Ch.9: Junctures

"Alright Kiba- start talking," Neji was being examined by a doctor and Shino had been moved to a room when he was judged by another doctor to be more or less unscathed.

Team 8 currently stood and sat in a curtained off area of the same room. Kiba glanced at Hinata, who looked back sadly from the chair by his teammates bed.

"Go on Kiba-kun, please."

Akamaru whined as he nudged his master's feet, and Kiba scratched his dogs ears mumbling a reply,

"It was cause of the pictures at the bar, me and Shino figured it out."

Hinata bit her lips, unable to look up, Kurenai hissed under her breath, "...dear Kami- that is an incredibly poor reason Kiba, I'm disappointed in both of you."

The dog-nin exhaled, deciding it was time to own up if he was going to make a case, and marched towards Hinata.

Kurenai grabbed his shoulder, "Where do you think your going-"

Kiba cut her off, "I'm sorry Hinata-chan, for my dickish comments at the bar the other night, and for not helping you when you fainted. I didn't know the pictures were of you, and that totally doesn't excuse me being a dick and not helping you, but-"

Then glanced at his teacher, "I get it now why you punished me the other night sensei."

He then turned back to Hinata, "Still, Hinata-chan, I think of you as a precious friend and teammate, me and Shino both, and I think it would really suck balls if what happened these past few days were to change that. For that I'm sorry too."

Hinata watched her teammate, he looked more serious than Hinata was ever use to seeing, and it pained her that things turned out like this.

"No, it's- its okay Kiba-kun, umm- I never blamed you for what happened at the bar- so you're forgiven." He loosened into a rueful smile at that, replying in a false joking tone,"don't decide that just yet, you haven't heard our spat with Sai." He then turned to his teacher, "I'm sorry for skipping out on team practice too Kurenai sensei. Shino is too. We shouldn't have done that in order to chase after Sai- but we were angry at him for drawing Hinata that way. Even more pissed off when Neji showed us proof that he had hurt her last night."

Kurenai scrutinized her Inuzaku student, then turned to look at the now rigid Hinata.

"Well this is news to me- is that true Hinata?"

Hinata looked deer eyed between her sensei and teammate then back down at her hands, "..Sort of-I-" but couldn't continue.

It was around then that Shino awoke to, "..you too Hinata-chan? What has happened to make both you and Sai so evasive about the subject?"

"Shino! You're awake!" The Inuzuka cheered, walking around the other side of his bed, "how are you?"

"Disoriented, the kikaichu are trying to re-group right now, but they're still over excited."

Kiba snickered, "they're probably just happy you're awake man."

"As we are all," Kurenai interjected with a smile, "Unfortunately all of you still need to keep explaining, up for that Shino? Hinata?"

When Hinata didn't answer, Shino replied, "Where did Kiba leave off?"

His teammate glanced at the now attentive Hinata, then back at him embarrassed, "I explained what happened at west forest on the way to the hospital, it pissed off Naruto, and now we're here. Was apologizing to Hinata for being a dick at the bar the other day and for both of us to Kurenai-san for ditching practice."

"We should apologize for attacking Sai too."

"-Ack, really man? The f*€ker tried to kill us-"

"I think attempting to kill us was the right response considering what the three of us had done onto him."

Kurenai interjected again, "explain Shino, don't leave me and Hinata out of the loop."

Shino eyed Kiba, Kiba shrugged, "it's okay man, don't hold anything back."

"All the details? Kiba when did your sense of honor turn you into a masochist?"

Kiba punched his teammate's shoulder good naturedly, leave it to Shino to pick up humor when he dropped it. "Just talk you bug-head!" Shino smiled thinly, and turned to the unamused Kurenai and worried Hinata.

"So we left off at west forest?"

"Hold it-we're fumigating, that means no entry."

"Oi-so he really had termites?"

"Well that's what we were being called for- we haven't found any though. You a friend of the guy that lives here?"

