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

21. The Replacement!

Note: Why yes, this chapter is running late. I blame Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, a game which has consumed a lot of my time and attention. You folks can probably relate. Also, thank you to all reviewers and everyone who voted in the poll! It was a close one.

Chapter Soundtrack: "Thousand Knives" by Ryuichi Sakamoto

Chapter 21: The Replacement!

Gaara was dreaming. He was partially aware that the images in his mind were fictional, subconscious nonsense. He rolled over in bed, still unable to wake up from the peculiar visions.

He knew where he was. With surprisingly precise detail, Gaara recalled where he was standing, as he had visited the spot once in reality: the Star Notojiso Resort within the Tide Village. He was outside of the hotel on its vacant beachfront. The sand felt warm and smooth under his bare feet, quite unlike the blistering heat of desert sand. Gaara had no idea where the swim trunks came from, why he was wearing them, or why on earth they were pastel pink. He didn't swim.

No matter. It was a beautiful day with clear skies over the rolling whitecaps. It was a good decision to get involved in the Land of Waves, he concluded.

The sounds of laughter and play drifted into his ears. Gaara turned and looked down the stretch of beach far to the east, where he spotted his loved ones and friends romping happily. 'As it should be.' He wondered if he had put them up in the ritzy hotel behind him, but his rational mind noted that he probably couldn't afford it. Repairs to the Tide Village's main avenue had cost him a small fortune.

When he looked over the inlet water again Gaara recognized a red and white cloud pattern on black. The uniform of the Akatsuki registered for a moment before his visitors rushed at him. They struck with speed, pinning him flat on his back, and Gaara realized he had no faculties. His near-psychic manipulation of sand was absent; his muscles unresponsive. He was paralyzed as he stared up at several indistinct assailants, crushing his windpipe in a hellish grip. He had once thought himself fortified and ready to deal with this looming threat.

Tears welled in his eyes as he asphyxiated. Familiar screams of onlookers at the far end of the beach rattled in the salty air. Gaara knew they were too late to help, but as darkness swallowed him he was grateful at least to hear them clamoring for him. He may be defenseless, but he was never alone. It was a small comfort.

Gaara jerked awake.

His panicked eyes settled on an alarm clock on the bedside table. The digital readout indicated it was 5:45 in the morning. He adjusted to reality and then his taut muscles relaxed. He was fifteen minutes early, but Gaara elected not to go back to sleep. It wouldn't be restful.

The blanket slipped back as he sat up slowly. Gaara lingered in bed and rubbed the crust from the corners of his eyes. What an ill-mannered dream, he thought. Gaara had hoped that his worries would have the decency to stay in his conscious mind and let his dreams be. After several sleepless years and intermittent bouts of insomnia, Gaara had more than earned his right to slumber security. Nightmares ought to know that his unconscious mind was not fair game, but there was no helping it. His stress levels had been alarmingly high as of late.

Gaara rose from the bed and neatened it. He dressed himself at his wardrobe while watching the window across the room, not yet illuminated by the soon-to-rise sun, but he knew the dawn was hastening. It gave him an odd feeling. Usually his routine began in the light, not in the dark.

He left his room and switched on a hallway light before proceeding down the corridor. The silence of the mansion was dense. The only other occupant of the house at the time was Temari, and she was still comfortably asleep. Gaara entered the bathroom and waded back into the contents of his dream as he began to wash his face.

'I've never really given much thought to…how I might be killed.' He mused. His sand-shield had always been just enough to safeguard him for most of his life. Yet if Jiraiya's warnings proved true, the brute force of the Akatsuki would probably wriggle past his wit, strength and defenses and go straight for the jugular. He had heard Tsunade's tale about the Akatsuki members who had a chance encounter with Kakashi's team and the Star students. He also plainly recalled staring down Uchiha Itachi when Naruto had been confronted on the rooftops in Tanzaku Quarter.

'Jiraiya said that once the Akatsuki removes the Biju from its host, death is certain.' And Gaara had learned from collected intelligence that other villages had already confirmed this, by losing their jinchuriki. 'I don't expect anyone to protect me. The council here once presented a contingency plan for a strike by the Akatsuki, but there was no justifying the creation of those teams as a counterforce. My efforts need to be for the sake of others while I am Kazekage, and not for self-preservation.' He thought of the Tide Village, which he had deemed a much better investment than his sole well-being, 'I should take responsibility for my own safety.'

Brushing his teeth was next. 'I ought to take some time to train.' Gaara conceded, 'As I am…it'd be foolish to think I would survive a pair of those criminals…and heaven help me if there are more.' He knew his limits. He knew that Naruto and Haku were no slouches, wherever they were in the world; they were honing their skills. Gaara had not had a terrible amount of time to focus on advancing his techniques in-between his duties.

His dream underscored that it would not do to wait.

He spat out the last bit of toothpaste and rinsed. He went downstairs and had noticed stirring in Temari's bedroom as she had begun her daily preparations as well. At the kitchen, Gaara put on a kettle for tea.

'Yugito of Kumogakure had offered to help me whenever I send for her.' He recalled, thinking of how the Raikage, who had since sent two trade agreements (both approved) had tried to be friendly, 'I may need to consult with her.' She had showed him fundamental techniques during her visit: how to contact the One-Tail inside of him, how to erect mental blocks when needed, and a few pointers on how to 'bargain' for chakra.

"Sometimes," She had said, "The Biju within you can be persuaded. There are times when your enemy is their enemy too. It never hurts to ask."

Gaara sliced an orange into wedges and fixed himself oatmeal. He sat alone at the table and contemplated how he would squeeze in this potentially life-saving training into his hectic schedule. The Tide Village, and soon the Chunin Exam too, were going to siphon away his time and resources whether he liked it or not.

Kankuro was still in Tide, busy smoothing things over with Tazuna and completing the Stage One training program. Matsuri had returned to Sand with Gaara after the Shin clan circus, at his request, to take a few missions (and also to keep her away from her new Sound ninja pet.) Gaara had not directly addressed it with her, but he was worried about his student getting involved with a Sound nin whose ilk, in the past, had only represented misery and deceit. Well. That was his opinion. Kankuro had advocated favorably on the young musician's behalf.

'But Kankuro also let the center of the city get blown apart and I had to pay for it.'

Points off. He finished his meal, tossed the orange peel and then decided to take the garbage out. It was not a task above his position, least of all in an empty house. When Gaara returned, his sister had arrived and helped herself to some tea.

"Good morning," Temari wore a curious smile, "You're up early, baby brother."

"Good morning." He sat down across from her and accepted the tea cup she had poured for him, "It's not that early."

"I heard you moving around in the dark. Couldn't sleep?"

"No." He took a sip and then said, "Dreams."

"Not the good variety, I take it?"

Gaara shook his head in the negative.

"Well, you've been juggling so many balls in the air lately; the stress is bound to get to you…no matter how cool and collected you look."

"I can't deny that." He agreed.

"I heard you screamed at Kankuro in front of a congregation of people." Temari added airily, "Does that make me your favorite sibling for now?"

"At least until you screw up, it does."

"Oh, but you know I won't."

"Don't get overconfident, Temari. The Tide Village will challenge you."

She rested her chin on her hand, with red-manicured nails glimmering, "Kankuro broke them in. They have their fundamental skills down and I get to choose who among them is ready for advanced training. My job is easier. I evaluate them and then set them up with the Special Ops divisions," After a thoughtful sip of tea, she added, "What was the name of that Resort again?"

"Star Notojiso. Chiyo and Ebizo are there."

"I want to stay there too."

"I can't afford that."

"I will. I've got my vacation money set aside. Relax!" Temari chuckled, "I guess Sand can't pay for anything anymore, huh? How was your verbal boxing-match with the council yesterday?"

"Peachy."

"Did they approve the money for repairs?"

"They did." Gaara confirmed, frowning at the memory, "But they took it as an opportunity to tell me how stupid I was. They claimed that my compassion for a fledgling village was a pointless effort from the start. I shouldn't expect them to vote in favor of my 'pursuits' for quite some time, I was warned."

"They're all old people who have never tried putting themselves in your shoes!" She dismissed the criticism.

"Some of the Jounin and Clan Heads aren't that old…and they came down on me just as hard."

"There's nothing stupid about fortifying inter-village bonds! Our village needs that kind of support the most! You're doing better than Dad did. He sided with the Sound Village when it first debuted, and we all saw how that worked out."

"A good argument," Her brother conceded, "But money talks. I promised them a finite budget at the start of all this. When the city came under attack I could no longer keep that promise. They have a right to be unhappy about it."

"What right? It was an incident beyond your control! Fuck them."

"If I said that…" Gaara paused and laughed quietly to himself, "I wish I could have said that…without getting indicted or replaced."

"They wouldn't dare. I hate how they treat you; as if your age constitutes their right to condescend and piss and moan!" Temari put her teacup down with a sharp clack, "You're the Kazekage. They need to respect you, whether it costs Suna 100 million ryo or their pride, they owe their allegiance!"

He smiled gratefully, "Thank you."

"You are very fucking welcome. Invite me to the next council meeting."

After a moment of deliberation Gaara said, "I'll add a seat for you. You may need to sit beside Chiyo, though."

"Perfect. Then the two of us will set the record straight."

"If you can keep her awake…"

The sun had risen and was gleaming through the windows and portholes of the house. In her anger, Temari had downed another cup of tea and a sweet roll.

"So…how are we coming up with the money?"

"Raising taxes; with the Wind daimyo's approval. Two internal programs had their funding slashed…but I wouldn't let them touch the Medical Corps." Gaara elaborated, "Sakura won't let the Medical program get any cheaper here. She said it was pathetic and I am taking that assessment seriously."

"Huh. Who knew that girl would be affecting foreign policy at this stage?"

"If I let her run the village unchallenged she would probably get it into utopian condition." He speculated, "I will be the first to admit that she is much, much smarter than me."

Smiling again, Temari declared, "She's a keeper."

A large shadow passed over the kitchen window, making the morning light blink, and the siblings turned to look at the suspicious activity outside. Gaara crossed over to the window and lifted up the screen before poking his head out. On the immediately adjacent rooftop he beheld Pua, who was seated happily on top of Gamakichi's head. The toad was now enormous: roughly the size of a small cottage.

The summon creature waved at Gaara pleasantly, "Hope it's not too early, Kazekage-sama! Me and my little buddy wanted to drop off some mail for ya!"

"Hm." Gaara's surprise faded, "Now is a fine time. I don't know if there is any entrance big enough for you-"

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'll just hang out here if that's okay." Gamakichi lifted the small white rabbit up towards the mansion window, where she effortlessly hopped inside, "Pua's got my delivery with her. It seemed like Naruto really wanted to talk to you."

Gaara thanked the toad and estimated he could get a reply ready by the evening. Inside, Pua was on the kitchen table untucking three scrolls from her bandana. She left them in front of Gaara and then approached the fruit bowl interestedly.

He inspected the mail: one message from Naruto and two were from Haku. 'That's different.' Gaara opened both of Haku's scrolls and quickly discerned their purpose, 'This one was intended for Temari.' He resisted the urge to examine it and comb it over for anything inappropriate. He set it on the table and then took a seat to read his own message.

"Why do you have three?" Temari was inquisitive, "Does your sensei write to you as well?"

"Sometimes he does, but this time he hasn't." He gestured to the scroll he had set aside, "That was meant for you."

She frowned. It could only mean one thing.

"You don't have to read it." Gaara reminded her, "It's yours to do with it what you will."

Pua had absconded with a pear and settled in front of Temari. The rabbit nibbled on the fruit while Temari looked down at her, mentally debating whether or not Haku's message would amount to anything more than a steaming pile of shit. She began to stroke Pua's plush soft fur while keeping her eyes trained on the offending scroll, conflicted over what to do with it.

Gaara dove into his correspondence:

Gaara,

If Temari refuses my letter I completely understand. I thought I might take you up on your offer. I have also thought about your warning. If you deem the search for my clan futile, I should expect to see a team of Sand shinobi whose purpose will be to reclaim me. I don't know if you and I have an analogous definition of 'futility.' I am willing to look for as long as it takes, but you expressed that my homecoming should be within the next year or less. I can honestly say I have no idea how long this search will last, but I promise that if a Retrieval Team arrives and asks for my cooperation, they will have it. I also promise to try to shed Zabuza as soon as humanly possible. That may be for the benefit of the retrieval team, as he will not be so inclined to return me.

'And why not?' Gaara wondered before he continued.

Zabuza has finally made his intentions clear. He has been training me in preparation of a coup of the Mist Village. I do not know much about his plans at this point, but he expressed that I will be taking part in an ambush on the village leader. Could you imagine? As terrible as the state of Kirigakure is, I would never be so foolish to tread there, much less challenge a Kage. The sooner I can escape Zabuza, the better. My life may depend on it.

On the other hand, he has still refused to share anything he knows about my clan. At this point, I have turned to other sources of information. If his only intention is to share that knowledge with me after a successful coup d'état, then it'd be best to strike him from my list of counsel. Jiraiya-sensei advised me not to be involved with any criminal activity in these lands, and in view of that, I would like to try to put a stop to it when possible.

'Godspeed.' Gaara thought.

As Naruto aptly put it, there is no way I will ever return in time for the Chunin Exam. It is a sacrifice I am willing to make for now. If I am fortunate enough to find any of my relatives here, then it was time well spent. If not…I have given some serious thought to what I want to do with my life. With Tsunade's consent, and yours as well, I think I would like to permanently relocate to Sunagakure, when all is said and done. I would very much like to be a personal guard of yours.

Gaara looked up from the message, stunned and excited all at once. Temari gave him a strange look, "What?"

"Nothing." He lied. Gaara was rather fond of the idea of his friend being local again, at long last. He had a spare room to keep him in, and it sure would be nice to have Haku monopolizing household chores again as he had for many years.

The time is drawing closer to when you and Naruto may need to expect clashes with the Akatsuki, and my training and time away may be best applied in your defense. I asked Jiraiya-sensei what he thought of this, and he recommended that I stay near you as often as possible. He intends to keep watch over Naruto in Konohagakure, at least until he feels it is safe to leave. He instructed that I stay with you, and if I desire to visit home I should get used to commuting between Sand and Leaf. Should this arrangement be precluded, I will stay in Leaf and help however I can. I don't want to be inaccessible to my friends anymore.

But until then, I have a few puzzles here to work out. I had the strange fortune of meeting another Swordsman's apprentice named Ranmaru. He is being trained by Kurosuki Raiga…one of Zabuza's least favorite people. This boy is a lot like me in many respects. He is quite amicable and has a natural healing talent…and a Kekkei Genkai as well. I have never seen a Doujutsu as unique as his before, and it would be wise to conduct some research on it. Its physical characteristics are drastically different from the Sharingan and Byakugan. Aside from that, I have been tutoring him in some jutsu while avoiding his mentor at all costs. Raiga has tried to kill me once before.

Gaara snickered.

Ranmaru may serve us as a valuable ally. He is already well-acquainted with Team Gai and he looks forward to seeing them again.

The look of humor on Gaara's face morphed into bafflement.

I was surprised to hear that too. He has expressed interest in helping me search for my clan, and so that may help speed this process along. With respect to Zabuza's demands…I will do my best to avoid the conflict between Mist loyalists and rebels, as well as any suicidal coup on the Mizukage. I doubt he has any information valuable enough to risk that catastrophe. I sincerely will try not to take too long, and forgive me if I do; you know that I don't want to stay away from you and Naruto. I am tired of this journey that has scarcely begun, and I feel it would be better to return to my team.

Stay well, Gaara, and please consider instating me as one of your Black Ops. I have no intention of disappointing you.

Genuinely,

Haku

He looked up from the parchment to see that Pua had devoured most of the pear, twitching her white whiskered nose. Haku sure did know how to persuasively pitch an idea or two. Gaara was about ready to endorse the position appointment before he stopped himself, carefully reading between the lines.

