Moon's Light, Reality's Dream

Hey guys! It's Amy. Finally, more Kakashi and Gaara in this chapter. The story is moving right along. I hope you don't kill us for the cliffhanger.

Gaara: Ne! I do love the part where you make fun of my brother, and his insecurities.

Authoress Amy: !! Shhhh~

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Moon's Light, Reality's Dream
月の光、うつつの夢
Chapter Four -対立 (Confrontation)


あなたを見失う日が来ても
Even if the day comes, where I lose sight of you
この目に焼き付いてくれている
Your image will be burned in my eyes.

Nisei's small hands nearly trembled as she slowly lifted her kitsune mask, intending to place it firmly over her face. The quiet appearance of Kakashi at her side nearly made her jump as she guiltily stuck her hands, and mask, quickly behind her back, beaming a small smile up at him and hoping her cheeks weren't flaming. His eyes creased upwards above his mask, and she could tell he was smiling, and probably very much aware of what she'd been up to. “What were you doing, Nisei chan?”

She found herself unable to keep from flushing this time, startled that he was even inquiring. “I want to go on this mission.”

Kakashi seemed to stiffen for a moment, his eyes widening just slightly past their usual, lazy half opened gaze, as if questioning the wisdom of her request. He then wanted to shake himself a little. There shouldn't be such a question in his mind, what with hundreds of rogue ninja raiding through the neighboring homes and villages. They needed every shinobi capable of fighting to be out there defending, and Nisei wanted to get caught up at the center of it. Her desire was perfectly normal, natural in the light of what was happening around them. Why was it so hard to allow it? With a sigh he carefully hid from her eyes, he wondered idly if it was just because she was his student, and he couldn't help but see her as 'not ready yet' though she undoubtedly was. He admired her bravery, sensitivity, and unique, keen fascination with chakra. She could be useful in this battle, but Kakashi still found himself stubbornly wanting to refuse to allow it. He logically knew he should not only allow her, but encourage her. The sudden tension that nearly overwhelmed him at the thought wasn't going to enable him to approve of it, though he originally would have. Anyone but Nisei would have gotten an immediately positive response from him.

“Nisei.” He spoke softly to her, watching her golden eyes fall to stare at the floor, disappointment already radiating from her small form. She must’ve known that he wasn’t going to let her go. The rest of his words practically sighed out of him, carrying the tiniest pang of regret at his refusal. “I can’t let you.”

“Stop picking on the girl already!” The sudden voice broke the tension and silence of the room like a rock flying through a window, leaving Kakashi's thoughts momentarily scattered on the floor like so many shards of glass.

He slowly turned to look at his former team mate, the same girl that he promised Obito he would always protect. Usually, he was relieved that the raven-haired Rin was around to bust his chops, and lessen his authority in front of one of his students, but now wasn't one of those times. “Rin, stay out of this...” His tone was as soft and laconic as usual, but the slightly harder look in his eyes left no doubt that he was entirely serious.

“I really don't want to.” Rin's words carried more than a hint of amusement as she pointed a finger at him, aiming to poke him gently in the cheek. Her pale gray eyes nearly creased shut as she beamed a huge grin at Nisei, leaving the young Anbu feeling incredibly out of place and shifting uncomfortably. Kakashi avoided the jabbing finger with the ease, shooting another nearly dangerous looking glare at Rin as she continued. “Kakashi must be concerned about you. Don’t take it personally.”

Kakashi thought hard and fast in the tense silence that then fell over the room. He knew all too well that Rin would harass him until he gave in, and there was only one way to avoid that unpleasantness. With another heavy sigh, he turned slightly towards Nisei, leaning in a little and ignoring Rin entirely. It almost rankled to give her the satisfaction of a win. Even though everything in him practically cringed at the idea, he found himself bending. “Okay, Nisei.” The young ninja stiffened at her name, her gaze raising slowly to meet his again. His mismatched eyes seemed less than amused, and she could tell he felt forced into giving her this opportunity. “I’ll let you come with us. The first time you get in the way-“

The girl quickly agreed, nodding almost frantically in her desire to cut him off. “I’ll go back.”

