The sun caressed the land of the Village Hidden in the Leaves with the warm touch of a lover's nimble digits. A breeze washed away the building heat of the morning sun as its flames grew. Civilians and ninja alike were scurrying little ants, some with a goal in mind and others just wandering aimlessly. The village's powerhouse was swinging in full force, a commotion, undoubtedly, arising.
*BOOM* Suddenly the building of the Hokage was quivering down to its foundations. One hard smack of a certain hyperactive knucklehead was all it took to leave the walls trembling. One hard smack was all it took to let the whole building know that, once again, Naruto opened his mouth. Somewhere in the superstructure was Shizune, insides fluttering, as she watched a rather soiled, from water, part of the ceiling break away and land a short distance from her feet; Semi-hoping for his well being, she darted towards the Slug-hime's office, 'Yep, Naruto's in he building'.
Arriving just in time to see the yellow-haired boy pick himself up off of the ground and catch a "WHO'S A GRANNY NOW?". The onyx-haired woman let her eyes roam over the forms in the room, besides the obvious dunce. Shizune noticed an eerily smiling artist, a wood user whose head was swaying back and forth with disbelief, a copy nin whose eyes never once seemed to stray from the pages of his novel, and a young rose-haired girl who stood with fists clenched and indignation burning in her eyes for her teammate who, once again, embarrassed her.
Releasing a sigh, if it was one that was sure to flow from anyone's lips at one point or another when encountering Team Kakashi, or one that came because she knew she would surely have to clean up this mess, she did not know. Swallowing her exasperation, she began the tedious task of calming her Fire Shadow. "Lady Tsunade, please remember why we called Team Kakashi here this morning" was her plea, and immediately Tsunade sobered her rage.
Flattening her hands upon the already desecrated surface of her desk. 'I thought Yamato said this desk could withstand my strength?' Was her thought as she stood smirking to herself with pride and disappointment as she, once again, proved the wood user wrong. Sighing and remembering why she ordered the Scarecrow and his band of misfit followers to immediately stand at attention in front of her, she began the mission briefing.
"Alright Kakashi, the mission I am about to assign demands efficiency and your immediate attentions, am I clear so far?" The Godaime questioned, tone laced with professionalism that, seconds earlier, was not there when she was about to beat Naruto into a pile of ash dressed in orange. Receiving affirmation from the team leader and the rest of his team, she continued.
"There is a rogue ninja who, earlier this morning, stole a scroll from a small village in the Land of Fire" Before she could futher elaborate, our favorite blonde loudmouth piped in. "HEY! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GIVING US AN IMPORTANT MISSION-" Luck was on his side as his female comrade effectively silenced him with a well placed punch to the head and an "IDIOT! LET HER FINISH!"
Once again ticked off, Tsunade finished her tale. "If you would let me finish..." Making sure to stop and stare kunai at her wannabe-successor before continuing "This scroll houses a forbidden jutsu, and this jutsu was protected by the village just on the outskirts of Konoha. It is IMPERATIVE that you retrieve this scroll and the ninja who dared to steal it" Groans from the abused wood could be heard echoing throughout the room as painted fingers once again began digging into the wood as she finished.
Smirking at the tenacity of a flailing Naruto, who was now being held firmly in place by Kakashi and kept silent by a pale, dainty hand, as he tried to articulate his response and tell her all about it. "There is no room to fail this mission. This jutsu can be and is extremely dangerous, and as such, I am not permitted to share with you its nature" Making sure to lock eyes with the team leader as the words slipped from her mouth, unspoken promises of pain if the jutsu were to be released into the shinobi world were dancing in her honey depths.
Understanding the silent language, which her eyes seemed to be screaming, Kakashi nodded. Silently thinking to himself, his thoughts ran amuck throughout his oversized brain as his aptness let him conjure all sorts of dreadful possibilities, 'I don't like the sound of this'. His thoughts and worries began to crawl to a slow raging as his master's legacy opened his mouth, letting out just what he thought, 'No...I don't like this...Not. One. Bit'
Bouncing around comically, arms enthusiastically punching the air, legs kicking at some formidable, invisible enemy, Naruto voiced his excitement. "ALLLLRIGHTT! FINALLY I GET TO KICK SOME ASS, LETS GO!" Repeating the latter two words to every single one of his teammates with a fierce, pointing index finger and fire burning in his eyes.
The first receiver of Naruto's aim and vocalization, Yamato, just shook his head mirthfully and gave a jovial chuckle. The second receiver of his statement, Sai, gave a, half artificial and half genuine, small smile and facetiously replied "Ah Naruto, your ignorance is my bliss". The tertian of the group was none other than Kakashi, who just stood there with his signature eye crease. Finally, Sakura...well she was insulted that she was being pointed at "IDIOT! DON'T YOU KNOW ITS RUDE TO POINT?" With her statement, a rock-like fist crunched against the top of Naruto's noggin.
Once the knucklehead scraped himself off of the floor, the group departed the Godaime's office.
"Lady Tsunade...don't you think this mission should be assigned to an Anbu recovery team?" Shizune questioned with trepidation, remembering her master's temper. "I understand your concern Shizune.." Came the calm response from the female Sannin. "However...I. Do. Not want you questioning my decisions as Hokage!" Her voice growing louder as she finished, effectively silencing her subordinate. "Yes Milady...of course" Resignation laced Shizune's tone, she realized she held no authority over her master's choice. There is a reason as to why her reign, during these times of hardship, has proven time and time again that she is successful in her role as Godaime Hokage.
