Wanted Member

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, the characters, their sayings, their jutsus, the plot, or any of that.

Chapter Three: Secret Precautions

Shizune rushed in through the Hokage's doors with Tonton at her feet. Normally she would have at least knocked, but she thought that this was at the utmost importance. As usual the Hokage was there fighting off all that Sake from the night before, and she didn't seem all to pleased with her barging in.
"Shizune! What did I tell you about knocking?"

"I'm sorry Tsunade-Sama, but I heard that you were going to give Team Seven that mission to deliver the scroll to the Earth Village!" Shizune exclaimed, panting slightly from her run. Tonton was also winded.

"Yes that's right, I told Sakura to get the rest of her Team up here. Why is this of such great importance?" The Godaime asked narrowing her eyes in thought and worry.

"Well a few minutes ago I heard that somewhere in the Earth Village…" Shizune placed a folder in front of Tsunade. A familiar sized folder in fact, "…They were lurking about." She finished with a darkening of her voice.

The Hokage's amber eyes widened as recognition passed through her eyes. She gripped the folder tightly and opened it, realizing that Shizune's intrusion really was urgent.

"…I knew the enemy could be bad…but I didn't think it would be THIS bad." Tsunade whispered to herself.
"Hai." Shizune nodded. "I guess you realized why all those missions have been around Earth country's border."

"I imagined it would be because of their Kage's ruling over the village. He always was a stubborn and selfish man." She said, remembering a meeting she once had with him. She'd rather deal with a week's worth of gambling losses and hangovers then go through that again.

"I thought that too." Shizune added. "But after all the continuous missions there for all sorts of obscure reasons, it appears, they, are just trying to get something."

"…Or someone."

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Naruto ran up the stairs in complete excitement, he didn't even remember that he had a ramen buffet just a few moments earlier. 'A-RANKED MISSION! A-RANKED MISSION! CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW KAKASHI-SENSEI AND THE OTHERS WHAT I LEARNED FROM PERVY SAGE!'

Naruto finished the last step and bent over, put his hands on his knees and panted like no tomorrow. "Hehe! I'm the first one here!"

"Yo."

Naruto jumped back a little and almost fell down the stairs. "Kakashi-Sensei! When did you get here?!" He yelled pointing at his teacher. "You're always the LAST ONE!"

"Well after learning how I should break that habit as you have mentioned so many times, I decided that today I should do so especially. Considering the fact that you had a weeks worth of ramen you left behind." Kakashi said not once looking up from his pervy novel…written by THE Pervy Sage.

It took a minute for Naruto to process all this when he suddenly put two and two together. 'I left the ramen, and Kakashi-sensei didn't pay it…Sakura-chan!' He suddenly found himself going into panic overdrive! The last time Sakura was forced to pay, he ended up with blacker eyes than Gaara. Just as he reminisced this memory he heard footsteps come up from behind him. A minute later (it felt like a death hour for Naruto) Sakura and Sasuke had made it up there. Before he could give either of them a chance to speak he was in front of Sakura on his knees.
"Sorry Sakura-Chan!! I didn't mean to stick you with the bill! I-I was just so excited about the recent mission I COMPLETELY FORGOT!" He yelled waving his arms around to try and prove his point.
Sakura folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at him, and Naruto gulped fearing the worst. And her next words completely shocked him. "Even if I don't approve of completely forgetting your responsibilities for the sake of excitement I forgive you…" she trailed off closing her eyes and giving a smile.

The Kyubi boy was so choked up in amazement; he couldn't express his words of gratitude. "T-THANK YOU SAKURA-CHAN! MAN I WAS EXPECTING A COMPLETE HEAD CRUSHING PUNCH CONSIDERING THIS IS THE FIFTH-GAAHHHH!" He fell over holding his head in agony looking up at the Uchiha with angered and confused eyes. "WHAT THE HELL TEME?!"

"…But it's easy for me to forgive. I can't say the same about Sasuke since HE paid for your million dollar meal." Sakura ended, as Sasuke crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Annoying dobe."

"Wha-Why didn't you say so in the first place Sakura-chan?!" Naruto yelled rubbing his head.
"Because this ending was funnier than I imagined it to be!" She laughed, holding her sides.

"All right, all right let's calm down and get the briefing done for this mission we're all eager to start." Kakashi said smiling, even though he sounded sarcastic on the 'all'.

"YEAH! LET'S DO IT!" Naruto yelled jumping up. In the process of doing so though, he caught Sakura off guard and bumped into her, sending her falling towards that stairs.

