Chapter one - The mission
"Excuse me, sirs, miss? Tsunade-sama will see you now." Shizune bowed to the four people standing in the hallway, and then led them into the Hokage's office. In the bright and very much paper-covered room, the Hokage sat behind her desk, looking rather grim. In her right hand, she clutched a letter. The four ninjas bowed to her, and she nodded at them.
"Welcome." She started. "I shall not beat around the bush, since there is no time for that. The foour of you are being assigned an S-class mission that will at the very least take a year, maybe more." Collective gasp. "Wait, please. Let me explain." She cleared her throat, and unfolded the letter that she had held in her right hand. She read it to the ninjas, aloud.
'Dear Tsunade-hime, no, Hokage-sama,
I hear that you have been doing well since I lasted visited your village. It saddened me to hear that Sarutobi-san had died, three years ago, but I knew that the village would be in good hands, if they were yours, and I was correct. But I am not writing this letter for petty chit-chat. I am writing this because I am in need of some help. The situation at my school is about to get ou of hand.
You see, a great magical attack was aimed at the ministry only last week, and some of my teachers have been called in to help clear up everything. These teachers being some of the strongest we have, you can imagine the problem that could rise if the school were to fall under a magical attack.
I would also like you to keep a special eye on two students, who will both be described in the detailed instructions.
I have thought this over, and I decided it would be the smartest to ask you to send some of your finest ninjas. Of course the pay will be accordingly, that was never a problem. I hope that you will accept this mission request. The dangers that could be countered include magical threats of the highest level, so please keep that in mind.
The positions I would require teachers for are two old subjects, and one new one;
- Defence Against the Dark Arts (DADA)
- Lingual arts
- Self defence
It would also be nice if one or two 'students' could blend in as exchange students and keep their eye on what happens amongst the students.
I hope this is not too much trouble to you.
Sincerely yours,
Albus Dumbledore,
Headmaster of hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry.'
Tsunade put the letter down and redirected her gaze to the ninjas in front of her. "And? What do you make of it?" One of the shinobi cleared his throat. "Permission to speak, Hokage-sama. We are supposed to guard this school, and it's students, while going undercover?" "Yes, that is correct, Sakura. However, you are allowed to drop your cover in the face of danger." "But we know nothing about this world. How are we going to blend in?" The hokage sighed. "There is a quick way to solve that, trust me. Albus Dumbledore sent some files along with his message, and they should contain all the information you will need before you start there."
Sakura bowed and stepped back. The other three still had some questions left, and they were going to get their answers. "Hokage-sama, when are we to leave?" Iruka asked. "The year starts at september 1st, so you are leaving on July 30th, so as to arrive on time. Isn't that right, KAKASHI?" The hokage glared at said silver haired man, who scratched his neck absentmindedly. "More questions?" "Who is taking which position?" Sasuke (the last of the four) asked in a soft voice. "Well, you and Sakura are blending in a students, and Kakashi and Iruka are going to be teachers."
"Then who is the fifth person?" Iruka wondered.
"The fifth person, your leader for this mission, will arrive shortly."
Boom, silence. You could see the confusion running across everyone's features. "Hokage-sama... Kakashi is one of the most highly ranked shinobi of our village... If he is not our leader, then who is?" Iruka asked. The others nodded.
"Yeah, no one can be quite as good as Kakashi-sensei..." Sasuke confirmed grudgingly.
"I can't believe it... we are probably ending up with an Idiot as leader!" Sakura exclaimed.
"This is really-"
The complaints were abruptly cut off by a cloud of smoke appearing in the room with a small poof, and a pair of feet landing noiselessly on the ground. The person who had just arrived, still hidden in the dustcloud, bowed to the Hokage and then stood still. The smoke slowly cleared, to reveal someone none of the four had expected to see.