"Uh yeah, his name's Sai he's about yeay tall, black hair, pale like a vampire, nasty with names, have you seen him around?"

"Sorry boy, we've been here since 11-we haven't seen anybody but the landlord. Speaking of which- you gonna see your friend soon?"

"Well if I can find him yeah- thanks anyways jiji," and Naruto made to leave the apartment entrance till the fumigator guy stopped him.

"Hold up ninja boy, we're just finishing up now, here's the bill." The man said, holding a piece of paper to his face, it had an unreasonably large number on it.

"Eh why are you giving it to me?! I don't live here!"

"No you don't, but your friend does and now he owes us. Landlord's not paying a Yen- tell your friend we take mail order cheques."

Then shoved the paper into Naruto's hands, the guy turned back in, "oi wrap it up- we're done here for the day!"

"Wait wait wait!- you can't just shove the bill on me jiji! Or even my friend- he didn't call you guys did he!?"

"Nope, but somebody owes us money now kid- tell your friend work it out- Let's go Chop! Chop! Kagura-san's house is not gonna oust its nest rats on its own!"

Before Naruto could complain more, the five sallow guys barreled out one after anothor, heavy equipment and working gas masks in tow.

The last one closed the door with a satisfying click, and stuck a piece of paper on the door.

"Bye blondie, have a good life!"

Naruto blinked at this all, then hollered at the back of the rough workers, "HEY! it's Naruto Uzimaki jiji!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the last of them disappearing down the stairs with a wave. Naruto stuck his tongue at them and blew a raspberry, then glanced at the note on the door.

DO NOT ENTER

FOR 48 HOURS AFTER

1:32 pm Saturday August 31st

Kanameishi Extermination Services cannot be held responsible for sickness and/or health problems of customers/individuals who have inhaled, ingested, or came in contact with Kanameishi Extermination products by voluntarily stepping past notice bound-

Naruto stopped reading cause the words were turning into jargon.

"Shit- Sai's not gonna be happy about this." Turned out his landlord hated him as much as Naruto thought, the kage bunshi scratched the back of his head and looked at the crumpled bill in his hand. He would usually dispel himself, but where would that leave the bill? Luckily the metaphorical light bulb dinged in his head and Naruto chortled to himself at his own brilliance. He was a genius.

"-After he got up again, Sai looked around before going to me and undoing that binding jutsu of his"

"Eeh?! He did that- I thought it was you guys?"

Kurenai waved a hand, "no, we found both of you unconscious but breathing- it does explain the ink stains that were on your faces and by your heads. Was he the one who gave first aid to Neji?"

Shino nodded, "He released that jutsu on Kiba after me and then went to Neji. He used a med-ninjutsu, before bandaging and treating himself."

Kurenai nodded and asked another question, "Did the kikaichu see how he left?"

"He flew out on an ink bird he drew with another back up cartridge to the north east. None of my kikaichu insects wanted to leave me alone, so I don't have a trail on him, sorry."

His sensei shook her head, "its alright Shino, we'll find him eventually. I saw the work he did on Neji-kun and while it did save him from becoming a vegetable. It wasn't anything advanced. He couldn't have gone far on just soldier pills."

Hinata stood up, chair scraping as she did, "Kurenai sensei- may I have permission to look for him?"

Kiba got up and Shino tried to, "-we'll go with you."

"-No alone. Shino-kun and Kiba-kun, both of you should rest still-."

"-we're fine!"

"You should stay!"

Team 8 stared at Hinata's outburst, she continued "Shino-kun took so long to wake up, we don't know for sure if there was something toxic in Sai-kun's ink, considering what he used it for. Both of you should get blood tested for harmful substances, just in case. Besides- he may try to run if you both go with me."

Kurenai crossed her arms, "will you tell us what happened between you and Sai-kun Hinata-chan?"

Her pale eyed student looked up at her teacher, and then her concerned teammates, and replied, "...I wish I understood what happened Sensei."

