-August 4th, 348 NE-

-Amegakure-

"I'm telling you, Nagato, there's something wrong with him."

"And what would you have me do? He has done nothing to harm us and much to help us. He's already made extensive improvements to the seals, even modifying Fuu's where we were unable to. And then there's the fact that convinced Tsunade to heal my arm. I can hardly claim to doubt his intentions now. I'm surprised you still doubt, actually."

"I know that," Konan scowled, turning to pace back and forth across the room. "And I don't doubt him, not really, not anymore. But… does he really seem like Sensei to you? Doesn't he strike you as a little… odd?"

Nagato's lips twitched. "This is Sensei we're talking about."

"Dammit, Nagato, I'm serious!" she snapped. "You spent just as much time with Sensei as I did. Can you honestly tell me that he's the same man you remember?"

His smile faded and he shook his head. "No, he's not. He's only recently had the truth of the Kyuubi thrown into his face, however, and it has been many years since we last saw him. People can change."

"I've had him watched, you know," Konan said seriously, her face grave. "I wasn't entirely convinced about his reasons for wanting to get so close to Kyoko and Yahiko at the time, so I made sure I knew where he was and what he was doing at all times."

"And?"

"He hasn't put one foot out of line the whole time. He barely leaves his workshop as it is, and even then it's usually to work on the seals for one of the children."

"Well then why are you-"

"He hasn't even tried to go near the bathhouse, or the hot springs, or any of the brothels. Not once. Does that sound like Sensei?"

Nagato was silent for several seconds, then slowly shook his head. "… No. No, it doesn't."

"I'm worried, Nagato," Konan said as she stepped closer to him, slowly wrapping her arms around him. "He's completely obsessed with the defeating the Bijuu, far more than we are - he refers to them as 'The Enemy', even. I have no desire to see those things roaming around free, but even Akatsuki doesn't loathe them the way he seems to. I'm worried about just how far he's willing to go, and whether his aims are truly the same as ours."

He returned her embrace, his eyes thoughtful. "I'll keep my eyes open," he promised.

~ Scene Break ~

-August 9th, 348 NE-

-Amegakure-

"You wanted to see us, Leader-sama?" Fuu asked. She was standing in front of his desk with Deidara at her side, torn between curiosity and concern at the abrupt summons they had received.

Nagato - though she was careful to always refer to him as Leader-sama whenever she spoke out loud - was standing in front of the large window that dominated the wall behind his desk. The view of the city of Amegakure was stunning, though Fuu much preferred the view she had when flying high above the city under the power of her own wings or riding on one of Deidara's birds. She could feel Deidara shifting on his feet; he was standing close enough that his arm brushed against hers as he moved, and she was certain he was doing it intentionally to try and reassure her.

They both turned when the door opened and Konan walked in wearing her red and black cloak and the straw hat that members of Akatsuki wore when traveling. She had two more hats in her hand, and handed one to each of them as she passed them to stand next to Nagato. The blue-haired woman leaned into her husband and spoke quietly into his ear. He nodded in reply, then turned to face the two of them.

"We have received word that the Kyuubi has been spotted."

Fuu repressed a shiver at the reminder of the young boy she had met what seemed like a lifetime ago. She had known something was off about him, but to think that he was actually one of the tailed beasts - no, the Bijuu, she reminded herself - still shocked her. The blond boy, for all that he disturbed her, had seemed so human at the time. She had even found herself tempted at times by his attempts at drawing her towards Konoha, the image of a village that would welcome her presence and not hold her status against her. She wondered just why he had bothered, though, when he had left the village himself less than a year afterward. Had he planned to take her with him?

The realization that the Bijuu were capable of communicating on human terms, that they could actually think at all, had been a difficult to accept at first. All she'd known about them during her time in Taki had been the legends passed down through the village about the time before they were first captured, and most of those boiled down to a list of villages and cities that had been destroyed and the hundreds and thousands of people each had killed. Their capture was commonly regarded as one of the greatest acts the ninja had performed for the good of the Elemental Nations as a whole, and she was supposed to be honored to do her part in keeping everyone else safe. She'd felt anything but honored by the people of Taki, though.

