.

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The Land of Frost is a large expanse of snow upon snow.

Kazu lets out a small sigh as he closes his eyes, facing up at the sky, feeling the soft powdery precipitation land on his face. Around him is white, white and more white. There are trees in a distance and some hints of a forest following a stretch of mountain ranges dusted with snow in the direction that leads towards the Land of Lightning. The frozen pale blue of the glaciers are visible even from where Kazu stands.

There is something satisfying about being the first to leave footprints in the smooth, untouched snow. Kazu all but watches as his feet sink slightly into the white layer of flurries, a coating of chakra keeping his footsteps light against the soft white coating. The footprints that he leaves are covered up all too quickly by the neverending blizzard that howls in his ears.

They're approximately two hours distance away from the Lightning-Frost border, a little over a day and a half into their mission. A week left before they're back in Konoha. Kazu groans inwardly at the thought, the end of their mission cannot come soon enough. Unfortunately, he can't shake off the feeling that this particular mission spells trouble; the incessant stares from C doesn't help dispel his unease either.

The face surfaces in his head; the smug, bandaged visage of the Kumo-nin waving amongst the parade crowd. Kazu still sees clearly in his mind - the dark cloth used to mask the Kumo-nin's face as well as the unconscious Hyuuga Hinata tugged under his arm. The mental image contrasts starkly against the vast white expanse of his surroundings and for a moment, in Kazu's eyes, it's almost as if the man is here, staring back at him in a distance.

Kazu doesn't have to hear the footsteps to sense Itachi approaching. He shakes his head softly to rid the image, the hallucination of the malicious ninja fading away into the blizzard blowing around them.

"Is it time to go?" He asks over his shoulder, watching as the black mass of the Uchiha draws closer.

"Yes."

Kazu waves his hand half-heartedly in response, turning his eyes back to smooth white in front of him.

"I'll be right there."

.

It's around sunset when they are attacked, the Lightning-Frost border well behind them and separated by a spread of mountain ranges. Ironically, it is right after C reassures them that there will be reinforcements coming to meet them halfway in order to escort the party to Kumogakure safely.

"I can't guarantee we won't get attacked," C says, "there are plenty of bounty hunters and missing nin that wander around this area. It's still quite a distance away from Kumogakure."

True to C's word, not five minutes later, they're jumped by a group of missing nin.

The symbols on the headbands signifies that their attackers are banished ninjas from Kirigakure. Kazu scans the area, counting six enemies in total. Four of them are within engagement range, two slightly away.

"They have a sensor and a genjutsu user, about a hundred meters away at three o'clock," Saizou confirms as the four Konoha ninjas fall into defensive formation.

"Saizou, Inokazu, you two go after the supports."

"Understood." Kazu and Saizou report in unison before slipping away just as Kosuke rushes in to engage their attacker.

"Do you think you can handle them one on one?" Saizou asks with a glance behind his shoulder, making sure that there are no pursuers. Itachi, Kosuke and C seem to be doing a good job keeping the other four busy.

"Probably," Kazu says quickly. "I'll take the one on the right."

The two backline ninjas have since split up, each heading in a different direction. Saizou and Kazu share a quick look between them before they also split up.

.

Kazu stands on top of a rock structure, staring down at the Kirigakure missing nin. They gave him quite the chase, until they finally stopped behind a cluster of large rocks, bidding for an ambush.

It's a bait, and one that Kazu isn't afraid to take.

"Release." Kazu mutters softly, easily dispelling the genjutsu that his opponent attempts to put on him.

Judging from the body shape, they're female - not that the information makes a difference. The kunoichi's gaze flickers to Kazu's forehead protector, eyes narrowing as her gaze lands on the symbol etched in the metal.

There's no talk, no communication before the battle begins. It's not the same as practice spars with his teammates. The mere killing intent rolling off the kunoichi is enough to make the hair at the back of Kazu's neck stand.