Shino turned to her, "perhaps, if you talked about it, we could help you make sense of it."

Memories of the situation from the night before flashed in her mind and she shook her head. "No, Shino-kun, I think I need to talk to Sai himself to make sense of all this.-"

"Look, Hinata we're just-"

"-worried, I know Kiba-kun." She took another breath, "but please trust me on this. Nothing that happened last night was as bad as you guys thought, o-or what Sai provoked you into thinking. T-That's why I need to find him, it needs to be sorted out with him one on one."

"But why alone? I mean the problems started when you we-"

"Kiba-kun!"

The Inuzuka stopped and all three team 8 members looked at Hinata.

"Please, trust me, he's injured and chakra exhausted- I can deal with him alone just fine." Then bit out harder, "And I could deal with him too if he wasn't." Hinata's not sure if that was to re-assure them or herself.

"But it won't be better or easier if you guys come. He didn't want to co-operate with either of you at all before. So please, let me go find him. Trust me on this." Please don't doubt my competence as a kunochi.

Kiba looked torn, Shino looked down and then at her, answering for both, "Okay Hinata-chan, just be careful."

Kiba added, "take Akamaru with you, he'll help track him - right boy?"

Akamaru ruff growled in agreement. Hinata smiled tremulously at her team. "Thank you."

Kurenai looked at her students and sighed, "I'm going to need to talk to Kakashi-san, Yamato-san, Gai-san, Tsume-san and Shibi-san. Both of you boys need to talk to Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun, no more fists are we clear?"

Kiba and Shino, who flinched reflexively at their parent's names, answered in union, "Yes Sensei."

Kurenai turned to Hinata, "You have my permission to track and locate Sai. Take care of yourself, and bring him back to his team on our behalf, okay Hinata-chan?"

"Hai Kurenai-sensei!"

"Oi, where you headed Hinata?"

She turned as Akamaru skidded to a stop, "To look for Sai Naruto-kun! You and Sakura-chan should wait- my teammates are coming down to apologize!"

"Hold up- I'll come with!" He created a kage-bunshin that ran to her. Sakura waved and yelled, "thanks for helping Hinata-chan! We'll join you when we're done here!"

Hinata nodded and waved back to Team 7 before directing Akamaru to run again, Naruto's clone moved with her.

"Alright- I've already checked his apartment, that art shop he goes to sometimes, Ichiruka's, the library, our old and new training grounds, root compound, and mine and Sakura-chan's place. There's still some of me running around double checking the rest of west forest and the forest fourty-four, but so far we've got nothing. Any ideas where you want to start looking Hinata? I can make more clones to help."

Hinata already had her byakugan on and was concentrated in scanning process as they moved along, "Not really Naruto-kun, I was just going to try to scan all the quieter parts of Konoha. The way Sai left seemed like he wanted to be alone. Though, I didn't know as a Kage-Bunshin you could make more Bunshins." Naruto just never seemed to stop amazing her.

The blond laughed, "I didn't either till Yamato-san suggested I try. I have enough chakra for it anyways heh. You're doing pretty good yourself Hinata-chan. Won't it be exhausting to scan all of the quiet areas though? Konaha has a lot." Naruto knew this from his childhood years of exploring the city- there were lots of places without people to hide in.

Hinata blushed beet red at his compliment, but willed herself not to faint, she had a job to do. "T-thank you Naruto-kun. It's not too hard really- I'm going at a three km range right now. I could go ten tops but then I'd probably I miss him."

Naruto tripped a bit as he ran, "holy cow! Ten kilometers!? I didn't know the Byakugan could see so far! That's really something Hinata! How can you be so sure you won't miss Sai at a three km though? I mean at that range, you'd see a lot chakra signatures anywhere." Konoha was still a city-state, aside from the forests, most spots where one could find absolute solitude didn't stretch that far.

Hinata tried to regulate her breathing, she really was going to faint at this rate, figures that Kami would make Naruto notice her now of all times, " i-i-it's just p-practice Naruto-kun, everyone has a different chakra signature, and their coils are all slightly different. I just need to look for Sai's."

