AN: this chapter was just updated to fit my new story line... i literally changed three words that were just not coherent to the story anymore. Thank you for the patience while I try and get the story on the right line again.
Chapter Three: Mission Briefing
Naomi had been right. As per usual, Asuma had fallen all over himself trying to speak coherently to Kurenai. He had again been turned down by her while Kakashi and Naomi listened in around the corner, trying to keep from laughing at their poor friend. When Asuma had showed back up around the corner, his face was tomato red, causing the other two to lose their remaining self-control, bursting into obnoxious laughter.
She had felt slightly bad for her friend, but had needed the laugh. With whatever was going on with Itachi, her life had become much too stressful. Kakashi and Asuma were always a good way to blow off steam. Those two were such clowns. Every time she was with them, she couldn't help but enjoy herself, if not just a little. They knew just how to cheer her up and how to get her mind off of the things that were bothering her. She could always count on them for a good time.
Now, she was wandering through one of the abandoned training grounds. She always went there to think. The grass was emerald green. The tall trees were full of leaves. There was one tree in particular she always went to sit under. At the center of the training ground was a tall Sakura blossom tree. Its pink blossoms floated around it, drifting to the ground gracefully when it was time for them to detach from the branches. It always smelled sweet, allowing Naomi to relax. Settling in against the trunk, she sank to the ground and breathed in the blossom's scent. In an instant all her worries began to seep away. A relaxing calm came over her, allowing her to close her eyes and let a smile spread across her face.
Whenever she came to her tree, she never let the darkness in her life affect her thoughts. She only thought about the days during her academy years where she and Itachi would disappear for hours to train in this very arena. The first assignment she was sent on as a Chunin and how proud her father had looked. The day Sasuke was born and how happy the whole family was to have the new addition. How she, Kakashi and Asuma would always steal away and explore the surrounding forest around the village. Each memory was precious to her and made her happy to think of. The brother Itachi used to be, not the stranger he had become. He had laid the groundwork for who she had wanted to become. It wasn't until the past couple of years that that imagine had begun to change. He was heading down a darker path than she cared to follow. She didn't know what was happening exactly, she knew it wasn't going to be good. Naomi was almost afraid to go on this mission for fear that Itachi would do something while she was gone.
After a few minutes of reliving her happier memories, Naomi opened her eyes and stared up at the pink blossoms. "At least keep Sasuke safe." She whispered to herself. It was the least she could ask for. He had so much left to experience. If anything happened to him, she would never be able to live with herself.
Standing again, she made her way quickly out of the arena. The mission briefing was going to begin soon and she couldn't be late for it.
A figured watched as Naomi whispered to the tree. A grimace passed across its face at the words she spoke. She loved her brother beyond doubt and would die for him in a heartbeat. The figure knew their next steps had to be precise and sure, otherwise everything they'd done would have been for nothing.
As Naomi disappeared into the trees, the figure followed far enough away to not be detected. Naomi was the key to their undoing. They had to be more than just careful. They had to be flawless.
Naomi arrived to the briefing room just as the doors were being locked and sealed. Each Jutsu was designed to disable ease dropping and keep random shinobi from popping in without clearance. She slipped in just as the first door was being sealed.
"Glad you could join us Naomi," the Hokage greeted, pointing out her tardiness.
"Sorry sir," she apologized with a slight bow before taking her kneeling position next to Asuma, "dozed off."
The Hokage waved the explanation away and turned to face the map hanging behind him. The land it depicted was the Land of Fire, zeroing in on the paths from the Leaf village to the Village hidden in the Rain.
"Vast and extremely dense forest lay between us and the Rain village. This will make for good cover. However, it is the perfect place to set traps. You will move in pairs through the forest in the straight line out Jonins have been training with lately. One pair will trail behind. Yori and Estuko, Kiyoshi and Haru. Naomi and Asuma will tail the team.
"Now that's how you will approach. The reason for our dispatch is that a group of rogue ninja have taken control of the village. They have imprisoned the women, enslaved the children and have been periodically killing off the men. Their underground security team was able to send a plea for help just this morning. They're unable to handle the problem themselves. So when you come within ten miles of the village, the underground will signal with a mockingbird's call. From there, they will brief you on the mission."
The shinobi nodded their understanding.
"Next to nothing is known about this group. The report said that they call themselves the Akatsuki. They are made up of known rogues from numerous villages. Other than that, we have no intelligence on them. Kiyoshi will be in charge of putting together the field report. Naomi will head the medical efforts."
Hokage Sarutobi's wrinkled eyes looked worn and tired as he finished the briefing. He was a shinobi just as much as the others but none-the-less did not like sending his shinobi or Kunochi into battle. It was especially hard when they had little knowledge on the enemy.
He ran a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes.
"Be careful, all of you. We don't know nearly enough about these Akatsuki ninja. May all of you make it back safely."