Rin winked mischievously at her from behind Kakashi before she turned away, walking casually over to the nearby Anbu with an odd lion mask. “Yamato-kun, I want you to meet Nisei. She’ll be coming on the mission with us.”

“Nisei chan.” He bowed as he laughed, a soft, short sound resembling a bark. “Hopefully you will have fun out on your first assignment. Kakashi senpai is surely an honorable Anbu, and a brilliant strategist.” Nisei's head turned back to her teacher at Yamoto's words, almost as if it was forced, and her gaze traveled slowly over Kakashi who now leaned with seeming nonchalance against the wall. Then her eyes met his and she felt as if she'd been hit by that stern, measuring gaze.

Kakashi slowly crossed his arms over his chest when Nisei's eyes fled from his, letting his head fall slightly to the left as he rested his right foot against the wall he was leaning on. His silence seemed to suit the thoughts running through his mind. Already he was feeling uneasy about giving in so quickly to his student's request. Rin's irritating tendency to push would have likely driven him to this decision sooner or later, but that didn't make him dislike it any less. It was now just one more thing for him to worry about, one more thing that might leave him with yet another bitter feeling of regret. Kakashi already had enough worries on his mind. No one seemed to understand that he really didn't need or want any more.

'I knew better than to let you come in the first place...'

Nisei blinked suddenly in the harsh sunlight, feeling an odd surreal sensation as she realized the faint blur on the horizon was the village of Suna. A swift mental slap seemed the only appropriate response to discovering that she'd been practically daydreaming for almost the entire run through the sand. Thinking that she'd been lucky as hell not to be caught unawares in a sandstorm, she slowly continued approaching the busy desert city, trying unsuccessfully to erase the memory of the look in Kakashi's eyes that day, and the echo of his furious words from not long after.

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Hitori woke up slowly, stretching and yawning as she glanced around, feeling more rested than she had in a long time. Her body only allowed her to sleep for about four hours at a time, though at the moment, she felt as if she'd gotten twice that. It made her wonder for a moment if she'd somehow overdone it. Shaking her head slowly to rid her thoughts of the cobwebs that seemed to come from sleep, she gathered some clean clothes and walked slowly into the room adjoining hers. With something like a sigh, she removed the fabric mask she always wore. The water hissed softly as she ran her hands under head of the shower and washed her face before slowly shedding her clothes and stepping under the cool water. She felt mild astonishment that the blazing heat from outside could be felt through the walls of the building already. As she reached down and slid her hand along the back of her right calf, brushing away the golden grains that stubbornly clung there, her mind lazily wondered if it was Gaara’s sand, or sand she picked up while running through the village. She let her hair fall forward, as she moved directly under the spray of water, her hand twisting the knob to the coldest setting. In her mind she could see Gaara’s eyes, that intense gaze radiating dislike or perhaps merely just blatant dismissal of her entirely.

Hitori didn’t like to have emotions invoked within her. Feeling anything was a foreign, unwanted sensation. As much as she didn't want it there, his dark voice was still in her head and when combined with that look on his face, it raised an uneasy, questionable feeling within her. Yomi’s words came back to her then, like a lightning bolt striking the center of her mind, forcing her to straighten up in surprise. This was what intimidation felt like? She stared hard at the wall through the clear drops of water, allowing the spray to blur her vision until her eyes finally closed. Leaning back against the cold tiles, she pressed to fingers to the cut on the side of her neck, feeling the slow, steady pulse beneath it. That could have all too easily been fatal, had he chosen to cut just a little deeper.

She turned off the water as she stepped out, using a thick, soft towel to dry herself quickly before slipping into her clean black uniform. The fabric mask was quickly replaced, followed by her inu mask, concealing her face completely. She deftly fitted her Anbu armor to her body, closing the straps around her thin, delicately toned arms as she turned to leave. Gaara had been right she realized, as she stepped out into the crowded hallway. The Kazekage building was busy during the day. She received very few glances, which she supposed she should be grateful for, since no one acted suspicious of her presence. Each person seemed to have their own destination, and they efficiently avoided bumping into the Anbu as they rushed about completing their varied daily business. It took a lot of work to run an entire village.

