Author's note: Accidentally a few words.

"…And the Shinobi Veterans Affairs of the Fire Nation for generously funding this project."

Arisu returned to the podium and twirled her chakra pointer in her hand out of habit. She'd relied on her bravado to carry her through the start of her talk when she walked up here almost an hour ago. Sure, she had given poster presentations and conference talks before, but today had been a beast of its own league. The United Shinobi Medical Research Institute hosted the sole conference that allowed research of non-civilian nature to be shared publicly. Arisu mentally huffed. Something about the fine line between the good of science and divulging national secrets to an enemy nation.

'Paranoid much? The Third World War has been over for years, but everyone still sees shadows behind every corner.' To be honest though, some of the real-life ninja that Arisu had seen during the conference were really scary-looking. Just this morning, she swore she saw a man with blue skin carrying a poorly hidden sword longer than she was tall. By the time she had accepted the cup of soymilk from Nao and glanced back, both the blue man and his friend had disappeared. Arisu really didn't want to think about what kind of life would lead to a person's skin turning blue. 'Skin pigmentation defect from birth? Shinobi experiment gone wrong? Gone right?' Arisu cleared her mind.

"I'll now entertain any questions. Yes, the gentleman in the maroon jacket."

The man stood up and waited for the nearby usher to pass him a microphone. When it reached him, he tapped the offered device and cleared his throat.

"Thank you. First off, Ling-sensei, I would like to say that these are extraordinary results."

Arisu murmured a soft "thank you" in response.

"The gods know after the last great war, many of our ninjas have suffered damage to their vision, and the number of casualties is only rising. I've never thought that surgery could correct damage to the optic nerve like you described. However…" He shrugged sheepishly.

"The procedure sounds like it requires a great deal of chakra control to target individual cells and stimulate neurogenesis. My question is two-fold, Ling-sensei. Has anyone else been able to replicate your surgery methods? And, second, while I realize that many here are able to handle chakra, are there any options for non-users such as myself? Thank you."

A murmur of assent swept through the amphitheater. Arisu looked at the question-asker thoughtfully and then swept her eyes through her audience. She knew that her chakra control was something to be proud of. During her training, it had allowed her learn and complete techniques that many of her mentors had only heard of in the specialized textbooks. 'How do my levels and control compare with those of the people here though? Nao said chakra was expected in ninja, not like in civilians.' She readjusted her microphone mouthpiece before addressing the audience.

"Two valid questions. The 136 patients whose results are shown here all had their surgeries completed by myself. Each surgery varied between three hours for the first treatment and 20 minutes for each of the 10 follow-ups. The results—well, they're better than my patients and I had hoped." Arisu smiled.

"This isn't brain surgery, is what I'm trying to say. The eyes are very sensitive but not nearly as delicate as the brain. Once a medic is trained in my technique, I am sure he will be able to reproduce my results."

Arisu could make out the unconvinced faces in the front row. She was horrible with saying the right words and connecting with people, but she had to try. For her lab's funding. For science.

"Does everyone still remember the first time they had to suture a wound?" Arisu allowed herself a self-deprecating smile. "I'll be the first to admit my stitches had been horribly crooked. My resident took one look and tore all of the wires out. The next morning, I had a 30-pound bag of oranges sitting on my desk. You can bet that by the time I was through that bag, I was absolutely sick of oranges.

But my stitches were tight and neat. Any training is difficult, but the results validate the endeavor. Please come talk to me afterwards if you are interested in visiting Konoha. I am sure that we could arrange training seminars."

Arisu looked back at the medic who had asked the question. He was past middle-age. Most likely too late for him to develop his chakra. Arisu had to think of something to mollify him though. Number two rule of academia politics: include, never exclude. Anyone here was a potential source of funding, of information. Arisu wanted to establish connections, not burn bridges—as tiring as academia politics was.

"As for the second part…this technique wholly relies on chakra in order first to find damaged neurons and second to alter gene expression in the neurons. My lab has, however, been able to induce the same neurogenic effect chemically. The problem is targeting damaged neurons, while leaving healthy ones alone." Arisu extended an open hand towards her audience. "I would very welcome collaboration to find a chemical method. Yes, the gentleman in the red robes."

