Author's notes: the jig in the beginning is the jig from Final Fantasy VIII at the festival. And yes, I did watch a little bit of the Three Stooges lately.

—oo000oo—

On a stage in the Uzu festival grounds stood a woman in a red gown. Standing with her head down at the moment, she suddenly started tapping her feet to make an impressive beat followed by a man playing a guitar, a violen, and another woman one the flute to create a jig that made people smile hearing it. Reason behind this celebration? None, someone just wanted to have fun after the Battle for Konoha and it quickly picked up. Several of the warriors that had fought there were together, toasting a battle well fought and the great victory in the name of their home. Others didn't care about the fight a single wit and partied just because.

Din was dancing on a stump, drawing quite the crowd as she did. Naruto and Konan on the other hand were in the middle of a group dancing to the music, drowning memories of what the lives they had ended with the good memories a child should have. Things were pretty good in their lives.

—oo000oo—

Haruno Sakura and many other genin were walking through rows of bead bodies on a retrieval mission. Everyone that had died in the Battle for Konoha had been gathered here and she wasn't surprised to find not a single Uzu here. The genin were ordered to search through the bodies for items suspected of magic as well as still useable ninja tools. Many of the Highlanders had magics on them, the items surviving damage that could have almost completely destroyed their owners. The smell of the dead was oppressive and nearly made Sakura vomit several times already. It was a sight that no child should ever have to remember. Their lives were pretty horrible right then and no doubt were going to get worse.

—oo000oo—

Evening rolled around in what seemed like only a blink of an eye for the celebrators and still it did not end. Many slept there on the field including Naruto and Konan, the two using one another as a pillow. Konan elbowed him in her sleep and Naruto growled for it but didn't mind too much. Konan was his best friend after all.

—oo000oo—

Evening didn't come fast enough for Sakura. She had become paired with Ino as they separated citizens from Konoha from the bodies for funeral services. Many of them were done without fanfare, presided over only by family and close friends. Currently the two were leaning against the wall of the storage house far enough away as not to smell them. There was too much work to do to leave but they could take a little time to sleep with Ino's head on Sakura's shoulder and Sakura's head resting on Ino's. They were disturbed by the work and had realized that being a shinobi wasn't always a good thing. But they took comfort in the other; they were best friends after all.

—oo000oo—

A few mornings after the battle, Ayame walked into the office of the Hokage. "Good morning, Hokage-sama, how can I help you?"

"I wanted to talk, Ayame-chan," Sarutobi said to her. "Word has come to me that you defeated several of the attackers that came near your family's stall, is that true?"

"Yes it is."

"How ever did you do that?"

Ayame wanted to believe in her home very much so but here was a subject she would never tell the truth on. "Just a few things I learned during my dungeon delving," she said motioning to the trinkets she had gathered over the years. "They thought me some helpless little girl and it cost them."

Sarutobi nodded and continued on. "Ayame, were you there to watch any of the matches?"

"No, I don't like fighting for sport."

"Well, then you missed seeing a few things. The Uzu seem to possess abilities beyond that of a ninja and their arms and armor are no different. True, there are weapons out there in the hands of ninja that are like them. Such as the Nidiame's Raijin no Ken and the weapons of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. I need to know something, Ayame, and it is very important for the future of Konoha. During you...'adventures' have you ever come across items that seem more than they are? Anything, no matter how small or insignificant."

"You want to know if I have found magical items," she asked to make sure she understood.

"Yes, that is exactly what I am asking."

Ayame hesitated in answering as she thought about it. She had found such things in the ruins around the world and other things that didn't make much sense to her. The ones on her person were the ones put to best use. "…Yes, Hokage-sama, I have." She reached into a pouch and pulled out a sapphire half the size of her fist. "It isn't real, it was made to look like a precious gem. Touch the top of it." Sarutobi took the gem and did as she said only for blue fire to cover him. He started to yell and panic when she grabbed his arm. "It doesn't burn, Hokage-sama!"

