"M-minato-san, I-"

He looked from me to the ash remains of the shinobi, eyes darkening. I was rooted still as Kushina burst into the clearing followed closely by the rest of Team 7 plus Gai, Asuma and Kurenai. Their expressions turned grave as they registered the atmosphere.

"Sensei, what happened?" Kakashi's low voice barely carried across the whistling of the leaves and the erratic pulsing of blood pumping in my ears. I fixed my gaze on the ground, fisting my hands into the fabric of my clothes. Their wary looks fell heavy on my body. Stop. It was suffocating. Stop it. The tips of my ears burned but the rest of me felt cold, like I was freezing rapidly from inside out. The sound of my own breathing became louder as the low conversations melted away. A pair of arms suddenly restrained me, pulling my heaving chest against their body. The need to struggle was gone when a sharp impact to the back of my neck put me out like a light.

I awoke to the soft puffs of air caressing my face. The hospital humidifier whirred quietly beside my head. I blinked up at the white ceiling feeling fatigued but not in any physical sense. It was like an odd weight settled itself on my chest and wouldn't budge no matter what. Behind the walls I could sense chakra signatures milling about, many of which belonging to civilians. Peeling off the blanket, I placed both soles of my feet to the floor, breathing deeply at the cool sensation. Propping the window open, I pounced off the ledge, dropping onto the grass below. Straightening up slowly, I began making my way to the Harue residency knowing full well that by the end of the day, I'd either be getting my way or lose a part of my memory. I steadied myself resolutely. There was only so much ignorance I could feign.

That evening, the jounin commander found me sitting on the porch of her home, eyes baring into hers. There was a tinge of defeat that settled into her otherwise blank chakra signature. She proceeded past me, pushing the door open. For a good moment I thought that she had completely dismissed me until she jerked her head in my direction to follow her. Sliding off my sandals I pattered into her home, taking a hesitant seat at her behest. Her sharp cat eyes appraised me, awaiting predator-like.

I fingered the rim of the steaming cup of tea that she had placed before me. "I apologise if I come across presumptuous Harue-sama but I find it very hard to comprehend how Konoha's competent jounin have yet to apprehend one man that's hiding in our own village at this very moment."

Her visage gave away nothing. With her arms crossed over her chest and the blank mask she carried, her defences seemed impenetrable. I resisted the urge to shuffle beneath her unwavering gaze, returning the look steadily. The tension eventually seeped out of her shoulders as she relaxed minutely, fatigue dawning on her features. "You always seem to find yourself at the worst place at the worst possible timing, you Senjus." I blinked at the connotations. Was she referring to kaa-san? Their history wasn't familiar to me but she and kaa-san seemed to be long-time friends, with kaa-san always speaking fondly of her.

"Look kid, catching perpetrators isn't as easy as you think." "This man has been covering his tracks too well, so well in fact that we suspect the people up there have something to do with it." She flicked her index finger skywards, shooting me a meaningful look. So that's how it was, justice would always be weak in the face of corruption. "Plus, it's not like we can apprehend someone for killing a person that doesn't exist."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

She levelled an appraising look on me before massaging the bridge of her nose, sighing heavily. "It's an underground organisation called Root. It's comprised of people who don't exist, supposedly dead or MIA shinobi, orphans…people with no names. Originally, it had functioned as a subdivision of Konoha's anbu unit but after some questionable activity, the Hokage had it disbanded."

I gripped onto the edge of the seat tightly. "Then why does it still exist?"

"That's the thing kid. It doesn't. There's no evidence of it existing whatsoever. I've had some of my most trusted shinobi investigate just to die or go missing in the most inconspicuous ways. The kunoichi that you got involved with was one of them. Had you not been there, we would've still been in the dark about the nature of their activity." The weight on my chest lightened, that meant that the Jounin Commander wasn't as unprepared as she set herself out to be. A grim smile revealed tired lines across her face, "And you just so happen to catch onto them again. The folks down there must really be getting tired of you."

I stewed quietly on that for a moment. I couldn't imagine I'd be alive if not for my clan's reputation. "Can I ask who lead Root previously? Or rather, who is still leading Root currently?"

The light caught against her gleaming eyes. I swore it gave a brief flash of approval. "Shimura Danzo."

My brows drew together. Him again. The man was deeply involved in the thick of Konoha's darkness. I could sense his intentions in his chakra and he was nothing but self-righteousness, the kind that led to nothing but tragedy and grief. "What do you plan on doing?"

Her eyes turned to the ceiling. "What indeed." She huffed out softly. "Either way, I think you have a visitor."

