Daylight came suddenly. Bri woke up to a sharp pain in her gut, an empty ice cream container in her hand and a playing card stuck to her cheek. She peeled the card from her face and stood up to find Naruto fast asleep on the other side of the coffee table.

"AY! That was some wild night, huh kid? I think we ate over five thousand calories each!"

Naruto rolls over on the floor and blindly tosses a pillow at Bri's head "I can't move from this spot. Just leave me here to die."

Bri laughs and begins to collect all the trash from the night before, when there's a loud knock on the door. She answers it to find Captain Yamato and suddenly remembers why she was so excited for his return.

"Kitty-san! Welcome home! I heard you were up north by my old village. We missed you!"

"We?" Yamato squints "What the hell happened in here? It looks almost as bad as Naruto's place."

"HEY! If I could move right now I'd make you take that back!" Naruto yells out from behind the small table.

"Wh-" Yamato begins.

"Me and Naruto had a little impromptu ice cream party. I was feeling pretty sad after the graduation so he came over to cheer me up…I think we ate a bit too much though."

"I see," Yamato leans forward and picks another playing card out of Bri's un-brushed hair "I'm glad you guys had fun. But I actually have to speak to you about something serious, Bri."

Bri is staring at the card in his hand, flustered "Right! Could I get dressed first? I probably have a few more cards stuck to me somewhere…"

"Well no, this is pretty important. I wanna tell you before anyone else does. Please, just come outside."

"Kitty-san, you're scaring me" she says shutting the door behind her.

"Bri, I understand that when you left your village it had been recently attacked. Is that right?"

"Yeah…most of the buildings were destroyed. It was terrible."

"Do you know if anyone survived the attack?"

Bri could feel her heart in her throat; she wiped the sweat from her hands onto her skirt "W-why would that matter? What's going on?"

"Well, whatever was left or rebuilt is now completely gone. It seems a forest fire completely wiped out the area and about ten square miles of the surrounding forest…I know this is hard for you to hear…I'm so sorry, but we need to know if anyone could be out there."

Bri looks down at the ground trying desperately to hold back her tears "Seriously, It's really gone? The tree from my backyard…Sensei's grave…" She chokes back a sob and almost loses her balance.

Yamato grabs her shoulders crouching down to find her eyes "Bri…after the attack did you see anyone? We're there any survivors?"

Her eyes are hallow; Yamato could feel her looking right through him.

"I saw my mother lying there under the rubble and I left. I never came back. There was nothing left for me there."

"So, you're saying you don't know."

"It's possible people survived. Maybe some people stayed around there…maybe there was someone I could have saved."

"Listen Bri, This isn't the time to reflect on your past. We need you to come back north with us. You need to help us look for the survivors, you know the terrain and you know the people. Maybe you can even help us figure out what caused the fire."

"I don't think I can do that," Bri vacant stare seems endless "Good luck, Yamato" she turns and begins to open the door.

"Bri, Please. We can't do this without you. You have to face the facts. This is what it means to be a Konoha ninja."

Yamato's words settled into her stomach. How dare he tell her how to react? Part of her life had just been completely erased off the map, in time no one will even remember the Village in the Pines. Is it abnormal to react like this? Were the people here really all just like emotionless robots, cold blooded murderers, people who place strength over everything else? She felt nauseous. Was this the type of person she had really wanted to become?

"Come back later, I need to clean my house." Bri slams and locks the door behind her. She walks over and collapses onto her couch. She had forgotten all about Naruto sleeping in her apartment.

She begins to sob into her hands; no thoughts even cross her mind. She opens up and lets her body try and purge the grief. After a few seconds she feels a warm hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Bri. I heard everything Captain Yamato said. He's a hard guy to understand and he's cold sometimes, especially when he's scared about something. Don't let him bother you."

Bri tries to catch her breath as she wipes the tears from her puffy face "Thank you Naruto. I just need some time to think everything through."

Naruto sends her a warm smile "Well! I hope you do decide to come with us…I mean I assume I'm going too…I better be!" He stands up and heads for the door "Bri, even if you don't decide to come, I promise you I'll find your friends and family, and hopefully even some of your stuff!"

"Thank you, honey. I'm glad some people here aren't afraid to show their heart."

A forest fire during this time of the year is unlikely, and one that large beginning and ending so quickly is even stranger. We're there really any survivors of the attack back then? There were so many families devoted to the village, it's possible they stayed and tried to rebuild, they could have also migrated to the other close by villages. Those we're probably all destroyed now too.

