Rei had hardly any time to enjoy the Intelligence Building's Sealing Chamber. "Woah," she breathed, taking in the sight of the massive subterranean room. The foundation's Sealing Chamber had been beautiful, but it had been built roughly, under the cover of night and chakra. This one had clearly been a professional effort, one that had employed dozens to shape, polish, and inscribe.

The room was lit with torches, just as the Mist's was, but it was easily twice the size, and the stone walls and floor were unblemished. The ancient pattern on the walls and floors was achingly familiar, and Rei set her fingers to the nearest wall, nearly ready to cry again when she couldn't feel the whisper of the pattern's chakra.

Utakata leaned against the wall for support, breathing hard from the descent. He hadn't recovered as quickly as she had. Even after the hours under the care of Leaf medics, he still showed heavy dark circles under his eyes. He was in the same prison-issued sackcloth-like uniform that she was, but his sleeves were just too short to hide the darkened bruises from the beating he'd taken in the jail.

Kina and Tenzo gave them their space, staying near the stairs that led back aboveground. Rei set her hand lightly on Utakata's shoulder, shocked when he started and shied away from her an inch or two. "Sorry," he murmured with a small smile. "Pain training for me wasn't what it was for you."

"They were supposed to heal you."

"I imagine it's harder for them to get me back to battle-readiness." He lowered his voice, trying to ensure that his words only reached Rei's ears. "I'm older and male. And of an enemy nation, no matter what the mind reader says. They'll see me as more of threat than you." He laughed wryly. "Regardless of the truth."

"Did you see Mangetsu…?"

Utakata's head dipped forward, just slightly. "I didn't see him die. But I saw your battle, and I saw what kind of shape he was in before they managed to overpower me. He didn't last long after getting to shore, did he?"

Rei shook her head in negation. "Zane Sensei killed him." Her fingers opened and closed helplessly as she tried to put her feelings to words. "There was no reason for it. It wasn't mercy. He…he killed Mangetsu so slowly."

She suddenly found herself being pulled back into Utakata's embrace. There was nothing weird about it, nothing uncomfortable. "He died for it," Utakata whispered into her hair. "He died for what he did to Mangetsu, and for what he did to your friend. Now we just have to make sure that…" He paused, glancing over at Tenzo and Kina. They were being very obvious about pretending not to listen. "That someone else dies soon, too."

"Our Curse Marks are gone."

"I know." He sighed and let his arms fall from around Rei, making her suddenly feel very cold. "But they were there for a reason. Now the Leaf knows what our plans were."

"It doesn't matter anymore," Rei said. "Everything is different now." She nodded her head at their Leaf companions. "The Anbu has a kekkei genkai, too. His name is Tenzo. I've never seen something so amazing. Can you believe it? That there are still others like me?"

The door above clanged open and another Shinobi in typical Leaf greens appeared to tell them that the Hokage had made a cancellation in his schedule and was ready to see them now. Rei and Utakata allowed themselves to be led back up the stairs and down several hallways before ending up back in the interrogation area, where the big metal dome still sat, open and ready for its next victim.

"In order to get you to the Headquarters Building, you'll be blindfolded and restrained for both your own safety and that of the villagers," Tenzo said. He sounded like he was reading from a manual. He took Rei's wrists and held them before her, forming a very solid set of wooden handcuffs that crossed one wrist over the other, presumably so she couldn't form handsigns. Kina tied a strip of black fabric over Rei's eyes and cinched it behind her head as Utakata was put through the same motions.

"It'll be alright," Utakata said under his breath as Rei's heart began beating faster.

It was hard to believe that as she was led outside into the cold and had to listen to Leaf villagers gasp in surprise and horror at the Mist prisoners being led to the Hokage. Rei was certain that more than one person spat in her direction.

Only when they'd been led into the massive building, up a set of stairs, and into the final room were they pushed onto their knees, side by side, and relieved of their blindfolds. Looking around, Rei had never felt so small. There were six full-grown Shinobi in front of them, flanking the Third Hokage, though Rei doubted that they were there for the old man's protection. The Third Hokage was seated in a throne-like chair, and he almost looked like he would blow away with a strong gust of wind. But the look in his eyes betrayed nothing but pure, unadulterated strength and confidence. What Rei wouldn't give to be able to feel his chakra.

