Chapter 26

"How are you doing?"

"Hm."

Pale blue eyes watched her move around, slender fingers grazing along the branches as she passed them.

"We've missed two appointments. Your Blood clone wasn't as forthcoming as you normally are." He stated and glanced over to the mountain of red lightly snoring in the cave. "Because it wasn't your actual self, I wasn't able to have a full mind scan appointment per our normal."

He looked back over to his patient to see her moving towards a large Elm tree. Curious he followed to see that this was one of her healthy trees in her mental scape. He watched her stroke it gently before reaching up for a smaller, lower branch. It came to her willingly. She smiled gently at it before releasing it and reaching for another thicker branch. It lowered and she fingered one of its medium length leaves.

"Do you know the meaning behind this tree?" She finally spoke for the first time since she entered his office. Yet she still didn't make eye contact.

"Intuition and Inner Strength." He responded easily.

"Hai." she smiled softly. "He has always had both in spades. I never knew how he could do it."

"Who?" He asked gently.

"Kakashi." Minashi said and finally looked at him. Inojiro and Minashi held gazes as he tried to figure out what was wrong. Kushina and Minato had said that she had acted strange when they picked her up from Academy the day before.

"What happened yesterday?" Inojiro got right to the point.

Minashi gave him a fake smile. "He beat me in a spar."

Inojiro raised a brow. "Really? I find that hard to believe that he really 'beat' you."

Minashi snorted. "I am strong when I am working as Kitsune. There is nothing to overreach, nothing to miscalculate. It is a full transformation to a body that I once possessed. Though temporary. Like my blood clones, it will take a deadly wound to dissolve it."

Inojiro blinked. "That's good to know."

Minashi nodded and reached for another leaf, her eyes going glazed over. A moment later her shoulders relaxed and a soft smile took her lips.

"What are you watching?" he asked softly. Minashi's eyes glanced at him before releasing the leaf.

"I had a dream during class." She whispered. "I couldn't figure out if it was just a dream or a memory."

"From your relief, it was a memory then?"

"Hai." she sighed running a hand through her loose hair.

"Care to share?" he asked taking the spot beside her as they walked around some more.

He'd never get enough of her mindscape. While still showing it's scars, it was one of the most beautiful mind's he's ever been in. He wished he could show Inoichi. His boy would probably never find another mind like this. Inojiro wanted to let him know that not all minds were dark or needed to be torn apart. Some they could just stroll around in with the owner's permission.

A glance of shared blue eyes and then the darker pair glanced back to the Elm tree. He watched fascinated as a scroll appeared from within the leaf and flew into the air to them. Minashi easily caught it before looking at him.

"When you're ready." he said gently. Minashi nodded and the scroll opened. The forest disappeared and instead he found himself and Minashi standing in a tent.

Minashi laid unconscious on the cot. Kakashi sitting beside her. On her other side, resting on another cot was Naruto. Both were covered in bandages, though some would soon be pointless with their Kyuubi healing speed.

Kakashi glanced around looking and scenting for another nearby. Letting out a relieved breath, he leaned forward and did what he'd been wanting too since he realized she was no longer conscious in his arms. He pulled down his mask and pressed his lips to her inner wrist.

There, he felt the pulse of her life, reminding himself that she lived. That he lived. That they all lived. His eyes glanced up to the other blonde teen. Because of Him, them. He looked back at long blonde locks, still dirty from their fight with Pein.

Slowly he inhaled her scent. He'd never get enough of it. But he couldn't have her. He knew she cared for him more than a sensei, but he couldn't let her.

"You love her." a weak voice filled the air. Kakashi snapped back away from Minashi with mask back in place, in less than a blink. His one coal eye glanced over to barely open Blues.

"Ma, What was that Naruto? Are the pain medication-"

"Shut up sensei." Naruto breathed out. Kakashi went silent and looked away.

"How long have you known?" Kakashi asked as he looked back up to dazed blue eyes that were slowly sharpening.

Naruto gave Kakashi a slow smile. "I know my sister. I know when she realized when you started hiding it. I have also realized a lot of things. It makes sense now why you have keep us at a distance."

Kakashi's eye widened on him. "What? Naruto-"

"We met Tou-san." He smiled even if his eyes held pain in the corners. "You're the last living student of the Fourth Hokage. You were our silent protector. But Minashi has already seen past when you stopped seeing us as kids. Yet something still held you back. She didn't understand. I didn't understand."

"I'm not right for her Naruto. Despite our age difference and my position as her sensei-"

"You think it's wrong to love and be close to the children of your sensei. You think we'll die like them because of you."