"Ooooo, okay. That's still really neat. When'd you see Sai's coils though? Like I didn't know you guys hung out before- yeah."

That helped cool her flush instantly, "we-we don't Naruto-kun- I- I barely know him."

Her blond companion then turned his head at her confused, "not at all?" Hinata nodded.

"Then why are you looking for Sai Hinata? Me and Sakura-chan appreciate it, but you don't have to. Is this cause your teammates were being crazy and attacked Sai?"

Hyuga bit her lips as she scanned, "-my teammates..."

The pictures, the fight, and her 'crazy' teammates worried eyes. She didn't really tell them anything for fear of breaking down and relying on them again. She didn't want to think of her herself or friends that way, but in a day they changed from protective walls to vicious defenders. Kiba's angry attacks, her brother's paranoia, and even Shino who actively helped and only stopped it all when it was too late.

At the same time though, she knew they were her friends and family through and through, sure it bothered her that they were that protective- but they weren't walls that wouldn't open. They let her go look for Sai alone when she had asked. They trusted her enough to not pry further, to wait till she'd untangled the mess between her and Sai. Except it was difficult to do that, and there was just too much going on at once. All of this made her head hurt.

"... Please Naruto-kun, they aren't crazy, you just can't hear them explain right now."

"Then fill me in- they told you didn't they?"

She bit harder on her lips, Hinata didn't want to lie to Naruto, but could she talk about it?

"Hinata?"

She glanced back at the Jinchūriki's clear gaze. Goodness she could stare forever at him, and at the same time she regretted letting him follow her to look for Sai.

But she couldn't very well say no to him either, Sai was his teammate.

Hinata took a deep breath, Akamaru looked between the stressed Hyuga and the curious Naruto as he bounded along.

"This might take a bit Naruto-kun," She thought of the ink ninja's black gaze the tides of the fight Shino told, "and there's some things regarding what happened to Sai and me that I want you to keep to yourself for now."

The Jinchūriki's steady gaze nodded, "sure Hinata, I can do that."

So she took a deep breath and talked, "My- my teammates and Neji-nee attacked Sai because ... Of me. It started with- with those pictures." There, she said it.

Naruto replied cluelessly, "uhhn... Pictures?"

He did know what she was talking about, she stuttered trying to explain, "A-at the Shuriken bar, the ones tha-that y-you brought in." She felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment, and hoped to the kamis she didn't have to spell it out further, she couldn't look at Naruto.

The blond Jinchūriki rambled confused, "what does the pictures I stole from Sai have to do with this? And why are you- ," then blanked. Hinata sneaked a peak to see Naruto looking right at her face, and a dawning expression of shock.

"Wait wait Wait! that was YOU?!" He pointed incredulously, flushing lightly as he looked her up and down, and then quickly away. "Oh, well holy shit, ermm."

The blond then scratched his head and grimaced before turning back to her awkwardly, "Damn, I'm sorry Hinata. If I had know it was you I wouldn't have stolen those pictures from Sai's studio and shown everybody. This is all-crap all of this is my fault isn't it? Auuugh Sakura-chan's gonna kill me!"

"I- it's..." Why is this so hard to say, "It's okay, Naruto-kun." What did she expect really?

Naruto seemed to notice her disappointment, "auuh umm! I'm really sorry I caused this Hinata! J-Just don't cry! Don't cry! Here you can hit me if you want! If it'll make you feel better go head really!" Naruto offered up his cheek desperately pointing to it.

"That'd dispell you Naruto-kun. I can't do that."

"Uuh well- if it'll make you feel better that's okay- another one of me will come! Really - I don't mind!"

"It's alright Naruto, you don't have to do that, I'm fine."

