Harbinger

by tigerowl

Naruto's friendship with his teammates Gaara and Haku is put to the test as they prepare to deal with the threat of the Akatsuki. The secrets Jiraiya has kept come to a head, and Naruto must shoulder the responsibility of protecting much more than the Leaf Village. Continuation of Forlorn. AU NaruHina, GaaSaku, NejiTen, ObiRin, OCs *Taoism, Self-Indulgent World Building, longfic

13. Fait Accompli

A/N: Shame on me for taking so long. Hello all of you literate people, I am very glad to provide you with some reading material for a change! I won't apologize for being employed now, but I will make the effort to update reasonably, because even I get annoyed with slow development.

Chapter Soundtrack: "Samurai" By Jazztronik

Chapter 13- Fait Accompli

"You are never where you are, and when you are, you're leaving." Alberto Ríos from 'The Dangerous Shirt'

The Inuzuka residence was uncannily quiet that morning. The floorboards creaked as Kiba made his way down the hallway dressed in scraggily pajamas, with Akamaru at his heels. His sister was already seated at the table sipping tea when he entered the kitchen. He greeted Hana with a sleepy chuff as he settled down, and patted Akamaru before the mutt slipped out the side door to join his sister's dogs for mealtime.

Kiba reached for a plate of rolls but Hana shook her head, "Keep away from those, they belong to Mom."

Kiba scratched his cheek, "Dang. Where is she anyway? She's usually done eating by now."

Hana gestured with her chin towards the porch on the far side of the room. Tsume was silently pacing outside reading a piece of paper, and was clearly very distressed; not in her usual amicable mood.

"What's up with her?" Kiba yawned, pulling other edibles onto his plate.

Hana shook her head, "I really have no clue. I tried speaking to her earlier and she's simply...inconsolable. I can't get her to divulge anything." She took a bite of meat, "And that's saying something, considering I can always get her to spill, you know?"

"Yeah…that is a bit distressing." Her brother agreed. Kiba ate his fill, glancing every so often out to the porch where his mother contemplated. After finishing his breakfast, Kiba asked his sister to say hello to Sakura for him, and he exited through the side door to avoid disturbing his mother.

The backyard was vast and green, and dogs romped where they pleased; some ninken and some domesticated. Kiba gave a short whistle and his partner came bounding, "Good, it's time to clean you up, furball!"

Akamaru gave a soft hmm of protest as he followed Kiba to the side of the house. Kiba scrounged through an outdoor cupboard and withdrew a shampoo bottle. He regarded his doleful dog. "Aw come on, don't look at me like that! You know you're too big for the tub now. Let's just get this over with, alright? You want to be handsome again, don't you boy?"

And with that Akamaru willingly stepped beneath the hose Kiba had picked up. He behaved as he was lathered and rinsed, partly pleased that his master was also getting wet and sudsy. Kiba scrubbed until the ninken's fur went from French grey to its original white. He turned the tap off and stood back, letting Akamaru shake himself vigorously.

"Just a second…" Kiba crossed a gravel path to the community clothesline, unclipping a large towel. He assisted Akamaru in drying off, and nearly finished before he spotted Kuromaru.

"Hey! Kuromaru!" Kiba called, catching the attention of his mother's hound as he passed, "What's up with Mom today?"

The old dog stopped to take care of an itch on his flank. He turned his good eye to Kiba, "It's not my place to discuss, really…"

"Come on! She won't even talk to Hana!"

"Mind your own business, boy, at least until Tsume is ready to explain things herself." Kuromaru rasped back, "And it's high-time you bathed Akamaru. He was beginning to look mangy."

Kuromaru stalked off, and Kiba shouted after the grouchy dog, "Oh yeah! Because you look so great! Pirate mutt…"

Concluding it would be better to uncover his mother's stressor later in the day; Kiba went back inside and dressed in his room. Akamaru took a gander at himself in a wall mirror, and while he could not see in color he wagged his tail at his handsome image. Kiba shed his ill-fitting, soggy sleepwear and donned his black jacket.

Kiba smiled to himself. He recalled how Sakura had learned from a reliable source that their team (excluding Kakashi) was the best-dressed in the village. 'Too bad there's no merit in that for shinobi…' Kiba thought, fastening a holster to his thigh. Once he was thoroughly presentable Kiba left his room, greeting a few relatives he passed in the main corridor.

The front of the Inuzuka household had a clear view of the courtyard Tsume was loitering in. Kiba gazed at his mother, curious for only a moment, and then motioned for Akamaru to follow him as he departed from the grounds.

---

Kiba arrived at his team's designated training spot shortly after Tama, but nearly twenty minutes before Kakashi materialized.

"You are really friggin' lucky that your reputation compensates for your tardiness." Kiba informed his master, "Do you think the Hokage, or anyone for that matter, would put up with your crap if you were less qualified?"

"No. I gather everybody would dislike it." Kakashi agreed, cracking open a copy of Icha Icha, "Ergo, I plan to show up late to every non-professional gathering that requires my presence…because I can." His visible eye crinkled in delight and his students looked slightly peeved.

Sakura would be absent for the next few days while she trained with Tsunade, affording Kiba the perfect opportunity to bond with his new teammate. Kakashi advised them to work on their substitutions while they trained together. The Jounin planted himself on a collapsed training post and began to read the latest installment of his favorite series. Tama gave a shout of warning before she charged at Kiba with whirlwind kicks.

While he was reluctant to admit it, Kiba could see what Sakura meant when she sometimes referred to Tama as "Female Lee."

Tama's repertoire of techniques was parallel to Lee's, albeit she did possess a few added skills. Most notably there was her increased use of fire jutsu. She knew two techniques from Sato and was developing more on her own. Kakashi had tested her chakra affinity and it was, as expected: fire, though it was difficult to pinpoint why her chakra nature had so easily manifested.

"Kunoichi, on the average, express their chakra affinities more easily than men." Kakashi had explained, "It's been speculated that women have inherently better chakra control, which can, and often does, facilitate the use of one's chakra nature. There needn't be any hoopla about that, though, because I have seen just as many men tap into their natures too."

'No need for hoopla, sure!' Kiba snickered mentally, ducking under a fiery version of Leaf Hurricane that singed nearby vegetation. She was an opponent he never went easy on, simply because if he did, she would mop the forest floor with him. The dedication and focus Tama had inherited from Gai, while not as audible as Lee's, was just as formidable during a fight.

"Gatsuuga!" Kiba lunged forward, gouging a trench in the ground before striking the kunoichi…her substitute, rather, and blocked her counterstrike as she drove down from above. Akamaru ran around, wanting in on the action, but received no signal from Kiba to assist. The dog stayed nearby, paying close attention to the sparring session.

Punch for punch, the young woman was just as strong as Kiba. While neither of them had learned the secret to Sakura's (i.e. Tsunade's) absolutely horrific strength, they were only just behind her in terms of wrecking power. Kakashi ignored the destruction of his surroundings as he read.

Over the course of three hours they took several water breaks, chatting cordially, and then resumed the intense fighting in order to test other staple jutsu. It was around noontime when Kakashi called for them to stop, "Good work pupils, but you can give it a rest now you're making me tired just looking at you."

"Yeah, I'll bet reading that genre puts such a strain on you, Kaka-sensei." Kiba retorted, stripping off his jacket to cool down.

"You want to go get some lunch, Kiba-kun?" Tama asked, dabbing her neck with a towel, "I'm starved!"

"Sure, it'll be my treat." He gave her a toothy grin.

Tama gave a polite objection to his offer, but Kiba insisted. A moment after the exchange Kakashi beckoned the Inuzuka over to his reading spot, beyond Tama's earshot.

"What's up, Sensei?"

"I can see that you've warmed up to our team's new addition." Kakashi assured Kiba, "And it's good that you nurture your friendship with Tama-chan…but please be advised not to turn it into something more, alright?"

Kiba wrinkled his nose, frustrated, "Thanks, but I don't know if any of that is your business, Sensei."

"Well you see it is my business, Kiba-kun. This is family business, and I expect my nephew to marry Tama-chan according to our family agreement." Kakashi closed his book, unabashed.

"You can't be serious…" Kiba scoffed. Just the thought of Sato prevailing, however improbable it was, made him sick to his stomach.

Kakashi's voice was a bit stern, "This time I am serious. We have to keep our promises, Kiba."

"I can make promises too, Sensei…and I promise that I'll make her happy." Kiba replied evenly. He turned and crossed the field back to Tama and Akamaru, hoping what he felt inside was not visible on his face.

The kunoichi did not question what Kiba and their sensei had discussed, and she suggested they go to a small café she was fond of. On the way they made small talk, mainly concerned with Sakura's busy schedule. Tama also had obligations to keep. With both kunoichi away from the team temporarily Kiba needed to adjust to solitary work again.

"I'm sorry that we won't be around for the next few days." Tama did look mildly concerned, "Are you still going to take a solo mission? You didn't really elaborate…"

"Nah, Tsunade-sama likes appointing substitutes these days, so I'll go along with whoever she picks out." Kiba shrugged it off, "It's not a big deal if it's C-ranked."

Her smile was bright, "Have you always been this adaptable?"

"Well, not always…" He scratched his head, replying, "I guess post-Retrieval Mission, yeah, I changed."

Her face dropped, aware that he had lost a friend and a teammate. It was, essentially, the reason she had even been offered a spot on Kakashi's team. They never had considered her a real replacement for Sasuke, claiming that she truly belonged and had earned her own place on the team. Yet there were times when Tama still felt like plaster, spread thin and trying to cover a very, very noticeable hole.

"Hey…don't get upset." Kiba smiled, keen to her unspoken musing, "This is a good change for our team. You may not believe this right now, Tama, but Sasuke didn't leave big shoes to fill. We were a box for him to step off of, when all was said and done."

"That sounds so "

"Yeah, okay, maybe I was projecting my take on his betrayal. Sakura, well, at least he wanted to keep her in his life…" His voice became a touch rougher, "Me? No, he couldn't be bothered. I could've ended up dead or worse going out there to look for him…why the hell would he factor in people who would risk life and limb for him?"

At the café they sat at a table beneath an awning, where the sunlight bounced off of the intricate metalwork of the building. A server took their orders before darting off. Tama watched the Inuzuka's face for a long moment as he stared blankly at the tablecloth. Akamaru gave a soft whine of discomfort from his seat. She rested her elbows on the table, looking thoughtful.

"What if…he came back?" She asked, and more optimistically, added, "What if he makes amends? Would you still be so bitter, Kiba-kun?"

"That depends, I guess." He muttered, juvenilely prodding a salt shaker.

"On what?"

"If you get to stay on the team." Kiba said, locking eyes with her, "I won't let another friend go so easily."

She blushed, "I'm sure I'd hang around…"

"But honestly, that event is so unlikely I won't give it another thought." He brightened a bit, "You're here to stay, that I know for sure."

Tama kept her composure. The conversation veered away from the subject of old friends when the food arrived, and in no time Tama had worked Kiba back out of his emotional shell. While he was, like any Inuzuka, outgoing, loud, and opinionated, Tama found that Kiba hesitated to voice his true feelings usually trying to disguise them with aggression or a sarcastic comment. When relaxed, the young man's eyes were clear and bright. He had an easy laugh and a bewitching white smile (the Inuzuka clan did take grand care of their teeth.)

After spending more time with Kakashi's team, Tama observed how Kiba became less of a characterized "Inuzuka" and more of an individual. She could say that he was not very unlike Sato: expressive, clever, and very loyal. Kiba did possess, if marginally, more maturity than the latter. And while Tama was charmed with both boys and their individuality, she chose to remain steadfast and supportive. She and Sato were for each other, as she understood. No exceptions.

And as she considered all of this over her seafood, as if on cue, her fiancée appeared.

Kiba need only sniff once to know who had rounded the corner. Tama's eyes had lit up. He did not move to look over his shoulder because it was really guaranteed the young Hatake would interrupt things without invitation. Not one to discriminate, though, Akamaru greeted the newcomer with a tail shake and a lick. Kiba made a sound under his breath to discourage the good behavior.