Kakashi glared at Naruto. "You're smarter than you let people realize. I've know you're a genius of hard work and just plain old stubborn and determined, but this observation-"

"Kakashi-sensei." Naruto sighed as he grimaced and turned onto his side. "I'm not stupid. But i'm no genius. I know I can be dense, but never when concerning Minashi." He pinned Kakashi with hard sharp eyes. "You did not feel how close Mina was to just walking up to Nagato and letting him kill her when she found out you were dead. You did not feel how relieved and happy she was that it was you who escorted us back to Konoha. How your presence, your scent calmed her."

Kakashi jolted and snapped his eyes back to the peaceful girl before him.

"Stop running away Kakashi." Naruto's firm voice echoed with another in his head.

"Stop running away Kakashi" Another pleading and pained voice choked as his small body was shook until he looked at watery eyes.

"You remind me of your father." Kakashi spoke softly. Naruto startled surprised. "I was a stubborn brat. Especially right after my father died. I didn't want to admit that I was hurting. That I was in pain. Your father finally trapped me into confessing and grieving for him."

Naruto just watched Kakashi as he looked back down at Minashi.

"Will he really be okay with me loving her when I couldn't protect everyone else i've loved before?" Kakashi asked on a whisper.

Naruto chuckled and laid down. "Tou-san seemed pretty cool. I think he'd be okay with it as long as you never hurt her intentionally. Because that is how I also feel. Yet, I hold the knowledge that you would never intentionally hurt her anyways. You never have." Naruto went silent and Kakashi chanced looking up. He found blue eyes shut and Naruto's breathing even once again.

Kakashi reached up and removed his mask once again. Leaning down he made Minashi's wrist meet him halfway. Carefully he rested her palm against his cheek so he could feel her pulse and scent her at her wrist once again. Kakashi froze when the palm moved and cupped his jaw. A thumb, slightly roughened with callouses from kunai, rubbed his cheek bone. His eye slowly looked up and found a familiar pair of blue eyes gazing at him with so much emotion in them. He swallowed thickly when he saw in them what it was.

"Hi Kashi." her sleep rough voice whispered.

Kakashi swallowed to try to find his voice as he reached up and held her hand against his bare face.

"Hi Mina." he choked out. He watched her eyes softened.

"Pretty." She murmured.

Kakashi couldn't help the choked laugh that escaped him even as he smiled for her.

"Never as much as you are." Kakashi got to watch her eyes soften, a blush stain her cheeks, and her lips lift into a smile. He wanted to lift his headband and burn it into his memory with the Sharingan. There were so few good memories there.

Kakashi watched a twinkle spark in her eyes. One he was semi familiar with but never in this situation. "So, you going to put that pretty mouth to use or just sit there and continue to let me take you in?" She whispered smirking.

Kakashi stared at her before giving her his own smirk. Instead of verbally answering, he pulled her hand away so he could lean down. He pressed his own lips against her slightly dry lips, but it was still perfect. His free hand reached up and ran up her jaw, cheek and slipped into her hair. Deepening the kiss as fear from earlier, reminded him how important it was that he couldn't lose her. She'd be the person that would break him finally, if he ever lost her.

Slowly he pulled back and found cerulean blue eyes opening and shining bright in them was an emotion he knew now reflected in his own.

"I never stood a chance, did I?" Kakashi whispered as he rested his forehead against hers after removing his headband. He wanted to remember that look in her eyes.

"Nope." she smirked. He closed his left eye when he felt her freehand moved up his face to trace the scar over his eye and then thread through his air. He couldn't help it when his other eye joined it. It felt so right to feel her fingers threading through his hair.

"Kakashi." Minashi whispered. Heterochromic eyes snapped open at her tone of voice. He was enraptured by her. "I never want to go through that again." She whispered eyes shinning. "I really thought I'd lost you. L-lost y-you b-before I could say it." Her voice quivered as a tear escaped to run into Kakashin's hand. His thumb wiped it away as he leaned down and kissed her again.

"I can't promise that I'll live forever. I'm an old man in Shinobi years." he tried to joke.

"Then be with me for as many years as possible." She whispered gripping his hair tighter to enhance her point.

"I promise." he whispered back.

"I love you Kashi."

Kakashi swallowed thickly as he felt his own eyes burning. "You two brats have always been the only light in my world. You two only grew brighter. So much that it hurt to look. You're both so much like them." He choked out. Minashi only smiled as she ran her fingers soothingly over his scalp.

"You though, you broke through my walls. The ones to protect you from my darkness." He choked out.

"I'm a shinobi of Konoha. One day I will be in the shadows like you. It's part of our job."

Kakashi opened his mouth to dispute it, but was silenced by another kiss.

"Stop procrastinating Kashi." She chuckled.

"I love you Mina." He whispered. "No matter how much I shouldn't. I do. You are what gets me up in the morning. What makes me come home, even if I'm half dead. You are my guiding light."

Minashi chuckled as she brought their joined hands up and kissed his wrist in return.

"You're late Kashi." She smirked.

