Chapter 7: The Hunt Continues.

"You called for us, Mizukage-sama?" Sakura asked.

She, Kiba and Akamaru, and Tenten were summoned to the Mizukage's office, and when they arrived, they found Naruto already there, waiting with that Ao guy.

"Before you start, yes, The Hokage has allowed me to give you this mission."

That answered the question of why they were called to see her.

"A few months back, Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage and the host of the Three-Tailed Beast disappeared. We thought he had died when we got reports of his Tailed Beast running though the wild by itself. But now, he might be alive, and we might have a chance to find him."

"I saw him."

Sakura and Kiba looked at Naruto, surprised.

"It was before I returned to Konoha," He continued softly. "He said he was thinking about the Land of Waves."

"Well then," Said the Mizukage. "I want you to find him, and bring him back. Ao will go with you. And incase Yagura resists, give him this." The Mizukage pulled out a letter and handed it to Naruto, who pocketed the letter. "Naruto, I want to speak with you alone."

Naruto blinked his eyes in confusion. "Okay."

"I want you to be careful out there. There are people who do care about you, and for you, not as the Host of the Kyubi."

"Thank you." Naruto said, heading for the office door. It felt. . . good that someone said that to him.

The man left the town, preparing to hunt for the Jinchuriki again before moving to another location and search. Pulling out a bottle of sake, he opened it.

"You."

The man stopped and turned around. There was an old man walking up to him, wearing a tattered brown cloak.

"I know what you are looking for." He said.

"And what is that?" The man asked.

"The Jinchuriki of the Sanbi no Kyodaigame." The old man answered. "And I want to help."

"Why do you want to help me?" The man asked. "Me, a man who simply wants to help the hosts of the Tailed Beasts gain more respect after being treated harshly by their villages? I mean-"

"I know you have ties to Akatsuki." Interrupted the old man. "Anything you're doing is not good for them."

"Well, you got me." Said the man. "What about you?"

"Revenge."

"How could someone do this?" Naruto asked, staring at the empty graves of Haku and Zabuza.

"They said it was recent."

Naruto looked at the approaching Ao.

"A few days ago, some stranger in a brown cloak dug them up. Not very practical since the decay would have destroyed anything their bodies would have said about their techniques. Anyway, we should-"

Naruto shot Ao a look that reminded the man of the Mizukage for some reason.

"Come back when you're ready." He said.

Sakura knocked on the door. She heard a voice say "I'm coming!" Before the door opened a few seconds later.

"Sakura! What brings you here?" Asked Tsunami. "Who are your friends?"

"Hello Tsunami. This is Tenten and Kiba, and his dog, Akamaru." Sakura responded.

"What happened to Naruto and Sasuke?"

"Naruto is with us, he's just checking something else right now."

"And Sasuke?"

Sakura didn't say anything, so Tenten covered for her.

"Well, he's on a trip, and we haven't heard from him in a long time." She lied.

"Oh."

"By the way," Said Tenten, remembering the description of Yagura from Ao. "Have you seen someone with blonde hair, pink eyes-"

"Green and black clothing, Kiri Headband worn on shirt?" Finished Tsunami. "Yeah, he came into town a few months ago, asked some people about the graves near the bridge, and then decided to go to the Land of Jungles."

When they arrived in the Land of Jungles, the team split into three groups, Naruto and Kiba for the first, Sakura and Tenten for the second, and Ao and, well, it's just him for the third.

"Yes, I saw a boy like that." Answered a shopkeeper.

"Did he say where he headed next?" Sakura asked.

"No."

Sakura went to the next shopkeeper and gave him the description of the Yondaime.

"Yeah he passed by."

"Did he say where he went next?"

"No."

Sakura walked away, and saw Tenten run up.

"Anything?" Sakura asked.

"One of the shopkeepers said that the boy bought some food, and headed for the docks." Tenten answered.

'Well, Naruto and Kiba are there. They should be able to figure out where the Yondaime Mizukage went.'

As luck would have it, they did. A dockworker said that he got onto the boat for the Land of Swamps. When they arrived, the people had told them where he went. However, there was one little thing. . .

"A wall?" Kiba said out loud. It was a thick, tall, wooden wall. The top of the wall was covered in spikes. He went up to the wall and started climbing.

"Don't do that."

Everyone turned to see a man in a brown loincloth walking up to them.

"That swamp is full of monsters, traps and Tribals."

"Tribals?" Sakura asked. "What are they?"

"They are men who have been corrupted into savages who will attack anyone." Answered the man.

"So?" Asked Kiba.

"If you just wander in there, you'll be ambushed."

Ao activated his Byakugan and checked within the swamp. Sure enough, there were Tribals patrolling the pathways, crouched in the water, behind bushes, behind trees. One was even playing dead.

"He's right." He said. "But we do need to enter the swamp."

"There is one way, but one of you must go on a quest." Said the man. "You must go into the Sacred Bog, and bring us the seeds from the Mother Plant."

"I'll go." Said Naruto.

"Very well, come with me."

Moments later, Naruto stood at the entrance of the Sacred Bog, wearing brown shorts that are stitched together, sandals held together with rope, and armbands made of rope. Taking a deep breath, he opened the wooden door and entered the Bog.

I am not happy with this chapter. The intention was to start giving the rest of the group more attention, and I felt like I just rushed through this chapter because I couldn't think of anything, especially towards the end.

Next Chapter is gonna be solely focused on Naruto, and the chapter after that will be focused on rest of the team.

And finally, Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Arg.