Naruto un-stiffened, "err, you sure? Like- I'm really sorry, honest, I feel bad for making you faint because we were oogling at those pictures and all that y'know? And wow are your teammates super protective, though... I guess I'd probably do the same if someone did that to Sakura-chan." Naruto's eyes turned a smidge darker, mumbling to himself, "or worse." But then shook himself and turned back sheepish, "anyways- m'really sorry Hinata. Please, please, please forgive me," he bowed repeatedly and hands clasped in front of him like a prayer.

Hinata laughed softly, it wasn't funny, but he was just so silly and earnest that she did so reflexively, "it's okay, really Naruto-kun, the pictures weren't the only reason- there were more."

The blond Jinchūriki perked up, "there is?"

And Hinata explained, about the night before, the details of the fight today, and Sai's eventual escape. The subject of the pictures of her forgotten.

Sai coughed violently as he broke the surface of the water for air.

Inhaling and exhaling shakily, he let his head fall back in and floated in the soft waves of the lake. Staring at the blue afternoon sky was calming and he needed that to recoup. The ink bird dissolved earlier then he planned and he fell as it happened. Luckily, they weren't too high up and right above the lake at the time.

The soldier pill wore off much too quickly though, and it left Sai utterly exhausted, but the water was chilly and that kept him awake for a bit. Still he knew he couldn't black out yet. After seeing a gaggle of ducks splash water and quack at the shore. Sai forced himself to move and swam sluggishly to the edge of the lake, on closer inspection, there was a dock at the edge of it. It took an embarrassing amount of effort and time to pull himself up on the dock, and he laid there for a whiles, getting colder by the second.

He knew he should have gotten up, moved, anything but lay there like a land stranded fish, although a fish would have flopped and flailed and gasped for water rich air to breath. Sai just shivered, and shivered, until his shivering was slowing, as was the heartbeats in his chest.

I wonder, am I passing out, or dieing?

He'd used enough chakra to be close to it. But Sai didn't really care anymore, and stared into space while flashes of Shin's, Naruto's, and Sakura's smiles, shined before his eyes. The last image was of Hinata's conflicted gaze, hair disarrayed, ink dripping from her dainty wrist collecting around her toes in the landing of his apartment. Sai breathed, don't look at me like that.

Hinata's image blurred, and he closed his eyes unable to open them anymore.

Kakashi patted Sai's cheek again, the boy didn't even twitch, and he felt deathly cold. Deciding right then that his priority had to change, he hefted up the limp boy's form and headed to nearest shelter, the old Hatake house.

After hopping over the front gate wall, avoiding the traps (he didn't plan on visiting today, so he hadn't brought his keys), Kakashi slid open one sliding paper door after another. He strode down the gloomy halls quickly to arrive at his old bedroom and deposited Sai's still form on the tatami mats. Prying open an old closet, then pulling out a folded futon, he coughed at the dust, and aired out the thing before wrapping Sai up in it. Then quickly summoned Pakkun and three more nin dogs.

"What's up Kakashi?" Pakkun asked familliarly, and glanced around, "man it's been a while since ya summoned us here."

"Keep Sai warm, all of you- I'll be back."

The pug looked at the bundled up boy and raised an eyebrow, "you summoned us to keep a pup company? What gives Kakashi- its been a more than a decade since we babysat Naruto." The husky agreed, "yeah- we're nin dogs damnit! We don't even know this kid" while the rottweiler nudged Sai's still damp head.

The Hatake yelled back from down the halls "Just do it, and stop complaining, I'll be back."

Kakashi was rummaging in the kitchen and successfully pulled out three pots. He checked the tap, relieved that it was still running and filled each pot with luke warm water before putting them on the gas stove and turning it on. He went back to his old bedroom, to see the dogs lying at different places along the futon on top of Sai.

"I said keep him warm, not sit on him."

Pakkun grumbled, "same difference," the husky nin dog remarked, "no kidd'n, this boney brat isn't exactly comfort extrodinaire." The other dog woof laughed and Kakashi shook his head, opened another closet and pulled out an electric heater, plugging it into the wall, and arranged it so it faced Sai's body.

