Tsunade's POV

"What do you mean, there's been a breakout?!"

"Please calm down Lady Tsunade, your blood pressure." Shizune placed a caring hand on my arm.

"I don't care, Anbu." I turned to my informant. "Who's responsible? What are the guards doing?"

"They're placing the remaining criminals behind bars miss. Though many are still present, at least a hundred have gone missing."

"Remaining criminals?" I asked standing and beckoning the anbu to follow me.

"Yes, it appears as though this rebellion was well organized, they abandoned more than half their comrades, tied them up and left them in the court. We are assuming they did this to stall the guards."

"You're kidding." I had thought that maybe the prisoners had finally united but it seems I was wrong. What could they be thinking, leaving most in the prison. Mutiny perhaps? Do they even have a 'political' system within their ranks?

Then Jiraiya's words came floating back to me. If it's unorthodox it's probably Akira… The old fool and I had had a few talks after recent events and those had been his last few words of advice. I hadn't seen him since.

I mourned the loss of my peaceful morning, knowing my day was about to drag on a lot longer. We passed an open window and I paused letting the cool breeze wash over me, and it was still only mid-morning. I held back a pitiful sigh, may as well get this over with.

Naruto's POV

I heard the alarms from the prison and sat up, rubbing my sleep filled eyes. It was early morning and I had been in the hospital about a week. Sasuke really hadn't held back…

When Kakashi found me and carried me back, I had expected to see Akira. I wanted to apologize not only to Sakura and her for losing Sasuke but for getting so mad. It really wasn't Akira's fault… and it hurt… it hurt to remember hurting her. I just wanted to tell her I'm sorry and hope she forgives me, but she never came to visit.

Later on, Sakura and Kakashi paid a visit. Sakura had said that she was surprised Akira wasn't there and that was when I heard Kakashi-sensei say that he hadn't seen her… not since he left… At first I didn't think anything of it, but I got to thinking and when Kakashi-sensei visited a second time without Sakura it just came out.

"I'm sorry!" I blurted out before he'd even said anything.

His visible eye widened and there was a momentary pause before he finally said something, "What for?"

"…It's my fault she's gone."

"Naruto, Akira's disappearance isn't your fault. She's probably just off on another crazy scheme of hers. She'll be back before you know it."

I shook my head, "No…we had a fight. Before I went after Sasuke. I- I really hurt her."

"Words can hurt but she'll forgive you, you're her best friend." I knew he was giving me a smile but I couldn't look at him.

"No, it wasn't just words." I mumbled. "I used rasengan on her." A silent tear traveled down my cheek. She left because of me, because of the nine-tails, because I couldn't stop my anger. It's my fault neither of them are here. Sasuke, Akira, I'm sorry.

Kakashi's POV

It had been days since Naruto had told me about Akira. I was still having a difficult time believing he used rasengan on her but Jiraiya confirmed it. I just couldn't understand what had happened to my team…Minato-sensei, Obito, Rin maybe I wasn't cut out to be a teacher, please keep Akira safe.

I kept aimlessly wandering in hopes of catching a glimpse of her, maybe then I'd get a straight answer. I had left for a short two day mission and look what happens. Naruto's in the hospital, Sasuke's a missing-nin, Sakura's become depressed, and Akira's just disappeared.

Naruto was no help in explaining the situation either, my visit to the hospital sent him to the verge of tears. He had refused to look me in the eye the entire visit no matter how much I asked him to. He just continued blaming himself for everything. He had fought with Akira before she disappeared, it had gotten pretty serious and when we returned…well, it seemed as though she had gone into hiding. There were no signs of her, and it was about time I asked the Lady Hokage for some assistance.

Entering the Hokage's office, I saw her hunched over her desk, head cradled with forms piled high around her.

"What do you want?" She snapped at me.

"Lady Hokage? I came to ask you for assistance." She finally looked up from her paper scrutinizing me. "It seems Akira has disappeared."

If I hadn't been an anbu I would never have noticed, but, her face showed guilt and worry. "Kakashi I think you should have a seat, I have something to tell you."

"You put Akira in jail?!"

"It was the council's decision. Even you have to admit she can be a bit reckless, the council thought she was too dangerous." She gritted her teeth, judging from the sake bottles scattered around the room she is currently experiencing an alcohol induced headache. I felt no empathy towards her.

"She's a 13 year old kid, how dangerous could she be?"

"Kakashi, you saw those manuscripts, you know of her summoning, how can you say she's not dangerous? She's one of the most dangerous 13 year olds in the world right now."

"She is under my custody, I'm giving her bail. She's coming home with me."

