Here is the next chapter! Enjoy.

"You're right, if Kaiza is still alive we will need to find him."

Sakura let out a sigh of relief.

She wasn't sure if Pakkun was going to go along with her plan, and her moment of weakness earlier blew any sort of secrecy right out of the water. At least in the end everything worked out, now all they had to do was find Inari.

"We should hurry up and get Inari and find the old ship yard. Who knows what Kakashi-sensei would do if we are gone too long."

"Believe me, you don't wanna know."

"Then I'll take your word for it."

Sakura ran to the fountain and like Inari promised, she found him huddled underneath one of the nearby benches.

"Inari!"

Hearing her call Inari scrambled out and ran over.

"Big Sis, the plan worked!"

"For the most part." Sakura gestured to the ninken on her shoulder.

"Inari meet Pakkun, he's on our side and knows about the plan. He is Kakashi-sensei's ninken so he can be trusted. We have to hurry before it gets too late, so lead the way."

"Ok Big Sis, just follow me!" Inari ran forward then darted down a side street, Sakura and Pakkun quickly followed.

After a couple minutes of running the trio slowed to a standstill, crouching a short distance away from the building. It looked deserted, no lights on or people could be seen through the windows.

"Pakkun, do you hear or smell anything?" Sakura questioned.

She heard him sniff a few times before letting out a sneeze.

"It's hard to pick up anything through the smell of decaying fish, but I am getting a whiff of something. I can hear some noise coming from the right side, the smell is coming from the same place so I think that's our best bet."

"Ground floor or the upper floors?"

"Upper, third story."

Sakura zoned in on the area of the building Pakkun mentioned, and looked back at her makeshift team. She lifted Pakkun off her shoulder and put him next to Inari.

"Inari, stay here with Pakkun while I go get a closer look." Sakura ordered as she suppressed her chakra.

She saw him nod with a serious expression and place a hand on the ninken's back.

"Hurry back Big Sis."

Sakura gave a small wave and took off. She approached the building from the shadows, she had a better chance of hiding her hair that way. Once Sakura reached the brick wall she ran up it to one of the bigger windows. She looked inside, and with the faint traces of the moon she could see it was empty. That's strange, didn't Pakkun say there were noises coming from this side? She checked the rest of the windows and saw nothing. Normally she would take a more slow and methodical approach, but Sakura was short on time so she had to make a decision.

Was she going to go in or not?

They came all this way, it would be a waste to turn back, so in it was. She lightly tried all of the windows, none of them opened, but she went back to the loosest one. Sakura took a shuriken and slid it against the base of the window, unlatching it with the curved part of the blade. The lock clicked and she pushed the window open.

There, entry granted.

Sakura landed silently on the floor and looked around. A thick layer of dust caked the tables of what looked like a workshop. Tools and wood were scattered around, and various pulleys half disassembled littered the floor. She continued to look for evidence when she saw it, a set of footprints.

The footprints spanned from the door leading to what she suspected to be a hallway, into the room before heading back out. A patrol route? Aimless wandering? It was hard to say.

Sakura approached the door, placed her ear to the floor and listened. Faint steps could be heard from the left side. Once they faded from earshot she slid the door open and walked out. She made her way down the long hallway, stopping every so often at a door to listen for movement before continuing on. Every door she checked so far was silent, but there was one last one at the end of the hallway. When she got closer she could hear a faint noise coming from the inside, that had to be it.

Sakura pulled out a kunai with an explosive tag, and opened the door slightly. She peered through the gap and observed. The inside of the room was bare, except for a bedroll in the corner, a standing lamp, and a table with one chair. There was a man seated at the table, she could see from his side profile that he was staring at nothing. He was murmuring something, but she couldn't hear what it was. Sakura pulled out the picture Inari gave her previously and compared the man in front of her to Kaiza.

It was a match, she found him.

Now what?

She watched him for a few more moments, and when his behavior remained unchanged she made her move. Sakura created a clone and opened the door. She let the clone go in first and approach the table, though Kaiza gave no sign of noticing her clone.

Odd.

She took a closer look at his facial features, his eyes were empty and face blank.

Was he in a genjutsu?

Sakura walked in and dismissed her clone, it was then she was able to hear what he was saying.

"I am Gato, of Gato Shipping Company... you disappoint me Zabuza... I'm sorry Zabuza, but you will die here."

Gato?

Sakura looked at the picture again, everything was the same down to the scar on the chin, this was definitely Kaiza. Why did he think he was Gato? No better yet–

Why did someone put a genjutsu on him, to think that he's Gato?

Maybe the real Gato was already dead?

That would make sense, they couldn't get the real Gato so they had to find a replacement, but why Kaiza? They could have picked anyone else, but why him?

There's one way to find out.

Sakura walked up to Kaiza and put a hand on his shoulder. She threaded her chakra into his system and gave a pulse, breaking the genjutsu. Sakura watched Kaiza blink back into awareness.

"What was I... no, where am I?" He turned his head side to side, and when he noticed her he jolted back in surprise, standing up knocking the chair over.

