Chapter 1

The Jinchuriki hopped off from his ice missile as he returned from his encounter with the Tsuchikage brothers. He sighed with relief and opened his eyes. Now that my mission is over, I suppose I should return to Amegakure. Kagayaku's probably waiting, he thought to himself. He had arrived back at the very same ledge that he had started from. Where his men had soon died. As much as he mourned for their loss, all he could do right now was attend to himself for now. He hadn't expected the battle against the Ishi brothers to have taken so long, but they had gone through an entire night like it was nothing. He felt fatigued. He needed to search for a place to rest immediately. No doubt the guards would chase him down to the ends of the Earth after the murder of both Tsuchikages. He believed they deserved it, as he couldn't stand their Irish accents any longer.

The Jinchuriki leapt into the dark forest. Dawn was approaching, and if he hadn't found safe cover soon, he'd be dead. The chakra he wasted on them was unbearable. Besides, he was tired anyway. After jumping from branch to branch for a little, in the corner of his eye, he swore he could see a dark, fox-like figure with glowing, white eyes following him. He stopped at a small clearing to investigate, but it appeared only to be his imagination. Something bad had happened. He could feel it. A shiver railed through his spine and the wind blew wildly for a quick moment. Oh yeah, something had gone wrong. Things like these were always bad omens. However, he believed that he could figure out what it was. The shadow he saw had looked like a fox. That's when he remembered. He recalled back to that time. That woman, Konan, had tried to capture him. But, that was two years ago. Still, if he could recall, he believed that it was, indeed the shadow of the Kyuubi he had seen. Did this strange omen involve the Kyuubi in some way? He wasn't sure. The Jinchuriki just knew that he had to keep moving.

The light approached sooner than anticipated. The fleeing Jinchuriki could only hope that the Rock-nin guards weren't on his tail. He kept his cool and simply kept going. Little did he know that a small cabin was conveniently placed in a large clearing in the forest. Whether abandoned or not, he was forced to exploit this opportunity. The Jinchuriki landed on his feet and barged in through the front door. The cabin had the feel of an inn for than anything. It possibly could have been a tea house, but he couldn't think about something so insignificant. Inspecting it further, there stood a counter and behind it were several or more beds. Someone with a black cloak over them was sleeping on the most-left one. Two tables and a number of chairs were encircling them. A young woman with dark brown hair and an apron blinked curiously at the Jinchuriki. By the vibes she was getting from him, the young woman could tell he was in a hurry.

"Excuse me, miss," he nudged her over and quickly squeezed himself in a space underneath the counter. It was tight and compact, but he could manage. It was part of a ninja's training that they should be able to fit into the smallest areas possible without being sighted by the opposition. The girl bent down to get a better look at him. He wasn't in the greatest of shape. His pants were torn and the jacket he had wore at the beginning of the assassination attempt was gone. His white t-shirt had a slash across the upper torso.

"Are you... hurt at all? she asked with concern in her voice. The curiosity was already clear, and her corner could be matched by anyone whom had just seen a battered up Rain-nin barge in through their front door and request a place to hide. The Jinchuriki put a finger vertically to his lips, signaling for her to keep quiet. The girl didn't quite understand until several Rock-nin had just entered into her inn. They had the look of a mad bull; each of them wishing to slaughter the Jinchuriki until he was nothing by a bloody pulp and his remains trailed throughout their great capital city.

"Madame, have you seen a young man with spiky purple hair run about these woods?" the center soldier asked through his gritted teeth. The woman shook her head anxiously. "Dammit!" the guard swore under his breath and then turned to his men. "We're gonna find that son-of-a-bitch, even if it takes us to the ends of the Earth! Let's drench ever stone and pebble with his blood!" The guard speaking to them was obviously the captain. He turned back towards the young inn-keeper, "If you see him, let us know. We'll be waiting." The Rock-nin rushed out of the inn as fast as they could in search of the Jinchuriki, not even close to realizing that he was hiding under the desk; cautiously waiting for them to leave. Most Rock-nin had the stereotypical mindset of being typically unenthusiastic to search all areas and often being full of themselves.

