Chapter 2

Three weeks ago

I sat up in the middle of the clearing, not knowing where I was. Well, at least this time around I remembered what had happened before. I looked around, and saw that the trees were stupidly large, large enough to build a house in, even. I also saw the curious eyes of animals all around the clearing, wondering where I could have come from. My friend always was one for flamboyancy. I probably appeared in the middle of this clearing in a bright ball of golden-y light that exploded to get me here. Yeah, that sounds like something she'd do. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. No matter—I need to find a shelter… Actually… a house inside a tree… That's not a bad idea.

I set to work as quickly as I could, hands pressed to the tree, exerting as much will as possible to change the structure of the inside of the tree. When I finally felt that the interior was done, I used a little more will to turn the part I was in front of into a door. I opened the door, and was extremely pleased with my work that I had done inside the tree. I stepped back outside, closing the door, and began a search for food.

Meanwhile, outside the forest…

"Somebody help me!"

"N'bodysh coming to help yeh, yeh little brat. I'm gonna finish the Yon… uh… Yon… eh, can't remember. That famoush guy wiff da fashe on de… de… de thingy."

I screamed in terror again, "Help!"

A masked figure dropped down from the branches of the trees above. "Now, now, now. We can't let you have all the fun, can we?"

"Watsh that? Can't quite hear yeh through de mashk."

"Never mind. Moving on, then." At some unseen signal, more masked figures dropped down all around me, and pulled out some really scary looking sharp things. I yelled one last time.

"Help!"

Back in the forest

After about five minutes, I'd found the most amazing apple tree nearby my new home and was enjoying some apples when I heard a cry. Believing I had imagined it, I kept eating. Then, I heard it again, but it was louder. This time, I knew it wasn't my imagination. I turned towards the sound, weighing consequences, before dashing towards it as fast as I could.

I arrived on the edge of the forest in moments, and, from what I could see, not a moment too soon. A small blond boy was sprawled on the ground, knocked unconscious from what I could see, and most certainly was surrounded by some extremely hostile looking figures.

"Now that that demon's out for the count, let's keep 'im that way. Whaddaya say, boys?" The speaker pulled out a kunai and stalked towards the prone form of the boy.

Deciding that I didn't want to see the man follow through with his current train of actions, I chose that moment to act. Putting on my most disarming psychic disguise, I dropped down out of the tree, landing in front of the man. I looked him straight in the eye and said, with a slight touch of malice, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The man just laughed and replied, "And what could a kid like you do to me?"

I allowed a small smile to grace my face before I spoke.

"This."

The next thing anyone other than me knew, the man was on the ground, screaming in agony, and clutching at his head. I spoke again. "Now, does anyone else have a problem with this young boy, or shall I get him medical attention?" Failing any replies, I grabbed the boy and disappeared back into the trees.

"He's what?" The exclamation could be heard for almost a mile from the Hokage Tower.

"Disappeared, sir. A mob attacked him, but somebody came out of Training Ground 44, before defeating the mob leader and disappearing with the boy."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, rubbing his head. "Do we have any idea where they might have taken the boy?"

"No, sir. Well, possibly Training Ground 44, but that's kind of ridiculous."

"You are a shinobi. There is no such thing as ridiculous, nor is there a such thing as impossible. There is only less likely possibilities. Assemble a team and search for the boy. We cannot risk losing him to some unknown force."

"Yes, Lord Hokage. I will see it done."