hey you guys.

i meant to upload this yesterday, but there's a lot of details that i wanted to check over and ended up editing a fair amount..

hope you like this chapter!

alex xo

Chapter 19: Trouble

Yori Shimura brought Sakura to the current most expensive and prestigious establishment in the village for their lunch. They sat in a private area of the tea garden and made small talk that Sakura found awkward and pointless.

Tobirama was right, politics wasn't her strong suit, she didn't want to be diplomatic and waste time with fancy words talking around the issues. After talking about the weather in the Land of Fire for two minutes, Sakura had enough.

"Forgive me, Lord Shimura. The less time I'm away from the hospital, the less time I have to save lives and train new medics, so can we cut the pointless talk about the weather and discuss what you really want?"

Yori took a drink of his wine, staring at her over the cup. She felt uncomfortable under his obvious scrutiny.

"You're not a good diplomat," he observed.

She gave a wry smile. "I deal with life and death in my hands every day, Lord Yori. I don't have time to play politics with lives at stake. But don't make the mistake thinking that I can't be everything I need to be when the time comes."

"There are some who might call your attitude refreshing," he replied after a mometn. "I do not."

Sakura wasn't surprised. "If you have something to say to me, I suggest you make your point."

His eyes narrowed. "Perhaps you think that you are above decorum and consequences because the Hokage seems to think you're worth something and Lord Madara deigns give you attention." Sakura bristled at the implication in his voice, she narrowed her eyes. "But that does not excuse you from the consequences of purposefully injuring one of my clan."

"I'm not sure what you're accusing me of," Sakura said after a moment. If he wanted to see her squirm, he was going to have to try harder. "It was an arm wrestle."

Yori's neck turned red. "You broke his arm."

"He overestimated his strength and underestimated mine," Sakura said. "Accidents can happen when insults are thrown out in ignorance."

Yori was silent for a moment. "Perhaps I was mistaken about you skills in diplomacy," he said with a humourless smirk. "Clearly you have no problem twisting your words to suit your purposes."

She gave him a venomous smile. "I'm a shinobi."

"Indeed."

Sakura let out a small sigh. "Why don't we be straight with one another. You don't like me," she said pointedly. "And I don't like you. You don't respect my work and consider medics as lesser shinobi." Yori looked agitated, but Sakura continued. "I broke Biako's arm because, like you, he shared sentiments that were insulting to me."

"You openly admit you broke his arm?" Yori asked, almost surprised.

"Yes. There is no one else in this world that can say with as much certainty, that I broke his arm in an exact fashion that would cause pain yet minimal damage and would be easily repaired with no lasting problems." Sakura sipped her wine. "So if you have a problem that I broke his arm, then have one. But if you have an issue with my control or skill, you will find yourself in a losing battle."

"Youth makes you feel as if there is nothing that can touch you," Yori said. "You have more to lose than you know."

Sakura laughed and he looked at her like he didn't understand her at all. Sakura knew that he didn't, he really had no idea who she was.

"Lord Shimura, let me assure you of something." She looked very seriously at him, all the laughter dying on her lips and turning into something fierce and threatening. "If you do anything to disrupt the lives of the people I care about, you will start a fight that you won't win. I have lost even more in my life that you and your clan, and I refuse to lose anything else."

"So we stand at an impasse." Yori sipped more wine.

Sakura knew that if she had a different position - if she were just a regular shinobi, he would be coming at her with more aggression or force. But outside of the clans, in the village, she was ranked higher than he was. She simply had more allies. The Senju and Uchiha were not just shinobi clans, they were noble clans. The Shimura were not.

"Why don't we just agree to stay out of each others way?" Sakura offered after a moment. "I don't want to fight with people who are supposed to be my allies, do you?"

"It is not a good practice," Yori answered, somewhat reluctantly.

"Then thank you for lunch," Sakura said. "Enjoy your day."

"I would advise you to think more carefully about your actions and reactions in the future, Lady Sakura," Yori said as she stood. "Good day."

Sakura nodded slightly and left, feeling strangely victorious and also at a loss. She wasn't sure if she'd done the right or wrong thing, but she was sure that she'd find out.

Matsuri was not an easy person to dissuade from doing exactly what she wanted, and when she was determined, no one stood a chance.

Sakura discovered that Matsuri had wrangled both Hikari and Shouta into aided her plan to keep the hospital afloat for three days without Sakura, and that Matsuri had also bullied the Hokage into agreeing to her plan as well.

That was how the young Uchiha woman had managed to find a replacement worker for Asami, handed off all Sakura's work to her students and Madoka, pass her own children off to her husband who was on a suspiciously coincidental few days of leave, and make sure that there was a trusted carer for Tsumo, and had dragged Mito, Asami and Sakura off and out of the village towards their destination: a mountain mineral spa and inn.

"So Lord Hokage's letting us go without a guard?" Asami asked, looking around the trees a little nervously.

"We don't need a guard with these two," Matsuri said cheerfully, putting her arm around Asami's shoulders.

