They had been a team for about a month now. They had several D-Ranked missions that included find this old ladies cat about 5 times, babysitting a few infants. Finally Naruto had blown his top and complained about wanting an actual mission. So here they were now walking across the desert of the Wind Country.
The sandy air hit Naruto in the face as they continued on in their journey towards Suna. He spit the dirt out of his mouth, "Every time I spit some out even more gets back in."
Asuma took a grateful drag of his cigarette. He had leaped for joy when the month was up and he could smoke again. But he did learn a very valuable lesson. Never bet against these three gennin ever again. "Don't complain. You asked for a real mission and now we got one. Thank Naruto team."
Ino and Shikamaru both shot Naruto a glare, "Thanks Naruto."
Naruto rubbed the back of his head and laughed, "How was I suppose to know that the older geezer would send us on a trip to deliver a message to another village?"
"Well, if you didn't complain then we wouldn't be here. This place is so troublesome."
Ino nodded, "For once I agree with the bum. What kind of idiots would live out here?"
Asuma smiled back at his team, "That's the point. Suna's enemies would have a hard time crossing this land so it would give them a strong advantage."
They cleared one final sand dune to see several sphere like structures. Asuma smirked, "We're here." The four shinobi stood looking at the city for a few seconds before vanishing out of sight.
---Few hours later---
Naruto kicked a stone across the street before sighing and leaning against the building again, "I don't see why we couldn't go with him. This is boring."
Ino smirked over at Naruto, "He probably thought certain people in our team may rub the Kazakage the wrong way."
Naruto scoffed, "As if I care what a old man with sand stuck up his ass thinks about me."
Ino chuckled slightly, "My point exactly."
Naruto's head suddenly shot up looking around. His nose twitched. He scanned the crowd before making eye contact with a paled face man.
Ino looked between the man and Naruto, "What is it Naruto?"
Naruto kept his eye on the man who smirked at Naruto before walking off, "That guy. He reeks of snakes."
Shikamaru nodded, "He's also letting off a small feel of killer intent."
Ino shuddered when she felt the intent herself, "Should we follow him?"
Shikamaru shook his head, "This is not Konoha. Suna would not take it lightly for three foreign ninja's stalking someone just because he looked suspicious."
Ino and Naruto nodded in agreance.
---With Asuma---
The Kazakage looked over the scroll for a moment before nodding and looking up at Asuma, "I thank you for delivering this message."
Asuma bowed, "Thank you Lord Kazakage. I would like to request that my team and myself would be allowed to stay in Suna for the night. My student are still young in their skills and would benefit from some rest."
The figure of the Kazakage nodded, "I will permit this."
Asuma bowed again, "Thank you for your generosity Lord Kazakage." He then exited to room to collect his teem outside the room.
The Kazakage smirked, "It's that time already." He looked at one of his guards, "Send for Baki."
---Switch---
Asuma walked out of the building seeing his team sitting against the building. Shikamaru was looking at clouds as Ino and Naruto were making comments about the mission up to this point. He cleared his throat and the team was automatically to their feet. He smirked, If that scroll said what I think it did, we have some practice.
Naruto patted his stomach, "About time. It's almost time for dinner."
Asuma chuckled, "I almost think I would have been better off with the Akimichi kid than you Naruto." He started towards the restraint district, "Come on. We'll get food and a place to stay. We'll leave tomorrow."
They all nodded.
Asuma smirked, "And I plan on making it back in a quarter of the time it took us to get here."
Ino choked, "But we would have to run at top speed the entire way."
Asuma nodded, "It will be good exercise. And I'm tripling your training regiments when we get back." He then started walking off without saying another word.
Shikamaru just sighed, "How troublesome." He followed after Asuma.
Naruto grabbed Ino's hand and pulled her along, "Come on Ino, it's time for dinner."
Ino ran along but kept her focus on their joined hands, What is this feeling I get when Naruto touches me?
They made is a few blocks before they caught up with Asuma. Ino looked around at the city, "It's amazing to see the way people live around here. It's so barren outside the city walls, but in here it's almost just like home."
Shikamaru nodded, "People adapt to their surroundings. This is the only thing they've ever known so they are used to it."
Ino smirked as she mocked, "'People adapt to their surroundings.' Don't tell me you actually have a brain under all that laziness."
Asuma chuckled at the comment, "I wouldn't be too surprised. Shikamaru's dad is pretty smart." He then looked around and sighed, "Where's Naruto?"
Ino looked behind her and spotted him standing there watching kids playing ball. She rolled her eyes, "Hey Whiskers! Move it!"
Naruto kept watching the kids who were laughing and playing. He couldn't help but be a little jealous, Is that what it's like to be normal?
---Flashback---
A 7 year old Naruto ran towards the park. Ino and Sakura had went off with his and Sakura's mom. Kakashi and Inoichi were watching from afar. Naruto spotted a group of boys playing with a ball. He ran up to join but was quickly intercepted by a group of adults.
"Hey demon, leave our kids alone!"
"Yeah monster, why don't you just go off somewhere and die!"
"Yeah and take that traitor and her daughter with you!"
---End Flashback---
Naruto's memory was interrupted by the second odd feeling of that day. But this one was much stronger. He looked around until he made eye contact with a group of shinobi coming their way. One guy dressed in some kind of suit with what appeared to be some kind of ears poking at the top of his head. A red haired male with the kanji for "love" tattooed on his forehead. And a female carrying a large fan on her back. He smiled and waved at them. They all seemed annoyed with the fact. When they got closer the taller male of the group frowned down at Naruto, "What's a weak Leaf Shinobi doing here?"
Naruto growled, "Who are you calling weak!"
The Sand Shinobi smirked and patted a wrapped package on his back, "Maybe you would like a friendly little spar to prove my point." He shrugged the package off his back.
Naruto growled and was about to answer when-
"Kankuro."
The Sand Shinobi paled as the shortest of the group spoke.
"Stop wasting time." The red haired shinobi moved past Naruto not even glancing at him as he passed.
"Na-ru-to!"
Naruto paled. There was only two people who said his name that way, and it was only when either of them where extremely upset. He turned as was faced with a obviously angry Ino. "Umm….hey Ino."
The Shinobi named Kankuro chuckled, "So weak that you're letting a woman boss you around. That's just pathetic."
"Excuse me?" stated the female Sand Shinobi.
Kankuro chuckled nervously, "Unless of course that woman is my beautiful, loving, forgiving big sister."
The female shinobi smirked, "Nice try." She then grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and drug him away. As they passed Asuma the female mumbled an apology which Asuma nodded his apology as well.
Shikamaru shook his head, "Leave it to you Naruto to actually make enemies the first night we're in a new village."