"Mind if I join you?" Sato asked and Tama quickly had him seated adjacent to her.

The Hatake, though aware of Kiba's disdain for him, kept with formalities, "How have you been, Kiba? I haven't seen you since..."

"Great, thanks." Kiba looked down at his plate as he chewed.

"Pap says hi." Sato added, hoping it would ease the tension.

Kiba looked up, visibly startled. His expression softened infinitesimally, "So…you met the old guy in Kaido. Is he doing better?"

"He looked fine to me. I go there pretty often now since I've made some new friends." Sato tacked on a friendly smile and Kiba's gut churned.

'Ugh…what a fruitcake. He can do no fucking wrong.' Kiba's eyes narrowed again. Sato was finishing up the shrimp Tama did not want to eat. They chatted almost as if Kiba had gone transparent. 'He shows up and she just changes modes she caters to all of her future husband's wishes…tch, at least wait until he takes you to the altar…'

Kiba found he picked on Sato most when he was unhappy with himself; granted that he would never in his right mind admit it to anyone. Sato only looked great once Kiba began internally taking stock of his own flaws. That, coupled with Sato being the gravitational center of Tama's attention, left Kiba feeling like a flea. Unwanted and so commonly overlooked.

'This is about the part in my brooding when someone would just slap me and tell me to get over it.' Kiba observed, standing from the table, 'I've got way better things to do than squeeze myself into an attraction-triangle.'

By acknowledging the futility of it all, and willingly removing himself from it (for the time being) he felt a fraction better. He patted Akamaru's head; even if the mutt liked the Hatake. Even if Tama liked the Hatake. Whatever. His time could be much better spent on anything other than contemplation of what was missing and irretrievable…like an Uchiha he used to think he knew.

"Well this was really nice, Tama," Kiba announced, setting a few bills on the table, "But I really have to get going now."

"Please stay." Her eyes were repentant, almost, "We can go do something together! Sato just mentioned "

He cut in so he would not have to feel obligated, "Some other time, I promise. There's some…weird stuff going on back at home and it needs to be taken care of."

Tama nodded in understanding and Sato chimed in, "Next time then?"

The Inuzuka rolled his eyes at the silver haired boy, taking his leave. Sato did accept the gesture since, this time; Kiba was not hatefully slugging him in the face.

---

While on Inuzuka grounds Kiba trained with Akamaru, taking pride in his ninken's greater size and strength. The dog shredded substitutes with his teeth like tissue paper. Kiba enjoyed the distraction. Soon he would end up thinking about Tama again. Or his mother. Or the next day's mission. 'Life used to be sosimple.' He mused, still knowing that even back then it had still been very complicated. He just had not been concerned with any of the "crap."

He was fairly convinced some sort of "crap" from the past was causing his mother to pace the yard all day long. Tsume was no Confucius. Rather than pondering the world's idiosyncrasies she went out and busted heads, "It saves time!" That was practically her nindo. Now, seeing her subdued and…he shuddered at the thought: worried behavior, Kiba was beginning to expect the worst.

'How bad can it be?' He had an odd way of rating issues, 'On a scale of one to Sasuke, what is it? Mom can't really be having a nervous breakdown…' Yet it seemed that way.

After washing up indoors Kiba braced himself and tracked his mother down. She was seated in the kitchen looking rather tranquil.

"There you are, son." She looked at him with tired eyes, "Come here. We need to talk."

"I figured." He took a seat across from her.

Tsume flashed a piece of parchment for Kiba to see, "This here…is from your father."

Kiba was nonplussed. He had been expecting war.

"I won't bore you with the details, but the gist of it is your father admits making a mistake in leaving and he misses us." She heaved a sigh, "Re-eeally out of the blue, isn't it? Yet…the sincerity of it has me nearly convinced."

A look of utter bewilderment was written on Kiba's face.

Tsume broke the silence with a surprisingly good-natured belly laugh. She grinned widely at Kiba, flummoxing him further.

"Woo! To think I was going to ask you how you feel about this, Kiba!" She broke down into mad chuckles again.

"Well, uh…hm." Kiba blinked hard, gathering his wits, "Mom…I don't care if he comes back or stays gone. That's what I think." He then added sagely, "The worst thing that can happen is that he leaves again…and we survived that."

Tsume gave her son a long, piercing look. "I see. So what should I say, Kiba? I can't ask your sister; she would just cry…and I just…I don't have an answer for him myself."

"Tell him to come back and earn our respect." Kiba suggested, smirking.

Her grin widened, "That's my son."

---

Kiba, then recovered from the initial shock of his discovery, excused himself. So this was the mystery, was it? His father, a man he had imagined so spineless that he could not even brave his own marriage, was now begging to be welcomed back home. Akamaru was unruffled as he trotted down the hallway with his master. The dog had never known Tsume's husband. He had been born nearly three years after he had taken off.

Kiba bathed quickly, suddenly preoccupied with how the family dynamic was about to be turned on its head again. He scrubbed feverishly, remembering how his father had taught him to tie knots and survive the wilds when he had been younger. He could smell the sharpness of the man's aftershave walking home from school beside the man. Laughing. Being picked up after goofing off with his age-mates in the park. Being scolded.

The tough "man's man" who had not been tough enough, as it turned out. Unfit for the rowdy lifestyle of the Inuzuka and a wife who called the shots.

The young man towelled off, and then glanced sidelong to Akamaru. Quietly he confessed, "I miss Dad."

---

The following day Kiba stood in the Hokage's office getting briefed on his assignment. Tsunade had given him a temporary teammate a small, doe-eyed Hyuga from the Main Branch by the name of Fujita. Kiba recalled seeing the young genin around the village here and there, but since he was such a new addition he was scarcely seen on higher-level missions.

Fujita stood with his hands at his sides, slightly rigid, eyes darting to Akamaru curiously while trying to keep his attention on the Hokage. While he looked little more than an inexperienced twerp, Kiba decided to give the youngster the benefit of the doubt. He had apparently graduated early, gained Tsunade's favor, and still had that Hyuga-visage that so many considered formidable.

"I expect you back here in less than six days, understood?" Tsunade snapped Kiba out of his observation, "Since this is basic information retrieval you two should do well. Just keep your distance from Cloud ninja patrols and they won't bother you. New treaties have been signed to " She looked at the Hyuga boy before continuing, "Prohibit senseless violence."

"I understand, Hokage-sama." Kiba responded, his subordinate echoing the reply, and they were promptly dismissed.

Out in the hallway Kiba turned to Fujita, "Listen up kid, we can bang out this mission in no time! The quicker we get back here the better reputation you can build."

The Hyuga was wearing a small frown, "Well we can still..."

"Meet me at the village gate with your stuff in an hour!" Kiba trotted off with his ninken before Fujita could express himself.

Fujita walked down the hallway, mulling over his impression of his new partner. 'He's not one of those extreme Type-A personalities…but he does seem motivated, maybe even aggressive.' Fujita figured that if he could keep up with Rock Lee decently on a mission, this Inuzuka fellow (who seemed friendly enough) would not wear him out too much.

Back at the compound the sky was overcast and a chilling wind raced across the lawn. Fujita stopped to have a brief lunch with his parents (his mother smothered him with affection and praise) before packing necessities. His father gave him a gentle smile before saying goodbye.

Fujita was aware that he had gotten lucky with his familial circumstance. As the younger of two sons, Fujita had been considered for the Branch family as an infant. Hikune had been promising from the start bright, compassionate, and infinitely talented. Fujita's mediocrity was excused in part because of his parents' political voices, and his family's lack of an immediate relative in the Branch. Along with a few other "prioritized" children, Fujita lived a comfortable life within the Main family in the shadow of his older sibling.

It did help that his father, Hideyasu, was Hiashi's cousin and close friend, as well as a respected veteran shinobi. The elders had never been fond of Hideyasu's "soft" ways, most especially his campaign for abolishing the Caged Bird Seal.

The boy smiled to himself, certain that when Hikune was seasoned enough to attend Hyuga council meetings, he would aid Hideyasu and Hiashi in their struggle to create a unified clan.

He secured his satchel on his back, taking a peek around the household with his Byakugan. It was a funny thing when he and his brother used their Blood Limit simultaneously, which in that particular moment they were, and they spotted each other with a surprised jolt through a number of walls and screens. Fujita could make out his brother's impish grin before deactivating his Kekkei Genkai. 'Maybe I can get out of here before he does something embarrassing…'

Fujita did make a break for it, but could not escape his older brother in the central corridor of the Main house. When Hikune caught him he ruffled his brother's hair, "Off again? As a genin I never took missions as frequently as you do, Fujita! Such a go-getter…" He chuckled as Fujita ducked away from him.

"You were only a Genin for two months before you were promoted." Fujita retorted, "In terms of skill I "

"You're doing just fine." Hikune patted his shoulder, "Come back safely."

Fujita gave his brother a hug out of habit, and then hustled out of the compound, respectfully acknowledging his elders along the way.

---

After joining up with the young genin, Kiba set a swift pace for the Lightning Country. Right away it was clear to the Inuzuka that his partner was anxious. His was over-alert and clearly uncomfortable following behind Kiba. Fujita had asked how he could have gotten a risky mission so easily.

"I have experience with travelling. Trackers are required to go places and learn the territories." Kiba tried to be patient with the boy, "If you're worried because we're headed towards the Lightning Country you can relax now. I'll know wa-aay in advance if we have company."

"I'm not worried. Besides, I'd be able to spot an intruder just as quickly." His defense was brittle.

Kiba raised an eyebrow, giving the newbie a sharp look, "That so? So you're questioning my competence?"

"Well no-"

"Then lighten up! We're going to the boundary outpost, picking up the report, and heading straight back to Leaf. Simple stuff!" Kiba barked, "Trust me, if you quit it with that Hyuga-arrogance bullshit and cooperate you might even find this enjoyable."

Fujita was quiet for a while, trailing behind the Inuzuka through the treetops. When he spoke again he apologized, "I'm sorry, Kiba-san. I have never travelled so far from Leaf before in a two-team cell. I'll try to be a good teammate."

There was a slight twinge of nostalgia in Kiba's chest when he heard the boy's comment. "It's alright. You can handle tougher missions; otherwise the Hokage wouldn't have considered you." He grinned, "This is a great opportunity for you to prove that you're worth your salt, and I'll be a witness."

Akamaru gave a rolling bark of agreement.

The tension was nearly extinguished after their exchange, and they made good time through the Fire Country. Continuing northeast during the evening, the pair rested only once to eat. Kiba was glad he had given the novice credit; for a short, thin aristocrat he sure had remarkable endurance. They crossed the grassy countryside and looming woods, and were not far from the Land of Lightning when daylight had expired.

By firelight Fujita opened up about how few academy students graduated to become Genin in the past year. Many had even quit after living through the horrors of battle during the Sound invasion.

"I had a good friend in school who I was so sure was going to be my teammate." Fujita said distantly, staring into the fire, "It didn't work out…and now I hardly seem him. Why is it that your group…shinobi your age…are so much more-?" He struggled to find the word.

"Committed?" He offered. Kiba took a bite of jerky before offering the meat to the dog splayed out beside him.

Fujita nodded, "I suppose that's it."

"Because we had a lot more support than you new 'up-and-comers' have now." Kiba told him, tossing a few sticks into the fire pit, "Before the village was attacked we had more shinobi. The Jounin had an easier time training us before and, to put it bluntly…we recently made a lot of unexpected enemies. Our forces are spread thin now with high-level missions, fewer Jounin to train novices, and just too much pressure on Genin."

The Hyuga ate wordlessly, visibly troubled. He reasoned that it was highly unlikely, after what Kiba had explained, that he would ever belong to a complete team.

"But don't forget, kid, our age-group had some crazy Genin mixed with exceptionally gifted Genin." Kiba continued thoughtfully, "Take Uzumaki Naruto's team as an example. They pretty much blew everyone out of the water during the Chunin Exams. No one really expected much from them, but the weirdest team ended up being the most successful. We were inspired by the wild stuff they did."

