Barren.

The thriving village of Konohagakure was just as normal as any other shinobi village.

You had your gossiping civilians crowding the market places and teahouses like old ladies discussing the latest bachelor for their daughters or sons. Then you had the ninjas surfing the roofs or shadows, and if they happened to be one of those poor, unfortunate sexy souls, they put their well-accumulated shinobi skills to work and avoided the fan girls. Now, the fan girls certainly struck up the 'run-for-you-life' feeling. On most accounts they were most swift, sneakier than any shinobi, and when they least expected it, the Konohagakure fan-guild united attacked.

Luckily for the very appealing, the police force was like hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. They left no table unturned, or crevices unchecked. And while most would perceive them has boisterous and unjust, they were merely misguided by the strictness from the head, Uchiha Fugaku, and he didn't discriminate, especially not when the village council civilian members were looking for every excuse to overthrow shinobi's. Not forgetting Danzo lurking around. Now, Danzo was the Root founder, and like any sane person would notice, he emitted nothing but bad vibes. He, along with his lackeys, made up the shady group of the Konohagakure population.

But alas, as village hierarchy goes, every shinobi village had a leader, and Konohagakure's Hokage – blonde, busty, and drop-dead bombshell – Senju Tsunade, was not your average leader. Along with being an alcoholic, maybe having some anger management issues, not forgetting the debates about her true age, she spiced up her paperwork filled life with classic wit as entertainment for anyone who entered her not-so-sacred premise. So it wasn't unusual when shinobi's flickered into her office for their mission report, but what was unusual was when team seven came bustling through her door with a crazed blonde and no pink in sight.

"Explain." Tsunade said, her tone not betraying any emotion. She fingered the drawer that kept her precious alcohol as she stared down Kakashi and Sasuke restraining Naruto by his arms as he kicked and growled.

Kakashi spoke. "Mission was a success, I would give you the written report and the scroll, but as you can see my hands are tied."

"…Continue."

"On our back we encountered," Kakashi searched for the right word, "A mishap…"

Tsunade nodded slowly, eyes not moving from the struggling Naruto. "Obviously."

Kakashi cleared his throat. "As I was saying, Naruto found a woman in a lake. We were compelled to bring her back along with us. Sakura is currently admitting her into the hospital."

And if that wasn't alerting enough, the next few words had her exploding. "You brought a stranger into my village?"

"…Naruto was determined to not let her go and since then he has been changing back and forth. Kyuubi's influence I suspected but when asked, he said Kyuubi was silent."

There was a pregnant pause aside from the animalistic sounds coming from Naruto. Tsunade released a long sigh. She suddenly looked very exhausted.

"Take me back! I want to go to her!" Naruto screamed. His eyes flickered from blue to tinged pink. He tried to break free and he could have, but that required full power and while he still had a bit of sanity in him, he didn't want to harm his friends. He was already having it bad with this clenching and unclenching feeling at the pit of his stomach.

"Naruto!" Tsunade bellowed. "Control yourself."

"You don't understand, you old hag! I have to go to her!"

"You know her?"

"No!"

"Then why?"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Slamming her hands onto her desk, Tsunade stood up not caring when her chair fell fro the sudden move. The clattering sound of mettle meeting ground set a distinctive silence in the room. Even Naruto had calmed.

"Kakashi, Sasuke, take Naruto to isolation. I'll send Jiraiya to check his seals. In the meanwhile, Sasuke you will stay with Naruto. Kakashi inform Ibiki to keep this afternoon clear and come find me at the hospital. Go!"

She didn't wait to see them leave; instead she pulled open the drawer and took out the bottle of alcohol. This called for booze indeed. Pouring herself a glass, she drank the solution in one gulp.

"Shizune!" Her ever so attentive assistant appeared, but her disapproval look towards the bottle was not lost to Tsunade. So she did what she did best in that situation- she guised it. "Fucking idiot brought a stranger into Konohagakure. Deploy four ANBU's and send them to the hospital to meet me."

"Right away."

It was always the same darkness that haunted her. The same whispers in the shadows that ghosted through her ears. The same coldness, the same sting, the same touch of hell that belonged to her. Her name carved mockingly within the abyss and if she wasn't so traumatized, she'd laugh. Maybe it was her naivety, or her innocence, because whatever it was she was clearly not with favour despite fulfilling her destiny and ridding her world of Naraku.

Her fate and destiny had removed her one most precious child. And the reality of that matter did not do well with her.

She was back in the jewel. Magastuhi's deep chuckles resonated around her and through her. She shivered out of disgust and loss, but not fear. She couldn't bring herself to fear the dark soul that inhabited the jewel. Her biggest fear had already confronted her and she failed.

