Chapter 54: The Trial part 1

'Inner Thoughts'

°Mind Link°

・

Yukino's POV

By the next morning, I was summoned and brought forth to the room where the Fourth Great Shinobi War was declared. As I approached the room I could feel the increasing stiffness in my arms. Deep inside I wished to run away and return home but I knew I couldn't. I had to see this through if I wished for my village to live peacefully without what I had done to loom behind us in wait. 'I promised after all.'

Hiding my face behind a veil I took in stable breaths as I put on my best mask for my esteemed audience. 'Ryota… Emi… I'll make sure you two won't suffer for what I dragged you two into.' No matter the punishment they had in mind I would make sure it favored me. After all, I didn't spend those months before and after the war doing nothing. All that is left is for me to put on my best performance. Thinking of the women from the hostess clubs, the geisha in hanamachi, and the foxes of Inari I steeled my nerves. 'Use what they taught you and entertain them.' Raising my hand I grabbed the brim of the straw hat and carefully pulled it off.

Gently placing the straw hat on my lap, I brushed a hand over my long red bangs as I looked up at Sixth Hokage. "I have to say, I expected the Hokage and Raikage to attend but… is it rude to ask why the other Kage did?"

"I was curious. That's all." The Fifth Mizukage answered from the leftmost seat. Looking in her direction I spotted Emi as she stood guard by the entrance of that side of the room. Her face was stoic as ever, keeping her emotions in check with ease. Unlike me, her eyes didn't betray her only showing a look of indifference, something I envied for not being able to do with such ease. 'I'll have to be careful with that.' I reminded myself.

Looking back over at the semi-circular table I looked over to the Mizukage's left, seeing the Kazekage. Had I not focused on my facial expressions my eyebrows would have surely risen in surprise. 'Damn. How is it possible that with every year that passes he becomes more regal?' I thought, noticing immediately the change in his hair as he had styled it for the first time since I've known him. 'I have to say it looks good.' Though different it still showed that kanji for love he scarred himself with. "..." Hearing no response from him I looked over at the Tsuchikage who sat on the right in between the Hokage and Raikage and received no response as well.

Standing behind me, Ryota answered my question. Though I couldn't see his face I knew he was trying to keep his facial expressions in check just as Emi was. °The past year has been uneventful since the number of serious conflicts has been decreasing. It seems we're finally entering an era of peace.°

Happy to hear this I continued my previous conversation. "I see… That's disappointing. I expected a much smaller audience to get this over with quickly." Letting out a sigh I looked ahead. "No matter. We'll end this today. I don't wish to preoccupy all of you more than I need to."

"Hmph. We will discuss this matter as long as we see fit." The Tsuchikage grunted annoyed at having waited so long. Hearing that tone in his voice I felt like asking 'Then why did you even come?' but alas I held my tongue.

"I mean no disrespect Tsuchikage-sama. Though you should be aware that being absent from your village for more than a week is sure to be a cause of worry to your citizens. Peace is a fickle thing which is why a constant effort is needed to keep it. So for one of your positions to be gone for such a long time, it is sure to cause worry of bad things to come. This is why I wish to not keep you for long. After all, today is the sixth day." Saying this as refined as I could without jabbing at him, Ryota and Emi sent me a mental image of both of them giving me a proud thumbs up. "Aside from that…" Turning to look behind me I saw the head of the Samurai in his seat behind me. "I hope having my back to you isn't disrespectful, Mifune-dono."

"Not much could be done on such short notice." He eyed Ryota, making the messenger tense up. I would have as well as the one who sent out the invitations but his eyes left Ryota quickly before traveling around the whole room, inspecting its set up. Before returning to me who sat in between all these important figures and Ryota who stood protectively beside me. "However, the Fifth Hokage wishes to prevent your escape so this setup works in our favor." Hearing this I calmed down knowing I could work with this. "Before we can begin I have to ask you three to remove any weapons on your person."

Saying this, Ryota let out a quiet groan. Taking out a tantō from inside his haori I sensed the Kages guards tense up ready to pounce at any hint of a threat. Ryota knowing this dropped his short blade onto the floor, wincing as he heard the wooden scabbard hit the hard tiles. I felt the pain as well knowing how precious one's favorite weapon was. Hearing something drop with the addition of the sounds of needles falling to the floor behind me I knew Emi did the same with her weapons.

Turning to Ryota I gently tugged on his red sleeve asking for assistance. Noticing he leaned close, covering his mouth he whispered. "Will it work though? This formula is like the one on our masks."

"I incorporated both you and Emi into the seals, you should be able to remove them," I told him.

Taken by surprise his face flushed momentarily before he cleared his throat and waved Emi over. Grabbing my arm his fingers landed on my shoulder before he began trailing them down as the others present watched quietly. Finding a seal immediately he focused his chakra on it revealing it before undoing it. When he did, out came a single kunai. Dropping it at his feet he continued looking alongside Emi who did the same to my other side.

A minute passed and all that could be heard in the room was the sound of metal clinking on the ground as the weapons I had resealed within myself before the war fell to the floor. Eventually, the sounds stopped as the last weapon was removed by Emi when she took out my precious blade from my stomach.

Feeling eyes boring into the back of my head I looked up meeting the red eyes I've seen since I was thirteen. "My… I wonder how they got there." Resting my elbow on the armrest I covered my mouth with my hand hiding my smile. The weapons he took great care in storing away were just a portion of the weapons I had. 'Even if he had taken them all I could always buy new ones from Nekobaa. Speaking of which I need to check up on her and Tamaki.'

