A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was... (insert excuses here)

Chapter 4

"Dad?"

Sai grunted quietly as he opened his eyes groggily, wondering who that was disturbing his sleep. He yawned before focusing his sight to the blonde boy practically hovering above him.

"Dad! Are you dead?"

Sai grunted. "Inojin, do you always wake your parents up being so annoying like this?"

Inojin's worried face beamed into a huge smile as he saw his father opening his eyes. Launching himself on his father, he wrapped his arms around Sai tightly. "Dad! I thought you were dead!"

Sai let out a small grunt when his son practically jumped on his stomach, making him out of breath for a few seconds. "Inojin, please don't think of yourself as a two-year-old boy anymore. You're heavy."

Inojin sat back, grumbling slightly. "Dad looked pale like you were dead."

"Your mom would feel offended by that but your skin is as pale as mine," Sai sat up, leaning against the head bed.

"Was it a dangerous mission?" Inojin blinked, looking up at the ANBU commander.

"All missions are dangerous."

"Mine are not. We only pick up trash. Kiba must be weaker than you that he had to take such missions," Inojin nodded with a straight face.

"Actually, that's because you and your friends are weak. Not him," Sai chuckled slightly.

"I'm not weak. I am going to enroll in ANBU so I am strong."

Sai raised his brows at his son's statement. "You can't enroll in ANBU. That's not how ANBU work."

"You should scout me. I am strong enough to handle such missions," Inojin grinned. "My choju giga technique has improved too."

Sai stared back at his son, wondering when his son even started to have the idea of joining him. "No, I won't. I would never do that."

"Why?"

Rubbing his face a bit, Sai started to wonder that himself too. He was starting to get better at reasoning and expressing himself, but that still didn't mean he didn't have problem with it now. Ino had helped him out most of the time but she certainly wasn't here this time. It was amazing how that Yamanaka heir can actually tolerate and understand his absurdity. But somehow they worked best together.

"Is it because you thought I'm weak?" Inojin squinted.

"Inojin, you are weak," Sai rolled his eyes.

"I can prove to you I'm not."

"Listen," Sai sighed. "Why don't you go home and rest? Tell your mom I'll be home in a few hours. She'd be pissed off if you're late, you know."

He saw his son shivering visibly at the mental image of his mother scolding him. "Well, okay. Next time, I'll show you I've gotten stronger," Inojin hastily stood, heading towards the ward door. "Mom is cooking stew tonight. Be home to eat."

Sai leaned back, heaving a relieved sigh as his son disappeared from the room.

"What a way to call your own son weak."

Sai's eyes drifted to the window, registering his old comrade leaning on the sill. "When did you arrive, Kiba?"

"Not too long," Kiba grinned. "Ino might get pissed off if she knows you called her son weak."

"He is weaker than us," Sai said as if he was stating a fact.

"That's because we are older. Geez, and here I thought your child psychology is better since you got yourself a son. You never change," Kiba laughed. "Then, was it a bad mission? You look quite beaten up to have Omoi bringing you back to Konoha."

Sai shook his head, dismissing Kiba's complain about him. Inojin mostly took after him in that matter anyway—which explained why Ino always pissed off about it. "I wasn't fighting."

"Oh?" that piqued Kiba's interest. "What happened to you then?"

If it were any other shinobi, Sai wouldn't even think about telling about his mission. But Kiba was one of the Special Jounin. Naruto would probably tell him sooner or later. "I was sealing a ninja weapon. The amount of chakra was overwhelming."

"Ninja weapon? Was the owner around?" Kiba found himself giving more attention than he thought he would. The world seemed so at peace now. The fact that Sai almost gave his life for something at this era somehow didn't sit right for him.

Sai curtly shook his head. "No owner. It was placed in a small gazebo."

"Gazebo?"

"Also," Sai added. "I met Sasuke."

Kiba swallowed the lump in his throat at the mention of the name. What the hell was Sasuke doing there? If it was ten years ago, he would have accused Sasuke to be up to something. But right now, he knew better. And the fact that Sasuke and Sai met on a mission only meant one thing—something was stirring up in this world.

