Chapter 1: The request from the Village Hidden in the Mist.

The sky filled with dark clouds looming over Konoha, the village was awkwardly silent. "Too bad it's going to rain today; I was hoping to get some training done…" Rock Lee said as he stared out the window, "when will Naruto return? Isn't his mission at the-". Sakura walked into the hokage's office, turned around, and looked at the door expectantly. "Sakura? If you're here then that means-"

Kakashi walked through the door and, shortly after him, Naruto stepped in. He held his head down low, "Naruto cheer up, the mission was a success… even though…" Sakura said as she patted Naruto on the back for comfort, but he remained silent. "Kakashi-sensei, everything's gonna be alright after we rebuild the bridge….right?"

"Can't say… if the Village Hidden in the Mist will continue to be at peace with us or not is the real question at hand…"

Tsunade looked at Kakashi with a cold stare, "what are you talking about? The mission was completed, and the client said you all did a wonderful job executing the mission and staying with the plan. Why, you even saved the entire Village Hidden in the Mist. So, what happened during the mission to change that?"

Naruto stood as still as a rock, clutching a headband from the Hidden Mist Village with a gash in the middle, "We lost someone special during that mission…" Sakura and Kakashi both looked down in despair, "but I will tell you exactly what happened, Grandma- Tsunade …"

…Four days earlier, in a road headed to the Hidden Mist Village. Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi awaited their client for the mission. "Kakashi- sensei, didn't the mission say to meet the client here? He's WAY late!" Naruto boasted as he paced back and forth in the thick fog, "who is this guy anyway?"

Kakashi scratched his head and looked around, "Uh, Naruto…"

"I mean come-ON, we've been waiting for half an hour here!" Naruto continued as he stomped the ground. Sakura slapped Naruto in the back of the head as pointed in the fog to a slim silhouette and a short shadowy figure beside it.

"So you're the ones Konoha sent to help us? Good come this way," the slim silhouette said as it slowly vanished in the fog. Naruto and the gang somehow followed the two mysterious to a small shack near the front gate of the village. The air was filled with dust and the room was covered with cobwebs. After a minute, their vision cleared and the figures were made clear, it was a boy and a woman. "My name is Sora and this is my friend Taro," the woman said as she swiftly turned to Kakashi and shook his hand. Taro silently stood beside Sora, whom shook Sakura and Naruto's hand. "I am the client that sent the mission to you. Please help us. We need to help us escort the elder's shipment to the town to the east of here."

Kakashi turned to Naruto and Sakura with a look of satisfaction, "This will be easier than we thought right guys?" He turned to Sora and Taro, held out his hand to Taro and said in a calm voice (almost as a whisper), "It will be a pleasure to have you on the team, Taro. I look forward to working with you! So-" Kakashi glanced at Sora, "-He's not much of a talker is he?" Sora told Naruto and the gang that Taro was a little shy around people at first but opens up slowly as he gets to know them, which is what happened between them. "I see… shy…"

"Kakashi, shall we be going?"Sakura gestured toward the door, impatient to start the mission. "I'd like to get out the thick fog as soon as possible." The team departed for East Town through the dense fog. Naruto complained majority of the way about the lack of visibility, but suddenly along the road to East Town the bridge (or what could be seen of it) was in shambles, thus preventing passage to the town.

"This is unexpected… Sora, by any chance, do you know of an alternate route to the town?" Kakashi asked squinting at Sora's dim figure. Her outline showed no reaction. "Sora," still no reaction.

"That's Taro, I'm over here Kakashi, and this is the only route I know of… besides Dragon Fang Cave, but that way was sealed up long before my time." Sora examined the damaged bridge; it seemed to be relatively freshly done. "That's odd," she thought to herself as she picked up a clean cut piece of cement from the railing of the scanned the area for the cause of the collapsed bridge, but his efforts were in vein. "Taro, make some water clones to scout the area. This was done recently, so our culprit must still be nearby!"

"Naruto, use your shadow clone jutsu to do the same," Kakashi suggested as he slowly glanced at the bridge. "Wait, I think that may be what our guest wants… Naruto, Taro, I recommend you stick with us for a bit. Naruto and Taro nodded. The gang followed Taro and Sora to a forested area along the road. There they found an abnormally large rock with a dragon symbol labeled across it. "So this is the entrance to the Dragon Fang Cave. Why is it so-?"

"It's not hidden because it's only able to be opened by those who have a passport. We, as people of the Hidden Mist Village, are given the passport if instructed by our Hokage. Unfortunately, our Mizukage hasn't been feeling well so her appointed advisor, Akihiko, has taken over in her absence."

Taro looked down at his feet in disappointment. A vision of his family being slaughtered by a mysterious man flashed before him. The man bore a Long Sword with an ancient Twin Blue Dragon engraving going up the blade covered in blood. Taro shivered, not from the cold but from fear. "Taro, what's wrong? Did it come back again?"

"Yes…"

"'Kay, just ignore the symbol- look away for a moment until I move it. Kakashi," Sora signaled the gang to step back. She reached into her jacket and pulled out a necklace that shone with a light that responded to the rock. The Dragon Rock suddenly vanished in a thick fog that swept the area and lifted, "It's gone now, let's continue on."