Sarutobi blinked and he realized that it in fact didn't. The fires put off plenty of light but he was no warmer than before. "What is this," he asked, looking over his person as the fires danced.

"A toy, Hokage-sama," Ayame said with a smile. "I've found enough for a nice little collection in the ruins far to the south of here. Usually in the remains of a child's toy bin. It does keep you warm if it starts to get cold though."

Sarutobi looked at the flames a bit more before looking at the gem they came from. "A toy? Magics like this were once the toys of children?"

"Well, sir, why not? It isn't dangerous and since it's only a blue crystal, they can't be rare. And if the number I have found is an indication, they were easy to make."

Sarutobi spun the gem between his hands and said, "…A toy?"

Ayame laughed and said, "Yes, Hokage-sama, a toy. This though is not," she said, placing the dagger at her waist on his desk.

"You have a magical dagger as well?"

"…Because it is important to the future of Konoha, sir, I will be truthful. Many of the trinkets I wear have some magical property or other." Sarutobi blinked and looked over her blouse at all the pins, badges, and buttons she had. A cloak clasp on a blue cloak with a manta-ray sewn in the back, several rings hanging from a necklace and one on each hand, and her dagger and saber.

"…Many? You have many magical items on you?"

"Yes. Many more in this little hold I have."

"More?" Sarutobi shook his head as he dropped down in his chair. "…Like what?"

She bit her lip before saying, "An iron dragon statue a hundred feet long from snout to tail tip with moveable parts. Like a toy figure. Just a hundred feet long with daggers for teeth and claws."

Sarutobi looked almost ready to faint. "Good lord. What does it do?"

"I don't know, I can't activate it. But from all the folding plates and such, I think it was meant to come alive and do something. Fight possible or maybe be the dragon in a play. I don't know."

"…The dagger?"

"Heals the wielder by taking the life of those it stabs."

"The saber?"

"Cuts sharper and near impossible to destroy."

"That lion pin on your chest?"

"Gives me the strength and agility of a lion for several minutes, I can use it again in a half hour."

Sarutobi looked pale at this point. "…The cloak?"

"Let's me turn into a manta-ray to swim through the ocean."

"The, the… You had a shield when you were younger, from Iwa, please tell me that wasn't enchanted as well!"

"Oh, it wasn't, Hokage-sama, that was just a trophy."

Sarutobi sighed in relief. "Thank kami. And all of those do something?"

"No, not all of them. Some I just have because I like them." She lifted the end of her blouse to reveal an emerald encrusted silver belt. "…What, I like jewelry too."

Sarutobi closed his eyes as the image of little Icharuka Ayame changed for him. He thought that, maybe, she might have come across a trinket or two but here she was, revealing she had a small fortune in magic items. "A hold, you said?"

"Yes, some, like that dragon, are just too big to bring home. And even then, with all the things I've picked up, magical and non-magical, we wouldn't have room enough for all of them in our home."

"…Like what?"

"Well, in the ruins of this old town I found some statues of warriors. A few even look like some of the Uzu that came here. A girl with tiger fur, one of the big armadillo men, a woman with wings, and another with a snake body. There was also a bipedal dog, one of those 'Highlanders', a guy that looked like he was made from plants, and a giant frog. A few paintings and tapestries. Ornamental suits of armor and weapons. A throne of granite inlaid with gold."

"How did you move that?"

"…A pair of magical gold gauntlets."

"Why am I surprised? It seems that only Konoha is without some kind of magical tool."

"Oh, quite the contrary, I never sell magic items and no one I have found has any either. What I find, I keep."

"…So you do this for fun?"

"And the jewels."

Sarutobi chuckled. "So all of this," he motioned to what she wore, "are just things you picked up along the way."

"That is correct, yes Hokage-sama."

