A/N: I meant to start this way earlier this morning. But I have been running around. But another chapter to update and I still think I can make my goal! I can do it! Dates are still important. But so are somethings that I have added.

Please comment question or leave a thought for me!

Chapter 17: Mission

June 24th:

It is morning, I am walking with Lord Sixth.

It is early morning, the sun is about to rise. Not even Shikamaru is up yet since I did not tell him when I am leaving. I had a fear that I would not come back from this mission. But, I could not stand to see the faces of people worrying about me; it is almost weak and pathetic to worry about a ninja going on a mission.

Did you even come back in the first place?

"You know we have to figure out their true motive before they attack anyone. I know that you and Shikamaru can figure this out." Lord Sixth says, I nod in response. "I know now you actually have people to come back to now, this village is your home and hopefully that curse that Lord Third placed on you will lift soon with Tenzo and myself trying to break the seal. Leave and remember everything you see and hear."

I nod and head off into the forest. I know I need to be effective when it comes to this. This mission is important.

Hopefully getting there before any of them do so I can set up. I make my way to the clearing, food pills ready and smoke screens to be placed. I need to make sure that I have everything ready. There is plenty for me to do before the group gets here.

I left the map so Shikamaru can look at it while I am gone to see if I missed anything. Maybe I should have asked him for his help, only I know that leaving would be harder. I shake my head, I cannot be thinking like this right now, it will only hurt the mission.

I make it to the outskirts of the clearing and begin to set up. I take a food pill and move into the clearing. I take out the herb mixture and sprinkle it around the clearing. It will soak up in the few days I am here by myself so everything is mixed together and maybe even be gone by the time they all get here. I sigh, the idiots for not being able to feel this thing taking effect on them. It is an easy jutsu to see past.

I move back outside the clearing, it is about noon. I go into the trees and place a smoke screen in a triangle around the clearing. A little inside and out of the triangle I place my traps with wires and paper bombs that none of them should be able to detect. It takes me about two days to set up all the traps. I know that the chakra I place in them should only go off if I will it to. They should be safe enough to where I can leave them for a while. I sigh sitting up from looking at the clouds.

Around lunch time I sit and think about my past. A new memory comes into mind.

The chunin exams, how I actually played a role in who passed and failed. How I went to each team and warned them about a dark time coming. I knew he was coming but all I could do was bite my tongue and wait for him to make an appearance. I cursed lord third for that choice right from the start, I knew that something would happen but I was good and followed orders, though it wasn't like I had that much of a choice. The first part I was next to Naruto and I knew that Hinata was going to let him cheat off of her. I smile at that, knowing that Naruto could have passed the exams if he had just looked over at Hinata. I took a look into his head and saw that he did not know what the point of the first exam was, everyone else knew and I was more than happy to play a part on letting them cheat off of me. If it was obvious I would signal those watching. The second round, I watched Gaara before he fully meet Naruto. How when there was the fighting, I knew Orochimaru was in the building close to Lord Third. I had to keep an eye out, right after Kabato quit was a red flag to me and I knew that he was a snake. I was not allow to act though and he tried to take Saskue right after that. The last round, I should have been by Lord Thirds side. He sent me away and I failed him. I failed the village by letting Orochimaru take lord thirds life.

Why are the memories coming back so quickly now?

I don't understand. Maybe because I get to talk about my past freely with someone else. Not just the Hokage anymore.

I sit that night and think about all the information, knowing that all this can kill me. If I only knew specific targets that they are going after. Those targets would be nice to know since that would help me put together what they want more. This puzzle has too many pieces and too many unknowns. At least with the others I could get a general picture together about them. I look in the direction of the clearing, I sigh. This is such a drag. I wish I could have someone with me but I can't. I get up and move to my spot.

I sit in the trees, ready for three long day meeting that they have in physical form each time. One by one they enter the clearing, gathering into a circle. I notice each one having a few files on them. I finally note the way they all stand. I look at the one specifically from the Leaf, I want to try to find this one when I go back.

One enters from under the tree I am sitting in; the one I assume is the lead, "Let us begin! Does everyone have their files on secret ANBU members?" everyone nods, "let's begin with the hidden rain shall we?"

One person step forward and begins to talk about an ANBU member who I have never heard of. He is a part of the guard for the village that no one knows about. He is only 20 years old, impressive for someone so young to achieve a high place in his village such as that of the rain. Each person takes a turn, and each member they discuss I never heard of before or only heard about in stories that other ANBU tell. Each one of these ninja even greater than anyone can think of, one has the power to turn invisible and everyone who knew that person would forget them quickly and would never know that they existed. She is form the Sand, so Gaara knows about her. I should bring it up to Kakashi to talk about these things with the others, this is spelling doom for everyone.

"Good, now we can plan for the weakness of that shinobi. Next is the Village Hidden in the Leaf!" the leader proclaimed.

Someone steps forward and I look at their appearance, hopefully so I can identify them in the village, "This ANBU members name is Tooru, I could not find her clan name. She is the youngest ANBU member that we are looking at for she is only 18 years old. She did not have a lot on her file, no birthday, no friends, no family, or mission history. I looked for two weeks in every place they keep files, hers must be in a special place," I smirk my files are kept with the remains of Lord Third and only the Hokage can ever enter to look at my file and update it. "It is almost as though she does not exist in the village."

Wrong… its's almost been three weeks at this point.

"Hmm, that is unacceptable, you did not tell anyone of what you are doing?" the leader inquires.