With a weary wave of his hand, the briefing was over. This time, the room did not go up in smoke. Instead, the squad made their way out to the common room together. Asuma took command the moment everyone was out of the briefing room.
"We gather at the front gate tomorrow at dawn. Pack efficiently but lightly because we have to move quickly. Naomi, make sure you have your medical supplies maxed out on your person. Yori, have your genjutsu at full ability because it sounds like we're going to need it. Estuko, you need to have your medicals supplies too. Naomi can't be responsible for all six of us." Estuko nodded reluctantly. It was obvious that she wasn't happy to be under the command of a minor. "Kiyoshi and Haru, each of you needs to have all the scrolls you can handle. We need to have as many surprises as we can possibly bring."
The whole group nodded their agreement.
"Alright, you all get a decent nights rest. We're going to need it."
All but Asuma and Naomi disappeared in puffs of smoke.
"Walk you to the gate?" He asked as Naomi made her way for the unsealed doors.
"Sure. That'd be great," Naomi smiled.
Together they walked towards the Uchiha gates which weren't too far from Sarutobi Manor. They were almost there when a small, wolf-like puppy came bounding around the corner, followed by two people.
"Hana!" Naomi called out happily as her friend came into view. Hana turned, smiling widely, pulling her little brother, Kiba, to a halt in front of Naomi and Asuma.
"Hey Naomi," She said, giving Naomi a quick hug. "Haven't seen you in a few days. How you been?"
The puppy had taken a liking to sniffing Asuma as he tried to scoot away from it.
"Just got home yesterday. I'm heading out again first thing tomorrow morning."
"So soon?" Hana asked. "Keep taking off so quickly and your family's going to forget that they have a daughter too." She laughed.
Hana and Naomi had been classmates in the academy, before Naomi had tested out early. They'd been friends for as long as they could remember. Currently they were being trained as medical ninja together. They had had a couple years with the legendary Sannin, Tsunade, until their mentor disappeared without a trace- after which Hana switch to veterinary medicine. Hana was a member of the Inuzuka clan- known for their prestigious canine unit. Her younger brother, Kiba, was in the same class as Sasuke at the academy.
"Well it's the way the job goes," Naomi laughed back.
Hana shrugged, agreeing.
Kiba had followed the puppy, one of Hana's Three Haimaru Brothers that she was training. As Kiba wandered closer to the dog, another puppy popped out of his shirt collar, barking playfully at the larger puppy.
"Hey Kiba, who's the little guy?" Naomi asked, walking with Hana over to her dog and Asuma.
Kiba took his puppy from out of his shirt and curled him in his arms. The puppy was tiny and adorable, and for an eight year old, Kiba was extremely gentle with him.
"His name's Akamaru. My mom gave him to me to train," Kiba explained.
"Very cool. Is Hana here being helpful?" Naomi asked
Kiba shrugged, causing Hana to fake offence and Naomi and Asuma to laugh. Naomi shuffled Kiba's puffy brown hair like she did to Sasuke. Kiba backed away and scrunched his nose up in the same way Sasuke always did. The three older ninja laughed.
Hana reached over and gave Naomi a tight hug. "It was good seeing you again Nay. Be careful out there okay?"
"I will Hana." Naomi squeezed back tightly.
Once they released each other, Hana and Kiba continued walking the way they'd been going and Asuma continued to walk Naomi home. They were still a good mile away when Asuma finally spoke.
"You miss being a normal teenager sometimes huh?"
"What?" Naomi asked, taken aback.
"I saw how you looked at Hana and Kiba. She's not constantly on missions, making more time for Kiba. You wish you had that with Sasuke sometimes," Asuma explained.
Naomi shrugged. "Yeah, I do miss spending time with Sasuke a lot of the time. I love my job, but it does take a lot of time out of what I could spend with Sasuke," she admitted.
Asuma threw a reassuring arm over her shoulders.
"After this mission, take a couple weeks off okay? You work hard for being only thirteen. You deserve time off to be with your family."
"I can't-" Naomi began to argue, but Asuma cut her off.
"Yes you can Uchiha. Promise you will?"
"No I'm not going-" Her words were cut off as Asuma took up one of her arms playfully and twisted it behind her back.
"Say you will or I won't let you go," he threatened.
After a few tightening twists, Naomi finally gave in. "Fine, fine, I'll take a couple weeks off after this mission!"
Asuma released her arm. "Yeesh," she huffed. Asuma just shrugged.
Soon after, they arrived at the Uchiha gate.
"Alright Uchiha, I'll see you before dawn."
Naomi nodded and turned to go inside with a quick "Thanks for walking me".
Little did she know that the calm her home usually seemed to give off was being disturbed. There was over two hundred yards from the gate to the front of the main house. Out of sight, the beginning of trouble was rising in heat.