She'd considered trying to communicate with her own Bijuu soon after that, or at least get something else out of it than a constant pressure to soar through the sky. Nagato and Konan had seemed willing to allow it, since she could theoretically increase her own power by better understanding just what her Bijuu was like. She hadn't gotten very far before Jiraiya showed up and warned them away from that course of action, even going so far as to alter her seal to prevent that from happening. He was much happier with the seals borne by Kyoko-chan and Yahiko-kun, though he still made adjustments to those as well. All of the Guardians - and it was becoming almost too easy to think of herself like that - had found that they had a much easier time accessing their Bijuu's power after Jiraiya's work. Kyoko-chan had taken to making shapes out of any smoke that was at hand, and when Fuu had taken her on a flight she'd altered the clouds themselves into a vast landscape or rolling hills and forests.

Yahiko-kun, on the other hand, still hadn't displayed just what it was he could do. He'd even made a game out of trying to make her guess, dropping vague hints that led her thoughts in a hundred different directions. She assumed that Nagato and Konan knew, but they indulged their son on that front and refused to tell her outright. All she knew is that they were constantly suppressing laughter whenever they were around and she was talking to Yahiko.

Deidara bumped into her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced over at him to see him looking at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"I'm fine," she said quietly, shaking her head.

"The Kyuubi was sighted roughly fifty miles inside the border of the Land of Lightning yesterday, heading towards the northern coast at a very slow pace. We are uncertain what he is trying to accomplish, but Kumo will become aware of his presence soon, if they are not already."

Fuu glanced down at the straw hat she held in her hands. "We're going after him, then?"

"Yes," Nagato replied, nodding. "You will not be attempting to capture him, however. The seal used to contain him has some unusual properties, and it is unlikely that we will be able to extract him into one of our own design without considerable risk. Instead, you are to destroy him."

Fuu's eyes widened slightly, and she felt Deidara stiffening beside her. "Destroy? I thought the Bijuu couldn't be-"

Nagato held up his head, cutting her off. "Destroy his body, I should say. That should trigger the banishment clause built into his seal and rid us of his interference for the next one hundred years. Should he return after that, Akatsuki will be ready for him."

"Sounds like I get to cut loose, un," Deidara spoke up, practically vibrating with excitement. "I wonder what kind of art he'll make, un."

"Do not be careless, Deidara," Nagato cautioned. "The last time he was banished it resulted in an explosion that ultimately turned half of the Land of Wind into a wasteland. You will have to judge the final blow very carefully."

Fuu could see Deidara's pupils dilating as he swallowed convulsively, his hands clenching. "Yeah, un," he breathed, his eyes distant.

Nagato eyed him for a moment before turning back to Fuu. "Konan will be accompanying you. You will be responsible for getting the three of you to the Land of Lightning as quickly as possible, as well as evading any problems that crop up after the Kyuubi's body is destroyed. Konan's role will be to delay the Bijuu long enough for Deidara to prepare his attack, and you will be supporting her in that. I trust you will have no problems?"

"Of course, Leader-sama," Fuu replied, bowing slightly. She knew she was the fastest flier out of the three of them - probably the fastest flier in existence - but she'd never crossed anything even approaching the distance they were talking about now. She was actually getting a little excited thinking about the challenge this would pose, especially since she would have to carry two other people with her at the same time. Her Bijuu seemed to respond to the thought as well, the constant pressure ramping up sharply as if trying to force her to take flight at that very moment.

"Good. You leave immediately."

~ Scene Break ~

-August 10th, 348 NE-

-Land of Lightning, West-

"Sorry, haven't seen 'im."

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"Blond, huh? Don't get many of those around here."

"Purple eyes? What kind of freak has-"

The man's head smashed into the table, shattering his nose and denting the wooden surface. The cloaked figure let go and let him fall back to the floor where he lay groaning in pain, barely able to recognize his surroundings.

"Hey, what the fuck are ya-" the other men sitting at the table began to shout.

"Sit down and shut up, you idiots!" the bartender roared, cutting through the swiftly rising din. An awkward silence fell over the room, several men freezing, half-risen out of their chairs, before slowly sitting back down.

The cloaked ninja looked over at the one who had shouted, the gloved hand that had moved so quickly it was almost invisible falling back to once more lie concealed within the dark cloak he wore. His face was covered by a bone white mask that bore no decorations or marks except for the dark red lines that surrounded the eyes. There was a large sword strapped to his back as well, nearly as tall as the ninja himself.

"Look, ninja-san, we don't want any trouble," the bartender continued calmly, raising both of his hands in a surrendering gesture. "We'll do out best to answer any questions you got, so just leave us in peace afterwards, yeah?"

