This is a side fic to 'It goes on' it is directly after chapter 8, it does not necessarily have to be read with the other fic though it may help you understand it.

-Kuroda

N.S. P.O.V.

Messages to deliver

I groaned as I looked at the list of people that she wanted to see and deliver messages to. I knew today was going to be troublesome but this list had made it ten times worse.

I decided that the quickest way to do this would be to go to the registration office and find the address of all these people (or closest living relative in some cases.)

The kunoichi followed the silence between us comfortable but she looked anything but. She had her hands clasped in front of her and her head bowed.

I sighed as I looked up towards the blue sky as I walk though the village towards its centre, I really should think about moving out, our house is out in the middle of nowhere because of the deer and it is too troublesome to walk so far everyday for work.

I look back to the path ahead of me as I hear the noise of the market, I really do not want to walk into everyone it would be quite unbecoming for a shinobi, I snort, I am starting to sound like a certain Hyuuga.

As we get to the other side of the market I look over my shoulder to see if my mission is still keeping up with me. To my surprise I see her hop down from the rooftop and dust herself off.

"I didn't think that you would be one for travelling over rooftops." I said with a raised eyebrow before turning to continue.

"Well, you don't know much about me really," she replied, "but it was too much like hard work walking though the middle of the market."

I nodded slightly before concentrating on the building ahead; I thumbed the list of names in my pocket. There were some names on there that I recognised; others I assumed were just civilians of the village.

We climbed three fights of stairs before reaching the office where Iruka was sat behind the desk with what looked to be his pre-Genin marking. I walked over to him, Kuroda a few steps behind.

He looked up and smiled at us before putting his paper to the side of the desk, "good morning Shikamaru-kun, how can I help you?"

"Iruka-sensei, I am surprised you are hear, you are usually at the mission desk." I state with a yawn.

"Hai, but I had a lot of marking to catch up on and this office is a lot quieter than the mission desk. Though Kakashi-san decided that he would come here to deliver his mission report anyway."

I smirk; it was no secret that Kakashi only handed in reports to Iruka and the Hokage. "Hn, I was wondering if you could find some addresses for me." I said taking the now slightly crumpled list out of my pocket and passing it to the Chuunin.

He looked at the list and mumbled, "Hagane, Minkan, Shiranui, Jinsei, Nara, Sumizome, Mori andHatake." He put the list down on the desk, "you have quite a list here Shikamaru-kun, though I am sure that you know where you live." He chuckled and stood, "I will see what I can do, though I know that Kotetsu is in the mission office this afternoon. However I can not say if I will be able to give you the other shinobi's addresses."

He stood and left to search the books wile I took a seat and looked out the window towards the clouds.

- -- -- -- -

It had taken just under an hour for Iruka to find all the addresses that he could give us and then another three hours for us to find them in the village.

We managed to find all the civilians quite easily and my mission was able to pass on the scrolls that she to them.

During our searching we started to talk and get to know each other, as I learnt that she would be staying with us for a while so I though I might as well learn something about her now. I found out that her mother had died recently and she was now here to find her father, whom she had never been told about never mind met.

But the shinobi were harder to find Kotetsu was indeed in the main tower but it took us a while to find where as he was running errands for Tsunade. Genma was hard to track down so we had to search the village for him. We eventually found him back at the mission office handing in a report from his latest mission; only after going round the village for an hour and a half.

Kakashi however was worse than that. We did manage to find Naruto and Sakura at the ramen stand where their sensei had taken them and then vanished before paying for his food. I sighed and headed back to the registration office in hopes of Iruka still being there.

To my relief he was, I strolled up to the desk again after the day of searching for the secretive Kakashi Hatake.

"Iruka-sensei, we have had no luck with finding Kakashi-sempai today. Please can you tell me where I can find him?"

"What makes you think I know where he is?" the Chuunin asked a slight blush on his cheek.

I gave him a look that clearly said, 'I know otherwise' without actually saying a word or taking too much effort.

He blushed harder and turned away as he absentmindedly rubbed along his scar.

"Please Umino-san, it is important that I meat him as soon as possible as I have to go with him to meet with the Hokage once I have found him." Ku said as she came up to the desk.

The tanned Chuunin looked to my mission, "I have not seen you around before today, do you have authorisation to see Hatake-san?" he asked his orders clearly winning out when it came to security of the village (and some certain shinobi.)

She slipped out the card that she was given at the gate and another from the Hokage.

He nodded at the paperwork and proceeded to write down the address that we could find the copy-nin at.

"Thank you Umino-san." She bowed her head before turning and I followed her, looking at the address over her shoulder. I sighed; it was on the other side of the village.

It took us a good half hour to get to him, as we had to stop off on the way to get something to eat (how Choji would be proud!)

When we reached the door however Ku turned to me and bowed, "thank you Shikamaru-san for taking me round but now I must go with only Hatake-sempai, I will be at your house later I am sure as your mother would not allow for me to stay anywhere else!" she smiled, her eyes arching up.

I yawned and rubbed the back of the neck muttering a "troublesome" before turning away.

So I had not just wasted a day of cloud spotting but it had been all day and I still had no idea as to who she really was.

Oh well, time for a well deserved nap…