A/N: Okay, couple of quick notes. First, if anyone cares - according to my dictionary, Shinkirou means mirage. You'll see why. Second, I've tried to keep the characters as IC as possible, but considering the environment I've put them in, please don't be too offended if a character you like doesn't behave the way they normally do.

Thank you to this story's reviewers: iNsAnE nO bAkA, WhyMustIWrite and Micah.n10. And lastly, I don't own anything in Konoha - not even a ramen bowl.


The figure moved silently, sandaled feet slipping over the stone without making so much as a whisper. A hesitation – the slightest of rustles, paper against silk – and the figure moved again, finally coming to a rest, sheltered against the ruins of what was once a high wall. The night was still, silent under the absent light of the new moon.

Anyone looking out of their windows would have seen nothing, heard nothing. Not that anyone would have looked. ANBU was for daylight, was slightly approachable as long as you stayed within the acceptable boundaries. But once the sun went down… All of Konoha's people knew that it was not wise to risk accidentally catching sight of ROOT's operatives. Rumors had it that people had disappeared for less. Parents tacked their children's curtains drawn to prevent the curious from sights that were not safe to see.

But long moments – an eternity of silence, of stillness – later, and there was once again movement in the darkness. A form stepped warily into view, caution evident in every line of muscle. A voice – quiet, male, but so young – sounded. Not in a whisper – never a whisper, because whispers carried – but low nonetheless, he dared to speak. "Are you here?"

The first figure moved again, stepping into the teen's line of sight. "I am." The soft, high voice revealed the figure to be female, but also young. "What can you tell us?"

The teenager was not quite able to repress a startled flinch, sending his shoulder-length black hair swinging. "They plan to cull the children in a week. Friday night, I think. They will probably take her. Then there are two who haven't shown potential yet, and a third who is sickly. That's in this clan. Shiro says there are none in her clan who are in danger this time, but Kin and Kuro haven't been able to get me intel on their clans yet."

The girl nodded, the motion almost imperceptible. "We'll try and get in touch with him. Thank you, we –" her head snapped up, voice sharpening in sudden urgency. "Someone's coming!" As the pair broke apart, the girl murmured quickly. "Be careful, Brother."

Agonizing seconds later, as Neji lay in his bed wishing that he could have risked the chakra spike to activate the Byakugon, he murmured under his breath for a girl who was – he hoped – safely gone. "No, you be careful… Hinata."

-one week later-

Kakashi stood still, his face unreadable even despite being hidden behind the white ANBU mask. His one visible eye moved periodically over the crowd gathered around him, but he consciously tried not to take in their faces. He tried to occupy himself with his own thoughts, but as always, even they betrayed him. 'I'm not sure anymore which one I hate more – HIM for doing this, or myself for allowing it.'

One member of the crowd – Hyuuga Hizashi, he realized – placed a hand briefly on his arm, squeezing quickly before dropping it back into place at his side. 'This must be even more painful for him.' the Copy Ninja realized. 'His clan supported Danzo, and look how he betrayed them. He broke down the walls around their House, killed a number of their strongest shinobi and put Uchiha watchdogs on their steps. And now there is nothing that they can do as the children of their clan are "culled", the strongest taken for ROOT and the weakest either killed or sealed, their chakra completely inaccessible. He can't even be there, only the children, the Clan Head and the tester.'

It was wrong, horrendous even, but at the beginning the measures that Danzo had taken had seemed reasonable. To put ROOT above ANBU was acceptable since the new Hokage had been personally certain of their skill and loyalty. To put the strongest children in a special training program while Konoha was at war was understandable. The first few 'traitors' that ROOT had ferreted out had been, if not suspected, then believable.

It was not until ROOT had started refusing to divulge the fates of some of these prisoners, and later taking people without explanation that Konoha had realized it had made a terrible mistake. A number of the Clan Heads – such as Hyuuga Hiashi and his twin – had been taken for 'questioning and had their chakra sealed. Now all the men could do was watch helplessly as their clan was reduced to nearly nothing.

Kakashi hated it. It didn't even matter to him anymore that to leave the shinobi ranks without an express order from the Hokage was now death. The only thing that kept him in ANBU was the knowledge that sometimes – rarely – ANBU was able to intercede with ROOT on behalf of one of Konoha's people. By being the public face, by investigating charges himself, he could at least prevent some innocent people from being convicted of crimes that were just plain bullshit. It was the only reason he stayed, and he knew that most of his comrades felt the same.

But then his attention was pulled away when he heard the crowd buzzing excitedly. He looked around, but his unasked question was answered as Hizashi took note of his confusion. "They're saying that the children who were supposed to be tested have disappeared. They were under another's guard last night, none of the clan was allowed near them."

Kakashi's eyes widened behind his mask. And then the crowd's attention was drawn as the front doors of the Hyuuga House were thrown open, and Hyuuga Hiashi was 'escorted' out of the House, flanked by two of ANBU's own. Kakashi more felt than saw the flash of fear that ran through the man beside him as his twin was taken from their house.

The older man spoke quietly to the two guards beside him, and one of the pair nodded. The trio angled towards Kakashi – or more specifically, the man beside him. Hiashi spoke quietly to his twin. "It seems that I have to go and answer some questions. You're in charge here until I get back."

To his credit, though relief flashed in his eyes, Hizashi simply nodded, casting a glance to the two ANBU and reaching out to clasp his brother's shoulder when they signaled permission. Kakashi walked with Hizashi, parting the excited crowd so that the man could pass.

From the corner of his eye, Kakashi thought he saw a young face, filled with fear and all too familiar. But when he spun to look, even tugging down his under-mask to allow his Sharingan eye to sweep the crowd, he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Under the curious eyes of the Hyuuga clan, he shrugged it off as simply his guilty conscience. He couldn't have seen what he thought he had – everyone knew (now) that little Hyuuga Hinata had been killed the night Danzo took power, one of the first victims of the new Konoha.