never get lost. I''m taking you to a friend who can watch you while I go make sure that your idiot of a brother is safe."


    have to listen to me!"


    not." I ground out, suppressing a wince as Sasuke visibly flinched away from me. "My parents are dead, and right now I''m focusing on trying to get you back to your own family before finding my friend. If you would so kindly shut up, then I would actually be able to think past your incessant babble."


    had to be a Monday, I was sure.


    madness needs to be stopped." The man said, his voice desperate and hoarse. For some reason, the odd thing that was attached to him made his words hollow. It wasn''t that I could see through any act that he might have been pulling, but just something set all my instincts on high.


    deserve to be torn from their very roots!"


    Shinobi."


    civil war, or give us some semblance of peace after the whole Anbu fiasco with the Hyūga compound. We''re lucky enough that the main house doesn''t care much for the branch houses -as insensitive as that sounds. As the talks will most likely need me, I''ll be one of the guards for the Hokage. And, since we''re trying to keep this as non lethal as possible, I suggest Chōza and Inoichi come along as well."


    could do. As for the hostage situation, one of the Anbu had reported to me that he had captured Itachi as an even better hostage. Though, going back to your confidence issue," He leaned in, speaking in a whisper, "Need I remind you what happened to the still missing Uzumaki child?"


    Shikaku''s ideas are quite sound."


    must watch your back, my friend."