The Hokage of Konoha frowned as she read and re-read the request received earlier that morning. She sighed exasperatedly.
"Such a high- importance mission… And just when everyone is busy…" She sipped at her sake. Shizune, standing before her, frowned, as much at the fact that Tsunade was drinking sake at this time in the morning as at the problem before them.
"Well, who is available?" she asked, patiently. Tsunade dropped the paper she was holding and picked up another of the scrolls that littered her desk.
"Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Hinata. And that's all." She sighed again.
"That's not all. Naruto and Jiraiya-sama returned yesterday."
"Well… They need some rest. And anyway, I'm not putting that pervert in a squad with anyone who even vaguely resembles a female."
"I'm sure Naruto would love to have a mission, even so soon. And, Shikamaru is a perfectly good leader, and he has his incredible mental prowess. Jiriaya-sama need not go to lead. And with the fighting abilities that I'm sure Naruto's learned from Jiraiya-sama, and Hinata's own powers- I'm sure they'll be fine!" Tsunade cocked an eyebrow.
"You're asking me to gamble an important mission for an even more important ally on a strategist, the most unpredictable ninja alive after two-and-a-half years of unnamed training from the perving sage, and a girl with so little confidence she wouldn't admit to being able to boil an egg?" Her face split into an enormous grin. "I think we have ourselves a bet…"
--+--
A blonde, spiky- haired teen threw open the doors of the Hokage's office, and immidiatly demanded attention. Another teen, stood before the Hokage already, winced at the sight of the intruder's bright orange garb. Naruto's attention, however, was on the Hokage.
"Oi, Tsunade-baa-chan! What happened to the two days I was supposed to have off to settle in?" His voice was jovial, as always, but slightly tinted with annoyance. The impassiveness of the Hokage's face was disrupted by a wicked grin.
"Well, I knew you'd be raring for a chance to show off your new skills, so I decided to give you a mission as soon as possible!" This seemed to hit all the appropriate buttons.
"Oh, yeah… Thanks, Tsunade-baa-chan!" He took a few steps forward and opened his mouth, but they were all saved a story by someone knocking on the door behind them. Shizune stepped forward and opened the door, to reveal a pretty, pale girl with long, dark hair that fell to her waist, ending at the same point as her baggy hooded jacket.
"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" She asked, before her pale eyes scanned the room. She suddenly froze and her skin took a strong red tint as she realised who else was in the room. That tint strengthened as he began to turn. He glanced at her, and she was a very interesting shade reminiscent of drying blood. When he did a double-take and started staring at her, her face was forced to invent new, shocking shades of deepest crimson.
"…Hinata!?"
She fainted.
--+--
Hinata found herself in a sitting position as awareness returned to her. She kept her eyes shut as she slowly awoke. After a few moments, she gently lifted her eyelids. She was instantly rewarded with an intense gaze from a pair of deep, worried blue eyes only inches from her own. She slowly widened her gaze and found the rest of a worried looking face, blonde bangs falling down from his forehead protector, and cheeks marked with whisker-like birthmarks.
"Hey, you're awake! Are you ok?" He frowned a little as Hinata, a little overcome by shock, felt her face heat up. "Have you got a fever or something? Your face is all flushed!" Naruto put his hand on her forehead. He frowned, and his voice became more worried. "Anosa, you really are hot… what's with that? Are you sure you're alright?"
"She's fine, Naruto. Give her some space to breathe!" Naruto backed off, if only a little. Hinata finally found her voice.
"N-Naruto-k-k-kun?" she stammered. Naruto's face split into an enormous grin.
"That's me! Didya miss me?" 'You have no idea, Naruto-kun…' She thought to herself.
"H-hai!" Naruto's smile broadened.
"That's what I like to hear!" He smiled at her, and she started blushing again. Tsunade intervened before Hinata became anymore distracted.
"If Miss Hyuuga is recovered, I will brief you on your new misson." She looked pointedly at Hinata. Hinata forced herself to stand.
"H-Hai, Hokage-sama!" Tsunade smiled.
"Good. There has recently been an assassination attempt on the life of the Kazekage. Nara Shikamaru! Hyuuga Hinata! Uzumaki Naruto! I hereby command you to track down the assassin and attempt to find out who he is working for, and if possible what their aims are. You are to avoid entering the village hidden in the sand for now, and will rendezvous with an emissary from the sand in a small trading village two kilometres beyond the hidden village. Nara Shikamaru, I'm making you leader for this team. You are to move out by noon. Dismissed!" Naruto took the dismissal as an invitation to speak.
"Oi, Shikamaru! I didn't know you were here!"
"Yeah, well… you do have a tendency not to notice important things, Naruto…"Tsunade interjected snidely. Shikamaru sighed.
"It's troublesome, but I can't ignore a summons from the Hokage…" He sighed again. "Anyway," he continued, taking command ina very bored fashion, "It takes two days to reach the sand, and this is an urgent mission. I want you packed and by the gates ready to go as soon as possible." Hinata nodded in recognision, and went to leave. Naruto shot through the door before her, brushing her as she passed. Suddenly, she hesitated, dazed and blushing. Shikamaru strode past her, and she seemed to wake up, resuming her exit. The door swung shut and Tsunade and Shizune raised their eyebrows in unison, giving each other knowing, amused looks.