Disclaimer: I do not own or make profit from either Naruto or One Piece, or any of the respective characters in this work.

Note: Also, I didn't read the ending to Naruto, so I'm clearly taking liberties with what happened after the War. Sorry.

[Scene 1]

It all began with a mission.

Well, to be more precise, it began when they came home from a mission.

It had been a simple mission: Protect a noble and escort him to Sabaody, so he could add the latest slave to his collection. It was a mission that made Hinata sick to her stomach, and she could only imagine the rage running through Kiba and Shino-but there was nothing they could do, not without causing trouble between the World Government and Konoha, which was absolutely taboo at that point.

And so, they went on with the mission. They escorted St. Fuckhead (Hinata couldn't be bothered to remember his name, and honestly, it's not important to this tale) to the island, spectated the sickening auction, and then took him home. Short, simple, and worthy of 500 belli weighing down their pockets all the way home.

If Hinata had the energy to sit back and calculate the length of the mission-including picking up St. Douchebag, all the pit stops they made for him, putting up with all of his tantrums, actually getting to the island, escorting him home, and the long ride back home—she would conclude that it only lasted three weeks. A bit longer than most missions like this, but still an average length of time, she'd say. Usually in Konoha, barely anything happened in that amount of time.

After all, the village and all the Shinobi nations were in a state of peace. Even seeing the Marines occupying villages had become normal. So, really, what could happen?

"No. No, please—this has to be a mistake!"

Apparently, a lot. Too much, even.

Tsunade stared at Hinata, her eyes dull and so exhausted, it was a wonder she hadn't collapsed at her desk. In the entire time she'd been Hokage, she had never looked so old, so lost.

"I'm sorry, Hyuga-san," she said, her voice hollow. "I tried my best, but...there was nothing I could do. He's gone."

Hinata trembled, her mouth opening and closing. Slowly, she moved her gaze from Tsunade and back down to the newspaper she'd slammed on the desk. The front page held a familiar picture of Naruto Uzumaki, who was grinning, tired but relieved—it had been taken not too long after the war. It was the picture Konoha's newspapers used to finally regard him a hero, after so many years of treating him less than nothing. And above that picture held this headline:

War Hero Arrested for Grisly Murder; To Be Tried and Sentenced at World Government HQ.

Chorus:

Let's roll back the clock somewhat, shall we?

We all remember how the Fourth Shinobi World War ended, correct?

Obito redeemed and dying in peace; Madara finally being vanquished; Kaguya, dead; Naruto and Sasuke have their final battle and nearly kill each other; ultimately, Sasuke wanders and tries to find redemption; the war finally is ended and Naruto is regarded as a hero. Nearly everyone goes home, in more or less one piece. There are losses, some broken souls, and much bitterness. But the war is over, and that's really all one could ask for. The perfect happy ending.

Well, at least on paper.

This is the thing not many admit about war: War is a greedy creature. No, it's not all victories and songs of heroes. War covets, takes, and devastates—sometimes, all in one day. It can take anything and anyone, and it won't give any of it back. Rarely anyone comes back from War in one piece. Rarely anyplace comes back from War in one piece.

Out of all the Shinobi nations affected by the war, the Village Hidden in the Leaves maintained the most damage. This wasn't all a surprise to anyone. After all, Konoha had been one of the major targets. It figured that it would be one of the villages left barely hanging on a thread. With all the damage done to its infrastructure, its economy, its population—it would take years for Konoha to fully recover, even with Naruto's morale and the morale of the Konoha 11.

Correction: It would have taken years for Konoha to fully recover. Luckily, the tales of their War and struggles managed to reach even the other side of the world—a part of the world overwhelmed by a culture of sailors and piracy—until it ultimately reached the faction known as the World Government.

Not too long after, ships with hundreds of Marines arrived on the Fire Country's shores and proceeded to lend their aid.

First, they helped to rebuild the villages damaged by the War. Then, they provided jobs and money to the Shinobi nations—a means to get their delicate economy booming. They even introduced a new currency, the belli, which people took to rather well.

Yes, the partnership forged between the Shinobi Nations and the World Government was peaceful.

At least, again, on paper.

See, here's the thing about governments that come in to aid struggling and war torn countries, something you're rarely told in school: Altruism is rarely the prime objective.

