AU. When Utakata discovers that Yagura's being manipulated by Akatsuki, he flees the Hidden Mist with the goal to save himself and his only friend. His solution? Find the other Jinchūriki and convince them to join his fight. But the Jinchūriki have more baggage than just the Bijū they contain, and if they can't create a cohesive unit from broken recluses, they may all be dead.

One-shot, "The Cost of Living" sequel. In a world where Pein's ideal of peace is a tentative thing overseen by Naruto, Kakuzu mulls over his life's work and what his next move should be. When he's given a second opportunity to instruct a young mind, Kakuzu makes a decision that surprises even him, the repercussions of which are bound to have long-lasting effects for the world.

One-shot, sequel to "The Cost of Living" and "Checkmate". Kakuzu's decision and actions leave a window of opportunity for Naruto and the rest of Akatsuki to make a play...the last one, they hope. Strike hard and strike fast, or the opponent might be able to find a way to recover and push back.

One-shot, set during timeskip. Shino is used to being able to find anybody, given time. Now he's playing a game with a more skilled opponent, but neither are really playing to win. Shino/Fū.