I
"It's been years that we don't go together in a mission, Kakashi sensei!" Sakura smiled at them. In fact, the last time the four of them got together was to try to rescue Sasuke from Orochimaru's claws, and they were, obviously, unsuccessful, for Sasuke was, by the time, blind for his need of revenge against his brother, Itachi Uchiha.
"Hmpf" Sasuke muttered "And even though it's been years, it feels like the first time ever. Except, only, if you miss that weak awkward Sai boy you tried to replace me with."
"Hey! Don't talk about Sai like that! He is a nice guy behind that tiny mini tank top he wears!" shouted Naruto. "Ok, he was a secret agent and ok, he is now hanging out with that annoying Ino, but who cares? He is a nice guy, that Sai boy!"
"Yes, but only behind that tiny mini tank top" laughed Kakashi "You said yourself that you thought he was a girl the first time you saw him, Naruto"
They jumped from branch to branch of the forest's tall trees. Jump by jump, they got further and further from Konoha, uncertain about their destiny, except for Kakashi, who was the only one who knew where they were going to.
Kakashi didn't give them many explanations or details about this mission. He only said he needed them three and that another ninja would meet them halfway. He also said they were heading to Fire village, and little they knew about this fire village, only that there was the home of the Geisha tradition. Women in fire village were known for their appealing beauty: soft skins, bright hair, sweet voices and delicate moves that would hide powerful and dangerous ninjas under their makeup and robes. Fire village was one of the most distant lands, they had ever been to.
"Kakashi, what are we looking for at this village?" questioned Sasuke, yet, there was no answer from Kakashi. Seconds later, he tried again "Something was stolen, someone was killed?" and yet, only silence, what made him a little stressed "Oh, please, Kakashi! You can't just make a surprise out of everything! We need to know what expects us out there!"
"That's true Kakashi sensei! You didn't say anything about the mission! What if we are about to be attacked?" said Naruto in a high tone of voice.
Kakashi took a deep breath and said "We are going to bring a girl from that village to Konoha with us." his voice sounded said and blue. The forest grew darker and darker, more and more distant, darker and darker, as the chill wind announced the twilight and the beginning of the night. The group stopped by a glade in the forest. It was almost dark, the moon could be seen along with the stars and they could hear the waters of a river running somewhere at east.
"We are camping here today. Tomorrow we shall arrive at our destiny around lunch time. We need fire. I can be watching and then we can take turns. Sasuke and I will organize everything here for us. Naruto and Sakura can find us wood and maybe some fish from the river."
The two nodded and left. As they walked among the leaves, and broken branches and green grass, without saying a word, they rejoiced each other's company. When they got to the river, they could feel the night's wind running against their skin. Finally, Naruto broke the silence. "They'd better light up that fire, because I don't wanna be soaking wet this night."
"They are great ninja, Naruto-kun. And Kakashi is our Hokage-sama. Do you really believe that they won't be able to light up fire for us?" she said taking her sandals off. But the reality was that she was feeling cold too.
"Wait a minute!" said Naruto making a hands position "Shadow clone jutsu!" with a puff of smoke, another Naruto popped out in front of them, and he then led to the river. As he was going, he could be heard saying 'why don't those two lazy go there instead of me? I'm too handsome to be doing this!'
"Brilliant!" said Sakura. '"Oh, Naruto-kun... Sometimes I forget how much you grew as a ninja and as a man! I still look at you as if you were that hyperactive boy, totally clueless about the world round you..."
Naruto smiled "I am still hyperactive."
"Clueless, but you've got Hinata" Sakura said full of malice. Naruto pretended he didn't hear, but he did. "Oh, Naruto-kun! I am your friend! We have been friends for years, why don't you just confirm what everyone knows already?"
"Because you won't confirm that you have been sleeping with Sasuke, will you?" he snapped back. Sakura blushed and Naruto laughed "Maybe he is closer to me than you are, and maybe this is why he told me that you two have been seeing each other."
Sakura pretended she was not shy about that and said "Yes, Naruto. We are together. And Ino is now with Sai, and Shikamaru with Temari... Apparently everyone is a couple now! Isn't it scary?"
"The more people having sex, the best environment we will have. That's what I say." Naruto said. "Only Kakashi seems to be fine on his own..."
"Yes, maybe he is ugly under the mask" Sakura wondered. "That is why he never got anyone."
"You never heard me saying 'never got anyone'. Do you actually believe he was single all this time? That he never had someone, at least to have some fun?"
"He doesn't look like the 'one night stand' kind, Naruto."
"It also doesn't mean he never had anyone..."
"What are you hiding, Naruto?" Sakura asked curiously, as Naruto whistled only to annoy her "Oh, Naruto! We're a team! Whatever you know, I want to know too!" But Naruto kept on whistling. Sakura jumped on him, torching his arm on hid back "NARUTO UZUMAKI, YOU'D BETTER OPEN THIS BIG MOUTH OF YOURS AND SHARE WHAT YOU KNOW!"
"OUCH! LET GO OF ME! I'MMA TELL YOU!" so he stood up from the floor shaking his arm "God, Sakura! It hurts!"
"Speak up!" ordered Sakura impatiently.
"Okay. I know that Kakashi was in love with a fair lady from a very important clan of Konoha, but the family had promised her to another person, so they ran away from Konoha to live their love, but she ended up killed."
"Ran away? Ah Naruto-kun... It doesn't sound like something Kakashi would do... It is too reckless..."
"We all were teenagers once, right?" Naruto replied "Also, it is just a gossip. We would never know what the truth is."