True to your Heart-Naruto Fanfiction
Sequel to Heart of Honor
Rating: PG-13 for language, violence, and a few adult themes

Chapter 4

One moment, she had been in the middle of a desert, and the next, Sakura was being dumped to the hard floor. She gasped as she landed hard on her side, hitting her elbow rather hard on the stone floor. She winced as she tried to push herself to her feet again, only to have sand wrap around her arms and legs again and she fell to her side again, wincing as she nearly hit her head on the ground. Fortunately, a patch of sand stopped her head from hitting the stone. She blinked a few times before looking around. It scared her to find that she was in a darkened room, lightened only by a fire in a fireplace. The room, however, was no doubt someone's private quarters though. There was a very comfortable bed off to the side near a large balcony over looking something. On the ground near her, there was woven carpets lain out all around her, which made her a little peeved that she hadn't landed on one of them instead.

And then she spotted him standing over her.

The red haired Shinobi was still standing as he had been before she was swept up by the sudden sandstorm but what worried her the most was how they were the only ones in the room. It was just her and the stranger. Where were Naruto and the others?! She thought. This wasn't looking very good. She felt her heart nearly stop when she realized how alone she was with this guy.

Alone. In a dark room. With a strange man she had just been fighting with. And she couldn't fight back if he attacked her again. Not good at all!!

But instead of looking at her, the red haired Shinobi opened his eyes and walked straight over to the bed where a golden braid of thread was hanging from a small hole in the ceiling. He just grabbed it and pulled down, which was followed by a dull ring of a bell before he swirled around and headed straight back towards her. Sakura cringed away as he approached her and tried to jerk back when he bent down next to her, looking into her eyes with his strangely pretty teal eyes. "What are you doing?! Where am I?! What have you done with my companions?!" She demanded, but her voice was laced with fear.

The Shinobi just eyed her dryly before choosing to ignore her as he tilted his head to the side, as if looking at something on her arm. He frowned before reached over and touching her elbow where she had hit the ground. There was a dull sting there making Sakura hiss in pain before she tilted her head far to see what it was. Her elbow was now bleeding. And with him touching her arm, his hand felt rather hot, yet it was leaving a tingling sensation in her skin. She almost got goosebumps with him touching her. And after breathing heavily through her nose, she got a very strange whiff of him.

Truth be told, he smelled kind of pleasant. He had an exotic spicy smell about him and there was a dry leathery smell about him, too. But there was another smell on him that bothered Sakura. The irony smell coming off of him. The smell of blood.

'Blood?!' Sakura thought with alarm as she looked up at him with wide eyes. 'He smells like blood! I didn't cut him open! I don't see any blood! He must be some kind of killer then!' She tried to pull away from the Shinobi but he kept a firm grip on her arm, now looking at her with annoyance. "Don't touch me! Get away!" She demanded. Again, he ignored her as he looked at the cut on her elbow before a trail of sand came out of his gourd and swirled around her arm, almost licking at the cut. She winced when the rough sand touched it but she paid no attention to it. She just wanted him to get away from her.

"Whoa!" Someone exclaimed as soon as the door opened. "Where did the hot chick come from? Don't tell me you've gone and picked up another toy to play with."

Now Sakura was the one who was annoyed. Her head jerked around to see who had just entered and to glare at him for even calling her a chick or a toy. Her eyes fell onto a young man just a little older than her by a year or two. He was rather taller than her, and maybe taller than her abductor. He was wearing a black outfit with a hood over his head and there was purple paint on his face, making up lines around his eyes and down his nose and chin. He was eyeing her with a grin though; definitely a perverted look. She really wanted to kick this guy in the face now.

"Kankuro," The red head spoke coolly before standing up and folding his arms. "Find Temari right now and bring her here. There's also a batch of prisoners in the prison cells that I've just brought from the Southern desert. They are Shinobi so double the guards immediately. We do not want any enemy ninja breaking out."

The hooded shinobi frowned at the red head but nodded as he stepped back out the way he just came. "Okay." He then grinned as he glanced down at Sakura again, in his perverted manner. "Don't do anything that I would do, little brother. At least not until I get back." He really had to scurry out of the room when the red head scowled and sent sand flying after him in a threatening manner. Sakura, however, felt bile rising up into her mouth now. She had not liked the sound of what that "Kankuro" guy had just said. Was he serious when he said that? Was the red head really going to...?! She felt herself shudder at the thought as she looked wide eyed up at the red head as he glared at the door. As if he felt her eyes, he glanced back down at her before tightening his arms around his chest and glared down at her. He didn't make a move to touch her again. Not even with his sand, other than what was holding her prisoner.

