A/N: Welcome back, dear readers and lurkers. My apologies for the late posting. Please enjoy!

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Kiba and Sai, On the Same Team, Maybe

"Ino got you with Shintenshin. It's to be expected on a mission to recover her when she doesn't want to be recovered. Has a medic checked you over?"

In disbelief, Kiba studied Shikamaru for any indication his statement was a sick joke. While he understood why Shikamaru was quick to blame Ino for the choice, Kiba wasn't of the same mind. Ino didn't need further blame for choices he'd made. On their way over, Kiba had already dug in his heels about his attack on Sai and Shino. "She didn't get me with Shintenshin."

A pause. "In the heat of battle, you may have gotten confused. Ino must've used Shintenshin to turn you on your team."

"She didn't."

"You're positive?" Shikamaru's mouth was tugged down at the corners. "The alternative is you obstructed your team of your own free will. Not great news."

"I'm positive."

The hooded eyes betrayed no further emotion, no disappointment, or anger; a perpetual neutral attitude to show nothing could surprise him. Instead, his long time playmate and friend and current commander tapped out a cigarette from a crumpled pack and in disregard of the no-smoking policy in the Office, brought the cigarette to his lips. As Shikamaru lit it, Kiba shifted under Shino's firm, cautioning hand. Shino's kikaichu had vibrated with agitation as he and Shino exited the school, and for Shino to show the slightest displeasure meant he was gravely disappointed in Kiba. No surprise Mr. Perfect Dark Sunglasses judged Kiba for impulsive choices, for human choices.

"Why?"

With as much contempt as he could muster, Kiba said, "I won't justify my actions. I made a choice. I knew the consequences. I'm not sorry and I'd do it again."

Shikamaru inhaled with a long, slow, breath and spoke while his eyes were shut. "I was afraid you'd say that. Do you understand what you've done?"

"You've gone soft in the head, Commander Nara," Kiba replied, temper stoked and spitting. "Ino doesn't deserve the shit she'll go through if she's brought in. I'd never, ever, let some rich maniac asshole marry her. And if you had one scrap, one fucking iota, of love or sentiment in yer cold, rational heart, you'd do the same as me. Call off the search. Let Ino go free."

"I am sorry to say, you don't get to decide who she marries. I don't, either." The smoke lingered, clogged Kiba's nose, burned his throat. Shikamaru went to crack the window. "Not even Ino decides. It's politics. Diplomacy. Yeah, it's unfair and unjust, but it's the right move."

"Fuck the right move! Especially when the choice means one of the most important people in the village gets married to a narcissistic psychopath!"

"Watch the insubordination, Inuzuka."

"Insubordination? Heh, more like righteous fury," Kiba spat. "Yer a real piece of work. I oughta demand a formal duel, take you down a few notches."

Shino's hand clenched harder on Kiba's shoulder. Of everything Kiba said, the threat of a duel focused Shikamaru's attention like a laser. "You wouldn't win."

"Think I give a damn about winning? All I care about is knockin' you on yer good for nothin' ass. And you best be sure you won't walk away without a scratch."

"Ino wouldn't want us to duel," Shikamaru said.

Bluster effectively stopped, Kiba didn't respond. They fell into sullen silence as Shikamaru continued to smoke. Shino had not turned a hair, but Akamaru grunted as he flopped to the floor in boredom. Between the three humans existed a tension which had never before been present. Kiba was brimful of roiled feelings; injustice from Shikamaru's indifferent attitude in the matters of marriage, frustration he hadn't done more to shield Ino, and exasperation with Ino over her refusal of marriage to him. But he couldn't blame her. Ino was Ino. She was...everything big and shiny and beautiful in their shitty world.

"The current situation is a conflict bigger than you, bigger than me, bigger than Ino," Shikamaru continued in a statement which read Kiba's mind. The words were dry, resigned. Kiba felt he must've rehearsed them over and over before he spoke them aloud. They did have a repeated ring to them. "We must choose what is best for the entire village and the Shinobi Union. We must remain unselfish."

