Their hair whipped around in the wind as they soared through the air. The trees blurred past them in dark streaks of brown and green. The only source of light was the half-moon that floated in the cloudless sky. The air was chill in these late hours, made colder by the rushing wind. Kushina really only felt it on her face however. When the cold had stolen the warmth from her some time back, Yuu stopped to produce a thick blanket from his pack before cocooning her in it and continuing. She was surprised at how long it was taking them to make it back to the village, having thought that she was carried for only an hour or so before her rescue. Clearly that was not the case.

"Hey. Aren't you getting tired?" It had been a little over two hours since Yuu had rescued her from the group of Kumo Nin. After which he had carried her into the canopy of trees that surrounded them and used the branches as spring boards to bring her back home, not once stopping to rest. If she was to be honest, Kushina was a little envious of the Uchiha's stamina. Being a Genin, she had only heard stories about how high ranking Ninjas were able to travel and train for long periods of time like it was nothing. Even with the aid of her...tenant, she could only train all out for about an hour before she tired and needed to rest. The drug in her system had begun to wear off after a while. She had gained the use of her arms back, much to her relief but it still wasn't enough to make her legs useful again.

"I'm fine. More importantly I need to get you back to your village."

Kushina looked up at the boy. 'My village?' "Hey, what do you mean my village? It's your village too."

Yuu shook his head, his eyes focused on where he was going. "I'm not from Konohagakure." He stated simply, but he did feel Kushina jump in his arms at the admission.

"What? But-but you're an Uchiha!"

"I am." He agreed.

"Then you're from the village." She smiled triumphantly.

"No I am not."

Kushina's eyes narrowed. Bringing one of her arms out of her warm cocoon she reached around the Uchiha's neck and used it to lift herself, placing her face right in front of his. With his view now cut off by the mass of red hair Yuu was forced to stop on his next landing. Leaning in close Kushina jabbed her finger into his shoulder where his armor didn't cover. "Listen pal, everyone knows that the Uchiha clan lives in Konohagakure, it's been that way since the founding, so there's no way you could be from any other village." She growled at him. Her violet eyes bored into his dull onyx ones.

He nodded slowly, keeping eye contact with her. "You are correct. I am not from another village." Kushina began to smile. "Because I was not born in a village."

She blinked. "What?"

"I was not born in a village." He repeated slowly. 'Maybe the drug is still effecting her mind.'

Kushina stared at him in silence. It was just, strange. It was a well established, carved in stone fact, that every Uchiha moved to and lived in Konohagakure after its founding, there weren't even any Uchiha Missing Nin as far as she knew. So for there to be one that claimed to have not been born in the village was just...no.

The sound of his fingers snapping next to her ear startled her out of her thoughts and she noticed that his brows were furrowed in concern. "Are you unwell?"

"No its just. All of the Uchiha's live in the village and I don't think they have any missing nin so.." Her voice trailed off as she began to feel somewhat foolish for questioning him about where he came from, even though he just saved her life.

"Where did I come from?" He finished, not sounding the least bit offended. If anything he sounded somewhat amused.

Kushina nodded in a quick nervous jerk, her eyes avoiding him in a slight sense of shame.

"My grandparents lived in the village for a few years after it was founded." He started. His almost monotone voice brining Kushina's eyes back on him. "They eventually left for their own reasons and made a living in the wilds. Some years later they birthed my mother. My father hailed from a distant village but had to leave for..." His face scrunch as he search for the right words. "...for various uncertain reasons and happened across my grandparents. Then I was born." He finished.

Kushina stared at him, skeptical. "That's it?"

Yuu nodded, his face unchanging. She continued looking at him before sighing. "Fine, keep your secrets." She slid back into his hold. The Uchiha chuckled. "Isn't that what shinobi are supposed to do?" She stuck her tongue out at him and he resumed his jumping. It wasn't long until he stopped again, going high into the leaves. One arm tightened around her waist while the other moved for his blade.

"What is it?" she whispered.

His lips firmed into a thin line, eyes narrowed and shining with eagerness. "Someone's coming. Fast."

"From the village? It might be a rescue party." Her voice was hopeful. While she was very grateful to the Uchiha for his aid it still brought a warm feeling knowing the village would send a search party out for her. 'Jiji's probably raising hell in his office right now.'