The peace might be interrupted soon.

"Kiba," Sai pulled him out of his thought. "Don't ever use the back gate of Konoha again."

"I won't! You stingy bastard!"

The next morning, Kiba arrived at the front gate of Konoha just to be greeted by his teammates. He swore he wasn't late. They were just early. And that was odd because he always thought Shikadai would be too lazy for this. Either he was excited to meet his uncles, or he had some competitive trait from Temari. He watched how Shikadai yawned as he complained about the mission being so bothersome. Chouchou was carrying his huge backpack, which Kiba assumed was filled with bentos. Inojin was standing there quietly as usual, blurting out blunt comment as usual.

Kiba sighed. "It's gonna be a very long mission."

"What were you saying, Kiba? You're late! We need to get going or we won't make it in time!" Chouchou blabbered as she waved her hands exaggeratedly.

"We need three days to reach Suna," Kiba stated flatly, walking right past the kids as he walked away from Konoha while bidding goodbye to the gatekeepers, not bothering to wait for the kids. "What do you mean we won't make it in time? The time would still be three days."

The new generation of Ino-Shika-Chou trio quickly scrambled on their feet as they followed their leader, heading towards the direction of Suna.

"But Kiba! Three days are too long! I might not have enough food!"

"Chouchou, we definitely need three days. Stop complaining, it's bothersome."

"Shikadai, you're excited too."

"Shut up, Inojin."

Kiba palmed his face as he continued walking. "Why did I even agree to babysit these kids again? Oh yes, Seventh forced me to."

Sasuke looked around, letting the occasional lightning illuminated the ground of the northeast in the Land of Lightning. His eyes fixed on the creature lying near him, unconscious. It was a weird creature, more like a human sized bird with hands and legs. Its wings were just as big as the size of its body. And Sasuke wondered the origin of such creature. It somehow looked like him—when he transformed into Stage Two with Orochimaru's seal. When it suddenly attacked him while he was searching for Kaguya's chakra, Sasuke found himself stepping up his skill to defeat it. It was rather strong for an animal—or at least Sasuke thought it was an animal.

What concerned Sasuke more was the fact that its location wasn't too far from the spot where he found Sai almost worn out? Did Sai got injured for fighting this creature? But even if Sasuke found this creature strong, it wasn't too strong to the point that would injure Sai that much. And Sai did not have any physical wound or injuries to support the evidence.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Things just won't connect. He glanced at the creature once again. It was unconscious but still breathing. Perhaps it was time to send Konoha some souvenir. Naruto might find it useful.

He decided to take the creature home.

They arrived at Suna at night on their third day travelling, and they were just lucky Gaara and Kankurou were still in office. Both of them seem to having some leisure conversation when they entered the Kazekage's office.

"You were late," Gaara stated the moment he saw the troop.

Kiba glanced at the kids, who were complaining about being hungry and tired and what not. He had had enough of them and he wondered how the hell Kakashi, Kurenai, Asuma and Gai could stand them—Gai was probably out of the league though.

"Yeah, well," Kiba paused. "It's kinda difficult when you have to bring the kids along. They're noisy."

"What? We ran out of food, Kiba!" Chouchou complained.

"You brought a lot but you ate half of them on the first day. Your fault," Kiba argued.

"And you only ate like soldier pill the rest of the day—"

Kiba rolled his eyes before turning back to the Kazekage and his advisor. "I swear Tamaki and I are not having any kids."

Kankurou laughed. "Don't say that. You have no idea how much that issue had troubled Gaara and I."

Shikadai was scratching his head, looking everywhere with a distant look when he noticed his Uncle Gaara was staring at him. He cleared his throat before facing them. "Mom and dad sent their regards to both of you."

Kankurou grinned. "Why don't you guys rest for tonight? The herbs you're searching for is at the southern are of Suna. We'll escort you there tomorrow."

