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Thinking

Biju, etc. speaking

Biju, etc. thinking

Emphasis

"Drunk Lady are you coming in?" Naru asked. Sitting beside the girl, Shizune wondered if this was the kid's last day to live.

The look on Tsunade-sama's face said it all. Shizune disappeared in a swirl of leaves, trying to save her little charge from the fury that is Tsunade.

Shizune darted her eyes around the park in horror. She had only turned away for a matter of seconds, surely, to answer a man that was selling popsicles to those who were lounging in the area outside the playground. She turned back toward her charge, only to find the little Princess missing. She immediately made 3 clones, sending one of them off to get help from the Senju compound. She knew that there were only a few shinobi that knew the girl was even in the village again, and the last thing she wanted to do was alert anyone at all to the Princess.

"N- Sweetheart?" She called out, but not too loudly, while her two clones henged and quickly darted away, desperately searching for the little one. How far could she have even gone?! Momentarily she wondered what she had done in a past life to put her in a position with two disappearing Princesses. Well, Tsunade does it to avoid debts… and people. She kept her eyes peeled and reached out her senses. Above her was a nearly blinding chakra presence. Way above her, at the top of one of the highest tree branches she recognized that bright blonde hair and choked.

Baffled by how the girl got up there at all, let alone so quickly, she was also terrified of Naru falling. Shizune made her way up the tree. As unbelievable as it seemed, it really was her. The three-year-old sat clutching her knees with wide, wary eyes. The little blonde quickly gestured for Shizune to come closer. Shizune bent down slowly: this was really too high for her comfort; she dispelled her clones. "There's a bad man down there!" Naru pointed.

Her clones' memories returned to her, and dear gods… THEY were coming. "Why do you say he's a bad man, Naru-chan?" Shizune whispered back to the little one. Naru only shook her head, staring down at a non-descript man who was alone in the park. She watched as he bought a popsicle and looked around just before pandemonium broke out.

A pack of what looked like wild, rabid dogs erupted in the middle of the playground, just as a giant toad and slug appeared in the trees. Children were screaming and either holding themselves to the ground in fear or running and tripping all over themselves. Shizune felt lightning crackling and sighed. Gods, they had to make an entrance like this? Jiraiya was bellowing threats at anyone and everyone from the Toad Boss' head, as Tsunade-sama jumped of Lady Katsuya, causing a crater in the ground as she screamed for Shizune. The Slug summoner's mighty fist was cocked back and no-doubt, eager to hit someone.

Seeing that everyone aside from a few shinobi had run away terrified at the incoming ninja's insane actions, Shizune reluctantly called out for her mentor timidly. The woman was obviously terribly displeased as she cursed non-stop at her, the trees, and the village as a whole; Shizune was surprised the air wasn't blue. She saw Hatake make a clone and suddenly feared that the boy would use that lightning blade she'd heard about to cut down their tree. He began walking up the tree instead, looking furious even with the vast majority of his face covered. Shizune held on to Naruto tighter as the Toad Boss with Jiraiya still on top of him, jumped up a bit to see the two of them. The toad's jump caused the trees to shake, and it was then that Shizune realized that Naruto hadn't even moved.

"You're holding yourself in place with chakra," she said to the girl in shock. Hatake had just arrived.

Sneering at her, the boy heatedly responded. "What are you talking about? And why did you bring her to the top of the tree? Especially this high," he growled. His clone was on alert below them, both radiating Killer Intent - as was Tsunade. Jiraiya was just down on the ground, hands-on-hips, looking up at them with amusement in his eyes. She saw his eyes dart to the side, and sure enough: a team of ANBU arrived alongside the Sandaime.

The leader looked at Jiraiya menacingly, but the Toad Sage simply pointed upward. Shizune gave a little wave and watched the elder deflate. He took off The Hat and robes, handing them over to an ANBU agent. Shizune watched as Kakashi-kun's clone slouched over to another ANBU, speaking to him in hushed tones. The real Kakashi was still glaring at her from a nearby tree branch. Tsunade-sama was pacing down below and began harassing Jiraiya-sama. The Hokage began to ascend the tree. How did I get myself into this? Shizune wondered fleetingly.

