Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, or form. This upcoming story however, I do own.

Thanks to all that reviewed the last chapter. Some of the reviewers pointed out that I didn't portray the ROOT members right and for that I'm sorry. It's kinda hard to portray emotionless puppets and weapons the way that ROOT was made to be. Though I like how Sai has been portrayed, evolving from someone emotionless to someone that cares about Naruto and his team.

Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy.


Konoha (two weeks after Sakura's defection)

It was already midafternoon and the bustling crowds of Konoha were milling about. To those looking from the outside in, the civilians seemed to be having a blast.

However, for the ninja sector of Konoha, it was anything but happy. Most of the ninja were trained to keep a straight face but it took a lot of them to do so. It had been two weeks ever since Sakura was declared a missing-nin and Tsunade has desperately sending out rescue teams to find her and Naruto. Shizune could only guess that wherever Sakura went was where Naruto was right now. No one had the faintest idea where that could be.

In a dango shop, Konoha jounin Mitirashi Anko was staring at her tea and her lunch. She had touched nothing on her dango plate. It was rare to see Anko deep in thought but that was what was happening. Anko had been deep in thought for hours now, ever since she entered the dango shop. She was a regular customer so the owner did not ask any questions. The tea had long since gotten cold but Anko had not noticed.

Anko was roused from her thoughts when someone said "You know, never thought I would see you not eat dango."

Anko turned her head and was greeted by the site of Yūhi Kurenai, who looked like she had gotten done training her team. Taking a seat across from Anko, Kurenai placed her order and turned to regard Anko.

For her credit, Anko started speaking. "I just realized I'm not that hungry anymore. There is a lot on my mind."

Kurenai nodded her head. "So you to have been wondering what's been going on, haven't you?"

"Let's recap, Anko started. First, the blonde gaki disappears like there's not tomorrow. Second, the Hokage sends out teams to search for said gaki and she claims to the public that Naruto has gone missing from a previous assignment. Third, Sakura promptly leaves and has not been seen in two weeks. Also the Hokage has declared her a missing-nin."

Kurenai smiled. "That pretty much sums it up."

Anko threw her hands into the air. "Fuck, if this shit gets any more complicated, I might up and leave as well. This place is getting so lonely."

"I know what you mean, Kurenai replied. But our duty is to the Hokage and as such, we have to continue to teach the Will of Fire to all of our students. Though it is a little bit in the pain in the ass to teach people without Naruto being here."

Anko nodded. "That blonde gaki was basically an embodiment of our Will. Without him, it's gonna be hard to teach the next generation."

Kurenai giggled. "Why are u complaining? You don't have to teach any genin in the next years."

"Only because I basically begged the Sandaime to not give me a team, Anko replied. I like my job in interrogation."

"Right now, I wouldn't mind switching jobs with you, Kurenai said. I have some pretty mean genjutsus to use on prisoners."

"Hey, I got first dibs on all of those guys, Anko retorted. If you join us, I might allow you to use your techniques on one of the smaller prisoners.

Before Kurenai could begin her next statement, another female voice spoke out. "Jeez you guys are loud."

Both women turned to the voice and saw an ANBU with a cat mask on. Kurenai smiled. "I though you were off duty, Yugao-san?"

Behind the mask, Uzuki Yūgao smiled. "I was until the Hokage had to pull all ANBU in search of Sakura."

"Well that sounds nice, Anko replied. Where have you been searching?"

Pulling off her mask and taking a seat right next to Anko, Yugao placed an order and turned to the other women. "I've been around to Suna and Taki. Nothing much going on in both villages. I just came back from Kusa. Tsunade is allowing our team three days rest before we search around Oni."

The other two nodded. "Looks like your going to have your hands full in the coming days, Anko pointed out. Want to come with us to the hot springs later on?"

Yugao shrugged. "I guess. Going to the hot springs sounds better then just walking around. Who else is coming?"

"Hana is, Kurenai answered. She also got several days off from the vet's office and has wanted to go to the hot springs with us for a while."

Yugao nodded and accepted her food from the waiter. Taking a bite from her dango stick, she voiced her opinion on the matter. "It really is sad to see such young and promising students disappear from our ranks. I only hope we can accept the repercussions of our actions."

Neither of the two other women said anything. All of them understood what had transpired.


Shopping District

Midafternoon traffic around Konoha was a mess for normal people. For one Yamanaka Ino, however, it was all but normal. Picking up some items for the flower shop, Ino couldn't help but look around at the numerous amounts of civilians crowding the streets, their faces impassive to the rest of the world. To those people, this was their normal way of living. Being ignorant to the rest of the world was a simple bliss to the civilians. To Ino, who was a ninja, being ignorant usually got you killed or worse. And unfortunately for her, her ignorance made her lose her best friend.