Crossing his arms Ryota pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "That's most of them. The ones she's capable of accessing at least." He informed the room.

3rd POV

After finishing the task the two were directed to take a seat in the gallery behind the Mizukage. On their way up Emi caught a glance of blonde hair. Looking over she saw the previous Hokage sitting beside one of her students. 'That's the woman from the Yamanaka clan.' Realizing this she kept her emotions from showing as she took a seat not far from the blue-haired Kiri-nin. She knew she needed to warn her friend below but she didn't have to as the Fifth Hokage did it for her.

The moment Emi took her seat, the Fifth Hokage rose from hers, moving the curtain from her view to start the topic she came for. "Yukino Uzumaki, that mask you wore that day. It's the Sapphire Demon Fox's isn't it."

Sitting in the middle Yukino's blue eyes stared above watching the Hokage and her outburst. The moment the curtain was flung to the side she caught sight of a familiar blonde-haired woman sitting beside her nervously trying to calm her down. 'I see… so they brought Ino. Does she intend for her to pry into my memories… Well then, it seems I have to take her into account as well… Geez. Things really aren't going according to plan… No, I can make it work, I just have to do it right.' Hearing Tsunade ask her question she placed her hands on her hat, answering calmly. "Yes, that's true. I'm that individual you speak of." She confirmed not using the nickname she was given by the people she stole from.

"Are the two who accompanied you the ones called the Ruby Demon Fox and Emerald Demon Fox."

Hearing those names Emi and Ryota glanced at each other. "We are," They said simultaneously.

"Knowing what I've done," Yukino said, drawing eyes to her once more. "I will accept their punishments alongside mine to save you time." She declared without hesitation.

"I object!"

Rising from his seat Ryota moved the curtain aside with the kanji for water on it. Seeing this as a problem an idea quickly popped into the red-haired woman's head. "Ryota." She sighed, coating her voice in fake disappointment that he recognized. "If you keep objecting… I will marry your brother."

"Jokes on you, he's already married." He retorted, not caring about what she intended to do.

"Are you saying the arrogant, boastful, man you have for a brother is married?" From behind the curtain with the kanji for Earth, Kurotsuchi smiled from behind sensing private drama emerging. "The man that every woman in your settlement collectively agreed for him to die single. The same man I met, that made me wish to burst my eardrums so I could stop hearing how great he is at what he does. Are you really saying that Yori-kun is now married?" Wanting to argue he closed his eyes thinking of other reasons to refute what she said. But before he could she added one other thing. "I'll seal it off the old-fashioned way if you object once more."

By old fashioned, she meant that she'll consummate the marriage, something which Ryota quickly caught on to. "Hell no!" He yelled. Covering his mouth to not object anymore he took a seat letting the curtain fall into place but before it could, it was stopped as another individual had a thing to say.

Pulling the curtain to the side Emi spoke. Her green eyes hardened as they stared down at the woman and her reckless decision. "I can still object. I don't have any obnoxious brothers you can use." Saying this Ryota's eyes sparkled with joy glad to have his best friend back him up.

"Well, I'm sure you can continue with your current role since you've been doing magnificently in my absence. I may even step down." Hearing this Emi's eyes hollowed out as the several issues she had to deal with resurfaced in her mind once more. Going quiet she sat down without another word and both friends began to sulk in the dark.

"You two call yourself friends!" The Raikage yelled, surprising those in the room. "Own up to your own actions and take your punishments."

"Oh, I would!" Ryota replied standing up once more. "Whatever you have planned is nothing compared to if she was to marry my brother. Just because he's full-blooded and the elders praise him for his physical ability means shit if she ends up with him. There's a reason why none of the women want to marry him. He's an arrogant, prideful man who's too full of himself…" Then he went on listing everything wrong about his brother from his mannerisms to his attitude. Knowing this already Yukino felt like nodding in agreement but she kept her head still pretending to ignore it. "Would you let your daughter or friend marry such a man?" He asked at the end of his rant.

"I certainly wouldn't," Karui responded from the Hokage's side of the gallery.

Before any side could say any more Mifune cleared his throat. "Quiet. This is a matter that can be settled without yelling. Yukino-san, the Raikage, and Hokage have expressed a matter they wish for you to explain. That is the question of your involvement in Kumogakure when you were a shinobi of Konohagakure. You must know that although the shinobi nations are at peace currently your actions of the past can be considered that of a rogue and it may be necessary to label you as one if it was done without the Third Hokage's permission." He explained calmly looking over at the Hokage to ensure what he said was accurate.

"I'm aware," Yukino said clearly before she began with her explanation. "When it was known that I was near the Land of Lighting, the Third Hokage gave me a mission to gather more information on Kumogakure as a precaution." She looked at Kakashi. "You should know more. I wrote reports on the mission after all." Scanning the space of the desk before him she realized that it was empty. 'Wait where are the papers!?'

"I seem to have left it behind when we left in a hurry." He let out an awkward laugh before stopping to say seriously. "Also, there was no need to bring it since it had no information on that mission."

'No reports? No that can't be.' Letting out an exasperated sigh, Yukino shook her head. "When you return I suggest looking through the Anbu files for my missions. What else… if not under my Anbu name but on the surveillance records they have on me." Explaining so casually that they didn't bat an eye at what she said when she returned to her explanation. "Either way, given my position in Kumogakure as part of the botanical department I could only send over information on the poisons, herbs, and counteractive antidotes you had on hand at the time." Before the Raikage could begin talking about betraying the trust of the one who helped her she continued speaking. "Yugito-san showed me kindness the day she helped me so betraying her trust like that wasn't something I would have done willingly. However, given that I was on a mission I could only do one thing… I… I hid half of the information I knew from Konoha." Saying that she shrugged knowing well that there wasn't much of a choice in those circumstances. "If she ever showed you the note I left her I told the truth in it for why I left." Not saying much she looked at his face seeing that he had indeed read it.