Hitori made her way up the stairs to the Kazekage’s main office, where he would no doubt spend most of his time during the day. She knocked lightly before entering the room, her eyes narrowing a little when she realized it was empty. The surprise attack from the night before quickly flashed through her mind, and she was halfway into a defensive stance before she realized just how ridiculous that idea was. As she moved further into the room, her eyes continued to dart everywhere, taking in every tiny detail. The furnishings were simple and impersonal, just a long desk, Gaara's seat, and several other chairs scattered almost haphazardly about. Light seemed to leak in at the back of the room, and she wasn't too surprised to find another door there. As her hand slowly pushed it open, she wondered where it would lead her.

Her curiosity was only piqued by the narrow, twisting walkway before her that seemed to lead to the roof of the Kazekage building. When she was nearly to the top she paused, seeing the slim outline of a figure clad in burgundy fabric, that unmistakable red hair blazing under the harsh sunlight. Gaara was standing there? She stopped herself from going any further, and had taken a step backwards, intending to leave, when another figure walked up behind him. This new person was taller than the Kazekage, and dressed in all black. In spite of feeling like she was eavesdropping, she lingered for a moment, wanting to make sure the encounter was as friendly as it appeared to be.

The one in black spoke first. “I don’t like saying this, but the people still only think of you as a ‘frightening weapon’.”

Those soft words brought back more of what Yomi had read to her the night she was given this mission. Gaara had siblings. The older brother was Kankurou, known for his puppet style jutsu, and the signature paint he wore on his face. That makeup stood for something, but the file hadn't elaborated on that part. This black clad figure was certainly him. Hitori’s hand moved away from the tanto sheathed on her back as she relaxed her stiff posture. Gaara had so far barely acknowledged the other’s presence, though Kankurou continued to speak lowly, as if attempting make sense of his younger brother’s decision.

“I wonder if you understand just how hard all of this is going to be.” Kankurou spread his arms wide, aggravation nearly dripping off of each word as he stepped closer to his brother. “The superiors don’t think very much of you, either. When it comes to you, the vast majority of the village still trembles with fear.”

“I know." Gaara’s deep voice resonated within her, summoning up a feeling she couldn't seem to place, since it was entirely too complicated to understand at the moment. She pressed her hand against the rocky wall and continued to listen, as if she were standing right next to them. “All one can do is create his own path in this world, without being a loner and taking the easy route. Maybe someday, I’ll be able to be more like…”

Gaara stopped himself from saying Naruto's name just then, knowing that his brother wouldn’t fully understand. No one else could ever understand the moment that seemed to change everything for him. He continued on with what he was trying to express, encouraged by Kankurou’s concern. “That’s why I wanted to be Kazekage. To live for, and bond with, the people of this village. I want to earn the respect of everyone through my own hard work. I understood that after seeing Uzumaki Naruto.”

Hitori’s eyes moved to look at Kankurou, watching as he slowly turned his face to look at his brother, his eyes widening in a look of mixed awe and surprise. Gaara shifted a little, his eyes still moving over the village below him as he continued on softly. “Up until now, my bonds with others have only been ones of hatred and murder. But, seeing him fight so hard made me wonder what a bond really is. I think I understand a little now. Suffering, sadness ... and joy. To be able to share it with another person. Uzumaki Naruto ... when I fought him, I feel that is what he taught me. He knew the same pain I did, and then he taught me that you can change that path.”

The sun's rays shone down brilliantly again as the clouds moved from it's path, and the nearly blinding golden light seemed completely different than it had before, when she first stepped outside. That strange, heavy sensation in her chest had become bothersome as she continued watching, helpless before, and unable to conquer, whatever it was she was feeling. She pushed herself away from the wall and rested a hand lightly over her heart, willing it to stop pounding so fiercely. Why was she feeling so overwhelmed? A slight movement snapped her back to attention and she watched Gaara turn his head to look back over his shoulder at his brother as he spoke again.

