Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

This privilege goes to Masashi Kishimoto.

This is my version of the animie/manga story line.

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Chapter 37 Ibiki's twenty questions…

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First and foremost I would like to apology for taking so long in updating my story.

Seems someone sent me one of those little cute kitten video that had a hidden computer virus.

The computer virus is called "Computer Viruses for Dummies"

This virus instructs you to forward the cute kitten video to everybody on your email list.

Then you have to personally erase all files, passwords and uninstall all your programs.

Failure to comply, you asked to watch the 'cute kitten' video again and again until you comply.

So be forewarned, if you receive a email from me that has a 'cute kitten' video attachment , delete the email immediately.

And for those who email address I don't have, go to : ' hstd/ cute-kitten-video. iamnotavirus' for your free personal copy.

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Anko sees Ibiki heading towards the door, "hey where are you going, and you said we had to write all these damn reports."

Not even turning around as he heads towards the door, "I'm heading over to Kunoichi Nite to see if Ms. Shiba would not mind stopping by to verify these are from her store. And if she has a list of mail order clients." Anko flips him off and without even turning Ibiki, "love you too Anko, now get to work" as he exit's the door.

Ibiki's black trench coat is flapping in breeze as he walking towards the Kunoichi Nite boutique, people are moving out of his way seeing the head of the T & I walking towards them. As he walks towards Kunoichi Nite, Ibiki remembers the first time he met Kukaku Shiba….

Flash back to the Third Shinobi war….

His team had succeeded in collecting vital information on the enemy; but they had been discovered. Ibiki ordered his teammates to make a run for it since the information that they had was critical to Konoha and that he would stop any pursuit. He was successful in stopping the pursuing enemy giving his teammates a chance to escape. Unfortunately, he was captured and was now sitting on a chair. His hands tied behind his back with ninja wire, which was cutting, into his wrists, his legs are tied also. A black bag has been placed over his head so that he cannot see who is torturing him. Ibiki's chin is resting on his chest; his breaths are coming in painful gasps. Ibiki knew that he had several cracked or broken ribs, couple of loosen teeth, a broken nose and several broken fingers. There were unknown number of cigarette burns and cuts all over his body where his interrogators had inflected onto his body. However, Ibiki grinned to himself; he had not made a sound since the interrogation had started which was pissing off his interrogators. Three Iwa jonins are leaning on a table full of knives, senbons, hammers, couple of batteries and several pieces of rope taking a break from torturing Ibiki for the past couple of days. The Iwa's unit did have a shinobi that could do a mind walk; but these three insisted that they could find out what his team had seen or gotten before being discovered. What they really wanted to do was to see how much pain they could inflict on this prisoner.

They finished their break and were walking back to start the torturing again, when an Iwa chunin sticks his head in the door, "the commander has Intel saying that the Konoha's main force is heading towards the plains and he wants to meet them in full force. You have fifteen minutes got any information out of him, and then you need head to section J5."

One of the jonin jerks his thumb at the tied up Ibiki, "what about him?"

The chunin calls out over his shoulder, "commander said we have no time for prisoners" before leaving the building to inform the rest of the unit of the new orders.

One of the Iwa jonin taking a drag off his cigarette before putting it out on Ibiki's shoulder, "well Konoha scum, looks like we will have to make this quick."

Ibiki knowing that his life was about to end starts thinking about the things he should have done, regrets and if they would ever find his body. Suddenly Ibiki hears gurgling noises followed by three thuds hitting the floor before feeling a kunai pressed to his throat.

A sultry voice whispers in his ear, "What is the 'Will of the Fire'?"

Ibiki's eyes widen, this is the verbal challenge for Konoha's shinobi to use to identify if you were a Konoha shinobi. If you answer wrong then the 'voice' would finish the job the three Iwa's were going to do. Drawing a painful breath and whisper back the counter sign, "the Will of the Fire is to protect the 'King' of Konoha."

Several moments pass before Ibiki feels the wire securing his arms is being cut followed by his legs being freed. Ibiki uses his hands to untying the hood before pulling off his head. Ibiki blinks several time trying to get his eyes to adjust to the light before bring his hands around to rub his wrists to try to get feeling back in his hands. Looking down on the ground, he sees the three dead Iwa jonins with kunais either sticking in their throats or between their eyes.

Ibiki sees a kunoichi in a black jonin vest/black cargo pants with a kunai in her hand peeping out the door. He notes that she has dull black hair held in a simple ponytail; but he assumes that due to the fact she probably does not have time to properly wash and condition it. She has all the right curves to make a man take notice, Ibiki hears her whisper, "If you are finished looking, can you move?"

Ibiki stands up slowly and almost falls before wobbling over to table, "give me a minute."

"We don't have a minute, can you move or not, "growls the kunoichi still peeping out the door.

