A/N: Happy belated birthday to this story. Not to worry, I didn't forget you all. It's been a crazy year for me. Five months in France. Two months back home in the U.S. Now I've moved permanently to Estonia. It's just been a year of big changes, so I apologize for my extended absence. I have an outline for the next few chapters already complete, so you should be happy to know that the next chapter shouldn't take half a year. Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews; they feed my muse.

Oh, and you should know that I post periodic updates on my profile. Even if I don't post chapters right away, I do check my fanfiction account fairly regularly. So if you think that I've been on hiatus a bit too long, feel free to check my account and see just where I'm at with my stories.

The Midnight Hour

Why flickering light persists,
won't die for me on stormy nights?

-Stellar Hour by Betti Alver

He sat next to the chakra lamp, gazing intently at the chains that bound the man before him. His dark eyes took in every detail, every silver link, and every shadowed restraint—so well imbued by a foreign power that he could barely comprehend. It had been several minutes since he had last spoken, but the silence wasn't awkward. Silence, in reality, had never been awkward for him, having taken precedence the majority of his life.

Even his jailed companion, who had proven since their first meeting to be quite a conversationalist, was taking advantage of the silence to await the news. Though, in truth, since his eyes were masked, it was difficult to discern just what the chained man was thinking—or planning.

A shiver ran up the free man's spine as he glanced at the lantern, "He's dead."

"As to be expected."

"Then why did you instruct me to use him in the first place? He will just arouse suspicion."

"Keep your enemy on his toes."

"They don't think I'm coming back."

"Then he didn't arouse any suspicion. You can't be linked to a hollow."

"So what are you suggesting?"

The chained man smiled, a deceptive and rather sinister smile, "Send more."

"And how, exactly, do you propose I do that? The portal closed."

"We bargain."

The free man stood, his brow furrowing in the shadows as his patience waned. "You are in no position to make demands of me."

"You too are a prisoner." The prisoner's smile had yet to fade. "To escape we must evolve. And to evolve, we must work together."

"Hn."

"You have not told me your name." His voice was as smooth as poisoned honey.

"I'll find my own way out of here." The unbound man turned his back, facing the direction from which he had arrived. "You're chained here for a reason. Something tells me that I don't want any part of it."

"Oh?" he chuckled. "And for what reason, my new friend, are you here?"

With each step, his visitor was swallowed further by the darkness. The prisoner could feel the energy fading into the depths of the void and, for a moment, he felt cheated. But he stilled his thoughts and calmed his emotions, knowing that his plan would work in his favor. Within seconds, the footsteps had halted and the prisoner smiled, reassured.

The voice that responded was tight with rage, "I made a mistake." And then, in a whisper—a whisper that embodied more hatred than a hollow—he continued, "I will have my revenge."

That was the seed he needed, the prisoner realized, upon hearing his companion's confession. And with a grim but determined smile, he cast the bait, "That thing you sent at my insistence was the beginning of revenge. There are more. I can give you what you want—more power than you have ever had in your life—if you can, in turn, use it to free me."

"You have no way of knowing that I will help you."

The prisoner's teeth gleamed like fangs ready to penetrate their prey, "Oh, you will. I am the final piece of your puzzle. The last pawn in the game, so to say. Without me, you will inevitably fail."

"And where does this game begin?"

"In a place of eternal night and sorrow, in the breeding grounds of vengeance. Come here and tell me your story and, in turn, you shall here mine."

There was a pause in the other man's steps, a consideration. The prisoner waited patiently, knowing he had already won. He had cast the die and waited to play his hand. What he had said had been true, of course. He would play the final hand in order to achieve victory. But it was in what he didn't say that held all the answers.

I will play the first hand, as well.

Finally, the steps announced the return of his guest. "You didn't tell me your name either."

"Ah, how rude of me," he paused, seemingly tasting the air. "Please, call me Aizen."

Aizen heard the man return to his former sitting position, "Uchiha…" He rearranged his sword, propping it against his leg. "Uchiha Sasuke."

"Well then, Uchiha Sasuke," Aizen began, his voice only half-serious, "what is it that you want most?"

"What 'bout now?" Gin eyed the swinging sheath of Shinsou as the sword hung limply from Sakura's pack.