Kazu leaps off with a kunai in hand, watching as his opponent jumps backwards just out of reach. The kunoichi puts her hands together in another seal but it's useless as Kazu dispels the genjutsu before it even manages to take hold. It's clear the kunoichi doesn't know very well who she's dealing with: using mental techniques against a Yamanaka is hardly the most appropriate strategy. Despite Kazu's inability to properly perform clan techniques, the fact remains that his mental resistances and control of his mind and consciousness are at a level higher than the average ninja.

Kazu draws closer towards to his opponent, swiftly engaging her close distance physical combat. Within a few blows, it becomes clear that taijutsu is not his opponent's forte. She lacks in strength and dexterity, the kunai in her hand easily displaced by a careful strike to her wrist. She lets out a soft gasp as Kazu continues to charge forward, her fingers quickly forming a seal. A thick mist begins to take form around them, a dense chakra-infused veil to mask her presence.

It would have worked, had she casted it quicker. But Kazu is already behind her before the mist completely encloses them, one hand tugging on the forehead protector that the kunoichi ties around her neck, and the other resting his kunai just under her chin.

She stands taller than him but her limbs are weak with little muscle mass in them – a textbook backline attacker, ready to flee any moment. He could feel the erratic beating of her heart, hear her swallow her fear as she tries to control the irregular panting of her breath.

Kazu knows what he has to do. There is no reason why he should leave her alive. The kunoichi is clearly aware of her fate as well, her body tensing and rigid, eyes darting around, searching for escape.

There is a moment of hesitation, slight weakness as Kazu toyed with the idea of letting her leave. His captive reacts quickly to the pause in his movements, arm raised with senbons aiming for Kazu's arm. Kazu avoids it quickly by yanking his arm away – choking the kunoichi in the process as he pulls on the forehead protector. The senbons end up puncturing his thigh, causing Kazu to wince but his grip remains strong.

"Still not done?"

Saizou's almost teasing tone of voice penetrates through the thick mist. Kazu feels the kunoichi stiffen under his hold. There's fear in her eyes as she turns to look at Kazu, a boy that stands half a head shorter than her, currently holding a kunai to her neck.

"Almost." Kazu says, voice surprisingly detached as he brings his kunai across, ending the kunoichi's life with a sharp, quickly silenced scream. The body slumps against him, the heavy weight a reminder of the act he had just committed. Kazu shifts his weight slightly and the lifeless body of the kunoichi falls to the floor.

He falters as he stands straight, adrenaline wearing off and a numbness setting in his leg. Kazu mumbles under his breath, figuring out it must be from the senbon. He kneels down quickly, but the lethargy has begun settling in his muscles and he slumps forward, falling on all fours.

"What are you doing?" Saizou asks with a frown, tone chastising. "We need to head back."

"I was…" Kazu's voice comes out slurred and he struggles to form his mouth around the words he wants to speak. "Senbon…"

He points at the kunoichi lying on the floor, nausea swimming in his head and his body turning into lead. Saizou gets the message and gets to work, or so Kazu thinks, because he doesn't manage to stay alert enough to confirm, darkness claiming him within the next moment.

.

The white of the ceiling is very similar to that in Konoha. The smell of antiseptic is almost identical. The low hum rings in his ears along with the steady beep of the monitoring technology.

The hospital.

Kazu fights a groan as he shifts in bed. He feels groggy, a feeling like he's struggling to wake up from a very deep sleep. That comparison alone is enough to trigger alarm bells within the conscious part of his mind. Kazu never falls into deep sleep. Ever. The deeper he sleeps, the louder the screaming, the stronger the pain and the quicker he wakes.

Kazu bolts up immediately, danger instincts kicking in. They halt, however, as soon as he scans the room and sees his teammate in a chair in the far corner. Saizou is fast asleep, his head resting against the windowsill.

Outside the window it's dark, and judging by the position moon, it's past midnight. Kumogakure's landscape spans across the large windows, the rocky terrain outside mirroring what Kazu has only seen in textbooks and photographs.