Things are great in your country now. You could walk along your village, seeing familiar buildings looking good as new, and feel at peace knowing you'll get home safe and without a scratch. Sure, there are a lot of new businesses and buildings (many being hotels for Nobles and tourists), but it's all for the sake of improving your lives. You can finally eat a full meal without worrying about rations. Sure, you now have to provide food and lodgings for the many Marines now occupying your village, but they have done so much for you all already; you should feel grateful that they're bothering to keep you and your streets safe.

Sure, it sometimes feels like the World Government are even poking their fingers into your internal affairs—the businesses of City Councils and Hokages, etc.—but it's only to provide the support you all need. After all, you are a rather small village in a big world that's quickly advancing in technology and fighting techniques; a world living under the fear of Pirates and Devil Fruit Users. You need them.

And if it they have to make executive decisions that may or may not limit your rights, well, that's just life, right? The World Government says that it's for your own good, anyway, so it must be true.

Besides, it's not like it will last forever, right? They'll leave within a few months, and everything will go back to normal.

But then a few months pass; and then, a few more. Before you realize it, a year and a half has gone by, and the Marines have still not left.

And then, as everything you have ever known starts to change more and more, you are hit with the sudden realization: The World Government did not come to help. They came to invade. To control.

Unfortunately, by the time this realization hits you, it's already too late. You are no longer loyal to your village, let alone your culture as a Shinobi. You are just another dog for the military, for the World Government.

And you can't fight it, even with all your power and abilities and the support of your friends and leaders—because it can all turn to fire and ash, with just the slightest press to a gold button.

In the end, it's just safer not to fight them.

[Scene 2]

This is what Hinata and many others had come to believe, for a while now. Hinata was not sure how she managed to live with herself for it for so long, but she figured the risk of losing her loved ones and home greatly outweighed the risk to her integrity. It had to.

Until now.

"March 12, XXXX — About a month ago, at around 11:00AM, Sakura Haruno was discovered dead in her apartment.

Specially trained by Fifth Hokage Tsunade Senju, Sakura Haruno was a skilled Medic Nin and an even more prominent Kunoichi, one of many who played a part in the Fourth Shinobi War. After the War, Ms. Haruno started working in Konoha's hospital (now called Akainu General). Sources say that she aspired to become a doctor specializing in Chakra Gene Therapy. She was seventeen years old.

Because of the brutality of the crime, a task force of Navy Investigators was formed immediately. After an investigation that lasted nearly two weeks and a culmination of much evidence, the team was able to pin down a single suspect.

'Naruto Uzumaki was a person of interest from the start,' Head Det. Strand said. 'Considering how close he was to the victim and the fact that he was the last to see Ms. Haruno alive, it would have been foolish not to follow such a lead. But what really cracked the case was the evidence found in Ms. Haruno's apartment-claw marks. All over the walls...the body. The sort of marks that could only be matched to him, given his...history.'

…

'Honestly, I'm not surprised,' Prominent Village Elder Shiwa said of the suspect. 'The boy had the Kyuubi absorbed into him when he was barely pushed from the womb. That demon was going to come out, eventually…'

With the investigation wrapped up, Naruto has been sent over to an undisclosed facility to await his trial. No comments so far on what his upcoming sentence will be, but many have speculated that…"

Hinata couldn't finish reading, even if it was for probably the 100th time. What was the point? Naruto was gone. Perhaps not dead, not yet, but still beyond her reach. Beyond anyone's reach.

"Does it say where he's being held?" Kiba asked, desperately reading over her shoulder.

"It won't," Shino said, sitting across the table with his arms folded. "If the Marines wanted us to know where he was, they would have told us."

Kiba opened his mouth, then closed it. He stared off into space, his eyes going dim. Akamaru carefully walked up to him and nuzzled his shoulder, whimpering.

Hinata lay her face in her hands, her breathing shaky. She rubbed her fingers into her eyes. The pressure in her head was so heavy, it hurt more than any other time she'd felt it—and even then, she refused to let the tears fall. She refused to fall apart.

"Why?" She had to ask. "Why him? After all this time?"

"Well, he is the perfect scapegoat," Shino said, rather hesitant.

Hinata slammed her hands on the table, her eyes bright and hot. Some customers in the restaurant turned to stare at her, but she didn't care.