Sakura shook her head, suppressing a well-warranted sigh. "Are you planning to ask every ten minutes from now until we get to Konoha?"

"If it'll work."

"Not a chance."

"Aw c'mon," Gin pleaded. "You don't even plan to use him."

She shrugged, unmoved by his plaints, "I still won."

Gin knew better than to try to reclaim Shinsou through thievery. He had already attempted several times to catch Sakura off guard, only to emerge empty-handed and slightly bruised. But without the sword at his side, he felt naked. Empty. Completely vulnerable.

"We're getting close," Sakura hoped he didn't read too much into her changing subjects. "Konoha is at the base of the next hill."

"You don't sound too excited."

"It's been a long time…" she replied wistfully. "I haven't been home since the last battle."

"Oh?" Gin's response wasn't exactly an invitation to continue, but the offer was there, somewhere beneath the surface.

"A…friend…left Konoha when I was twelve. He was my teammate. I spent the next few years chasing him—always trying to reach him—but in the end, he couldn't be saved."

"Why did he betray you?"

In truth, Gin didn't really care. He didn't know her teammate, and by the sound of it, he probably wouldn't have the pleasure of knowing him anytime soon. But Sakura seemed to want him to care—to want to tell the story, if only for having some one to whom she could tell it.

"Revenge," she said simply. "And no matter what I said, or what I did, it didn't matter in the end, because it invaded his heart until there was nothing left but hatred."

Gin didn't answer right away. He had found himself lost in his own thoughts at that point, mulling over the facets that mirrored, in some ways, his own situation. You were not consumed by an idea, he reminded himself.

But that hadn't meant that his own soul had been spared for his betrayal.

Besides, his revenge had not been for himself. Perhaps, in the end, that was the point of separation between the personal quest of Sakura's friend and his own. What had been left, when he had failed, had not been hatred, but sorrow and resignation.

Even so, he could not change that. He could only look ahead—to wherever looking ahead would lead him.

"Revenge changes nothin'. Jus' keeps goin' until there ain't nothin' left."

"I know and he knows it too," she replied vaguely. "He just doesn't care."

Gin shrugged, "Then there wasn't nothin' you could do 'bout it."

"I still tried and I still failed." Sakura glanced at him, her green eyes searching, "Haven't you ever knowingly fought a losing battle and then regretted losing even after you knew you'd never win?"

Images of Rangiku surfaced like wildfire clearing a forest. Before Gin could suppress them, they had sufficiently taken over and he was mentally cursing Sakura to the ninth level of hell. He gritted his teeth and stared straight ahead, the contours of his face rigid and lacking their usual foolishness. "In the end, it still doesn't matter. Can't change what ain't meant to be changed."

"I suppose you're right," Sakura acquiesced, but she still didn't feel any better for it.

Standing in the entrance to Konoha was almost dream-like. As soon as her foot crossed the threshold, Sakura had paused, waiting to see if a guard would approach, if someone would stop them. But the barrier had not forgotten the feel of her chakra; it had known her immediately and allowed her to pass unhindered. Even when Gin had stepped in to the village, the barrier had registered him as an unthreatening passer-by, granting them both the free reign to explore their surroundings and to post-pone the inevitable meeting with the Hokage.

"It's…" Sakura paused, her voice caught in her throat.

"…busy." Gin finished for her, though that had hardly been the word for which Sakura had been searching.

But indeed, Gin was correct in his assessment. People—ninjas and children and villagers alike—moved from place to place at a leisurely but well-honed pace. The streets were crowded, but not overly so, and Gin was impressed with the layout.

"I see we're not gonna be arrested for intrudin'."

"That's a relief." Sakura's sarcasm hid her underlying nerves. "With your communication skills, you'd be permanently locked up."

"So where to?" he ventured to ask, ignoring her last comment as if she hadn't even said it.

Sakura glanced around, feeling suddenly out of place. "I—I don't know." What will Tsunade say?

Gin didn't seem to mind to linger, utilizing his time to take in the new sights, the new smells. This world was not Rukongai, but it had a certain life to it that ran parallel to some of his own memories. People were happy here, he noted. People were at ease. And they went about their daily lives believing in their ninja—believing that they could rely on them for protection.

