Ohayo, I'm back with a bonus chapter to thank my reviewers. I'm glad you all like it and I hope I do no disappoint. This chapter is a bit long, but try to not get too used to this length, I'm quite inconsistent about chapter length.

By the by, the title of the last chapter, Hydrangea, means coldhearted/ heartlessness. I meant to add that like I did with this chapter, as seen below.


Chapter TWO~~~ Mushrooms

~Suspicion


Iruka ducked into the shrubbery surrounding the small pond, his breath coming out in uneven gasps.

His enemy had come looking for him this time; Sand village shinobi that thought he would fetch a decent price. They had been tracking his killing habits and were waiting for when he patrolled by.

His only hope to beat the three was to retreat to his hidden home. The problem was that it was over five kilometres away. They'd never be so stupid as to chase him that far.

'Damn it all to the hells.' He grit his teeth and dove for the side. He barely dodged the kunai flying through the air.

He sidled behind a tree and scooted up it. He drove several kunai with paper explosive attached to them into the ground. They exploded nicely, coating the area in a dense plume of smoke. Iruka leapt away, throwing out lines of chakra wires, trying desperately to weave a decent net behind him. He attached some more explosive tags to the trees the wires were attached to, setting it up to make some nice artillery like debris.

He left some clones about trying to coax the trio into the net as he rushed on, struggling to get into a tree.

The tags exploded behind him and the clones dispersed from the debris. Iruka cursed, scrambling up the tree, bark raining down on the ground.

He cursed at his inability to be stealthy. He gasped as he tried to get his mind back in order. He was desperately wishing for some good luck when he felt an ANBU patrol encroaching upon their battle.

Iruka cursed and grabbed for his katana, swearing more when the ninja gathered just below. They leapt up into the tree, boxing him in.

"We have to hurry up here, those ANBU won't pay us if we don't have you captured by the time they get here." The scarred leader sneered.

Iruka slashed at them as he planted an explosive tag on the tree behind him. He braced himself for the impact and let the sand shinobi get close before setting it off.

He felt the explosion rip at his back. His clothes were scorched and he could feel them fuse to his torn back. His bones creaked from the pressure and his consciousness was nearly rent from him.

He pushed through on pure adrenaline, barely limping to the river when ANBU landed lightly behind him, forming a semi circle around him.

"Surrender, Umino. You're too injured to take us all." One spoke crisply, but had an undertone to their voice that bespoke volumes of how much they were hoping he would resist.

Iruka panted for air, his entire body held up by the rock he was clinging to. He shook his head, trying to clear his spotting vision.

"Not today, not tomorrow, not ever." He whispered, his lungs burning from the exertion.

He flung himself back into the river; his element.

His family hails from the village hidden in the mist many generations ago, his father and mother were both ANBU and had taken it upon themselves to teach him the family skills. He sluggishly made the hand-signs and felt his body mesh with the water. He moved faster and his charred and aching body was soothed by the technique.

He expelled the last of the air in his lungs and tore free from the water. He wheezed as he was spit out on the shore. He had been washed down river several kilometres and his body creaked with exhaustion.

He leapt pitifully into the forest, his tiredness pushing him to the earth. He scrapped at the trees and tall rocks as he tried futilely to remain on his feet.

He growled at himself as he collapsed to the forest floor.


Iruka jerked awake, his head spinning. He scrambled for his canteen, gulping down the water before tossing the empty canteen across the shrine.

That was one tragic side effect of going rogue, he supposed. Having vivid dreams of each time he nearly got caught and/or nearly died.

The ANBU had never really forgiven him for the flour incident.

He heaved a sigh and closed his eyes, trying to feel out any enemies. He'd been in the shrine much longer than any other hide out. He was reluctant to leave it but knew that today was definitely a fine day for finding a new area.

For one it was a sunny day; thick beams of sunlight burst through the torn and worn paper screens and holes in the side. For another, the other rogue ninjas were starting to avoid crossing through this area because they knew he had been staying here. Lastly, he was sure that Kakashi had accidently led another leaf ninja here.