"Naruto has always been the perfect scapegoat! Our parents used to blame droughts and poor harvests on him when he was barely five, for god's sake," she nearly growled and clenched her hands into fists. "Why go back to that again, after all the things he's done? Why would the World Government work so hard to turn us all against him again?"

"And why keep his imprisonment so secret?" Kiba asked, his mind also turning. "Why bother hiding him from us?"

"Could it be they want something from him?" Hinata carded her hand through her hair and propped her cheek in her palm. "But that makes no sense. What could they want from Naruto...?"

From behind his glasses, Shino narrowed his dark eyes. He had no doubts that there was something foul going on, but he and his teammates didn't have enough evidence to come up with anything conclusive. All they had were too many questions, and not enough answers—which they will have to get soon. Wherever Naruto was, he likely didn't have much time left.

[Scene 3]

"I'm sorry, Hinata, but I can't help you."

"Temari, please," Hinata said into the den-den mushi. "You're working on one of the major military bases in the entire ocean, you must have heard something."

Temari laughed on the other side, a dry, sardonic sound. "Just because I work here don't mean the Marines trust me enough to tell me these things. And trust me, I've tried already. They either don't know anything, or they're keeping their lips shut…"

Damn it. Hinata bit her nail and thought. "What about Kankarou? Have you heard from him?"

"No, he's busy doing a secret mission for Gaara. One I'm not even allowed to know," Temari scoffed, though it was half-hearted. "The bastards."

Hinata frowned, but nodded. If there was nothing the Sabaku siblings could do, then there wasn't, and she wasn't going to force her problems further onto them. Their village had enough problems.

"I understand, Temari. Thank you," she said. "Take care of yourself, okay."

"I'll try. And Hinata?"

"Yes?"

"I am sorry," Temari said. "I know how much he means to you. And Naruto...well, you know how important he is to my family."

"...Yeah. Yes, I know. Thank you."

With that, the call took a deep breath. She slowly closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall behind her.

Four weeks, nearly a month. That's how long it's been since she and her team had found out the news, and Hinata was not even close to figuring out where Naruto was, let alone what the hell happened. All the files regarding Sakura's murder have already been locked away and shipped off to who knows where, and her body already cremated by her family. All the detectives who worked on the case had cast off to their next cases already. And no one was talking.

"Sorry, ma'am, that information is classified."

"What, the Demon Child? Ha! Good luck."

"Don't know, don't care. We're better off without him."

"Heard they dug a hole and buried him deeper. Won't see him again, I reckon."

Hinata carded a shaky hand through her hair, her eyes clenching shut. There has to be something that can lead her to Naruto, something that she and everyone else (well, everyone who still cared for Naruto) missed. But how was she supposed to find him if no one gave her a clue? If no one bothered to leave her a clue?

Naruto, she thought. Naruto, where are you?

After clenching her hand in her hair for a few moments of silence, Hinata opened her eyes and stared ahead at the restaurant she was in. Maybe Shino was right; maybe there was no point in looking for Naruto. If the World Government wanted him dead, he would be dead. The fact that he was likely alive - there would have been news if otherwise (I hope) - meant that the Government wanted something from him. And the World Government didn't give up their assets so easily, let alone reveal such an asset's whereabouts.

She rubbed at her aching eyes, her hands shaky. Fuck, but this was exhausting.

"Hyuga-san?" Someone said suddenly. "Are you alright?"

Hinata jumped and looked up at her. A young waitress stared down at her, gaze soft and maybe a little concerned - or just anticipating Hinata paying and leaving for the night.

Plastering on a smile, she replied, "Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry, I'll pay for the food in a sec-"

"Oh, no. You don't have to do that."

Hinata blinked. Huh?

"Someone else paid your check," the waitress smiled, then nodded her head. "That gentleman over there."

She whipped her head around to see an older man sitting alone in a booth near the back, wearing a cloak and hood. His head was bowed down to hide his eyes, but Hinata was able to assess enough about him to recognize who he was. Her eyes narrowed a little. What was he doing here? And why help her?

Hinata turned back to the waitress, her smile wide and beaming. "Thank you for letting me know, miss. I'll have to thank him."

"Is there anything else you need, Hyuga-san?"

"No, I'll be fine."

