"Life treating you well?" Said Bakiri to Izumo.

"How did you know who I was?" Said Izumo.

"I know a lot of things. I know that before I got here, you guys ransacked the place and captured Takane for interrogation. I also know that there are three other ninja here besides you who are hiding as we speak."

"Izumo!"

Three other ninja appeared out their hiding places.

"Hmph. How pitiful." Said Bakiri. "As leaf ninja, I would expect you to use more 'secretive' tactics.'"

"Don't underestimate us, Akatsuki!" Said Izumo. "We still have a few tricks up our sleeve!"

The four ninja turned into puffs of smoke. Suddenly, the entire base shook. In a matter of seconds, the entire sewer had exploded. Before Izumo and his squad had ransacked Takane's hideout, they littered the base with paper bombs. Knowing that the paper bombs would detonate inside the area, the entire sewer would be caught in the explosion. There was no way that Bakiri would survive, they had thought.

They were wrong.

Izumo and his squad waited patiently outside of the sewer entrance until it was safe. But what they saw was something different. The sewer cover popped open, and a shadow flew out of the hole.

Bakiri had survived the explosion.

Bakiri landed about a yard away from the sewer hole as the entire sewer burst into flames. Izumo and his squad were long gone by the time the saw Bakiri. Izumo contacted Ibiki on his communication device.

"This is squad leader Izumo. The mission has failed. We are returning to the base as we speak."

As Izumo hopped from tree to tree, a light bulb seemed to flash in his mind.

He knew who the man was.

He remembered being involved with a strange mission during his times in the Anbu. Apparently, a group known as the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist infiltrated the Hashirama clan. They had slaughtered the entire village, except for a young boy. Izumo was assigned to find the missing boy and bring him to safety.

As Izumo entered the village, he was disgusted. The entire area looked like it had been struck by a tornado. As he walked around houses, he could smell the horrible odor of rotting flesh. How could anyone have survived such a fate?

Suddenly, Izumo heard whimpering coming from a nearby alley. As he entered it, he saw a young boy, his eyes red from tears. He noticed that his clothes were completely disheveled. He crouched down next to the boy to show that he meant no harm.

"Hey," He said, "are you okay?"

The boy looked around 9 to 10 years of age. As the boy looked up at this man, he noticed he was wearing a Konohagakure headband. Knowing that the man was there to help him, the boy gave Izumo a barely visible nod. Thankfully, it was just enough to assure Izumo that he was fine.

"I take it your parent's are gone, huh?"

The boy nodded again.

"What's your name?"

It was a long pause before the boy spoke again. Izumo didn't blame him. He knew that the boy was probably devastated by knowing what happened to his parents.

"My name... is Baraki." Said the boy.

"I see. My name is Izumo."

Izumo was very surprised to see that "Baraki" was cooperating easily. Usually the young are too afraid to speak to others after tragic moments. Even the older ones are speechless as well. What Izumo did not know is how his parents died. Baraki's parents were not only decapitated, but they had their arms and legs cut off, even though they were still alive. Not only that, but the killer had the nerve to do it right in front of Baraki.

"Hey! Let's kill the boy!" The killer said.

As he brought down his giant blade towards Baraki's leg, a gigantic, blue hand grabbed the killer's arm.

"Suigetsu. That's enough."

"What? Kisame-senpai! We could slaughter him right now!"

"No. We've done enough to his loved ones. He's just a boy. What harm could he cause?"

With a disgusted look on his face, Suigetsu lifted his blade from Baraki. Then, with a smirk, he said-

"I'm going to finish the job someday."

As the two men walked out of the alley, tears welled in Baraki's eyes. He was alive. He wanted to see the "Kisame" man again someday. And someday, HE would finish the job.

By the time Izumo had brought Baraki back, he was promoted to Jonin. Izumo taught the boy how to defend himself, he enrolled him in the ninja academy. He was not only with ordinary classmates, but with Naruto as well. And there, he met the most beautiful girl that he had ever laid his eyes upon. One day, he would win her heart over.

As Izumo had finished his memory, tears welled up in his eyes. He would find Baraki. He would bring him home. He promised that in his mind.

As Bakiri walked out of the town that the sewer hideout was once hidden, he found himself walking in a dark, mysterious forest. As he walked along, he heard a strange growling noise ahead.

As he followed the noise, it grew louder and louder with each step. He walked toward the spot where the growling originated from. There he saw a wolf. The wolf looked strangely familiar to him. He leaned in closer to the wolf. It growled a little, but hesitated. He let his hand out for the wolf to sniff it. The wolf growled again.

Under his mask, Bakiri smiled. He knew who she was. The wolf seemed to transform. Bakiri waited patiently for the wolf to finish her little transformation. The wolf turned into a young girl, wearing the same cloak as he.

"Hello, Bakiri." She said.

"Ah, Yuki! You have returned."