"But really Kakashi- who is this kid, he looks like he just came from a battle, " the female pit-bull remarked, rolled the unconscious ninja's head to examine him. His eyes were swollen shut, nose, cheek and jaw terribly purple with bruises, there was a nasty cut from the corner of his mouth into his cheek. The Rotweiller replied from his spot beside the pit-bull, "Or someone just used his head as a punching bag. Not fleshy enough to be a good one in my opinion." The husky barked in agreement.

"He's a teammate of my students, as for why he's in that shape, I don't know." Kakashi pulled out the second electric heater in the room, and plugged and re-arranged it too.

"Oi- s'that why we're here at your old house? Where'd you find this kid anyways?" Pakkun asked as he walked in a circle at Sai's ankle before finding a comfortable position again.

"I was passing Menou Lake and found him on the dock, I think he fell in the water at some point and pulled himself out, but he's been suffering hypothermia- so I need you guys to stick around a little longer till I get the hot water bottles filled."

Kakashi then walked out the room down the hall to the dining area, he needed to make a call to the hospital where Kurenai had called him to meet her in the first place.

Just as he was dialing he heard some one knock loudly on the front gate, followed shortly by sliding doors and a loud familiar voice, "You sure he's here Hinata-chan?"

Kakashi sighed and hung up, yelling down the halls as he went to the kitchen to check on the pots, "Naruto, you shouldn't barge into people's houses randomely!"

The water was at a rolling boil now, he pulled out some old empty hot water bottles and uncorked the first one, rinsing it in the sink.

The blond Jinchūriki stuck his head in the room, "Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here? this isn't where you live!"

"The same goes for you Naruto-kun, but I own this place."

"You do un? Well we're here cause we were looking for Sai," and glanced at the flat hot water bottles and stock pots with boiling water, "Need some help with that?"

Kakashi sighed, "no, but you're going to help anyways aren't you?"

Naruto laughed rubbing his nose, "hey most people would appreciate free help!"

Kakashi shook his head in response, "where's the real you anyways?"

He made a face, "aww you could tell already? man I'm loosing my edge." He filled the hot water bottle Kakashi handed to him.

The scarcrow nin's lone eye crinkled, "You were looking for Sai but volunteering to help me, which didn't add up. Try to be more consistent next time."

The blond scoffed as he filled another one, "yeah, yeah, lecture not necessary." Kakashi smiled under his mask before returning to a serious tone, "care to explain why Sai's in that condition right now Naruto-kun?" Fill, cork, the Jinchūriki took another.

"Eh he got jumped because he was being a pervert."

Fill, cork, Kakashi stared before handing two more in exasperation,"is this about the bar pictures?"

Naruto scratched his nose, "sorta, its kinda complicated," and filled the other two then corked them."Kakashi how many of these do you have?" They were on their sixth water bottle.

The scarecrow ninja shrugged, "a lot." But six were enough, so he turned the stove heat to a simmer to keep the last pot warm. "Let's go back Naruto," the blond Jinchūriki nodded as they returned down the halls, only to have the main entrance to the bedroom blocked by Akamaru. Pakkun was speaking with him, Kakashi internally sighed- his house had never been so crowded.

"Hey Akamaru, how's Sai doing now?" Naruto greeted, The nin dog woof whined and Pakkun frowned, "you shoulda told us more than his head was injured Kakashi, we wouldn't have sat on him if you did."

Kakashi one eye raised, "I thought it was just the shoulder and waist, none of you were sitting there." Besides, at the time he was more concerned that the root nin was turning into a popsicle and dieing of heart failure. "Hello Hinata-chan."

The Hyuga's tremulous voice replied, "H-Hi Kakashi-san. S-sai-kun has a cut at the back, his wrist, a chakra burn across an arm, and a sprained ankle. Two fractured ribs and a lot of internal bleeding around various spots in his torso." The nin-dogs were sitting at the side and the rottweiler muttered to the husky, "what I'd tell yah- terrible punching bag, they aimed more at his face more than his body."