A long amount of time passed before the door opened again and a familiar face came in. Someone that Sakura knew very well, and felt so relieved to seeing her right then. "Temari!" Sakura gasped as soon as she saw the blonde haired Kunoichi, followed by a few more Sand Ninja.

Temari took one dry look at Sakura before her eyes snapped wide open and her jaw fell almost as wide. She instantly recognized Sakura the moment she saw her. And she was no doubt very surprised to see her there. Especially bound by HIS sand. "What the?! Haruno Sakura?! What the heck are you doing here?" She gasped as she took a few quick strides into the room, pausing when she looked at the red head. He didn't look too amused but he was somewhat surprised that these two knew each other.

Sakura just shook her head as she shot the red head a dark look, now pulling at her bonds. "You've got to help me, Temari! This weirdo, here, attacked me and my companions and I swear he was going to molest me or something!" She cried out.

The red head gave her a very cold look for that. He looked like he was going to hurt her now. And it seemed that way because the sand binding her wrists and legs began to tighten, making Sakura wince. Temari, however, snorted with humor before bursting with laughter. She now received a dark look from the red head. But instead of doing anything to help Sakura, the blonde Kunoichi folded her arms and gave him a smirk. "Oh really? Were you really going to molest her, Gaara? Geez, I know she's cute but seriously. I didn't know you had it in you."

"Temari." Both the red head and Sakura growled before looking at each other.

The blonde just laughed before dropping her arms and placing a hand onto her slender waist. "Geez, I was kidding. Don't have such a cow." She then nodded towards Sakura. "Sakura, don't panic. That's Gaara. Gaara, be nice to her and let her go. She's kind of a friend of mine." She told him.

Giving her a look of warning, the red head, Gaara merely glanced at Sakura before he shook his head and didn't pull back his sand. Instead, he dipped his head lower, looking almost threateningly. "She and several Shinobi were in the desert and she claims that she was coming to see you. And she said that I was expecting them. She seems to be a liar of some sort or maybe she doesn't know that I'm the Kazekage."

Blinking with wide eyes, Sakura looked up at the red head with alarm. She couldn't believe he just said that. Was he really the Kazekage?! He was so young though. He must have been her age. He couldn't be the Kazekage, could he? She wasn't even sure right now. Her head was doing flips and she didn't feel so well when she saw that Shinobi, Kankuro come back into the room, eyeing her with a grin. Temari, however, rolled her eyes as she went over to Sakura's side and began shoving the sand away from her wrists. "Gaara, for god's sake. She was just made a Kunoichi a year and a half ago. Leave her the hell alone. Like she's going to know that you're the Kazekage. She doesn't have that much experience yet. Now pull back your damn sand." She said saucily.

Again, with the annoyed look, Gaara glared at the blonde before the sand pulled away from Sakura, who immediately sat up, holding her cut open elbow, still looking up at him with wide eyes. She still couldn't believe that this guy, this very young guy was the Kazekage.

But without a word, she was pulled to her feet by Temari, who was looking at her elbow now. "Ah, gods, Gaara. Did you have to go and hurt her?" She grumbled before pulling Sakura over to a desk where there was a pitcher of water and a rag. She grabbed it and dipped it into the water before holding it gently to Sakura's elbow.

"Temari, stop lecturing me." Gaara said dryly. "Who is she and what is she doing here?"

Temari didn't argue this time. She looked right at Sakura, who was dabbing the cut with the rag before looking back at her blonde friend. The blonde Kunoichi was wondering the same thing as the Kazekage was. She even practically asked her that question just by looking at the pastel haired Kunoichi. "Sakura, what are you doing here?"

Sakura just shook her head as she held the rag to her elbow. Her eyes flickered over to Gaara, who was still glaring at her with such suspicion that it made her feel a little nervous. But instead of replying to him, she turned back to Temari. "Temari, something bad happened."

That made Temari stiffen and she dropped her hands away from Sakura's arm. She just stared at her friend with a frown. "What is it? Is it Shikamaru? Is he okay?" she asked with a frown. Both Sakura and Temari had seen the even more annoyed look on Gaara's face when he heard that name but they didn't pay any attention to him. Instead, the pink haired Kunoichi pulled a face and gave the red head a dry look. "No. Actually, I'm pretty sure he's okay. He's only in the prison cells that HE sent them to. I came here with him and a few of the other guys. Ino, Tenten and Hinata are here too. All of the guys are." She told Temari. Shooting the Kazekage a look, Temari did not look amused at all as she folded her arms and faced him. "Gaara! Did you seriously attack my fiancée?! This wasn't exactly how I wanted you two to meet but seriously! Let him out right this instant!" She said, shaking her head. Gaara glared at the blonde Kunoichi for talking to him like that. Sakura blinked as she looked between Temari and the Kazekage with confusion. She wasn't sure where that was going.