They've arrived, it seems.

"You're up."

Kazu tears his gaze from outside scenery to Saizou, who remains sitting in the seat but is now wide awake, the moonlight reflecting off his blue eyes eerily.

"I guess so." Kazu manages a small shrug, a grimace on his lips. "Sorry."

Saizou waves off the apology casually, grinning as he shakes his head. "Don't worry about it, it happens. I'll let Kosuke-sensei know you've woken up."

And then he's gone in the next moment, leaving Kazu sitting alone in the hospital room.

.

They let him go the next morning after a quick check-up.

The four Konoha ninjas are standing in the lobby. Kosuke is at the counter, dealing with paperwork and formalities. The three genins stand a little off to the side, Itachi and Saizou filling Kazu in on what transpired while he was unconscious.

Saizou had carried unconscious Kazu back to the group and, seeing as Kazu was unfit to travel, they set up camp in the area for the night. The team met up with reinforcements in the morning and arrived at the village that night. Kazu was checked into the hospital while Kosuke was with the Raikage.

It's the morning after, which put Kazu's coma at approximately thirty hours by the time he woke up last night.

"I managed to find a sample on her," Saizou says with a shrug, "it's not poisonous. Just a paralysing concoction. C is a medical-nin. He did all the preliminary check-ups so you were fine."

"How are you feeling?" Itachi asks.

"Fine, my head hurts a little." Kazu replies with a grimace, "but it's not serious."

It doesn't seem to soothe the worry resting between Itachi's eyebrows but the Uchiha lets out a nod.

"So what's the plan?"

Saizou shrugs. "We're not staying for long, Kosuke-sensei said last night that we're leaving in three days or so. I guess it's free time until then. I wonder if there're cute girls in Kumo."

Itachi frowns at the comment. "I don't want to go pick up girls on the streets."

"You don't have to, you're Uchiha Itachi. You can just stand there and all the girls would come screaming of their own accord."

"That's not what I meant."

"Kazu." It's Kosuke. The three genins all look up to see Kosuke walking over, a file of paperwork in her hands and a crease in between her eyebrows. "I need to talk to you for a second."

Kazu nods and Kosuke spares a brief glance at Itachi and Saizou before pulling him aside, just out of earshot of the other two.

"You watch yourself, Kazu," Kosuke says with a meaningful stare. "They don't have leverage over you or the village, so you don't have to worry but be careful."

Kazu nods. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what Kosuke is referring to. Kosuke's gaze is loaded and Kazu can tell that there are things she wants to say. She shakes her head and the two of them return to Itachi and Saizou.

In the short time that Kazu and Kosuke stepped away, Itachi and Saizou have, for some reason, descended into an argument about cute Kumo girls.

"Oi," Kosuke breaks up the argument with a roll of her eyes, "I don't care if you're going to go around hitting on girls or sampling tea shops. What I said last night still stands. The three of you are to stick together at all times, no matter where you go or what you do. Kazu has a check-up tomorrow back here in the hospital, so I expect all three of you to be here for that too."

"There's no way girls will talk to me with them around!" Saizou exclaims indignantly, throwing his hands up. No one points out that Saizou's attempts don't succeed even when Itachi and Kazu aren't around.

Kosuke raises an eyebrow, to which Saizou holds up his hands in resignation, nodding reluctantly.

"That's what I thought. I'm off to see the Raikage, now remember we're in foreign territory and you're all representing Konoha, so behave."

And with that, she's gone, in a flurry of leaves, drawing stares from onlookers.

"You know, she's always just gone before we can get another word in," Saizou complains, the three of them still staring at where Kosuke stood a moment ago.

"It's true, we never get to do anything with sensei," Kazu agrees.

"She's probably sick of children. I would be if I have to deal with a baby at home, they're like the spawn of the devil," Saizou looks disgusted at the prospect. He looks up at his teammates, expecting confirmation but only to see the two of them red in the face.

