No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

— Article 11(2) of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Rights

"So..." Nana says, after they've both calmed down and settled on her bed. "You're... here."

She still can't believe it. It feels like a dream, a fantasy- but one that could sour into a nightmare at any moment. And by the look on Kanna's face, she gets the idea that it will soon become just that. Her old caretaker hurriedly pushes a piece of paper towards her, hidden in the folds of her sleeve. To the untrained eye, it looks like she's reaching out to grab her by the hands. The crinkle of the paper reveals the truth however.

"Ryuu's gone," Kanna whispers mournfully, blinking back tears.

Nana feels like she's been hit in the chest, a heavy blow that forces the wind out of her lungs and sends a throbbing ache throughout her heart.

"What?" she breathes out, throat closing around the word.

Her caretaker swallows nervously, a shuddering breath escaping her lips as she gave a helpless shrug.

"I don't know if he's... dead. But... there's a good chance he is. He hasn't come back home for days, and when I checked his work... they said he quit months ago. But he was still bringing in some money, had even told us that he was given a raise. But now... I don't know what to think. He was- He's gone, Nana. And he left this for you."

She says the last part quietly, the words barely audible, even in the silence.

The paper almost seems to burn in Nana's smaller hands, the folds and creases slowly wearing into her skin.

"Why?" She can't stop the question spilling out of her lips, and Kanna gives a broken laugh, tears shining in her eyes.

"He got himself mixed up in something he never should have touched. Especially not with you involved. I- I can't tell you, Nana. If I'm caught here, then they might be lenient, but if they find out about the note, about- I can't risk it. I can't."

Not even for you.

Her face is stricken with grief and despair, so torn between telling the child she basically raised everything, and keeping her own life safe. And Nana... Nana can't fault her for that. Not when Kanna still has mouths to feed, not when she's done so much already. Instead, she nods slowly, squeezes the older girl's hands to let her know that it's okay, that she isn't angry. A dry sob escapes Kanna, and she kneels down, arms wrapping tightly around her smaller body.

"I'm so sorry," Kanna weeps out harshly, ragged breaths escaping her lips. "I'm so, so sorry, Nana."

I'm sorry too, she thinks, burying her face into the worn cotton of Kanna's shirt. They stay entwined for a moment longer, before the older girl pulls away, blinking the tears out of her eyes.

"Can I be honest, Nana?" she says hoarsely, and Nana nods, hand clutching at the hem of her shirt. Kanna gently lifts her face up, hand cupping her cheek. Her fingers tremble against her skin, and Nana can barely breathe.

"Burn the note. Please. Whatever he wrote, whatever he wanted to tell you... it's dangerous. He was mixed in with something bigger than himself, bigger than all of us, and you shouldn't be involved in that. Not when it got him- I would have burned it myself, but I... I wanted to see you and give you the choice. So just- promise me. Don't get involved."

Kurama's laugh echoes inside her skull as the weight of the words settle in the air.

"If only she knew that you were already damned. What will you do, Nana? Will you lie and let her sleep without fear at night? Or will you tell her the truth and drag her down with you?"

Goosebumps flood across Nana's arms, and her jaw pulses with the beginnings of an ache from Kanna's hold. The fingers against her cheek tighten in an almost bruising grip, and finally, she wrenches herself away. But the tension does not shatter. Kanna doesn't look away from her, even as her lips tremble with choked down sobs.

Nana swallows nervously.

Lie, or tell the truth.

Put Kanna at ease, or worry her even more.

Keep her safe, or put her in danger.

Whatever the choice, her bond with Kanna would be broken. There would be no going back.

"Okay."

Her caretaker's eyes slide shut, and her face goes blank.

(She always could tell when she was lying. But Nana can't bring herself to regret it. It is a dismissal, both kind and cruel, to the woman who raised her. She only hopes that Kanna understands.)