She carefully watched the waitress walk away and took note of how many more patrons there were in the restaurant. She started to fumble with her purse, giving the impression that she was taking her time in gathering her things. From beneath her bangs, she observed how many people were starting to leave, how many walked out the door.

When she finally felt enough people were gone, Hinata got up from her table and approached the man. He was now leaning back in his seat, arms spread lazily and a smoking cigar hanging from his mouth.

"Took you long enough," he said.

"I apologize, sir," Hinata said with a slow, very deliberate bow of her head. She locked her gaze onto him, white gaze blank. "I had to take care of some things before coming over."

"Fair enough."

"I was told you paid for my meal. Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet. Mostly did it to get your attention."

"And what did I do to get yours, if you don't mind me asking?"

He laughed, a rough, throaty sound. He removed the cigar from his mouth, a trail of smoke in its wake.

"Sweetheart, what haven't you done to get my attention?"

Then he reached over and pulled out something from his coat—photos. Photos of her, Hinata realized, recognizing her leaving a few buildings and talking to Marines. Her eyes widened.

"Asking questions, sneaking into military offices, even asking friends to spy for you overseas." With a smirk, he shook his head. "You've been a busy girl these past few weeks."

Damn it.

[Scene 4]

Hinata blinked, nearly fluttered her eyes. "But sir, I haven't had a mission this past month. I have to keep busy somehow."

"You mean you haven't accepted any missions these past few weeks."

A smile, small and maybe a dash of innocence. "None of them have really interested me."

"Well, maybe this one will," he said as he reached inside his coat again. This time he pulled out a packet of papers in a manilla folder and placed it on the table.

Hinata stared at the file, her hands clenched in her lap. Is that—?

"Go ahead, but read it quick. Something like this shouldn't be seen by too many eyes."

Her hands shot to the file, opening it and turning page after page until she got where she needed to be—where the investigation notes began.

Hinata absorbed all the words she could see, her furious eyes narrowing. She continued reading and turning, right up until—

Oh. Oh, God. She swallowed hard, taking a shuddering breath. Sakura.

Whoever had done it, did it with such violence and cruelty that looking at it made Hinata want to heave. Reading the descriptions in newspapers were nothing compared to the pictures:

Blank green eyes, too pale skin, pink hair soaked with the blood on the floorboard - and then the marks. How the throat had been torn apart with what looked like teeth, the teeth of an animal; the tearing of clothing; and the red slashes of nails that had dug into, and dragged down her thighs, arms, her shoulders.

Whatever happened to Sakura was not quick, it lacked even a hint of mercy. Her death had been slow, and no doubt agonizing.

Sakura and Hinata had never been really close. Between the tension between them and Naruto, and all the emotional bullshit that came with it, Hinata never got the chance to really know Sakura, let alone attempt a friendship with her. However, ultimately, she always respected Sakura. And this, all of this—

Hinata found her teeth grinding, her hands clenching. Who, why, how dare they—

Sakura never deserved this.

"Sorry," he said, his voice soft, maybe kind. "I should have warned you—"

"It's fine."

She took a few more breaths, eyes closed. No way to help either Sakura or Naruto if she let her emotions cloud her. Hinata laid her palms on the table and opened her eyes.

"It wasn't Naruto."

He stared, but not in shock. "Explain."

Hinata pointed to the pictures. "See these marks? If you look really closely, you will notice how shallow they are. Not exactly the kind the Kyuubi would make, even with Naruto in his One-Tailed Form. The Kyuubi's claws would be huge, enough to tear the body in two. Why leave the body basically intact when it could have done more damage? At his worse, Kurama would be too proud of a kill to bother hiding that he did it. In fact, no damage done by him was ever small—your people would have known that, had they bothered to do their research." Or at least ask those who actually know.

"...That's fair, I suppose." He gnawed on his cigar. "What else?"

She looked down again at the pictures, then read the notes more closely. "According to the Sensor Shinobi brought in, no chakra signature was left behind at the scene of the crime, despite how soon Sakura was found after her death. To be more precise, whatever chakra signature was left behind was not the Kyuubi's."

Hinata turned the page and read the next few passages, paying close to the notes scrawled in the margins. Her eyes widened. She leaned forward and read the notes again, just to make sure.

"Hold on."

"What?"

"I-it…it was a Devil Fruit User," she said.

He raised an eyebrow.

