Date Started: April 19, 2010
Summary: Team Seven's first C-rank mission turned A-Rank. But something else went wrong, forcing the survivors of said team to head straight into a war zone.
CHAPTER 1
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of Konoha, is getting a bit worried. It had been almost two months since he sent Team 7 in their first C-rank mission to Wave. Until now, they still haven't reported back.
He understands such things like late reports happen all the time but he just couldn't help feeling that something went wrong. If it wouldn't be seen as favoritism, he would have sent at least another team as back up. But unless Kakashi requests for it, his hands are tied.
Looking at the clock by the wall, he saw that it was almost noon. Feeling a bit nostalgic, he decided to head for Ichiraku for lunch. He was just about to stand up from his office chair when he suddenly felt the tell-tale chakra signature of an approaching teleportation jutsu.
Seconds later, three kneeling ANBU appeared in front of him in a puff of smoke. Cat, Eagle, and Boar.
"Report." The Sandaime said simply.
Boar stepped forward and said, "Sir, there's a large group of people heading towards the main gate. Said group are mostly consisted of children and teens with about half a dozen adults."
The Sandaime noticed him hesitate so he encourage him by saying, "Yes, and what else?"
"Sir, they are being led by the genins of Team 7."
Sarutobi's eyes widened at that.
Minutes later, the Sandaime, as well as most of the contingent of the Konoha Shinobi forces are standing at the main gate waiting. Soon enough, the old leader could see several shapes approaching.
The first one he noticed is the one with the most distinguishing property, Haruno Sakura, said person having the only pink hair in the crowd. But the thing is her hair seems to be the only thing that remained the same about her. Even from far, he could see the scars all over her face, neck, and body, at least the ones that could be seen. She's also wearing her Konoha headband like her sensei before her, covering her left eye. Why she had done so he doesn't know yet.
The second one he noticed is Uchiha Sasuke. Other than the sling cradling his bandaged right arm, he doesn't seem to have changed much, physically at least. The other noteworthy thing about him is the two young girls walking on both sides of the dark haired genin. One with brown hair while the other have the same raven hair black as Sasuke himself.
The last one he noticed is the one he longed to see the most, Uzumaki Naruto. He's walking at the very front of the group with a young teenage girl in a dark blue kimono, and have a huge zanpakuto strapped on her back a step behind him. Physically, there seems to be no change in him, that is until the Sandaime manage to look closer. It was almost unnoticeable from afar but the old man managed to see the glaring difference in appearance of the Naruto that left to wave almost two months ago to the young man that returned today.
Instead of pure blonde, there seems to be streaks of red on the tips of Naruto's hair. His whisker marks seems more pronounced now. His ears seem to be a bit longer than normal. And his eyes, which used to be cerulean blue, seem so much darker that it's almost purple in hue.
Putting those changes to the back of his mind to be solved later, he turned to look at the group of people following them. Making a headcount, he counted about one and a half dozen kids ranging from age four to ten. Six adults with Mizu headbands planking them like guard sentries.
When they were close enough, about a hundred meters, the kids behind Team Seven went tensed, but a simple smile from Naruto eased them a bit.
Sarutobi signal his forces to stand down and do nothing as he waits for them to arrive. Soon enough, the small group came upon only a few feet from the gates and the Sandaime.
"Hiya, Sandaime-jiji! We're back!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically with a wave before Sakura bopped him in the back of the head. Naruto whined at her silently but the girl merely gave him a glare making him pout before giving a silent nod.
Team Seven moved forward and dropped into their knees in front of the Sandaime and Sakura said, "Hokage-sama, Team Seven reporting for duty."
"Welcome back, Team Seven. Arise." The Sandaime said formally. The three genin did so and he asked, "Where is your Jounin sensei?"
All three cringed before Sakura said in a subdued voice, "Kakashi-sensei is KIA during our Wave mission. H-he died trying to save my life from Gatou's mercenaries."
Sarutobi could see the pain all three of them are feeling with the mention of their deceased sensei. They seem to have taken Kakashi's death hard, if the somber looks on their eyes are any indication.
Sarutobi turned his eyes on the rest of the group. "And them?" He asked Team Seven.
"Refuges of the Kiri Bloodline Purge and shinobi guards from Kiri courtesy of Terumi Mei." Naruto said.
"And who, may I ask, is Terumi Mei?"
"The newly instated Mizukage." The blond said.
Sandaime could already feel the headache coming. What the heck does the Mizukage of Kirigakure got anything to do with a simple C-rank escort mission.
"Hokage-sama." Sauke suddenly said.
"Yes, Sasuke?"
"Permission to call for a full council meeting during the debriefing."
"On what grounds?"
"Proper induction of kinsmen to the Uchiha clan." Sasuke said formally.
"Presentation of alliances between Konoha and Kiri." Sakura added in the same voice.
"And induction of citizenship of bloodline carriers into Konoha." Naruto said right after her.
The Sandaime raised an eyebrow at that, considering Konoha's Pro-Bloodline policies. "Which of them are the bloodline carriers?"
At this, Naruto smirked and answered, "All of them."
Sarutobi resisted to massage the bridge of his nose. "Very well. Report to the Council Chambers in an hour for debriefing. Have the children and their guards report to the hospital for check ups." He then turned to the rest of the Konoha Shinobi and ordered, "ANBU Squad three, please escort them to the hospital. Squad Four, inform the council that I need all of them in the meeting chambers in an hour. Dismissed."
"Hai, Hokage-sama."
As soon as the Sandaime and most of the other Leaf shinobi left, Naruto turned to the kids and said, "Okay, everyone, we're going to the hospital for a check up, which is considered as the SOP for new Konoha citizens, so don't anyone worry, okay." He then turned to the feminine looking person beside him. "Haku, make sure they're treated properly."
"Hai, Naruto-sama."
Sakura then turned to the Kiri shinobi guards and said, "Men, stay with the children and sheath your weapons. You are in ally territory now."
"Hai, Sakura-taichou." The six Kiri shinobi said respectfully.
"Sasuke-nii-chan, is this place our new home now?" the brown haired girl beside Sasuke asked timidly.
Sasuke was about to answer when the other girl said, "Don't bring your hopes up too much, Yuzu. They still got to decide if we're going to be staying or not."
"But, Karin-chan, this is Sasuke-nii-chan's home. And he already adopted us into his family. Shouldn't we treat this place as home too?" Yuzu whined cutely.
Before Karin could argue, Sasuke spoke saying calmly, "You're right Yuzu. You are family now. No one, not even this place, would make me leave you two behind."
Seemingly satisfied, Karin scoffed and started walking after the rest of the refugees while Yuzu smiled and grabbed his Sasuke-nii-chan's left hand, walking with him towards the hospital.
A/N: Yes, I decided to borrow Yuzu and Karin from Bleach. This is not a cross over though. In the span of this fic, I would be using characters from other animes rather than create an OC, just so you could picture them better.
Also, Haku remains a boy in the story. Team Seven's physical changes would be explained further as the story progresses.