Kakashi choked out another laugh as he gently pulled her up into a hug. Minashi buried her nose into his uncovered neck.

"Finally! Ne, ne, I call dibs on walking you down the aisle! That's my duty as Mina's Nii-san!"

"BAKA!" Mina yelped and threw her pillow at the cackling blonde. Naruto just dodged even as Kakashi surprised her by slipping onto the cot behind her and holding her close. She looked at him surprised and embarrassed.

"K-kashi?" she stuttered.

He just hummed and buried his face into her hair. "Mine." his low growl vibrated against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

"Hai, but you're telling Ba-chan dattebane." Minashi said firmly trying to hide her embarrassment.

"And Sakura." Naruto teased from his cot.

The Uzumaki twins were pleased when Thee Hatake Kakashi actually paled and froze in fear. Naruto went back to cackling in his cot while Minashi just sighed and shook her head at her Kashi. Gently she tiled his head down and tried to coax him back with a kiss.

"Ma, I know they have some killer fists, but that was a little much, ne?" Minashi snickered.

Kakashi looked down at her and raised a brow. "Don't let the blonde fool you. Tsunade is an Uzumaki."

"Sakura?" She questioned.

"Honorary Uzumaki. The Pink is a warning. Have you forgotten she studied under Tsunade, the part Uzumaki woman?"

Naruto's cackling had turned into howling laughter before he yelped in pain. Kakashi and Minashi's gaze went to said Pinkett who'd just walloped Naruto.

"BAKA! You're supposed to be resting!" She shouted before looking over to Minashi. She froze mid scolding when her brain short circuited at the sight of Kakashi almost wrapped around Minashi from behind, as he acted as a backrest for her.

Sakura snapped her jaw shut and just blinked at them.

"Mina-chan? Kakashi-sensei?"

"Run." Naruto snickered. Kakashi sighed and pulled Minashi tighter.

"This is a two-way deal. I'll protect you, you protect me." he grumbled into her neck.

Minashi snickered before bursting out laughing. Happiness filling her even as Sakura's eyes narrowed when Kakashi didn't removed himself from one of her best friends.

"Ka~Ka~Shi~" Sakura growled storming to them.

"Mina" Kakashi whispered as panic began to lace his voice.

"What are you doing to MINASHI!" She shouted even as named blonde joined her brother in their cackling glee.

"MINA!" Kakashi yelped as he dodged Sakura's fist and jumped out of the cot.

"Get back here so I can beat the answers out of you Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura growled.

Kakashi whimpers were covered by Naruto and Minashi's continued cackling.

"Oh that poor man." Inojiro sighed as the tent disappeared and the forest reappeared. His twitching lips gave him away though. Minashi felt herself chuckle even as the scroll disappeared back into the Elm tree leaf.

"To think he's lived through Tsunade-sama and her successor." He chuckled finally. "I can see why he's an Elm tree."

"Yeah..." Minashi drawled out. "When Tsunade-baa-san woke up, everyone in the village knew exactly when that was." Inojiro looked at her curiously. Minashi raised a brow. "Between the village shaking every few minutes and Kakashi's own yelps of fear mixed with his screams of terror? Yeah, it didn't take long for the Shinobi gossip vines to figure out exactly WHY the Godaime was chasing around one of her best shinobi."

There was silence as they began their way back to the clearing.

"Did she ever catch him?" Inojiro finally asked.

Minashi just smirked. "Yes, but I kept my promise. Plus, the scent of his terror was stinking up the village." She shrugged.

Inojiro paused as he watched Minashi continue walking. She paused as well to glance back at him questionably.

"You sat back with your brother and watched Hatake get chased around, didn't you?" He guessed, having studied his patient as both adult and child to get a better handle on her. That and reviewing the memories she's shown him helped, since they held the Minashi before the jump. She was a complex individual because of.

Minashi's answering smirk was answer enough though her words just confirmed it. "I've never had Ramen so delicious."

Inojiro chuckled as he joined her back in their walk.

"So what of that memory rattled you?" he asked as they sat down. Minashi rested against Kurama's back. Inojiro was happy to not get on the Bijuu's nerve and chose to rest against the cave wall.

The mood sobered a bit as Minashi looked down at her hands and played with the ends of her hair.

"This Kakashi thought I was having a bad dream. I woke up in class with my hand in his, and his other running through my hair whispering that everything was going to be okay. That he'd protect me."

"But he's said that to you before; when you first got here if I recall."

"Hai. But it's what he said after. He promised that he'd always be there for me." She whispered as her face scrunched up and her fist balled up. "He can't make that promise. Even as a child, he knows the dangers of being a shinobi. His father has come home injured enough. Sakumo is not shielding him from the fact that he may never come home one day."

Minashi's fingers dug into her skin as she tried to work through her feelings. Inojiro knew to be patient with her.