"Are they gone?" the Jinchuriki asked, looking up at the browned-haired inn-keeper. She nodded and he sighed in relief. He was still safe. If they had gotten any further toward him before, then he would've been forced to fight. he didn't have the chakra necessary to fight off a group of soldier Rock-nin. At least, not if he wanted to stay sane. The Jinchuriki crawled out from under the counter and stood back up to his feet. He was exhausted, and having the sight of a bed in front of him only made him feel the tiredness coming on even more. He feel down onto the feathery mattress and his eyes had a subconscious of their own. They shut themselves the instant he had gotten comfortable. The last image he had seen was the Sharingan starring him in the eye.

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Day had turned to night and everything was calm. A rustle here and there sifted through the trees. This fed the fire. The fire and flames leveled the forest. The Jinchuriki's eyes slit open. The foul smell of smoke and ash had risen into the air. His eyesight blurred between consciousness. Was this a dream? Was it real? He couldn't tell for sure. A plundered log from the cabin smacked the floor with a loud crack. This immediately woke up the Jinchuriki to his fullest. This was no dream. The burning inn, the flaming trees... this was no dream. It was a nightmare. One that had come to life. How it happened, he did not know. His head swerved from side-to-side. The young inn-keeper was clearly dead. Her blood soaked into the floor. Several kunai protruded from various areas on her body. The Jinchuriki turned his head around. The black cloaked man was gone from his bed. He did not see a body of him in the vicinity. He could only be alive or had died elsewhere. Still, he had to escape from the hungry fire, or else he'd end up like the girl. His chakra may have replenished, but his Hyoton techniques were nearly useless in such a fire. He would have to escape without them.

The purple-gray haired young man slid out from under another collapsing log and kicked over the counter. The register fell with a clatter. All of the money was taken as well. Robbers of some kind must have done this. The Jinchuriki climbed over the counter and headed for the exit. Several burning logs attempted to meet him along the way, but he quickly leapt for it and out the doorway before the entire house submerged itself into a pile of rubble. He sighed with relief, but this was too early, as there was no clear way out of the forest, and the trees around him were in flames. He would have to make a run for it.

The Jinchuriki headed toward the east of his position, as there was more of a pathway that way than anywhere else. He sprinted out of there. A tree came crashing down from his roots, causing the flames to spread even faster. But, before he could even get to safety, he found a fist in his face and everything veiled into complete and utter darkness.

Reiki Okami... it's time you've woken up, young pup. Your true mission begins here... with the Uchiha.

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Reiki awoke from his unconscious slumber with his icy blue eyes wide and alert. The Jinchuriki shot up from where he lay, worried whether or not he was still in the fire. Was he dead? Perhaps not. The sounds of explosions could be heard in the far distance. Lights shook the trees and the earth vibrated under him. He blinked with curiosity, turning his head to his left. The black- cloaked man from before stood with a hand leaning against a pine tree next to him. He looked down on the bottom of the hill with a dark hood shadowing his face. Reiki could only guess what could be happening. Then pain struck him like a fatal blow. He grunted lightly and gently rubbed his right temple where he'd been struck. The black-cloaked man turned his attention to the Jinchuriki. His expression was cold, but the Sharingan was clearly visible. It shone in the darkness like the moon itself. However, it was unlike other Sharingan he had heard about. The Sharingan were simply supposed to have tome in a circular pattern around the pupil, but this man had a three tome Sharingan in his right eye and Mangekyou Sharingan permanently on in his left. The rumors were true. Just a stare could give you a dazed feeling. The Mangekyou Sharingan seemed curious most of all. How could one have Mangekyou Sharingan on all the time; especially in one eye? There were so many questions Reiki had, as he had never met anyone with Sharingan. He believed that their heritage was nearly extinct.