Sakura and Mito shared a smile.

"True enough," Mito said. "But we do have a guard. We just won't see them, unless there's trouble."

"If they do their jobs right, we won't even know if there is trouble," Sakura said a little loudly.

Matsuri grinned conspiratorially and winked at her.

"Our silent guard unit is on a training mission. They're being evaluated," Sakura explained to Asami who looked a little uneasy still. "So you don't need to worry, they'll be vigilant and keep us safe."

"Right," Asami said with a nod. "If not, I suppose they'll have to deal with your husbands, plus Tobirama and Madara."

"It would be in their best interests not to fail their mission," Mito said with a little smile.

The four women laughed and talked as they walked. The mountain spa was about a five hour walk from Konoha. Without Asami, the other three might have halved the time travelling, but none of them minded. Asami was the only civilian among them, which accounted for her nervousness travelling, despite there no longer being a war.

After some time, while Matsuri regaled Asami with hilarious stories of Izuna in his youth, Mito put her hand on Sakura's arm and they slowed, putting a little distance between the other two.

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked with some concern.

"It's the Nine-Tails," Mito said quietly. "He's…restless when you're close."

Sakura frowned, in shock and confusion. "What? Why?"

Mito closed her eyes and a crease formed between her eyes. "He wants to speak to you."

"Are you okay?"

Sakura could see that Mito was struggling. She didn't know much about being a jinchuriki, but she remembered the times when the Nine-Tails tried to get out and take control of Naruto, and how terrifying that could be.

Mito let out a breath and smiled. "Fine," she said. "He's just being quite forceful."

Sakura gave a nod. "Will it make it easier for you if I somehow do talk to him?"

Mito chuckled. "Likely not. But perhaps when we return to the village in a secured environment." Mito eyed Sakura carefully. "I think you have things to say as well."

"Well, there are things I know and have seen. They could be important," Sakura said, thinking about the partnership between Kurama and Naruto during the war. Then she realised that she called him by his name before he was sealed, and that was probably why he wanted to talk to her. She smiled. "You can tell the Nine-Tails to settle down because we will definitely talk one day soon."

Mito gave her a funny look, but she didn't say anything else.

Sakura wondered what Kurama wanted from her, since in this time, he wasn't a friend or someone to be trusted. She would have to be careful.

"I wanted to bring this to you first, before the clan council," Shikaru said, standing before Hashirama, looking more nervous than Hashirama had ever seen him.

Hashirama glanced at his son, Shikata, who had also accompanied his father.

"This sounds serious," Hashirama said cheerfully, trying to break the tension in the room.

Shikaru gave him a small smile. "It is somewhat important," he replied.

"Well then, Shikaru Nara, go ahead."

"The Nara would like to formally adopt Lady Sakura into our clan," Shikaru said.

Hashirama took a breath. It was as he'd expected when he saw Shikata with his father.

"Lady Sakura is not a child," Hashirama said to them. "Is there a particular reason you want to adopt her as a Nara? Is she aware of your intentions?"

"She is, and she has accepted them," Shikaru said.

"And the reason?" Hashirama prompted.

"She's family," Shikata answered, surprising both his father and Hashirama. He let out a sigh. "There's a lot of reasons, but I think that's the one you're looking for, isn't it, Lord Hokage?"

Hashirama grinned and then laughed. "Well done, Shikata."

Shikaru put a hand on his sons shoulder and smiled. "Sakura has become like a daughter to me, and is very much like a sister to Shikata. The adoption is not for any gain to my clan, but for the three of us personally," Shikaru said. "We are well aware of her past, and considering her future in this choice as well."

Hashirama looked at him feeling happy and jealous all at once. "I think Tobirama might be upset about this," he said with amusement.

"Why?" Shikata frowned.

"Because we also consider her to be family, and Tobirama very much considers her to be his little sister already."

Shikata cross his arms over his chest. "Then he should've thought of this first," he said defensively.

Shikaru chuckled. "I have to agree with my son," he said.

Hashirama laughed again. "I suppose Tobi will have to find a way to deal with the disappointment," he said.

He was a little surprised at how protective young Shikata was being, and it amused him to no end to imagine Tobi and Shikata facing off against one another in the battle for Sakura's affection. From the look in Shikaru's eye, they were thinking along the same lines.

"When Sakura returns we'll meet and advise the council of the plans," Shikaru said.

Hashirama nodded. "You should be aware that Sakura and Yori are not getting along," he said with a tired sigh. "There might be some pointless resistance."

"The Shimura are so troublesome," Shikata muttered.

"You think everything is troublesome," Shikaru replied. "Thank you for your time, Lord Hokage," he said to Hashirama.

The father and son left his office and Hashirama leaned back on his seat, feeling pleased.

Sakura would become a Nara soon enough, but he didn't think she'd stay a Nara for long.

Hikari felt a hand shaking her shoulder.

"Hikari, wake up, you're drooling."

Hikari frowned and lifted her head, her eyes still half-closed. She wiped her mouth with the back of her arm and yawned tiredly.

