AN: Hey, I'm still remembering to say this before every post! I thought for sure I would have forgotten by now! I don't own Naruto!


Sasuke sat in silence poking the last bit of barbecue pork around the inside of his take out container.

"So let me get this straight." The raven haired boy began. "You make a powerful new weapon and show it to the council, they tell you it's not suited for ninja work, and an eight year old tells you he thinks you just need to refine the idea… So you make him your partner, and the two of you then spend eight years making different and better types of guns." Higurashi nods with a self satisfied grin.

"Then you," Sasuke shifts his gaze to Naruto. "decide to really make the most of these, rifles, you need to study stealth and assassination. So you redouble your pranking to get more practice and as a side benefit you got damn good at trapping?" Naruto grins cheekily. "Then after your lipstick mission you decide to revolutionize assassination, so no kid ever has to go on one of those missions again." Now completely serious the blond gives another nod. Sasuke leans back and lets out a tired breath.

"Finally Hinata, comes along to check up on you and in a moment of inspiration Naruto comes up with a solution to basically every issue he was having using a rifle for something other than assassinating a single target. Thanks to hanging out with Naruto you decide you are going to change the way the Hyuuga clan is run in order to make it better, by basically throwing all their traditions out the window?" Hinata's response is a small giggle and a resolute nod.

"And the only reason any of this is happening is because Naruto managed to catch the Hokage, and the majority of our military, by surprise with weapons and tactics they've never seen before… Fucking hell, what have I walked into?"

Kakashi gave a small chuckle.

"Well I did want us all to get to know each other, and I would have to say that Hinata and Naruto have done a good job of that. So let's see, my name is kakashi Hatake and I'll be your new sensei! I like some things, dislike other things. I have a few hobbies, and my dreams aren't the kind of thing to discuss in polite company!" The eccentric jounin said flashing the group a thumbs up and an eye smile.

Naruto and Higurashi found the introduction amusing, while the room's other occupants displayed varying levels of disbelief.

"Now Sasuke, your turn." Kakashi said.

Sasuke took a minute to push the remains of his lunch around a bit more.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, I like Tomatoes, I hate fangirls, my only real hobby is training... My dream, I think I'll have to explain. My brother went crazy, killed my clan, and fled the village. But I suppose you all knew that, it's pretty common knowledge."

The group nodded quietly in the now somber atmosphere of the shop.

"For some reason that lunatic left me alive, don't know why, probably never will. I want to kill him, and start a family, rebuild my clan. I used to only want to kill him to get revenge for my clan, but then…" Sasuke hesitated not sure how to explain what had changed without feeling weak in front of his new team. He didn't have to.

"Psych nin." Naruto said his face and tone deadly serious. "There's no shame in having to see one, in needing their help. Took me months of help to get over my lipstick mission, and you went through a lot worse than that." The blond stated levelly. Hinata gave Sasuke a comforting smile.

"We all have to see them. They were, very helpful, after the execution exam." Hinata said as she stared into the bottom of her mostly empty cup of tea as dark memories flitted through her mind. Briefly relief and gratitude played across the Uchiha's face before he schooled his features back into their normal apathetic mask.

"I still want to kill him, but now it's not just about revenge. I just, I need that bastard in the ground, where I won't have to worry about him anymore. I can't spend my whole life worrying about when he'll show up again to finish what he started, or worse take away any new loved ones." Sasuke made a point of not looking up from his food. His new teammates both shot him looks of understanding while the adults stayed somber. Sasuke shot Naruto a look that the blond could not explain.

"Thing is Itachi was a damn genius. After awhile, I had to admit the only way I could ever catch up to him is if old age caught up with him first." The boy shook his head. "Now you two come along, out of nowhere, and tell me all I need is a few months, the element of surprise, and I can finally, finally, put that bastard down." Sasuke chuckled darkly.

"You help me end him, and I'll make the new Uchiha clan an ally of the Hyuuga instead of a rival, I'll adopt Naruto into my clan, hell I'll name my kids after you! You help me do this..."

Sasuke trailed off no longer able to put words to his thoughts. This wasn't like him, to put himself out on a limb like this. He wasn't above asking for help, but this was almost begging. It stung at his pride, but this was the solution, this was the way to defeat his brother, and he would need their help to do it. The room fell silent.

