I had thought I had seen everything when I watched a man create a mythical beast out of water, but I don't think I really realized just how crazy the world could turn out to be when even the very forests could turn on you. When we were attacked by a lumberjack's nightmare, I knew that this world just liked messing with me. Hurriedly ducking under a spike of growing wood, I stabbed my sword into the stretching underside of the moving tree. Idly, I noticed that the tree was much harder than I though as the writhing wood dragged me along with its path, weaving between more spikes of animated plant, and into the air where I was allowed a few moments to take in everything. My specter hung placidly in the sky, watching the whole scene faster than my physical body could perceive. I found Hinata and Itsuki easily dealing with their fair share of wooden constructs. Hinata was dancing between them in a sort of trance-like technique where she would use Nuibari to break up any errant branch that it came in contact with. Her Byakugan were pulsing with a sort of fury that some would be hard pressed to contain. Hinata's fury was lightning incarnate, and, with her newfound Lightning release, Nuibari and her swords probably didn't even feel much resistance for each cut. Itsuki, on the other hand, had pulled out Kabutowari at some point and was using it to effectively become a whirlwind of scattered foliage and bark. He split any tree that came into contact with the axehead in his one good arm while the hammer trailed behind every single one of his attacks as a horrifying, morningstar bent on smashing any wooden enemy that dared to approach. If it wasn't for the growing bloodstains on his gauze, then I wouldn't have been too worried about him. Kakashi, for all his training, was looking rather disorientated by the sudden attack, and had only stuck to dodging the spikes. I was a little worried for him as he hadn't even brought out a kunai or unsheathed the sword on his back to retaliate. Surely, Konoha trains their Shinobi better, right? Maybe he became stronger as he aged? Shuffling the confusion of Kakashi's reaction to the back of my head, I found that the wooden spike that I had chosen as my desired transportation had begun to morph into a series of branching arms that sought to hold me down. I looked around with my specter real quick, and jumped back to where I saw a reasonable perch, feeling weightless for a second as the wind rushed past my ears, then stabbed my sword into a new moving transport. Through my spectral Byakugan, I was able to witness as the Chakra in the wood roiled a bit, and once again it tried to do the same trick to capture me. There was no indication to where the enemy was either. With Kakashi's odd nonviolence scheme and Itsuki's wounds slowly slowing him, I was a little panicked for a second as I tried to find whoever was attacking us. It was in part panic and slight annoyance that a sudden realization hit me as I realized that the branches were not trying to spear my guts out; Itsuki, Hinata and definitely Kakashi from what I was seeing, but strictly not me. With realization came a very stupid idea. One that, while I wasn't happy with, could probably solve everything faster. "Hinata!" I yelled over the rush of assaulting forest and oddly screaming crows, "Don't worry about me! I'm not being stupid!" Before anyone could say or warn me, I let the sentient branches consume me. There was screaming -mainly from myself as they covered me in their entirety, and Hinata rushing through the trees with unnatural agility, tearing a path through any tree that dared bar her way. My specter hovered around, knowing that my best friend would take be able to care of herself while I looked for the hostiles. They could still attack me through their branches, but I was confident in running away and healing. It was one of the reasons why it was precisely only me who could do something a suicidal as getting caught on purpose. At first, my idea that this Itachi guy was the cause of all this, but he had been dutifully dodging every single attack that came his way. I did pause when his eyes swirled red each with three tomoe, though. The knowledge that he was an Uchiha came a tad bit after I dismissed him as the enemy. "Kinoe! Stop this!" Kakashi yelled through all the attacks. "You know who this is, Anbu-san?!" Itsuki retorted before cutting down a few errant spears of wood. "Do all you Konoha Anbu just attack before really saying anything?!" Hinata was not even caring if Kakashi knew them, and continued on her warpath towards me. I really frowned at this all. While I was indeed worried about her, my attention was focused more on the fact that Kakashi knew him. This Kinoe also was attacking us with the intent to kill everyone but me. There must've been some reason why Kakashi was looking like the main target to be