I started writing this before my birthday which was in May which sort of illuminates how busy things have been since that time, since it's now October… Where does time go. As a friend of mine Lady Librarian explains, it's difficult to find time to settle and write when life is determined to happen around you. All the writers I follow here on this wonderful site seem to update less and less these days, this further demonstrates that all the people around me all are getting more responsible and busy as time flows by. Heck, maybe I must be too.

This isn't a goodbye by no means. Not at all. I have an ending to this story; I even have a sort of sequel. I just have little time to craft and its suck a shame. But here I am with my new writing glasses on (ugh) and a file full of my writing notes beside me. A boyfriend who is determined to distract me because he thinks I work too hard and music blaring in my ears. It's not so bad.

Some of you may be waiting for a love story, some of you will want an action packed plot. I'll do my best to deliver. I started this a long time, just during the time when Naruto's origins were mere whispers. I'm kicking myself for not writing this when I had more time. Thank you for reading, thank you for your patience and well… Thank you.

Lonski

Chapter Six.

My favourite things.

The meeting the night before had been adjourned after news that the post-mortem were still being carried out. Despite that however, everyone attending the meeting seemed more than happy to remain and argue again and again over what must be done first, how and why. Eventually it took the fraught Hokage to call to order with a voice to challenge thunder and to send them all out to return the next morning with clearer heads and calmer voices.

Kushina ran her fingers through her fiery hair as she lent her elbows heavily upon the table she sat before as the group were given a brief respite before the mornings' meeting as the Third read the file before him. Thing were much quieter now, too quiet for Kushina, not even because of her turbulent personality needing more action and less discussion. Last night's meeting made her weary and she had been more than just a little bit relieved to walk out. It seemed the night had made the same thought in the back of everyone's mind that the prospect of another war was inevitable. It wasn't just about Anko, Kushina knew this, they had spent all last night discussion all of the things and reasons as to why the climate between the nations was so tense. More Shinobi had disappeared before and since Anko and there was no segment in Kushina's mind that whispered that Anko had betrayed Konoha but that conclusion could not be drawn for all of the other hundreds of Shinobi vanishing without a trace from seemingly every corner of the world. It was a commentary on the Third's great leadership skills for understanding how the people who worked beneath him functioned to call a break to all come to the same conclusion, to be on the same wavelength so calm could enter the fray. It did not solve the problem at hand however.

"Results show that the Ninja who attacked Team Kushina were not from the Rock." The Third concluded from the file over his glasses to the Shinobi before him.

The silence was shattered almost as though it had been broken under the intense pressure of the tension created from everyone trying not to think of the problems at hand and in doing so had thought about it more.

"A distraction then, to make us lose sight of the true target?" Ibiki spoke, his voice being one of the few to not be spouting expletives.

The Third nodded thoughtfully, "Potentially yes, there were not that many clues left on the bodies to – "

"-Had it not been for the violent manner in which the Shinobi were converted from enemies of the nation to mere corpses." Homura drawled. Kushina shot a glare to him; the be-speckled advisor had always had it in for her.

"Well had it been you, old man, the body left on the slab would have been yours. At least something could be uncovered from the attack otherwise we would all be still sat here like last night and be grasping at freaking straws you poncho-wearing son of a-"

"Exactly." The third interjected sharply with a look at them both. "Look through the bad and there is always good, at least we could draw some evidence from the bodies. Now, are we all due another argument or can we continue with this meeting?"

"Just get on with it old man and shut the hell up Kushina." The bear-like man growled.

Kushina would have thrown her chair if it had been anyone else however, she had too much respect for the scarred man, and his rudeness towards the Third was proof enough that she was not the only one being affected by the strain of being stuck in a meeting and not being able to do anything which actually felt worthwhile.

Minato spoke in a voice which was softer than his usual, his eyes were shadowed but they seemed sharp as ever which made a small bubble of hope rise in Kushina. "What evidence is there to suggest that the Shinobi were not from the Rock?"

The Third nodded and replied, "Good question, indeed their attire, form of battle and their innate elemental affinity with Earth does suggest all is what it seems however upon close inspection the Coroner is adamant that there is some contradicting evidence. You see, each headband has a specific seal put on it which is what depicts the countries' symbol. It's one of the few things in which all nations share and it is a difficult thing to break because it works as a form of registration and usually when it breaks it is a sign that the Shinobi affiliated with it is deceased. The seals found on the headbands of the Shinobi you found were broken but were replaced with a similar kind of seal to depict the Rock Nation's symbol."

