"No! No me-sin! No Zumo! No, bad Zumo! BAD! No me-sin!" Kichi ran screeching in circles, her brunette hair lank with sweat and her cheeks flushed. Izumo looked horrified even as he chased the tiny tornado with the stopper of medicine Shizune had brought over the other day.

Kotetsu winced and carried the just-fell-asleep Meimei out of the room to keep her from … "Uh, oh, too late." He groaned as the infant girl opened her mouth to join in the cacophony of yelling, obviously upset about being woken up. She'd been so damned fussy lately and Kotetsu was worried she'd caught whatever Kichi had been battling.

Izumo glanced at Kotetsu, then ignored the plight of his as he had his own troubles right now. He managed to catch Kichi under one arm and hold her down as the little girl screeched, wailed, and cried as if he were killing her. His heart sinking into his stomach he tried to calm her, but the little girl was having none of it.

"NO! Me-sin bad! Zumo mean! Mean Zumo! No me-sin! No!"

Kotetsu sighed, seeing the stricken look on his friend's face even as he bounced Meimei slightly, to try and calm the crying infant. Baby hands smaller than a steamed dumpling accidentally connected with the underside of his chin. No pain, but he did look back down at the infant, making cooing noises to try and soothe her. "Shhhh darling." He said soothingly.

Izumo held his breath as he tried to get Kichi to take the medicine that Shizune swore tasted like grapes. But the little girl had no interest in the medicine, and the worse she felt, the harder she fought.

"MEAN ZUMO! I no wike you!" Kichi scrunched up her little face and swung her head back and forth. "I no wike you NO MORE!"

Finally, his heart aching, he had to kneel over her and steady her head with one hand and both knees, but couldn't seem to get her to open her mouth. "Who's mean?" He asked, almost begging.

"YOU!" She opened her mouth as he took advantage and quickly poured in the medicine inside. He then had to hold her chin to keep her from spitting it back out. Finally she swallowed, to his great relief. She coughed and cried and tried to make herself gag as he grabbed her up and hugged her.

"I know, I'm a bad Zumo." The once fierce ninja said, awkwardly patting the toddler's back and smoothing her hair away from her flushed face. Kichi wailed and buried her head in his shoulder, wrapped around him tighter than a tick.

A moment or two later, Kichi was covered up with her favorite blanket and holding her doll Miyu as she comforted the doll and shot glares at Kotetsu.

"Why is she blaming me now?" Kotetsu asked absently, still trying to gently bounce baby Meimei in his arms in a vain attempt to get her to fall asleep. "You're the one who forced the medicine on her."

Izumo shrugged. "The female mind is a mystery, especially at this age."

"Zumo?" The voice was pitiful, but not accusatory.

It was almost comical as Izumo rushed back over to her. "Yes baby?"

Kichi's little face scrunched up. "I no baby, I the big girl now. Mama said. You know what Zumo? Mama said Meimei the baby now. I no baby."

"You're my …." Izumo stopped, swallowed hard and turned bright red as he prayed that Kotetsu hadn't caught that near slip. The little toddler WASN'T his baby. And as soon as Genma got back, no longer in his charge. He couldn't wait.

"Can Miyu have some juice?" Kichi asked, blinking her big green eyes at him. Izumo blinked back and drew back even as he nodded.

"Coming right up!" He announced with a flourish and a small bow. "Would the lady prefer apple or grape?"

"Apel! Miyu want apel!" Kichi giggled. "And Kichi want g'ape!"

Kotetsu grinned at the confused look on Izumo's face as the man passed him. "You look lost. Just get her both."

"No, no …I got that." Izumo nodded toward the little girl now fussing with her doll. "She's got green eyes."

"So?" Kotetsu winced as Meimei let out a screech and extended her entire little body in one big arching movement. He clutched at her, afraid she might slip. "Damn."

"100 yen." Izumo shook his head as he got out the juices. "Genma's eyes are dark. Brown. Not a hint of color."

Kotetsu nodded and rearranged baby Meimei to check her diaper. "Clean. I don't know what the hell she wants. She's been changed, fed, carried …she won't let me put her down for nothing. Goes nuts the moment I even try and put her down."

Izumo stuck his fingers in his ears and sighed. "That one is getting louder than the other two combined. Do you think she's getting sick too?"