It seemed foolish to rely on someone else for protection. But, then again, Gin had never known the feeling of having someone around to help—to offer a hand. Not until he had met Rangiku, anyway. And even then, it had been—in his eyes—his duty to protect her. Not the other way around.

He allowed his thoughts to drift as his eyes scanned each crevice of Konoha that rested within his line of sight, stopping only when he felt a sudden tug on his leg.

"Mister?"

Gin glanced down, suddenly aware of the small child's presence. "Eh?"

"Have you seen my puppy?"

The former Shinigami took in the entirety of the boy in one mere probing glance. The kid was no more than six, with dark blue lines running down each cheek. His brown hair ran in all directions and matched the dark complexion of his face, now stained with tears.

"Why would I have seen your puppy?"

The hopeful sheen in the kid's eyes dissolved in an instant. "Because…" he began, choking back tears, "you look strong; I thought a ninja might…"

"Whoa, whoa," Gin held up his hands, quickly deigning to correct the child's error, "I ain't a ninja."

"Gin!" Sakura smacked one of his upheld hands. "That's no wait to treat this child." Slowly, she knelt at eye level with the boy, "You're part of the Inuzuka clan?"

He nodded, "Mama will be mad that I lost him."

"What does he look like?"

"Michi's this big," the boy commenced, using his hands for emphasis, "and all black."

"And what's your name?"

"Hikaru…"

Sakura smiled, "I'm Sakura. And this," she pointed up towards the man beside her, "is Gin."

Upon hearing his name, Gin met Sakura's stare, briefly wondering what exactly she was planning. I don't like the way she's lookin' at me…

"Hikaru, you're in the Ninja Academy, right?" she continued, ignoring the question in Gin's expression.

The boy nodded his ascent. "I just started this year."

"How about a mission?"

"Really? But—"

Sakura winked, "Consider it practice for when you become a real ninja. Plus, you'll have help."

Gin knew where this was going—and he didn't much like it. I'm not babysitting some brat. He was about to voice this opinion when she interjected, "Why don't you and Gin search for Michi while I go and speak to Hokage-sama? It will be Gin's first mission too!"

Hikaru's mood improved dramatically, "I won't let you down, miss!"

Sakura's smile shifted when she met Gin's stare of disbelief. He could easily read the message between the lines. That smile said, Disagree and I will kill you right here. Gin bit his tongue, promising to get her back for it later, as the boy grabbed his hand and began to lead him away.

"Hikaru!" she called. "Don't forget that you're team leader. Let me know if Gin doesn't listen!"

With Gin out of the way, Sakura felt a little less pressed to see Tsunade. At the very least, she would be able to do it her way, without having to worry about Gin's quick tongue and thoughtless commentary. That went better than expected. She had half expected him to pitch a fit at the idea, but, for whatever reason, he had only silently voiced his displeasure. Maybe he understands how I feel…

But Sakura shook that thought from her head with a mild laugh, "Yeah right."

She took to the dusty streets, taking in the sights of the reconstructed Konoha as if seeing it for the first time. In a way, she was. When she had left, it had been in shambles, nothing but a crater. However, two years of hard work had finally restored the village to a rather well done replica of its former mold.

There were things that were different, of course. She had walked around the old Konoha enough times to know when something was out of place in the new one, but for the most part, it felt like home. And as if realizing it for the first time, she allowed a small smile to creep onto her features. That's right. I'm home…

"Well, well," a lazy voice rang out from above her head, interrupting her train of thoughts, "this is a bit nostalgic."

Sakura glanced up, following the sound of the voice with her eyes, and felt her heart dance with happiness when they landed on a familiar ninja crouched on a rooftop. "Kakashi-sensei."

He leapt down, landing gracefully at her side, "Tsunade-sama never mentioned that you would be in town on business."

"I-it's not business, really." Sakura felt her cheeks grow hot. "It's more of a personal visit."

"Ah." Kakashi was his usual non-committal self and Sakura was grateful, knowing that he wouldn't press her for more information.

"Everyone is here?" she ventured to ask.

"The usual."

"How long has it been?"

Sakura cringed, "Two years…"

"The Fire Lord keeps you busy."

"Quite."