Letting out a small chuckle the Mizukage spoke unknowing to the somber situation behind the contents of that fake farewell note. "Before we can stray too much from the previous subject. I have to ask about your friends' activities from around a year ago."

"What would that be?" Interested in this, Yukino hoped they hadn't done anything too serious. 'No… that is naive. If the Mizukage brought it up it must be serious.'

"The coliseum." She said simply. "I remember now… Those two were there that day and they managed to escape."

'Coliseum?' Looking over at the curtain she kept her expression stoic as she wished for the answer as well. Clearing her throat Emi responded from behind it. "I'm sorry. I used your money as well as certain information sources to investigate the area in hopes of finding more of our fellow clansmen. The coliseum we attended was host to those wealthy enough to buy shinobi and use them to fight each other for that right of having that individual. Essentially it was just a way for those wealthy enough to show the power their money could buy."

"We attended twice. Sasuke Uchiha took part the first time we visited so we immediately backed out," Ryota added for clarification. "It was impressive seeing him take down a coliseum worth of shinobi by himself. I'm more than happy that I didn't join them in the med bay."

Agreeing with that Emi sighed with relief. "After our reconnaissance proved to be fruitless we attended again to gather intel on those in attendance and report them in." Looking over at Chōjūrō her green eyes pointed at him, slightly annoyed at the memory of that day. "That happened to be when a force from Kirigakure raided the place led by a youthful-looking woman." Looking over at Ryota with a softer expression he nodded in agreement. "We also helped tie up a few that happened to slip by." He added.

The Mizukage wondered if they were telling the truth, adding, "Yes, she was in charge of that raid. A girl from the Chinoike clan."

Recognizing that name, Yukino couldn't help but ask. "Chinoike clan? I thought they had all died in the Valley of Hell." Confused, she remembered looking into it when Kichi had asked for the clan registry. 'I was stupid for taking a shortcut and believing the rumors.'

"Are you sure she's the only one left of her clan?" Ryota asked, catching the curiosity of the current Hokage and Mizukage who were involved in dealing with the situation at the time.

"Can you explain?" The Mizukage asked, hoping to relay the information to the woman currently under her watch.

"Well, when the raid was happening we bumped into a weird-looking guy. Emi you remember him right he had these weird sunglasses. Anyways in case you didn't know with some practice, you can differentiate clan members and family by looking at their chakra. His chakra wasn't so different from hers. Are you sure she doesn't have a family? He even shared some physical resemblance to her." He asked.

"His name was Oyashiro En, I think. From what I heard he managed to escape." Emi remembered.

"Oh, yeah…"

Hearing this name the Mizukage remembered hearing it before but couldn't place it in time before the topic changed.

Meanwhile, questions kept popping up in Yukino's mind prompting her to interrupt them. "Is there anything more I should know?" She asked with anger in her voice not for not telling her but for putting themselves in harm's way.

"Ah… well…" Ryota said out trying to find a way to soften the news.

"The moon was falling apart two years ago and the Raikakge was preparing to shoot it with a chakra cannon while Naruto was still on it," Emi stated, quickly throwing Yukino's anger at someone else like a hot potato.

Taken off guard Yukino was left speechless as she tried to make sense of what they said. 'They wouldn't lie about something like that right? I mean… how could the moon fall?' Closing her eyes she tried imagining it but was unable to. 'Also did I hear right? Chakra cannon?' Remembering the young miko's advice she accepted it knowing that she could always verify it for herself at another time. 'Don't get too overwhelmed now.'

"Also," Ryota cut in, gesturing for her to tone it down. "Naruto married Hinata not so long after that."

Unable to mask her emotions, Yukino's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Wait, Hinata Hyūga? The daughter of Hiashi Hyūga?"

"Yep, the same one. They married when the sakura blossoms were in full bloom."

"Really? She must've looked beautiful…" She squealed out of joy at the news.

"Before we can move on…" The Mizukage interjected once more. "How are you not aware of the most well-known wedding to date?" She inquired noting certain little odd details so far. Odd details that needed clarification.

Asking this she noted the young woman's posture tense up almost in embarrassment. "After I signed those forms in Konoha I… got into a little accident and ended up comatose. I didn't wake up until a while ago." She sighed, patting the armrest of her wheelchair. "So my appearance now is as much of a surprise to you as it is to me." Closing her eyes she gave a forced laugh.

"We told you to remove those tags before diving in there but as always you ran ahead. You're lucky that river brought you to the shore instead of dragging you deeper." Ryota complained, building up a story for her accident.

Going along with the made-up scenario the black-haired woman next to him sighed. "Though you saved him from drowning, you took most of the impact against those rocks."

"I see," Turning her gaze from the curtains and the voices that came from behind she heard the quiet complaints they had about the woman before her. About to let out a chuckle, she turned to the curtain with the kanji for fire with a smile on her lips. "Fifth Hokage, I guess that answers your question as to why no word of her has been circling for the past few years."

Kakashi, having experienced something similar, pointed out a worry his predecessor had. "So there was no worry for you to run away in your current condition." Remembering something else he asked. "Yukino, I would like to ask about your last task from headquarters during the war."