Stopping at one of the many road side vendors, Ino started to absentmindedly push items away, her mind elsewhere. 'Damn you Forehead. You always seemed to have the worst luck happen to you.' Even though Ino had long since gotten over Sasuke, Ino herself had seen what Sakura had only recently seen in Naruto. She would never tell anyone but she and Naruto had gone out for a little while, somewhere close to a month. Even though they never really got intimate, both enjoyed the other's company. But when they both realized that they would never escalate beyond best friends, Ino ended it, though for all intents and purposes, she would rather kill herself.

However, it didn't affect Naruto, since he himself understood Ino's reasons. Both resolved to become best friends and it that effect, both became even closer to the other. Ino could still remember the times that Naruto treated her like a princess and goddess that everyone though of her. Naruto didn't take it too overboard but he knew just the right words to make Ino blush, to have her heart going at a thousand miles an hour. Wherever Naruto was, she only hoped he found someone just for him.

"You know Ino, the last time I caught you daydreaming like this, droll was coming out of your mouth in waterfalls."

Snapping out of her memories, Ino turned and saw Shikamaru leaning against a building, a cigarette clutched between his middle and index finger. He looked bored standing there. Ino smiled, untied her hair so that her hair was down and ran to Shikamaru.

"Never thought I would see you not watching the clouds," Ino said.

Shikamaru shrugged. "Well, there's a first time for everything, ya know."

Ino nodded. "Quite. So what you doing down here in this district? You said you would never be down here."

"It's troublesome, but my mom wants me to pick up some clothes for my father." Shikamaru answered.

Ino put her hands on her hips. "Well that must have been a fun conversation between your parents."

"More like my mom told me and my dad just went along with it," Shikamaru retorted.

Ino giggled. "Well since we're both down here, wanna help me shop?"

Shikamaru shrugged again. "It will be troublesome but sure."

The two of them started to walk to the civilian clothing shop down a ways from where they were. Shikamaru started to ask Ino some questions.

"So, exactly what are you doing here, not like this is a surprise?"

"I'm just picking up some things for the shop, Ino answered. Probably some more plants and stuff related to such."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Sounds troublesome."

"Everything sounds troublesome to you," Ino retorted. When Shikamaru didn't answer, Ino smiled. "Thought so."

"Troublesome blonds," Shikamaru muttered.

"What was that?" Ino asked while her voice was rising in tone and in volume. Even though she rarely screamed, what was about to transpire would really irk her to the max.

"Nothing," Shikamaru answered.

Ino smiled. "Exactly." They went for another several yards before Ino asked "So what have you been up to, our fearless leader?"

At this, Shikamaru cracked a smile. "Nothing more then organizing the Chuunin exams."

Ino was puzzled. "I thought they cancelled them after Pein's invasion?"

"The Hokage wants to the village to return to a sense of normalcy, Shikamaru answered. Continuing the Chuunin exams was thought to be the best way."

"Though considering what has been happening, that is truly only delaying the problem." Ino had said this and watched as Shikamaru's expression went from solitary to crestfallen.

"Lady Tsunade is not doing too well," Shikamaru said after a pause.

"What makes you say that?" Ino questioned.

"Think about it, Shikamaru began. She didn't have the power to stop Pein, she couldn't stop Naruto from being banished from the very village he swore to protect and she couldn't stop Sakura from leaving this village. On top of that, there are these rumors of groups that are trying to usurp her power."

Ino shook her head. "It's like the entire world fell on top of Konoha once Naruto was gone."

Shikamaru stopped, turned and faced Ino. "You don't think I know that? Half the time, my day is spent listening to Tsunade talk about how much her life has died. She even wants to retire."

Ino was flabbergasted. "Are you serious?"

"Entirely," answered the shadow user.

"Damn, Ino started. This is starting to get out of hand."

Shikamaru shook his head and slowly separated from Ino. He turned a corner and was lost amongst the hustle and bustle of the traffic.

Ino, however, stood still, her mind running at speeds that would shock most onlookers. 'I honestly don't know what's going on anymore, she thought. I just hope that whatever is happening out there won't come back and bite us in the ass.'


Hokage's Office

Sometimes, it was nice to be Hokage. You know, all the furnished office was nice to those who loved it and the constant attention was something out of an actor's life.

However, on this particular day, it truly sucked to be the leader of Konohagakure. As Tsunade filed another paper into the growing stacks, she frowned. 'This is becoming too routine,' she thought. Truly, when you have been a ninja for as long as Tsunade has been, something becoming routine or familiar (such as paperwork) really irked her a lot. Battle was nothing like that. The opponents you faced could be a different skill level or there could be more enemy ninja then you fully realized. The terrain could be different for each battle and the outcome not all to certain. Tsunade, even though she did not enjoy battling, she would gladly battle rather then sit behind a desk.

