Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. At long last the Wave arc is finished and I'll update every weekend (except for this one as I'm abroad) so have this one early. It's more introspective than my normal work so give me some feedback?

"Alright team!" Obito was too happy to wake them up.

Sasuke cracked open an eyelid stiff with sleep and peered up at his dark blur of a cousin.

"Obito-Nii…" Came a grumpy confused warning from the blond boy curling into his covers.

Sakura to her surprise woke instantly used to sleeping very lightly, just in case the outer door opened and she needed to get the key for the inner. She blinked at Obito then looked outside the window.

It was as dark outside as it was inside.

Three weeks had passed since they had passed the test and true to his word Obito hadn't made them do charity work. Instead they were doing the same jobs and getting paid a minimal wage! Obito had cackled for hours at the sight of them dirty, grimy and pissed off.

"Ahh now. Don't complain." He had replied terribly amused to their death glares, "How else are we meant to get civilians to trust us?" With a crafty wink he had slipped back into mildly serious but helpful Obito then back to totally playful, infuriating Obito.

"If you don't get up this second, the lovely C rank I saved for you will go to Team 8 and you can drag the lake for rubbish again." Obito's lips twisted slightly as his team all but leapt from their futons and ran to get ready. He wasn't sure if he should stop them all from dragging their futons into each other rooms or not but since the boys were used to it and neither were rude enough to leave out the third member it had become a sort of tradition to walk into the three rooms and find two of them completely empty.

There seemed to be a desperation in all of them to become a team. He'd seen Naruto rubbing his thumbs together until they were red and blistering whenever something happened to cause even the mildest friction in the team. Sasuke seemed to choke back on his sarcastic comments in an attempt to not alienate Sakura and Sakura just agreed with whatever the boys proposed just to stop conflict. Needless to say it was failing miserably and the cooperative effort not to be antagonistic just seemed to increase tensions in the team itself.

Sakura had snapped at Naruto yesterday after he had accidently tripped her into the mud, Naruto and Sasuke seemed to subconsciously resent compensating for another person in their duo. He was sure that if either of them realised they felt that way they would be horrified but at the moment their team work was clenched and forced to his experienced eyes. Sasuke and Sakura was another can of worms altogether; Sasuke was making a genuine attempt to be less caustic to include Sakura and her agreeing what he said made him quite irritated. D ranks absolutely did not help.

Even their little tradition seemed to be born of a desire to try and force comradeship instead of letting it evolve naturally. Letting other Nin near his team at this point would be a psychological disaster and if he knows one thing it's that his fellow Jonin are arrogant, bored, bastards who would see nothing wrong with 'testing' the prodigy team to make them stronger.

Rin sipped her drink with a tilt of her head. It shone deep ruby red in the light with flashes of brighter red in its depths.

"You look frustrated." She commented slyly, "Dream team not working out?"

Obito snorted and ran a hand over his face tiredly.

"You could say that." He admitted. "It's partly due to the fact they're aware of all the pressure you get me? They think they have to be a perfect team and succeed in whatever they do. And the fact they don't causes their self-esteem to fall and their desperation to rise and of course it's a vicious cycle."

Rin hmmed and crossed one leg over the other.

"Break them." She suggested like it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

Obito paused. "…What?" His tone was suddenly deathly serious and Rin found herself pinned by a dark pair of eyes.

She didn't falter, "Show them that sometimes failure is the only option." She pointed with her glass to where the man knew there was a vicious scar from a mission going disastrously wrong. "And perhaps they'll relax and understand team work cannot be forced."

Obito closed his eyes and leant against the wall of his house as he listened to his troublesome team get ready before he decided to get impatient.

"Sensei why are we going on a C rank at two in the morning?" His kunoichi's voice interrupted him.

"Why not?" He shrugged knowing it would infuriate her and the two boys eavesdropping on the conversation. He smiled at her, she huffed and moved off.

"Oh are we going to see other human beings now?" Sasuke propped his elbow on the bannister of the second floor looking down at his cousin. "It's been so long I might have forgotten how to be polite to strangers." A light mocking strain twisted through his words.

"I don't think the Chunin's will appreciate being woken at this hour. And ANBU definitely won't deal missions to genin now." Obito chuckled and spun a scroll on his finger. "Being the good sensei I am, I went and…acquired it. Since I know how eager you all are to stop those D ranks…right?"

