Hello everybody! It has been a long time…I have read all the reviews, it's wonderful that you love the story, thank you:)))Now I'm back and have some news – good and bad.:) The good one is that today I present two chapters not one and they are bigger than usual. They are not beta-read though so I'm sorry for grammar. I hope my beta-reader can repair the Internet in her house and can help me once more to get rid of mistakes. There is a big flashback in the chapters so those who don't like the flashbacks – you've been warned ;) The bad news (for you, not for me) that I'm going to Italy for a couple of weeks so I won't have Internet for some time. But I won't leave the story, when I return I'll continue writing (maybe it will be even better – new impressions and so on). So wish me luck on a journey ;) I'm waiting for your reviews and I really hope I didn't do these two chapters boring! Till the next time!

Chapter 6. Chasing kidnappers

"Arashi-sama, we can't move that fast," his companions complained.

The talks were finished with total success and Yondaime headed home. For the last few hours he had a strong feeling something was really wrong and he wanted to return to Konoha as soon as possible.

"Then you stay here," he turned back to the elders who accompanied him. "I should be in Konoha."

"Arashi-sama, it's really inappropriate actions for the hokage," his companions insisted. "You should have patience."

"If you knew your child is in danger could you act that calm?" Arashi wanted to shout back but stopped.

"I don't know anything. There is no reason to be rude."

"Hokage-sama!" small ball appeared to be a dog jumped out of the darkness just in front of Arashi.

"What are you doing here?" Yondaime immediately recognized on of the Kakashi's summoned dogs. This dog was breathing heavily like it had been running for awhile. Arashi felt like his heart was pounding like a bell and his legs began to lose the connection with the ground. If Kakashi sent this dog it meant something happened. Something really bad.

"Naruto?" he didn't recognize his own voice. "What happened to Naruto?"

"He was kidnapped," the dog answered. "20 hours ago."

"20 hours!" everything screamed into Arashi's mind. He even didn't think that this dog ran for 20 hours to give him this news. Naruto…his son was kidnapped!

He breathed in and out trying to sort his feelings and concentrate his chakra. All thoughts were dissipating in his head.

"Stop the hysterics," he shouted to himself in his mind. Slowly he moved his hands into position.

"Arashi-sama!" one of the elders came to him. "What happened?"

Arashi didn't answer. He was out of time and at that moment he didn't think he had any words to say. He just concentrated all his chakra he had and disappeared from his place.

"Well," the dog turned to the elders. "Come on, I'll tell you the whole story."

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"Nothing again," the last ANBU reported to Kakashi who was sitting at the same part of the forest trying different jutsus.

"Our last hope is the intercepting team," Tsunade sighed. "It's not a big chance but if they came by the coast it would be more possible to detect them."

"He already should reach Arashi," Kakashi told her. "So he'll be back in a few hours."

Something looking like a little tornado appeared in front of them revealing Arashi. Yondaime looked tired and nervous. For Kakashi it looked like the night of fighting with Kyuubi came back. Arashi looked like the same as he was that night – the same desperate sight and calm determination to do anything for the sake of the ones he loved.

"Found anything?" he asked.

"Not much," Tsunade answered. "We went the intercepting team. As for the others…forest search gave no result."

"Search jutsu?" Arashi asked.

Kakashi shook his head.

"Nothing. They are too far to detect or…"

"No, he is alive," Arashi cut. "Naruto is the stubborn one. He won't die in such a stupid situation."

He moved his hands concentrating.

"Arashi, it's impossible," Tsunade stepped in. "Kakashi told you it's too far."

"I don't care!" Arashi shouted squeezing all the chakra he had.

Tsunade and Kakashi backed down. This moment the 4th almost looked like Naruto when he fought. When all the hopes have already disappeared and it was the time to give up he did impossible things.

"Just…a little… more," Arashi whispered his hands shaking but not loosing concentration.

Looking at him Tsunade remembered how many times Naruto stood the same way giving all he had to rescue someone.

"I wonder…is it some special power your family has, Arashi," she smiled watching as a thin line showing the success of jutsu is beginning to appear in front of them. "Doing impossible things while protecting some person important to you..."

Arashi dropped his hands finally seeing the thin thread appeared in front of him. Thread to Naruto.

"Now…" He prepared to disappear.

"Arashi," Tsunade called him. "You…your body…there are chakra burns all over it. If you use this jutsu more it could be dangerous. Let me heal it."

"We have no time, Tsunade," he answered and turned back.

"Looks like they caught him in some high level genjutsu, " Kakashi stepped in. "ANBU reported he just exited your house and ran to the forest. His speed…they said it was abnormal…it looked like he used your technique to increase it. They couldn't catch to him."

Arashi turned back half worried but a small smile appeared on his tired down face.