A slow horror dawned on Kiba. "You'd betray her. You'd give her over to...to the Emperor of Shit Mountain…when the two of you were born to fight together."

"I don't want this," Shikamaru said, words as faint and ephemeral as the curled smoke. He flicked ashes out of the window. "I feel like I'm killing a helpless doe with my bare hands, but I have no other choice. We're backed into a corner. We must make the move to save more than one person. We must protect our king first and foremost."

Kiba absorbed Shikamaru's vivid description- -he evidently believed Ino was in a position dangerous enough to need protection, but out of anyone, Shikamaru ought to understand Ino's lethal and complicated mind. Why did he not think she could protect herself? Kiba had the same philosophy as Shikamaru until Ino proved she had the skill and mindset to defend herself. On the other hand…perhaps the danger was great; perhaps Shikamaru didn't believe in Ino's abilities, but it didn't sound right for Shikamaru to misjudge Ino after knowing her as long as he did. Worse was the statement, We must make the move to save more than one person- -sacrifice pieces to protect the most important ones on the board. No one could fault Shikamaru for playing smart.

"How so?"

Shikamaru pinned an exhausted 'why me?' gaze on Kiba. "Unfortunately, I can't share the details as they are classified." He sighed. "At any rate, I hope you're prepared for the consequences of your hubris. Stepping out of line like you did draws attention to you and to your clan. Unnecessary attention. Those who best love Ino are under close scrutiny from our common enemy."

"I'm in danger because I showed loyalty to her?" Shikamaru's silence was confirmation enough. Kiba curled his lip in disgust. "I'd never turn my back on Ino just to save my own skin."

He shook his head. "No, you misunderstand. Your best bet to help Ino was to comply with mission objectives and go along with the crowd, but now the spotlight is on you. I must distance you from involvement with Ino and the teams searching for her. To protect everyone else, I must take action against you. "

The hidden message in Shikmaru's words were the same ones Ino said: You must play your part. Kiba straightened his shoulders, already sick of the conversation. "Take it already. We ain't got all day."

Shikamaru's eyes locked with Kiba's. "Very well. Inuzuka Kiba, you and your ninken Akamaru are removed from the search and recovery squad. You are forthwith placed on forced inactive duty until further notice. A more permanent punishment may be selected after the Hokage and council review your case. Do you understand your punishment?"

Forced inactive duty, eh? In other words, a suspension without pay. No missions, no leaving the village. "I understand."

"The Office is off limits."

"Yeah, I get it."

"All right," Shikamaru said. He seemed relieved Kiba hadn't fought the punishment."Shino, escort Kiba off the premises and then resume in the search efforts for Ino. And Kiba," Kiba turned, "watch your tail."

"Don't worry. I've got eyes on the back of my head."

At Kiba's signal, Akamaru heaved his huge body off the floor and trailed behind them as Kiba and Shino walked along hallways, descended the staircase, and exited the Office from the front doors. In the close quarters, Kiba heard Shino's kikaichu settle into a barely audible hum. Sunshine beamed bright and full on them as the hustle and bustle of downtown clamored around them. Shino stayed beside him as they looked out over their village, the place where they'd been born, where they'd lived, the place they trained and fought to protect, the place they'd have families and grow old and die in.

"When Miyazato gets his grubby hands on Ino, he'll take her out of the village away from us," Kiba said. He spoke in general, stating facts. "The thought turns my stomach."

"Mine too," said Shino. A white and black ink bird swooped around Shino's head. Shino yanked free a scroll from a pocket, unfurled it, and the ink bird dived-bombed the paper. Once the paper absorbed the ink, a message formed for Shino to read. Kiba didn't see the message over Shino's shoulder. "You must remain patient and calm."