"Who, who are you?"

"Haruno Sakura, Genin of Konoha. I am currently on a mission to guard your Father-in-Law. Inari asked for me to find you when you didn't come home, it was a good thing too."

He held his head.

"Right, Inari said something when I got back to shore. I went searching for... something when I blacked out. Last thing I remembered seeing was red eyes."

Red eyes again, it seemed like Toya wasn't completely crazy after all, but who was it? Sakura shook her head, she didn't have time for these questions, she had to get Kaiza and get out. They needed to get back before Kakashi-sensei went searching for them.

"Let's go Kaiza, we have to hurry."

She left the room and he followed.

Sakura arrived back at the location she came in from, the window. She placed one foot on the ledge and looked back at Kaiza who was watching her with a hesitant expression. She held out a hand.

"Let's go."

"You want me to go out the window?"

"Yes, I can carry you just fine."

"I'm pretty heavy though."

"Kaiza, I'm a shinobi."

"Ah."

She held in the eye roll, though she came from a civilian background she wasn't one anymore. If she couldn't lift a civilian man then she should just retire already. Chakra existed for a reason, and Sakura could use it exceptionally.

"Come on, let's go."

Sakura was insulted when he stayed still, was it the hair? It spiked her anger enough for her to physically grab him and throw him over her shoulder.

See? Light as a feather.

"We don't have time for this, so you no longer have a choice." Sakura jumped out the window onto the side of the building, wincing as Kaiza yelped into her ear.

Sage, she wasn't getting paid enough for this.

She ran down the brick facade and jumped onto the dirt road, landing silently. Sakura looked around and spotted Inari and Pakkun where she left them, hiding behind a tree. Still carrying Kaiza Sakura headed over, though she didn't quite make it that far due to a certain child barrelling towards her. Sakura put Kaiza down and stepped back as the two embraced.

"Daddy? Is that really you?"

"Oh Inari, I've missed you so much."

"You were gone for so long! You promised you would come back but you never came." Inari sobbed into his father's shirt, while Kaiza stroked his back.

"I'm sorry son, I got taken by a powerful man, but I'm here now."

Sakura turned and walked away so the two had some privacy, but made sure she was close enough to the protect the two if it came down to it.

She felt a weight land on her shoulder.

"You did good pup." She felt Pakkun nuzzle into her hair.

"I know."

Sakura wouldn't do any less, though watching the two reunite was bittersweet. How many times did she wish for this to happen with Ren? How many times did she go into his room, only to watch his things slowly disappear, to no longer find solace at the memorial stone because his name was erased?

Too many.

She had nothing in the end, only two items she stole and memories she couldn't share.

She felt a lick.

Well, maybe she can share now, but Pakkun wasn't her ninken and Kakashi-sensei won't be giving him away.

Perhaps in another life her brother would still be alive, but that doesn't help her now does it?

She missed Inner, when was she coming back?

"We should head back, Kakashi will be getting antsy soon."

Sakura nodded.

"Kaiza! Inari! Time to go."

"Ok Big Sis!"

The group of four made it back to the main road when Pakkun jumped off Sakura's shoulder. She held up her hand to stop the other two.

"What is it Pakkun?"

"Sakura, we need to go, now." The urgency in his voice kicked Sakura into overdrive.

"An enemy?" She scanned the surroundings as she lifted Kaiza and Inari over her shoulders and started sprinting back to the house. She needed to get to Kakashi-sensei.

"Not just any enemy, I smell Itachi."

Itachi? Who's Itachi?

"Caw!"

Sakura looked up and saw a murder of crows circling. Where did they come from? She had never seen that behavior from crows before... were they a summons? She laid a genjutsu and let it coat the area, if contact with the enemy was made then she wanted to make sure the Burning wasn't going to be an issue.

Sakura felt a twinge on the edge of her senses, that made her drop the two civilians and spin with a kunai in hand. There in front of her was a man.

A man with red eyes.

Shit.

It was the sharingan, why didn't anyone tell her there was another Uchiha!

A missing-nin one by the looks of it too, the traitor.

"You have something that belongs to me."

Sakura didn't have to glance at Kaiza to know that it meant him.

Pakkun stood in front of her.

"Leave the kids out of this Itachi." He looked at the ninken.

"Pakkun, it's been a while. No harm will come to the children if they give him back."

"No! You can't take my Dad again!" Inari shouted as he ran towards the enemy shinobi.

Sakura snagged him before he got close and placed him behind her.

"Inari, stay out of the way!" Sakura commanded.

"He's just a civilian kid Itachi." Pakkun said, turning the attention back onto him.

Was he buying her time?

She swore. Think, she needed to think fast and make up a plan. What did she have on her? Medical supplies, kunai and shuriken, a bunch of explosive tags on and off kunai, wire sp–

A bunch of explosive tags... explosive tags make sound and causes disorientation. Disorientation can be amplified.

Yeah that could work.