"No sir, I would never think about hurting this group." The person from the Leaf exclaims.

"Do we have to put you on special duty?" the leader's voice changed. The shinobi shakes his head, "Good, find information on her, she sounds more useful to us than any other village."

There is a moment of silence. Soon the leader calls for rest time and they all lay down and sleep. I take this chance to go over information. They are going after ANBU that even I had no clue existed. What could that mean though? What purpose do they all have? I know I have to be loyal to the village no matter the cost. I know that I have a lot of chakra but they would need the tailed beast for that. Maybe a new village? What good would that do? Unless they destroy all of our memories a new village will not be formed for any reason, especially if ninja go missing right as this village springs up.

After what feels like a few minutes a ring cuts through the air and they all get up and continue on with the meeting. They discuss how to bring down some of the ANBU. They have no idea with me since they have no clue who I hang out with or what I can do. After a few hours they move onto high shinobi with great power. All of Shikamaru's friends are mentioned along with the sand siblings. This goes on for three long days. This only confuses me more, what the hell could they want with them?

"Alright, I believe that is all. No plans for attack yet I assume, especially on the Leaf. And if you," the leader points to the one from the Leaf, "believe Gaara of the Sand is staying in the Leaf then we cannot attack yet."

"Sir, what will you have us do?" one member asks from the back.

"Find more info on these ninja and see if you can learn anything about them. We must wait two months for that is when we can all meet again." The leader pauses, "you are all dismissed."

I wait for them all to leave, this way they have no idea that I am there at all. I watch silently as one by one they all leave the clearing. I am still puzzled by all the information that I have just gotten. This does not help anything. Or maybe this did.

I know that the ninja that they are trying to get are all very strong. But now I know Shikamaru was right, all the villages are hiding powerful members. Some of them could be even more powerful than me. And surpass the tailed beast holders. This is bad.

I see they are gone and slowly stand up.

"You won't leave," a voice says behind me. It is the leader. He grabs my shoulder, "You are only a spy, nothing more. Why don't you join us and stop playing ninja. We can teach you how to properly fight."

I break free of his grip on my shoulder and silently go into the clearing. Everyone else already left.

Now I know something bad is about to happen. I need the think quickly. I don't have time to just be sitting here looking at the clouds. I need a plan fast. I can't be taken by this guy. I need to get away from him now.

Move!

"Seems like we have one that can move easily. Fight me little girl," he floats down into the clearing.

I see three options, stay and fight this jerk, run, or I can fight while I run. The traps I set will allow me to disappear in a smoke screen and cover my scent in case any of them are tracker type ninja.

I decide to run and fight.

I must report back to Lord Sixth. There is no reason for me to be fighting. I have to get this information back to Kakashi. I need to. There is too much that I know. This interaction will help as well. He doesn't know who I am yet.

"Ah, playing hard to get, I see," the leader chuckles, "Running will not do you any good!"

I hear it before I see it, a kunai is thrown and I dodge it with ease. I set off the smoke screen and make a break for a clearing far away. I don't turn back. I place up my bubble while I run. I need to get away from here. That man could take me.

I stop in the clearing to catch my breath, hoping I was not followed. I put up a bubble around the clearing to make sure no one is coming. I can feel him not coming. I know I am safe. So why is my heart rate not slowing? Why do I still feel like I am running? I am still in a clearing, with a lot of information.

What the hell do they want with all this generation of ninja that have only even seen one war and probably won't ever again? That information on special ANBU members is classified, and stored in secret. I know this is now becoming another war and we need to stop it now before it escalates into that. I know that if it gets too big the village will have to act quickly. Kakashi should have a plan of action. He thinks ahead.

I wait a few minutes, feeling the exhaustion begin to overtake me. I know that I am not being followed, I begin to walk to the village. I feel a dull pain in my shoulder; I guess he gripped me harder than I thought. I will see Sakura in the morning after I get some rest. I should send word through the insects. I call and send them ahead of me so Kakashi knows I am heading back, slower than normal too.

I get up and walk away from the clearing, not feeling anyone coming close to the clearing at all. I sigh. As I walk I remember something else. It is right before I am leaving on a mission.

I am in the bath being forced to relax a little before I spend three days in a tree. I heard someone come in. I do not know who this person is but she barks at me to get out. I stay silent and sink into the water.

'What a drag' I think to myself.

The person steps into the bath and glares at me. I hold her eyes for a moment but break eye contact. We sit there in silence and she begins to talk. I don't know what about and frankly I don't care too much. I pick up that she loves this guy, but she is scared to be with him. I don't reply to her and just wait for the timer to be up.

She asks a questions. I mumble "Follow your heart."

I click my tongue in annoyance. I really don't have time for any of this. People should care less about the relationships they build, they will all die anyway. I can feel I have about a minute before I can leave finally.

After a few hours I am back in the village.

It is nearly 2 am, I head straight for Kakashi's office to report to him. After an hour and a half of talking with him I finally head home, forgetting about the shoulder injury I had gotten from the leader. An injury that I should take care of, but I can feel my eyes becoming very heavy. Something that I cannot stop.

I walk in and see the hall light on, I turn it off and head to bed.

I change and collapse in bed falling asleep.

Slowly my eyes open again. Only I feel something is wrong. I need to move, but I can't feel my body. I don't want to be useless to the village. But I want to sleep more, I crave to let my mind go blank. Allowing the world to burn, my eyes close again.