Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and its characters. This is a collaboration work with my friend and beta Shirahane Aikawa.


Chapter III

"Who are they and what happened to them?" Akatsuki asked to Kaname who is seated behind his desk with his eyebrows furrowed together thinking deeply.

"They are from Hidden Leaf Village." Kaname answered simply his voice thick as he said it.

"Hidden Leaf? But why would they send their young shinobi's to find our village?" Akatsuki asked curiously his thoughts running to many possible reasons why a big village would like to find them.

"They run away from their home to sneak through their fathers who are searching for us. Akatsuki, our village may not stay hidden much longer, prepare for the possible worst case scenario." Kaname said in a warning tone before leaving his office to check on the rescued kids.

"Here drink this it will help you calm down." Asuka said smiling at Natsu and gave her a cup of tea.

"Thank you." Natsu said not looking up to Asuka who is still shaking a little from the events that just happened.

"Your friends will be waking up soon don't worry about them." Asuka said noticing the young girl's worry.

"Aneki they are shinobi's right?" Nozomi asked curiously to her older sister.

"Yes."

Kiseki have his arms crossed looking intently at the three young shinobi's, "Don't worry Nozomi I will protect you and aneki from them if they will dare lay a hand on you both."


Reaching the village, the people are looking curiously and strangely at Naruto, Sasuke and Shin being escorted by Seiren and Hanabusa to bring to their leader Kaname. After their brief encounter with the lady guardian of the village they are brought inside the mysterious village as a prisoner.

"I see nothing strange in here, it looks ordinary to me." Naruto mused earning a sharp glare from Seiren.

"Shut it dobe." Sasuke angrily said hating the fact he is being tied like a common criminal.

"Our leader will decide what to do with the three of you for now you will stay inside our underground prison." Hanabusa said and pointed her steel rod at an old stone building.

"Wait can't we talk to him first before you sent us to your prison?" Shin asked glaring at Hanabusa.

"Who are you to demand intruder, you will stay there and wait until our leader decides to talk to you." Seiren said louder than usual.


"How are they?" Kaname asked with a hand on top of Asuka's shoulder.

"They are fine, they just need to wake up from their unconsciousness nothing more serious."

Kaname nodded thoughtfully, "That is good to hear."

"Are we still safe inside our village?" Asuka asked the question she wanted to ask as soon as she meets up with Kaname.

He sighed and turned Asuka around to face her running his thumbs soothingly in her cheeks, "Yes, I will protect you and everyone in our village even if it's the last thing I have to do."

Asuka placed her hands above his hands and closed her eyes leaning her forehead over his forehead, "Don't say that as if you are saying goodbye."

A sudden sound of groan startled the two making them pull apart from each other.

"Someone's waking up I'll check on him." Asuka immediately went near Minato who just groaned in pain.

"What happened where am I? Natsu?!" Minato immediately looked for his twin seeing her beside his bed sitting in a chair with a cup of tea in hand.

"You are rescued by Kaname and brought here in our village my name is Asuka by the way."

Minato nodded in thanks and looked at his friends who are slowly starting to wake up, "Natsu did they harm you?"

"No oniichan, Kaname-san arrived in time to save me." Natsu answered smiling at his brother.

"Ouch my body aches." Shikadai said groaning.

"I'm hungry." Chocho mumbled.

"Is that all you can think about?!" Minato growled in annoyance at the younger Akimichi.

"Thanks for saving us, but where are we?" Haru asked looking at Kaname.


"Listen here lady, we are asking you to bring us to your leader first." Shin argued back to Seiren.

"You have no right to demand anything from us intruders! For all we know you could all be plotting something against him."

Shin activated his rinnegan and warned, "Don't make me say it again lady."


"Did I hear my father's voice?" Haru asked curiously looking at the window form where he heard his father's voice.

"You father is here?" Kaname asked curiously.

"Yes I think I just heard him."

"Follow me, the rest of you stay here with Asuka, Kiseki and Nozomi." Kaname told the other kids and brought Haru along with him.

Minato glared at the door when it closed that didn't miss Kiseki's eyes, "What's the big deal why are you glaring at Kaname-san's back?"

"Oniichan…" Nozomi called tugging his brother's sleeves.

"None of your business." Minato coldly answered.

Shikadai feeling the tension between the two calmly placed a hand on Minato's shoulders, "Relax we are inside their territory."

Minato sighed loudly and covered himself with a blanket.

"Oh where's Kaname?" Asuka asked who just arrived carrying a tray with tea and biscuits.

"He left along with one of their friends saying he heard his father's voice." Kiseki answered his eyes not leaving Minato.

"Stubborn shinobi kid."

"Nozomi can you help me give this to them?"

Nozomi nodded and helped her sister give tea and biscuits to the other kids.


"Hey isn't that Haru?" Naruto asked when he saw Haru walking along with a man.

"Yes he is." Shin said and receded his rasenggan back.

Haru immediately rushed to his father, "Father are you alright what happened?"

Kaname sent a non-verbal message to both Seiren and Hanabusa to set the three shinobi's free.

When the ropes are cut free and their weapons are returned to them Sasuke asked where the other children are.

"They are inside our clinic you can see them there. I am Kaname the leader of this village and rescued your kids earlier and brought them here. As for the three of you, you have a lot of explaining to do as to why you are seeking my village."

"I am Uzumaki Naruto Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, we are here on official business we need to discuss with you."

"Follow me then the three of you can check on the kids later, why don't you return with your friends?" Kaname asked Haru.

Haru nodded and returned back to the infirmary.

"Hanabusa tell Asuka to prepare a meal for our visitors, ask Akatsuki to help her catch some fishes by the river while I talk to our guest." Kaname said and left with Naruto, Sasuke and Shin.

"You heard him, I will stand guard by the gate for a while."

Hanabusa nodded and went to the infirmary.


Akatsuki is busy catching fishes together with Asuka who are both sitting by the riverbank holding a fishing rod with a pail beside them with the fishes they caught.

"Don't you find it strange Kaname let those shinobi outsiders inside?" Asuka asked breaking the silence between them.

"He knows what he's doing better than anyone here, he won't let anything harm the village you know that." Akatsuki said reassuring her.

Asuka pouted cutely, "I know I am just worrying for him carrying the weight of the village on his shoulders."

"Really or are you worrying he won't have time to marry you?" Akatsuki teased earning a quick glare from Asuka's lavender eyes.

"It's not that." Before Asuka could smack Akatsuki playfully on the arm he caught a fish from his reel making him busy in reeling the fish towards him while she pulled her reel back to her knowing the fishes they caught are enough.

After their meeting with Kaname and being allowed to wander inside his village, Sasuke wandered around the village noticing how small it is compared to Konoha but more beautiful than Konoha with the preserved natural beauty of the village. He walked silently reaching the river seeing its beautiful blue waters and a long raven haired woman standing at the bank of the river with her back on him, a sight he was very familiar of.

"H-Hinata…"