[51] Silence

Kagami sits in silence in front of Tsunade. She just dismissed the meeting with the jonin and now it is time for her to receive her mission. She is sceptical about it, for some reason she doesn't like the way Tsunade is suddenly okay with her. 

"So," Tsunade pulls a file out from her desk draw, pushing it across the table to Kagami, "I have decided to use our advantages." 

Kagami turns the file around and flips open the top, usually she would receive scrolls and would be told to open them in a scheduled place, but something seems off about this whole situation.

"Because you have a pre-existing relationship with some of them, it would be easier and save resources for you to do this mission. It may be the very reason you stay alive." Tsunade Leads back in her chair, watching the girl's reaction. 

Kagami stares at the pages in front of her, her eyes scanning over the same words repeatedly to make sure she is reading it correctly. She glances up, making eye contact with the blonde woman in front of her. 

"When will this take effect, because I have something that may trump this." Tsunade narrows her eyes as Kagami pulls out a scroll and places it on the table, her hands steady but weak. 

Tsunade opens it, her hard expression never changing, she sighs and brings out a stamp from her desk draw. She stamps it down aggressively on the scrolls paper before handing it back to the girl. 

"That mission is here by out of effect, I don't want you to have any contact with him, make sure no one finds out about this new mission, especially him." 

Kagami nods and places the scroll back, she also places the file in a scroll and places it in her ninja pouch.

"Kagami as for timing, I'm hoping you may have a year until it is effective, hopefully longer. It is a long and dangerous mission. You must keep silent about it." Kagami manages to nod once before the door is thrown open and nin fall into the room. 

"Hokage-sama! A Master Jiraiya, Might Gai and two genin have returned. Two are in critical condition." 

Tsunade snaps her gaze to them before sighing, she waves her hand as she stands up, dismissing Kagami. The girl stands immediately and bows, rushing out of the room and home as fast as possible. She doesn't want to be out when Naruto comes screaming through the village to talk to Kakashi, she rather be home in bed. 

'But Kakashi is knocked out at home,' she freezes in her steps, contemplating where to go. 'I'll just return home and hope for the best.'

Kagami pushes the front door open, hoping to sit down and read before she is interrupted. She has to learn as much as she can for this mission, she can't give anyone any chances to get under her skin. She closes the door quietly and removes her sandals. She walks into the kitchen, her feet padding quietly against the cold floor. 

She opens the fridge and glances into it, hoping there might be something to eat.

No such luck. 

She sighs and closes the fridge. She turns around quietly before jumping backwards into the fridge, her eyes wide. Sitting at the table, quietly drinking tea are Masaaki and Toshiro. She places her hand on her heart while glaring at the two. 

"What are you doing here?" She walks to the table slowly, taking a seat across from them, glancing between them.

"Oh? We can't just come and visit you?" Toshiro smiles at her over his cup. 

"You can, but I know you won't. So what's going on?" Kagami picks up a spare tea cup, blowing away the steam while holding it in her cold hands. 

"This came back from the Interigation and Torture unit." Masaaki places a scroll on the table, the front entitled 'Hatake.' "Thought you might want to have a read."

Kagami opens the scroll silently, a little fed up with people being all mysterious and pretending to know more than her. She glances over the work, it's extremely neat and tidy, definitely Inoichi's work, not Ibiki's. 

"So they haven't found out who is sending the photos?" Kagami leans back, closing the scroll and pulling her mask down, sipping the tea. 

"No, but they are checking that Hospital room, they are pretty certain it's the same culprit." Toshiro sips his tea as well, glancing at the file. "We will find them." 

"I don't care. Anyone could have photos of me, it's more this message. They know my alias." Kagami downs the tea, letting the tea scold her throat on the way down. 

Masaaki winces as he watches her, immediately blowing on his tea to cool it down. 

"I don't think it's an intruder, best guess is it's someone from Root." Toshiro leans back in his chair. 

"But then we can't tag them, Toshiro," Kagami places the cup down, "Under village law, Root doesn't exist. It was dissolved. The only reason we had to be 'transferred' is for documents sake. The reason we got to keep the rooms was because where else would we live? If this person is in Root, we've already lost." 

Kagami drops her head into her hands. 

"You've been doing quite some thinking while we've been gone haven't you?" Massaki places his tea down, "Whoever they are, they can't touch you. It is physically impossible."

"And why is that?" 

"Because, Kagami, you are now a Genin so you won't leave the village for weeks at a time. You are covered by pretty much every nin that has graced this village. You are an untouchable Kagami." Masaaki narrows his eyes at the girl as she takes in his words, "Unless you have already been given . . . ."

Kagami just nods before lifting her head, silently telling them that she can't say anything, something they had to do many times while they served under Danzo. 

"I'm not untouchable, and neither are you two, or anyone in Root. All anyone has to do is mention a secret topic and we are done for." Kagami pulls her mask over her mouth and nose, securing it. 

"Just once again, it would have to be someone close to us to know that. As soon as anything happens, they are guilty." 

"And so are we."

s.h.o.u.t.

"Kagami-chan!" The girl turns around at the sound of her name. 

Sakura runs towards her, arm waving. She stops and waits for her to catch up to her. 

"Are you going to the hospital?" The girl steps into stride with Kagami, the said girl noticing flowers in her other hand. 

