AN: My first fanfic! This story has been running through my mind for a while now, figured I'd upload it. Not sure you guys will like it, not even sure if it's good. If anyone reviews I'll upload another chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, or any of the characters or places from the manga/anime.

HikataPov

It all happened so fast, one minute I am returning from Mt. Kiton, and the next I am surrounded by 10 or so mist shinobi.

What the hell is this, I contemplate as the nin close in on me, throwing a few kunai. I quickly hide my chakra and complete my dog-rabbit-boar-dragon hand signs before becoming one with the shadows, running past the shinobi. I am not the aggressive type. Although a jonin, my talent did not lay in Taijutsu.

A few seconds later I enter the hidden shadow village only to wish I hadn't. This place is a battle ground. I raise my black mask from my face to take it all in. 6…7 shadow shinobi were the only ones still engaged in battle with the mist. This was bad, the hidden shadow village could not stand a chance against so many shinobi. Using the shadow clone jutsu, I quickly produce 20 odd clones, sending 10 to attack the enemy shinobi, and 10 to evacuate the civilians. About 30 feet from my hiding place, I see Mai face 2 mist shinobi.

The 10 year old just became a genin a few months ago and already she was playing guardian to her village. Rushing to her aid I quickly incapacitate the two with a barrage of poison coated kunai. Mai's face lights up with relief. "You're back." "What were you thinking?" I ask, deflecting a few shuriken aimed in my direction. "As a genin, it is your job to help with the evacuation of citizens while the rest of us keep the enemy at bay." Mai's grimaces, the ground is filled with so many bodies that I begin to wonder if we have any survivors "What are the mist here for?" I question to myself. "These" Mai states as she hands me the 5 shadow stones. I quickly secure them on my person lift the hood of my cloak and, after grabbing the genin's wrist, run to my home. Upon arrival I see my shadow clones carrying 3 unconscious bodies. Only three? "That's it?" I question my shadow clones. This wonderful village that had taken me, a stray, in all those years ago reduced to this. I searched the area for any other chakra signatures only to discover that they were all enemy. This can't happen. Where were all the other Shin-

Mai's response stops my train of thought. "We have been fighting the mist for 3 days now." One of my shadow clones spot something, four shinobi on the four corners of our village, by the look of their hand signs….oh no. I had a plan, an extremely dangerous one. I run in to my house and grab three scrolls as I quickly grab Mai and cover her with my chakra, my clones doing the same to the three unconscious children. We had very little time, maybe ten more seconds to get us out before the lightning jutsu was complete. Closing my eyes, I place my hand on the small seal on my sternum, unlocking it. 6 seconds. Mai faints as my warm embracing chakra becomes dark and cold. As I unlock the 4 seals on the front and back of my hands, the power I spent the past 4 years of my life containing shoots through my body. 3 seconds. I sprint to the forest carrying Mai as my shadow clones keep step with me. 2…1… now a bit away from the village, I look back to see an all-consuming light reaching all the way into the heavens before disappearing. Placing my mask back on my face I create five more clones to keep any tails at bay. I head in opposite direction from my clones, away from the shadow village.

I have been running for 2 days straight, my body now on auto-pilot. Where was I heading? To the safest place for these children. One of the four had woken up. Drete, a small boy the age of 4, was terrified until he saw me, the village prodigy and a family friend. He must have been out through most of the fighting, lucky boy. Drete was a quiet child of few words, none of which he had spoken now. Three ninja were following us.

They must not have seen us as a threat since they let my clones and I continue. "Hi-ka?" Drete had finally spoken. "Where are we going?"

As much as I despised the leaf for what they did, they were my only option. I refused to have these children running all their life, watching as their eyes lose the joyful light they had. I pick up my pace and head for Konoha. This was the only place I could think of that would shelter the children. The leaf owed father and me a great debt. It's about time to cash it in.

Kiba POV

We had been following these ninja for almost 4 hours. They were running nonstop and seemed to be heading for Konoha.

"How many are their Neji?"