Folding his hands together and tapping his index fingers together as he thought about this, he realized he had one last thing to say. "Ayame, I would like you to give Konoha your cash of magic."

"Sir?"

"I know this is unfair but you will be compensated for each item." Seeing Ayame still look confused, he explained, "We have lost an edge with these weapons and armors coming into the battlefields, Ayame. We desperately need some of our own and you have not only the only ones available to us but the largest cache that we know of."

"…Hokage-sama, I worked very hard to get all of these."

"I know, Ayame, but Konoha needs them if ever an enemy with them comes at us."

"But the only ones with it is Uzu! …No."

"Pardon me?"

"No, you may not have them. You are building forces for against Uzu, aren't you?"

"Ayame, they might become a threat."

"They saved our home! Even a few of these if used correctly could really hurt them! The cloak alone compromises their very security! Hokage-sama, this is Naruto's people, not some enemy."

"Ayame, this may seem harsh but…"

"I don't care, I will not help you hurt them!"

"…Then I am sorry, Ayame, truly I am but we need those weapons." Ayame snatched her dagger back up and stepped back from his desk as ANBU appeared around the office. "Take her into custody, gently, and relieve her of her possessions."

"No," Ayame growled with a glare at him as the first stepped up to her. Grabbing her left arm he reached for the other when she grabbed his armor and threw him across the room, a pair of gold plated, fingerless gauntlets on her hands. "Naruto defend you even if he wouldn't this village. I have tried time and time again to get him to forgive and this happens," she asked coldly. "They are not some enemy," she growled, purposely leaving off the 'Hokage-sama'. "Neither I nor anything of mine will ever help you fight them."

"I'm sorry you feel like this but…"

"Reumos," Ayame said before vanishing.

Sarutobi looked around his office before sighing. "She teleports too? Of course she does."

—oo000oo—

Ayame appeared inside her home and called out, "Father! Father we need to go!"

He came out of the kitchen and said, "Go? Why?"

"Because the Hokage asked about my magic items and when I told him, he tried to order me to give them to him."

"…And you didn't because?"

"Father, they are for a military buildup against Uzu! We need to leave, now before he sends ninja here to try and hold you hostage to make me cooperate!"

"I'm sure he wouldn't do that," Tuechi placated.

"Icharuka Tuechi," someone called from the front. "Icharuka Tuechi, are you here?"

Ayame arched an eyebrow and waited for her father to respond. "In back," he called a bit unsure.

"Sir, is your daughter here," an ANBU said, walking into the kitchen.

He looked to her only to find her gone. "No, I'm afraid not. Is something wrong?"

"No, sir, the Hokage needs to speak with you about her is all," he said before a frying pan was lifted up by no one and hit him over the back of the head. Ayame became visible again and looked to her father knowingly.

Tuechi looked between the two and sighed. "When it rains, it pours. So, military buildup against Uzu?"

"Yes father. My cloak alone could allow assassins to sneak into Uzu or my ring of invisibility. We need to go."

Tuechi nodded sadly before saying, "I guess it's time to open up shop in Uzu then." He looked out front, saw it was empty, and grabbed the pictures while Ayame grabbed what few magics she didn't keep on her person and a couple of other personal items. When they had it, she took hold of his arm and vanished from Konoha.

They reappeared in the Uzu clan home almost right atop of Rei. "Ayame, what are you doing here?" He looked the two over and had a bad feeling.

"They tried to attest me for my magics and take my father hostage to make me cooperate!"

Rei was taken aback by this but growled his surprise away. "…You, sir, you are Tuechi, are you not? You daughter has spoken of you often. You two are welcome here in my home. Come, we will get you someplace to sit to explain in detail as well as some tea. Then we will inform my wife and son and find you a new house and restaurant."

"Thank you, Rei?" The head of the Uzumaki nodded. "This is more than I expected, I will admit, on such short notice."

Rei just smiled kindly and said, "The world rarely gives fair warning. Now, Ayame, please tell me everything in full detail, what he said most especially."

