Chapter 21: Missing Nins

"Ne, Ichi-chan," Gaara called out.

Ichigo paused in her steps and turned to face the direction Gaara's voice had come from. "What is it Gaara-kun?" she asked as she fumbled with the box she held.

"I was wondering if you wanted to train with me for a while."

Ichigo grinned. "Sure, but hold on just a moment Kairi-sensei asked me to take this to Reichou-sama."

"Oh?" Gaara asked. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure but I think it has something to do with the ceremony later."

"Oh! I forgot about that!" Gaara's eyes were wide.

"Honestly, Gaara-kun!" Ichigo scolded. "How could you forget about Shibuki-sama's ceremony? He's being recognized as Takigakure's hero after all!"

He grinned sheepishly as he rubbed his 'ai' scar with his right pointer finger. "Gomen, Ichi-chan. I've been really busy lately."

Ichigo sighed and shook her head. "Aa, but still…" A blush crossed her cheeks and she clasped her hands together against her chest. "Shibuki-sama was soo brave drinking the hero water like that." She sighed deeply. "He is soo cool…"

Gaara's eye twitched. "Oi, I helped too you know."

Ichigo didn't hear him. "I hope he lets me present him his medal. Oh I wish I could see him. I bet he is even more handsome then he is brave."

Gaara crossed his arms and glared at the dirt. "He's not all that great…"

"Huh? Did you say something Gaara-kun?" Ichigo asked coming back to her senses.

"Aa, I said, 'don't be too late."

"For what?"

Gaara's glare intensified. "Training!"

"Oh, right. I forgot…"

"Hn."

XXXXXXXXXX

Itachi was growing frantic. Two more scars had shown up this time. Two. He shuddered at the thought of loosing his wife. By now she had caught on and, while she was worried as well, she did her best to comfort him.

'Don't worry Itachi-kun,' she had said. 'I promise that I'm not going to leave.'

But he was still worried. He had worried everyday for the past six years after all, why in the world would he suddenly stop now? And to top everything off she came to him, pale faced and shaking, just before bed, her hand pressed gently against her stomach. Fearing the worst he leaped up and hurried to her, hoping that whatever the problem was he would be able to fix it.

"What is it?" he said. "What's wrong?"

She was silent before she took a deep breath. "Did your parents ever get the chance to tell you were babies come from?"

Itachi was stunned. "Well, yes. Why do you ask?"

"Itachi…" she paused, her face unsure and fearful. "I think I may be pregnant."

XXXXXXXXXXX

The past two days had been a struggle for the Konoha-senshi (which was the name that they all decided to use, seeing as it was either that or the 'Naruto Squad') due to Naruto's irritating dislike for Tazuna. It wouldn't have been so bad, if it wasn't Naruto who harbored the dislike. After all, everyone knows that Naruto is incapable of keeping anything to himself.

"Oi! You stupid old man! You had better start showing me some respect!" Naruto shouted as he pointed to Tazuna. "I'm going to be the Savior of Kono—."

"Shut up dobe!" Sasuke hissed as he slapped a hand over the loud blonde's mouth. "You know that that information is classified! Konoha isn't supposed to have ninja anymore remember?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he realized his mistake. His blue orbs darted back and forth furiously as if searching for anyone who could report him or his teammates to the old snake teme, Orochimaru.

"Gomen," Naruto responded softly. "I forgot."

"Just don't let is happen again."

Naruto bristled. "You're not the boss of me Sasuke-teme!"

"Actually he is," Sakura said as she looked back at the two boys from her position next to Tazuna. "Kakashi-sensei gave him command of the mission."

"Yeah well I still say he can't boss me around!"

"He's the leader Naruto! He can do whatever he wants!"

"Not without a reason!"

"He had a reason you idiot!"

"…" Naruto paused with his finger raised before he dropped it and huffed. "Whatever."

Hinata giggled.

"I still can't believe that I have to trust my life to that idiotic midget." Tazuna muttered.

"Don't insult Naruto, Tazuna-san," Sasuke said as he moved up to head the band. "He may look like an idiot but he is actually very strong."

"Hah! Take that you old man!"

"Be quiet Naruto."

"Shut up Teme!"

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Heh, this is all the security he could muster?"

"That just makes our job all the easier."

"When do we strike?"

"On my signal."

"Hai."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Did you notice them Sasuke-teme?"

"Aa."

"What should we do?"

"…Just play along…"

"Play along?"

"Aa."

"…Hai…"

XXXXXXXXXXX

The Konoha-senshi moved along less then silently as they continued their journey to the Wave country. This being mostly due to Naruto of course…and a little bit of Sakura.

"Shut up Naruto!" Sakura said as her fist came crashing down on the blonde's head. "Why are you always so loud!"

"Oiii," Naruto whined as he rubbed his skull. "You're being loud too…"

An angry glint appeared in Sakura's eyes as she turned to glare at him. "What was that?"

Naruto's eyes contracted to the point of being dots and he stuttered out his answer. "N-nothing at a-all-l Sa-kura-c-chan…"

"I thought so."