"Wh- am I the only person here who thinks that's a great deal of trouble to do something you could just do with a small chisel and a pick?" Kushina asked with a look around the room.

"For once we share a similar train of thought Kushina." Homura responded with a sniff, "It does seem like a troubling method to simply disguise the Shinobi's true origins.

"Troubling indeed, troubling also to uncover the truth." Ibiki surmised as he crossed his arms, "And so it seems our enemy is more than willing to spend a lot of time and energy to confuse and delay us, this does not seem like a man who would form a superficial plan but instead one which would be very disconcerting indeed."

"But what does this have to do with Anko?" Kushina cried as she rose from her chair and knocked with a clatter, "What does any of this have to do with finding her? We're just wasting more time nattering here and doing exactly what this guy wants us to do and waste time! She's out there and she's alive, I know she is. Anko's a talented ninja and it would take a fool to simply kill her but this guy isn't. "

"Kushina." Ibiki warned.

"Powerful the girl may be. Her powers remain greatly undeveloped. She would be little use to anyone, let alone the kind of ninja which we are dealing with; there is no evidence to suggest that these incidents are connected Kushina." Koharu remarked. Kushina jumped as she had forgotten the woman was there on the other side of the Third. "You said so yourself that when you questioned the Shinobi he knew nothing of her."

"Little use? She's Jōnin! How is she not an ideal candidate to be taken? This guy is methodical, he's patient. Ibiki, you know he's the type to do such a thing. He'd want to train her, brainwash her even. She'd never leave willingly!"

"So eager to take every comment and remark as slander against you." Koharu muttered. "It's a wonder we even considered you to head the Jōnin elites.

"That's unfair." Minato hissed to the woman, "She's just lost one of her teammates, we all know or are connected to someone who had gone through that."

Koharu did not even break pace as she replied, "Such is the life of a Shinobi. Emotions like this have no place in war."

Minato looked away and bit his lip almost as though he tried to seal whatever words which begged to be free within. Silence fell once more upon the room. The Third took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh before saying,

"There seems to be marks all over the bodies of the Shinobi. The Coroner's report shows that he believes that these were used to drain the bodies of their blood – "

"The Shinobi were very much alive when I fought them – "

" – In order to replace the blood with a green Chakra-sensitive fluid as a blood supplement." The Third continued louder than Kushina.

"Wh-eh?" Everyone seemed just as confused as she was, "but all that blood, you just said was, ugh!"

"It must be a form of body control," Koharu commented with a sigh, "a way to control the body with ease."

The Third turned to her and asked, "Has such a thing been done before?"

Koharu shook her head, "I have never seen examples of this before, there are theories aplenty of such a phenomena being possible but no. Never."

"Well then the Shinobi could be lying! Maybe he was forced to say he knew nothing about Anko!"

"You don't seem convinced on that one Kushina." Ibiki commented brusquely.

"Enough with the analogies! I'm not in a bloody case file!" Kushina yelled.

"Well this analogy may interest you; I do believe that the man who made those Shinobi into effectively puppets would be the type to kidnap and train Anko to work to his will." Kushina sagged with relief which was short-lived as he continued, "However, we still do not have enough to work with. There is no one to interrogate or follow as their tracks were literally washed away."

Kushina felt like screaming louder than she ever had before, "But we can't just sit around and do nothing!"

Minato stepped forward and placed a warm hand on her shoulder and in a calming voice, "I believe we have time to spare still, this man is using delaying tactics himself. I want to find her as much as you do Kushina, but were could we even start?" He turned to Koharu and continued, "The technique which seems to be used to control the Shinobi, I guess would be a forbidden one if it existed right?"

Koharu nodded.

"So then whatever theories you mentioned, they could be traced since there wouldn't be that many."

"Logic suggests that this may be true, yes." Koharu gave with a slight nod of approval.

"Right, so at least we have a direction to go then." Minato offered Kushina a slight smile. It was almost lost on her as Kushina found herself unable to look at him.

She replied in a hardly audible voice, "Yeah."

"So you get to do your favourite thing then, so cheer up." Minato encouraged despite the odds of her cheering up stacked against him.

"What's that?" The red-head muttered weakly.

"You get to hit the books!"

"Kill me now." Kushina sagged.

It was not exactly what she had in mind when she imagined being able to actively search for Anko but if it meant that they would all potentially end up in a place closer to finding Anko then where that had begun, being in a library was a sacrifice she was more than willing to make.

Thank you for reading. Please review.

Lonski.