Kakashi fell into step beside her and for a moment, Sakura could envision herself several years younger, walking in much the same manner—the teacher next to his student. It was enough to bring a spark of tears to her eyes.

"Everything is so different now," she commented, "and yet it seems like nothing has changed."

"Hm," Kakashi acquiesced, allowing his sole visible eye to appraise her, to see just how his former student was holding up as one of the Twelve. She was fatigued, but not overly exhausted. Worried about something, but nothing that would be easily ascertainable. Though he wanted to ask, the teacher within him knew that either she would tell him of her own volition or he would find out later. Whatever had brought her to Konoha had been a matter that she clearly felt was too large to resolve on her own. And so she has come home to her family to find the answer. A well-made choice, Sakura-chan.

"The battles have become sparse. I hear that peace is on the horizon." Sakura found herself searching for something worthwhile to say, glancing up at him with a small smile. "What do you think?"

"It will come eventually. Everyone is tired of fighting."

She laughed, but the maturity within it was not lost on Kakashi. Sakura had grown up, he realized. She carried the weight of battle heavy on her heart, but she also carried hope within it. She's no longer the girl swooning after Sasuke.

"You've done well, Sakura."

At his praise, she flushed, surprise evident on her face. "I didn't expect compliments, Kakashi-sensei. What have I done to deserve that?"

Kakashi shrugged, "If you ever have students of your own, you'll see what I mean."

"Do you think Tsunade-sama will be of similar thinking?" There was a twinge of fear in her voice, and even guilt.

"I don't see why not. You were one of her best pupils."

"I was one of her only pupils," Sakura amended.

"That too," he conceded.

She sighed, glancing up at the passing clouds, "I didn't come alone—to Konoha, I mean."

"Oh?"

"But the situation is…difficult," she admitted. "I imagine you'll meet him before the day is out."

Kakashi's eye widened significantly. Sakura had returned, rather sheepishly, to Konoha with a man? He wasn't sure how to respond, remembering how wrong answers tended to anger Sakura, and that angry Sakura tended to harm the person with whom she was angry. Finally, after another long moment of consideration, he offered a tentative, "Congratulations?"

This time it was Sakura's turn to be surprised, her face growing redder by the minute. Her glance shot up, meeting his with horror, "Oh no! I didn't mean it like that. I found him on the floor in the woods nearly dead and healed him. I meant his situation is difficult. We aren't—he's not—it's not like…."

She couldn't find the courage to finish her sentence and when she found the nerve to meet his eyes again, she saw that Kakashi was on the verge of laughter. Immediately, Sakura found herself relaxing, "Sorry, I'm just a little on edge with seeing everyone again."

"Everyone will be happy to see you."

"Two years is a long time and, as I said, you haven't yet heard the reason I'm here." She slowed her step as the Hokage building came into view. Throughout her conversation, Sakura had not realized that Kakashi had been slowly guiding her in that direction. "I guess this is it," she said with a deep breath, turning towards her mentor with a forced smile. "Wish me luck."

Kakashi placed a hand lightly on her shoulder and gave her one of his traditional smiles—the kind that had encompassed the entirety of his face and honed itself in the shine of his normally lazy gaze. "You don't need it."

And with that, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"It's really you Sakura?" Tsunade asked over the edge of paperwork upon seeing her former student standing in the doorway. She lowered her pen, giving the pink-haired young woman a quick once over before beckoning her to enter. "Come in."

Sakura closed the door quietly behind her as an overwhelming happiness began to trump her former fears. "Tsunade-sama, I'm sorry I've come without warning."

Her former master stood and edged her way around the desk, taking her former student in her arms. "You've gotten a little taller."

"I guess I hadn't noticed," Sakura shrugged, glancing at her reflection in the glass windows, as she returned Tsunade's comforting hug.

"Everything is all right?" Tsunade released her, edging back to lean against her desk as she appraised Sakura with a well-honed eye.

"Well, yes…" She wasn't sure where to begin. "The fire-daimyo doesn't know that I'm here. I'll need to send a message to him after I've briefed you on the reason for my visit."

Tsunade raised a brow, but waited patiently.

