Sake dripped from the hard, oak wood desk and onto the floor. Her eyes scanned the note, re-reading the messy scrawl numerous times. With every word the shake in her hands trembled more. She called out, "Shizune!"

The said woman ran in, her hair in a dis-awry. "Yes?"

Tsunade held out the scroll, "Make copies of these and send these to the other Kages." Shizune stepped briskly to the desk and took the scroll gingerly. She skimmed it over quickly before raising her head up in shock, starring at the Hokage with disbelief. Tsunade folded her hands under her chin, her eyes hard. "Bring me Team Kakashi and Team Asuma...we can't hold back on this."

She nodded mutely before asking, "And..."

"Yes," The blonde interrupted, "That would be implied."

"Shouldn't you discuss this with the elders?"

There was a heavy sigh, "There is no time for arguing. I will take care of the quarrels with them later." Running her hand through her hair, she stated, "With them, it would take too long to sent out the mission."

"That is understandable Lady Tsunade." She turned to leave, holding the scroll to her chest.

"Oh, and please grab a towel and some more Sake.

Naruto groaned as the two groups walked to the Hokage's building, "ARGH! I just did a mission and it wasn't even hard! I wanted to go have some ramen, but noooo! I have to go on another stupid mission. It's probably going to be a C rank mission again." He pouted, crossing his arms in front of chest.

Sakura smacked him against his skull, "Oh stop complaining. You can have that junk any time of the day."

Sai smiled coldly, "She is right. Besides, by the sheer number of shinobi that she has called for one mission signifies that it is more than a simple C mission. Also, Shizune also told us to pack before coming, hinting a urge of rushness."

Shikamaru smirked, "For once I agree with him.

The three elders; Kakashi, Asuma and Yamato, glanced over the large group. Asuma replaced his dying cigarette with a new one. He lit with the lighter in his pocket before sliding it back into his pocket. "So, what do think she wants us to do?"

Yamato's eyes furrowed, "There hasn't been any conflicts with the other villages...at least, not that I know of. It can't be that bad considering she would've sent a group of Anbu to do the job."

"Not necessarily." Kakashi spoke casually behind his book, "My team has gone on plenty of missions that Anbu should've gone on. I doubt this mission is to find information, but just as important, I suspect. Besides, these two teams make a considerable pair. There is Naruto and Choji, the strength, Sakura and Ino, the medical, and Shikamaru. Sai can gain any information that we need easily. Then there are ourselves."

Yamato nodded curtly, "I can see where your from, but these are still kids."

Kakashi interjected, "May I remind you that we were 'just kids' and on an anbu squad. So none of that bull."

The subject was changed quite quickly for the younger and older members of the group, and not before long, they were in front of the Hokage, Tsunade.

The desk was cleaned of her spill earlier but papers were still scattered about her desk. Tsunade herself was not sitting in her chair but leaned against the window, her hands shaking by her sides. Her hair was pulled out from her pigtails and sticking out every which way. Her eyes looked up to the team and immediately fell onto Kakashi.

"Master! Are you alright? You're pale and quivering! Are you ill?" Sakura and Ino looked at their teacher worriedly, wondering when her health was starting to slip.

Naruto snickered, "Maybe all of that alcohol is finally getting to her." His smile faded when Tsunade's visage did not frown or smile at the insult. He sensed that something was seriously wrong.

"Maybe if it was the time to tell jokes, I would've laughed right along with ya." He looked up to see Jiraiya climbing in through the window. He stood up, his arms folded and his head bowed, "It's time to lose that messy thinking at the door. You nine are in for a real shock."

Tsunade let out a breath that she had been holding for a long time. "Before I tell what you are to do, their is to be a small history lesson."

Jiraiya took it from their, "Where you are going is past the Land of Earth and into those mountains. Deep in those mountains are ruins of an old, ancient city that is hidden in the rocks. There are a limited few that can find it, and even less that can enter into that area. It is known as the Tormented Ruins, for the name has been lost through history. Anyhow, that city use to be the holder of great beings. Beings that could create any element, only not having to use a hand signs or chakra."

Naruto asked, "Like the tailed beasts?"

The old sage thought for a moment, "Yes and no. They are just as powerful as the beasts, but are less predictable. Now, in this city held their...council, so to say. The history is a bit muddled, but each member were born with one of those beings. With them combined, they ran the town very effectively. The beings, however, grew tired of their concealers and killed them from the inside out, one by one until most of them were out, attacking the town in rage. Yet, only three warriors were strong enough to keep hold of their beings. So, the three of them sealed of the others inside the town and told all that were still alive to abandon it."

"The only people who even stayed in the same proximity of the city was a warrior clan who promised the three to make watch and come find them if the seal was ever broken."

Sai's cold smile never faulted, "I have heard of this story. It is just a legend."

"I would've agreed with you if I hadn't met somebody that held one of those beings." The young shinobi paled. "Yes, she was a very fine shinobi in this village. One of the best. Could've killed you just by staring at you." Yamato looked over to the other Jounin from the corner of his eyes before his attention was focused on his elders once more.

Shikamaru looked at the sage with disbelief, "If such a person did work here, how come we never met her? Or even heard about her and her power?"

