Rido ran full speed toward her dwelling, full of hope and need to see if Sasuke was lying or not. If Naruto was alright she could rest easy, but if he wasn't…well she wouldn't be so quick to stop Shinenai the next time that it decided to kill him.

She was close to home now, so close that she could just make out the faint silhouette of their apartment. Rido smiled contently to herself. Yes, almost there—

Unfortunately, just then, right in front of her, a dark figure dropped stealthily down from seemingly nowhere. She had to stop short to keep from smacking straight into whoever it was.

"Um…who?..."

Except Rido didn't need to say anymore. She immediately recognized the crimson red eyes, the inverted number four tattoo, that secretive scowl.

Hintaro onii-san, her older brother.

But…how? Why? She hadn't seen or heard from Hintaro since he was prosecuted for the murder of one of the Mortality Associates and fled the village ten years ago. Even before that dark event he never spoke to her, not once. She always thought that he hated her. What could he possibly want with her now? Here? After disappearing for so long and putting a black mark on their clan?

"Onii-san? What are you doing here?" Rido asked once she was calm enough to speak.

"It's been a while," Hintaro said in a dark, bone-chilling voice that she didn't remember. Come to think of it, she didn't remember him having translucent black hair down to his back either. Well he had been gone for ten years. It was obvious that he'd be different. Still, besides the eyes and the tattoo, she barely recognized this new Hintaro.

"Yes, it has. Why are you here? What do you want?"

Hintaro laughed to himself, a deep foreboding sound. He was dressed in a black hooded cloak that blended in so well with the shadows that he looked as if he was part of the shadows. Had he always been this sinister? This frightening? She took a small step backward.

"Aren't we a bit forward, young sister?"

"Sorry, I—I was just, uh…This is kind of sudden and, well, I haven't seen you in…I mean, you never…" she trailed off, unable to figure out a good way to continue.

Hintaro adjusted himself irritably and sighed. "Well, I know I've never really acknowledged you much before. But that was a time long ago. The times when I was a Hidden Soul shinobi are dream-like to me. I don't consider them to matter or even a reality."

"What? I don't understand." Rido truly did not understand yet she wanted so desperately to.

"My life now, what it's done to me, the people who've changed me, hurt me, they're what matter now. Please don't try to understand young sister, you won't. I just want you to know something. You know the Association, right?"

Rido nodded. "They're the ones who were after you because you killed one of their men."

Hintaro nodded absently and looked of into the surrounding forests. His gaze lingered there for a while before he turned back to speak. "I'm their king."

Rido blinked hard. Had she heard right? He was what? Their king? Huh? The Mortality Association? The same one that had been so enraged by his killing of their man, that they had implanted a soulless demon inside Rido? Was she crazy? Was he crazy? None of this made sense.

"I know that you must be very confused, but understand that how I obtained this position is not important."

Rido paused, considering his suspicious words. Then realization hit. "You killed them didn't you."

Hintaro almost smiled, she could see it, but stopped himself.

She gasped in shock "I know that they were out to get you, Hintaro, but this? This is too low! How could you just—"

"Now, now, young sister don't get the wrong idea. I didn't kill them all. Most of them were happy to accept such a powerful ruler. But Hanabusa, well, he had to die. He was much too reluctant."

Rido perked at the vaguely familiar name. She flashed back to that night. The one where Shinenai and her had been fused. "Hanabusa? Hanabusa Shinto-dono?"

Hintaro bristled. He was suddenly furious. His eyes narrowed, glowing a fiery crimson that penetrated her soul. "Do you have any idea how much it angers me to here you call that arrogant bastard dono? Well, do you?"

Rido jumped. She hadn't even realized that she'd said dono. It was just the way she remembered Matashiro saying it. "I'm sorry."

Hintaro's look didn't soften. "Alright. It doesn't matter. He's dead now."

Rido said nothing. She was afraid that if she spoke he would get mad again.

The silence lengthened endlessly as Hintaro's rage ebbed. "I only came here to warn you, Ridonasai."

"About what?"

Hintaro leaned his face close to hers. "Beware that boy, do you hear me? Don't get too attached to him. He will not be around very long. You may not believe this, but I care about you young sister. I know that you've grown attached to this boy and I know that you refuse to kill him. But understand that if you don't I will," he put his hand in Rido's hair. She could feel his fingers cold as ice. She shivered. "I care about you Ridonasai and I'll do what's best for you. The boy dies soon."

And with a puff of smoke, he was gone. It was only a shadow clone. He didn't trust her enough to actually show himself to her, probably afraid she'd try to kill him first before he killed Naruto. It disturbed her that he thought she would sink as low as to kill her own brother. Or perhaps he was just busy, with him being head of the most feared ninja organization in the land. Whichever reason didn't matter much. What mattered was that Naruto was in danger. Again.

"The kid can't catch a break," Rido though bitterly as she sprinted the rest of the way home.

She finally reached the door and was suddenly breaking into a cold sweat. What if Hintaro had decided that "soon" meant right now? Naruto could be dead already and it would all be because she couldn't get the damn key in the door!

Finally the lock clicked, the knob turned and the door gave way to a dark, still room. A dark silent room. No snoring. No Naruto. No! No no no no no please no! She hastily searched his bed, turning over the covers and searching every possible corner. He wasn't anywhere.

Damn you Hintaro! Damn you Sasuke! Whichever one of you bastards did this!

"Naruto!"

No reply. He was truly gone.