A/N: FYI Tsukino is NOT one of my OC's. She is part of the game Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 3. If you wish to know what she looks like, I had a picture done for this fanfic so please go to my journal for the link to this picture. She has a nice tan, long white hair, big green eyes.

X

Tsukino groaned as she limped through the forest. She was almost there. She was almost to the Leaf. That was where Naruto and Jiraiya were from. They would keep her safe. Then the tears fell from downcast eyes again. The sound of all the people of her village screaming for her to help them. Seeing so many innocent lives being senselessly and needlessly cut down. "They looked to me for protection and I was powerless against him. One man, one man saved our village a long time ago. And one man destroyed everything that I hold dear. I am truly alone."

"Is there anything that I might be able to help you with Miss?"

Tsukino tensed as she slowly looked over her head with wide eyes. Then she sighed. Whoever it was that destroyed her village wore the same headband as Naruto. As she started to turn around she fell into a tree with a thud. "Ouch! Oh that was smart."

Neji used his Byakugan and studied her. She was hurt bad, but nothing that was life threatening. He knelt next to her and reached out to help her back to her feet. "How were you injured?"

"I am Tsukino. Chief of the Hidden Moon Village. I am here looking for Master Jiraiya or Naruto Uzumaki."

Neji blinked at her. He could understand the leader of another hidden village asking for Jiraiya. He was after all one of the Sanin. But Naruto? "Master Jiraiya is not in the village at the moment. Would you rather me take you to the Hokage?"

Tsukino glared up at him. While Naruto and Jiraiya stayed with her for a while, he told her all about his friends form the Leaf. He told her that they all knew he was strong, but that most of them didn't think he was too smart. "I will go to the Hokage, however I will not tell anyone anything until Naruto is there."

"Of course. Come." Then he lifted her in his arms and carried her into the village and for the Hokage's office.

As he made his way toward Lady Tsunade's office he arched an eyebrow down at the girl that he carried in his arms. "May I ask you a question?"

"Depending on what it is as to if I will answer, but yes."

"I would just like to ask how you know Naruto?"

"He and Master Jiraiya stayed in the Moon Village for a while. He and I grew close as friends."

Neji smiled as he entered the Hokage mansion. "I see. That sounds like Naruto. He is always showing up and talking to people that most would not think he knows."

Tsukino nodded. She didn't think she and Naruto would have hit it off like they did. But they did and with Jiraiya gone, Naruto was the only one she felt safe enough to tell what happened to the Moon. After all, he bore the same symbol as the Leaf, but his eyes were the polar opposite of Naruto's.

x

Tsunade sighed as she sat back in her chair. "This is disturbing."

Shizune arched her eyebrow. "What are you talking about My Lady? I would have thought that it would have been a good thing that we only have Itachi to worry about when it came to the Akatsuki. Thanks to Naruto and Master Jiraiya the strongest of them all is dead. And rumor has it Sasuke has taken some of them out as well."

Tsunade stood and looked out the window. "That is it Shizune. It is too quiet. Those that are left cannot extract the nine tails from Naruto without more people. I am sure it would have reached us by now about them traveling looking for people to help him with the task. And it is like Sasuke and Orochimaru just dropped off the face of the earth."

"My Lady."

Tsunade and Shizune turned when they heard Neji's voice outside the door. "Come in Neji what is it?" But when he walked in the door she gasped and went pale. He was carrying Tsukino! She glared at them as he walked her to the couch and sat her down. "Tsukino what happened?"

Tsukino sighed as she let her head drop. "Not yet."

Neji smiled as he headed for the door. "She refuses to talk with out Master Jiraiya or Naruto. Since Naruto is the only one of the two in the village right now, I will go bring him here."

Tsunade nodded as she looked over at the young girl. She was hurt, but would live. She looked up at Shizune and nodded sending the girl out of the office. She would treat her wounds while they waited for Neji to find Naruto and bring him back.

"I will tend to your wounds. If you know who Jiraiya is you know who I am. I am Tsunade."

Tsukino only nodded as she watched with a close eye as the kunoichi used her chakra to heal her wounds. "Where is Master Jiraiya?"

"He is looking for the last member of the Akatsuki."

"Akatsuki?"

Tsunade nodded. "They are a group that are after Naruto and a few others. We have confirmed that all but one of them is dead."

"I see."

x

Naruto yawned as he sat up and stretched at the knock on the door. He had spent the last two weeks on non-stop missions and was hoping to sleep in today! "Man I never thought making Chunin would be so much work. I am coming!"