Why was it that she was feeling guilty for abandoning a town? A village isn't sentient. A natural disaster is unavoidable. Then again, maybe a town does have a heartbeat, the collective pulse of all the villagers; her own distant pulse included. Maybe if she went there she could revive it. A town she never loved, a past she though she wanted dead. Maybe it could be saved.

Or maybe not. Maybe the empty charred landscape could be the foundation of her next chapter. She could watch the ashes of her past disappear into the wind, and she could finally be free.

Either way Bri knows there is no real choice, she needs to go there. A few hours later her apartment is spotless and her bags are packed. She is ready to run straight into the fire.

Bri decides not to wait for Captain Yamato to summon her; she walks right down to Tsunade's office herself.

"Oh Bri-san, welcome. I was just about to call for you! I see you have decided to join the Anbu mission up north."

"Yeah…I think I may need the closure."

In the office are the Hokage's assistant Shizune, Captain Yamato, Sai, and Kakashi. They all greet Bri with big smiles and waves, except for Yamato who avoids eye contact.

Tsunade gestures for Bri to take a seat and continues "As you're aware, it's been pretty peaceful since the war ended. It's hard to suspect foul play, but as me and the team have been discussing, a fire like this doesn't read as natural. It's spring and the weather up north hasn't been overly dry. We're thinking it may have been arson or maybe some human error."

Kakashi chimes in "Since you know the area you're going to help us navigate. So much has been destroyed, a lot of the landmarks have disappeared and the maps are pretty much useless. Do you know of any places your people may have fled to during something like this?"

"Well, there's a big lake to the northwest, they could have traveled there if they had time. I'm pretty sure that was the evacuation route my village had planned."

"Great, see we're making progress already," Tsunade said while taking a sip of her coffee "If this turns out to be a planned attack, the person is obviously very powerful. Just to be extra safe you four will treat this as a top priority Anbu mission. Do not reveal you identities to anyone you're not completely sure about. This isn't just a rescue mission, it's also an investigation. Do not let your guard down, and stay safe."

"Hokage-sama, would you be able to assign Iruka to this mission?" Bri's quiet voice is void of her usual confidence.

Yamato interrupts "Iruka really doesn't participate in missions outside of the village anymore, Bri."

Bri returns his comment with a cold look "I understand that, I just feel with his knowledge of history and geography he could be an asset to this team. Also, I feel comfortable working with him."

"Very well, I agree his trivial knowledge may actually come in handy here," The Hokage signs a few documents and stands up "Alright. Kakashi, this is your last mission before you become Hokage. I know I said that last time, but with a new member I really feel like you are needed. And Bri-san since Kakashi has failed to master your weapons; they will be given back to you for this mission. Keep in mind, the outcome will determine your life here in Konoha."

"Kakashi failed to master the gun?" Bri asks as a smile graces her face.

"Unfortunately, the gun seems to be tailored to your specific chakra level. At least that's the only conclusion I can come to," says Kakashi.

Yamato laughs "You mean that's the only excuse you can think of?"

"Shut up Yam, go get Iruka. He's probably going to need some of your gentle persuasion." Kakashi replies.

The three men file out and Bri stays behind "Tsunade-sama, is Naruto assigned to this mission as well?"

"Ah, have you two gotten close? That was the idea when I chose your living arrangements!" Tsunade glances over to Shizune and they both laugh.

"Well, he just told me he really wanted to come."

"Yes, what else is new? The kid thinks every mission is perfect for him, but he isn't really the information gathering, search and rescue type. I actually have something else I need him and Sakura to look into; I may decide to send them to you after."

"Oh alright, thanks for everything Hokage-sama. I promise I'll do my best to make you proud." Bri disappears before Tsunade can even reply.

She was in a rush to meet Kakashi in the equipment room. Bri may be having mixed feeling about returning home, but she can't say that she isn't excited for her first official mission.

Kakashi was waiting for her with a brand new uniform and much to her delight; it included her very own Anbu mask.

"Wow, this stuff is amazing. I've never seen a village equipment room like this, and this uniform is such good quality!"

Kakashi laughs, the room and the stuff are just mundane to him now. Watching Bri reminded him of himself as a child, trying on his father's over sized flak jacket, "It better be good quality, the village puts most of its money into the ninja program. Sometimes I think they fail to look at the bigger picture, maybe that's something I can do as the Hokage…I don't know."

Bri takes the uniform from him and walks over towards the changing room "Kakashi, Do you even wanna be the Hokage? It seems like you spend a lot of time running away from it."

