Poisoned.

Hiruzen hummed a tuneless song quietly as he stood in front of a canvas, the subject being a lilac tree that was growing on the side trail to the Hokage mountain lit in the night by lanterns. He stepped back eyeing the painted capture with the real tree swaying with the cool November night air. The chatter of the nightlife rose through the air which soothed the elder, knowing he was doing the right thing to keep the peace of his grand village.

A faint explosion disrupted the elders' peace drawing his attention to his village, trained eyes quickly locating the black smoke rising in the air.

'That's past Tea Avenue..' Hiruzen placed the spot watching as water was being used and yelling echoed.

"Anbu-" He began before an inhuman scream filled the night that cut through the chatter causing an eerie silence to fall, an explosion of red chakra exploded causing a shockwave to travel the roads with screams of people in terror followed.

"Hokage-sama?" The monotone call reminded the elder of his summon, the anbu watched his leader grip the metal railing in a white knuckle grip.

"Find out what's going on and report back to me." The anbu grunted disappearing from his spot. Hiruzen's heart hammered and sweat slid down his face, he eyed the full moon and swallowed the lump in his throat. 'This is so similar, Kami I pray it's not.' The screams yanked him back to eight years ago.

"Hokage-sama," He turned to his anbu who was clearly shaken. "The explosion was located at Kame's Sweets. The building and the next building have been demolished in an explosion. In the chaos I spotted what seems like a miniature version of Kyuubi, it has grown and rampaging through the streets. Many casualties have been found already." Hiruzen hung his head before letting out a slow breath and turning on his heel. "Get the villagers to safety and into the tunnels, protect them and ensure nothing happens to the hospital, get all wounded there and find me Fugaku, get him to the west gate." Hiruzen rushed down the stairs shedding his haori revealing his battle gear. He bit into his thumb spilling his blood and shot through multiple signs before smoke exploded revealing his summon Enma.

"Hiruzen what's going on?" The monkey questioned his summoner.

"Not exactly sure, but something happened to Naru, she is rampaging, we have to push her from the village and to the west gate."
"Got it!" He nodded before focusing and transforming into the Adamantine staff much like eight years ago.

'What happened Akane?' Hiruzen wondered before rushing out.

-o0o-

"NII-SAN!!!!!" Sasuke whined loudly from his spot on the couch, Itachi heaved a heavy sigh, dropping his head and giving a small shake.

"Sasuke, I get it. Your nose and your head hurts, I do, but until mother returns from the store with more medications you're just going to have to deal with it." Itachi explained mild irritation in his voice, Sasuke moaned loudly and rubbed his snotty nose on the cushions. 'I'll have to scrub that later.' Itachi mentally grumbled gathering the bowl of uneaten soup and walking into the kitchen. He smiled gently, finding Izumi washing a dirty dish in the sink.

"I swear this was not the date I planned, it was gonna actually be ... nice." He blushed, and the girl smiled at him.

"It's okay Itachi, like I said I like spending time with you, no matter what we're doing." She smiled, pulling the bowl from his hands and dumping it out.

"You don't have to" He began before Izumi flicked some of the soap bubbles at him and laughed as it landed on his nose.

"Hush now, besides I think you have your hands full enough right now." She nodded her head towards his whining little brother. "Besides, you can give me a makeup date tomorrow." He smiled, wiping the soap away, and leaned closer to her, she turned, giving him a quick peck on his cheek enjoying the scarlet color his cheeks turned to.

"Ahem! Nii-san!" Sasuke interrupted, he stood in the doorway, a full pout on his face and his arms crossed over his chest, a small sneer pointed at Izumi. Before he could even talk, he disliked the girl, especially since she took his brother's attention all the time.

"Ya know Sasuke, whenever I'm sick I like to take an extra hot bath, the steam does wonders," Izumi bent down in front of the boy. "Whatda say? I can draw a nice one for you."

Sasuke gave a heavy eye roll that did not escape Itachi's sight.

"Be nice Sasuke," He snipped. "Say yes please, or no thank you. Just because you're sick doesn't mean you get to be rude." Itachi scolded, making Sasuke's lip start to quiver.

"Sorry, Izumi." Sasuke mumbled, Itachi pressed his hand on Sasuke's forehead and sighed.

"Your fever has gone down finally." He mumbled.