If she had a choice, she'd rather bury herself deep within a lake with her miserable mistakes.

The little fox trusted you; jewel, and you could not save him?

He taunted. Again and again and again. She hated that name he'd gotten accustomed to calling her. But she had no will to retaliate. Her mind tried to fight him off, but she was helpless. Only a miracle could save her this time.

Even the shikon is powerless.

And she knew that. She did. It was her fault after all. The loss of her kit and the jewels powerless state. Lost in bling rage seeking only red, she'd forgotten who she was and gave in. Her light that once shun so bright, now only flickered.

Though I admire the shikon's loyalty towards you. It still wishes to save you, jewel.

She didn't know why the jewel was so adamant on keeping her. She just wanted it to end. To forget. To not feel the emptiness weighing inside her. She didn't want to be here, floating away in the darkness, drowning in the depth of nothing.

Unfortunately for her, the Shikon had other plans. It believed and hoped, something she had forgone. So when the Shikon felt the brush of a familiar aura, it made sure she was aware. And by Kami was she aware.

Her need to grab hold onto that familiarity fuelled her. She was blinded, she knew, but she needed this. She needed to apologise, she needed to say goodbye- she wanted her kit back. She was so lost in amber hues that she didn't protect her kit.

Magatsuhi tried to drown her deeper, pull her down into his darkness and she fought tooth and nail to reach out the familiarity. She called it towards her, her aura pulsing around her and pushing out of the magical sphere. It was only when she felt the aura pulse back that she gave into Magastuhi's pull. It was coming, it had heard her, and it was coming for her.

Shikon rejoiced. She succumbed. But Magastuhi was not done yet.

Do not think for a moment that I will stay idle. I'll take everything and make you new, little jewel. You will be mine.

With his last words, she was pierced with what felt like needles. It tempered with her thoughts, her memories, and her soul. She could feel herself fade bit by bit. Every crevice and corner of her spilling into a binding that even she could not break out of.

She reached out. She saw light.

Save me.

The second Kakashi left the isolation room; Sasuke was on Naruto with an iron grip and the sharingan peering deep into his tinged hues.

"Explain."

Naruto growled, shaking off Sasuke. He glared through at the locked door that Sasuke currently blocked.

"Teme, I'm not playing around any more," Naruto said, his tone growing deeper and feral with every word spat. "Get out of my way or else."

Sasuke stomped on Naruto's threat. "Answer me first."

"There's no time! Why don't you understand?"

"Then make me understand," Sasuke stood straight, forgoing his defensive stance. He placed the kunai he had taken out back into its pouch without breaking eye contact with Naruto. Another silence passed and calls it his greediness of answers or the heart of a friend, but Sasuke was compelled to softly add, "Naruto, let me help you."

Maybe that was what caused Naruto to calm. He stared at Sasuke with wide eyes and for the first time, he didn't feel the streak of competitiveness he always felt when it came to the second heir of the Uchiha clan.

"…Sasuke…" he softly whispered back. Sighing, his body sagged. "I-I don't know. She called to me. That's as good as I can explain it. I felt a pull. Inside me. And I tried to fight it, but I couldn't control myself. So when I gave in, I saw her. And she told me to save her and I know what you're thinking. Me going crazy. You think its Kyuubi, but its not! It's not! He's not harping like he does normally. So it's weird to have him quiet. But, I have to go to her! Understand that much."

His ramble was hard to comprehend. There was so much going on and Sasuke didn't know where to start. It wasn't hard to tell that he was a practical and analytical guy. He liked logic. He liked straightforward answers. And that was not what he was expecting, but since it was Naruto, he should have expected that.

"I knew she wasn't a simple civilian. She must have done something."

"Whatever it is, we can figure that out later. Let me go to her, please."

With that tone and pleading expression, Sasuke couldn't say no, but he wasn't about to let Naruto know he was affected. "Whatever dobe, I just want to know what she is. This has nothing to do with you."

The Uchiha infamous smugness was ever so present. Naruto grinned widely. He took a step forward only to be stopped.

"But," Sasuke added with a stern tone. His sharingan shined brightly. "You'll have to keep it under control. One wrong move, dobe, you're back in here."

"Tch, don't underestimate me, teme."

It didn't take them long to reach the hospital. Being the great jounin's that they were, Sasuke and Naruto hid by a nearby building, one that directly faced the woman's room, with utmost stealth. They would have sneaked in closer, but ANBU had already been stationed; two by the door, and two in the room, just out of sight from the windows.

