Chapter 6: Ginger, Honey and a Dash of Purple.

    Two days after the Sunagakure and Otogakure attack.

    Scattered piles of reports, slips of encrypted communication piled on a ceramic bowl, rolls of opened archived scrolls for reference, drawings, analysis, speculations, facts. Nara Shikaku’s mind churned with cause and effect, choices and possibilities. He considered what he knew and the Third Hokage’s last request.

    A knock at the door disturbed his concentration. The person outside didn’t wait to be invited in. Inoichi’s face looked even more drawn in and hard. His long-time friend pulled a chair and sat in front of Shikaku’s desk, back pressing against the chair’s rest, face turned to the ceiling, eyes closed.

    “You owe me a big one.” Inoichi said without opening his eyes.

    Shikaku pulled back on his chair, hands resting on the desk. He waited. He knew his friend. There would be more said.

    Inoichi looked down. His face was even more haggard. “Ino will never forgive me if she learns of this. She’s taken with Hinata.”

    Shikaku shook his head, eyes finding the picture of his wife and son on the desk. He knew all too well how women could make life a living hell. He tore his gaze away from the images. It wasn’t time to reminisce. “What did you find?”

    Inoichi shrugged. “Nothing we didn’t already know.” The jounin looked around.

    Shikaku noticed those details. His fingers moved, one of their signals from their time on the same team. ‘Safe, private, speak freely.’

    “She’s hiding something. I can’t enter her mind. I don’t believe she has any harmful intentions toward Konoha. I don’t believe she’s a willing spy, if she’s a spy at all.” The man shrugged. “I’ve read the reports, same as you did. They didn’t let us make any attempts to earn her trust, why is the council now mad that she''s keeping her secrets?”

    “Your opinion then?” It was just a formality. Shikaku already knew his friend’s answer.

    “I’m endorsing her promotion to Chunin. It’s the least I can do after interrogating her like that.”

    Shikaku took a piece of paper, handed it over.

    “You’re sending her away then?”

    A knock interrupted his thoughts. Shikaku shelved that analysis to pick it up again later. He hid the secret reports, all the confidential information, disabled the privacy seal. Once he was ready, he called out. “Come in.”

    The visitor was one of the Intelligence department chunin in charge of external communication. The boy had a rolled up parchment in his hand. “A report from Yamato, sir.”

    Shikaku waved the boy closer, took the still sealed parchment. “Thank you.” He dismissed, mind already full with the implications. Once the chunin left, he broke the seal and read the report.

    It was surprisingly light on details. They found a hideout, cleared the place, found a lead to a second place in Kirigakure where Orochimaru kept prisoners. Something about the report bothered Shikaku. He got up from his desk, moved to the door. Poked his head out. The intelligence room was still the same, frantic organized chaos it ever was.

    “I need to speak with Hatake Kakashi, send a bird, please?”

    He didn’t wait for a response. Shikaku got back to his table and started to consider options. Who could he send? If he wanted to change things and start fostering Hinata’s loyalty, a familiar face would be preferable. Kakashi, perhaps? He discarded that idea. Kakashi’s expertise was needed elsewhere. Naruto was away with Lord Jiraiya, searching for Tsunade. Sasuke wasn’t in any condition to travel, the young Uchiha’s heir suffering from some unknown malediction.

    That left only one option. Inoichi would have his head for this.

    Before he got up, he felt the presence in his room. He looked up. Kakashi was inside his office, leaning by the door. Never one to abide by protocol, that one. He met with the detached eyes of the white haired jounin. “Thank you for coming. I need your expertise.” He got up, walked closer and handed Kakashi the report from Yamato.

    Kakashi read the report, then reread it. “ANBU code. There isn’t much aside from that he couldn’t put that information on the report. Too dangerous for long distance communication.”

    Shikaku sighed. That didn’t make things easy. More plans started to form. Could he still send Ino’s team?

    “I heard of your disagreement with the council,” Kakashi’s voice interrupted Shikaku’s thoughts.

    The jounin commander looked back at Team Seven’s leader, all too aware of Kakashi’s opinion regarding Hinata. “I fear that’s a mistake we’ll all pay for.” He didn’t say more. There was no need.

    Kakashi nodded. Turned and left without saying anything else. Shikaku made up his mind. Poked his head out of the door again. “Please send a bird for Sarutobi Azuma. There’s a new urgent mission for his team.”

    Maybe he could still salvage this situation.