The Naruto franchise is the property of Masashi Kishimoto.

Chapter 4: Ivory Masks

"Ah, Haruno-san. These are yours."

Sakura studied the articles presented to her, curiously. The gray, armored vest and black suit were standard enough amongst the ANBU, as was the katana. The mask, though, instead of bearing any sort of animal features, was completely unadorned; just blank porcelain.

"Don't I get to choose an animal?" the medic asked, bemused.

"Captain's orders," responded the attendant. He glanced outside and continued, "You should hurry. The sun will be up, soon and you shouldn't keep them waiting."

~o x o~

"U~Ugh. The sun isn't even up. This job is going to be the life of me," griped the blonde Hokage.

"Tsunade-sama..."

"Yes, yes," the Godaime Hokage sighed, waving off her assistant's reprimands, "I just wish you didn't insist on hiding my sake. Honestly, every morning..."

Sakura hid a smile behind her new mask. The interactions of her shishō and her harried assistant, Shizune, had long since become routine for her during her training, but still never ceased to amuse her. She stole a glance to her side, but could not read the expressions of her teammates behind their own porcelain masks.

She had been surprised to see that both Shino and the Hyūga prodigy sported the same blank mask she bore and made a mental note to inquire about it later. The two men wore identical teardrop spirals of the Konoha ANBU proudly on their left shoulders, and, were it not for the untamed mass of Shino's hair, only his slightly taller frame would have distinguished him from the captain.

Sakura resisted the urge to itch at her own tattoo, freshly inked on her right shoulder, and shifted her attention back to Tsunade, who was presently steepling her fingers.

"There've been reports of renegade shinobi raiding trading caravans at the border of Konoha. I don't think I need to tell you how important it is to the village that we ensure the safety and confidence of the traders, especially with winter at our door," Tsunade said, her hazel eyes sharpening, "Find these shinobi. Bring them in alive if you can. Kill them if you can't. Dismissed."

The three ANBU gave one coordinated hai of agreement and exited in rapid succession through the windows of the Hokage's office.

~o x o~

"What is it?"

Sakura blinked.

How did he...?

"You wanted to ask me something," the captain stated without so much as looking back.

"Ah... right," Sakura replied, quickly collecting her thoughts, "Um... why is it that our masks have no features?"

Neji came to a stop, just outside the village walls and raised a hand. Shino halted as well, drawing up his hood as the Hyūga did the same.

"A shinobi must not let emotions distract them in battle," the captain intoned, "Without distinguishing marks, we are less likely to form attachments to our teammates."

Sakura frowned, covering her pink tresses with her cowl.

"Bravo, Delta, on me," the prodigy ordered, "I'll take point."

Without a second glance, Neji set off, keeping a brisk pace as he launched himself through the trees. Sakura followed, a few paces behind and to the left, with Shino beside her.

"Bravo...?" the medic wondered aloud.

"You should get used to those names," Shino advised in his low bass, "Why? Because the enemy will find it harder to identify our capabilities that way."

"So, which one am I?" Sakura asked.

"Delta."

A mischievous grin quirked Sakura's lips.

"Would that make him Charlie?"

Without so much as a trace of amusement, Shino responded, "Captain. He is the captain."

~o x o~

Neji set a grueling pace. By the time the sun had reached its apex, they were nearly to the border.

Without warning, he dropped out of the trees.

"I'll scout the area," he rattled off, "Bravo, set up a perimeter. Delta, rest for now. We can't afford mistakes."

And with that, he left the small clearing, Byakugan activated and searching the area for signs of anything out of place. He had been impressed by the medic's stamina. In truth, he had pushed forward significantly faster than usual, and she had kept up admirably. He stopped at a river's edge, searching the horizon with omniscient eyes.

There was a camp about a kilometer and a half away. He took a mental tally of the occupants, then knelt beside the running water to fill his canteen. The weather was clear, if somewhat cold, and he expected the mission to go smoothly.

~o x o~

Back in their temporary camp, Sakura watched as Shino released hundreds of kikaichū into the air. The tiny, chakra-eating insects, signature of the Aburame clan, buzzed off into the woods, establishing a wide surveillance net for the ANBU team.

She sighed, channeling chakra to her legs to soothe away her aches. The Hyūga was brutally fast and expected the same of his team. Were it not for her years of apprenticeship under her taskmaster of a Hokage, she would never have been able to keep up. Even as it was, her water bottle was completely empty.

A nearly imperceptible rustle was all Sakura heard as Neji landed a few steps away from her.

"We set out in fifteen minutes," he deadpanned. Sakura suppressed a groan. Something heavy thunked into her lap.

"Drink up," Neji said brusquely, "There's a nearby river you can fill your own from."

A pause.

"Your sloshing gives you away."

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. She wasn't entirely certain what she had wanted to say, and Neji was already gone, anyway.

~o x o~

Neji frowned as he streaked through the boughs. There was no reason for him to have done that. The medic was fully capable of fetching water for herself. Distracted by his thoughts, he almost plowed straight into the bored-looking man who had been perched atop one of the trees.

The Hyūga cursed his mistake. He was not the best for no reason, though, and in one sharp movement, deflected the incoming kunai stab and slammed the heel of his palm into his would-be attacker's temple. The man dropped like a sack of rocks.

Catching him before he fell out of the trees with one arm, the ANBU captain dragged him back up, binding his arms and legs in rapid succession with sturdy metal cords. Gagging the unfortunate renegade, he slung the unconscious man over his shoulders and, after taking a quick look around, set off back toward the camp.

Focus, Hyūga, he demanded, shaking his head.

His thoughts would have to wait until later. There was a mission to complete.

~o TBC o~

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