"AH-!" Sasuke caught her right hand, while Naruto caught the left. After a year or two…it was a natural reaction to catch her when she fell.

The Medic-Nin took an unstable breath from the last two seconds of almost falling down the stairs then proceeded to scold Naruto. "NARUTO- BAKA!" But right after catching her, he had already run in through the Hokage's doors. He had learned from two years of experience to RUN LIKE HELL when Sakura got mad.

Kakashi had already walked into the room also, leaving the two of them in the hallway.

Sakura was about to go chase after him when she realized a little something…
"Sasuke-kun? You can let go of my hand now." Sakura said blushing awkwardly, and flexing her fingers.

"Hn. Make sure you don't trip on the way." Sasuke smirked as he let go of her hand and walked towards the room. Sakura stood there in a little daze, and suddenly realized she was the only one in the hall. "Hey that was Naruto's fault!"

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What was it with people bursting in through her doors without even knocking?! Tsunade gritted her teeth as the hyperactive blonde came running in bursting through her doors (Which made her headache throb even more) as if he had just been chased by bulls…Like last time.

"Naruto! What is the meaning of this rude entrance?!" Tsunade ground out as she snapped her pencil in her hand.

Naruto gulped as he was in the midst of two monstrously strong and easily angered women…who were both pissed at him.

"Ts-Tsunade-Baachan! Sakura got mad at me again! She has a smaller temper than you!" Naruto pleaded.

Suddenly Tsunade's eyes went from angered to settle. She lowered her head a little and looked at few papers on her desk. Naruto didn't understand. He was just pleased to have one angered person off his back. Kakashi though was a little more suspicious. "Anything wrong Hokage-Sama?"

She answered with a wave of the hand. "No nothing concerning you Kakashi."

"Hmmm." The Jonin returned to his book, but kept a steady glance at the Hokage from over top. Something wasn't right…

Just then the last two shinobi walked through the doors. Sakura was cracking her knuckles as Tsunade cleared her throat. "Now Sakura, I don't want any interruptions while I brief you four."
"ARIGATO TSUNADE-BAACHAN!"

"However after I'm done feel free to do whatever you want." She smirked and picked up the top manila folder on her desk.

"NANI?!"
"Quiet Naruto! Let me tell you all about the mission!" When the room got silent she continued. "You four are to deliver a scroll to the Village hidden in the Rocks, Northwest of here. The Scroll contains certain agreements and measures allying our villages, which could be useful to others if they got their hands on it. They could change the writings on it to say complete lies and say we said it to help benefit their country in whatever way fits. This has happened a few times before and we barely managed to get out of it without leading to war."
"But how do we prove that we really are the messengers? What if they don't believe us?" Sasuke asked with an inquisitive voice.

"Aa, good point. In that case the Tsuchikage and I came up with a password."
"So why can't we just send one of our talking Ninja animals, like a bird or wolf?" Sakura imposed.

"Then any shinobi could intercept the message. The Tsuchikage is expecting the scroll within a time limit. If he believes we went back on our deal then he might start something we do not want to get involved in at all."

"So basically we need to deliver the scroll without anyone getting it to the Tsuchikage, and tell them the password." The Copy Nin summed up in a lazy manner.

Tsunades head throbbed in annoyance. "If you want to put it in that way yes." She ground out. "But be aware that any type of Ninja can come at you all! From Genin, to advanced Jonin! You need to keep on your toes!" She warned them all. "There have been reports of a dangerous group in the area! They specialize in genjutsu so be extra precautious about that...Now you are leaving here in one hour! Meet me at the Main Gates, and I shall give you the scroll, a map, and the password! You all will want to pack for about a fortnight worth of necessities. It takes about a week to get there. You can restock at Iwagakure. Dismissed!"

The four Ninja nodded and all turned to leave when Tsunades voice rang out again with a bit of softness. "Sakura, I would like to discuss something with you."

Sakura's eyes twinkled in curiosity and waved off her teammates. "See you guys at the gates!"
"See ya there Sakura-chan!"
"See you."
"Hn."

Sakura smiled at her teammate's antics before she stood in front of her teacher's desk. "Hai Tsunade-Shishou?"

When the door closed Tsunade finally voiced her thoughts.

"Sakura…I don't think you should go on this mission."
Sakura was NOT expecting that. "But why Shishou?! I've trained tirelessly to prove to myself and comrades that I am worth something. And when the chance comes, you don't think I'm good enough for the job?!"
"Calm down Sakura! I don't think that at all!"

