Fiat justitia, ruatcaelum

{{A/N; Thanks to all my readers, especially the ones that review. I know I’ve really warped some things sometimes and ( I hope ) the things that remain serve to contrast those changes. And I know some of you were really hoping for a few pairings along the way (perverts, hehehe) and I’m getting there, honest. This stuff is important too. And please, phrase all questions in the form of complements, hehe. Really, I’ll try to answer any inquiries through the course of the story or in a note. Thanks much. Read on.}}

Crossing The Rubicon and The Styx

“What do you mean ‘no’?” Miroko glared at the two before him as they slurped up the noodles.
The blonde in green boxers and the redhead in the toga making a great deal of noise.
The blonde chuckled, “Which part is confusing; the ‘n’ or the ‘o’?” Then he dove into the bowl once more.
“We could use another word,” The redhead spoke with a long noodle dangling from his mouth, “One synonymous with ‘no’. Would that help?”
“Like ‘No way’ or ‘No how’ ?”
“Or ‘Negative’.”
Miroko just looked back and forth between them, jaw slack.
“Nix.”
“Nada.”
“Uh-uh.”
“No-no.”
“No chance.”
“Ain’t gonna.”
“Try again later.”
“Better luck next time.”
“Do it yourself.”
“Bugger off.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“You want me to kick your ass?”
“I hate to burst your bubble.”
“I don’t want to string you along.”
“Let’s be honest about this.”
“I won’t fool you.”
“You must be kidding.”
“Aw, Hell no!”
“You’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“Nien.”
“Nay.”
“Never.”
“You wish.”
“Do pigs fly?”
“How dumb do we look?”
“You’re dumber than you look.”
“I don’t wanna.”
“Over my dead body.”
“Why do we care?”
“Why should I?”
“You big enough to make me?”
“It’ll cost you too much.”
“I haven’t the time.”
“Come back tomorrow.”
“You didn’t say the magic word.”
“You gotta have the password.”
“Of course…NOT!”
“As IF!”
“Fuck you!”
Miroko could only stare back and forth as the jinchuuriki carried on…
“What’s in it for me?”
“For you?”
“For her?”
“What were you thinking?”
“Are you stupid?”
“Do we look that stupid?”
“What were we talking about?”
“That’s confidential.”
“Classified information.”
“Top secret.”
“On a need-to-know basis. And you don’t need to know!”
“We cannot disclose that information at this point in time.”
“That is something we cannot do.”
“Just plain ‘no’.”
The boys laughed, pounding fists.
“That’s great,” Miroko growled crossing his arms, but you failed to include ‘sworn to silence’, ‘told not to tell you’, and my personal favorite, ‘I forgot’.”
“He’s good…” Gaara quickly finished the remains of the noodles and set down the bowl. “But we still cannot tell you. Not today. Nor tomorrow, and it’s a bit late for yesterday.”
“Not ever.” Naruto set down his equally empty bowl, “Is that clear enough, or shall I fetch the paper?”
“Damn you both!” Miroko exploded, “Why not?!”
The jinchuuriki just stared at him. Then they looked to one and other. They blinked several times, Naruto opening his mouth at one point, only to utter a clipped sound and close it again.
“Very well.” Naruto stood up and faced Miroko, “Unable to come up with adequate reason not to aid you, we shall do so.”
Gaara leapt to his feet, “But first, we must dress!!” The redhead ran back toward the emergency shelter, “Quick, to the wardrobe!”

The sergeant watched the flow of traffic from her high perch. Though she was off duty, the idea of hanging around within the fortress was decidedly unappealing. As was staying anywhere near the hospital. Her hand still itched from the healer’s touch.
She found that she’d been massaging the hand again and forced her hands apart.
“Who was that man…” She turned his appearance over in her mind. “Even most hunters aren’t that fast…” And she quietly rued having left her copy of the Bingo Book in her room at the fortress.
A cold, dark presence grew beside her. Heavy with power.
“Explain your attack on Lady Hanuro.” Hitake’s voice chilled her to the soul.
