A/N- Well, I wasn't planning on having the story take a turn here and I almost have no absolute plan for future chapters even though most of it is worked out. From here on you guys would be able to notice that this is in fact completely AU since the story line and ages of some characters and events won't be followed AT ALL. I apologize if this bothers you guys, but I was never planning on following the universe in which Naruto takes place.
"Unmei, wake up!" It was Kisame, shaking Unmei fiercely. He had tears in his eyes and his cheeks were puffy and red. Everything around them seemed to be covered in smoke.
Unmei opened her eyes in a panicked motion as she was rudely interrupted from her happy childhood dreams. She saw something she rarely ever saw and that was Kisame crying which alerted her immediately.
"What's going on?" Unmei asked. Kisame dragged her along with him.
"We need to run, Unmei." Kisame said as he moved faster.
"Why do we need to run?" Unmei asked, now grasping that she has to hurry up so she started jogging along with being dragged by Kisame.
"Someone is after the clan." Kisame now broke out into a full run.
Unmei began running soon after. She was forced to if she didn't want to fall down. Her breath became ragged as she started stressing over what was happening.
"Where's Mommy and Daddy?" Unmei asked in a rush.
"They went to get Emiko and her husband, Joto. They're too slow to escape on their own." Kisame explained. Luckily they were almost out of the compound.
Unmei and Kisame started running faster when they heard a small explosion close by. Many homes were on fire and Unmei could hear screams nearly everywhere. She could almost hear the sizzle of memories burning away, if she focused.
Soon they were out of the main gate and into the streets of the busy town.
"Come on, we have to get to the forest, that's where they're meeting us." Kisame now yelled his commands at Unmei. Stress was taking its toll on him and Unmei didn't like it at all. The worst thing she had experienced before today was when she and Kisame had chicken pox together and had to stay in bed for a week and even that wasn't all too bad.
They ran as fast as they could from the chaos they used to call their home. Unmei, the usually slow one, was keeping up with Kisame thanks to all of the adrenaline in her tiny body. Both of them willed themselves to go faster. They dodged some stray citizens in the streets and finally reached the forest safely. Even if they had stopped and asked for help, no kind person would be wandering the streets at 3 in the morning.
"We made it." Kisame said through wild gasps for air.
"Yeah, but will Mommy and Daddy?" Unmei asked worriedly. She was always the one to come up with the worst case scenario, even though she was the cheerful one. She was sitting down on the ground and trying to gain some composure. Sure she may have kept up with Kisame, but he handled the speed much better.
Kisame followed Unmei and sat down next to her. They both became quiet. They waited and listened into the darkness for any signs of Hareta and Toshio.
Soon the air became lighter and Kisame and Unmei hoped no one would find them that wasn't supposed to find them, but as luck would have it, someone did.
"Well now, I didn't expect to see such fine specimens on my night out on the town. I don't suppose you two ran away from home, did you?" A slender and handsome man asked the children. This person seemed to be all alone, but to the children that didn't mean that he wasn't dangerous.
"We're waiting to say goodbye to our parents, they're going on a mission and we want to surprise them!" Kisame said confidently. He was always the better liar.
"Ah, I see. Who are your parents?" The man asked Kisame.
"I don't think you'd know them, they're not very famous." Unmei replied quickly.
"What a shame, I wonder what Hareta and Toshio would have said if they heard that. Too bad they're burnt and sliced to death by now." The man smiled maliciously. His handsome face contorted into something beastly and inhuman.
"Who are you? Where are my parents!?" Unmei was panicking, not only did this man feel dangerous, but if he knew their parents then he certainly knew them as well.
"My my dear, didn't your parents teach you any manners? They're dead. I killed them. In fact, I killed your whole clan." The man replied smugly.
"Why would you do that?" Unmei started crying hysterically. Kisame looked as if he was ready to tear this person in front of him to shreds.
"Because I was looking for you, dear. They should have known better than to hide you." The man said matter of factly.
"Why?!" Unmei was close to a panic attack.
"Because I want you for my arsenal. You and your little pet shark." His face became kind again. He made it sound as if it was the chance of a lifetime for them. Unmei highly doubted that.
"I'll make sure both of you know my name very well by the time we're done. My name is Orochimaru, one of the three Sannin. Pleased to finally be seen by you." His smile became more malicious than before as his neck started elongating. He pulled at his skin in a way that made Unmei nauseous.
"Don't you dare touch them." Hareta said, holding a kunai to the sannin's throat.
