinobi stood,running various checks on their chosen weaponry and gear before tossing a dark cloak over their persons.

Tsunade acknowledged the finality of their movements as readiness. "Your  to shadow the team I've sent to retrieve the Uchiha.See to it that they aren't killed and the Uchiha is brought back."