Sakura would have liked to change the subject. To sit down with Tsunade over sake or drink tea or anything really, so long as it wasn't about Gin. But she knew that she had to get it out. And sooner had always proven to be better than later, except when there was death involved. And even then, that had been largely situational.

"Before I begin, I should warn you that this story may sound completely ridiculous and, at times, I'm apt to think that it's just a dream." Bracing herself for the impossibility of explaining Gin's situation, she took what felt like her two-hundredth deep breath for the day, "Approximately one week ago, I found a strange man on the forest floor on the verge of death. His right arm was entirely severed and he had a deep sword wound running across his torso. In all honesty, I'm surprised that I was able to save him. He has healed relatively quickly though he still has limited use of his arm. With time, however, I believe it will be useable."

"This man is with you now?" Tsunade asked, wondering if Sakura had found a discarded spy.

"Yes, though I left him in the village to help a boy find his puppy in hopes of speaking to you alone first."

"You wanted to tell me his story without him here?"

"Gin is a bit…unusual." Unusual doesn't even begin to cut it. As if on cue, the entirety of his attitude began to rankle, until Sakura found herself reliving every single wrong that he had done in just the short amount of time that they had traveled together. "Actually," she added with clenched fists, "he's rude, thoughtless, egotistical, unnerving, and completely unpredictable!"

Now that is the Sakura I know… Tsunade thought with an internal smirk. She hasn't changed as much as I thought.

"But—" Sakura paused, thoughtful, "I feel like there is something amiss."

From there she told Tsunade everything she knew, reliving the moment of finding Gin just until their arrival. She described her experience with the hollow, the strange assassins in the forest, Gin's abilities. Her words were quick and thoroughly efficient, though her insides quailed at the thought of her former master's judgment. Even so, at the end of it, Sakura felt ten pounds lighter, as if a cloak of Lee's training weights had fallen away from her shoulders.

Tsunade listened with the patience of a Hokage and the wisdom of a warrior. Though the tale was an admittedly extraordinary one, she did not find herself doubting Sakura's speculations and experiences. Sakura had always been capable of reporting accurate information and she wasn't one to exaggerate. But the Hokage found, much to her dismay, that the story made her nervous. Tsunade allowed herself a minute to collect her thoughts, rallying them against one another in an attempt to connect her ideas. Another world? A merging of them? An enemy outside the confines of her mortal understanding?

It was clear at that point that she would have to meet this Ichimaru Gin, though that fact seemed to put Sakura significantly on edge.

"Why don't you get settled for the night, Sakura," Tsunade suggested, finally, after several minutes of contemplation. "It will give you time to send an envoy to the Fire Lord and show our new friend around. You can bring him by tomorrow."

Sakura couldn't hide the visible relief on her already overly expressive features. She would have hugged Tsunade right then had someone not knocked on the door at that precise moment.

"Tsunade-sama."

Knowing that, at this point, she was dismissed, Sakura bowed her thanks. However, just before she said good-bye, the young ninja paused briefly, remembering something. "Oh, this might be useful."

She unhooked Shinsou from its position on her hip, "It belonged to Gin and it's important to him. He calls it an extension of his soul, actually. Maybe someone from Intel can gather some information from it."

Tsunade grasped the scabbard with a firm grip, eyeing the wakizashi with unhidden curiosity. "I'll see what they can find out."

"Thank you, master. Tomorrow, then."

Sakura stepped out into the hallway, yielding the doorway to a teenaged girl with long blue-black hair. Their eyes met, but nothing passed between them—no spark of recognition, no form of camaraderie—leaving Sakura to quit the Hokage's Tower feeling slightly dejected. Konoha had changed in more than just appearance. The next generation was beginning to replace the old one.

It was clear to Sakura, at that moment, that she had finally grown up.

Nara Shikamaru was bored. Having nothing to do had been rare these past few years. Nevertheless, without the continuous meetings, the drills, the training, or other troublesome things he had previously been in charge of attending, he suddenly found that the peace and quiet was almost unwelcome.

He glanced at his shougi board, playing absent-mindedly with the pieces. He hadn't been able to play for quite some time, and now that he could, he didn't have a partner. It frustrated him a bit, as playing alone had never left him very satisfied.

So he settled himself to coming up with plausible starting strategies for the future.