"What about your team?" Fujita asked innocuously.

There was a pause. Kiba sighed, "We have the best Sensei, to tell the truth. Sakura is studying under Tsunade-sama when she can, and Tama…she is Maito Gai's niece in many respects."

"Wow." Fujita cracked a smile, "That sounds like a challenge."

"It's a welcome one." Kiba agreed.

"I was just thinking…wasn't Uchiha Sasuke on your team before, well, you know…" Fujita trailed off, aware that it was a sorely personal subject. The songs of nocturnal insects filled in the gap of silence.

Akamaru rolled over, closer to Fujita, and solicited a tummy rub from the boy. Kiba finally began to speak, stumbling with the memories of his old squad.

"Yeah, Sasuke was part of our team." Kiba acknowledged, "And for a while things went smoothly, I mean, I never fought with him. It was one of those rare situations in which I agreed with someone almost all of the time. His judgment was always solid up until he had to think of what happened to his clan…and then he twisted."

Fujita listened in silence as the firelight danced before his pearly eyes.

"Before he let vengeance swallow him up, we could accomplish anything because we supported each other…that's how it is when you get along with your team." Kiba explained, adding tersely, "But at the drop of a hat he left. He screwed things up. He wouldn't have done that if he gave two shits about our friendship!" Fujita flinched at the sting in Kiba's words.

"Do you think that you can bring him back to the village?" The boy ventured in a small voice.

"I don't know what I think." Kiba sighed heavily, "Sure I'd drag him back here and make him atone for all that he did. Though…" A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, "I don't think I can do it. I couldn't bring him back last time. No one could. I wonder if we should try to save him even while he goes to extreme lengths not to be saved."

"I would try." Fujita empathized.

Kiba reached out and mussed the young shinobi's head, "Yeah, take a few more missions, kid, and tell me that you still feel that way…"

---

When the sun rose it produced the most perfect swatch of tangerine in the sky. Kiba wasted no time in waking Fujita and setting out at the first hint of dawn. The boy rose with no complaint.

Kiba was aware that he and the young Hyuga, however briefly they had known each other, had established a decent rapport and understanding of the other's endeavors. Drawing from his initial impression, Kiba felt that Fujita was a shockingly well-balanced member of the Main Branch whom, he speculated, had incredible combat and tactical potential. 'He can definitely work on his self-esteem, but then again, most kids his age should work on their self-esteem…'

They cut through a valley blanketed in withered grass, where rolling hills gave way to barren farmland. The land became increasingly forbidding, and as they left the sheltered face of the looming mountain the weather deteriorated. Sharp winds made it a delicate trek scaling a craggy gorge. Loose stones catalyzed rockslides that they were quick to avoid, but had left Fujita somewhat shaken.

"Take it easy, I've been through this area a few times before." Kiba was hoping to reassure the rookie. When Fujita gave him an uncertain look Kiba added, "We're almost out of here anyway. It's about another mile or two, check with those eyes of yours if you don't believe me!"

Once Fujita did observe their surroundings he gave a small sigh of thanks. Beyond the next plateau was sprawling woodland and a building that looked to be inhabited. Kiba smirked at the careworn Hyuga.

Around the time they stopped for lunch the overcast sky broke in a pounding deluge.

Rather than taking cover beneath a rocky overhang, the two Leaf shinobi and their dog companion scrambled up over the lip of the gorge and into the forest. Fujita voiced his discomfort in nonsensical grumbling and Kiba delighted in the young Genin's expressivity. They made a dash in the dim light through the tangle of ancient trees and finally reached their destination a cabin outpost with no apparent allegiance to the Lightning Country.

The two stopped on the porch of the house, glad to have escaped the storm. Kiba and Akamaru shook themselves thoroughly while Fujita, a few paces away, slicked the water from his exposed skin, frowning. "That was a relatively short trip, huh?" Kiba was grinning at his partner, "But it gets better from here out, so quit scowling."

"I'm not scowling!"

"I don't care, whatever it is, it's an unhappy face." Kiba retorted, knocking on a thick, oak-wood door, "Hey! Anyone home?"

Fujita folded his arms and tried to relax, despite the fact that he was soaked to the bone. He had never felt so violated by bad weather. The sound of heavy rain prevailed for a long minute before an older gentleman answered the door. "Can I help you?" He asked in a rough voice.

Kiba explained to the man that they had stopped by to pick up a report that had been dropped off at the location by an informant. When the gentleman confirmed he had the scroll Kiba thanked him.

"Why don't you wait out the rain here? You are welcome to stay the night and rest before you return to your country." The old man offered, "I believe my granddaughter is preparing a meal now…"

Hearing about food sealed the deal for Kiba, and he happily accepted the old man's request. The lodge was actually a shop where the old man and his children produced charcoal. 'Which explains the woodpiles everywhere…' Fujita noted, trying not to trip over anything in the house.

While Kiba followed the gentleman into a back room to retrieve the report, Fujita took a seat by the fire. The old man's granddaughter was about his age. She was pale with dark hair and eyes, kneeling beside the hearth. She stirred a stew pot and wore a pink-and-white checkered kimono. The girl looked discreetly toward him, shy, and gave him a small smile. Fujita smiled back, if a little awkwardly.

"Would you care for a dry robe?" The girl asked quietly, "You're drenched."

"If you could spare one, please." He answered, and watched as she stood and scurried from the room, all a-flutter. She reminded Fujita of the way Hinata behaved, or rather, before she had developed any kind of self-confidence.

When the girl returned with a navy cover-up he thanked her. He removed his shirt and pulled the robe on, instantly warmed by the thick material. Though Fujita had little experience with girls, he got the impression this one was intrigued by his presence.

He accepted a mug of tea from her with gratitude, "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Miss ?"

"Chiru." She replied, keeping her eyes on the cinders in the hearth, "It really is no trouble, shinobi-san. We do not get very many visitors around here except for shinobi. My grandfather and I open our home to weary travelers in these parts."

"I am very grateful for that." Fujita told her, "And please, call me Fujita."

Her face was quickly dusted pink. Fujita could see that Chiru was not accustomed to being acknowledged by visitors, particularly by any her age. 'These people were kind to welcome Kiba-san and I into their home when they really have no reason to trust us.' Fujita considered, knowing that they could have just as easily been stuck out in the rainstorm.

When Kiba and Chiru's grandfather returned Kiba's grin was ear to ear. His face suggested something about the young girl seated across from the Hyuga, and Fujita actually did scowl at Kiba.

"Chiru! Are you taking proper care of this shinobi?" Her grandfather gruffed, "Give him something to eat so he can warm up! Warriors lead a much harder life than we do!"

The girl quailed, hastily spooning the contents of the pot into bowls, "Forgive me, Grandpa! I won't be so absent-minded."

Her grandfather sighed, gently adding that she should relax. Chiru's grandfather crossed to a cupboard to look for smoking tobacco. Kiba took a seat beside Fujita, and the old man also settled beside the fire.

"Chiru and I will try to make sure your stay is comfortable, because the next few days of your journey won't be, I can assure you." The man said, lighting his pipe, "My granddaughter will provide you with whatever you need. Your village has been very good in protecting and supporting my family's business."

Fujita exchanged a glance with Kiba before he replied, "We are very happy to return the favor."

"That's nice of you to say, young man, because this girl here is going to need a husband one day." The gentleman replied casually, with his pipe clenched in the corner of his mouth, and he began to spoon stew into his bowl.

Kiba exhaled, trying to disguise his laughter as Fujita's face heated up with embarrassment. 'This Hyuga kid is great. I've got to take him on more missions…'

---

Rested, the Leaf shinobi departed the following morning before their hosts woke. The weather was uncooperative the air stagnant and thick with fog. Kiba was mindful as he picked his way through the forest, distinctly remembering a shortcut that would take them south.

"I know this looks risky, but if we cut down the side of this mountain, we'll completely bypass the valley." Kiba told his companion, "See it makes more sense going down than coming up. I've found this is the best way to get back."

"I'll remember it." Fujita nodded.

Kiba had to hand it to the newbie; he had turned out to be pleasant company. While he was thin as a bean-pole and skittish as a bird, Fujita had proved to be intelligent and adaptable. 'Working with him is like the middle-ground between Neji and Hinata…except that he's way shorter…'

Just as they began to descend the steep, misted slopes, Akamaru's ears swiveled. The hound remained silent, but it was enough of an indication for Kiba to ask his partner to take a look.

Fujita was taken aback by what his Blood Limit uncovered, "Cloud ninja. We never would have noticed them…they're pretty far off."

"Good." Kiba breathed.

"It looks like…a battle. They are having problems with this fog as well." Fujita reported, resting his eyes.

"How unfortunate for them! But we're well equipped for these conditions, huh?" The Inuzuka grinned as he lead the way, "Better still, we're downwind from them, even if the weather changes. Don't sweat it, kid."

The group kept alert on the hike down, occasionally stopping to pick out a manageable route. The climate did not improve as they continued, and Kiba began to get the impression he should not have chosen the short cut.

'This is a very commonly used path. It's safe. That's why it appeals to shinobi more than the canyon route…' He shook his head, 'Just because Fujita saw a skirmish doesn't mean we'll be noticed. Heck! He has the Byakugan, and no one without it will see much out here…'

He did take note that the thick air was making it difficult to pick up a scent. Akamaru's nose was frantically pressed against the ground, trying to detect any abnormalities. Kiba could hear the faint rattling of what sounded like jutsu off in the distance. The fog absorbed most of the noise.

When the boys reached a plateau, a cough rasped out of the haze. Immediately Fujita scanned their surroundings and grimaced.

Kiba did not approve of the expression, "Aw great…"

The stranger in the mist was surprised by Kiba's comment, having not expected to encounter anyone else. In a moment of confusion and chatter, Kiba and the unknown shinobi dashed ahead towards each other, stealing a glimpse of the respective newcomer before disappearing again. Fujita remained watchful, relaying information to Kiba, "He's clearly lost and he cannot see us. Shall I deal with him?"

Kiba chuckled, folding his arms, "Please, by all means."

Fujita, eyes tense, moved ahead. Akamaru took a seat beside his master, listening to the sounds of the young Hyuga beating the defenseless, disoriented ninja. Painful Jyukken strikes crippled the ninja until he pleaded for it to end, "Knock it off!"

Fujita stepped away, still within the stranger's line of sight. Kiba also emerged from the fog and spoke, "Yo, what's your problem? You shouldn't be out here on your own."

"How nice of you to point out, but for your information I was with my platoon earlier…" The man stood, wiping his lip, "Ugh…we're supposed to be disarming old traps that have started malfunctioning out here. It was bad enough when the explosives reacted badly to the weather…then we got ambushed by some punk!"

"Did the punk realize what important work you were doing?" Fujita asked.

"Obviously not!" The Cloud ninja retorted, "This is no time for me to chat! If I don't find my team, we're all going to have problems!"

Checking with his Byakugan, Fujita pointed the shinobi in the right direction and he departed to find his comrades. Akamaru made a low sound, inquiring about the encounter.

"Nah, he'll probably get lost again." Kiba sighed, "Come on, we need to keep moving."

Akamaru kept a visual lock on both of his bipedal counterparts, circling them in a figure-eight motion.

After they had resituated themselves on a path back down the mountainside, an explosion roared. Shaken, the Leaf shinobi proceeded, but the increasing volume of fighting only confirmed what Fujita reported, "They are coming this way…someone is after them!"

Akamaru clamped his mouth around Kiba's arm and pulled him down, tripping Fujita in the process. Kiba and the Hyuga tumbled, scraping against sharp gravel. Kiba could see that their next step would have triggered a wired trap. Kiba patted the dog's head, "Keep it up, boy!"

They bolted back up the plateau, stumbling, avoiding the blind combatants that floundered around, triggering snares. The hilltop cleared somewhat of the haze as blows were exchanged, and Kiba could then understand what Fujita had been talking about.

