Disclaimer: We do NOT own Naruto!
A/N (sister1): By the way, no pairings, no yaoi.
OK! For those of you who read our teaser (before we posted chapter 1), first off, THANK YOU! ^-^ We were really happy to get two reviews and it spurred us on to write quickly. Secondly, we changed things around a little, so it's not exactly the same as the teaser. And I think we added some scenes; sorry, we've written quite a bit since then and I can't remember… ^.^;; Therefore, even if you have read the teaser, you should still get something out of this chapter. (sister1 and 2) Anyway, read, enjoy, Review! We like those! =D (sister2) Onward! :}
Summary (read like the preview for the next episode):
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune cried.
"What is it, Shizune?" Tsunade had been filing paperwork peacefully, what in the world would cause Shizune's panic?
"It's Naruto! He—!"
"Yo," Kakashi unintentionally interrupted.
"Kakashi, what's going on!" Tsunade demanded. Shizune was staring at him like he was the one with answers.
"Well, Sakura is bringing Naruto in, and Sai and Yamato are escorting Sasuke—"
"My Lady, Naruto is—!" Sakura suddenly burst in the room holding an infant, a bright blond mop of hair on his crown. Sakura turned the baby around to reveal three lines on each cheek.
"Sakura, what's…. but… that can't be! Will someone explain to me what's going on?!" Tsunade demanded. Hokages didn't enjoy not knowing.
Next time: The Strange Jutsu!
"Naruto is what?!" She exclaimed after explanation.
3/24/14 Update: We did some story editing and added a bit to the summary to make it more clear but that's about it. ^^;; We currently do not have a beta, so please point out all errors.
"Naruto, slow down! We're not in a race!"
Naruto was leading the group as they sped in the direction of Konoha, jumping from tree to tree, when Sakura called out. Naruto twisted his head toward the pink haired kunoichi. "Sorry Sakura, I just can't wait to get back," he hollered over his shoulder, sending her his fox-like grin. "Tsunade-baachan said that we can look for Sasuke when this mission is over!"
Sakura watched as her hyper-active teammate turned to face forward again. Before they'd left on this mission a few days ago, Lady Tsunade had informed them that once they were finished she'd give them an official assignment to obtain any information regarding Sasuke's whereabouts.
At the time, Sakura had stared in wide-eyed silence, not daring to hope that they'd finally be able to search for their lost teammate. Then Naruto had burst into some combination of cheering, thanks, and declaring that they'd definitely find him.
She knew why Naruto wanted to get home so badly, probably knew better than most. But they had been going at the same unwavering pace ever since dawn and she was getting a little worn out and agitated. Plus they'd have to pass through another town before they got home.
If it hadn't been for the abnormally hot and humid weather on this mission, it wouldn't be such a strain to keep up civil pretences. Not to mention their client had been an abhorrent pain to deal with. Naruto had even lost his temper and almost strangled the arrogant, opinionated man. It also didn't help that the only time they took a break was for lunch. This was about three hours ago and the heat was getting to everyone… except Naruto.
Sakura glanced at the rest of the team Tsunade had assigned on this mission. Yamato was watching hers and Naruto's exchange, and Sai was intently studying his teammates behavior for what seemed like the twentieth time that day. Sakura's eyebrow twitched slightly in annoyance at being studied, but she quickly quashed it, glancing toward their captain. Kakashi seemed to be considering something; knowing him he was probably lost in thought at something in that porn book of his.
Sakura sighed.
Kakashi recognized the signs of fatigue in his team, especially Sakura's strained control on her temper, and was pondering over the thought of taking a twenty-minute break in the clearing up ahead when Yamato came up beside him.
"Kakashi," he said quietly. "I think we should take a break so that we can cool off and drink some water. Besides," he added warily. "I don't think Sakura will be able to keep from snapping much longer." Somewhere in his subconscious, Kakashi wondered if Yamato had picked up the ability read minds.
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Kakashi agreed with a sideways glance at his subordinate. "Oi!" he called to gain everyone's attention. Sai and Sakura turned, while Naruto fell back a bit so he could hear. "We're going to take a break at the clearing up ahead."
"What are you talking about Kakashi-sensei," Naruto objected, turning toward his teacher. "We need to hurry! We don't have time for breaks!"
Kakashi looked at the young ninja's stubborn expression and sighed, "Look Naruto, not all of us have as much stamina as you," he said patiently. "We need to take a break."