However before he could immerse himself in the thrill of the battle, a shuffling of feet beyond his porch forced him to glance up. Thinking that his day of peace had just come to an abrupt end by some last minute message from the Hokage demanding his presence, Shikamaru found himself surprised to meet the impassable expression of a rather raggedy, foreign looking man.

Shikamaru raised a brow, "May I help you?"

The man raised a hand to scratch behind his head of silver hair; the other one—Shikamaru realized—was injured. "Not particularly. That girl'll find me no matter where I hide."

Seeing as Shikamaru's luck with women had been non-existent, he felt a twinge of pity for the newcomer, "Do you like shougi?"

Gin looked over, showing the first signs of interest in the shinobi, "You any good?"

Shikamaru didn't rise to the bait; he smirked, "Hmph. Guess you'll have to see for yourself? Otherwise it'll just be too troublesome."

Without another moment's hesitation, Gin sat himself across from the younger man, rearranging the pieces so that they sat correctly for the start of the game. In truth, it had been some years since Gin had attempted to play. The game had always been more of Aizen's forte, planning and scheming had been normal everyday hobbies. But Gin had never been one for the ultimate plan. He liked basing his moves on instinct—he liked to lose himself in the moment and use his intelligence to find a way back out.

With that being said, he didn't expect this to be an easy game. A man never invited you to play a game if he thought he was going to lose.

"What's your name?" Shikamaru asked, making his first move.

"Gin."

"Ah," the ninja noted, "I'd take the time to ask for your story, but those are always too troublesome. Suffice it to say, I know you aren't from around here. But, do you have a reason to be in Konoha?"

Gin raised a brow, temporarily drawing the slits of his eyes away from the board, "If I have a reason, I dunno it yet."

"After the past couple of years, I suppose I have a reason to ask," Shikamaru continued, shrugging. "I'm Nara Shikamaru."

They fell into silence, watching the board and attempting to estimate one another's next move, which—Shikamaru discovered—was no easy feat. Though Gin made some predictable moves, his entire style was sporadic. Sporadic, Shikamaru noted, but effective. It was almost as if the stranger was trying to taunt him into a mistake.

Thus, he decided to change tactics.

"Who are you hiding from?"

Gin glanced up once again, a small grin creeping into the smooth contours of his face. He wasn't going to let this kid divert his attention—even if it was a smart premeditated strategy. He shrugged, "Ain't important. Men are always hidin' from women."

True enough, Shikamaru thought, as a picture of a glowering Ino temporarily filled his mind. How many times had he snuck around Konoha just to avoid a lecture? Troublesome. They're always so troublesome.

He rested his chin on his hand, allowing his eyes to follow the pieces on the board. Playing, almost absentmindedly, with possible moves in his head. It was well known that he could see the outcomes of most choices several plays in advance.

"You don't much like strategy," he observed as Gin made yet another hasty play.

Gin actually smiled, though it was a bit wolfish, "I tend t' let others do the planning."

For a moment, Shikamaru seemed a bit perplexed. He was one of the laziest ninja in Konoha, but even he found some fun in working his mind. He looked a bit closer at Gin. Wisdom told him not to take the nonchalance lightly. This man, whoever he was, was no pushover. And he certainly wasn't stupid. So if he's half-assing this game, then what game is he actually playing? As he made his next move, Shikamaru found himself more and more intrigued. Puzzles had always been the one thing he set out to solve. It was rare that he found himself applying his own equations to a person. Even rarer that he couldn't come to a conclusion within the first few minutes.

He smiled then, snorting softly. What did it matter, after all? He would find out eventually.

Sakura stumbled upon Hikaru rather by accident, though she had been searching for Gin for almost two hours.

"I see that you have found Michi," she said with a smile made of clenched teeth; her eyes were like forests on fire, ready to devour every leaf, limb, and tree in her way.

Hikaru beamed, unaware, "Gin-niisan found him by the river."

"And where, might I ask, is Gin?"

Hikaru shrugged, "He told me to tell you that he was going sight-seeing."

"Sight-seeing!"