It was a decent sized squadron of Cloud shinobi, and the "punk" who had been driving them down the slopes into their own traps darted in and out of the fog, too quick to be spotted.

Rocks flew and Kiba raked them apart with his claws, unsure if Fujita would be able to defend against the multitude of jutsu being used. A fireball impacted the mountainside, scattering the Kumo nin, and for a brief moment, Kiba could see. Just a few yards ahead, unmistakably, was Sasuke.

"Oh shit…" Kiba ducked back, glancing to Fujita, who hadn't a clue in the world who the attacker was. Akamaru scrambled to avoid a Cloud ninja's poorly timed Earth Jutsu, growling indignantly.

"Do we stay out of it?" Fujita hollered, also trying to keep his distance, "We have no part in this!"

"Sure, we can try to stay out of it, but they've noticed us." Kiba informed him, watching as a Cloud ninja rounded on them during the confusion.

The Cloud shinobi struck out at Fujita, who countered bravely even when he was half the height of his attacker. The Kumo nin paused, realizing he was not facing his earlier enemy. Kiba landed a powerful kick on the nin's back, rocketing him into the dense fog with a cry. He told Fujita to keep his distance, and ordered his ninken to watch the boy.

With little thought Kiba raced into the fray, ignoring his partner's protests. There was a dreamlike moment in which the Inuzuka could clearly distinguish the squadron from Cloud organizing an attack. Across from them was his former teammate, whose face belied no emotion. He let his instincts dictate his reaction, "Gatsuuga!"

He tore through the group of Cloud ninja, forcing them apart and into the haze.

There was no word of gratitude from Sasuke for the distraction. Sasuke did promptly retreat, and Kiba followed, certain that Fujita would catch up.

'This is about as far-fetched as it gets. Luck, fate, coincidence…none of that has ever happened to me!' Kiba strained to keep his old teammate in his sight, 'When the kid asked what I would do about this kind of thing, I didn't actually think I'd have to stand by what I said…'

Sasuke was considerably fast in spite of the perilous landscape. Kiba could credit it to his skilled eyes, and he kept up as the Uchiha launched himself up a chiseled precipice and into the woods beyond. Undaunted, Kiba followed, eerily reminded of the Retrieval Mission. He was relieved to hear Fujita calling after him as he followed.

A great distance was covered by pursed and pursuer. Tracking the Uchiha back up the mountain nullified whatever progress Kiba and Fujita had made on their return journey. 'It'll be worth it! Even if he outruns me, beats the shit out of me, whatever! At least it can be said that I saw him with my own two eyes…' Kiba thought.

At first, Kiba considered how he may have been under the effects of a Genjutsu when he saw Sasuke had halted several yards ahead. His sense of smell, however, confidently suggested that his target was not manipulating him at all. In a sheltered stretch of forest the two stopped. Dim, filtered light washed the environment out in sepia tones.

Exhausted, Kiba rested against the trunk of a tree to catch his breath, watching Sasuke vigilantly. He did not appear intimidated in the least and was looking in Kiba's direction. That was an acknowledgement, however small.

Kiba could scent Fujita and Akamaru approaching. He blinked in surprise when Sasuke slowly leaned against an oak and slid down to sit at its base. He'd had a long day after all. Kiba straightened up and inclined his head, "Hey."

Sasuke gave no response. Shortly thereafter, Fujita entered the clearing with Akamaru. He looked incredulously at Kiba who shook his head at the younger boy. They lingered across from Sasuke with no intent to make the first move. Fujita personally found it bizarre how no altercation had erupted. The atmosphere was calm, with both parties worn down.

Kiba took a seat and relaxed as he patted Akamaru's flank. His gaze was stuck on Sasuke, whose own eyes were glassed over, but trained in the direction of his unexpected company. 'I don't think he's going to try anything…he's never considered me a threat. The only reason he's still here is because he wants to be.'

"Chatty as ever, huh?" Kiba observed, "Who should break the ice this time, you or me?"

The Uchiha made no reply, and his attention shifted to Fujita, instantly unsettling the young Genin. Kiba could tell the boy was terrified, judging by his abrupt intake of air. Fujita had deduced for himself who the mysterious newcomer was.

"Quit creeping the kid out!" Kiba snapped.

At length Sasuke spoke, "Who is he?"

"Psh. Don't ask me like he's not standing right in front of you!"

Sasuke made a low sound and then spoke again, "He's clearly too frightened to speak to me directly."

Kiba growled, "Gee, I wonder about that…"

Fujita cleared his throat, managing some composure. He introduced himself, "I am Hyuga Fujita."

"How dull."

"Cut the crap!" Kiba warned, "There's no need to bully the kid."

Kiba allowed himself a moment to take stock of Sasuke's features. He was taller, leaner, and dressed in attire typical of Sound. There was a sword at his side as well. His hair was longer, disheveled, and his face had narrowed. Eyes that had once revealed emotion so readily, Kiba remembered, now looked paralyzed and incapable of communication. He had gone stale like a piece of old bread, Kiba estimated.

Kiba belatedly noticed Akamaru pad over to Sasuke when he extended his hand in invitation. He patted the dog's head, outwardly impressed with Akamaru's growth. The dog, naïve to the extent of his doggy treachery, happily sat beside the once-teammate.

"It looks like you missed someone." Kiba prodded, wondering whether or not this mild interaction could mean anything good.

"I am capable of nostalgia." His gaze fell on Kiba, "There are many things you don't know I am capable of."

That was certainly true, Kiba thought, 'Among other things…I never would have guessed you were capable of becoming a traitor like your brother…'

Akamaru returned to his master's side when Kiba called him. The dog was completely relaxed when Kiba put his hands on him, 'Well, if Akamaru hasn't sensed a disturbance…then Sasuke isn't up to anything. Let's see what he wants…'

"What are you doing out here, Sasuke?" Kiba asked.

"I've been tracking an individual who betrayed Sound for Cloud." Sasuke had no problem disclosing the information, "The climate has allowed this person to avoid detection…for now."

"Ah, well, don't expect any help from us."

"I don't. Neither of you could improve my search anyway."

Kiba ground his teeth, retorting, "You really have become more insufferable…"

"If you feel that way I can leave." Sasuke told him, standing.

It would only be the span of a moment between Sasuke standing in the clearing and being long gone. The facts lined up in Kiba's head at the last possible moment, and he baited his old teammate with something he would not casually walk away from.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked about Sakura yet." Kiba cast his lure.

The Uchiha gave him a dirty look. He never would have taken Kiba as the blackmailing type, but it seemed he had grown cleverer during their time apart.

"Look, ultimately it doesn't matter whether you leave or stay," Kiba shrugged, "You'll wind up back in Leaf eventually."

Sasuke made a sound of amusement before walking away.

Fujita, alarmed by the missed opportunity, sprang to his feet, "Shouldn't we-?"

"Kid, cool it! Sit down." Kiba yanked on the younger boy's sleeve, "He's not going anywhere, that I know for sure. Sasuke is just sick of talking to us for the time being."

The Genin gradually began to piece it together, "He won't leave…until you've told him something?"

"Yes, and that gives us an advantage…although it's not much." Kiba frowned after speaking, thinking to himself, 'A temporary advantage, that's what it is…once I spill the beans we won't be sitting-pretty for much longer.'

"He wants to know about your teammate Sakura." Fujita said quietly, "Why?"

"Because he's in love with her and he knows he screwed things up." Kiba summarized, "Whatever I tell him may influence the choices he makes…so try to understand, kid, why I'm not running my mouth off over here."

Fujita wore a contemplative look. His round, childish face betrayed how young and inexperienced he was. He used his Byakugan for a short time to spot where Sasuke had sulked off to, and then considered what Kiba had told him.

"What do we do?" The boy wondered, "Should we try to bring him back to the village?"

Kiba's expression was solemn. "Now if I were really courageous I'd say yes…we'd try to bring him back, but I know you won't be able to take him. It's my responsibility to make sure you live to fight another day and…it'd be messy." He answered truthfully, "It's ill-advised, kid, and honestly…I don't really want to bring him back."

"Why not?" Fujita protested.

"It's simple: he hasn't achieved what he set out to do yet." Kiba explained, "I'm not going to be the one to take that away from him. As his friend, I just can't."

A silence fell upon them. Fujita sighed, taking time to absorb Kiba's reasoning. No good friend would deny a comrade of avenging his or her family. What was clearer than that, Kiba had also mentioned, was that they were not likely to survive the attempt. 'Kiba did not say it, but Sasuke is surely stronger than the both of us combined...'

"Even after what you've been through, you are still his friend." Fujita clarified, adding, "I don't have any friends who think that highly of me."

"Don't sweat it!" Kiba clapped the boy on the shoulder, "You're making a friend right now who will."

Fujita smiled to himself. For a decidedly straightforward person, Kiba was very agreeable.

"Just for the hell of it, though, check where he's gotten to." Kiba tacked on.

Fujita verified Sasuke's position, finding that he had covered considerable ground. "He very well may be leaving after all…" The boy frowned, "Do you think we should let him go?"

Kiba stood, brushing his pants off, "Nope. Let's move it."

---

The day wore thin as the pair neglected their return to Leaf, in favor of a wild goose chase through rugged terrain. After tracking the missing-nin down, they ended up in an elevated, more secluded expanse of forest. Sasuke did not show himself to them openly, but Kiba counted on the fact that he would stick around for curiosity's sake. 'He probably wanted to put some distance between us and Kumo…they're definitely pissed.'

Daylight diminished and evening clouds carpeted the sky. Fujita remained alert as he gathered wood for a campfire. Kiba went to hunt with Akamaru, promising a swift return.

'He says we should stay overnight so we can speak to Sasuke…and possibly negotiate with him.' Fujita thought with a shudder, 'But he's intimidating…he's been watching me this whole time since Kiba left…' According to his Byakugan, Sasuke was contentedly perched in the treetops, well hidden, and watching him in silence.

Fujita dug a crude fire pit before lining it with wood and bark. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Sasuke suddenly appeared, descending from his loft.

Sasuke glanced at Fujita, noting how he had startled the boy. He rolled his eyes.

Fujita backed off, unable to read the social signals, 'He's been trying to scare me for the better part of a day…and then he acts as if I have nothing to fear! Like I'm some jittery child!' Which, to a degree, he knew he was.

Sasuke breathed life into the fire, a very generous gesture, before taking a seat near it. Still at a loss, Fujita kept his distance, but he also sat down. Kiba returned shortly afterward with a juvenile boar, and Akamaru had his meal dangling from his jaws.

"Ah, now this is an improvement." Kiba remarked after seeing them. He dropped the game and proceeded to expertly skin it, "Kid, get over here and learn how to feed yourself!" Fujita observed how Kiba prepared the animal before staking it over the fire.

At some point during the lesson Sasuke stood without comment and departed.

Kiba ignored him, figuring he had gone to find something to eat for himself. By nightfall Fujita and Kiba were cutting strips of meat from the kill, enjoying a moment of had finished off the hare he had caught earlier, but he eyed the roasting meat longingly. Kiba offered strips to the hungry dog, grinning, "I know you're a growing boy…"

As full dark swallowed the mountain Fujita did one last check for Sasuke.

"He's gone." He reported, disappointed, "Maybe I should have-"

"Sasuke is not gone." Kiba assured him, "Don't blame yourself. He just wants to make our lives difficult. Think about it, he's not happy that I've been making him stick around for information he ought not to beat out of me. It's just his way of returning the pesky favor."

"You've been right so far." Fujita shrugged, spreading out to lay down with a full stomach, "But just in case he doesn't come back…can we please go home? We're already pushing our deadline with Hokage-sama."

"Alright." Kiba agreed, having his fill, and he offered what remained of dinner to Akamaru.

They stretched out close to the cracking fire, drifting slowly into a food-induced sleep.

"Do you think…" Fujita was still anxious, "He'll try to kill us while we sleep?"