Naruto strolled down the stairs wrapping bandages around his arms. "What are we doing? I swear Obito-Nii if your version of a C rank is to do D ranks outside of the village I am going to snap."

Obito laughed and the sound of it did make all of them smile slightly.

"No, no, no." He waved the scroll in their faces. "It's my team's first time outside the village, I picked a good one!"

"What are we doing?" Sasuke asked trying not to sound interested.

….###################################################...

"Tanzaki Gai." Naruto frowned, the dark shadows from the branches rippling over his face. "You're taking us to the Genin Cess Pit."

"Genin Cess Pit?" Sakura asked warily. That sounded fun.

"That's where all the failed genin have a tendency to gather." Sasuke filled her in apparently in a good mood at the prospect of a C rank. "And due to their partial training, they tend to stick together and form local yakuza."

"They're criminals?" Sakura asked tilting her head. The failed genin who had wanted to become part of the military became criminals instead? It seemed a bit ironic.

"They're fantastic informants, that's what they are." Obito called forward happily. "We leave them alone and sometimes look the other way, in return they keep crime rates low and the town safe."

"Yakuza keep the crime rate low." Sakura repeated the concept still not quite sinking in.

"We do re-evaluate the better ones after they mature out." Obito confessed unashamedly, "Can't get in the shinobi if they don't show discipline after all."

The four of them walked down a dark winding road, with silver puddles gleaming in the faint light and dense, black forests flanking them on both sides.

"Anyway, we've been called to provide a cover for an official investigation while the Brotherhood hunt down the guilty party in the incident." Obito drawled idly teaching Naruto how not to take his fingers off in a fast kunai finger trick. "All we have to do is stand there and look professional."

"That is a rubbish C rank Obito-Nii." Naruto told him flatly before completing the trick in one smooth flash of steel.

"Officially." Obito's mannerism didn't change but all three genin pricked their ears up.

"Unofficially." Obito shrugged, "Well I imagine anything could happen." He grinned at his team, not that any of them could see it what with the shadows draping over him.

….################################################...

Sakura gazed at the town of Tanzaki Gai in half concealed disgusted awe.

"It's so crowded." People were jam packed in the buildings, waving and shouting. Civilians strolled up and down the streets carrying bags, boxes or generally looking busy. Shops promoted goods by yelling into microphones and stacking perilous swaying columns of good on their counters. It was crowded, loud and bright even in the early hours of the morning.

"Tanzaki Gai." Obito smiled, "Fortunes are won and lost in this city. Come, we'd better check in with the Banchou."

"Doesn't look very disciplined to me." Sasuke whispered to Naruto snidely before rolling his eyes and following Obito.

Naruto shot him a look which plainly told him to behave before waiting for Sakura to catch up.

"First time out of the village?" He asked quietly.

"Pretty much." She answered still drinking in the sight under the rapidly lightening sky. Naruto chuckled, "Same here. We haven't been allowed to set one foot outside of Konoha before." His tone was oddly wistful.

"Sasuke has the Sharingan." Sakura spoke quietly. "What do you have?" It was strange, in the weeks leading up to the C rank she hadn't seen hide or hair of any strange talent in Naruto at all. Well apart from the fact he could run them all into the ground and then some (including Obito) before his chakra reserves even had a dip.

Naruto laughed and held up a finger to his lips.

If it had been even three weeks earlier Sakura would not have picked up the nervous edge to his laughter or the slight crease of his mouth tightening. So it wasn't something she could know. More secrets. Brilliant.

"Are you two planning on continuing any time today?" Sasuke asked sarcastically from ahead. "Or would you like another ten years to finish your conversation?" He adjusted the strap of his shoulder bag, nimbly stepped aside as two racing children sped past and shot them a glower.

Naruto's smile became a bit more genuine and Sakura felt a brief burst of hot jealousy and frustration on her chest at the demonstration of how close the bond between the boys was.

"Oh Teme." Naruto sighed dramatically. "I have waited a lifetime for you to realise that yes you do care about me and want to spend more time with me." He placed the back of his palm against his forehead in an exaggerated gesture. "My hear- where the hell is Obito-Nii?"

Even Sakura turned to look at the abrupt disbelief in the blond boy's voice. "How on earth did you manage to lose him? He was three feet from you."

Sakura blinked and scanned the street. No mop of black hair anywhere. Sasuke seemed to have a slight difficulty believing he had been fooled that easily. A slight prickle of unease prickled behind her ribs, skittering up and down her side and she squashed it. Obito was a Jonin and this was in the heart of Fire Country. He was probably perfectly fine.