Tsunade winced looking away. "Is that a problem, Lady Hokage?" I asked narrowing my eye.

"Yes there is a slight…problem. I know you're her only relative here but," She stood pacing to the window. "You can't bail out a missing person."

"I think I misheard you just now, what did you say?" I asked praying that she hadn't said what I knew she had said.

"She's missing."

"What? What do you mean she's missing?"

"We're not sure on this but she may have been a part of the break out. My anbu are looking into the matter. But Kakashi, you should be prepared. If she was a part of this, she'll be branded a criminal. It won't be like Sasuke, she would have to be hunted, brought back alive…or dead."

"That's a bit unreasonable, Akira would never be a part of something like this. She does what she does because she doesn't know any better but she can tell when something is truly wrong." Tsunade looked about to argue that and I was ready to defend my daughter when hurried footsteps rushed down the hall.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune barged through the door. "The security tapes show- Ah, um Kakashi, I didn't know you two were in a meeting. Sorry milady." She bowed and was about to shut the door when Tsunade stopped her.

"Shizune, he knows. What have you found?"

"Oh," Her eyes glancing to me before returning steadily to Tsunade. "It would appear that Akira was not present for at least a few days within the prison. There were no signs that she assisted in the break out…well, aside from the speculation amongst the guards that is."

"What speculations?" I asked, noting that my voice sounded more at ease.

"The guards say the prisoners escaped using bubble solution, they have no idea how the prisoners got a hold of them but…"

"I understand Shizune. Kakashi, what do you make of this 'speculation'?"

Akira… "I don't know why you seem to be suspecting Akira of this, so the prisoners created a lot of bubbles to form a make-shift screen, there are many types of people in there and- what is it Shizune?" Shizune kept shaking her head back and forth, looking down with sad eyes.

"You don't understand, the bubbles, they could explode on contact with the wall. Akira's infamy with explosives has recently traveled to many circles amongst the nin, it's no surprise they suspect her."

"If it's unorthodox, it's probably Akira." Tsunade mumbled and as much as I wanted to I couldn't really argue that.

"So if she's not with the prisoners…" I began.

"Then where is she now…" Tsunade ended.

Naruto's POV

It's been a day since they let me out of the hospital and I still hadn't heard from Akira. I sat on my bed staring around at my empty room, everything was cleaned and I was packed. Pervy-sage didn't say how long we'd be gone for but I had hoped to see Akira before we left, at least once. I sighed picking up my backpack. Time to leave.

Two swift knocks at the door and Kakashi-sensei walked in, "Uh…sensei?"

"Naruto, I heard you were leaving." His eye traveled to the backpack. "Looks like I caught you in time. I have something to tell you. It's about Akira."

"Yeah?"

"She's disappeared. We don't know how long she's been gone for and that alone is worry enough. I don't mean to burden you, Naruto. But I need you to keep an eye out for her while you travel. If you see her, tell her to come home."

"Whoa, wait a second here! You're telling me that she just disappeared? You're her dad!? You should know where she is always."

"I know, I know. Naruto calm down. It happened a few days after Sasuke left maybe even the day after, I was gone and so were you. This is important. Find Akira and send her home."

"Even if I do find her, she won't talk to me."

Kakashi-sensei's shoulders slumped, "Naruto, you are important to her. If you ask her to listen, I have no doubt that she will. Now Jiraiya is waiting, you better go. Don't forget to lock up." He patted me on the shoulder and left me alone to my thoughts.

I looked at the small key in my hand, remembering how Akira changed the lock. I began remembering everything that had happened involving her, and without realizing tears trailed across my cheeks. If I ever saw her again, I'll apologize and…I'll tell her everything I couldn't tell her when she was right in front of me.

Tsunade's POV

I heard the door to my office open and one of my guards stepped in. "Lady Hokage." He kneeled.

"Did you find anything in the tapes?"

"No miss, there is no sign of her."

"She must have been amongst the prisoners. She's a 13 year old girl, are you sure you looked closely enough. She could have been mixed in."

"Miss, we've scanned over the past few days of tapes and it seems she hasn't been seen in days."

"Days? Where could she have gone?"

"We're not sure. It's as though she just disappeared."

I looked out over Konoha, "She must still be within the village. Do everything you can to track her down. Dimissed."

With that I was left to my thoughts, a 13 year old can't just disappear from the tapes. Someone had to have tampered with them… I'd love it to be Danzo, with enough evidence I could shut down ROOT and he'd be behind bars. I really should send those letters to the Kages, maybe they could keep an eye out for her? No, it's impossible for her to get that far. There's a reason there are border patrols.