The Hokage office

Jade stood in front of Minato and waited patiently for his father to finish looking through the papers. Soon after Minato looked at him and the boy knew that something bothered his leader.
- Jade , Jirayia has sent a worrisome news.
- What kind of news, hokage-sama?
- There is nothing concrete, however in his reports there is a mention of an area that may or may not hold an old layer of Orochimaru.
- So a reconnaissance mission.
- Yes, because of the nature of the information as it concerns Orochimaru and the availability of the details that we have this is a solo S-rank mission.- Minato gave the parameters
- A solo S-rank isn't it it dangerous?
- There is that possibility, but because we have so few details from the information even if its dangerous I want to sent the fewer possible ninjas, and you are one of the best ninjas that I have. Furthermore you know what to look for if indeed concerns Orochimaru. As always you will have one of my kunai to call me if somethings goes wrong.
- Can I read my team into the missions parameters
- No, the mission is secret
- Not even Itachi?-Jade sed hoping to receive permission however...
- I am sorry, Jade not even him?- Minato sed
- I don't like it, but ok. How often do you need me to report or its total darkness?
- If possible once a week, And Jade alone, not even Shade, Flare or Onyx are to come with you
- Understood, I'll go and prepare myself- said the teen.

Minato watched him leave his office, hoping that he has not made a mistake sending his son without backup or help, but this was the ninjas life as sometimes ninjas had to do solo missions.

with Jade

Jade returned to the house and saw that the compound was empty. He knew that the new chunins didn't have a mission so the trio was most likely with their friends, but he didn't know the location of the others. However he was pretty confident with the location of his familiars. Flare was most likely in the hospital helping Tsunade, and Shade and Onyx were most likely in the forest of Death, Shade with his new family and Onyx doing whatever the basilisk wanted at the moment.

Jade had put everything he needed for his mission in a backpack when he saw the door opening and Itachi walking through. The eldest of the Uchiha brothers stopped as he saw the backpack and looked at him.
- A solo mission from the hokage- said Jade
- Everything alright?
- Yes, Minato want me to check something that Jirayia have sent him.
- You sure, Do you want me to accompany you- Itachi saw that Jade took his time to answer
- No, there is no need, you know the old pervert, I am sure that is nothing serious,
- When are you going to be back?
- Depending of how fast I'll meet the pervert and check if there is anything to check.- sed Jade knowing that Jiraya wasn't going to be there
- Jade, let me come with you.
- Everything is going to be fine, Itachi, Minato will have news of my mission so don't worry about me- Jade put his arm on his friend shoulder and left the house under the watchful gaze of his friend.

3 weeks later Land of the Sea

The information that Jirayia has given Minato had sent Jade all the way from Konoha to the land of the Sea. The information that the pervert had sent to his student was accurate as Jade had found some remnants of what used to be old lairs of Orochimaru and had sent with his snakes summons all relevant informations that he had found. Now there was only one lair left to check and finally he could return home.

Jade had hanged in a non descript male and was walking in one of the numerous villages around the coast. He knew that the final lair was somewhere close by, but was unable to pinpoint it. That is why he was presently in one of the village bars drinking sake and listening for something unusual. Then he heard three men discussing something on one of the farthest tables. He enhanced his hearing with chakra and the voices were now clear.
- Do you think that it will happen again tonight?- one of the villages were asking
- I don't know, I hope not- the second said
- Do you want to be next?- the third villager asked the first one
- no, of course not, however, I am scared as something unnatural is happening around this time of the month.
- don't talk about it- the third villager again shushed his drinking partner and soon their conversation turned to other things

Jade turned toward the barman and made a sign to him. The man came and poured another bowl of sake to Jade, but was stopped by his question.
- What is going on, everyone here, seems on edge?- The barman looked at him strangely then asked
- I see you for the first time here, who are you?
- Just a traveler, who heard about the beauty of the land of the Sea and wanted to see it for my own eyes. You see, I never before have seen the sea and wanted to see for myself its beauty. I arrived today in your village, however as I mentioned before everyone is on edge.
- This is because, there are strange things happening around the time of the new moon.- the barman said
- Strange, how strange?
- People disappear and are never seen alive again. People started to hide themselves in their houses during the night and tonight everybody will be extra careful.
- Why?- Jade asked
- It is the night of the new moon- the barman finished and left to serve his other customers.