"Ahh!" Came a loud and very familiar voice. And then their irritating sensei came into view arms laden with shopping bags laughing uproariously at what a stooped old woman was wheezing away under her breath.

"Where do I put these Baa-san?" He asked cheerfully holding up the heavy bags as if they were nothing, they probably were nothing to him Sakura thought with a faint incredulity. Naruto and Sasuke seemed to sigh in unison and the former slapped a hand down his face.

"You mean he wasn't kidding about helping old women cross the road?" Sakura asked dryly.

Sasuke groaned. "It gets worse. Wait until you hear the black cat one." Naruto mumbled something from behind his hand and it sounded decisively uncomplimentary.

"Obito." Sasuke gritted out. "Leave a clone and let's go."

"Oh is this your son!?" The old woman bent right into Sasuke's personal space, Sasuke jerked back with a sneer-

Her walking cane swept his foot out from under him and Sasuke collapsed in a mess of limbs.

"Children are so adorable at this age." The woman's mouth curved into something too lined and toothy to be called a smile.

Naruto's eyebrows shot up and a glimmer of respect shone in his eyes. Sakura stared. The woman was trained? Remembering her lessons she inspected the woman's fingers. Civilians never had rings of tough skin around the base of each finger. Shinobi on the other hand were lucky if they didn't develop calluses from spinning kunai around like parlour tricks.

There were dark bands around each finger base like knobbly rings on the old woman's hands. Judging from the skill at her age, probably a retired Jonin.

Sakura bowed slightly in respect.

Sasuke sighed through his nose and clambered up brushing himself off. A glint of regret flashed through his face before he bowed realising his mistake.

On the other hand Naruto bounded up all unpleasant thoughts vaporised and started asking questions so fast he sounded like a yapping dog and even the indulgent expression on Obito's face faded to mild amazement.

Sakura and Sasuke dragged him back unceremoniously.

"No!" Naruto cried. "I had more questions!"

The woman cackled thumping her cane on the ground. "Energetic children is good! I like it, so I'll give you a test." She waved a finger at the mostly unruffled team. "If you guess my name, I'll give you a treat. That's what old retired women past their prime are supposed to do no?"

Obito clucked his tongue. "Baa-san. You are old in body only." He smiled beatifically at the old woman. "Your mind is still as sharp and that's all that matters. We are only as old as our minds are."

While the woman wheezed in laughter, Naruto pulled himself free interrupting Sakura's mini rant about how impossible the test was.

"Baa-san." The blond boy asked curiously. "You're dangerous right?"

A small grin flickered over Sasuke's mouth like lightning. With a light toss of his head he signalled for Sakura to be quiet, eyes glittering in anticipation.

"I was." The woman announced.

"So you were in the bingo book?" Naruto tilted his head as if scenting blood on a hunt.

The woman nodded once.

Naruto stared at her for a minute, lips pressed together. What was Naruto doing? Sakura tried to pick up some clues from her team mate's body language but nothing was forthcoming.

"Sixty four years ago." Naruto spoke sharply and suddenly. "Miyake Asari. Bounty of five million yen. Still wanted dead or alive."

Sakura felt her jaw drop. How? Had he memorised every single bingo book ever printed or what?

The woman's face unravelled in pleasure and surprise in folds that seemed hardly used.

"It warms an old woman's heart that she is still remembered in some circles." Her eyes were nearly shut in pleasure and her smile had far more warmth in it than before.

Naruto seemed to notice Sakura staring and coughed in embarrassment.

"Come." Asari commanded. "I will lead you to my son. I will provide dinner and a roof. No arguments sensei-chan." She flicked back at Obito who just smiled charmingly and shrugged.

It would be an insult to protest Sakura realised. The woman was obviously capable and very proud and if anyone even hinted at the fact she was old they were most likely going to get a caning.

…..##################################################...

What a …wild intensity.

The Banchou of Tanzaki Gai was a tall man with steely eyes and an aura that commanded absolute obedience.

Obito didn't even blink an eye greeting the man still carrying bags of shopping like a domestic civilian.

Miyake Asari terrorised the suddenly alarmed men and women at the Banchou's headquarters about something or the other and the younger members of team 7 discreetly tried to peer around for any familiar faces.

"Uchiha." The Banchou smiled (bared his teeth but it was close enough) and the blood curdling tension dissipated at once.

