Chapter I
Aburame Zukuari and Momochi Zumoto walked into the Rokudaime Hokage's tower on Sunday morning.
"Hey there!" the rowdy-as-always Uzumaki Naruto, Rokudaime Hokage, greeted.
"Hey…" Zukuari said sullenly.
"'Swrong?" Naruto asked.
"She's still hasn't gotten over Tukuto." Zumoto explained.
"I see…" Naruto said. "Well, if it will cheer you up, I have a mission where you might get to see him again!"
Zukuari immediately raised her head and looked Naruto in the eye. "And that would be?" she demanded.
"You are aware of the group of thirty years ago known as Akatsuki, right?" Naruto asked.
"Yes, of course, it was pounded into our heads back at the academy." Zukuari said.
"Uh…" Zumoto said. Having graduated from the academy in Kirigakure before transferring over to Konoha, his school background was quite different.
"Rokudaime, sir, what is the mission?" Zukuari pressed forward.
"Well…it involves travel. And skill. But I'm sure the two of you can easily do that. I mean after all, you are two of the Legendary Sannin." Naruto said.
"But what is the mission?" Zukuari pleaded.
"You need to travel the world." Naruto said.
"That's it?" Zukuari asked. "Then where does Tukuto fit in?"
"And what does the Akatsuki have to do with any of it?" Zumoto asked.
"Let me finish." Naruto said. "The Akatsuki were all defeated thirty years ago, when I was your age. But apparently, their dream, their mission, lived on. Now, another group with the same dream has formed, calling themselves Neo-Akatsuki."
"And let me guess. You want them destroyed?" Zumoto said.
"Exactly." Naruto said.
"Wait a minute!! To be in the Neo-Akatsuki, wouldn't you have to be an S-Rank Missing-Nin?" Zukuari asked.
"Yes…" Naruto said, while in his mind he grimaced about what he knew was about to be asked.
"Then shouldn't this mission be completed by a team of S-Rank and Jounin?" She asked.
"As you know, the village is in a weak state right now, and most, if not all, of our Jounin and S-Rank are away on missions. So, that means that Chuunin and Genin, until the village's former state is restored, get to complete higher-level missions." Naruto explained.
"I understand that, but how do you expect two Chuunin to be able to defeat nine S-Rank criminals??" Zukuari demanded.
"Zukuari, we can handle this." Zumoto said.
"Wow, Zumoto, I had forgot you were even here." Zukuari said, and then instantly switched back to the mission topic. "As I said earlier, where does Tukuto fit into any of this?"
"Well, you two are going to be doing a bit of traveling all over, and I expect that you'll run into him sooner or later. If you can convince him to work with the two of you and defeat the ten Neo-Akatsuki leaders, then I'm sure he'll discover his old self, and come back with you." Naruto said.
"If he left the village…" Zumoto started.
"Then what makes you think he'll come back?!" Zukuari yelled, about to cry.
"Well, one thing I've learned since I became Hokage is that you can never really know what someone will do. But if you press hard enough, eventually, you may be able to help them realize the truth." Naruto said. "That's all. Depart by midnight."
"Whoa!" Zumoto yelled, then calmed down. "Who even are the Neo-Akatsuki?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't ask that." Naruto said. "Because truth be told, I don't even know. Your friend Tukuto has a lot of knowledge on things like these, why don't you find him and ask him?"
"So THAT'S where he fits in!" Zukuari exclaimed, pointing a finger at Naruto.
"…No. Because you could figure it out just by asking around. Now as I said, depart by midnight." Naruto said.
"But it's only 18 right now!" Zukuari moaned.
"Then hurry." Zumoto said, and the two left the building.
At 22:00, Zumoto and Zukuari were at Konoha's gates, ready to leave on their mission.
"When do you think we'll see Tukuto?" Zukuari asked.
"Personally, I don't care." Zumoto said. "No matter what his reason was, I'll never forgive him for leaving the village."
"So you're still peeved that you couldn't bring him back…" Zukuari said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear.
"Tukuto! Come on!" Zumoto pleaded.
"You're stupid, Zumoto." Tukuto said firmly.
"Does Konohagakure mean NOTHING to you?!" Zumoto yelled.
"Zumoto, truth be told, it does. Konoha means a lot." Tukuto said.
"Then why are you leaving?" Zumoto yelled.
"Because you know as well as I do what is coming in the future." Tukuto said.
"Tukuto, I'm going to beat the living crap out of you if you don't come back with me!" Zumoto yelled.
Tukuto formed a rectangular seal with his hands, and pointed it at Zumoto.
"SHINTENSHIN NO JUTSU!" he yelled.
Moments later, Tukuto was controlling Zumoto's body.
"Finally, you get to experience the art of the Mind Destruction." Tukuto said through Zumoto's body.
Zumoto, being controlled by Tukuto, placed his index and middle fingers, on both hands, on both sides of his neck, on each side of the Adam's apple. He pushed in hard. Soon, he passed out, and collapsed on the ground.
Tukuto, back in his own body, said, "Goodbye…comrade…," departing into the dark forest, leaving The Land of Fire.
"Zukuari…when Tukuto said, 'you know as well as I do what is coming in the future,' what do you think he meant?" Zumoto asked.
"He had connections all over the place. It could have meant anything…do you think he meant this? The Neo-Akatsuki's plan for world domination?" Zukuari asked.
The gates opened, and the two walked out. The gates shut behind them.
"I'm not sure…let's stop talking about this and get on with the mission. Where should we go first?" Zumoto said.
"How about Sunagakure? I've always wanted to go there!" Zukuari giggled.
"Sure, and besides, Tanzaku City is on the way, we can make a stop there. It's a three day walk to The Village Hidden in the Sand, and we might as well stop half-way." Zumoto said.
"I like it!" Zukuari exclaimed.
The two departed down the dirt path, completely oblivious to the brown-haired teenager crouching in the trees, watching them.
Sounds like they're on a mission…that involves me. He thought.