“I wish to one day be needed by someone. Not as a frightening weapon, but as the Sand’s Kazekage.”

Hitori wasn't entirely sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her or not, but it looked like there was a small smile on his face when he stopped speaking. Without waiting a moment longer, she turned and made her way back into the Kazekage's office. She kept walking until she reached the door. Being here didn't feel right anymore, and she suddenly thought of herself as unfit for this mission. She shook her head, wondering if she had just honestly doubted her abilities. Danzou and Yomi had both told her repeatedly that she was Anbu's best, but somehow she was no longer able to claim that distinction as her own. Gaara’s story had been rewritten in a completely different light for her. This man had been a cold blooded murderer, more of a machine than a human being, and she couldn't help but recognize that same emotionless quality in herself now. Perhaps he was ill-fated, but he no longer even slightly resembled the monstrous killer he'd once been. The cut along her neck was the result of the careful caution maintained by a man who lived with the constant threat of assassination.

Now she was certain she'd never let anyone harm Gaara in any way. She felt anger rise within her from just thinking about it. What the hell was that? Why was she suddenly feeling these emotional reactions that had never plagued her before? Hitori sighed at herself and stood there indecisively. She knew she shouldn’t leave the room, so she stood quietly next to the door and waited. The light scrape of approaching footsteps made her head snap up, and then she was looking into quite possibly the most confident pair of midnight eyes she’d ever seen. This blonde haired girl looked aggressive, ready to kill at any moment. Hitori found herself approving of the other's presence.

“You must be the new Anbu operative.” Her tone was laced with disdain and something that hinted at a cleverness that reminded Hitori of the Hokage. Temari had been listed as the name of Gaara’s older sister, and regrettably few characteristics were written down about her. The woman had an overly large fan strapped to her back, and that was enough information for Hitori to be certain that's who she was now dealing with. Perhaps it was time to test Yomi’s lesson on 'the art of conversation.'

Instead of the short nod she would normally reply with, Hitori decided to try speaking. Her voice came out quiet and low, but steady as she met the other woman's eyes again. "I am." It wasn't much, but she supposed it was a start. She could mentally hear Yomi’s words of praise, along with some rather colorful comments about Temari's clothes. Surprised, she blocked those out in a rush, pushing aside Yomi's voice for now. Temari maintained a serious demeanor and the look on her face never changed. Hitori glanced away awkwardly as she decided to add more, “It is my pleasure to aid Sunagakure’s Kazekage in any way I can.”

“Gaara doesn’t need you here. We are more than capable of protecting him ourselves.” Kankurou's voice cut rudely through the stillness of the room as he walked back in, with Gaara following slowly behind him. His eyes seemed to hold a challenge, as he stared hard at the Anbu, then smirked before continuing on. “I think Baki made a big mistake. You should be able to return immediately, right?”

“Wrong,” Gaara said, his pale aqua eyes hardening just a little as he directed his gaze at his brother. Before continuing he eased into the seat behind his desk and steepled his fingers in front of his face, resting his elbows lightly on the stone surface before him. “If she went back to Konoha now, it would be seen as a grave insult to the Leaf village. And, I don’t want to even think of how Baki would feel if we denied the help that he went out of his way to request. He meant well, I'm certain.”

“You used to be so good at being insensitive.” Temari smiled brightly at him as she crossed the room. It seemed she enjoyed watching Kankurou being put in his place. “You’ve learned compassion, Gaara. It looks good on you.”

Gaara's gaze stayed glued on Hitori’s profile while she slowly turned to look at him as if he had compelled her to do so. She had a different mask on now, and he was glad to see that it didn't even resemble the raccoon mask she'd worn previously. A smile tried to form on his face, but it disappeared before it was more than a thought, his eyes turning back to Kankurou, “You should give the Anbu a tour of the building. I'm sure our ways of doing things are much different than they are in Konoha, and it must be a little confusing.”

Abandoning even a pretense at maturity, Temari stuck her tongue out watching, and nearly laughing, as Kankurou reluctantly made his way over towards Hitori.