Arisu answered the next questions readily enough. Most were completely medical in nature, but some of the ninja asked questions as well. One commander asked how soon her technique could be used in the hospitals, another on how soon it could be brought to the field. Arisu was relieved when her session leader announced that Q&A time was up. The audience clapped and then began to disperse. 'Dinner time, oh thank gods it is dinner time.' Arisu could feel the soft warnings that her stomach was about to rumble any moment now. 'Shush, now. You'll get your food soon enough.'

"Wait, one last question, if it pleases you."

Arisu looked up, masking her disappointment. Of course there would be people coming up after her talk. She did tell people to come up afterwards, and all. 'Networking or food? Future career or food? Work or wonderful, mouthwatering food?'

Arisu spared one last morose look at the path leading out the amphitheater and towards the cafeteria. It wasn't just one person; a small crowd of both medics and ninja had gathered around her. She wouldn't mess up the opportunity her work for the past two years had given her just because she was hungry. Using a miniscule amount of chakra, she relaxed the muscles along her gastrointestinal tract. That would hopefully be enough to stop any embarrassing rumbling noises her body might decide to make.

"Of course." Arisu offered a smile and took in the headband on her dinner-delayer person. 'Is that wind? Or maybe lightning?' History and politics had never been her forte. The young girl in front of Arisu had to be ten years younger than herself.

'She must be a ninja, with the headband and all. Wait, how old is she? Is she…a child ninja? Maybe she's someone's kid…' Arisu herself had always been commented on what a prodigy she was, but there was a difference between being young in the medical field and being young in warfare.

The girl asked, "Have you tested your technique out on patients with advanced bloodlines of the eye, Ling-sensei?"

Arisu blinked a few times. 'Careful now, Arisu. Advanced bloodlines are highly guarded. One violation of patient privacy laws with those bloodlines will not only end your career but also endanger someone's life. Truthful but vague route it is then.' Arisu maintained her smile. "Yes."

The girl looked at Arisu expectantly. Was she waiting for more information? Like hell Arisu would do something stupid, not surrounded ninja who had suddenly seemed a lot more interested after the girl asked her question.

"Ling-sensei, could you tell me more—"

"No."

Arisu took in the girl's carefully blank face. That clearly hadn't been what the girl wanted to hear. Beside her and next in the line that had started in front of the podium, a thickly-built man also wearing a headband started chuckling. Arisu turned her friendly but wary eyes to him.

"Now, here's a little medic with a good head on her." The man laughed. "Bloodlines are a tricky topic, girlie. Best not dig into matters you can't handle. Gods know those Hyuuga are so high-strung, they take to any hint of a threat to their precious eyes like a starving dog does a juicy bone."

The girl flinched as if struck. Arisu felt a tick threaten at her eye. Again, she directed some chakra to relax the muscles there.

"Those are very bold words, ser, but I will take the advice." Arisu turned back to the girl. Were those tears in the girl's eyes? Alarmed at the sudden display of emotions, Arisu reached out a placating hand. "Hey, there, that was a very good question, okay? It's just patient privacy is a very big thing, and talking about if a patient has a bloodline violates those policies, okay, sweetie?"

The girl sniffled. When she looked up at Arisu, the girl forced out a whisper. "It's just that…a very dear friend of mine—he got his eyes injured a long time ago. They've been giving him a lot of trouble lately, so I asked around. Everyone said that you were the best eye medic in all of the nations. And when I heard that you had this amazing new technique to heal the eyes, well, I…"

The girl gave Arisu the saddest look tinged with hope Arisu had ever experienced. Arisu never could stand it when people started crying around her. Nevermind what her own emotions were or what she personally thought about the situation.

'And Nao said I had shit for empathy. Fuh.' What to do, what to do? Arisu had a lot of empathy. It was just that she had no idea how to show it and instead became awkward and avoidant. She was, as Nao liked to put it, emotionally constipated. 'Well fine then, I just have to make this not about emotions. E. Z.'

Arisu awkwardly patted the girl—who had been quietly going on and on about her friend, who was so brave and funny, and had used his bloodline to save her so many times—on the shoulder to get her attention. The girl immediately stopped talking and looked at Arisu with large doe eyes. 'She shouldn't be a ninja.'Arisu groused. 'She should be in school or running around the playground. She should be playing dress up and pretending she's a princess. Stupid wars. Stupid people.' Arisu reached for the pen and paper sitting on top of the podium. She scribbled as she talked. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Rin Tanako." The girl murmured.