But as if reading her mind, the Shinobi, Kankuro grinned as he stepped forward. "Tem, you're hot friend there doesn't seem to know that Gaara's our younger brother." He remarked. Sakura's eyes grew very wide to hear that. She looked as if she actually had a brain blow out as she gave Temari a very wide eyed look. Gaara, on the other hand, rolled his eye.

Moments later, Sakura and her companions were in a conference room, giving the Kazekage a very dry look for the rude welcoming. They were now standing on one side of a large table while he was on the other, glaring at Shikamaru as Temari greeted him in a flirtatious way. Shikamaru was glancing back at him, a little uneasy. Apparently from what he told the others, he knew that Temari's brother had been the Kazekage. That had earned him several slaps to the head by Sakura, Ino, and the guys. They weren't amused that he had kept that bit of information from them.

Now, they were somewhat settled down and Sakura was explaining carefully on what happened in Konohagakure to Temari and her brothers, Gaara and Kankuro. There was another Sand Ninja and a few Elders in the room with them. Apparently he was the Sand siblings' teacher, Baki. He was also listening carefully on what was being said, a deep frown on his face. None of the Sand Shinobi looked happy to hear that Saturobi was dead. In fact, the Elders looked rather livid. Especially about the bit that Uzumaki-Namikaze Minato was now Hokage. So obviously, they didn't like him.

"And so therefore, Minato-sama sent us here on a mission to request from the Kazekage for some information. We were hoping you might be able to tell us a little about the Akatsuki, or at least the one I fought." Sakura said, looking directly at Gaara, who just frowned as he took the information in carefully. He didn't say anything for a long time as he thought everything over.

Temari, on the other hand, looked at Sakura with a little sympathy after hearing that her father had been killed in fighting the strange Shinobi, who ruined her wedding. She just shook her head as she folded her arms. "Oh, Sakura. I'm really sorry about your father. I really liked him." She said softly. Sakura tried to give her a smile but couldn't. So she just looked to Gaara. Unfortunately, one of the Elders chose to speak up next. "And do you honestly think that we would tell you anything if we knew anything, Kunoichi?" The old man asked dryly. "I'm not entirely sure if you knew this but Sunagakure and Konohagakure do not get along without the influence of Saturobi-san. Now that he is dead, this presents a major problem between our villages. There is no way we are going to trust your new Hokage."

"Hey!" Naruto said with offence but both Neji and Sai grabbed his arms, holding him back. They knew if he said a word, it would only make things worst.

Sakura took a deep breath before letting it out before she looked directly into the Elder's eyes rather sternly. "This isn't just Konohagakure's problem, Elder-sama. This is all of the Hidden Villages' problem. The Akatsuki meant to kill Saturobi-senpai to ruin the peace he has upheld for nearly, I don't know, almost forty years. I think that was right. I wouldn't know. I'm 19, going on 20 and I don't really pay too much about history, even though I should have." She shook her head as she tried to sound diplomatic. It was a voice her father once used when speaking to Minato almost two years ago before the war with Orochimaru and his Sound Ninja. "I'm pretty sure the Akatsuki meant to make Sunagakure suffer as much as Konohagakure." She announced sternly.

There was a surprised look on everyone's faces on how bold she just spoke. The Sand siblings, Baki and the Elders looked rather surprised on how she had said that, while her companions looked rather amused. All of them had a hint of a smirk on their faces as they glanced side wards at Sakura, who kept her eyes on Gaara.

Then Kankuro decided to whistle and grin at her. "Wow-ow. I think I like her. She's rather saucy. I wonder what she's like in be..."

WHAM!

Two fists slammed into the black cladded Shinobi's head. One belonging to Sakura and the other belonged to his older sister. Both Kunoichi glared down at him when he hit the ground with two growing lumps on his head. They weren't the only ones. Almost everyone was eyeing him with dirty looks or rolling their eyes. That would the Kazekage and the Sand Shinobi, Baki. They seemed to be used to this kind of behavior. "Kankuro! Shut that trap of yours or I'll seal it shut!" The angry blonde Kunoichi snapped.