'I believe Haku when he says that he wants to stay here and guard me from a criminal organization.' Gaara then thought acidly, 'But I don't believe that is his only reason for being here.' His eyes flicked over to his older sister, who had not noticed his glance, 'Haku is too nice to be a scoundrel…but he's still a scoundrel. He'd come here for Temari. Then I would have to break his legs…what good would he do on a Black Ops team after that?'

He thought that maybe he and Tsunade would need to roll a dice on it. Whoever rolls highest keeps Haku! It would be a perfectly reasonable decision-making method for Kage who were evenly matched in terms of irritability. Leaving it to chance might minimize any resentment (on Haku's part) that Gaara was indeed, and always would be, cock-blocking for the sake of his older sister. At least if Haku was based in Leaf, Gaara wouldn't have to worry every waking minute if Temari's honor had been compromised. If he was a resident of Sand, well…it'd be more difficult to keep track of him. It was a nightmare waiting to happen.

"Tsunade should take him." Gaara muttered.

"What?" Temari looked over her shoulder from the sink as she washed a bowl, "Did you say something, Gaara?"

"Just thinking out loud."

"That sounded more like plotting out loud."

He gave her the 'drop it' look and Temari shrugged, reaching for a towel to dry her bowl. Gaara checked the clock on the wall to see he had another ten minutes to kill, and so he looked over Naruto's letter as well.

Hey Gaara,

I heard that you've been pretty busy in the Land of Waves! Ero-sensei keeps talking about how important it is that you support Tazuna and the Tide Village, and I keep thinking about how I can't wait to get back there. I bet it is looking way better. I want to walk across my namesake bridge and check out what Tide ninja are like! But seriously, if there was ever a good way to start off your career as a Kage, helping the Land of Waves has to be it.

'I am glad you think so, Naruto. Not everyone would agree…' Gaara thought wryly.

So Senjutsu training is going about the same. There's a lot of sitting and concentrating…it really makes your butt go numb. I get that it's supposed to be worth it once you've mastered Natural Energy, but this is hands-down the most monotonous training in the world. It's driving me nuts! All the other techniques I've learned barely scratch the surface of the time and energy I put in at the Toad Oil Pool. It isn't easy to concentrate either when I've got so much on my mind. Half of the time, the reason I can't concentrate is because you or Haku or Hinata pop into my head…and other things too…

Like the Nine-Tailed Fox. He was a supreme dick-bag when we first came here to Mount Myoboku, but for now we've been leaving each other alone. I was wondering about what I'm supposed to do with him now that I don't technically need to rely on his chakra. Well, when Sage Training is done, I won't need to. I can't let him go even if I found a way to. Then it's like a practical guarantee that he'll wind up in the wrong hands…and then Baa-chan will turn me into a doughnut by shoving my head up my ass. On the other hand, I can't really trust the Fox ever again. If I use his chakra I will always be paranoid that he'll hurt someone again.

The One-Tail has hurt you before. I remember when we first met and traveled to Konoha you were too afraid to sleep. Then, when you lost control during the Chunin Exam and we had to chase you…I realize now that I did not understand how important it was that you didn't transform in that stadium. A lot of people might have died. Did you feel yourself slipping? Could you tell it was going to happen? I guess what I really want to know is…what do you do these days to stay in control? Is there something you can do or say to the Ichibi that helps? You've got to tell me if you have a suggestion, because I am about ready to pull my hair out. I can't keep arguing with this Fox!

Sorry, I am just assuming that you've got your situation under control. If you're having just as hard a time as me with your Biju…then we should probably start a focus group or something. There are other Jinchuriki out there and we need to talk to them!

'Way ahead of you...' Gaara noted, 'But no…I am not suffering as acutely as you, Naruto. You have my sympathy.'

While I'm on the subject…it goes without saying that your brother and sister know, and Haku and I know…but does anyone else know that you're a jinchuriki?

Gaara shut his eyes and inhaled softly. This was a more sensitive area.

Did you tell Sakura?

He looked up and stared blankly at the window. Sunshine was spilling inside with the full-force of morning. The sounds of shop-opening activity could be heard outdoors. Pua was following Temari around the kitchen as she put clean dishes away.

He most certainly had thought about it. Maybe if there had been more time during Sakura's last visit…and maybe if the Tide Village hadn't been rough-housed by the Shin clan, Gaara would have broached that topic with his girlfriend. Gaara was a very up-front kind of person, and as such, he had every intention of telling Sakura the truth.

Curiously, timing was a fickle, fleeting thing. What seemed like a fine moment to confess and discuss his identity would instantly seem inappropriate a second later. He was a busy man who had all the time in the world to take care of his official duties…but not so much to spend on matters of the heart. It definitely was a concern of his, but Gaara was hopeful that he would find a free pocket of time to calmly speak to Sakura…maybe over a decadent dinner and entertaining night out. No one said he couldn't employ some enticement.

Truthfully, Gaara was expecting that she would let it roll off of her shoulders. 'I could be wrong.' He conceded privately, 'But I don't think I will be.' He had been given an encouraging clue.

While he, Kakashi and Sakura had made haste to the Tide Village from Suna some days ago, they had taken a few breaks for water and rest. Teacher and pupil had shared some anecdotes from their adventure to the Hidden Star Village, and one such heartening tale was told by Sakura, who had studied the origins of Chakra and Biju while in the Hoshikage's library.

"It was fascinating!" She gushed.

Gaara was surprised that such a text existed. He was less surprised that his girlfriend had read it cover to cover in less than a day. She had held her hands about a foot apart, estimating the thickness of the tome, "It was about this big, I'd say. I think that was because the print type was so large…"

And she went on and on about the First Sage, his wily, chakra-greedy mother, the Sage's determined and gifted brother, their children and descendants, etcetera, etcetera. Gaara's eyes had glazed over as she relayed the details…but he woke up when she explained the creation of the nine Tailed-Beasts.

"The Sage of the Six Paths was their parent. At the end of his life, the chakra inside of him was born into the world as living beings with thoughts and feelings, although…I'm not sure how that's possible." Sakura explained, "He named them all! Just like his children. It said in the book that they loved and respected him," She smiled cleverly, "That makes them seem a little less frightening, doesn't it? They started out small too…and grew into these huge beings that we no longer understand. It's a shame people have forgotten."

He had agreed with her quietly.

Gaara was now rather confident that Sakura might even be enthusiastic about his role as a jinchuriki. Her highly-educated mind could probably make sense of it, or at least, not hate him for it. He needed only to find a proper time to have that conversation.

"Did you finish?" Temari asked, snapping him out of his memory.

"Oh. Not yet. I was just thinking."

If you did, please tell me that she took it well! I was kind of debating whether or not I should tell Hinata. I probably have to. It'd be selfish not to say anything about it and then start a life with her in Leaf…and then let the Akatsuki crash my party. She deserves piece of mind. I know I owe her complete honesty…I just wish I wasn't so damn scared to talk about it. I don't know if there will ever be a right time to do it, but if you've got any good advice I am begging for it.

Gaara smiled and thought to himself, 'Eat shit.'

Naruto would figure it out. Hinata and Sakura were much too different to even try finding a one-size-fits-all solution to their problem. Gaara was sure his friend was going to recognize it soon enough.

I'll try calming down now. I got pretty worked up on my day off! If I just keep cool and meditate maybe I'll master Natural Energy by tomorrow. Who knows? I'm pretty sure I'll be able to kick your ass the next time I see you, so don't get comfortable! The Kazekage shouldn't be losing to a guy like me, right? Take care of yourself and thanks in advance for any advice!

Naruto

"Pft." Gaara wanted to laugh. Losing to Naruto seemed like a truly implausible scenario, but as he set the scroll down and stood up from his seat, he felt heaviness on his shoulders. The lethargy reminded him of his unsettling dream and that, indeed, he should worry of whether or not he was a match for Naruto. Naruto was being trained specifically to deal with the Akatsuki, a common threat of theirs. It was no laughing matter. He let the idea settle in the back of his mind, alongside confessing to Sakura and wondering if it was true that the Tailed Beasts could love someone. He would return to these musings after his daily drudgery was out of the way.

"I'm off, now." Gaara informed his sister while gathering up his correspondence, "Be prepared to go to the Tide Village this afternoon. Matsuri should be back from her mission by then…and she implored me to let her go with you."

"No problem. I like travelling with her."

"Also," Gaara stopped at the door, "If you want to reply to Haku, feel free to send Pua ahead. I can always wait or send something with Gamakichi."

An intense look lit her teal eyes but the young woman nodded, still uncertain what she was going to do with the message. As her younger brother ventured to find a pair of shoes, Temari silently tucked the scroll into her sash.

---

A short time later, Gaara switched on the light in his office and then cracked open a window behind his desk. He took a seat and then rolled his shoulders, preparing himself for the day's tedium. He eyed several reports that had been left in the incoming communication bin, noted the empty outgoing bin and sighed happily that his desk was, more or less, clear today. Other reports would arrive throughout the day, but he was hopeful that he would not be exceptionally busy.

He reached into the inbox and examined the memos, 'This one is from the Council…lovely. We have officially scheduled a meeting with the Wind Daimyo and it is our wish that you personally attend the rendezvous…to thank him for his generosity and his ongoing resolution not to favor the Land of Fire's services as he has in the past…Suna cannot afford to displease-' He crumpled up the paper and tossed it in a trash can, 'Pandering bureaucrats.'

Gaara understood the context of this entreaty and did not make light of it. Sunagakure's darkest times were fueled by the village's inability to curry favor with the Wind Daimyo. As Kankuro and Temari had once explained, the daimyo had chosen to outsource missions to the Fire Country, chiefly the Leaf Village, to avoid the brittleness of local Sand ninja, who had declined in strength a decade or two ago. Desperate, Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, initialized his plan to seal the Ichibi into a host and above all fortify the military of the Sand Village. It had not gone very well.

It was only up until recently, upon Gaara's debut and Sand's newfound might that the Wind Daimyo had started to shun outside help and call upon the aid of Sunagakure. The council was terrified of the prospect of another economic downturn, should they lose missions and revenue to other villages again. These days they regularly prostrated and catered to the wealthy lord's whims, hoping he would never again abandon them.

Gaara did try to point out that Sand's alliances and popularity had now garnered mission requests on an international scale, chiefly from the Fire Country, the Land of Waves, the Lightning Country, and, on a superbly rare occasion, the Land of Earth as well. Suna had come into its own and didn't need to worry as much about what the daimyo thought, but of course old habits die hard, and the council would forever tread lightly.

He marked the date of the meeting down on a calendar and moved on. Another memo was a mission request from a business owner in Hidden Sand, down the road, by the look of it: Lord Kazekage, do you have any Genin teams to spare? A desert owl got loose in the shop's attic and I need some quick kids who can catch it and set it free! Also, could they repaint the walls while they're at it? Thanks!

"In fact I do…" Gaara said, half to himself. He set the request aside and then went to the last memos in the bin, which were typical blotter and not very urgent. He filled out a brief questionnaire about water quality and then dropped it in the outgoing box. Gaara glanced over his calendar, which had notes scrawled on several week days, and saw which task required his attention next.

He got up, taking the mission request with him, and then went downstairs to the administration building's lobby. There were two Chunin attendants waiting for him at the panel table, and Gaara took a seat between them, sighing quietly.

"Good morning, Kazekage-sama!" The pair chirped.

"Good morning."

One of the Chunin, a young man with pierced ears, accepted the request scroll Gaara handed him, "Oh! Is this one open to Genin teams, Gaara-sama?"

"It's perfectly suitable in my opinion. When will the teams start arriving?"

"In about ten minutes. You're early today!"

"I know."

A new crop of freshly graduated Genin who had just been assigned to their respective Jounin Sensei would be arriving for their first mission assignment. The whole stack of requests on the table consisted of local D-Rank activities. They had more than enough to supply the fifteen new teams who would be storming the lobby in due time.

It was a long-winded affair. In the first hour, six teams trickled in, two of which took their sweet time with questions and other time-wasting banter. The kunoichi of the first team had given Gaara a serious, analytical look and asked, "Can you tell me what a tree looks like, Kazekage-sama?"

He gave her an even look, "I can." Gaara gave a small smile to the girl's abashed Jounin sensei, "I wonder why you ask that, Tae."

"I've never seen one. No one in my class has! Kino said you could tell me because you lived in the Hidden Leaf Village for a while." Her teammate made a face, not wishing to be referenced.

"Words will fail." Gaara stated plainly, but sand crept from his gourd and created a very convincing replica of a tree, despite the off color and texture, "I think this is accurate. A tree."

The girl was silent while she reflected on it like a museum art piece. Tae's sensei described her as the "investigative type" and that she was inclined towards information gathering.

"She will have a future in reconnaissance, then." Gaara wagered, "But I suggest you read more. Any person in this land could have learned about trees from literature."

"Tae hates books." Kino added emphasis by nodding simultaneously with his other teammate.

"Perhaps photography." The Kazekage suggested, "Dismissed."

The following two teams did not dawdle, but the most recent team of three boys was jubilant and chatty. One trainee in particular, who seemed to be the ringleader, fancied himself a comedian.

"Hey, Gaara-sama! What do you have when a Rock shinobi is buried up to his neck in sand?" The boy joked.

Gaara frowned and attempted to figure it out. The Chunin beside him were also stumped.

"Not enough sand!" The boy roared. His teammates guffawed with him while their master told them the gag was in bad taste. Iwagakure was the butt of a lot of children's jokes; though they ought not to be so quick to look down on Rock ninja should they meet in battle.

"I have one for you." Gaara told the boy, "How can you study the fossil record of Sunagakure?"

"Uh…" The child blinked, taken aback.

"Watch Chiyo."

Both Chunin snickered while the Genin boys laughed happily, nodding to themselves as if they planned to adopt the witticism. Their sensei only slapped his forehead in disappointment, knowing he would be hearing dumb jokes for quite a while. Gaara asked them to be on their way after they were assigned a mission.

After all of the teams had been given something to do for the day, Gaara dropped by his office and discovered several new messages waiting for him. He sat down and replied to a few pieces of mail until a female Jounin arrived with a new scroll in hand.

She was a beauty with a sharply angled, narrow face, made more intense by how her white-blonde hair that was cut short against the scalp, "Hello, Kazekage-sama."

"Zeriko."

"You may want to take a look at this." She seemed perplexed, "It arrived twenty minutes ago and is addressed to you, from Tazuna."

Gaara shut his eyes tight and dropped his pen. The news was a psychological attack. He dearly hoped it wasn't another fee for damages, because he would not be able to squeeze one single ryo out of the council at this point.

"Thank you, Zeriko." He accepted the message when she handed it to him.

"My lord, I don't think this is a serious issue." Zeriko cautioned him, "At the very least, it has nothing to do with money. Forgive me for checking."

"Forgiven." Gaara's eyes widened with a thought, "Is Kankuro-?"

"Your brother was not mentioned at all. Everything appears to be stable…though it seems your friend Tazuna made a strange discovery." She bowed and then took her leave.

Gaara opened the correspondence and read the hasty communiqué:

Gaara,

It's Tazuna. I need to bounce something off of you. No, relax; you've paid for all the supplies we could possibly use down here to rebuild. Thanks.

Fill me in on this shinobi-hierarchy bullshit: we have trained Genin, Chunin, some Medical and Sensory Corps…and your sister will be rotating down here any day now to begin the training of the Jounin and the Special Ops. I get all of that. The Tide Village is currently under the control of a civil council, but any ninja who makes a bid for power as "Village Leader" is stipulated by our laws to be democratically selected by all citizens. Progressive, huh?

