DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything from the Naruto universe.

Thinking (+ flashbacks, etc.)

Emphasis

Mito took a deep breath. She could do this! She could definitely do this...

The young Chunin had been up at least half the night, staring at her bedroom ceiling with worry after staying up late with her parents, begging to have them stay up with her longer. Her parents had been even more emotional than usual although they tried to hide it, and Mito promised herself to treasure the night no matter what happened.

Interestingly enough, she thought she might have put herself into a genjutsu to finally get to sleep. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she'd have to ask her father and grandfather if that was even possible when she had a chance.

...After today was over.

"Good morning," Mito said in false cheer to the man she considered her grandfather. "How are you this morning?"

"Tired," Hiruzen admitted as he turned toward his little co-conspirator, "but ready."

He'd just finished writing letters to his wife, children, and successor, explaining how his plans for today came about, should the worst happen. He put the letters in his outbox since the daily courier had already been by earlier today. His letters wouldn't be picked up until the next morning, and Hiruzen felt confident that Minato's son would be born by then. Mito had been born fairly quickly to Kushina (not that the redhead thought so,) and Hiruzen knew that labor tended to move more quickly with subsequent children.

If everything went as it should, he could simply destroy or seal the letters away tonight or in the morning. If things turned out the way he feared they could, at least his children, wife, and Minato would know what he was thinking, personally and professionally.

Mito nodded her head and suddenly found her hands very interesting. "Is it bad that I don't think that animals or people should be caged?" she asked in a small voice despite herself.

Hiruzen looked at her worriedly but knew that the seal he'd decided upon was strong. ...If she still wanted the responsibility of being a jinchuuriki. Gods forbid ANY of the Kyuubi's chakra escape, but if say, half of the Kyuubi escaped, Kushina should be able to survive, then he could use a simple four-point seal on Mito, as could Minato. From all of the information he had found, the safest choices he found for sealing the entire Kyuubi, however, were either sealing the Yin and Yang halves of the fox separately in each of the Namikaze siblings or taking half of it with him when he sacrificed himself to the Shinigami, as Mito learned Minato had planned to do. Splitting the demon's chakra required that sacrifice, so whether a four-point or eight trigrams seal - the one Minato devised - mattered very little, he believed.

But would he have enough chakra to power the twin seals, as he wanted to, after summoning the Shinigami?

"Mito..."

"I'm sure. I'm absolutely sure! I just hope that maybe the Kyuubi isn't as mindless as we think and that maybe it'll eventually understand."

Hiruzen knew the girl well, having watched her grow up and knowing her parents, too. Her feelings about caging animals were known to him; the girl had often ranted about how animals didn't belong in zoos or even as pets! "The Kyuubi is not an animal, Mito-chan. It is a mass of chakra, of hatred."

"Okay," Mito said, agreeing to disagree in her own mind - or something similar to that. It's not like the old man would change his opinions about this, especially today. And the last thing Naruto-chan needed was her saying something that would change Ojii-san's mind about letting her help. Her big mouth had nearly ruined things already with that one question, she feared. "So what do we do now? What's the plan?" She checked her watch and grimaced. "I'm supposed to be on my way to the hospital. Mom looked like she was ready to leave the house, and Dad left before I did."

Hiruzen nodded his head. "Biwako left to accompany your mother to the site early this morning."

"Did you tell Biwako-obaa that there had been activity out there?" Mito asked as she pulled at her fingers. She didn't feel completely confident about the resealing of the area her father had done, but only because of his teleportation technique.

And because someone had gotten into his sealed area before.

If her father could teleport inside a barrier, then someone else potentially could, too, and maybe that's what happened? Both she and her father knew the potential for such a thing was negligible, however, and figured that there had been an error as the scouting team had polluted the scene they investigated. Honestly, she had no idea whether or not she could get into that sealed-up cave now.

"I did," Hiruzen said with a wry grin. "I made sure that she was armed to the teeth!"