"As a ninja, we can sense different energies—though the primary has always been Chakra," Hinata explained. "Up until a year ago, we didn't really know what Haki was by definition—but we felt it. We can still feel it, even in individuals who haven't been trained to use it yet. That said, we are also able to feel the signature of a Devil Fruit User."

He blinked, for once looking shocked. "How does that work?"

Hinata opened her mouth, then closed it. How could she explain it?

"...When it comes to sensing Chakra and Haki, we are able to see the elements of either energy: how it's channeled, how it defines a person, what attacks it's used in, and so on. This is fine, it feels normal." She paused. "The signature of a Devil Fruit User is...not like Chakra. It's not even like Haki.

"It's not an energy, per se, but a presence. Like something standing behind you, close enough to breathe down your neck, something you know isn't really there, yet is making itself known," Hinata continued, her voice near trembling. Her hand unconsciously went to the back of her neck, smoothing down all the raised hairs near her nape.

A darkness you dare not face.

"And this Devil Fruit signature," he said, carefully now. "Your people can sense it, even after the user is gone?"

Hinata nodded.

"How do you know this Uzumaki kid hasn't eaten a Devil Fruit?"

"Naruto wouldn't do that," she said with a little smile. "What would be the point? He already has the Kyuubi. He's already mastered his own jutsus. He's already strong, stronger than most people realize. He'd view him having a Devil Fruit as overkill."

("—Besides, I like having the ability to swim," she remembered Naruto saying with a laugh. It had been after a mission, after a brutal and terrifying fight with a Devil Fruit User—the first one Hinata ever encountered.)

"So it was someone else."

Hinata nodded, her smile widening. "You already knew that, though."

He smirked.

After giving the file another look through, Hinata finally closed it and looked at him. Her gaze was guarded, and one hand rested at her side, ready to bring out weapons—if she needed to.

"Why did you bring this to me?"

"Needed an extra pair of eyes on the case," he said with a shrug. "Someone who can see what I saw."

"But why me? I thought I was causing trouble for you Marines."

"You are."

She blinked, her frown deepening. Nothing about this man made any sense. "Aren't you supposed to do something about it?"

"I am. But then again, no one specified what I'm supposed to do with you," he shrugged. "So, I chose to do this."

Despite the jump in her heart, Hinata leaned in close. "And this is…?"

"Some assistance."

Her eyes widened.

"I can't tell you where he is, that Demon Boy o' yours, but I can give you a name." He leaned in closer to her, close enough to whisper one word: "Tanis."

Tanis, Hinata ran the name through her head, hoping to remember something familiar. When she couldn't, she asked, "What is Tanis?"

"Not too sure, actually," the Marine said. "From what I can see, it's a growing umbrella corporation that is starting to stick one too many fingers in the World Government's pies. But no one knows its true motives, or even who's leading it. Not even my superiors know." He took a drag from his cigar and exhaled some smoke, his gaze sharp. "But it's a start."

A tremble went through Hinata, one that warmed her cheeks and made her heart jump. She clenched and loosened her hands, and then nodded. Yes, it was a start—and all she would need, for now.

He stood up and leaned down to whisper one last thing, "Keep your ears to the ground, Hyuga-san. Follow the breadcrumbs. You'll eventually find who you're looking for."

And then, just as Hinata was going to ask more questions, he was gone.

[Scene 5]

Two months passed.

Hinata continued doing missions with her team and miscellaneous shinobi. She continued observing what the World Government was doing to her home, hands clenched at her side. She continued on with her life without Naruto in it, giving off the impression of tragic resignation to everyone she came across.

Well, at least during the day.

By night, she would stay up in her room and hover over any research she could find on the organization known as "Tanis."

Like she'd been told, there wasn't much written about it, except that it was a growing presence in many fields—especially business and medicine. Since it was deeply interweaved within the World Government, its secrets were locked tight—so much so that very few Marines knew about it. And if very few Marines knew about it, then no one on the outside knew about it.

"Ugh," Hinata groaned one night, before slamming her head on her desk. "How is that even possible?!"

No but seriously, how. How does an organization get away with being connected to so much, and yet reveals nothing about itself? Everywhere she went, everywhere she could find hints of Tanis, Hinata had checked bank records, searched for plans with the fucking company's label, even interviewed those who claimed to be former employees—and nothing!

