Chapter 10: Twist

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or the characters. Also because school has started up again I won't be able to write these things as fast as I could.

"So are we understood on what you are supposed to do," asked Tsunade as she looked at the team of jonin in the room.

"I get Jiraiya finding out about the mission," replied Iruka. "Sending a team of four on the mission is the right course of action since Naruto is surrounded by dangerous Akatsuki members, but what I don't get is why you're sending me. I only just became a jonin and we both know I'm not that strong so shouldn't you replace me with someone better."

"You are on this team for one reason," replied Tsunade staring at Iruka over her cup of sake that she had kept beside her since she heard of Naruto's departure. "You are the closest thing Naruto has to a father and if anyone can turn him back it's you. Sure I could have a lot of powerful jonin on this team, but I don't know how taking Naruto back with force would do, especially since we don't know how powerful Naruto is right now. That is the one unknown that is the most dangerous of all."

"Okay, but why is Sasuke not here either," asked Anko, who was put on this team with Kakashi do to her various talents. "He is like a brother to Naruto, that is why Naruto didn't kill him the last time."

"The reason for that is me," said Kakashi as he looked out to the rain. It had been raining for days, as if the clouds were weeping for the loss of innocence in the village, the innocence that Naruto represented. "I saw that maybe Naruto has severed his bonds with Sasuke and has taken Sasuke to be one of the people responsible for bringing him down to that level. That's also the reason Sakura isn't on this squad."

"So your objective is clear," asked Tsunade as she took another sip.

"Rendezvous with the other team and then help sabotage Akatsuki activity," said Kakashi with soldier like obedience. He then led his team outside of the building as he looked at how they all seemed to be a bit down. Ever since Naruto they learned that Naruto had betrayed Konoha and left to go over to the ones who had tried to kill him, everyone seemed to be a little depressed.

The team consisted of Kakashi, Anko, Iruka, and another jonin named Shinji. The latter was added to make the team stronger since he was very talented at fighting and moved with a speed that impressed even Kakashi. He had also volunteered to bring back Naruto ever since it was learned that Tsunade was putting a team together, though the reason why was yet to be known so everyone else in the team kept a close eye. They knew of ROOT sending in Sai to secretly kill Sasuke without telling Tsunade. They made their way to gather all supplies and weapons for the mission, something that would be very important for the mission ahead of them.

"So why did you choose to join this team," asked Kakashi as he cleaned the sword he hadn't had to use in a long time. It was a gift from his old sensei, the Yondaime, and he always used it when he really needed to otherwise he'd take a kunai instead.

"I joined because I wanted to bring Naruto-san back after helping us," replied Shinji. "He helped Sai remember his emotions and in turn changed ROOT forever. We looked up to Naruto, who proved how strong a ninja can be even with emotion. Also most of us can feel for Naruto after having no one to love us."

"So the puppets have cut their string," joked Anko as she checked the condition of her kodachi , another gift from her sensei, the only one that she cared for.

"All shinobi are puppets from anyway you look at them," replied Shinji without the smile he wore before. "We are expected to give it all for the mission and we are used often, but sometimes we can be just as controlling as the puppeteer."

"Do we have to have this talk right now," asked Iruka, who was growing impatient as the minutes went by and the comments got bleaker. "We have a mission to o and we shouldn't waste time like this."

"He's right we should make our way to the other group as soon as possible," said Kakashi.

Hinata blushed as the man, the naked man, drank from the bottle of sake that he had on him. His headband was left near his clothes so Hinata couldn't tell what village he was from, but he did seem more friendly than what she thought the Aktasuki were like, most of them either being emotionless or psychotic. Trying to take the focus at his nakedness, Hinata started a conversation with him. The man named Sanjuro seemed to really be pissed with the predicament he was in, being stuck with a worthless partner and all. He had red hair that was long and spiky, just like Jiraiya's hair. Even though the man was friendlier than the Akatsuki members she had run into, Hinata still kept herself aware to everything around her and any movements he made. Then he went and dropped the atom bomb that changed everything.

"You must Hyuuga Hinata," said the man as he casually took a drink of his sake. Hinata was shocked to find that the man had known her name before she even introduced herself to him.

"How do you know who I am," asked Hinata, her hand going back to her kunai pouch that was close to the bank.

"Oh I've heard so much about you from him," replied Sanjuro as his demeanor seemed to change just like the main villain in those old dramas. "Surely you don't think Naruto would forget you, do you?"

"Naruto is dead, the Akatsuki took him and killed him," shouted Hinata as she removed the kunai from the pouch and sunk into a fighter's position.

"You sure about that because last I checked he joined the ranks of the Akatsuki," said Sanjuro with mock confusion, pretending as if he had been mistaken about something. "He's alive, in good health, and with Itachi. If you want to see him then you have to join up or become my prisoner. So will you come or will you stay?"

He stuck his hand out towards her, offering to take her to the man she loved so much, but there was still the off chance that the Akatsuki were trying to capture her for some unknown reason. She moved a bit closer, not putting the Kunai back into its pouch just in case he was lying. Sanjuro's look changed when the sword was put to his neck. Before the sword was there, he had the look of someone who enjoyed manipulating people, but when he felt the cold metal against his neck, Sanjuro's face turned into a puzzled look. Sighing he turned to the person holding the sword.

"Would you mind removing the sword from my neck Itachi," asked Sanjruo.

Gaara walked on the road, unperturbed by the scorching sun that was above his head having been born in the desert. Despite how pale his skin was, he could stand the heat very much do to the use of the sand that circulated around his body. Travelling after him was two of his most trusted jonin, his brother and sibling, Kankuro and Temari. None of them question him when he talked about going to aid the team from Konoha, but Temari couldn't help, but feel an ominous feeling in the air, as if something was looming dangerously over their heads.

"Shouldn't we be bringing more jonin with us," asked Temari. "If you give me a day to prepare, we could have a team of jonin with us instead of going in there with just us three."

"Not enough time," replied Gaara as he walked on.

"We should have at least brought Baki with us," complained Kankuro.

"True he may be good, but with the opponent's we're dealing with, I need my elite's," said Gaara. "You two passed him a while back and I already have Shenlong on this, any more and we'd be too obvious."

"If you were to die it would be disaster for the village," shouted Kankuro as he ran in front of his little brother. In the old days he'd be too scared to do something like that, but Gaara had changed from what he used to be. That was thanks to Naruto that was the reason why they were chasing after Naruto, to repay him back for all the help that he gave them so long ago.

"I do, but I am determined not to die before I find the thing I'm constantly looking for."

"Do you think Hinata is alright," asked Kiba, a bit worried about her, he seemed to take this habit of acting like an older brother to her, more so than Neiji.

"Is that the real reason you're asking about how she's doing or do you just have the urge to see her in the lake," asked Shenlong, the first time he had said anything to anybody that wasn't about the mission.

"No I'm just worried about her," replied Kiba. He then saw something strange on Shenlong's face as the mysterious jonin started smelling the air with concentrated and now mysterious eyes. "What is it?"

"I smell someone nearby along with Hinata," said Shenlong. "There's another with them to, but the one I know is the danger now. We have to go now."