—oo000oo—

"…Let me just make sure I understand this. You questioned a young woman that is friends with Uzu no Kuni citizens where she revealed she has come to possess magic items through her own work, told her, no commanded her to surrender those items to you with no definite time of return or actual guaranty of compensation because they were all priceless to her, on her refusal ordered her arrest and forced separation of her and her possessions, and then tried to get her father to come to you in what was in effect a way to try and get her to cooperate with your wishes only to result in the ANBU you sent receiving a rather large headache," Koharu asked Sarutobi inside his office with herself, Danzo, and Himura. "Did I get all of that?"

"You forgot the part where said teleporting young woman took her father and left Konoha with a more than likely distaste for said village," Himura said in a disapproving tone.

"…That could have gone better," Danzo muttered.

"Not my best decision, I know," Hiruzen said with a bit of shame. "I was shocked and…"

"No, Sarutobi, that was by far the dumbest thing you have ever done," Koharu interrupted. "Yes, we needed those items but there were better ways to get them!" She rubbed her temples for the coming migraine and said, "We had an expert magic hunter here and your brilliant plan was to arrest her! Instead of that, you should have asked her to consider trying to find items of similar quality for us! And now all we are left with is that!" She pointed at the fire stone on his desk.

"And what the Highlanders had," Danzo reminded.

"You be quiet," she snapped at him. "I would expect such a tactic from you Danzo but from you, Sarutobi, really?"

"What I do," Danzo muttered to Himura.

"Right now we have ninja as old as twelve putting people they knew in coffins to bury and you pull something like this! Not even going to the mental trauma those not prepared for this must be going through; we will be recovering from this debacle for a year at least! Fully trained Chunin cut down, Sarutubi, and our means of equaling and even tipping the playing field in our favor gone!"

"Ahem," Himura coughed, getting their attention. "Are you done verbally castrating our teammate, Koharu?"

"…For the moment," she almost growled. "Is there any good news!"

"There is news," Sarutobi said, grateful for Himura's interference. "I have ordered Jiriaya to stay in Konoha as we need him here, I am about to dispatch a messenger to Tsunade ordering her return, and I am…" He hesitated the next part.

"Say it, Sarutobi," Koharu said threateningly.

"I am taking in those ninja from Oto that will accept as well as pardoned Uchiha Itachi and informed him of his brother's death."

Silence filled the room from the two advisors about this. The part from Oto was expected, really. Konoha had lost ninja and Oto had lost their leader. It was the natural option. No doubt many of them will join. Himura had heard from some that many clans that had fallen out of favor from their former villages had joined Orochimaru for the protection a ninja village offered including the once famous Fuuma clan. It was the other part of it that made them hesitate. It honestly wasn't common knowledge who killed the Uchiha Clan but some knew, including all of the Jonins. What few knew was the reason why. "Itachi," Himura asked. "You are going to ask Uchiha Itachi to return after we failed to keep his brother alive? Wasn't that what he demanded we do when he left?"

"He said that we will not cause his death, someone else did that," Danzo told him.

"Technicality," Koharu yelled. "He died here in our village, in our Chunin Exam! He will kill everyone in this room for that!"

"Maybe not that far, Koharu-dono," a voice said behind them, making the two advisors wilt. They looked back and saw an ANBU with long black hair and a weasel mask wearing a black cloak. "But I am certainly most unhappy."

"Uchiha Itachi," Himura said almost questioningly but it was definitely a statement.

"In the flesh," Itachi said, focusing on him. Himura glanced around and Itachi said, "We are alone, Himura-dono, to help avoid any complications. No ANBU to overhear things they shouldn't."

"Like our death screams," Koharu asked.

"No," Danzo told the two. "Itachi has already been appraised of the situation."