"I'm looking for a boy," the ninja said, the distorted voice carrying throughout the quiet bar. He held out his hand, palm down, even with his own neck. "He's about this tall, has blond hair, purple eyes, and three lines on each cheek that look like birthmarks. He may have had a ninja headband on somewhere as well."

"Any o' you sorry lot seen someone like that?" the barman called out, his eyes scanning the room.

One of the men near the back slowly stood up, a large smirk on his face. "I mighta seen somethin'," he drawled. "Then again, I might not. You ninjas are rich, right? I figure a bit o' money might jog my memory some, yeah?"

He started to chuckle before the sound of metal coins banging against each other rang out loud and clear. He looked down to see a bag lying out his feet, a mixture of silver and gold coins spilling out of the top. He looked back up to see the masked ninja less than a foot away, the small opening that served as the eyes in the ninja's mask boring down on him with palpable intensity.

"Speak," the distorted voice came, causing a shiver to run down his spine.

"I- uh, y-yeah, I seen him. I was, uh, out huntin' when I saw 'im, about three days ago, just strollin' down the road like he ain't got a care in the world. I didn't see no headband or nothin', but he had blond hair and marks on his cheeks, just like you said."

"Where?"

"'Bout halfway between here and the next village, near where the river turns and all those rocks are juttin' out. The main road runs right past it, can't miss it."

"Which way was he headed?"

"Uh…" the man's eyes grew distant for a moment, then he nodded. "North. Yeah, he was headed north."

The ninja's form blurred for a moment, and then he was gone like he'd never been there in the first place.

~ Scene Break ~

-August 11th, 349 NE-

-Raikage's Office, Kumogakure-

"I am very pleased to hear that, Raikage-sama. My clients have been eagerly awaiting your decision, and they will be-"

"Cut the crap," the Raikage interrupted, scowling.

Chiaki shifted uncomfortably for a moment, clearing his throat roughly. "Ah… yes, well. Our latest information on the target indicates that he has been moving in a generally northern direction for the past month, and was last sighted near the Windswept Valley. He has generally avoided contact with anyone but will occasionally enter a town or settlement to gather supplies. He stayed at an inn roughly two weeks ago — disguised, of course — but one my client's agents recognized him and reported it. We've been following his trail ever since."

The Raikage drummed his fingers on his desk, fixing Chiaki with a dark glare. "Near the Windswept Valley, a week ago. Do you understand just how quickly ninja can travel, Konoka-san? A week is a very long time to a ninja."

Chiaki shifted in his seat again, his gaze flickering to Yugito and Kirabi who were both watching him silently, blank expressions on their faces.

"I-I do understand that, Raikage-sama," he stuttered, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. He gulped nervously when the Raikage began leaking a small amount of killing intent. "I do!" he repeated quickly. "B-but the target has been moving slowly for some reason. Our- I mean, my clients' agents have been able to keep up with him without exposing themselves."

The killing intent grew a little heavier as tension filled the room, all of it focused on Chiaki.

"H-he's been traveling alone, always! He hasn't bought anything except food and supplies. He keeps going into bookstores and craft stores, but never buys anything there. Th-that's everything we know!"

The killing intent spiked for a moment before slowly disappearing. The Raikage leaned back, allowing a small sigh to escape his lips. "I suppose that's the best we can expect from a bunch of civilians," he said finally, shaking his head slightly. "We'll take it from here, Konoka-san. I just hope that your information is still accurate… for your sake. Talk to Saya to get your money."

Chiaki stood from his chair shakily, trying to cover his lack of control by repeatedly bowing as he moved towards the door. "Of course, Raikage-sama. Thank you, Raikage-sama. We look forward to hearing of your success, Raikage-sama."

The three ninja watched silently as he left and closed the door behind him, still thanking the Raikage with every step. Once he was gone, they exchanged glances.

"He withstood your killing intent like he didn't know what it meant," Kirabi pointed out, folding his arms back over his chest. "He tried to play the fool, but inside he was a little too cool."

"What did the ninja who followed him say?" Yugito asked.

"That everything checked out up to the point they lost him in Shinatsu-gai," the Raikage replied. "Supposedly he walked into the middle of a crowded square and just vanished."

Yugito blinked in surprise. "They lost a civilian?"

The Raikage grunted softly. "He acts like a civilian, but I have my doubts."

"Should we be a little more forceful about it, then?"