Remaining quiet until she was mentioned again she perked up. "Oh, that." Closing her eyes momentarily she winded back her memories. "Yes, before I could join the rest of the medic-nin in the battlefield HQ wanted me to investigate the matter of the undoing of the Edo Tensei. They had a suspicion that it wasn't undone voluntarily by Kabuto so they sent me to investigate." Crossing her arms she said with certainty. "Sasuke Uchiha was their primary suspect. I was ordered to figure out why and if he had no intent on helping I was to do everything I could to stall or stop him." Letting out a sigh she looked up at the curtain with the kanji for fire. "When we arrived we noted signs of a fight." Looking back at Kakashi she closed her eyes vividly remembering the cave. "Kabuto was there with Anko Mitarashi not too far away. The former seemed to be under a type of genjutsu while the latter was passed out due to a drainage of chakra. Judging the cave and the damage it sustained I noticed something odd; it seems like three individuals had fought. Though judging by Anko's state and the time she went missing I doubt it could have been her." Opening her eyes she looked down in thought, keeping the facade.

"That's right," Kakashi confirmed her conclusion. "Itachi Uchiha was the one that undid the Edo Tensei."

"Itachi Uchiha… I see, I guess that would make sense." She nodded pretending to not have known. Looking up she added. "Either way, when I wasn't able to communicate with HQ and report what I found I just headed to the battlefield since I heard that medics were being dispatched there before I left."

"If you are finished. We need to return to the matter we came for." The Tsuchikage spoke steering the conversation back to the matter he came for.

Giving a nod Mifune agreed. "I have to agree with Tsuchikage-sama's logic. Aside from her involvement in Kumogakure. You have gathered today to discuss the Sapphire Demon Fox and her crimes but so far the conversation has strayed from its original course. As I have gathered so far this meeting has been on her actions as Yukino-san and not the Sapphire Demon Fox. Tsuchikage-sama if you may proceed."

Getting right to the point he said. "Tell us which lands did you pillage from."

"I wouldn't use the word pillage. Stealing would be more accurate. Then again those that tried to harm my friends met the end of my blade." She calmly said without a hint of regret in her voice. "As a side note those that I did injure I made sure to aim for areas that weren't fatal," she explained making sure to point accurately certain parts of her body for reference. Tsunade watching from the gallery watched the areas she pointed to knowing well enough that she was telling the truth. "…in most situations. If they received aid from a medic-nin in time then survival is guaranteed. Oh, right, your question." She pretended to remember. "Let me see…" She held her hand up. "I've stolen from the Land of Fire, Steam, Frost, Lightning, Grass, Stone, Wind, and Earth." Listing off each land with her fingers she placed her hands down when she finished, looking over at the Mizukage she made one thing clear. "As for the Land of Water, I never stepped foot in there. It was too much of a risk with its 'we take no prisoners' policy." Turning back to the room she spoke with some confusion. "But you should all know that. I left a defining marker in all the places I've been after all. A frozen rose." Looking over at the Tsuchikage she rested her chin on her right hand. "But for you to not know must mean that what I found was true if they hid it from their own Kage." She pretended to be surprised.

"What do you mean?"

Asking that she smiled. "I stole from a noble family in your land once. That noble family has had a plan in the making for decades and has been climbing the ranks as the years go on. They had amassed quite the collection of techniques from various clans most of which they have used. Among them, I found Uzumaki scrolls, most of which still had their seals in place." She spoke, leaving few breaks for one to cut in. "They could have hired a shinobi to break the seals since most of them were mediocre. However, they didn't. Meaning that if they were stolen they wouldn't have reported it in fear of getting caught. If their plan is on track they must have married off their daughter to the Earth Daimyo's favored grandson."

?: When did this happen?

Yukino: It's not important to me so I left it out, just like most of the missions I took part in. Also, we're in a time crunch before we have to leave so I had to leave some things out, after all, recounting one's whole life within the span of a few hours would take forever don't you think? Who knows maybe when I feel talkative again I'll tell you more. Or maybe I won't it depends.

Saying that she noticed the slightest twitch of his eyebrow which made her smile internally. "So it already happened. You should act quickly, you know. They'll kill the Earth Daimyo by making it look like he had a stroke. I doubt though that they kept their plans in the same place so be careful."

"She confessed to the stealing." Letting out a grunt he looked at the other Kage. "We all know the worth of those texts she stole and the contents they contain." He left unsaid what the others could feel. A tough punishment was necessary to keep her silent as to what her eyes had looked upon. "Where are those texts you stole?"

"Well, that's simple. I burned them." She answered showing no trace of hesitation in her voice or telling that she was lying. The texts in question ranged from secret techniques, records, information, as well as mundane things as diaries. Such objects were returned to their respective clan heads in her island while those whose clans were now long forgotten were stored away for safekeeping. The room knowing the importance of the objects stolen fell into silent mortification.

"Those scrolls were unique!" A(Raikage) boomed at the thought of the texts that were within the possession of his land were nothing more than ash in the wind at the moment.

"So were the clans they belong to and just like those scrolls they are gone!" Slamming her hand on the armrest, her wheelchair rattled surprising those in the room as her calm demeanor disappeared. Her eyes narrowed, showing a glimpse of the seething anger through her cold eyes.

"You seem passionate about this matter." The Fifth Mizukage pointed out. "Why is that?" She asked, going to the subject the red-haired woman wished for their talk to land.

"Uzushiogakure's destruction." Saying that her eyes honed in on the Third Tsuchikage. "You're old enough to know what I mean. I would ask the Third Hokage, Third Mizukage, and the Third Raikage but they are all dead and can't answer." She pointed out specific people to jog his memory.