"Oops, you better not," Kiba chuckled. "This is their mission. You don't get Kazekage's special treatment during missions. Even if he's the Kazekage's nephew."

Kankurou scoffed. "Acting tough? Don't let me go out and save your ass again this time. Where's your dog?"

"You don't need to save me. You only saved me like 20 years ago," Kiba rolled his eyes. "Akamaru doesn't travel much anymore. For dog's age, he's rather old already."

"Aww, the dog ninja is lonely now?" Kankurou teased.

"Shut up," Kiba grimaced before turning to the kids. "Go back to the quarters and sleep. We'll head out early in the morning."

"But I'm hungry!" Chouchou complained.

"Then go eat then sleep," Kiba rolled his eyes.

"Well, if you're not in a hurry, you can stay longer here. We'd be glad to have you guys," Kankurou offered, and Gaara nodded. "We can catch up with the lost time. It's been a while since we sit and talk together."

"As much as I'd like to, I'm afraid we can't," Kiba grinned cheekily. "I have a Jounin meeting waiting for me when I get back. So we probably will have to head back as soon as possible."

Gaara shot up an eyebrow. "Something happened?"

"Yeah, you can say that," Kiba shrugged. He wasn't about to reveal some sensitive information when the kids are still there. Gaara and Kankurou seemed to know that as they glanced at the trio.

"Very well, kids. Let's go get something to eat then go to sleep," Kankurou said. "You have a mission waiting for you tomorrow."

Chouchou sighed contentedly as she rubbed her full tummy. "Finally, my starvation is relieved."

Shikadai threw his bag at the corner as he threw himself on the comfy single bed, yawning. Kiba had another different room and he seemed to stay with his uncles to talk about their nostalgia or something? Shikadai didn't bother to know. "You weren't starved," he mumbled sleepily. "You were just having some appetite."

"I'm starved. Period," Chouchou glared at the Nara boy even though the boy didn't seem to feel threatened.

"Suna is pretty boring," Inojin commented dryly as he climbed on his single bed in the room near the window, eyes still fixed on the pamphlet he took from the Suna front gate. "They only have sands. No festivals this time around too."

"It's called Suna, Inojin," Shikadai rolled his eyes. "This is where real shinobi endures."

"Endure from what?"

"From the harsh life," Shikadai answered even though his eyes were closed, irritation etched heavily on his face. He didn't bother to mask them. Inojin wasn't one to feel offended by expressions anyway. "Shinobi are ones who endure. In Suna, only the strongest shall survive."

"Oh? Sounds fun," Inojin pursed his lips. "So will we get to fight tomorrow."

"We're picking herbs. How does that sound like fighting to you?" Chouchou frowned.

"Oh," Inojin shrugged.

"The southern of Suna was a huge desert," Shikadai chipped in. "We might have to fight some centipede in the desert if you really want to. It's bothersome though."

"Centipede sounds easy," Inojin slipped under his blanket. "Do you think Kiba can win a centipede?"

"Guys, it's centipede," Chouchou rolled her eyes, lying on her bed comfortably. "Even children can defeat them. You just have to step on it."

"Yeah, that is if you can step on it. Most centipedes in the desert are bigger than humans," Shikadai shifted, placing an arm on his face to assist him sleep to no avail. His friends were still talking and the lights were as bright as day and it irritated him.

"Really? Let's kill those monster centipedes then," Inojin grinned.

"But centipedes aren't strong. We might not needed if Kiba can destroy them," Chouchou pondered.

Shikadai almost scoffed. Did they seriously think they were stronger than Kiba?

"Let's make a plan then," Chouchou jumped excitedly, snapping her fingers as if she got a brilliant idea.

Shikadai and Inojin opened their eyes at that. "What plan?"

"A plan to lose Kiba tomorrow!"

A/N: I'm still gonna edit the previous chapter but I haven't got the time to. I will inform again after I finish editing coz some of the things during their training were a bit off. Thanks to all those who reviewed and followed the story; Lock on Lockon, Ken18, Okita. Kagura and MrBright01.