Naruto slowly walked to the staircase leading to an underground pathway to East Town, but was stopped by an odd presence. It was close by- and watching… Sakura, proceeding down the staircase, yelled to Naruto, "Hurry up Naruto, or you're going to have to find another way around!"

"I'm… coming," Naruto groaned as he took one last glance around the area. Maybe it was just my imagination… No need in worrying 'bout it…. Kakashi followed Naruto and Taro down the staircase, which sealed itself moments after they reached the ground floor of the pathway. Torches suddenly lit the way through the pitch black cave.

"These torches were made to react to one's chakra, as long as chakra is present, these torches will remain lit," Sora explained as they strolled down the wet path. "Don't worry; this path is protected so that only those permitted can enter. So, our little friend won't be bothering us here-"

Naruto suddenly felt the odd presence again, this time it was coming from inside the cave, surrounding them, "Look out!" Naruto leaped and tackled Taro, dodging an ominous Fireball jutsu from above. "That was close," Naruto looked up and saw a shadowy figure leap across the ceiling. Kakashi signaled Sora to where the enemy has taken cover. Sora pulled out a dagger without a blade.

"Ice Blade Jutsu," Sora yelled as water collected and formed a long bladed katana. She jumped high in the air and threw some shuriken at the mysterious attacker. In a split second, it dodged the shuriken and pulled out a long chain, which it slammed Sora with into the ground. It jumped out from its place of hiding and stood ready for battle. The torches flickered as if about to go out. Taro stood up and examined the situation; he stared down the enemy with vengeance.

Naruto stood up next to Taro, "what is that thing? Tch, doesn't matter, let's take it down and make it pay for harming Sora! Rasengan!" The torches grew bright enough to light every corner of the cave, revealing the Identity of the mysterious attacker. Taro drew a sudden gasp and turned to Sora whom was being penned down by the enemy's foot on her chest.

"Naruto wait, our friend here knows fire-based jutsu. If he releases it on you, it'll burn the whole place down," Kakashi said as he thought of a way to rescue Sora. "Sakura, Naruto get Sora while I distract him." Sakura dashed to Naruto and jerked him off the ground.

"Sakura, what are you-"

"Can it Naruto and get ready to catch Sora!" Sakura yelled as she launched Naruto toward the Mysterious Man. He raised his hand, shrouded in flames, and readied an attack but was halted by Kakashi's chidori. "Taro, use a water-based jutsu to knockdown the enemy!"

Taro nodded, he turned to the mysterious man and roared, "Water Style, Ice Wrecking Ball!" An Ice chain attached to his hand and spun into a giant wrecking ball with spikes. He swirled the wrecking ball around in the air and tossed it at the Mysterious Man, knocking him into the wall behind him. Taro dropped the wrecking ball and ran to Sora to see if she was okay, she gripped her arm saying it was just a bruise, no blood was drawn. Naruto aided Sora to her feet, glancing at Taro's eyes, which were filled with sadness. Naruto knew this feeling Taro felt from a long time ago…

"Hey, don't worry kid, she'll be okay," Naruto placed his hand on Taro's shoulder, "Now let's bag this bad guy and get some-"

Kakashi was tossed across the cave knocking down Taro. Sakura got into an attack stance ready for any incoming attacks, when suddenly, the Mysterious Man appeared behind her, How can he move this fast? I can barely sense his chakra even when I'm this close to him! she thought as she turned to protect herself but was too late. The Mysterious Man pulled out his chain and wrapped it around Sakura's neck and swung her into a rock, crumbling it to pieces.

"Sakura!" Naruto roared as he dashed in front of her and threw shuriken at the Mysterious Man, hitting the Man in the face, making a cracking noise. What was that sound, a mask? Naruto pondered as he shielded Sakura from the eyes of the Mysterious Man. "Who are you? Why are you here?"

The Mysterious Man staggered back holding his face, "…."

"Did you hear me? Who are you and what do you want!"

"….. Fools…."

Naruto straightened up, "what?"

"…..you are all fools…. You work for the enemy…."

Kakashi stood up and checked Taro's condition, as well as Sakura's. "What do you mean by the 'enemy'? Do you mean the Hidden Mist Village or Konoha?"

"… this is my only warning, DON'T deliver the package to the Hidden Mist Village!" and with that all the torches in the cave went out at once. When they came back on, the Mysterious Man was nowhere to be found.

"This may complicate things…" Kakashi muttered to himself, but caught himself when he remembered Taro was standing next to him. "Whoever our little friend was is either giving us the short end of the stick… or… trying to stop us from starting something big…"

"I don't understand how he got was able to gain access to this path," Sora said as she turned to Taro. She stared at him for a second and gasped at his expression. "Taro, you sensed his chakra, didn't you?" His head sank. "Taro do you know who that was?"

"Calm down Sora, give him some time to explain himself," Kakashi attempted to calm the atmosphere. "Is there something you want to tell us, Taro?" His head slowly rose to look at everyone in the eyes.

"I… do...," Taro growled. "I'm not sure if what I felt was- I mean- it probably could have been…"

Naruto placed his hand on Taro's shoulder saying, "You can tell us. We're here for you."

Taro, feeling reassured told the gang what he knew. "The chakra of the Mysterious Man felt like…. My brother."