We spring out of the tree line and land on a rooftop, gathering around Kakashi.

"Alright. Our mission to find Itachi, and bring him in, begins now," Kakashi announces.

"Yeah," We all nod along with Naruto's verbal agreement.

"Akatsuki is after the Bijuu, and we have reason to believe that they've obtained the Sanbi. According to Jiraiya's data, they may have already infiltrated the Fire Country, targeting Naruto," Kakashi informs us. Sakura and I glance worriedly towards Naruto. "Itachi is from Konoha," Kakashi continues, "Three years ago, he returned to the village in an effort to capture Naruto."

"So...  he'll be returning to Konoha again?" Sai asks.

"And Sasuke will follow suit when he comes looking for his older brother," I say.

"Yeah, I'm gonna find Sasuke, no matter what it takes," Naruto declares.

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Yamato intervenes in an overly calm voice.

Kakashi nods in agreement. "Here's the plan. This will serve as our first center point," He refers to the house, "We'll do a five kilometer search in every direction. If we don't find anything, we'll establish a new center point and repeat the process. And so on and so forth."

"Five kilometers?" Sakura questions worriedly, "Our radios will be out of range. If we split up, it'll be too dangerous. It's the rules that all patrols are made up of two man cells. If we were to make contact with the enemy--"

"Sakura, don't get so stressed," I interrupt, "I'm sure Kakashi has thought through this already."

"Pay attention," Kakashi orders, and begins making handsigns. A poof of smoke surrounds us, and his dog team appears.

"Our voices that can reach farther than a radio," Pakkun says immediately, "And our  noses that can detect danger in an instant, are at your command."

"Did you rehearse him with what to say?" I stage whisper behind my hand to Kakashi. HIs only response is to rub the back of his head with a close eyed smile.

"Pakkun!" Naruto greets with a grin.

"Now, onto patrol formations," Kakashi continued, "Every member will be accompanied by two ninja dogs."

"Two dogs? B-but...' Sakura trailed off.

"Be nice, all of you," Kakashi ordered.

"Hello, Sakura-chan." one dog greeted.

"You're one harsh female, aren't you?" another grumbled. Sakura glared at him.

"I'm with Shino!"

"You stink of bugs."

"You stink of dog."

"Hi there."

"Let's work well together."

"In peace and harmony. Heh heh heh."

I wonder... if I could become friends with a dog? I heard Sai think.

"So, what about me? Naruto asks.

"And me?" I pipe up.

"Naruto, you're the jinchuuriki they're after. Just in case you're involved in a battle, you'll be paired with Yamato, and our scout, Hinata," Kakashi explained.

"Along with Big Bark Bull," Pakkun butts in.

"Let's work together, Naruto-kun," Hinata smiles shyly.

"Yeah," Naruto smiles and nods.

"Kiba and I both have one dog each already, since we're both ninja dog shinobi," Kakashi explains.

"And me?" I repeat.

"You'll be staying here."

"What?!" I immediately protest, "Why?"

"Keira, you can read minds. I want you to scan the entire ten kilometer circle we're running, and kep an eye on all the teams... a mind's eye, that is," Kakashi says.

I nod begrudgingly, realizing the logic and rationale behind the decision.

"So then, we're okay!" Kiba exclaims.

"Listen up,  everybody," Kakashi recaptures our attention, "First and foremost, you'll be tracking the scent of Itachi Uchiha and Sasuke. If you're to encounter either one of them, mark their location and return here. Expecially you, Naruto. Don't go running ahead of us."

"I got it," Naruto replies defensively.

"Alright! Let's move out!" Kakashi signals, and they all jump away, scattering quickly and leaving me behind. 

With a sigh I sit down, already carefully tracking their movements.

"Hiya."

I jump in surprise, then let out a breath of relief. "Kakashi-sensei!" I exclaim, then realize it's a clone. "That's why I couldn't sense you. You left a clone behind?"

It takes a lot of concentration to both track us and search for Itachi, right? I can't leave you totally defenseless."