"Will you help me?" Sasuke asked his eyes looking like nothing so much as obsidian as his head swiveled to take in all of the room's occupants, though his attention stayed focused on no one so much as Naruto and Hinata.

The couple exchanged a quick glance and a short nod before Naruto turned back to stare Sasuke straight in the eye.

"We'll help you bring the bastard down. You're our teammate now. It's our job to support you." Naruto stated solemnly before giving Sasuke a vicious grin. "Besides, this team is going to be one for the history books. I think killing the villages second biggest traitor would be a great chapter in our legend, neh?" Sasuke gave the blond a grateful look before matching the blonde's vicious smirk with one of his own.

The Hokage cleared his throat drawing the attention of the three teens.

"Yes, well, I'm glad you three are taking this so seriously, but I hope you realize you all have a great deal ahead of you before you are ready for such a dangerous mission. Not to mention we have no idea where Itachi is at this point or what he has been doing." The aged leader gave them all a small smile. "However, I do believe that given time you may indeed be the ones to finally bring the traitor to justice."

"Now there are other things I'm needed for today so I believe it is time we got down to matters of more immediate importance, namely the area of focus for your team." This immediately grabbed the attention of everyone, with the exception of Kakashi who simply turned the page of his book.

"Your skills are greatly varied. Naruto is a clear cut stealth and assassination specialist, Hinata's skills make her a tracker and support fighter, and Sasuke is a heavy combat nin. Kakashi has served all of these roles at one time or another." The three teens glanced away from their leader to give their new sensei impressed and contemplative looks.

"This was done intentionally as the shinobi council and I believe that working together you will make a splendid assassination/assault team. What that means is you will specialize in silent operations and hit and run tactics. You will destroy your targets without being discovered and then either work further into hostile territory or slip away to repeat the process somewhere else. However, missions requiring that particular skill set are, for the moment, far above your pay grades, and outside of wartime few and far between."

Hiruzen paused in his speech to shoot a glare at Naruto whose excited look wilted into one of disappointment.

"For now you will handle more generalized missions, and you will train. Teach each other your skills, and improve your existing skills. When each of you can fulfill every other person's role passably, and Kakashi deems you ready, we will see about getting you started on more specialized missions."

"Now Naruto, Hinata, why don't you introduce Kakashi and Sasuke to the guns they will soon be working with? I need to see about locking your schematics and research notes in the Hokage vault. Your security here is decent, but I'm afraid this is too dangerous not to be under the highest security."

The group nodded and bid the Hokage farewell as they filed into the underground shooting range.

The range was short, only twenty meters in length. It had been excavated with only an amateur level of skill by the blond genin years before. The result was a mess of different types of wood supports, cheap unpainted plywood walls, and simple paper targets hung from a string pulley system. At the end of the range opposite the target was a cheap table with five guns laid across it.

Before beginning Naruto handed out ear protection.

"OK! This right here is my baby!" Naruto said with infinite cheer as he hefted his sniper rifle (M40a3). "She's accurate up to 800 meters and the bullet speed is 777 meters per second! That is more than double the speed of sound. Basically you pull the trigger then a little over a second later, so long as you hit something they can't live without, they're dead before they even know what happened. It's got a collapsible tripod to stabilize it for long distance shots. The ammo clips each hold ten rounds. The scope has variable zoom, three six and nine times normal magnification. There is also an optional flash and smoke suppressor to make it less visible. I can put a suppressor on it that cuts down on the noise made firing it but that doesn't really do anything to stop the sonic boom the bullet makes."

Naruto kissed the stock of his rifle before raising it to his shoulder. Naruto slipped into a more stable squatting firing stance, then took a moment to breath before squeezing the trigger. The bang and the small flash from the unsuppressed muzzle announcing the new hole in the forehead of the target.

"She's got enough punch to go clean through two targets, maybe three; well at least I think so. I'm not sure how good shadow clones are for that kind of testing." The blonde said with a shrug.