Thanks a lot, Marine Creep, she grudged to herself. This is starting to get ridiculous…

"Hinata?"

Crap. She picked up her head. "Yes, Father?"

Hiashi watched her from the doorway, his gaze soft. "Are you alright?"

"...Define 'alright'," Hinata almost laughed.

"Exactly what you aren't," Hiashi replied. He then stepped into her room and slid the door closed. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"There's really nothing to talk about. You already know why I'm upset." Or, well, you at least have an idea.

"...I'm sorry. I know how important the Uzumaki boy was to you."

Hinata felt her throat go tight and clenched her eyes. Already using past tense…?

He watched her fold her arms and lay on them, her face hidden. Hiashi frowned deeper. How could he fix this?

Carefully, he walked over to her. He raised his arms a little, paused, then wrapped them around her shoulders. He leaned his chin on her head.

Hinata didn't flinch. Despite all their former issues, she and her father had progressed to a point where such contact was no longer awkward. Sometimes, it was even a comfort. She grasped the arm wrapped around her.

"Dad," Hinata said. "What can I do? I've been trying so hard...I feel like it's all useless. Like I'm useless." Just like always…

"I know. I know you want to help him," Hiashi said, briefly glancing at the miscellaneous papers and notes on her desk. His brow furrowed, his eyes flashing. "Though I don't completely understand how you're trying to do so…"

She froze and looked down at her research. Crap!

"But I will support you, whatever you do." He squeezed around her shoulders, his embrace warm. "Don't give up."

Feeling her eyes well up, Hinata sniffed and turned around to hug her father back. She buried her face in his evening yukata, allowing her tears to fall onto it. After a long moment of silence, she finally inhaled a shuddering breath.

"O-okay. Okay," Hinata repeated with a nod. "I'll keep trying. Thank you, Dad."

"It's nothing. Nothing at all, Hinata." Hiashi closed his eyes and held her, even with icy fear curling around his heart. He didn't like the clutter on her desk.

Hinata...what are you getting yourself into?

[Scene 6]

About a week later, Hinata found herself summoned to Tsunade's office, to get information about a possible mission.

She walked into the building, like always. She greeted Shizune at the front desk, her smile polite enough to hide any pre-mission anxiety, like always. Then she was directed towards a conference room, where Shizune told her to wait.

Hinata paused—this was new—then she proceeded to walk inside.

Inside were at least twenty other Shinobi, many being adults and others being just turned Jounin. Near the front, sitting in the third row, was a familiar face.

"Shikamaru!"

He opened his eyes, likely from a nap he was taking, and smirked. "Well, well. Long time no see, Hyuga-sama."

Hinata elbowed his arm, her grin crooked as she sat beside him. "You jerk, you know I hate it when you call me that."

Shikamaru hummed, nearly chuckled, but then remembered where they were. He looked around the room, his eyes narrow. Hinata also looked around.

"Any idea what this is all about?"

"No idea." She blinked, then frowned. "Must be serious though. Kakashi-sensei's here. Anko-sensei, too."

"And Ibiki…" Shikamaru added, "Basically, everyone you'd put on some Special Op. So, what the hell are we doing here?"

Hinata chewed her lip. He had a point there.

"Damn, this is gonna be a pain in the ass, I just know it."

They spent the next few minutes having some small talk, trying to ease the tension in the room. Hinata asked about how Ino was doing, because she remembered how hard she took Sakura's death; Shikamaru had replied that he hadn't seen much of her these past few months-she'd been on and off on some secret missions, or so he'd heard; he asked how she was doing; Hinata replied that it was basically same old, same old with her; and so it went on. It was the first conversation they'd truly had since Kurenai and Asuma's child had turned two.

Hinata had almost forgotten how good it felt to interact with other people, besides her teammates, of course.

As she paused to think on what else she might have missed these past few months, Tsunade finally walked into the room, causing everyone to go quiet. Everyone watched as she walked to the front, her back straight, her eyes hard, and her frown deep. She walked to the desk at the front and sat down, her hands folded in her lap. Her amber gaze pierced through the crowd, searching, evaluating.

"I apologize for calling you all in so early," Tsunade finally told them. "But I wouldn't have done it if the task wasn't so important. First, the mission that I'm about to brief you on is top secret. As in, beyond S Class mission top secret. If any information regarding this mission leaves this room, even if it's gossip shared with whoever will be your teammates, you will be killed by the World Government. If this bothers you, please, walk out now. I won't think any less of you for it."