I nod, then close my eyes and resume searching for Itachi and Sasuke. This was gonna be a long mission.

I sense Kiba, and listen in for a moment. Akamaru! We can't lose to those other ninja dogs! We're gonna be the first to pick up Sasuke and Itachi's scent!"

I laugh slightly to myself. He sure was competitive.

You're too slow, Shino! One of the dogs were complaining.

Don't drag your feet! Another nags.

Keep it up, Shino, I drop in, sending the message out.

I don't like them. He thinks simply.

Let's go Pochi, Tama, Sai says.

I don't think that's their names, I inform him.

He just laughs.

I find Kakashi. Thanks for the clone, I tell him.

He doesn't respond, though I feel theacknowledgement that he heard me. 

I switched my focus to Naruto's group, though nothing seemed to be happening to them either. Satisfied with my quick sweep through the groups, I shift my focuse to the surrounding areas. Suddenly I feel alarm sweep through Sakura, and I quickly return to her group.

I just picked up Sasuke Uchiha's scent, one dog said.

What?! Sakura exclaimed. I search for Kakashi, finally pinpointing his mind. Sakura's group has located Sasuke's scent, I inform. Acknowledgement radiates from him, but he remains focused on the task at hand.

I relocate Sakura's mind in the middle of a town.

Well? I drop in, and Sakura jumps slightly in surprise.

The scent is faint, but it's definitely closer, the dog said.

Sakura begins to incrementally speed up. Sakura... I warn, but the dogs take it out of my hands.

What are you doing?! He'll sense use immediately! We have to be tactful, a dog snaps at Sakura. She pauses, then they continue on, Sakura's chakra and presence much more suppressed than before.

He's close... the dog mutters.

I begin sweeping the street ahead of them, searching for Sasuke's distinct mind. The last time I had felt it.... so painful, so full of hate and emptiness and a drive for only one purpose.

Sakura-chan, can you see Sasuke? a dog asks.

She scans the crowd, but I can tell she doesn't see him. I... I can't sense his mind anywhere, I tell her.

But he knows you can read minds! Maybe... Maybe he's found some way to hide it from you. Maybe you made a mistake! Sakura thinks desperately.

I'll check again,  I reply sadly.

No good. The smell is moving away. Kakashi's dog mutters.

They lost the scent. I tell Kakashi.

Dammit. He mutters, but keeps moving.

Suddenly I sense a prescence. Naruto! Hinata! Yamato! About 20 yards behind you, I warn.

They have the tact to not even pause in their stride. Naruto, Hinata. You sense it now, right? Yamato asks quietly.

Yeah, Naruto and Hinata reply equally quietly.

Yamato throws several kunai, and Kabuto is forced to dodge. Looks like you found me, He smirks. Unconciously, I reach out slightly and grab the cloak of Kakashi's clone, seeking comfort as I sense the mind of the same man who helped torture me for two years.

Yakushi Kabuto. You sure have guts trying to approach us alone like this, Yamato says.

I just wanted to have a little chat with Naruto-kun, He replied lightly.

We won't let you get away this time. We'll bring you in, Yamato declares.

Especially after what you've done to Keira! Naruto shouts. But I'm sure you know, so I'll ask. Where's Sasuke?

Ha! Still the same "Sasuke this", "Sasuke that", huh? You know, Keira-chan was quite the same when we had her. It was always "Team seven will save me", "Gaara will get me", "Naruto will kill you". That is, until we broke her. Kabuto taunts.

Bastard! Naruto growls.

Naruto! Stay focused on the task at hand. I'll... I'm fine,  I tell him.

Naruto squeezes his eyes shut before continuing. Is it true that Sasuke was the one to kill Orochimaru? 

Yeah... it's true. Kabuto smirked. More importantly, I've brought you a present today, Naruto-kun. He rummages in his cloak for a moment before pulling out a small black book.

What is that? Naruto asks.

A collection of all the information our organization has gathered on the Akatsuki, Kabuto brags.

Naruto's eyes widen in surprise. What about it?

I'm giving it to you.