She didn’t dare to turn around. Breathing too loudly could trigger the end of her life. “I meant only to test the mettle of her guard…”
A thin wire flashed through her field of vision before the razor edge of pressure closed on her throat.
She swallowed, feeling the cord bite at her flesh, a thin trickle of wet heat seeping free.
“I would choose the next few words…” The pressure increased slightly, the width of the warm flow growing, “…with great care.”
“It was a lapse in discretion, Lord Hitake.” She wanted to swallow again, but already she could feel the wire sinking deeper under the skin.
The woman wondered why her life wasn’t flashing before her eyes. *Probably not enough worth remembering… It would be a gruesome show anyway.*
“Your ‘lapse’ is noted, Sergeant Mitarashi.” The wire came away, letting blood run freely. “Your rank, however, will not stay my hand again.”
*My rank?* She remained as still as a gargoyle, *Is that all? What good is it, if all it does is delay my death?*
After a few minutes, or perhaps and hour, the sergeant looked around her perch. Kakashi was gone, though his presence had left a chill in the air. The tingle and itch of the wound opening again irritated her. And blood ran anew.
*I refuse to pay those overrated frankensteins twice in the same day. Let it scar.* She pulled off her headband, flexing the plate and turning it into a choker.
She adjusted the fit, her fingertips tracing the leaf pattern. *What does this mean to me? What does this title hold?* She scanned the buildings until her eyes fell upon the fortress, *What does this village hold?*
The bustle of afternoon traffic was little more than noise. She looked down at the flower cart beneath her. And the sake stand across the street. A mist nin was arguing with the sake merchant.
Then she realized what had caught her attention. The flower vendor had fallen to her knees, holding a bleeding wound on her shoulder, the remains of a broken bottle scattered around her, the odor of hot sake overpowering the flowers she came here to enjoy.
The woman below was crying.
No.
Weeping.
And the mist nin stood over her, shouting drunkenly.
A citizen of Konoha in her own city, idly peddling her pretty flowers where she had for the last five years. Attacked. And undefended from the foreign ninja that had done the deed.
*This is my village?* She watched a tear fall to the street below. *What has happened to your home, Anko? What does it still hold for you?*
The sergeant sighed as she stood. *Just a chunin, and none face him.*
Anko dropped down to the street below. To defend her flower peddler. It was the last thing in Konoha she thought was still worth saving.

Miroko followed the jinchuuriki as they casually strolled through Konoha.
Naruto nearly pranced along, a pair of pink woman’s under things on his head. The powder blue flower sewn to the front seemed almost normal on his brow.
Gaara was beside him, riding in a chariot of sand that appeared to be drawn by a team of live mice.
In addition to the crown of poison oak her wore as a crown, he would mutter to himself every few moments; “Remember, Gaara, thou art mortal.”
Miroko sighed. Not to be left out, they had forced him to wear his own plain white boxers on the outside of his trousers.
And when he had naturally refused, Naruto had relocked the arrangement for him.
The stares were usually on the other two, but the occasional glance they cast at Miroko was more than enough to humiliate him completely.
Naruto paused, sliding to a stop with one knee still chest high. “Pardon me,” He turned on his one foot to face a potted plant, “Can you tell me if the Lady Hanuro is still in the city?”
Shockingly enough, the plant remained silent an immobile, save the twitch of the leaves.
“Steeds,” Gaara held one hand out, palm forward, “Hold!” The chariot rolled to a stop, though the mice still struggled against their granular halters, leaping and squealing and darting about on the short tether.
Gaara watched the plant with his arms crossed regally.
Miroko held his head in his hands. *They’re mad. They must be…*
“FOOL!” Gaara’s mighty finger pointed down at the plant, the other hand raising in a powerful fist, “Thee will answer when addressed!”
Naruto was tapping his foot impatiently. He was looking around, certainly looking very impatient.
The tap-tapping of his foot slowed as he gazed more carefully around the area.
Miroko’s concern rose as the tempo fell.
“Hey, Gaara…?”
“Remember, Gaara, thou art mortal.”
“Umm…Right…” Naruto glance back the way they had come, then looked up the narrow street, “Did we walk into a trap?”