Mito let out a happy sigh. "That... that's very good news! One can never be too careful." She clicked open one part after another of her armor and showed the former Hokage that each section was filled with scrolls, senbon, and kunai. She was armed to the teeth, too! She also looked around before opening up her weapon's pouch, which was filled with her father's special kunai, senbon, and a couple of syringes.

Kami only knew what she planned to do with those, Hiruzen thought.

Mito just hoped that she could use the Hiraishin correctly again. So far she'd managed it twice with her father, but she'd screwed it up at least a hundred other times.

Hiruzen had also noticed that she was also wearing her tanto when she entered his office. He pointed toward it and raised his eyebrows in question, "and you believe they'll allow you to keep that on at the hospital?"

"Nah! I'll seal it away and put it in my sandal! Or put on a lab coat and hide it: whatever. Now, what do I do?"

Hiruzen sighed and put on his magnifying glasses. "I'd like to put the seal on you now, just in case. Less to do later..." Mito nodded her head and began shakily unbuckling her chest plate again. Hiruzen turned away and called out toward the back of the room. "Orochimaru-kun, you can come in now." Mito's breath caught in her throat.

"You tricked me," she said in a small voice, panicking, but only saw concern and determination in both black and gold sets of eyes.

"Let's make sure I get this right," Hiruzen began as he pulled out sealing ink.

"Let me draw it, old man," Orochimaru said, snapping his fingers at his sensei. Mito gasped and smiled up at two of her most favorite people, incredibly glad that it looked like they would be helping. "Lay down on the coffee table, kit, and raise your mesh."

Being at the hospital was a drag.

Because everyone in the village - supposedly - was forced into safety drills, evacuating into the shelter within the Hokage Mountain, there was very little to do today. Mito had completed paperwork and visited with patients that were too ill or injured to be moved. Those in her care always thought it was either hilarious or endearing that a masked child was "impersonating a doctor." When shinobi were involved, she would usually prank them as soon as they were well enough: the morons should know that even a small child can be a soldier - or a medic! For the civilians? Well, it depended on her mood.

Today she let everything slide off her back. As long as the patients did what she told them to do in the end, they were safe. Most of them were just laying there, anyway... As the hours of October tenth trudged by, she had to stop repeatedly to meditate. Being so anxious - so eager for her baby brother AND terrified for her family and village - would not help anyone.

Kakashi and Gai strolled into the office she used (Tsunade's) when in the village, both wearing their Jonin gear, just before dusk.

Mito put her hand on her hip and looked them up and down. "Tell me you have good news." Kakashi rolled his one visible eye while Gai began bouncing around like the hyper puppy he was.

"Very good news indeed," Gai began. "Civilian evacuation has been successful and the drill should end shortly after dark." Kakashi shrugged one shoulder almost imperceptibly, letting her know that the civilians might be in for a longer wait than Gai thought.

"I see," Mito said. Noting that Gai looked worried by her reaction, she hopped up on her toes to simulate being happy. She knew most people normally had a hard time reading her when she was in her mask. "That is good news, Gai-san. Thank you for the update." Her voice turned cold. "Now what are you two doing here? You don't look injured." She crossed her arms over her chest and gave Kakashi a dry look.

"Maa, maa, Fox-chan," he began, closing his eyes in a smile that many, including Mito, found infuriating. "I was ordered to check up on y-"

"Don't even say it! That guy," she glowered, referring to her father. "Have you... heard anything?" She noticed that Gai was rapidly looking between her and Kakashi as if he was watching a particularly riveting tennis match but decided to ignore him. She was really wound-up.

"No, I haven't. Other than the news on the drills," Kakashi said, a grave look on his face.

So he knows about Mom, too, Mito thought, biting her lip. "Thanks for the update, again." Just as the Jonin turned to leave, she grabbed Kakashi's masked hand and pulled him toward her, giving him a hug. He stiffened like a board and Mito relented, snorting as she did so. Gai's eyes were comically huge so, feeling awkward, she gave him a very quick hug, too. "Now go do your jobs or whatever!"