What nobody knew was that the one responsible for the disappearances used this particular bar, to choose his victims. He had noticed the traveler who had come today in the village and that presently was talking with the barman. His victim chosen he smiled internally, payed for his drink and left the establishment to make final preparations.

Playing the role of the non believing traveler, Jade armed himself and left the inn where he was staying the night. The fresh night air greeted him the young man activated his sharingan trying to see if there was a person or persons who emitted strong chakra signatures. His search brought him to the edge of a forest and soon he was forced to deactivate his eyes due to many different traces of old chakra signatures. Suddenly he heard the air moving and he jumped. In the place he had stood there was a kunai. Soon others kunai zoomed in on him and he had to evade them. Unfortunately the kunai were too many and pretty soon, Jade find himself tied up. Undeterred, he started searching for the kunai which would summon the hokage but cursed as he didn't find him. From the darkness, flew two senbon needles and lodged themselves in his neck. A minute later, his vision started to fade and the last thing he felt before losing conscious was the rag infront of his mouth.

hours later

Jade slowly return to a state of semi consciousness and found himself in a strange room. The room looked as if it was cut from the rock. Having a huge headache he tried to put his fingers on his forehead to dispel it when he noticed that he had no range of movements and his arms were heavier than usual. His foggy mind heard a door opening and steps coming closer to him. The steps stopped in front of him and very quickly put one of his arms higher and soon felt coldness around his wrist. His second arm followed the first one and soon he was unable to move continue to hear the movement of chain but was still unable to wake up completely and soon he felt the cold around his ankles and felt that he had limited mobility with them. Lastly he felt a metal choker around his neck that was closed and locked. The last thing that the person in front of him did was to put a vial of something in front of his mouth and made him drink it. Fiery pain immediately raced throughout his whole body and the little consciousness he had faded away.

The Kidnapper could not believe his luck. In the past he had worked for Orochimaru and was one of his best researchers. He had heard of the demise of the Sannin and had rejoiced as his life work was not exactly to his benefactor taste. His work consisted of a potion that changed the sex of the person who had ingested it. Men turned into women, and women into men and best of all the change was permanent and irreversible. His previous tests had always ended in failure with the subject dying during the transformation as their bodies could not survive the stress but this time his newest test subject has turned out to be a ninja with huge chakra coils. Discovering this, the scientist had given him another doze of the sleeping drug and then he took all his weapons and clothes before chaining his legs and arms. he then went to the lab to make final preparations on his potion, while watching on a video screen the movements of his guest. After few hours he had noticed movement and smiled. That was perfect timing as he had finished his final adjustment of the formula a few hours later. He took the vial with his life work and went to the dungeon where his guest could be found in one of the smallest cells. Mindful of the fact that his test subject was a ninja he took carefully his arms and one by one shackled them over his head, then shackled his feet and neck, this way immobilizing him completely. Job done, he poured the potion into his mouth looked once again at the naked body and left the cell.

Unknown time later

Jade awoke suddenly and violently. His whole body was in pain. He tried to move his arms and legs but was unable. He tried to look around him, however he was unable as something held him firmly. His whole body shivered and he guessed that he was naked. He tried to remember how he found himself in this situation, however he was unable, as one of the drug properties was to make the subject forget the couple of hours before its injection. His whole body seized with pain before once again losing consciousness, his last thoughts of wanting to know what has led to this situation. However Jade question would be unanswered as days before the scientist had cut himself with one of the ninja weapons. From all the weapons available, the man had cut himself in the only one drenched in basilisk venom. His end was quick as he didn't had time to understand what was happening to him, before he felt dead. Now the only living person in the hideout was his chained prisoner.