This time Hikaru backed up a bit, suddenly very aware of the sparks igniting in Sakura's eyes. Sakura noted it, barely, but it was enough to calm her enough to be civil. "Hikaru-kun," she began, her voice smothered in the sweetness that would have made any adult gag, "could you have Michi trail Gin's scent for me?"

The child knew better than to protest. He jumped up, speaking a few soft words to the black puppy, and set him down gently, "Let's go Michi!"

The pup took off with a little bark, his tail wagging with each bound of his long oversized legs. Sakura grimaced, knowing that he had quite a bit of growing to do before those legs listened completely to his brain. She could only imagine how many walls had been the subject of off-balanced abuse.

But, at the very least, the puppy was fast, and she actually found herself working to keep him within her line of sight. Hikaru, well accustomed to running with dogs, made it look effortless.

People flew by in a blur. Probably for the best, she thought, considering the desire to pummel something had now grown in increasing proportions. She wanted to save her anger for Gin. How dare he go running off by himself here?

The sections of town were becoming increasingly familiar and, by the time she had rounded the next corner, she knew exactly where she would find him. Sakura slowed her pace as she neared the familiar wooden outline of Shikamaru's house, pausing only to give Hikaru a commending pat on the head, "Good work. I'd say you have done excellent ninja work today."

He beamed at her praise, giving her a half salute, before grabbing Michi and running back in the direction from which they had come. He might have liked Sakura and Gin, but he wasn't about to come between whatever erupted in the next few minutes.

She could hear their voices before she could actually see them—the two laziest people she had ever met—as they played a game of shougi. Shikamaru is probably thrilled to have found a worthy opponent. As soon as she caught sight of the back of Gin's head, Sakura crossed her arms, transforming her façade into an impersonation of passive stone, and leaned against the wooden post of the porch, waiting calmly until one of them took the time to notice her.

Shikamaru was the first to glance up and he nearly choked in surprise, "Sakura-san?"

Upon hearing her name, Gin went rigid, his entire back tensing like a tightly coiled spring. As if, at any moment, he might make a run for it.

"Shikamaru-san," she half-smiled, "it's been a long time."

She edged her way closer, making sure that she didn't break eye contact with her old comrade. He looked quite the same, she realized, with the same lazy look, the same earrings, the same air of utter boredom. But she knew that some things had changed—she had to know. Because in reality, everything had changed. And she would be a fool to pretend otherwise-a fool to believe that they were the same innocent genin.

"Thanks for babysitting my charge."

Upon hearing this Gin seemed to come alive, "Your charge?" He gave a kind of wild laugh, "Woman, the only reason I'm even here is cause I decided t' follow you."

A spark of recognition couldn't stop Shikamaru's next words, much to Gin's dismay, "This is who you were running from?"

Sakura cracked her knuckles, waving them so Gin could see, "And here I thought you were sight-seeing."

Shikamaru felt vaguely uncomfortable. This is going to be troublesome. He decided to try and draw Sakura's attention away from Gin, "You're here on business?"

His plan seemed to momentarily work as Sakura looked off, thoughtful, "No, not really. In reality, I'm just visiting." And then, upon reentering the subject of Gin, she bristled again, "I'm visiting because I had nothing else that I could do with him."

Before Shikamaru could speak again, she marched up to Gin, completely closing the gap between them, and grabbed him by his bandages, "You realize that I have been searching for two hours, right?"

The snake in Gin's smile only spread wider, "And you realize that I hadta baby-sit some brat for two hours while searchin' for some dumb dog?"

So this was payback, Sakura realized. And then a rather cruel idea took hold. "Well, if you wander off again, you'll never get Shinsou back."

Gin's narrowed eyes fell immediately to Shinsou's former position, "Where is he?"

"Oh, don't worry. He's in safe hands." And then with a sharp smile, Sakura added, "For now."

Gin had to work hard to maintain his composure, but his expression was much grimmer than before. Before, he had only been mocking her. Now she was challenging him and it was everything he could do to refrain from rising to the bait. Shinsou had been taken from him in some sort of good fun—at least he had believed. And now she had gone and given him up to someone. Relinquished his soul for the inspection of whoever chose to look. For the briefest of moments, his temper flared, a deep and dangerous thing. The last time it had done so, he had spent a lifetime planning and executing his revenge.