"Do you have a name, Anbu?" The question took her almost entirely by surprise before she realized that she never had given them her name. Deciding to attempt politeness, she bowed shortly.

"My name is Hitori." After hearing everyone else speak, the volume of her voice struck her as unusually low. Maybe disuse could cause such a thing to happen, but she wasn't sure. It really didn't seem important, anyway. Kankurou replied with something that sounded like a grunt as he stepped out of the room, keeping a fair distance between them as he went over the various rooms and their purposes. She didn’t find any of the rooms to hold particular importance to Gaara, or protecting him as most of them were simply store rooms or offices. The last door opened into a room with mirrors for walls, and she felt curiosity spring up within her again. What could be the reason for making something like this? Hitori followed Kankurou, feeling more than a little uneasy as dozens of copies of her reflection stared back at her, no matter where she looked. At least what she saw was her Anbu mask, so she was spared the odd discomfort that came from seeing her own face.

“This room is where Gaara comes to think.” Kankurou held Hitori's questioning eyes for a long moment, “I don’t know why. It’s something about dealing with his demon. Being the host for Shukaku means Gaara doesn't sleep. That lack of sleep is part of what causes those dark rings around his eyes. If he did sleep...” He broke off there with a shudder, obviously not wanting to contemplate what that would mean.

Hitori found herself again in a position to speak. “Well-“

“I’m going to say this again, because I think it bears repeating." He seemed to enjoy cutting her off. "Gaara doesn’t need your protection.” Kankurou stared dispassionately at the Anbu, whom he saw as nothing more than some unwanted stranger from Konoha. Never would he consider her actual protection. He made sure that the insult was just an undertone, as he wondered if the whispered tales of the Anbu Root were at all true.

She bit at her tongue, having no idea what to say, and not even sure what a natural human reaction to that statement would be. That odd wave of anger ran through her again, a feeling she was quickly becoming used to, and she took a single, even step towards Kankurou. His dark heavy stare didn’t intimidate her in the slightest. He wasn’t anything like Gaara. At this point, she wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but she didn’t feel in any way scared of this man’s presence, or his chakra which was flaring tensely now. If he were to make a move, she could easily snatch his wrist and break it before he had any chance of reaching the scrolls on his back. Users of the puppet jutsu were notoriously weak in hand to hand combat, and she felt with absolute certainty that she could beat him. Maybe her presence here wasn’t a welcome one to him, but that wasn't going to deter her from fulfilling her mission. The hints of disrespect were starting to become annoying. She didn't understand it even a little but, then again, Hitori couldn’t comprehend living at all without being controlled. It was all she'd ever known.

“You stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours,” Kankurou said in a low voice that was intended to be menacing - his words a blatant dismissal as he pushed his way past her, and went to close the door behind him.

Just as it started to close, she found herself murmuring, “I'll see you later, kabuki boy.” The words stunned her slightly, until she heard Yomi's distinctive giggle in her mind. Apparently, the Yomi that seemed to have taken up residence in her head had decided to give Kankurou a nickname.

Kankurou’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing dangerously at her. The door practically slammed and the image of her expressionless face, which didn't in any way match her words, refused to leave his thoughts. There was no way in hell Kankurou would tolerate a nickname like that, especially coming from her. Obviously she intended to make this forced time together even more difficult. He knew that he, personally, was all the protection Gaara needed. Somehow, he'd force that infuriating woman to see things his way. Either that, or he'd kill her. One way or another, he'd make sure she wouldn't be sticking around long.

He stalked down the hallway to Gaara’s room like an angry cat, and glared at him, as if his brother was the cause of his anger. Turquoise met onyx curiously. “I don’t like the Anbu dog. Do you know what she just called me? Kabuki boy. Do I look like a fucking kabuki performer to you?”

Gaara refused to answer this, having had the same thought at one point or another when studying his brother’s odd rituals with paints. Kankurou sighed, annoyed by the silence, as he turned to see Temari there. “Oh, of course you’re standing behind me. Do you think I look like one of the kabuki performers?” The blond-haired kunoichi only covered her mouth in response, fearing death should her laughter manage to escape. Kankurou glared around the room, falling silent and crossing his arms over his chest.