"It's just not something I ever really planned for. It's an honor, really it is. I just don't know if I'm ready for the politics. Right now it's peaceful, if that changes I'll be the one they all blame. It's a lot of responsibility for one person."

Bri shuffles around behind the curtain, "I totally understand. Being responsible for other people is the hardest job in the world. Especially if you don't know what those people are capable of."

"And what would you know about that?"

"Oh, uh, let's just say there are a lot of things you can't control, you can only react…I guess that's just something I have trouble with, but I think that's something important for you to remember too! Now…" Bri steps out from behind the curtain in full gear, she even wearing her mask. Instead of a cat, hers is made to look like a wolf, "…how do I look?"

As Kakashi is about to answer Yamato, Sai and Iruka enter the room, "HA. Guess you can't call me Kitty-san anymore, huh Rover?"

"Very funny KITTY, I'm glad you decided to come down of your high horse." Bri's reply was riddled with sarcasm.

"Yeah…Listen I'm sorry about this morning,"

Iruka cuts Yamato off "Bri you look awesome! Where's my uniform?"

"Here you go," Kakashi says, handing him a pile of clothes "We were gonna give you the dolphin mask, but that might have been too obvious. So you get the shark."

Iruka's awkward laugh escapes him "So cool! I can't wait to tell you guys everything I know about up north. It's very interesting; really, I spend a whole unit every year teaching my youngest class about the forests."

Kakashi places a hand on Iruka's shoulder and laughs "Okay calm down there Captain Education, I have to tell you the specifics of the mission. So hurry up and get changed."

Meanwhile, Yamato approaches Bri "Can I talk to you outside for a moment?"

"How come? I did what you said. I'm here; I'm facing the facts, showing no emotions." Bri replies in a sharp whisper.

"Fine. Listen, I'm sorry I reacted like that. I just have a weird theory about this mission and it's making me nervous. I really wanted you to come because I know we're gonna need you. The fire was extremely strange; I'm worried about more than just the victims."

Bri uncrosses her arms, "Strange in what way?"

"Well, it was only me and a couple of other men out there, but none of us could find any evidence of the direction the fire came from. Also, the people from the surrounding untouched area were the only ones to call it in, and they all called in around the same time."

"That's impossible; the people closer to the origin must have seen it first and ran for help."

"Exactly, but they didn't."

"So, you're saying an entire 7,000 acre area just burst into flames at once with no warning?"

"It sounds crazy, but yes."

"How is that even possible? Was it some type of bomb?"

"I'm not sure, but whatever it was had to be something new. We're dealing with something very powerful that we haven't seen before. That's why I'm so uptight."

"Holy shit. You really think I'm going to be able to help you guys with something like that? I'm not even a real ninja."

Kakashi gets up and walks over to join the conversation "Hey now, didn't you just tell me we need to be able to deal with things out of our control?" His eye's close, Bri can tell he's smiling behind his mask "Nothing's more out of control than a wildfire, right?"

"Well…yeah, I guess," Bri replies.

Kakashi turns back towards the dressing room "Well then, let's go Iruka! It's takes a day and a half to get to the Village in the Pines; I hope you're ready for a marathon rookie!"

Iruka emerges slowly, revealing his mask last.

Bri audibly gasps "Iruka that is literally the creepiest thing I have even seen," she begins to laugh hysterically "It doesn't suit you at all!"

"Well the point is to hide my identity is it not? Now I look the most intimidating out of everyone here. No one will wanna start shit with me!"

Suddenly, Sai decides to get a word in "Your demeanor shows clearly through your mask, you will not seem intimidating to an enemy unless you truly believe that you are."

Iruka rolls his eyes "Ah Sai, I see you've been keeping up on your readings. This is my first mission in a long time, how about giving me a break, eh?"

"There won't be a break for another thirty hours; I hope that's okay with you Sensei."

"…That's not what I meant…"

Kakashi ends the banter "Alright everyone, let's head out now. Iruka, stay near me. I need to give you all the details. Bri, stay in between Sai and Yamato as we move. We'll be taking a short rest every five hours. Always stay on high alert, let me know if you sense anything strange."

Bri's childhood dream is becoming a reality at this very moment, but something is off. This isn't how she imagined it to be. She has no mother to write home to; no sensei to see her off and her comrades were all men she had just recently met.

However, as she ran towards the village gate warmth filled her up. Planning is silly, just like the bad parts; the best parts of your life come as surprises. All we can really do is react.