Gravity

Your Poison

Sasuke remained fast asleep. Izumi guarded him, invisible to the ANBU's eyes, despite how she told them she'd be lingering around. Sasuke would be out for a while from the sedatives the doctor gave him, but that wasn't Izumi's biggest concern. Oh no. It was the fact that Kabuto just took out the ANBU guards. She put herself in front of Sasuke's bed, and before Kabuto could even take another step she spoke up.

"Kabuto, right?" Izumi released her invisibility, smiling. "Sorry, you might be the medical chief's son, but you don't have permission to be here, or permission to take out Sasuke's guards."

"Oh, you're Izumi Uchiha, aren't you?" Kabuto smiled easily. "I was hoping to see Sasuke."

"Yeah, get in line. I can name at least ten other people who want to see this kid." Izumi rolled her eyes. "But I think you're here for someone else. Orochimaru, right?"

"I can neither confirm or deny that."

"Cheeky little shit." Izumi smirked. "I suppose I'm bored though. Let's play a bit before I haul you in for questioning."

"You're awfully confident. It's only you here."

"It's only you too." Izumi lunged, taking the little bastard straight off his feet, but Kabuto had set up a substitution. Although quickly that theory was wrong. Nope, instead it was the dead soul jutsu.

Kabuto was escaping from the window. How cute. Izumi bit her thumb and released her summons. Four panthers appeared before her, prowling around the room.

"Hunt him," Izumi ordered. "But not you, Yami. Guard Sasuke."

"Of course." Yami climbed up into the bed, curling around Sasuke carefully. "Hello, pup," he greeted warmly, nuzzling his cheek. "I'll look after you."

The other three leapt out of the window after Kabuto. Izumi didn't sheath her sword though, she leaned against Sasuke's bed and waited for Kakashi who arrived a split second later.

"What happened?" Kakashi frowned.

"Kabuto." Izumi smirked. "And I've sent one of my boys and the girls to hunt him down. I have his scent, if you wish to join in."

Kakashi bit his thumb and summoned his dogs. "Join the panthers. Hunt down Kabuto."

"Will do, Kakashi." Pakkun nodded. "Go!"

Kakashi's pack immediately disappeared. Izumi and Kakashi shared a nod and she sprinted after them. Sadly Orochimaru saved Kabuto. He must have, because when she caught up to her panthers she found them fighting off snakes, Kakashi's hounds assisting them.

Izumi cut off all the snakes heads for wasting her fucking time.

"Bastard," Izumi spat. "Let's return to Kakashi and Sasuke."

"Yeah," Pakkun grumbled, glaring into the distance, as if he could set Orochimaru on fire with just his glare. A shame he couldn't. "I told Rita he was a little shit. That they shouldn't be friends, but no. The loner wanted to make friends with her fellow loner!"

Izumi laughed nervously. "Maybe they found good company in each others silence?"

Pakkun scowled.

.::.

"I'm facing Gaara... At least it's the last match..." Sakura shivered. "It couldn't have been Shikamaru, or Shino... Okay, no, not Shino, he's just as creepy!"

But less murderous.

"Right, I need Kakashi sensei!" Naruto grinned. "He'll be with Sasuke at the hospital, right?"

"Yes." Sakura nodded, but she lunged, grabbing Naruto's shirt before he could race off. "Hold it!"

"What?" Naruto frowned.