Kari walked up the winding stairs towards Tsunade's office. I'm doing this with or without her permission. I must do it. She opened the door and let herself in without ceremony.

"Kari...I can only guess as to why you are here." Tsunade folded her hands in her usual manner and gazed over them toward Kari. "Because of Sasuke?"

The girl nodded. "I'm going after him Tsunade-sama. You must know that I'm the only one who can really help him."

"Kari that is a most dangerous mission. You are one of our best shinbois and - "

"And I'm useful to everyone and all that I know! You banish the powerful ones from each other and then you ask for their help nicely when you need that power that you feared so much!"

Tsunade waited patiently for Kari to regain her compusure. "Kari...I'm sure you know that I was not Hokage when that decision was made? Nor was it Sarutobi's doing. It was the Uchiha clan head. We knew nothing of the existence of Auralen twins until much later when it was too late to interfere. If I HAD been the Hokage and I was privy to the situation I assure you...you would not have been separated."

Kari's eyes were wet. "I need to go after Sasuke, Tsunade-sama. He is the only family I have left. I swore to protect him since the day he was born and I have done so up until now. I'd rather die than sit here and wait for things to turn out. I have the one thing that can save him!"

The Fifth nodded. "I suppose you perfected that technique, Kari?"

"It was the first technique I perfected after learning what power I was granted as an Auralen. I'm leaving Konoha in five minutes with or without your blessing. I know where Orochimaru dwells and I know what I must do."

"Tell me, Kari. Will your journey include any side trips to your twin brother?"

Kari's blood ran cold. She knew she could not have hidden the fact, but she would have preferred that the Fifth had not mentioned it. "Yes," she said defiantly, "It will. There is some business between the two of us that I must see to."

"Do you plan on defeating him or returning him to his original state of mind?"

Kari was growing impatient now. "The second if it is successful the first if the second is not. Now I am leaving and I await your thoughts. I almost did not come at all, but I believed that you of all people would understand my reasoning."

Tsunade sighed. "There is certainly no way of preventing you. You have my leave and blessing for this mission. But Kari..."

Kari was already heading towards the door. She stopped and turned around. "Yes?"

"Come back alive. With or without Uchiha Sasuke."

Kari shook her head sadly, slipped out of the room, and softly closed the door.

That is not possible, Tsunade-sama. I am bound by my promise.