"I can move; but, not as fast as needed to escape. If you have a spare soldier pill and a couple of explosive tags, I think I can make it inside their communication center and take it out. Tell Team Morino that Ibiki when out in a blaze of glory."

Closing the door the kunoichi reaches inside one of the pockets on her jonin vest and tosses him a small bottle. Taking a small pill out and popping into his mouth before crushing it with his teeth, Ibiki feels his strength and chakra return; but at about quarter of his original strength. Ibiki reaches down and strips one of the dead Iwa of his jonin vest and all weapons. Putting it on, Ibiki looks around to see if he can find his hin-ate; but, to his disappointment it nowhere in sight. Sighing Ibiki walks slowly towards the kunoichi, who is watching him intently. Ibiki tosses the bottle back to the kunoichi, "thanks, now if you can spare a couple of explosive tags, I'll go cause a distraction so that you can escape."

Grinning at Ibiki, "sorry I accidentally left all of mine inside the communication center and they should be going off in 5...4...3..." "BOOM!" The room is shaken, as an after shock hit's the building.

The kunoichi, "ok follow me, we are out of here."

Ibiki nods his head as the kunoichi opens the door looking both ways quickly before turning to her left and heading down the hall. Reaching the door at the end of the hall, the kunoichi opens the door and starts walking quickly towards a tree line located behind the building. Ibiki can smell smoke and hears people yelling to put out the fires as he follows the kunoichi. Ibiki walks as quickly as he can making sure not to run because he knows if someone sees him running would draw attention to himself. Once in the tree line, the pair breaks into a slow jog to put distance between them and the Iwa post.

Stopping by a small stream after jogging for an hour, the kunoichi signals to Ibiki that they would be taking a short break. Motioning Ibiki to sit on a log, the kunoichi unseals a scroll that contains a first aid kit, "ok take off your shirt, let's see what I can do for you." Seeing the burns and the cuts, the kunoichi silently curses those Iwa bastards. These injuries were meant to cause pain and disfigurement. Pulling out a needle and thread, she starts to suture up all deep cuts besides dabbing some cream that she has from a bottle on all the cuts and burns. Slowly she traces a finger with cream across the pair of scars across his face, "I'm sorry I cannot do anything for these, I'm afraid they will leave a scar."

Ibiki chuckling, "that's ok; my team mates will probably say it's an improvement. Thank you for saving my ass and patching me up. I have just one question, why did you save me?"

The kunoichi shrugs her shoulder as she packs up her medical supplies, "I got separated from my squad and was heading for our base camp, when I stumbled upon the communication center. As I was placing the explosive notes, I heard a couple of chunin talking about those three jonins torturing a Konoha shinobi. So I went to investigate and the rest is history." Reaching in her pouch the kunoichi pulls out a field ration bar and offers it to Ibiki.

Ibiki waves it off, "thank you; but, my previous host has a couple of field ration bars stashed in his vest". Unwrapping the field ration bar and taking a bite, Ibiki makes a face causing the kunoichi to laugh. Shaking his head Ibiki, "you know if they really wanted to torture me, they could have made me eat one of these damn ration bars. I swear the same company that makes Konoha's ration bars makes Iwa's too."

The kunoichi nods her head in agreement, as she eats her ration bar washing it down with some water from the stream. After a couple of minutes the pair stands up, Ibiki turns to the kunoichi, "which way?"

The kunoichi points north to which Ibiki moves to take the point causing the kunoichi to ask him, "why?"

Ibiki, "since we are still in enemy territory and I'm currently wearing an Iwa's jonin vest it might give us an element of surprise. Besides I can see in your eyes that you don't exactly trust me to be behind you."

The kunoichi nods her head in agreement to Ibiki's statement, "how do you know that I'm not an Iwa kunoichi?"

"Three things tell me that you are a Konoha kunoichi," Ibiki says. "One, you would of just killed me back at the complex, two your suturing technique."

"Suturing technique?"

Ibiki holding up his arm for the kunoichi to see, "I've only seen this type of technique used by medically trained personnel from Konoha. So therefore you are a kunoichi of Konoha."

"Very observant of you and what was the third?"

"You have beautiful emerald-green eyes. So do we keep heading north?"

Ibiki does not see the kunoichi blushing slightly, "yes, my base camp is about…"

Ibiki raises his hand, "stop don't tell me specifics of your base's location in case I get recaptured, I don't want to take the chance of devolving its location. Just tell me which way to go."

Hearing this causes the kunoichi to snicker, Ibiki glances over his shoulder, "what's so funny?"

"You, a man actually asking for directions from a woman."

"Well, let's keep that between the two of us, or else when I get back to Konoha they will take away my 'Man' card."

After jogging for several hours, they start across a wide-open area when Ibiki cusses, "damn it."