"And has accepted the pardon," Itachi told the two. "I am currently masked as such to conceal my identity until I have chosen a new one. During my travels, I have learned a jutsu used by the protectors of the high priestess of the land of demons to physically become someone new. I will be me yet look like someone else for the rest of my life."

"…Well…I guess that is good news," Koharu muttered.

"No, it isn't," Itachi stated sounding displeased. "You have interrupted an attempt of mine to infiltrate a band of mercenaries called Akatsuki. They do not give such chances twice."

"The need is dire, Itachi," Sarutobi told him. "You are needed here as the ANBU Captain you once were."

Itachi frowned under his mask before saying, "The boy who killed my brother, Uzumaki Naruto, why?"

Sarutobi looked sad at what he considered a failing of his. "He grew hateful and dark, Itachi. He started caring for power over other things and then the Uzu came. And they…"

"Radiate power," Itachi finished. "I assume he was the instigator?"

"Yes," Koharu told him. "I know Naruto better than most. Maybe not the details but his character. He is a boy, happy and carefree. The last thing he wanted to do that day was to kill him."

Itachi nodded after a moment. "Very well. Danzo we have matters to discuss later." Itachi stepped back and vanished like all ANBU did when they were no longer needed.

"…The calm that boy has still frightens me," Himura stated.

Danzo looked after Itachi before facing Sarutobi. "What is the count of magic, Sarutobi?"

"Confirmed, seventy two swords, hammers, and other weapons. Thirty five complete suits of armor of some type or another. Supected, nearly eighty more weapons and twelve more suits of armor. The armor ranges from clothes to full plate to shields. And one…rather interesting armguard."

"What is interesting about it," Danzo asked.

"It talks to the one that wears it." The three stared at him not sure they heard him right. "Not only that but it forms blades from it like katars or bladed shields."

"…Impressive," Danzo stated.

"Not really when you take into account that all who worn it so far is forced to slap themselves until the armguard is satisfied and removes itself from them. It is not cooperating and I understand it is not very impressed with us."

"…Magic is rather interesting, isn't it," Himura muttered.

"Naruto informed me that sentient weapons are rare artifacts," Koharu told them. "They must be of similar mindset with the wielder or fight it's will with their own. If they lose the weapon gains control of the body. I think we should be grateful about the armguard only slapping a few people around. He made it sound like there are weapons not so benign."

"…Naruto has one," Sarutobi realized, thinking back to his fight with Sasuke. "He said 'What did he say' and Sasuke answered. But no one was down there with them. Just Naruto's sword."

"Is there any limits on who may try to command it," Danzo asked.

"None. Any that wishes too may try. A good many have but none have been accepted," Sarutobi informed them.

—oo000oo—

Half a day later, a face similar to Shushin no Shisui only aged eight years since his death walked into the armory where the bracer was kept. He watched with amusement as Kakashi slapped himself silly after donning the weapon. "Come now, won't you accept someone," Sarutobi Asuma asked, walking over to him. Only for Kakashi to slap him. "Hey!"

"That wasn't me," Kakashi told him before his hand

"Asuma, I think you should step back before…" Genma said as he tried to get him to move away before the possessed hand bonked him on the jaw. "Kakashi, was that you?"

"No, swear it wasn't." He had a slightly humorous look to his eye so Genma and Asuma looked to each other before Genma slapped Kakashi on one cheek followed by Asuma on the other. "…Wise guys, huh?" Kakashi punched Genma in the stomach before flicking his nose up and down several times before poking Asuma in the eyes. Pulling Genma's nose and twisting it and slapping Asuma's cheek was answered by both punching him in the jaw. As the three kept up the slapstick, every now and then Kakashi slapping himself still, the others watching kept on laughing at them. By the time they stopped and the armband had enough, all of their cheeks were red and so were their noses.