"Shouta?" She murmured.

"Lord Tobirama is here," Shouta murmured to her, sounding like he was laughing.

Hikari's eyes shot open and she looked up and around the room to see Lord Tobirama standing in the doorway of their little office and study room, arms crossed and eyebrows raised at her. Shouta snickered quietly.

Hikari, flustered, quickly smoothed out her hair and wiped her face and tried to act and look presentable. She cleared her throat. "Hello, Lord Tobirama," she said, standing. Her head was still a big foggy and eyes heavy. She blinked rapidly to wake up and try to be at attention.

Lord Tobirama's stern face fought back a smile at the sight of her.

"Good morning, Hikari," he said, his voice wavering slightly.

Hikari blushed. It was the afternoon.

She sniffed and stood straight-backed. "How can help you?"

"I trust that Sakura told you that I've an interest in your training?" Hikari nodded, trying not to smile. "Yes, well." He glanced at Shouta. "It appears Madara's timeline for putting Shouta into the field is six months." He looked back at Hikari. "You don't have the limitations of Shouta," he said. Hikari bit her lip and Shouta shifted in his seat. "I mean not disrespect or offence, it is simple fact," Tobirama said.

"I understand," Shouta replied quietly.

Tobirama nodded with approval. "That being said, at the end of six months, Shouta will have to undergo testing and I am not in the habit of losing to Madara," he said with a small smirk. Hikari looked at him questioningly. "Get ready to start your training with me," he said to her. Hikari's heart lurched. "In six months time, the two of you will face one another, and I'm not going to train a loser."

With that, he left and Hikari and Shouta alone.

Hikari looked at Shouta, who seemed to be staring into space in shock.

"Does that mean we're going to be tested against each other?" Hikari asked Shouta.

He turned to her and nodded. "I think we've just become pawns in their competitive games against one another."

Hikari grinned a little and Shouta, seeing her face gave a small smile.

"Are you ready for this?" She asked.

He scoffed. "You're already behind. You'll have to train hard to beat me."

"I'm definitely going to win," Hikari boasted.

Shouta stood and walked over to her. Hikari had to look up to see his face. He grew again, she thought with some annoyance. At least his hair was finally out of his face. She gave him a determined pout and folded her arms over her chest.

"You won't," she said. "I will."

Shouta smirked out at her. "Six months, little Shimura. Then we'll see." Then his smile softened a little. "We'll make Lady Sakura proud."

Hikari swallowed and nodded. "Yeah. No matter what," she murmured. Her forehead pinched in a frown. Training was going to be much harder from here on out.

"Do you think we would've been able to do any of this without her?" Hikari asked quietly. Shouta looked at her with confusion. "If Lady Sakura wasn't here, do you think we could've been shinobi like this?"

Shouta shook his head. "No," he replied firmly. "I don't."

"I think I would've been made to go back to my clan and get married and give up being a shinobi," Hikari said quietly. She met Shouta's eyes. "I can't imagine doing that, not now."

Shouta looked away. "I think I would be dead."

Hikari clenched her jaw in sadness.

"The only reason I'm alive now is Lord Izuna."

Shouta turned away and sat down. Hikari had never heard or pushed for Shouta's full story, and she almost felt ashamed that she was thinking that getting married was the worst thing in the world.

"Lord Madara too, but mostly, Lord Izuna," he continued. "When he died, I didn't think there was anyone else left who cared about me."

"But then you met Lady Sakura," Hikari said quietly.

"Lady Matsuri came to me," Shouta said. "I didn't know that she'd been watching me as well, with Lord Izuna and Lord Madara. She brought me to Lady Sakura." He let out a breath. "There are people who I owe my life too. I can't let them down." He glanced at her. "That includes you, you annoying little brat."

Hikari gaped at him with a smile cutting through her outrage, dampening it into a disbelieving giggle. "I'm not a brat!"

Shouta grinned. "Prove it. Beat me. You've got six months to prepare."

"You're definitely going to lose!"

Sakura, Mito, Asami and Matsuri all sunk into the warm mountain spring with sighs of contentment and then they all shared a smile and small giggles.

Sakura could feel the minerals in the water, and felt the relief in her muscles from the days travel. Asami looked a lot more tired than anyone else.

"This is the best idea I've ever had," Matsuri sighed.

"I am glad to have a short break from the village," Mito said.

Sakura saw the pitying look that Asami gave her, and shadow of concern in Matsuri's eyes.

"Is something happening in the village?" Sakura asked, a little confused.

Mito gave her a little shrug and smile tinged with sadness. "No more than to be expected."

"There's been more vicious rumours about Mito," Matsuri said with an annoyed twist to her lips.

"They've been whispering about the Nine-Tails," Asami said quietly. "Calling Mito a demon and such, more openly."

Sakura grit her teeth angrily.

"It's okay," Mito said assuringly. "There are many things in this world that people don't understand, and it makes them afraid."

"It's just - it's not fair," Sakura said, guilt and anger rolling through her. "You did it, sacrificed your own body, for them! They should be grateful."