Hitori walked back down the hallway, feeling yet another odd sensation within her from the knowledge that she'd unnerved Kankurou, and made her way outside. The least she could do was patrol, and make sure that no outsiders tried to get into the building. Being used to the Konoha villagers made all of the cloaked Suna residents seem suspicious in some way, though. Scanning around, she quickly found four logical places to conceal herself, all of which over looked the village. After making sure that no one had taken notice of her, she jumped up and perched on top of the tall building, waiting. And the waiting never got old, as her eyes skimmed every bit of the wind torn living community of Sunagakure.

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Tsunade couldn't remember the last time she'd been this angry with Naruto. His childish outbursts were definitely dancing all over her last nerve. He should honestly be happy he was being sent out on any mission at all. She couldn't completely hide a smirk, noticing that Sakura had the blonde ninja in a headlock and was glaring at him while trying to maintain a smile on her face. Her student had not only grown stronger, but she'd matured tremendously in the short time they'd been working together. Those topaz eyes then glanced towards Kakashi, who looked like he wished he could sink into the floor. It wasn't easy keeping Naruto in check, and Tsunade didn't envy him that task at all. Sure, the boy had enormous potential, but getting him to understand things was sometimes an uphill battle. It took more patience than she possessed right now to tolerate this all too characteristic behavior from him. Just as she was about to speak again, the door was thrust open and one of the decoders hastened into the room.

"Lady Hokage! We've received an emergency message from the Sand Village." Her words came out in a rush as she bowed before the desk, and had the effect of silencing everyone in the room.

"The Sand Village!" Tsunade couldn't hide the surprise in her voice, mentally wondering if Nisei could have had enough time to report in already. There seemed to be a lot going on in Sunagakure at the moment. It was too odd to be mere coincidence.

"I have the report right here." Barely checking a sigh, and feeling a strange sense of uneasiness growing within her, Tsunade reached her hand out to take the paper. The odd tension in the air made her certain it wasn't good news. Every face in the room was turned towards her, and she could feel the weight of their gazes as if they were pressing upon her shoulders as she glanced down at the report.

Nisei charged down the hallway unable to remember the last time she'd kept up this speed for this long. Her body definitely wasn't going to let her off easy this time. Everything blurred slightly in front of her as sweat poured ran down her face in rivulets, stinging and burning when it managed to drip into her eyes. Time and distance no longer seemed to hold real meaning for her. Getting to Tsunade was her only goal, and she focused on it with an intensity that was nearly frightening. She ignored everyone and everything in her way, her eyes locked on the door at the end of the hallway that was slowly swinging closed. At this point, that simple wooden object had become a beacon shining brightly in an empty black space. It hadn't quite latched when she hit it with both hands, reaching the desk in her haste before the door slammed into the wall with a thud as loud as the one she made nearly collapsing onto the hard surface. "Suna is under attack!" She wasn't sure where she found the breath to shout so loudly before her legs gave out beneath her. With a soft groan, she sank slowly to her knees, ripping her mask off in an attempt to draw in more air.

Tsunade's surprised shout of "Nisei!" was nearly drowned by the Anbu's own cry, and a stunned silence fell over the room. She stared at Nisei almost in shock, amazed at how hard she must've pushed herself to get back to Konoha so fast, and gave her a moment to collect herself. By the time the Anbu finally regained her feet, the other woman had finished reading the report given to her by the decoder. "The Kazekage has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki." Her voice remained even as she let the paper fall heedlessly to the table. "They've asked for our help."

Shizune's hands balled into fists, her brown eyes narrowing as she turned towards her master. "Don't tell me you're planning to send Team Kakashi!"