"Fuck. Why are they there?"

"Don't be stupid. Unknown woman brought into the village while there's a shinobi rivalry going on, of course Hokage would have her on watch."

"But it's just a minor conflict. Not like a war is about to breakout."

Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Just shut up." He wondered how great his patience must have been to be able to tolerate seven years of this clown.

Peering into the white room, they noted that only the woman was there along with her two securities. She was now clad in hospital gown, though still unconscious.

Naruto scrunched up his face. "I feel weird."

Casting him a side glace, Sasuke shifted in case he needed to move quick. "You're not turning, are you?"

"No, not turning." He was still uncomfortable. "I don't know what it is." Naruto finally said. "She called out to me, and it's like she still is. I tried to ask Kyuubi, but he's not saying a word."

"Hn," Sasuke pondered, trying to theorise what he was just told. "I'll speak to Ky-"

"NO!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke hissed, slamming the blonde's head down into the safe cover of the building.

"Don't yell, dobe, we could have been caught."

Naruto was about to apologise, but it seemed a certain annoyance had snuck up on them instead.

"Too late for that," it wasn't hard to identify the deep thrumming voice they both knew all too well. Both jounin's stiffened in their crouched position. "…Little brother, Uzumaki."

Turning around slowly, they both looked up the looming dominant figure. Uchiha Itachi was nothing, but intimidating and his presence alone demanded attention and submission. It was just too bad that there was a one-sided brotherly rivalry when it came to Sasuke, and Naruto was apparently spared the obvious intimidation (or he was just too dense and oblivious to lurking danger).

"Itachi." Sasuke growled out, standing up to his full height. His glower only deepened when he still had to look up to the taller Uchiha male.

And Naruto, without a care, stood up with a roll of his eyes. "Teme." He greeted like he usually did.

And of course, Itachi was not fazed, nor bothered. His stoic mask, solemn and refined, betrayed no emotion at all.

"I didn't know you were coming back today." Sasuke sneered.

"An extra week is not needed, I am more than capable in my missions." The bite in that statement alone was enough to have Sasuke riling. Thanks to Naruto's sudden hold of his shoulder, Sasuke held back. For now.

"We were just about to leave. Nice seeing ya, teme."

The two disappeared leaving Itachi alone. He was not so easily fooled. The mangekyou sharingan swirled in his eyes as he ignored the prickling sting that came along with it. He looked into the hospital room. It wasn't hard to miss the blaring ANBU signature, but what housed the room had caught his definitive attention. He didn't see anything worth his time. A civilian with little chakra and by his high standards, pretty useless too. About to jump away, he caught it. From the peripheral of his vision, the slight movement of something other than chakra.

It was raw energy. Directly linked to the soul where most of her essence was found. It was bright pink and while it flowed, it didn't flow freely. Untapped? Hidden? Or maybe sealed?

Head tilted to the side, Itachi let a rare smile spread against his lips.

He wanted to know.

"An enigma, indeed."

Her head hurt.

Groaning she fought against the strain in her muscles and the throbbing pain in her head. She tried to sit up but the burden was too heavy. Her breath laboured, energy already used up, as she tried once again only to fall back onto the soft bedding.

Where am I? I don't remember anything…

With a gasp, she reeled back into the soft bed when cool fingers touched her bare arm.

"Don't worry, I'm a medic. Does your head hurt?" The same cool fingers spreading against her forehead with a prickling sting.

Her eyes slowly flickered open to bubble gum pink. She winced.

"Here, let me help you sit up." The woman with pink hair gave her a supporting push on her back. Once seated, she filled a plastic cup with water and plopped in a straw. "I'm Sakura, my teammate found you in a lake. We had to bring you back." Sakura spoke while she helped the woman drink.

Taking in her pale complexion, dark raven hair and pale pink lips, Sakura concluded that despite her natural beauty, her cerulean hues took the cherry of the cake. It was striking, really surprising too.

Bowing her head in thanks, she relaxed against the pillows. "Thank you." She managed to croak out. Just then she noticed the other two people in the same room. Clad in black with silver armour and animal masks, her heart rate picked up in fear.

What are they?

"Don't worry about them, they're just on guard. Pretend they're not there" Sakura said, busying her hands with other tasks. "I will be back."

It was easy to say to just ignore the strangers, but hard to do. Her eyes kept going back to them, and the masks that they wore didn't help quell her uneasiness. While in the midst of trying to put on a blind eye towards the mask bearing strangers, her eyes caught something more interesting out the window.

She saw three males conversing. What really intrigued her was the yellow haired male.