"Ino was adorable as a baby. She still is."

"My brother's an angel. There's nothing wrong with babies!"

Saizou stares at the two of them, face scrunched up. "You know what, whatever."

With an indignant huff, Saizou walks away, arms crossed behind his head. Kazu and Itachi share a look, the two of them sharing a chuckle before they follow after their irritated team member.

.

Saizou's mood improves over the day.

Despite all the fuss he made, ultimately, he doesn't seem mind the fact that they won't be going around chatting up Kumogakure girls. Kazu half expected Saizou's mood to turn sour when the pretty waitress threw a flirtatious wink at Itachi during lunch or when the girls on the table next to them giggled softly while pointing at Itachi, but Saizou barely pays attention, focusing on the food in front of them.

Kumogakure is a lot of rocks, being built on a mountain range. The three of them visited various summits and peaks, listening to local recommendations. It's a view, but it gets boring quickly, it's rocks on top of rocks and some water. There's a pretty waterfall, but other than the magnificent height of it, there's nothing more to look at without greenery to accentuate it. Besides, Konoha has their own fair share of waterfalls too.

They visit the hot springs, which is nice, and a temple that hangs off a cliff but by late afternoon, the three of them run out of places and interest for sightseeing.

In the end, the three of them ask for an open training grounds and resorted to spending their time training - though training is a little reaching for the simple warm-up exercises that they are running.

Kazu lies down on the rocky ground, eyes closed, listening only to the dull echoes of Itachi's footsteps and the ringing of metal clashing against metal. There's shuffling sounds as Saizou sits down next to him. Kazu opens his eyes slightly, peeking from under his eyelids at the irritated look that is back on Saizou's face.

Kazu grimaces as he closes his eyes once more. "Just ignore them."

"I don't like it," Saizou mutters, scowling as he scans the perimeter. He doesn't see anything, which is expected, but chakra signatures don't lie and all three of them can feel the presence of various ninjas around them - the same ones that have been following them around all day since they left the hospital.

"You'll get used to it," Kazu says, letting out a sigh.

"You say that like you have experience."

"What makes you think I don't?"

Kazu doesn't see the curious look at that Saizou gives him, but he doesn't have to.

"When?"

"The last year and a half."

"In the village?"

Kazu hums in response aware that the sounds of Itachi's projectile training has stopped. He sits up, looking at the contemplating stare on Saizou's face and the frown creasing Itachi's eyebrows again.

"You know, Itachi, if you frown so much, you'll get wrinkles young," Kazu says with a smile, standing up and dusting off his clothes. "Are you finished? Shall we go get dinner then? Do you think Kosuke-sensei is done with her business yet?"

"She'd come find us if she was. It's probably fine to assume we're eating without her."

"Let's go then, shall we?"

.

By the next afternoon, the three of them had enough knowledge about Kumogakure to find the hospital without trouble.

"Do you want us to go in with you?"

Kazu shakes his head, stares at the unfilled white form in his hand. "It shouldn't take that long. It's just a check-up. You worry too much."

Itachi backs down and Kazu follows the nurse away from the lobby.

The examination room is deeper into the building than he remembers. The nurse takes him a few floors up, and down several corridors into an area with rooms that resemble hospital rooms more than examination rooms.

"In here, Yamanaka-san."

The nurse eventually leads him to one of the offices on the floor, and Kazu relaxes once he sees that it's the same doctor as the one he saw the day before. The doctor is amiable and he helps Kazu through several tests to make sure there are not remaining traces of toxins in his body that might affect him.

It's a staple examination, and it's over soon. Everything looks fine, the doctor concludes. Kazu thanks him, watching as the doctor sign through the various documents.

And then he hears the scream.