"He's still a child. Knowing and experiencing are two different things." He kindly reminded her.

"I know!" She shouted snapping her hard gaze up to him. It relaxed at his patient look. "I know. I wish I could tell him that he can't promise that. But he's still too young to understand. I'm too 'young' to suppose to know that." She grunted and ran a hand through her hair. "Shit, I hate this. I can't stand this waiting. I wish there hadn't been a price to travel back. I could have just been Kitsune. Kept myself from connections that were distracting. Kept myself from so much pain." She choked as she wiped away a tear. "I miss him. I miss my Kashi." she finally sobbed. "Kami, I miss him. I miss his calloused hands, his perverted habits, his stupid excuses for everything besides our dates. I miss him holding me tight when nightmares of Naruto wake me with screams of agony. I miss the little things he did to make my day. Notes using his pack summons. Flowers delivered by my summons he bribed with dango. The massive Killing Intent on any man brave enough to flirt with me and then playing dumb like he didn't just scare half the bar."

Inojiro sighed as he watched Minashi wipe away her tears.

"Being near him is hurting you." He whispered.

Minashi nodded. "It's him, but it's not." She mumbled. "I'm excited to watch him grow into the man I knew, but I also know he will never be the same man if what I want goes through."

Inojiro realized then what was plaguing her. "You fear he's not going to see you as his guiding light."

Minashi looked up at him with red rimmed eyes. A short nod was her answer.

Inojiro sighed. "I can't tell you if that will or won't happen. All I can tell you is to enjoy the time you've had with your version. He will always be a piece of you. Next, enjoy the time that you have with the new Kakashi. Only time will tell if you two will still be connected at the hip when you're older." He looked at her curiously. "As stubborn as you are, I know enough about you to know that you will let him go if you see that he loves another. Am I wrong?"

"No." Minashi whimpered.

Inojiro nodded. "Then when or If that even happens, you pick up the pieces and move on. Just as you've done the past month. You landed in a past you didn't originally belong in. You picked up the pieces, made a place, and found a home. That's more than some have been able to do for much simpler changes in their lives." Inojiro waved out to the clearing and forest. "Do you not see the beauty that I do? Do you not see just how impressive having such a strong mind is?"

Minashi looked back to her mindscape and saw the blackened trunks. Saw the new life. Saw the older trees.

"You are so much stronger than you realize Minashi. There will be very little that will knock you down for long."

"But I don't have Naruto to help me up anymore." She whispered looking at him with eyes that were lost. "He was always the one to always stand back up with a smile."

"He helped you stand because he knew you were already going to stand up anyways." Inojiro said firmly. "You two shared a connection. A connection I still can't fathom at how amazing it must have been. He knew that he didn't need to lend you strength. You were strong all on your own. You will stand back up. You will change the future for the better, and no matter what, you will find happiness with the man you are destined to be with."

Minashi just stared at Inojiro as he sighed and stood up. She saw him hold out a hand to her with a kind smile.

"I know i'm right when I say this; Those that hold out their hand to those looking broken, know that they are not broken. They have just taken a hard hit. They still have the strength to stand back up on their own feet. They just need someone to believe in them." Minashi took his hand. "I believe in you Minashi Uzumaki-Namikaze." he yanked her up to her feet. "I believe in you, Hokage-sama believes in you, Orochimaru-san believes in you, Tsunade-sama believes in you, Jiraiya-san believes in you." He pointed to the mass of fur behind her. "Kurama-sama believes in you or else he'd never help you get here in the first place."

Minashi choked back a sob but the tears feel. Inojiro pulled her in for a friendly hug. "You just need to believe in yourself." He said gently into her hair.

He waited until he felt her calm down before released her. Minashi wipe away her tears and looked up at him.

"I'll try. I might need help remembering."

Inojiro chuckled. "That's what friends are for Minashi. That's why Hokage-sama wants you to make them. They may not be able to help all the time, but you never know."

Minashi chuckled even as she nodded at him. "I'll try."

"That's all you can do for now. Try and try again."

They walked back to the center of the clearing. "So I should probably try to talk more about Naruto next week?" She smiled tightly.

Inojiro sighed. "I will not push you on him. Yes, I think the sooner you truly grieve over him instead of pushing it to the side for this or that, the sooner you can move on."

"I'm not-" she frowned.

Inojiro held up a hand. "I'm not sure if you have, but it's just a hunch." He glanced back to the trees and changed the subject. "It was nice seeing him in action though." He smiled back at her.

Minashi couldn't help her own smile. "He was such a knucklehead." she chuckled.

"I can image that you two were so much worse together." He agreed. Minashi smiled and held out her hand.

"Thank you Inojiro." He clasped it easily.

"It was an honor to get to see your memories that held both Naruto and Kakashi. Thank you for sharing."