The Raikage leaned back, rubbing his goatee thoughtfully before finally shaking his head. "Everything else about him checked out. It wouldn't be the first time a missing-nin tried to pass himself off as a civilian, and as long as he's not one of ours I don't really care. Of course, if the information he just sold us doesn't check out…"

"If he tries to make off with our bling, we'll just have to make him sing," Kirabi burst out, nodding to himself.

Both Yugito and the Raikage stifled a grimace at that.

"So, the Windswept Valley," Yugito continued quickly. "I can have my team there in twenty hours if we push."

"Do it," the Raikage ordered. "I want regular updates as you search. If a week passes and there's no sign of him, send word then report to Shinatsu-gai to await further orders."

"Yes, sir!"

~ Scene Break ~

-August 12th, 348 NE-

-Land of Lightning, Northwest-

Kushina felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest when she finally caught sight of her son. Just like the various civilians had reported, he was walking down the road at a relaxed pace, his hands tucked behind his head and a bored expression on his face. His blond hair, so much like his father's, had grown out enough that the spikes on his head were starting to droop a little, and without the headband to keep them contained she could see the beginnings of the long bangs Minato had favored.

She crossed the remaining distance in a single movement, coming to a stop a few feet in front of her son and doing everything she could to resist sweeping him up into a crushing hug. Naruto looked wary at first, dropping into a defensive stance and pulling out a kunai before his dark purple eyes narrowed and studied her form more closely. She quickly pulled off her mask and pushed back the hood of her cloak, revealing her smiling face to him.

"Kush- Kaa-san?" Naruto asked, shocked. "How did you- why are you here?"

"I found out about the bounty on you, Naruto-kun," she said, stepping closer. "I came as soon as I could. Now that I've found you, I can take you back with me to where I've been staying." She swallowed thickly, blinking away the tears that were forming in her eyes. "I can finally take you home."

Naruto stared at her, apparently unable to process what she was saying. "I… Kaa-san, you can't be here right now."

Kushina's eyes widened in panic. "What? Is something wrong? Has someone else already found you? Or-" her heart clenched painfully as the traitorous thought entered her mind. "Do you- do you not want to-"

"What? No! I mean, I'd love to go with you, Kaa-san," Naruto said quickly, stepping forward and laying one hand on her arm. "It's just… there's a reason I'm here, and it's very important that I remain here until my job is complete."

Kushina let out a relieved breath as the tension in her chest eased. It wasn't that her son didn't want to go with her, but that he was on a mission. She was a ninja herself; she could understand that.

"Let me help you, then. Between the two of us it will go much easier." She smiled again as she reached out to caress his hair gently. "It'll be our first mission together, mother and son."

Naruto stared up at her, his eyes wide. "Kaa-san…" he said softly. Then he shook his head, frowning. "It's too dangerous. I only just got you back, and I don't want to lose you again," he insisted.

Kushina couldn't help the large smile that bloomed across her face. Here was yet more confirmation that her son cared about her, wanted to see her safe. Of course, if his mission was dangerous enough that he would worry about someone else, then there was no way she was ever going to leave him to face it alone.

"I think you'll find that your mother is a lot stronger than you think, Naruto-kun," she told him. "And everyone needs someone to watch their back."

~ Scene Break ~

-August 12th, 348 NE-

-Land of Lightning, Northwest-

"That's Sword, no mistake. Not many ninja run around with a nodachi, and throw in the full cloak and blank ANBU mask?" Samui commented softly, lowering the spyglass.

"Oh man," Omoi moaned, dropping into a crouch. "I've heard he's S-class. He's gonna make off with our target, and then we'll chase after him but run into an ambush from his partner. We'll get held up fighting him and lose sight of the jinchuuriki, and then Kiri will get hold of him and use him to launch an invasion that-"

"Shut up," Yugito hissed. "This isn't the time." She turned back to Samui. "What's happening? Is there any sign of Hammer?"

"No, looks like it's just him. He's moving pretty fast, and looks like he's looking for something. Wait… alright, he's just made contact with the jinchuuriki."

"I told you!" Omoi called out.

"No fighting yet," Samui said after a moment. "Our target's pulled out a kunai, but Sword hasn't responded. Trying for intimidation, maybe?"

"On a jinchuuriki? Good luck with that," Karui snorted, amused.

"Still no sign of Hammer, or any other ninja," Samui continued.