Yuu hummed his doubt. "There's only one. It might be a straggler left to finish some business before meeting up with the rest." He leapt to a lower branch but never took his hand off his sword. Whoever it was they weren't very strong. A green and yellow streak fell from the canopy a good ten trees away. It was a young boy dressed in Konohagakure's signature shinobi uniform, though it could have been a disguise. His identifying headband was used to prevent a mop of bright yellow hair from blocking his eyes. He stuck his landing in a low crouch, a kunai resting in each hand. Blue eyes traveled over dull red armor before stopping on the pale girl in his arm. The boy gritted his teeth as his eyes snapped to the Uchiha's face, and then he charged, blades pointed outward and arms crossed over his chest ready to strike. Yuu bent his knees, prepared to leap to the side and slice the fool's exposed midsection in half.

"Minato-san wait!" The boy didn't hear her but the Uchiha did. In a quick action he removed his hand from the blades hilt and shot forward, twisting his body to shield Kushina. His foot led the way while his empty arm stayed close to his chest. The boy, clearly surprised by the action, was left helpless. In a fluid motion to quick for either of the younger genin to follow, the Uchiha's hand slammed into the center of the blonde boy's arms, pinning them to his chest and taking the air out of his lungs. Yuu's leg whipped behind his feet, taking them off the large tree branch and he used his momentum to slam the blonde down. Minato gasped for air. His hold on his weapons was gone and they clattered on the bark.

"Minato! Yuu-san you didn't have to be so rough!" she scolded. The Uchiha looked back uncaring but reluctantly released his hold on the boy and stepped back. The blonde struggled a moment before he managed to regain his composure. When he did however he rolled to his feet and reached for another weapon. "Minato stop, Yuu-san saved me!" This time he heard her and he eyed the two of them skeptically.

"He did?" His voice was light but had a somewhat deep rasp to it. He eyed the stoic Uchiha, distrust clear in his gaze.

Yuu lifted his head so he had to look down at the boy. "Hn."

Minato frowned. "And who exactly are you. I don't remember seeing your face before and I know that I was the first person to leave the village."

Yuu raised a brow. "Oh, so you make it your job to know the face of every person from your village. My what a wondrous life you must live." A mocking smile tugged his lips and Kushina smacked his side as punishment.

Minato wasn't so amused. "I make it my business to know Konoha's allies as well as her enemies and I don't know you. Plus I don't see you wearing a headband." He accused.

"And this makes me an enemy does it? Well in a world ruled by war, paranoia must reign supreme I suppose." Minato growled.

"Stop it both of you, now's not the time!" Minato looked back at her, ready with some retort but Yuu relented. He brought his free arm under her legs and pulled her back into his hold, idly noticing the way the blonde chewed on his lip but made no comment on it. She was right, now wasn't the time for fooling around.

"We need to bring her back to your village. The Kumo nin that took her gave her a potent drug, its effects seem temporary but it would be best if she saw a medic."

The boy's eyes widened. "You were drugged?!" Kushina nodded, absently nestling into the Uchiha for comfort. He paid it no mind, understanding the girls need for reassurance. But the act seemed to have bothered the blonde some amount. His eyes hardened at the Uchiha. "I can take her back to the village, thank you for your assistance." He sounded sincere as he stepped closer. But Yuu made no attempted to hand her over.

"I actually have business in your village. I will travel with you." His voice left no room for an argument. Minato frowned and Kushina looked up at him.

"You do?" They asked in unison.

He nodded. "I was actually on my way there before I bumped into you."

"And what is it that you have to do?" Minato inquired.

"I wish to speak to your Kage."

TSC

They made their way to the village. Minato leading while Yuu and Kushina followed. It didn't take them long to reach the gates. A small group of masked shinobi stood next to a small guard station along with several others dressed in uniform. When they came onto sight one of the masked nin called out to them, bringing them the group's attention. Minato raced on ahead of them and began speaking to one of the masked men.

"Kushina-chan!" Someone from the group ran out to them. It was a tall, thin girl with long black hair and large onyx eyes. She was dressed in a shinobi's uniform and wore her headband around her neck. A second girl tailed her. She was a head smaller with fair skin and dark blue almost black hair that framed her face. Her equally large pupil-less eyes were the very definition of relief. They both looked about a year or so older the Kushina.

