This is a one-shot, so enjoy.
Editor: RBMIfan
Author: BasicallyAnIdiot
Warning: This takes place 13 years after the chunin exam.
'Thinking'
"Talking"
'ANBU hand-signs'
It took me a long time to type this up, so hope you enjoy. Now, with out further delay, on with the show!
Ordinary Day (One-shot)
&&&&&& Starting... Opening... Whatever. &&&&&&&
The golden rays of the sun spread warmth over the waking village as the fiery ball rose over the horizon, signaling the beginning of a new day. Well, for the civilians anyway. The shinobi had been up since four in the morning.
The ANBU assigned to protect the village were already well in place. Their tireless vigil was a familiar and comforting sight to the villagers, but underneath their treasured masks the shinobi were silently rejoicing that they hadn't been assigned to protect the Hokage It was generally agreed that the shinobi assigned to her were the ones most in need of protection. The several teams already sent to the hospital said that they pitied anyone stupid enough to attack her.
During times of relative peace there were only four ANBU assigned to protect the village, one for each side (I made that up). The ANBU assigned to the north side surveyed the street he was on, agate eyes narrowed. The village was just beginning to stir, the marketplace beginning to come alive.
His gaze stopped at the Yamanaka flower shop, where the owner was currently ragging out a would-be-thief. Shortly after becoming a chunin, Ino Yamanaka opened up a flower shop that was an instant success. Though she was good enough to pass the jounin exams she chose not to take them, since if she was promoted to jounin she wouldn't have time to tend to her shop. The ANBU winced as a loud smack echoed through the street. 'I was under the impression that shinobi control their emotions at all times.' He thought idly.
A glare from behind him made him whirl to see a Lynx ANBU turned his way. 'I wonder what Neji's mad about now.'
Hyuuga Neji was promoted to ANBU a few years ago. He was still his cold, impassionate self, though he was also still overprotective of Hinata.
Tenten was usually the only person who could elicit a warm response from him. Neji's hand started to move discreetly in the hand-signs used by ANBU for messages 'Fox, get that Yamanaka girl to shut up.'
The fox-masked ANBU chuckled at that before replying. 'Nah, some idiot tried to steal from her. She's allowed to have some fun, unfortunately for him. How are things over there?'
'Completely dead. How about you?'
'Same, except for Ino.'
After finishing the conversation he continued his rounds. A few hours later he spotted the cherry-pink hair of Haruno Sakura. With her was none other than the heir to the Hyuuga clan, Hyuuga Hinata.
Sakura was 25 years old now and expecting a baby in 4 months. Most saw this as disgraceful, since she was not apparently married. However, her close friends knew that she had secretly eloped with Uchiha Sasuke.
Hinata had grown into a powerful kunoichi and a confident woman. She regularly sparred with Neji and nowadays won more often then not. Even her father had to admit that she was going to make a fine leader for the Hyuuga clan. She even managed to gain the favor of the Branch House by eliminating the curse seal.
Fox was about to go over to the two, when he heard a sharp whistle coming from the west. Looked over to see a Dog-masked ANBU running towards him, a large dog at his side.
Kiba had been an ANBU only six months and was still considered a newbie by the more experienced member. Akamaru was no longer a puppy and gave most shinobi pause, though Kiba complained that he back talked much more often now.
'Look at your watch.' Kiba motioned with his hands.
'What? Why?' Fox was confused.
'Check the time'
Sighing, he pulled back his sleeve to look at his watch. It was 11:29. Fox smirked in realization and retreated to a safe place to watch the next minute with Dog and Lynx. Suddenly the earth seemed to shake as a huge dust cloud came from the west. 'Right on time.' Fox thought, amused. For it was well known in Konoha that where ever there's a dust cloud, there are fangirls and where ever there are fangirls there is Uchiha Sasuke.
Said shinobi rounded the corner, running like his life depended on it. Which it probably did. Most of the villagers just shook their heads in sympathy.
The 25 year old had already had his showdown with Itachi and had ultimately defeated him. However, the crafty missing-nin had managed to escape and had disappeared somewhere. An unspoken agreement between the brothers happened that day, both agreeing that their fight with each other was ended.
Sasuke had also put Orochimaru behind him. When the snake master had attempted to possess his bode, Sasuke's will had proved to be stronger. Orochimaru's mind was destroyed in the resulting battle and Sasuke had gone on to destroy all of the scrolls of jutsu Orochimaru set up. Sasuke had eventually earned back the trust of Konoha and was now a raven-masked ANBU.
The ANBU watching the spectacle noticed the Uchiha mouthing something along the lines of "stupid fangirls", "run faster" and a large amount of colourful language. Sasuke spotted the ANBU and sent a message. 'Help me!'
'It's your own fault if you don't want to tell them you're married.' Fox messaged back, grinning behind his mask.