"I see two options," Yugito said after a moment. "Either Sword is trying to catch him off guard, or he's trying to recruit our target. If it's the former I'd be perfectly happy to let them fight it out and strike once they're weakened, but if it's the latter that may not be an option."

"Or Sword could be delaying in order to allow Hammer time to catch up. They always work as a team, from the reports," Karui pointed out calmly, once more looking through the spyglass.

Yugito nodded thoughtfully. "Worst case, Hammer shows up and the jinchuuriki agrees to join up with them. If that happens-"

"Huh. Sword is a woman," Samui interrupted, her voice surprised.

All three of her companions turned to look at her. "What?" Karui asked blankly.

"Sword is a woman. A redhead, in fact."

Yugito stiffened, her mind racing. "She's supposed to be dead," she blurted out.

The focus of the group turned to center on her. "Who is?" Karui asked as she silenced Omoi's mutterings about zombies.

"Kushina Uzumaki. She was one of Konoha's strongest ninja when I was still a student; I remember my kenjutsu teacher praising her as one of the best sword-wielders outside of Kumo; he was especially impressed with how well she handled the nodachi that she favored. She was supposed to have died when the Kyuubi attacked Konoha."

"It's a setup!" Omoi declared, holding his head in his hands. "Konoha has planted one of their strongest ninja deep into the ranks of the missing-nin so that they can use her to disrupt the other villages without anyone catching on! And now they're doing the same thing with their jinchuuriki! She's going to interfere with whoever tries to capture him, and then they'll work together to whittle down all the teams sent after him until they've killed every ninja from a village other than Konoha, at which point they'll-"

"I can't believe I'm going to say this," Yugito muttered, "but he has a point. This is a little too convenient."

"If that really is Kushina Uzumaki," Karui countered. "All we have is that Sword is female, a redhead, and carries a nodachi. That's hardly confirmation."

"You honestly think it's just a coincidence?" Samui asked in disbelief.

Karui shrugged and turned back to Yugito. "What's the call, leader?"

"We wait and see," Yugito said firmly. "It's a little odd that they would talk so openly if this really is a setup, but that's the only thing that makes sense at this point. I'm going to send word to the Raikage about this and see if he wants to expand the mission or not. Taking out a single jinchuuriki with no support is one thing; taking on one or more S-class ninja on top of that is more than we're prepared for. If we're going to face all of them at once we'll need reinforcements."

~ Scene Break ~

-August 12th, 348 NE-

-Land of Lightning, Northwest-

"So what is this mission, anyway?" Kushina asked as they began to walk down the road. She hadn't succeeded in convincing Naruto to come with her yet, but it was only a matter of time. Until then, she was content to stick by his side until he came around.

"I can't really talk about it, Kaa-san," Naruto replied evasively, still looking uncomfortable.

"Who gave you the mission, then? Was it Konoha?" Her face darkened. "Did that bastard Sarutobi really send you out alone? Is he trying to get you killed, is that it?"

"What?" Naruto yelped. "No! Sarutobi-sama would never do that, and besides, Shikaku-jiisan is the Hokage now!"

"But they did send you out?" Kushina pressed.

"No…" Naruto answered more seriously as he recovered from his shock. "This mission doesn't have anything to do with Konoha. I'm… I'm a freelancer now, just like you." He sounded a little wistful when he said it.

Kushina couldn't help the grin that spread across her face at that, and she reached out to pull her son into a sideways hug. "And I'm sure you'll do great. With Tsunade and I showing you the ropes, you'll be on your feet before you know it." She laughed lightly, and reveled in the sound of it, the feeling of it. She'd had precious few reasons to laugh since that night, but everything was finally coming together, becoming the way it should have been all along. "Hopefully you get a better name than 'Sword'," she added. "Tsunade still can't stand the fact that we got stuck with those, and she's half-convinced that Jiraiya had something to do with it."

"Hopefully," Naruto replied, smiling. "I've got a few names in mind, but it all depends on how things turn out, I guess."

"Oh?" Kushina asked, delighted that she was successfully drawing Naruto into a conversation. She was also proud of herself for keeping a tighter rein on her emotions this time; she hadn't even shed a tear yet, though she'd come close when she first caught sight of him. "Any names you care to share?"

"Not yet," Naruto answered. "A lot of them are meant to describe a pair of people, after all."

Kushina nodded. "And how is Ino-chan, anyway? Is she back in Konoha still?"

