A/N: And we've had a lot of the back and forth with Kakashi and Nina it was time to bring some oompf back into the mix... Hope you're all still enjoying it :) Thanks cathyscloud9 for the ongoing reviews- truly appreciate them. Happy reading x

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. They belong to Masashi Kishimoto. This story is purely a work of fanfiction.

Nina- is my original character (I do own her)


Chapter 103


Plucking the fabric one of his full-fingered gloves, to correct where it sat on his index finger Kakashi evaluated the timeline ahead. He had a small window of opportunity that he could maybe… no. Catching a glimpse of his mask reflecting in the small mirror attached the inside of his cupboard door he immediately forgot that option. This was Anbu and he was the captain of Team Ro. Emotional dalliances had no place. Pivoting on his heels his eyes caught the full view of the artwork Nina had gifted him on their mission. This was how it had to be. They would have to wait. His team couldn't.


Nina begrudged the incessant alarm resounding from her clock and haphazardly bumped around until her hand silenced it. She meandered to her feet, pulling out a fresh set of Anbu clothes and dragged her mask across the top of the bedside table. She paused, setting her eyes onto the little box.

Be safe, Kakashi.

"What are we looking for, Nina?"

Nina stood and about-faced to address Ibiki's team. It was only a small group, and the masks were not familiar so she assumed they were after their time. "From all given information it is a poison that needs to be ingested. It's fast acting. Affects those with the primary chakra affinity of wind. However, those who possess wind chakra affinity in addition to their primary chakra nature may still be at risk. Don't smell, taste or touch anything that resembles a food or liquid. We are also looking for names of known shinobi who have that use wind nature on any paperwork such as orders or bookings."

Asuma… Naruto… did they make it through the night?

"Is that clear?"

"Sir."

Nina bowed to Ibiki before re-joining her comrades and they dispersed at Ibiki's order.

Dawn was still a little whiles away as they landed at different entry points to the building. Nina was with two new and young recruits. It had become painfully clear on their way here. Not just anyone was selected for Anbu but Nina could sense their lack of experience. Adding to that was the petty squabble over who would enter first which irritated Nina. Either the candidates were drastically slim or the criteria hadn't been as heavy-handed as it had been when she had been initiated into Anbu. She was very much used to Team Ro- precision across all facets of a mission. She grumbled and took the leading role. Using hand signals to give instructions to the two operatives to follow her now that she'd unlocked the door.

Their target building was a relatively new business that had only been opened for a few months, at best. It sold an array of foods and was marketed as a competitor to Ichiraku.

Pfft. Like you would be stupid enough to compete with Teuchi like that.

Once inside, all appeared in order. A normal shop front with restaurant styled seating. Maybe it was worth trying?

Nina's neck snapped to the direction of the back of house where a blundering clatter of voices and banging had erupted.

"Restrain him!"

That's all Nina needed to hear and she bolted to the reception desk, lifting anything that may be what she was looking for. Finally Nina laid her hands on what she'd been seeking. She pulled out a small drawer just under the countertop and slapped the bookings book onto the counter and opened the pages.

Methodically she started at the front and worked her way through the very few pages. Fuck. She'd come across three of the… Make that four. Nina's heart was pounding against her ribs. She blinked, heaved in a slow and controlled breath and exhaled before resuming sliding her finger down the pages. There weren't many, but that made sense as the business hadn't been opened for long.

Nina could hear Ibiki's deep voice barking orders to quieten their suspect. She had four of the five names but hadn't yet came across the fifth. Picking the book up Nina balanced it over her left forearm. As she did a stray piece of paper flew from one of the pages. Nina didn't take any notice at first and one of the other two operatives picked it up and handed it to her.

Once she had gotten to the end of the page she had been skimming through the names on, she grabbed the piece of paper to check what it was; if anything. Nina's eyes stretched wide. Fuck. This was. They were.

"Ibiki!"


He'd had his doubts about this place and wasn't surprised when they arrived to find everything appeared in order. There was nothing suspicious about it. Kakashi appreciated his hunch being correct. Team Ro had been short changed. It wasn't simply a matter of just missing Nina, they were without someone from the medic-core all together.

Tucked away in his hip pouch was the medic kit Rin had gifted him for attaining jonin level. He'd always packed it. Restocking it as needed. It certainly wouldn't save a life for anyone who may fall victim to this mystery poison but, it had been well used for the quick fixes on missions.

He took a quick jaunt around the outside of the building and found himself standing under a familiar tree. The very one he'd been perched in, struggling to read Jiraiya's latest instalment due to some unfounded, at the time, thoughts pertaining to a certain coy medic-nin. Hpmf. He looked to the sky. Their target was bust, which only left the other two. One of which Nina was assigned to.