Well, some retired Mist ninja in Tide suburbia told me there's a component I've never heard of before. What the hell is a jinchuriki? And why do these people whisper that we HAVE one here already? That doesn't make a lick of sense. My ninja neighbors described a jinchuriki as a monster-like shinobi person, and that they can serve as an ultimate line of defense for a village. I say to hell with it because it's probably expensive. But seriously, what is it? And do I really have one hidden under my nose? Help me investigate.

Tazuna

Gaara tossed the parchment onto his desk and groaned. He leaned back in his chair and held his head, feeling neurons and synapses in his brain squealing like tire wheels in an attempt to understand. This had to be a mistake. A misunderstanding. A dirty, dirty lie. There was no way a military trump card could have accidentally ended up in the Tide Village's cradle.

"Unless…it wasn't an accident." Gaara was wary not to dismiss the idea too fast.

If a jinchuriki had been suffering mistreatment in their home village (which was a reality Gaara could grasp) there was, at least, substantial plausibility for said sufferer to settle in a nontoxic, more comfortable village. The prosperity of the Tide Village would be appealing. Everything was so new and healthy, and ancient prejudices were almost entirely absent in the Land of Waves. It would be a good place, theoretically speaking, for a jinchuriki to nest.

'And the resident Mist ninja have caught on to this new occupant,' Gaara noted, 'There could be truth to it. I'll need to advise Temari to keep her eyes and ears open, in the event they cross paths.'

He was curious about this incident. He might even make a cordial, personal visit to meet this mysterious Tide inhabitant. Gaara would by no means encourage Tazuna to think the jinchuriki was Tide's property, or any backwards thinking like that, but he would reassure Tide citizens that their esteemed guest should be treated no differently than anyone else: for better or worse. A normal life and a peaceful home is probably all that a wayward Sacrifice could ask for.

'Naruto…I think I know where we can start that focus group you spoke of.'

Gaara wrapped up his paperwork and then checked the clock on the wall: a few minutes until noon. He left the administration building and crossed the street to a small diner for lunch. He had the usual: salted, grilled gizzards and rice. Hot sauce on the side. Only in the absence of Naruto and Haku could he enjoy his favorite, albeit unattractive, meal.

Today, Gaara got away with paying for his meal, but only because the first-day-on-the-job waitress did not know any better. On his way out, Gaara overheard the young lady's manager chastising the new recruit about "courtesies we always extend to the Kazekage." And sometimes, people with empty wallets.

Back at the office, he had a short meeting with a Jounin and his sidekick/best-friend Chunin companion, and got a patrol update. After their appointment, Matsuri bounced into the room with a grin on her face.

"Gaara-sensei! Is Temari-sama ready to go?"

"I think so," He added in annoyance, "Won't you say hello to me first?"

"Sorry! Hello, Sensei! My mission went well!"

"That's more like it. Where is Maki? She should be here for the debriefing."

"She went to the ladies room. I ran all the way back here so we didn't stop for a bathroom break…"

"Please," Gaara rubbed his forehead, noticing a faint ache still lingered, "Do not let your enthusiasm for the Tide Village…or any particular person…prevent your teammates from using the lavatory. It's impolite."

"Sorry, Sensei…" Matsuri was apologetic, winding down from the excitement of her next mission assignment.

When Maki, a Jounin level Seal-Master who had accompanied Matsuri to a desert outpost, returned from the bathroom, she smiled wearily at Gaara and gave him her report. Nothing at all interesting. She had high praise for Matsuri, though, "She is so energetic! You have a fantastic student, Gaara-sama."

"Thank you."

Maki left for home without having any idea that Matsuri's energy was motivated by a boy. That might have influenced her opinion a tad differently.

After chatting with his cheerful student for fifteen minutes, Temari finally arrived. Matsuri noted out loud how the woman's manicure matched her blood-red dress, "And can I get an armor breastplate too?" Matsuri turned to her teacher curiously, seeing the practical and fashionable use of such outerwear.

"Sure. Return after two more successful missions, and then you can get fitted for one at the armory." Gaara told the girl, "And of course, follow every order that Temari gives you."

"I will!"

"Gaara, I'll send a message to you after we reach the Tide Village." The blonde woman established, "Kankuro will give me his updates and connect me with other officials." She smiled, "I bet Tazuna will be happy to see me."

"Let's hope so…"

"Take it easy." Temari advised smugly, "I'll have everything under control."

He nodded, anxious that she might just be right about that. He bade his sister and student farewell and then they were off. Gaara completed any remaining paperwork and then sat in silence, staring catatonically at the wall of his office.

Maybe now was a good time to write reply messages to Naruto and Haku?

'I don't feel like it.'

Maybe he could take an hour break and try that Biju-chakra training he ought to get around to?

'I don't feel like doing that either…'

But he knew what he did feel like doing for an hour.

Gaara rose from his seat and exited the office, heading to the narrow, emergency-exit staircase to the roof of the building. And there beneath the unyielding desert sun, suspended between two radio antenna poles, was his trusty nap hammock. It was one thing he was still grateful to Kankuro for.

He got comfortable in the hammock and then folded his hands on his chest. Sand crept up in a small half-dome to provide some shade for the young man, and Gaara allowed himself to drift.

His muscles gradually relaxed. In his pre-sleep minutes, slipping away from consciousness, Gaara thought of the letters his friends had sent him.

'If I do allow Haku to stay here as one of my Black Ops…I am going to keep him on a short leash. A tight regimen. I'll make sure he's so exhausted after every mission that he won't have the energy to utter Temari's name…' The thought made him feel better, even if he was pretty sure he would fail to enforce the strategy.

'And Naruto is still troubled by the Nine-Tailed Fox.' He wasn't exactly sure how to relate. Gaara hardly ever paid much attention to Shukaku, and when he did meditate he purposefully avoided contact with the Biju. For curiosity's sake, Gaara felt that now was as good a time as any to visit the giant, grumbling tanuki that dwelled within.

Behind closed eyelids, he came to see the huge chamber that housed his sandy resident. An enormous, wooden cube of bars kept the tanuki imprisoned, with not even a smidge of space for the creature to unfurl its long tail. Surrounding the cage was a shallow plane of water, only a few inches deep. Ripples raced as Gaara walked up to the prison, calm and inquisitive.

What are you doing here?Feral, golden eyes shifted to look down at the visitor, surprised.

"I had time to stop by."

How very considerate of you.

"I'm trying." Gaara folded his arms, and after several moments of staring at the beast, he spoke again, "I don't have much reason to talk to you at all. I dislike you. The beginning of my life was a travesty because of your manipulation."

I had to pass the time somehow. Besides, your improved seal has hardly given you reason to complain these past few years. The tanuki scowled, Today, you are my manipulator. Two wrongs don't make a right, or so they say. Now I am the one abused!

"And you feel that you don't deserve it?"

I NEVER HAVE! The biju roared, Never, in my whole life, did I do something to deserve this! Getting locked up! Treated like property! The Sand Village made me what I am when they threw me in a dungeon never to see the light of day. The only company I've kept were the miserable shinobi they used as sacrifices, and they too were treated worse than cattle…

Gaara blinked, latching on to the detail, "You can sympathize with your jailors?"

It was easier to sympathize with them than with anyone else. Most of them were fools…but the priest wasn't so bad.

"A priest?"

Bunpuku, the old one. He took the time to get to know me, at least.

"I suppose by comparison I'm dreadful."

Waggling its tail to get comfortable, the biju sat to face Gaara while they conversed, Not dreadful. Just young. Young and foolish.

Gaara's smirk was comprised of shock and appreciation.

What are you smiling about?

"You're not as bad as I remember."

Are you sure? I would still kill every man, woman and child in this village if I had the chance! They've had it coming. It's the pound of flesh I demand for how I was treated!

"Punishing people now will not be proper retribution for those who have wronged you in the past." Gaara pointed out, "The only person who really wanted to use you was my father. The council and all of the other villagers…would prefer not to wield you as weapon. Doing so has never improved the condition of Suna, and none of us expect it to."

The tanuki was amused; Maybe you aren't so foolish after all. But truly, what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to feel? Someone's head needs to roll for what was done to me!

"You need a better outlet than senseless killing." Gaara recommended.

You enjoy killing people too, Gaara.

"You made it pleasurable. It was tempting. But often…I would only try to kill those who threatened innocent people."

If I don't kill…then what in the world do you expect me to do? Shukaku growled, It's all I've ever been used for. That's all I know.

Gaara conceded with folded arms, "That's a good question."

Indeed it is.

"Well then," The young man postulated, "I should not be the one to tell you how to live. But if you could choose anything that would not harm another…what would you want to do with your time? If I set you free right now on oath not to kill, what seems right to you?"

The biju did not answer. It stared at Gaara incredulously, as if he had been asked an impossible math question.

'Perhaps I overwhelmed him?' Gaara wondered.

I would…The tanuki hesitated, closing his eyes in an expression of authentic nostalgia, I would go home.

"Where is your home?"

I used to live in a nest on the side of Mount Daisen, near the sand dunes…and sometimes Kokuo would visit me. We were good friends, once.

"Kokuo?"

The tailed beast, Kokuo, you nincompoop! The Five-Tailed, you would say. Odd looking fellow, but very smart.

It was Gaara's turn to stare in dumbfoundment. The tanuki began to laugh merrily at the sight of Gaara's face.

"And so…when you are referred to as Shukaku…that is your name? Your given name?" Gaara verified.

The name I was given at birth! It has been tossed around so carelessly that people forgot to address me by name! They treated it like a title! Clueless pups. It was synonymous with 'monster' after a while, but that's just what my father called me.

Gaara scrambled to recollect what Sakura had shared about her investigation in the Star Village, "Your father…the Sage of the Six Paths." At least, that's what he recalled his girlfriend saying.

Yes. So you aren't stupid after all. How did you learn about him?

"Sakura."

Shukaku grinned, I will thank her.

"You will do no such thing." Gaara warned.

But she already knows about me! We should be introduced.

"So…if you were all given names at birth…what is the Nine-Tailed Fox called?" Gaara asked, curious about Naruto's inhabitant.

Shukaku sneered, That arrogant, overinflated, vulpine sack of shit is named Kurama! And I definitely need to kill him.

Gaara was intrigued, "Why is that?"

I hate him! He acts like he's the strongest and always puts me down for my single tail. If I blew his head off then he wouldn't be so quick to patronize!

Gaara came closer to the prison, his nose a hair's breadth away from the wooden bars. It had never occurred to him that the One-Tailed tanuki could have relationships with its biju brethren, or have any type of complexity at all. It was the first time that his proximity to Shukaku was not dangerous. The pot-bellied tanuki regarded him without an ounce of contempt; rather, he just continued to complain about how intolerable the Nine-Tailed Fox was.

And with his full attention Gaara listened, nodding from time to time.

At one point, Shukaku snapped out of his moody rant and looked up, finally noticing that Gaara had gotten comfortable on top of the wooden cage, Huh…when did you get up there?

"At about the part where you were insisting you could prove all Biju have the same potential power."

Ah, that's right. Well that's what I think, for whatever my opinion is worth. So what if Kurama has eight more tails than me? Give me a clean shot! I'll win.

"Have you ever met in battle before?"

No. Tragically.

"Would you like to?" Gaara teased.

Sure I would! But when is that ever going to happen?

"Naruto is the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, and I highly doubt he would turn down a contest of strength if I challenged him." The young Kazekage mused, cross-legged above the biju, "That might be a suitable opportunity for you. I'd like to see if your theory is correct."

Quick! Invite that kid over here!

"I have some projects to finish for now, but you can trust that I have every intention of testing myself against him." Gaara assured the beast, "However…I often wonder if I'd be a match. I've been quite lax…and Naruto has not stopped training since he left Konoha. He might make a fool out of me with his jutsu."

Is that so? A rumbling growl shook the cage; You really believe that twerp and Kurama would win?

"If I am fighting on my own, I don't expect to." He clarified, "With your help, I at least stand a chance."

The tanuki furrowed its brow up at his visitor, suspicious, You're only trying to bait me…you just want my chakra.

"I want to be able to rely on you, just as I hope you will try to rely on me."

What do I need your help for?

Gaara shut his eyes for a moment, "I think…maybe the time is nearing for you to go home. If the Akatsuki are stopped…and when my life is over…there is no reason for you to be held captive in Suna. I promise to let you return to your former life."

Shukaku blinked in surprise, Do you mean that?

"I do." He nodded, "And I apologize…I had no idea that you had a place to call your own and live in peace. There seems to be a general lack of education when it comes to Tailed Beasts…and it's regrettable. As Kazekage, I want to do as much good as possible…and there is no reason for me to not extend that resolution to you as well, provided that you aren't trampling us all."

Well, I've thought about it. Shukaku admitted, But maybe I need to forget it. He then added,Though that doesn't make up for how shitty I feel! I hope you know!

"I know."

And your plan won't mean a damn thing if the Akatsuki are still around…they'll just be waiting at my doorstep.

"They are an issue that many nations are trying to deal with. Believe me; I would not in good conscience send you anywhere knowing they would have an opportunity to take you."

Hmm. The tanuki mulled it over for a few beats, In that case…thanks.

Gaara shrugged, "It's what any decent person would do."

If that's true then I haven't met many. Shukaku supposed, But you…are like Bunpuku. But you're free! You're lucky they don't keep you locked up. You have a much better chance of making changes.

"Thanks, I think."

Now about that fight with the Fox and his wee little container…Shukaku smiled devilishly again, You have a point. That boy might whip you good if you've been slacking like you say, but we can count on one thing…

"What's that?"

That Kurama won't help him! Count on it. He is prideful and reluctant to help anyone but himself! There's the key. The crafty tanuki spun his plan, rubbing his paws together, He won't expect to meet you in battle and watch you flood with every last drop of my chakra! I'll light you on fire! I won't hold back and I won't regret watching that rotten Fox's face as he gets pulverized. He'll never see it coming!

Stupefied, Gaara looked down at the excited, cheering beast below, "What…are you talking about? I'm not sure I-"

Do I need to spell it out for you? I'll give you all of my strength! Ha ha! Kurama might think I'm too proud to do it, but dammit I will!

"All of it?" He was actually a little frightened by the proposition, "That might be excessive."

Exactly. It's excessive. You'll win in a heartbeat! He laughed again before acknowledging, But it might be rough. You will need to practice, Gaara. Harnessing my full power won't be easy.

"It was on my to-do list."

Put it at the top! You need to work hard! I'm no cake-walk. Shukaku warned, But…I think I can trust you. I think I might even like you.

"I'm flattered."

You should be. I don't like a lot of people, but I probably like more people than Kurama does. A stingy jerk like him is far too set in his ways…and if I see that you end up sucking or acting like an idiot, He rattled his cage, I'll rue having had this conversation with you. I will stick it to you if you let me down, mark my words!

"Marked."

Ha! Good. The tanuki folded his thick arms and nodded, I feel…kind of happy. How strange is that? It's been so long. Usually I only get excited while torturing or eating souls.

"It's not that strange. Bonds are supposed to feel good."

That must explain why you go to such lengths to make friends and all that junk.

"You have solved the riddle." Gaara commended him.

Sometimes I can figure those out. Oh! I can't wait to rearrange that damn Fox's face… He looked up at Gaara again, And getting to go home…that'll be glorious. I really hope you mean it. I hope this isn't lip-service just to get me on your side.

"It really isn't." The young man guaranteed, "Whatever is necessary: classes, legislation, meet-and-greets…I will see it done."

What is: meet-and-greet?

"Introducing people to you at public meetings. They need to see that the only reason they are afraid is because they don't understand."

How am I supposed to meet a bunch of teeny humans?

"I'll let you out and you can take over." Gaara was casual about it, "You've done it before."

Yeah, but that was when I was laying waste to your beloved Leaf Village.

"Do you think I would keep my promise if you did something like that again?"

Of course not.

"Right. Then you simply need to sit still. Talk to them if you want." He laughed quietly to himself, "You are surprisingly talkative."

