Two days of steady deterioration later, I was forced to attempt medical ninjutsu on myself to forcibly sustain a high enough fever to kill whatever pathogen assaulted me. It wasn't the most elegant of solutions, but it worked, even if it nearly killed me in the process. Several hours later, the disease halted and I began to steadily improve. The only person I saw during that time was Ise. I never left the small hospital room, not even to go to the bathroom. It was absolutely humiliating to be too weak to even control my own bowels. After another day, I regained enough strength to begin to heal myself. Unless he left while I was asleep, Ise stayed with me the entire time.

Danzō returned at the end of that day, looking grave and carrying my uniform in a neatly folded stack and a pack slung over his shoulder. "I don't know how he managed it, but Hiruzen haggled the terms extremely close to what Hatake-san said you would agree to and managed to delay Iwa's arrival by a day and a half to give you just enough time to recover." Ise quickly turned to leave, uncomfortable with shinobi talk, but Danzō stopped him. "Thank you, Uzumaki-san." He murmured. There was something else I didn't quite catch. Ise nodded once and the door swung closed behind him.

"The terms?" I asked, standing up and taking the clothes while he dropped the pack on the bed.

Danzō sat down and stared at the floor. I took the hint and started to change out of the loose, overlarge hospital clothes and into my uniform and haori. Someone had cleaned and polished my hitai-ate for the first time since I received it.

When I finished and rustled through the pack, confirming everything I needed was present, Danzō spoke. "You will spend several years in Iwa as a part of a one-sided shinobi exchange program. Somehow, Iwa found out about the fact that you can control the Kyuubi and are under the impression that you taught the Hachibi Jinchuuriki to do the same. They are unaware that you have any knowledge of Fūinjutsu."

"And there will be no prisoners on either side, correct?"

"The Hokage's son will accompany you, but the two of you should remain together and will be treated fairly. Iwa is only interested in gaining Konoha's strengths. You embody two of them and the Kekkei Genkai are out of their reach, no matter how weak Konoha is, we are still theoretically able to force the three other countries we have defeated to turn against them should they pose a legitimate threat of stealing our secrets or people as their own. Iwa decided to play it safe."

"I didn't agree to any other hostages."

"If you cooperate, you might be able to persuade them to send the boy home early."

"Years are a long time."

"They want to subvert your loyalty. If they can persuade you to join their side, they gain a powerful mind as well as a Jinchuuriki."

"It's not like they can succeed."

"No, the seal on your forehead makes sure of that, but they don't know that. The Hokage passed this message through Hatake-san."

Danzō held out a small square of paper to me, covered with the Hokage's handwriting. It was an explanation of the situation and ended with a polite request to behave myself. There was no signature.

He continued after I finished the message. "While you were asleep, you were given an ANBU tattoo, which is actually a seal, for several reasons. First, the official stance on your whereabouts will be that you are on a top-secret mission rather than confirming that you are in Iwa. Second, as soon as the Hokage activates it, you will be added to the shadow ranks and should you die, it will notify the Hokage immediately and destroy your body. Finally, it will prevent questioning of skills you want to keep to yourself. The Tsuchikage is under the impression that ANBU members are unable to share restricted techniques, even when tortured. The suicide aspect of the seal was not included in yours. No other seals were placed on you without your knowledge."

I was not happy to learn that, but the expression on Danzō's face told me it was one of those things no one would apologize for and I would just have to deal with. I would never have consented to joining ANBU if I had the ghost of a choice.

He finished his instructions with: "Meet me at the gate in one hour, I will bring your bag. Unless you absolutely must speak with someone, do not reveal yourself to anyone but the adults in your family. They are the only ones cleared to know of your true whereabouts, and you may disclose the entire situation to them. Impress upon them that until they are notified otherwise, they are not to breathe a word of the situation, not even among themselves. Do secure the room as I'm sure Hatake-san taught you."

I nodded once and he showed me to the roof where I took off. It didn't take long for me to reach the Uzumaki house under a Henge. It was shortly after midnight according to the moon. I slipped into the top level of the house and took a minute to catch my breath before swinging down the empty space where the unsafe staircase had been taken out. Minato and Kushina were curled together in one corner of the second floor. Several candles burned around the room, lighting it so there were no shadows near them.