Tsunade stood straight, anger laced into her voice, "Not many people knew, and the ones who did, had their own reasons for keeping it a secret. And why you have never met her? Well..." Her voice cracked and slowly become silent. She tried again, "She was arrested for treachery and locked away in the most securest of prisons."

Kakashi eyed her suspiciously, causing Tsunade and Jiraryia to freeze in their shoes. "I have been and worked in all of the prisons. How come I never heard of her."

As smooth as a fox, the Hokage responded, "Only a selected few shinobi who were trained to contain her specifically were allowed to guard her. She is not only strong and swift, but cunning as well." She knew that he didn't believe it. It was in his eyes, but he let it drop, considering they were in a hurry, apparently.

Shikamaru contributed another question, "Where are the other two, then?"

"She knows that information, along with where the guardian of the city's location."

Ino crossed her arms, the look of un-amusement on her face as clear as day. "So we are going to this unknown place with this criminal who knows of these other unknown people with 'special' powers?"

Jiraryia nodded, "Pretty much."

Asuma spoke up, seeing that it was the time for him to be heard. "How are we going to contain this...criminal. If you say she is as strong as she is, how are we going to control her."

Tsunade smirked, "I have already thought of that. She does need her chakra, but I am putting a suppressant on her chakra so she will not be able to use strong attacks. A seal that at least two of you know. She isn't effect by poison, at least she can't die from any kind, but she has been fed a certain pill that if she does not take in a day then she will pass out. She will recover from it, but it will leave it to you to put it back into your system. I have already placed the pills in your medical packs, Sakura and Ino. Even a little in yours, Yamato." Yamato noticed the stern glare that was sent to him and he could only nod.

The hokage leaned against the desk and ran her fingers over her head, "You think they are ready to bring her in?" The sage heard the real meaning in who it was directed to in her voice, but nodded.

Tsunade yelled, "Bring her in!"

The shinobi moved to the two sides of the room as the two, large doors groaned open. Two masked anbu stepped in, chains carried in their hands. The figure did not appear immediately, but with a force tug on the chains, she stepped forward.

Long red hair followed behind her, hitting the back of her ankles. Her transparent skin from the lack of sun shined from the light. She wore a black, sleeveless shirt with black training pants for her assemble.

She blinked heavily as she stepped in the well lit room. Her steps were hesitant and clumsy, they were jelly from years of disuse. Her onix eyes scanned the room; falling on strange children that looked much like old friends, old friends who were now resented, young men who now resembled their fathers, and a man who she has known for a very, very long time.

Her confused eyes grew stern and threatening. She eyed the sages, her voice wanting to scream, to shout at them. She knew that they did not deserve the treatment, but the sudden face of friends that never had her back just boiled her blood. Her voice, however, was sealed at the moment. As if she would ever spill those secrets. It probably wasn't true anymore.

While the rest of the room was silent, Kakashi stared at her with confusion. There was a sense of familiarity about the woman who just walked in. Chained. He felt like he should know who she was, but only came up with fog.

"You know why I allowed you out?"

The captured woman nodded once.

"Will you be obedient?" A short nod.

"Fine. Release her voice." The chakra on her throat fizzled, leaving a burning yet reliving sensation. She sighed in relief briefly, trying to touch her throat with her fingers. "You may use little chakra, but not to your full extent."

A throaty, raspy chuckle echoed the room, causing Naruto, Sakura, and Ino to shiver. "Seeing you as Hokage is amusing. A drunk, gambling nurse is quite an interesting turn out." She gave her a faint, blood curling smile. A vein in Tsunade's head pulsed, her chakra starting to rise. "Now, now, Tsunade, I was complementing you. You fit the job perfectly, especially after taking me away from my family."

Tsunade slammed her fist onto the desk, cracking the wood beneath. "It was your own doing! If you stayed well enough alone...!"

"What makes you think I didn't?" She hissed, venom in her words.

"Don't make me send you back down!"

Inhaling deeply, she relaxed her shoulders and eased her eyes. "You do that, and we all die."

Tsunade hated losing a fight, especially with her, but the woman held truth. "You will come back and serve your sentence."

She scoffed, "Oh, you're going to hold me for all of eternity? It would be better if I just died." Her eyes were narrowed, "Why should I help any of you? I might as well and go back into that hole because that is all I ever will be in. I have no life, so why should I help others? My husband is dead and my son doesn't know I exists anymore. WHY! BOTHER!"

Naruto, anger receding into his pores, "Marched in front of the woman, causing her to jolt back in surprise. The blonde gritted and shouted, "How could you do that to all of those innocent people? People who never had a problem with you! Just because you are an evil bitch who doesn't care about this village doesn't mean you should go ahead and kill them all!"

She stared at him with astonishment. The young man held a piece of determination in his eyes. But as he looked at her eyes, he saw shock turn into sorrow and shame. Quietly, she responded, "You are quite right, child. I was just speaking out of anger. It has been a while since I have actually talked to anyone. I am out of practice. Forgive me."

She bowed her head, now shocking Naruto and his teammates alike.

The toad sage's somber face was new, and Tsunade found it unsettling. Yet, instead of talking to him, she threw back another drink of sake. His deep voice was soft, almost a whisper, "She was right."

"I know."

Just going to jump right into it. If you read the old story, you know that this is extremely different. Hope it's better. Thank you for reading!