The only time the other biju took me seriously was when I argued with them. I had to get good at it.

"I understand that feeling." Gaara agreed, thinking of the village council.

Hey, do you know how long you've been asleep for?

"I'm asleep?" Gaara was baffled.

You are. Our link is always stronger when you're asleep. It's been two hours. You're late!

With a lunge, Gaara dove straight from his rendezvous with Shukaku back into the conscious world. He got tangled in the hammock and flipped, falling face-first onto the warm stone roof of the building. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear the internal laughter of the tailed beast observing his graceful awakening. The conversation had exceeded his one-hour break from office work and was probably creating a traffic-jam of appointments downstairs.

Gaara stood up and brushed himself off irritably, 'Thanks for the warning…'

You're welcome. Get to work, you slouch.

---

The following day in the early afternoon, Temari and her rallied group of veteran ninja were making good time towards the Land of Waves. Matsuri was unstoppably chipper the whole time.

They had cut through the southern portion of the Land of Rivers by way of a new trade road. By the end of the next day, Temari estimated her unit would be crossing the Great Naruto Bridge from the mainland to the island. 'I still can't believe that's what it's called.'

The Sand coalition stopped for lunch at the top of a forested cliff near the crest of a waterfall. Every shinobi hunkered down in the grass and on logs to unpack their meals. While Matsuri passed out water rations to older ninja (except for one Black Ops representative, who was her age) Temari stole away to a grove of pine trees for some peace and quiet.

'Alright. There's probably no harm in reading this. It's just ink and paper. Meaningless.' The woman told herself as she inspected her correspondence, 'And when I'm done I can toss it over that waterfall…'

She got comfortable on the smooth face of a boulder and nibbled at her lunch, letting her eyes scan over the message:

Temari,

Please do not feel obligated to reply back to this, and after reading please do not feel obligated to think of me any differently than you have for the last year.

I hardly know where to begin.

Currently, I am sitting in the tea house of the man who saved my life when I was a small child. Hiroshi was the merchant who implored Jiraiya-sensei to bring me, Naruto, and Gaara to the safety of the Leaf Village. I pass the time here in-between training with Momochi Zabuza and searching for my clan. Unfortunately, it's more of the former than the latter. At the moment, I have not come across much evidence that could point me towards the clan I am descended of.

More and more, everything you last said to me has proven true. My chances of successfully locating others with the Hyoton are much slimmer than I had originally thought. I am alone with a barbarian who obsesses over the recapturing of Kirigakure. And I have also gravely hurt the people who have the only right in the world to be called my family. You told me so, and you probably are not thrilled for me to acknowledge it now. My failure and isolation is deserved.

I know that I should be protecting Gaara and Naruto. It should be my highest priority. Even when I know what is important, I somehow find a way to defer these things in favor of selfish pursuits. The same way I left you that day, I knew that it was you who was substantially more precious than any clan or relative I might meet. I left anyway, foolishly thinking I could make it a short trip, and yet more foolish than that; believing that I could still be loved after your abandonment. It only makes sense that I be shed and forgotten, because I did not give you what was so plainly owed. Your hatred is justified, and what's more, I would have reacted no differently if I had been in your place.

What a wretched and sickening character flaw; in which I have so many people that I love, and that I consistently and unfailingly distance myself from them. Would I be any stronger, wiser, or worldlier had I stayed by your side as opposed to training here? Would it matter? I truly doubt I've chosen the best option. While I reflect on it, I can only conclude that no matter how much you or Gaara may resent me, it can never compare to how much I hate myself.

I left you in pain. I was stupid to think that you would recover the way Naruto and Gaara did. That you would be able to manage. My friends were well prepared for our separation, but you were anticipating the opposite. It was a cruel and thoughtless thing to do to you, Temari.

And what I did may not deserve to be forgiven. How could I believe that there was ever a reason good enough to leave behind the people I love? In the same way that I helped our Retrieval Team try to deter Sasuke, I too should have been stopped. I likely would have seen the error of my ways the next day if you had all tackled me. But there's no use in speculation now.

I want to be someone better than I am. On the surface I might seem pleasant and sincere, but I have hidden jealousy, hopelessness, selfishness and hate. All of these feelings have been intensified in me while I have stayed here, making me even more certain that I can improve when I stand by my friends once again.

If Gaara allows it, I will stay with him as a guard in Sunagakure, when all of this foolishness is behind me. And there need be nothing more than that. We shouldn't speak, and I will stay out of sight whenever you are near. All the respect that you deserved from me I will pay many times over, and if it can only be from the shadows, I will always be devoted to your happiness in life. To tell you that I am sorry scarcely approaches the magnitude of what I really mean, but it will have to do.

I love you.

Haku

After reaching the end Temari popped a rice-and-mackerel roll in her mouth, chewing ferociously. The scroll slipped from her hand, bounced off her leg and then dropped into the wild forest grass. It had not been what she was expecting. She stood and stared thoughtlessly into the tangle of conifers ahead of her, and for a second wondered if what she had read could be erased from her mind. Her chin dropped and she helped herself to another roll.

To her great consternation, Temari noticed the tears that had welled in her eyes and left two warm trails down her cheeks as she ate. Nearly nothing and no one could evoke such a reaction from her.

Temari swallowed the last of her lunch and then let out a sound of profound discomfort. She picked up the scroll and shut it, stowing it away again in her belt. Perhaps words truly were the greatest weapon of all, she supposed.

Leaving her stone seat, Temari traipsed slowly through the forest grass until she entered a wider clearing. She believed there was no point in cleaving the pines apart during her next order of business. She reached for her fan, poised to snap it open, and then hesitated when she was prepared to toss her correspondence into the air and shred it. Temari held the scroll firmly, frowning. She wanted to destroy it. She wanted to not believe what she had read.

Cursing her inability to cut the heart-sundering message apart, Temari jogged over to the cliff-edge of the mountain, where the river they had camped near cascaded down into clear falls. She could hurl it with all of her might and then regret no more. She pulled her arm back and then stopped again. With wide, anguished eyes, Temari began to accept that even if she did dispose of Haku's letter; his meaning had successfully reached her. It could not be undone.

She wanted to see something fly off of the ledge, so she kicked a pinecone down to its doom.

Temari stowed the letter back into her belt with a sigh and returned to where she had left her lunchbox. It was an exercise in futility. She had been foolish enough to read it, and so, logically, she ought to expect consequences.

'What does he want me to do? Forgive him? Forget him? Kick his ass?' She debated furiously, 'The only thing that he really got across by writing all of that…was saying that I was right.' Temari slowly smirked in satisfaction, 'I. Was. Right.' The validation did kind of feel good, but her smile faded and she began to cry quietly again. She used to weep into her mother's lap as a small girl, overwhelmed with childish worries, but after Karura's death Temari had hardened.

Now her heart had learned to ache again. Haku's admission couldn't reverse their suffering. All it did was acknowledge it.

"Temari-sama?"

The woman jumped a little and wiped her face, turning to find Matsuri. The young kunoichi pushed past the skirt-like pine branches in her way and then touched Temari's back, immediately empathetic, "Are you feeling alright?"

She chuckled, recovering, "Now I am."

"You look like you've been crying!"

Temari cleared her throat, "Herm! Well…sometimes you have to cry. You don't have to let anyone see, but I was taught to feel how I feel and not deny it. I just want to keep my dignity."

"I see. Did someone say something to you?" Matsuri was curious as they returned to the riverside camp.

"Don't worry about it," Temari have her companion a small smile, "I'm going to be fine." She looked ahead with a sigh, "As soon as I get to that beach…I will be totally fine…"

---

After another day of traveling, Temari and her company of Sand shinobi had crossed from the mainland into the Land of Waves. The Great Naruto Bridge was a bit congested that morning: two groups of tourists had blocked the center of the causeway for photographs. They were eventually herded aside.

From the corner of her eye, Temari noticed Matsuri quaking beside her as they approached the Sand Training Program barracks. The girl was fit to burst from excitement. The woman smiled to herself, pleased that the younger kunoichi had something to look forward to. Matsuri's happiness was slowly drawing her out of her own melancholic funk.

When they rounded the corner past the perimeter fence they found themselves a skip and a jump away from Kankuro. He was having an animated discussion with teenage Tide students in the yard outside of the Jounin Station. Temari noticed that his face paint was looking particularly tribal. He noticed their presence and glanced over his shoulder with a grin, "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes!"

"And a sore ass, because I know Gaara kicked yours." She snarked.

"He did," Kankuro confirmed as he walked up to them, "But I guess that just means that you're next, Big Sis."

"Keep dreaming." Temari put a hand on her hip, "I plan on running a tight ship around here."

"You do that," He turned to the young shinobi with him, "Everyone, this is my sister, Temari. She is going to be the Jounin in charge after I leave. Please, do not piss her off." Kankuro added, "Temari, these are the top students from the training program. Most of them are projected to test at Chunin level or higher."

She raised her eyebrows, "Not too shabby."

Matsuri quickly skimmed the dozen of students circled around Kankuro but could find neither hide nor hair of Menma. She did not see Inari either, but she was less surprised about that.

While Temari was giving orders to the arriving coalition behind her, Matsuri stole a moment to speak to Kankuro, "Kankuro-sama! I hope you're doing well."

"I'm better now. How are you, kid?"

"I'm fine." Her smile proved it, "Do you know where Menma is?"

"I do, actually. He works a day job until 4:00. He joins the practice drills in the evening," Kankuro smirked, "But he doesn't really have to. He's also considered the top of the class, if not the top, but technically he isn't from Tide. Tazuna said he wants him to be an official shinobi of this village."

"Really?" She squeaked, "That's amazing!"

"Yeah, I bet that makes you happy."

"So…he's working right now?"

"He should be. That kid's dirt poor and he told me he's trying to afford his own place." Kankuro shrugged, "I told Tazuna about his situation and I think they're going to arrange something for him."

"Good! Where can I find him this afternoon?"

"Hm…I think it's a shop on the Main Avenue, but I'm not sure. We'll find out later." He motioned for her to follow as Temari and the Sand veterans moved towards the common area for an assembly, "Let's get Temari set up for now. It'll be nice to have Tazuna breathing down someone else's neck for a change."

There was an hour and a half long session held by Kankuro and other program advisors to get the new Sand group up to speed. They covered important topics, security measures and goals before meeting up with Inari, who was once again the certified tour guide for the Tide Village. He walked them through the important parts of the (rebuilt) village and pointed out training fields and facilities they could use later.

Matsuri fell in step beside the boy as he shepherded the Sand ninja along.

"Does your grandpa pay you for this job?" She teased.

"Minimum wage." He grumbled, "It's okay though. Grandpa says being this up-close-and-personal with experienced ninja is a good way to learn."

"He's right. You're the first person they'll be talking to."

"So how did your missions go? I heard Gaara told you to go home to get work done too."

"I finished them quickly," Matsuri had to substitute a word for light speed, because she had been hell-bent on getting back to Tide, "I try to make Sensei proud."

"I can tell that you do. I'm trying really hard to make my grandpa proud." Inari brightened as they marched closer to the Academy, "Menma has been my tutor since the whole Shin clan thing, and I think my jutsu are way better now. He said he'll even teach me Sound Ninjutsu, maybe sometime next week!"

Matsuri was beaming, "He's so generous."

"Yeah, and you know…" Inari smiled mischievously, "He's always talking about you."

She blushed.

"He said he couldn't wait for you to come back! Menma swears up and down that you turned his whole life around! Heh heh! That guy's a pushover!"

"I wanted to see him too." Matsuri conceded quietly.

"That's obvious. You weren't gone for very long…" He folded his arms behind his head, "So are you two, like, in love or something?"

"I…I…" She blinked rapidly, trying to wrap her head around it, "I don't know."

"Well Menma really likes you. I'm a dude, so I can tell just by how he acts and talks." Inari stated matter-of-factly, "He's in love and he goes to all of the romantic cafés and pagodas and stuff to get ideas…I've seen him do it."

"Really?"

"Sure have!"

She risked a hopeful smile, "I like him a lot too…and I am so happy that Menma has a home now. I hope that I'll have more opportunities to visit this place."

"Sunagakure isn't very far away. You can probably come by if Gaara lets you."

"I think he tries to stall me from doing so, but I've been keeping up with my assignments." Matsuri observed happily, "Sensei will get used to it."

"Yup. Hey, check this out!" Inari gestured to the Academy yard they were passing through, "Kids always want to play here now because they know there was a ninja battle here!"

"Who knew that would bring good publicity?"

"Only because no one died, I figure." He supposed, "And the best students are idolized these days! Menma is the most popular. Lots of girls give him presents and stuff."

"Oh?" Her face dropped.

"Don't worry! You're his angel," Inari teased, "I don't think he cares about all of them. He works pretty hard and I think he's a cool guy. I like him as much as I liked Naruto's team."

"Gaara-sensei's teammates." She nodded in understanding, "I look forward to meeting them someday. He's very fond of them."

Shouting interrupted their conversation. The pair stopped at the target practice lawn and the crowd of touring Sand veterans behind them halted as well. They watched as Tazuna got into a verbal altercation with one of the newer student tutors: the visiting Mist ninja named Utakata. Matsuri remembered the handsome man from when he had assisted her and Menma in Ongakare's takedown.

Tazuna was seething in a low voice, "Now you listen up! If I catch you berating another student I'll-!"

Utakata's expression was skeptical, "You'll what?"

"I'll fire you." The old man hissed, "Who's gonna hire a jerk like you around here? I'm the only crazy person who thought it was worth a try! You can forget about living in the Tide Village if you don't have any money!"

"Oooh, I am terrified." He rolled his eyes, "And I wasn't berating anyone."

"I just caught you yelling at a student. We've warned you several times to go easy on them! This isn't like that shit-hole Mist Village that you knew."

"Of course it isn't, but why aren't students held to the same standard? How many times do I have to tell them not to refer to me as their sensei? That child wasn't getting the message."

"That's all he did?"

"I find the term offensive." Utakata clarified.

Inari shared a puzzled glance with Matsuri.

"You…" Tazuna shook with outrage, "You are a goddamn basket-case! It's just a word! A respectful one! He called you sensei by mistake; so what? See that kid over there?" He pointed to a spiky-haired student in a hoodie, "He tells me I'm an ugly old man, but do I let that offend me?"

Utakata silently stared at Tazuna, frowning as he listened.

"No! It's because he's a stupid little turd! Kids say things that are gonna piss us off sometimes and you need to shrug it off, man. If you have Mommy-issues, Daddy-issues or Sensei-issues then check 'em at the door. I already paid you so you better do your job, dammit!"

The innocent Sand ninja congregation stood at the edge of the yard and watched as the Mist ninja huffed, folding his arms.

"I will," Utakata lowered his voice, "But you tell them not to call me that…or I'm as good as gone."

"I won't cry about it." Tazuna growled.

Utakata stalked over to a screened porch and the bright-eyed Academy bunch with him followed. They were hoping to learn how to use Water Clones before the Mist shinobi lost patience with them. The tutors always taught better techniques than Academy teachers.

Tazuna turned around and heaved a cleansing sigh. He then motioned for the Sand ninja to approach, "Sorry about that…I've got a new pain in the ass to argue with."

"It's okay, Grandpa." Inari assured him, "He'll come around."

"I'm not holding my breath for that, kiddo, but it's good to see fresh faces." He cracked a smile, "I see Matsuri is back with some mature-looking folks!"

Matsuri gave Tazuna a friendly wave before slinking away with Inari. Kankuro stepped forward with his sister and introduced her to Tazuna. They chatted cordially before bringing Tazuna into the fold of veteran ninja who were glancing around curiously. Tazuna gawked at the 13-year-old Black Ops lieutenant who bowed politely to him. While the adults mingled, Inari and Matsuri hit the road again.

"I don't have class today! Want to stop at the beach?" The boy suggested.