Chuckling at them, the new guy went up and grabbed the bracer. Placing it on his arm, he waited for a reaction. He didn't wait long. His arm jerked to slap himself but Itachi caught it and held it back with will alone. It tried hard to make him do it but Itachi held. Finally, a blade came out of it and extended to the floor, trying to push itself up. Itachi wouldn't give so it only cut through the stone. Withdrawing that blade and no longer trying to slap Itachi, a blade instead went up to touch his throat with the tip. 'How interesting you are to fight me like this. Tell me, are you willing to die to prove you are the stronger of us?'

"I have been willing to die for a very long time," Itachi told it, everyone staring at the two in shock.

'Have you now? Yes, I can see it in your memories, the willingness to die, and kill, to keep others safe. Why take me up? Say it!'

Itachi was going to say for the betterment of the village but instead something far different came out. "There must always be another to take up arms against the darkness."

'Good, good! Very good! Those that fight in the shadows to defend those in the light! When you fight monsters, care that you do not become one. After all, when you gaze into the abyss…'

"The Abyss gazes into you," Itachi finished, not quite sure where the words were coming from.

'It does,' the armband confirmed before pulled the blade away from him. 'It takes much to do the right thing, Uchiha Itachi. Even if the right thing feels wrong.' It said no more and when a chunin touched his arm, Itachi jumped a little in surprise.

"Did you win?"

"…Yes."

"Who are you, I don't recognize you," Kakashi said, looking him over.

"…Uchiha Kurasa," Itachi told them. "I was banished from my clan. And I now understand that the rest of them is dead." He turned and left, leaving them shocked.

'Kurasa…that means darkness to you, does it not,' the bracer questioned with humor but didn't expect an answer. 'You may call me Barra'velve.'

"Blade of shadows," Kurasa muttered as understanding came to mind.

—oo000oo—

Danzo sat in his room and waited. Not long later Itachi appeared looking like his best friend. "Itachi. Or should I say Kurasa?"

"Kurasa is fine," he replied. "I spoke to Shisui before he died, Danzo."

"Did you?"

"I did. You know what he told me?"

"I can imagine," Danzo replied.

"…The dead are dead, Danzo, and nothing can be done for them. I won't fight you over even my best friend. He died well."

"Then this conversation is about?"

"The Sharigans I know you took. I don't know how many you took but I know you did."

"And you want them back?"

"No," Kurasa told him, surprising him. "The dead are dead, we must do what we can for the living."

Danzo was a bit curious now. "So why are you here?"

"The Uchiha clan, the Sharigans especially, are cursed Danzo. To bear them is no simple task and fate. All those that have them must exercise caution. Or they will be your downfall."

"You came here to warn me of that?"

"Yes. There must always be another to take up arms against the darkness, Danzo, and you have been in the dark for a very long time. Should their curse become your own, I will stop you."

"Now we reach the heart of it," Danzo said with a mirthless smirk. "I have defended Konoha from the shadows for a very long time."

"I know but you no longer do it alone," Kurasa told him. Danzo frowned as he thought about what was to happen and decided to use it. Under the bandages of his right eyes, Shisui's Sharigan activated and tried to enthrall Kurasa. Nothing too much but to just make him a second too slow should they ever fight. To find Kurasa's mind protected from it. "Don't do that again," Kurasa warned before turning away and vanishing into the darkness. Danzo showed no surprise but for a frown as he sat there and thought about this.

—oo000oo—

Out above a waterfall, sitting on the ledge, a young woman with green hair and red eyes waited. She didn't know for what, just for something. Something just told her to be outside tonight. She wasn't wrong. A man came up and sat down beside her although 'man' might be a little off for he was no human. "Hello, Fū," Sora Velve said with a light smile. Fū looked to him and didn't feel surprise.

"You're him, aren't you," she asked. "The one that is taking away the Jinchuuriki."

"I'm one of them."

She looked back out across the river below them. "…You know, I hate humans. They did this to me and then…the way they treated me, all those like me…" Velve could feel the rage from her. "But I look at you…and I don't feel that way."

