At home she began sorting through her belongings. The place was trashed and the enormity of what had taken place started to over-whelm her. Hiro gently led her to her room. "You're right girl," she choked back tears. "I've got to stay focused."

She kicked the chair back into the corner, disgusted at the sight of it. Grabbing a knapsack from her closet, she began stuffing an assortment of clothes into it. She reached under her bed for her special box. Such mementos suddenly seemed frivolous considering the long journey ahead and yet she couldn't bear to part from it. She removed her own forehead protector and secured her Father's in a makeshift bandana form. She turned to look at her reflection in the shattered mirror that hung askew on the wall. How fitting that her reflection was distorted…just like her reality. Nothing was as it seemed anymore. She let out a long sigh before turning back to packing.

She resupplied her shinobi pouches from a hallway closet with kunai, shuriken, and a first-aid kit. "Ok, I think that's all we'll need. Ready Hiro?"

She turned to find her dog missing. "Hiro? Where are you?"

A bark sounded from her parent's room and she poked her head in. Hiro was whining in the closet. "What's going on?" She asked as she approached her. Hiro scratched at the floorboards. Isae was confused at first. It wasn't like her to sharpen her claws inside. The boards creaked and wobbled under the constant digging. They were loose. "Oh I see," she said as she gently pushed her aside. She slipped her fingers into the cracks and forced them up. Underneath was a box secured in a depression in the foundation. She carefully removed the box that Hiro eagerly bumped with her nose. A thick layer of dirt and grime covered the wooden box; it was obvious that it had not been opened in years. She carefully opened it and found a small box that she couldn't open and a sheath for the twisted knife. She secured it to her left thigh and slowly slipped the ethereal blade in. Her hand rested on the worn leather with a frown. "Seems a weird thing to hide away like that." She shrugged as she pocketed the small box. "Ready to go now?" She asked.

Hiro barked in reply, which she took as a yes. Patting her head, she turned to leave the house. As she crossed the threshold, she paused and looked over her shoulder. She was going to miss this place. While it didn't always feel like a home, it was the best she knew, and again she felt reluctant to leave. Where to go from here? She shouldered her pack and walked down the worn path. Just as she entered the main part of the Inuzuka compound, she nearly ran into Kiba and Akumaru.

He and she narrowed their eyes suspiciously at one another. Her mouth hardened into a line.

Then suddenly he softened. "I'm sorry about what happened."

"Are you now?" She asked dryly with a hint of resentment. "Good to know."

"Wait," he said as he caught hold of her elbow. That was when he noticed the backpack. "Going somewhere?"

"Staying the night with friends," she quickly lied as she pulled away. "Can't very well sleep in there." She jerked her thumb in the direction of home. "So what do you want?" The question came out a bit accusing.

He sighed as he looked her over. She was like a wild beast - suspicious and distrustful of everything and everyone. What did Shino see in her anyway? "Look, Shino is my friend-"

"Did he send you to spy on me?" She growled.

"Like I'd waste my time following you around," he growled in turn. Man she was such a pain! "Just shut up and listen, will ya?"

She glared. "Give me one good reason…"

"Shino. I'm worried about him."

She hesitated at that. "Go on," she said reluctantly.

"More to the point I'm worried about his interest in you." She stiffened and he cringed as he struggled to find the right words. "Well what I mean is-it's just that-"

"Don't worry about it," she cut him off. "I won't be seeing him again. Satisfied?" She turned on her heel and began to storm away.

"Wait!" He followed after her. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just that he's one of my best friends and he's never liked a girl before. I'd hate for him to get hurt."

She stopped short and he nearly ran into her. She stared at the ground for a long time before turning towards him. Her expression was soft and pensive. "I wouldn't want him to get hurt either," she confessed. He was taken a-back by her sudden gentleness. She even looked…kinda pretty. "But I don't think you need to worry, we barely know each other." Her smile was a sad one. "The Aburame who wins his heart will be a very lucky girl."

"But he likes you."

She snorted softly. "Nonsense, who falls in love in five days? Shino is far too rational for that. Now as for you...I think the current standard is two days." She flashed him a wicked grin.

His expression became thunderous. "WHAT? Who told you that?!"

She laughed as she ran away, leaving him sputtering and swearing incoherently. "Nice to leave on a high note huh?" She winked at Hiro.