"Oh, thanks so much for the advice, doc. I'll be sure to repeat, 'Be patient and calm,' as Ino is ripped out of home and hearth."

"I understand how difficult doing nothing is for you. However, Shikamaru works to protect Ino as best as the situation allows. Give him credit," Shino said. "I believe the forces against Ino are increasingly insurmountable given our current resources and political position. Trust in Shikamaru's plan."

"You think Ino will be forced to marry Miyazato to keep the peace."

Shino's natural scowl deepened further. "Yes."

Fuck, fuck, FUCK.

They shared a grim moment before Shino blitzed off to the rooftops and away to maybe find Ino and capture her, to maybe lose track of her one more day. Ino could outsmart Sai, Hinata, Master Iruka, and Shino. She'd probably done so already. She'd been teammates with Shikamaru for longer than was healthy, and everyone knew she'd added weapons to her arsenal from him. But, regardless, here Kiba was stuck, on a busy street on a beautiful day, left with nothing but his damned principles, twiddling his damned thumbs.

Shikamaru had acted weird and not in a bit of conflict over the idea Ino might be captured and given over to Miyazato against her will. Which begged the question, did Shikamaru have information the rest of them didn't? What argument was powerful enough for Konoha to surrender one of its most loyal daughters?

As for his recent choice, Kiba had seen no other option in the classroom. The suspicions he had about Sai in Water had loosened when Sai sicced Shino on Ino and had left Kiba questioning Sai's loyalties. Sai had been so decisive, so intent on Ino's capture he'd not seen Kiba launch at him. It'd worked out though; Ino had escaped, but with the whole of the Shinobi Union on the lookout for her, she'd get cornered and captured sooner or later. Worse, would Ino foresee Shikamaru's betrayal?

Ino-girl...how do I protect you from yer friends? From yer enemies?

Kiba ruffled Akamaru's ears as he considered the impossible task ahead of him. Overhead, a flash of bright orange and black dashed between two buildings. And Kiba had an idea. All he'd have to do was buy a few bowls of ramen.

They had lost sight of Ino, or rather, the young boy Akarui who was Ino in disguise.

After he'd given Master Iruka and Hinata a lift for a faster pursuit, Hinata had used her Byakugan to search the area for Akarui. She'd seen him, they gave chase, and was in view of the Southern Gate outside the Uchiha estate when she lost track of the boy. In her words, he'd been there. Then he wasn't. He couldn't have disappeared into thin air- -unless he was a clone, but Master Iruka had a look of absolute concentration in the moments preceding Akarui's disappearance. The look could've been nothing, or it could've been everything. They had dismounted the ink beast hawk to search around the abandoned buildings, but aside from the usual secret passages and cellars and attic spaces, they found none with a boy.

By now, Shino had rejoined them, confirming their initial conclusion. Ino, or Akarui, was not on the abandoned Uchiha property. They asked around with sketches Sai had drawn, but no one in the area saw Akarui. They ended their search efforts with a return to the Academy, classroom 505. Shino's kikaichu swept inside the ceilings and walls. Nothing. Hinata saw nothing.

But Shino's attention pivoted to an ignored corner of the classroom. "Something from that cabinet repels the kikaichu."

Sai used a jutsu to locate any traps, and he found not a trap, but something...odd about the cabinet Shino indicated.

The cabinet was about six feet tall and two feet across, and looked to be two feet deep. Scratches and dings and scuffs marred the outer shell, multiple scars on the wooden doors and sides; the cabinet had survived young Academy students for years. Faint graffiti, scrubbed into near oblivion, decorated the left door panel. Curious, Sai opened the double doors. Inside the cabinet, the shelves had been removed, so it was a large, vacant space, but thick swathes of parchment paper lined the back, sides, and the inside of the door panels, glued to the wood like wallpaper. A peculiar scent wafted from the cabinet, strong, but unidentifiable. Towards the top, a single shelf remained- -he saw a cardboard box punched with holes. Dried bunches of herbs hung from hooks on the bottom of the shelf, bound and swinging from wires.