Now that Orochimaru is gone, you think you can negotiate with Konoha? Yamato asks incredulously.

No, I don't think I'll be able to negotiate so easily with this alone. Especially not with Konoha. Kabuto admits.

Then what about it? Yamato demands, Unlike Orochimaru, you're not targeted by the Akatsuki, are you?

It's a token of my gratitude towards Naruto. It's merely a present. And Akatsuki is after you, as well. Kabuto explains.

Like we'll believe that! I snap into his mind.

Oh, Keira-chan, so glad you could join us, he replies in his mind.

Gratitude? Naruto asks, confused.

After Orochimaru died, I had no idea who I really was. I never knew my parents, nor my country. To me, who was picked up by the enemy as a child, moving from country to country, village to village, as a spy, things such as "village" and "country" never hold much meaning. Until I started serving under Orochimaru, that is. But now I've lost that as well.

You're not exactly gaining any sympathy from me, I snap at him. He laughs lightly in his head before tossing the book towards Naruto.

"Who am I?" The suffering of having no identity is something you know, right Naruto-kun? Keira-chan? He asks.

Am I supposed to understand what you're saying? Naruto questions, shock running through him as he realizes Kabuto knows I'm listening in.

Heh. I wonder, are you Naruto Uzumaki, or maybe, are you the Kyuubi? And are you Keira, your own person, or are you simply a creation of Orochinaru? Naruto, you were despised and discriminated against. Somewhere along the way, you both must've started to wonder who you were.

But you  both believed in your own strength, told yourselves, "I'm Naruto Uzumaki", and "I'm Keira Boukyaku". Thus you surpassed the views of others.

What does this guy want with Naruto and Keira? Hinata asks.

I can't see what his intentions are. Keira? Yamato says.

They're hidden from me as well, I sigh.

That's why you're both so well aware of your identity, Kabuto continues, You were able to make friends who acknowledged you. But instead of surpassing him, I desperately clung to Orochimaru's power. Now I'm really able to understand how you feel. You made me realize...That I want to become like you. And now, that's why... I'm going to overcome Orochimaru with this new body I obtained, and find a new, stronger self!

I recoil ask I realize what he's done to himself. Disgusting.

You gave me that hint, Naruto. Kabuto says, "Find a new self". That is why I'm grateful to you, Naruto-kun. Orochimaru is the symbol of reincarnation. He keeps on living thorugh my body as something for me to surpass.

You took him into your body? Naruto asks. I wrinkle my nose. Don't ask about his sex life, Naruto!

What? It's just a small part of Orochimaru's corpse that I transplanted into mysekf after Sasuke killed him. But his vitality is truly amazing. Even now, this thing is always trying to take over my body. Kabuto informed us.

Ridiculous, Yamato scowled.

What... is that? Hinata thought, shocked. Byakugan! A third of his body has been taken over already.

I've been forcefully trying to resist this takeover, Kabuto says, Now, I feel as though I truly can surpass Orochimaru!

Is that all you want to say? Naruto glares. Heh. He scoffs. If you want to keep resisting, that's fine by me! But it'll be inside a Konoha prison cell!

Naruto attacks swiftly, and I immediately begin stabbing at his mind in an attempt to take over it., but something that felt suspicously like Orochimaru's power swiftly threw me out. Yamato incases Kabuto in wood, but I can immediately tell it's not him. Behind you! I warn.

Dammit! Naruto swears.

Once I've learned how to fully control Orochimaru's power, I'll fight you again, Naruto, Kabuto promises, But you come later. First, I'll take care of Sasuke, who killed Orochimaru.

What are you going to do to Sasuke? Naruto asks desperately. 

Kabuto doesn't reply, but makes a handsign. Let's meet again, he invites, then melts away into the wind.

It seems as though this mission had more in store for us than we first had planned.

_______________________________________________________________

Update!

Ha, and you guys doubted me >.<

Look how quickly I got this one out? Was it even a full weeks' wait? And it's a respectable length: over 2,000 words!

I hope you enjoy this update! 

Comment! Vote!

Bye!

gaara119