"Do you smell smoke?" Izumi questioned, Itachi frowned as the smell filled his nose, and screams filled the air making him launch outside and to the roof to peer over the buildings. He spotted the orange glow of a fire and black smoke filling the night sky.

"Itachi?" Izumi called, Itachi watched a building collapse and screams of civilians made tremors travel down his back. "Are we under attack from an enemy?" Izumi questioned as he jumped back down racing inside grabbing his weapon pouch and hitai-ate before yanking his sandals on.

"I don't know I-" He paused at the feeling that washed over him. 'This feeling is like that night of Kyuubi- Naru.' He swallowed the dread. "Um,.. it seems like something is happening, it doesn't seem close by, but take shelter anyways. I'm going to help."
"I'm coming to Nii-san!" Sasuke yelled, grabbing his shoes.
"NO!" Itachi barked. "You stay far away from this Sasuke! I mean it." He ordered.

"NOOOOO!" He whined rushing forward before Izumi snatched his arm and nodded at Itachi.

"I'll keep him safe."

"You keep safe too!" Itachi gave a smile before running down the street leaving the compound, civilians shoved and ran around him, some covered in blood.

"Itachi! Hokage-sama orders us to push the beast to the west gate!" He turned to his anbu captain perched on a fence. "Order civilians to the tunnels or hospital, do not engage it!"

"Yes sir!" He nodded, rushing forward.

-o0o-

Naru screamed as the chakra body of the fox thrashed through buildings and people. She choked ever so slightly as the chakra burned her already damaged skin. An explosion threw her to the side into a building window, she thrashed around the glass before the chakra grew, and she felt everything slowly start to fade to white.

DESTROY THEM ALL! The dark voice yelled, pushing her on.

Anbu stood around her, she snarled crouching as a tail swished behind her, a tunnel of wind thrashed through the streets, another sliced across the anbu and a fire exploded around her.

"Push it to the west gate! The Hokage is ready for her!!"

'Hokage...' Naru hissed in her mind.

"The Sandaime, he decided to drop you in my lap, ordering me to care for you." Akane's words echoed in her head, and a sharp throb in her chest made her whimper in pain.

"Had it not been for the Hokage's multiple visits, I would have dropped you in the woods."

Naru opened her mouth letting out a scream that was amplified by chakra smashing against the anbu and buildings clearing her way. She shot forward dodging others as they screamed and threw things at her, the chakra thrashing against the damage.

"Stop it! Make it stop!!" Naru screamed in her head but it came out as guttural screams.

"Kill the beast!"

"Halt! Do not wound her!" Her attention was pulled as the black Adamantine staff slammed against the ground pulling her to a halt, she growled at the elder Hokage who waved his hand.
"Come to me! Leave them alone!" He barked. Naru shot forward, a large chakra paw smashing against the ground, Hiruzen winced against the ground that smashed around him.

"Follow me, that's it!" Hiruzen taunted as Naru followed him.

"Naru!!" She skidded to a stop finding Itachi land before her, his arms stretched out wide, an attempt to block her rampage.

Itachi looked at the bubbling red-orange chakra that swished around her, he spotted the girl in the center, a wince covering his face seeing the burn wounds, blood coating the girl. Her teeth and nails lengthened to sharpened points, the thin whisker marks widened, the gouged marks over her eye twisted his stomach.

"Stop, please." He yelled, a blast of chakra slammed against him but didn't weaken his stand. "I know you're in there Naru, it's me." He pleaded, he watched her tense form start to fall, the chakra slowed and began to wisp away until it covered her with two tails swishing behind her.

"Please, it's me, just me, you know me! I would never hurt you." He lowered his voice and lowered to his knees. "What happened?" He whispered, she flinched as the blue in her eyes began to shine through the endless white, tears slipped down her cheek. "Come to me, I can and will help you." He coaxed, he eyed her wounds, taking note of her wounds mentally noting she would for sure need urgent medical care once she calmed herself.

"I... Itachi I - she..." Naru's voice mixed with an almost inhuman growl. Itachi smiled, outstretched his hand, he watched her hand reach out, the orange chakra bubbling and pulling back from her hand, her fingers grazing his palm. "You got this Naru, just take a breath, block them out. Focus only on me."