“Hm?” Gaara took a moment from his glare at the potted plant to look around. “Oh, no.” Gaara pulled up the reigns of his chariot, “We have to go down a little further yet. Then we’re surrounded.”
“Great.” Naruto pulled the panties from his head, replacing them with a black pair, “Just great! You stop to talk to the one tree that isn’t swaying in the breeze, and the next thing you know, POW! Surrounded by ninja!”
“Shall we, then?” Gaara swept one hand down the street, smiling invitingly.
“Oh, yes. Let’s!” Naruto followed as Gaara flicked the reigns and his mice began to move forward.
Miroko could only sigh and follow, dragging his feet as he went.
“Remember, Gaara, thou art mortal.” Gaara put one hand over his mouth as he yawned. “3…2...1...”
As if on cue, anbu in black masks burst from the woodworks.
Kunai, shuriken, and spears rained down from above, senbon bombs and shrapnel tags exploded from below, swords and glaives added their own unique element to the hail of steel.
The staccato cries of exploding tags going off in strings overrode the ricochet of steel like firecrackers.
And then there was silence, marred only by a crying child and the ring in one’s ears.
The smoke cleared, revealing three logs that looked far too much like pincushions, one of which had a rapidly deflating rubber ducky, a pile of sand, and several mice that ran in all directions, and yet got nowhere in their mad dash for survival.
There was also a single page of paper that had escaped the maelstrom. Kakashi’s shadow fell over the page and he read it once before shredding the note; ‘Ha, ha. We fooled you. AGAIN!!! XoXo’ It had been signed with stylized fox and raccoon-dog faces.
“There may have been a reason for this duplicity!” Kakashi shouted to the anbu around him, “Search all of Konoha! Report anything out of the normal. If so much as one student is tardy or one lamp is lit, I will be informed!”
The black masked nin exploded away to the four corners of Konoha.
Kakashi glared down at the remains of the note. “These pranksters grow too powerful.” He kicked the shredded note and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Naruto and Gaara shared a high-five atop the wall that circled Konoha. From their perch, they could see the carnage, lined up along the street.
“They really went all-out, eh?” Naruto laughed aloud as he crouched near the ledge. “Everything but high power jutsu!” And he dropped down, one hand riding against the stone of the wall, a thin trail of dust in his wake.
“That’s our real goal.’ Gaara raised one hand, a platform of sand appearing at the edge of the wall. He stepped onto the elevator, dragging Miroko with him as the platform descended quickly, “One day, Lord Hitake will have been pushed far enough to really go overboard and level a city block.”
Naruto beamed up at them from the ground as they came close, “And it’ll be because of us!”

Haku padded into the room, well aware that she had, by presence alone, disrupted the conversation. She watched Hinata as though she were a wild cat, the tray taking on a trickle of water from the coffee table as she set it down. She bowed stiffly and left in complete silence.
“That aside.” Zabuza returned his gaze to the Hyuuga, “Why would you risk death in this mission, knowing full well that we may not be able to help you?”
Itachi lay on the back of the couch, stone still except for the slow rise and fall of his breathing and the snail’s pace tick of his crimson eyes.
Hinata put one hand on the cedar box beside her, “The answer is in here. And I fear we may have delayed too long already.”
Itachi nodded silently. Sakura stiffened, hands tightening behind her back. Ino was huddled in the corner behind Sasuke while the younger Uchiha slowly worked a shuriken over his fingers, like one would dance a coin. Zabuza nodded as well, one eye on Itachi.
Hinata tugged at one strand, the binding twine falling away. The lid slid open to one side. Inside the plain box lay a plain scroll and a pair of plain stone paperweights.
Hinata set the scroll on the floor and used the paperweights to spread it. Tall and short, the scroll open showed a linear five point seal.
Symbols, kanji, and glyphs wound around the parchment, the dominant ones in the outside locations being responsibility and dedication. The next ones in read trust and love. And in the large center, sister.
Hinata pinned down the paper on the outermost kanji and placed her hand on love.