Konoha 2 weeks later

Itachi was losing his mind, 5 weeks ago his best friend has left for his solo mission and for two now he didn't have any news. He was at first surprised when one of Jade snakes popped in his room a week after his departure, but quickly turned to relief as the snake gave him a letter from Jade. While devoted of any details about the mission, Jade was keeping him updated on his wellbeing, however these messages have stopped 2 weeks ago and Itachi knew that something had happened. Finally having enough of being kept in the dark, he decided to do something. He summoned his crows and send them out, while he himself went to Training ground 7. An hour later the group was assembled.
- Itachi, what is going on?- Hinata asked
- I believe that Jade is in trouble. Five weeks ago, he was sent on a simple reconnaissance mission by the Hokage.
- So that is why, we haven't seen him- Ruy sed
- He was sending me updates,once a week to tell me how he was doing, with no mission details of course.- he then looked at his family- 2 weeks ago these messages stopped, at first I believed that he was unable to send me a noticed due to the nature of his mission, however...
- The 2nd week came- Mia finished
- Yes, now what am I about to tell you is worrisome. I don't believe that it was a simple reconnaissance mission as when I asked him if he wants me to come with him he hesitated, as if he was hiding something, I was seeing in his eyes that he knew that going alone was not a good idea, however he was ordered to, as he didn't take any of his familiars
- What are we going to do?- Hinata asked
- We are going to my father and requesting the parameters of Jade mission as this is no more a reconnaissance mission but a search and rescue mission.
- Then let's go- Mia sed with steel in her voice .

With Minato

Minato was getting worried as it was 2 weeks since Jade last mission update. He was thinking what to do when he heard the yell of his secretary and soon after his office was invaded by his family.
- How, may I help you- Minato asked and Itachi looked at him and just sed one word.
- Jade- and Minato knew that the group was here about his missing son
- What do you know about the mission he was on?
- We know that it was a reconnaissance mission, that apparently didn't require backup of any sort.
- Let me read you into the mission.6 weeks ago, Jirayia contacts told him about possible lairs of the dead Sannin, Orochimaru. The nature of the mission required only one person, and because it concerned Orochimaru, the mission was logged as an S ranked mission. Jade was following the hidden lairs traces and every single one that he checked was empty. Two and a half weeks ago his information led him to the land of Sea, where there was a supposed lair.
- Did he find it?- Mia asked
- I don't know as he didn't report back to me. This was 2 weeks ago.
- Then send us there- Naruto said
- I have not received a distress call from him, maybe he needed to go dark.
- Jade would have told me with a message- Itachi countered
- Told you?
- Yes, he was sending me messages about his wellbeing. Nothing about the mission, but if he was going undercover he would have told me- Itachi explained

Minato looked at the six of them and saw their resolve and knew that now that they had the last known location of Jade they were going to leave the village, with or without his help. Decision made he turned toward the group.
- Return home and take your gear and be back here in 30 minutes.
- No need we are already prepared- Sasuke said and everybody showed their storage scrolls.
- Ok, Itachi you are first,
- First?
- The 7 of us are going to the Land of the Sea.

Itachi nodded and gave his hand before he and Itachi jumped and found themselves in a small hotel room. Minato left Itachi and soon Mia and Ruy joined their friend. The two of them looked at their surroundings nodded and popped back to Konoha to bring the young chunin.

Land of the Sea

While Minato was bringing his teammates, Itachi looked at the hotel room and the only thing that marked the room as one that Jade has lived in was Minato kunai. As it was found under the bed, Itachi concluded that it has just fell out of his friend kit when he has gone for the day.
- My kunai- Minato stated as he looked at it
- Yes, found it under the bed
- Do you think that there was a fight up here- Hinata asked
- Impossible, the room is in perfect condition, the most likely explanation is that the kunai has fallen and Jade hasn't noticed when he left and by judging by the quantity of dust on it, the weapon has been here for sometime .
- Everyone, spread out and search for possible clues. We'll meet again in a few hours.
- Hai hokage-sama- the six of them nodded to each other and soon the room was empty