Not one for praying considering his own wretched experiences, he felt markedly foolish when he prayed to the higher powers, to the ghosts of the past that this investigation would be put to bed without any further delay or… death.

She was strong. Nevertheless, Nina was straining under the weight of the five deaths, in particular that last one. Kakashi wasn't confident that she could or would be able to endure another.


Shit. Tsunade's hand trembled as she cupped the rim of her tea cup and twisted it revealing the crack.

"I'll… I'll get you another cup, Lady Tsunade."

"Don't bother."

Shizune released the cup and took a few steps back from the desk. A cracked teacup was never a good omen.


"This is the entire…"

"Yes. It would appear so. The question is how did they get this information?"

"That will have to wait until we get him back… Nina what are you doing?"

Nina marched into the back where their assailant was being held captive, ignoring the questioning from Ibiki. Grateful that Tsunade had healed her hand to its full capacity, Nina channelled a decent amount of chakra to her right hand, retracted her hand and followed through. The operatives standing watch leapt out of her swinging blow. Not caring to give the creep a moment to recover she fisted his collar, reefing him in close proximity to her masked face.

"How did you get these names?"

"Sir, should we…" the young operative said no more. Ibiki had his arms crossed and didn't indicate a bother to Nina's means. So, this was Anbu. He'd heard about the likes of Nina Sarutobi and her unforgiving coldness. It was as well-known and spoken about as Kakashi Hatake. They were his predecessors; frightening.

"Don't turn away. This is the life you have chosen. What you're witnessing is only but a small taste of the shadows that reside within the shinobi world."

It wasn't that he wasn't suitable. Anbu was simply on a different level. Ibiki had chosen the young shinobi for quite a number of reasons. Neji Hyuga had proven himself a worthwhile addition to the Anbu operation. It was almost a baptism by fire. Nina's generation were teachers to some of the new recruits and understandably seeing their role models in this light was something of a shock to a lot of them. Nina was a highly admired medic-nin- she healed. Presently, she using whatever means necessary to extract the information she desired.

"That's enough. Stand down."

Ibiki tilted his head to avoid the splatter of blood from Nina's last blow.

"Sir, this information isn't easily attainable. It's extensive."

Ibiki laid his hands over Nina's and forcibly removed her hold, taking the piece of paper from her left hand.

"The bookings feature at least four of the five victims. The fifth was a young boy so it's possible it was under someone else's name or he came by his order via takeaway."

Ibiki remained silent, as Nina took in her surroundings properly.

The walls were covered in pinned pieces of paper, photos, and recipes. The shelves with cluttered with jars and bottles and with the help of the first light peaking in through the high set windows on the walls she could make out a cauldron of sorts. Bastard. It'd been right here the whole time. In the centre of the village.

Nina's rage took over and she swung wildly, ignoring the gasps and knowledge that she would likely be subjected to Ibiki's wrath. The man bloodied, missing teeth simply laughed at her.

Ibiki stepped in, firmly grasping her shoulders and redirecting his unruly subordinate back to the front of house.

"Take him to interrogation. Tell Inoichi by any means necessary."


Nina returned to the front counter where one of the operatives who had entered with her had hold of the book. The mask did little to disguise the operative's response to whatever they were reading. Letting go of the anger from the suspect she strode over. Expecting to have to snatch the book, she was surprised to find that its current viewer was wobbling and eager to hand over the book.

They say people's eyes are a means of looking into their souls. If that were true there was nothing but sheer terror written in her comrade's eyes. What had unsettled them so much?

Nina once again balanced the book over her left forearm and followed as the operative skidded their finger down the page to the very last entry. Her eyes read from left to right. Yesterday's date. No. She retraced the last order. Fuck. There was no mistaking, it was written clearly in black and white.

The book dropped to the floor as Nina ran the numbers in her head. If she took into the consideration of the time. Maybe it hadn't been eaten yet. If it had when was it for? She cast her eyes to the book on the ground. Last night- dinner. What was the time now? What was first? The lungs, no, it was kidneys. How much time did she have? Where would they be?

Nina bolted into the back room as they were dragging the man away. She tugged on him. "Is there a cure?"

She was answered with a hysterical laugh.

"Nina?"

Of course there wasn't. She glanced briefly at Ibiki before weaving the necessary signs in quick succession that not even her captain had time to prevent her from leaving. They were out of time.


"Sir."

Ibiki turned to the operative who was nursing a book; the book. Like Nina his eyes followed to where he was pointing. Shit. This was bad.

"Report to Lady Tsunade immediately. You and you, take him to Inoichi. The rest of you come with me."

"Report what, Sir?"

"That we have one in custody, this list and the name of the last order."

"Understood."

Ibiki didn't have a plan but he couldn't allow Nina to play this one out on her own accord.