Shino felt considerably better the next morning and set about his usual routine. Things between him and his father had gone back to normal, except that Shino was a little more jittery than usual, eager to finish breakfast so he could leave.

"She is not going anywhere," Shibi said with a trace of a side-smile. "Calm yourself Shino. As thrilling as new love can be, it can also be unstable. There is a reason why Aburame wait."

"Why is that?"

"We prefer the steady and predictable way of life. Love, while it can be tender, is best set within perimeters."

"You mean without risk," Shino countered.

Shibi raised an eyebrow. "What if this emotional venture of yours falls through? What will you do?" Shino hadn't really thought about it and admitted as much. His Father chuckled in victory. "Some things must be experienced to be understood."

He narrowed his eyes shrewdly. "Do you speak from experience?"

Shibi halted at this and suddenly looked less haughty.

"Aha!" Shino pointed at him accusingly. "No you do not!"

"That is beside the point," Shibi scrambled to defend himself but Shino had finished and quickly excused himself.

Once in town he thought back to Shizako's tip about jerky. Perhaps it would do to bring a little gift. Girls like that sort of gesture right? He thought of the times Hinata gave things to Naruto, like ointment during the Chunin Exams. Hopefully Isae would understand the meaning behind the gesture, unlike that clueless Uzumaki. Nearby was a stall where an Inuzuka sold homemade jerky. As Shino inspected the selections, he picked up on a familiar scent: Citrus, tangy, and a hint of nutmeg. His eyes came to rest on one marked "Orange Haze" and made his purchase. Pocketing it with a satisfied smile, he turned towards the hospital.

The sun shone overhead with nothing but clear skies, he felt confident that things were looking up. Just as he turned the corner, two streaks nearly knocked him off his feet.

"Sorry dude!"

He twisted round to see Shizako and Satoru running down the street. He took off after them with a sense of trepidation. "Has something happened?"

Shizako narrowed her eyes straight at the Inuzuka compound up ahead. "Isae checked out last night. I've got a bad feeling about this…"

"I think you're paranoid," Satoru said half-heartedly. "I'm sure there's some perfectly logical explanation. I mean it's not like she'd just desert us…right?"

Shino narrowed his eyes suspiciously and remained silent as he followed them. Once at the house they didn't find her, but plenty of evidence that she'd been there.

"Looks like she took some things with her, her clothes are missing," Shizako angrily kicked the dresser drawers closed.

"Either that or people have been stealing," Satoru offered. "It's not like the ANBU sealed this place up afterwards."

Shino's eye caught on some shiny metal on the floor and reached for it. "This is her Shinobi Headband. She had to have been here."

"So what does this mean?" Shizako asked worriedly. Neither boy knew what to say. "Seriously? No ideas?" She growled as she turned on her heels. "Well I'm gonna get some answers!"

She went straight for the Hokage's Office, the two followed after her. She burst inside, stopping short to see their Sensei talking earnestly with the Hokage. She turned towards her students with a crushed look on her face. "Chinatsu-Sensei, do you know where Isae is?" Shizako pressed. "We can't find her anywhere."

She swallowed hard as she mustered a fleeting smile. "Come with me," she gestured as she walked past them. "We have much to discuss."

Shino stayed behind, feeling out of place as he sensed what was going on. As the door closed behind them, he turned towards Tsunade. "She has left Konoha, hasn't she?"

Tsunade lowered her gaze to her desk as she sorted through papers. "This does not concern you, Shino-kun."

He bristled at that. "But I am concerned about her."

She paused for a moment and looked at him shrewdly. "I advise you to drop this. Hopefully Isae-chan will rejoin us one day, but that is entirely up to her."

He was stunned. "Are you saying that a team will not be sent to retrieve her?"

She stacked her papers hard against the desk before setting them aside. "That is correct."

His hand curled into a fist. "When Sasuke-kun defected, several teams were sent after him. Is Isae considered less valuable?"

"This is not the same scenario," she said firmly. "I have pressing business to attend to so unless you have something else on your mind, I must ask you to leave."

His brow furrowed and his mouth twitched angrily. He immediately turned on his heel and left the room before he said something that he'd regret. It bothered him how causal the Hokage was about this. They went to so much trouble keeping the assault secret and sealed up and yet let her freely leave the Village. It just didn't add up. His brow furrowed, something was going on and he was going to get to the bottom of it. But where to look first?