"The Nine-Tails has been a thing of nightmares for generations," Matsuri said. "Fear is only natural."

"Mito is not the Nine-Tails," Sakura exclaimed.

"But I keep it," Mito said. "I don't want to talk about this anymore," she said. Her mouth was twisting.

Sakura recognised the look. It was something she had been Naruto do, when he was wrestling against or with the Nine-Tails. Sakura nodded, and felt a knife twisting inside her. For all the strength Mito portrayed, there was a growing loneliness in her eyes.

The topic was changed by Matsuri and they began gossiping about people in the village that Sakura didn't know. Laughing as Matsuri energetically retold some stories about the younger Uchiha girls who had discovered the charms of Haru Sarutobi, who teased and flirted with them, feeding their delusions.

"Poor girls." Sakura shook her head. "I'm sure he's off laughing somewhere."

"Probably," Matsuri agreed.

"He is very handsome," Asami admitted.

Mito laughed lightly. "Yes, indeed. I'm sure he'd be glad to hear you say that," she said, glancing back towards the entrance of the pool.

Sakura opened her mouth in surprise and Mito nodded. Asami blushed, understanding what Mito had implied. Haru was one of the the guards that had accompanied them. Matsuri laughed loudly.

The friends spent another half hour in the spring before they retired to their rooms, dressed in yukata's and ate dinner together. Sakura felt more relaxed and happy than she had in months, she smiled and laughed so much that her stomach and cheeks hurt. The sake came out after dinner, and they all indulged and devolved into fits of giggles.

"I want to talk about love!" Matsuri said, after downing her full glass of sake.

Sakura groaned. "No, no."

Mito smiled. "Well, I'm not sure. We're married already. What would we have to talk about?"

Matsuri grinned widely. "Sakura!" She pointed at Sakura, her cheeks flushed and her eyes gleaming. She turned her point on Asami. "And Asami's crush on Haru!"

"Keep your voice down!" Asami hushed. "I do not have a crush on anyone!"

"But you do think he's handsome," Mito said.

"No," Asami denied.

Sakura laughed behind her hand and Asami shot her a betrayed look.

"I want to know how you both fell in love," Sakura said to Mito and Matsuri. She drank some more sake.

Mito and Matsuri looked at each other.

"I'll go first!" Matsuri announced. Her words were a little slurred.

Everyone leaned forward eagerly.

"Yuri and Izuna were best friends from when they were little, so I knew him a little bit from about eight years old. So, I turned fifteen and I saw him one day, training alone." She sighed and smiled. "He was by the river, and he had no shirt on." Asami giggled and Mito shared a look with Sakura, they smirked. "He was so graceful," Matsuri said, defensively. "The way he moved just did things to me."

Sakura and Asami laughed.

"That was it for me," Matsuri sighed. "He didn't have a choice."

"Of course not," Mito replied with a smile. Sakura noticed that she was the least affected by alcohol from all of them. Probably she hadn't been drinking at all. "You're indomitable."

"Thank you," Matsuri said with a grin and a laugh. She tapped her cheek staring hard with squinted eyes at Mito, who raised a delicate red eyebrow at Matsuri. "How did Hashirama with all his insane moods get you to fall in love with him?"

Asami hummed in agreement and Sakura nodded.

"You are calm and composed and graceful, and he's a maniac," Matsuri continued. "A loveable maniac, but still, extreme."

Mito let out a laugh.

"Thank you, I suppose," she said. "I met him before, when he was just a boy who had a terrible haircut and an energy no one else could match."

"He's got such lovely hair," Matsuri slumped, pouting in jealously.

"Now he does," Mito replied. "It used to be up here - " she motioned around her head. "He looked very funny."

Sakura and Matsuri burst out laughing. All Sakura could imagine was Hashirama with Lee's hair and it made her burst out in giggles ever more.

"I remember that too," Asami grinned. "It wasn't until he grew out his hair and got older that the girls started to prefer him over Tobirama," she whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Sakura asked her.

"I don't know," Asami whispered back.

They giggled together and drank some more sake, while Mito told them how the Hashirama they knew now, had only been a smaller version of himself back then. He'd grown up, but his spirit and values had stayed the same, and that was what had drawn her to him. She simply saw a greatness in his heart and spirit and wanted to help him achieve his goals.

"You're so romantic," Matsuri cooed.

Sakura, feeling light-headed and flushed, saw that Matsuri was definitely reaching her limit with the sake.

Matsuri looked at Asami and then her face shuttered from drunken cheer to something more somber.

"Izuna hated the Senju," she said. Everyone stilled. "He hated them so much, Yuri was worried, and Madara was worried, and some of the younger Uchiha were starting think Izuna was right. But." She suddenly brightened and looked at Asami with a broad and happy smile. "He met you and he changed."

Matsuri looked at Sakura and Asami, her eyes drooping half-closed, getting a little tearful.

"You two made my brothers happy. Sp-special people, you are."