"I'm glad," Velve said with a smile. "So I take it you don't want to go home?"

"I don't even want to warn them you are here to take me away," Fū told him. "The other eight, are they there?"

"Not all of them but a number of them are and you will like them," Velve said as he stood and offered her his hand. "So what do you want?"

"I…I…I want to fly away and leave it all behind me."

Velve chuckled as he picked her up in his arms and spread his wings. "I think I can handle that part for now until we get you a set of your own."

—oo000oo—

Fū didn't know when she fell asleep but she awoke on her stomach with the sun in her eyes. She stretched and felt really odd, like her center of balance was gone. "Where am I?"

"Hello," Gaara said, coming beside her and taking her arm as she tried to get up. "Careful, the change can be disorienting."

"What change," she muttered before seeing a glass of water and drinking it. She had drained the cup before noticing little rainbows on the wall like when light hits hanging crystals. She leaned to the side and the lights shifted as well. Confused, she suddenly felt something twitch and the lights moved again. "…Excuse me, little boy…" She finally looked at Gaara and saw he was a bipedal tanuki. "Are you…"

"Yes, I am a tanuki and yes I was the Ichibi Jinchuuriki."

"…I looked like a kabuto beetle, don't I?"

"Not quite," Gaara said before grabbing a mirror. "You told Velve-san that you wanted to fly so Blue-kaasan made it so you can fly. With us though, it is easier to change us to look like our bijuu than anything else to burn away the remaining youkai. So…" Gaara trailed off but he figured she understood.

Fū was holding the mirror to the side to see a pair of pixie wings coming from about the height of her shoulder blades and completely black eyes that saw as well as normal ones and slightly pointed ears. "I look…different that I thought I would," Fū finally muttered.

"Yes, the eyes was an accident," Bleu said as she came over. "Feel well, dear?"

"…Like I'm missing something."

Fū was going to shrug it off as her bijuu being gone but Bleu held out a shard of something that glowed. Once it was close to her, that feeling of something missing was gone. "You are missing a tiny bit of your soul," Bleu explain as Fū took the knife like shard. "Shichibi is in time-out because he tried to take your soul." She looked to a tiny glass box next to an empty cat cage with a bug inside it unable to do anything but stand there and look out. "He got a shard of it before I caught him and took it back. Unfortunately, it will never quite go back to the way it was so I didn't even bother."

"…Part of my soul is outside my body and you didn't bother," she exclaimed.

"Of course, you know how long it has been since the last time the creation of a Soulknife was even attempted? Let me tell you, it isn't easy to do. But since Shichibi was so kind as to set it up, I figured why not use it."

"What's a Soulknife?"

"That is a Soulknife," Bleu told her, tapping the dagger in her hands. "It is all that you are, the pain you have felt, the joy, your fears, your woes, your dreams, your desires, everything, especially what you feel at the moment. Stab this into someone you are mad at, and they get to walk more than a mile in your shoes."

"…Oh. But doesn't that mean that someone can take part of my soul away?"

"Silly child," Bleu said with a smile. "It's your soul, not a knife." Bleu guided Fū's hand to slide the knife in her chest. "Just pull it out when you need it." It vanished inside her without leaving a cut even in her clothes.

Fū looked to where it had been with a little shock before noticing something walking around. A two tailed cat. "They're here, the missing jinchuuriki, aren't they?"

"Well, not all of them," Bleu said as Gaara went outside. "Quite a few are but the Five, Six, and Eight are still out in the world."

"That many? …Where are the others?"

"Mostly they are outside enjoying themselves."

Fū ran out and saw a beach. Three children were close by, doing their own things at the moment with Gaara making a sand castle the size of the house she was just in. Not too far from them an older man with red monkey fur was lying on a lawn chair enjoying the sun. Beyond them though she saw at least a hundred people enjoying the surf. "Who are the other two," she said looking to Bleu.