I reached out my senses to find a worrying Minato pacing back and forth outside and a furious shishou. I rubbed my left cheek, standing up to bow and leave. "Thank you, as always."

As I turned the knob of the door, her voice rang out to me. "Don't get into more trouble, kid. Furumi and your kaa-san wouldn't let me hear the end of it when they get back." Pushing open the door, Minato immediately raised his head.

Before he could get a word out I interrupted, "-I'm fine. Really. Except for the fact that you tagged me with hiraishin without me knowing." I attempted a smile to dissipate the grave atmosphere. "How did you manage that?"

Shishou barrelled into me, knees hitting the ground so that she could wound her arms tightly around me. "You stupid girl, don't run away from the hospital. You're not even a ninja yet and you've already adopted all the bad habits -dattebane." The moonlight cast strange lines across shishou's face, I thought I'd almost seen the light reflect glistening eyes.

"Sorry for worrying you guys."

The next few days, I spent pouring over whatever I could find on Root and anything that related to it. Mission reports, scrolls on the Konoha military structure, missing persons lists. It was futile, really. The things that I managed to uncover were essentially useless, the things that were worth looking into were classified or destroyed.

I couldn't tell why I was so fixated on it myself, but the thought of an underground assassination unit sitting right under Konoha's nose irked me in more ways than I could count. People were disappearing like they never existed. Live and breathing one second, a pile of ashes the next. The fact that I couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary had been another reason, it was almost like I'd had a limb cut off. My sensory perception felt numb and sluggish and it weighed heavily on my paranoia. Shimura Danzo's lone eye haunted me wherever I went. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't push it into the back of my mind. There was something about his look that said 'you're next'.

Rubbing my bare arms, I walked the path to the Nara compound, eyes flitting briefly to the other path on the fork of the road. The well-worn path to my favourite senbei shop. I closed my eyes, reaching out my senses only to come up with nothing. Tilting my neck skywards I let out a small breath. He's left.

The edges of my lips drew into a wry smile as I continued going my way.

"Yoshino-baa, you won't believe what I've brought for you." My footsteps fell light and quick into the kitchen where I'd find her mixing together some herbs into a large mortar. She looked up, a wide beam stretching across her features when she saw me.

"Kareha-chan! You're a sight for sore eyes, you are."

I returned a grin, plopping myself beside her at the table. "You're going to like this even more than my good looks." I said, flicking my pale blonde locks behind me and fishing out a few seals from my waistband. Splaying the seals across the table I watched her expectantly.

She stared from the seals, to me, then back to the seals, open mouthed. "A-are these…"

I crossed my arms, nodding haughtily. "Newly revised, communications seal. Once on, it can only be removed by the person who applied it. Works under any condition, no matter the place. Oji-san can't feint communication disruption."

Her eyes shimmered in gratitude. "Kareha-chan," she cried, grabbing my hands in hers, "You've revolutionised the lives of many Nara women."

I brushed her off, "Don't worry about it," Anything to get back at Shikaku for coercing me into babysitting his deer. The debilitating trauma… "If you need any more for the others who were unlucky enough to marry into the Nara family, feel free to give me a call." And of course, the other Nara men would have to suffer for the sins of their clan head. A dark smirk engulfed my face.

"Kakashi, my greatest rival! I challenge you to a battle!"

The both of us raised our heads from out of our bowl of ramen, coming face to face with a pair of animated caterpillar brows. Dabbing away at my mouth with Kakashi's napkin, I acknowledge the guy with an inclination of the head. He returned my greeting with a blinding toothy smile and his trademark thumbs up. I cringed away slightly, squinting my eyes at his illuminating sparkle.

"So what do you say, rival?!" He braced both hands at his hip, thrusting his pelvis forward and examining Kakashi intently.

The dead-fish eyed Hatake went to reach for his napkin to find it already soiled by yours truly. He shot me a glare before turning to Teuchi for another. I felt the enthusiastic ninja behind us slowly wilting at Kakashi's complete disregard for him. Feeling sorry for the guy, I wracked my brain quickly and offered up a half-baked excuse that'd hopefully appease his passionate rivalry for the moment. "Sorry Gai-san, we're all booked out for the day. Kashi-nii promised me that he'd teach me a new jutsu today." I sent a silencing look at Kakashi who was about to open his mouth.

Gai's expression immediately fell, his straight bangs shadowing his eyes. I held my breath as he trembled, fists clenched as his sides. However his bout of moodiness vanished as quick as it came, giving way to emotional tears. "Oh my hip rival! I didn't realise you were such a dedicated older brother! You put me to shame! I will work a hundred times harder to become a master of doting, just like my hip rival."