"Okay, Rin-chan. Tell your friend that I have healed bloodline eyes before and that I might be able to help him." Eyes she could save; little girls who cried for her friends were a different story, but this might help. "I'm staying in this room until the end of the conference. That's tonight and tomorrow night. Then I'm returning to Konoha. This second address is for Konoha's main hospital. If you don't find your friend before I leave this conference, bring him to Konoha and ask for Ling Arisu. And bring an adult with you, too. Okay, Rin-chan?"

Arisu handed the paper to Rin. The girl had stopped crying in the middle of her directions. The hope Rin exuded was nearly tangible. Well, damn if Arisu didn't feel like the savior of all mankind right now. Rin looked up at her and breathlessly said, "Thank you, Ling-sama. Thank you."

With that, Rin turned and scurried up the steps out of the amphitheater.

"That was awfully kind-hearted of you, sensei."

Arisu directed her gaze to the ninja. This was the one who had a bone to pick with the Hyuuga. Now that she thought about it, the two Hyuuga she had treated during the past two years had both been pretty reserved. Introversion could easily be misconstrued as stuckup-ness. Arisu would know.

"How about we discuss something profitable for the both of us. Like those training seminars you were talking about earlier?" The ninja grinned. Other people waiting in line began to crowd around, not wanting to be left out. These were fellow medics and hospital administrators and ninja commanders. Arisu put on her game face. 'For science.'

Rin weaved in and out of the dinner crowd, appearing nonchalant while making sure the scrap of paper was hidden securely in her sleeves. Discretely glancing behind her, she scanned the crowds for anyone following her. No one was even paying attention to her. Rin ducked into the women's restroom. No one around. Quickly, Rin took out the scrap of paper. 'Ling Arisu. Convention Center, Floor 8, Room 126.' Underneath that was an address in Konoha.

'Floor 8, Room 126.' Rin triple checked to make sure she memorized the addresses. Without a sound, she walked over to the first stall, ripped up the paper, and flushed it down the toilet. 'Floor 8, Room 126.'

Taking her time, Rin exited the bathroom and once again lost herself in the dinner crowd. Finally, dusk was approaching. It was time to meet her employers at the designated spot. 'The good thing about having the conference in this convention hall,' Rin thought as she stayed in the shadows. 'is that it's so easy to get in and out of.' The convention hall was all outdoors. Each of the sessions was held in a different amphitheater, the largest of which Ling-sensei had just talked in.

The further Rin walked from the convention hall, the closer she got into town. There was the bridge leading into town. The river bubbled happily underneath. Rin squinted. Two cloaked figures were making their way towards the bridge from the opposite side. Red clouds on black.

Running towards town, Rin reached the bridge just as the two cloaked figures did. 'Identity confirmed.' Rin was going too fast and couldn't help bumping into the two. Her soft "Floor 8, Room 126" would've been swallowed up by the river if it weren't for the two strangers to be so close and fine of hearing. Quickly, Rin got up, and quickly exclaimed, "I'm so sorry, my lords. Are you hurt anywhere? I know a medic who would be able to heal you!"

Rin caught a flash of pointy teeth as the blue man laughed. His partner nodded towards her. Fishing in the sleeves of his cloak, the blue man brought out a small money bag. It clinked as it hit the bridge. "For your thoughtfulness, girl."

Rin quickly scooped up the bag and continued on her way into town.

"Room 126. Well, guess it's a good thing we hired the pipsqueak to check what room she was in, huh, Itachi? Collect a payment in town and come back here to find we had the wrong room number after all. Although, I could've sworn she'd come out from 128 this morning."

"You could learn from the girl's subtlety, Kisame." Itachi replied. He started forward towards the convention center again.

"Hell, I'd love for some punkasses to come out and challenge me. That daimyo was a stuffy fucker today. It could've just been the usual we came, we killed, we got paid, but then that fucker has to—"

"Hm."

Arisu yawned.

"Oh, no you don't," Arisu opened a bleary eye to peer at Nao. Nao was leaning against the elevator wall with her hands crossed. Nao continued, "I know what that yawning means. Well, I won't have it. We're going out tonight."

