Disclaimer: Forgot to keep saying that I own nothing

Chapter 3

"Hatake Kakashi," Tsunade hissed through clenched teeth. Her mind raced furiously to remember what skills the boy in front of her possessed. He was the Yondaime's student and the son of Konoha's White Fang. Young, but no doubt not any less skilled because of it.

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Kakashi confessed and dropped his bloody weapons at his feet. Stepping back so that a nice cushion of distance lay between, Kakashi did all he could to appear friendly.

"You managed to track me down mightily fast," she mused. "The hunter's I assumed would be able to do so, but that you were able to as well is no small feat." As she was talking, Tsunade moved herself into a defensive battle position.

"You might as well know that I can summon dogs," he replied. "They can track your scent quite well. I also watched you walk out of the village. Funny how everyone forgot that you can change that permanent genjutsu to whatever age you like. While everyone was looking for a young woman, you aged yourself and slipped out unnoticed."

Curse her luck that he knew Jiraiya! He was one of the very few people that knew that. Figures he would spill her secrets to that Minato student of his and whoever was listening.

After a few moments of simply staring at each other Kakashi decided to get the ball rolling.

"They know you're heading to River Country," He began. "The Hokage has declared you to be an S-Class Missing Nin to be killed." He thought he saw a flash of sorrow pass through her face before it was covered over by her steely gaze.

"They've announced to the world that I have Naruto then?" she questioned. "If they alerted the whole world who I have with me they're more likely to track me down and take him, then help Konoha recover him."

"The Hokage hasn't exactly stated Naruto is with you," he informed. "The last thing Konoha wants others to know is that right after the Kyuubi attack they are weakened with no hidden ace up their sleeves."

Shifting a bit uncomfortably at the look starting to form on Tsunade's face he forced himself to continue.

"When he announced to the village that there was a container for the Kyuubi, the Sandaime never allowed anyone to truly see his face. So, all he had to do was," he trailed off.

"Slap the name Uzumaki Naruto on another orphan and play pretend," she realized.

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In Konoha, the Sandaime walked the hospital with a comfortably ease that was gained by spending too much time waiting for news on loved ones. Turning when he heard the door behind him, he watched a young woman walked through with a screaming blonde child in her arms.

Taking the child from the woman, he peeled the white strips off the infants face. Six new bleeding whisker marks marked the child's face.

Smiling at the young woman he noticed her hesitant smile and shifting eyes. It figured she would feel guilty for scaring a child for life. Shaking his head he motioned his ANBU to him.

"You are guilty for the attempted kidnapping of one Uzumaki Naruto," he stared down at the girl who was starting to shake in fear. Suddenly two ninjas grabbed her arms and forced her to her knees.

Starting to cry and plead for her life in confusion the ninjas silenced her by pulling on her hair.

"I don't understand," she cried. Had she not done what her Hokage had asked of her?

"The punishment for that is death," he continued undaunted. Starting to scream that she had done nothing wrong the young nurse's cries were swiftly stopped as the third ninja's sword descended on her neck.

Walking away from the bloody scene and the crowd of white faces that had gathered to witness the commotion, he only stopped when he saw Danzo in the crowd. Figures that man would be here to see how he would solve this troublesome situation. No doubt he was trying to figure out a way to use this mess against him when the time came.

"Let this be known that from today forth no one is to make any attempts to harm Uzumaki Naruto," he motioned to the infant in his arms, his face and body clearly seen. "Or you forfeit your life in return."

Continuing on his course the Sandaime made his way to the orphanage to personally drop off Naruto to the headmistress and inform her of his decree. Soon rumors about what had happened would reach far and wide that the Hokage of Konoha was punishing those acting out against the Kyuubi's container. Slower than he'd have liked the whispers of Konoha having no tailed beast would fade away. The fact that Tsunade, their very own granddaughter of the Shodai, had betrayed Konoha by kidnapping him would be swapped with a story of her running away with her new born child in an effort to protect him from the 'evil' Konoha and cutting all ties with them.

They couldn't allow one of their own, who had so sadly finally succumbed to years of a downward spiral, to work against them. However the child could be recovered and returned to live in Konoha after his mother's death. It really was very sad. To the Hokage; however, it was another day in the world of ninjas.

The village always came first and the Hokage's job was to protect it at any cost.

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"So he makes me a missing nin to make sure I'm an outcast and can't get help from any country. Effectively isolating me from any help and cornering me." Tsunade chuckled. It seemed her sensei hadn't lost that crafty mind of his from years of paperwork.

Kakashi wondered why it was that she didn't look too worried at that. Seeing his look Tsunade shook her head.

"Of course I knew he was going to declare me a missing nin. I have no plans at the moment to receive help from any major village. Going to another major power will just be changing locations. The real problems will stay the same no matter where I go."

Taking the fact that she was telling him this as a sign she was starting to trust him Kakashi tried to move a little closer. Her sudden shift to pose her fist to strike him made him rethink on that trust issue.

"So why all this help Kakashi?" she asked. "Information in the ninja world doesn't come cheaply." She couldn't figure out what his game was. If he had wanted to kill her, he could have already tried as she was at a disadvantage. Just giving her this supposedly correct information wasn't going to get him on her good side so quickly. With Naruto's future at stake, she couldn't afford to make mistakes.

"Let me come with you," he pleaded. Immediately, Tsunade was suspicious. For what other reason was there to come with her than to kill her when her back was turned and take Naruto.

Seeing that it was going to take some convincing to get her to let him come along, Kakashi gathered his thoughts and courage.

"He is the only link I have left to my sensei and my team. I don't want to spend the rest of my days in Konoha doing only what is told to me. Blindly accepting that by carrying out the orders of my superiors I'm doing what's best for the people I care about." Letting his one eye hold her gaze he willed her to understand his side.

"I've seen what happens when you give up your family and you bonds in name of doing what's best for your village. That's not what I want to do. I choose my bonds."

Nodding to herself, Tsunade couldn't deny that the boy looked like he was telling the truth. As it was she was already exhausted from her trip and the fight already. It wasn't as if she could fight off the boy or survive against to many ninja if they caught up soon. Having the boy with her would be a boon to her chances of making it out of Fire country.

Deciding to take her chances she motioned for him to follow her. If he moved against her, she could always take him down later.

Subtly making a sign, she gave her summon her message to deliver. The game was just starting.

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Rocking slowly back and forth, Shizune gazed out at the nice view given to her by the large window in her new apartment. Being settled on the out skirts of Konoha's main districts afforded her the space and quiet she needed to become accustomed to her new life. Starting tomorrow she would start her new job as an assistant in the Hokage tower. Once more she was going to becoming just another person in the constant change that was Konoha.

Allowing herself a satisfied smile, Shizune turned to look at the small, almost unnoticeable, slug that had crept along to her arm. Taking the offered message, she informed the summon that its job was done. With a small nod the slug disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Reading the message over a couple of times Shizune lit herself a nice fire in her new fireplace and then proceeded to burn her new message.

In the fireplace, the tiny slip of paper revealed its message for only a second before the fire consumed it.

Watch them.

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Hope you're surprised! XD