Ara's eyes fluttered open. She felt numb. Her whole body felt as if it was just thrown into the ground.

And it's true.

Slowly, Karasu sat up. She blinked, before realization hit her.

Her ankle was chained into the wall. The wall was made of rocks. There's no entrance nor exit. It was very small, only about a meter square. But the cell's height is thrice of her own height. The only light came from a small hole above her.

Ara shivered, as she looked up, staring at the only ventilation above her.

Her guts told her that no one is going to feed her.

Her body starts shaking, as she looked around frantically. She starts hyperventilating, as she leaned on the wall, eyes wide open.

She's a Kigaeru. She has some animal blood in her veins. And now, her wild instinct took over.

Her thoughts starts running, trying to keep her sanity, but at the same time losing it.

I'm caged. I'm chained. I want my freedom.

I was taken away. I was separated from my home. I want my family.

Family. Kakashi. Yūsha. Sukoshi. Kisa-kun. Saso-kun. Itachi. Shisui. Hana. Mi-

No. Minato is not a family. He didn't save me from the bad peoples.

I just want to go back home.

Home. Konoha? No, Konoha hates me. Akatsuki? No, Otou-sama hates me

I have no home.

What happened?  I..

I woke up in the office. Danzo's ANBUs dragged me away. I saw Aniki at the gates. He couldn't save me. I blacked out. I found myself here.

Yeah, that happened.

Aniki...

Aniki will save me. I'm his little sister. He will find me. He will take me home.

Won't he?
He cares, doesn't he?
He loves me, right?
He doesn't hate me. He loves me. He will-

-Shut up.- A voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

'Who's that?!' Ara asked in panic.

-I'm inside you, foolish mortal.-

'What do you want?'

The voice stayed silent, before saying, -Calm down. Stop panicking. You're driving yourself insane if you keep talking in your mind like that.-

Ara hugged her knees, resting her chin on them. 'Why do you care?'

The voice didn't give any reply.

*/*\*/*\*

Kakuzu suddenly felt something sharp stabbing his mind from inside. He flinched, and stopped running.

The pain's gone.

"What the hell was that?!" He muttered.

He entered a bounty office, and greeted the man behind the counter.

"Any news? Especially about Konoha?" The Akatsuki's treasurer asked.

The man raised an eyebrow. "I thought you only interested in money."

Kakuzu gave him a glare, causing him to flinch, and said, "Well, I heard that the Kyūbi broke loose, and it was sealed in a girl."

"Thank you." Kakuzu muttered, as he put a bag of money on the counter, and exited the place.

The man's eyes widened, as he opened the bag.

200 ryō.

*/*\*/*\*

Kakashi entered his house. He slumped in the couch, putting his arm over his eyes.

His adrenaline is now gone. Suddenly, he felt numb. His whole body felt as if it lost all the chakra inside.

"Damn..." He muttered, slamming his onto the wall behind him.

-Kakashi, forgive me.-

Kakashi let out a sigh. 'It's not your fault, Yūsha.'

-...Still...-

'I understand. However, can you tell me what happened?'

And Yūsha told him everything. How Ara left to get some food, before someone broke into the house and fought the tiger, managing to knock him out.

As Kakashi was about to gave his comment, Yūsha suddenly fell to the ground, and morph into a large black wolf, as he starts whining and howling in pain, scratching his own ears.

"Yūsha!" Kakashi yelled in panic, as he immediately crouched next to the wolf, and activated his sharingan.

-It's her, Kakashi!-

'Wh-What do you mean?!'

-Ara. Ara is in danger.- Yūsha muttered, gritting his fangs in pain. -She's hurt. I don't know whether it's physically or mentally, but something is definitely wrong.-

'I don't understand... Does Danzo really want to kill her?!'

-I think she's hurting mentally, Kakashi. I can't feel any of her physical pain, but I can feel that something is attacking her mind. Whether it's a genjutsu, or maybe her own hallucinations.-

Kakashi didn't respond. Instead, he just entered his room and locked the door.

*/*\*/*\*

Hana entered the Uchiha Clan's compound, and walked right towards Itachi's house, knocking the door. She was greeted by Mikoto, who was holding Sasuke in her hand.

"Hello Hana."

"Hi Mrs. Uchiha." Hana said, before she turned at the baby. "He's so cute! Just like Kiba!" She squealed.

Mikoto chuckled softly. "Ah, yes, he's adorable. By the way, what brings you here, Hana?"

"Uh... Well, have you seen Ara anywhere? She told me that she was going to visit Sasuke today, before visiting Kiba. It's already 4 in the afternoon, and she's not yet coming. I wonder, maybe she's still here?"

Mikoto raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, I have some bad feelings in my guts about her. I don't want anything bad happens to her."

The Uchiha let out a sigh. "She didn't came here. Maybe you should find Kakashi and asked him. I'm sure Itachi would like to accompany you." The woman said, before turning back, and yelled, "Itachi, come here!"