"Next week, I'll see if there is another I can show you." she offered.

"I won't hold you to it. You never know what you'll need to talk about instead, but I look forward to the day we can."

With a hand sign the jutsu was released.

Minashi groaned as she slumped over and rested on the pillow. "Why does that still hurt?" she grunted.

Inojiro sighed as he stretched out his back and prepared them some tea to ease the ache.

"While your Chakra coils are developing rapidly from your massive reserves and Kurama moving his own chakra through them with the Nature Energy turned Sage Chakra, they are still not fully grown. It's why you still are at risk for Chakra exhaustion." He replied looking at her with a scolding look. She ignored it and sipped her tea.

"It is also why long periods of time in your mindscape under my jutsu is a strain on those coils."

Minashi grunted.

"Ah, while I'm thinking about it, were you awake for that memory?" Inojiro asked curiously.

Minashi blinked and tried to understand what he meant. "Huh?"

"It looked like it was from Kakashi's point of view."

Minashi blinked before it clicked. "Ah, there are two reasons for that." She held up a finger. "One, Naruto and I's connection. I was able to remember what he could." She held up the second finger. "During the fourth war, Naruto and I shared our chakra that was mixed with Kurama's with the entire shinobi alliance. So a piece of Kurama was in all of them. All of their memories came back with them." She shrugged like it was nothing, and went back to drinking her tea.

Inojiro just stared at her dumbfounded.

"W-What?!" he whispered. "but how is your mind not a mess-"

"Kurama and a good organization system." She smirked. "Naruto though just shoved them all into a separate part of his mind. He didn't bother to organize them past their Nation. He knew I had them sorted."

Inojiro's eyes went out of focus. "That's why the forest is so large. You have memories from Every shinobi that fought in the Fourth War and lived up to that point."

"Hai."

Inojiro just stared at her incredulously. Minashi couldn't help smirking at his look. Her inner Uzumaki enjoying it.

"C-Can I tell the Hokage?" He whispered. "Just that specific part. It's... astonishing." he whispered still dazed.

Minashi just rolled her eyes. "Fine."

Inojiro absently nodded.

"Are we done?"

He nodded once more.

"You going to be okay?" She chuckled.

Inojiro was still before he just shrugged. Minashi rolled her eyes at him again before leaving to find Kushina waiting for her patiently in the hall.

"All done?" She smiled.

Minashi smiled back. "All done and doing better."

Kushina's smile softened with her happiness. "I'm glad. So Ramen?"

"Hai." Minashi beamed and leaped up into Kushina's arms.

Minashi sat still as the memories bombarded her. The Shadow clones she had sent to the Hyuuga Compound had completed their tasks. Henged as simple foxes, they'd placed the seal tags on the inner walls of the compound. Once they had activated, they dispelled outside of the compound in groups of two. The last munch had just come in from the fox henged Shadow clones, tasked with tagged underneath the homes. The Hyuuga's should really look at getting those holes filled in. She mused even as she put the cup to her lips and sipped at the Sake.

Her Blood Clone was sleeping away in Kushina's apartment. She'd spent the rest of the afternoon just relaxing with Kushina. Learning how to cook, learning more of the Uzumaki style of sealing, and just cuddling with Kushina on the couch. Minato apparently was set on getting his other Jounin team members back on their feet. So he'd left to train with them.

Minashi had asked if Kushina trained that much as well.

"Of course. What do you think I'm doing while you're in the academy?" she had smiled. Minashi thought she had been at the mission desk, but apparently not.

"So this is where we can find you on a Saturday night?" a familiar voice chuckled as he sat beside her at the bar. Minashi raised a sleek black brow at Minato.

"It is an ANBU bar. I am ANBU."

"True, but you've also been hard to track down. I've wanted to get you into another team training." Minato said even as he sent a signal to the bartender for his own drink.

"You drink?" Minashi asked a little surprised.

"Not often." He replied Honestly. "I prefer to be ready at any time for a mission. Especially being on one of the Hokage's most trusted teams."

"Then what is the special occasion to where I get the honor of drinking with the Hokage's number one ANBU captain?"

Minato sipped at his drink before those sharp blue eyes slid to her, even as his head didn't change position. They were so cold.

Minashi felt something slither down her spine. She realized then, just why her father had been feared as the Yellow Flash, if he gave all his enemies this look.

"I have a little sister as you know." he stated calmly, his tone of voice never changing. "I came home the other night to find her and my girlfriend sprawled out surrounded by sealing paper and notes." He took another sip, never dropping his gaze from her. "I was too tired at first to see it. But the longer I looked, the more my brain told me to look harder. Do you know what I saw?"

Minashi just raised a brow, even as her stomach turned in nervousness. "No. I'm not a Yamanaka."

