Before Naruto left for his training with Jiraiya, bounding rooftop to rooftop he was one of his favourite things to do. He enjoyed it even more if he could hear the faint sound of Ero-sennin getting the snot beat out of him by an extremely irate Sakura-chan.

Now was not the time to be reminiscing, Tsunade-sama wants to see me for something He thought to himself. A mission maybe?

He landed on the dusty ground in front of the Hokage's building and looked up the stairs that curled round it to her room. 'That will take too long' he said out loud to himself. With a final great leap Naruto landed on the border of the Hokage's windows. Unlatching a near window and sliding it back slowly, he climbed into the circular room.

'NARUTO!' yelled a familiar voice 'Can't you use a door like any normal person?'

As he turned slowly with a gulp he saw Tsunade-sama standing behind her desk, arms outstretched on the desk. She had that glint in her eyes that terrified both Naruto and Jiraiya for the same obvious reason. Shizune was standing behind her to her right with Tonton in her hands and a surprised look on her face.

'Tsunade-sama I...err' Naruto stumbled his words out awkwardly.

He started to stare at the young looking Hokage, even though he knew she was old enough to be his grandmother, she looked great because of that jutsu.

NO! Stop, Bad Naruto. I'm gonna kill ero-sennin for this.

'You're turning more and more like Jiraiya everyday' Tsunade said with a smile, as if she could sense Naruto's perverted thoughts.

Naruto stooped looking at her and lowered his head, if she caught him staring at her...figure, he was a dead man.

'Front and centre Naruto, Now!' ordered Tsunade, 'NOW!'

Naruto, scared that she caught him, scurried along towards her desk and stood bolt upright in the centre of the room. He stood there terrified to even breathe; she lowered herself into her seat and joined her hands together in front of her face. She sat staring at him waiting for him to make even the slightest mistake. His breathing became heavier and heavier the longer she stared at him. Had she saw him staring?

'I have a mission for you' she finally spoke after making him sweat. She reached over to a large pile of files on her desk and dropped one in front of her. She flipped it open and, running her finger along the page spoke up. 'It's a B-rank mission' she paused as she looked back at the nervous wreck of a Naruto standing in front of her. 'You and your team should be able to tackle it right' she continued in a slightly cocky tone.

'Granny Tsunade, I have training to do I can't do your stupid B-rank mission' Blurted Naruto in a dismissive tone. He crossed his arms and looked away as he always did when something didn't suit him.

'WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY YOU BRAT!' Exclaimed Tsunade. She vaulted over her desk to get at Naruto, punching him in the head before he realised what was happening.

'That's a shame Naruto' Shizune said slyly as she interrupted, stopping Tsunade from getting another shot off at Naruto. 'YOUR team will be very disappointed Naruto'

'Wait...did you just say my team?' He said as he sat up rubbing his head.

'Yes Naruto you were to be the leader of the team on this mission' stated Tsunade as she realised what Shizune was doing. 'I'll just have to tell them you were busy'

Maybe I can take some time out of my training after all.

'You're in luck Granny Tsunade, I'm going to take time out of my training to do this mission' He said as he grinned moronically.

You could see the vein on the Hokages forehead getting bigger and bigger with each passing thing Naruto said. He knew exactly how to push her buttons in all the wrong ways and he had no clue he was doing it. All Tsuande could think of was how much he reminded her of a younger Jiraiya, except more annoying if that was possible. He was even becoming a pervert like Jiraiya. She had seen him looking; she just didn't beat him stupid. He couldn't get any stupider.

'Your team Naruto will be a 3 man cell consisting of yourself, Hyuuga Hinata and Nara Shikamaru' Tsunade explained 'You will take charge of the mission'

'Yeah yeah I got it granny Tsunade' Naruto said dismissively as he walked out the door of her office.

'Kid you're an idiot and a pervert'. Came that gruff voice in the back of his mind.

'Shut it you stupid fox' he replied.

'If I'm the stupid one, what's the mission?' He asked mockingly.

Naruto found himself back from the inner reaches of his mind, standing outside the Hokage's office.

'Damn thing is right' he said angrily.

Back inside the office Tsunade sat starring dumbfounded at her office door. She started counting 'Five'

'Four...three...two...'

'One'

As she finished the last number her office door opened and Naruto's head crept round with a goofy look on his face.

'Err...Tsunade-sama, hehe, what's my mission?' asked Naruto

'Idiot!' exclaimed Tsunade.

'Hinata, Shikamaru please enter' remarked Shizune.

The door opened and Shikamaru lazily strolled into the room and stood next to Naruto. He was followed closely by a nervous Hinata who, when she saw Naruto was on the mission with her, she had her usual blushing sweet smile on her face. He had not seen them as they walked towards the Hokages room, but they had seen him, talking to himself.

'Your mission is to go to a small town in the land of wind. To find this town you must first go to Suna Gakure the hidden sand village and find out the location of this town, as it is hidden in the sand dunes. Only a hidden sand nin would know where to find it. Once there you must take an amulet called the 'tear of the desert' from this town and bring it back to Konoha for safe keeping.' Tsunade spoke in her cold to-the-point-attitude. 'UZUMAKI NARUTO' Naruto stood bolt upright as his name was called by the Hokage-sama. 'You will be put in charge of this mission as a test to see if you are chunnin material'

'Now get out of my sight you little pest' she grunted.

As the now team Naruto left the Hokages room she spoke up 'Nara Shikamaru, keep an eye on Naruto'

'This could be troublesome...' Shikamaru finally said with a roll of his eyes.

---------------------------------------------------------Outside the Hokages room-----------------------------------------

'Right team' remarked Naruto 'We errrm...' he said with a puzzled look on his face.

What would Kakashi-sensai say?

'He'd tell you to meet at the gates'. The Kyuubi interrupted.

'Why do you keep bothering me today?' Naruto raplied.

'Naruto-kun...' a sweet voice said.

'Right sorry' He said snapping out of his mind. 'we leave for the hidden sand village in an hour, meet at the village gates, you have till then to be ready' he said with an extremely pleased grin on his face. 'See you then' he said as he walked away from Shikamaru followed closely by Hinata.

'Very troublesome...' Shikamaru said as he shook his head. 'Sometimes I think the Hakage-sama does this to me on purpose'

---------------------------------------------------------Konoha's gates--------------------------------------------------------

Naruto, for a change, was the first one standing at Konoha's gates. Hinata came running up to Naruto waving with a huge smile on her face. Followed behind by a lazy looking Shikamaru.

'Right we need to go to the desert. So let's go' Naruto spoke up as they finally arrived at the gates.

Naruto-kun has grown up so much since the last mission we went on together Thought Hinata. He's gotten so strong as well, I can tell just by looking at his...body...

'Hinata-chan, are you ok you've gone red' Naruto said with a touch of worry in his voice.

Hinata just stood there, with a bright crimson face, lost to the world of her thoughts.

To be continued in the next chapter...THE DESERT.