Team Yumi re-entered the Hidden Leaf Village as the sun began to set over the Hokage Monument. They had just finished a mission, and were on their way to report their success to the Hokage. Despite the time of day, various villagers were running, talking, playing, and laughing through the streets. A few ninja discussed their most recent mission, while vendors tried to sell goods to annoyed customers.

 

"Heh... I really missed being in the village!" Koukon grinned, happy to be back home.

 

"Yeah. We can finally rest." Hikari wasn't as enthusiastic as her friend, but still smiled. "I can't wait to go eat some ramen." She rubbed her stomach, having missed her favorite food.

 

"Of course, that's the first thing you think of. It's always ramen with you." Koukon teased Hikari. "I guess that going to Ichiraku wouldn't hurt, though..." He looked over at his teacher. "Yumi sensei, is it fine if we head off?"

 

"Yeah, I'll go check in with Lord Hokage. You three can go off and get something to eat." The woman smiled back at her students.

 

"Alright!" Koukon shouted, and looked over to his teammates. "Let's go, Hikari! Are you going to come with, Kiniku?" He asked his best friend, hoping that the three of them could go together.

 

"It's been a while since the three of us got to go to Ichiraku together, hasn't it?" Hikari asked. "You should come with us, Kiniku."

Kiniku

 

"Alright, some action! Lead the way Sensei!" Kiniku cried as he and Koukon followed Yumi.

The group quickly arrived at the Hokage's mansion, where they were greeted by Naruto Uzumaki. "Yumi sensei, I'll let you fill them in." He told the jonin, who nodded in response.

 

"Myself, Lord Sixth, and Lady Hinata have been looking into reports from other villages that were attacked. We noticed an odd pattern that occurred in them..." Yumi paused to collect her thoughts, then continued. "You see, there was usually a witness or two at each attack who managed to record what happened. This would include a description of the attacker... We found that it was a different shinobi each time. However... They seem to have all been from the village that had previously been attacked."

 

"H-huh?" Koukon looked confused. "That's a crazy coincidence..."

 

"We don't think that's the case." Yumi sighed. "We believe that it's the result of some sort of jutsu. We're thinking that whoever's behind these attacks uses some sort of mind control technique to control a member of the village they attack. We're not quite sure about how it works, or even if we're correct or not, but that's our current idea."

 

"So, in other words... There might be another survivor from Sabaku's village somewhere?" Koukon asked. "We'll have to ask her if she can think of anyone strong from her village. They'd probably target the more powerful shinobi if they're really acting like a puppet master."

 

"Yeah, that's what we were thinking as well. However, we've requested a list of all of the shinobi from that village. The Kazekage sent it in a while ago, we should be receiving it soon. We think that getting a visual representation would be more helpful in recognizing potential threats. The Hokage sent it before we came to this conclusion, so it should arrive within an hour, maybe. Until then, we'd like to continue discussing the matter with you two." Yumi informed her students.

Kiniku

 

"Got it. We'll get right on it. The sooner we get these creeps, the better," Kiniku said.

After about an hour of talking about plans for the upcoming battle, the Hokage realized the list might be somewhat late. "Sorry, you two. I guess we might be waiting a bit longer... If you'd like, you can go take a break. We'll meet again in an hour, and I'll send Yumi sensei if there's an emergency." Naruto told the two, not wanting to keep them waiting too long.

 

"Alright. Thanks, old man Naruto." Koukon nodded, and left the mansion with Kiniku. While walking through the streets of the village, Koukon was unable to get their older subject off his mind. "Hey, Kiniku... You think that Sabaku's going to be okay when she hears about this? I mean, she might need to fight someone from her own village... What if it's one of her friends?" Koukon asked his friend, becoming worried. "She's already gone through enough... I wouldn't want her to go through even more pain."

Kiniku

 

"Hopefully it won't have to come to that, pal... even so, if she has to fight her kin, she'll just have to endure it. That's just what shinobi do," Kiniku said firmly while still thinking of Sabaku's feelings.

"Yeah... That's true." Koukon sighed. "I can't imagine what it would be like to have to do that, though... I'm not even sure that I'd be able to take down one of my friends." He muttered, keeping his hands behind his head as he walked. "Although... Who would survive that attack, anyway? The village was completely destroyed... There's no way anyone actually made it out of there alive, right? Maybe it was all just some coincidence, or the descriptions were off."

Kiniku

 

"I don't know. Its all really confusing. I just hope that whoever's being controlled can be freed." Kiniku commented.

"Yeah... Hopefully we'll find them soon, too. I just wish we had an idea of where they'd strike next, or who they'll be." Koukon said. After a brief silence, Koukon stopped in his tracks. "Uh... Kiniku... We left Hikari with Sabaku, right?" He asked, sounding somewhat nervous.

Kiniku

 

"Oh yeah... we better go get 'em. Hyugamaki acts weird around Saba for some reason," Kiniku pointed out.

"Uh... Kiniku... I'm not sure if you get what I mean." Koukon said. "Yumi sensei and old man Naruto both think that the attacker's always a survivor from the village that was just attacked, right...?"