Down the stairs, and outside stood Team Kakashi. All members agreed that time was of the essence "Ok, so we'll meet at the northern gates within the hour, packed and ready for at least a week" Was the declaration of their team leader, Kakashi. With one last statement of "Scatter!" Everyone was off to their own personal dwellings, to equip for whatever may lie in wait.
Thirty minutes later, a rather miffed kunoichi stood tapping her foot, trying to block out the image of her citrine-haired teammate. Glaring once again in Naruto's direction for the umpteenth time, hoping to whatever being there was above to take pity on her and magically break her team member's legs...'CHA! COME ON...just for five measly minutes' She tried reasoning, but apparently nothing was working.
Naruto stood bouncing from one foot to the other, looking much like he was trying very hard, and succeeding, to impersonate a five year-old doing the infamous 'Potty Dance'. It was clear the spunky teen was growing antsy, apparently his skin was crawling with little bugs of anticipation. Crying out his frustration, "WHERE IS THAT LAZY BASTARD? GAAH", with his ex-sensei...his notoriously tardy...ex-sensei.
Growing increasingly agitated by the moment, Sakura tried to calm her friend, hoping this would set off a chain reaction that would lead to her becoming settled once again as well. "NARUTOOO..." Oops, so her temper had grown in mere seconds, it wasn't her fault that she inherited something other than medical skills and strength from her master. "Please...try to calm down" tone softening as she sank into her role as mediator.
"I honestly don't know why you're surprised by him being so late" she started, but on the inside, a storm was brewing. 'CHA! WHEN I SEE THAT IDIOT SENSEI...he'll pay' Her malicious thoughts seemed to rile her up as her next, supposed to be placating, remark was thrust from her lips. "I mean...he's always late. Even. When. It's. IMPORTANT" The last few words were ground out and just like that, her agitation spiked 'THAT LAZY BASTARD, WHO IS HE TO TELL US TO BE EARLY WHEN HE'S ALWAYS LATE!'
Before she could even finish the rant inside her mind, Yamato rested his hand upon her shoulder and sent a gaze directed towards the space in front of her with a friendly "Shall we be on our way then?". Snapping her emerald orbs towards the wood user's line of sight, there he was. With his signature two finger salute and eye crinkle, there stood the infinitely late Kakashi of the Sharingan. Before he could utter an excuse about why, how, or what distracted him from his destination, his subordinates decided to make their ire known.
Sparkling cerulean blue and Blazing jade locked onto a statuesque form that was casually leaning on the woodwork of the northern gate. "YOU'RE LATE" Was shrieked before the gravity defying, silver-haired ninja could even spit out a 'Yo' or a well thought up excuse; well thought up meaning the all of two seconds it took him to scratch the back of his neck and let something spill forth from his masked lips.
"Well should we start the mission?" Was his nonchalant question, not even seeming phased by the two team members who let their mouths hang wide and eyes comically bulge. "WELL AREN'T YOU GOING TO GIVE SOME STUPID EXCUSE?" An enraged kyubi container stood waiting for an answer. Turning his back towards his ex-students, Kakashi started along the path leading away from the village.
When everyone fell in line, except Naruto and Sakura, Kakashi stopped. Aware of eyes glued to his back, the captain turned his head slightly, just enough to peer over his right shoulder. "Would you care to take the lead Naruto?" Knowing this question would undoubtedly erase all ire from the walking mouth's mind, Kakashi had to praise himself for his quick thinking. 'Now for the team's deadly cherry blossom' he pondered to himself as he searched his brain for anything to convince, either stun or motivate, his female teammate to get moving.
'NO WAY! I'M NOT MOVING YOU LAZY BASTARD, YOU MADE ME WAIT...SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN CHAA!' Her inner rantings continued as visions, of herself choking Kakashi and him flopping around like a fish out of water, humiliating him by gluing bows, 'NEON PINK BOWS!', into his hair and just plain old pouting while standing in the same place all day, played through her mind.
What she didn't expect was Kakashi being scolded by her fellow bringer-of-justice/pouter one moment, and then the next moment, she was being deserted by her 'team member'. 'TRAITOR! GAAH' She inwardly screamed at Naruto, who was now heading up the front of the group. Longing for the familiar saccharine taste of vengeance combined with the cooling breeze that washed over her senses when she succeeds at the task at hand, Sakura was determined not to move; but she was NOT prepared for what left her captain's mouth.
"If you keep staring at me like that Sakura..i'm going to blush" His unforseen statement had Sakura blushing ten shades of red with trepidation, exasperation, and disbelief all, somehow, contorting her facial features. Eyebrow twitching, tiny, fragile fist clenched and eyes as wide as Naruto's ramen bowl after a day of training...Sakura could only manage a stutter full of indignation.
With a mocking statement of "Come along now...wouldn't want you to be late" and a barely perceptible motion of his hand, reaching for Icha Icha, Kakashi started down the trail once more. 'Well this is going to be interesting...better keep an eye out for her retaliation' Was the copy nin's last thought as he listened carefully for, either the thud of his subordinate hitting the ground or her soft footfalls when she decides to follow, his teammate before his mind was encompassed in everything that is Icha Icha Tactics.
So it begins.
A/N: Please tell me what you think, reviews are so much appreciated! I plan on making this story quite entertaining, so please stick with me!