"Miyake!" Obito cheered. "Meet my brats! This is Sasuke, the one who looks like me; the blond one's Naruto and the girl's Sakura."

"So they saddled you with a team eventually." The Banchou smirked signalling for the table to be cleared. Obito knew the Banchou, at that moment Sakura knew she, Naruto and Sasuke were in total agreement. Obito had far too much fun at their expense. "Mother I need him relatively sane and composed." He called, "If you're bored, you can-"

"You brat." Asari snapped without heat. "Who are you to tell me what to do? As a matter of fact I have dinner to prepare and four extra futons to find. You would know that if you bothered you ask you lay-about child."

"Yes mother." The Banchou rolled his eyes at Obito and clicked his fingers at the genin to take three seats. "Shoo now mother. I'm busy."

The spectacled man behind him hissed in anticipation of something painful and the room as a whole collectively winced. Asari sniffed in haughty pride.

"Help that poor man with those bags you idiot." She snapped at a lanky man who snapped into action. "As you're taking my willing helper away from me, I'm taking a few of your men to help your poor invalid mother."

The Banchou ignored her expertly. "Do you know the situation?" He asked calmly perching on the edge of the table.

"I do." Obito drawled handing all the bags to the harried forced volunteer. "They don't though."

The Banchou nodded and faced the genin. "Several children have been abducted."

He said it so casually that it took a few seconds for it to register. Sakura's mind came screaming to the fact that the Tanzaki Gai Yakuza were all insane.

"I want you to go and talk to people and investigate and pretend to do whatever the official investigation procedure is while we go and kill the bastards." The Banchou finished arms crossed over his chest. "Acceptable?" His eyes were suddenly icy. "I don't tolerate independent work on my turf…and anything involving children." He added on as if it was a last minute thought. Perhaps he realised he was talking to a bunch of children. "You get a really easy job basically." He shrugged at Obito, "Nothing too above your skill level."

Obito's teeth and eyes flashed. "Oh I wouldn't say that." He leant back comfortably. "Might jinx the operation."

Well that was ominous.

"Go on." Obito ordered lazily waving a hand. "I know you want to."

"Who was taken and where from?" Naruto blurted immediately.

"Can we have a list?" Sasuke cut in. "With descriptions?"

"Timings!" Naruto frowned.

"Suspects."

"Witnesses?" Sakura asked shyly feeling a bit overwhelmed with both boys talking loudly and enthusiastically.

The Banchou whistled. "Well you have taught them to bark on command."

Sasuke's grip in his lap went white and Naruto's smile became ever so frozen. It was clear none of them appreciated that comment and Sakura could only imagine it had touched a raw nerve in both of them.

The second in command straightened his glasses and passed a thick file to Obito.

"You're pretty reliable." Obito murmured flicking through the file.

"It's my job sir." The man inclined his head a pleased flash scooting over his face.

"Oh call me Obito." Obito grinned. "S-

"Stop flirting with my vice and get on with your job Uchiha." The Banchou spoke flatly and leapt off the desk.

"A man can't be nice without being thought of as flirty?" Obito blinked owlishly at the Banchou who laughed at him.

"I watched you in the Academy for five years Uchiha." The man grinned. "I know full well what you're like. Shoo ninja boy. Go bother my mother and take her off my hands for a day or two."

….#######################################################...

"This is quite an impressive list." Sakura muttered scanning through a list of all the children taken.

"On the other hand." Sasuke help up a scrap of paper. "The list of suspects is very short."

"The list of witnesses is non-existent." Naruto declared, and for the first time in a while there was a sense of cohesion as a team.

"They're not a suspect Sasuke-chan." Obito sang from where he was unwinding a terrified cat from a tree. "Miyake is sure they are the culprit; that is a warning to stay away from them. The Banchou is on the hunt personally and he doesn't want them tipped off." He leapt down the cat hissing and spitting in his hands.

Sakura stared. "What? Do we make up suspects?"

Obito grinned at her in answer.

Naruto snuck a glance at the piece of paper. "Great, if we knew who Gato was we would."

Sakura stared. "How can you know the contents of a bingo book from sixty four years ago and not who Gato is?" Incredulity stained her tone and Sasuke sent her a glare not appreciating her tone.

Naruto smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "There are Uzumakis in the bingo books." He spoke pleasantly. "Going back about a hundred years. Tell me, is Gato a shinobi?"