"What do you mean?" The Fifth Mizukage asked upon hearing the mention of one of her predecessors.

Unknowing as to why her younger friend brought this up Emi knew she needed to explain this matter to those who did not know starting to figure out her words from the day before. "For those who are not in the know, it took place before the second Shinobi war. Before it was officially declared to clarify. Most of you are too young to remember or to have participated in it except for one of you who was Kage at the time." Emi elaborated, knowing this information well.

"Hmph. Just as you say. What would you know about that event."

"Haven't you considered that there were some that survived that day? Survived long enough to bear offspring and appear before you?" Yukino answered, staring him in the eyes with her stance of one willing to fight. "My aunt, for example, remained hidden within that village for all three days as your shinobi ransacked the remains." Reaching behind her to the nook between her back and chair she pulled out an old scroll her friends had unsealed for her earlier. Grabbing the end of the scroll she whipped it into the air unrolling it as she created a gash on her thumb with her canines with the other hand. Quickly her bleeding thumb flew over the old scroll releasing the forehead protectors her first guardian had safeguarded.

Clank. Clank…

One by one the forehead protectors hit the floor except for one. When the smoke cleared Yukino held one of those forehead protectors in her hands. "Of course since she waited until you were all gone she collected these from among the corpses." Turning an icy glare to the older man her eyes narrowed. "This design… isn't it the same one used during the second Shinobi war? There's no need to answer I know already." Saying that she tossed it to the floor in his direction. "Too much time has passed and it cannot be undone just like the destruction of those scrolls. After all, what's the point in keeping those old relics if the ones who knew its secrets are no longer around to teach it." Calming down she glanced over at the Hokage and Raikage. "As I said before I only expected the Hokage and Raikage to attend. So let's move on. Is there anything else you two wish to ask?"

"Wait." Ryota stood up needing to ask about it knowing that another chance like this would be rare. "I want to hear why you agreed to such a thing. Why did the other Kage and lands agree to attack Uzushiogakure." Reaching forward he pulled the curtain away causing the draft it created to move his red hair in a more vivid matter as it were alive. The vibrant red hair moved in such a way that it brought back memories of that day. While such an act was insignificant to Ryota his reddish eyes stared deep in the Tsuchikage's black ones as he analyzed him knowing fully well that if he attempted to lie he would not hesitate to point it out.

Curious as to the event brought up every eye on the room looked at the Tsuchikage for clarification. "Hah… Aside from Madara who could control the kyūbi finding a viable host for a tailed beast was difficult. Without the seals from the Uzumaki clan to contain one within its host proved to be difficult." He sighed. "Although the first Hokage shared the tailed beasts to maintain a balance of power it was clear that there was none without a sure way to control them. Konoha was allied with Uzushiogakure who provided them the seals they needed as well as two successful hosts." He explained trying to justify it, something neither of the three Uzumaki in the room accepted as the real reason.

"Is that really all?" Ryota asked glaring at the older man.

"Hey, that's my gramps you're talking to. Show some respect." Kurotsuchi yelled from the other side of the room, annoyed at the man who dared look at her grandfather so lowly as if he didn't bear the title of a Kage.

"Well, so was my grandma. She was incredible at medical ninjutsu so much so that the elders relied on my mother to inherit some of that to keep my settlement from dying out." He retorted. "But I wouldn't really know, I never met her. Just like my aunt, the last time my mother saw them was back at that island more than three decades ago when she was six."

At the mention of that place, the Tsuchikage grunted as the questions of his peers grew heavier.

"Tsuchikage. What happened?" Kakashi asked, glancing over at the man beside him.

"In that time of turmoil Konoha was strong and the other nations agreed that it was time to knock them down a notch. It just so happened that they had a powerful ally. One so savage in battle during the warring states period that their mere presence in a fight would terrify those that came across them. So much so that no one would dare engage that clan in a war for many years after that." He glanced over at the woman sitting in front of him who bore that accursed clan's distinct red hair. "Uzushiogakure was a threat, their skill for fūinjutsu had far surpassed anyone's, and their neutral stance in wars just gave them more time to grow in power while the rest of the world fought against each other. To let them continue living their war-free lives on that island would cost us dearly in the future."

"There it was," Ryota said just above a small whisper.

Sensing the rising tension Yukino cut in with a sigh. "In the end, it was pointless," Glancing over at her friend she motioned for him to stand down. Reluctantly obeying the curtain fell into place as he retreated to its shadows. "The Legendary Sannin were born during that war." Yukino pointed out.

In the gallery behind the Sixth Hokage Tsunade's pressed her lips tightly as a memory of hers resurfaced. One she buried away after her grandmother's passing. She knew she recognized the name of the event, but hearing about it like this once more felt like someone had splashed her with cold water. Closing her eyes she remembered her grandmother's wails when the news reached her ears. The same woman who almost succumbed to the kyūbi's anger that day before remembering her duty, regaining her calm and stony composure. She remembered her silence and her resolve to pass on the kyūbi after that day. "Tsuna… Nawaki… do not grieve for me… I will just return to my old home. Make sure not to follow join me so quickly." Her grandmother's quiet words echoed in her mind from that day. 'How could I have forgotten that?' Keeping her emotions in check she knew she needed to keep her feelings separate from the matter at hand. She still had things to ask. Things too important to not say out of pity.

Keeping her blue eyes on the Tsuchikage, Yukino asked the Mizukage a question. "Tell me Mizukage, have you ever heard of the Uzumaki surname before you heard of Naruto?"

"I… I have not." She answered with guilt growing in her chest.

