The Gift of Sight

Chapter THREE

Chapter THREE

Ibiki took Sakura back to Minato's house, just as the Hokage himself appeared with worried eyes.

He must have been about to go look for her.

Minato stared at Sakura in shock for a few moments, and Ibiki realized the problem.

"While in the village, you have to keep your chakra uncloaked." Ibiki told the girl.

Sakura blinked, and a frown appeared on her face."But if my chakra's uncloaked, people can find me..." She trailed off, her frown deepening, as if she had realized something wrong with her statement, but didn't know what it was.

Ibiki sighed. "This is a safe village." He told her gently as he could. "If people cannot find you in a safe village where nothing is supposed to happen, they will worry."

Sakura's face brightened and Ibiki sighed, having realized that the girl hadn't been listening to him.

"But if my chakra is uncloaked, you'll sense me the moment I try to follow you!" She pointed accusingly at Ibiki, as if he were the reason for this whole mess.

Ibiki held back his eyebrow from twitching.

The brat had just made him the villain of their situation!

Sakura huffed and crossed her arms in a way that said she was doing it only because she had been asked. Her chakra signature appeared in a flash. "There."

Not knowing what else to do, Ibiki ruffled the girl's hair.

Sakura preened at the contact.

Ibiki passed Sakura over to the Hokage, telling him about how she had followed him to the T&I department.

Minato nodded his head to show that he had heard. Ibiki bowed at the blond before he nodded at Sakura in goodbye. Sakura pouted but didn't say anything as the man walked off.

Minato led Sakura back into the house, where Naruto jumped onto her with a hug. "Sakura-chan! You just vanished! I was so worried!"

Sakura patted the boy on the back. "Sorry. I won't...do it again."

Naruto grinned and pulled the girl towards the second floor. "We're meeting Sasuke at the park again tomorrow. This time, we'll play something else..."

Once everyone was out of earshot, Minato began to chuckle.

Everyone in his family liked having Sakura living with them, but perhaps it would so the usually uptight Interrogator some good to have the girl around.

Perhaps he found the perfect accommodation for her.

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Sakura was absent again, and it was becoming late.

Minato was beginning to worry when a shaking Chunin knocked on his door.

He managed to stutter out that Morino Ibiki had sent him, then relayed the message, which was that Sakura had fallen asleep while waiting for him to sort through some papers, and that he had taken her home because she wouldn't let go, and he would return her tomorrow.

Minato chuckled.

He was sure a shinobi like Ibiki could easily pry a sleeping girl from him, but decided to not say anything. He merrily sent the Chunin away.

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After that, it was common for Sakura to not come home at night. Minato though it was safe to say that half of Sakura's nights were spent over at Ibiki's place.