Kagami nods, holding up a bag of food, "I heard they are in critical condition." 

Sakura nods, "They are okay now, Tsunade-sama healed them pretty well. They just need to rest for now." 

Kagami nods and opens the hospital door, shivering a little as the cold air of the air conditioner blasts across her face. Sakura heads to the front desk, leaving Kagami to just stand in the middle of the waiting room, to wait. [he he]

"Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha." 

Kagami watches people run around aimlessly. She didn't want to come back so quickly, but these things happen. She glances back at Sakura, who is nodding towards the fro lady who is pointing directions out to her, 

"Thank you, have a nice day." Sakura turns around and waves at Kagami to follow her. 

She follows silently, watching the girl check the signs and door numbers. 

"We can see Sasuke-kun first, his room is closer."

Kagami just nods. Stepping in time to the girl as she watches kids run around hectically after their parents. Sakura once again checks the sign number before taking a left, Kagami following, her bag swinging a little. 

"What did you bring? I thought I would bring flowers so the rooms seem less. . . . Cold." Sakura smiles at Kagami without a care in the world. 

"I brought beef ramen for Naruto, from that shop he is always talking about." She looks into the bag, as if unsure about what she actually brought, "And tomato dishes for Sasuke." 

"Hm? Sasuke-kun likes tomatoes?" Sakura Tilt sher Head to the side. 

Kagami shrugs, not wanting to admit that Itachi had told her all about his brother many years before. 

"Oh, this is it." Sakura points to a door and walks over to it. 

She slides it open, stepping quietly. She glances at the closed curtain in the middle of the room.

"Sasuke-kun?" 

Shuffling is heard but no response comes from the boy. 

"Get up you ungrateful twat." Kagami slams the door shut, glaring at the curtain. 

"Kagami-chan, he's injured." 

She ignores Sakura and pulls the curtain back to show an angry face glaring at her from the edge of the bed sheets. Sakura just smiles and holds up her flowers. 

"I'll go get a vase for these," she walks back out the door, looking for a nurse. 

Kagami stares at Sasuke, the boy staring back with hatred swimming in his features. 

"If you keep looking at me like that, I'll keep the tomatoes." 

Sasuke suddenly stops glaring, and sits up. He turns away from her, a blush dusting his cheeks as he holds out a hand to her. She grins and pulls a tomato out of the bag, placing it in his hand. He gives her a quick glance before biting into it, chewing on it silently. 

"How did you know?" He mumbles to her between bites.

"I heard it around." She reaches into the bag again, pulling out a few tubs of meals for the boy. "I made tomato soup while hiding from Kakashi."

Sasuke sweat-drops as he watches the girl pull out container after container from her bag. Stacking them on top of each other on his bedside table. 

"Everything has tomatoes in it, so you better eat it." 

"How long were you hiding from Kakashi-sensei?" 

"Seven hours. He found out I stole a scroll from him." She places the last container on the desk as Sakura walks back in with the flowers in a vase. 

She glares at the food containers but keeps a smile up as she places it on the table behind the food. 

"I have to go see Naruto now, bye." 

Kagami walks out immediately, surprising both of the teens in the room. 

"But Kagami you don't know where his room is!" 

"I'll track his chakra," 

s.h.o.u.t.

"Kagami-chan!" The boy shouts as the girl walks in. 

She gives him a small wave before kicking the door closed. She doesn't react to her brother's glare as she walks in. He is sitting in the chair beside Naruto's bed, legs crossed and Icha-Icha Paradise in his hand. She places the bag of ramen on his side table.

"There are three ramen bowls in there, make them last." Kagami passes her brother and pulls another chair from across the room. "Sakura is still with Sasuke, I'm sure they are currently sitting in silence."

She whips out a book from her ninja pouch, shoving it towards her brother. He glances at it from his book. His eyes go wide. 

"Where did you get this?" He snatches it off her and stares at it, checking it for authenticity.

"I spoke to Master Jiraiya, he agreed to give it to me before the release for a favour." 

"The next addition of Icha-Icha Paradise!" He looks back at his sister, giving her a sly look. "Did you read it before you gave it to me?" 

Kagami's face goes red, "of course I didn't you pervert." 

The man recoils from his sister, scooting his chair over before opening the book and scanning the pages. 

"Kagami-chan! Thank you for the ramen!" The boy leaps off the bed and tackles the girl, hugging her tightly. 

"Ooft!" Kagami doesn't dodge his attack, she just lets the boy land on her.

But then the chair tips back and the two go with her. Kakashi doesn't interfere, he just keeps reading through his book, ignoring the commotion. 

"Oh, Naruto, I have visitor-"

Everyone freezes as Sakura opens the door, staring at the situation in the room, people shuffling towards the room as well. Kagami on the ground, the chair snapped underneath her, and Naruto full bear hugging her. Kakashi glances at the door, suddenly realising the situation at hand. 

Standing at the door is Sakura, Ino and Shikamaru, all staring at the two on the floor. Kagami looks up and her eyes widen before she raises her hand out towards them. 

"I can't breathe." 

Shikamaru sighs and steps forward, yanking Naruto off her and pulling her up. The girl stumbles backwards, falling straight into Shikamaru. The boy wraps his arms around her waist and holds her upright. 

Kakashi glances around the room, "well,"

"Shut up Kashi-nii."

s.h.o.u.t.

~shadow