Uchiha mentioned that the Sharingan could see through all genjutsu, but he had to be exaggerating right? It was Uchiha after all. She should be able to get the traitor for a couple of seconds, and that should be enough time to gain some distance or at least get the civilians out of the way.

Sakura grabbed a handful of explosive tag kunai and held her hands behind her back. She hoped Itachi would think it was to stop Inari from running forward again. Sakura formed the new hand signs for the genjutsu Kakashi-sensei just taught her and once she got to the last one she stopped.

She took a deep breath, then went for it.

Sakura threw the kunai.

"Pakkun!" Using her shout Sakura completed the last sign, timing it with the explosion, and aimed it towards the part of the brain that handles vertigo. Grabbing Inari and Kaiza, Sakura once again took off in a sprint.

She was barely able to take a step before she was kicked in the side. Sakura quickly recovered and guarded the two civilians.

Damn, it seems like Uchiha wasn't kidding about the eyes.

"That would have worked on me if I wasn't an Uchiha, though I'm not surprised you wouldn't know that, the Academy has no need to teach about a nearly extinct dojutsu after all. Still I'm impressed, not many Uchiha could cast a genjutsu like that. I bet you're great at breaking them too. My weak brother could learn a thing or two from you."

Brother? This was Uchiha's brother?

A rock came flying from behind towards the traitor, the rogue shinobi caught it.

"I told you! Stay away from my Dad!"

"Inari!" Sakura heard Kaiza shout from behind her.

Itachi took the rock and rolled it between his fingers.

Sakura tensed, channeling chakra through her legs. When he flicked it she intercepted with a kunai, though next thing she knew he appeared in front of her and punched her in the gut. Sakura was able to block it, even if it was a little off, though the force threw her off balance. Using the gap Itachi picked her up by the throat and squeezed.

She didn't stay in that position for long because Pakkun came to her rescue with a snarled filled jump towards Itachi's throat. As he dropped her to evade Sakura threaded chakra into her leg and threw a roundhouse kick. He blocked it and pushed her back.

"Enough of this." She heard him speak. Sakura watched his eyes morph into a different shape. Wait, there was another mode?

"Tsukuyo–"

He couldn't finish his words, because his body seized as he collapsed to his knees.

Wait... that's a flare. That was a flare.

Itachi had the Burning too?

What in the hell is going on here?

Though his seemed short lived since he was already standing again.

"You have something that belongs to me." He looked at the group calmly.

Didn't he already say that? Sage, where was Inner when she needed her? What kind of incident was this?

"If I go with you, will you leave my son alone?" Kaiza asked, walking towards the traitor.

"Yes. I only require you."

"Dad no!" He ran forward but Sakura held him back.

"I'm sorry Inari, but if keeping you safe means going, then I will." Kaiza looked towards her.

"Haruno Sakura, Genin of Konoha. I ask you to take on the mission to protect my son." His eyes drifted down to Inari in her arms and softened.

"I accept the mission Kaiza."

He nodded at her.

"Good. Let's go."

In a blink the pair were gone, and the trio was left alone.

Back to where they started.

Dammit.

.

The walk back to the house was tense. Inari wouldn't look at her, wouldn't acknowledge her presence, and Sakura was feeling the after effects of releasing the genjutsu. It's clear to say the two of them were in a bad mood.

She couldn't leave it like this, if Inner was here she would be nagging her like there was no tomorrow, so how could she appease a sulking child? What would her brother have done? Sakura thought about it for a moment and had an idea.

Picking him up she ran up the closest tree and settled on a branch a fair distance away from the ground. Taking him by the leg Sakura held him upside down and swung him from side to side.

"Hey! What are you doing you stupid shinobi! Put me down!"

"Stupid shinobi? What happened to Big Sis?"

"You're no big sis of mine! You let my Dad be taken away! You're a failure! Grandpa was right, shinobi can't be trusted!"

She raised his leg up high enough so they would be eye to eye.

"Firstly, the only reason why you even saw your Dad was because of me, be grateful I even bothered looking into something outside of the mission."

She lowered him back down and started to swing him again.

"Secondly, it's not like I left your Dad to die, that man needs him for a reason, alive. Plus, if we stayed the both of us would have been killed and your Dad still would have been taken."

Well, maybe they wouldn't have been killed since that incident occurred, but Sakura very much loved existing so she wasn't going to take the chance.

"And lastly, do you really think its over? I'm still planning on getting your Dad back, are you?"

She pulled him up into her arms.

"Or have you've already given up?"

He raised an arm to hit her but froze at the look on her face.

His arm lowered and he roughly shoved it under the other, grumbling.

That's more like it.

"No, I'm not giving up."

"Good."

She jumped down and placed him on the ground.

"Let's go, we're almost back."

Sakura was in the lead when a small hand curled itself into her dress. She looked back and saw Inari looking at the ground. With a small smile she turned back around and the trio made their way back to the house.

The battle may have been lost but the war was still on.

Sakura can't catch a break and is determined to get Kaiza back. Thanks for reading!