Kumo tapped his pipe letting the ashes fall out the apartment window of Ibiki's apartment. He and Ibiki waited in silence for news of Nenshō's so called plan. It seemed Ibiki knew as little about Nenshō's intentions as he did. After being escorted here he waited with Ibiki in silence smoking to kill the hours. The sky outside was black and moonless the lights shone out the stars so he just stared at the black canvas that covered the heavens. As soon as Kumo emptied the pipe he packed a fresh bowl of tobacco into it lighting it again.

"How much have you smoked?" asked Ibiki sipping some tea he brewed a couple hours ago to pass the time.

"I didn't bother to count." Said Kumo blowing the smoke outside and watching it disappear into the black sky above.

"And how long have you been using your Byakugan to keep a lookout?" he asked handing Kumo some of his cold tea.

Kumo turned to him staring through the goggles. "How did you know I was using it?"

"I didn't" admitted Ibiki, "you just told me."

Kumo didn't say anything and continued to smoke his pipe.

Ibiki sighed. "You should get some rest Kumo. You've been up all night and if you've been using your Byakugan. You need rest."

"I can't sleep… not while this is happening." He said.

Ibiki opened his mouth to protest but was interrupted by a knock at the door. They both drew kunai as Ibiki moved to answer the door. Kumo moved out of view as he cracked the door open. A fox faced ANBU member stood in front of him waiting patiently for him to answer the door.

"It's three in the morning." Said Ibiki, "What do you want?"

"Sorry to disturb you… but the village is being put on high alert. There's been an incident and the Hokage is rallying everyone she can."

"Incident?" asked Ibiki. "What sort of incident?"

"Everyone is on high alert… Hiashi Hyūga's been murdered."

"Murdered?!" said Ibiki

The ANBU nodded. "Yeah and in his own home none the less. According his fellow clan members he was killed by someone named Nenshō Kinzoku."

"I'll report to the Lady Hokage immediately." Ibiki assured him closing the door in his face and turning to speak to Kumo. The room before him was empty and the window was still open.

….

The sun rose in the east greeting Nenshō as he jumped through the trees away from the village. He was making good time all things considered. Despite his exhausted disposition he kept moving swallowing a couple food pills to keep going. He almost wished he had taken his time and got some sleep with Tenten when he had the chance. But if he did that he'd have missed his chance to catch Hinata, and if he hadn't used her he wasn't sure he'd have been able to kill Hiashi the way he had if it wasn't for that. Once he had returned his drugged daughter to him the man was all too willing to get close to him. Nenshō had arrived expecting a formal encounter; in truth he wasn't sure he was going to survive past tonight. He was grateful he hardly had to throw a kunai. After he had one of his underlings take the unconscious Hinata from him he moved close to shake his hand and it was all Nenshō needed to send a hot metal spike through the man's chest. After he was sure his heart was both pierced and roasted until well done he ran as fast as he possibly could outrunning the Hyūga guards as best he could only slowing a little when he was more than sure he had left them in the dust.

He stopped when a faint whistle sounded in the air above him and three thick shafted arrows hit the ground burying themselves in the ground the ends trailing blue chakra strings. The arrows shifted themselves into small four legged stick puppets with tiny bladed arms. The tiny puppets reminded him of little wooden pray mantissas. He had never seen any such puppets before in his life. Though he had no doubt who had crafted the artistic weapons.

The insect like dolls lunged at him slashing with their bladed arms and pointed legs. Nenshō focused his chakra into his hands summoning a fiery disk like a shield. He blocked the wooden dolls with the flaming shield turning the puppets to ash. He quickly disposed of them and shifted one of his armor plates into a long blade spinning around to the block the katana's of the samurai puppet Kumo had sent in behind him while he was distracted by the insects. He moved to swipe at puppet with his orange fire shield but the puppet shifted one of its swords into his path forcing to abandon the move unless he risk losing his arm.

