In this story, Orochimaru is dead, as well as Itachi. Madara and Sasuke have talked, however, Sasuke is not dead set on destroying Konoha, and so he is wandering the country for now with his team. Also, it has been three years since Naruto has returned form training with Jiraiya, which puts them around 18 years of age.
**Note, I am revising these first few chapters before I continue on with the story. Hope you like the revised chapters.**
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
"talking" 'thoughts'
It was a bright and sunny morning in the hidden village of Konoha. Birds were chirping their hello to the new day as the merchants of Konoha were up early making sure their stores were properly stocked for the business day. Families started getting ready for another day, civilians to go to work, children to go to school or play. Some shinobi were already out and about as well, taking advantage of the pleasant morning to get in some extra training.
A loud cry of a different kind of bird broke through the peace the morning had brought, the messenger bird swooping in to none other than the Godaime Lady Hokage's office. The Hokage looked like a young woman, with blonde hair, hazel eyes and a body that would make any man sprout an immediate nose-bleed. She also sported a bluish colored diamond on her forehead, which stored a mass amount of chakra, which helped her appear younger than she was.
Said Hokage unfurled the note from around the bird's leg, shooing it away as she sat down to read said note. Tsunade's eyes widen as she absorbed what the note relayed, and called for her assistant at once.
"Shizune!"
The sound of frantic steps sounded and not seconds later, the door to the Hokage's office opened revealing the Lady Hokage's first apprentice. Shizune was a young woman with short brown hair and large almond eyes, which at the moment, appeared frantic.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama?"
"I just received word from a team I sent out to investigate some rumors that I had come across two weeks ago. Apparently, members of the Akatsuki have been spotted in several different small villages at Water Country/Fire Country border, and the team has indeed confirmed the hints to be correct. They spotted a large man who looked to be blue, with abnormal facial features, wearing the Akatsuki robe. We have confirmed this to be Hoshigaki Kisame. What is most strange is that he seems to be traveling alone."
Shizune's brow creased. "Hoshigaki Kisame? Wasn't he Uchiha Itachi's partner?"
Tsunade nodded. "That is correct. I am curious as to why he is traveling alone if that is really the case, since it is known that the Akatsuki travel in pairs."
Shizune taped her chin. "Yes that is most curious. What are you going to do Tsunade-sama?"
"I think that I am going to send out a team to double check these findings and, depending on what they find, we will decide whether to engage Hoshigaki in battle in order to try to bring him in for questioning."
"Which team are you going to send out?"
Tsunade smirked. "I have already thought about that, and have decided to let the team closest to the Akatsuki take this mission. Besides, that idiot has been getting on my nerves lately about wanting another mission"
"Who are you..?" Shizune gasped in realization. "B-But Tsunade-sama, do you think-"
At Tsunade's warning look, Shizune shut her mouth.
"I am aware of what you are going to say, concerning the fact that we would be sending Naruto directly into the Akatsuki's hands. But I do not believe that we should worry. Naruto has shown himself to be quite capable of handling himself since returning from training with Jiraiya a few years ago. He continues to grow, and I believe he can handle Kisame with the help of his team. Also, as of right now, I believe that team is the only team capable of possibly bringing Kisame down."
"I understand. I will send for them right away." Shizune bowed and left the room, before going to locate a ninja to summon the members of the infamous Team 7.
**BREAK**
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the village, a young female ninja was preparing herself for the day. She was supposed to me meeting her team for a training session in a half hour. She had worked hard under Tsunade's and Kakashi's tutelage and was now a jounin, along with her teammates, Naruto and Sai.
Haruno Sakura, an 18 year old girl with bubble gum pink hair and emerald eyes, was walking around her apartment, gathering the things she would need for when she would meet her team for training. She had moved out of her parent's home recently, deciding that she wanted to try to be more independent and it was also more suitable for her shinobi life style, since she was never home when she lived with her parents anyways.
Sakura just finished fixing her skirt into place and was looking at her outfit in the mirror. Her chest, though nowhere near the size of her mentor's had filled out nicely, was covered by a mesh shirt, with a jounin vest on top of the mesh. She had stopped wearing the medic skirt over her shorts, and had adopted a new pair of pants that went to her knees, which allowed her more room for movement. The one thing she did keep throughout the years was her black ninja boots. She was now shorter than Naruto, which was not the case when they were younger.
Along with her "teammates", Naruto and Sasuke, she had trained under one of the legendary sennin, Tsunade. Now, Sakura was one of the top medical ninjas in Konoha and was also a very strong and skilled shinobi. She was so strong she could break the ground with one punch. She has surprised many with how far she has come, especially Naruto, who had been surprised to hear that Sakura had passed the Chunin exams, leaving him as the only genin on their team. Now, they had trained together for three years since Naruto's return, and have both become jounin ninja.
Sakura was just finishing putting on her boots to leave her apartment when she heard a slight knock on her front door. 'I wonder who that could be."
Opening the door, Sakura was faced with an ANBU messenger.
"Haruno Sakura, you are being summoned by the Lady Hokage for a mission, and are to report to her office immediately."
Sakura nodded. "Understood."
With that, the ANBU gave a curt nod and vanished. Sakura sighed and decided to jump on the rooftops to hurry to her mentor's office.
'I wonder what the summons is about? Hopefully it will be a mission, seeing as how Naruto has been practically salivating every time he hears one of our friends describing their latest mission. I better hurry, and hopefully Tsunade will be in a good mood when I get there, though if she is, I doubt that mood will last for long, seeing how agitated Naruto can make her sometimes.'
With that last thought, Sakura shook her head to clear it and continued on her way to the Hokage Tower, not knowing that the mission she will soon be sent on will be life-changing.
So? what do you think of the revised version? Please review!