Naruto landed in the clearing and rounded on his heels to face Kakashi, fully prepared to argue the point.
Sai, who was at the back of the group, opened his mouth to comment but Sakura unknowingly beat him to the punch.
"Naruto, I want to get back as badly as you do," she said in her best diplomatic voice. "But we simply do not have the endurance to continue at this pace." Naruto knew that Sakura wanted to get Sasuke back even more than he did.
"She's right, Naruto," Sai put in. "If we keep up this pace, we'll be in no condition to look for Sasuke."
Naruto realized that his friends were right but he still didn't want to give up. "Yeah, but... still…" Naruto looked down at his feet, unable to think of a suitable argument.
Then another voice interjected. "You know, Naruto, you could train for a little bit while we rest," Yamato pointed out.
Naruto gave Yamato a quizzical look. "How can I train when all of you want to kick back and relax?"
Sakura's brow twitched in irritation at his wording.
"He means," Kakashi clarified. "That you can go practice with your clones while we rest."
They all watched as Naruto's face lit up with understanding. "Ah! Wait, right here?"
Yamato smiled. "How about you train at that clearing with all the stumps."
"Oh, right!" Naruto exclaimed, turning away with his arms extended in his excitement.
"Naruto!" Kakashi called, said blond stopped and turned around making a questioning noise. "You can do that after you take two minutes to get some water down you." Naruto grumbled as his hands flopped down to his sides, and walked back to the giant tree where everyone was settling at the edge of the clearing.
Naruto took the canteen Kakashi offered him and sat down in the shade in front of his team. 'This is going to be a long two minutes,' Naruto thought as he took a drink of water.
0o0o0
"Itachi," Kisame said while looking at the Konoha team through some tree branches. "Shouldn't we get the jinchuuriki now while his companions have their guard down?" Kisame looked at Itachi expectantly.
"Wait until he's alone," Itachi monotoned. Kisame waited, but Itachi said nothing more. He looked back at the Konoha Nin.
Itachi seemed… he wasn't sure what the right words were. Itachi was not more focused than normal; not "a little off"; he seemed… just a little different than usual, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. He looked at his companion blankly for a couple of seconds before realization spread across his shark-like face. "You're going to use that new jutsu you've been working on?" Kisame smirked when Itachi gave no response. "So you've finally gotten to the human guinea-pig stage, eh?"
Not expecting an answer, Kisame turned his attention back on their target. He was just in time to see the kyuubi brat hand his canteen to the only kunoichi in his group and take off in the direction they were originally headed. "-Oi, Naruto! Stay on the path!-" Kisame heard the pink-haired girl call after their target.
"-I know, I know!-"
"Kisame," Itachi said in his usual calm tone. "Stay here. Make sure they don't start looking for him too soon."
Kisame grinned, exposing his jagged teeth. "Sure, no problem." He went to return his focus on the jinchuuriki but was interrupted.
"Another thing," Itachi added to Kisame's surprise. "Don't get into a fight unless it's unavoidable." Kisame became puzzled at Itachi's order but didn't question it. Itachi always had a reason for his actions.
"Got it."
As soon as the words left his toothy mouth, Itachi disappeared to follow Naruto while Kisame stayed to watch the Konoha Nin. 'What I really want to see is what happens with that new jutsu of his,' Kisame thought. 'But I guess I'll see the results sooner or later.'
A wide smirk spread across his shark-like face. 'This is going to be fun.'
0o0o0
"Sasuke," Karin called out to her team leader, her tone causing him to turn slightly in her direction as they made their way down the path. "I can sense Itachi's chakra, and he's not alone."
"How many," Sasuke calmly ordered.
"Just one other," Karin answered promptly. Keeping things simple and to-the-point seemed to work best when Itachi was involved. "They are south-east from us, heading due south…" she trailed off in concentration.
Sasuke noted her change in attention and waited, knowing she'd soon relay her findings.
"So," Suigetsu interjected with a cocky smirk. "I guess the rumors we heard at the last town were true."
Karin ignored the water ninja's voice. "Sasuke," she sounded almost surprised. "The jinchuuriki is out here!"
"He is of no concern," Sasuke said in his usual monotone.
"But," Karin objected. "Itachi is moving toward him."
0o0o0
Naruto followed the path to an open field with stumps scattered around behind a thin tree-line just off the road. He remembered seeing it on their way over and had wished they could stop and use it as a training ground. It would have at least taken his mind off of their demanding client.
