Disclaimer - I don't own Naruto or any of the characters from the original series! Okami Etsu and the Onizuka's are mine however - so please ask nicely before borrowing! Any characters and situations herein are purely fictitious, and any similarity between those and persons living or dead is coincidental.

Orders

Iruka became hazily aware of voices echoing in a small space. He opened his eyes and blinked. He'd been moved to one of the off duty rooms in the Hokage Building. The bed he occupied was narrow, but comfortable enough. He turned his head to find Kakashi staring at him.

'Yo.' The jonin sketched a lazy wave from the bed on the opposite wall.

'Iruka?' Izumo's worried face appeared above Iruka.

'You ok?' Kotetsu asked from behind Izumo. Iruka nodded grimly as he sat up. Movement was painful and his head felt like he had a serious hangover.

'Where's everyone else?' Iruka forced himself to speak evenly despite the tiredness and pain.

'Lady Tsunade is sending them to hunt down Etsu-san. Remember?' Izumo frowned as he sat down on the edge of the bed. 'You're not going to pass out again are you?'

'No.' Iruka blushed.

'Nnnnn. Why did she ask us to wait here?!' A fourth voice joined the conversation. Iruka looked up to find Anko sitting as far from Kakashi as the second bed would allow.

'Anko?' Iruka gasped.

'The Hokage means to prevent us from interfering... By any means necessary. She knows we're all sympathetic to Etsu-chan - who is now apparently a rogue shinobi... Kakashi snapped.

'Kami...' Kotetsu groaned sinking onto the bed next to Izumo. Iruka shivered slightly. Why on earth would Etsu want to betray Konoha? The sound of footsteps outside caused all five shinobi to tense, waiting to see if the door would open. The handle turned, and as the door swung open, an ANBU stepped in.

'The Hokage wants to see you. Now.'

Iruka looked sadly round the now empty office as they waited for Lady Tsunade to stop staring out of the window.

'Okami Etsu's house is now out of bounds. You will not be involved in tracking her. You will not try to make contact with any of the teams who are being sent to track her. You will not speak of this matter to anyone, at anytime, for any reason. In fact, you would all do well to forget the matter entirely...' Lady Tsunade turned and fixed a formidable stare on the group.

'Lady Tsunade, I know...' Iruka began. The Hokage had to know the truth. He'd been the one attacked. He should know whether he'd been attacked by a comrade or an enemy.

'I don't want to hear it Umino-san.' Lady Tsunade snapped, Iruka winced visibly as pain lanced through his skull. 'You will not be returning to the academy until this situation is resolved. All five of you will return home immediately and remain there until you receive orders otherwise... Do I make myself clear?'

'Yes.' The united response did little to improve the Hokage's mood. They left the office and trekked despondently down the stairs.

'Argh! All my stuff is still at Etsu-san's!' Iruka groaned.

'Probably the least of your worries, Iruka-sensei.' Kakashi sighed. As they left the building, they all bid each of the others farewell and went their separate ways. Iruka sighed resignedly as he noted the presence following him... Probably a member of ANBU he guessed.

Iruka scuffed his toes thoughtfully through the dust. There had to be something he could do. He sighed as he let himself in to his apartment. Kicking his sandals off, he reached out to flick the light switch on and was greeted by the sight of two bags on his bed. Padding across the room he checked them briefly... So his stuff had been brought back. He guessed ANBU had been dispatched to search Etsu's house more thoroughly... They must have packed his things up and dropped them off at the same time. Iruka moodily pushed the bags off the bed. Sleep seemed to be his only option right now.

Iruka was woken later by a soft scratching sound. He sleepily squinted at the window. With a yawn he crawled up the bed, pushed the curtains back and found Kakashi staring in at him. Iruka's eyes widened in surprise. Quickly he flicked the lock and opened the window to allow the jonin inside.

'Kakashi? What the hell are you doing here?!' Iruka hissed as he drew the curtains back across.

'I found this when I got home.' Kakashi waved a piece of paper, Iruka could just make it out in the filtered moonlight.

'Wassat?' Iruka yawned sleepily.

'It's from Etsu-chan...' Kakashi seemed alert and tense. Iruka raised a hand for silence and rummaged in his pocket. With a sigh of relief he drew out the envelope from earlier.

'Phew...' Iruka heaved a sigh of relief, as he tore into the missive.

'What is that?' Kakashi asked curiously.

'From Etsu-chan I think. Someone put in my pocket at her house when it went dark.' Iruka fumbled with the paper.

'Dark?' Kakashi frowned. 'What exactly happened at the Okami compound?!'

'I'll explain later...' Iruka replied distractedly as he scanned the brief missive.

'Well?' Kakashi prompted.

'She says if I trust her, then I should follow her to the old Okami hideout. She said you'd know where that is.' Iruka shot Kakashi a bewildered look.

'I do.' Kakashi nodded slowly. 'And we're meeting to the south of the village in ten minutes time.'

'We?' Iruka brightened. 'Meeting Etsu-chan?'

'No. She's long gone. Izumo, Kotetsu, you and I are meeting... And Anko - if she wants in, which she no doubt will...' Kakashi sounded faintly amused. 'I've already spoken to Izumo and Kotetsu, they packed and left already.'

'No way.' Iruka sank back against the wall.

'Look. I'll explain fully when we're out in the forest. I think everyone will want in on this... Even you.'

'I can't.' Iruka sighed moodily.