"Master Iruka, can you explain these herbs?" Sai asked.

Master Iruka glanced over Sai's shoulder. "I believe when Master Hisaye took her position, she requested a new storage cabinet. This is the old one and in the busyness of the school year, she may have not had an opportunity to remove these herbs. Once she's finished with class, I can bring in Master Hisaye. She's our poison and herb specialist. She can identify them. "

"I see."

Despite no real evidence on hand, Sai suspected Master Iruka was under Ino's influence. Ino had had plenty of time before Team 8's arrival to hypnotize the teachers in the school to do her bidding. Master Iruka's historic use of genjutsu could explain how Hinata lost track of Akarui. Sai could further imagine Ino using the teachers' innate abilities to provide her with various supplies, jutsu, seals, and information. Especially information, as the teachers had acquaintances, friends, and family within the divisions and clans of Konoha. Here, Ino could build a network to disguise her movements and provide her with leads and intel. She may have orchestrated the stolen goods to provide an opportunity for them to search the Academy and eliminate it from further notice.

Sai looked at the innocuous cabinet. He noticed an edge of the parchment had peeled from one of the corners. What will I find by tugging away the paper? The herbs had purpose; they were to protect the contents of the cabinet from chakra-seeking kikaichu, and he bet the paper was applied to hide seal-work inscribed on the inside of the cabinet. Seal-work which might support a portal to another area in Konoha or a new dimension, though dimensional seals and jutsu were costly, dangerous, and unstable. But they were possible. A dimension would hide Ino's chakra signature, giving her space to work, think, and sleep.

Again, he struggled between what he was expected to do and what he wanted to do.

"Sai? Is something wrong?" Concern was prevalent on Master's Iruka's face.

"No." He decided to poke around alone. "This cabinet is probably nothing to worry about, but I'd like your Master Hisaye to examine the herbs and tell us what they are. When will her class end?"

"Lunch time begins at 12:30." Master Iruka checked the wristwatch hidden under his sleeve. "We have another twenty minutes."

Not much time. "Please inform Master Hisaye of our plans, Master Iruka. As soon as she is available, I'd like for her to inspect the cabinet. Hinata and Shino, you two will patrol the Academy grounds for signs of Akarui or Ino. Remain in radio contact. I'll stay here to monitor and secure the classroom."

When everyone left, Sai sealed the classroom with Ink Blot Barrier. Strictly speaking, the use of chakra for the barrier was excessive, but necessary, as Hinata and Shino loomed outside. He returned to the cabinet and ripped away the 'wallpaper' inside the cabinet. Twenty minutes to figure out what to do. As he suspected, intricate lines of kanji scripted along the sides. Straight diagonal lines condensed into a circle in the center of the back panel of the cabinet. He knew he'd have to put his hand in the circle and charge chakra through the kanji to activate the seal, but what would the seals produce? Sai studied the characters- -his assumption proved correct. This was seal-work for a kind of portal.

Pressing his hand to the center ring of characters, he flared chakra through his palm. The chakra spread to each subsequent line of kanji, a glimmery glow of blue-white blasted from the cabinet and where his hand had been, the solid wood gave out and became a rectangular void, nothing but a gray haze. He stuck his hand through, felt no heat or cold or wet or dry. An ink rabbit crossed into and out of the dimensional portal no problem, and reported the space was about the size of the classroom but no traps or other surveillance jutsu. For good measure, he transformed into Master Iruka; while he wasn't sure how much Master Iruka was involved in Ino's plans, Sai was certain Ino would fight or flee from him.