The area was about two kilometers from where his team had decided to rest; the location was a little far from his team but he figured everything would be fine, it wasn't like their mission had been S-rank or even A-rank.
As a matter of fact, things in Konoha had been quite peaceful and uneventful for the last month and a half now.
Naruto ran to the edge of the clearing, a smile spreading across his face.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
0o0o0
Sakura glanced down the road where Naruto's back had disappeared for what seemed like the tenth time in the past three minutes.
For some reason Sakura was anxious. She had had a bad premonition before but this wasn't the same; it wasn't dread, it wasn't fear for someone's life, and it wasn't worry. It didn't seem to be anything. She was simply... uneasy.
"Is anything wrong, Sakura?" Yamato's voice snapped Sakura back to reality.
"Ah, no, it's nothing." Sakura lowered her head. She knew it wasn't nothing, but she couldn't figure out what it was, and there was no reason to report what she couldn't describe even to herself. She focused on the canteen in her hands then glanced back down the road.
Yamato and Kakashi shared a glance, not sure exactly what to make of Sakura's obvious discomfort.
0o0o0
Itachi waited in his hiding place mid-way up a tree for his prey. The jinchuuriki suddenly burst into the clearing, "-Kage Bunshin no jutsu!-" the blonde called excitedly to himself, followed by seven clones bursting from a cloud of chakra smoke. The clones flipped and dodged and punched at each other. Itachi watched for about 15 minutes as the young ninja sparred with his clones, but he knew he didn't have any more time to wait for the perfect moment to strike, so he jumped down from the tree, announcing his presence.
The jinchuuriki stopped; all eight of him, "Itachi! What are you doing here?!" The nine-tails yelled in unison with his clones.
Itachi didn't feel obligated to respond; he didn't have time for words. Soon the other Konoha Nin would be coming and he had to have his jutsu completed by the time the two ANBU-level jounin showed up and complicated matters. Itachi put the blonde under a genjutsu to stop his movements and dispel the clones, then placed a paper seal on the jinchuuriki's forehead and started his sting of hand signs before there was enough time to take a breath. Itachi felt his chakra swirl and focus. A puff of smoke surrounded the nine-tails, a sure sign that something had resulted from the experimental jutsu.
Itachi wasn't sure whether his experiment would be a success, but if it worked, then it would make restraining and transporting the jinchuuriki extremely easy.
0o0o0
Kakashi observed as Sakura seemed to settle down after nearly 20 minutes of glancing down the road. 'I wonder what caused her to be so anxious,' Kakashi thought as they walked. 'She seems to have calmed down now.' Kakashi glanced at the rest of his team and then back at Sakura. 'Though it has been like the calm before the storm for the past month-and-a-half now,' Kakashi mused.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Said man looked over at the girl who sounded completely ill at ease. "If Naruto stayed on the path like he was told to… then shouldn't we have heard him by now?"
0o0o0
Sasuke, who decided to go ahead of his team in case he managed to track Itachi down, made it just in time for his sharingan to see Itachi place a paper seal on Naruto and begin a list of hand signs, almost entirely hidden from view. A burst of smoke surrounded Naruto. Sasuke expected Itachi to stand and watch the result of the jutsu, but instead Itachi leapt from the clearing in favor of a hiding place.
The smoke slowly cleared away from where Naruto was supposed to be standing. Sasuke was puzzled, that wasn't a reverse-summoning jutsu, nor was it a transportation jutsu. Of that he was sure. Sasuke's brow furrowed as he spotted Naruto's clothing lying on the forest floor. He looked a little closer and caught a glimpse of blond straggly hair amongst the clothes.
Suddenly, a tiny face with three whisker marks popped out of the head-hole in Naruto's shirt.
'No way…' was all that went through Sasuke's mind.
(sister1 and 2) So what ya think? =] Did we do a good job?
Thanks to XxBishxX and Bookielovesanimeeee (good guess, but no cigar ^.^) for your reviews of our teaser! We started writing more and will likely be able to post a chapter 2 in the near future! ^-^ (sister1) I think there's a way for us to respond to your reviews, but for some reason I don't know how… Explanation anybody?
Just so you all know; comments and reviews make us happy, and happy writers write faster (hint, hint; wink, wink). We also like (read LOVE) constructive criticism, so if you find something that you don't think works, let us know; it may just help us become better writers. =)