The last thing he wanted was to get Kakashi in trouble. Iruka held no illusions that Kakashi wasn't already in trouble but he wasn't about to throw him under the bus.

He stretched and groaned slightly in pain. The burns he sustained a little over four months ago still burned occasionally. His skin felt especially tight today.

He ambled from the shrine, buckling and tightening all his gear so it wouldn't bounce on the journey. His eyes flew up as he felt the unmistakeable auras of ninja fast approaching.

Iruka scrambled away, pulling as much of his chakra inwards as possible. He barely managed to get six meters away when the shrine was engulfed by jounin.

Gai had led Asuma and Kurenai to the shrine and were slowly picking it over.

"Kakashi was in this area yesterday, he moved on as soon as he detected me. He won't tell me what's going on but I know you've noticed it too." Gai stated as he unknowingly copied Kakashi and seated himself on the roof.

Kurenai help herself into the shrine to peek at the barren shelter. Iruka never packed more than he could carry.

Which reminded him, he needed to hit up another caravan, his supplies were running low.

Asuma's eyes shifted around the forest, his eyes seeming to linger on Iruka's hiding spot. Iruka held his breath, holding still as he tried to think of a new hiding spot to relocate to.

Most of his traps were still in place though and they'd be able to cover his exit if need be.

"I get the feeling that there's much more to this than just Kakashi finding religion." Kurenai scoffed as she exited the shrine and circled the building. "And judging by the state of the inside, Kakashi's either been tidying up the shrine or somebody else is."

Iruka scowled at her, silently yelling at them for messing up his exit strategy. He always took to re-dirtying the shelters he stayed at, just in case he wanted to return. He hadn't had time to sow dirt about.

"Maybe Kakashi has a little lady from a neighbouring village that he brings here." Asuma rolled his shoulders and Iruka almost laughed out loud at that. Kakashi might be infamous for his Icha Icha Paradise but he's not exactly a hound dog.

"My theory is he's lying in wait to ambush Umino-"

"That chuunin that went rogue?" Asuma cut off Gai, "why would he ever go after some nobody rogue like him?"

"...I take you did not hear about 'that' mission then?" Asuma shook his head and Gai continued. "Yes, my number one rival had been assigned to accompany two ANBU to kill a water ninja that was terrorizing the western border. I don't know much other than that the ninja was actually the leader of a small band of rogue ninja and that Umino had already engaged the enemy before they arrived. The mission was a success but no one will release any information on the battle." Gai crossed his arms, his eyes gaining a faraway look as he tried to logic this all out.

"Why was that chuunin battling with the mist shinobi? I thought that's where he would have run off to?" Asuma balk slightly, his eyes once more burning into Iruka's back. "Isn't that his ancestral home?"

"I cannot say, my hip and youthful rival refuses to give a single hint on the matter." Gai stated dejectedly, looking a couple lines away from some manly weeping.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Kakashi asked as the area filled with silence at his unexpected presence.

"KAKASHI! MY ETERNAL RIVAL! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A COMPETION! IF I WIN, YOU WILL TELL ME ABOUT THAT BATTLE INVOLVING THE ROGUE CHUUNIN!" Gai shouted, leaping to Kakashi's side.

"Huh, what was that Gai?" Kakashi turned absently his way. "I wasn't paying any attention at all to you."

"ACK! My Hip and Blasé Rival has bested me again!" He shouted, going into his manly weeping routine.

Iruka let out a soft sigh, relieved to see Kakashi. He would be able to create an opening for him to flee. Iruka glanced at the quintet, trying to see if he could catch Kakashi's attention.

"Hey Kakashi." Kurenai smiled amiably but there was a fierce edge to her voice. "Look at this shrine we found, you know of it?"

"Indeed, I bring women here. They always get on their knees in shrines." Kakashi smirked lewdly, and Iruka almost fell out of the tree at that.

Asuma's eyes cut back to Iruka's hiding spot with Kakashi following suit. They then both turned their gazes to each other.

'Damn.' Iruka cursed inwardly, Asuma knew someone was there, he had probably already guessed as to who it was. 'Damndamndamndamndamndamn.'