"Now this one is almost entirely Higurashi-ojisan's." Naruto pulled up a revolver (colt single action navy aka colt peacemaker) "Ojisan calls it the peacemaker, it has a different way of loading extra bullets, which takes longer to load, but the trade of is it packs a really mean punch. Honestly though I plan to trade up for something better once I manage to work out all the kinks in the next stage of prototypes."

As Naruto spoke he twirled the peacemaker in and out of a holster strapped to his side before finally drawing it in a blur of motion and firing. The round hit the target in the neck slightly to the left side.

"These smaller guns, handguns, pistols, the bullets they fire don't break the sound barrier so theoretically I could silence on. Problem is I haven't managed to make a silencer small enough to not throw off the balance yet. So for now they're really only a weapon of last resort or for if your cover's blown. Hinata, you're up!"

With a small nod and a playful roll of her eyes Hinata stepped up to the table where she picked up her rifle. (M1-garand)

"This is my rifle; it's accurate up to 500 meters, holds ten shots and can be fired much more quickly than Naruto's sniper rifle. Because it doesn't have a scope like Naruto's it has a shorter range but this also allows me switch between targets faster which means I can use it even if I'm being charged at mid to close range. A knife can be attached to the front to make something of a very short spear, but with my juken if it comes down to close quarters I'm better off fighting barehanded."

Hinata took a firing stance and emptied the clip into the paper targets chest, making a tight grouping in the area of the heart. Slipping the clip out of her rifle she picked up her own pistol. (Mauser C96, no but stock)

"This is my mauser pistol."

Sasuke and Kakashi blinked in confusion.

"How did you come up with a name like that?" Sasuke asked. With a sigh Hinata massaged the bridge of her nose.

"Naruto-kun came up with the name the same way he came up with the name for his camouflage suits; he pulled pieces out of a scrabble bag until he got something he thought sounded 'cool'."

In response to the looks he was getting from Kakashi and Sasuke, Naruto simply shrugged and grinned.

"Moving on, the mauser has a ten round clip good stopping power and despite its small size is accurate well past one 100 meters."

Sasuke and Kakashi almost gave themselves whiplash looking between Hinata and the small pistol not quite comprehending what she was saying. With a small giggle Hinata turned and emptied the gun into the targets right side. Shaking his head Kakashi pointed to the one remaining gun on the table.

"Alright, now what is that one?" Naruto rubbed at the back of his head a small frown marring his face.

"Ahh that one is Ojisan's pet project. Calls it a shotgun… cover your ears this one's louder than the pistols." Hefting the small double barrel, pistol grip, sawed off shotgun, Naruto pointed it downrange and emptied a single shell into the upper torso peppering it with numerous small holes.

"It's not really accurate enough for my taste. If you fire it at an enemy who's fighting up close with an ally then you stand a good chance of hitting your teammate too. Though honestly I wouldn't want to risk shooting into a taijutsu fight with any gun. Nothing kills accuracy like adrenaline and with that much movement going on…" The blond just shook his head.

"So that's the best Ojisan and I can build right now. Hokage-jiji's got the village footing the bill for one sniper rifle, one rifle like Hinata's and two smaller guns so you both can take your pick.

While Sasuke was contemplating the pro's and con's Kakashi had already made up his mind.

"I'll take the sniper rifle, and I'd actually appreciate if you could make me one of those shotguns."

Naruto raised a skeptical eyebrow before shrugging it off and agreeing.

"You said you were working on the prototype for the next generation of pistols right?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, should be done with the testing and fine tuning in a few months depending on how busy we all are with missions and training. Why?"

"I think I'll hold off on making decision to see what you come up with before I make up my mind. Besides I want to focus on learning one weapon at a time."

"Alright then, I'm still going to need that pint of blood from the two of you for the sealing ink so only you will be able to use them. Between Ojisan and some shadow clones… they should be done in about two weeks."

"Good." Kakashi said. "You all have the rest of the day off. Meet me at training ground seven tomorrow at eight and we'll begin working on all of your weaknesses as well as take on our first mission."

With that the group all went their separate ways. Hinata to report to her father about team assignments, Naruto to start work on his team's guns and Sasuke and Kakashi…. well they went home to relax, and try to come to grips with the fact they were about to be part of a team that would revolutionize combat on the elemental nations.


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