killed. If I hadn't been told of my status as a weapon, then I would have had a harder time putting together some things. Though, I have to admit, I still don't really get why he wants to kill everyone else in the process of retrieving me, but who am I to pretend to understand each evil character I run into. They probably do it for some obscure reason that really only makes sense to them. However, my thoughts on evil villainy aside, I finally found this Kinoe guy. He had walked a little closer to where we all were while still staying out of sight, but I don't think he expected a invisible specter with an all-seeing eye to find him. I have to say, he really wasn't what I had expected. He was a teenager dressed in a way that was definitely that of a Konoha Anbu, and even wore that little animal mask that Kakashi had. Of course, he could be impersonating a Anbu, but with Kakashi's words seeming to make the teen flinch, I realized that there was some drama going on. Could they be in a relationship of some kind? It would explain how Kakashi knew the guy by name, and maybe why this Kinoe guy is attacking us. They could have been in a really serious breakup. With Shinobi, I wouldn't put it against them to attack each other for something like cheating on each other. I have already known that Shinobi were insane, but I didn't know they were crazy enough to cheat on their very deadly partners. It would also explain why he didn't really have any love interests in the show. His boyfriend and him had some kind of disagreement or something, I'm sure. "Kinoe, please stop this! I do not want to fight you, and neither do these kids!" Kakashi said once again, eliciting another flinch from the hiding ex. I decided that I was definitely going to have chat with him about treating others correctly. "Friends shouldn't try to kill each other!" If anything, Kakashi's words seemed to tick off something in the enemy in a way that I could only describe as unbridled anger. I supposed it made sense to have the breakup being shoved in his face so abruptly, but seriously Kakashi, have some semblance of time and space for bringing up the fact that they are friends after a breakup. In response, the ex-lover of Kakashi sent even more wooden spears at the silver-haired Anbu. If Itsuki and Hinata weren't included in that attack, then I would have probably let the two have their little lover's spat before intervening, but now was not the time. Itsuki and Hinata probably could have warded off the onslaught of wooden spears, however, I was not in the mood to have them getting hurt for something Kakashi caused. I materialized beside Hinata before the spears could collide. "Kakashi! Get your relationship under control!" I hissed as my empowered anger easily crushed any wooden constructs that got in my way. Hinata's back was easily given up to me as the girl focused on her side of conflict. It was a show of how far she trusted me to have her back in a combat situation, but I couldn't really be bothered when Kakashi turned towards me, very confused. "Don't look at me like that!" I yelled at him. Itsuki was also looking at me weirdly, too. "You know exactly what is going on here!" "Um, kid… what?" Itsuki was understandably confused since he didn't know what I saw. Even the wooden spears slowed in their assault on us. "This guy," I gestured over to the silver-haired Anbu. "Needs to be taught a lesson. Because he needs to have a nice, reasonable and professional chat without any fighting with that guy over there," I pointed over in the direction of the Kinoe guy I had seen before. So long as he hadn't moved, he should still be there. Everyone stilled for a second as they realized where I had pointed. Then Kakashi was off, rushing in the direction that I pointed in. The animated trees around us were silent in their motions as we all waited for some attack to come. When they made no movements, we slowly relaxed from our tense silence. "Stop saying that! Don't pretend you're innocent here!" A voice that was most definitely not Kakashi's rang out in anger where the Anbu had gone. I nodded as I listened to the ex's rightful anger. You tell him, whoever you are. Kakashi should respect his relationships more. "Oh…" Itsuki intoned from beside me. "I didn't think he stabbed with the other kunai…" I almost nodded along with the phrase, then the double meaning hit me. Frowning at the man who was my friend, I berated him, "Keep in mind that Hinata is five years old, and doesn't need to learn any weird things from you." The innocent Hinata tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Learn what?" "Nothing, Hinata-chan." I quickly added. "Just a little joke between Itsuki and I, right?" I jabbed the man in the ribs for good measure. "Right, yeah…" The guilty man said, "You know, kid, I don't think you should've known what I meant." I was going to retort