"Maybe not yet…I'm a little tired from traveling."

"Let's go to my house, then. Mom will make us something to eat and then you can nap or whatever."

She warmed up to the idea, "I'd like that."

And after an early-afternoon meal with Tsunami, as she fawned over Matsuri and told nostalgic stories, the Sand kunoichi relaxed. She would report back to Temari by evening, so she allowed herself to get cozy on a lounge chair and dozed off on maritime pillows while Inari and his mother hung laundry to dry.

Matsuri awoke a few hours later, unsure if she had dreamed or not. She was feeling refreshed. She popped into the sitting room and found Inari and Tsunami practicing calligraphy together.

"Thank you so much for the meal, Tsunami-san. And for letting me sleep on your couch…"

"Not at all, dear! Is it time for you to go?"

"Yes. I wanted to find Menma before I check in with Temari-sama."

"Tell him I say Hi!" Inari grinned.

Nodding jovially, she was off again. The sun was sinking in the sky as Matsuri wound her way off of a suburban road to the Main Avenue of the city. The street was long and still had some scaffolding from rebuilding projects. She had many places to check before she might find Menma's workplace. Matsuri began the tedious poke-ins and questioning of employees.

Most people didn't even know who she was talking about, but she found she had more luck with the youngsters.

"Menma? Yeah, he's my favorite tutor at school!" An orange-haired boy insisted at a book shop, "He'll be on the left side of the street at the Bubble Tea Café! I hope you find him!"

"Thank you!" Matsuri pressed on quickly descended upon the eatery. The bustle of customers was somewhat distracting and so she decided to sit down and be approached by the wait staff.

A pretty girl in an apron came up to her with a notepad, "Good afternoon! What can I get for you?"

"I might order something in a few minutes. I'm actually looking for someone who works here."

"Oh! You're a shinobi!" The waitress deduced by spying her hitai-ate, "Who can I find for you?"

"I wanted to speak to Menma. Can you tell me if he's here?"

"Sure I can tell you! He's my boyfriend after all!" The girl tittered, "He left work already and was going home. I'll find him for you tomorrow if you want. Was this for official Tide Village business?"

Matsuri's mouth hung open in horror.

"Um…are you okay, Miss Kunoichi?"

"I…I have to go." She stood up in a fog and scuttled off, "T-Thank you."

The waitress didn't have a moment to reply before the shop's door shut with a bell jingle.

---

The world around her swirled; the details of buildings and townspeople blurred together and burned with color like an expressionist painting. Matsuri struggled to keep calm as she hustled towards the Suna Training Program barracks. Luckily, as she passed through the vestibule into the Jounin Station lobby, Temari's sharp eyes caught her.

"Hey, Matsuri! Where have you been? I wanted to-" The woman paused, "What happened?"

Matsuri tried to speak but an 'eep' sound passed her lips. Her eyes watered and she covered her face with her hands, shaken up. Temari looped an arm around her shoulders and directed her to a break room where Kankuro and Baki were having tea. She gently sat the girl down in an empty chair.

"What happened, Matsuri?" Temari asked again.

The girl lacked the ability to speak and wept quietly.

Kankuro and Baki looked at the small kunoichi with great concern. Kankuro crossed over to her and with a rare amount of compassion, patted her head, "What's the matter, kid? Is it an emergency? I can get to Gaara if-"

She shook her head 'no' vigorously.

"Okay…" He held his chin in his hand, trying to devise a solution, "You're upset. Let's play charades if it's too hard to talk. Temari's pretty good at guessing."

The blonde woman gave him an irritated look.

"Come on! We need to figure it out." Kankuro demanded.

Exhaling, Temari put a hand on Matsuri's shoulder, "You can just nod 'yes' or 'no' and we'll ask you about it. First, did someone injure you?"

Matsuri indicated no.

"Did someone get injured?" Temari ventured.

No again.

"Did someone say something to you?" Kankuro asked.

She nodded yes.

"Did it criticize you?" Temari added.

No.

"Was it about someone else?" Kankuro wondered.

Matsuri nodded yes.

"Who?" The brother and sister asked.

With great effort, Matsuri moved her hands from her face and pantomimed an instrument near her lips.

"Menma!" Kankuro immediately understood, clarifying off-handedly to Temari, "He's a former shinobi from the Shin clan who plays music. Tazuna employs him now and Matsuri likes him a lot."

"Got it." The woman noted.

"What happened? Is he okay?" Kankuro asked, "I just saw him this morning!"

"He's…alright…" Matsuri attempted to speak, "But he…he has…"

"He has a what?" Kankuro pressed.

"A girlfriend." Temari guessed.

Matsuri broke down into sobs again.

Kankuro gave a dubious look to his sister while Baki shook his head from the table.

"No way!" The puppeteer roared, "I'll kill that kid! He was a total puppy around you…so then he goes and finds another girl? Gaara will-!"

Temari silenced him with a glare and Kankuro stopped. She lifted Matsuri up, steadying her on her feet, and then spoke softly, "Come with me. You can tell me more about it before I go to the next meeting."

Matsuri nodded weakly.

Turning to Kankuro, Temari whispered, "You already know how timid and emotional this girl is. You can't rub it in, you dope! I'll look after her and then get back to the committee when I can. You and Baki should return to Suna."

"But what about-?"

"Don't. Do not tell Gaara." Temari warned him, "That's just another lawsuit waiting to happen…"

---

That same Spring evening, within the secure forests of the Leaf Village, Tenten walked towards a training area that Hayate had designated. The girl recollected a pleasant visit to Hayate and Yugao's home earlier that day.

At the time, Hayate had stepped out to drop something off at the Jounin Standby Station, thus leaving Tenten alone with the ANBU veteran.

Yugao smiled at Tenten from across a low table, "Is my husband bothering you yet?"

"Yes." Tenten deadpanned, "I can't believe you married him."

"We planned to get married for a while. He acts differently around me." She explained, "But I know how he is around other people. He tends to be short and direct."

"Oh. I would call it uncaring."

Yugao laughed as she arranged flowers in a vase and nodded, "You could say that."

"I remember that he wasn't always like this. He used to be a lot nicer when Dad was alive."

"He misses his Master very much. I recall what Hayate was like back then…" The woman agreed, "That's when I fell in love with him, while he was still training to become a Jounin. I was already with the Black Ops. He was a Kenjutsu instructor I visited often. He stopped me one night at the footbridge and said he heard a rumor that I liked him."

Tenten chuckled, "Huh. So he listened to those?"

"Once. I told him it was true…" Yugao grinned, "And then he confessed that it wasn't a rumor. He said he just wanted to find out before risking his heart. Of course, I had been teasing him for days beforehand…and then we dated after that."

Tenten blew a strand of hair out of her face, disenchanted with the story.

"Don't you have a romantic bone in your body, young lady?" Yugao chided.

"If I did, they're all broken these days." Tenten supposed.

"How awful."

"How does a nice woman like you get into the ANBU?" She wondered, genuinely perplexed.

Unabashed, Yugao explained, "I was invited by the Third. I used my talent to assassinate people since I was your age. I may be nice, but I was very good at what I did. I take great pride in serving the Hokage."

That declaration made Tenten smile, "I like you twice as much now."

"I like you too, Tenten. If Hayate ever wears you out, please stop by and visit me on my days off. We can talk about whatever you want. I'll also braid your hair and do your nails."

"Are you serious?" It was a glittering offer.

"As a heart attack."

Tenten laughed quietly to herself. The upside to training with Hayate would most assuredly be spending time with Yugao. She wouldn't tell him that and risk ruining it, though.

She had been disappointed that Hayate told her she would be training at night. It wasn't quite sunset, for now, but Tenten was a bit apprehensive of the possibility of being ambushed in the dark. She had noticed that Hayate dueled unfairly at times. He liked to jump out of blind spots and see if she could parry his sword, and if she didn't, he would hold it an inch above her face to mock her.

'He wouldn't catch me off-guard if Neji was watching my back!' She thought bitterly.

Just about the only thing she appreciated so far, of the dozens of lessons he had imparted so far, was a subtle difference in sword types she had never noticed. He had talked about it as soon as she arrived at the glade. His introduction to Shadow Clones and fortifying her chakra reserves, in the days past, had left Tenten looking like a dopey child. Sword theory was less of a struggle.

"What kind of swords do ninja use?" Hayate asked her.

She frowned in confusion, "Um…all kinds?"

"What a brilliant answer." He scoffed, "No. Forget about the exotic. Forget about zanbato. I am talking basic sword. What kind of a sword do most ninja use?"

"Well…the standard issue straight blades." Tenten yielded in annoyance.

"There. You got it. Chokuto, commonly called Ninjato: a straight sword that's typically 48cm, give or take." Hayate told her in a textbook-reading voice, "Now tell me, what sword do you have there?"

Quizzical, Tenten unsheathed the sword Hok at her back and examined it. Straight, well-maintained, with an ornate brass hilt and red tassel. It looked like a standard straight sword, but she figured that wasn't the correct answer judging by how impatient Hayate was getting.

"It's straight. And it's probably 48cm, maybe less," She groused, estimating the length, "You obviously don't want me to say it's Ninjato. What do you want me to call it Hayate? My grandmother?"

"The sword you're holding is the grandmother of all modern swords. It's called jian. It's the prototype that shinobi received as an import from the Kingdom of Han, but that was a damn long time ago," Hayate expounded, "Jian aren't quite the same as what ninja use. They are smaller and faster. Rare these days…"

"Why does it matter?" Tenten ground out, "Are you going to teach me something or not? The sword that you use is standard Ninjato, so why point out the difference?"

"Because…what you have there is much better suited for your dad's techniques. Your mother and father used jian because it's been passed down in that clan since…" He shrugged, "Shishou also used dao, which you won't be taught."

"That's a curved blade." She recognized the sword type, "And why not? I'm good at just about everything!"

"You are good at everything, but now you need to get amazing at just a few techniques. Specialization will protect you. Trust me." He retorted, "Dao are heavy and only have one sharp edge. They're good for chopping. Your dad used them to counter jian, but like I said, you don't seem 'em much anymore."

"I get it."

"Good." Hayate walked over to the open grass, away from the training posts, "Hok is a great sword. It has a good reputation. It'll work for the Dance of the Crescent Moon."

"So that explains why I've been working on Shadow Clones." She observed, aware of her father's specialty, "But why can't I use any weapon I want? It's my jutsu. I should do it my way."

"Don't ruin a good thing." He warned her, "That technique needs you to move fast. To be accurate. Not every weapon affords you that. The whole point of it is to stab your enemy and bring them down before they can find a way to counter you." He strolled near a large pond, "So before we get into technical positioning and how you're supposed to attack…let's go over Shadow Clones again."

"You've been killing me this week. I feel like I've got no chakra left."

"That is complete exaggeration. You've got plenty. You're just feeling the burn as you build up reserves."

With a reluctant hand sign Tenten produced two Shadow Clones. They stood on either side of her and did not look very enthusiastic.

"Your chakra control is spot-on," Hayate praised her, "That's a relief. That means we're getting somewhere."

"Are you teaching me yet?" She prodded.

Hayate drew his sword and in the same motion, as he leapt to be silhouetted by the setting sun, two of his own clones materialized and dove down with him. The afterimages that accompanied them made her eyes untrustworthy. Taken by surprise, Tenten defended herself from a sword strike and hollered in rage when her clones were cleaved apart. Hayate and his replications stopped and he pointed out what had occurred, "I'm teaching you. You just saw me produce clones while I was attacking you. Think you can do that?"

"I don't know how."

"Let's review." He came closer and showed her the hand sign for the technique, "When we mold the correct amount of chakra with the appropriate seal…we often let go and let the jutsu commence. Your Shadow Clones appear just as soon as you spend your chakra, no?"

"Yes, but that's how jutsu work!"

"No. That's not how they work. You can control the timing with channeling. With some focus, you can halt that clone from materializing so that you're in position with a sword, and then let it join you when you move in." Hayate explained, "There's no time to form seals when your hands are full. It's critical that you get the timing right, otherwise you're not fooling anyone."

"Huh. Now it's making more sense," She conceded, "So I need to work on delaying my jutsu like you do?"

"Yes. You can get it with a bit of practice…but the Dance you'll find much harder."

Tenten smirked, "Then I'll feel really good when I put people down with it. Gai-sensei said that hard work makes victory sweeter."

"He's not wrong about that."

"Show me that channeling crap one more time! I can do it!" She leaned in to watch Hayate form the seal. He leapt away to show off, his hands free, and then two Shadow Clones 'popped' into being beside him several seconds later.

"That will really be useful…" She muttered.

Hayate dismissed his replications with a serious expression, "Then let's get to it."

---

Lee and Neji had an atypical week together.

For the sake of bettering their skills, as well as finding a way to pass the time (Tsunade had reduced mission activity by 70 percent), they had divided their training hours between Gai and Wong Leung. Gai had been very understanding. As a matter of fact, he had been positively enthralled to hear that Lee and Neji were endeavoring under the same master. Gai and Lee had only cried excitedly about it for a few minutes before Neji insisted they get back to work.

And it was work. It was terrible work. Wong Leung had saddled the bothof them with identical Wushu training regimens. Lee had anticipated it would be strenuous, for he had heard stories about how Wushu exercises were often synonymous with torture. It was a prerequisite Wong had demanded before they begin the specifics of Baguazhang, and in Lee's case, an appropriate introduction to Drunken Boxing.

At about noon, when the two boys had parted from Gai at their training field, they met Wong near Lee's house and were immediately told to run around the perimeter of the Hidden Leaf Village. Lee was accustomed to such a request, but Neji dragged a few paces behind while they jogged. Upon meeting with Wong again at the end of the run, the old man snorted and told them to run again in the opposite direction.

Slightly troubled, Lee agreed and relayed the message to Neji. The Hyuga heir cursed under his breath and they took off again.

With the completion of the second lap, starved for air, the boys stopped in front of Wong once again. The grandfather had four 15-gallon pails filled to the brim with water. He instructed them to stand in the grassy field by the stream and hold the buckets up until he returned for them.

As they outstretched their arms, desperately trying not to fold from the excruciating weight, Neji thought about why he was willing to participate in this hogwash. 'Lee has done exercises like these occasionally at Gai's request.' He felt it would unnecessarily damage his pride if he too did not make the attempt to survive silly training tactics, 'But this is still utter foolishness…'

About an hour or more later, Lee had puffed through labored breaths that maybe his grandfather was a tad malicious. Neji glared in response.

Wong Leung dropped by with a newspaper tucked under his arm and clucked his tongue at them, Lift those arms up! You too, Lee! Do you want me to make you start over?

No! Lee hollered.

Good. Ten more minutes with those arms straight. Then we'll move on. He took a seat on an overturned milk crate and began reading his newspaper.

It was a long ten minutes until they were permitted to set down the pails and rest their quaking arms. Wong dove directly into the next exercise, marching downstream with them towards the local distillery. A long brick wall lined the back of the brewing plant and they halted, listening as Wong explained, Shinobi are stiff. They are also bad listeners. Wushu requires flexibility and awareness. I am only putting you through what is expected of eight-year-olds in our homeland.

Is that true, Grandpa? Lee was dubious.

From the beginning of their education and into adulthood, disciples of Wushu will train this way. It fortifies values over strength, not strength over values…like how you ninja prioritize…the balance of mind and body is never quite right in these lands. Wong stood in front of Neji, meeting his eyes; My masters told me that limitations, much like desire, grow within the mind. This training will release them. It will unburden you.

"Grandpa says that limitations exist only in the mind. This training will unburden us, and that all Wushu disciples are taught to balance the mind and body." Lee recapped to Neji.

"The balance of physical and mental energy is a fundamental principal of Ninjutsu. We know this already." Neji retorted.