Two hours later

Itachi and Naruto have stopped in a bar. The group except Minato had divided itself in three two person teams, and having a doijutsu user in each of them upped their chances of finding information about Jade. The duo were presently sitting on the bar when in front of them were placed two drinks. Both of them looked up and saw the barman.
- Here on the house- said the man
- But why- asked Naruto
- You two are ninjas aren't you?
- Yes,- Itachi answered cautiously
- Than I have something to tell you. Our village was plagued by strange disappearances about 3 months ago around the time of the new moon. Two weeks ago I had a ninja here.
- How did you know he was a ninjas?- Naruto asked
- Originally, I was from Kumo, however I didn't manage to pass my genin exam, however I still can sense when a henge was used. So as I said I had a ninja here 2 weeks ago. I don't know from which village was he however, or how he really looked.
- Why?
- Because of the henge, he looked like a 6 foot tall man with brown hair and brown eyes, however I don't have a clue about his real appearance. What I know is that I mentioned the disappearances and that the same night was the new moon. As nobody went missing I believe that the ninja took care of the problem as no one went missing.
- Where those disappearances took place?- Naruto asked
- around the forest
- Thank you for the information- Itachi said
- No problem, hope that my information will help you- the barman looked at them and went to serve his other clients.

Few other hours

Itachi and Naruto met with the others soon after. By their solemn faces it looked like no one else had information about their missing family members. Minato looked at them - Any news about Jade?
- No not at all- the four others stated
- Yes- Itachi and Naruto said
- What- Mia asked - 3 months ago there were some disappearances, about one person a month around the new moon. The barman told us that about 2 weeks ago a henged ninja passed through, and the same night nobody disappeared. It was the night of the new moon by the way.
-How do you know that it was a ninja?- Ruy asked
- the barman was a ninja from Kumo that didn't pass his genin exams. Knew how to recognize a henge but not much else.
- The henge that the user used was of a 6 foot tall brown haired, and brown eyed man. We don't know if it was Jade but you said that his last known location was in the land of Sea and we don't have any news about him for 2 weeks.
- And you suspect that the ninja was Jade and he was the last person to disappeared 2 weeks ago.- Minato finished
- Do we know where these disappearances took place?- Mia asked
- Around the forest- Naruto informed them
- So we go to the forest- Minato said
- Understood.

The edge of the forest

The seven of them stopped in front of the forest and wondered what to do as any information about Jade would have disappeared. Naruto looked at them and smilled.
- I have an idea- the young chunin stated and walked in front of everybody.

The six of the watched as Naruto did the summoning signs and in front of him appeared a beautiful cat the size of german shepherd. The cat had leaves on his legs and his tail.
- Naruto what is that?- Minato asked
- Elemental cats, pretty cool summon. Flora here would be able to see what happened in the forest two weeks ago. Flora you are up...

The cat looked at his summoner then at the forest. Soon the leaves started to dance and a scene formed in front of the ninjas. They saw a person who they recognised as Jade walking in the forest then dodging a kunai that led him in a wire trap. Then another person appeared in the scene and put something over the boy mouth. The scene then changed and the group saw the second person taking a syringe and jamming it in the boy neck. The scene dissolved, however the leaves didn't fall down but started dancing around Flora.
- Naruto, this was amazing- Hinata said awed
- Now we know what has happened, but where the leafs are leading us?- Ruy asked
- Toward the coast- Minato answered
- Then let's go.

The group followed Flora and the elemental cat led them to the edge of the water where she stopped before looking at his summoner.
- Why has she stopped?- Sasuke asked
- Water is not her domaine, she can help in the forest, but not outside it, this is the nature of the elemental cat. Thank you Flora, you did an amazing job- The forest cat nodded and left the group.
- Now what?- Itachi asked
- Now, its Aqua turn- Naruto answered the Uchiha

Very soon in Flora place stood another cat, its size being the same as Flora. This cat was the colour of water with four fins on each of its legs. On its spine there was a fin that went from its neck to its tale. The tale itself separated in two fins at the end. The whole body of the summon was built for life in the water.
- How may I be of service Naruto?- The summon asked
- We are searching for my brother, thanks to Flora we know that he was in the forest, however his tracks finish at the waters edge.
- Anything else I should know?- Aqua asked
- Jade was searching for a possible enemy lair, when we lost touch with him- Minato answered the cat
-I'll keep this in mind, Hokage-sama
- Aqua, thank you and be careful out there- Naruto looked at his summon, the cat nodded to him and jumped in the water her coat blending in perfectly and making her vanish.
- Now what?- Sasuke asked
- Now we wait.