When he opened his door he squinted in a glare. "Tell Grandma that I aint doing nothing else until at least tomorrow. I need rest now." Then he started to shut the door.

Neji smiled as he reached out and stopped the door from shutting. "Except that Lady Tsunade did not send me. I am here per request by the injured woman that she has in her office right now."

"An injured woman requested me to the Hokage Office?"

"Her name is Tsukino."

Naruto jerked wide eyes up to him. "Tsukino? Of the Moon?"

"That's right. And she refuses to tell us why she is here alone or injured. Without you or Master Jiraiya and he is on a mission right now."

Naruto slammed the door shut on Neji and flew into his clothes and headband. 'What on earth? I never thought that she could have been injured at all! Damnit what happened?' Then he flew out the door and past Neji, who had no problems keeping up. "When did she get here?"

"I was on my way home from a solo mission when I saw her limping toward the front gate of the village about twenty minutes ago. I took her to Lady Tsunade and then came for you."

Naruto was in full on work mode now. It has been three years since he last saw Tsukino and so much about him has changed. Most of all was how he and even Sakura felt about Sasuke now. For other crimes that he committed Naruto now for one wanted to see him dead! Shaking his head he focused on what was at hand. Tsukino.

When he reached the Hokage mansion he ran straight for the office and didn't stop to knock. He was in and instantly at Tsukino's side with a worried look. "Tsuki? What happened?"

Tsukino looked up at Naruto. His stern blue eyes held so much maturity than the last time that she was able to look into them. He seemed more grown up to her. But then the flashes of the screams, the bodies, and the blood soared through her eyes and the tears returned. She fell into his arms and buried her face in his chest. "They are all gone Naruto! Everyone is gone!"

Naruto gasped as he looked down at her with softer eyes. "What do you mean they are gone?"

"We were….we were attacked three days ago. It was just one man, but he….he….he killed everyone! Even children! And I wasn't able to sto….sto…..stop him!" Then her explanation was overtaken by violent sobs as she hung to his clothes for life itself.

Naruto's eyes were wide. "One man." The story that Tsukino told him about what happened last time one lone stranger showed up in her village. He saved it, but this one destroyed it. "Don't worry Tsuki. You are safe here I swear I won't let anything else happen to you."

Tsukino could only cry into his chest. He and Jiraiya were the only two left in the world that she knew on a personal level. And right now she needed that. She needed a rock to lean on.

Tsunade glared down into Naruto's equally glaring eyes. "Neji. I want you to lead a squad to the Moon Village and assess what has happened. And see if you can find any clues as to who did this."

Tsukino turned her head slightly as she sucked in air. "I don't know his name. But I did get a good look at him."

Naruto's eyes shot down to the top of her head. "Can you tell us now?"

Tsukino nodded. "He was from the Leaf at one point in his life."

Naruto gasped. There were only four of them out there that he knew for a fact could have done something this evil and would have. "Tsuki, what color eyes did he have?"

"Red."

Tsunade crossed her arms. "What color clothing did he have? Did he wear a cloak with red clouds?"

Tsukino shook her head no. "He wore a white shirt with a fan on the back of it. I can't remember the color of anything else. I only remember that because that was all I saw when he turned from going to kill me and slaughtered more men that were coming to help me." The images of their faces flew threw her mind and she once again turned her head into Naruto and cried.

Naruto kept one arm wrapped around her shoulders as he rubbed her upper arm with the other one. "Grandma."

"What?"

"She is going to stay with me until she thinks she can go out on her own. No offense, but she doesn't know anyone else here. She wouldn't even tell you about what happened till I got here."

Shizune glared. "Naruto! I think Jiraiya is rubbing off on you! No way!"

Tsunade nodded as she turned for the door. "That's fine with me Naruto. She knows you, and of all the Chunin or Jonin in this village, you are the only one that can protect her from him."

Naruto nodded as he lifted her and walked past a rather pale Shizune. "Come on Tsuki, let's get you where you can rest." Then he stopped and looked back at Neji. "Let me know what you find out as soon as you get back?"

Neji nodded. "I will come to you right after I report to Lady Tsunade."

Tsukino held onto Naruto with all the strength that she had left. "Thank you Naruto."

"For what?"

"For helping me."

Naruto smiled as he headed for his apartment over the rooftops. "You are special to me Tsuki. I would help you no matter what."