The Hyuuga looked up at Sakura. “I had hoped this could be done a little more clandestinely, but I need your help…please.”
Sakura broke under her eyes. Their strength was gone, replace with vulnerability. Her uncertainty, her hope, plain. And exposed for all to see. “For my sister.”
Sakura knelt down before Hinata, “You saved my life.” She put her hand on trust with s firm thrust, “I owe you anything at least once.”
Hinata sighed, relief. “Thank you… Your hand?”
Sakura held out her other hand. Hinata bit the tip of her thumb, “When I’m done, I need you to put the same kanji on my hand…”
*sister…* Sakura followed through.
Hinata grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers, holding their palms separate. “Once we start, things are going to get interesting, but you cannot let go. Not until it’s finished.”
Sakura swallowed, “How long will it take?”
Hinata’s voice was firm with resolve, “A few moments, if all goes well. If it fails, a few moments.”
Sakura looked more closely at the seal, tracing the glyphs she recognized; love, trust, duty, waiting, space… *Death?!?* Her eyes moved to the kanji her had nearly obscured. *Trust.*
“Are you certain, Sakura?” Ino spoke from behind Sasuke. “Being her ally is one thing, opening seals on word alone is something else.”
Hinata didn’t speak. The grip in her hand weakened, pulled away just an inth.
“We should let the Lady Hanuro make her own choices in such matters.” The slow tones of Itachi’s voice rang like bells. Sakura gripped down on Hinata’s hand. *I’ll trust who I damn well please!* “Let’s do this!”
Hinata’s impish grin renewed as she flexed her hand down, mashing their palms together and locking her thumb around Sakura’s hand.
“By the way,” Hinata smiled widely, “Thanks for the teeth.”
Sakura returned the hand-hug, watching as smoke began to rise from their palms, “What’s a few teeth between friends?”
The ink of the sister kanji in the center began to seep about, blur and mutate into a messy, bold mark.
Sakura cold feel the cold seeping out of the mark, like steam from a boiling pot.
And the mark grew larger, the isolated points within the kanji sinking into the absolute black, the squared ends blunting off, becoming more circular, getting closer to the edges of the elliptical ring.
A force Sakura remembered all too well began to draw upon her. Draw at the hand the hug over what was clearly a hole in the stone floor. And Sakura found herself leaning heavily on the parchment. Her hair began to drift toward the hole, as had Hinata’s. And her eyes blazed brilliantly, locked on the portal they had opened.
A shadow of white, perhaps a face, came nearer in the abyssal black. An arm, pale as a ghost, lanced out of the hole, grasping Hinata’s arm, and pulling.
Sakura looked up at Itachi. His eyes met hers. The spirit of calm.
The mate followed, fingers as cold and pale as the winter moon wrapping around her own wrist.
The physical weight grew as the hands struggled with their grip, the arms strained. The shadow of a face grew clearer as the form lifted itself from the scroll. Eyes were clamped shut and teeth gritted in determination. The ebony hair on the brow parted, the Curse Seal bared to the world.
“Come on, Hanabi!” Hinata leaned forward, trying to lift her arm higher without losing her balance.
Hanabi growled as she pulled herself higher out of the void. She was still the color of milk and sweating. She whimpered and slipped back, trying to turn her head from the light, “It burns, Hinata…It’s so hot…”
“I know!” Hinata shouted, “I know, but you have to climb out!”
Hanabi looped one arm over the brace of arms, then the other, panting. “It’s so bright… Sister, I feel so heavy and I’m tired…” She slid back again, her grip weakening.
“No! Hanabi!” Hinata tried to lift her planted arm. She tipped forward, one leg kicking out, trying to catch anything. Her arm flexed downward as she sagged, “Hanabi, you have to come back! If you go in there again, you’ll die forever!”
Hanabi slid a little further. “I was dead for a little while… It isn’t so bad…” One white hand wiped at her brow, smearing the curse seal, “…It was so pretty there…”
Hinata sank lower, her flexed arm bowing, like a sapling about to snap. Sakura pooled the chakra she could find, anchoring herself to the floor. She found a channel through Hinata, using the other girl as an extension, anchoring them both. “Get your ass out here, Hanabi!” Sakura growled. She watched as the remains of the curse seal melted away, like ink on her sweat soaked brow.