"And I'm already matched up, you painted face freak! I love my fiancee, thank you very much!" Sakura added, her face rather red from anger and embarrassment. She couldn't believe how crude this guy really was. He was almost as bad as Naruto when he got drunk. It was enough to make her want to sink her fist into his head again.

However, a chuckle stopped her.

Blinking in surprise, Sakura and Temari both turned around to find the Kazekage smirking into his hand and his shoulders shaking a little from light laughter. He obviously found this a little too funny. And he didn't seem the type who found humor very much. His teal colored eyes were closed for a few minutes but then they opened and he looked Sakura right in the eye with a cool smirk on his face. "I'll repeat Kankuro's first remark. I think I might just like you. Welcome to Sunagakure then, Haruno Sakura." He said in a low voice. "I think we can work out some kind of arrangement of keeping the peace between Konohagakure and Sunagakure." He told her.

Feeling a wave of relief, Sakura smiled right back before glancing over at her surprised friends, who soon smiled with her. They looked back at her and nodded their approval before they turned back to the Kazekage.

"Lord Gaara! But...but ways of Sunagakure! Your father...! He would not agree if..." The Elder said with a frown.

Frowning once again, Gaara turned to the Elder, giving him a very dry look. And if looks could kill, which in the red head's case they probably could, the Elder would be dead. "The late Kazekage is no longer here, Elder Yamu." He said dryly, still glaring at the old man. "And the last time I looked, I am Kazekage. Unless you want find out what happens if you keep arguing with me, shut up or should I remind you what happens when someone questions my authority?"

That made all of the Leaf Shinobi looked at the young Kazekage with alarm. They weren't used to this kind of cold behavior. But apparently the Suna residents were. Because both Temari and Kankuro made faces while Baki sighed before holding up a hand between Gaara and the Elder. "Lord Gaara, just ignore this old insignificent fool. He speaks out of place." He told the young Kage.

"Very well." Gaara said coolly before turning back to the Leaf Shinobi. "You asked about the Akatsuki. Unfortunately we don't any more than you do. We've heard about them now and then. The Shinobi that you fought with, however, sounds like the former Sand Shinobi, Sasori."

Sakura frowned at the name before slowly nodding. "Okay. What can you tell us about him?" She asked, softly. Gaara shook his head before looking at Kankuro, who was picking himself off the floor. The black clad ninja now looked rather serious when he had heard that name. "He's a really dangerous Ninja. He's a Master in the Puppet Arts. He can bring a puppet to life, sometimes using the corpses of old Shinobi. Using them, he can use their techniques. You're also lucky he didn't slice you open with that tail of his. It's coated in one of the most deadliest poisons." He explained. "He was banished from Sunagakure because some of his techniques were not exactly highly looked upon."

"What was he doing, if you don't mind us asking?" Shikamaru asked carefully.

The Sand siblings glanced at one another then at their former sensei, Baki. The man sighed before folding his hands behind his back. "Nearly twenty three years ago, Sasori was creating human puppets. He would secretly kidnap someone off the Village streets and kill them, making them into his puppets to use. He also did it to the Third Kazekage, who was the Kazekage before my students' father." He motioned to Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. "For that, he was banished and hunted by our Village. No one was ever able to kill him though. Any one of our Sand Shinobi we sent to do it never returned. So obviously, he's still alive." He told the Leaf Shinobi.

Sakura and the others took everything into thought before they looked at one another. They were all trying to think of something to do. "So there's nothing else you can tell us about Sasori?" Neji asked, frowning.

All of the Suna residents shook their heads. Temari just placed her hand onto her waist as she shifted her weight. "Not really. We really don't know too much about him." She told them. Then Baki lift his head, looking as if he thought of something. "But I believe we can find someone who can tell you more about him." He turned his dark eyes onto Gaara, who was eyeing him from the corner of his eyes. "Kazekage-sama, the one I'm speaking of is Chiyo, the old crone that you don't like. She would be able to tell them all about Sasori." He said. Gaara looked thoughtfully at the table before him, carefully thinking of what to do. But then he nodded as he looked at the Elders already in the room. "Very well then. Send for Chiyo." He ordered. Then he turned his eyes back onto the Leaf Shinobi, mostly looking at Sakura. "In the mean time, it's getting late. You're all probably weary from your travels and the fight with me. So we shall let you stay in the guests rooms."