Silence lingers between them for a moment, before Kanna opens her eyes again, a sad smile on her face. Nana's mouth feels dry, tongue sticking to the bottom of her mouth and choking off any words she might have wanted to say.

"I'm glad."

And that's that. What else is there to say after all? Nana will keep these children safe, even if she has to cut them all off to do so. Because in the end, whatever she does, they will be dragged in and questioned. They will be interrogated and examined to make sure they didn't collaborate with her. The least she can do for them is give them the protection of ignorance.

Ryuu died to give this letter to her.

She wouldn't damn Kanna to the same fate.

Something must show on her face, because her caretaker lets out one last sob, before launching herself at her, arms wrapping tightly around her smaller body. But before she can say anything, Kanna hisses something out to her beneath her breath.

"Ryuu told me... told me that your guard rotation has changed to one ANBU per night, but there are eyes everywhere. Your bathroom is a blind spot. Be careful, Nana. There's... something rotten."

Kurama laughs and laughs and laughs at the words, even as a scream crawls up her throat. Because Ryuu died for her. Ryuu was taken away for her. To gain information that she shouldn't know, that any of them should know. But Kanna has come here and risked it all to hand her the letter and words of a traitor, of a boy who held so much fury in his skin that he couldn't keep standing by.

He was her brother.

He was her brother. Her sibling. Her sister.

He was hers.

And they took him from her. Just like they'll take everyone else.

"Please, Nana," Kanna begs softly, "please be safe."

And Nana buries her face into her neck, breathes in Kanna's soft scent of detergent and cheap perfume, and forces herself to nod, even as the grief and rage settles deep in her stomach.

"I'll try," she chokes out, bile upon her tongue.

"That's all I ask for. All I've ever asked for."

They linger there for one last second, before pulling away.

"...I should go," Kanna says, voice quiet. Nana can only nod, lips pressed firmly together as she walks the older girl over to her door.

She leaves as quietly as she came, hurrying off down the corridor and disappearing into the stairwell without even a second glance.

It's getting dark, after all.

Nana calmly shuts her door, letter scraping against her skin beneath her sleeve. She does not pull it out. Instead, she shuffles over to her bathroom, quietly closes the door, and crawls into the shower. The cool ceramic presses into her back as she settles, even as she curls up into a ball.

She feels scraped out and hollow, and she's grateful for Kurama's silence as she tries to stumble through the thoughts that race inside her mind. Ryuu is dead. Her brother, her sibling-

He's dead.

The emptiness in her chest seems to gape further, and she wonders if the dull ache behind her ribcage is from the contortion of her body, or from grief.

She wonders if it even matters.

"Ryuu's dead." Her voice is tinged with acrid bitterness, and she can't stop the exhaustion from flooding her body. She's so tired of this.

"It appears so, yes," Kurama replies, a gentle rumble in his chest.

The sink gurgles quietly, and she finds herself focusing on the soft glug, glug, glug, the sound echoing in time to her own thoughts.

Ryuu is dead.

"Is this it?" she finally asks. "Is this what it's going to be like?"

"I think you know the answer to that question."

Nana scoffs.

"Open the paper, read what he said, but then what? What am I- Fuck!"

She lets out a wordless yell, fingers tangling into her hair and yanking the strands. Pain travels down her spine, and she shudders violently, letting her head drop down into her knees. Kurama stays quiet, and she can just imagine him lying down comfortably, paws crossed, as he waits for her to calm down.

"So that's it then. My brother is dead or worse, my sister just put herself in a similar position to deliver his explanation, and I'm just supposed to read it and continue. God, this is... You know this is fucked up, right? That none of this is normal, is fair-?!" she chokes out, and her eyes finally start to sting with tears. Kurama lets out a soft huff, and when she closes her eyes, she can see him before her, looking at her with open judgement.

"What did you believe would happen, Nana? I thought you would know better by now. This world has no care for you or your expectations. Let this stoke your resolve, rather than cause you to doubt," he tells her harshly, hot breath washing over her.