'What? Is it because you think we're disobeying the Hokage... or because you believe we're breaking the law? Do you not trust Etsu-chan?!' Kakashi sounded impatient.

'No, no, no! It's because I'll slow you down. Just leave me here.' Iruka shook his head. He trusted Etsu, of course he trusted her - she'd already saved his life once when she didn't have to. Still breaking the law worried him, which they would be doing as soon as they left the village without orders; and Kakashi was already disobeying the Hokage's orders just by being out of his apartment...

'Not an option. They'll suspect you knew something, or helped us, or both. Besides I'm sure you'll be a great help.' Kakashi cocked his head to one side. 'Get packed. I'll be back in ten minutes.'

A faint pop heralded Kakashi's departure, presumably to go and rouse Anko. Iruka sighed and slid off the bed. After rummaging through his wardrobe he found his knapsack and quickly packed what he thought he would need. He donned his Konoha uniform and tied his hitai-ate in place. Iruka snorted as he realised he'd automatically donned this outfit. Possibly not the best idea. He waited impatiently for Kakashi's return. It was exactly ten minutes to the second when a faint pop announced Kakashi's return.

'You ready to go?' Kakashi asked tiredly.

'Uh-huh.' Iruka grunted as he stood up and rubbed his eyes. 'I'll transport myself.'

'Ok.' Kakashi sounded none too sure, but didn't argue.

They transported to a spot in the forest on the south side of Konoha.

'Are we all here?' Kakashi scanned the trees carefully.

'There's no one else here.' Anko confirmed testily. 'Now what the hell is going on?'

'I found a note in my apartment from Etsu-chan. She asks us to leave the village and meet her at an Okami safe house that my father showed me once.' Kakashi paused and pulled a scrap of paper from the left hand pocket of his flak jacket.

'Look, I'm not doubting Iruka for a second, but what if Etsu-san is about to betray the village?' Izumo asked quietly. 'You only have a note. A note that could have been written by anyone.'

'No. It's definitely written by her... That safe house - it's an Okami safe house, I'm the only one who'd know it apart from her... Plus she'd never reveal the location unless she absolutely had to - and it's her handwriting...' Kakashi paused and looked significantly at Iruka.

'Errr... Yeah, I have a note from Etsu-chan as well - though I don't know her handwriting that well. It just says if I ever trusted her, I should come to this safe house and that Kakashi knows the way...'Iruka groaned. His head was spinning abominably.

'Well I do have more than the note. I have a written order.' Kakashi produced a second piece of paper and held it up so they could all clearly see the Hokage's stamp.

'Hang on.' Izumo squinted at the stamp mark. 'That's the seal of Sandaime-sama not Lady Tsunade!'

'Wait a minute... Remember what Lady Tsunade said to us in her office...' Iruka glanced at Kakashi, saw the jonin's almost imperceptible nod and ploughed on. 'First she said we weren't going to be involved in tracking Etsu-chan, and we weren't to try contacting anyone involved in it. Secondly, she said we were to return home until we received orders...'

'Also, you may have all noticed how she emphasised certain words. Like she was trying to tell us something without actually telling us... Look underneath the underneath...' Kakashi rubbed his neck wearily.

'Nnnnn. So by joining Etsu-chan we're not technically tracking her and technically, we have received orders - just from Sandaime-sama rather than Lady Tsunade?' Anko rolled her eyes. 'Sounds like a royal pain to me... And very convoluted... Still you can count me in for what it's worth.'

'Izumo, Kotetsu?' Kakashi looked to the two chunin. The pair exchanged glances before nodding their agreement.

'So, we have our orders. Sandaime-sama writes that Etsu-chan has the right to assemble a team of available jonin and chunin in the event of an emergency arising from her mission. We are that team.' Kakashi scratched his head absently. 'We'd better get going. The safe-house is a good way off and well outside village limits.'

'Iruka are you going to be ok?' Izumo looked worriedly at the younger chunin. Iruka simply nodded, not trusting his voice to stay steady. The world was not only spinning, it was doing the loop the loop... He failed to see what earthly use he was going to be in his current condition.

'Oh, I can fix that. Here.' Kakashi produced a phial from another pocket. 'Etsu-chan left this, she said in the note it would help. Also she left these.'

Kakashi produced five ration bars from his pouch. Iruka raised an eyebrow as he realised they weren't standard issue.

'Ah. I wonder if these are the ones Shizune was talking about the other day?' Izumo looked suspiciously at the bars as he took one.

'You mean the 'extreme' one?' Kotetsu chuckled. 'Let's find out.'

'Mmmmhmmmm! It's extreme!' Anko's eyes were as round as saucers. 'I feel so alive!'

They ate the rest of the bars in silence, each ninja registering the sudden energy burst that the bars gave. Iruka ate half of his bar before popping the cork out of the phial. Gritting his teeth he drained it in one gulp, grimacing at the sharp taste. Thankfully no wave of nausea followed, but he felt less tired. As he finished his ration bar he nodded his readiness to Kakashi.

The jonin led them up into the trees and set what would ordinarily have been a gruelling pace. With the energy boost from the ration bars they were able to cover the long distance with incredible speed. Both Kakashi and Anko were constantly on the lookout for any sign of fellow ninja; the mission meant friend or foe was now irrelevant. Iruka shivered as they jumped back to the forest floor. They were almost out of the village. Kakashi pointed to Anko indicating she should lead, with Izumo, Iruka and Kotetsu following. Kakashi would guard the rear. Iruka offered up a silent prayer as they left the village behind them.

And that's all for chapter 13...

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