“…but…”
“No ‘but’s!” Sakura roared.
Hanabi shored herself up weakly.
“That’s it,” Sakura squeezed her hand tighter around Hinata’s, “Come on, girls. We can finish this.”
“Raahhh-ahhh! Hinata!” Hanabi jerked upward, “It’s on me!”
The smoking wraith of a dragon stuck it’s head up, peering out of the abyss. It climbed slowly, the taloned feet trailing bright bloody marks along Hanabi’s back.
“Is that normal?” Sakura tried to catch Hinata’s eye. Instead she felt her fold. Her head was down, she was flushed and pale at the same time.
The viper’s head on the dragon hissed, four glittering silver fangs bared as a gauntleted hand looped through the long ebon hair.
“Ahhh!” Hanabi let go of the arm brace as Zabuza hauled her out of the portal, the viper dragon hissing, writhing, burning away into a vapor as it was exposed to the light. It pressed itself to Hanabi’s skin, as if trying to bury itself in her ashen flesh.
The portal began to close as Hanabi’s feet came clear, the darkness giving way to the plain surface of the parchment. The kanji gone.
The old mist nin set Hanabi down beside her sister and knelt, his eyes closed and covered with one hand. ‘Trust me, child.” He took Itachi’s vest and laid it over her shaking back, “I, too have seen the shining fields beyond this world, and I too, returned. To live enduring the pain is no blessing, but only the gods can call you to the grave when your time has come. Accept no other invitation.”
Sakura released Hinata’s hand, realizing the other had gone slack. The two embraced, just holding one and other.
In the far corner, Ino had clung to Sasuke. He had his arm around her, holding her close.
Itachi still lay on the back of the couch, watching. Sakura stood, only to find her legs in a rebellious mood, folding as she fell back. She put her hands back to break her fall, finding one in a firm grip. She had only blinked, yet Itachi stood beside her, holding her up.
“Take a moment, gather yourself.” His voice was soft, “It’s no small feat you just pulled off.”
Sakura only smiled up at him, loving the feel of his arm around her waist, “You could have helped then, you know.”
“Actually,” He answered with a grin, “Only those touched by death can help from the outside. She would have been incorporeal to all others.”
He let Sakura have more of her own weight back, “And yes, I do have an answer for everything.”
“Smart ass.” Sakura smacked him gently. Smirking at the shock on his face. *Yeah, yeah, put on a show, Itachi. I know better.*
Hinata still half lay on the floor, “I don’t know when I could go, so I just want to thank you all.” She looked around the gathered room. “You’ve freed my sister. And thank you, Master Momoshi.”
Zabuza looked away and sighed, his hand seeking something that should have been at his side. “At least I could save one.” He moved quickly for the door, “Haku! You need a hand?”
Sakura looked for Itachi to explain, though he was gone as well. *Silent bastard!*
She turned back around. Hinata knelt before her, curse seal bared and her headband laying on the floor. With a kunai in hand, Hinata dug a deep gouge through the leaf. Tearing cleanly through the metal plate in places, the mark was brutal and jagged.
“This servant is yours, Lady Hanuro.”
*Damn… Just like the elders to bug out…* “Aw, stand up, already.” Sakura helped Hinata to her feet, “You aren’t anyone’s servant anymore. Your are my friend. I’d have done the same for any of my friends. And I’d do it again.” She clapped Hinata on the shoulder, “Just not today. Maybe not until next week.”
Hinata was still solemn.
“What?”
“It is only a matter of time before they count heads for the evening. And they will notice Hanabi missing.” Hinata fidgeted, “And shortly after that, Neji will bring my ‘betrayal’ to light. If that happens tonight…” Hinata moved her thumb over her throat, “Grrriiiiiccchhhhk. I’d be lucky to see sunrise.”
Sakura forced herself to smile confidently, “Then what say we take care of that pesky mark before sitting down to dinner, eh?”