Twenty minutes later Aqua reappeared and Minato jumped to meet her, followed by the others. Aqua jumped out of the water and turned to the Hokage.
- In the far side rock formation there is a hidden entrance to a cave. The entrance can be seen only from the water. It is impossible to be seen from here, where you are standing. I can lead you to it, but what is beyond I cannot say.
- Thank you, Aqua, let's go- Minato sed

The seven person team followed the elemental cat and soon with Aqua help they were at the entrance. To the group surprise next to Aqua Flora reappeared with a bigger more muscular cat beside her. This time the animal was brown with moss patches on his back.
- Titan, what are you doing here?
- Flora told me about Jade and I decided to land my help as this in fact is a cave so who better to lead you than an earth elemental- The cat answered
- Thank you guys- at that the cats nodded and the three of them started walking infront of the group.

After an hour of walking the group finally saw light coming from ahead and stoped. With just a sign everybody took some weapons and slowly continue forward. Soon they arrived at a fork in the tunnel and the group separated. Minato, Itachi, Sasuke and Naruto took the left, while Mia, Ruy and Hinata took the right. The three summons also separated with Flora going to the right and Titan and Aqua going to the left.

With Mia group

Mia group finally arrived at a door at the end of the tunnel. The trio looked at each other, and held securely their weapons before silently opened the door and found themselves in a laboratory. Hinata turned toward the older teens and lowly asked.
- What is this place?
- Some kind of research station probably- Mia answered the girl
- I smell blood, pain and there is an old snake smell-Flora said to the ninja horror
- What do you mean- Ruy asked
- Someone has been killed here and more than once.
- Let's separate- Mia commanded- Ruy try to find traces of the researchers, Hinata put in storage scrolls every and all documents that you see. In here there should be a journal or something that explain all this
- Do you think, this was the lair that Jade was searching for.
- I don't know, but it's possible, now lets start and maybe in all the documents here will be something that will help us to find Jade

Ruy and Hinata looked at each other and separated in order to accomplish their tasks. Flora with her enhanced sense of smell started helping Ruy with his task. While they were doing that Mia found what looked like a log journal and started to read through it. The more and more she raid the more horrified she was.
- Mia are you alright- Hinata asked
- this book speaks about a formulation of some kind of potion, that changes the sex of the person who drinks it permanently.
- Changes the sex?- Hinata asked
- Yes, as men become women , and women men,
- But, why, what is the purpose of that potion?
- I don't know, hopefully, if we find the researchers, they will tells us more after a careful interrogation of course.
- Don't count on that, girls, me and Flora have found the only researcher in this place and he is dead. Mia continue reading the journal, Hinata come and help me

Hinata followed the voice and soon she found Ruy and Flora. They were in a small side room that was clearly an office and on one of the chairs there was a corpse of a man. Without being told, she activated her biakugan and started looking for clues about the researcher death.
- In his feet there is a sword, Ruy sensei- the girl said and Ruy slowly approached the corpse and kneeled next to the weapon. His breath stilled as he recognised its hilt. Panicked he sed to Hinata.
- Look for anymore weapons and even clothes.
- Ok, but why? Is everything ok?
- This is Jade sword. Don't touch the blade as it is drenched in basilisk venom.
- I see a small cut on the corpse sensei- Hinata sed and indeed on the corpse hand there was a wound