"I saw a familiar sealing style in my imouto's. One I'd seen firsthand." He finally turned to her. "I don't want your full past story. I don't care who you actually are. All I want to know is how you are connected to Minashi. Are your intentions good or have you abandoned her to Konoha so you could-"

Minashi chuckled as she looked away. Calmly she took a sip. Her father was a genius, but he didn't have enough of the puzzle pieces to put it together. If he was a Nara, he might have been with the pieces she's let slip.

"Mina is safe, she is happy. That is all that matters." Minashi said without looking at Minato.

"Kitsune I'm sure she'd be happy to know you are still alive. She doesn't realize who you are does she?"

Minashi frowned and looked at him confused. "And who am I to her?"

Minato bit his tongue as his own hopes had overridden his logic that it couldn't be her.

"You're her mother." He whispered. "It explains how you still feel Uzumaki, but only traces, it's how you have sealing knowledge based on Uzumaki before you created your own style. Why you have her eyes."

Minashi stared at Minato with a raised brow. "Wouldn't that make me your mother?"

Minato just stayed silent. But Minashi saw it. The pain in his eyes. Something in her softened. He was an orphan just like she had been. To have even a slim hope that a parent was still alive, was every orphan's dream.

"Namikaze-san, I swear on my life and the safety of Konoha that I am not your mother or Mina's."

She saw his eyes dim with disappointment when he saw the truth in her gaze.

"But you are connected to Mina." he whispered.

"Yes." Minashi admitted.

"How." he sighed and turned back to the bar. "I thought I could drop it, for the happiness of Mina, but it's just bugging me too much. I feel like I'm missing something."

Minashi chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Maybe one day I will be able to tell you. Do I still have your trust until then?"

Minato looked back at her and nodded. "I already told you. I trust you. I shouldn't but I do. You're Honest when it counts. You mean it when you say you're here to protect Konoha."

"OI! I found them!" a voice shouted from the doorway. Minato and Minashi turned to find Itsuki taking up half the doorway. He soon made way for Fumiko, Toru, and Koichi.

"Come on!" Fumiko smiled as she dragged Minashi to a table Toru snagged for them.

"What's going on?" Minashi grunted when she was shoved into a chair. Minato sighed when he was forced into a chair beside her.

"Team bonding." Toru smirked.

"Is training not good enough?" Minashi asked confused. She got glares from all but Minato for that remark. "I guess not." she muttered and sipped at her cup.

"Nope! No more of that!" Itsuki chuckled taking away her sake and soon shot glasses were handed out from the try Koichi brought over.

"Guys, come on, you know I can't-" Minato pouted.

"Shove it Taichou." Koichi grunted. "Do you think I'm enjoying this? My wife is going to kill me if I go home smelling of alcohol again."

Toru just snickered and lifted a shot glass. "To being single!" He laughed. Fumiko raised her own glass and the Minashi felt all the other eyes on her.

"What?" She frowned.

"Single or taken?" Toru asked.

"Single." She muttered.

"Then drink up buttercup!" Fumiko snickered.

Minashi sighed and grabbed a glass. Together the three down them. Minashi frowned at the taste even as Fumiko and Toru shuttered at the burn.

"That is not as pleasant to the taste buds as Sake." Minashi muttered.

"So, do you have your eye on anyone?" Fumiko smiled at Minashi. Minashi tilted her head confused.

"In what way?" she asked even as she signaled the bartender for another bottle of sake.

"Like I have my eyes set on Inoichi." She smirked. Minato choked on his water.

"He's my age." The Young ANBU captain protested.

"Are you calling me old Taichou?" Fumiko smiled warningly.

Minato knew better. He looked away and grumbled into his glass.

Minashi rolled her eyes at the Yamanaka's games. "Leave the boy alone Fumiko." she chuckled even as she poured her own cup of sake. Minato glared at her.

"Eh?" Itsuki grinned at Minashi. "Do you have your eyes on Taichou? His fan girls will be pretty upset."

Minato flushed beat red. "I-it's not like that."

"But I came in here and found you two getting all cozy." Itsuki grinned sharper even as his eyes never left Minashi who held his gaze over her sake cup rim.

"We were just talking! I was trying to see if she'd join more of our team training-"

"Aw, denying our little private conversation Minato-kun?" Minashi pouted playfully at Minato. He continued to turn red. "You were being so adorable asking about personal training. Even being so bold as to learn more about me." she twirled a finger in her hair and let her voice drop into a husky tone. "So mean Minato-kun, denying your actions and whispered words of endearment."

"I-i-i. B-but-but. N-no- that's- that-" Minato broke out into a long whine as he burried his face into the table and covered his bright locks with his arms. "I have a girlfriend!" He shouted into the table.

Minashi moved closer. "But you seemed so interested in me, an older woman. Older woman, more experience."