The pink haired ninja settled down and unclenched her fists she didn't even know she was balling. "Then what is it?"
"Look, I'm not supposed to get too deeply into this for its confidential but I think you should know…There have been reports of a group called STARX in that area."
"STARX?"
"Yes. They are a group of conniving, evil kunoichi, who have their reasons to do unspeakable crimes and will stop at nothing to get a great kunoichi with them."
Sakura nodded, having an idea of where she was going with this, being the brilliant kunoichi she was.

"Certain events around the Earth Village's border make it seem like it's continually in need of our countries shinobi. A main reason for our shortage. Instead of it seeming like they were trying to weaken us, they are just trying to get group after group to go until-."
"-Until their target comes and their mission is a success." Sakura finished for her.

"You weren't my pupil for nothing." Tsunade smiled, but it was instantly gone as her face became serious once more. "And I believe you also know…that it's probably you they are after." She added grimly. "Which is why I don't believe you should go on this mission."
"Shishou whatever problems my squad faces we can handle it!"
"Sakura, these people don't take no for an answer!" She whispered harshly, trying to get through her stubborn apprentices head. Like she had said earlier she WAS her apprentice. "They can take you by force, or just kill you mercilessly on the spot. I don't want you going on this mission."

"Tsunade-Shishou. I am a shinobi of the Fire Village." Sakura started seriously. "Whatever happens, happens. Not all shinobi live forever, and if I died, at least I died knowing I didn't join the evil side…" Sakura turned around, her head crystal clear. "And even in the event that all my skills can't stop them…" She turned her head to look her mother-like figure in the face. "I know my comrades have my back no matter what." And with that, she walked towards the door with confidence and complete belief in her words.

The blonde haired Hokage sighed knowing that her student would go no matter what she tried. "You just need to be careful Sakura. I don't want anything to happen to you."
"…I know." Sakura finished quietly, smiling. "Don't worry about me."

She opened the doors and made a right to go down the halls when she found a surprise waiting for her.

"Hey Sakura-chan! We waited for ya!" Naruto yelled waving at the end of the hall. Kakashi stood up straight with the book in his hands (I'm not sure if it ever leaves) and even though the mask was in the way you could see his eye crinkle as he smiled.

And last, Sasuke looked over at her from his cross-armed position against the wall.

Sakura couldn't keep the gleam off her face. She had the best teammates ever. Who would stick with each other 'till the end… She thought about her words from earlier. 'I know my comrades have my back no matter what…' She knew that couldn't be any more true.
"Sakura-chan?" Suddenly Naruto was up in her face with a worried expression. "You okay? You seemed kinda out of it." Even Sasuke and Kakashi had curious looks on their faces.

"Oh, sorry! We better get going, don't want to miss the mission…"

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Three people in a dark, damp cave sat discussing.

"Well most cities in Rain Village are under Akatsuki territory." A man with Crimson red eyes, and a Red Clouded Robe said quietly but firm.

"Sand was allied with Sound once, I do believe we can change have them under Sound's wing again. After all I know all their secrets." A man said, licking his long tongue over his pale lips.

"And Earth Village is slowly but surely becoming part of STARX territory." A woman with two long chopsticks holding up her blue hair mentioned. She wore a dark purple hooded cape that reached up to her feet.

"All that really is out of our reach is that damned Leaf Village." Orochimaru said in a hissed voice, as his yellow eyes flashed with anger.
"That is an understatement." Itachi said in his all knowing voice. "No matter how foolish they are, they are practically the most powerful country."
"Yes, I believe we might even have to…join forces to accomplish this goal."
"…The Leaf Village is not that of my top concern." The woman, Senga was her name, spoke with a smile on her lips.

The other two turned towards her.
"Then what could be so important?" Orochimaru asked, seemingly uncaring.

"I wish for a certain someone to join my organization."
"…I also wish a certain shinobi would join me."
"And I know by my resources that you are after someone as well Itachi-san."

"…"
Just then the pitter patter sounds of running came echoing through the endless halls of the cave.

"Leader-Sama!" Saiya bowed.
"Where is my target?" Senga asked narrowing her eyes, but had a very tint smile underneath.

"We watched the target and it appears that your data was correct." Belreise informed her.

With this a huge, deadly, scary smile came to this woman's face as she turned to the other two people in the room.
"How would you boys like to kill three birds with one stone?"

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Yeah…I know Itachi and Orochimaru are like enemies. But Itachi always has his own agenda right? You never know what he's thinking XD So anywayzzzzzzz whattya guys think? I personally think I get too detailed but idk, maybe that's good? So PLEASE READ/REVIEW!!!!

Next Chapter: The Journey Begins

"So what if she does deny the offer?"
"…We find a reason to make her."

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