Kiba laughed at the thought, "Well, if he does, he'll be a gentleman and we won't even know about it. Come on, kid, get some rest…"

And after a long string of racing thoughts and worries, Fujita was overcome by sleep.

In the middle of the night Kiba's eyes batted open groggily and beheld Sasuke adding more wood to the fire. A small bag that he supposed belonged to the Uchiha sat a short distance away. Sasuke had no bedroll, so he made himself comfortable and laid back against the bag. He slipped his arms beneath his head and stared up at the plume of campfire smoke that rose into the sky in gray tendrils.

Kiba rolled onto his side to face his former teammate.

"I'm sure you agree," He said, "That it's kind of weird for you to be here."

"I agree." Sasuke replied.

"Are you hanging around just so you can hear about Sakura?"

"Yes."

"Can't you see I'm trying to sleep? Me and the kid have a long return trip ahead of us now."

"I can see that."

Kiba sighed and then propped his chin up with his hand. He then added, "So…I guess you really don't care that I'm around, huh? Or what I went through to try to get you back?"

A few beats passed before Sasuke answered, "It's good that you're alive."

Kiba chuckled. 'I seriously doubt he meant that in a nice way!' He thought to himself.

"It's good that I'm alive because I'll be able to tell you about Sakura, right?" Kiba prodded.

Sasuke turned his head to stare at Kiba. Flames divided them. Low, flickering flames.

"That's why." Sasuke confirmed.

'I figured as much…' Kiba proceeded, "Well…did you ever consider me your friend at all?"

The ex-teammate continued to stare but said nothing. It was sort of polite of him not to answer that question. Either way, it would sting. He had still defected from Leaf and caused damage; whether they were friends or not.

Kiba rolled onto his back again, refusing to let grief settle in. He really couldn't tell how Sasuke felt about this situation. He did not know what was worse: being helpless in returning Sasuke to the village, or not being acknowledged or cared for in any way after all their time as Team 7. 'I still can't believe I spoke about this sort of thing to both Tama and Fujita…I mean, really? Is there some sort of cosmic clock that has my misery on a timer? I just can't get through to him. I knew it would be this way…but it really bites…'

After a long silence Kiba spoke up again, "Sasuke, look…I'm not gonna try to bring you back. I actually want you to do what you have to do. And though you make it seem like you don't need anyone's help…" He glanced over to the other boy, "You and I both know you can't do it by yourself."

A tch sound escaped the Uchiha. He then retorted, "You can't even begin to fathom how much my power has grown. I will make Itachi pay."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…tell me something I don't know…" Kiba yawned.

Sasuke scowled, "Do you want me to kill you?"

Kiba chuckled again, "No. Not really, no. Honestly, though, Sakura would be more upset about me being dead than you never coming back, probably. Yeah, actually…she'd be devastated to lose me. Think about that for a while…"

"You tempt your fate." Sasuke growled.

"Pft! Are you serious?" Kiba looked over to the Uchiha, very amused that he was getting some kind of emotion out of him, "You don't want to make her sad! Not after all that bullshit you put her through! There's a lot going on in Sakura's life and if you really care about her you'll get your act together!"

Sasuke looked away again, but his eyes roamed. The smoke, the trees, the insects darting by in the night air…His thoughts had taken off like a runaway train and Kiba was watching it occur.

'I can't believe this is happening.' Kiba thought, taken aback, 'Maybe I can say stuff to get through to him! He cares. He cares enough about her to be unsure of himself…so…what do I do now?'

Kiba glanced over to Fujita who was slumbering quietly a few paces away. Akamaru was spread out beside him, his flank rising and falling with peaceful breaths. Across the fire pit, Sasuke was trying to rest but could not snap out of his spiraling contemplation. Kiba approved.

"If I even begin to tell you about what Sakura's been doing since you left…" Kiba halted his words and then shook his head, "Forget it. You couldn't take it. You're not here for her anyway…you're just completing some stupid mission for people who are just trying to use you. It's too bad you don't try to help the people who really care about you."

Kiba stretched out his arm and added another branch to the fire. He readjusted himself to be closer to Akamaru and Fujita, and then murmured over his shoulder, "Take it easy, Sasuke."

And Sasuke stayed still for a very long time before letting out a shaky breath. He closed his eyes. For some goddamn reason, he thought to himself, Kiba had a point.

---

By morning Sasuke had disappeared again. The fire had been reduced to cinders, and the weather had vastly improved. A clear sky shone overhead. Kiba judged that Sasuke would act quickly to locate his target before more Kumo nin arrived to investigate what had happened along the border. He and Fujita were packed and ready to set out. They really could have just gone home…

"Kid, I know this is going to sound absolutely ludicrous, but…" Kiba's expression was grim, "I think we need to try to do something about Sasuke."

Fujita looked alarmed, "Why is that?"

"Because last night I said some things that made him think, or maybe even reconsider what he's been doing." Kiba told him, "It really is a long-shot. This mission report is going to look terrible as it is, but at least we can spice it up by saying we tried."

"We will be taking a great risk."

"I know." Kiba nodded gravely, "I definitely want you to stay away from all fighting if possible. This was my decision, not yours, and I don't want you to pay for it. Something tells me that if this kind of an opportunity shows up out of the blue…we damn well better take it…"

Fujita nodded, accepting the new course of action, "Yes, Kiba. I think so too! I will do my best not to compromise our mission, and if I do get hurt or killed…"

"Just shut up, will you? You're gonna be fine!" Kiba barked, upset at the mention of harm coming to his young teammate. He turned to his ninken, "Let's start tracking Sasuke, alright boy?"

Akamaru yapped in understanding and set his nose to the ground to pick up the scent. Kiba already had it filling his nostrils. Sasuke had not been gone for very long.

After Fujita had activated his Byakugan to assist the search, the group set out. Following Sasuke's path would lead them directly into Lightning Country territory, a place they had been expressly warned not to go.

---

Akamaru directed them over the crest of the mountain, and on the far side they feasted their eyes on a sheer drop marked with cliff ledges and eagle nests. Clouds floated lazily in and above the canyon. Kiba quickly got a bad feeling about the place. The Hidden Cloud Village was still a way's off…but that didn't mean that shinobi were not prowling these parts. If Sasuke was here, Kiba thought, he was probably close to finding the person who had betrayed Sound.

Fujita pointed to a rope-and-board bridge that connected their side of the canyon to the other. "This is the only bridge that I can see in this valley…we will have to be careful when we are returning…" The Hyuga reported.

"Got it." Kiba acknowledged, "Let's get moving."

The bridge seemed new and very stable when they crossed it. Fujita began to feel butterflies humming around in his stomach, troubled by being so far into enemy territory. Akamaru's acute sense of smell led them in a small circle, but after a short bark the dog began sprinting through a patch of forest to the west. Fujita checked their surroundings with the Byakugan for good measure. He held out his hand and silently mouthed, "Wait!"

Kiba and his dog froze, hidden in the darkness of the pines. Beyond the treeline there was a lookout station that was built into the cliffside. Two Cloud shinobi had halted Sasuke in a clearing in front of the outpost. Though Kiba could see words being exchanged he could not hear them clearly. He got the impression things were going to escalate.

Fujita crouched beside Akamaru, staring out into the grassy field. His hands rested on the dog's shoulders apprehensively, pulling at fur. As they held still Kiba did his best to assess the situation.

From the look of it, two Chunin had discovered Sasuke. They appeared to be about his age, Kiba estimated, and they had the characteristic dark skin of people of the Cloud Village. The kunoichi who was exchanging harsh words with Sasuke had red hair tied back in a bandana. Her sharp eyes held Sasuke's gaze fearlessly. The boy beside her was quiet, chewing anxiously on a lollipop. They were both carrying large swords on their backs. Kiba was trying to square himself with this information.

'If I had to put money on who was going to win this fight…I would put it all on Sasuke, but…' He observed the lookout tower a short distance away, 'There is no way in hell those Kumo nin don't have backup waiting for them…and Sasuke probably wants to get at whoever is in that tower anyway…'

From the corner of his eye Kiba regarded Fujita, 'I've got to keep the kid out of sight if I can…Cloud ninja are always looking to one-up other ninja villages…and they have been after the Byakugan for quite a while.' He looked ahead again, grimacing, 'Worst of all…if Sasuke does lose this one…Cloud will be taking the credit for his capture and use him as a huge bargaining chip…once they conclude dissecting the Sharingan.'

The situation was bleak from all angles. The chances of catching Sasuke and returning him back to Leaf were close to zero…but if by a stroke of terrible luck he were to end up in the clutches of Kumogakure… 'The Hokage will want to rip my head off and kick it across the village if she hears me utter those words…' He shuddered, marveling at what a precarious position he was put in presently. Running away would be the safest bet at this point…but if Sasuke was overwhelmed by Cloud ninja and taken, he would be held accountable for inaction. 'I'm not getting my head ripped off today!'

He was getting a very, very weird feeling that there was someone stronger than Sasuke in that lookout…who was fully aware that the young Chunin had stumbled across the missing Uchiha. Kiba did not want to dismiss the gut instinct.

"Pst!" Kiba whispered to his teammate, "Keep watch now…this is all going to turn to shit momentarily. If we see Sasuke doing well on his own we can leave."

"Why on earth would we want that?" Fujita was incredulous.

"Because it's one thing if he stays a missing-nin, but it's a whole new game if the Cloud Village captures him." Kiba explained, "I'm sorry that this has turned into a status-quo issue, but trust me, we don't want that happening."

Understanding the implications, Fujita nodded. A moment later shouting broke out in the clearing. Both Leaf ninja and dog tensed, watching as Sasuke raced at the two Cloud ninja.

He exhaled a fireball that parted the kunoichi and her partner in opposite directions. Kiba recognized that Sasuke was intending to pick them off separately. The boy Chunin was bitterly locked with Sasuke in close quarter's combat for a short time before the Sharingan began reading his moves.

The Kumo nin cried out as he was pummeled, and Sasuke lashed out with a move Kiba had never seen before. He made a Chidori that rained down senbon needles onto his opponent, paralyzing him. The boy was doubled-over, hollering for his partner, "Karui! Karui!"

She dove in swiftly, swinging her blade just an inch shy from Sasuke's face. Kiba and Fujita balked at her speed that was suddenly boosted by chakra or adrenalin, and watched as she slashed at Sasuke with deadly precision. He drew his own sword, countering her blows, and they danced around on the field as the other Cloud ninja recovered.

"Let's go, Omoi!" Karui shouted, and while evading the spiraling fire jutsu that Sasuke unleashed, the two coordinated. Quicker than the blink of an eye, Karui and Omoi caught Sasuke on both sides. His Sharingan saw the move, and he blocked appropriately, but their swords locked his weapon between their blades and wrenched it out of his grip. Sasuke's sword flew over the field with a whistle and stuck sharply in a tree branch.

Kiba then understood. This pair of Cloud ninja were sword experts, and by the look of it, Sasuke was still developing his technique. His opponents had a considerable advantage over him in that respect. Sasuke's Ninjutsu, on the other hand, gave them a headache.

Fire encircled them and another volley of Chidori senbon pelted down. Kiba could have sworn that would have caught the two, but substitutions were demolished instead. The two Chunin had caught onto Sasuke's strategy, and were sure to avoid his efforts to divide them. Together their attacks were relentless and unpredictable; barely kept at a distance by Sasuke's Sharingan.

Sasuke ducked beneath Karui's swordstrike when Omoi, the timid Chunin, broke character without warning. He tripped Sasuke with a sliding tackle. Kiba bolted in to intervene. Sasuke recovered quickly, rolling to his feet, but by then Karui had caught him.

A moment before Karui could put real force into her swing, Kiba caught her sword between his hands, stopping it from coming down on Sasuke. Not wasting a moment, Sasuke regrouped and began chasing after Omoi. Karui stared Kiba down, her golden eyes revealing shock for a moment, "Where did you come from? What do you think you're doing!"