"One is the monkey right there," Bleu said, pointing to him. "Roshi! This is Fū, say hi!"

He looked at her, pulling down his sunglasses and waved. "Hello Miss Fū, a pleasure to meet you. I am Roshi of the Four Tails and formerly of Iwa."

She smiled and said, "Fū of the Seven Tails and Taki. And I am not going back! Yata!" She looked around and this was everything she had ever hoped for. "And who is the other," she asked excitedly.

Bleu lost a bit of her smile. "That would be Nii Yugito of the Two Tails and Kumo."

"Nii of the Two Tails? Of course she is. Where is she?"

"Moping," Roshi told her, pushing his glasses back up.

"Moping," Fū asked, shocked. "What on earth for? This place is wonderful and best of all no humans! No ninja to hate us!"

"Yugito felt her being a jinchuuriki was a honor and her duty," Roshi told her, his lips pursed at the memory of his 'honor' and 'duty' as a jinchuuriki. "She was respected in her village for her power."

"…So she went back home?"

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple," Bleu told her. "She knows where we are and more importantly where all the bijuu collected are. Here they are out of the cycle of war and pain. No bijuu, no jinchuuriki. And no one knows where they are but a very small number including her."

"And if that was her duty…then it would be her duty to tell them where it is now," Fū realize.

"That's right," Roshi told her, his arms folding under his head. "And with the two tails she would also tell them about the others including the Kyuubi and the Sanbi. Tell me, what would your village do if they discovered a place with six of the bijuu right located."

"They would never stop trying to get them."

"And since Kumo has on several occasions tried to steal from the other Great Five Villages for simple things as Kekkei Genkai and at least one attempt on me. I believe they also tried for Uzumaki Kushina, the Kyuubi jinchuuriki at the time."

"So she isn't allowed to go home," Fū stated.

"Not yet at least," Bleu told her. "We have given her a choice, we either erase her memory of how she last it, including any explanation on why her jinchuuriki is missing and to where she went, meaning an incredible punishment, or she stays here until such a time that the knowledge of where they are is no longer relevant. She can leave whenever she wants; we don't hold many prisoner here in Uzu."

"But to be sent back," Fū said slowly, "I would be executed."

"And I have little doubt so would she," Roshi told her. "Thus why she is moping."

Fū signed before looking at the beach. "Either she will come around or she won't. Doesn't matter, does it?"

"Why do you think I am here enjoying the sun instead of worrying," Roshi said with a laugh.

Fū nodded and said, "In that case, I am wearing way too much clothes!" Behind them, Kankuro and Gaara turned blood red before looking at her already small clothing.

"That is too much," Kankuro muttered.

"Guess so," Gaara said before placing a flag on the highest tower of his castle. "Heh, can't wait to see what it will look like when she has on the right amount," Gaara said suggestively. Kankuro looked at Fū again before being blown back by a nose bleed. "Weak, onii-san, very weak."

—oo000oo—

Author's notes. No fighting this time aside from the stooges earlier. I wanted this chapter to show the comparison between the two villages. Even Ayame and Yugito was meant to be a comparison. Believe it or not, my favorite character is not the hero in shining armor. I prefer a bit of the noir version. A knight in blood caked armor. Illidan back in Warcraft 3 and the other demon hunters are the perfect example. Someone who fights in the shadows to protect the light, someone willing to even be labeled a monster if it meant protecting others. That is why Itachi hangs from my phone. 'There must always be another to take up arms against the darkness' is the insription on my favorite sword in Dragon Age Origins, Topsider's Honor. Barra'velve was looking for someone that not only could but would do what had to be done. The type of person that could order the needed attack even if it meant the deaths of those going. It is not an enviable position and few people could do it. Yes, that does mean that Danzo might have also been able to. But Danzo does so with the desire to become Hokage. Itachi does so because someone must. By the way, always knew that Tobi was Obito.

See you space cowboy.