Downstairs, I could hear Ise waking Fusō and the two of them moving to the living room.

Minato's back was pressed against the wall and Kushina's face was pressed into his chest they each had fistfuls of the other's shirts. I hugged the wall and stepped into the ring of light. Cautiously, I knocked on the wall to wake them up. Minato shot upright, groggy.

It only took him a second to recognize me. "Kai!" He cried and tried to release a nonexistent Genjutsu, just to be sure. I flinched as the chakra washed over me, but didn't move. He roughly shook Kushina's shoulder to wake her.

"I need to talk to you both," I murmured and gestured towards the giant hole in the floor. Without waiting to see if they would follow, I backed away and swung down to the first floor, heading straight for the living room. They caught up as I was opening the door. I didn't meet anyone's eyes as they sat down in the circle of furniture and I closed the door while activating the security seals. Kushina left a place open for me beside her, but I sat in a separate chair, staring at the ground between us. "How much do you know about the situation with Iwa?" I glanced at Fusō and Ise. Only Ise seemed to know what was going on, the rest were only confused. "What do you know?" I repeated softly, unable to look up.

"There's an information blackout, Nii-san. No one knows anything about what's going on outside of the village."

"Since this isn't the official story that will be released to the public, none of what I tell you now is to leave this room or be spoken about after I finish." I told them bluntly. "Konoha lost the war."

Silence answered me.

"The Hokage left to fight on the war front, but at that point, the war was already lost and he walked into a trap." When no one spoke, I continued. "Because of that, there are reparations to pay."

The silence continued.

I stood up and started to pace. "They were extremely specific about what they wanted."

Minato figured it out first, a leap in logic only a genius like him could make. "Stop it! No, they can't—" He shot to his feet as if burned and lurched towards the door.

I stepped in his way before he made it a full step and he attempted to punch me in the gut, but I caught him by the wrist. He followed through with a swing at my face. I knocked it to the side and put a hand on Minato's chest. "Calm down," I ordered him. He relaxed and slumped back down beside Kushina. "Injuring me isn't going to change anything."

"What's going on, what are you talking about?" Kushina asked standing up.

I sat down and rubbed my face. "I'm going to Iwa and it's going to be a long time before I come back." That was a nice way to put it, right?

"No!" Kushina shrieked. I flinched backwards at the sudden volume.

"The decision's been made and the treaty will be signed as soon as Shimura-san and I reach the Iwa camp."

"Nii-san, you can't! None of this is your fault because never did anything to Iwa, -ttebane! You haven't hurt anyone!"

"Kushina—"

"Stop it! Stop it!" She shrieked. "It's not right and you know it!"

I stayed seated, staring at the ground between my feet. "You're right, it's wrong to demand someone's political imprisonment, especially that of someone who committed no war crimes. That doesn't change the fact that it still is. I can handle it—"

"The last three times you were in a public confrontation in this village, it left you incapacitated," Minato reasoned.

"Come on, I'm only a Chuunin, do you really expect me to be in decent condition after successfully neutralizing Jōnin?" I probably should have looked up at Minato for that comment, but I couldn't look them in the eye and tell them they were right, that I made my decision, and nothing could be changed.

"Then how are you still alive?"

"I'm extremely lucky."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Minato's fists clench around his knees.

"You can't leave," Kushina pleaded.

I stood up, but still didn't look up at them. "If not me then who?"

"Anyone," she murmured.

"A child?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Originally, Iwa demanded the heirs of the Sarutobi, Uchiha, Hyuuga, Akimichi, Aburame, and Senju clans. All except the Hyuuga and Uchiha heirs are your age or younger."

"Then let the Uchiha and Hyuuga deal with it!"

"You don't mean that, Kushina."

"Yes, I do!"

"Kushina—"

"No, for once, I mean it and you can't tell me otherwise, -ttebane! You've worked so hard to take care me, Ka-chan, To-chan, Nagato, Minato—You can't just abandon us like Jiraiya-sensei did!"

I looked up at her sharply. "I am not—"

"You are!" Minato retorted, standing up and getting in my face.

He was right, I was abandoning them, but if I stayed, I could eventually fail them in a worse way. With me as a high-profile prisoner, they would be less of a high-profile target so they could train for several years, and hopefully be seen as nothing more than collateral damage during the war, worthless except through their affiliation to me. I had found a new hobby in leading people to underestimate me, and the people I cared about, over the course of this war. Self-deprecation with a realist's vocabulary did wonders in manipulating perceptions.

