Well..

That's certainly one way to do it. Who knew it would be that easy?

Her step faltered as she turned one last time to look at the Konoha Gates.

She could hear Sakura-chan screaming her name even over the carefully planned chaos created by her clones.. But it was too late.

Now or never.

That fucking brat.

Boar signalled at the rest of the team to speed up.

Fucking fast brat.

Personally he wasn't that invested in the mission. It was the Kyuubi container, after all. Wouldn't the entire Shinobi Nations be happier without all of those abominations? Still, he could understand the tactical reasoning behind the council's decision-for Konoha to be weakend after the invasion by Sound? Admissable, not as though they could have advoided it on their own home ground. For it to be known that Konoha had been so stupid to lose its only fucking jinchuriki? Not.

Already the little Iwa shits were sending over discreet inquiries as to Konoha's state. (Discreet for them, anyway. Generally speaking they were all as dumb as the rocks that they lived on.)

Of course the Kumo dogs weren't even trying to be subtle: they'd already started to blatantly cross over the Hi no Kuni border without permission. (And been suitably eliminated/torn to pieces as they deserved!)

No word from the Mist fuckers, though he snorted out loud. Cat looked warily at him.

The problem was that the Leaf could scarce afford another blow but did the fucking demon care? Of course not.

Just you wait until I get my hands on you.

Sweat rolled down her face as she ran.

Will I make it?

Just a bit more.. Just-

Pain in the back of her head.

Suddenly she was being roughly lifted backwards and lifting her face to look in the faces of… A group of Anbu shinobi.

Great, just what I need when I'm so close to Degarashi Port!

"Uzumaki Naruto you are hereby arrested and will be taken back to the village to face trial in the face of your desertion."

Well shit.

A flash and then nothing.

"HEY!"

"HEY can you hear me or are you stupid? Let me out of here!"

A loud thump punctuated the shout.

Cat looked away from the Mokuton Cage, grimacing behind his mask at the reckless behaviour. Didn't she know that an irritated Anbu equaled signing a death warrant? There were technically trained to be faultlessly obedient and disciplined but..

He glanced in Boar's direction. Not everyone has attained the necessary level of control to deal with one Uzumaki Naruto, apparently. He chased away any shred of amusement. If one of his fellow shinobi were about to endanger the mission, after all, he would be forced to interfere before any harm came to the prisoner.

Never mind the thought of seeing disappointment in his taicho's eye if he happened to lose another genin.

If the tightly clenched fists were any accurate indication Boar was on the verge of snapping in three, two..

But before he could move to interfere-

Kawarimi no jutsu.

From his new vantage point he placed the placed the cage on a branch and looked down to observe the happenings below. He saw Boar and Donkey fall with a thud to the ground. They didn't get up.

He cursed as five masked shinobi-not Konoha's-surrounded Hawk. What would he do now? He couldn't guard and fight-

"LET. ME. OUT!"

Calm down. She's just an idiot genin with no idea that we're being attacked. You know taicho would never forgive you if you strangled her.

This time he was the one to give a kick to the box.

"If you want to live" he hissed "You might want to shut up."

…

Silence.

Then, a whispered "W-What's happening out there, datteba-yo?!"

"We're being attacked."

He sighed. He couldn't let Uzumaki die but he had to help Hawk, so-

Release.

As the cage opened the girl inside jumped out.

"You're letting me out, dattebayo?! Tha-"

"Not now. Go. I'll retrieve you later."

And with that he was gone.

Well.. that's convenient. Is this a trap? Do they want to see how far I can get before they catch me?

A kunai thunked in the tree right next to her.

..That's a no, then?

Giddy with adrenaline Naru spared only one quick look to the Konoha Anbu fighting-they were Anbu afterall, and she had to take any opportunity where she could find it-before fleeing.

See ya!

Once she'd regained her bearings she realised that the Anbu hadn't really ruined her progress at all. Judging by the view she was still in Tea Country and not far from her destination.

Then, three hours later, Naru was sitting with her legs crisscrossed in a cramped crate on a boat to Taro, a few kage bunshin as decoys boarded on another to Sunagakure-where they expect me to go-with none of her village's shinobi the wiser. They hadn't realised her real intentions after all. This was no impulsive action-it was all planned. Had been since the old man had died and the council had taken over as a temporary leadership ad interim-a bunch of old jeezers that didn't like her. Naru didn't like them-these people that suddenly wanted to take jiji's place, that took her off Team Seven and kept her isolated from everyone else. How was she supposed to get stronger without training? Enough to bring the teme back? They hadn't liked it when the ero-sennin had taken her out of the village to find the old hag so she could become the next Hokage-Naru could tell. Baa-chan was supposed to become the Godaime.. But she hadn't.

And Naruto knew she had to leave.