A crunch of gravel drew Itachi's attention before a kunai whizzed past his head catching a bit of his bangs before slashing Naru's cheek under her already blind eye. She screamed falling backwards, Itachi snarled drawing his own kunai whirling to the cloaked anbu.
"WHY?!?" He screamed, twirling the blade. "Name and team! Now!" His eyes flickered to life, the anbu turned to disappear before a red-orange tail encircled their ankle keeping them locked in place. A growl rumbled before an explosion of chakra threw Itachi to the side through a fence, he stifled a scream as a burning sensation traveled through. "Naru.." He rasped as his vision tunneled and lost all color as consciousness escaped him.

Naru screamed smashing through the alley with renewed anger and pain, she coughed heavily as the staff slammed into her side. She tumbled over before skidding to a stop, she glared at the elder who beckoned her again.

She shot forward smashing into the ground, her tails swishing fast creating shockwaves, more tornadoes, and fires as she followed the Hokage.

"What is your plan Hokage-sama?"
"Get her to the gates, we'll deal with her." Hiruzen landed in the middle of the open area and turned preparing to face off against her. Naru yelled springing into the air and aiming at him, Fugaku appeared next to the village leader, his sharingan glowing red before morphing into three dots followed by three curves that spiraled counter-clockwise around the pupil. Naru's eyes locked on the gaze, the red-orange chakra exploded from around her before she fell to the ground at his feet. Hiruzen heaved a heavy sigh of relief, Fugaku bent down scooping the girl up in his arms watching her head lull to the side.

"The genjutsu should last for a short time." He murmured. "She's been badly wounded.." He trailed off.

Hiruzen motioned, calling four anbu to land around them. "Use a repression seal, move her to the anbu cell and ensure she is treated for her wounds, do not let anyone come near her." He ordered, Fugaku watched the anbu slap metal chains around her wrists and ankles before placing a paper seal on her forehead before they disappeared with the child.

"Thank you for the help Fugaku."

"I'll work with you and my son on this path, but it'll be even more difficult with this." Fugaku commented looking around the fires and downed buildings.

"I worry more for the child, return home and check on your family." Hiruzen nodded. "I may request you to come when I try to find out what happened, but that is for another day."

Fugaku heaved a sigh walking through the intact alleyways watching others return to their homes or try to recollect themselves.

"Fugaku!" Mikoto perked up, running to him and throwing her arms around him. "Thank heavens."

"You weren't hurt were you?"
"No, I was at the market further away, where's Itachi?"
"What do you mean? He was watching Sasuke..." He gripped her arms.

"Fugaku-sama, Itachi joined to help, I.. I haven't seen him." Izumi supplied wringing her hands.

"I'll find him." Fugaku turned racing through the streets and billowing smoke, his eyes tracing over everything for any sign of his son.

"Fugaku-sama," He turned, spotting the silver-haired anbu beckoning him. "I found Itachi, he was wounded, we took him to the hospital and he's being treated."
"Thank you." He heaved a heavy sigh of relief.

-o0o-

"NARU!!!" Itachi yelled jackknifing up from the bed before curling up in pain.
"Easy Itachi, easy." He looked at his father before looking down at his bandaged arm, IV in his other hand.

"What happened?" He questioned.
"Her chakra exploded close by, you have a few second degree burns, a small concussion, hopefully it won't affect your sharingan." He murmured, touching Itachi's forehead.
"Where's Naru? What happened? Is she-?"
"She's alive, I managed to subdue her, anbu has her in lockdown, and she's being looked after. I'll be going with Hiruzen to find out what happened."

"I...am urck going too." Itachi groaned, shifting over.
"Uchiha Itachi, you stay in your bed!"Izumi snarled, bursting into the room. "You were reckless and could have been hurt!" She scolded much to his embarrassment and Fugaku amusement.
"But-"
"NO!" She growled, tears growing in the corner of her eyes.
"She's right, rest and you should be able to go home shortly, Izumi-"
"I got him." She nodded, Fugaku smirked before leaving his son who began to protest Izumi's doting.

"How is Itachi?" Hiruzen questioned as they waited in a windowless room, a heavy metal chair with shackles was positioned on the other side of the same type of table.
"He woke up and is concerned about her, what do you plan to do after this? I doubt this can be covered up.."
"I swore to Kushina I would protect her, once I can figure out why she rampaged... then I can move forward, anbu are searching and so far have not found a trace of Akane, hopefully Naru can shed some light on the situation." Both looked up when the door clicked open and two anbu carried her unconscious form into the room and shackled her to the chair. Her blistered skin bandaged but clearly seeping through the gauze, a bandage with gauze covered her left eye and around her head.