Her pulse quickened. She couldn't see his face, but his aura was more than enough to affect her. Like a ghost his aura washed over her and floored her. He seemed familiar, but not. She still couldn't remember anything. Where she was, what she was doing, hoe she ended up here. Apparently she was found in a lake. Did she fall in? Pushed in? Drowning?

Oddly enough, though, there was no surge of panic. Even more odd, there was only loss. An emptiness she could not name.

Maybe, because I have no memories, I feel…lost?

Broken out of her thoughts when two of the males she stalked disappear into thin air, her breath got caught in her throat. The one male who styed behind screamed danger, especially when his black eyes suddenly appeared red with three black spots swirling within.

Red…So much red…

He looked right through her. It felt like he had stripped away her flesh and was looking into her soul. She noted how he wore the same clothes as the strangers in the room with her. His emotionless face was locked in focus. There were two distinctive wrinkles located diagonally under his eyes- stress? Maybe, but she shook her head of those thoughts. She reprimanded herself. It was no time to worry about his stress level; she still had to figure herself out.

His eyes shifted. And suddenly he was looking right at her. Once again her breath was caught in her throat. Not having any time to comprehend, he too disappeared.

How odd.

Feeling depleted, she fell back. Getting rid of the red-eyed male form her mind; she put her thoughts on trying to ignore the two standing in the corners, even when though her no longer concerned her at all.

The next time Sakura came, she didn't come alone. Along with her was blonde woman. Her forehead adorned a little diamond and while that was interesting and all, the other male the came also was by far very mysterious. Gravity defying silver hair, with a strange headband covering his left eye and a mask that covered the rest of his face leaving the right eye uncovered- am I missing out on something? How strange.

"Ah, you're awake." The blonde woman spoke first. "Senju Tsunade, Hokage of Konoha. You are?"

She was confused, but her name came to her by instinct. "…Kagome."

"Just Kagome?"

That took Kagome by surprise. She didn't have an answer. "I…just Kagome…"

Sakura handed Tsunade a clipboard. "You're quite stable for a drowning victim. No water in your lungs, unexplained unconsciousness. Like you were in a coma instead, only underwater." Tsunade said looking over the patient documents.

Kagome flinched at her tone. She wrecked her brain of any memory, anything to help her answer, but her mind was blank.

"Kagome," Sakura started. She stepped forward with a tentative step, a smile on her lips. "Do you know what village you're from?"

"Village? I don't know. I don't know where I am. I don't know what a hokage is, or what Konoha is. " Still, she could not feel the frustration from not having any memory. It was oddly solemn. "I don't remember anything."

Tsunade did not bat an eye.

"Yet you're very calm for a patient with memory loss." She accused, her face was smeared with a mocking frown. When Kagome didn't reply, Tsunade blew a sigh of annoyance. "According to your stats there is no physical damage to your brain. Perhaps is psychological, but we'll have that sorted soon."

Kagome didn't know what she meant, but by the sounds of it, it didn't sound good. At least, not for her.

"The stupid brat brought you in without my permission, so you are currently under strict watch. Hatake here, "She nodded towards the silver-haired male who nodded at her in greeting, "Will be taking care of you. "

Not waiting for Kagome to speak, she turned around and faced the other two.

"Have her ready for Ibiki in the next five minutes. I'm counting on you and the brats, Kakashi." Before stepping out the door, she called out to the other two strangers. "You're both dismissed."

Kagome remained quiet, but tensed. Her body was stiff, not knowing what will happen, or more specifically, to her.

"Kakashi."

"What?" She looked up to the man now standing just a few inches away from her. "You can call me Kakashi."

"But be very careful, he's a pervert." Sakura warned snidely.

She didn't know what to make of that, but she nodded anyway. Especially not when the two males she noticed before came barrelling in through the door.

"And I'm Uzumaki Naruto! The one who saved you!" the blonde exclaimed with a glorifying pose. "And this here is teme!"

The 'teme' brooded with an angry expression.

"Uchiha Sasuke." He bit harshly, still glaring at the exuberant male. But even if he was a bit put off with his stolen introduction, Sasuke had never felt the need to gut his loud teammate as he did at that moment. All the growling and snarls, with his desperate monologue and now this, how anti-climatic.

Kakashi slammed his face into his palm. "You're supposed to be in isolation- Sasuke, I expected you to at least follow orders." Said teen merely huffed.

"Don't worry, pervy-sensei, I've got it under control! Believe it!"

And while it was shocking, it was too much for her to take in, especially when she came out of her supposed coma with no memory. So, Kagome did the only thing could do in that situation-

She passed out.


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