"You're an insensitive jerk, you know that?" Minato spat in my face, standing on tiptoes to reach my height. He was rather obviously acting and I had been called that and worse enough times that it didn't bother me. Though, it was a bit unnerving to see a kid doing his absolute desperate best to hurt and guilt me into attempting to pull off the impossible, even though he had to have known it wouldn't have worked.

"I am now aware," I answered neutrally. Minato was somewhat naïve, but not so much as to know that even if I disagreed with the Hokage, the treaty, or the effectiveness of the solution enough to go back on my word, nothing would have come of it. He was aiming for something else, but I couldn't quite figure it out. They shared a look, confirming the suspicion and indicating that Kushina was in on whatever he was thinking. There was some kind of code to the way they shifted and fidgeted, but I didn't comment.

Minato faltered, but managed to keep up the anger act as I stared him down.

"I'm not going to argue with you, Minato."

"Stop it!" He shrieked at me. I took a sharp step backwards, sensitive to the noise after spending days with no noise other than quiet conversation and coughing. The back of my leg hit the chair and it skidded backwards a few inches. "Stop it, stop it, STOP IT!"

"Minato, calm down," I responded quietly.

"No! You're just standing there like nothing is wrong!"

"There's nothing that can be done—"

"I don't care!"

I actually flinched at that. He didn't have to fake the anger anymore.

"You know this is wrong!" He shoved me backwards a step and the chair skidded back another foot.

"I am aware."

"Then why aren't you doing anything? Why are you just standing there?" He pushed me again. "You're just being cruel, careless, and cowardly." He shoved me hard enough to knock me into the chair, sliding it backwards at least two feet.

"I'm not going to fight you, Minato."

"Why not? Why don't you ever fight back?"

"I'm not going to fight you."

"Why?" He all but screamed in my face.

"No matter what I say, you're not going to be satisfied. I won't argue with you. Please just let it go." Cautiously, I stood up.

"It's not going to work, Minato," Kushina murmured to him. "Nii-san—" She broke off and turned away for a moment.

I swore to myself that I wouldn't get upset or frustrated with them, but they were testing that resolve. In a sick, twisted way, it was funny to watch them attempt the good-cop-bad-cop manipulation technique.

"Nii-san, we need you here."

I hesitated before responding. "No, you don't. Between them, Ise and Fusō are capable of doing everything I can do except fight."

"But they're not the same!"

"We've talked about this. In our line of work, missions can last for years at a time. Just think of my absence as a mission, okay?"

"You're a medic! This isn't supposed to happen!"

"I'll be fine, and I'll come back in a few years. I promise."

"You can't promise that."

I glanced over at Ise and Fusō, but they were murmuring to each other by the door. I respected them enough not to eavesdrop.

Kushina lunged forward like she was about to hug me. I barely saw the glint of metal in time before she tried to stab me with what I assumed to be a poisoned senbon. I caught her wrist and twisted it, forcing her to turn around and lean backwards precariously with a pained hiss. I took the senbon out of Kushina's hand and tossed it up into the ceiling.

Minato jerked towards me, and I dragged Kushina between us.

"Goodbye," I murmured sadly. I untwisted her arm, released her, and walked away. I paused at the door long enough to give Ise a hug and let Fusō kiss the top of my head. With slow, deliberate movements, I took the keys from the necklace my dog tags dangled on and pressed them into Ise's hand.

"Come back, kiddo, we love you," Ise said as I opened the door.

"I love you too," I responded softly, briefly meeting their eyes before looking at the two Genin in the middle of the room. When they didn't look up, I closed the door behind me.

(-_-)

I had plenty of time before I was supposed to meet with Danzō at the gate, so I walked the longer, mostly-forested route to the gate with my hands in my pockets, hitai-ate clutched in my fist. I barely noticed the bird dive-bombing my face in time to dodge.

I recognized the white streak through its wings and held out my arm for the summon to land on. The bird's talons thankfully didn't pierce the gloves I wore to cover the seals on my hands as it landed and eyed me carefully.

"Kanon-san," I greeted evenly. "Was the surprise attack really necessary?"