After a moment, he took a breath, steeled his heart, and stepped into the portal. A blip occurred. No pain, no physical feeling, and in the next moment, he was in the front garden of an apartment complex. Around him rose a copy of Konoha, only no one was in the streets and an eerie silence pervaded the space. The whole of Konoha did not exist, but a piece of it did as a mimic of a user's memory inside the dimension. The pocket dimension was similar to an area protected by a barrier, but with pocket dimensions, a small portion of time and space was opened for the user to exist for a period of time. Again, with the combined knowledge of the teachers in the Academy, the creation of the pocket dimension would be a doable, if not a complex, affair.

He recognized the street as he crossed it to the front garden of an apartment directly in front of him. Flowers and herbs flourished on either side of the walk past a gate up to the door. A purple glass butterfly, staked on a metal pole in one corner, spread wings webbed with fine black metal and the same black metal created its antennae. Ah. Miss Beautiful's destroyed apartment. Despite the amount and vividness of the flora, no flowery scent emanated from the garden. He expected the door to be locked, but when he tested the knob, the door opened. Inside the apartment was neat and scrubbed with pine cleaner. The furniture looked comfortable; tasteful decorations on walls, shelves, and in niches; green vines and fronds of houseplants splayed and healthy. Her kitchen was a fraction of the size of his. To the left, a spiral staircase curled upwards to a new level- -a mezzanine bedroom overhead. Adjacent to the entryway was the living room.

Platinum blonde hair streamed over the arm of the couch. There you are...

Employing the full extent of his Root training, Sai switched into silent mode, and from the entrance to the living room, he took steps as soft as snowfall. He peeked over the back of the couch. Ino was stretched out, one arm limp to the floor and the other pressed a compress to her forehead. She wore an infantry uniform with rust blots stained down on the front of her flak jacket- -blood from a nosebleed, Sai guessed. The sight of her disarray clenched his heart with a sweet, aching pain, and he knew he'd been right to explore the dimension alone.

He trusted in her mind, in her powers to plan ahead, but he had to be sure she was aware of the tightened noose around her neck. "Ino?"

Ino sat bolt upright with a wheezed gasp; her shock had electrified her. The compress flew across the room, and she had a kunai hooked around the first knuckle of her finger before she recognized who it was. In a defensive posture, prepared for an attack, she lowered the kunai blade. His brain soaked in the view of her, her form like a neon imprint into his mind. "Master Iruka!"

"I apologize. I didn't mean to startle you," he said. Whatever emotion he hadn't felt the last week roared into existence: Here I am! You can't forget me! The emotion was protective and affectionate and raw and it exploded in the center of his chest with a thunderous boom. He supposed he should have expected speaking to her would be more difficult than he at first thought; his knees were a little watery, his tongue fumbled behind his teeth. "Hinata and Shino are outside the Academy, patrolling, and Sai strongly suspects the cabinet."

"Master Iruka, you can't be here," she said in a harsh whisper. She looked confused. "How are you here?"

He shrugged. "Your old school teacher has a few tricks."

"No, you don't understand. How are you here?" Ino asked again, but instead of confusion, her words carried frustration. "You cannot be seen with me. Lord Kakashi holds few people in high regard, and you are one of the few. I can't afford to be on Lord Kakashi's shit list."

"Lord Kakashi doesn't keep a shit list," Sai told her. "No one is aware I'm with you."

"Even so, you must get out," she said as she stepped closer, pleadingly. Sai noticed she had a slight wobble to her legs. She enunciated her next words with special emphasis. "Please leave. Tell no one you've interacted with me."

"Let me at least provide a distraction."

"No, no, no." Ino put the back of her hand against her forehead. Did she sway? "All I need from you…is for you to…pretend…"

Her body went lax, crumpled sideways; her knees buckled. The couch broke her initial fall. Sai was quick, but not quick enough to stop her from an undignified slither to the floor. She lay in a limp heap. Not enough room to kneel, he shoved the coffee table away to give them space. Ino was unharmed and boneless under her splayed blonde hair. He had to hold her shoulders up, her hair falling away from her face. Was she unconscious? In the confusion of her faint, he hadn't watched for the kunai, so when a razor edge pressed a cold line against his throat, he realized his mistake.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Ino, lower the kunai." To move would mean death, so he put his hand where she could see it. The other remained behind her shoulder. "You know who I am."