"I see… Then I guess the lack of information on the Uzumaki clan is just to forget your villages' actions." She said in a single quick breath before slowing down to say the next thing. "I've visited enough lands to notice the same pattern. I have to say I was quite lucky to find traces of leftover history in the most peculiar of places. Just as its story is among the forgotten ruins, I will leave it to rest." Feeling tears prickle her eyes she pushed them back when she looked up at the leftmost gallery. 'Ryota… So much time had passed… the chances of finding her alive outside the settlement are just…' Debating with herself she realized that for him to know must mean that his mother had some form of hope to tell him. 'I'll help look at where your aunt might have ended up.' Looking back down she closed her eyes and gave a loud clap signaling her switch in topics. "As I asked before, is there anything more you want to ask?"

Yukino's POV

"I believe that you wished to end this quickly." Mifune pointed out repeating my previous words.

Knowing this, I nodded, confirming my previous words before giving the people in the room a good look. "That's true but we both know that there are some people present who have lingering questions that aren't related to the Sapphire Demon Fox."

Hearing a quiet and low hum he considered this and gave his go-ahead. "Before we call for a break and come to a conclusion to this matter, is there anyone with any lingering questions?"

"Since you seem willing to answer our questions," Tsunade spoke from behind the curtain. I could feel her brown eyes staring intently at me from the other side as she brought up the name of a certain shinobi. "What's your connection to Orochimaru?"

Before any of the people present could react and make their own conclusions I spoke. "I see… so that's what's been on your mind. I guess he told you." Letting out a quiet sigh I looked up at the curtain. "Before I was officially given the status of an Anbu I received a bingo book when I was a chūnin. What I was unaware of at the time was that the bingo book was customized. Leaving out some high-ranking rogue shinobi." Keeping my eyes on the kanji for fire I remembered my mistake. "I remembered Kabuto from the chūnin exams so when I saw him acting suspiciously I tailed him. That was a mistake." Looking away I closed my eyes and dismissively waved my hand skipping the details of my capture. "I was caught by your old teammate and used as one of his subjects." Grabbing a strand of my long red bangs I tugged on them lightly. "He took an interest in my Uzumaki lineage." Letting go of my hair I raised my hand and I pulled my bangs back. Holding them with one hand I tugged on the collar of my shirt and leaned my head to the side exposing my nape. "He said that I was a rare find. So using a curse mark with the potential of killing me was too much of a risk. I guess I was lucky in a sense."

"Is that where you met that Uzumaki boy?"

"I didn't meet that Uzumaki boy during that time." I used the word the Tsuchikage used. "Since you're so curious, the girl beside him is also a descendant of one. Knowing how scattered our numbers are, I was quite lucky to find them." Taking this opportunity I turned to Tsunade once more and asked a simple question. "Tell me, since you both are still in contact with each other. Is he still looking for a way to live forever?" When her response didn't arrive fast enough I closed my eyes. "I see. I guess I have to continue looking over my shoulder then."

Feeling the air grow heavy, I chose to ignore it. Looking up at the left side of the gallery where my two friends sat, I kept my voice serious. "Emi, Ryota. You can stay or leave for the next part." I gave them that option before turning to the middle of the gallery and denying the woman there that same option. "Karui. Leave the room." Without seeing her I could feel as she let out a quiet sigh behind the curtain as she stood up and left. When she was gone I opened up to them the same way he opened me though in a much different manner. "Kakashi-sama, I'm sure that when you were looking through my file you noticed a large gap of inactivity when I was eleven."

"That's right. It was around four months."

"Right… Months that the Third Hokage never bothered to ask about when I returned." Starting it off I recounted how I was forced to fight just as I was regaining consciousness. "I took my first life there. Though there's no need to elaborate. I'm sure you all know how that feels." Continuing, I placed my hands on my chest. Placing my index finger on my sternum I trailed it down to my stomach marking the path where I was first cut open. Something they did once they realized I was artificial. As time passed in that underground lab they grew ever more curious as to how I worked. After all, making his perfect vessel was better than finding it.

Of course, I left this point out to my current audience. "I have to say the first time I woke up on that cold metal table I cried from the pain. The sutures were good but it itched so much. The next time they tried to open me up again I fought back, injuring Kabuto with the same scalpel he was going to use. To my surprise, he healed immediately." Putting on an obviously fake smile I closed my eyes. "How annoying. He pulled me by the hair and cut it off before drugging me again." Saying that I noticed Kakashi's eyes widened slightly in the realization of what I said. 'So the change in hairstyles make sense to you now.' Opening my eyes I looked back up at the fire kanji. "Just like Shizune. They realized my body's healing capabilities. Unlike Shizune however, they realized that my body healed way faster than she knew. So I was subjected to several tests to see its extent." Holding up my arms I showed their pristine and soft appearance. "When I could I would treat my own wounds to prevent scarring but as you can see it healed quick enough to prevent it from happening." Going into more detail I listed off the fights I took part in. How I would tend to my wounds in a cell that prevented me from using any chakra. How I kept my sanity by listing the herbs and flowers I knew describing their medicinal properties, uses for poison, and just their simple meanings.

Recounting the situation I went through in detail I brought it back to what prompted Tsunade's curiosity. "A young man by the name of Kimimaro," At the mention of that familiar name Gaara's attention was piqued. "…gave me the key to the cell I was in. He said I was taking too much of his attention and he wasn't focusing on finding his next vessel. Creating a riot on my way out I managed to escape. Although he's dead I still made that cure as repayment for his help even though it wasn't out of the good of his heart." Looking over at the Raikage I added. "Not so long after my escape I ran into Yugito-san and her team."