"Naaao…" Arisu whined.

"No!" Nao walked over and threw her arm over Arisu's shoulders. "Listen, Arisu, you just turned 21 last week. You know what the legal drinking age is? That's right, 21. We have to celebrate the fact that you no longer have to use a fake ID. Think, you will never be denied anything. Ever. Again!"

"I don't even like drinking." Arisu said, petulantly. "Alcohol tastes bad—"

"Unless it's more smoothie than alcohol." Nao finished with a grin on her face. "Yes, yes, I know, Arisu. But oh, come on. You didn't come out last night since you said you were preparing your talk. Fine. But tonight, you have no excuses! We are going to get wasted, get you laid, and—"

"Not interested, Nao."

The elevator pinged. 8th floor. 'Eight's a good number,' Arisu thought randomly. 'Fortune with time.'

"Listen, Arisu." Nao grabbed Arisu's arm. Nao had that look on her face again. "I know you're a prodigy, and that's great and all, but being a prodigy really fucked you up socially, you know?"

"I know, Nao." Arisu knew it was best to just let Nao say what she wanted. She started down the hall towards their rooms. Nao stalked like an angry cat.

"Bullshit you know."

"Mhm."

'Room 126.' Arisu reached into her purse. 'Ah, here we go. Key.'

Nao slammed her fist against the door. "Are you even listening to me?!"

"Tomorrow night." Arisu looked at her friend, smiling softly. "I promise, tomorrow night, I will be your wingwoman and do whatever you want to do. Tomorrow night, you'll show me how to act my age and we'll rage across this town before the convention ends, but you have to let me sleep in tonight. Deal?"

Nao narrowed her eyes. Arisu could see her friend weighing the pros and cons of such a deal, the likelihood Arisu would keep her promise or back out at the last minute, how little fun she'd probably have if she did end up forcing Arisu out tonight. Nao held out her hand. "Deal."

Arisu laughed and shook the proffered hand. "Attagirl."

"But." Nao squeezed her hand into a death grip and smiled sweetly. "You have to help me get ready tonight."

Arisu laughed again. "Okay, okay. Well, open your door, then."

Nao glared at her all the while unlocking room 128. "I'm going to shower first. If you're not here to help me with my hair when I come out, you're the most vile, worst friend possible."

"I solemnly swear." Arisu raised her right hand to her heart. "that I, Ling Arisu, will be in—"

Nao swatted Arisu on the head. Arisu threw Nao the most reproachful look she could muster. "Fine, I'm going to shower first, too, then."

Nao laughed. "Remember, when I'm done showering or you're the worst friend!"

"Yes, ma'am. Understood, ma'am!" Arisu mock saluted Nao and kept that position until she heard a soft "dork" fondly muttered and the door to her best friend's room clicked shut.

Arisu inserted her key back in and pushed her own door open. She flicked on the lights. Her pupils constricted with the sudden brightness. She kicked off her shoes, glad to be out of the heels finally. 'Shower time! So looking forward to that. And then the kage-size bed! This conference has so many perks.' She walked over to the hallway closest. Opening the closest door, dropped her purse onto the top shelf and unzipped her suitcase.

The soft sound of shuffled clothes suddenly alerted her that she wasn't alone. Arisu spun around. Her eyes landed on a set of red ones. There was a thrumming in her ears and quickening in her pulse. 'What the hell?' Her mouth wouldn't work. Her eyes began drooping. Her face relaxed. Her arms and legs felt heavy. 'Is this anesthesia? Gas? How…?' As Arisu fell unconscious, she heard a chuckle.

"Girl's pretty oblivious."

"Hm."

That damn cat was stalking her again. Arisu wanted to ignore it, did her best to ignore it. She quickened her pace. The hospital was 5-10 minutes away. As long as the cat didn't touch her, her allergies would be fine. The cat meowed right behind her. Arisu couldn't help jumping.

"Girl's pretty oblivious."

"Hm."

Arisu threw an insulted look over shoulder. 'Not my fault cats are so damn sneaky!'

"Hm."