"You think we'd let you take them so easily? Not a chance." Toshio said from somewhere in the trees.
"I thought I killed you two." Orochimaru replied though gritted teeth.
"Hint, never let goons do the job of a boss." Hareta grinned.
Toshio jumped from a tree and walked over to Orochimaru. He smiled reassuringly at Kisame and Unmei before stopping in front of the snake.
"At least they took out most of your clan." Orochimaru smirked.
Toshio and Hareta both looked at each other and smiled.
"Well about that..." Hareta began as she dug the kunai deeper into Orochimaru.
Suddenly Orochimaru was shot by senbon needles from all directions of the forest. At first Unmei yelled out in fright, thinking someone had hit her parents. Then she laughed because she saw Emiko from the tree across from her. Then she yelled again when she realised Orochimaru had become a log.
"As we suspected, it was merely a decoy. At least now he'll know not to touch they heiress." Emiko smiled as she jumped from a tree. Unmei couldn't believe that a woman of her age would still be capable of such physical abilities.
"Good job everyone, now we just have to gather our things and head for the main compound." Joto, Emiko's husband replied from next to Emiko.
"Main compound? Why?" Hareta questioned.
"Because the position of an heiress has been compromised by a very dangerous enemy, the best course of action would be to move to a location unknown to the enemy." Joto replied.
"But we proved that we can stand our ground to the enemy. Shouldn't that be enough to keep them at bay? I'm not going against the elder's decision, but if we run that would only force our enemy to find us." Toshio argued. He wanted Unmei and Kisame to be safe, and if that means putting them in a spot where the enemy knows just to keep them from chasing after them, so be it.
"You have a good point, Toshio-kun. We will have to think this through more thoroughly. I suggest a meeting with the other branches." Joto replied.
"Agreed." Hareta and Toshio replied.
Hareta walked over to Unmei and hugged her tightly before smiling at both Unmei and Kisame.
"Both of you are safe now." Hareta smiled.
Unmei began crying and held on to Kisame and her mom. Kisame tried holding back his tears, but failed miserably. A little kid can only handle so much stress.
Hareta tucked both kids safely into Emiko's bed. The main house, where Hareta and Toshio lived, had completely burned down, but the rest of the compound survived with less damage. Emiko's house had been the one to receive the least damage.
"So, what's the plan?" Toshio asked, facing Emiko, Joto and the two remaining elders, Keiko and Arashi.
"We decided to separate this branch so to throw off the enemy." Arashi replied. Joto and Keiko, as Shiryoku-born, have the most say as elders. Their significant others to play a big role in decision making though.
"I suppose that works, how would we separate the branch?" Hareta asked.
"Simple. Half stays here, the half with the best fighters as well as one pair of elders and the leaders, so you two, as well as the heiress. The other half travels to a different island as to throw off the enemy. Most likely Orochimaru would be going after the travelling part of the branch. The travelling branch would only need a few of the best fighters." Joto replied. The elders seemed to have a plan before Hareta and Toshio arrived. The elders are always to proud to accept help from those younger than them.
"Alright, that would work. When will we do this?" Toshio asked.
"Tomorrow morning. Also, we'll need decoys." Keiko answered.
"Of?" Hareta asked.
"The children and the two of you. We'll also need you four to hide your appearance if the enemy decides to look here." Joto answered.
"Do you agree?" Emiko asked the two leaders.
"Not completely. Maybe we should send Unmei and Kisame with the other branch and the two of us will stay here with decoys. If they don't see us with the kids then they'll think the real children are simply decoys." Hareta answered.
"But that would mean separating the children from their parents?" Keiko asked.
"If it is for the safety of my child, so be it. The land of waves are becoming increasingly difficult with our appearance here. It would be best for them not to be here when Kiri decides to do something about us." Toshio answered, because of the link between Toshio and Hareta, their feelings are always known to the other. Kirigakure never liked clans with bloodline limits.
The elders went to talk alone with each other before coming up with a decision. After a few minutes they neared Toshio and Hareta.
"We have come to agree with the plan you've made." Joto replied.
Hareta smiled at the elders, even though she couldn't have been feeling more remorseful. She always wanted to see her child grow up happily. Now she'd hardly ever see her baby girl. Kirigakure won't tolerate the clan much longer after the children leave. Either they'll brainwash them to become mindless drones for the Mizukage, or they'll attack. Hareta and Toshio would fight no matter what and Hareta didn't want Unmei to see all of that or even worse, be a part of it.