Technically, it's more of a yell. A yell of a panicked man surprises Kazu, and he's stuck staring at the doorway like a deer caught in headlights. He would never forget the face of the man on the other side of the doorway, hands grasping at his hair, a bandage over one eye and his face twisted in fear as if Kazu is the scariest monster the man has ever seen.

Kazu freezes as the man - the ex-head ninja of Kumogakure - stumbles, falling backwards on the floor while the two attendants look on in interest, making no move to help the man. Eventually they turn away from the pathetic man writhing on the floor, still straining his vocal cords, and to Kazu, who is sitting in the chair, the gravity of the situation registering in his head.

Kazu quickly reaches into his holster for a kunai, only to realise that it's currently on the examination table on the other side of the room, along with his weapon pouch. He bites his lips and stares out the window. Five stories, and there are some ledges, he could make it.

But it's too late.

The two attendants block both of his exits in the next second, one at the doorway, and the other guarding the windows. The doctor is gone from the room and Kazu is trapped, alone, with nowhere to go and the ear-ringing screams still echoing in his head.

"We would prefer, Yamanaka Inokazu, if you would come with us quietly. Your friends are waiting at the Raikage's office."

.

His hands are tied behind his back and a blindfold over his eyes. They're holding him by his shoulders, almost dragging him through the corridor.

"Wow kinky, Kazu." Saizou comments as they shove Kazu into the room, and he hears the door slam shut behind him.

"Unhand my student, Raikage. You have no right." Kosuke says firmly from the other side of the room. "Konoha will not let this go easily."

"Silence!" The voice booms across the room, "There is nothing Konoha can do! Yamanaka Inokazu deserves to be punished according to Kumogakure laws for attacking a Kumogakure ninja while on peace treaty in Konoha."

"You can not go prosecuting a Konoha ninja without official proof! The treaty states-"

"Silence!"

Kazu winces slightly at the sheer volume.

"The Sandaime has refused to give me any closure on the situation because of his age. So since the perpetrator is here, I will get the information I seek!"

Kazu hears the footsteps approaching but nothing can prepare him for the blow against his cheek that follows. The force threatens to break his neck and he stumbles on his footing, his feet crossing and he slumps to the floor, on his knees. He chokes, tasting the blood on his lips and the angry yells of his teammates ringing in his ears.

It'll bruise, no doubt. But it didn't break bone and once they're out of there, Kazu can heal it back up.

"Speak up boy! What did you do?"

"Raikage! Don't you dare tou-"

"It's okay, sensei," Kazu voice comes out surprisingly calm. His cheek is throbbing and it hurts to move his jaw, but Kazu licks the blood of his lips and takes a long breath to calm his senses. "I'll tell him."

The gears in Kazu's head spin in overdrive, but he's calm, and he knows that this isn't Konohagakure, and that Kosuke is on his side. He raises his head again and, despite his inability to see, turns to the vague direction which he assumes the Raikage is standing.

"It's true. I did that to the man."

.

The room is silent. The fingers of his captors dig into his shoulders painfully. Kazu can feel the bubbling rage radiating from the Raikage who stands mere inches away from him.

"You must understand, Raikage-sama, it was in self defense," Kazu says, tilting his head slightly, "With all due respect but what would you do, if someone sneaks in at the dead of night, obviously up to no good?"

The words that come out of Kazu's mouth doesn't feel like his. There is no way Yamanaka Inokazu can talk his way out of a situation like this. Not as socially constipated as he is. But the words flow out without thinking and Kazu isn't all too sure where it's coming from.

"Don't take me for a fool boy."

"Of course not," Kazu continues smoothly, "I would never. Perhaps I may not look like it, Raikage-sama, but I am still the son of a clan head. My father sits on the table whenever Konoha hold a meeting and the Fire Daimyo knows me by name. I'm a regular at many clans in Konoha. The Akimichi, the Nara and the Uchihas all invite me over often. I suppose it would not be surprising then, that I was visiting the Hyuuga household that very night?"