"What?"

Stopping and turning to the kunoichi, "there are three Iwa shinobi heading towards us and they have seen us."

The kunoichi glances around Ibiki and see the Iwa shinobi heading towards them spread out in standard attack pattern. Looking up into Ibiki's eyes, "running won't work; they will pick us off if we run."

"I've think I can stall them long enough for you to make a break for it."

"No, I will not leave you to die, there has to be another way."

Thinking Ibiki reaches inside his vest and pulls out a pencil and a strip of paper and starts to draw on the paper before placing the strip on the kunoichi's fore head, "channel a little chakra to keep this on your forehead, now bow your head and 'try' to look submissive. I'm going to try to sucker them in closer so that we can get the drop on them. Follow my lead."

The kunoichi raises one eyebrow before lowering her head and nodding her head.

Ibiki takes a deep breath and turns back towards the approaching Iwa shinobi and assumes a superior pose. Ibiki had noticed that the three Iwa shinobi were only chunins. Knowing that he was wearing a jonin vest he knew that he had to take control quickly.

"What are you three doing out here by yourselves, WHERE IS YOUR JONIN?" Ibiki yells at them.

The three Iwa shinobi recognizing the jonin vest on Ibiki lower their weapons and start to look at each other before one in the middle steps forward, "we stopped off at a local tavern for lunch and he was talking with the barmaid. He told us to head on back to base and that he would catch up."

Ibiki face scrunches in anger and storms up to three chunin, who take an involuntary step back, "WHAT IS YOUR JONIN"S NAME? I WANT IT NOW!"

The middle chunin gulps, "Sendo Ryushi"

Seeing how tense the three chunin are, Ibiki decides to make the chunins think that they are off the hook and lower their guard. Stepping back and lowering his head and shaking it like the name and action was not a surprise to him. Looking at the three chunin, "it's not your fault, I'll handle this later."

Hearing that they were off the hook the three put their weapons away and look behind Ibiki noticing the Konoha kunoichi with a piece of paper stuck to her forehead looking down. One of the chunin, "shouldn't that whore be tied up?"

Ibiki notices the kunoichi body to tense slightly at the comment, "nah, see that seal on her forehead. It's cause her to be completely submissive."

One of the chunin nods his head, "I've heard about them; but, never have seen one"

Seeing the three chunins looking at the kunoichi with lust Ibiki decides to lure them in closer," Ok you guys can look; but, don't touch I'm escorting her back to Commander Satsu Taika estate to be his 'personal' servant and I value my ass and rank."

Two of the chunins walk up close to the kunoichi and leer at her, one of them muttering, "Damn officers, hogging all the good looking whores." With the other one leaning over to whisper in the kunoichi's ear, what he would like to be doing to her.

The third chunin walks up beside Ibiki before glancing over his shoulder, "hey here comes Ryushi, he must of struck out with that barmaid."

Ibiki glances over his shoulder seeing a shinobi rushing towards them, knowing that once the jonin got a good look at them and the seal, he would know they were fake. Seeing the kunoichi raise her eyes slightly to look him, Ibiki mouths, "get ready."

As the jonin gets closer to the group, one of the chunins calls out, "hey Ryushi come check out Commander Taika newest whore."

The jonin stops about 10 feet away from the group looks at the kunoichi before looking at Ibiki, "YOU!" before executing the hand signs and yelling, "Mud Ball Bullets" before spitting them out of his mouth towards Ibiki.

Ibiki recognizes Ryushi as one of the members that had captured him. Ibiki grabs the chunin by his arm and swings him around to use him as a shield as the Mud Ball Bullets strike the chunin in the chest killing him. The force of the blow knocks Ibiki down with the dead chunin on top of him.

Seeing Ryushi attack Ibiki surprises the other two chunins causing them to forget about the kunoichi between them until they look down to see a kunai sticking out of their chest. They both look with surprise into the face of the kunoichi before falling down on the ground dead. Ryushi's eyes grow large as he recognizes the kunoichi, throws a couple of kunai at her before turning and running away.

The kunoichi deflect the thrown kunais with one in her hand looks at Ryushi fleeing back before looking down at Ibiki, "are you ok?"

Ibiki is pushing the dead Iwa off of him, "I'm fine, we cannot let him get away or he will alert every Iwa patrol. Go, I'll be right behind you."

The kunoichi nods her head before taking off after Ryushi.

Ibiki gets up and start pursuing the pair; but due to his injuries Ibiki was falling behind the pair.

After running for several minutes, Ryushi looking back sees only the kunoichi pursuing him. Thinking that he had killed the shinobi, Ryushi feels he can kill or disable the pursuing kunoichi. He starts doing hand signs before sliding to a stop and turning at the approaching kunoichi, "Mud Ball Bullets" before spitting them out of his mouth towards the kunoichi.