All of the Leaf Shinobi glanced at one another before nodding. "Very well. Thank you, Kazekage-sama." Sakura said bowing to him. The others followed her in bowing at the waist to the Kazekage. Gaara just turned away, looking at Temari and Kankuro. "Show them to the guest suites on the second floor. Whatever they may need, provide it for them. I, on the other hand, need to think on this." He said quietly before going over to a darkened window and looked out.

"All right. Come on, guys. You guys looked bushed." Temari said now leading the way out with Kankuro right next to her. The Leaf Shinobi just nodded before following them out. However, Sakura and Naruto both paused to look over their shoulders at Gaara, who was watching them leave before he turned back to the window.

Back in Konohagakure, things weren't going so well as Minato had hoped. It seemed that the other Hidden Villages had already found out about the death of the former Hokage and they were now sending messages, demanding for a Kage conference. And the messages really hadn't been all too friendly like either.

However, with Kakashi, he had been running a few errands at the request of Minato. He had been surprised when Iruka showed up at his house with a mission scroll. He really hadn't been expecting a mission so soon. It was just a mission to deliver messages to each town in the Fire County, with the help of Gai and Asuma about what was going to happen now that things were falling apart. The 4th Hokage was advising everyone to try and stay calm as he worked things out with the other Hidden Villages. It didn't work too well but at least, the people stopped panicking. Now, everyone was just worried about what was going to happen.

After the mission, which took nearly four days of completing, Kakashi decided that he needed to see Sakura. It had been nearly five days since he last saw her at the Tribunal. He had wanted to talk to her about the new plans for the second attempt of their wedding but he ended up getting side tracked by Minato's missions.

So after his mission with Gai and Asuma, he went to the Haruno Clan's residence to see her. However, he was in for a big surprise.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-san." Rukia said, softly as he had arrived to ask for Sakura. She had been up since early that morning, worrying about something. She wasn't taking her husband's death too well though. She was rather pale and she had semi dark circles around her eyes, proving her loss of sleep. She was a total mess but Kakashi didn't want to tell her that. It would just hurt her more. But before he could say she looked better than that day, she picked up her hot tea and sipped it carefully. "Sakura is not here. She's out on a mission for the Hokage." She told him softly.

Kakashi frowned when he heard that but moved closer to her with his head at a tilt. He wondered what kind of mission that Minato would send his fiancée on. Especially at a time like this. "What kind of mission?" he found himself ask.

Rukia just shook her head as she set down her tea cup before looking up at him. "I have no idea. All I know is that Sakura left a small letter by my bedside the night that she returned from the Tribunal, stating that she was gone for a mission and she wasn't sure when she'd be back. She didn't say what kind of mission it was or where it was." She shrugged again, looking down at her tea cup. "I checked her room to see what kind of clothes she took with her and it looks like she's gone to someplace very hot. She took most of her summer wear."

Kakashi froze at the mere mention of the word hot. His eye went very wide with alarm as he stared at Rukia before slowly shaking his head. 'N-no...way. There's no way...! Did she really...' he thought before quickly shaking himself out of his thoughts and backed away. "Thank you, Rukia-chan, for letting me know. I have somewhere to be." He told her before turning away.

"Thank you for stopping by, though, Kakashi. You're always welcome here, after all, you'll soon be my son-in-law." Rukia said smiling. "I know for a fact that Suka was looking forward to having you in the family. He had always liked your father, Sakumo. In fact, they were once friends, if I remember right." She smiled when Kakashi slowly turned back, looking at her curiously. "Yes, I remember Suka once saying that. It was such a long time ago. In fact, he was one of the men Sakumo-san saved when they went on that mission. He never blamed Sakumo once for choosing his men's life over the girl. Yes, he wasn't happy that Sakumo would have his men live other than that girl, but then again, he was just happy that your father cared so much about him and the others as he had. And if it wasn't for Sakumo, Sakura wouldn't have had her father to raise her right. We're both rather greatful for your father. Perhaps it is fate that you and Sakura are to be married. Her father and yours once knew each other." She said before going back to drinking her tea.

With a faint smile under his mask, Kakashi looked right at her before he turned and left the house. And as he walked out the gates of the Haruno Clan's property, his face turned very serious before he bolted through the trees, trying to get back to Konohagakure as fast as he could. His former sensei had a lot of explaining to do.

Once Kakashi reached the Hokage Mansion, he just went on straight in. He passed by some of his colleagues on the way but he didn't pause to say hello. His mind was set on the questions he was about to ask his old sensei. He felt rather annoyed that Sakura hadn't told him about her mission, more than less of where she was going. And even more, she hadn't even said goodbye.