She slowly lowered her head to the table and rested it on her hands. Asami and Sakura glanced at each other and then back at Matsuri, who had lifted her head and fumbling her hand around until Mito gave her some water.

"I think I'll take her for a walk," Asami said quietly.

Sakura and Mito nodded.

"Take the water," Mito said.

They waited and watched as Asami gathered the apologetic Matsuri to her feet and wrap an arm around her while they walked out of the room.

"Maybe it's time to stop drinking," Sakura said.

"It might be a good idea," Mito replied.

"You haven't drunk at all," Sakura retorted.

"Ah," Mito said. "You noticed."

"I am not as drunk as Matsuri," Sakura smiled.

There was a knock at the door and a sever came in to clear the room. Sakura and Mito moved to the outdoor balcony, sat on the verandah and looked out at the view from the mountain. They could see stars, so many stars and the crescent moon that barely illuminated the tops of the trees in the sea of forest. Very, very faintly in the distance they saw the lights of the village.

Sakura and Mito sat in silence, taking in the night air and companionship. After a little while, Sakura asked her about Tsumo, and Mito gushed the most elegant manner she'd ever heard a mother gush about her child in.

Everything about Mito was refined and mannered, and Sakura felt a deep sadness that people like Mito and Naruto, and Gaara, they were the ones who had been forced into hosting tailed-beasts. Mito had chosen it, she'd done it now to help save her brother-in-law from a future that was uncertain, and to save the village and protect it in her own way. How was it fair that she was being looked upon like now she was some kind of monster?

Sakura knew that everything she was thinking was just a pointless exercise in making herself angry and worry about things she couldn't control.

Suddenly Mito cut off and her hand shot out at Sakura, gripping her tightly and defensively.

A shinobi dropped down in front of them.

"What is it?" Mito demanded.

"Forgive me." Sakura stared at the unknown Leaf shinobi, and then she looked at him more closely. "Lady Matsuri and Asami, they've been taken."

Sakura quickly stood and caught the shinobi who fell forward. He was hurt, badly.

"Mito, get my backpack," she said.

She carried the shinobi inside and Mito brought her the pack. Sakura laid the shinobi on his back, and he coughed, fluttering his eyes open.

"I'm sorry, Lady Sakura," he grunted.

"What happened?" Sakura asked, pouring medical chakra into him.

"I don't know exactly," he said. "I went to change shifts, and they were both down."

"Dead?"

"I don't think so," he replied. "I was hit before I could check. I saw them grab the women and came straight to you."

"How many in your squad?"

"Just us three," he said. His voice was stronger now. Sakura stopped the jutsu.

"Take me to them." He nodded. "What's your name?"

"Tora Yamanaka, my lady."

She took the pack from Mito, who she saw had changed from the yukata she had been wearing into a mesh undershirt, black long-sleeve with the Uzushio symbol on the arm and black pants. She was ready. Sakura removed her sealing scrolls where her weapons were stored.

"Can you sense them?" She asked Mito.

"Yes. Three shinobi have them. They're heading eastward," Mito said with her eyes closed. "They'll be out of my range soon."

Sakura, uncaring that Tora was there, stripped off her yukata and changed into a shirt and pants. Tora looked away and stood.

"Tora, can you get a message to Konoha?" Mito asked.

He nodded. "Yes, that's why I was chosen for this mission. My jutsu can send long-range communications."

"Get a message to the Hokage immediately," Mito commanded.

"Yes, Lady Mito," Tora replied. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

Sakura strapped her weapons to her body. She sent her chakra to metabolise the alcohol in her system quicker and swallowed. Who the heck had taken out three shinobi being tested for aptitude for ANBU and taken Matsuri and Asami? She clenched her jaw, hoping Haru was all right.

"Lady Mito, Lady Sakura, take my shoulder," Tora said. "Lord Hokage wants to speak to you both. I can't hold the jutsu for much longer."

They both nodded and took a shoulder each.

Are you both okay? Hashirama asked.

We are fine, Mito responded.

I'm going to heal to the other two and then we're going after them, Sakura said.

They heard Hashirama heave a mental sigh. Even if I tell you not to, you'll go anyway. Tobirama has already left. I've sent a message to Madara to gather his Pursuit Unit. They'll be there soon.

Thank you.

Be safe.

The communication was ended. "Yuri and Takuma will come," Mito said.

Sakura nodded. "We have to get them back before they get here, or Yuri will kill everyone before we find out what's happened." She looked at Tora. "Let's go," she said.

Tora was panting with effort.

"Are you capable or not?" Sakura snapped. "Two people have just been kidnapped under your nose. Pull yourself together!"

Tora stood tall, sniffed and nodded. "I'll take you to them."

The other two were in bad shape. Sakura cursed when she saw their injuries. She was going to have to give them a patch job. She explained as much to Mito and Tora.

"You'll need to stay with them," she told Tora.

Tora protested against the idea and Sakura, losing patience, yelled at him to shut up.