"No." Sakura admitted.

"Does he do anything that remotely affects us in any way?"

"…No."

"Were we taught about him in the academy?"

"No."

"Well then why would I know him?" Naruto hissed before sighing and running a hand over his forehead.

Guilt gnawed at Sakura's stomach. She had completely forgotten, Naruto was an orphan and the only link he had was his last name. It was no wonder he had traced through dozens of bingo books just for the confirmation his family wasn't something that he made up. That they had been real people, he had starved of information and the books were the only way he could get them.

"You want to enlighten these two Sakura?" Obito asked lightly after an awkward silence.

"Business man. Very rich and powerful." Sakura answered curtly. "Owns a company that works in all of the major shinobi nations."

"What does he…?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Wood." Sakura thought for a second. "The old hard kind used for boats and houses. That's why his foothold in Konoha isn't that big, our forests are enough to supply us and we don't need boats."

Her father, bless him, when he had been alive had taken to sitting her on his knee and talking to her as he worked. Sakura had picked up a lot about business and corporations by the time she could tie her shoes and hit a target with a weighted kunai.

"What on earth can a business man want with children?" Naruto narrowed his eyes at the paper.

"Are you addled dobe?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Unpaid child labour is the cheapest way for corrupt business men to make a profit."

"From the Banchou of Tanzaki Gai's prowling grounds?" Sakura didn't need to do anything to point out how stupid that was.

"The fact Tanzaki Gai even has a Banchou isn't common knowledge you realise?" Obito raised an eyebrow slipping into lecture mode. "Civilians aren't happy about living with Yakuza when there's a shinobi village nearby, we get so many requests to 'clear' them out. If news got out that they were unified behind one leader instead of being in little rabbles there really would be trouble."

"If Sakura goes and talks to people and does the main pretence bit, we're free to sneak around and find out more about Gato." Naruto pointed between him and Sasuke. "Sorry Sakura but you have far more experience with talking to civilians."

"Deviating from the mission parameters already?" Obito rolled his eyes. "What a troublesome team."

"You." Naruto pointed. "Obito-Nii…are you just going to supervise again?" The flat look the dark eyed man shot the blond was answer enough.

Sakura's smile was brittle. Of course, she would be separated from her team and be told to work alone. She wasn't bitter. At all.

"I bet I find out more than you." Sasuke challenged Naruto, a gleam shining in his eyes. Naruto's face came alive in defiance.

Both of them were gone in the next second, racing off into town headbands fluttering into Obito's waiting hand.

Sakura sighed and turned to Obito who quirked a questioning look at her.

"Where do we meet up?" She asked wearily. "I mean after we're done."

Playful Obito faded into mildly helpful Obito.

"It's nice to know one of my genin is sensible at least." He mused ruffling her hair. "Do you see where that odd shaped rooster chimney is? It's three doors to the left." He smiled at her and Sakura felt an answering smile form on her mouth before she too turned away.

…###############################################...

"Yes, a full investigation will be launched." Sakura assured the lock jawed woman. She pretended to make a note, "It is a serious matter and will be treated as such."

"I bet those damn thugs did it." The woman whispered brokenly. "Taking my poor Niseki."

Sakura shot her a sharp look. After the unveiling of Asari as an ex ninja she had been paranoid in checking if any of the 'civilians' she was talking to had similar backgrounds. She really didn't want to embarrass herself by acting something out of her league and have it called upon.

She could say with a relative surety this woman had no kunoichi background whatsoever.

"Let's not jump to conclusions." She told the woman reassuringly. "It hinders the progress of justice."

…###############################################...

Then there were the people who refused to believe she was a ninja.

"You can't be a ninja." A heavy set man blinked over a glass of amber liquid. "You don't have that edge the Yakuza have and Kami knows the shinobi are made of a tougher stock than any Yakuza."

Sakura felt her smile peel back exposing teeth.

"Tell me." She asked pleasantly. "Would you be more wary of a person with the 'edge' or me if I took my headband off?"

"The other one of course." The man narrowed his eyes searching for the trick question.

"That's rather the point." Sakura hissed through her teeth and the man's eyes went very wide.

"Oh."

She had no trouble out of him again.

…#######################################################...

"You can find my Ruriko-chan?!"

"I can certainly try now please let go oji-san."

"I don't know what's happened to her! She must be so scared!" And the old man burst into loud noisy tears so desperately grateful for the slightest chance his granddaughter could be found.