"She better not have gone there." Kakashi muttered as he made his way down the hall in a rather speedy pace.

Within five minutes, he reached the Hokage's office and almost just went in but Shizune quickly cut him off, shaking her head. She had taken up to helping him out a little, under the orders of Tsunade, who was doing a few matchmaking sessions today. The dark haired Kunoichi looked rather nervous though to see Kakashi there but not too surprised. "Kakashi-san, don't go in there right now. The Hokage-sama is in an important meeting with a few representatives from the Hidden Mist Village and I don't think it's a good idea if you went in there."

Kakashi just frowned before he slowly shook his head and turned away as if he was going to leave. All the while, he had pulled out a shuriken from his pouch and tied an explosive tag to it before merely flicking it towards the desk that Shizune had just been sitting at. It exploded on impact and lit it on fire.

"AHH!" Shizune gasped before hurrying over to put out the flames. She hadn't even noticed that it had been Kakashi who started it.

Kakashi watched her for a few seconds before turning back around to Minato's office and slipped right in, ignoring Shizune as she was now trying to put out the flames on her desk. He just slipped into the Hokage's office and closed the door softly behind him, while his one revealed eye looked directly at Minato, who was sitting at his desk. The golden haired Hokage was looking at him with a look as if telling Kakashi this was not the time to be interrupting.

There were two Shinobi standing before the desk. One was very tall and was probably a little older than Kakashi was, while the other was young and short. The tall one was a man Kakashi had seen before. He was at least three inches taller than Kakashi was and the same build as him. He wore a black muscle shirt and strange gray and white stripped pants and camouflage arm and leg warmers. Gray-white bandages were wrapped all around his lower face, serving as a mask. And his forehead protector was tied around his head at a tilt to the right. Clipped to his back was a very large broadsword that Kakashi recognized as a Zanbato. There was only one of its kind and the silver-white haired Jounin knew who owned it.

The kid beside the large man was no older than 20 years old. At first, Kakashi had thought it was a woman because his black hair was so long and but then he realized it was a boy. He wore a Hunter Shinobi's mask, so he couldn't see what the kid looked like. He was wearing a Hunter Ninja's outfit and scratched on the front of the mask was the symbol of Mist.

"Kakashi, this isn't really the best time to stop by for a visit." Minato said seriously, looking into his old student's one eye.

Kakashi didn't look at the golden haired Hokage just yet but stared at the back of the tall Mist Shinobi, who tilted his head as if he sensed his eyes. There was a sound as if he was about to start chuckling before he decided to turn around and met Kakashi's one eye with his very dark brown, almost black pair of eyes. "Well, well. If it isn't the Copy Ninja Kakashi. The man who copied over a 1000 techniques. I never expected to see you again." he spoke with a very rough, masculine voice.

"Momochi Zabuza, the Demon in the Mists. I'm surprised to see that you're here." Kakashi said rather dryly.

Minato sighed before shaking his head. He knew that this was not a good idea to let these two socialize. They had had met once before, yes. But it really hadn't been a pleasant meeting. When Zabuza and his partner had showed up in Konohagakure with a message from the Mizukage, Minato knew this was not going very well. If the Mizukage was sending this particular Jounin, then he must have been really worried about what was going on in Konohagakure. Because he knew this particular Shinobi's reputation. He was certainly to be feared, even though he, himself, could probably take him on in a fight.

But, Minato knew if he even tried to fight Zabuza, it wouldn't look good for Konohagakure. So he knew that he was in a bind. "Enough, Kakashi. What is it that you need?" The 4th Hokage asked, now using his very stern voice.

Kakashi blinked before looking at him. Now he was starting to regret coming in there. He remembered distinctively that whenever Minato used that kind of tone, he was not in a good mood at all. So that meant this was definitely a bad time to be asking about Sakura's mission. Because he knew once he asked it, it was only going to aggravate Minato even more. The Jounin was quiet for a minute, trying to decide what to say.

"Hokage-sama, if I may." The young man beside Zabuza suddenly spoke. His voice was so soft that it almost startled Kakashi. Here this boy looked like a Hunter Shinobi but he surely didn't act like one. If he remembered right, they were rather harsh spoken and was always trying to show that they were tougher than anyone else. But this one, he was speaking softly. He sounded almost...gentle.

"Hmm? What is it, Haku-san?" Minato asked, now somewhat curious.