I grimaced. Did Gai even have a sibling to dote on? An uncomfortable imagery of thick browed spawns of Satan running about shouting 'Springtime of Youth!' came to the forefront of my mind. I shoved it away resolutely.

Kakashi's fingers wrapped around my wrist and dragging me to a stand, interrupted my thoughts. "That's right Gai, I have to uphold my promise. Come on, Kareha." I followed him, his quick steps emblazing the trail we left behind.

We somehow ended at the infamous Team 7 training ground, the both of us bent over our knees wheezing. Kakashi recovered first, straightening up to give me an appreciative nod. "Good thinking."

I smirked. "Nothing ever comes free, Kashi-nii." Rolling up the sleeves of my kimono, I held out my hand expectantly.

He eyed my outstretched palm, completely lost. "What? I have no jutsus to teach you. We don't even share the same infinities."

"I actually have a minor affinity to Earth." I corrected him. "But no, fork over some cash, I want to get some nori senbei."

"I just paid for your ramen, how's a freeloader like you hungry again?"

I shot him an unimpressed look, "You left the bill with Gai-san. That's why we left so fast, wasn't it? Don't be such a cheapskate Bakashi, I promise it'll be worth your while."

His expression betrayed no hints of shame at being caught having offed the bill to someone else. A resigned shake of the head told me I had won.

I skipped happily beside him, interlacing my fingers behind my back. I saw him shoot me a sullen look from my periphery. "What happened to avoiding the Uchiha district?"

I stopped short, almost tripping over my own feet. I picked up my easy gait again, quirking my head to the side with a small smile. "When did I ever do something like that? I can't live without Uruchi-sama's food."

He let it go, slouching forwards again with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants. We arrived at the small stand soon enough, the few Uchiha civilians giving Kakashi weird looks. Outsiders were a rare sight in the Uchiha district, I was an exception since I often frequented Uchiha Senbei and the residents had gotten used to my presence. Although it took some time for them to get around the fact that a Senju of all people was the first of few to put aside prejudice but some of them were even beginning to acknowledge me with a small nod and smile.

Teyaki-ossan was seated at the bench outside the small bakery, newspaper drawn across his front. I greeted him with a gust of wind, plastering the pages of the newspaper to his face. He pulled it away with a growl, grabbing his broom to beat away the annoying Uchiha children before recognising me. He blinked in surprise, dropping the broom. I gave him a hesitant grin, touching the back of my neck. "Long time no see, Teyaki-ossan."

His eyes softened and he called over his shoulder for his wife. "Neither you nor the other brat have come in a long while. I thought our best patrons had abandoned us."

I drew my brows together at that. "I'm sorry. I thought the Uchiha would've had enough thoughtfulness to at least drop by."

He stayed quiet for a sombre moment. Uruchi-sama came up behind him, eyes crinkling into a smile when she saw me. "Kareha-chan! You've finally brought a friend. And a cute one at that. I see why you keep denying Shisui as your boyfriend."

I smiled brightly back, yanking Kakashi forward, "This is Kakashi, he's my brother." The socially challenged jounin flailed before going into a small bow.

"Thank you for always taking care of Kareha, she's a handful."

Uruchi-sama beamed, herding Kakashi into the bakery. I mentally saluted him, wishing his socially stunted self good luck.

"Take a seat, brat."

It'd been the first time I had seen him so serious. It was unnerving to say the least. The shrivelled bat should be sporting a dopey loving smile or an irritated scowl, not this grave countenance. I sat by him anyway, swinging my legs back and forth.

"You know you remind me a lot of him." I snapped my head up to him. "The Nidaime Hokage."

"You knew him?"

He gave a harsh laugh. "Knew him? No! Knew of him, more like. I was a little boy when Senju Tobirama became Hokage. He was notoriously pragmatic and didn't bother to hide his derision for the Uchihas. Perhaps it's better to call it wariness, he didn't hate the Uchihas but he never trusted us either." He adopted a faraway look, the wrinkles surrounding his eyes fading as he remembered his boyhood. "It didn't matter whether you were a child or a woman, Senju Tobirama held no reservations for the whole clan. We were all booted to one corner of the village in the name of security to Konoha. Of course at first, our clan was blind sighted by the authority, but it soon became apparent that the whole thing had been a ploy to our marginalisation. At least that was what had been propagated by the Madara sympathisers. The elders forced all the children into ninja arts, and those who showed no talent were persecuted."