Minato jumped up and pointed an accusatory finger at him. "Stop that! She'll kill me!" He got a crazy look in his eyes. "Have you ever seen a vengeful Uzumaki in action?! I'll never be able to sleep peacefully!" he ended with a screech.

Minashi just chuckled with the rest of the table. "You are very fun to tease Minato." She smirked.

"Well done." Itsuki chuckled and lifted a shot to her. She took one of her own and they tossed them back together.

"Why are you so mean to me?" Minato whined, but was ignored.

"Thank you. Was that some sort of initiation?" She asked flipping the empty shot over and grabbing her sake again.

Koichi chuckled low. "Sort of. Taichou is ease to tease but getting him that flustered is new." He lifted his own shot in a salute before downing it.

"So, if not Minato or any of us, do you have your eyes on anyone Kitsune?" Fumiko giggled from her seat. Minashi tilted her head at the Yamanaka.

"Is she drunk already?" She whispered to Itsuki.

He sighed and nodded. "She has the second lowest tolerance on the team. Minato has the lowest tolerance." He pointed to the many empty shot glasses before the pale blonde woman. "She was tossing them back while you teased Minato."

They looked at Minato to find him now being the one to toss them back. She could almost see the terror in his eyes from the thought of a vengeful Kushina, slip from his mind with every shot.

"So, what is tonight really about?" She asked Itsuki quietly while Toru got up for more shots.

Itsuki's eyes dimmed. "Hokage-sama warned us that we'll be getting an S-Rank mission in two days. He warned us to make sure our affairs were in order. That's how dangerous the mission was. It was Taichou's job to track you down to pass it along. Though I guess you'd get a message soon anyways."

"He said I'd be joining you?" She asked confused.

Itsuki looked at her. "No, he said he needed to check to see if you would. I guess we found you before he could summon you."

Minashi hummed as she grabbed another shot when Toru returned.

"It's why I wanted us to train." Minato sighed from beside her. She glanced at him and found his eyes glassy. "We still need to work on teamwork." he smiled at her completely ruining his serious words.

Minashi deadpanned Itsuki. "He's a happy drunk isn't he?"

Itsuki chuckled. "As long as he's thinking happy thoughts. He'll switch to a depressed one or whiney one in a little bit. Fumiko turns into a flirt." he said pointing at said blonde that was leaning over to one of the other tables, hitting on a younger ANBU agent. The poor teen was flushed in surprise.

"And you three?" She asked Toru, Koichi, and Itsuki.

Toru scoffed. "We can never tell when Itsuki gets drunk. There is a reason he's the second in command at T&I. He's got a damn good poker face." he pointed to Koichi with a finger. "That bastard doesn't care. He'll flip his eyes on at one point so he can remember anything embarrassing to use against us later."

Koichi just smirked confirming Toru's theory.

"And you?" Minashi chuckled throwing back another shot.

Toru shrugged. "I've got a pretty good tolerance. I've always been second to Itsuki."

"Not for long." Minashi snickered into another shot.

Toru paused and the three looked at her before the tray of empty shots.

"Once you get past the initial taste, the after taste is actually pretty nice." She shrugged and grabbed the empty tray. "Minato-kun?" she called sweetly. The happy smiling blonde turned to her.

"Hai~" he beamed.

"Can you fill us back up?" She held the tray out to him and he took it with a smile and staggered back to the bar.

She felt eyes on her and found the remains of team cheetah staring at her. Fumiko already abandoning them to sit on the young ANBU's lap at the other table.

"What?" She gave them an innocent smile.

"Oh yeah, you'll fit right in." Toru tisked as he saw Itsuki eyeing her with newfound interest.

"Do you have any experience in Interrogation?" Itsuki asked as a sly grin took his lips. "You have a wide range of skills, but you seem to be good at manipulation."

"Minato is tipsy and weak to pretty women when tipsy. If he'd been sober or if his Uzumaki girlfriend was around, I wouldn't have been able to do a quarter of that."

"You Manipulated Danzo."

"He was already cornered with all the evidence we collected."

"Still, I'd love to see you in action with a prisoner."

Minashi stared at him innocently. "But aren't you married Itsuki-kun?"

He stared at her confused. "yes. What does that have to do with trading techniques?"

"Ba-Ka." Koichi drawled out. "You sounded like you were hitting on her."

Itsuki frowned. "What? No I didn't. She is a skilled Kunoichi. I just-" he stopped when he found Minashi and Koichi's smirks. "Oi you bastards!" he grunted and downed three shots.

Toru burst out laughing and pounded the table. "She got him!" He laughed. "That's hilarious! I'm so telling Inojiro-san! He fell right into it!" He continued to laugh.

"Shut up!" Itsuki grunted and went to swat the brunette, but Toru just ducked with a snicker.

Koichi just rolled his eyes and raised his glass to her. "Welcome to Team Cheetah." She returned it and they downed their drinks.