The man with the Sharingan blinked and turned back to the exploding lights. Reiki stood up and checked himself quickly. He must have been dragged, as mud covered over his torn, whit shirt and his pants seemed to some patches torn from them. He was pretty messed up. Nonetheless, he slowly walked over next to the black-cloaked Sharingan user, looking at him first with a strange look, but then shifted his head over to the lights. He jumped back immediately after seeing it. He could not bear to watch. But, the Jinchuriki had to look-- to see what exactly was happening. He tip-toed over back next to the black-cloaked man. He was very still and didn't seem to be affected in anyway. His Sharingan was entranced at the sight below. However, Reiki could only watch as, below, the capital city of the Rain Country, Amegakure; his home, was being burned to the ground. It was no more a city than it was a flaming ruin. Amegakure was glassed. And who better to do such than while he was simply taking a nap? The Rock-nin were the only logical explanation. The city for taking their leaders' lives.

"Why? All of those innocent people... dead. How could they be so cruel?" Reiki asked philosophically, not being able to believe his eyes.

"You took their leader," the black-cloaked figure began, "it was only right of them to take their revenge."

Reiki turned his head slowly at the man; with his eyes filled with rage at such a comment, his hands tightened into fists. He loved his country. he loved it more than anything and this man thought he could go and discriminate it in such a way. He wouldn't allow it, "What are you saying? That I was wrong in doing what I was told?" he asked through his gritting teeth.

"How are we to judge what is right and wrong? In war, both sides have such things, and yet, either side believes them good or evil? Tch, there is none in the matter, as each side believes themselves good and just," the Sharingan user continued, only infuriating Reiki more. To say such things was an act of conspiracy, and the Jinchuriki wouldn't allow it.

The Jinchuriki grabbed the black-cloaked man by the collar of his cloak and thrust him against the tree next to him. He was strong enough to lift the Sharingan user's feet off the ground. He looked up at him with blinding fury. They starred into each other's eyes for a moment before the Sharingan user began to snicker. Reiki immediately moved his hands up to the man's neck and was ready to choke him the minute he did something to agitate him even more, "What is so freaking funny?"

"What are you going to do? Kill me? I don't think you realize just yet who I am-"

"Yeah, and well, guess what? I don't give a shit! You take back what you said about my country-"

This only began to make the Sharingan user laugh even more, "Your country? The day that this area of land is your country, I'll start cowering in fear, but for now, you need my help."

Reiki leaned his head in closer to the Uchiha's, as if to inspect him, but nonetheless, was unwilling to do such as to accept any help from a stranger to these lands, "Why would I need your help? Who are you?" he asked more curiously than angry now, but kept his hands clamped onto the black-cloaked man's neck.

"I am Sasuke Uchiha. If you want your land saved from Iwagakure, then I suggest you take your hands off of me and let me help you," the Uchiha commanded with no expression in his face. Reiki did such and released the Uchiha from his clutches. He was far more suspicious of this man now then before. Before he was just a man under a cloak, and now he says he's Sasuke Uchiha? he thought, backing away from him with caution. Sasuke Uchiha was said to be a missing-nin from Konohagakure, and worked under Orochimaru. He was supposed to be his right-hand man. So, what's he doing here? An Uchiha was always trouble. He heard of their dark history. Such as that of Madara Uchiha. On second thought, what's he doing alive? I thought he was killed by Madara Uchiha... but, now he's standing there, like nothing ever happened. Was he possibly resurrected, perhaps? Or does the Mangekyou Sharingan in his left eye account for his being alive? According to legend, when an Uchiha obtains a second Mangekyou Sharingan after collecting the Sharingan eyes of another, they become physically immortal. So, from whom had he collected that second Mangekyou Sharingan from?

"If you're willing to accept my help, follow me. There's someplace we must head to first," Sasuke added, leaping up into the trees of the scorched forest. Reiki watched him for a second. He had the last opportunity to save his country. he quickly looked back at Amegakure. It was burnt to a crisp now. There was nothing left of it by ash. He sighed as he made his final decision. He followed the Uchiha and never looked back. Never did he realize this would be the last time he could ever see Amegakure again...