Kotetsu shrugged, looking helpless as he vainly tried to comfort the young child. "She has a fever, I think. Maybe she's sick too. I don't know." He reached over and poured himself another drink. "Kichi looked like she's just about got the best of you. Weren't you the super ninja who took on ten challengers on your last mission?"

Izumo laughed without mirth. "Only because there were more of them than our intelligence had known about. That was three minutes of hell, one minute to savor the victory, and then on to finish the mission." He reached over and grabbed Kotetsu's cup, draining it to his friend's great displeasure. "These kids? They never stop."

"Hey!"

Izumo coughed and winced, his eyes watering. "That's not sake." He whispered hoarsely.

"No." Kotetsu smiled grimly. "We ran out. This is brandy."

"Genma's prized imported brandy?" Izumo looked dumbstruck for a moment, then sighed and poured another cup and handed it to Kotetsu. "Well, since you already opened it."

Kotetsu sighed wearily and drained the cup. "Brown eyes? Green eyes? I don't know. Didn't Genma say he had an aunt who was a singer that had these really weird eyes that would change color with whatever she was wearing?"

Izumo nodded. "Oh yeah, forgot about her. I guess it's possible. I dated a medical kunoichi once who bored me to tears talking about genetic traits."

"I remember her." Kotetsu smiled fondly. "Great cleavage."

"That part didn't bore me." Izumo agreed with a leer and a wink. He put down the brandy and picked up the juice cups. "I'm heading back onto the field of battle, wish me well."

Kotetsu snapped to attention and nodded most solemnly. "Don't let her get under your defenses. Even if she is …your ….baby." He teased.

Izumo groaned, knowing that it had been too much to hope for that his roommate had missed that little slip. "Genma's baby."

"Maybe." Kotetsu frowned as Meimei let out another howl and waved her arms and legs in distress. "Should we call Shizune back over?"

Izumo handed the juice cups to a delighted Kichi as he shrugged. "She's dealing with the mystery of the Mist shinobi right now. Do you think they're in the village looking for Genma?"

"If he is Mizutoro Sumi." Kotetsu sighed and was in the middle of reaching for the cup of brandy when Meimei arched her back again, furious and upset. "Hey now! Little girl, what is it you need? Are you sick?"

Meimei's mouth was wide open in mid-screech when Kotetsu's eyes narrowed. "What the hell?"

"100 yen." Izumo yawned.

Kotetsu put his finger in the infant's mouth. "What is that? HEY!" The screaming stopped as Meimei brought her gums down around his finger. She settled a bit as she gnawed on his forefinger.

"What did you do?" Izumo looked over curiously. "She finally shut up."

"I thought I saw something white in her mouth." Kotetsu winced, but didn't pull his finger back. "I think she's teething. And damned if her gums aren't hard."

"Teething?" Izumo scratched his head. "Try some of Genma's brandy on her."

"What the fuck?" Kotetsu looked horrified. "I am not giving Meimei a bottle of brandy! Are you a fucking idiot?"

Izumo grinned. "That's 200 yen by the way." He pointed out ruthlessly. "And I don't mean give her a lot of brandy, just dip your finger in the cup and rub it on her gums."

"Another hint from that medical kunoichi with the huge …"

"No." Izumo laughed. "I was talking to Kurenai last month about a genjutsu hand seal before my mission to the Land of Earth, remember?"

Kotesu nodded, looking skeptical. "You said people kept interrupting and wanting to ask Kurenai about her pregnancy."

"Complete strangers kept coming up to her and wanting to touch her belly." Izumo shrugged. "I thought they were crazy and Kurenai would just smile and turn them down, but nicely. Anyway, there was this older woman and she kept going on and on about teething and talking about her own children. I remember because I thought it was strange when she recommended putting rum or brandy on a baby's gums and rubbing it in."

Kotetsu looked at his brandy a moment and weighed the possibilities. "I'd rather drink it." He commented dryly. "Besides, I don't think it could possibly be good for the baby."

Izumo shrugged and looked back down as Kichi pulled on his pants leg, trying to get his attention once more.

