Author's Note: I'm back! And I'm sure that FF is still copying my first sentences. However, like I said, I'm back with the second round of the Adventures series. Please hold your applause. I was so impressed by all the readers that gathered to read Adventures in Babysitting that I decided that we might as well have a series. Picks up where Babysitting left off. This is a short introduction to get things rolling!
Please note the name Sumiko means pure, genuine, or beautiful. The name Satoshi means clear thinking, quick wit, and wise. The name Hiroki means abundant joy and strength. The name Yasu means tranquil.
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Introduction: The Consequences of Being Busted
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Team Kakashi—minus Kakashi—currently occupied a bench outside of the hokage's office. They were exhausted from a week's worth of babysitting and had been given merely four hours relief before they found themselves summoned to the hokage's office…
Three tired teens trudged through the barely lit streets of Konoha. All were coming from different directions toward the path that would lead them to their infinite doom.
"Naruto…" came a tired plea as the medic stood with slumped shoulders watching as her teammate headed in the wrong direction, "Naruto, please…"
Oh Kami, she was desperate…she had resorted to kindness…
The Uchiha rounded the corner to find the tired female pleading and the sleepwalking blonde heading in the direction of Ichiraku. With a sigh, relieved that he still maintained some level of cognitive thinking he managed to snag the back of Naruto's shirt and proceeded to lead him in the right direction.
Along the way the Uchiha managed to drag Naruto and helped the medic avoid a bench, a tree, and the occasional mailbox.
Too. Many. Stairs.
"Just leave me teme!" whined Naruto at the sight of several more flights before him.
"Hn," began the Uchiha holding onto the banister to steady himself, "What are you complaining about? I'm the one hauling your lazy ass up the stairs," but there was no fight behind his voice, he was far too tired and currently seeing two Naruto's instead of one and the form of a medic nin leaning over the banister.
Thank Kami yet again, for he was lucky enough to pull her back before she completely toppled over the rail…
When they finally made it to the very top of the hokage tower their first plan of action was to take refuge on the free bench before them. Shizune's information that the hokage was currently busy (more than likely passed out at her desk) was all the push that they needed to claim the bench as their own…
Shizune pitied the trio of tired teens. The normally hyperactive blonde was sitting with his shoulders slumped forward, his head bobbing slightly as he tried to stay awake. The medic sat in the middle looking no better than her first companion as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. Even the Uchiha's head was bobbing as he sat with crossed arms. Shizune wondered what kind of mission the trio had endured to leave them in this sort of condition.
"Sakura-chan?" came a pathetic voice.
"Hai Naruto?" came an equally pathetic and rather lifeless reply.
"What do you think Baa-chan is going to do with us?"
Sakura cringed remembering her training, "Oh it's going to be painful…"
The trio sighed imagining the hokage on the other side of the door probably dreaming up their fates even as they spoke. Before the domino effect could be proven the trio was called to attention by Shizune.
"Here goes nothing," muttered Naruto slowly getting up from the bench with a yawn.
Sakura and Sasuke slowly followed suit…
"Let's just get this over with," murmured Sasuke trying to suppress a yawn.
"Shishou yells, we apologize, she thinks of a way to punish us, we sleep," informed Sakura.
"Hai," came two hopeful sounding replies.
They slowly dragged themselves into the hokage's office. Her mouth opened then closed as she regarded them. Their clothes were wrinkled, their hair shot out in more peculiar angles than usual, and they appeared to be completely oblivious to the trouble they were in.
Naruto appeared to be in a world of his own. Sakura was tilting toward the Uchiha. The Uchiha had enough life in him to take hold of her arm and steady the medic.
"You three," began the hokage, her elbows on the desktop and her fingers laced as almond eyes surveyed the pitiful teens.
"Hai," came a reply from the female, although it couldn't be determined if it was a question or a statement, and an accompanying, "Hn." And after a few jars to the ribs another, "Huh?" from the blonde followed.
Tsunade sighed, how on Earth was she supposed to have fun dishing out their punishment when they looked so pathetic standing before her?