Kushina squirmed in his arms, trying to get a better look at them. "Mikoto, Hitomi!" The two rushed up to them, almost knocking him over when they arrived. The taller girl all but snatched Kushina out of his arms and she sunk down to her knees. Tears washed down their faces as they pressed against the red head. Hard relieved sobs racking their bodies.

"Kushina-Chan, your okay, we were so worried about you!" The shorter girl cried. "When we found out you were missing Tsume was ready to go out looking for you on her own."

Kushina managed to pry her arms from the blanket and threw them around their shoulders. "I'm fine you two but where's Tsume now?"

"Kushina!" A loud voice called out. Yuu looked away from the crying threesome to see a fourth girl jump over the large gathering of shinobi that now surrounded them. She was about Kushina's age and height. She too wore the villages uniform and had a mop of long spiky hair that was apparently able to stand out on it own as her head band was stitched into her right sleeve. There was movement in the crowd as a somewhat large black and grey hound pushed its way through to stand beside her.

The new arrival quickly wrestled Kushina from the other girls hold and began sniffing around her face. "Kushina are you all right? Who took you? Did they hurt you? How did you get away? Is that blood I smell? Who's is it?" She fired off each question between sniffs leaving the poor girl no time to answer.

Finally Kushina had enough and covered the girls mouth with her hand. "I'm fine Tsume-Chan. A group of Kumo nin managed to kidnap me but Yuu-san saved me."

At the mention of his name all eyes turned to him. One of the masked shinobi, a man in a bear mask, stepped up to him. "Is this true?" at Yuu's nod the pupil-less girl stood. "Then on behalf of the village I would like to thank you for returning Kushina-Chan to us, she is a very dear friend."

He shrugged impassively and looked over the crowd. "Is there a medic amongst you?".

"Why, are you injured?" The bear masked nin inquired.

He shook his head and gestured to Kushina. "She was drugged with some form of chakra suppressant. The effect seem to be wearing off but I would recommend that she be looked over."

"YOU WERE DRUGGED?!" The three girls shouted. Tsume smashed her fist into the dirt and gnashed her teeth. "Just wait until I get my hands on those fucking cowards. I'll personal shove a hot kunai into whatever defines their gender."

'Pleasant' Yuu thought. "I already killed them." He said out loud and turned to the masked ninja. "You can find what's left of their bodies a few hours north-east."

The man nodded and set out along with a small group while a loner ran back into the village. The shaggy haired girl, Tsume, gave him a grateful look along with the others. Mikoto stood to face him. "If you don't mind me asking, who exactly are you? You're not wearing a head ban or and ANBU mask so you can't be a nin returning from a mission." Her eyes narrowed at him, not hostile but curious.

He frowned some, not wanting to answered the question again. "My name is Yuu." He left out his last name, wanting to avoid the undeniable onslaught of questions that would follow it. "I was making my way to the Village when I happened across Kushina."

Mikoto quirked a brow. "Why, and what village do you hail from?"

A woman with long blonde hair tied back into a tail wearing a light grey shirt shoved her way through the crowd. She knelt beside Kushina and placed a finger over her pulse, her light brown eyes studied her face. 'It's about time.' "I lived alone with my family away from any village. The business I seek today is my own."

"He wishes to speak with Lord Hokage." Minato called out from somewhere behind the group. Another of the mask ninja that must have been one of the so called ANBU stepped forward. This one wore the mask of a hog. "That shouldn't be too much of an issue. Lord Hokage sent word that he wishes to speak to you personally regarding the return of Kushina Uzumaki."

Yuu hummed his consent. It seemed like things would go smoother then he had expected. As he turned to leave with the group that had now formed to escort him he caught Kushina's face from the corner of his eye. The girl sat in a circle of her few friends. Each one huffing and fretting over her. Around them the other Konoha Shinobi stood sentry, but they looked almost completely unconcerned. Curious. The Girl seemed to feel his eyes on her because she looked away from the blonde medic and met his gaze. With a somewhat nervous smile and a slight wave she silently wished him luck.

"Please follow us." One of his escorts said, and off they went.