She can't help but let out a bitter laugh as rage begins to well up above the grief. Of course. What did she assume? Because in the end, she is a means to an end to him. Nothing more. He had said after all that he would no longer be 'human'. Her nails dig into the palm of her hands, and she recalls the conversation they had in the concrete room while the Uchiha were being slaughtered.

How harsh he had been. The way she had steeled herself and finally made her decision.

And just like that, the anger at Kurama fades. He is just as trapped as her. How tired he must be to see her stumble and stagger between decisions that could mean his freedom or continued captivity.

The silence lingers between them like ash, until Nana finally breaks it with a shuddering breath.

"Okay," she says. "Okay."

And with that, she opens her eyes again, blinking at the bright light of the bathroom. The paper in her sleeve crinkles, and the sound seems to echo like a bell. Slowly, she dips her fingers in, carefully tugging the folded paper out. Her heart pounds quietly as she traces the creases with her eyes, tongue darting out to wet her lips. Black ink bleeds through the paper, and if she squints, she can recognise a few of the backwards characters. Ultimately however, she knows she can't keep stalling.

Sucking in a breath, she gently unfolds the paper, and begins to read.

Nana,

With luck, Kanna was able to safely give you this letter. I hope that you'll give what I have to say a chance. You must have so many questions, and I've tried to answer the main ones I think you'd ask here. First of all:

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Nana. I should have fought harder for you to stay. It wouldn't have done much, but... I guess we'll never know. But most of all, I'm sorry that you're reading this. Because it means that I've gotten caught and... well. You probably won't ever see me again. I love you though. All of us do, so when things get tough, or it feels like you're all alone, know that you've got us, thinking about you. Anyway, on to business.

I don't know how much you know about the Konoha Liberation Group, but I doubt you've been told much. Shinobi... this whole system... it's so corrupt. You've seen the kids that disappear, seen how civilians and orphans alike get forgotten and trodden on by the people meant to protect us. The KLG is all about the civilians. It's about obtaining a fairer system of government, one where people like you and me aren't thrown under the wagon to fight a war that doesn't even matter.

After you were taken... I couldn't take it. I joined them. And they showed me just how much the rot goes. How children have been sent off to fight battles that never should have arisen in the first place. And when I think about how you might be one of those kids... I can't stand it. So we're trying to change things. So far it's just protests and handing out flyers, but we've been organising. We got intel from a former Kiri-nin who was a part of the rebellion over there, and he's been giving us tips on how to fight back.

Of course, it isn't easy. After all, if you're reading this, then it went wrong. A raid must have caught us, or I slipped up and they took me in, or something else. But I wanted you to know about us. About the KLG. You have options.

Even if you decide to ignore this letter, or report it, that's still an option I'm giving you. I'd prefer it if you didn't, but that's up to you. And that's more than Konoha will ever give you. No matter what you choose: I love you. You're my little sister, and I wish I could have done more to protect you.

Fight for the Justice you have been denied. Quench the Will of Fire that causes war to burn.

Stay safe,

Ryuu

"...Konoha has an illegal paramilitary protest group. Aimed at overthrowing the status quo."

"...That is certainly a surprise."

Nana doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. Her brother, Ryuu, caught up in a hidden revolution. A revolution she thought she'd have to start herself. How many other discontent people were there? How many more people could be swayed to the cause?

Despite the grief, something like hope blooms in her chest.

She isn't alone.

Nana isn't alone in this. She could get support, access to resources, could actually change things. An incredulous laugh bubbles up in her throat.

"Kurama, this... this changes everything."

He hums, not quite convinced.

"Perhaps. But keep in mind: They are civilian based. And the Kiri-nin? That speaks of infiltration, Nana."