The kunoichi sees the approaching 'Bullets' pushes chakra into her legs allowing her to jump over them. While in the air the kunoichi releases a seal on her wrist causing a katana to poof into her hands as she lands in front of Ryushi slashing at him. Ryushi leaps back from the slash to releases a seal on his wrist causing a katana to appear in his hands.

The pair stand about 10 feet apart assessing each other, Ryushi, "I cannot wait to tell my buddies that I killed one of the Konoha's Shinigami Maidens or maybe I'll just defeat you and make you my personal whore."

The Maiden smiles at him sweetly.

Ryushi smirks, "I see you are thinking about pleasuring me and being my personal whore."

The Maiden still smiling at him, "No, I'm just wondering how small that thing you call a penis is. I'm guessing that the barmaid saw what you had and that is the reason that you were only a couple of minutes behind your team."

Ryushi hearing that those chunins had talked about him trying to pick up the barmaid and her comments about the size of his penis causes him to become furious. "I'm going to teach you like I taught that bitch at the bar. You will be begging me to kill you once I get through with you."

The Maiden growls at him, "so you like to beat up on defenseless women, let's see how well you do against a woman who going to kick your ass."

"DIE BITCH", Ryushi yells as he charges at the Maiden. The pair exchange several strikes and counters for several moments before the Maiden steps back and steps into a gopher hole. Causing her to lose her balance and allowing Ryushi to stab her in the abdomen with her katana falling out of her hand as she hits the ground. Looking down at the fallen Maiden, Ryushi smirks as he stands before her, "beg for your life and I might let you live."

Before the Maiden can answer, the pair hears "Uchiha Phoenix Fireball" causing Ryushi to quickly do hand signs. Spinning around and kneeling down yelling "Earth Dam Wall" causing a wall of dirt to erupt out of the ground in front of him. Ryushi is staring at the wall of earth wondering why he has not felt the Fireball attack strike, when he looks down to see a tip of a katana sticking out of his chest. Looking slowly over his shoulder, he sees the Maiden had retrieved katana and attacked him when he was focused on the Fireball attack. "Bitch", Ryushi says coughing blood before falling forward dead causing the Earth wall to recede back into the earth.

The Maiden is looking past the earth wall as it recedes to see a smiling Ibiki running towards her, "took you long enough."

Ibiki's smile turns into a frown, "bastard hurt you."

The Maiden looks down towards her bloody abdomen where her hand is clutching, "this… it's just a scratch, and he got lucky."

"Scratch my ass, give me your first aid kit and let me put a pressure bandage on that before you bleed out," as Ibiki kneels down beside the fallen Maiden.

As the Maiden hands it to Ibiki, she notices her hand shaking, "damn it, I'm going into shock."

Seeing her hand shaking as he opens the scroll to remove the first aid kit hands a blood pill to her, "here take this while I apply the pressure bandage." As Ibiki is applying the pressure bandage mutters to himself, "Damn it, I knew I should have tried harder at learning basic medical jutsus."

As the Maiden chews the blood pill, "looks like you cannot steal clan's jutsus either."

Finishing wrapping the bandage Ibiki raises one eyebrow looking at the Maiden face, "what clan jutsus?"

Looking Ibiki in the eyes, "I heard you yell out 'Uchiha Phoenix Fireball' and I know that the Uchiha clan does not share their jutsus."

Sealing the first aid kit back in the scroll and pulling the Maiden's katana from Ryushi's back before handing back to her allowing her to reseal in back into her wrist. Ibiki grins sheepishly at her, "when I saw Ryushi about to kill you, I knew that my injuries I could not throw or use any jutsus against him. Therefore, I decided to yell out one of Konoha major clan's attack jutsus and hoped that would distract him. Thus allowing you the opportunity to finish him off, which you did."

"So you basically fucked with his mind causing him to lose focus," snickers the Maiden.

"Yeah, that's pretty much sums it up. My teammates are always complaining about me screwing with their minds," Ibiki says before he kneels down to pick up the Maiden bridal style and start jogging in the original direction they were heading.

The Maiden looks at him, "what are you doing? Leave me here, you can travel faster and bring back help."

Ibiki shakes his head negatively, "no can do, we are behind enemy lines. I am not about to allow you to be captured by an Iwa patrol. I know what those bastards did to me would look like a cake walk compared to what they would do to you."

The Maiden shivers slightly at the thought of being captured by Iwa shinobi.

Ibiki channels what little chakra he has left into his legs as he continues to jog in the direction the kunoichi had original pointed out to him.

Feeling the kunoichi shivering Ibiki at his statement, "in my right breast pocket is an explosive tag that I found on one of those jonins that you killed earlier. Place it in your shirt pocket encase we run into another Iwa patrol, you can use it to keep from being taken alive."