"I just don't want Cloud to get credit for Sasuke's capture." Kiba grunted, struggling against her force as blood slipped from his hands and down his arms, "Don't expect me to make it easy for you."

"Butt out of this, Leaf!"

Kiba yanked Karui with a sudden burst of strength, keeping the sword clamped flat-ways in his palms with chakra, and then jerked back. In a display of chakra control he never thought he could pull off, he snapped her blade in half. He jumped back, tossing away the sword-piece while she screeched in rage. 'I think that about did it…'

Their Taijutsu was near evenly matched, although Kiba felt that Tama hit just a bit harder and far more thoughtfully. Karui's fury reduced her insight, and Kiba kept a level head as he manipulated her farther away from her screaming teammate "Karui! He-eeelp!" as Sasuke accosted him with numerous jutsu.

Akamaru bounded out from the shelter of the forest and transformed, aiding his master with attacks. Kiba and his ninken out-sped Karui with Gatsuuga and met her punches with tenacity, and while Kiba took a few blows, he held his ground.

Kiba looked past Karui's head as she charged at him, and he made eye contact with Sasuke. In an instant of mutual understanding, Sasuke abandoned Omoi and moved up behind the kunoichi. Kiba ditched his fight with a moment to spare as Chidori senbon stuck into Karui from behind. She howled in pain and then collapsed, flailing on the ground for a moment before her muscles betrayed her. She called out to Omoi to retreat, but Sasuke and Kiba, with Akamaru in tow, had already pounced on him.

'This feels kind of wrong…ganging up on these poor guys.' Kiba checked in briefly with his moral compass, 'What right do I have to help Sasuke? It won't change anything between us. Maybe I should have just sent a message to Leaf for back-up…'

Omoi struggled valiantly, keeping his opponents at sword's length, but was no match physically for Sasuke and Kiba combined. The boy was thoroughly cornered, and Kiba could see Omoi's eyes stray to where Karui lay on the far side of the field. He was worried, Kiba could see, but he also seemed as if he were waiting for something. Kiba's gut feeling came back.

To Kiba's surprise, a snake darted out from one of Sasuke's sleeves. It coiled around Omoi and held tight as the boy tumbled, landing face-first on the ground. Kiba was thankful that Sasuke was not interested in killing either of the Chunin, 'That could provoke another international incident…' Kiba then considered Fujita, who was tucked away in the forest. He must not have been happy about what he was watching. It certainly didn't look like Kiba had been trying to bring Sasuke in or prevent Kumo from capturing him…rather he seemed to have been helping Sasuke achieve his own agenda. 'That kid is probably fed up with me by now. Huh…well at least he listened to me.'

He glanced sidelong to Akamaru. The dog was growling and his fur had bristled. Another Cloud shinobi, an adult Jounin by the look of it, had appeared just outside of the entrance of the outpost. He, like Karui and Omoi, was dark skinned and had a sword with him. His expression was utterly calm, and Kiba assumed the arrival of this shinobi was what his intuition had been trying to warn him of. Sasuke had a few seconds to take stock of the newcomer as well.

Without any introduction whatsoever the Jounin began a long-distance attack. A dozen white beams of light shot towards them and Kiba noticed Sasuke's muscles twitch, trying to decide whether or not to move. Kiba elected to flee and Sasuke quickly chose to do the same. Unfortunately, the lightning-style laser beams followed after them as they changed directions and ran.

A heartbeat before the inevitable impact, Sasuke used another Chidori-like technique to shield himself. The beams, though buffered, blasted him back and off his feet. Kiba, on the other hand, had no way to defend against the strange ability. He raised his arms and braced himself just before Akamaru leapt in the way. The brunt force of the attack hit his dog and then barreled into him as well. He hit the ground screaming, hoping that Akamaru was alright. It felt like he had hugged a live fuse box.

Akamaru whimpered in the grass but seemed to be in stable condition, Kiba assessed. He leapt back up, "Stay!" and his jaw dropped when he saw Sasuke again. He had pulled Karui up by her hair and pressed his sword (retrieved from the tree branch) against her throat. He was sending a very clear message to the Jounin. Kiba, of course, would not stand for it.

"Let go of her!" He tackled Sasuke, a bit too recklessly, and was clipped in the arm with the blade's edge. They tumbled over Karui who was helpless in the grass, and Kiba heard her gasp before she shouted, "Darui!"

'Jeez…all of their names are alike.' Kiba thought, and then he felt Sasuke yank him up to his feet by the collar of his jacket.

"If you want to do this the hard way," Sasuke hissed furiously, "Then you can get fried by his Kekkei Genkai while I finish him off. Don't get in my way, Kiba!"

"I won't if you'd just put me down already!" Kiba growled, and was promptly set down, "But you aren't killing any innocent bystanders on my watch!"

They were just in time for the next volley of light-beams, 'So it's a Kekkei Genkai, huh?'

Before they could determine the best defense against the beams tracking them, Fujita appeared several meters directly in front of them. Kiba felt his heart jump into his throat, 'He's lost it!'

He and Sasuke looked on equally stunned as the small boy took his stance.

"Kaiten!" The boy threw himself into a terrific spin, and his ultimate defense deflected the light-beams in various directions into the ground and trees. When he stopped he swayed on his feet, not capable of much more. Kiba could hardly believe Fujita had pulled it off, and he was also appreciative that he was willing risk himself in an ugly fight.

Sasuke flicked two shuriken off to his right and into the trees. They severed a hidden wire and triggered a trap that had been set near the entrance of the lookout. Dozens and dozens of paper bombs flared to life, but Darui had been expecting them, and he drew his sword as he leapt away from the blast.

Sasuke had finally caught him in close-quarters, and his blade extended into a long Chidori-spear that just nearly had Darui, though he had blocked it with his broadsword. Kiba pondered if Sasuke was considering his Cursed Seal release to put more pressure on the Jounin, but he didn't even have time for that. Darui, shouting, let black lightning in the shape of a cat lash out at Sasuke. His Chidori-defense cracked pathetically and the Uchiha crumpled, not having expected the brutal assault.

Darui's light-beams shot across the field again, and Fujita attempted a second Kaiten that held for a few moments before puttering out. The liquid-energy beams hit him and then crashed into Kiba, blurring his vision with light as he fell.

He saw Sasuke far off, unmoving on the ground, Fujita falling gracefully to the grass, and then the blue sky overhead as he fell back. Then it was dark.

---

When Kiba came to he didn't move. Even before his eyes peeked open he could feel his hands bound behind his back; his ankles were tied to the legs of the stool he was sitting on. His eyes opened just a fraction. He was in a small room made of white stone and plaster, and the door was on the far wall in front of him. Kiba squeezed his eyes shut again. There was someone sitting beside him, patting his arm down with a wet cloth. He could feel his hands had been bandaged.

'Oh God, please, no…not now.' He realized that he was a captive. It was not as unbearable as he had imagined, but it was every bit as frightening. 'Where the hell am I? And where is Akamaru and the kid?!' Not to mention Sasuke, who was an item of conflict currently in the wrong hands.

He honestly had no idea how long he had been out. For all he knew, they had been detained within the Cloud Village, beyond the hope of being rescued. Leaf would have to negotiate for their release and trade something of value for Sasuke, 'If they feel like forking him over…'

Then the second wave of horrible thoughts hit him. The odds of Kumo intending to free Fujita were also slim, 'That's right…he's a Main House Hyuga…so they finally have the Byakugan! Two Doujutsu in one day! Oh man I have royally fucked this up…'

Kiba felt tears of frustration build up behind his eyes. So what if his dad wanted to return to the family? He would never get the chance to see him. He had failed to foresee any of the good things in the future, and had foolishly traded them for helping Sasuke. He had failed Fujita, who was young, talented, and selfless. His attachment to Sasuke had ruined everything.

"Hey, I know you're awake so open your eyes."

Kiba blinked, and looked at Karui who was seated on a stool beside him. Behind her his jacket had been hung on a wall-peg. She rung out the towel she had been using to clean the blood from his arm, and then draped it on the edge of the water bowl. There was a knock at the door and a ninja who he did not recognize entered the room. He had Akamaru with him. Sure the poor dog's feet were hogtied and his muzzle roped shut, but he was alert and glowing with health.

"This mutt goes with the Inuzuka kid?"

"Yeah," Karui confirmed, "Just lay him down there, gently."

The Cloud ninja put Akamaru down beside Kiba's stool and then left, shutting the door behind him. Karui sighed heavily while she bent down to pick up a jar of ointment. She smeared the pale gel over the cut on Kiba's arm. It was soothing. He let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. Karui paused, catching his gaze with her molten gold eyes. They were fearsome.

"Is that better?" She asked.

Kiba nodded weakly. When he had tackled Sasuke, it hadn't occurred to him how badly the sword had nicked him. He was unsure of what to say. He figured it was best to stay silent until he knew his captor a bit better. Karui wrapped his arm with bandages, knotted them, and then stood. She leaned against the wall and her expression was stern.

"There are some things you're going to tell me, Inuzuka-san."

"You've got that right, lady."

"It's Karui, dog-breath."

"Alright then, and the name's Kiba, because I knew you were wondering."

"I wasn't." She said flatly.

From his place on the floor Akamaru wagged his tail. He was way too relaxed to be a hostage.

"Tch! Hey!" Kiba hissed to his canine companion, "Knock it off! She's not friendly, so don't you dare be nice to her, Akamaru!"

Karui appeared very smug for a moment, but then continued, "As I was saying, there are some things you are going to tell me now. First of all, why were you with Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Well…that's kinda complicated, but yeah, I owe you that answer."

"Then start talking."

"Primarily, I wanted to bring him back to the Leaf village so that he could own up for everything he's done." Kiba admitted, "That wasn't going to jive with him getting snatched by Cloud ninja, you know?"

"I can understand that, but you were risking a lot just for one missing-nin. You interfering with our battle could have gotten you and your partner killed." Karui reasoned, "Really, how bone-headed are you? That guy is just not worth it."

"I guess…it was a reflex. He and I were once teammates."

"Hmm…the truth comes out…" She shuffled her feet for a second, and then said, "It showed. When I saw you two fighting together, at least for a little while…you were in sync with each other. I'm still trying to achieve that with Omoi."

"Yeah? Well hopefully you don't get death threats like I do."

There was a silence, but Kiba could tell it was only because she was suppressing a chuckle.

"Okay then, how did you find Sasuke initially?"

"The kid and I were returning to Konoha after a mission when we happened across him." Kiba hung his head, "I knew that we didn't really have a prayer in returning him to the village. It was a rash decision on my part."

"It was. So, what's the name of the Genin who was with you?"

Kiba tensed and said nothing. At this point, he felt it was much worse to divulge information about Fujita than Sasuke.

"Come on, we know he's a Hyuga."

"Really? I bet you're pleased about that."

Karui scowled at him, "Look, we aren't deliberately hunting for the Byakugan these days. I personally couldn't care less. I just want to know the kid's name."

"I'm not telling you."

"I suggest you don't be difficult."

"Too bad."

Karui shot off of the wall, caught Kiba by the shoulders, and pushed him (stool and all) down to the floor with a thud. Kiba wriggled uselessly beneath her for a moment and then gave up. She brought her face close to his. She was wild-eyed.

"I don't take shit from anybody. I won't be taking it from you, Inuzuka. You will cooperate, understand?"

"Sure I understand! But I don't want to sell out my teammate! It's my fault he's in this situation…I don't want him to pay for my poor choices."

Karui stared at him for a while before she closed her eyes, respecting what he had said. She stood and pulled Kiba upright by his shirt. Akamaru continued wagging his tail.

"I see. Will it put you at ease to know that we only need your names so someone can come pick you up? Captain Darui sent a messenger hawk to the Leaf Village. We knew you didn't want to be mixed up with the Uchiha."

"Oh." Kiba looked down, "That's…good I guess. But then…why are you keeping me tied up?"

She smiled puckishly at him, "It's for good measure. We just want to be sure no unnecessary brawls start in this lookout. Just try to relax for a while until we get in contact with your people."