Sakura cursed Sasuke and Naruto in her head for leaving her to deal with this situation and awkwardly patted the man on the back until he regained his composure.

…########################################################...

"Well." A masculine voice interrupted Sakura self-imposed break from hysterical civilians. "That symbol bodes trouble for some people."

Sakura's head shot up. A handsome dark haired man smiled at her and pointed at her headband. "What brings a kunoichi of the leaf here?"

Sakura's fingers flicked to the base of his fingers. Clear unmarked skin.

"The children being abducted." She answered. "Can you tell me anything?"

"Oh that awful business." The man hummed. "I can but I'm hungry. I'll tell you over some food, deal?"

As if timed Sakura's stomach let out a growl. The man's smile widened and he pointed to a nice little restaurant at the side of the street.

"My treat, you're obviously overworking yourself."

"No, I'll pay for myself." Sakura brushed herself off.

"Suit yourself." The man shrugged, "I'm Zabuza Momochi."

"Saki."

Rule number one of dealing with civilians was that they never gave their real names out. Just so it couldn't be traced back to them.

…###############################################...

Sakura kept a careful eye on the man as he fiddled with a wrap.

"It's good Konoha is interfering." Zabuza spoke quietly at last and the grim note in his voice leapt out at her. He took a bite and chewed. "Who's your main suspect?" And now his eyes really did flash. Relief, curiosity, outrage Sakura couldn't tell?

"I can't give that out." Sakura told him.

"Of course." He nodded as if that was expected. He reached into his pocket and slid something across the table. Sakura picked it up and her breath caught in her throat.

Gato industries.

Law Sector.

Tanzaki Gai.

The man worked for Gato?! It really was a good thing she hadn't told him who their main suspect was. She fought to squash the rising feelings of triumph, if she could get some information from him then she could prove to Naruto and Sasuke that she deserved to be on their team.

"I am under the indirect employ of Gato." Zabuza watched her reaction carefully. "And I find myself in a slight…muddle."

"How so?"

"I am paid well. My work is interesting, I have no complaints on that section." The man spread his hands. "But…whatever the company does reflects upon the employees as a whole. Lawyers need a creditable reputation do you see where I am going with this?"

Sakura's neck prickled with excitement. If this lead where she thought it led…

"Then leave." Sakura passed the card back. "And it really has nothing to do with me."

"But there is a question of morals to consider." Zabuza idly tore a strip from his wrap. "My sense of justice is strong Saki-san. How can I just leave and do nothing?" His eyes pierced Sakura right down to the bone. "And I think in this case yours and my sense of justice coincide."

Sakura's throat felt very dry with a rising delight. She had an employee of Gato willing to give her information! Or he could be lying and take back information about the investigation to Gato her mind whispered darkly.

"It was very lucky that I caught you actually." Zabuza mused thoughtfully.

"What can you tell me?" Sakura asked, the man smiled strangely and looked up at the sky.

The man sipped at his drink. "All the kids have been taken without leaving a trace, you know that right? Without a fuss, without a trace without a single witness."

"…There are more shinobi in the area." Sakura whispered a weight settling over her heart.

Zabuza nodded grimly. "The brutes." He scowled. "Gato has a supply of missing Nin he draws on for his dirty work."

"Thank you for telling me." Sakura whispered hands clenching tightly. She needed to tell Obito as fast as possible, were Yakuza a match for shinobi?

"Hey!"

Naruto jogged up to their table having the sense not to call her name out in public. Zabuza's eye flicked to the approaching Naruto and something like shock widened his eye.

"He's your team mate?" His head snapped back to Sakura. Sakura winced and nodded knowing the damage was done.

"Do you know where to find Obito-Nii?" Naruto rested his hands on his knees as he gasped. Waving a hand over his shoulder he continued. "I really should have asked before leaving."

"It seems you are needed." Zabuza rose smoothly to his feet. "Keep that." He nodded at the business card. "Contact me if you need to." A shark like grin flitted across his face and Sakura thought she saw the type of ruthless lawyer he was.

With a final nod at both genin the man wandered away depositing a few notes at the counter.

"Who was that?" Naruto breathed as if to stop the man from overhearing. Sakura snatched up the card and faced Naruto.

"I'll tell you at the house when we all pitch in." She spoke decisively and started to outline the directions to Asari's home.

Review please? You can decide if I kept my promise or not Hehehe.