ANBU Fox. The legendary ANBU captain (1st squad), even stronger than Hatake Kakashi, and younger at entry. His identity was one of the best-kept secrets in Konoha (only tsunade knew), and his fame stretched far beyond the borders of the fire country. And he was going to be the leader of this mission? Then it HAD to be hard…
"I am sorry that I am late." Fox said, in a quiet voice. "We have just finished the last S-rank mission you sent us on, and I am reporting for this new mission at once. My excuses if the mission report will be turned in late thiswise." Tsunade waved the excuse away. "Let your teammates handle that. I told you about the situation yesterday. Is there anything you need to know?" "Yes, one thing, Hokage-sama. What time are we leaving tomorrow?" "You are leaving Konoha at 8 a.m." "Then I will, with your permission, expect my team to be at the east bridge at 7 o clock sharp, for we have to talk this through for a bit before we leave." He bowed to the Hokage, then to his fellow Shinobi. "Anything else you'll need to know you can ask me tomorrow. I hope our co-operation will be fruitful."
Kakashi returned the bow. "Thank you, Fox-san, we hope the same. And Hokage-sama... there is something I want to aks about the formation of this team."
"Go ahead." The hokage sat back.
"What about Naruto?" At this, everyone's breath hitched for a moment, all for separate reasons.
Tsunade sighed. "As you know, Naruto is among the finest of our ninja, and one of the strongest. However, his skill is still not sufficient for these S-ranked missions. So I am sorry, but I have already sent him away with a C-ranked mission. He will leave tonight, and he will return after you have left." This certainly caused some unrest. Let us dive into some minds to find out why...
Sakura
'What? Naruto isn't coming? How can she disband our team like this?! I know her decisions are final, but this is just unfair! Okay, he can be quite a nuisance at times, but he is still our teammate! Damn this stupid mission!'
'Shannaro!' replied inner Sakura.
Kakashi
'Tsunade is splitting our team up? That can only mean that something has occured. No matter the rank of the mission, she has never separated Naruto from us. So why can't he come this time? And why send such a high-ranked officer in his place? Well, my conclusion would be... wait, is that even possible?!'
His visible eye widened and he glared sideways at the ANBU captain, who was standing absolutely still, his face hidden behind his porcelain fox mask. 'Can it possible be? I am going to have to watch this Fox...'
Iruka
'Naruto is not coming? that sure is strange. These four are always together on missions...'
Something caught his eye, and he checked it out. It was Kakashi, who was glaring at the immovable ANBU, his visible eye a little too wide. 'Is he suspicious of our leader? But why- Oh well, we'll find out sooner or later...'
Sasuke
'Dammitdammitdammit! Over a year without Naruto? That's not bearable! Oh please, gods, tell me it isn't true...' Sasuke pinched himself, and winced when he felt it, though not because of the pain. No, he winced because it was true, he was not going to see Naruto for over a year. DAMN!
'Okay, I admit it! I like the dobe. So please, tell me this is a dream?'
Flinch.
How many red spots can one person fit on his arm?
Tsunade
Tsunade sighed as she eyed the group in front of her. She hated to do it like this, but she had to. Naruto's skills weren't sufficient for this mission, and Fox' were. She smiled. Naruto had always told her HE wanted the Fox mask when he was going to join ANBU later. His childhood dreams. And she had believed him at the time, and she still did. Maybe he could take that task, later, when fox's health- She cut herself off.
She really wanted Naruto to succeed her one day. But that day was not today. Today, she was going to send this oddly matched team away, however unhappy they may be with it...
Normal p.o.v.
Tsunade cleared her throat, and everyone snapped to attention (except for fox, who had already stood on his guard). "Okay, you guys are dismissed. I expect you to arrive at the bridge packed up for travel. Leave the rest of your stuff in your suitcases, tagged and labelled, at your homes, and we'll make sure that it arrives at the school. Fox, stay behind, please. I want a word with you."
The shinobi all bowed, and the first four left the room, while fox walked after them to close the door. "Tsunade-sama." He said, and bowed. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" "Fox, remove your mask please. I don't like talking to someone who looks like a statue." The ANBU captain bowesd slightly again, and took off his porcelain mask. The Hokage stared him in the eyes. "You realise they may never know who you are, right?"
"I had realised, yes. But my usual diguise has fooled them sure enough. They shouldn't know that one of their twelve Genin companions made it into the ANBU already." He spoke in a monotone voice.
"Indeed they shouldn't. Be on your guard. Never take your mask off. If you have to tell anyone, tell Kakashi who you are. He is a reliable person, a teacher and renewed ANBU for this mission. He will surely understand."