'Oh gods, is that cat about to jump on me?' Arisu broke out into a run. She knew, she just knew that if the cat even came within a foot of her, her allergies would kill her. Normally, she'd just get a light rash, but this time, she was absolutely certain she would die. The cat meowed its agreement.

Arisu ran faster and faster. 'Use your chakra, stupid!' Arisu tried. She really tried, but for some reason, she just couldn't get her chakra highways coordinated. 'Flicker, you stupid girl! Use that chakra control of yours!'

The helplessness was about to suffocate her. 'Why can't I use my chakra? What the hell is wrong with me? Why can't I move? Get out of bed and move!'

Distantly, Arisu realized that she was dreaming. She knew that her mind had woken up before her muscles. Again. In her real body, she felt the tingling numbness in her neck, the heavy weight of her extremities. She started jerking her head back and forth in attempts to get some feeling back. Her full-on dreaming self, however, was absolutely panicking. The cat had red eyes.

"Hm."

MEOW!

'Oh my gods.' The cat had latched onto her right leg and was purring contently. She had to shake the thing off. Why was she so helpless? It felt like something was sitting on her chest. Must be another cat. If she could only shake the one of her leg off, she was sure the one on her chest would leave as well. She thought she was starting to get some sensation back in her neck. Her real one, not the dream one. Arisu struggled harder. 'Wake up! Anytime now.'

"Girl's moving kinda weird. Think it's a nightmare?"

"Hm."

The cat on her leg had sunk its claws in her pants. It didn't really hurt, but it was annoying the hell out of her. The annoyance was about on par with the feeling of helplessness. The helplessness was actually diminishing as her muscles were slowly waking up ('About to wake up now.' The thought flashed through her mind). Soon, all Arisu, felt was the annoyance. 'You stupid cat, get off of me!' Angrily, Arisu kicked her right leg as hard as she could. She sprung awake as her right leg jerked out. It was caught by a hand.

"Good instincts, girl, but I'd be disgraced to even consider battling someone as weak as you."

Arisu's eyes flashed open. To her right, a man with blue skin kneeled. He grinned.

'The blue man from this morning! I hadn't been seeing things! Holy shit, those teeth are pointy. And are those gills?!' Arisu tore her leg from the blue man's grasp and scooted back.

"You were jerking in your sleep."

Arisu whipped her head to the second stranger. This one at least seemed normal. Normal skin and as human as could be. He was resting against a tree with his eyes closed. He looked very tired. Deep tear troughs lined an otherwise healthy face. 'Is he in trouble, too?' Arisu wildly took in her surroundings. 'A forest? Why am I in a forest? Who are these two? Stalkers? I'm sure I saw them this morning.' The fire in the center of their camp flickered warmth across her skin. Arisu took another look at the blue man and looked back at the second man. 'Blue Man or Normal? Normal, please.'

"Sleep paralysis." Arisu said quietly. "It's pretty harmless. Happens often enough."

She hesitated then slowly began scooting over to Normal, while keeping an eye on Blue Man. She didn't care that her voice cracked just a little. "Please, I'm a medic—here for the United Shinobi Medical...Medical Research Institute Convention. I would greatly appreciate help returning to—"

Blue Man started laughing again. Arisu froze. "Girl is seriously oblivious. We're ninja, medic. We need your help with something. If you do well, you'll go back to your life safe and sound. If you fail…" Blue Man's grin widened.

'Fail? Is he going to kill me? How did I not notice the headbands? Fuck, I don't want to die.' Arisu scooted back further. Any semblance of calm she might have claimed fizzled up at the unspoken threat. Her entire body was tense. She was ready to hightail out of here, ninja training or lack of be damned. 'Maybe Normal will help me. He doesn't look evil.'

Blue Man just laughed more, seemingly reading her thoughts. "Don't think running to Itachi will help you either. He's more dangerous than I am."

Arisu's head snapped to look back at the second man. He had his eyes open now. 'Red eyes.' They jarred her memory of her hotel room. 'He's the one who knocked me out. How? How? How do I get out of here?'

She was completely out of her comfort zone. Her eyes dilated. The thrumming in her ears roared now, and her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. Adrenaline rushed through her system. Fight or flight had completely taken over her mind. She gathered her chakra around her. She saw Itachi's eyes widen slightly in surprise. 'Run!' She flickered out of sight.