Wong understood what the Hyuga heir had said, Ninjutsu is a product of Ninshu: the way that shinobi understand themselves, others and energy. In my homeland all of these things were conceptualized by Tao. Virtue comes before all else. You will learn, Kitten.

Grandpa, his name is Neji.

I know. The old man replied with a small smile. Then he turned to the wall of the distillery in a near hand-stand and balanced on the crown of his head, hands at his sides, leaning the heels of his feet on the brick above. He spoke to Lee who was blinking in shock at him, I have seen you walk on your hands around this village, Lee. Your head must be as strong. I am confident you can do this. Your mousefart friend probably can too…

With an inaudible growl, Neji got the gist of what was next. He and Lee mimicked the precarious balancing stunt and held still. Wong rolled to his feet easily and dusted his jacket off, adding; Stay like that for three hours.

Three hours?!

This is basic, Lee! No complaints! What I teach is no joke, surely you know. I will fetch you for supper afterwards.

Wong walked off and left them to test their endurance.

"How long will this take?" Neji asked with a hint of concern. The blood was rushing to his head in a distressing manner.

"Three hours."

"Charming man..." His sarcasm had barbed-wire attitude in it.

This regimen repeated for several days. A few additional exercises were included periodically, such as: slapping basins of water with their bare hands for hours, balancing on their heads in a variety of positions, sweeping sidewalks, balancing on each other, and Neji's favorite…four hours on top of Tsunade's likeness at the Hokage monument. He and Lee were made to stand on the stone head, crouched in a seated squat on one foot with hands folded in prayer. He conceded that the view of the village was so pristine it was nearly worth it. Lee agreed.

Wong was happy to prepare meals for them and watch as the chopsticks slipped from their hands. Water-slapping was an ancient way to build stamina, and he had thought it wise to task them with it each day. The pain had made eating food a terrible challenge, but the old man let the boys take their time.

Gai was a little disturbed by the methods employed by Lee's grandfather, but when Lee assured him the results would be worth it the man relaxed. The training hours with their sensei were by far much easier, and the rare D-Ranked mission provided welcome distraction.

One morning late in the week, Lee had reported to Gai that Neji had taken the morning to train at the Hyuga compound. Naturally, Gai was fine with the request. He confided in Lee that he was feeling much better about Tenten's absence now that he and Neji had become so close.

"Not as close as Neji was to Tenten." Lee contended, "But I do believe that Neji trusts me more! What you told me seems to be working, Gai-sensei!"

"Like I said, Lee, all you had to do was be there." The man grinned, "Neji values the friendships he has. I knew he could depend on you."

They practiced wielding nunchaku together after the conversation. To Lee's happy amazement, Gai later procured the three-section staff that Tenten had left at the field before her removal. Lee recalled how she had proudly demonstrated its use to Gai before letting him have it. The boy wiped at his eyes, realizing he had gotten choked up at the thought of her.

"It's alright, Lee!" His sensei assured him, "I was glad that she forgot this! It feels like Tenten never left."

Lee sniveled, trying to get a grip, "I just worry that she will…she will not-"

"I won't tolerate negative thoughts from you!" Gai thundered while swinging the sectional staff at his student and the force could have beheaded the boy.

With a yelp, Lee blocked the strike with his nunchaku, and the two darted around with their weaponry, imagining what Tenten's commentary would be.

---

The Hyuga estate was tranquil early that morning. Neji had discovered an odd thing had occurred while working on Wushu prerequisites with Lee the day before.

He had accidentally cut a broom in half.

He and his teammate looked at the wooden debris on the sidewalk in true bewilderment. Shards of the instrument drifted down from Neji's hand to the pavement, where the tattered brush head was splayed.

Lee gave him a curious look, "That was not intentional?"

"Not at all." Neji admitted.

Lee picked up the top section of the severed tool, "It does not look like you crushed it. Look here! It's a clean split."

Neji shrugged.

"You were very focused. You have been performing well with our forms today."

"I was trying not to fall unconscious and take a spill off of the Hokage monument."

"Well, yes…" His friend noted, "But your chakra cut this broom in half. Remarkable."

"I wasn't trying to."

"Can you do it again?" Lee wondered.

Neji frowned. He had no idea.

The next logical step in understanding his unintentionally destructive skill was to inquire with his clan, Neji decided. He had asked his uncle if there was any reason he should be able to cleave things apart, or if Jyukken was related to this ability.

"Quite a while ago, I had tested you and your cousins with chakra paper. I was curious about your elemental affinities." Hiashi reminded him, "You are a Wind Type, Neji. That is why you can do these things."

The boy was wide-eyed.

The clan head continued, "I'm not surprised. Hinata expresses her Water Nature often. I spar with her now and again to check her progress."

"Hinata-sama developed that skill on her own; however…I am not so sure where to start with my affinity." Neji acknowledged, "What do you recommend, Uncle?"

"I suggest you learn more with a friend of mine. He is a Wind Type like you. I don't have much advice to give you, considering that I am a Water Type, like my daughters." Hiashi explained, "Go to the Pebble Yard near the Branch House and wait a few minutes. I will send Hideyasu."

Neji's stomach flipped. The prospect of training with Hikune's father seemed awkward, in spite of Hideyasu's forgiving disposition. Yet he did as he was asked and went to a small courtyard filled corner to corner with beige stones.

At the center of the plot was a strange installment. It looked like a clothesline suspended between two poles, almost shoulder-high, but it was only large enough to hang two or three garments at best. Neji assumed it was not for laundry. He examined it more closely.

A spool of thin, braided rope was wound up on a small wheel. It appeared to have been drawn out time and again and fitted to the adjacent pole through a tie-loop, maybe because earlier segments had been cut away. Neji had an inkling of what the purpose of the line was.

Hideyasu greeted him merrily from a nearby porch and strolled out to join him, "Neji! You've been out for a week! The Hyuga clan missed you. Welcome back, young man."

"Good morning, Hideyasu-san." He was heartened by the man's unrelenting kindness.

"So! Hiashi-sama reached me with news that you are expressing a Wind Nature," The veteran ninja smiled, "That is special stuff. Hardly anyone in our clan taps into such internal talent. It takes years of disciplined training…"

"I have had my fill of disciplined training in six days." Neji announced.

Hideyasu was inquisitive, "Oh? Is that where you've been?"

"Training with a Wushu master." He confirmed.

"Holy smokes…" The man breathed, "That kind of teacher will run you ragged."

"He has."

"Your hands look awful."

"I'm aware." Neji sighed.

"Well! The silver lining to that training is that it helped you tap into your elemental orientation." Hideyasu determined, "How about we refine it a bit more?" He pointed to the suspended string, "This is an absorption rope. Its properties are similar to chakra paper but it's a bit less sensitive. Focus chakra into this and it will assist you in expressing your elemental Nature."

"I suspected as much." Neji stood in front of the line and grasped it in a closed fist. He plunged chakra into it, flooding the whole length of the cable. It remained inert. He backed away in confusion. Maybe that had been too much?

"Nature Transformation is a whimsical thing." Hideyasu mused, placing two fingers on the rope, "We all have one elemental type that comes naturally to us…and yet we are all equally capable of mastering the five elemental natures. At times, it is easier to learn a new jutsu than it is to 'feel' our own latent Nature. You might pick up the Fireball Jutsu faster than you would feel the Wind in your veins…but who knows?"

The rope snapped. Hideyasu chuckled, "A little bit can go a long way. Balance is of dire importance here. Though you told me you're getting a hard lesson in balance through Wushu."

"Indeed."

"Try again. Breathe slowly." The man added, "It might help if you try to sense your energy flow directly from tenketsu and outward, moving through your coils. The Hyuga have an advantage with respect to monitoring chakra, while others frequently focus it in their hands to feel it." Hideyasu pulled a new piece of rope free and secured it, "Go ahead, Neji."

It was a stunningly simple piece of advice. With his eyes closed, Neji calmly laid two fingers on the rope, detecting the miniscule rush that faintly echoed in his own chakra. The subtlety of his own Nature had become more and more apparent to him. It was a sensation he had recalled experiencing earlier during moments of Wong Leung's ridiculous training.

"Well done!" Hideyasu laughed.

Neji blinked at his accomplishment. He had snapped the rope.

"Phew! Not bad at all for a genius…" The man praised him, re-stringing the absorption rope, "Try once more and I'll see if you've really got it."

With two hands and serene focus, Neji immediately snapped the string at both ends.

"That answers that question." Hideyasu conceded.

"I know the feeling now." Neji shared his take on it, "And I know that I have felt this several times before, but I never understood."

He was clapped on the back when Hideyasu spoke, "You are naturally intuitive. It's amazing. Truly, the only thing that bars you from many of your intrinsic abilities is probably that you don't know what they are yet," The man chuckled, "Very good, Neji. Even Hikune needed a week before he could express his Lightning Nature in that rope."

The Hyuga heir wilted, still mildly discouraged by his older cousin's death.

"Now, now, don't fret. My son did his best and he always made me proud," He took a few steps away from the Nature detection tool, "I don't hold anything against you, Neji. I don't hold you accountable in any way for what happened. The honest fact is…I believe you are a worthy choice as a successor of the Hyuga…far more worthy than me or my children. Hiashi chose well."

"Thank you, Hideyasu-san." He answered quietly.

"And I miss Hizashi just about every time I look at you." Hideyasu went on, "I knew that he never deserved the Branch. No one does…but I had wished that he and Hiashi had both belonged to the Main House. He had such good taste in food…and he never gave up. He was the quintessential shinobi who shined with honor." He shut his eyes and relived a memory, "He would have had a fit if he got to see how talented you are now, Neji. Whenever he was happy he would raise his voice and-"

Neji made a sweeping motion with his hands, remembering how his father could get excited.

"Exactly!" Hideyasu nodded, "That's what he did. He would just flap and run his mouth! Very excitable…" He hitched the string up again.

Neji chuckled, amused by the description. For quite a while, it had been difficult to remember his father and feel happy. It was getting easier.

"Hm…maybe we should have an application of Nature Transformation. What do you say?" Hideyasu volunteered, taking a Jyukken stance, "I bet you'll get this too."

Neji took a pace back and beheld as the man dashed forward for a traditional Gentle Fist strike, combining his Wind affinity as the chakra exited his palm and then, in an odd instance, slashed at the two poles. It cut everything to smithereens. He had not expected it either.

"Damn." Hideyasu reached down and lifted the scarred rope-wheel from the gravel, "We'll need to replace it again. Technically we don't use combined techniques on this tool because…well…it's too much. I knew better so it's on my wallet."

"I should take aim at something that won't be missed." Neji gathered.

"Right. That is a courtesy. You and I could hack our house apart if we horsed around with Wind Transformation…"

They left the devastated absorption rope behind and ventured towards a thicket of woods behind the building. Hideyasu surmised that Hiashi probably wouldn't care if they wrecked things beyond the well-manicured grounds. It took about a dozen earnest attempts before Neji had the proper feel for combining Wind Nature with a Jyukken slap, but when he did get it right he had leveled a sizeable oak.

While Hideyasu commended him and dawdled in the background, Neji was poised to strike again at the yawning, shady woods. He had worked on his Air Palm while Tenten had been away, and since it was a functioning technique at last he was sorely tempted to flood it with his elemental affinity. He should have warned Hideyasu first.

Neji lunged, skidded over twigs and grass, and then let the customary 'canon' of chakra barrel free from his hands, dripping the Wind Transformation into it like a meddlesome scientist, and watched in fright as the flying bolt of energy (now beyond his control) swirled into an unstoppable gust…and cut everything.

Hideyasu swallowed a howl of bewilderment as the dense woodland was decimated and reduced to woodchips.

"That…was not advisable." The man said after a minute of staring, "It's all compost now. Imagine if that was the house…oh my…"

"I apologize. I didn't think that…" Neji frowned, "That would be the result."

"Now that you know, you mustn't aim such a technique at anyone you care about…or anyone you might be incarcerated for chopping to bits." The man warned, "There's no way to stop it. You're wielding more power than you realize, young man."

And so, at Hideyasu's behest, he promptly removed himself from the Hyuga grounds for safety purposes.

---

Lee and Gai were impressed with Neji's Nature Transformation, but after seeing a demonstration of it they both opted to stand as far back as possible. Gai also suggested that Neji give fair warning when his Wind Release was going to be used and, of course, "Not to bring such cataclysm down on your comrades." Neji promised he wouldn't.

When noon rolled around and training with Gai was wrapping up, the man pulled Neji aside, "Ah, Neji, I need to ask a favor of you."

He gave his mentor his full attention.

"I had intended to make this request of Tenten; however that is no longer possible." Gai went on, "Lee has been excelling with melee weapons but cannot tote a repertoire of them on missions…as you already know," He gently cited Lee's inability to use Ninjutsu, "I wished to ask Tenten to seal his preferred tools in a scroll on Lee's behalf, but I expect that you can accomplish this."

"I can." Neji volunteered. It was a skill he very sparingly used (since Tenten had that base covered) but he understood that Gai wanted to afford Lee every opportunity to be a successful shinobi, even if that mean relying on teammates for certain things.

Gai thanked him and handed over a few types of nunchaku as well as the three-section staff. Neji dropped the items off at the Hyuga estate before joining Lee and his grandfather for training.

They were instructed to begin balancing on the Hokage monument and then run three laps around the village. Once that is done, Wong Leung said to Lee, We will approach our family's style of Drunken Boxing.

It was something to look forward to, Lee figured. He gave Neji fair warning, fully aware that if the consumption of alcohol was involved, there was the possibility of mayhem.

The boys completed their assigned tasks with less difficulty than days past, and then met with Wong again. The old man strolled with his arms behind his back and had them follow him downtown. They arrived at the ethnic quarter of the Leaf Village, which had ostensive Han dominance with regards to shops, eateries and services.

Wong pointed to a bench and intonated to Neji, Have a seat.

Neji didn't need to know what Wong had said to get that he was out of the picture for now. The Hyuga sat down and watched as the old man circled his grandson expectantly. Without warning, he reached up and pinched Lee's earlobe in a vice-like grip. Howling with pain, Lee bent backwards as Wong pulled and then abruptly released him.

You have excellent flexibility. Wong commented.

Lee protested while rubbing his ear, Grandpa, I would have done that if you had asked me to.

Some things cannot be demanded with words. Your honest reaction is the only truth I will concern myself with. The old man retorted, Zui Chuan has been taught in our family for hundreds of years, passed down from my mother's side. Drunken Boxing is an advanced style of Wushu that requires you to be soft and heavy. You are naturally acrobatic, Lee, and so I always knew that you could obtain this ability.

I will not need to drink anything, will I? Lee asked, stealing a glance at Neji, Neji and Tenten have had to stop me from-

Zui Chuan is best used when sober. I am sure your skills manifest quickly when your inhibitions are lower, dear boy, but make no mistake! This style is an imitation of a drunkard's movements, and its complexity is lost when the user is inebriated. The results are pitiful! I've seen it. You will not imbibe on my watch while you are still underage. I have respect for our laws.

Lee privately found that tidbit surprising. Wong was okay with crushing their heads and hands, but would corroborate that he was a law-abiding citizen. Lee wasn't about to argue with him.

Neji was essentially tuned out of the conversation as he observed Wong Leung exhibit fundamental forms of Drunken Boxing to Lee. The movements were outlandish and absurd: staggering steps from side to side, hobbling, flopping limbs, bending and splits with the occasional somersault. He could admit that he would never have the ability to perform such stunts the way Lee could, but he certainly didn't want to. He was appreciative that Lee wasn't stinking drunk while attempting the exercises. It would have escalated the danger level.

But mixed in with frivolous movements were strikes with truly horrifying momentum and tenacity. Wong dislodged a towering power pole from the ground with a flapping-knuckle strike and then replaced it with a swing of his foot, secure in the ground again, and rolled around bizarrely as he did so. Lee seemed to have the hang of it from the get-go, but was getting the formalities from his grandfather.

