Chapter One

Having returned from their mission to wave, Team Seven entered the gates of Konoha. Soon as they did so, Sakura asked Sasuke if he wanted to go get some lunch with her. Sasuke just hned, and proceeded to walk away, leaving Sakura feeling rejected. Naruto tells Sakura that he would go with her. This earns him a punch to the head, that knocks him to the ground. As Sakura leaves, and Naruto nurses the bump on his head, Kakashi tells him that he is dismissed and that he will report to The Hokage about their mission. As Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke, Naruto got to his feet and headed towards Ichiraku's.

Arriving outside the mission acceptance room, Kakashi made his way inside and found The Hokage looking over a scroll. As Kakashi came to stand before him, The Hokage looked up. "Was your mission successful, Kakashi?" asked The Hokage.

"Yes sir it was" said Kakashi. "I take it you got my message, about the mission becoming a B or maybe even A rank".

"Yes I did" said The Hokage. "And I will make sure you and your team, is payed accordingly". Kakashi said a thank you, bowed and started to leave. "Kakashi, I have another mission for you"

Kakashi turned back to The Hokage. "With all do respect sir, my team just had a very hard mission. Surely there is someone else who can take this one."

"I never said the mission was for your team, Kakashi" said The Hokage. "It is for you alone. However, if you wish to take your team along, you may do so."

"What kind of mission is it, sir?" asked Kakashi.

"It is another escort mission" said The Hokage. "There is a young woman living in Kusa, that wishes to return to Konoha with her son. She requested that you personally be the one to escort her."

"Do you know who the woman is?" asked Kakashi.

"No I don't" said The Hokage. The message arrived by way of a merchant two days ago. All he said, was that he was asked to deliver the message to me, and to make sure you was the one who received the mission. Here's the message if you would like to read over it", holds out the scroll he had been reading.

Kakashi took the scroll, and opening it began to read to himself. After some minutes had passed, he closed the scroll, and returned it to The Hokage. "I will inform my team of the mission, and see if they wish to accompany me."

"Very well" said The Hokage. "You're dismissed".

Kakashi gave a bow, and left the room to go find his team. A few minutes after Kakashi had left, a black cat jumped up onto the table.

"So Kakashi is coming, correct?" asked the cat.

"Yes he is" said The Hokage. "Inform your mistress that he will be there in a few days. You might want to also mention, that his genin team will be joining him."

"I will inform my mistress of everything, Hokage-sama" said the cat. I will see you again, once Kakashi has arrived and met with my mistress". The cat gives a bow, and disappears in a puff of smoke.

"It will be so good to see her again" said The Hokage to himself. "But I wonder why she has hidden her-self all this time."

As The Hokage continued to think about this development, Kakashi had found Naruto still at Ichiraku's. "You really should eat more then just ramen, Naruto" said Kakashi.

"But it is so good, Kakashi-sensei" said Naruto, finishing his eighth bowl. "So, what can I do for you, sensei?"

"Hokage-sama has given me a escort mission" said Kakashi. I thought I would see, if you and the others wanted to accompany me."

"When do we leave?" asked Naruto, taking out his wallet.

"We will leave soon as I found out if you all are going, and we are packed" said Kakashi. "Since you are going with me, go pack for a two week trip. I will go find Sakura and Sasuke, and see what they wish to do."

As Kakashi left, Naruto paid for his food and then headed home to pack. Kakashi soon found Sasuke and Sakura at the training ground, and informed them about his mission. Sakura protested, about them having just returned from a mission and that Saskue needed time to heal. Sasuke informed Kakashi that he would go with him. Sakura started to try and convince Sasuke not to go, but Kakashi cut over her by telling them to prepare for two week trip. Kakashi then left to prepare himself. Soon as Kakashi was gone, Sakura told Sasuke that he needed to be resting. He just ignored her, and left so he could prepare for the mission.