He withdrew from the puppet but realized he sprung a trap. A small flash of steel shone in the morning sun, and he extended a metal spike off his armor forking the end to catch the steel wire that would have ensnared him. He poured his chakra in through the spike and into the steel wire that had been laid out absorbing it into his metal armor. He blocked another slash from the samurai puppet charging his makeshift blade with his chakra pouring it into the puppets katana. He dropped his sword and flashed his hand signs taking control of the blade warping it and snaking it around the puppets body constricting it.

He sighed hearing the footsteps behind him he turned around to face Kumo his bow in hand though the string wasn't drawn back.

"Why are you trying to stop me Kumo?" he asked returning the blade back into his steel armor. "I trust you know by now I can't return."

"Damn you!" Growled Kumo. "You said you'd fix this not trade places with me."

"Like I said Kumo I've been planning this for years, I knew if I killed Hiashi I could free you. Since his only other daughter is too young to take his place as head of the Clan than that job can only be filled by Hinata. And I know she won't hunt you for simple circumstances of your birth."

Kumo clenched his fists his frame shook with emotion. "You're going to be hunted for the rest of your life Nenshō… I didn't ask for you to do this for me!"

Nenshō stepped forward placing a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't have to Kumo; I'd have died in your place if that's what needed to happen. But now it's too late to change a thing."

Kumo looked at the ground. "I know… it's just… I needed to say goodbye… and to give you this." Kumo handed him a small photograph. He looked down and saw and image of Tenten smiling up at him. The photo had been taken out of a frame he had on the nightstand in his apartment. Since Ibiki had told him what had happened during that interrogation he hadn't really bothered to stop at his apartment to grab anything. He simply felt like the clothes on his back would be enough.

"How'd you know?" he asked taking the photograph.

"I just had a feeling you wouldn't bother to pack." He answered.

Nenshō sighed as he looked into the pictures brown eyes. "She's going to be so pissed when she learns I'm gone." He said tucking the photo into his back pocket.

"I think she'll be more sad that angry." Explained Kumo crossing his arms.

Nenshō nodded, "None the less, they'll be hell to pay with that girl. And I won't be around to deal with it."

"I'll take care of her for you." Said Kumo.

"Be sure and take care of Hinata as well she's going to have her hands full keeping her clan in like along with trying to capture and kill me. And tell her to keep trying with that knuckle head he can't keep overlooking her forever. I mean even Naruto isn't that stupid."

"You got it" said Kumo

They clasped hands. "It's probably better if I don't tell you where I'm going Kumo… it's kind of strange… we grew up in the same village as completely different people and we didn't even know each other. It wasn't until we both ran from our homes that we met each other and became friends… tell me Kumo. If we stayed in Suna… it we weren't forced out of our homes… do you think we still would have ended up as friends?"

Kumo shook his head. "No… I don't think I could've become your friends if anything in our lives changed. If you stayed and Suna you would have become just another pawn of your Clan and I would have become another face among thousands… in truth I'm happy for the misfortunes that plagued us. They brought us to where we are now and I can't think of anything I would trade that for Nenshō."

Nenshō nodded and clasped his hand. "Your right… I can say I regret anything that's happened to me… not if it would mean losing any of this."

"And now you're leaving it all behind." Mumbled Kumo.

"Yes… but only so you don't have to. Don't forget you wanted to become a part of a village not me… I would have done this a year ago if it hadn't been for …"

"Tenten?" Kumo finished for him and Nenshō nodded.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this… I thought maybe we could both live here in peace. But when Ibiki told me that Hyūga saw your eyes I knew I'd have to end my live here and leave it all behind… goodbye Kumo and before I leave or forget Ino wanted me to tell you to spoil her now and then and I mean it Kumo… keep her close she's good for you."

Kumo nodded, "Goodbye my friend."

Nenshō leapt forward towards the rising sun Kumo watched him disappear into the red and orange light.