Footsteps were heard, and not long after that Itachi appeared by his mother's side.

"Yes, Kaa-san?"

"Hana is looking for Ara. I know you do, too. I think you should go to Kakashi with her." Mikoto told her son.

"Ne... Auntie, why do you forget me?" Shisui whined, as he walked towards all of them, "I wanna go, too..."

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Mikoto asked back, smiling.

"Thank you Mrs. Uchiha!" Hana yelled, bowing, before she walked towards the compound's exit.

"Came back home at dinner, Itachi. You too, Shisui."

"Will do. See you later, Kaa-san!"

"Bye, Auntie!"

As she watched the 3 kids walking out of the compound, Mikoto let out a heavy sigh.

"And somehow, my guts also told me something bad happened to that Ara." She muttered, before entering her house and closed the door.

*/*\*/*\*

Itachi, Shisui, and Hana  stopped in front of Kakashi's house.

"So.... Who's going to knock?" Hana asked nervously. Her instinct told her something bad really had happened, and she is scared.

Shisui sighed and knocked the door.

About a minute later, the door opened, revealing Kakashi. His hair is far messier than usual, and his eye is... empty, maybe that's the best word to describe it.

"Oh, it's you three. Come in." Kakashi said, and everyone entered the house.

"You're looking for Ara, don't you?" Kakashi asked solemnly, as Yūsha approached all of them.

The trio nodded.

Kakashi let out a sigh, as he sat on the couch. "She's gone."

Everyone froze. Hana was the first one who managed to break out from her trance.

"WHAT?!" She yelled, obviously shocked.

"Someone kidnapped her."

"... I hope she's alright..." Shisui muttered.

"She will. I know it." Kakashi said, "After all, she's a Hatake."

"Eh? You mean..." Hana trailed off.

Kakashi nodded in confirmation. "I adopted her last month."

Hana turned at the Uchihas. "And you already know?! Why does no one told me?!"

Itachi shrugged. "I thought you know it already."

*/*\*/*\*

"Minato, dear? We need to talk, dattebane."

Minato cringed. He immediately stood up and approached his wife with the best fake smile he can manage.

"Yes, Kushina?"

Kushina smiled, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "When I visit Kakashi today, he was staying in his room and refused to get out. He locked the door, and he said that I must ask you about the problem. Ara is nowhere to be found, and Yūsha is on the couch, whining nonstop. Now tell me, what's wrong with them?"

The blonde's face turned pale. There's no 'dattebane' in those sentences. In 4 sentences. It means trouble. Big trouble.

"...Uh..."

"Just answer me, Namikaze."

"...Danzo locked her up..." The Yondaime muttered, avoiding his wife's eyes.

Kushina's gaze turned into a glare.

"You're the Hokage, Minato! You could have stop him!" Kushina yelled, as she grabbed her husband's shoulders, and starts shaking him in anger.

"You... Can't you save her?! You know how Danzo is! Don't you-.... Damnit, dattebane!" She yelled in frustration, as she slammed her body on the couch. She covered her face with her hands, and starts sobbing.

"She's... Ara... My daughter..." She whispered, still crying.

Minato kneeled in front of her. "Kushina... I'm sorry... I-"

SLAP!!!

Kushina had slapped Minato, hard, leaving a red mark on his cheek. Minato's eyes widened. She never slap him. She hit him, but playfully. She never slap him.

"You... YOU JERK!" She screamed, tears in her eyes, "Don't you realize what have you done?! You may be the Hokage, but I bet you don't even know what happened in the village!"

Minato hold his breath. His wife had never been so angry to him.

"Everyone hated her... Just because she has the Kyūbi in her body, they called her a monster! She never complaints... She never got mad! She accept those treatments... And now... And now you let her got taken by that man's hand!"

Naruto starts crying.

Minato stood up, as he ran his fingers through his blonde hair. He has a thoughtful look in his face.

"You don't know how horrible does it feel to be a jinchūriki! I have Kyūbi talking in my mind nonstop, saying that I'm just a worthless kid! And what do you think will happen if her seal is weaker than mine?! Maybe the Kyūbi even tries to take over her body! She's just 5 years old, Minato!" Kushina continues, clenching her fists.

"You don't know how she feels... It's bad enough to constantly have a voice inside your head that hates you... And she has the whole village treats her like scum! Can't you imagine how much pain she has gone through?!"

Minato slowly fell into his knees, clutching his heart with one hand. "What... What have I done...?"

Kushina stayed silent, as she watched her husband cried in sorrow, in regret.

*/*\*/*\*

Kami, I almost cry writing that part when Kushina starts yelling....

I already have the next chapter done. When do you want me to upload it? Tomorrow? 2 days from now? You may choose. Or you want it today?

Comment! Vote!