Covering her mouth the Mizukage spoke softly. "So that's how she got that ugly scar." Having just listened to how I said that no matter the cut I was given it still healed I was surprised that she didn't pay attention.

But hearing what she said I almost couldn't hide my smile. It was almost too perfect in my opinion. "Oh, this?" I asked, lifting the blue hemline, showing her the large scar on my left side. "I got it at the Uchiha massacre." Looking over at Kakashi I knew that if anyone was going to bring up the past it should be me. After all, whoever brings it up first dictates the flow in which the past is retold. So before he could say anything I will and direct the way it needed to go.

"What do you mean?" I heard Ino gasp.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Kakashi closed his eyes for a brief rest. "What brought you there that night?"

3rd POV

Twisting the events of that night she hid a certain connection. "Izumi Uchiha." She started. "If nothing serious happened to the cemetery while I was asleep then you should find the violets I planted around her grave." Placing a hand over her lips she hummed. "After training with my aunt… somewhere around sunset, I visited her offering to buy candy from Amaguriama sweets shop."

"What does this have to do with what the Hokage asked," The Raikage pointed out wondering why the Hokage was interested in this matter. That incident was well known yet he's never heard of anyone being present during that time. 'Did she see something?' When that thought popped into his mind he became intrigued about the matter.

"He asked for my reason there that night," she answered. Turning to her old sparring partner she continued. "But I also assume you want to know of the events that led to you finding me the next morning."

"Aside from Sasuke Uchiha, there were no other survivors that night," Kakashi told her, remembering that fact clearly. But aside from that, he was suspicious as to why she hadn't mentioned him yet. 'Did she really not see him that whole night? Or is she trying to hide the fact that she knows him?'

"Survivors that you found present when the Anbu arrived." She corrected him before returning to her story. "Let's see… by the time I reached the center of the village I realized that I had forgotten to ask what kind so I headed back. By then the sun had already set. I knew I would get into trouble if I walked in the unlit streets so I took the long way back. So by the time I arrived the compound was quiet." Closing her eyes she slowly tapped her finger on her armrest matching her pace back then to set the scene for her audience. "I paid no mind to it and headed to Izumi's home. When I arrived the door was open." Her tapping ceased as she opened her eyes. With a blank stare, she stared off into the past. "Inside the trashcan was tipped over. Once I put it back in its place I walked inside."

Snapping back to the present she looked up and sighed. "As a child. There are moments one can't explain… We do things out of instinct to survive that we don't realize until after the fact. When I entered that house that feeling took over but so did my curiosity. Instead of calling out to them, I went deeper into the house… When I did I saw Hazuki-san first…" Pressing her lips together an image of the injured woman flashed before her eyes. It wasn't every day that she looked back at that night. 'I thought that I would be ready after so much time passed…' Trying to keep a hold on her emotions she continued. "While I found Izumi in the dining room without so much as a scratch on her body. I hoped that she was alive but the moment I touched her I knew she wasn't. So I ran to the neighbor's house only to see a similar gruesome scene." Needing a bit more time to get a grip she looked up at the Hokage asking a small question. "Can you guess what I did next?"

"You looked for help."

"Exactly. I ran to the police force headquarters to report what had happened. However, the bloodstained glass doors already told me that I wouldn't find help inside."

"Ran?" Kakashi pointed out. "Why didn't you teleport? Your records from the academy showed that you were quite skilled at that technique.

'Of course, I was. Shisui taught me.' She answered in her mind. "That's true but I didn't mention what type of training I was doing with my aunt, did I?" Tapping the hat on her lap she let out a sigh. "Although I was a genin at the time, the fact that I hadn't been placed on a team made my aunt worry about my capabilities. So I was subjected to a number of… odd training regimens. That day a fūinjutsu seal was placed on me that would severely restrict my chakra usage. Even when it was removed its effects would linger for a few hours. That's why I ran and besides Izumi's neighbor was a chūnin so whoever took him out must have been a shinobi. If the person happened to be a sensor I would have been spotted if I had been using chakra."

Letting out a huff she looked away, her brows furrowed slightly as she continued. "It honestly surprised me how I hadn't run into any bodies along the way. But had I looked up at the nearby homes I would have run to the village instead. I would have saved some time had I did." Showing clear disappointment in herself she let out another sigh. "So my only hope was to run back. But I wasn't able to make it. I guess I was really unlucky that day. I just had to run into that masked man."

'Masked man' That singular thought echoed in each of the Kage's minds the moment they spilled from her tinted lips.

From the Fire gallery, Tsunade looked at her student and quickly motioned for her to share the red-haired woman's thoughts. Giving a nod the woman from the Yamanaka clan quickly formed the ram hand seal, performing the mind-body transmission technique. Connecting the Kage first and the surrounding audience she shared one message. 'Please remain quiet if we wish to know the truth.' Sending that message she then connected to the red-haired woman who let out a tired sigh.

Although the feeling was smoother and gentler Yukino had enough experience to know when someone was intruding upon her mind. Smothering her thoughts she closed her eyes as she continued with her story. Hiding her thoughts from that night she remembered vividly how the moment she ran out of that alleyway that her fate was sealed. She remembered her futile attempt at an escape as she tripped over a body, covering her white dress in blood. The way she could have nearly escaped had it not been for her long messy hair her guardians had reminded her countless times to brush. Having kept her thoughts hidden she didn't do the same about the feelings that her small body experienced that night. Feelings that those present felt in every inch of their bodies as they saw the memory of an eight-year-old girl.