Naruto shuddered. "Sakura-chan is scary…"

Sasuke nodded in agreement. "Aa…"

From behind the group two figures emerged from a large puddle of water and leapt forward to attack. Between them was a long bladed chain that was connected to the claws that they had on their arms. The chain spun in a deadly circle as it wrapped around Naruto's unsuspecting form.

"What!" He shouted.

"Heh, heh." One of the nins laughed. "One…" he said before he and his companion pulled and sliced him apart.

Hinata's eyes widened. "Naruto-kun!" she screamed.

Sasuke glared and jumped out of the way of the chain that was now swinging in his direction. Using a shurinken and a kunai he locked the chain against a tree and then broke the links that attached it to the two nins' arms.

One of the ninjas raced at Sakura and Tazuna while the other concentrated on taking down Sasuke. Unoccupied, Hinata ran over to where Naruto had fallen.

"Naruto-kun!"

"Nani, Hina-chan?" Naruto asked as he dropped from a tree next to the destroyed log he had used as a replacement.

"Are you alright?"

"Of course!"

XXXXXXXXXXX

Five minutes later found the corner kids and Tazuna standing next to their attackers where they were tied to a tree just off the road.

"So where do you think that they are from?" Sakura asked.

"Missing nin from Kirigakure no Sato," Naruto answered.

"Kirigakure?"

"Aa," the blonde ninja tossed something her was and she snatched it out of the air. Opening her hands revealed a scratched out hatai-ate with the mist symbol engraved in the center. "I took that from one of them just before they attacked Sasuke."

"Good job Naruto," Sasuke said. "Now the next question is…what do they want with Tazuna-san?"

"That I can answer," Sakura said as she tossed the forehead protector back to the fox loving nin. "The head of Gatoh Shipping and Transportation, Gatoh himself, has put a price out on Tazuna-san's head in order to stop him from being able to complete his bridge in the Wave Country. Is that not correct Tazuna-san?"

"Wha—I—How did you--?" Tazuna stuttered.

"You are not very careful when concealing your information Tazuna-san," Sakura answered. "Before we began our mission I called in my contacts and dug up everything about you I could find. But it wasn't until I found this-." She held up a scroll. "That my suspicions were confirmed."

Tazuna stared at the scroll in shock before he began patting down his pockets and pouches. "H-how did you get that?"

Sakura scoffed. "Honestly Tazuna-san. I am one of the four craftiest konoichis in all of Cha no Kuni."

"Sakura," Sasuke said. "You're one of the only four konoichis in all of Cha no Kuni."

"Which just goes to prove my point."

"Whatever," Sasuke said. "What is that anyway?"

"This," Sakura held up the scroll again. "Is a scroll dating all of Gatoh's most recent ventures. It also has a list of all of Tazuna-san's projects." She unrolled it and handed one end to Sasuke so that he could see too. "Notice here," she pointed at one of the columns. "That Tazuna-san is listed to have built two bridges and is currently working on his third. In each area that he has built a bridge Gatoh's profits have dropped over seventy percent."

Sasuke's eyebrows shot up and he glanced at Tazuna. "I can see why that would cause the man to be upset with you, but that doesn't explain why you lied about the mission requisites. We were asked to protect you from bandits, not shinobi."

Tazuna dropped his head in shame. "When I first realized that my life was in danger I went to Kumogakure and asked for a ninja escort team. The price range they gave me was too high for me and so I had to find freelance ninja. But even then I knew that the price would be out of my range so I lied. I had hoped that freelance shinobi wouldn't care enough to do the back-round research it would take to find out my real situation."

"Obviously you were mistaken," Sasuke said as Sakura rolled up the scroll and slid it into her vest pouch. "But seeing as we have already come this far it would be idiotic to return now." He pulled two kunai from his weapons pouch and twirled them around his finger. "But I suggest that you not lie to us again." The knives flew and landed in the tree with a 'thwack' next to the mist nins' heads.

"H-hai."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"You failed!" Gatoh said as he pointed angrily at the nin before him. "You are supposed to be the best! I didn't pay top dollar just so that you could be run over by a bunch of brats!"

A large sword swung out and the tip rested just under Gatoh's chin. He froze.

"Do not patronize me. I won't let Tazuna get away. The man and his brat body guards are as good as dead."

"You had better hope so," Gatoh barked. "For your sake."

The nin chuckled. "You don't really seem to be in any position to hand out threats."

Gatoh flinched and drew back. "Just see to it that Tazuna dies. Do you hear me 'demon shinobi', Momochi Zabuza?"

"Aa," Zabuza leaned forward with a sadistic grin. "I heard you perfectly well."

End Chapter 21

Kaliea: Once again this is a short chapter, but I'm doing my best.

Review Answers:

SunshineandDaisys: I hope this chapter answered the 'Kane' thing at least a bit.

Susa-chan: thanks, you'll see him in a bit.

Dragon Man 180: No, anyone can drink the water. It's just, if you are old and have already reached your full potential then the water will kill you. That's what happened to Shibuki's dad in the OVA.

Danny-171984: No problem, that's what I'm here for.

Tears like Crystals: Well, this one wasn't very long but…thanks anyway.

So-kun: Kay, thanks. I'll check it out.

Kaliea: Sorry about the lousy responses guys. I'm not really in the mood to be perky. Ja.