Itsuki somehow, but before I could even bring out my reasonable words, an explosion rang out in the direction of where Kakashi and his ex were. Sighing, I summoned my knife and brought it to my lips to split. Then things got… weird. My specter and my physical bodies were both seeing some kind of double vision. However, it was only in the place of Hinata, and nowhere else. I felt my heart begin to pound rapidly as the rush of blood and adrenaline flooded my body. A sort of tingling anger spread across my thoughts as I looked at the spot that Hinata should be. A spot that both a smiling Hinata and empty space occupied at the same time. Only my physical vision picked up the presence of someone being there, but my spectral vision, the very same one that let me see through everything so far as well as watch Shinobi move at speeds that couldn't be possible, found nothing. Absolutely nothing. I hovered it over the spot where there should be Hinata, and materialized where she should have been. My test settled all doubt in my mind. Itsuki staring at me in some form of silent horror had also been enlightened to the circumstances as well. We kind of just stared at each other in mock dread before the explosions of Kakashi and his ex fighting drove us to realization. "Where's Hinata?" We asked aloud, a sort of calm rage spreading through our veins. I quickly split before I could even begin to draw on the fox's Chakra, fearing that I might lose myself in that bloodlust again. We looked around the field of broken wood and shattered trees, and found something that was amiss other than our missing glossy-eyed, quick-to-murder heiress. There was a lack of someone who had stopped us on the road before all this happened. One Itachi Uchiha was also absent from the head count, and it was all the damning evidence we needed before Itsuki could spread more light on what happened. "Genjutsu…" He growled half-realization and half-murder spreading on his face. "That damn Uchiha." "He couldn't have gotten far." I stated, feeling my gut twist and anger and disgust. Hinata was already traumatized by one kidnapping event, and adding another one that was basically right under our noses was just another nail in the coffin. "Then let's get moving." Itsuki and I were on a similar wavelength of thought as we raced towards the sounds of fighting from where Kakashi went. However, I made sure to send my specter out to try and find wherever this red-eyed wannabe was. We found Kakashi and the Anbu named Kinoe in a compromising position to say the least. The silver-haired young man was holding Kinoe down to the ground with a kunai at his neck, straddling him in the process. Both of them were roughly breathing from whatever just happened, and their faces were slick with salty smelling sweat. Geez… what happened here? Still, I paid no attention to their odd kink as my mind was focused on finding my kidnapped best friend. "Kakashi, we have no time for you two to kiss and makeup, Hinata was just kidnapped by that Itachi bastard." I growled evenly. "What…" Kinoe whispered from his spot. "There is no time for your lover's spat, we need to move." I hurriedly urged as my specter was flying everywhere in the hopes of finding Itachi. Apparently he had either a much better start that I thought, or was very, very fast. Both options were not good for my worries. "Naruto, just what…" Kakashi started before shaking his head and looking down at his ex. "Look, Kinoe, I won't kill you because I still think of you as a friend and ally. I never want to lose another out of not being able to protect them, and that includes you, okay?" He stood up, put away his kunai and held out a hand. Kinoe just looked at the limb as if it was somehow that he never expected. He was probably having some kind of mental turning point where he thought over his previous actions, but I didn't really care. "Hey, hey, hurry up you two!" I interrupted. "We have a fast Uchiha to catch, and my best friend to save." I clapped, getting everyone's attention. "Now someone has to carry me and Itsuki, so we can catch up to them. Now, if we're all buddy-buddy let's get moving." "You're the… Nine-tails Jinchūriki?" Kinoe asked slowly as if confused. "Yes, now hurry up." Itsuki patted me on my head. "Has anyone ever told you that you change in the oddest circumstances, kid?" "Yeah, yeah, anyways, Kakashi, is this guy safe?" I jabbed a thumb over to Kinoe. "Because we need to move fast, and you carrying the both of us wouldn't be safe." Kakashi blinked at me, whether it was out of confusion or realization, I didn't know. He moved over to me nonetheless and crouched down. "Get on. Kinoe will help us, too." "Wait, wait, I don't think I should help." Itsuki said hurriedly. He looked a little down as he talked, "This Itachi guy obviously wants something with the girl, but he wants to bring her back