Feeling a chill in their bodies they noticed the moment Yukino received her scar. It happened so quickly that she didn't feel any pain the moment the blade had cut through her. Such a cut that a more experienced shinobi would have been able to prevent or dodge or feel when it did make contact. Alas, the one who suffered that injury was nothing more than a genin in name.

Although her memory was long it went quite fast in their minds. It was when she spoke did they notice that they looked like they suddenly zoned out to her. "It was some time since sunset so the effects had started to wear off. I was going to teleport away but they found me cutting me down. Luckily my guardian had been teaching me medical ninjutsu." As she said it her mind revealed her small hand and faint green glow emitting from it. In that instant, Ino ended the mind transmission technique finding that information more than enough. Sensing this Yukino felt free to lie once more. "I was only able to hold off until one of my guardians came looking for me." Placing a hand to her left side, she sighed. "She managed to stop the bleeding but not before taking me to a shrine in Konoha's outskirts for safety." Looking up at Kakashi she let out a chuckle. "When I woke up I found myself wearing a miko's uniform and without thinking I ran back to the village when you found me."

Remembering her disheveled state that day he gave a nod as it matched his memory of that day. "Do you know why the Third Hokage tasked me with looking for you?"

Surprised that he asked about that, she stopped that emotion from reaching her face, keeping it as it was. "Kitaro-kun should have told you already. He and my aunt were in a sort of agreement with each other. Since I didn't return home that night she must have known something must've happened once she heard the news."

"This masked man, why was he at the Uchiha massacre?" The Tsuchikage asked not caring about the story that was just shared.

Without a glance at the older Kage Kakashi knew why and asked something different yet still relevant instead. "Did you tell the Third Hokage what you saw?" He hoped this would cease any further questions into the matter.

"I tried to but instead of hearing me out, he chose to send me away. My aunt was furious when she couldn't go with me. From what she gathered the third Hokage called in a small favor that the Fourth Kazekage owed him. So he sent me to Sunagakure." Looking at Gaara she brought the conversation to where she needed it to end. To need so little sleep was a blessing at times as it allowed her to think things through carefully. Though those sleepless hours also brought with them the solitude night which plagued one with worries. "I'm guessing that's why you took so long to arrive? I bet the council tried to keep quiet about it. They never really liked me to begin with." Shaking her head she hummed quietly. "Now that I think about it, you've been silent this whole time. Is there anything you wish to ask?"

The others present, realizing this, glanced over at the younger Kage as he spoke for the first time during this meeting. "The council has told me that you visited Sunagakure a couple of times between the time the Fourth Kazekage died and I became Kazekage. Seeing how they were aware I assume they must have needed you for something."

"I'm surprised they haven't told you. Then again they are prideful so I'm not surprised." She chuckled, crossing her arms proudly. "They don't like to admit when they need help." Letting out a low hum she looked up at the ceiling in thought. "My assistance connects to when I was sent to Sunagakure. Years ago there was an incident that I was tricked into taking part in. Anyways when the council was looking over their old records they found out that Orochimaru had stolen and burned some of the documents when he posed as your father. So once they realized this they privately hired me to restore some of the lost documents from memory. I figure that they didn't go to Konoha to personally hire me due to the lack of a Kage but also because of what just took place at the chūnin exams."

"Is that all?" He asked, knowing more than she had expected.

"No, but what's so interesting about doing botany?" She shrugged. "I wasn't given tasks like that in Konoha so when an opportunity presented itself in Sunagakure I volunteered. Still… I'll let you know that Baki-san was the one who sought me out to restore those documents. If you're still curious about that, talk to him. Tell him… the moon will rest when the sun rises." She lied about the last part knowing there was no such code. 'I'll have to ask Baki about this once he asks. It will be so funny.' Turning her blue eyes back to the room she briefly looked at each of the Kage present. "Any more questions?" She asked knowing that they didn't.

"If that's all then it is time for the break so we may discuss the information we've gathered so far." Standing up, Mifune spoke clearly. "There is not much to discuss hence we will begin on the punishment. Hokage and Raikage I am aware that this started as a matter concerning both of your lands and villages. However, with the new information we've come to hear, I believe it is a matter that pertains to the Tsuchikage and Kazekage as well."

・

A/N: For those wondering…

Kichi's duties: Managing the Land of Whirlpools as a whole, including the business of their separate island the "Land of Gentle Waves", its three towns, civil affairs relating to the people, the school for civilians, managing the island's income, and its distribution, public projects, jobs, the island's infrastructure, among other things.

Emi's duties: Managing the affairs of shinobi like matters of the academy, overseeing the chūnin exams, movement of the Anbu—Wolf, and Koi—restricting their movements if need be, managing the requests from the research branch of both the hospital and their science branch, anything having to deal with the shinobi side of things. However, due to the workload of Kichi's duties, she took it upon herself to manage the trade side of things since the Anbu use the boats to either leave the island, protect it, and return to it.

There were moments in the first year where both women ended up at each other's throats when it came to how the income should be distributed. Emi wanted to save as much as possible while Kichi was confident that the treasury had enough in case of an emergency. (When the city was sealed many things were sealed along with it including its treasury. It was quite vast but Yukino chose to not rely on it too much using the money from the gems that she made and shinobi bounties instead.) The spare meeting rooms would be used for such discussions and those passing outside knew not to knock unless they wanted to get dragged into it.

The island is still quite young so most of the responsibilities fall onto them until people appear who can reliably take on certain roles. Those that do have roles at the moment are still new at it and have yet to have a grasp as to what exactly the job entails.