Blue eyes glared from a pale face. "Release!"

He was powerless to prevent the jolt to his chakra network, and so Sai's transformation jutsu dispelled. When the air cleared, Ino stared at him as though his appearance had stunned her. Their heads were very near together, showing the details of Ino's face. Her eyelashes had clumped together, veins in her forehead protruded, and strands of hair stuck to her neck and in the corners of her mouth. He waited for her volcanic reaction. Possibly, she might kill him out of anger. But the kunai clattered to the floor and her arms cinched around his neck.

Her whole body trembled. "Sai, oh, Sai…"

Confident the rough patch was over, Sai returned the hug, shifting his head to bury his nose into her hair. She didn't smell like floral or soap, but a sweaty-stale, dusty scent lingered on her from the Uchiha estate and the classroom. Was it his imagination or did her shoulders feel narrower? He was about to pull away when she nuzzled his cheek. Her affectionate gesture pulverized any type of rational thinking, and he couldn't stop from seeking her lips with his in a smooth segue into a kiss he'd daydreamed about since the last time they'd kissed. An ache flipped him on his head, the sweet tension which both fascinated and destroyed him. His blood heated, gathered potency along his spine and deep below his belly, and he was aware enough of the physical reaction to anticipate the direction of their behavior.

Though he understood the urgency of their situation, he was lost in the complicated kiss- -the gentle nips, the slide and dance of their tongues, the press of her fingers into his shoulder blades; he'd attempted to break off the kiss twice, but each time, Ino renewed her efforts (and was successful) in luring him back into it. He gave in. What could he do? He dilated the space inside for her to flood her sloshing, turbulent emotions, called to her to empty herself out. As before, her transfer of strong emotions came with memories- -blurred, disoriented memories, but he was certain he saw an illustration of a bunch of flowers which featured prominently in Ino's mind and a sharp prick of serious anxiety associated with the illustration.

When Ino was calmer, she withdrew from the kiss. Her eyelids were lowered; a pink blush colored her cheeks. When she smiled, the smile was warm, gorgeous. "I'm okay."

"You didn't look okay when I came in."

"It's been a rough week, but seeing you makes me feel better." She toyed with his hair. "I didn't think you'd find me so soon."

"A pocket dimension was a clever idea. The Academy teachers have enough experience and chakra to build one and also to hide the chakra output from it."

She laughed a low chuckle. "Master Kirameki teaches an advanced course of Dimensional Physics. He was integral to the creation of my home away from home."

"You have an exit strategy, then?"

"I do," she said, and brushed his mouth with hers, "but you broke the rules when you came inside. You weren't supposed to find the opening. In fact, Master Hisaye will give a reasonable explanation for the herbs and the faint chakra output of the portal."

He returned her kiss. "I'm meant to believe her and not question her too closely."

"Hm-hm. As any reasonable human being would."

"I'm sorry I'm not reasonable." He wasn't sorry, though.

"I worked my ass off to secure the Academy, so you had better be reasonable, sir. Also, the stolen items will be explained. Everything will be resolved and the Academy, having been thoroughly inspected, will be checked off Shikamaru's list."

Sai was silent not because he was speechless but because the intricacies of her mind awed him. "I have something else for you." He reached into his hip pouch, the same one he'd packed the night he almost drowned at Intel, and produced Ino's blue pill bottle. "I assume you gave yours to Takahino whether he wanted it or not."

She took the pill bottle with an exasperated laugh. "Of course."

"It's nothing but a reasonable guess," he told her. Before Ino could shutter her heart against him, he stood, stroking her hair. "I should go. I have to meet Master Iruka and pretend a portal doesn't exist."