Minashi held the cup of coffee to her lips as she leaned against the island counter of her ANBU apartment. She was dressed in full ANBU gear ready to go hunt down Hiruzen to ask why she hadn't gotten a summons yet for the mission.

But first, Minashi wanted to take in the sight before her. She'd slept in her own bed after getting shadow clones to lay out futons for her unexpected guests. They were slowly beginning to wake.

Minato whimpered. Koichi snarled and threw a pillow over the blonde's head before gasping and covering his own.

"Shut up." Fumiko growled. "Whoever is breathing so loud, i'm going to strangle you."

Itsuki grunted as he sat up and held his own head. "Kami, my head." he groaned.

"SHUT UP." Koichi hissed as red eyes peaked out from his futon. "You're all too LOUD." he hissed before burying his head back into the darkness of between the sheets.

"ow." Minato whimpered as he rolled to a seated position and rubbed his temples. "Where are we?" he mumbled.

"Kitsune's place." Itsuki mumbled as a hand ran down his face and looked around. He then looked down and froze.

Minato was too busy yawning to realize what was wrong. Koichi was the next to realize. He popped out of his futon before clutching his eyes when the light hit them.

"Too bright." he mumbled.

"SHUT UP!" Toru snarled as he snapped up from his own futon. All eyes went to him. Even Fumiko sat up long enough to retort, but paused when what she was seeing registered in her hungover mind.

"Toru, why are you wearing a dress?" She tilted her head confused.

Toru frowned and looked down before looking back up and pointing at the other men. "I should be asking them that. Plus, " he tilted his head at her. "What in Kami's name are You wearing?"

Fumiko looked down before shrieking. "Why am I dressed like a monk?!" She shouted before falling back down and clutching her head. "Owie." she mumbled.

Minashi continued to smirk as she sipped her coffee. She felt eyes on her and found Itsuki eyeing her.

"You look fine." he grumbled.

"Of course I do because I am." she chuckled triumphantly.

"Okay. Can I have my clothes back?"

Minashi's smirk only grew.

"Kitsune? I need to get home, I promised Kushina I'd make breakfast today." Minato whined even as he wrapped himself in the blankets.

"Minato, are you actually pulling that off?" Fumiko mused aloud.

Minato flushed and soon had Toru and Fumiko wrestling the blanket away from him. He yelped and dodged, but was too wrapped up to escape. When Itsuki joined, it was a lost cause. Koichi just smirked with red eyes. He'd never let his Captain live this down.

"Guys! Really!" Minato pouted as he stood there in a blue dress that matched his eyes. Only his flushed face ruining the cute image.

"Kushina was right. You are a pretty boy." Fumiko snickered. "Man, where's my camera when I need it."

"Oh don't worry." Minashi called from the kitchen as she put her cup in the sink. "I have plenty of pictures from last night."

They all watched the Mysterious woman as she grabbed her mask and put it on the side of her head. She then grabbed a katana from the counter and strapped it on.

"Guys." Koichi hissed and they all looked to see the Uchiha pale and panicking. "I can't remember last night." He revealed.

Shivers went down their spines as they looked to Fumiko, she would be the next to remember with her mind techniques protecting her own memories.

Fumiko paled as well and shook her head at them. "Nothing." She whispered.

"Oh, by the way?" Minashi called from the door. They all looked at her panicked when they found her grinning like the cat that ate the canary. "I already sent your clothes home. You'll have to go home like that. Only then will the seals on you release." She smiled then waved. "Ja ne!"

The door clicked shut behind her and five ANBU just blinked into the empty apartment.

Minato suddenly yelped and they looked to him as he paled. "I can't Hiraishin home." he looked at his team with mild Panic. "She meant it. We'll have to go outside."

"Damn it." Itsuki growled.

It started off soft before it got louder. Everyone looked at Koichi to watch him curl into himself before he burst out laughing.

"Oh Kami, she got us!" he laughed. "She got us good." He laughed and looked at them with a smile. "I like her. I think while she's odd, she'll work good for us."

The others relaxed a fraction before jumping when Minashi appeared right between them.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She smiled and slapped something on each of their foreheads. "I'm not that cruel." she chuckled before disappearing again.

"Oh~~That's ni~ce~" Fumiko purred. Mumbles of agreement went around as their hangovers were relieved by the Iryojutsu sealing tags.

"We can't let another team work with her. They'll never give her back." Toru hummed.

"Do you really think this dress incident will be the only attack?" Itsuki sighed as he finally got up and found that Kitsune had made plenty of Coffee to go around.

Silence followed his statement.

"Worth it for her healing Seals." Toru shrugged and began rolling up his futon.

"It'll be nice to have another girl on the team." Fumiko chuckled.

"We can learn from her." Koichi agreed.

"We can help her protect Konoha and our precious people in her." Minato smiled.