"I don't care how damn guilty you feel, but right now I'm the one in charge and I'm the medic. These two need supervision because I can't waste all my chakra fixing your damn mistake while my friends are out there being taken by enemies! So you will sit down, shut up, and guard these two until I get back and can give you all proper medical treatment, understood?"

Tora nodded. "Understood," he replied.

"I lost them," Mito said, her voice strained.

"Almost done," Sakura said, feeling stressed.

Worry for Matsuri and Asami was eating at her.

"Lady Mito, I - "

"Don't,' Mito said to Tora. Sakura glanced up to see Mito holding her hand up. "It's not us you should be apologising to." Mito also seemed to be losing patience, and Sakura could see the the tightness on face. "Be better next time."

Sakura swallowed, feeling a little sorry for Tora at the look on Mito's face and the tone of her voice. Sakura had been angry at him, but Mito was the kind of woman who looked at you with intense disappointment instead of rage. Sakura remembered feeling like Kakashi wasa disappointed in her, and she knew that that was so much worse than facing anger.

Sakura felt the last of the internal injuries in Haru heal, and she finished the jutsu. She let out a small sigh. She wished she could do more, but there wasn't enough time. She stood and looked at Tora.

"When they wake up, get them to our room, lay them down and keep watch. Do not let them move too much, they need more treatment."

Tora nodded. "Yes, Lady Sakura."

"Let's go, Mito."

Sakura followed Mito as she turned and ran into the darkness, jumping from the ground into the trees, moving quickly in the direction that Mito had lost the sense of their chakra.

"Who would do this?" Mito muttered worriedly.

Sakura shook her head. "I don't know," she replied. "But whoever they are, they're going to regret it."

Tobirama rarely felt true shock, but the moment that he'd been woken by his brothers surge in chakra, felt Hashirama appear at his door moments later and burst into his room and explain what had happened, Tobirama felt shock in his bones.

Then he felt anger.

Anger at the shinobi who had dared to do this, and anger at the team he'd sent to watch over the group of women. How they had managed to be so easily overpowered and fail in such a spectacular manner enraged him.

They were lucky that it wasn't Sakura or Mito that had been taken, but Tobirama had the suspicion that it was done purposefully to lure those two into a trap. Clearly, whoever had planned this knew that Matsuri and Asami weren't active shinobi and would be easier to take than the other two.

He had a bad feeling about all of it. So he moved quickly, hoping that his hunch was wrong, but not sensing that it was. He could only hope that while he travelled, Sakura and Mito could manage whatever they came up against, because if anything happened to those two, he didn't want to imagine the explosive reactions of Hashirama and Madara combined.

"They've stopped," Mito said with a frown.

Sakura looked at her questioningly.

"I can sense… four, shinobi," she said.

"Can you sense if Suri and Asami are okay?" Sakura asked.

"I think they're under a genjutsu," Mito replied. "Their chakra flow is stable but off."

Sakura nodded. At least they were alive. But what was the purpose of this whole event, and why on earth had they stopped after such a relatively short distance for a shinobi? Sakura had a growing sense that there was something strange about the whole thing.

"Suri and Asami are drunk, and not shinobi," Sakura muttered to herself, trying to figure it out.

"If they know Matsuri's identity, it could make her a target," Mito said with some doubt in her voice. "Or perhaps taking her could be some kid of provocation for Yuri or Madara? But that would of course depend on who the kidnappers are, they would have to know a lot about the village and the Uchiha."

"Maybe, but what about Asami? She's a civilian. It doesn't make sense."

Mito held out a hand and stopped Sakura.

"No," she said slowly. "It doesn't." She looked at Sakura. "But it does make sense if the real targets are us and they want to lure the two of us into some kind of trap."

The wheels in Sakura's mind turned. "They want us, so they took out our guards and took our friends." She gave Mito a look. "I don't think it's hard to figure out who you are, but me?"

Mito gave her a tentative smile. "Hashirama has been trying to dull the rumours about you, but they're out there." Sakura felt immediately tired at hearing that. "We need to proceed with caution. Don't forget, it's doubtful they realised Tora's jutsu was powerful enough for such a long-range transmission. They likely don't know Tobirama is already on the way, and that he's being followed by the others. We will have back-up."

"It won't come fast enough," Sakura muttered.

"Tobi will get here," Mito said confidently.

Sakura could imagine him arriving far earlier than anyone else would, considering his speed. "So you think they're after both of us? Or just you?" Sakura asked after a moment.

"It could be either," Mito replied thoughtfully. "It's not widely known - outside the village - about what I did and am now."

"Kumo," Sakura said suddenly. "What if they came back for you?"

"Hashirama said they altered the memories of the prisoners," Mito said with a frown.

"We can't rely on that being a definite. They might have undone the jutsu," Sakura replied. "How far away are we?"

"About…two miles."

Sakura nodded. "Let's go. We're not going to find out anything by just standing here."

Sakura and Mito took the next two miles more slowly and cautiously, careful to look for any traps rigged in the forest on the way in.