Naruto snorted in amusement and shook his head. "Like hell I'd-" he stopped abruptly, a frown crossing his face before he shook his head. "Like hell I'd leave her behind," he continued, his turning casually from side to side as his eyes flickered back and forth, rapidly scanning the area.

Kushina recognized that kind of mannerism and started paying much more attention to her own senses while keeping her demeanor casual. After a few seconds she noted the faintest traces of something, likely the same thing that her son had noticed.

"Is she part of this mission, then?" she asked casually, turning to look directly at Naruto and sweeping her eyes along the path behind them.

"In a way," Naruto replied distractedly, a small frown on his face as his nose crinkled. He inhaled deeply several times, a slight frown crossing his face.

Kushina breathed in deeply as well, focusing on any scents in the surrounding area. Nothing stood out to her, but perhaps her son's senses were sharper than her own.

"Will I get a chance to meet her?" she continued, her eyes and ears still studying their surroundings intently. She shrugged her shoulders casually, checking the weight of her nodachi and ensuring that the sheath was still firmly attached to her back at the proper angle. "I've heard so much about her over the years, I feel like she's just as much part of my family as you."

Naruto looked over at her, a wide grin on his face, and Kushina knew she'd said the right thing. She meant it, to a point, but she was also aware of just how close Ino was to her son and wanted to make sure that he didn't think she would try to separate them or anything equally foolish.

"I know she'd love to meet you as well, Kaa-san," Naruto said. His nose twitched again, and for a moment it looked like he was about to sneeze.

"Do you smell that?" he asked. "It's like something is burning."

Kushina reflexively pushed chakra into her lungs, instinctively filtering out any possible toxins or other substances that could have been added to the air. After several seconds she relaxed; there was no reaction that the technique was encountering anything beyond the typical mixture of pollen and other substances that were normally found outside. She finally shook her head. "I don't smell anything, and it doesn't seem like there's anything strange in the air, either."

After a moment, he shrugged. "I guess it's nothing."

~ Scene Break ~

-August 12th, 348 NE-

-Land of Lightning, West-

"Fuu!" Deidara called out, shaking her shoulder roughly.

Fuu languidly turned her head towards him, a soft grin on her face. "Yeah?" she asked, struggling to focus through the euphoric fog that filled her entire body.

He frowned at her, snapping his fingers in front of her face. "Come on, Fuu, stick with me, un."

She reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt. "I'm with ya, baby. All night," she drawled, giggling and tugging on his shirt. "Hey, can you do that thing with your-"

"Fuu!" he snapped, frowning harshly. "This isn't the time, un."

She pouted at him for a moment, then squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her hands against her temples, struggling to concentrate. "Sorry," she forced out after a minute. "We were… were…" she trailed off, frustrated.

"Preparing to assault a Bijuu?" Konan finished drily, her voice thoroughly unamused. She looked over at Deidara, frowning. "This is a much worse than it was last night. Are you sure she's up for this?"

"She'll be fine, un," Deidara said defensively, pulling Fuu to her feet. She swayed unsteadily for a moment before leaning against him, her arms wrapping around him and holding tight. After a moment, her hands started to wander and Deidara yelped, grabbing her arms and holding them in place.

"Clearly," Konan muttered.

"You were the one who insisted we keep pushing," Deidara shot back even as he looked into Fuu's eyes, trying to determine just how bad off she was.

"And you are well aware of the reasons for our haste, as was she," Konan countered. She stepped closer, observing Fuu's demeanor for several seconds. "Has she ever gotten like this before?"

"No, un," Deidara replied, cupping Fuu's cheek and studying the dilation of her pupils. She giggled in response, her head turning as she tried to lick his palm. "I know she gets a thrill from flying, but so do we, un. This… this is something else, un."

"What's the longest she's continually pulled on the Nanabi's power before this?"

Deidara frowned as he searched his memory, pulling Fuu into a soft embrace and rubbing his hand up and down her back as he did so. "Maybe an hour, un."

Konan stepped closer, holding Fuu's head in her hands and studying her expression closely. "Fuu," she said sharply, "has this ever happened to you before?"

Fuu frowned, then nodded slowly. "I… I think… there was this one time when Dei-kun took me out near this beautiful waterfall and we kept going at it for hours," she finished, her expression glazed as another giggle escaped her lips.

Konan growled in disgust and dropped her hands, ignoring the faint blush on Deidara's cheeks. "She's useless like this," she scoffed, shaking her head.

"It's not her fault, un," Deidara said. "She got us here days before either of us could have made it on our own, and you know it, un."