"So your theory…about blood limit…it could be the truth after all," he nodded.

"Like father like son," Kakshi nodded back stepping away from the path. "Good luck, sensei."

Arashi nodded again concentrating his chakra on his body. All the chakra he had, all he needed he must put it into saving Naruto.

Strange, but the only thing he could think about after moving from his place was the thought about his first mission with Umi.

"If I acted another way…could anything be ok now?" he wondered. "Naruto, could this story with Kyuubi never happened if I…"

His thoughts drifted into the past while his body was moving along the search line towards his missing son.

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FLASHBACK

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"These ruins…they should be somewhere nearby," Arashi muttered rotating the map.

"You told me this two hours ago," Umi sighed in despair. "It was the mistake to let you lead the way. Face it – we got lost."

"Just stop complaining and let me concentrate," Arashi growled examining the map more attentively.

"Me? Complaining?" two angry blue eyes stared at him with such intensity that Yondaime felt he's blushing again. To his joy he finally spotted a few blocks looking like a part of the wall.

"You just look at that!" he smiled pointing at them. "Here are the ruins! We arrived just like I told you before!"

"You were lucky," Umi laughed.

"No, it just the skill of path finding, my dear mizukage," Arashi's smile became wider.

The last three words flew out of his mouth before he even understood what he had said.

Umi turned to him her face becoming pinker with every second as she was trying desperately to hide it.

"You say it one more time," she warned him. "And you will be the first victim of my newer jutsu, I swear!" and walked ahead faster.

Arashi flashed to reach her.

"Look…" he began. "I'm sorry. I didn't think really. We have just signed the peace agreement and I act like I'm trying to break it. I'm sorry."

"Just…forget it," Umi sighed looking at him. A hint of laughter partly with pain was in her eyes. "It's just…unusual for me. Mizukage is a high title in out village. This means that anybody who tries to offend me is a dead man. So…" she sighed again.

Arashi looked at her attentively finally understanding what she meant.

"Everybody is scared to tell you something wrong," he whispered. "That's awful."

Umi's look stopped somewhere at the ground in front of her legs.

"It's…not…that bad…sometimes," she said finally. "I wished to become mizukage for all my life. I knew what it meant. When you become mizukage you don't belong to yourself anymore. Your friends, family…Everything doesn't matter for you. You have only one purpose – to protect your people, your village. If your life is the price for the future of your village you must pay it. Do you get it?"

He understood. He couldn't find the words to express his feelings but she told the right thing. And wrong thing at the same time.

"But my friends…" Umi continued and her voice cracked. "I didn't think that when I become mizukage they turn away…become just strangers. Foolish wish for mizukage, doesn't it? To have normal life…not to feel so…"

"Lone," Arashi continued for he and Umi shuddered. The look in his eyes…he understood her completely like he felt the same. How could it be?

Now he understood this girl. He heard that the hidden mist was the village of strict laws but death sentence for a wrong word…it was terrible. She got accustomed that everyone did everything she said and then he appeared completely different breaking all the rules. Arashi felt sorry for her. Such a beautiful girl…she really shouldn't live in such a cruel world. Hidden leaf would be more comfortable for her. But he wasn't the one to decide.

"Hey, quit daydreaming, we've got a lot of things to do," the moment of confession ended up and the strict cold emotionless mask of mizukage-sama was in front of him again.

Arashi shook his head to get rid of these thoughts and moved after her.

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"We are almost here," Umi's voice broke the silence that lasted for the several minutes.

"What kind of monster lives here?" Arashi asked.

Umi shrugged.

"I don't know. The survivors say it's really huge creature."

Arashi frowned.

"Are you scared?" Umi looked at him.

He shook his head.

"No, just thinking. Monster living at the ruins of the village – this story makes no sense. It attacks only those who come too close to this place. There must be somebody who summons it. So maybe monster isn't our aim… "

The roar resounding all over the forest broke his thought in the middle. A figure of huge beast appeared near the remains of the gate.

Arashi exhaled in shock. It was really huge! It looked like a big white dog with five tails. Its teeth were big enough to replace the wall around the village and the eyes were blazing with insane dark flame. Yondaime tried to think about jutsus that could destroy such a monster and found it really difficult to concentrate. Fear came too close to his heart for Arashi's comfort.

"I'm …scared," he thought. "That's something new for Konoha's Hokage. Shame on me!"

This thought caused him to laugh a little. Fear disappeared and he put his hands in the familiar position.

"Stay away!" he shouted to Umi who froze in her tracks just like him unable to move.

His words awakened her.

"Hell no!" she shouted back and rushed to the monster.

"Damn it," Arashi cursed and ran to the place where monster stood.