Hinata watched as some ninja looked around and at each other, expectant and nervous. Then, a man in the back stood up, bowed at the waist and left the room. A few more followed his cue, making Hinata swallow and rub her hands. She looked to Shikamaru and blinked. Rather than his previous slouch, he was sitting up straight and propping his hands to fold near his face. His dark eyes were glinting, sharp and focused. It was enough to keep Hinata seated.

Because if he can do it, she thought, facing forward. Then so can I.

Before anyone realized, there were only ten people left. Tsunade looked at the number, saw who was still present, and she nodded to herself. Then, she stood up and addressed them.

"Let's begin."

Lights went off and an image was projected on a screen beside Tsunade. The image was of what looked like a mansion, high like a fortress and wide like a palace, and ten times less inviting. The picture was black and white, but Hinata could tell there wasn't much color to the building, nothing bright at least.

"This is The Tanis Institute," Tsunade explained, looking at the screen, "a facility that strives to treat and rehabilitate those who suffer from mental illnesses and addiction. About a year ago, the Tanis Institute signed a contract with the World Government to aide in its justice system—specifically, with the treatment of criminals. In many Navy prisons, even in Impel Down, they provide medical treatment, counseling sessions, and even the occasional recreational program."

Hinata sat up straighter, feeling lightening in her veins. This was the first time anything involving "Tanis" was mentioned by name, the first time "Tanis" became an official title of something in any mission. Was this what she'd been waiting for?

She quickly got out her notebook and pen, and focused on Tsunade.

"Unlike most Government funded institutions," Tsunade continued, "the Tanis board believes that no matter what mental illness a person has, no matter what crime they're… 'compelled' to commit, and no matter how harsh the treatment is, anyone can be cured. Anyone can be rehabilitated back into society as we know it."

Hinata raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Shikamaru. Other ninja must have reacted the same, because Tsunade sent them a wry smile; she could smell the bullshit too.

She clicked her pointer, and another image popped up on the screen—actually, at least fifty images. Mugshots of men, women, and even some human-like creatures lit up the screen, all dressed in striped prison uniforms. They all looked bruised and rather unhinged, especially the ones that were smiling.

The more Hinata stared, the more she recognized many of the faces—with the amount of Wanted posters of pirates that were put up daily, it was hard not to—and she found her throat going dry.

"These are the inmates that have recently been transferred from Impel Down. Their crimes vary from crimes such as piracy, terrorism, to first degree murder; a good portion had previously been on death row," Tsunade continued. "They will be the first group that will be tested by the Tanis Institute's new program and treatments. Their goal is to use this group to prove their mission statement. If this works, they will expand this program to other prisons..."

Tsunade continued to discuss the mission and show photos of the Tanis Institute, but Hinata quickly stopped paying attention to her voice. Instead, she focused in on the screen, her eyes wide and her breath thin.

Because right there, on that screen—for just a split second, because there were more photos to see, but enough to catch Hinata's attention—was a picture of Naruto.

Exeunt.

If he ever got out of here—and he doubted that with every day he spent in this hell—he was going to find a way to kill whoever created the French language. And if that didn't work, he was going to find a way to kill the woman who wrote this fucking song:

"Domi-nique -nique -nique s'en allait tout simplement, Routier, pauvre et chantant-"

Oh, yes. Whoever he'd get to first, he will kill them slow.

"Yo—"

Shit, he might even enjoy it a little.

"Hey!"

A finger snapped in front of his eyes, making him blink back into focus. He glared, drawing his mouth into a snarl.

"What?"

"Whoa, easy there, sunshine." A playful smirk, not really afraid. "Just wanted to let you know that it's your move."

Oh. He looked down at the board, which had two rows with at least seven holes each, and observed the marbles held on his side. He blinked picked up a pile of marbles from one hole and then proceeded to drop each one down the row, ending at his goal. Then he picked up again and repeated the cycle. That's all anything is in this place, a cycle. Never any changes.

Honestly, they might as well have stayed in prison.

"Have you heard the news?" His opponent said.

"What news," he replied. Anything to drown out the song.

"New patient coming in today."

He snorted. "So what. There's always new patients."