Ibiki feels the kunoichi's hand reach into his breast pocket and removing the tag, he barely hears the kunoichi whisper, "thank you."

Seeing the kunoichi's eyes starting to close, Ibiki knows he has to keep her awake, "am I heading in the right direction?"

"No, you need to head a little more to the northeast for about another couple of miles."

After making the correction Ibiki, "since we have a little time on our hands, so I think we can play 20 questions."

Seeing the kunoichi nod her head in agreement knowing that Ibiki was trying to keep her conscious Ibiki, "ok I will start, do you have any family?"

"Yes, my parents are still alive in Konoha and I have an older sister, you?"

"My parents are retired and living in the Fire Capital, I have a younger brother."

"Next question, why did you become a kunoichi?"

"All my friends joined, my parents were not thrilled about my choice; however, they supported my choice. You?"

"Both my parents were shinobi, they both from small clans. The reason I joined was because it one of the few things that I'm good at."

"Your turn to ask a question."

"Ok, what is your name?"

"Ibiki Morino… Yours?"

"Kukaku Shiba"

"Next question, Kukaku"

"Do you have girlfriend?"

"Nah, all the women that I have dated or been set up with never wanted a second date. Most of them told me that for some reason I scared them; but not in a 'perverted way', whatever that means… You?"

"Seems me and my teammates seem to scare men all off; however, our leader currently has a cute boyfriend with blond hair and blue eyes."

"So Kukaku, what do you plan to do when you retire?" Ibiki knew that retirement was almost impossible due to their line of work and plus with this war that goal was even harder. However, one needs reasons and goals to keep living.

"I think I'll open a boutique that caters exclusively to kunoichi. I have not found any clothing stores in Konoha that has the necessary clothing and accessories for an active kunoichi. I'm pretty good with a needle/tread and make or repair most of my squad's clothing…You?"

"I'll probably move to the Fire Capital and go to work for my folks at their restaurant."

"You can cook?"

"Not so loud or I'll never get my 'Man' card back."

"Are you any good?"

"Tell you what, when we get back to Konoha, I'll let you be the judge."

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Maybe… Do you have any culinary preference?"

"Any thing; but, Ramen. Every time our squad goes out to eat, our leader would drag us to Ichiraku's Ramen stand."

"Ok, no Ramen… I think a good grilled salmon with all the trimmings would be a good choice. And what would you like for dessert?"

"Dessert too? I must be hallucinating; but, since you asked I love anything that has chocolate."

"Chocolate… Then for dessert you will have chilled chocolate mousse topped with freshly made whip cream and fresh picked strawberries."

Pressing her head into Ibiki's shoulder Kukaku, "I think I'm in love, I've finally found a man who can cook, plus he will ask for directions." Looking up at Ibiki, "if you are lying to me, there is no place you can hide. I will hunt you down and castrate you."

Ibiki grins, "Then I better make sure I exceed your expectations and not disappoint you. I definitely need 'those parts' to keep my 'Man' card."

Jogging for almost an hour, Ibiki notices that Kukupa's answers and questions are starting to get slower and her answers were becoming slurred. Having given her the last blood pill ten minutes ago, Ibiki is getting nervous because Kukaku's directions were becoming more and more erratic. Having entered into a forest area, Ibiki had to slow down his pace. As he crossing a small clearing in the forest, an arrow lands at his feet causing him to stop abruptly. Kukaku moans at the jolt of stopping suddenly. Ibiki's eyes scan the tree line trying to spot the archer when he feels a kunai point pressing against his neck.

"Tell me Iwa scum, where are you taking my 'sister'?" sultry voice whispers in his ear.

Ibiki knows it does not look good for him since he is currently wearing an Iwa jonin vest with no hin-ate and he is carrying an unconscious Konoha kunoichi. Keeping his eyes focus forward, "please help Kukaku, she was stabbed in the abdomen and is bleeding to death."

"Senna, get down here, this Iwa scum says Kukaku is wounded," the sultry voice calls out without removing the kunai from Ibiki's neck. "If you did this to her or have done any thing to her, I will gut you like a fish," the voice says as she press the point a little harder into his neck causing a trickle of blood to flow down his neck.

Not moving a muscle, Ibiki sees a violet colored hair kunoichi with a Konoha hin-ate hanging around her neck land in front of him. He notes that she is dressed in a similar black jonin vest and black cargo pants with a bow in her hands, which she seals it in her wrist. Approaching he sees her activate a blue chakra hand to do a diagnose of Kukaku's wound. "STOP!" Ibiki barks causing the approaching kunoichi to stop and the kunoichi behind him to press the kunai a little harder into his neck. Ignoring the kunai to his neck, "don't came any closer to her with diagnose jutsus, the chakra might activate the explosive tag she has on her."