"You do too much for me and I shouldn't ask for one more thing, but may I ask for one more thing?"

"Check in on Kiba."

"Another reasonable guess," she said, but her tone was somehow wry, ironic. "Yes, please. Shikamaru will try to cover for him, but Kiba...is too Kiba. He won't take the easy way out and let me take the blame for his attack on you and Shino."

"Sounds like someone else I know," he told her on his way to the door. He stopped with his hand on the knob. "Kiba made a choice to defend you. Accept the choice he made."

Before she could question him, he exited the cozy apartment and flickered to the portal which hovered, a shimmery discrepancy in the fabric of reality. Through it he slipped. He hadn't decided his next step to help her. On the other side, he was alone in the cluttered classroom. Ino was determined to trust in fate, but he was not so ready to leave it to chance. Not much time remained before Master Iruka returned with Master Hisaye to examine the herbs. The portals were unstable as it was, and though the cabinet could be transformed into a different object and moved, he didn't dare risk it with Ino inside the pocket dimension. Quickly, he pulled free a scroll with a larger scroll sealed inside. He could use the paper on this larger scroll to hide the seal-work inside the cabinet, and at the same time, disguise the chakra signature of the portal. He did so, released the Ink Blot Barrier, and prepared to misdirect Shino, Hinata, and the real Master Iruka as needed with the use of an ink clone transformed into Ino transformed into a desk, waiting on standby.

A few minutes later, as he had finished a verbal exchange over the commlink with Shino and Hinata, Master Iruka entered the classroom. Beside him strode a short, curvaceous woman with dark hair dyed in greens and blues. She wore a polite, but neutral, expression and Sai was reminded of his face when he'd practiced emotional facial expression in the mirror. Her kimono was in muted tones with a whole nighttime garden motif embroidered in the silk. Though Sai was intrigued with the pattern, he gave a polite bow and greeting as Master Iruka introduced her.

"Master Hisaye, herbs are hanging inside the cabinet. We wondered what they were," Sai said as he opened the cabinet doors.

Master Hisaye looked in. "Oh, yes! These are herbs which can repel insects. You hang them to dry, see, and tuck them into a sachet you can keep on your person. I did forget they were inside this old cabinet when Master Iruka had a new one installed in my classroom."

"How long ago was the new cabinet installed?" Sai asked. He would perform his due diligence in seeking holes or lapses in Master Iruka's and Master Hisaye's memories.

"I'd say three months."

"Herbs remain in good condition for so long?"

She smiled. "With the diffuser, yes."

"Why didn't you inspect the cabinet before it was removed from your class?"

"When you teach energetic and curious pupils, oftentimes what you intend and what occurs are two different things. Other priorities occurred which prevented my inspection of the cabinet."

"Sai mentioned a faint chakra signature," Master Iruka said. "Would you have left anything…?"

"A faint chakra signature…oh, yes!" Master Hisaye reached for the box on the top shelf which was punched with holes. "I mentioned the diffuser. I keep a small chakra-infused charm with the herbs as they dry to help preserve them. I'm sorry about the inconvenience. I hope my old cabinet hasn't caused you any trouble."

"No," Sai said. Everything had a plausible explanation. All he had to do was not look closer and report what he did not find to Shikamaru. I can be reasonable, Miss Beautiful. "Any further word on the culprit or culprits who stole those items you reported?"

"We assume a couple of our students are to blame," Master Iruka replied. "We're completing an in-house investigation and we have a good idea of what may have happened. Once we have conclusive evidence, we'll notify the Office."

Nothing more for Sai to do. "Please remain vigilant. Ino could be hiding in plain sight. Should any strange occurrences happen, no matter how small, make a report to the Office."

A/N: Thank you for reading another chapter. Only two (maybe three) more chapters left before we transition to Part III and the final arc of the story. I appreciate all of you supporting me through my trials and tribulations, and your patience as I work additional hours.