“wait for me…” Hanabi’s voice was almost silent as she wedged herself under Hinata’s arm, “it’s so cold, sister… how’d it get so cold?”
“I’ve got an old justu that should help.” Ino came forward. She drew a pattern on her forearm in blood, it seemed to be from memory alone, she paused only once before patting a string of signs and slapping the improvised talisman.
Smoke flashed and Ino held a cat against her arm, the fat tabby mewed and flicked his tail, but did little else. She handed the cat to Hanabi.
“He’ll keep you warm. And he doesn’t really run off all that often.” Ino patted the girl’s shoulder. “Come on, I’ll get you a blanket.”
“Thank you…’ Hanabi pressed back against her sister, “But can I stay with Hinata?”
Ino smiled down, “Yeah. I’ll find you, ‘kay?”
Hanabi nodded.
Sakura nodded to Ino, “I’ve got everything we’ll need in my room. We can lay her down in there.”
The trip to her room was short. Though halfway down the hall, the soft thump of a body landing and a gentle ‘mew’ turned them around. Hanabi leaned against the wall, panting and shivering. The fat tabby sat where he had fallen, looking up at Hanabi. “Mew?”
Sakura put a hand on Hinata’s shoulder, stepping past her. She scooped up Hanabi, lifting the slight girl with ease. The last twenty feet were uneventful, save the cat following, mewing at them every few paces.
The door slid open easily and Hanabi was nearly asleep as Sakura laid her down on the unmade bed.
“Mew!” The jutsu cat hopped onto the bed and curled up against Hanabi, contentedly purring as it lay down against her. Hanabi hugged the cat closer to her, humming to herself.
Sakura looked up at the subtle knock near the door.
Haku stood in the doorway with a thick mug that steamed gently. “Will she be alright?’
Hinata answered; “I think so. But stepping into the realm of death is not something you just bounce back from.”
“It was a terrible risk. You could have been drawn in yourself.” Haku set the soup cup down on the nightstand.
Hinata hung her head, “I very nearly was. And I may yet walk through that door tonight.” her eyes glowed subtly, “As though you give half a damn.”
“Enough.” Sakura didn’t raise her voice. “I don’t know what there is between you two, but I promise you can duke it out later.”
Both were silent. Sakura picked up the bowl she intended to use for the curse seal and stood, “And if you argue while I’m gone, do it in the hall where you won’t disturb Hanabi. She’s asleep now. But thank you for the soup, though.” Sakura met the eyes of each as she spoke. *Oh, gods… I sounded just like my mother!*
She decided to leave before she matured any further. *Damn. Itachi’s vest…* She doubled back, hoping she could steal it without dispelling the cat.
“…Hyuuga or not, no one suffers in this house.” Haku’s voice was low, “And I apologize. I took to heart your clan as a whole and thought the worst of you. Had I known you were deserting your village for your sister’s sake, I would not have…”
“It’s alright.” Hinata interrupted, “My own clan would have my brain scrambled by midnight, just for staying out too late. Their fear poisons them and corrupts their ideals, which I’m certain were once noble.”
There was a short pause, “At your worst, your cruelty was laughable compared to some of the things I’ve endure for her.”
Anther pause. “Whoa, let’s not be friends just yet. Comrades though?”
“Comrades, then.”
“Eavesdropping?” Sakura started, coming around to find Ino behind her.
“What? No.” Sakura looked back toward her room, “Maybe a little.”
Ino shrugged, “Whatever. Listen, Tall, dark, and scary wanted a word with you in the garden.”
*After he was so quick to leave?* Sakura nodded and left Ino behind.
Ino watched her go, entering the room.
Haku looked up from the soup cup as she stirred it. “I had better be off, then. Dinner won’t cook itself.”
And she left on quiet shoes.
“Weren’t you getting a blanket?” Hinata glanced up from the scroll she was reading, looking back down quickly.
“I was.” Ino shrugged, but then you came in here and I figured you had one, right?”
Hinata looked back up from the scroll. “…I…suppose…”
Ino slinked across the room to peer over Hinata’s shoulder, “Whatcha reading’?”