Iruka exhaled smoothly, pulling his chakra even closer as he tried a very stealthy henge. He had barely transformed when Kakashi and Asuma appeared on both sides of him. Iruka's now crystal clear blue widened with shock and his fluttering blonde hair whipped about from the displaced air. He gave an appropriately feminine squeak considering his new form.

He gave a small defensive and scared gesture with his now tiny, slim hands.

"Oh." Kakashi blinked quickly and looked to Asuma who was also brilliantly astounded.

"This one of those ladies?" Asuma asked, holding out a hand for Iruka to take. Iruka looked between the two, shying back into the tree a bit.

"Now, now, Miss, it's okay." Kakashi gave his 'he' eyed smile, looking much too pleased with himself.

Iruka managed to pull a blush on his face as he took Asuma's hand. He was pushing as much chakra away from his hand as he could. Asuma gave him another looking over before releasing his hand.

He noticed Kakashi's hand brush subtly across his weapons pouch and Iruka spun out, his hands simultaneously connecting with Kakashi and Asuma's stomach. He punched them away, dropping his guise before leaping away.

He spun out, flinging out several kunai, aiming for his emergency traps. He was getting terrible flash backs to the last time he was caught at a home base. He was thankful that last time he was returning home instead of leaving.

The traps released, sending giant clouds of flour behind him. He tossed in a couple explosive tags and ignited the highly flammable material. He hoped the jounin weren't reckless enough to charge through the flour veil.

He focused on running, tucking himself into an aerodynamic ball as he raced on. He flipped and dodged as he heard kunai following after him. He jumped higher into the trees, doubling back.

He has a few more traps set up that should dissuade them from following.

Gai suddenly popped up in front of him, his fist wound and soaring for Iruka's face. Iruka dove for the ground, barely ducking under his swinging fist.

"Your luck has finally run out!" He declared as he dove after.

Iruka cursed softly as he rolled away then leapt back, his foot leading as he aimed to kick Gai in the face. Gai caught Iruka's foot, as Iruka predicted and he swung his other foot about, forcing Gai to block wide as he pulled himself up. He punched Gai in the face, successfully releasing himself.

He nearly missed the soft caress of chakra as Kurenai attempted to trap him within a genjutsu. He funnelled back his own chakra, reflecting the jutsu back on her. He leapt again, smoothly flipping away from Asuma's trench knives. He pushed off a tree trunk just in time as Kakashi smashed through it with his chidori.

He tore through tree and ground easily, creating a perfect smoke screen for Iruka. Iruka hopped away, barely keeping in front of Kakashi's attack. He snapped a couple of explosive tags at him, watching them pop violently as he reached another preset trap.

This one was a force barrier seal, something he excelled at. He missed Kakashi and Gai but managed to seal Kurenai and Asuma in a time consuming trap that was as far from lethal as he could get.

"Kakashi, we need a new strategy. He has the home field advantage here." Gai murmured, his intelligent eyes wearily watching the stilled figure.

"We need to take him in." Kakashi's eyes were as icy as death and just as damning.

"No! Kakashi wait!" He shouted belatedly as Kakashi charged in, his hyper speed attack of the chidori slicing cleaning through Iruka and into the tree behind him.

The Iruka clone poofed from existence and the tree Kakashi sliced into rained down senbon coated with a fast acting sleep inducing drug.

Kakashi had barely gotten a subtle scrap of poisoned senbon across Gai's thigh when Kurenai and Asuma burst from the seal. Gai dropped like a stone, Kakashi barely catching him as he feigned being stabbed by the senbon.

He had helped set that one up and knew that he was standing in a safety zone.

"Kakashi! What happened!" Kurenai screech, rushing to their aid.

"Poisoned senbon trap. He got us... fooled us with a clone..." Kakashi whispered and dropped asleep. His mind was already working on a solution to this though; they would never stumble upon a safe house again.


Just to let ya'll know, this one is different from most my other fictions in that it's incomplete. Normally I have some sort of outline or chapter content made up before I start, so this one might take a bit longer for me to post. Also I like posting on Thursday; but I am consistantly inconsistant, so any day is possible for this to be updated.

Well, until next time! Ja mate!