Mito stuck her head out her office door moments later. "When things calm down, come by to have that stick removed from your ass, Hatake!" She laughed maniacally at herself as she shut her office door again.

"I didn't know we were specifically visiting the youthful Fox," Gai grinned, hoping to needle some information out of his rival. "Is there anything you can tell me about her?"

"Maa, she's a brat," Kakashi said truthfully. He ignored his long-time rival's banter as they strolled from the hospital, through the streets, ensuring that no civilians had been left behind. They only found a couple of Uchiha children that were playing (and hiding) in the relatively empty streets and escorted them to Fugaku.

Kakashi wondered why he looked so angry - and why Lord Danzo was with him.

After making fun of Kakashi, Mito felt much better. She went downstairs to listen to the nurses' gossip but quickly became bored. Going outside to get some fresh air, Mito felt her stomach turn. "Kami-sama, please let them be okay," she prayed out loud. She knew her mother wanted more children, but planned to have a serious talk with her and her father about family planning (which meant not having more children in this case!) Neither she nor her parents needed this stress!

They'd have a boy and girl after this; wasn't that enough?! It had to be enough: birthing Namikaze children meant evacuating a village for gods' sake! She sat down on a stump just outside the hospital and breathed in and out with purpose, reflecting on the stars that were just now coming into view before stretching her senses. A few minutes later, it felt as if all of her body hair suddenly stood on end. "What's this? Oh no."

Mito took off running toward the Sarutobi compound. She wasn't sure if something had gone horribly wrong or not, but she felt sick and scared and... There was an explosion that shook the ground and air around her. Mito gulped, shaking all over, never EVER having experienced this kind of Killing Intent before. "Mom," she whimpered brokenly. It was hard to even move.

"FOX," barked a stern-looking Jonin.

Mito wondered where he even came from. "Get your head in the fucking game, Mito!" she said to herself as she pulled her hair, making her mask come up to reveal her chin.

"FOX! You are hereby ordered to the hospital. Expect casualties." Seeing that the child was paralyzed with understandable fear, Ikkaku grabbed her by the arm and sunshinned inside the hospital's reception area. "You are a medic, yes?"

"Yes!" Mito exclaimed, finally getting her shit together. If she could just get away from this guy and get to Ojii-san... There was a deafening roar from outside and Mito thought of using one of her neuromuscular blocking agents on the Jonin so she could do just that, but he would be needed to fight whatever was out there.

T x. The f-ox. The fox!

Fortunately, the idea of konking the Jonin out became mute when he sunshinned away again. Mito opened the hospital door to leave again, but her heart sank when an ANBU carried in her godfather, who was bleeding badly. She didn't know he was even in the village!

Mito was almost run over by the medics that ran toward him: the ones who had their shit together and were doing their jobs, unlike her! "Get the fuck out of the way! This patient is MINE," the small Chunin screamed, almost jumping on top of Jiraiya. "What happened to you?" she asked the unconscious man lamely as she ran a diagnostic. His chest wound was deep and had penetrated him... from his back! Her hands glowed green and she began putting her heart and soul into healing him, tears welling up in her heterochromatic eyes. "C'mon you old perv! We need you! I need you!" Mito looked up to see chaos beginning to take over the hospital's reception area and waiting rooms. "Code Red, you dumbasses," she screamed. "This patient needs OR, stat!"

"Thank Kami for your lungs, Fox," a nervous medic nearby said as she ran past.

Jiraiya was in fucked up shape. The wound had missed his spine but had punctured a lung, not missing his heart by much. The weapon - a tanto, she guessed - had been quickly removed, but had also nicked his liver and cut through his spleen. Shakily, Mito reached for her surgical instruments pack and a hand clamped over hers. "You're too close to the patient to treat him, Mito-chan."