Hinata handed up the scroll, “This is supposed to have the counter seal formula that will take this damn mark off my brow.”
“Really?” Ino took the scroll and read over the exposed text quickly. “That easy, eh?” She looked down to the desk. The loofa and a few simple ointments and bandages laid out and ready.
Hinata looked over her shoulder into the face of Ino. A face that held in the grin alone more mischief than Ino usually displayed.

Sakura went out the front door to the garden.
“Itachi?” He could have been hiding in the evening shadows almost anywhere. *But why would he tell Ino he was wanted to talk to me and then hide?* “Itachi?” She raised her voice slightly.
“Yo?” His whisper beside her made her heart skip a beat.
“Give a girl a heart attack!”
“Keep your voice down.” His hand rested on her shoulder, pointing to a place in the woods across the bridge. “We’ve got company.”
“Can you tell who?” Sakura peered into the deep shadows, unable to discern tree from stone.
Itachi shook his head slowly, “No. Just that one’s wearing a toga.”
“Short red hair?”
“You can see them?”
“No. But I know of only one man who wears a toga.” Sakura cupped her hands around her mouth, “Oi! Gaara, get over here!”
There was a short moment before the boy stumbled from the underbrush waving with a bright grin, “I should have known I’d been seen. Lord Uchiha hasn’t moved in fifteen minutes.”
A moment later, the second figure came from the shadows. He bowed deeply, “Miroko, Lord Uchiha. UI come bearing a message from the Lord Moerku for the Lady Hanuro. Is she still here?”
“Wait…” Sakura held up one hand, “Lee is the Moerkukage? Oh, oops. She’s already talked to him, everything’s fine.”
The man sagged. “Then all of it…” His head fell into his hands, “…the embarrassment, the danger, the cost of noodles to feed those two… all in vain?”
Gaara just laughed.
“Umm…Yeah.” Sakura laced her fingers, “If you’ll wait a moment, I can reimburse you. How much did you need?”
“Never mind it.” Itachi dug into his pants pocket, pulling out a stack of coins. “Will this do?”
Miroko accepted the payment, “Yes, Thank you, kind Lord.”
“So where’s Naruto?” Gaara craned his neck, looking at the front door. “Is he inside already, ‘cause whatever’s cooking smells good.”
“Naruto isn’t with you?”
“No. We got seperated while I was gazing at my reflection in a pool of water.” Something in Gaara’s face, perhaps the blank innocence, indicated he was being truthful.
“What’s the party doing out here?” Ino leaned out he front door, a summer blanket draped over one shoulder.
“Bring that blanket into the woods, and I’ll show ya a party!”
“Married, pervert.” Ino countered, her tongue sticking out.
Sakura ran her hands through her hair. *I cannot deal with Gaara and his antics right now. Horny pervert…* “Wait. Ino? Didn’t you give up on the blanket?”
Ino raised a single brow, “No, I found it.” She pointed to the folded cloth, “With a brow like yours, one would think you could remember a few minutes at a time.”
She turned to Itachi, “You didn’t tell Ino you were looking for me, did you?”
“No.” Itachi shook his head, “Though I was rather surprised that you came looking for me.”
“I found Naruto.” Sakura headed back through the hall, stopping at the open door to her room.
And still in the room, as well as behind her, was Ino. Though the Ino in her room was holding an unamused Hinata’s head in her hands and licking at the curse seal with a slow and gentle rhythm.
Sakura propped her hands on her hips and summoned up the glare she knew could tame the Uzumaki, “Naruto.”
He stopped, turning to look at the gather assembly. “Uh-oh.” His grin had faded, leaving an unnaturally long tongue hanging from his mouth. And stranger yet, the three golden symbols that glowed on his tongue.
A thin gust of smoke and Ino was replaced by Naruto.
“Buh loog! It’th worgginnk!” He turned back to Hinata’s forehead pointing at the curse seal. Smeared and broken in places. “Thee? Mow kan I gehk bahg to worg?” His tongue, still glowing and still hanging from his mouth, wiggled through the whole exchange.
And without an answer, he resumed his cat-like massage of Hinata’s forehead.”