Pressing the kunai even a little harder the voice hisses, "why did you place an explosive tag on her?"

Keeping his eyes fixed on the kunoichi in front of him, "I gave her the tag, so that she would not run the risk of being captured alive."

The pressure of the kunai less a bit; but, is not removed, "Senna find the tag."

"Hai…Byakugan" the violet hair kunoichi calls out, Ibiki sees the Hyuga clan's famous eyes appear. Looking for a couple of moments, "I see the tag; Kukaku placed it in her chest wrapping. I'll get it before I check her out."

Ibiki keeps his eyes focus on the tree line as the Hyuga opens Kukaku's shirt to remove the explosive tag from her chest wrapping. After removing the explosive tag, the Hyuga activates her diagnose jutsus and examines Kukupa's injury.

"How is she?" the voice behind him asks with concern in it.

"Not good; however, I can stabilize her so that we can get her back to base and get her the proper attention," replies the Hyuga as her hand turns from a blue to a green glow.

Ibiki feels Kukaku tense as the Hyuga holds the green hand over the pressure bandage; but, her tension lessens after several moments. "Ok, that should do until we get back to base."

While the Hyuga is treating Kukaku, Ibiki see another similarly dressed dark-haired kunoichi with a large dog land in front of and address the kunoichi behind him, "Mikoto me and Kuromaru checked, nobody is following him." The dark-haired Inuzuka moves in front of Ibiki after the Hyuga finishes her medical jutsus, "I take her from here." Trying to take Kukaku out of Ibiki arms causes Kukaku's arms to tighten around his neck.

Then the three kunoichi standing around Ibiki hear Kukaku mutter, "he mine, get your own, he owes me dinner" causing the three to chuckle and Ibiki to blush. Ibiki feels the kunai being removed from his neck as another dark-haired kunoichi walks around to face him.

Senna looks at Ibiki with critical eye, "our base is a couple of miles can you make it? You look like you about to collapse yourself."

Holding Kukaku closer to his chest causing her to sigh in contentment, "I'll make it, even if I have to crawl on my hands and knees."

The kunochi that was behind him calls out to the other two, "Tsume/Kuromaru take point" pointing at Ibiki, "you next, I'll be behind you so don't try anything. Senna cover our six, ok people we will have to stay on the ground stay sharp." The other two kunochi and the dog seem to nod in agreement.

Ibiki starts jogging behind the Inuzuka and her partner trying to keep for jostling Kukaku any more then he has too. As he is jogging, he starts to think about the other three kunochi that claim to be Kukaku's teammates. The one that held a kunai to his neck was an Uchiha after seeing her with her Sharingan eyes active. Ibiki is racking his brain trying to think of any all female unit in Konoha's shinobi forces. Ibiki remembers Kukaku saying 'Seems me and my teammates seem to scare them all off' meaning that they were all single females or maidens….Ibiki's eyes grow large as he glances down at Kukaku face, "Kukaku is a member of the Konoha's Shinigami Maidens and these are her teammates."

The final mile Ibiki made it purely on determination to save Kukaku, all his chakra he had channeled to his legs was exhausted. After passing the checkpoint, Tsume led them directly to the medical tent located in the center of the base camp. Laying Kukaku gently on a gurney, the medical crew seeing Ibiki in his Iwa jonin vest stop not sure what to do until Tsume growls at them to help her now or else. Seeing the other two kunochi behind Tsume glaring at them, a doctor approaches with a glowing blue diagnose hand to start examine the latest causality. Ibiki is trying gently to remove Kukaku's hands from around his neck; however, Kukaku will not release her hold until a nurse applies a glowing green hand to her head causing her to relax.

Ibiki looks questionly at the nurse, "I just put her in a deep sleep while we work on her, and it will help her heal."

Ibiki nods at the nurse, "thank you… Take good care of her" before stepping away from the gurney allowing the medical team to wheel her into the tent. Unknown to him it would be the last time he would see her until the end of the Third Shinobi War. After leaving Kukaku he was escorted to the unit's T&I personnel, who established that he was a Konoha shinobi and was debriefed. Later Ibiki was taken to a doctor who healed most of his injuries, telling him that he could not do anything about the scars on his face. The doctor said once he return to Konoha the scars could be removed. Ibiki tried to see Kukaku several times in the hospital; but was informed that she was in an induced medical coma to aid in her recovery. Two days later Ibiki received orders to report back to his unit. Before leaving, he found Kukaku's Hyuga teammate and had her promise to give her a scroll. After reuniting with his unit his commander transferred him to their T&I unit. Ibiki often wondered about the transfer if his commander thought that Ibiki would want 'payback' for what was done to him. He never used his position as an interrogator as a means for personal satisfaction and developed his own personal interrogation form. His interrogation style was based on using the person's own mind to interrogate him. Ibiki quickly rose through the ranks of the T & I division and by the end of the third shinobi war was the head of the T & I division. He was listed in numerous bingo books listed as an 'A' rank, with a kill on sight and Iwa was offering a million ryo reward dead.