to Konoha for some reason. Carrying me would just slow you guys down." "Unless he was lying about needing Hinata for something in Konoha." I interjected. "No," Kinoe argued before we could break out in wondering if a Shinobi lied or not. "Itachi just wants to bring the Hyūga heiress back home. Danzō-sama wants to start a rebellion to gain enough reason to claim control over Shinobi matters in the village; he needs the heiress gone so that he can manipulate the Hyūga clan into supporting the coup that the Uchihas have been planning." "What!" Kakashi was oddly the most vocal about all this. "That makes no sense, he's just asking for the other villages to attack us if they even got through with this plan!" Kinoe just shook his head in denial. "Danzō-sama's plans account for this, and he just got the tool to carry out all the details a little after I was sent. For all I know, he has both of the clan leaders and their elders under his thumb as well as hundreds of brainwashed Anbu-level Shinobi to do his bidding." "This sounds like a lot of bullshit to me." Itsuki cut in. "I mean, this guy is basically asking the other villages to attack him." "That's what this Danzō guy wants… isn't it?" He realized, and everyone's eyes bugged out in startled realization. "Shit…" I summed up all our thought processes in the matter of seconds. "We really need to get back to Konoha now." "Indeed," Kinoe nodded easily. "I think I can try to talk Danzō-sama out of going through with his plans." "What about Itachi getting the Hyūga heiress back before everything happens?" Kakashi asked.

Kinoe shut down all our hopes with another shake of his head. "I know that Danzō-sama would have already used the tool he has recently gained to usurp their wills. Right now, it matters not if she gets home or not." "Shit…" Itsuki cursed, glaring at the teen in question. "And why the hell are you still referring to this guy like he's someone special? He sounds like some messed up maniac crazier than nearly everyone I've met. And I lived in Kiri!" "Danzō-sama has the best intentions for Konoha." Kinoe supplied. "Even if his intentions lead to the deaths of hundreds or thousands?" All eyes turned to me. I wondered if they really thought that I was actually my age at this point. "Sitting here and arguing whether this guy has the best intentions but horrible plans is just asking for him to complete this coup before we get back. Let's run and talk, okay?" Everyone nodded in various lengths of time as I finally climbed on Kakashi's back. Itsuki hesitantly accepted Kinoe's offer to carry him, but his wounds really didn't let him keep up with the silver-haired Anbu and the twister of wooden areas. In the end, we made good time in the prolonged silence that accompanied us. I made sure to say 'save Hinata, we must' as I hung off Kakashi's back like a senial, green master of impossible swords. Of course, only I enjoyed the laughs that it brought out of me while everyone else looked at me like a loon. What? Just because there could be a bloody rebellion back where my best friend is doesn't mean I can't lighten up the mood. Okay fine, I was bored after the first day of hanging off Kakashi on the road. However, despite being in Fire Country, the time to reach Konoha was still two weeks or so. We still managed to shave down the time to a week and a half to reach the imposing gates of Konoha. The huge, circular bastions of earth and stone warded off the outside world by rising to the skys, only allowing those who were allowed in through the huge doors of hardened wood. The double doors were open wide like a pair of gaping maws to engulf the four of us, and it allowed us to see the innards of the village. Buildings of stone and mortar were erected in a way that reminded me of cities from my past life. The wooden storefronts were sparse between the sea of earthen constructs, but they seamlessly blended with the scenery fit with trees growing out of some places. Konoha was a melting pot between Shinobi matters and civilian commerce. They had plenty of shops that weren't as regulated like other villages, and that manifested in a place where there could be as many as five ramen shops that populated a busy street. It wasn't uncommon to see Shinobi happily chatting with their civilian counterparts in the village. When compared to the rather abysmal outlook on Shinobi in the frontier towns, the village was basically a mix of the two cultures of civilian and trained assassin. However, none of those facts were on my mind. Smoke that clogged my senses stuffed my nose with its acrid scent, and flickering warmth danced along my skin as I stared ahead at the village. My eyes burned from staring into the bright lights that seared into my brain. The creaking burnt wood complained in accordance of the screams that rang out in the village. We were late. And Konoha was on fire.