Wong appeared to have gotten into how to manipulate the environment and use common objects offensively. A shop owner simply smiled without complaint as Wong borrowed a wok from a sale stand and showed how it could be used as a shield…or a blunt force object to incapacitate someone. Lee took many mental notes.

Two hours passed as they perused the ethnic quarter of town and practiced with Neji as a spectator. Two or three times Wong Leung asked Neji to attack Lee to test his evasion. Neji had barely skimmed his teammate with a Jyukken strike, but wasn't shocked that Lee was capable of avoiding him. When Wong was satisfied he pointed to a picnic table and made Neji sit out again.

As the afternoon wore on, nosy patrons of the local shops lingered to watch Lee and his grandfather shillyshally about. Their reactions were mostly positive. Neji was even offered some tea (no charge) while he waited at a table but he politely declined. Another store owner began speaking to him in Hanwen, presuming he was privy like Wong Leung and Lee were, but again, Neji respectfully clarified that he couldn't understand.

"Oh? That's fine. Sorry that I just assumed!" The mustached man was contrite, "Why don't you invite your friend and the Master for lunch? My diner is serving a crab special today!"

And so Neji relayed the message to Lee who parlayed with Wong and then got a confirming nod of the head that they would love to drop by. Shortly thereafter, the consensus was that lunch was delicious…and that woks were just weapons in disguise.

---

Another week passed and the training intensified on those warm spring days.

Wong divided up his attention between Neji and Lee evenly, and the boys kept pace as the demands of their training changed. Wong had eventually necessitated that they wear short-sleeved shirts and martial arts slippers he provided (with correct sizes) because he felt that their "shinobi appearances" distracted him too much. Neji reluctantly complied and Lee enthusiastically obliged. Lee refused when Wong asked if he would grow his hair out in a braid again. There were just some things that couldn't be negotiated.

Early one morning at the team training field, Gai apologized for being required on a two-man cell with Kakashi. The boys had no complaints about it, and a short time later reported to the Hokage's office after Gai stated that they had been summoned.

Tsunade regarded their outfits with an interested gaze, "Working hard, gentlemen?"

Neji grunted and Lee nodded fervently, "Yes, Hokage-sama! My grandfather's lessons are grueling!"

"Superb." She smiled, "I have a C-Rank mission set aside for the two of you. This will be the first one I've assigned you beyond Leaf Village limits, with regards to the investigation, but it is extremely simple. You're more than capable."

"What does it entail, Tsunade-sama?" Neji made an effort to extend an olive branch.

"All it requires is that you-" She fumbled over her words as she looked at the open doorway. An older man with a cane stood there in silence before Tsunade acknowledged him, "Good morning, Danzo."

"Good morning, my lady." He entered and Neji and Lee stepped aside dutifully, "May I interject?"

She had bristled for half a second but remained calm, "I suppose. I can continue this mission briefing after you tell me how I can help you."

"No need. As it so happens, I am here on behalf of these two Genin. This regards the hold put on the students of Team 13 and a policy about three-man cells. I wish to discuss it with you now. Their presence is permissible."

Lee inclined his head very slightly towards Neji, and their eyes reflected the same question as to what relevance this newcomer had. They listened in silence as Tsunade tried to steer the situation.

"Then let's discuss it." She invited, "It is my opinion that these two young shinobi have more than enough combined skill, intelligence, and fortitude to handle the mission I've selected. As Hokage, I personally vouch that two team members is all that will be required." Tsunade folded her arms, "And I would like to know what concern it is of yours what Hyuga Neji and Rock Lee are doing in the next 72 hours."

"It is of direct concern. You have tasked my division, as you have several other Black Ops platoons, with increased security measures. A two-man cell comprised of ninja below Jounin level is contradictory to a mandate you authorized twelve days ago. To make an exception would be inexcusable and jeopardize young Leaf ninja." Danzo countered, "To resolve this matter, I will cover the disparity on Team 13 with one of my own shinobi. It will assure that this team is in compliance with mission standards."

Her eyes were sharp, "Don't trouble yourself. I will summon one of their peers to join them."

"A summons isn't necessary. For the sake of saving time, let me take this opportunity to introduce you to my subordinate. He's waiting outside." Danzo added respectfully, and on cue, a pale young man stepped into the office, "This is Sai. His age and skill level will be sufficient in balancing this team."

Neji and Lee took stock of the shinobi who had been presented. He was ghostly white with dark hair and eyes, and his outfit was well-tailored save for the crop top that exposed a chiseled midriff. It was off-putting, at least in Neji's opinion. Lee didn't seem to find it obnoxious and Neji read the small, nonverbal signals coming from his teammate. He had learned to interpret Lee in a whole new way.

Sai bowed, "Please allow me to join this team for now, Hokage-sama. I will do my best."

Tsunade arched a blonde eyebrow critically, "I would expect no less." Her eyes fell on Neji and Lee, "In this case…I should abide by compliance regulations. I apologize for not having foresight on this matter, however," She smiled, "Please know that I have the utmost confidence in you, Neji and Lee." Turning to Sai, she added, "And I imagine that Sai won't hinder you in completing your mission objective."

Neji found it reassuring that the Hokage was so vocal about her support of them. He had four-fifths of the way forgiven her for sundering his team, and was, for the most part, content with the Hokage again.

Danzo waited on the side of the room as Tsunade provided the three boys with mission details and expectations. She then whisked them along so they could leave immediately.

After the team had exited her office, Tsunade frowned at the old man, "Your timing is impeccable."

"For good reason. You nearly sent two 'watch-listed' Genin into gray area territory, where there is still no confirmation that Dintei Bihokokuni's servants are not hiding in wait. Until the ANBU Black Ops complete monitoring of those regions, it is foolish to put those boys in harm's way, and moreover, at such a disadvantage." Danzo criticized, "The Hokage should know this."

Tsunade's hands fisted in her lap, "They are by no means disadvantaged." She cocked her head angrily, "And as the administrator of the Root organization, that danger you just described to me…that is exactly what your association should be diffusing on a daily basis. My ANBU are working exceptionally hard. From what I gather, the Root should have snuffed out Bi's faction long ago." The Hokage added icily, "It's been ten years of hunting and you have nothing to show for it, Danzo."

"Root ANBU have perished at Bihokokuni's hands as many have…ten years of loss can cause setbacks." Danzo replied evenly, "That man is one of the craftiest ninja outside of the Fire Country. Underestimating our village's plight will not do."

"I have not underestimated anything."

"That is a relief to hear. So tell me, have you submitted a framework for the next Chunin Selection Exam to the council? I wish to be sure that security standards are satisfactory." The old man inquired.

Grudgingly, she replied, "I have not yet done so."

"I have submitted one already. You can review a copy if you wish and determine if you would like to adopt it or make changes." Danzo offered, "Your advisors have agreed with me that it is in the best interest of the village if the next selection process is not conducted as a bi-annual exam."

"Why in the world not?" Tsunade asked, appalled, "It affords many trainees their chance to advance!"

"Put simply, a bi-annual exam is what threatened our village previously. It was discovered that Orochimaru infiltrated the Leaf Village and learned of weaknesses during the first exam, making sure to strike those weak points and attack during the second exam." Danzo explained, "The council will value eliminating this possibility, aware that both Orochimaru and Bihokokuni seek to subvert Konohagakure whenever possible. A singular exam will remedy this conundrum."

"I don't want to deny any Genin their chance to be promoted." She reminded him.

"I will bring you a copy of the framework. Make your changes, Hokage-sama. But please, for the safety of the village, let us prevent our enemies from repeating their strategy."

Tsunade thought to herself that it would explain how Orochimaru and his Sound and Sand compatriots had entered undetected during the Chunin Exam Invasion. He had more than likely stalked the first exam so that he could pounce on the second one, aware of the bi-annual tradition.

"Very well." She submitted to the stipulation, "One exam it is, then. However, I would like to add a new feature. I will present it to you and the council at the next committee meeting."

"Of course."

"Now that all of that is settled," Tsunade sighed softly, "Is there anything else we should catch up on?"

"One small matter." Danzo acknowledged, "With your blessing, I would like to interview Takaharu's child."

"What is the purpose of such an interview?"

"She is called Tenten, no? I examined the file. She can make a potentially excellent addition to the Root organization."

Tsunade smiled, "No. A hundred times no." She added, "Will that be all?"

"That is all, Hokage-sama."

"Lovely. Please shut the door behind you."

Even after Danzo had taken his leave, the hair on the back of Tsunade's neck was on end. It was unfathomable how her sensei had ever put up with such a spider of a man.

She only had about a half an hour to herself, stamping documents and reading memos, before the door of her office blew open forcibly. Shouting was coming from the hallway. Tsunade beheld in hushed confusion as Inuzuka Tsume stormed inside.

The woman marched up to the desk and slammed a scroll down on the Hokage's desk with a clawed hand. Her chest was puffing, probably because she had run out of air from screaming in fury. Tsunade blinked at her rapidly. The women regarded each other before the Hokage asked, "Tsume? Are you well?"

"No. I'm not." She gnashed her teeth, "I just wanted you to have a look at that scroll so you could see why I am about to commit murder!"

"Oh." Tsunade picked it up amicably, "Let's have a look."

Kiba and Sakura ran into the office a moment later, having hoped to stop Tsume from destroying doors and sections of walls. The administrative building was in need of a tune-up anyway. The teammates hovered anxiously while Tsunade skimmed over the message. She determined that it was from Nichiyo, Tsume's husband.

The gist was that he was apologizing and that he was leaving once again. He had known of his condition prior to returning to Konoha, and had been seeking a matching donor for months. He was overjoyed that his son was compatible. He was glad he could catch up with his daughter, and was more or less unaffected by his time with Tsume. Nichiyo explained that he could not stay because he already had a new wife in the Tea Country and had to take care of their 14-month old child…

"Oh." Tsunade said.

"With your leave, I will now go and track him. I'm debating where to sink my teeth in to make him bleed the most." Tsume growled, "That man stole Kiba's health! He took advantage to save his own life! He took advantage of my son and I am going to make him pay for it!"

Tsunade held up a hand, remaining the rational figure, "Take a moment, please. Before I allow you to go anywhere, I will assign you a team. And recall: Nichiyo only had that transplant a few weeks ago…but bone marrow recipients typically need 100 days or more to recover properly. Wherever he went he may have collapsed on the way. You ought to check local hospitals because I imagine you might find him travelling clinic to clinic. He's not fit enough to escape."

"Get me that team. Pronto." Tsume said lowly. She stalked away to find more things she could crush with her hands.

"My goodness." Tsunade sighed, turning to Sakura and Kiba, "I must be a therapist or something. Oh and, Kiba," She was empathetic, "I'm sorry about this."

"I'm coping." He said with a weary smile, "Mom definitely took it worse than I did. I'm sorry that she was so rude."

"I'll overlook it. This is a terrible offense." Tsunade remarked to her apprentice, "Sakura, go with Kiba and make sure that woman doesn't take off. I need to throw a team together on short notice…"

"Yes, Shishou!" The pink haired girl was energetic.

After dismissal she and Kiba walked down the hallway quietly as Akamaru led them along Tsume's scent trail. Sakura patted Kiba's back in silence.

"It's okay, Sakura."

"Is it? He did a horrible thing to you and your family."

"I know he did, but…" He shrugged, "I won't miss him. Not this time. I have you and Tama and Kakashi-sensei." Kiba smiled slightly, "And I know all of you aren't going anywhere."

---

With an hour break to collect travel supplies, Neji made sure to seal the weapons Gai had donated for Lee into a summoning scroll. He would rather be over-prepared than to regret. He then arrived at the village gate to wait for Lee, and five minutes after Lee turned up, Sai hopped down from a rooftop to meet with them.

"So your name is Sai?" Lee verified, "I overheard it in the office."

"That is my codename." Sai nodded, "In Root we do not have real names."

"You're from Root?" Neji asked. He simpered and looked away. It was just their luck that a culture-less sociopath ninja would be assigned as Tenten's replacement.

"Yes. And you are…" Sai pursed his lips slightly as he assessed Neji's appearance, "You are Ladyhair."

Neji took offense. He gave an extra-strength scowl to the blithering idiot who wanted to incorporate nicknames into this sad mix.

"And you should be…" Sai made a strange effort to smile, "Superbrows."

"Actually," Lee corrected innocently, "My name is Rock Lee! And this is my teammate, Hyuga Neji."

"Nicknames are a good way to solidify friendships." Sai repeated what soundedlike a tutorial quote, "I know your real names, but I will refer to you by nickname."

"It is in your best interest not to use nicknames, and do not expect any friendships to begin on this mission. You've gone about it the wrong way." Neji advised.

They had set out down the road leading away from the village.

"You need only be open-minded, Ladyhair." Sai chided.

That was when Neji knew for certain that Sai was a victim of the precise malady that the Mokuton Black Ops shinobi had described. Root was not a wholesome environment and Neji had been warned. Sai was a product of a dysfunctional organization. Neji could grasp Sai's unfortunate upbringing, but he still hated him. Unequivocally.

With the hope of easing tension, Lee suggested, "If you insist on using nicknames, perhaps we should give one to you?"

"Imbecile suits him." Neji proposed.

Lee backtracked, realizing where it was headed, "Um…well then…how about no nicknames? Sai-san, please make a conscious effort to refer to us by our given names."

"Okay, Superbrows."

There were deaf ears and then there were socially deaf ears. Sai had a set of the latter.

Lee valiantly began the politest argument in the history of the world as Neji recapped the mission's parameters in his head, tuning the chatter out.

Tsunade had given Neji a map with up-to-date cartography of the Fire Country. She had instructed them to take it to a cabin outpost used by Leaf ninja where they would find a second identical map tacked up on a cork board. If they laid their map over the wall-map, a special ink would seep through the paper and mark points of interest. The data could not be transferred or seen in any way other than map to map contact. That way the Hokage could have recent intel and leave the original atlas where her scouts could mark it while out on the range.

That was about all she was willing to share. Neji didn't know exactly how important the marked geographical locations were or what their significance was, but he had a gut feeling that Jounin and Black Ops shinobi were probably using it to track the movements of a "target of interest." Or it was just Tsunade's sneaky way of pinpointing new gambling houses. Both were viable.

The cabin was about 41 miles away due east from Konoha. If Sai continued being a nuisance, Neji imagined that it could take a day or two to complete their task.

They circumvented the village limits through the forest and then took to the treetops on an easterly route. Neji stayed at the front and for brief intervals used his Byakugan to be sure the way was clear. At one point while he faced forward, Neji glimpsed Sai giving him a most unsettling look. It was a stare of contemplation aimed at the back of his head. As if Sai desired to slice into his neck with that tanto on his back…

Neji halted. The moment he turned around to address the menacing expression, Sai had slipped back into character. He smiled blithely while talking to Lee, who was too friendly to detect wickedness at times.

"Why did we stop?" Lee asked him.

"We didn't arrange a bathroom break. Take one now before we move farther out." Neji suggested conveniently.

Sai had no need to go, and so Neji and Lee moved several yards away to find denser underbrush. With his back to his teammate, Neji said quietly, "I don't trust this person."

"Sai?" Lee asked over his shoulder.

"My impression of him…leads me to believe that he knows more about us than we think. He may even know the location we are going to."

"That is merely conjecture." Lee reminded him, "It is far too early for us to be suspicious of him."

"It isn't too early." Neji disagreed, "Watch him closely, Lee."

Lee's face revealed that he fully believed Neji and had taken the caution to heart. He nodded, finished his business and then they returned to the thicket Sai was waiting in.

They moved on and set a fast pace with Neji at the lead. Lee was mindful of Neji's warning, but he asked Sai questions while they traveled.

"I do not know much about this foundation called Root. What is it for?" Lee wondered.