Filing another paper into the decline folder, she heard her door being knocked on. "Enter," she replied.

The door opened to reveal Kurenai and her old team (don't forget that all members of the Rookie Nine were Chuunin when Naruto came back). Tsunade looked at her appointment's list. The old Team 8 was not scheduled for anything. Straightening her back, Tsunade said "well, this is an utter surprise. But I guess I can work with it. So what exactly do you guys need?"

To this, Kurenai frowned. "ma'am, we requested to join one of the search squads. You said to wait for one week. It has been a week Lady Hokage."

Tsunade had this…dumbfounded look on her face. She turned to her door and shouted "SHIZUNE!"

Upon hearing her name, the brown haired assistant rushed through the door. "Yes, lady Hokage?"

"Could you look at the search team signup and see if Team 8 is on there?" Tsunade asked.

Shizune nodded, disappeared back into her office and came rushing back with a log book in her hand. Turning to the right page, Shizun4e replied "it seems that Team 8 did sign up a week ago."

Tsunade rubbed her forehead. 'It truly sucks to be me,' she thought. Outside of her mind, Tsunade said "you can join the ANBU team going out to Oni. However, you'll have to wait at least another two weeks."

Kurenai nodded and she and her old team departed. Turning to Shizune, she said "Have Yugao's team report to me right this instant."

Shizune nodded. "Yes, Lady Tsunade."

She disappeared, closing the door gently. Tsunade reached into her desk and pulled out a bottle of sake. She also pulled out cups from another part of her desk and placed then onto the table. Pouring herself a generous amount of sake, she started to take small sips from the cup. Even though she didn't chug down sake like she used to, a drink here or there helped her clear her growing headache.

It was minutes later when Shizune returned with four ANBU members, all wearing their trademark masks. All of the ANBU bowed and the one wearing the cat mask spoke first. "What is your word, Lady Hokage?" the voice was clearly feminine but it also held some experience in dealing with the female Hokage. For her part, Tsunade smiled and answered.

"Your ANBU group's orders have been changed. Tomorrow, you will head out to Uzu No Kuni (Land of the Whirlpools). You shall search for Sakura there. When you reach there, search every last building. When you are done, come back here and prepare to move out to Oni No Kuni with Jounin sensei Yuki Kurenai and Chuunins Inuzaka Kiba, Hyūga Hinata and Aburame Shino. Any questions?" all of them shook their heads. "All are dismissed except for Cat."

While the others departed, Cat took of her mask and revealed herself. "What would you like to talk to me about, Lady Hokage?"

"You seem troubled, Tsunade remarked. What exactly are you thinking, Yugao?"

Yugao mulled her words over for a few minutes. "You have my team searching old ruins and towns to find someone that, for all we know, was never there to begin with. I am just wondering what is going through your mind."

Tsunade clasped her hands. "For all intents and purposes, you're right. However, I have to use every possible thought, every possible place to find my apprentice and my son. I know that you and quite possibly your entire team know that these places are not the proper location. I'm truly sorry, Yugao."

Yugao looked surprised. Before her was not the confident and collected Hokage. Before her was a broken woman, who had lost everything she held dear in her life. "You don't have to apologize. I also want to know, what about the hidden village?"

"Do your best to ignore the hidden village, Tsunade answered. No one other then natural Uzumaki blood can enter the whirlpools and come out alive. Just do your best and search in the places surrounding Uzu No Kuni.

Yugao nodded. "Anything else, Lady Hokage?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Dismiss." Yugao nodded, put her cat mask on and shushined out of the office.

Tsunade waited until Yugao was gone. She took out a picture frame that she kept stored in one of her secret drawers. In the photo contained in the frame, she stood there with her in the middle, Naruto to her right and Sakura to her left. The photo was taken a little bit before their team had gone to the bridge. Tsunade was smiling and giving a smiling Naruto the bunny ears. Sakura was smiling as well and was giving the peace sign to the camera guy. Naruto, next to smiling, was giving his trademark foxy grin and had on his trademark jacket. A single tear started to form. 'I'm truly sorry for all that has happened to you Naruto, she thought. If I had been there when you were younger, you wouldn't have gone through all of the turmoil. I'm sorry, my godson.'


Well, short chapter here. The next few chapters will elaborate and further the development of the story from other point's rather then just endless battle.

Also, don't forget to read and review. It's nice to see many comments on how my story is coming along.

Now many of you will wonder why I decided to write about Ino and Naruto getting together (next to a couple like Naruto and Hinata, for example). Truly, when I first started writing this, I honestly could not pick anyone else. Though I could see what many fanfiction writers could see in an InoxNaruto pairing.

Until next time, stay tuned on "It's More Then Just A Promise."

Next Chapter: Passions flare and Gaara makes a visit.

Poll: Should Sakura learn an elemental affinity? Yes No

If so, what affinity should she have?