An hour later, Team Seven was waiting at the front gate, for Kakashi to show up. Forty five minutes later Kakashi arrived, and told them some lie about why he was late, which earned him a shout from Naruto and Sakura. "Anyway" said Kakashi, giving a eye smile. "Allow me to fully explain this mission. We are headed to Kusa, where we will meet with a woman and her son. We are to then escort them back here to Konoha. If there are no questions, let's be on our way". Kakashi didn't wait for his team to answer or ask any questions. He made his way out of the gate, and was soon jumping up into the trees.
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Four days later, Team Seven arrived outside of Kusa. Heading towards the village, they were greeted by a black haired man. "Are you folks from Konoha by chance?" asked the man.

"We are" said Kakashi.

"Then you must be Hatake Kakashi" said the man. If you will follow me, I will take you to where the woman you need to escort is." The man stands up and starts to head towards the forest. Team Seven was a little reluctant, but getting a ok from Kakashi they followed the man. After some time walking, they exited the forest,and came upon a strange sight.

"What is this?" asked Naruto.

"This is a maze" said the man, turning to face them.

"I thought you was leading us, to our client" said Kakashi.

"I am" said the man. She is on the other side of this maze."

"Then we just go around it, and meet her" said Sakura.

"No you don't" said the man. You must go through the maze. Reason for this, is that the woman you are escorting, needs to test your abilities before she allows you to meet her. In order to do that, you four will enter the maze, and face the challenges she has set up. They will range from nin-jutsu, gen-jutsu, and a few opponents in tai-jutsu. Only if you reach the end of the maze, will you be allowed to meet the woman."

"I can assure you, I am skilled enough to protect this woman" said Naruto.

"You may be" said the man. But words aren't enough, when the safety of her son is involved. She trusts results. And the only way to do that, is to enter here and show her your skills."

As the four of them head towards the maze entrance, the man calls out to them. "I forgot to mention something. You can not do this test as a team. She wants to see your individual skills. Therefore once you enter the maze, each of you will select a path and take it. Kakashi-san, you will have to take the left path, since it is set up in a higher skill level then the others. Also, I need to inform you that once you start down your chosen path, you can not come back out the way you entered. You must complete the path you choose, or fail." The man then makes a handsign, and vanishes in a puff of smoke.

As the four of them looked at the maze, Sakura asked. "What are we going to do, Kakashi-sensei?"

"I have to go through the maze, since I was personally requested by this woman" said Kakashi. I will leave it up to you three, if you wish to attempt this test."

"I'm definitely going" said Naruto.

"As will I" said Sasuke.

Sakura was very hesitant on her decision. "Come on Sakura-chan" said Naruto. Surely this isn't as hard as it was when we took Kakashi-sensei's test."

"But I..."

"Sakura-chan, you might not accept it, but I believe in you" said Naruto. If you set your mind to it, you can do anything."

Sakura looks over and Sasuke, and sees him give a very sight nod of his head. "Alright, let's do this" said Sakura.

The four of them enter the maze, and notice that there are four paths heading off in different directions. One to the right, two straight ahead, and one off to the left. Since Kakashi had been told to take the left path, he entered that one. Soon as he did, a wall appeared behind him sealing him off from the others. Sakura called out to him, and received a reply that he was ok.

"That explains the part of not being able to return" said Sasuke, heading off to the right path.

"Sasuke-kun?" called Sakura, as Sasuke entered the path and a wall cut him off from her and Naruto.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Sakura turned to see Naruto smiling at her. "Come on Sakura-chan" he said. She nodded at him, and took the right side straight path, will he took the left one. "See you at the end, Sakura-chan!" called Naruto, running into his chosen path. Sakura took off as well, a few moments later.

In another part of the forest, a woman with shoulder length black hair was watching a small boy chase squirrels. Hearing a sound behind her, she turned around and saw the black haired man. "They have all entered the maze" he said.

"Good" said the woman, turning back to the boy. I can't wait to see Kashi-kun again, after all of these years." Hearing a sound again, the woman knew the man had dispelled himself. Giving a smile, the woman sat down on the ground and continued to watch her son play.

End of Chapter One

(A/N: This might have had to much talking in it, but I hope it is ok. I probably should have made it longer, but I didn't really want to go into the maze test this time, and I can't think of anything else, except that.)