"Sue me, it's difficult to aim when I summon myself."

"I suppose you have something important to tell me?"

"The mockingbirds have accepted you as their summoner."

"I am honored." I continued walking towards the gate. "Do all of you speak English?"

"Yes, but you will only be summoning me."

"That's fine. I don't need anything right now, but thank you for informing me I've been accepted."

"I think I'll stay for a while. The summon realm gets dull." The bird hopped onto my shoulder. I leaned away, the impossible amount of chakra the bird had was overwhelming. "Get used to it," the bird snapped in my ear.

I ignored her and tied the hitai-ate over my forehead.

"Uzumaki-san," Danzō greeted me at the gate when I arrived. The two other council members stood beside him, and a Genin I assumed to be the Hokage's son sitting on a bench behind them.

"Shimura-san," I responded evenly.

"I don't like this arrangement."

"No one does."

"I have enough men to take the Iwa encampment."

"Do you have enough to finish this war if those who were forced to scatter are unable to return?"

His jaw clenched.

"I didn't think so."

"What's with the bird?" He asked.

"Summon."

"I've never seen that type of bird before."

"I'm special."

"This man founded ROOT," Kanon snapped. "Don't trust him."

"He's founded ROOT but it hasn't gone rogue yet."

"What are you saying?" One of the council members, the woman, snapped.

"Nothing that involves you," I retorted.

"She helped ROOT pass under the radar."

"Okay, that comment involves you and it wouldn't be wise of me to repeat it."

"You have more attitude than can possibly be healthy."

"And that was a snipe at me."

"You are going to get yourself killed with that tongue."

"Alright, the bird needs to shut it."

"The bird needs to shut it," Kanon mocked.

"Summons are supposed to be subservient to their summoner," Danzō scolded.

"Yeah, well, I don't care, so the old man can shut it as well."

"The old man can shut it as well," Kanon mocked both of us.

The Genin leaned around the female council member whose name I could never remember and gaped at me and Kanon.

"The sooner we leave; the sooner I can get this over with."

Danzō snatched my bag off the bench and threw it at me, grabbed the Genin's arm, and slung the boy's bag over his shoulder. After a glance at me, he led the way out of the village, through the Chuunin and Jōnin guarding the walls. The other two council members stayed behind.

(-_-)

No one spoke as Danzō led the way through the forests surrounding the village. The Hokage's son appeared terrified out of his mind. He kept stumbling and trying to hang back while Danzō pulled him along.

After five minutes, I grew sick of it and stepped forwards to sling my arm around the boy's shoulder and pinch Danzō's hand to force him to let go.

"Hey, I'm Kichiro," I greeted, holding out a hand to shake his.

"Itsuki," he responded uncertainly, cringing slightly underneath my arm.

"What's your favorite part of being a shinobi?"

He murmured something unintelligible.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"Throwing kunai and shuriken."

"Are you any good?"

"Best in my graduating class." The corner of his mouth twitched up.

"Know anything about senbon?"

"They're for wimps."

"I'm hurt."

He laughed once, but seemed to lose the energy to finish the noise. "Just because most kids idolized the Habanero's big brother doesn't mean we all did."

"Well, at least one of you has a brain."

"I beat your scare in the accuracy test for the graduation exam."

"If you say so. I couldn't stick around to look at the rankings."

"Why don't you care?"

"I didn't want to take the test."

"Why didn't you want to be a shinobi?" He asked, baffled.

"I didn't like fighting."

"But you won the match against the Chuunin. No one else could do that!"

"I'm perfectly capable of beating the snot out of any Chuunin who deserves it. It doesn't mean I like it."

"The rumors about you beating the Uchiha clan heir are true?"

"The Sharingan can't predict what it can't see. I can be sneaky if I want to. Enough about me. What do you want to specialize in?"

He shrugged, peeling my arm off his shoulders. "Taijutsu, probably, and weapons."

"Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm specializing in Iryo-Ninjutsu because I don't want to fight. Why did you choose Taijutsu over everything else?"

"My father started out with Taijutsu before he mastered anything else."

"So?"

"Shut up, both of you," Danzō snapped. "We're almost there."

"Well, before we go any further, do you understand what's going on and what can be expected, and how you are supposed to react?" I asked him.

Itsuki nodded shortly.

"Then let's take this by storm."