"Was there any response from the prisoner today?" a guard asked, escorting Kakashi out of the jail.

"No," he replied gravely. "Obito still didn't say a word."

The guard sighed heavily, shaking her head. "That's just too bad. I remember..." she trailed off, not finishing her thought.

"Good night, Hawk," Kakashi said, addressing her with a slight inclination of his head.

"Good night, Kakashi-senpai."

Kakashi wearily strolled back to his home, hands stuffed deep into his pockets. His dogs whined at him as he entered the apartment, sniffing him eagerly. Sighing, he patted one on the head.

"I forgot to feed you again, didn't I?"

Obito was irritated, and that was simplifying things.

"So this is how you've resorted to getting information from me... No food or water?" Throwing his head back, he cackled wildly. "Go ahead!" he spat at Lion. "I'll gladly rot in here before I tell you anything."

"Very well," the man said, shrugging. "It's not up to me anyway: Hokage's orders."

Obito snarled and expectorated at the man's feet. A visible vein pulsed in Lion's neck, and the man menacingly stepped closer. "I wouldn't do that again if I were you," he murmured darkly, leaning down so Obito could see his eyes.

Smirking, Obito turned his head from the guard and chuckled, "Heh, figures you're too much of a coward to do something about it."

The guard stomped violently and thrust his hands inside his pockets. Obito heard the jingle of keys. Lion ferociously jammed the keys into the lock and turned them. "You'll regret that," he hissed, anger coming off of him in waves.

Obito just laughed.

"So Mrs. Tamago, you have a rash...where?" Sakura said, taking a glance at the elderly woman's medical records.

"Oh, it's on my private area, dear," Mrs. Tamago replied enthusiastically. "You see, there's this man I've been seeing, and oh, we probably should not have used my papaya jelly as lubricant."

Sakura twitched.

"Well, Mrs. Tamago," she giggled nervously. "I'm going to have to take a look."

"That's fine with me. Just let me drop my pants."

Suddenly, an ANBU guard with a hawk mask rushed into the room. "Haruno Sakura, we are in need of your assistance at the prison."

"Now?" Sakura sighed.

"Now."

Blowing her hair out of her face, Sakura grinned behind her bangs. "Thank you," she mouthed to Hawk, who nodded. "Mrs. Tamago, I'm afraid I must leave you in the capable hands of Dr. Daru. He'll be with you right away."

"Oh, that's fine, dear. He's a complete hunk anyway."

"I must agree," Hawk piped in, hanging her head in embarrassment.

"So what exactly am I needed for?"

"One of the inmates got out of hand, and a guard roughed him up too much," Hawk lied, knowing full well that Obito had purposefully baited Lion into attacking him. Lion had gotten demoted, and Obito would be getting a less irritable guard, one who had no personal bias against him.

"That's a shame. How bad is it?" The two of them walked down a rock tunnel and came across a wall.

"One moment please."

Hawk performed a hand sign, and the rock wall descended. Hawk beckoned for Sakura to hurry over, and once they had crossed, the wall smashed into the ceiling once more.

"This is...a prisoner of war are being kept, isn't it?" Sakura asked sadly, rubbing her arms as a shiver went down her body.

"Unfortunately, yes. Don't worry; the man you are going to see is of no threat to you down here."

"Oh, trust me. I'm not worried at all," Sakura answered honestly, knowing full well she had a good chance of pummeling anyone here. After all, most of the prisoners' chakras had been sealed away, and she could pummel a good number of them anyway.

They got deeper and deeper into the prison, and Sakura finally realized that this was not a normal prisoner of war at all. Performing a seal to bring down a wall, they quickly walked down a long, dark hallway with the only source of light being a flashlight in Hawk's hand.

Coming upon the last cell in the prison, Sakura didn't recognize the man at all. He was curled in to the fetal position, and he was cackling maniacally. Sakura frowned at the thought of touching this pitiful man. How far was he gone?

"Help me hold him down," she ordered, and Hawk nodded.

I know it's all a little boring right now, but it will take a while for plot and other stuffss to come up because...y'know, exposition.

Thanks for all the reviews!