Suddenly the three if them heard Mia screaming and as one they ran into the laboratory and stopped as they saw Mia horrified eyes and the journal on the floor. Ruy gently crouched and took the journal before closing it and then Mia looked at him and said.
- There were human experiments here. They started 3 months ago. The lone researcher kidnapped and drugged people. He called them test subjects. All his prisoners died during the transformation process. He was ecstatic that he finally had captured a ninja and had administrated successfully the potion. Ruy, Hinata this person description corresponds to...
- Jade, we know- Ruy said to Mia - Let's go and find the others, There is nothing that we can learn anymore from here. We have all the papers and we have Jade weapons and clothes- Hinata told Mia
- His weapons and clothes?
- Yes there were in the side room. Its an office with the corpse of a researcher there.
- That man is dead? How did he died?
- He cut himself with Jade basilisk sword.
- So he died painful, that is good- Mia finished darkly
- Let's go- Ruy helped Mia and soon the four of them left the laboratory in search of their team members while in the same time dreading what they were going to find at the end of the left tunnel.

With Minato group

Minato was following Aqua and Titan. The two cats were in front of his group and they were advancing vey slowly in the tunnel while dreading what they were going to find at the end of it. Soon a wooden door stood in their way. A well placed rasengan curtesy of Naruto took care of it and the group of six found themselves in what was a dungeons. Three of the six cages were occupied, and to the horror of everyone in the first two cages stood the remnants of humanoid figures. Neither of the men could tell if the poor souls were once men or women. The cats however had continued to the last cage and with a growl have stoped in front of it. Itachi was the first to arrive in front of it and stoped shocked. Inside there was a woman. With one strong push Titan broke the door of her cell and Itachi entered the cell followed by Minato. Naruto and Sasuke turned their back on their family and with heightened senses started to watch their surrounding for any possible treat. The sharingan blazed in the brothers eyes and due to their furry it has morphed to the more dangerous Mandekou.

Minato very slowly kneeled in front of the woman and started talking to her. He didn't know if the woman was even conscious due to her state. She was naked with her hands, feet and neck shackled with heavy chains. Her body fat was non existent and each of her ribs could be counted. Minato took from his kit two metal files and very gently used them to unlock the chains. Itachi eyes widened as he looked at the extremities of the prisoner, as the white of her bones could be seen on her hands. Her eyes were semi opened and Itachi swore that he recognised the Mandekou sharingan in them. The woman however was unresponsive to them,
- Look- Itachi said to Minato- on her right shoulder there is an ANBU tattoo.
- That is Konoha ANBU Tattoo- Minato stated
- However I don't remember a woman in our forces with her description.
- This is because, until a few weeks ago, she was a he- a new voice was heard and everybody saw Ruy with the girls.

Mia and Hinata stooped horrified in their tracks as they saw the girl. The two of them could nit believe what they were seeing.
- What do you mean?- asked Naruto
- This is what is left of Orochimaru lair. Apparently he had people doing research for him and they were working on a permanent potion to change the genre of their prisoners. For what purpose we don't know, however what we know is that this lair had one researcher left, who is now dead. He kidnapped people for his sick experiments and treated them like test subjects. His first two experiments to change the sex of his victims were unsuccessful as they unfortunately died. This was until two weeks ago when he manage to capture a Konoha ninja and gave him the potion and this time the experiment was successful.- Mia finished with her explanation and Minato group looked thunderstruck at the woman as what Mia told them finally hit home. The one laying between them in the cell was Jade.
-She needs a doctor- Naruto stated but stopped as he saw Aqua and Flora moving toward Jade.

Everybody watched with awe the elemental cars working, Aqua had summoned a water bubble and very gently guided it until Jade whole body was clean of the dirt and grime. Then Flora stepped in and in the cage medicinal plants started growing. She guided the plants around her wounds and very gently each and everyone of them covered every single wound that Jade had and were fastened with vines. Their job done the three cats disappeared to their home.

Minato took off his Hokage cape and very gently covered Jade with it, before with a nod to the others disappearing from the cage returning back to Konoha. Soon he was followed by Mia and Ruy who took Sasuke and Hinata with them before returning for Itachi and Naruto. Soon all the family assembled in the hospital waiting area, waiting for news about Jade who was being operated on by Tsunade.