He folded his arms across his chest, leaning into the wall behind us. I stared off into the distance, listening intently. "I almost drowned as a boy. I remember vividly the water filling my lungs, the burning sensation, the desperation…and eventually defeat" a gruff cough of laughter escaped his lips as he trailed off. "Who would've thought that the one man to throw himself after me would be the Nidaime Hokage himself? You know what he said to me after he pulled me out from the water like a drenched dog? 'Uchiha boy, there are more things to life then becoming a shinobi. Support the village in other ways. Start a bakery, get married, inspire the next generation. The will of fire is upheld by more than those who throw themselves to battle.' And to think I did just that."

I gaped at him wide-eyed. "Tobirama said that?"

"Makes less sense the more you think about it, huh?" he scratched the bottom of his chin, grinning humourlessly. He turned his weathered eyes on me, "The first time I saw you, I could tell even without the emblem across your back. You're a spitting image of him. And you have his heart too."

I deflated at that. Having his looks was fine, I'd come to terms with that but now I have his disposition too?

"And that brat," He snorted gruffly, "He's Kagami's descendent alright."

I perked up at that name. "Kagami?" One of the shinobi on Tobirama's Escort Unit in the First Shinobi World War and one of the last people to see him alive.

"Aa, Uchiha Kagami, our clan's very own Hashirama. The light of the clan whose will of fire burned brighter than anyone else's."

"You knew him personally?"

"I knew him enough." was his cryptic answer.

Kakashi exited the bakery with his arms full of steaming goods and nori senbei. My nose twitched at the scent and I immediately bounded to him, pilfering some crackers.

"My, darling, are we finally getting along with Kareha-chan?"

The shrivelled bat melted, cooing in agreement. "Of course, darling."

Kakashi sent me a weird look as if questioning my choice of company. I gave a shrug, then tilted my head to the left, signalling us heading off. We probably wouldn't want to stay for front row seats to what the shrivelled bat loosely termed 'innocent affection'.

"I believe in the descendants of Tobirama and Kagami. Whatever the brat did! Forgive him!" The old man called after us. Kakashi slanted me a curious glance in which I responded with a small shake of the head.

We were halfway to the entrance of the Uchiha district when an unexpected shout of surprise secured our attention. I turned around to see the goggled idiot, raising his forefinger to us in indignation. "What are you two doing here?!" "Actually, the little sadist I get, but why are you here?" he squinted at Kakashi who pretended to clean out his ear, completely ignoring the Uchiha.

"Oi, answer me Bakashi!"

He rolled his bored eyes onto Obito, drawling, "I don't remember you becoming the Uchiha district's guard dog. Did you get promoted from public menace?"

The riled up Uchiha launched at Kakashi with a raised fist, screaming in fury. I studied Kakashi carefully, his eyes shifted to something besides boredom for a brief moment as he blocked off the attack half-heartedly. I rubbed at my forehead tiredly, this was supposed to be the one day Kakashi and I could spend the required five hours of 'family bonding time' per week quota and this goggled idiot had just come to ruin our progress. The requirement was at the behest of a pair of micromanaging parents before they had left to frontlines. And the consequences of not obeying…Kakashi and I both shuddered to imagine it. When fuelled with the desire to see Kakashi making progress in social interactions, even Uncle could be a fearsome entity rivalling the Shinigami.

At the fifth time that Obito was flung to the ground, I finally stepped in, slapping a paralysis seal over his face. "That's enough, Kakashi can't be stuck here entertaining you. If I have to spend time with him, he should be entertaining me."

Kakashi grunted, sticking his hands back into his pockets and stalking off. I followed close behind with brisk steps. "Something's been on your mind the whole day. You're bending to my whims a lot easier than usual."

He paused minutely. "Team 7 is getting deployed."

I pursed my lips. "I thought so." His glance slid over me before reverting to looking resolutely forwards. "When?"

"Less than a week."

"That soon, huh..." I breathed. Then I'd have to prepare a bit faster. There were still some things that I could do despite being stranded in the village.

"Give me your hand."

I jolted. "What?"

He scowled, repeating himself more forcefully. "Give me your hand." He was gritting his teeth beneath his mask. I decided not to tease him further and stuck out my hand. He closed my fingers around something small and cool. I opened my palm to see a small hair pin sitting in the middle. Three dainty flowers dangled from the end, crystal lavender in colour. I looked up to see Kakashi averting his gaze, looking decidedly anywhere but at me. I smiled brilliantly, immediately clipping the accessory into my hair. "Thanks, Kashi-nii."

"It's fine. It was cheap anyway."

"Whatever you say."

A/N Things are finally getting heated, hope you guys enjoyed this one and stay tuned for the next installment. As always, thanks for your support and I'll see you all next time.