Kazu has been to the Uchiha household exactly once and never as an official guest at the Hyuuga compound, but the Raikage doesn't know. He hears shifting amongst the other occupants in the room but he ignores it, continuing with a good natured smile on his face.

"Hyuuga Hiashi-sama had invited me over for dinner, you see. It was Hinata-chan's birthday, and the celebrations continued late so they offered to let me stay over for the night." More lies, but they flow out smoother than the truth. "You can imagine my surprise, Raikage-sama, when I hear someone sneaking into Hinata-chan's room and taking her away."

"You-!"

"So I did what any good person would do. I protected my host's daughter and it's regrettable that it all turned out like that. I was still an academy student then, Raikage-sama, and I couldn't control my jutsus very well. It went wrong, and I don't know what happened my opponent." By now there was a small smirk on Kazu's face. "I would, of course, accept whatever punishments you wish to give me, if only, you are fine with that too, Raikage-sama.

"That is, if you wouldn't mind, of course, for rumours to spread about how an academy student bested your ex-head ninja and rendered him braindead. Or answer the questions that surely would rise regarding why your ex-head ninja was in the Hyuuga compound that night. And of course, let everyone know that Kumogakure is petty enough over their inability to acquire the Byakugan that they would take it out on an eight year old child. By all means."

If Kazu wasn't still blindfolded, he would see the Raikage go red in the face and the two Kumo-jounins that stand next to him pale slightly. Kosuke is smirking, and Saizou has his eyebrows raised, impressed.

Itachi is the only one staring at Kazu, frowning in confusion.

.

They let him go in the end.

Especially after Kazu's threats and the way he stated his widespread relationships with the stronger clans in Konoha there wasn't much they could do to Kazu. Perhaps a year ago, a war would have ended in Kumogakure's favour. But the Raikage had let it go on for so long, been placated - even if only on the surface - by whatever Sandaime had offered, that a war between Konoha and Kumo right now, is anyone's game.

The ex-head ninja didn't die, and with that, Kumogakure lost its main bargaining chip against Konohagakure, especially since Kazu was but six at the time. It isn't a reach then, to assume that Kumo has been planning to bring Kazu into Kumogakure in order to take matters into their own hands.

It probably would have worked too, had Kazu been anyone else.

.

"You know, Kazu, I didn't realise you and the Hyuugas were close."

Kazu grimaced. "I'm not."

.

"I'll have to say I'm surprised, Kazu, I didn't expect you to talk yourself out of that."

Kazu turns to Kosuke, flushing at the compliment. She isn't smiling and Kazu swallows the thorns in his throat, gripping his fists to stop himself from fidgeting. "It was a fluke." A giggle echos in the back of his head and Kazu shakes it off. "It helped that I couldn't see the man."

Kosuke had sent Itachi and Saizou out on an errand, and it's only the two of them right now, back in the small hotel room, bags packed. After the whole fiasco, they aren't welcomed in the village anymore and the Raikage told them quite directly to leave.

Kazu, in particular, is forbidden to ever step into Kumogakure ever again. A shame, but Kazu really doesn't care.

Kosuke's eyes narrow on him slightly, and he shies away from the gaze.

"The village hasn't asked you of the incident, Kazu, thinking that you were a kid and that you were confused… especially after…" she trails of slightly, sighing. "But it seems that you know more than what we thought."

"I-"

"It's not a conversation for now," Kosuke says, shaking her head. She walks over to Kazu and rests a hand on Kazu's shoulders, "for now, rest. We're going home."

Kazu forces a nod and smile at Kosuke, but his fists are still balled and he can feel his heart skip a beat before accelerating faster than ever, light-headed as he watches Kosuke leave the room.

They're going home, but all he can feel is a dread that reaches deep into the pit of his stomach.

.

.

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A/N:

Merry Christmas!

For those who don't know (it was on my profile a while back, but it's gone now), I was in a car crash and then followed by complications including blood clots in my brain and a stroke. I'm all recovered now and updates should be back on track.