"I'm well aware of that," she answered. "Regardless, we can't execute the plan while she's drifting between completely out of it and trying to feel you up." She looked pensive for a moment, then sighed and nodded to herself, pulling out a small, intricate tag. "It can't be helped," she decided, slapping the tag on Fuu's back.

Fuu's eyes widened for a moment before she convulsed, her eyes rolling up until they were completely white and her body shaking uncontrollably. She was completely unresponsive to Deidara's panicked cries, and she finally collapsed limply into his arms several seconds later, her eyes drifting closed and her breathing evening out.

"What did you just do?" Deidara snarled, whirling on Konan.

"Cut her off from the Nanabi's power completely," Konan replied calmly, meeting Deidara's furious gaze without concern. "We can't continue without her, and this is likely the fastest way to get her back in her right mind."

"You could have warned her!" he said, though a lot of the heat had gone out of his voice.

"She was in no condition to understand or agree to anything," Konan said dismissively, already turning away. "We'll remove the tag in a few hours and determine her state then. In the meantime, you watch over her while I start looking for our target."

With that, her pure white wings flared out and pushed down powerfully, launching her into the air before Deidara could reply.

~ Scene Break ~

-August 14th, 348 NE-

-Land of Lightning, Northwest-

"They're trying to lure us into a trap, that's it," Omoi muttered lowly as the team from Kumo observed their quarry from the distance. "The moment we close in Hammer will pop up out of nowhere and kill one of us, while Sword and the jinchuuriki will join forces to take on the rest of us. They'll leave Yugito-senpai alive, though, as they're probably planning to use her tailed beast for an evil plot involving-"

His rant was cut off as Karui cuffed him on the back of his head, a harsh glare on her face. "Not everything is a trap, you idiot."

"That's what they want you to think!" he shot back with a glare of his own.

Samui and Yugito ignored them with an ease born of long suffering, instead consulting quietly about how they should approach the situation.

"They seem to be settling in for the night," Samui noted, frowning slightly. "Still no sign of Hammer or any other ninja, and they haven't done anything that would indicate they were signaling another group or leaving signs for someone to follow."

Yugito nodded in agreement. "Which would suggest that they are planning to meet with someone at a prearranged location. Pretty soon they'll be moving further away from Kumogakure and approaching the coast, so they could be planning to take a ship somewhere."

Samui shrugged, reaching up to rub one of her shoulders tiredly. "They've been walking in the open the entire time, though. To be honest it's really starting to get to me."

"I know what you mean," Yugito muttered, glancing into the distance where Naruto and the ninja known as Sword had set up a small camp about a mile away from the main road. "They're barely traveling faster than the average civilian, and they haven't bothered to hide themselves or avoid being seen the whole time. He's practically announcing his presence."

"But why?" groaned Samui. "It doesn't make any sense. If he's acting as bait, where are the other ninja? If they're around and we've completely failed to spot them, what's stopping them from taking us out right now?"

Yugito's reply was interrupted when a small eagle landed nearby, a tightly rolled scroll clutched in its claws. It let out a low cry before sticking out its leg towards Yugito.

Yugito took the scroll quickly, unrolling it and scanning the contents while her team gathered around her. She didn't say anything for several moments, instead pulling out a brush from her pack and making a series of short notations on the scroll. She rolled it back up, secured it to the bird's leg, and sent the bird on its way.

"Well?" Karui asked. "What did the Raikage say?"

"He's dispatched two ANBU teams to stand by at the Windswept East Outpost. We are to make contact with them and then launch our attack on the targets as soon as possible thereafter," Yugito reported, her eyes closing for a moment. She drew in a deep breath. "Karui, Darui, you two head to the outpost and lead the teams to the base of that hill on the far side of the target's camp," Yugito said, pointing into the distance. "Once I have confirmed your arrival, I will begin the assault myself. You two and the other teams will be responsible for Sword. I will focus on the jinchuuriki, and Samui will provide backup for either group as needed. Above all, make sure that Sword is not able to link up with or assist the jinchuuriki.

"We don't know much about Sword's skills or techniques, but expect a high degree of mastery over her nodachi at the very least. Sword has been listed as S-rank for the last five years, and if she really is Kushina Uzumaki she's been that good for at least twice that long. You'd better approach that fight as if Kirabi himself was coming at you for real."

Karui and Omoi nodded solemnly, their expressions grim.