The old man stood from his chair and walked towards them, hands comfortably clasped behind his back. The Shinobi around him seemed to relax similarly, shoulders dropping a fraction of an inch here and there, eyebrows loosening. The Hokage walked slowly, making a complete circle around Rei and Utakata before stopping in front of them and pinning them down with a stern glare.

"So. The Mist has taken it upon themselves to set foot in the Land of Fire."

Neither Rei nor Utakata bothered to respond. Rei was fully expecting to be struck the moment she opened her mouth, so she looked down at her knees, letting her hair hide her face. "You entered the Land of Fire under false pretenses, with the intention of reclaiming the Six Tailed Beast. All for what?"

The pause that followed was so long that Rei risked glancing over at Utakata. He had pressed his lips together tightly, but she could almost read his thoughts in his posture. They were fugitives from the Mist. Their quest had been a colossal failure. Their Curse Marks were gone. What was left to lose?

"So our people have a fighting chance against a monster," Utakata said, meeting the old man's gaze.

The Hokage remained indifferent. "Utakata Sato, correct?"

"You know it is."

Rei would have swatted him, had her hands been free. But the Hokage chuckled. "As the nephew of the Mizukage, your safety is all but assured. Joining a rebel organization is quite a gamble for someone of your position. And as such, it's put me in an awkward position." Utakata stayed quiet, and the old man pulled a cigar from within one of his voluminous white sleeves. He smoked for several long moments as he considered the two before him, and finally said, "What is your intention now, young Mist Shinobi?"

Does it even matter? Rei wondered. The Hokage was well within his rights to keep them in prison for the rest of their lives. But he listened intently when Utakata said, "If it were up to me… I'd take the Six Tails home and help prepare its new host to destroy my uncle. Then… I suppose I'd want to work with the new Mizukage to make sure that the village becomes a place free of my family's…stain."

The Hokage exhaled a ring of smoke, pensive. "That is admirable, young man. The leader of the Hidden Mist certainly isn't one of compassion. And I respect your initiative to try and remove him. But based on what the Head of the Intelligence Corps has reported to me, your uprising has failed spectacularly. So let me tell you my position. The Mizukage has demanded that you be returned to him unharmed, along with the Six-Tailed Beast, which belongs to the Mist by all rights. If we refuse either condition, we have been threatened with yet another war. And that is something that my village cannot afford to endure."

Utakata's frame wilted, just enough to signal his defeat. There was no opposing the orders of this Kage. Not without allies, not without resources. It was just the two of them. "Sir," he said softly, one last try. "Our people thrive on battle. But we are weak. We have fewer Shinobi than any of the other nations, and it would take very little effort from another village to—"

"But you, young lady…" Completely ignoring Utakata, the Hokage looked to Rei, and she caught her breath. "A child of the Kaguya should not be sent back to the Mist."

Rei's question stuck in her throat as the Hokage turned his back on them and waved his hand at his lackeys. "For the good of the Leaf, send the boy and Six Tails back to the Mist with a guard of six. The girl is to be confined with the Intelligence Corps until a decision can be made about what to do with her. Send a missive with the boy that the girl was eliminated in a crossfire."

"As you wish, sir."

"What?" Without her chakra, Rei could do nothing against the two men who grabbed her arms and hauled her to her feet. Two more went for Utakata. He was in a fragile physical state, but he had the tenacity of a warrior. Springing to his feet with a speed Rei had never seen from him, he swung his bound arms at one of the Leaf Shinobi and cracked open the guy's nose. As blood gushed and the moment of surprise was broken, Utakata was brought to the ground.

"Should have expected as much from the Blood Mist," one of the men on Utakata's back muttered.

"No!" Rei cried, kicking out in a weak attempt to free herself. "You can't send him back! They'll kill him! They know we betrayed the Mist!"

The old man turned his head a degree towards Rei. "Rest assured, Reimi Taira. The Mist won't allow the son of the Mizukage's sister to come to harm. The Will of Fire does not always burn painlessly."

Utakata turned his head to where Rei was being pulled backwards, towards a side door. She caught only the briefest glance of his golden eyes before she was taken from the Hokage's chamber and the door slammed shut, separating her from all she had left.