THUD
Sasuke and Sakura were on high alert—well as alert as a half dead ninja can be—Sakura looked in every direction resembling her twelve year old self on her first day of training; Sasuke sighed as the source of the sound was detected, tapping the female on the shoulder and motioning to a blonde haired heap on the floor.
Two out of three teens jumped as the hokage's fist crashed down on the desktop.
"Are we under attack?!" cried Naruto sitting on the floor and blinking, "Get down Sakura-chan!"
THUD
The Uchiha's eyes widened as Naruto took down the medic of their team, his eyebrow rose for the medic appeared to not have enough life in her to remove the blonde from her person, and his eyes slowly shifted to the frightening looking face of the hokage. He cleared his throat, hands in his pockets and nudged the dobe with his foot.
"I've been hit!" wailed the blonde on the floor as he collapsed along side of the medic…who was apparently taking this opportunity to take a nap…
…Leaving the Uchiha with an aloof face which would have worked had his eyelids not been drooping…
10 minutes later…
"Now that I have your full attention," announced Tsunade sending each one a glare having seated them all in wooden chairs before her scrutiny.
Tsunade's school of hard knocks is now in session…
"I will now inform you why I had you summoned…"
"About time, I want to go back to sleep," whined Naruto.
Sasuke and Sakura cautiously moved their chairs to the left to distance themselves from Naruto and the hokage's perhaps not so accurate aim when throwing blunt objects.
"What was that?!" fumed Tsunade, glaring at the oblivious Naruto while two teens sweatdropped.
"Nothing Shishou…" obediently complied Sakura with a weak smile, "Please continue."
"As I was saying," the hokage began once more, "you three are being held liable for damages rendered by an ice cream truck…"
All three glared at nothing in particular their thoughts running parallel:
Ino has a very big mouth.
"And the existing bill for four hundred opened boxes of cereal from that district."
And Kakashi's a cheap bastard.
"I have decided that in order to pay for your actions, you will be sent on an A Rank mission."
"Oh Kami!" cried Naruto at her announcement.
Sakura hung her head in defeat while the Uchiha pinched the bridge of his nose trying to rid himself of the idea.
"What the hell is wrong with you three?" questioned Tsunade completely baffled by their behavior.
Considering their last A Rank mission was babysitting three hellish children could you really blame them for being so enthusiastic?
"Listen up," came the serious voice of the hokage as she regarded them, "I'm only going to tell you this once and the mission details will be brief. As of today you are no longer citizens of Konoha."
Sakura's eyes widened, the Uchiha's composure faltered, and Naruto's scream penetrated their ears, "Oh Kami! Baa-chan's exiled us," his hands plastered to the sides of his face.
"Shut up you brat!" cried the hokage, reaching into her desk drawer for her beloved sake to calm her down.
Silence
Three sets of eyes bore into her own as she sighed, "You're not being exiled. Its part of the mission," she rolled her eyes taking a sip of her favored drink, "Now listen, I wouldn't be sending you three out if you didn't fit the mission specifics so well. Kami knows you're still in a lot of trouble; however, the money that you'll get from this mission should be enough to pay for the damages incurred from your last mission. But since I have no choice in the matter, here is your mission."
They waited with looks of anticipation and a bit of a terror as she regarded them with a serious expression.
"Sakura as of today you are Hayagashi Sumiko, hime to one of the hidden nations of Kirigakure. You are a hime who practices in medical ninjustu for your father felt that it would benefit you when the time comes for you to marry. You will travel to the village hidden in the lake. Little is known of this village, it was thought that the village was simply a myth; however, recent findings indicate that a village may actually be hidden within one of the lakes found in the outer region of Kirigakure. Two weeks ago a messenger arrived in your village claiming to have been sent by the master of the village hidden in the lake. Sumiko your father has sent you as an ambassador," she reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a scroll, "You will meet a messenger at the site indicated on this map within two days. You will be accompanied by your most trusted companion," her eyes fell upon the Uchiha, "Sagara Satoshi. It will be his responsibility to protect you from any harm that you may encounter. This mission could prove to be an assassination attempt on your life hime. You and your companion must gather information and secretly transmit it to the hime's father. All of the information you need will be within this scroll. Do not lose it for you will need to give it to the messenger for the village hidden in the lake. Do you understand what has been said to you?"