"Well…there are 8 bodies. Four adults carrying four children, however…"

I looked over at my teammate, he seemed to be wavering. Something was off; the Hyuuga, thanks to his bloodline trait, was never unsure of what he saw. I ran by his side, jumping from branch to branch.

"Something's off" Neji continued.

"The adults all have the same build, they seem to be replicas of one another. Not to mention that they all are surrounded by the same chakra: shadow clones."

"I agree." Shino said, trailing behind us.

"My insects identify the group as a black orb, I would coax them closer for further inspection but they are weary of the chakra being emitted."

'Whoa' the shinobi's scent became stronger to my sharp senses.

"Guys," I began as the wheel in my mind began churning, recognizing.

"You're not going to believe this. The man carrying the bodies is…"

Akumaru growled having a personal hatred for the owner of the scent.

I pushed chakra into my feet and sped to Konoha. I guess he rose from the dead, I spat, as Neji and Shino struggled to keep up.

"Who?" Neji asked, narrowing his eyes.

"The Black Cloud."

HikataPOV

I gazed at the guards I'd just appeared in front of, a startled duo of chuunin. Surely the leaf didn't expect these guys to safely protect their entrance.

They FINALLY stand on defense. "Who are you?" They bark, as if they can order me. Hmm. I really don't think I should divulge who I am to the shinobi before me. I needed to talk to someone way higher up on the food chain.

I sighed, "I go by many names." I respond. That at least was the truth. From the 'black cloud' to the 'mistress in white'. From the 'shadow' to Kirra to the name the leaf gave me at birth. Drete lets out a small cry as I step out of my chakra leaving it in its entirety behind, causing me to appear defenseless.

The guard on the left, narrows his eyes, apparently not liking my response. I lift the hood of my white cloak. My three followers finally entered the scene, breathing hard as they crouch in various defensive stances. They are all male. The one in the middle had a glare on his face, dark brown hair back in a ponytail and pale blue eyes with no irises: a Hyuuga. On the left was a man with dark circular glasses, surrounded by the insects that had been following me recently. The third had red marks on his face and was next to a horse sized dog that didn't seem to like me very much.

"Dark cloud," The Hyuuga began, looking past me and at my shadow clones, still wrapped in my chakra. Wrong way, a common mistake. After all, who would expect the 'dark cloud' to be dressed in white? "State your purpose for being in the Leaf."

I lift my mask and reveal my face, turning to look at the pale eyed man. "I am surprised you recognize me. I suppose I should have expected that from a Hyuuga"

The trio look away from my chakra and at me, eyes widening in shock as I continue. "I am here to see an old friend." Well, that was correct in a way. I had only one contact in Konoha.

"Who?" The guards, that I have turned my back on, interject. I grimace as I think of the person who left me stranded so many years ago. The woman who assigned me and my father a mission that took away both my childhood and humanity. The only one who could save these four children. My love for them and their village was far greater than my hatred toward the Leaf and the only reason I was still standing here.

"The Hokage."

NejiPov

I stare at the beautiful woman in front of me. Her ebony eyes and hair contrasting with her caramel skin. I would never expect the Dark Cloud, an annihilator of villages, to look like this.

"As if!" Kiba shouts "There is no way in hell we're letting you in our village!"

There is a sound of rapid breathing inside the womans' chakra. She glares at Kiba and walks toward her own chakra, as we prepare for the eminent attack. Instead she pulls out a kid that seemed to be on the verge of crying. Holding the quieting boy, still encased in her chakra. "You do not have to yell." Kiba looks taken aback by the girl. "As much as I love this friendly heart to heart, I am kind of in a rush, he needs medical attention" She throws a scroll behind her without looking and a guard grabs it. "Show this to the Hokage and I'll be allowed entrance." The guard wearily eyes the scroll afraid for it to blow up, or something equally as frightening, before looking toward me. It looked to be a regular scroll sealed with some kind of jutsu. I nod, and the guard takes off.

HikataPOV

"Why are you acting so peaceful?" The bug guy asks, "I can only assume that you do not have enough chakra to attack us."

