Satori, Yukino, Tenten, Junshin, Shuji, Tsuku, Ishida and Masaki sat at a table just outside of a restaurant. Yukino had some pieces of paper in front of her.
"According to the data I have on Hanako that I got from the ninja records hall. It's not only the face that's changed. Her height has changed too. She is now seven and a half centimeters taller. Whatever is changing Hanako is not human."
"The question is: what is doing it and why?" Shuji said.
"I'll have to do more research on the characteristics that Hanako is showing and maybe I'll be able to come up with something." Yukino said.
"I wonder how Binx is doing. He should be back soon." Tenten said.
"All he had to do was follow Hanako. How much trouble could he get into?" Satori asked.
At that moment, Binx came charging in with the three dogs behind him. Binx leapt past the ninja group as they all ducked down to the ground.
"I should've known." Satori said standing up.
The eight of them stood up ready to face the three hounds.
"Hey, you leave him alone." Satori said doing a Katon series of handseals.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu." (Fire Element: Great Fireball Technique)
Satori blew a giant fireball out of his mouth and it engulfed and destroyed the nearest dog. The other dog turned around and headed for Satori to get revenge for its fallen brother. Masaki pulled her sword from its sheath and sliced through the second dog. One dog was left and it was a quick one. Shuji swiped at it and missed. Ishida threw explosive kunai at it and he too missed it. Junshin got an idea.
"Tenten, toss me a kunai." He said.
Tenten pulled out a kunai and tossed it to her boyfriend. He ran his hand over it and turned it into a small circular disc.
"Here boy." He called.
The dog stopped pursuit and looked eager to play. Junshin launched the disc into the air and the dog chased after it. The dog caught it with its mouth. Junshin extended his index and middle fingers on his right hand.
"KATSU!"
The disc and dog exploded.
"Good thinking, Junshin." Ishida said.
Later that night, the eight of them sat in the Konoha Library going over what Binx had told them.
"What I want to know is that are really supposed to believe that a 'fairy godmother' has been changing Hanako." Ishida asked.
"Not at all." Yukino said. "I've done some research and found out that what we're looking for is called a Yukionna. It feeds on a person's needs to look good. It makes you so perfect that you aren't even human any more, then it's got you."
"Legend has it that these things derive from water. It's there strength." Satori said.
As the group was talking, a figure appeared in the darkness, watching the group of Leaf ninjas.
"Then all we have to do is find and beat this thing before it can absorb Hanako." Ishida said.
"We don't know why Hanako has been going along with this. It's also possible that she has already turned against us. It's even possible that we're already too late." Shuji said.
"If those hounds are a sign that this thing is already onto us then we have to move now. We can't afford to wait any longer." Junshin said.
They all nodded and got up and left. As the group left, the figure in the darkness disappeared. Hanako lay asleep in her room. She slightly awoke when she heard her name called. She sat up and looked around.
"Who? Who's there?"
"It's me." The Yukionna said appearing. "You have to get out of here, quickly."
"Why?"
"Your friends have turned against you." It said with its eyes glowing. "They think that you're not good enough. Not pretty enough."
"Even…even Shuji?"
"Especially Shuji. They're on their way here right now. You must get out of here quickly." It said.
Hanako got out of bed and leapt out of her window still wearing her pajamas. The group ran down the streets of Konoha heading to Hanako's house.
"Hey, Satori. I have a thought." Shuji said.
"You have a thought?" He replied.
"Yeah."
"Have a cookie." He said pulling a cookie out of complete nowhere.
"Umm…ok? Why?"
"It's how they train seals, Shuji. Unfortunately, I'm all out of fish."
"Pay no attention." Tenten said. "So what's your thought?"
"So what if we don't get to Hanako in time and she isn't Hanako anymore? Can we change her back?"
"I don't…I don't know." Satori said.
Hanako ran down dark alleyways through out Konoha. She stopped at the end of an alley, hoping to catch her breath.
"Which way?" She asked.
"This way." The Yukionna said.
The group arrived to Hanako's house only to find that she wasn't there.
"Nothing?" Shuji asked.
"Not a thing. She must have split right before we got here." Satori said.
"I say we split up to save time." Masaki said.
"Let's do it." Tsuku said.
Hanako ran down the dark streets of Konoha being led by the Yukionna. She stopped trying to catch her breath again. The Yukionna came down next to her.
"You have to hurry." It said.
"Why? I don't understand. I'm so confused. They're my friends."
"No their not your friends. They're jealous of you. I'm your only friend. Trust me. Don't let them stop you. You know what to do if they try?"
"Yes…I think so, but…"
"No, no time for that. Come, you have to hurry." It said leading Hanako away.
"HANAKO! HANAKO!" Satori called.
A light popped on in a window above Satori. Kiritsu Kuma from Shuji's team opened the window.
"Hey, do you know what time it is?"
"Yeah, it's four thirty-seven am and you should really be in bed right now." Satori walked off. "HANAKO!"
A boot came flying in and nailed Satori in the back of the head.
Shuji walked down the streets of Konoha trying to figure out where Hanako could be. He repeatedly called her name. Then he remembered what Satori said earlier that night.
"These things derive from water, it's their strength."
"Of course." Shuji said sprinting away.