The one Kakashi assumed was the original Naruto glared at the duo, "will you two shut up- somebody is trying to work here." He had his hands place in the same healing dome Hinata's were in, one at Sai's body, another above the root ninja's face.

"Keh- ungratful brat he doesn't even remeber us!" Kakashi and the Naruto clone placed the hot water bottled strategically around Sai's body.

After finished tucking one under Sai's head, Naruto number two argued back, "yeah- well I don't think I want to remember jerk-dogs like you- who are you anyways?"

The rottweiler and husky grumbled to each other, "totally ungrateful- we should poop on his shoes."

"Mhmm, he stink'in pooped enough infront of us waaaay too many times"

"What did you jerks say!?" The pitbull shook her head, "Ignore them Naruto-kun, Kakashi we're leaving, tell your student's teammate to take better care of himself, Irori, Hyōzan let's go." She disappeared in a puff of smoke, the rottweiler and husky remarked ('yeah yeah you old crone.')('I swear that bitch gets worse every summon, order'n us around-') before disappearing.

Pakkun nodded to Akamaru ('I'll visit the Inuzuka pack another day, send my regards'), and turned to his summoner, "see ya around Kakashi," before dispelling too.

Akamaru barked and Naruto agreed, "Me too, I like Pakkun the best, dunno what's wrong with those dogs."

The Hatake shook his head and looked to the healing Hyuga who hadn't look up once between the conversations, "do you need anything?"

Hinata shook her head, "it's okay Kakashi-san, Naruto-kun, you should stop too, you're running out of Chakra."

The Naruto that had his hands in the same domes laughed sheepishly, "It's okay Hinata-chan - concentrate on healing- I'll keeping helping untll I dispell."

Hinata re-assured quietly as she worked, "don't worry Naruto-kun, you really can stop, Sai's chakra has just about stabilized, I can take care of the rest alone." Then looked up at Kakashi, "did Kurenai- sensie call? She told me she wanted to talk to you and Yamato-sensei before we left to look for Sai."

The Hatake scratched the back of his head and got up, "yeah- she called about Sai, I was going to call back when you two arrived."

Hinata frowned, "Kakashi sensei, I think my Sensei would like to talk to you in person. Maito Gai-san, Inuzaku Tsume-san, and Aburame Shibi-san will be there too."

The scarecrow ninja frowned, "your teammates were the ones involved in this?" Hinata nodded and Kakashi rubbed his temples, Sai really didn't listen to him.

"Alright Hinata-chan you can stay here as long as you need to, Naruto come on, fill me in on what you can along the way."

The free Naruto stretched, "sure Kakashi-san, thank you for all your help Hinata-chan, I'll tell Sakura-chan to come over later so you can go home okay?"

The Hyuga princess shook her head, "if you want to send Sakura-chan go ahead- but I want to stay and help Sai- this is the least I can do."

The Naruto that was providing chakra to Sai frowned at her, "oi you don't have to do that- you don't owe us or Sai anything- really! Sakura-chan would want you to take it easy too!"

Hinata smiled back inattentivly, "it's okay Naruto-kun- I want to help Sai- not just because I owe it. How about this, you come back with Sakura-chan and bring some dinner, we can all eat together, and Sai can join us if he's awake by then."

"Oh hey there's an idea! We can get Ramen take-out. What kind do you like Hinata-chan?"

Kakashi left the room to turn off the stove, he had to smile to himself at the chatting of ramen flavour behind him. Sai had probably caused definite trouble, but it was nice to see he had made a new friend that cared out of it.

Name Translations:

Kagura[神楽]- God of entertainment (according to inuyasha), Shinto music (according to google translate) pick the one you like =.=

Kanameishi [要石]- keystone

Menou[瑪瑙]- Agate

Hyōzan[氷山]- Iceberg

Irori[囲炉裏]- Hearth