"Raizou ikazuchi wo utte!" his companion started already familiar for him attack. The lightning stroke the monster causing no damage at all – it turned around looking at Umi in surprise like at some little animal trying to bite it.

"Step back!" Arashi shouted seeing the monster turning around his tail trying to catch them in the midair.

It missed.

Yondaime didn't give it a chance for the next attack – he stood on his feet shouting.

"Katon, Karyuu Endan!"

One little flame reached the monster and it roared with surprise. Moment later – and tons of water poured somewhere from the air turning Arashi's attack into nothing.

He found himself ten meters farther coughing and wet trying to get up.

Umi completely wet just like him had already standing nearby.

"That was…"Arashi caughed. "Unexpected."

"We'd better think up the plan quickly," Umi wiped her face. "Otherwise it will be the first and the last joint mission for the mist and the leaf."

The monster roared and ran to them.

"Kiri no junsai! (mist shield)" Umi shouted moving her hands in some special way in front of her. The monster stopped for a moment - a wall half of water and mist stood on its way.

"Away, quicker!" young mizukage pushed Arashi from the way of the monster and jumped after him. She did it just in time – flame surrounded the water wall and it disappeared in a second.

"Wha…!" Yondaime stared in shock at the scene. "It uses both water and flame techniques? It's impossible!"

"Well…" Umi laughed sarcastically. "You are very observant."

Arashi growled. This girl…when they finish with this monster they'll have a serious talk, - he promised to himself and ran to the monster again.

Yes, maybe this creature was huge and dangerous, but he had the thing it hadn't – his speed.

Arashi flashed behind him trying to use his katon technique again but failed – the monster blocked it.

"I should use rasengan," Yondaime thought making another try. "But I can't get so close to him, that's the problem."

Umi watched the fight in awe. This hokage was very fast. She didn't see such a quick shinobi in her life. But the monster moved very well itself. Too good to be just a simple monster. It almost looked like…

Arashi turned around just in time to avoid the attack of the monster again. He jumped five meters farther to get some space. Monster roared and ran to him again.

"I need to call Gamabunta," Arashi thought moving his hands into position and stopped.

"Arashi!" Umi shouted and he turned around completely forgetting about the monster running to him at top speeds.

"She called me by name!" something in his soul began to sing.

"You baka, don't daydream!" the next phrase put him from the heaven to the ground. "Just try to distract him! I think I know what to do!"

Arashi nodded becoming himself and ran to the monster again.

"Distract it…distract it…how in the world I'd do it?" strange thought came into his mind. He didn't know what to do so he just ran closer shouting.

"Hey, doggy-doggy, come here, just…come!" and ran to the other side.

The monster stopped for a moment examining attentively a strange figure shouting random things and then roared again and moved its tails in some special way that the ground under Arashi's legs began shaking.

"It…was a bad...idea," Arashi jumped avoiding the big hairy clutch.

"Thank you," another figure appeared just in front of him and Yondaime stopped in shock. It was Umi coming at such a close distance to the monster that it looked like a suicide.

Her hand burned with strange dark blue flame and then she shouted.

"Goguoufuuin!" and touched the skin of the monster. A bright flash blinded Arashi for a moment and then he saw the monster stepping back.

"It should work," Umi sighed with visible relief.

"Wha…?" Arashi began again feeling himself like a student who has just failed the exam. "What happened?"

Umi turned to him.

"The way the monster fought. Fighting you he moved like a shinobi not animal. So I assumed," she moved a hand to the dog creature's direction and Arashi stared there in surprise.

There wasn't a monster anymore – it was a man with partly gray hair thin like a skeleton. He was breathing heavily, Umi's seal still burning visible on his body.

"He's not a monster…" Arashi shook his head. "A man…how in the world it could be?"

"I…can explain," the monster-man looked at him with sad sight and tried to catch his breath and get up. "You, my saviors deserve it. Have you ever heard about sealed beasts?"

Arashi and Umi looked at each others.

"Never," they answered at the same time.

The man nodded.

"It's not unexpected. This legend is that old that I doubt somebody in the world still remembers it. Maybe that's your luck you've found the last remembrance of it. Come on, I'll tell you." He finally stood up and moved to the remains of the village.

Umi followed him.

"Wait," Arashi caught her hand surprising himself by his courage. "It can be a trap."

She shook her head.

"There is no trap."

"I don't like it," Yondaime confessed.

"But it's our mission," she reminded him.

"You are right," he nodded and finally made the first step. "But I still don't like it."

They walked closer and closer to the gates. Arashi felt a shiver walking somewhere along his spine. Umi didn't look scared – she looked silent and calm but Yondaime knew – she could hide her feelings as far as she wished to.

Neither he nor she noticed a dark shadow stepping from the tree and following them.