'We're in the lookout we fought outside of! So we didn't go that far after all…' Kiba sighed. He nodded to Karui and took her advice, trying to relax.

"So…you aren't going to do anything to the kid?"

"What? No. There are new treaties forbidding us from harming any member of the Hyuga clan." Karui replied, "Besides, he's practically a baby. My team would never allow such a thing…that's not what our sensei would want us to do."

"Thank you." He said sincerely, "And his name is Fujita, by the way."

"Good, that's all I really needed to know. Rest for now." She picked up the water bowl and made her way to the door.

"Karui, wait."

The kunoichi looked back at him with her eyebrows raised.

"I'm sorry about your sword."

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it. I'll get it repaired. I've…never seen anybody snap a sword with bare hands. It was ballsy."

And with that she exited the room. Kiba could hear the door being locked from the outside. He heaved a sigh, looking over to Akamaru's spot on the floor. The dog whined lowly. Akamaru shifted to get comfortable and his eyes expressed to Kiba, 'What happens now?'

"Well…" Kiba said quietly, "I guess we sit and wait until they let us out…" He reflected on how Karui had mentioned nothing about what they intended to do with Sasuke.

"They'll probably keep Sasuke…" He mused to his dog, adding, "And I guess this was all just a big waste of effort on our part, right boy?"

His dog replied with a quiet, dismayed sound. Akamaru was just as conscious of the situation as his master was.

"Yeah…I thought I was doing decent with my new leadership role, but I messed it up big time. I'll be lucky if I get another significant mission after this. Tsunade-sama will be angry and so will Kakashi-sensei…ugh, I don't even want to think of what Sakura-chan will say to me. If only I had the guts to salvage this clusterfuck before Leaf arrives to pick us up!"

Akamaru held still as he listened.

There was silence before Kiba regarded his ninken and said, "Though this hasn't been completely terrible…Karui was beautiful wasn't she?"

Akamaru wagged his tail again at the mention of the kunoichi.

---

Kiba was dozing lightly as the moon rose in the sky. Akamaru made a soft sound to wake him and Kiba stirred, instantly aware of his surroundings again. The moonbeams coming from the window at his back elongated his shadow in the room, making him consider how much time had passed, 'I don't know if they sent a message to Konoha or not by now…or how long it will be before we're picked up. Did they explain what's happening to Fujita? He may still be freaking out wherever they are keeping him.'

Come to think of it, he really didn't feel like being rescued. He would much rather free himself…however unlikely that was. He glanced to his dog companion, "Hey, Akamaru, can you move at all?"

A frustrated mmmrmmm whimper was a negative response. Kiba sighed, "Guess you won't be chewing us out of here…but maybe I can…"

Kiba, estimating the height of the stool, guessed that he could feasibly get his ropes off. 'Well here I go! It's time to embarrass myself!'

He fell back with a womp, wincing as he pinned his arms against the hard stone floor. The bonds around his wrists and ankles were very stubborn, 'If only I could get my arms in front of me so I could bite at these…' He wriggled and squirmed as quietly as he could, ignoring Akamaru's huffing sounds beside him. Kiba rolled to his side and pulled his knees to his chest, desperately attempting to pull the stool through his looped arms.

'Gods above…this sucks!' He felt his shoulders straining and the rough wood of the stool grated against the skin of his aching arms. He writhed and grunted, eventually getting stuck in the awkward position. He took a break, exhausted by the foolish-looking effort. 'I thought I was pretty flexible but this is just cruel…if I am stuck here looking like this when they get back, I am going to jump off of something later. Something really high…I will not look like a buffoon in front of these people!'

With a burst of determination and energy, he bucked and pushed his legs (with the damn stool attached) through the loop of his arms successfully. He panted, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder and prayed that he had not dislocated it. Akamaru's tail was thumping excitedly. Kiba grinned. While still on the floor, he raised his arms up and began to gnaw through the ropes securing his wrists. His magnificent teeth made short work of them.

In focused silence, Kiba untied his legs and then moved to Akamaru. While cautioning his ninken to be very quiet, he released him, 'That went better than expected! Hopefully no one heard me flopping around…'

As if on cue, a shadow passed over the crack below the door and Kiba heard the clicking of the lock. 'Now that's just fucking unfair! I have some awful timing don't I?'

He and Akamaru stood patiently, intending to be polite to the Cloud ninja who had stopped by to check on them, 'I'll say I just didn't want to be tied up anymore…they might buy that…'

To his relief, it was Sasuke who entered after picking the door with a metal tool. Sasuke regarded him, a bit surprised there was no need to untie his former teammate.

The relief faded, however, and turned into dread as Kiba observed that Sasuke was a) moving about the Cloud lookout, b) nonchalantly setting him free and c) had blood slathered on his hands and shirt.

"I finished off my target." Sasuke informed him, "Now let's get the hell out of here."

Kiba, scowling, grabbed his jacket off of the wall peg and pulled it on, "Shit…"

---

The two of them peaked around the corner of the detainee wing, finding the next moonlit hallway empty. On silent feet they slinked onward, and Akamaru sniffed frequently to check for any nearby guards.

"So," Kiba whispered, "How did you do that? We were only in here for a few hours…you didn't even get caught!"

"The guards of my cell are still trapped in my Genjutsu…and a few doors down from where I was kept I located the traitor. I woke him from his sleep."

"How nice of you..." Kiba did his best not to show revulsion of how Sasuke had so easily assassinated someone.

Akamaru paused and indicated that a sentry was passing by an adjacent corridor. Once the guard was gone Kiba asked his ninken to begin tracking Fujita's scent.

"Just leave him," Sasuke said harshly, "They'll send him back to Leaf anyway."

"I don't want to risk it. Besides, I've been leading him on this mission and I don't want to set a shitty example by running away."

Sasuke frowned at Kiba and then sighed. Just about everything Kiba said now had a double-meaning that often jabbed at Sasuke's betrayal of the Leaf Village. He did not argue, and he followed as Kiba and Akamaru navigated to another detainee block. Fujita's cell was the first in a row of many.

Abruptly, a Cloud ninja exited the stairwell across the way and got an unexpected eyeful of Kiba, Akamaru and Sasuke crouched in front of the prisoner's room. Kiba cringed and waited for a shout of warning or an attack but neither came. Instead, Sasuke had locked his hypnotic stare with the newcomer's, catching him in a Genjutsu. The man slumped on the steps and went limp.

"Good one." Kiba said and held out his hand to Sasuke expectantly. Sasuke gave him the lock-picking tool he had used earlier and Kiba went straight to work, fiddling around with it. Fujita tensed when the door swung open. He had not been tied up at all and had been resting comfortably on a cot. Kiba gestured with his head that it was time to leave, "Come on, kid! We're not sticking around."

Fujita opened his mouth to protest but then thought better of it. Both his travel pack and Kiba's had been stashed beneath the cot, and they pulled on their bags without a word.

The Hyuga stepped out into the hallway and pointed down the corridor from whence they came, "I was observing this place with my Byakugan earlier…there's an exit that way."

Before Kiba could consider it Sasuke objected, "No. You never leave a stronghold like that. Find a place they haven't tapped with traps or chakra."

Kiba shrugged. Sasuke probably had a point. He had been up to no good for quite a while now and was accustomed to escaping successfully. Fujita used his Byakugan again and then took off, picking a winding route of hallways and halting on occasion to avoid guards. They arrived at a window and Fujita undid the latch and swung it open, "From where the sentries are stationed they will not be able to see this window easily. It isn't booby-trapped either."

Sasuke, taking his word for it, leapt without any hesitation. Kiba and his companions followed and plummeted a fair distance before landing in soft grass. After making certain that they wouldn't be seen again, they continued and made a break for it into the forest beyond the clearing. The fresh night air rejuvenated them.

"Wait a second," Kiba said as they darted through the trees, "Sasuke, where was that captain? He didn't try to stop you?"

"No, he wasn't in the tower."

'Huh. Well that makes no sense…they have a high-profile captive and then one of their most powerful shinobi just desserts the lookout?' Kiba wondered, 'It doesn't add up. The only reason someone in that position wouldn't be inside of the tower keeping watch would be if…' His eyes widened, 'He's keeping watch outside.'

He motioned to the young Hyuga, "Fujita! Use your Byakugan! I want you to look for-"

"He's here!" The boy cried in terror. He had already been scouting ahead with his blood limit. They all dropped from the trees as laser beams rocketed towards them. Scattering, they made a frantic break for the gorge, and Sasuke deflected some of the beams with a lightning-defense. A few loose beams rounded on them and illuminated Darui in the treetops, intent on putting them in their place.

Kiba skidded to a halt as the last of the lasers screeched past them and blasted the rope-bridge. It collapsed in tatters, and Kiba felt his stomach flip in horror as he realized there was no way for him to get Fujita to safety, 'And I just spat on their offer to contact Leaf for us…'

Akamaru and Fujita stood beside him, also terrified, and Kiba regarded Sasuke who landed nearby, 'Was he really worth all of this?'

An enormous serpent appeared after a hasty summoning, and Sasuke directed it to lunge (a considerable distance) across the chasm and it bit into a tree on the other side. While very unappealing, it would act as a makeshift bridge.

"Go." Sasuke demanded, releasing his Cursed Seal form, "This is my battle. You've done enough for me."

Kiba clenched his fists, conflicted, "You expect me to just leave you here?"

"You have to, you're setting an example for that kid," Sasuke was implying Fujita, "Don't be like me."

There was no time for him to act otherwise. Kiba turned quickly and crossed over with Fujita and Akamaru. Once across, the snake coiled up and rounded on Darui, who was clashing furiously with Sasuke. There was nothing more he could do, he acknowledged. Kiba ran swiftly, keeping his emotions in check as Fujita and Akamaru matched his pace.

The darkness of the woods swallowed them up as lights erupted in the valley.

---

A short time before dawn they were still moving, covered in dirt, bramble and sweat. They had reached the slopes they had originally found Sasuke on. It was quite startling when a trap triggered as they went by, and although they were able to avoid it, it had completely jostled what remained of their nerves. Akamaru remained vigilant for any traps that the Cloud ninja had been unable to disarm.

They ventured more cautiously down the rocky mountainside. Kiba chose his footing carefully and checked frequently to make sure that his companions were following the path he picked out. 'What a nightmare that was. That's the last time I try to go above and beyond the call of duty.'

As they hiked Kiba glanced over to the younger Genin. He was troubled to see tears sliding down Fujita's cheeks. The boy cried in silence, clearly overwhelmed by all he had been through.

"Hey kid," Kiba said quietly, "Are you okay? We can stop if you want."

Fujita did stop and covered his face with his arm. Akamaru stood beside him as the boy took in several shuddering breaths. He wiped at his eyes, trying to get a grip.

"I bet you feel like you just finished off a stupidly dangerous goose-chase, huh?" Kiba asked, empathizing with his companion. He was disappointed in himself, so it would not be news to him if Fujita was as well.

Fujita shook his head, "No, Kiba-san…I know that you did the best you could. You wanted to change things. It was just…a lot more than we had bargained for."

Kiba walked up to his teammate and patted him on the back, "I know, and I'm sorry for everything. I'll try to make it up to you."

Akamaru nudged the boy's hand to solicit a head-pat and Fujita complied, calming down. They continued on as the sun began to rise, feeling more optimistic as they approached the Fire Country. At the base of the mountain they took a rest beside a bubbling stream and filled their canteens.

They washed up briefly and Kiba took the time to spear fish for a meal. They had not eaten in over a day. The boys could hardly wait for the fish to come off of the fire before they sank their teeth into the food, burning their eager mouths. Akamaru caught a rabbit for himself, preferring it to fish.

'Good, we can fill up now in the early morning and if we push ourselves…I bet we can make it back to Leaf sometime today.' Kiba thought to himself, 'This is assuming we don't get jumped by any other ninja, of course.'