I sit down cross-legged as Drete stares at me with fearful eyes, his pale skin covered in soot. I frown. "It would not be wise to underestimate me leaf shinobi." Did they believe me to be that weak? In this state, I never tire or run out of chakra. "When has the Dark Cloud ever run out of chakra?" This fact was true, while in this state I don't lose chakra, I lose something far worse...something that can't be replenished over time. "I just do not wish for these children to see any more bloodshed than necessary."

"Just who are your friends here? I didn't know you guys recruited so young. Mini Aka-" My eyes flash at the Hyuuga. This boy was about 4 centimeters from crossing a line that would result in his immediate demise. "2 days ago, the hidden shadow village was completely destroyed by the Mist. There are 452 hidden shadow civilians and shinobi. If you search the village and surrounding forest, you will find 446 bodies with the mark of the shadow."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dog boy's snarl was chorused by his pup's growl. "Just answer the question!" Don't let this guy get under your skin. I chant to myself before I continue, pulling back my chakra from my clones and the children. It didn't feel right, leaving them so defenseless. "You are looking at four of the six remaining shadow ninja in existence." I finish. The leaf nin's eyes widen as they see the mark of the shadow on the children. After a few seconds I enclose them back in my chakra. "The mist is currently searching for these kids, who are in desperate need of medical attention."

"Interesting story," bug boy retorted "But why are you here? What makes you think we'll help you? You are not our ally, we don't owe you anything."

"That is incorrect." I turn my head meeting the Hokage's gaze. She smiles at me. I close my eyes in an attempt to contain my hatred for her. "I thought you were dead." What was with her nonchalant response? Her tone, as if she was commenting on the weather. Drete trembles in my arms and I immediately relax, remembering the reason I was here. "They need medical attention." I was in no way interested in conversing with her.

"Very well." The Hokage replies after a long silence, she turns, running in the direction of the leaf hospital. I trail behind her, with my shadow clones in step. As we enter the lobby, a medical ninja approaches me reaching out her arms."Umm…miss? We are ready for the children." My gaze narrows as I understand what she is implying; that I release them to her and the medical ninja behind her. Drete clings to me, looking at the woman in fear.

"You have my word, as the Hokage of this village, that no harm will be done to these shadow children." I bore my eyes into the medical nin's; her green eyes looking anywhere but at me as she pulls a strand of stray pink hair back behind her ear. Placing him into her arms, I release the chakra that put Drete and the other kids injuries into a frozen state. Drete faints. " Hopefully this time, Hokage, you will keep your word" I say as the medical ninja scurry off with the shadow kids. I seal the front and back of both of my hands before locking the seal on my sternum. I fall, facing the pain of unlocking the darkness within me, seeing a flash of white before being consumed by the darkness.

KakashiPOV

After saying goodbye to Naruto I leave the room through the door. Normally, after visiting the knucklehead, I'd just exit from the window. But today, there was something unusual in the hospitals lobby. A chakra presence: extremely massive and harboring ill intentions. As I enter the reception hall, I see many other ninja. Tsunade, Neji, Shino and Kiba were all surrounding one woman. As soon as my gaze falls on her, she begins falling to the ground. Catching her, I look to my comrades.

"So…" I begin, as the color drains from her hair, until it is stark white. " Just who is this woman?"

"The Dark Cloud." Neji deadpans as I immediately release her, jumping back a few feet. The woman hits the ground and begins shaking violently: going into cardiac arrest. I didn't think she'd fall that hard.

TsunadePov

"Tsunade," Sakura begins, as I look up from the dying girl in front of me. I had been at this for an hour and her condition has not changed at all. "Sakura," I say through gritted teeth as I push chakra into her system, a desperate attempt to keep the monster in her body from eating at her life force. "I can't explain things right now. Arrange a meeting in 4 hours at the stadium outside of the village." A bead of sweat trickles down my temple from the strain. "Why such a large area?" Sakura asks. "Because I need every leaf shinobi available to attend; along with the villagers of Konoha who have lost immediate family members in the 4th great ninja war. It's about time the leaf realizes the debt we all owe this girl."