One year later….

Ibiki was sitting quietly in a booth in Broken Kunai bar silently toasting Minato Namikaze. The rest of the crowd in the bar were loudly cheering and drinking toasts to the Konoha's 'Yellow Flash' for almost single handily ending the Third Shinobi War with his new jutsu 'Flying Thunder God Technique and Rasengan'. The Maiden unit led by Kushina Uzumaki a.k.a. The Crimson Death were only surpassed by the Three Sannins, Hiruzen Sarutobi the Third Hokage with a 'kill-on-sight' order by Iwa. Minato Namikaze's techniques earn him a place in bingo book history as the only shinobi to be listed as a 'SSS' rank with a flee on sight in every village listing. Ibiki had been secretly following Kukaku's unit's achievements and missions when he got to interrogate Iwa P.O.W.'s .Nursing his drink Ibiki is thinking to himself, "I wonder how Kukaku is doing?" Suddenly a scroll lands in front of him on his table, Ibiki slowly unrolls the scroll and reading it even though he knew what was written on it.

'This scroll entitles Kukaku Shiba to one grilled salmon dinner. In addition, for dessert chilled chocolate mousse topped with freshly made whip cream and fresh picked strawberries. Payable upon demand. - Ibiki Morino.'

Ibiki looks into a pair of emerald-green eyes. After looking into her eyes Ibiki notices her now glossy black hair tied up in a loose pony hanging to one side of her red combat kimono with a jonin vest with a pair of black cargo pants.

Looking into Ibiki's eyes Kukaku smiles, "bet you thought that I would forget."

"Never, just was wondering when you would collect."

"Had to tie up some loose ends before the signing the new peace treaty with Iwa."

Ibiki nods his head, "so would Friday night at 7 pm at my place be acceptable?"

Kukaku places a finger on her chin as if pondering the offer before smiling, "yes this Friday would do nicely. Do I need to bring anything?"

Taking a pen out of his pocket, Ibiki writes his address down on the scroll before handing it back to Kukaku, "no, I will handle everything, just bring an appetite" before handing the scroll back to Kukaku.

Looking at the address on the scroll, Kukaku smiles, "I will be there, just remember what I said about doing to you if you disappoint me." Seeing Ibiki nod his head in agreement Kukaku smiles, "then I will see you Friday at 7pm."

Ibiki watches her walk away from his table with a sway in her hips as she meets the Hyuga, Uchiha, and the Inuzuka teammates at the edge of the bar. Watching the four sharing drinks and conversations with one of them occasionally glancing over at him before leaning over and whispering things in Kukaku's ear causing her to blush. Ibiki pulls out a notepad and starts to write down the items that he was going to need for Friday night's dinner, "where the hell am I going to find fresh strawberries this time of year?"

End of flashback-

Ibiki stops in front of 'Kunoichi Nite' boutique smiling remembering the dinner and how their relationship took off from there.

Hearing the bell over the door ring, Kukaku from the back of the store notices how all her clerks and customers are all staring at the front door. Looking at who had everybody attention, Kukaku smiles at tall bandana wearing man in a black trench coat is walking down the aisle towards her. Placing the shirt that she had just folded back on the shelf, Kukaku turns to face Ibiki as he stops in front of her. "How may I be of service to the you, Mr. Morino?"

Ibiki gives Kukaku a private smile knowing everybody in the store was listening to what was being said, "Ms. Shiba, I need you help in a case that I'm currently working on. If we could go some place private."

"I am always willing to help Konoha's T &I department in any way I can, let us step into my office," Kukaku motions Ibiki to follow her toward her office in the back of the store. "Sheila, I'll be in my office if you need me" knowing full well that nobody would have the nerve to interrupt the head of Konoha's T&I department. Ibiki smiles to himself as he follows Kukaku' swaying hips toward her office closing the office door behind himself. He finds himself being pinned up against the door with a pair of arms wrapped around his neck and a pair of soft full lips pressed against his. After several moments of kissing, they finally break apart allowing Ibiki to look into emerald-green eyes, raising one eyebrow Ibiki, "What was that for?"

Looking into Ibiki's eyes, "that for cheese cake dessert you made last night."

Ibiki pecks Kukaku on the lips, "remind to make it more often then; but, now business before pleasure."

"Spoil sport," Kukaku playfully pouts at him as she release her hold on Ibiki and stepping back. "So how might I help you?"