"Remove the seal and activate the barrier." Hiruzen ordered watching the painted seals on the wall glow before fading before the paper tag placed on her forehead was peeled away. They watched as Naru roused from her sleep and looked around groggily before locking eyes on the two, a dark shadow crossed her face that was shot towards Hiruzen making him barely refrain from flinching, not seeing the girl he knew so well. "Naru, you're okay, you're bound for precaution, do you understand?" He questioned slowly but was met with silence.

"Do you remember anything?" Fugaku asked quietly, Naru began to thrash in her binds, tears built in her eye and began to spill down her cheek.

"Naru!" Hiruzen snipped, she stilled before looking at him slowly, her lip curled revealing a sharp canine. "Please speak to me, I can't help you if you don't talk to me. Where is Akane? Wha-"
"DON'T MENTION HER NAME!!!" Naru screamed before falling into a fit of sobs.
"What happened?" He whispered, Naru looked to the side trying to calm her hiccuping cries. "You're hurt badly, you lost control and ramaged around the village, but we can't find A- ahem her, or any triggers, can you please shed some light on the subject."

"Shed light...?" She squinted at him. "You chose to keep me in the dark, why should I tell you a thing?" She lowered her voice, Fugaku watched her nails dig into the metal chair legs. "Shed some light, like how the Yondaime was my father? That he willingly put Kyuubi inside me? That he killed my mother!?" She shouted.
"Where did you learn this? Where is Akane?"
"She's dead." Both adults stiffened at her comment.
"How?"
"I killed her." Naru gave a tiny shrug. "She attacked me, tried her best to kill me, so I killed her in return, but not before she told me the truth, that I was born to be this village's tool. You made her raise me, she made me vulnerable and once she got the chance, she.... You all let your guards down, she took it, and beat me." Hiruzen stayed silent, staring into Naru's eye, his jaw ticking. "My chakra im....impaled her." Her voice faltered before she took a deep breath.

"Naru, I am so sorry, I never imagined she would do this." Hiruzen whispered. "Akane wasn't- I mean she-" He stopped with a sigh. "It's not what she made it to be. You were not made for -"
"Save it!" She growled, her blue eye slowly turned to red, shocking the two adults. "I don't want to hear your lies, I hate you." Hiruzen flinched. "I'm done."

"Done?" Hiruzen questioned, his posture straightening and stared at her. "What does that mean little one?"
"I'm done with you! I'm done with everything! And I'm done being a part of this village!" She snarled. "Let me go!"
"If I understand you have the intention of abandoning your village?"
"I'm abandoning my prison and liars!" She growled.
"Understand young Uzumaki, the way you are speaking is that of a rogue ninja, and you know very well that rogue ninja are captured and held-"
"No! See there you go lying again! We learned about it, rogue ninja are killed! But ... of course.." She began to laugh. "A rogue jinchuuriki would be held right!?" She barked. "RIGHT!?"
"Stand down young lady."
"Screw you!"

"Naru, just take a breath and we'll-" Fugaku began before she turned her sight to him.
"Shut up!" She began to buck in her chair, a heavy wave of chakra spread out before a loud crack sounded, red chakra tendrils formed from Naru's spine and began to hit the binds.

"Naru!" Hiruzen barked standing to his feet, she continued to struggle with the binds before a loud bang made her jolt and look up meeting Fugaku's sharingan.
"Bastard." She cursed in a whisper before her eyes rolled up in the back of her head and she passed out. Fugaku took in a deep breath staring at Naru's slumped over form, blood seeping from her wounds from the struggle. Two anbu rushed back inside seeing her form, Hiruzen looked down collecting himself before looking back up with a steeled face.

"Hokage-sama?"
"Take the young Uzumaki, have the fuinjutsu department place two chakra seals on her body, not a tag, then put her in the cells under the Hokage tower." Fugaku looked at Hiruzen concerned.
"How long will she be in jail?"
"Until she changes her heart and chooses to stay in the village." They carefully picked her up and rushed to do as he ordered.

"With all due respect, keeping her in prison? She's a child."
"I have to do something, or the council really will want her used as a weapon, hopefully this way I can get through to her privately, hopefully I can save her from the darkness in her soul " Hiruzen exited the room quickly, Fugaku took in a deep breath before exiting the room himself.