Yugito looked at each of them in turn, noting that their eyes were unwavering and steely as they returned her gaze.

"You three better survive this, or Kirabi is going to kick my ass."

The three of them snorted in unison, a bit of the tension leaving their frames for a moment.

"That's all," Yugito said finally. "Move out."

~ Scene Break ~

-August 14th, 348 NE-

-3:20 AM-

-Land of Lightning, Northwest-

Yugito placed her pack and cloak in a small hollow at the base of the tree, making sure everything was well-concealed and that she had a clear grasp of the location. That task done, she turned and began walking through the trees towards the camp her target had established. Her bare feet padded over the loose leaves and twigs silently, making not a single whisper of sound as she moved. The cool air whispered across her skin, the first hints of autumn making themselves known in the Land of Lightning. The sounds of the forest - the chattering of the insects, the small barks and cries of animals - gradually faded away as the wildlife fled, sensing the events about to occur with a prescience that never failed to amuse her.

No ninja had ever shown half as much sense, after all.

She breathed in deeply, her heart beginning to beat faster in anticipation. She shifted her focus inward, pushing her chakra towards that place within herself where it waited, coiled and patient as a banked furnace. A rush of heat swept through her, banishing the chill of the night in an instant as sweat began to seep from her pores. She pushed more chakra towards it, raising the heat higher and higher until she felt as if she were about to set herself ablaze. Then, with a smooth motion born of long years of practice, she pulled all of her chakra away from it.

For a moment everything hung in perfect balance, the night deathly quiet and the stars sparkling high overhead as her gaze fell onto the distant sight of the camp where her quarry lay resting. Then fire exploded from her form, setting the nearby trees ablaze and reducing the loose shirt and shorts she had been wearing to so much ash, then burning the ash itself away until nothing remained. She herself hung suspended in the middle of the firestorm, the flames flowing out of her, into her, through her, permeating her lungs, her muscles, her very being and yet not singing even a single hair on her head. She could feel her senses expanding as she made the adjustment from her human body to that of the Nibi, a form fashioned of flame and heat and raw, surging power.

She rose, towering above the surrounding woods, and bathing the area in the pale blue light given off by her burning form. Her paws made contact with the earth, destroying the grass and trees and leaving nothing but blackened and scorched earth in their wake. Her two tails curled through the air, the tips glowing white and the air around them shimmering with heat. Her mouth opened wide, revealing white, sharply pointed columns of fire that served as her teeth and exposing the churning conflagration that burned deep within her body.

Her target stood out to her senses like a bonfire, a distinctive feeling both like and unlike that she had gotten from Kirabi that burned away any doubt she might have had regarding the identify of the ninja she had been tracking. Like Kirabi, her target felt to her somehow clearer, firmer, more real than anything else she had ever experienced, either within her own form or that of the Nibi. At the same time, where Kirabi felt heavy, as if just being near him placed a weight upon her shoulders, Konoha's missing jinchuuriki felt… empty, even hollow, like she'd just stepped into a giant cave and found nothing but darkness stretching in every direction.

She could feel the other ninja in the area, their chakra small sparks against her own blaze and that of the jinchuuriki. They were beginning to move, slowly converging on the large spark that stood next to her target. They were waiting for her to make the first move, however, and so she coiled her legs and leapt, crossing the remaining distance to the camp in a matter of moments and landing heavily, sending a swirl of fire sweeping through the area and coming to a rest with a paw on either side of the jinchuuriki she had come to capture… or kill.

The ninja known as Sword had rolled to the side, reacting with impressive speed and avoiding the splash of fire that would have consumed her. The jinchuuriki responded to the attack with a surge of power, pushing back the heat that threatened him and standing firm, though with a fearful expression.

No, that wasn't quite right, Yugito noted with concern. That expression was not one of fear.

The jinchuuriki actually stepped forward, one hand slowly stretching out as if trying to touch her. He seemed to be moving calmly, almost languidly, a stark contrast to the frantic motions of Sword who was even now being forced away from their position by the steady onslaught of nearly a dozen ninja. His eyes were wide, his mouth slightly parted, and his expression… his expression was not fearful, but awed. The feeling he gave off was also changing, the hollow feeling fading to be replaced by the feeling that she was being watched, studied, like something was looking into her and through her and out of her all at once.

"Beautiful," the jinchuuriki whispered.

~ End Chapter ~

A/N: Not much to say on this chapter.

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the reviews!