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I

As Tsunade rose from the large chair, she felt a stinging pain in her right palm. As her eyes focused upon it, they met a single word. Her mind racing, she glanced longingly around the darkened room. And then she saw it. A mobile phone balanced delicately on a small table. Tsunade knew now what was to be done. Untying her own legs, she journeyed towards the table, and her freedom. When she got there, she picked up the phone, and caressed the keypad. Beep'Beep'Beep. A searing pain tore through her right lung. As the blood soaked into her thin shirt, she gazed hopefully towards the non-existent skies. When she fell, she saw the silhouette of a tall, slender man approaching. And then nothing.

II

The cool air swept around him. He stood in the dark alley of the main street on the beautifully sunny, yet bitterly cold morning. He sighed as another breath of cold winter air made its way down the alley he occupied. As he walked out onto the busy high street, he coughed slightly at the polluted city. He frowned deeper than he was already, before proceeding to walk calmly down the street. The breath of those who walked by him became visible as they talked in the icy cold. He stopped, looking up into the sky. Not a cloud was in sight and the sun shone brightly, as though attempting to warm the town, although it was fighting a losing battle. He directed his attention to those around him. Many walked past wearing scarves and gloves and thick coats to warm themselves up as they walked in and out of shops. A common winter day. Snow lay on the ground like a large, white carpet and crunched slightly under people's steps leaving tracks on the ground and small puddles of water where it had melted. Despite the beauty, the main road behind the row of shops on one side of the high street had left its mark on the delicate air; fumes had wandered over from the cars as they travelled up and down the busy road. At least the high street was saved the torture of the vehicles themselves.

He took his time walking through town, until reaching the park. He watched as children played and made snowmen, threw snowballs. Such a care-free attitude to the world. How he envied them... how he wished he didn't have to care... yet who he was forced him to care. He walked into the park, taking a seat on an empty bench and allowing himself to relax slightly. From his lonely position at the far end of the park, he stared into the sky, before feeling the sharp object press against his back.

"Make any sound, and you're a dead man," a dark, mysterious and cold voice spoke from behind him. He daren't look, but immediately tensed his body. He was allowed to stand before more words came to him, "Come with us. Try anything clever, and it's all over."