"Where's the threat?" The silver-haired, fairly frightening teenager asked.

"There was a bad man!" Naru exclaimed, bouncing over to the Hatake's branch and nearly giving everyone a heart attack.

Kakashi nearly fell off the branch in shock. Forcing himself to calm, he bent down and gently put his hands upon the girl's shoulders. He cleared his throat and schooled his features. No need to show her that she's scaring the hell out of me. He smiled under his mask. "The bad man, hime? Is he still here?" The little one shook her head at him, as she gazed up at him with her almost too-big blue eyes. "Did you see where he went?"

She shook her head again. "Shizuneechan kinda scared me." Feeling something heavy and cold crash down from him, she leaped away to another branch. Fortunately for all the adults, the Sandaime was nearby. As far as Naruto was concerned, she felt just fine. It's fun being up here!

Shizune gave a description of the gray-haired man Naru had been wary of, at least as much as she could see of him from their height at the time. She did mention that she hadn't seen him do anything suspicious, but little Naru-chan was adamant that the man was bad. She freely admitted that she didn't know why, though.

Once on the ground, the Hokage knelt and asked the question that he so hated to bring up to the girl. "Naru-chan: was the bad man one of the men in… the place you came from?" Seeing her confused little face tilt and look up at him, he felt terrible for prying further, knowing that the child had been abused by his former student. He had to know though if Orochimaru was already tailing her. "Was he from the bad place, hime?"

Naruto's mind blanked. She was on a table, screaming as Nii-san tried to make her quiet. "No!" Arms were pinning her and she struggled to get away. Nothing made sense! Finally, she looked up with tear-filled eyes to see the older JiJi man form in front of her. She ran to her daddy and jumped up into his arms, trying desperately not to cry and failing, as she held on to him with all her might. He rubbed her back and said nice things as he walked. He's safe: this is what safe is, she thought.

Kakashi put a genjutsu over himself and little Naru-chan as he walked slowly through the village toward the estate. Every time he sped up she would begin crying again, so he just took his time. This is bad. Has Orochimaru found her already? He saw Tsunade-hime and Shizune-san ahead of him walk into the hospital, undoubtedly to guard that older boy against threats, too. Jiraiya-sama approached and Kakashi felt an additional genjutsu cover them.

"So what do you think, brat?"

Kakashi shook his head - he didn't want to discuss any of it with Naru-chan present. Fortunately, the Sage seemed to understand. He thought that Naru was asleep until she quietly spoke to the older shinobi. "I liked your frog," she said tiredly.

Jiraiya's chest puffed out with pride. "Well of course you do, brat!" He ignored the scowl Kakashi sent his way. Brats are brats, and Sakumo's brat can suck it if he has a problem with the truth! Well not literally... "And THAT, little girly was a toad, not a frog," he continued derisively. The little one nodded her head at him and closed her eyes. After a minute or so of looking around and attempting to sense threats, he again spoke to Kakashi. "You've got her wrapped around your finger, don't you bigger brat?" Kakashi ignored him while Jiraiya made a humming sound. "Or is it the other way around?" He watched as the lanky teen turned to him with a blank look in that eye. Such a little shit: he's no fun. He returned to his hidden observations of the village surrounding them.

The two men went separate ways before returning to the estate and went into Naru's room. Jiraiya pulled down her bedcovers and Kakashi tried to put the blonde to bed, but she wouldn't let go of him. Eventually, they gave up and sat down in the living room. Jiraiya flipped on the TV, waking Naruto a bit as she looked up at her daddy. There was no way she was going to let go of him. "I didn't know him. Gomen," she said before settling her head back down on his shoulder. She took a deep breath and smelled doggies; it was nice.

Kakashi appreciated those words and tried to get comfortable in his chair while not waking his little sister up. "Daughter," he sighed at the possibility of calling her such a thing as he tried to ignore the Old Pervert's knowing look. He flipped the man off, which made the toad summoner burst out in laughter. Kakashi rolled his eyes and leaned his head back. Fortunately, the idiot had covered his mouth when he began laughing, so Naruto could continue to sleep. His eyes closed, too. He never heard the clicking of a camera, followed later by three more.