"Yeah, but I hear this one is coming from Konoha. The Village Hidden in the Leaves."

That gave him pause. "...That so?"

The older man smiled a little, though it was a bit bitter. This is the most emotion he's seen from the guy since they met up again.

"Yeah," he said. "Comes from a high class family too, I hear."

The other sat back in his chair, his expression neutral. Could it be…?

The image of eyes that twirled red and black flashed through his mind, instantly lighting up every cell in his body in hot rage. He clenched his fists, imagining how good it would be to crush that fucker's throat. The one who caused him to end up in this hell in the first place. The chance of that damned ninja ending up here, in the Institute—

Easy there,is what he told himself. Don't get too ahead of yourself. When was the last time you were ever that lucky?

The last time he saw his crew alive, that's when.

"Whoa, look outside!" Someone said.

"Why, what's up?" Another patient asked.

"There's a van outside."

"Wait, doesn't that mean...?"

"Yep, we got some new meat comin' in!"

Trafalgar Law looked up from the game and at the other inmates—Patients, we're patients now, not that it makes much of a fucking difference—only to see a bunch of them crowding near a wide window that looked out the front of the hospital.

"Shit, already?" He muttered, eyes narrowed.

"Let's go," his opponent said. "I wanna check this one out."

Law raised an eyebrow at how his "friend" jumped from his seat, how he placed his hands in his pockets, how his mouth curled into something like a smile. If Law were a lesser man, he would have cringed away from that smile. Whenever that smile was on this guy's face these days, things tended to turn to chaos. Not the fun sort either, but the kind that was full of cruelty and carelessness. From anyone else, Law wouldn't really give a damn but—

He got up and followed him to the window.

They quickly met up with two other, more familiar patients—a tall woman with pink hair and a tall red haired man with one arm. They took their place beside the two and stared out the window.

Outside, there was indeed a van. Black, with tinted bullet proof windows, and the red words TANIS TRANSPORT and company logo on the side. It promptly stopped, and two men in shinobi garb—both wearing Konoha headbands—stepped out of the front of the van. They went to the back and opened it. One man with a head like a pineapple reached out and escorted someone out, revealing—

Jewelry Bonney let out a cackle, her eyes popping with cruel amusement. "Holy shit, are they serious?"

"What'd a tiny thing like that do to get in here?" Eustass Kidd asked, raising an eyebrow.

"500 belli says she doesn't last a day."

"Now, now, that's not nice. Let's be a bit more generous to the girl," Kidd said, his grin like slime. "1000 if she lasts the week."

"Oh, you are so on." Bonney laughed some more. Then she looked at Law, "Hey, wanna get in on this?"

Law took one look at the girl and concluded: This little bitch is going to get torn apart. There would be no point in betting.

"I'll pass," he said and crossed his arms. What the fuck could the twisted doctors in Tanis want with her? Next thing you know, they'll be opening a children's ward. Disgusting.

"Hey, Straw Hat. What do you think?" Kidd decided to ask.

Law looked over and felt something icy drop into his gut.

Kidd and Bonney also looked over at the shortest of the four. They noted how his head was tilted, how his dark eyes focused in on the girl, and how his gaze glinted with something that made their hearts jump.

He took the time to study her as soon as she stepped out of the van. She certainly was a little thing, Kidd didn't exaggerate about that. Well "little", according to the standards on this side of the ocean. Pale skin, round face, long dark hair, and wide eyes—Not red and black, he observed silently, with some disappointment—it would be easy to assume that the poor little ninja girl would be eaten alive.

However, considering his experience with ninjas and his general life experience, he had long made it a habit to not underestimate anyone.

While she was small, she didn't hunch or try to hide; girl wasn't even shaking. No, there was a hardness to her, even if it was hidden deep. And it showed in how she stood, how straight her back was, and clenched her hands were at her side—even as she was soon cuffed by Pineapple Head.

But it was her eyes that made it obvious. They were wide, yes, but not with fear, he realized. The way her gaze burned into the building before her, even as she locked her gaze onto the many deadly patients that watched her...

Oh, no. This little ninja girl wasn't afraid. She was ready for war.

He grinned. Inhumanly wide and catlike, the only way a rubber man could ever grin.

Then, he snickered.

"I think," Monkey D. Luffy said. "That she's going to be fun."