Kotetsu looked down at the infant. "You can gnaw on my finger, but I'll be damned if I'll get you drunk." Meimei ignored him. She simply wrapped her tiny baby fingers around his hand as if to hold his hand in place as she chewed on him, trying to ease the ache in her gums.

o.o.o.o.o

The Hokage of the Leaf Village nodded to her assistant, her mouth a straight line of anger and her eyes snapping furiously. "Fine."

Shizune sighed. "This is the chuunin exams. As the Hokage you are expected to play host to our visiting dignitaries. If you disappear for any length of time, it will be noted."

"My medical abilities are …"

"The best. Without question, you are the best medical ninja around. But, we can not take the chance of you going to see the patient." Shizune sighed unhappily. "And don't say that you don't trust Ino to treat this kunoichi. You trained her yourself, just as you did Sakura."

"Sakura is further along …" Tsunade tried again.

"Sakura is assigned duties during the chuunin exam, she's one of the proctors this year. You take her away and it will be noted by our …visitors." Shizune bit back the word 'enemies', but only barely.

Tsunade's mouth fell into a mulish pout.

"I need to be seen as well. Any change in our routine could give away the presence of our guest." The younger kunoichi stated baldly. "Ino is not as well known to the Mist shinobi, she's not gone up against them directly like Sakura has in the past. And she was already on duty at the hospital, increasing her time there shouldn't be terribly noticeable."

The blonde Hokage sighed, her eyes still angry though she nodded her assent.

"Besides." Shizune said drolly. "It's not that you don't trust Ino's abilities, you just don't want to have to go play hostess at tonight's reception."

Tsunade glared at her assistant as those words struck home. She hated playing nice.

o.o.o.o.o

Kasaya Yaichiro leaned forward eagerly, a glint of excitement in his hazel-green eyes. "You are sure of this information?"

Toya leaned in as well, his whisper barely audible through his mask. "Indeed. I wouldn't have even noticed if the kunoichi wasn't so damned hot. What I wouldn't give to wrap my fists in her blonde hair."

"She wouldn't survive a night in your bed." Yaichiro smiled at his friend. "Few do, and she's a pampered Leaf ninja, not like our women."

"So?" Toya's eyes snapped with inner fire. "When this is over, can I have her?"

Yaichiro sighed and leaned back, shaking his head. "This isn't an attack, we've not got the numbers on our side right now. Besides, don't get off track. Why do you think my sister is here in Konoha?"

Toya reined in his need and nodded. "Technically this isn't a mission, our Mizukage knows nothing of your …personal ties."

Dark eyes snapped in sudden anger, making Toya pull back sharply. He'd forgotten Yaichiro's temper, not something a wise man ever did. "Is that a threat?"

"No …no!" Toya hurried to reassure his friend. "I do this for you as a favor. I only ask if possible that when this is all over, that I get a woman in my bed." He smiled nastily. "Blood shows on blonde hair so much better than brunette."

Yaichiro nodded, reassured that his friend was still on his side and wasn't about to run off and tell their Mizukage of his own personal reasons for championing the trek here to Konoha. The chuunin exams were merely an excuse. Kasaya Maru was the target. Well, one of the targets. "If possible, but I make no promises."

"Done." Toya nodded, knowing if there was a way, Yaichiro would find it. "I'd been watching this blonde kunoichi. She's a medic in their hospital. Well, she was off duty when she showed up at an unexpected time. In a hurry."

"So? Someone got sick, someone was needed elsewhere. Schedules change." Yaichiro looked unimpressed.

"She arrived with two others, men I'd last seen guarding the gates to this bucolic village of idiots." Toya sneered. "Why would they leave the gate? Why were they carrying a rug. With a medic in tow? A jounin medic at that."

"Oh?" Yaichiro smiled, his interest once more caught.

Toya leaned forward. "And you can't hide the smell of blood from my nose, you know that."

"Better than a bloodhound." The tattooed Mist shinobi nodded.

"And I smelled blood." Toya smiled, though the mask hid it from sight. "And it wasn't Leaf blood I smelled."

A surge of triumph shot through Yaichiro. He'd been right. With little to go on but a few disjointed comments over the years, he'd surmised that the mysterious Mizutoro Sumi was of Konoha.

When his father had died, he'd thought he was free at last. Free to act as he saw fit and to wipe the stain of shame from his family. But his father had known him too well, and had sent little Maru out with her chicklings, giving her a head start.

