The mist around her grew thicker. Her heartbeat seemed amplified, the sound of it heavy on her ears, the beat of it steady. The damp, moist surroundings made it difficult to breathe correctly. Even after months of being stationed here, she would never get used to it. And now she wouldn't have to anymore. Death was close.

"Kushina....call for backup one more time, maybe they'll send someone this time." A voice from the mist. Kushina thought it was her friend and fellow Chuunin, April, but she wasn't sure. The mist had clouded her head too much.

The radio had been nothing but fuzz for about fifteen minutes, or was it fifteen hours? Days? She didn't know anymore. There was just the mist, and the occasional sound of battle somewhere outside of it. The radio....that's right...backup.

She put it to her lips and pressed the button on top. No sound seemed to come out of her mouth. She couldn't talk no matter how she tried. The mist got thicker. Something was wrong. With her? No...with the mist. This mist...it's....strange.

"Kushina....the radio....call for..." The voice again. It was definitely April.

The radio cackled once, a voice barely making it through the fuzz. She couldn't hear April anymore, couldn't feel the other Chuunin at her side. What had happened to the rest of her squad?

"Whirlpool squad alpha...come in! Squad alpha, do you copy?"

It was a man's voice. Something told Kushina to reply, but no sound came out. She tried to talk, to tell the man that alpha squad was still there, but the mist grew thicker and the radio fell from her hand.

"Reinforcements en route. Alpha squad, get out of there! I repeat, get out of that area! The Mizukage has created some mist that disrupts communications and clouds judgment! DO NOT go in the mist!"

A warning. Kushina acknowledged it. She made it a point to remember not to go into any mist. But this was Kirigakue, and there was mist everywhere. How was that supposed to work? All of a sudden the mist started to evaporate and the area around her became clear. She spotted April, lying in the mud in a pool of blood. Her head had been cracked open by what looked like a kunai wound.

Slowly, her senses became clearer and she could think straight again. An alarm sounded in her head as she remembered the warning from the walkie talkie. A mist...that clouds judgment. She and April had been caught in it. And now April was dead. She had gotten careless and led her friend into a trap. Tears almost came but she held them back. Now was not the time to grieve.

Picking up her radio, she located the nearest building and hunkered down inside. She could feel enemy chakra levels approaching her position, and fast. She only hoped the reinforcements that had been promised to the area would arrive quickly. She estimated that she only had about five or six minutes left.

Picking up April's body, she moved it to the building she was in. She wouldn't let her friend's body be left here. As she was doing so, she sensed more chakra levels coming from behind her, but these were different. Much different. These must be the reinforcements promised her, and it looked as if they would arrive before the enemy shinobi.

They came into sight around a bend in the road a few hundred meters. There was a natural fog in the air, so it was hard to catch a good glimpse at them. Her heart immediately sunk. Only one squad...what the hell where they thinking? How are they supposed to beat so many enemies with only three people?

But as they came closer, Kushina saw that they were like no ninja she had even seen before. She began to raise her kunai but the chakra levels were so high that all she could do was gape. She couldn't lift a finger, even if it was the enemy. The three ninja planted themselves in front of her and she took in their appearance.

Two of them had masks on. They must be ANBU. They were decorated too, awards and medals up and down their jounin vests. The one in the middle was where the chakra power was coming from though. He stood almost a head taller than the ANBU, and his vest was full of decorations. She went to her knees immediately and bowed her head. She brought her eyes up to look at him, and she noticed the one thing she knew she'd find. His golden hair, damp from the moisture in the air, sat on his head, spiky and bordered by a shinobi headband bearing the Konoha symbol on its crest. Impossible.

"What's the situation here ma'am?" The Yellow Flash asked, crossing his arms and examining his surroundings. The moisture and the dampness did not seem to exist to him, and if it did, he showed no signs that it had an affect. Kushina was still tongue tied, amazed that they sent such a shinobi for reinforcements.

"Um....I....my squad was....ambushed....caught in the mist." She sputtered, barely managing to pronounce everything correctly.

"I see. Can you still fight?"

"Yes, I'm unharmed...but the rest of my squad...."

"Good. I need you to assist these ANBU here in escorting some civilians we stumbled upon. Get them to safety." The Yellow Flash ordered.

He walked past Kushina and she shuddered. She stood up and headed towards the two ANBU, who handed her a kunai with a strange seal wrapped around the handle. One of them spoke, in a deep voice, directly to her.

"We'll need you to throw one of these at the enemy shinobi approaching our position. Get them as close as you can. Minato-sama will take care of the rest." Kushina took the kunai and prepared to throw it.

"On three. One....two....three!" Three kunai flew past the Yellow Flash just as the Kirigakure ninja came into view through the trees ahead. Kushina looked back at this "Minato" but was shocked to see him gone. The Kirigakure ninja fell as one, dozens of them falling straight to the ground, wisps of blood hanging in the air before falling.

One of the ANBU tapped her on the shoulder and sped off, prompting her to follow. She didn't dare look back.

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So that's the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it, even though it was kind of boring. Please REVIEW. I love reviews, they're almost as good as cookies. XD

Chapter 2 coming soon!