Sunlight was barely beginning to stream through the Hokage's window when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said loudly, looking up from the giant amount of papers littered across her desk.

Naruto entered the room with his hands clasped behind his back and a solemn look on his face, stopping directly in front of her.

As soon as Tsunade realized who her visitor was, she sighed audibly, raising her hands to the sides of her head and rubbing her temples. "Wherever you're going, Naruto, you know you have my full permission."

"I know. I just came to tell you that I'm going to need to take a team with me. Is there anyone from my graduating class that's available?"

Tsunade sifted through her papers for a moment, before reaching for one and skimming it quickly. "Kiba and Chouji are still recovering from their last search with you, Team Gai is due to leave for an A rank mission later today, Shino's on a solo B rank mission, and Hinata's currently working as a medical apprentice under Shizune. Everyone else is available, but since you're still technically a chounin, you're required to take a jounin with you. Both Kakashi and Yamato are available, as Kurenai has asked to help oversee Hinata's training. Do you have any preferences in regards to who comes with you?"

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows as Tsunade handed him the paper. "Preferences?" he asked, glancing down at it. "What preferences? Shikamaru and Ino are the only ones left."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, giving him a small nod. "I meant the jounin."

"...Oh." Naruto frowned. "Well, Shikamaru and Ino work well together, but they're styles aren't really suited for actual weapon and hand-to-hand fighting. I need someone that can help me fight." He took his eyes off the paper, shifting them back to the Hokage. "Who do you think would be better?"

"You know their skills better than I do," Tsunade retorted. "However, Yamato happens to be recovering from a knee injury that he received on his last mission, and although he is well enough to fight, I think Kakashi would be better suited."

Naruto nodded quickly. "Alright, Kakashi then."

They stood facing each other silently for a moment.

"...Well?" Tsunade started.

Naruto gave her a confused look.

"You know where to find them," Tsunade clarified briskly. "Good luck with the search. How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"We'll try to be back in less than two weeks," Naruto told her. He bowed quickly, and Tsunade raised an eyebrow at the respectful gesture as Naruto turned to leave.

"Good luck," Tsunade repeated. The door to her office slammed behind Naruto, and Tsunade immediately let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Don't die out there," she said to no one in particular.

Naruto cleared his throat sharply, before knocking on the front door of Shikamaru's apartment. There was a loud groan of annoyance from inside, a few thumps as feet pounded across the floor, and suddenly the door was thrown open, revealing a messy-haired Shikamaru who looked like he'd just been woken up.

"What is it?" he asked, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"I've got a mission for you," Naruto told him, ignoring his friend's aggravated tone.

Shikamaru's attitude changed drastically at that. His eyebrows raised, Shikamaru nodded at him, then turned to go back inside. "I'll be right out."

"Alright, meet me at the gates to the village!" Naruto shouted at Shikamaru's retreating back. "Ino and Kakashi are coming with us!"

Shikamaru stopped in his tracks. "What?" he asked without turning around.

Naruto's tone was laced with impatience. "I said to meet me at the front gates to the village. Be there in fifteen minutes, okay?"

Shikamaru shook his head slowly, as if he was pondering something, then spun around to face Naruto. "Dude...she's not going."

Naruto scratched his head. "What do you mean?"

"We're not taking Ino, man. She can't go."

"Why not?" Naruto asked, confused. "Is she injured?"

Shikamaru scoffed loudly. "No, she's not injured. I'm not letting her go."

Naruto sighed in realization, rolling his eyes. "We don't have time for this, Shikamaru. You two work well together, and you'll be there to protect her, okay?"

"She's not going," Shikamaru repeated, crossing his arms and glaring at Naruto.

"Who's not going where?" Ino asked, walking into Naruto's field of vision and standing next to Shikamaru in only a bathrobe.

Shikamaru went beet-red, and Naruto gaped at them. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that Shikamaru and Ino did NOT share an apartment.

Apparently, Shikamaru realized that Naruto had come to this conclusion, for he hissed a quick, "No one Ino, go get dressed!"

Ino glared at Shikamaru, and he gulped loudly, avoiding her eyes. "Were you two talking about me?"

Naruto smiled, taking advantage of the situation. "Why, yes, we were just talking about the mission you're going to come with us on!"

Shikamaru opened his mouth to protest, but Ino cut him off with a nod and an, "Oh, okay, I'll get dressed and be right out."

"Inoooooooooo..." Shikamaru complained.

"Oh, be quiet." Ino rolled her eyes and turned to Naruto. "He always does this. It's so annoying how overprotective he is."

Shikamaru frowned at Naruto, then reached for the front door and shut it in his face.

Kakashi answered the door with a book in one hand and a cup of tea in another. He took one look at Naruto and said, "I'll be right out."

"We're meeting at the front gates," Naruto told him. Kakashi nodded quickly and shut the door without another word.

Naruto headed straight from Kakashi's house to the front gates of the village, and only had to wait for a few minutes before Ino and Shikamaru arrived, heading towards him and seemingly in the middle of a heated argument.

"Oh, so just because you're the man you think I'm some kind of damsel in distress?"

"No, I just think that every woman should be protected in some way by someone of the opposite gender."

"So I'm not strong enough to protect myself?"

"Well, I suppose you might be, but it wouldn't hurt to have a little extra hel-"

"So, what, you're just going to follow me around my entire life protecting me from every little danger?"

"Well, no, but-"

"What happens if I get a paper cut? Are you going to keep annoying me and annoying me until I finally wear a band-aid or something?"

"I'm sure I won't protect you to that extent..."

"I'm strong enough to protect myself, and I can make my own decisions about my own safety. Plus, I think I have a right to try and help rescue my best friend," Ino huffed. "And I don't need your help." She crossed her arms and looked away from her boyfriend just as the two of them reached Naruto.

Shikamaru shot Naruto a pained look, and mouthed, "Women."

A loud poof resounded from behind Naruto, and all three ninja jumped in surprise.

"Ah, we're all here," Kakashi commented, looking around quickly. "Let's go, then."

"Where are we searching?" Ino asked. Shikamaru stood beside her, a frown on his face and his hands in his pockets.

"The Land of Waves," Naruto replied.

"Why?" Shikamaru asked. "What makes you think Sasuke and Sakura will be there?"

Naruto frowned. "I just have this feeling. Sentimental reasons, you know?"

"So you didn't get any tips considering this?"

"No."

Shikamaru sighed. "This entire journey will be pointless then."

"Look at it this way then: there won't be any fighting, and your manly pride won't have to protect Ino."

Ino snorted in amusement as Naruto grinned mockingly at Shikamaru, who glared back at him furiously. "You'd do the same thing."

"For Ino? ...I don't think so."

Ino's laughter died and her cheeks went red. "Hey!"

"C'mon, you guys. Stop fighting, this is serious," Kakashi interrupted, grabbing Naruto by the arm and yanking him forward. "You're all eighteen now. Act like it."

Naruto mumbled something intelligible, and Kakashi added a, "Let's go."

The gates opened slowly to reveal the forest beyond, and Kakashi led Naruto, Ino, and Shikamaru out of the village. Thus, their journey to the Land of the Waves began.