Silence reigned the camp for a few seconds.

"Medic moves fast. You'll want to move fast if you want to catch her."

Itachi's face was expressionless as he looked at Kisame. He, too, flickered out of site.

Arisu forced chakra through her system in tightly controlled amounts. The first few flickers had been panic-driven and wasted too much chakra. Now that she was kilometers away from her kidnappers, Arisu felt calm settling on her mind again. She had to get back to the Convention Hall. She had no idea where she was though. The forest seemed to stretch on forever, and she wasn't sure if she would reclaim her sense of direction once she got out.

Konoha would be a better goal. The Lightning Nation was hosting the conference. If she kept on traveling Southwest, she had to reach Konoha. She looked up at the skies. The moon was to her right. 'Sun rises in the east, sets in the West.' Arisu scrunched her nose in thought. 'Moon should be the same then. But is the moon rising or setting right now?'

Arisu stopped flickering and slowed to a walk. She stared mournfully at the moon. 'Rising or setting? Rising or setting?' It certainly felt late to Arisu, but that didn't help her at all. She winced at the twigs poking at her feet through the flimsy material of her tights. Arisu stomped her feet in childish anger. "Are you rising or setting, you stupid moon?!"

"It's setting."

Arisu whirled to her right in surprise. 'Normal! Red Eyes! No, his name is Itachi.' Itachi stood leaning against a tree a mere arm's length from her. Fear and adrenaline began overflowing her system again. How had he caught up? Had she taken too long arguing about the moon? Were ninja really that powerful? She didn't want to know. She gave into her urge to flee. She gathered her chakra and flickered away.

Itachi let a soft sigh escape and began the chase anew.

Adrenaline and fear made Arisu lose her grip on her normally impeccable chakra control. She had to get calm down. 'He caught me because I wasn't focusing. Focus, Arisu, focus!' Soon, things began to have a rhythm. One flicker equaled one kilometer. Simple as that. Change direction by 10 degrees every third flicker to avoid being predictable.

Her reserves were not quite half depleted. At this rate, Arisu calculated that she could continue on for at least another hour. By then, she would be well on her way to Konoha and maybe find some friendly faces. As long as she maintained control. She flickered again.

Just as her feet were about to hit the forest floor, a warm hand touched her shoulder and she was shoved against a tree. Her breath rushed out of her as she struggled to understand what was going on. 'No, no, no, no, no.' Her clinical side diagnosed that she was nearing hysterics.

Her dilated eyes took in all that the moonlight lit up. It were as if Itachi held her captive through the weight of his gaze alone. She perceived a faint sense of disapproval coming from Itachi. 'Damn that! You're not the one getting abducted!' No way Arisu was going to go down without a fight. Or flight, in this case.

With a breathless, "Go to hell!" Arisu flickered once again.

This time, she only got in two flickers before Itachi appeared out of nowhere to shove her against a tree. "Piss off, pretty boy!"

The chase continued on. Flicker, shove, insult, flicker. Arisu was tiring however. Flicker, shove, insult, flicker. Her emotions were draining her chakra supply more than she would like, and the ruthless encounters with the trees left her disoriented for several seconds each time. Flicker, shove, insult, flicker. Soon, not even adrenaline could power her.

Shove. No insult, no flicker. Her harsh gasps resounded in the cold air. Her heart thundered through her ears. Her mind raced one after another, yet she didn't have a single coherent thought. All that existed was the sinking feeling that she couldn't escape. This time, she was held in place by two hands.

"I won't harm you."

She squinted up. Itachi sported a blank face. He didn't seem fazed at all by their little race through the forest. He was warm though. His heat radiated and filled the cold air between them. She took in another harsh breath. She was exhausted. Her chakra levels were far past half depleted. If she kept on doing this, it was all too likely she would enter chakra shock before he let her go.

A soft cry finally escaped her lips. Arisu leaned in and let Itachi support her weight. Her forehead rested against his chest. The professional blouse and skirt she'd worn for her talk were in complete disarray. Her tights barely kept her legs from freezing. Twigs were caught in her hair, and mud marred…well everything. What she wouldn't give for a nice, hot, relaxing shower.

"You win…" She murmured almost petulantly as she lost consciousness, without the influence of a ninjutsu. "this time."