Fox bowed. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama, you are too kind to me. Shall I have to take another name? Fox is a bit strange in the eyes of English people, you see..."
"Indeed. Did you have something in mind?" She asked.
"The usual." Was his short reply.
Tsunade sighed. "You use many names. Which one will it be this time?"
"It might be best if I don't sound Japanese like the others, so I will use the name Loki. Is that okay with you?"
Tsunade nodded. "What an excellent choice... It really suits you. And will you be wearing this form?"
Fox, no, Loki, scanned himself up and down.
He wore an ANBU uniform, and the Katana on his back. His flaming red hair was a bit below shoulder lenght, and had slipped out of it's ponytail to hang loosely (and sexily) around his face. His skin was suntanned, and his eyes were mismatched: one sapphire blue, one a deep emerald green. He was of average length. A cross-shaped scar on his right arm, and an ANBU tattoo on his left. He looked rough, and for some reason, disturbingly sexy, even when covered in blood and guts like he was now.
"I think I will go like this." He said. "I'm not wearing my uniform all the time though. It'll attract attention. I'll just take it with me."."
"That is fine by me. Okay, you are dismissed. Go get your ass cleaned up at the ANBU's headquarters, because you are dripping blood all over my clean floor."
"Hokage-sama." Loki bowed, and teleported out of the Hokage tower into the dressing rooms at the ANBU headquarters.
After checking if no one was there, he shed his bloodied clothing, and stepped into a shower stall. He turned the water up until it was scorching hot, then sighed. He made five quick handsigns, and an animal appeared outside of his stall. It was a fox, with a forehead protector tied around it's neck. "Elisa," He said, "I am glad that you have come. Will you please stand guard for me, and let no one in this room until I leave?"
The fox nodded it's head, and disappeared to the outside of the bathroom. Loki sighed and removed his mask (he had left it on until then). He made the five handsigns again, and this time summoned a male fox, which landed on top of his head. The fox growled, but Loki just raised his eyebrow.
"You were dirty, Yami, and don't you be grumpy. See the blood running down?" Grumble, stretch. The fox turned around On Loki's head and began washing himself in the water of the shower. Loki rolled his eyes. "And don't pretend you can not understand me. I am going to need your help on this mission."
The fox' ears twitched. His curiosity had been awakened. "I need you to act as my pet, so you can sneak around that place unnoticed. I can also use a trustworthy companion. Those people are not allowed to see my face, you see. I don't want them to, either. It will only cause unrest, and unrest will cause bad co-operation."
The fox nodded, and jumped to his master's shoulder to lick his ear. "Yeah, I am happy to see you too, Yami. Thanks for your help on my mission, by the way. Couldn't have done it without you." Loki commented.
A snarl and growls could be heard from the other side of the bathroom door. Loki smiled. "Ah, Elisa is doing her work so well." He quickly rinsed the rest of the blood out of his hair, cast a skin-cleaning ninjutsu on himself to remove it from his body, and then replaced his mask and dried off.
The people in the dressing room had politely left, because the ANBU captain of the first squad didn't like people walking in on his showers. The last person who had tried (they wanted to see the captains face) had ended up duct-taped to the ceiling of the local sewers-cleaning tank, and since then, no-one even bothered to try. Not that they stood a change. The captain always summoned a fox to guard the door for him while he was in there since that time, and no one got past those foxes.
The captain got out of the shower and slipped into some less official clothes, then slipped on a simple, black facemask and placed the ANBU one in his backpack. His clothes were all insignificant shades of grey. He jumped out of the window, his foxes tailing him, and crept through the shadows like he was a part of them.
Behind him, on the roof of a nearby building, a pair of eyes watched him blend into the shadows. The person didn't attempt to follow him.
Deunitnoc eb ot…
Komiyan
So, I bet you are all thinking 'Who the hell is this Loki? Is he an OC?' No, Loki is just his cover name. I am not going to tell you who he really is, you'll have to figure that out for yourselves.
The game is off. I'll just get some supporting lemons in somewhere, on another account.
This is a re-update, because the way this chapter was written bothered me. I'm going to re-update all chapters, and then post chapter five (I'm halfway through with it now.)
Komiyan peace out!