"They still haven't moved," Mito whispered. "Five hundred feet ahead."

Sakura nodded and they stalked through the trees as they approached.

Mito looked to the right, and Sakura saw a flash of white from the corner of her eye and gasped.

"Paper bomb."

She and Mito flickered back into the trees, barely avoiding the explosion. But it was a smoke bomb, not an explosion tag and the smoke bomb spread quick, heavy smoke covered the area, stinging Sakura's eyes. She and Mito coughed when they breathed it in, before they both jumped high into the trees above the smoke to escape it.

With the setting off of the obvious trap, their cover was blown and Sakura felt her heart race with panic, while her lungs heaved with the irritation of the smoke. She looked at the tree beside her, that Mito was in, and saw Mito's eyes widen and she coughed and choked again as she called out Sakura's name. Sakura felt the shinobi appear behind her, but when she went to breathe in, the smoke still in her throat choked her and her reaction to the attack was slowed.

Sakura felt a hand grip her arm and fist pound her ribcage and she gasped and grunted in pain. It lessened immediately when she made herself calm down and regain control over her mind, body and charka. Automatically, Sakura sent her chakra throughout her body to heal herself as she spun on her foot, ripped her arm out of the shinobi's hand and, as she felt her back and shoulder curl over the shoulder of the shinobi behind her, she brought her elbow down hard on the spine of her enemy and felt the bones crack on impact.

The enemy shinobi cried out in pain and dropped to the ground. Sakura immediately looked over to see Mito wasn't on top of her tree anymore. She cleared her throat, took a breath and then Sakura ran down the trunk, and swallowed, wetting her throat again, thankful that the smoke was clearing.

She saw Mito engaged with her enemy, using a type of taijustu combined with fuinjutsu that Sakura had never seen before.

Sakura saw the white flak jacket of the shinobi and realised the enemy they faced was indeed Kumo, and she was anything but surprised.

She watched as Mito and the Kumo shinobi each showed they were skilled in taijustu, neither one gained the upper hand, the dark made it hard to see and she had to check her surroundings to make sure there was no one else attacking. Not sensing anyone else, Sakura moved forward toward Mito, who suddenly shouted at her to stay back.

Sakura faltered, and didn't understand until she saw Mito skilfully withdraw a kunai as she lunged and attacked the shinobi, drawing blood from his side. As he hissed in pain, and stepped back, Mito also immediately jumped back a distance. Sakura saw cut her own hand with the same bloodied kunai, and formed a last hand sign.

"Ninja Art: Blood Binding Technique!"

Sakura was both impressed and slightly horrified to understand that Mito had just used fuinjutsu to bind the enemy to her will as she watched black ink seemed to pour out of the wound on the shinobi's side and wrap itself around his entire body.

"What is this?" He cried in distress.

"I normally abhor and refuse to use this technique," Mito replied coldly. "But today I make an exception."

"I can't move," the shinobi grunted.

"I know. Go to sleep now," Mito told him.

To Sakura's shock, the shinobi immediately dropped to the ground, instantly asleep. Mito had used a technique Sakura had never even heard of, one that gave the user full control over their opponent.

Sakura flickered to Mito's side.

"Can you sense anyone else?" She asked.

Mito shook her head. "There are two more with the girls," she said. "They're stronger than these two."

Sakura clenched her jaw. Her throat was still scratching from the smoke.

"They're from Kumo," Sakura muttered.

Mito nodded. "This is not going to end well." She looked back at the shinobi she'd bound. "I'll keep him for Hashirama."

"We need to get them out of the genjutsu," Sakura said. "Who knows what they're seeing."

Mito nodded.

"You should go up, and I'll go in first," Sakura suggested. "It's more likely they're after you than me," she said. "Back me up."

Mito grimaced but nodded. "Fine. I think I caught a flash of Tobirama's chakra," she said. "It was faint though. He's still far."

"He is fast," Sakura muttered. "Stay safe," she said to Mito.

Mito faded into the trees, and Sakura stealthily moved through the trees. She heard the impatient voices of the other shinobi the closer she came. They were debating on whether or not to go into the forest, the other two had taken too long.

Sakura hid behind a large trunk and cloaked her chakra, listening. She couldn't make out any more of what they said, but she quickly realised they were arguing. Sakura frowned, feeling again that something was off about the whole situation. There was only four of them coming after a jinchuriki, and taking hostages? It was odd.

Sakura slowly lowered herself to the ground, and crawled along the grass to a bush and hid behind it. She peeked out through the foliage.

About fifty feet from her position, the shinobi were looking nervously into the forest. There was no cover for her past where she was, and the shinobi were protected from behind by a rocky cliff. There was one man and one woman. Sakura peered behind them, and saw that Matsuri and Asami were both laying on their sides on the ground.

She grit her teeth and eyed the ground between her and the shinobi. It was likely rigged with traps. Sakura thought about what she could do. Unless they were complete idiots, she doubted the Kumo shinobi would leave a distance between them and the last trap. But then again, it was possible they could just leave Matsuri and Asami and escape themselves if the traps were set off.