He glanced over to Fujita who was eating happily. 'That poor kid was in tears before. I can't blame him…there have been a few missions which made me want to cry too. I don't want to put him through anymore. He did what I asked and he could have lost his life doing it…'

"You think you'll have rested enough after this?" Kiba asked the boy, "We can make it a straight shot to Leaf from here if you're up to it."

Fujita nodded, "Of course! I'm ready to go home."

"Me too."

After they ate and packed up they followed the shortest course Kiba was able to plot. They moved with delirious speed, desperate to see familiar lands, and felt comforted by the wind at their backs. Kiba kept his mind clear, unwilling to dwell on regrets about the mission. Once Fujita was safely in the Leaf Village then he would let his guard down, but not a moment sooner.

The sun was high in the sky by the time they had breached the Fire Country's border. They stopped near a narrow stretch of river for a rest. Fujita's mood had greatly improved and he stretched out on a patch of grass on the riverbank. Akamaru frolicked around for a short while before he flopped down beside the young Genin.

Kiba was considering a nap as well but he caught a whiff of something disconcerting in the breeze. The hairs on the back of his neck were on end. First, he had smelled what was certainly Sasuke's scent mixed with blood, but soon after he felt the terrible energy accompanying it. Kiba stared up the river and Fujita looked at his teammate's back curiously.

"Fujita," Kiba's voice was firm, "Stay here with Akamaru."

"What is it, Kiba-san?"

"Sasuke followed us. I'm not sure how he got away from that captain from Cloud…" He sighed, "But I'm going to make sure he doesn't become a problem for us."

The boy nodded, "I understand."

Akamaru sat obediently beside Fujita and watched as Kiba ventured away.

'I could just run away from him. There's no way he would follow us all the way back to the village.' Kiba thought to himself, 'He's probably banged up too. Jeez…if he came all the way here to find me I shouldn't be taking that lightly...'

He stopped at a tree stump and sat down. If his nose was correct, Sasuke was only a few meters away. He tried to relax. It helped when he felt the terrible chakra radiating from Sasuke's Cursed Seal diminish. Sure enough, when Sasuke appeared he looked normal enough…except with bruises and cuts that had barely scabbed over. He was trying to conceal his exhaustion.

"This is kind of out of the way for you, isn't it?" Kiba pointed out.

"It is…though we didn't have a proper goodbye." His tone oozed sarcasm.

The comment broke through the dam of anger and regret Kiba had been holding back. He was completely worn down from the tangent into Cloud territory. He leapt to his feet and snarled, "Don't get me started on your proper goodbyes you motherfucker! You don't know the first thing about them!"

Sasuke seemed unruffled by the outburst. He was struggling to stay on his feet; however he could not afford to show any weakness lest he invite Kiba to try his luck at strangling him. He stood in front of his former teammate who was bristling with rage. Sasuke knew he had worn out his welcome.

After calming down slightly, Kiba broke the silence again, "What? You want to come home now?"

"No."

"Oh? You had me going there, for a second."

"Sakura."

"You have got to be kidding me," Kiba murmured, his voice rising, "You have the nerve to ask about her when you have no intention of returning to Leaf? You insult her! She is too busy saving people's lives to even think about you!"

"Is she really training with Tsunade, then?"

"Yes, she is."

Sasuke's expression seemed as close to happy as it could get, considering his facial muscles were frozen.

"What have you been doing then?" Sasuke asked.

Kiba was taken aback, 'Whoa, what should I say? He can't actually care, but…'

"You know…helping the village and the people who need me." He said scathingly, "Oh wait, you don't know how to do that, do you?"

Sasuke glowered at him, his face finally unfrozen, and said, "I suggest you chose your words more carefully. I have been incredibly patient with you. Now tell me what Sakura has been doing."

"I already told you that you can't handle it."

"You underestimate me."

"Well, I'm just gauging it by how you are choosing to deal with your older brother. My guess is that you just don't have what it takes to rise above your pain for the sake of others." Kiba was quiet for a moment, "She's moved on, if you want to know."

"She wants to be with me."

"She did." Kiba acknowledged, "She's stronger now and she relies on herself. Quite frankly, I haven't heard her mention you in a while."

"Tell me the truth."

"The truth? Really?" He sighed, "Here it is, then: she loves someone else."

"I'm not convinced."

"I don't care if you're convinced or not. You asked for the truth. She loves Gaara and he's treating her a-heck of a lot better than you-"

Kiba was toppled over before he realized Sasuke had even moved. He was squashed into the leaves and weeds in the underbrush, his lungs deflating from the pressure. A snake coiled around his throat and flicked its tongue against his cheek inquisitively. Sasuke had pinned him and was glaring at him furiously with the Sharingan illuminating his eyes. That was the straw that Kiba absolutely knew would break the camel's back. He would be lucky to live through this predicament.

"The fucking sand-user? She would never-!"

"Get off!" Kiba wheezed breathlessly.

"No." Sasuke said through gritted teeth, pressing a kunai against Kiba's ribcage, "I've been nice. I took hits for you and broke you out…but I think I've had enough of you."

"Asshole! You asked!" Kiba was seeing spots, "Go ahead…kill the messenger who didn't want to underestimate you."

Sasuke paused in thought. As it turned out, killing Kiba was not going to improve anything. It was Gaara, Sasuke believed, who had to be dealt with accordingly. He backed off and Kiba sat up, hacking violently and gulping in air.

"Where is Gaara?"

"Why do you need to know?" Kiba growled, "Want to drop by and say hi?"

"Exactly."

"He's an elite Jounin now."

"I've dealt with those before."

Kiba stood up slowly and brushed leaves and twigs off of his jacket.

"Sasuke…don't you hear yourself? You want to kill a person who Sakura loves and who has been doing the right thing by her consistently." He said, adding, "She's better off without you. There's no way a selfish, sadistic bastard is going to make her happy and feel loved. You are out of touch with your priorities…and I am fucking tired of trying to help your sorry ass."

"I never asked for help."

"Then why are you with Orochimaru? You training with him doesn't qualify as help?"

"It doesn't."

"You are so full of shit." Kiba muttered. Sasuke was too far-gone to reach out to. He had earlier believed that Sasuke may have reexamined his actions, but he had only been interested in learning about Sakura. Now that he was aware of what was going on in the kunoichi's life, he was sorry he had asked.

"I've always been your friend." Kiba said, "Now please, if you do care about anyone in this world besides yourself and your crushed feelings…leave us in peace."

And he walked away without looking back.

---

More than halfway to the Leaf Village the numbness that had overcome Kiba began to wear off. He could understand why Fujita had cried. The encounter had weighed so heavily on his spirit that he felt like a helpless failure. He had bit off more than he could chew when he had attempted to throw a lasso around Sasuke. It had been utter foolishness.

'I don't cry. I especially can't cry now that Fujita already had a moment of weakness.' Kiba thought to himself, 'I need to hold it together...I didn't endure all of that crap just to break down now…'

But it hurt. It hurt so acutely in such a unique, one-sided way that his friendship was the equivalent of dung in Sasuke's eyes. He had stuck out his neck for Sasuke again, and was met with the same disappointment. What could he tell Sakura and Kakashi? Oh, well, we were rejected again despite our best efforts…but there's always next year! There was nothing encouraging to be said. He would report with sincerity that Sasuke was as selfish and single-minded as any horrible nukenin running amok.

Their energy reserves were so run down that they did not realize they had entered a patrol area. Kiba, Fujita and Akamaru jumped in surprise when a Black-Ops squadron suddenly encircled them in the treetops. For one insane moment, they felt like the criminals.

"Kiba!"

The Inuzuka sighed in relief. Thank goodness Kakashi was with them. His sensei leapt up to him and put a steadying hand on his shoulder. Kakashi looked just as shocked as Kiba and Fujita had.

"Are you alright? What are you even doing here? The Hokage just received word from a captain of a Cloud platoon that you went after Sasuke!"

Kiba nodded weakly.

One of the masked Black-Ops spoke, "We were under the impression that you were still in the care of the Cloud. How did you return to the village so quickly?"

Fujita gulped nervously. Kiba spoke up, knowing he was responsible for what had transpired.

"Sasuke broke us out of the lookout." He answered truthfully, "It's a long story and I have a lot to answer for, but I would prefer to tell it all to Tsunade-sama."

Kakashi met his gaze confidently and nodded to him. It felt good to have the support of his Sensei. At least Kakashi could understand without being told that Kiba had done everything in his power to reach out to Sasuke. He had a feeling whoever was going to hear his report was going to be less understanding.

---

It had been determined that Fujita was not required for a debriefing and he was promptly sent home. Kakashi stood in the corridor outside of Tsunade's office. Kiba was there explaining what had happened to her in a one-on-one session. At times, Tsunade's voice boomed with anger and scolded Kiba for each dumb action he had taken. For the most part, however, her voice was soft as she asked questions. Over an hour passed before Kiba was permitted to leave.

Kiba and Akamaru left the office. The young man looked wearily at Kakashi, hoping he didn't need to explain again what he had gone through.

"I eavesdropped for a while, so I got the gist of it." Kakashi assured him, "While I agree with the Hokage that you should have immediately sent for help when you found Sasuke…I don't see how you could have acted any other way."

"Thanks, I guess."

"That's a compliment, Kiba. Your plight was a tricky one and you did remarkably well."

Kiba's lip quivered for a moment and he looked away, out an open window. He inhaled deeply in order to relax.

"You know what the worst part is, Kaka-sensei? Now I have to explain to Sakura that I blabbed about her while I was under duress. She won't like that." Kiba admitted, "It's a whole new problem, or as Tsunade-sama put it, a new opportunity to catch Sasuke if he decides to go after Gaara. It still sucks that I mentioned his name and involved him in this…but I get the feeling…he can probably handle Sasuke."

'Certainly he can.' Kakashi acknowledged it inwardly, 'Otherwise he wouldn't have been selected to become the next Kazekage.'

"I agree. I imagine Gaara will appreciate the advanced-warning and prepare himself." His sensei speculated, "And don't forget, Gaara is well-protected. He has the support of the village, his siblings and Haku-kun standing beside him. Sasuke may want to think twice before acting that rashly."

"Yup. Well…this wasn't so bad. I kind of expected Tsunade-sama to demote me or punish me somehow."

"Did you really?"

"Yeah."

"You kept Fujita in excellent health while devising a way to capture a missing-nin in our Bingo Book. That, to me, sounds like something that should be commended."

"I wish I could say the same, but," Kiba shook his head sadly, putting his fist over his heart, "It feels like I was stabbed here over and over. I don't feel like I accomplished anything. Sasuke really screwed with my head."

"It'll work out, Kiba, you'll see. Now would you like me to walk you home?"

"Nah…I've got it. I'm sure my mom has a thing or two to say to me and I don't want you to be around for that."

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Kaka-sensei."

Kiba left, dragging his feet, with his faithful canine companion trotting beside him. Kakashi watched them round the corner beyond his sight before he looked back at Tsunade who was leaving her office.

"I'm taking a break. My head is pounding after listening to that report…" She said as she walked past Kakashi, "By the way…that student of yours is on his way to becoming a Chunin. I can hardly believe he did so well all on his own…with a subordinate to protect, no less."

Beneath his mask, Kakashi was smiling proudly, "I am thrilled. He has been exceeding my expectations lately, and I guess I am going to have to get used to it."

A small smile spread on Tsunade's face as well, "Indeed. It was even mentioned that when Kiba spoke to Sasuke he was able to make him doubt his course of action. Later, Kiba stated that it he believed it was all a ruse on Sasuke's part...but I highly doubt it. If Sasuke was reconsidering his decisions even for a second…there is hope yet. Kiba did well."

"That may be an understatement, Hokage-sama. He just did something neither of us could do."

---

A/N: Hello and thanks for reading! If you need something to hold you over between chapter updates of this story, please go visit The Ocean in a Teacup, my new Seven-Swordsman based tale. I appreciate you sticking with me and your reviews are welcome!

Chapter 14- Under A Lucky Star