But, he thought, forcing himself to exude a calm he didn't feel, she could just be taunting him. Tricking him into acting like an obedient lapdog. He eased the tension out of his shoulders, thinking inwardly that the situation was almost comical. This was a game, he convinced himself. All he needed to win was to play by her rules until he could gain the upper hand.

"At least I found th' damn dog like ya wanted," he offered as a sort of truce.

Shikamaru had considered just leaving on sudden urgent business, but the reactions between the two became a very intriguing spectacle. They were playing a game of power the way two children play cat and mouse. Except this time, both the cat and the mouse were armed with heavy artillery and constantly growing intellects. Maybe I should have challenged Sakura to shougi too when we were kids, he found himself thinking.

"May I ask," Shikamaru said with a cough to get their attention, "what is Shinsou?"

Much to his surprise, it was Gin who answered, "My sword."

"A chakra sword?"

"Not quite. He's a great deal more 'n that."

"He?"

Gin nodded, offering no further explanation, forcing Shikamaru to glance at Sakura for aid. Much to his disappointment, she merely shrugged, looking off as if she were deep in thought.

Giving up, he decided it was best to change the subject, "Have you seen Naruto yet?"

Upon hearing the name of her former teammate, Sakura visibly brightened, "Is he here?"

"He got back from a scouting mission yesterday."

"I just arrived here today. I've only seen Tsunade-sama. And now you." She paused, "Oh, and Kakashi-sensei dropped by on the road."

"Ah, I'm sure you'll bump into him. Try ramen."

Sakura nodded, the thought having already been filed away in her mind. The first place to look for Naruto had always been Ichiraku's.

"What about Ino? Is she—" The young medic-nin suddenly didn't know how to continue.

Shikamaru, however, had been well prepared and eased into the conversation, "Ino will want to have a party. It'll be really troublesome if you go see her now."

Sakura smiled, "Only troublesome for you." And then, to continue her former thought, she said quickly, "Is she back on duty?"

Shikamaru looked away briefly, his eyes narrowing slightly, "She can't do missions anymore. But she works in the hospital."

"Oh," Sakura couldn't find the words to say, "I didn't hear the extent of it, I guess."

Already the guilt was creeping up like a vine, ensnaring her with its thorns. If I had been there, could I have done something? Had abandoning her friends really been the right choice? Shikamaru didn't seem to hold it against her, but that was because he had received the same offer. But he had turned it down to fight alongside his comrades. And what had she done? She had run off like a scared dog, determined to prove herself without having the slightest clue of what she was getting into—or what she was leaving behind.

"I'll have to see her," Sakura said quietly. I'll have to apologize that I wasn't there to help.

Silence descended upon the three. Gin looked like he had only been half-listening to the conversation, but Sakura didn't doubt that he had probably inhaled every word and logged it away somewhere in his overly active and extremely intelligent mind. Though he didn't always prove to have common sense, she knew that he would wait until they were alone to ask about an obviously sore subject. If he asked at all.

Finally, Sakura moved away, "I better go find everyone else before word travels that I've been back for half a day and haven't visited with old friends." Then, turning to Gin, she gave him one of her level stares, trying her best to conceal her thoughts, "I need to take a look at your wounds as well Gin."

Though she thought he might object, he rose without so much of a word of complaint. He turned to Shikamaru, "We can continue this some other time, if ya want."

Shikamaru leaned the back of his head into his arms as he tilted himself lazily in his chair, "Sure. You know where to find me now."

And as he watched the two leave out of one half-open lid, he let out a sigh. He had thought he might get a bit of a vacation, but something told him that the arrival of those two was a catalyst for something much larger. He didn't much believe in fate, or whatever gods looked down upon them, but he knew that when something odd happened, it tended to create a string of events equally as odd and equally as unpredictable.

Shikamaru glanced up at the clouds idling in the sky with a sinking feeling settling in his chest. This is definitely going to be troublesome.

Next time he was going to request that his vacation be moved somewhere that Konoha's problems wouldn't end up on his back porch.

Special Announcement: If you like Gin/Rangiku, check out my newest addition to my stories: Metaphorical Language. It's not really my usual style of storytelling, but it is proving to be quite a bit of fun. If you like riddles, come along for the ride.