Instead of following her, as everyone had expected. He'd pretended indifference and turned toward the Mizukage's office. Yaichiro had announced he'd honor his father's desire and allow his sister her freedom, as long as she no longer set foot in the Village Hidden in the Mist.

The Mizukage, a man in his dotage and a friend of Yaichiro's father had been pleased. So pleased that when Yaichiro had suggested joining the chuunin exams in Konoha, the man had agreed without too many hard questions.

Yaichiro had sent two assassins after his baby sister, but had followed his own instincts and headed here. To the Leaf Village. And he'd been fucking right all along!

His sister was here, he'd stake his life on it. So …where did that leave the three little piglets? Nasty creatures those kids. Weak blooded. Why couldn't his sister have been smart enough to choose a Mist shinobi? No, she had to shame the family by bringing in outside blood. Damn her. He should have strangled her in her crib.

o.o.o.o.o

"Where's Tomo?" Kotetsu looked up, his hair stringy and his face haggard. His finger was free of baby Meimei's mouth though. Now she was gnawing on something else.

Izumo left Kichi playing on the floor with her dolls and five cups of juice, pretending to have a party. "He was drawing with those crayons we found in the boxes of stuff the kids came with."

"He's been quiet way too long." Kotetsu sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.

Izumo nodded and headed down the hallway, as he passed his roommate he paused. "Should she be chewing on that?"

Kotetsu shrugged. "My practice nunchaku? I should have thrown them away ages ago, I've been working with the sansetsukon instead." He said referring to a three stick set, rather than the two stick set. "When they broke I meant to toss them out."

Izumo eyed the infant gnawing on the piece of wood. "Well, she's quiet and looks happy enough. But what about spinters?"

Kotetsu shook his head. "They're made of solid oak and I've used them so much they're worn smooth. I don't think she could gnaw a splinter out if she tried."

"She IS trying." Izumo remarked and headed down the hallway.

"Is that right, are you trying?" Kotetsu looked down into the eyes of the busy little infant. Meimei caught him looking at her and grinned. She looked up at him with a huge grin, her mouth slobbery and her gums shining with a few hints of white teeth. Kotetsu's breath caught and his heart skipped a beat.

Embarrassed and a bit shocked, he looked up and around the room. The infant he held cooed up at him and then attacked the wooden stick again, gnawing busily. Kotetsu looked back down at her and thought about the idea of someone trying to hunt her down. Slow burning fury seeped through his veins. He'd kill anyone who tried.

Suddenly a vision of Genma taking her away filled his head. That same fury remained. Kotetsu shook his head. If Genma was the father, he had every right to take his children. But Kotetsu's stomach churned at the thought.

His thoughts confused, it was with relief that he heard Izumo heading back down the hallway. Kotetsu looked up, eager for an interruption from his thoughts. His face went blank though when he caught sight of the toddler wrapped up in Izumo's arms.

"What the hell?" He shouted, making Meimei startle and even Kichi looked away from her dolls.

Tomo's face was covered in a bright red rash.

"Shit."

Izumo nodded, looking panicky. "200 yen."

o.o.o.o.o

Kasaya Maru surfaced briefly, confused not to be dead. Pain was everywhere, she couldn't even pinpoint the origins. Everything hurt.

"Ossu." A bright voice came from her left side.

It hurt to turn and look, but Maru managed it somehow. Bright eyes and blonde hair, that was her first impression. The second was that she was in some sort of hospital.

Ino's smile faded as her patient did a little fading of her own, right into unconsciousness. The medical kunoichi returned to the job of healing even as she wondered who the stranger was, what she was doing here ….and why had Tsunade opened up the hospital to someone obviously not of the Leaf Village?

A slight sound behind her had her looking at their guards. ANBU. Ino nodded toward them. "She's out again."

The masked shinobi nodded and didn't approach. Not yet anyway.

o.o.o.o.o

Sorry about any editing mistakes, I have to run and I wanted to get this up before I left. Also, my schedule will be clearing up after this weekend and I should be able to concentrate on getting more updates done soon. Not just for this story either, but EXPLOSIVE and THE WILD TYPE as well.

THANKS! As always, I'm interested in hearing what you think. Reviews help, they really do! Thanks again!