She deflates, gnawing on her lip as she mulls over his words. An ex Kiri-nin appearing out of nowhere, who just so happens to want to help a group dedicated to making the lives of Konohan shinobi as difficult as possible? Kurama is right, it stinks of a psy-op.

Her fingers carefully tap the tiled floor, thoughts racing wildly in her mind. She has several options. She could contact the KLG and scope out their set up, potentially gifting herself to a Kiri invader. She could refuse to think on it further and ignore them, and wait until they become useful. Or she could just... keep an eye out. Until she's strong enough to defend herself if it goes wrong.

Nana can't help but groan. It seems like every decision she makes boils down to: Wait until she's stronger. But what else can she do? She has to be cautious if she wants to survive, if she wants to bring real, tangible change. Kurama was right the other day, if she dies, then that's it. Maybe it's a self-centred and narrow understanding of the situation, but...

She so desperately wants to change this world. She can't let herself give up, can't resign herself to being another weapon of mass destruction for a place that will never change.

So. Training to be stronger it is then.

"I do believe it is the wisest choice. It may be hard to keep an eye out on the KLG at the same time... but knowing that you have potential allies is reassuring," Kurama says, and he sounds approving. And despite the argument they had before, she can't help but smile.

"It is. It really is. This... Kurama, we might be able to pull this off."

She can't stop the glee rising in her chest, and a light laugh spills from her lips. Kurama lets out a low chuckle, and for the first time, Nana... feels okay.

It's going to be okay.

"I delivered the letter."

The man hums at her words, absently watching the building she just came from. It's good she left when she did. The Jinchuuriki's ANBU guards will no doubt turn up at any moment.

"Good. You've done well, Kanna-chan," he replies after a moment, and the orphan's face twists up into a disgusted sneer.

"I didn't do it for you-!" she says, but cuts herself off as he shifts to look at her.

"No? You certainly leapt at the chance when I offered you your reward. Do you no longer want the money and documents? I'm sure Konoha would love to have you for another few years. Not only that, but I heard you telling her to burn it, which most certainly was not part of our deal." His voice is low, a gentle whisper of a threat, and he can't help but delight in the way she blanches, sucking in a shuddering breath.

"No. No, please, if they find out what I've done- Please. I can't end up like Ryuu. I have to look after the kids. They'll kill us," Kanna pleads, terrified tears rising in her eyes, and he hums, carefully turning away from her. She's right of course. Yamamoto Ryuuji did not just doom himself when he was caught. Not when it was possible that he spread those ideas to his fellow orphans. The Sandaime might split them up, but the real danger lies with Danzo.

The man predicts him to strike within the next few days. A sudden fire at night, catching all of them off guard and killing every last one of them. It would be a tragedy, but quickly forgotten.

He's tired of tragedies. Perhaps it would be kinder to simply kill them all right now, but...

Nohara Kanna deserves a chance. For her.

"I would implicate myself if I did that," he lies, because it would be easy to hide his involvement, but he doubts that would comfort the girl. "Here."

He holds out a thick envelope for her to take, stuffed with money and enough fake passports for the remaining members of the orphanage. She reaches out to take it, but he pulls back just before her fingertips brush the paper.

"This is the extent of my help," he warns, "And Kanna?"

She looks up.

Nohara or not, she still tried to betray him.

It is very easy to strike her, and he watches as the kunai slices her cheek to the bone. She lets out a startled scream, but he quickly muffles her, before searing the wound shut with a quick katon. The burn will be a reminder, and a threat to keep her mouth shut. She lets out a soft sob as he releases her, but she does not yell or shriek, and instead grabs the envelope when he tosses it to her.

She does not stay for a second longer, and he can't blame her. Turning back to look at Uzumaki Nana's building, he can't help the smile that spreads across his face.

It took a while, but he's finally set the pieces in motion. If things go to plan, then Uzumaki Nana will do most of the work for him.

Now, all Uchiha Obito has to do is wait and watch Konoha implode.

END OF ARC 1