'I'll tell Hinata...'
'Whaat? Fine.' Ever since Hinata learned the Godaime's 'freakish strength' she had gotten a lot more respect from the male population. Because nobody wanted that strength aimed at them.
The Fox ANBU reached into his bag and pulled out a smoke bomb, or at least it looked like a smoke bomb.
It was actually a new invention of his, a green and orange colour bomb. The fangirls, conveniently enough, were wearing all white. Fox smirked; he'd been waiting for a chance to try this out for a while. He dropped the bomb before diving for cover.
A few seconds and one coughing Sasuke later the shinobi had made a clean getaway. In his relief he almost hugged the Fox ANBU. Almost.
The shinobi were distracted from their celebrating when a piercing scream echoed through the village. A loud slap and another shirk of "Pervert!" followed, coming from the spas to the east. Fox grinned at the Bug-masked ANBU who patrolled the east side of the city.
"Looks like Ero-sensei 's home for a visit. Shouldn't you go and break them up? Good luck." He said to the ANBU ' As if Shino needs it.' He thought as the shinobi disappeared.
Shino had been an ANBU for 5 years. He'd actually gotten a girlfriend who just happened to love bugs as much as he did. Everyone still wondered what she saw in him.
Everyone hung around for a while longer, the reason becoming clear when Jiraiya came flying through the air above them, landing somewhere on the other side of Konoha. Bug walked up to them shortly after, rubbing his wrists. "He's your problem now, Fox."
Fox scowled at him. "Hey, wait. Where's the chunin proctor?"
"Oh, you mean Shikamaru? He's out looking at clouds." Dog informed them.
"Well, tell him to get back on track." Bug said, annoyed.
"Alright, but I don't think he cares." Dog said as hr fished out a bird from nowhere in particular. He attached a hastily scrawled note to its leg and let it go. A moment later they could see Shikamaru running down from his favorite cloud watching spot.
"What did you put in that letter?" Fox asked Dog, never having seen the lazy shinobi run so fast.
Kiba was probably smirking under his mask. "I told him that if he if he didn't get his butt back to the exams we'd give him a Maito Gai hairstyle."
"Nobody deserves that." Lynx commented, and Fox could have sworn he saw him shiver. Not that he blamed him.
"Speaking of Gai, where is he?" Bug spoke up.
"He and Lee are running around Konoha on their backs." Lynx replied.
"Is that possible?"
"It would mentally scar you for life if you saw. Believe me." Lynx shuddered again.
It was mid-afternoon when Fox noticed a slip of paper on the ground. Curious, he picked it up, going through the usually examination for poison or traps. Upon finding it safe, he realized that it was for the Hokage.
"Who wants to give this to the Hokage?" Fox asked, showing the paper. The reply was unanimous.
"No way in Hell." Dog said, backing off.
"It's my destiny to live a long life." Lynx followed Dog.
"You're the captain, it's your responsibility." Bug didn't actually back away, but there was a note of panic in his voice if you listened really, really, really hard.
Fox sighed. "Alright. But before I go, I want to say that it was pleasure to work with you all."
With that said, Fox took off towards the Hokage's place while the others stayed behind to pray for their friend's safety.
"Hokage-sama." Fox began as he walked in to the Hokage's office. He stopped short at what he saw at what he saw. Kakashi was crying over the torn mess that was probably "Icha Icha Paradise". Anko was curled up in a ball sucking her thumb, her ANBU snake-mask lying beside her. No one is quite sure how exactly she got into the ANBU ranks. Asuma was pinned to the wall with several kunai, including one near where it counts, his eyes wide. He seemed to be in shock.
"Do any of you know where Hokage-sama is?" Fox ventured to ask.
"I-in the meeting room." Kakashi answered between sniffles.
"Looks like I'll live to see another day after all." Fox said in a relieved voice, placing the paper down on the Hokage's desk. He was just about to leave when he heard the door open and close behind him. He turned around slowly to see the Hokage standing right behind him.
"What are you doing?" She asked ominously. Around her the three frightened ninja shank back. Well, Asuma tried to shrink back.
"Ah. I found a paper that's for you." Fox explained nervously, inching toward the door. The Hokage's eye twitched, Fox gulped. If he planed to live he'd better leave. Now. There was an afterimage of the fleeing ANBU as Tsunade punched the wall where the shinobi had been a second before.
The other shinobi jumped up at the sight of Fox returning.
"Fox! You're alive! How?" Dog exclaimed.
"I dropped the sheet on her desk and ran for it." Fox grinned behind his mask.
"Why didn't I ever think of that?" Dog complained.
"Because you're an idiot." Lynx stated coldly.
&&&&&& Ending... Finished... Whatever.&&&&&&&
Well that's that. Hope you like. Reviews are welcomed, as are flames (Used for marshmellow cooking), comments and questions.