If you could imagine three thought bubbles above each of their heads it would look like this:
Uchiha Sasuke: What the hell?
Haruno Sakura: Hime?
Uzumaki Naruto: A scribbled mess of illegible words.
Tsunade sighed as a knock was heard from the office door, "Come in. Kakashi will not be accompanying you on this mission. Therefore…"
The door opened and a shy girl walked in, "You called for me Tsunade-sama?" She blinked at the sight of the disheveled trio.
"Hai, please close the door," informed Tsunade waiting until the timid girl had gotten over the shock of Team Kakashi and continued, "You have been selected for an A Rank mission. I'm afraid I must be brief, the hime to one of the nations of Kirigakure," she motioned to Sakura, "Hayagashi Sumiko will be accompanied to the village hidden in the lake by," she motioned her hand toward Sasuke, "Sagara Satoshi her most trusted companion. This will be a mission of espionage to gather information regarding the village hidden in the lake found on the outer borders of Kirigakure. You," she smiled at Hinata, "Ibaraki Yasu and your husband," she motioned toward Naruto and arched an eyebrow at Hinata who looked like she was going to faint, "Uh…your husband Ibaraki Hiroki…"
THUD
Tsunade rubbed her temples before pouring herself another drink. Shizune was so much better at explaining things to people. She looked over the edge of her glass to see Naruto fretting over the fainted Hinata and Sakura and Sasuke obviously having a private conversation as the girl shrugged in response to his question.
10 minutes later…
Another student had been added to Tsunade's school of hard knocks. The room was slightly smaller as four chairs were now placed in front of the hokage's desk.
"Now listen up—
A knock came from the side door, the hokage sighed, and four sets of eyes fell on the door…
"Looks like we've run out of time," remarked the hokage with a sigh, "Very well then. Sumiko and Satoshi please proceed to exit through the side door of my office."
Sakura and Sasuke hesitantly stood with a silent conversation passing amongst them as they locked eyes. Naruto went to stand up but whether it was due to the timid tug on his sleeve or the frightening look on the hokage's face he refrained from doing so. Sakura shot a weak smile to Naruto as if reassuring him that everything would be alright and followed after Sasuke.
"Good luck you two," informed the hokage as the pair made their way to the door, "And Satoshi, let no harm come to the hime you hear me?"
Sasuke replied with a hn clearly understanding the hokage's words and slowly opened the door. Sakura gave a smile to her shishou as she was passed the scroll, sending a quick wave to Naruto before disappearing into the next room the door quietly closing behind them.
The hokage turned her attention back to the gasping blonde and the blushing girl and sighed, "As for you two, listen up and I'll go more in depth with your mission…"
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Her first thoughts were it was dark. Correction it was very dark. And smacking into your companion's back is a little embarrassing. Sasuke merely gave a hn feeling her arms wrap around his torso at the impact.
"Gomen," she whispered embarrassedly.
The Uchiha didn't have time to respond as light suddenly filled the room. Both teens blinked at the sudden brightness. However, that wasn't the reason for the widening of their eyes. There standing before them were two teens, a girl in a ceremonial kimono to inform you of her rank and the male a soldier to the royalty before them.
"Please follow me," informed the girl, "we have little time to teach you," she turned walking down the hallway her footsteps echoing.
Sakura stood not caring that her arms were still around the Uchiha's torso, "Teach us?" The entire situation was still trying to process within her mind.
The girl turned her head to the side with a smile, "How to be us of course."
The bodyguard arched an eyebrow at the pair and a look of disbelief appeared on his face. These two were supposed to take their places and pull off this mission when they couldn't even fathom what was happening? He rolled his eyes and followed after his hime leaving the teens.
Sasuke gently took Sakura's hand untangling her arms from around him, "Apparently that was Sumiko and Satoshi."
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Hope that you enjoyed the introduction. I have a lot of fun ideas for this adventure. Stay tuned and send a review.