Sakura heard a light thump behind her and turned with a kunai in her hand to defend and attack.

She almost had a heart attack when she saw it was Mito.

"I almost killed you," she hissed.

"I can disable the traps," Mito whispered. "I can sense them out. We can't do this without each other."

Sakura nodded. "Are you ready?"

Mito gave her a determined look. "They're going to sense this," she whispered.

Mito closed her eyes and Sakura watched her gather chakra as she held the horse sign, and then began to go through a combination quick hand signs. Sakura looked at the Kumo shinobi who had snapped their attention directly to where the two of them were hiding.

Mito slammed her hands to the ground and her brow furrowed in concentration. After a moment, she turned to Sakura and gave a short nod. Sakura had never seen a fuinjutsu master before, and suddenly understood why they were so feared. Mito had barely shown more than two skills, yet they were devastating to their enemies plans with seemingly so little effort. She was amazing.

They stood and walked out of the trees. The Kumo Shinobi watched them. Mito stopped walked at, Sakura guessed, the edge of the beginning of the seals.

"You should give us back our friends now," Sakura called out to them.

The woman laughed. "Oh, yeah? Why don't you come and get them then?" She baited them.

Both Sakura and Mito began to walk across the previously rigged field and they saw the Kumo shinobi slowly realise that their traps were not going to work. After a quick word together, Sakura and Mito saw the girl step back and was obviously meant to keep guard over their kidnapping victims. Sakura guessed she was the genjutsu user and her eyes narrowed on her.

The taller and broad man stepped up and withdrew two swords, grinning at them. Mito took out her own tanto from the sheath at the back of her obi, and Sakura flexed her knuckles.

"I'll take him," Mito said quietly.

Sakura looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure?"

Mito nodded and Sakura saw a fire in her eyes. It was the best option, since Sakura was the best to take on a genjutsu user being resistant and having spent years training with possibly the greatest genjutsu user that would ever exist, in her opinion: Itachi.

Sakura ran wide, only to have the man appear in front of her, and she had to duck to avoid the slicing of swords above her head. She jumped back.

"Where are you going?" He mocked.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. A lightning user. She felt the crackle of electricity in the air between them, knowing it accounted for his speed.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" Sakura demanded of him.

Mito was beside Sakura in an instant. Both of them stood in attack stance, facing him.

The shinobi looked right from Sakura to Mito and their fears were confirmed. "I want that beast inside you," he said.

"What are you talking about?" Mito asked harshly.

"Don't pretend, Uzumaki," he spat. "I was there."

Suddenly, even though both Sakura and Mito were looking right at him, he erased his chakra and it was like he disappeared. Sakura's eyes widened.

"You have some skill," Mito replied, eyes narrowed.

"I guess I should take that as a compliment," he grinned wickedly.

Sakura flung two shuriken at him, and he flickered away, dodging them easily. Still, they didn't feel his chakra. It was going to be a much harder fight than they anticipated.

Mito's stance became defensive.

"Tricky, tricky." He clicked his tongue. "Why don't you two just surrender, and my friend won't kill your friends?"

Sakura bared her teeth at him.

"I don't think you understand the situation you're in," Mito said in a strangely calm voice.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

Sakura looked at her, and saw that her red hair was beginning to rise around her as her chakra unleashed. Sakura's heart hammered when she felt the slow trickle of menace coming into it.

"Oh." The Kumo shinobi was looking at Mito with more greed now. Sakura saw the glint in his eyes.

"You have approximately five minutes to give us back our friends, or the both of you will be dead before you know what's hit you." Mito's voice turned low and more growling with each word she spoke.

"Five minutes is all the time I need," he said, completely unconcerned.

Mito shook her head. "I'm going to destroy you," she growled.

Sakura saw Mito close her eyes, and then when they reopened, her dark eyes were red.

The Kumo shinobi's wicked grin widened and Sakura did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed Mito and flickered back into the trees.

"Mito. Mito, look at me!" Sakura grabbed Mito's face and stared into her eyes. "Calm down!"

Mito bared her teeth, her red eyes were fierce and then there was a flicker of something and Mito's faced tightened and she took a deep breath and tried to control herself, her eyes began to flicker back to normal until -

"Sakura!" She suddenly cried out.

Sakura knew that the Kumo shinobi was behind her, although she didn't feel him coming. Instinctually, she gathered her chakra in her fist, spun and landed a massive punch in his stomach.

She felt his sword pierce through her shoulder at the same time, sending lightning through her body. He flew from her fist out into the open again, and Sakura convulsed and cried out in pain as the lightning electrocuted her. It was stronger than she'd expected it to be and it took everything inside her to keep a semblance of control over her chakra so her coils didn't fry.

"No!" Mito screamed.

Sakura tried to speak, but her jaw was clenched tightly shut by the shocks in her body. Before she managed to heal herself, Sakura felt a dark and menacing chakra spread out around and then Mito was gone, and Sakura lay on the forest floor, panicking.