"Shizune-nee! Oh, thank God you're here," Mito breathed. As good as Konoha's regular medics were, (so-so: Mito thought they really needed more training and the only ones I really trust are Shizune and Tsunade but who am I to talk when I'm freaking out and oh my god...) Shizune pushed her aside and Mito automatically began giving her report detailing her previous diagnostic on Jiraiya. He was put on a stretcher and carried away, only for Shizune to be shoved backward. Mito was stunned - she had already begun working on another Jonin who had been brought in - her eyes often darting back to her godfather's unconscious form as he was carried away.

Her next patient was dead. There was nothing she could do for him.

But Tsunade was here now, wiping the tears from her face: large and in charge, barking orders, calling out bullshit, and taking names! As completely fucking horrible as absolutely everything was, Tsunade's presence gave the hospital staff an enormous boost of confidence. Mito looked over to Shizune, giving her a watery smile from behind her mask.

Then Tsunade was gone, presumably to soon operate on Jiraiya.

"Don't worry: she's been through this before with him," Shizune said, kneeling beside her before declaring her own patient dead.

Mito again did the same. She declared an entire squad of ANBU she couldn't help dead immediately following that Chunin. The 10-year-old let out an anguished whimper as she declared yet another person dead. And so it went for what felt like hours but was less than a quarter of one. The best she was able to do was to heal one Jonin's broken bones, then cauterize a leg that had been literally ripped and burned off of a Tokubetsu before he was sent into surgery.

"Kit, it's time," Orochimaru hissed, startling her. He grabbed her and sunshinned out before Mito could even tell Shizune goodbye. They reappeared in a forest. "Sensei's battling the beast."

Mito looked up and shivered all over. A mountain-sized fox was there, taller than the trees: in or near the village. "Is... is that the Sharingan?" Yes, the fox's eyes were definitely Sharingans. Why would it have Sharingan eyes?

"Orochimaru-sama! By order of the Hokage, all shinobi under the age of 17 are to be confined and remain inside the barrier," that same Jonin from earlier barked from inside of one. Mito noted that Asuma, Kakashi, and Gai were in there, and saw them break ranks to watch what she'd do. ...Or maybe they were hoping to escape once she was escorted in. Mito would never know since Orochimaru only lifted a beautifully sculpted eyebrow at the Jonin and took off in a run alongside her.

"You have to let me out of here right now," Kakashi growled at Ikkaku Umino. If runty Mito was out there and going to fight, so was he, goddammit.

"Get back in formation, Hatake," Ikkaku snarled right back at the young Jonin. "Sarutobi, Maito: you, too!"

Kakashi pushed Gai's hand off of him. "He's going to be unforgiving and PISSED if something happens to her."

Ikkaku had a very bad feeling in a night full of them about what the Hokage's apprentice said, but orders were orders.

Everything happened so fast, Mito would never remember in which order things took place, but she'd never forget the horror of the night that changed her life.

The civilians were in danger: a bijuu dama was heading straight for the Hokage Mountain where the entire civilian population was hidden. Her father was suddenly there, his fuuinjutsu more incredible, immediate, and magnificent than she had ever imagined.

She was next to her grandfather, who had previously summoned Enma who was now a big staff. Mito jumped up in the air and came down with a chakra-enhanced kick to the ground, shattering the earth and tripping everyone - including the fox.

Orochimaru's summons being destroyed... Not Manda: that guy was an asshole and just frickin' disappeared as soon as he saw the fox.

Her father and his summons crashing down on top of the fox.

Him disappearing. With the fox.

"We've gotta get to him," Mito said gravely, her voice just above a whisper.

She closed her eyes and shakily took out a tri-pronged kunai. Mito felt only slightly more confident when her uncle and grandfather's hands came down to tightly hold each of her shoulders. Stretching her senses out, she felt her father back at the old place with two weak chakra signatures. One was her mother's - sort of. She let out an anguished cry as she felt another when her family's, (including what had to be her new baby brother's,) chakra signatures disappeared only to reappear in a clearing that she used to play in.

She'd know that additional person's chakra signature anywhere. She'd trained with him, fought beside him, mourned for him! "Obito-kun... How..? What are you doing here?!"