Kiniku

 

"Oh right, yeah! Forgot about that... well anyways, lets get a move on," Kiniku said.

"Yeah!" Koukon dashed off towards the Hokage's mansion. Maybe she got back home already... I hope she did. He thought to himself as he burst through the doors of the mansion. After knocking on her door and receiving no answer, he tried Shinachiku's room.

Kiniku / Shinachiku

 

"Huh? What're you guys doin' here?" Shinachiku said, sitting on his bed with a cup in his hand, chopsticks in the other, and a mouth full of instant ramen.

 

"Yo, squirt, do you know where your sister is?" Kiniku asked.

 

"Beats me," Shinachiku answered.

Edited March 29, 201510 yr by Firaga Sensei

"Ugh... We need to find her, fast." Koukon muttered. "Shinachiku, you can follow us if you want. We don't have time to wait here for you, though. Let's go Kiniku!" He said, then ran back out of the mansion. He began to sprint off to the village gates. Maybe we can ask over there if they've left...

Shinachiku / Kiniku

 

"Wait, did something happen to my sister?" Shinachiku asked.

 

"Maybe. That's what we're lookin' to find out. Later!" Shinachiku said, following Koukon.

"Hey, wait up!" Shinachiku said, deciding to help out his fellow ninja.

Koukon stopped at the village gate, and spoke to the men who were guarding the entrance. "H-has the Hokage's daughter walked through here with someone from the Sand Village?" He asked, out of breath after running for so long.

 

"Yes, they just left the village... Why?" One of the men asked, looking confused.

 

"Can't explain right now, I need to go!" Koukon ran off into the forest around the Hidden Leaf Village, hoping to find them somewhere...

Kiniku / Shinachiku

 

"Wait for us, Koukon!" Shinachiku called as he and Kiniku followed.

 

"Where ever she is, I hope she hasn't gotten mixed up in anything dangerous," Kiniku commented.

 

"D-don't say stuff like that, Muscle Head!" Shinachiku said nervously.

 

"Alright, alright, fine," Kiniku said, rolling his eyes.

The three eventually found a small shack not too far from the village. "Let's check here..." Koukon muttered, and began to approach it. However, he became startled when someone left. He calmed down when he noticed a familiar face. "Hikari, it's you!" He exclaimed, relieved to see his friend. He ran over to her and hugged her, too happy to really care about how it might look to his friends.

 

"Huh...?" Hikari asked, looking somewhat surprised. "Oh, Koukon... I didn't think you'd be so happy to see me." She began to blush, and hugged him back.

Kiniku / Shinachiku

 

"Heh heh. Mind if I get in on this?" KIniku said, appearing by the two. He wrapped both of his friends in a spine crushing hug, lifting them into the air.

 

"Sis! There you are!" Shinachiku called, appearing last. "What are you doing out here?"

Koukon fought an urge to scream in pain as Kiniku hugged him, and decided to add in his own question. "Hey, Hikari... Where's Sabaku?" He asked.

 

"Oh, Sabaku? She's not here right now. Why?" Hikari answered Koukon.

 

"Well... We think the attacker might have been controlling someone from Sabaku's village... We think it might have been her."

 

"I see... Well, I don't think you'll need to worry about Sabaku." Hikari assured the three.

Kiniku

 

"Why do ya say that? What's up with Saba?" Kiniku asked, putting his two friends down and releasing his hold.

"Well, you see..." Hikari smirked, and silently pulled out a kunai and held it to Koukon's neck. "I'm the one you should be worried about." She explained to the other two, as her voice shifted to a darker tone.

 

I-I had a feeling it was her... Hikari wouldn't have acted that way about what just happened. Koukon thought to himself, now intimidated by their new opponent.

Kiniku / Shinachiku

 

"Oh shoot!" Kiniku cried, quickly loading back and kicking the Hikari imposter into the side of the shack. Grabbing "her" by the collar, he pinned "her" to the wall.

 

"Should have figured you were some imposter. Now talk! Where's the real Hikari and where's Sabaku?!" He cried, using one hand to hold the collar and another to lay a kunai under "her" throat.

 

"Yeah, tell us where they are!" Shinachiku piped in, getting out a kunai of his own just in case.

"The real Hikari?" Hikari laughed. "I am the real Hikari... Well, at least physically."

 

Koukon took a deep breath, glad to be freed, then explained to Kiniku and Shinachiku. "Kiniku... Remember what Yumi sensei suggested could be behind the village's attacks? I think she was right. This is Hikari, but... she doesn't have control over her actions."

 

"Hm... Yumi managed to figure that out? I'll have to target her once I've finished you three off..." Hikari said. "Also, if you want to see Hikari again, I wouldn't suggest hurting me."

Kiniku / Shinachiku

 

Kiniku and Shinachiku were baffled, the latter lowering his kunai.

 

Kiniku's fist tightened on Hikari's collar as he quickly looked down and re-composed himself, grititng his teeth.

 

"Okay then, "Hikari", you're still going to tell us everything you know about this Land of Wind puppet creep. Right now!"