The boy, Haku just turned his masked face back towards Kakashi, tilting his head before looking up at Zabuza, who also had his head tilted towards him. "Zabuza-senpai, why don't we take step outside and let Kakashi-san speak with the Hokage. By the looks of it, he has important business to discuss with him." He said softly. Zabuza rolled his eyes before folding his arms and giving Kakashi a dark look for interupting. Even Minato was frowning. But then Kakashi shook his head. "My business can wait for a moment, seeing that this is village business that I'm interrupting." He said quietly before turning away.

"Actually, go ahead and just say what you need to, Kakashi." Zabuza said, folding his strong arms. "Seeing that you already came bursting in here."

Kakashi stopped himself from turning around before glancing over his shoulder at Minato. His one eye glanced from his old Sensei to Zabuza and then back. He was almost asking Minato if it was alright. But with a sigh, Minato slowly shook his head. "You went to Sakura's home, didn't you?" He asked, his eyes closing. Kakashi slowly turned back and nodded once. He tilted his head, his eye now very serious. "Rukia-chan said you sent her on a mission. Sakura didn't tell her where she was going and when she was going to be back, but she said Sakura took her summer wear. Forgive me, sensei, but I get the feeling that you sent her off to Sunagakure." he said, a little dryly.

Minato opened his eyes, looking directly into Kakashi's eye, rather seriously. But there was a forced smile on his face. "Kakashi, she wanted to go. There was no stopping her. She would have gone even if I told her not to. You know her. She's too stubborn for her own good."

"Kuso, Minato-sensei." Kakashi said, as he surprised himself on how angry he was at his former master. He felt so angry at him for letting Sakura go to Sunagakure when he knew how dangerous it was for her. And much less, they kept it from him. "Sensei, you sent Sakura to Sunagakure alone?"

Minato rolled his azure colored eyes and sighed impatiently as he folded his hands together. He didn't even seem to notice Zabuza and Haku there anymore. His eyes were just locked on Kakashi's one revealed eye. "No, Kakashi. I didn't send her there alone. I sent her with back up. Naruto is with her. As is Neji, Shino, Shikamaru, Kiba, Choji and Sai. I also heard that three Kunoichi went along with, even though that wasn't my intention." He just shook his head when Kakashi didn't look any happier. "Kakashi, Sakura is a Shinobi. She's been through a lot already. You know that. She can take care of herself. You should know that better than anyone else. I know you love her and your worried. But so am I. Still, her heart is telling her to do this so I let her go. Now, stop looking at me like that. I would have told you before I sent her off, but I knew that you would have over reacted and forced her to not go. And if you did that, you would have only angered her. Remember her temper, Kakashi? I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have been too happy with you." He said, smiling.

Kakashi sighed as he reached up and massaged the bridge of his nose. He was still very agitated but he knew Minato had a point. Sakura was too stubborn for her own good. Sometimes it drove him nuts to think of how stubborn she was. But then again, that's what he liked most about her. "Minato-senpai, I would like the permission to going to Sunagakure to….."

"No." Minato flat out said, surprising the silver-white haired Jounin. The golden haired Shinobi just shook his head as he looked firmly at Kakashi. "Not right now, Kakashi. I need you here at the moment." He glanced sidewards at an impatiently looking Zabuza, and obviously smiling Haku, though he couldn't see it under that mask. He could feel it though. "Things are not going too well and we will be having a lot of visitors coming to Konohagakure now."

'In other words,' Kakashi thought. 'Konohagakure needs to be on high alert. The meaning underneath the meaning, Minato-senpai always said.' He then shook his head as straightened. He knew Minato had a point. If there were people like Momochi Zabuza showing up in the village, Minato was going to need most of his Shinobi there to make sure nothing went wrong. He knew for a fact that Zabuza was a very dangerous Shinobi to be leaving unsupervised in Konohagakure. He knew because he had once fought the Mist Shinobi.

"Are you done now, Uzumaki-Namikaze?" Zabuza asked, impatiently. "As much as it is entertaining listening to Hatake here rant about some Kunoichi, we don't really have the time as you think we do."

Kakashi's one eye snapped to the gruff Mist Shinobi, glaring very hard at him. He had not liked how he just called Sakura "some Kunoichi." And not to mention, he didn't even address Minato with respect. That was an insult when it came to talking about the Hokage like that. But before he could reply, Minato nodded as he turned his azure eyes back onto the Mist Shinobi. "Ah, yes. Forgive us then, Momochi-san. As we were saying, you and your companion are welcomed to stay as long as you like. Just as long as you don't bring trouble into our Village. We wouldn't bring any trouble if it was your village we were visiting." He told him calmly.