"It is a subdivision of Black Ops shinobi under the command of Danzo-sama. Our first duty is to protect the Leaf Village no matter the cost." Sai revealed, "We do not participate on missions the way most ninja do, and Danzo-sama requires us to meet strict criteria."

"Of what sort?"

Sai smiled, "Can't say."

"Ah." Lee accepted the answer, "What is your rank in that organization?"

"Quite low. Root has different rankings than the ninja of the standard forces." He added, "I imagine I am close in skill level to you and Ladyhair."

"If you say that name again," Neji called over his shoulder back to them, "I will make you incapable of speech."

Sai kept smiling but he was beginning to get it. Neji was the no-nonsense type and would probably make good on his threats.

"Do you have a specialization? Neji and I are most skilled with Taijutsu." Lee continued.

"Ninjutsu." Sai answered simply.

"Hm, that is good…" The boy was thinking about it, "Maybe after our mission you might be interested in sparring with us? Springtime is an excellent season for new challenges!"

"Maybe we should."

"Can you also wield weaponry?" Lee inquired, citing the small sword at Sai's back.

"Just tanto. It's enough."

"Our teammate Tenten can handle any weapon with tremendous skill." Lee announced proudly, "I imagine you would have difficulty dueling her with a dagger…"

Sai smirked, "I would, but I rely more on my Super Beast Scroll. She would have difficulty with me."

"I have serious doubts about that." Lee replied innocuously.

"So do I."

Neji's ear was honed in on the conversation but he said nothing.

Lee went on, "I am certain that Tenten has gotten stronger while she has been away from us. She is one of my most hardworking friends!"

"Why isn't she with your team now? It's no good to slack off."

"The Hokage had her removed for safety purposes. An ongoing investigation has required that we be apart." He explained.

"If she were stronger maybe you wouldn't have to worry so much." Sai prodded.

"What a foolish thing to say…" Lee frowned, "You know, Sai-san…strength does not win every fight."

Neji felt vindicated by Lee's profound rebuttal and defense of Tenten, but it wasn't quite enough. He felt compelled to gouge Sai's eyes out and claim it was an honest accident. His willpower helped him maintain his course as Sai vexed Lee with injurious comments for the rest of the day.

---

By the dark of evening they stopped, having covered three quarters of the distance to their destination. They shared the responsibilities of making camp and a fire before settling down to eat packed meals. Lee had migrated back to Neji for conversation. He had grown weary of Sai's badgering and insensitive remarks.

"I know that it has been difficult for these two weeks, but…" Lee sighed quietly, "I miss Tenten so much now. I wish she was here. This replacement is abominable."

"Sai is not a replacement." Neji bit back sharply, "There could never be a replacement for her."

"True. There never could." Lee granted, "It seems as time wears on and she is not here…I will…just feel more and more sad."

Neji did not reply as he chewed a mouthful of rice. He was experiencing a feeling like that but far more intense. He wasn't sure how to talk about it.

Within a clearing between tall sycamores, Sai was settled farther away from the fire, propped up comfortably on a tree trunk. He was doodling contentedly in a sketchbook. He was also entirely unconcerned with Lee and Neji, for the time being.

"I am sure that you miss her." Lee wagered.

"I do."

"Did you ever…have that opportunity to see her?" Lee wondered, "I know I told you not to do it…but it would have been good for the both of you."

"I was unsuccessful." Neji admitted, "A member of the ANBU stopped me."

"Really?" Lee chirped.

"Yes. He was on assignment to prevent me from disobeying Tsunade. He chased me through town and the apartment building before subduing me," He reported with a hint of pride, "But for now I will heed his warning. He set me free without punishment."

"How unusual!"

"He was kind." Neji assured him, "I too found it unusual."

"Even if you had been caught later…would you have been happy to see Tenten?" Lee asked curiously.

"I would have."

"I know it would have made her happy as well." Lee nodded, finishing his dinner.

Neji stared at the fire and tried to let his mind go blank. It wasn't going so well. Mentioning Tenten had sparked memories of her that flashed through his mind like an old film reel. There was an acute ache somewhere in his ribcage, but Neji had felt it spread into his limbs and even manifest as a headache. Gradually, emotional suffering was starting to convert into physical suffering. How could the absence of one person do such a thing?

"Tenten has been my good friend since I was ten years old." Lee began anecdotally, "She was never cruel to me, as far as I can remember. Not always encouraging…but she understood me in ways that few others did."

Neji listened sidelong to his teammate in silence. Tenten had also understood him in ways that no one did. Lee had that privilege first.

"I was so relieved that she trained with you when we first became a team. It was frustrating to try to stand up to you." Lee chuckled softly, "And it was always preferable to work with Gai-sensei, no matter how tough the training was! You were worse."

"I apologize."

"There is no point in apologizing now, Neji." Lee told him, "You have changed."

"Sometimes I wonder if I have, or if it's all been in my head."

"You have changed." Lee insisted, "For the better."

"I didn't treat her well." Neji acknowledged.

"Tenten understood. She told me that she knew you were struggling even though you never said so. She has a way of collecting and interpreting subtle signals…"

"She does."

"At times, she needed to go above and beyond to help you, even if it hurt her." Lee added, "And on rare occasions, I had to do the same."

Neji knew it to be true but could not vocally confirm it. There were some things he was ashamed of and most of those things had to do with how wretched he was to his teammates in the past.

"But you can see all that she has done for you." Lee supposed.

Neji set his lunchbox down and nodded. Confiding in Lee was a strange but surprisingly safe thing to do. He was willing to let it happen so long as he didn't come across as ridiculously vulnerable.

"Recently…I noticed how you reached out to Tenten more often." His teammate ventured, "I was under the impression that you were not doing it as a friend."

That comment jostled him and Neji frowned, taking it as a jibe. These days he was a somewhat decent friend and he didn't want to hear otherwise.

Lee quickly amended, "What I mean is, I know how I talked to Tenten as a friend…but you approached things much differently. You hardly ever had boundaries like the ones she and I respect. These past few months you have been reducing them and I started to wonder…"

"Wonder what?" Neji rumbled.

"I wondered what it meant."

"What could it mean?" He said with a hint of acerbity, "That I improve as a person when Tenten is present. That's it. When she isn't around I become a certifiable desperado who aggravates the Hokage and everyone close to him. What indeed does it mean…"

"You could be in love."

For the first time in a while, Neji made eye contact with Lee. His initial intent was to demonstrate his typical irritation and maybe some denial, but he had likely slipped. There was that pesky vulnerability again, and even if Lee wasn't attacking it or capitalizing on it, Neji was very uncomfortable with it. The two had stopped speaking after that. Lee did not want to force the issue. Neji's disconsolate facial expression said enough.

A short time later, Lee somehow managed to fall asleep in a sleeping bag. Haunted, Neji stayed awake and stared; sometimes at the fire and sometimes at the vast dark in the surrounding woods. Late in the night, Sai stood up and crossed over to be close to the fire. It had gotten cold. He resumed his inkbrush sketches in the book.

"You're an artist." Neji observed.

"It's a hobby." Sai acknowledged after a moment, "Well…it is more of a way of life."

"Your techniques involve drawing." Neji guessed.

"They do. You are a clever one." Sai nodded.

Neji stole a glance down at the sketchbook and noted the cartoonish depiction of a young man, "Is that someone you know?"

"My brother." Sai told him, "I draw him so I can remember him."

"I wish I had better ways to remember the people I care about."

The new teammate blinked at him, making some rapid deductions before he said, "I didn't hear very much earlier…but I can tell that you miss the kunoichi of your team very much. You and Superbrows both do."

"We do. We no longer feel as strong or as formidable as we had been as a complete team." Neji tried to inject a lesson in human emotion into Sai, "Separate, we are much weaker. We are the best of friends made most powerful by our bonds."

"That is…" Sai trailed off in a faint voice, "Very impressive."

"It is to be envied. But our apparent strength is also our weakness," He drew inspiration from Wong's lessons, "That is how we can be sure that we are balanced."

Genuinely astonished, Sai looked at him as if he had experienced a eureka moment, "In Root…we are made to kill our emotions…but…" He shut his sketchbook, "Once I did…I always felt weaker on the inside."

"Your instincts don't lie. Shinobi cannot be an impartial force, no matter how hard they try. Our emotions are the most important guide that comes naturally to us." Neji concluded, "They can never be cut away."

Neji settled down to sleep and Sai stayed awake as a watch for the night. He would not have gotten any rest anyway. Everything he knew, at least from Neji and Lee's perspective, was utter horseshit. All along, the emotion-reduction training Sai had underwent in Root, that he had oft suspected of hampering him in some ways…it was most definitely not improving him.

A recovering grouch had confirmed that.

---

In the first rays of morning light, Neji awoke and saw that Lee was still asleep. The fire had burned down to cinders and Sai was missing. He used his Kekkei Genkai to get a grasp of the forest and spotted the Root ninja a few dozen yards away. Neji silently got to his feet and prowled out into the forest, keeping the Byakugan focused on his suspicious teammate.

He witnessed from afar as Sai crouched down and painted on a scroll, applying chakra, and his drawing of a rat came to life. It hopped off of the paper and squeaked up at its creator. Sai spoke quietly to it and then the rodent was off, scurrying into the twigs and bramble never to be seen again. Sai stood and stowed his tools.

"What were you doing?" Neji asked, coming up from behind him.

Sai smiled, "Just a restroom stop. I'm glad you didn't arrive any earlier."

"Hn." Neji did not call him out on the lie. He returned with Sai to the camp as Lee was stirring. After a hasty morning meal and chugging (in Lee's case) a canteen of water, the group replenished water stores at a nearby stream and took off once again.

Lee shared more anecdotes with Sai on the way, and by late morning they had arrived at an abandoned quartz quarry. Moss and trees were growing over old divots and tunnels, and at the top of the hill was a wooden cabin encompassed by flowering rhododendron. They chose their footing carefully. Neji reported that the ground beneath their feet had scores of hollowed and collapsed tunnels from the mine. Some areas were unstable and he could pick the safest route with the Byakugan.

After a silly, winding trek they climbed the hilltop and cautiously peeked into the cabin. It was uninhabited and had a table and chairs, a bed, a sink and pantry, and of course, the cork board that Tsunade had described. The map was pinned up as expected. Lee and Neji entered while Sai hesitated at the doorway.

"I'll keep watch." Sai volunteered, "You take care of that, Ladyhair."

Neji slammed the door shut in his face.

He turned on his heel and approached the wall, pulling the rolled-up map from his satchel. Lee took down the pinned map and laid it flat on the table. The boys aligned the paper charts and waited as deep blue marks began to bleed into the top map. After ten minutes no changes occurred and the ink had dried. Neji rolled up Tsunade's copy and Lee replaced the scout map on the wall, as featureless as it had seemed earlier.

"Maybe we should take a rest?" Lee asked, "We will not see shelter again for at least a day."

"Never mind shelter. We should be going." Neji advised.

When he and Lee stepped outside there was a distinct quiet, save for the chirping of crickets and the sparrows nesting in the rhododendron. Wary of the fact that there was no sign of Sai, Neji used his blood limit to survey the area.

"We are not alone here." Neji reported.

"No? Where is Sai?"

Neji pointed at the excavated ground below, "In that tunnel. I can see him speaking to someone."

"Perhaps a hermit?" Lee offered.

"No. A correspondent." Neji determined, "I watched him send his Beast Imitation rat into the woods this morning. He has been communicating with someone and I do not know what for," He turned to Lee gravely, "But he didn't want us to know about it. He lied to my face."

Lee was concerned, "I see…"

"I was right to suspect him."

"Suspect him of what? What crime can he commit, Neji? You have no evidence!" Lee pointed out.

"The stranger in that mine may want the information we collected."

"Then why not ambush us for our map sooner and then copy the cabin atlas for himself?" Lee suggested.

"Lee, you have to accept that even if I can't prove it right now…" He exhaled grimly, "Sai is attempting to sabotage us."

"If that is so then what do we do next?" Lee asked, "Do we leave him?"

"We confront him." Neji decided.

---

Down below in the mine, old portholes and cracks allowed sunlight to pass through and illuminate the tunnel. Sai had followed the main vent all the way to its crossroads with another path and found a man waiting there. He had an impatient look about him. He was dressed in dark grays and wearing a thick flak vest. While he lacked a headband he was most assuredly a shinobi.

"Well?" The man growled.

"Yasuya-san, I didn't expect you to be here so early." Sai commented, "Danzo-sama said that you were in the North."

"I had another tipoff of when to arrive. You're not the only one in touch with me." Yasuya sniffed, "Bihokokuni-sama sent me as soon as he learned of this opportunity. Koinyu reported on it as well."

"I had no idea everyone was so well informed…"

"Because you, Sai, are low on the totem pole." Yasuya reminded him, "You're just the delivery boy. Now where are those brats? We need some good bait and we heard that these two will serve nicely."

"I left them in the cabin."

"You're supposed to lure them down here immediately."

"I sent a lure. An ink beast is on its way to tell them I'm in distress. Neji has the Byakugan, and so he will see that I am not alone down here. He probably already knows what I have been doing. It won't be long."

"That's no good." Yasuya noted, "I don't need that kid to be onto us."

"Even if he is, he is the type who will absolutely confront this situation." Sai predicted, "We should wait."

"No. That's not what I was told to do. If they're up there, then that's where I'm going. I smash their heads together and then take them to my master." Yasuya took a step forward and Sai tensed, "What? Am I speeding things up a bit too much?" He added darkly, "Are you…trying to buy them time?"

"You could blow everything if you leave now." Sai warned, "Be patient."

"Fuck that." The Rock nukenin snarled, "I won't blow anything except for when I'm ripping organs out of bodies. No one wastes my time; not even my master. We of his elite guard complete every task early."

"If someone told me that I might have accommodated you." Sai countered.

Yasuya smiled and summoned a weapon from a tool scroll, procuring a menacing halberd with a freshly sharpened blade, "I see through you, Sai. I don't know why…but you've flipped. None of Danzo's pets stall or make excuses to us…but I'll make sure you're the last one that does."

Sai reached for the tanto on his back, "You have no reason to mistrust me. I've done exactly what I was told!"

"Maybe you did, but…" Yasuya grinned, "Your face says that you care…and Root isn't supposed to care."

---

While in the tunnel Neji navigated the quickest route with the Byakugan. Lee flanked him closely on the right. After rounding a bend nearly halfway through, an ink beast dog trotted up to them. The boys stopped and evaluated it.

"Maybe…he wants to trick us?" Lee wondered, believing that Neji's theory was right, "He wants us to go to him!"

"Either way he knows that we will." Neji observed, "What would be the point of sending this?"

The dog spontaneously sloshed back into a murky puddle. Neji and Lee watched in surprise as the ink spelled out a message on the slate floor:

Get away from here. This man wants to capture you and I will have no part in it.

"Neji!" Lee hollered, "He is a comrade! He warned us of an ambush!"

"He still tried to bait us into one in the first place."

"He changed his mind!" Lee protested.

"Sai is the one instructing us to leave. We should leave." Neji retorted, "We have no idea what kind of an enemy we would be up against."

"But then Sai might-!"

The ringing of metal against metal echoed in the caverns. Lee exchanged another pleading look with his teammate before Neji grunted in frustration. The Hyuga heir then led the way into the dark of the mine.

---

Note:

Hi! After a small tiff with my Beta editor, who I must concede has a point, this chapter was truncated. He said that length does become an issue after a while, and I don't wish to force him or any other reader to visit an optician because of this story. The entire Team Gai plus Sai mission was beginning to get a little too epic in length and I was advised to cap it at a good mid-point. The conclusion was moved over to the start of the next chapter. I hope that doesn't rustle anyone's jimmies and if so I am sorry.

Reader, your review is very special to me. If you trust me with one it will be treated like royalty. Thank you times five.

Chapter 22- Vigil