[Kado Nikkou is OC. Yume is OC.]

Friend on the Road Home

Diplomacy went well within the borders of Kusagakure. So far the teams hadn't run into any problems. Naruto's team shared information with the village and received information in kind. The leaders of the village were unaware of the town just outside their boarder where the villagers fell under a strange jutsu and were prepared to dispatch their own Shinobi to research what the issue was with the town. The teams started making their way back to Konohagakure. Within the day a new Konoha team would come to the town to help with the strange on goings.

"That is the end of the mission," Sai asked.

"Yes," Naruto said. He understood that Sai wanted to get more out of things considering that his wife was at the center of the beginnings of all of this.

"Diplomacy is better than fighting but we never even got a chance to encounter the enemy. Don't you think we are being foolish going back so soon," Sai questioned.

"I've considered everything. We made a strong show of force coming out here especially without notifying the other Kage's first about our actions-

"But they have to understand that this is a domestic terror issue and we were attacked solo. Our citizens were the ones in danger and we were just acting on the information given to us by our friends and our own intelligence," Sai said.

"Would we have the same thing to say if Kumo or Suna did the same thing to Ame or Yuki," Naruto asked.

"I think we would know what Gaara-sama or Darui-sama had in mind when he went to those nations. It isn't like we attacked Kusa. We are here to find the enemy and flush them out of hiding. We visited the prison and were unsuccessful in finding any members of Kota's group and I do believe he is working with a group. Then there is team Iya. I will not give up on thinking that there are still people out there unaccounted for," Sai said.

"I am willing to listen to everything you all have to say to me. Kakashi is in charge and he made the decision to return to the village," Naruto said.

"We could have split the group. We can still split the group," Sai said.

"Even if it meant sending Sasuke and I alone to go after the enemy I still agree to work with Kusagakure on this. They have cooperated so far," Naruto said doing his best to hide his own frustration.

"They didn't even know about that town back there," Sai said.

"Maybe you are right Sai. Imagine the position that I am in," Naruto said.

"That's just it. The Naruto that I know would have no problem with a simple problem like this," Sai said and pushed his way towards the front of the group up ahead of them as they walked.

"What's the matter Naruto can't keep up," Kakashi called from the front of the group.

"I'm fine 'tebayo," Naruto said still hanging back he had a lot to think about. In the back of his mind he wanted to go ahead of everyone and check this enemy out. He knew he had to do so for Sakura and his own piece of mind. He couldn't return to the village without completing his mission. "Sasuke-teme we need to talk," Naruto called out to the impassive Uchiha.

"I'm already steps ahead of you," Sasuke said falling back to walk side by side with Naruto.

000

Kiba stopped them all.

"There's something up ahead. A battle, death," Kiba said atop a growling Akamaru.

"Everyone be on alert. This could be some illusion so remember who we're dealing with," Sai warned everyone.

Sai summoned his clone to go check up ahead of them. The group had passed the Kusagakure border hours ago and had passed up the paralyzed town they encountered the previous time they entered the village. They hadn't gotten far from the strange town behind them. The clone reported back that he had spotted a woman up ahead.

They approached the woman who had her back to Sai's clone. She was slumped over holding her wounds. Her gear was scattered around here and there. She didn't bother to get up as the group approached her.

"If you're here to finish it off go ahead. You've taken everything that's precious to me," she spoke weakly slipping a sword from its sheaf.

Sasuke held out a hand to stop anyone from advancing and he stayed back as Naruto approached. Naruto's clones disappeared from the planned infiltration of the enemies' hideouts so his entire being was concentrated on this fight.

"We don't want to fight you," Naruto spoke up, "we're Konoha Shinobi. I'm Uzumaki Naruto. We aren't your enemy."

"I don't want to face you with tears in my eyes. I guess I have no choice if I wish to defend myself. For these were my comrades here," the woman said her body shook with sobs and she wiped at her face with her free hand.

Sai's clone picked up a mask and held it to his doppelganger. Sai examined the mask and spoke up, "you're ANBU or a hunter-nin, what is this mask?"

"No. It belonged to my father. Someday I will return the only part of him I can to his homeland. What a happy coincidence that I should run into Konoha Shinobi," she turned and faced them.

Her eyes were rimmed with red circles. She had smudges of dirt and blood on her arms and cheeks. Her long brown hair was half tied up with strands falling over her chest and wildly down her back.

"Your father," Genma asked looking right at her suspiciously.

"Kado Nikkou was the name of the man who taught me," she stood, twirled the sword and placed it back in its sheaf, "swords are dangerous weapons. When he found me I couldn't remember who I was. I thought of him as my father we were both headed to the same place."

"So you're from Kusagakure," Sai asked. She had no headband and her clothing did not give her away as a Shinobi.

"Yes," she said.

"Do you know your name," Naruto asked.

"Yume," she said.

"Where are your comrades now," Naruto asked.

"What kind of question is that don't you see their bodies lying around," Yume asked.

As Yume looked around the bodies were missing suddenly.

"Genjutsu," Sasuke said to her adding, "someone should look at your wounds."

She was silent for a long while as she stared at the ground shocked. Kiba was unconvinced he could fall for any genjutsu; what he smelled was clearly dead bodies. The suspicious woman gave them a name and said she was from Kusagakure but this could be anyone.

"I'll be fine," she said walking towards them.

"The town back there," Sasuke pointed, "did you come from there."

"Nikkou-san stopped there and shortly after we noticed the jutsu that affected the town. We left and were ambushed by a group of rouge Shinobi. The same ones we were sent to hunt down.

"We were bounty hunters, Nikkou left Kusagakure years ago deciding to go it alone he had a small enterprise traveling from town to town hunting down criminals. Sometimes they were rouge Shinobi but he never really wanted to get too involved in any conflict that involved the five nations' territory."

"Sounds like this Nikkou was a missing-nin," Sai said.

"I know it sounds really horrible but he decided to turn himself in…," Yume said and trailed off.

Additional correspondence was sent of to Kusagakure and the teams continued on back to Konoha with Yume. Conversation flowed but they were careful not to divulge any village secrets on the way back to the village.

Priorities shifted to Konoha and other capable Shinobi would be sent out to continue Team Rokudaime's research. For now it was more important to figure out what the enemy within the village border was up to. This town they left behind would have to wait but they all knew it was important and likely related to what had been going on.

Naruto and Sasuke walked in the back of the group once more talking about the findings of their trip. To both it seemed like much of a disappointment. In any event they toughed it out and were ready to go home to see their families.

"My clones were there at the hideouts and found nothing," Naruto said.

"Because they were likely cleaned out by the enemy before you got there," Sasuke said.

"Something like that," Naruto said.

"Did you encounter anyone friend or foe," Sasuke asked.

"No one," Naruto said.

"You can't tell Sakura that all we did was travel all this time," Sasuke said.

"I have no choice. At least I researched the hot spots. We went by the book and we did everything to find the enemy. They just don't want to be found right now. They aren't looking for a fight. For now they want to play games with our loved ones…I hate fighting this kind of war Sasuke," Naruto said staring out into the distance at the long road ahead.

Sasuke looked at his friend for a moment and simply said, "I know you do. If you can't rush in and punch out a rasengan you're not happy. Wait until you have to deal with a toddler's demands. I guess father hood will make you a better leader after all."

"Teme!"

"Hn."

"We better catch up with the group. There seems to be some new correspondence from Konoha," Naruto said.

Sasuke agreed and the two speed up to meet up with the others.