Without skipping a beat, Tsunade cut her off before she could get started. "This is an emergency! We don't have time to be picky, and Kakashi has fought the Akatsuki before." The tone in her voice almost dared Shizune to disagree with her decision. She already knew all the arguments the other woman would use anyway. It was no secret that the Akatsuki wanted Naruto, and Shizune would see this move as practically handing the boy to them on a silver platter. But the Sannin knew that this time, sending him into danger couldn't be helped.

The Copy Ninja inclined his head forward slightly at Tsunade's words, sparing a glance at Nisei who was still obviously trying to catch her breath. Despite how much she'd changed since he'd last seen her, he wasn't surprised that she'd made it back from Suna so fast. She'd probably pushed herself beyond her limits, like she always did. Emotions had a way of ruling Nisei and that didn't seem like something she'd ever be able to change. At times like these, though, her ability to use those intense emotions to strengthen herself was a definite advantage. Not even many other Anbu operatives could have completed that four day round trip in less than three, with no time to rest. It was more than just a little impressive.

Nisei felt Kakashi's eyes on her, but didn't turn to meet his gaze. Her mind was still spinning from what Tsunade had said, and from what she'd seen in the sky over Suna before turning back for Konoha. That giant wall of sand rising into the air made her shiver just thinking about it. Such an extraordinary amount of power; it was overwhelming. She shook her head a little, forcing away fatigue and focusing her attention back on the Hokage.

"You will head to Suna immediately, assess the situation, and send a report back to me. Then, you are to assist them. Follow their orders and help them in any way you can. Is that understood?" Her eyes seemed to narrow on Naruto, specifically, and she nodded at the affirmative answers she received from all three. Without even pausing for breath, she then turned to regard the Anbu operative. "Nisei, since you already have a mission in the Sand village, you will accompany Team Kakashi, and also make yourself available to assist. Go, all of you. With as much haste as you can manage. The gravity of this situation isn't going to lessen with time." She spared one last glance around the room, inclining her head towards Iruka with a look that spoke volumes. He nodded back, still looking a little shell shocked.

Naruto seemed much too excited by this new mission and Sakura practically dragged him out of the room as Kakashi moved a little closer to Nisei and gazed lazily down at her. "Are you sure you're fit to travel that distance again as quickly as necessary? You look beyond exhausted to me." He couldn't help but be concerned about her, even though he knew it would only annoy her. The way she stiffened at his words made him sigh softly, the sound inaudible to all but his own ears. One of these days, his former student was going to push herself to death.

The tone of his voice seemed to jar every nerve within her, and Nisei gritted her teeth, keeping her golden gaze on the floor while she replied. "As the Hokage said, I already have a mission in Suna. Besides," she raised her head, her eyes meeting his almost defiantly. "I've never turned away from my responsibilities. Take your team and head out, Kakashi senpai. I'll be right behind you - every step of the way." She almost cringed at the coldness in her own voice, but it couldn't be helped. Not in the state she was in at the moment. He would just have to deal with it.

Kakashi ignored the ice in her words, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her angry face. There, under her eye, was that a scar? It was hard to tell between the soft light the windows let in and the natural shadows along that side of her face. He leaned in a little, trying to be nonchalant about it, but her hands replaced her mask before he could get a closer look. Those eyes lingered on him a moment longer from behind the painted kitsune face before she brushed past him, taking even, steady strides towards the door.

Nisei's heart was pounding hard in her chest as she reached for the door, wondering if he'd seen the scar before she had a chance to cover it. She never wanted him to see that badge of her shame. Memories of that horrible day already tormented her enough. For him to see that mark, to know...It would be too much to bear. Ironically, it was the techniques he'd taught her years ago that enabled her to regain her composure as quickly as she did. "I'll meet you at the doors in twenty minutes," she called back over her shoulder, not waiting for an answer. Her steps carried her away from him as fast as they could without being too obvious about it. How in the hell was she going to deal with this new mission if she couldn't control her emotions during such a short encounter? She didn't know. She really didn't want to think about it, but obviously she'd have to figure it out quickly. There was no other option at this point. Until this mission was over, she was stuck with him.

One word flitted through her mind as she prepared to leave yet again, and that one word troubled her in more ways than she could count.

Dangerous.

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