Naruto sighed as he showed up at the Hokage's office. He entered and saw Hinata, Sakura, Kiba and Lee already there along with Kakashi and Tsunade. "Now that everyone is here, I'll explain the mission." Tsunade sighed out.
"You will be guarding a highly respected person in from the land of fire all the way to the island of dreams. Many ninja and bandits will target you in this mission. You are to guard her and her son back, they've been on vacation on the islands of foam. They've needed to get some quiet and peace other than the joy of their homeland. They wanted something new." Tsunade explained.
"Um, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked, the woman in front of them nodded to her. "Who are we guarding?" she stated the question in everyone's mind.
"princess Hitari and her son Hokaru." Shizune spoke up for the first time since Naruto showed up.
"We're guarding a princess?" Kiba stated in amazement. "Wait! What rank is it? I mean if we're guarding a princess, wouldn't she want something more than Genin to guard her?" Kiba asked confused.
"it's B-ranked Kiba." Kakashi sighed out.
The Genin gasped in shock. "You're right. But she needs younger people cause they have more energy." Tsunade sighed.
Hinata spoke up for the first time since that morning, "A-Ano? W-when do w-we meet them?" she asked.
"Oh right, thanks for putting us back on course Hinata." Tsunade smiled at her, causing the girl to blush abit. "She should arrive in about three hours, so you have two and a half hours to get ready and then wait to meet with them and then leave." she nodded to them.
"Oh, you're also going to need your summer clothes on account it's the middle of summer and you'll be going through a desert about half way through." Shizune added.
"Wait." Naruto said startling them with his serious voice. "I thought the land of dreams was an island." he said in confusion.
"Oh right, you'll be going by boat once you get to the land of the shark." Tsunade said. "Kakashi will be your captain, and you co-captain will be…" she looked at each of them for a moment before looking back at Kakashi, who nodded. "Naruto." she finished.
Everyone gasped and looked toward him. "Me?" Naruto asked in shock.
"Yes. You've earned it. And Kakashi told me about your duo mission with him last week when you were attacked while he was patrolling camp. You thought quick and the Noble you were guarding said he was amazed by your performance. It's only fair I give you a chance." Tsunade smiled warmly at him.
"Thanks a lot Tsunade-Baba!" he said jumping up and giving her a hug with a smile only he could make.
"And this'll be great training to become Hokage." Tsunade added and Naruto grinned even more as he let go.
"Ah come on!" Kiba complained. "Why does he get to be captain? We're all just as capable." He said.
"Shut it Kiba. He earned it. Besides, you're just upset that our mission that we had together with Hinata went poorly when you were captain last." Sakura scoffed.
"Sakura-chan is right!" Lee exclaimed with a smile. "WE MUST LET OUR FLAMES OF YOUTH FOLLOW NARUTO-KUN TO SEE HOW BETTER HE'S GOTTEN!" he shouted giving his nice guy pose.
"Well it would have been better if I hadn't been placed on Sakura's team." Kiba scoffed. "I mean when I'm on Naruto's team, or my own team with team 8 or anyone else, I'm fine. But with Sakura, it was hectic, even with Hinata there to help us try to stay calm, I just couldn't think strait with her there." Kiba complained.
Naruto through this whole argument stayed quiet. A-Ano?" Hinata started and they looked at her. "I-I think w-we should stop b-bickering and get g-going." she said and they smiled at her and then nodded.
"Hinata-chan?" Naruto whispered to her and she looked at him and smiled softly before walking off. Leaving Naruto alone with Tsunade, Shizune, and Kakashi. "I don't think Kiba likes that I got captain and he didn't." he sighed out.
"He's just jealous." Shizune said with a soft smile.
"Thanks Shizune. I should go get ready." he walked to the door and looked over his shoulder. "If you're late again Kakashi-sensei…" his sensei looked at him. "…I bombard you with raw eggs again." Kakashi shivered and Naruto left with a smirk.
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They sighed and showed up five minutes early each except for Kakashi, who came right in time. "You're early." everyone but Naruto said in shock.
They noticed Kakashi glare at Naruto before sitting down against a tree. They looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. "I threatened to bombard him with eggs like I did last time I made the threat and I said I'd do it again if he was late today." Naruto smirked and they had to stifle laughter.
About twenty minutes later two carriages with two horses pulling each with stuff in one that was white and the main area for resting in the blue and white one. They came to a halt and a girl about twenty-six walked out of one and smiled brightly at them.
"Good morning, I really appreciate that you'd do this for me. My son and I are very grateful. I hope we run into no trouble on our month long journey to the land of dreams in the islands of sky." she bowed to them and they bowed back.
"We sure hope you are all ready and have all the food and equipment to make this long journey as well." Kakashi said and bowed again.
"Of course. I, princess Hitari, is the most careful of all the royal family. I brought a first aid kit, I have a few sets of clothes and I have plenty of food to last us for 2 more months." the princess smiled at his concern.
"We would like to set out now if you don't mind Hitari-hemi." Kakashi said.
"Sure thing." she blushed with a shy smile as she got back into the carriage.
They went for awhile until they decided to set up camp at sundown they had run into bandit once, but they said they'd do a better strategy later on the next day. "I don't think I ever got you names." Hitari said with a frown.
"Oh, this is Sakura, Hinata, Kiba, Lee, and Naruto." He pointed at each of them.
"Nice to meet all of you." She smiled. And arrow with a suction cup at the end came flying through the air and landed on Naruto's headband, pushing him backwards making him have to flip to get back to his feet.
Naruto looked in the direction of the arrow and saw a boy putting a bow away. "That could've been the end of you life you know." the boy said as if he was always right. "Are you sure we can trust these guys to protect us mom? I mean that one could've died right now because he's such an idiot." the boy said to Hitari.
All the members of the guards other than Naruto thought one thing. 'this isn't good' Naruto glared at the small boy. "Why don't you tell that to someone who agrees with you. You little bra-" he was cut off when Kakashi had him in a head lock with his hand over his mouth.
"Calm down Naruto." he said with a sigh.
Naruto nodded and took a deep breath when Kakashi finally let go. "Pathetic." the boy sneered going back into the carriage.
Princess Hitari gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about Hokaru, he's really tired from travel." and she ran back inside the carriage to go to bed and help talk to the small boy.
"That little brat." Naruto mumbled under his breath getting into his sleeping bag and falling asleep instantly.
"Naruto…" Sakura sighed out shaking her head as she and the others got ready for bed and Kakashi took first watch.
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Yay! First chapter of my next story is done!