Zabuza growled as if annoyed but the masked Shinobi nodded as gently touched the tall Shinobi's arm. "Yes, Hokage-sama. We won't bring any trouble into your peaceful village. All we ask is that we observe your people and some of your Shinobi. Just to make sure there is no foul play. Our Mizukage is just concerned about the death of the former Hokage-sama and what is to happen now." He said calmly.

"Of course. I understand completely, Haku-san." Minato said, offering a friendly smile. "Seeing that you're going to be here a little while, why don't we arrange the pair of you an escort to show you around the Village?" He then stood up, as if to do it himself.

Zabuza just made a sound as if he was grinning too loud under his bandaged mask. "All right. Then why not Kakashi here?" He asked, tossing his thumb over his shoulder at the silver-white haired Shinobi Elite.

Both Kakashi and Minato grew a little stiff at the request before looking at one another. They weren't sure if that was a good idea putting the two together, seeing that they had a violent history with one another. But after a moment, Kakashi nodded as his head dipped down a little. "All right. I'll show you around, Zabuza." He turned his one eye onto Minato, who was glancing back at him. "If that would be all right with you, Minato-senpai."

"……" Minato paused before slowly nodding. "Very well. Just as long as there won't be any problems between you two. I know for a fact that you were both once each other's enemy at one time." He said calmly.

Zabuza nodded as he kept his arms folded over his chest. "There won't be any problems. I just want to get to know the guy who beat the living hell out of me." He said with a dark chuckle. Kakashi rose his thin eyebrow and looked at the Mist Shinobi as if trying to decide that he was being serious or he was kidding. He wasn't entirely sure which one it was. But Haku seemed to guess his thoughts because he tilted his head and stepped forward, taking a bow at the waist. "Zabuza-kun is being serious, Kakashi-san." He spoke softly. "He has said many things about you since your last encounter. He always told me that he had never fought a Shinobi who matched his own skills so well. He wants to have a second match, to see who's better but this is not the time."

Kakashi looked directly at the masked boy before he tilted his head. "You, Haku-san, was it? I don't think I recognize you at all. You're a Mist Hunter Shinobi, aren't you?" He asked, curiously.

The boy stood up straight, making a sound as if he was smiling broadly. "Aye, you are good. You recognize my title by my mask. Impressive." He said almost proudly. Kakashi straightened his head, still looking the boy over. "The mask and the clothes. However, I've never met a Hunter Shinobi who was so soft spoken, and so young. Exactly how old are you? 17? 18?" He asked, carefully.

"Hmm. Close. But I'm 20 years old." The boy said before reaching up and pulling off his mask to reveal a very lovely face for a guy. He was sure a pretty young man. His face almost resembled a girl's. But there was such a gentle look in his soft brown eyes. It was almost impossible to believe that this kid was a Hunter Shinobi. Kakashi frowned, thinking that. He wasn't sure if this kid really was a Hunter.

But then, Zabuza read the look on his face and chuckled. "I see that, Kakashi." He said suddenly, making the Leaf Jounin look at him. The Mist Shinobi's head was dipped low and there was a rumbling chuckle coming from within his throat. "Do not underestimate my young friend, here. He's rather dangerous if you do. He's not a Hunter Shinobi for nothing after all." he told Kakashi.

"Exactly how good is your student, Zabuza-san?" Minato asked curiously.

Zabuza chuckled even more darker than before as he turned slightly to look at the golden haired Hokage still standing behind his desk. He paused as if to think about it, but then shook his head. "Let's hope you'll never have to find out, Hokage-sama." was his only answer. "Now then, why don't we take a look around your village, shall we?" He asked before walking straight to the door with Haku right behind him.

Kakashi stepped aside to let them go out of the office before looking back at Minato, meeting his former sensei's azure blue eyes. "Minato-senpai, about Sakura…..are you sure it was a good idea to letting her go after the Akatsuki?" He asked a little worried.

"Kakashi, remember the last time you doubted Sakura's abilities? Do you remember the last time you told her quit?" Minato asked with amusement. "The last time you did that, she was the first one up the tree, to become Shinobi. And she was the one who saved your life from Orochimaru. Do not doubt her abilities now. It's just going to be a slap in the face for you." Then he, too, left his office, to walk with Zabuza and Haku. Kakashi watched him go but after a moment, his face softened and he nodded to no one. "Yes. You're right, sensei." He whispered. He turned and looked towards the window, not helping but worry about his fiancée. "But still, stay safe, Sakura. And be careful."