Reaching inside his trench coat, Ibiki pulls out a couple pictures and hands them to Kukaku. "This is a pictures of Kanai, a female impersonator and his partner Hata. They were listed in Konoha's Bingo book as the 'Odd Couple' a pair of assassins. They were arrested last evening before they could carry out their assignment. This morning during questioning Hata committed suicide using a poison hidden in his blood. Plus he assassinated his partner Kanai with the same poison. Searching Kanai's room, we found a merchant storage scroll which contain his collection of clothing." Handing Kukaku several more pictures, "as you can see he had an extensive collection of 'Kunoichi Nite' outfits. We are speculating that he was placing orders via mail order. I would like for you to check your records to see if you sent any dresses to a specific address. This might give us a ideal where the pair called home."

Kukaku had been studying the picture of Kanai before looking at the pictures of dresses recognizing them all as creations of 'Kunoichi Nite'. "Could I keep these pictures to show to my clerks to see if any of them remember, also I would like to stop by T & I department to look through all of his collection to positively identify all of creations. I get Sheila to start checking on our catalog orders to see if any of these match a recent order." Reaching up and wrapping her arms around Ibiki's neck once again and looking into his eyes, "and what type of reward will the T & I department be giving 'Kunoichi Nite's' owner for cooperating?"

Ibiki wraps his arms around Kukaku's waist with his hands resting on her backside, "and what type of reward would the owner be expecting?"

Leaning up to whisper in Ibiki's ear, "I was thinking a candle lite bedroom with a king size bed with silk sheets. And a extra large batch of chocolate mousse with extra fresh whip cream and fresh strawberries that we could take turns spreading on each other then licking it off."

Ibiki remembers how much pleasure that he had gotten and received when they just used fresh whip cream. So the image of a chocolate mousse cover Kukaku and the idea of licking it off sounded even better, "I think we can manage that as a sign of appreciation for your cooperation."

Just as they were leaning to seal the deal with a kiss a knock is heard at the office door. Kukaku growls at the door, "What do you want, I'm a little busy right now."

The trembling voice of the other side, "I'm sorry to bother you boss; however, Lady Senna Hyuga is out here and wishes to talk to about a special order she needs."

This gets Kukaku's attention because Lady Senna was one of her teammates and it her wanting to place a 'special order' was code word that she need her help doing something 'off-the-record."

Ibiki notices Kukaku facial reaction to hearing that Lady Hyuga need a special order and smirks as he leaned down and kisses Kukaku on the nose before releasing her and stepping back. "I'll be off, I have to work late tonight there is a couple of pork chops in the frig and there is chocolate cake also in the frig."

Kukaku playfully slaps Ibiki on the arm, "I'm going to get fat with all those desserts you keep making for me."

As Ibiki reaches for the door, he gently slaps Kukaku's backside with his hand and whispers in Kukaku's ear, "we will just have to figure out ways to burn off those extra calories won't we." Opening the door Ibiki, "Thank you Ms. Shiba for your assistance on this matter and when you get a free moment stop by the T & I department to examine those items." Seeing Lady Senna Hyuga near the door, Ibiki bows to her, "good evening Lady Hyuga."

Lady Senna nods her acknowledgement, "good evening Ibiki, I hope that I'm not interrupting anything."

Ibiki, "no Lady Senna, Ms. Shiba has been most helpful providing information on a case that I'm currently working on. If you will excuse me, I have to get back to my office to make sure Anko & Company have finished their task before they try to sneak off. Lady Hyuga , Ms. Shiba good evening." Ibiki turns and walks out of the 'Kunoichi Nite' black trench coat flapping silently in his wake.

Kukaku motion Lady Hyuga into her office and calls out to Sheila, "no disturbance please, I with a customer" before closing the door.

Once the door was closed, Senna hugs Kukaku before smirking, "I hope that I'm did not interrupting any thing?"

Returning Senna hug before releasing and motioning her to take a seat as Kukaku heads around her desk and sits down, "not this time, it was actually Konoha business. Ibiki is trying to trace a female impersonator assassin, who like to wear my designs." Kukaku notices Senna tense slightly, "do you know anything about this guy?"

Senna sighs and proceeds to tell Kukaku that the assassins target was Hizashi and how he was saved by Ky.

Hearing this Kukaku turns to Senna, "so who is our target since Ibiki told me that assassins are both dead."

Senna leaning towards Kukaku, "they were not the target since they failed and have been dealt with, no our targets are a couple Hyuga elders who pissed me off during the Clan Summit."

This gets Kukaku's attentions, "Wet Work?"

Senna shakes her head 'no', "but it going to be some serious payback. And I think I'm going to use some of our squad's anti-pervert treatment on them."

Kukaku leans forward resting her chin on her hands and grinning evilly, "so who are the targets and which treatment?"

Senna grins evilly too, "I think we would use delta ki….."

Arthor's note: Just for general information the term 'Wet Work' means assassination or killing.