Tenten (Oath): Time to start the show!

Hinata (Oath): I-I am excited.

Tenten (Oath):…Yeah, good for you.

Naruto (Oath): *Curious expression* Yeah. Let's start the show!


Ame Nochi: The Oath
Chapter Eight: Starting the Mission!

"Do you both have enough Kunai?"

"Yes Mom/ Hōkuai-san."

"What about food scrolls?"

"Yes Mom/Hōkuai-san."

"Tents? Sleeping Bags?"

"Yes Mom/ Hōkuai-san."

Tenten watched as her mother let out a sigh of relief and said "Good…You both are ready."

"Born ready," Tenten replied with a large smile.

Naruto nodded as well but his smile was smaller but genuine all the same.

Tenrai rolled up to the both of them and leaned up to hug them both. "You both be careful and look after one another. Okay?" Tenrai requested.

"We will," Both Tenten and Naruto said in unison before Tenrai released them and gave them a smile, her eyes watery.

"Come home safely…Both of you," Tenrai said.

"We will. Later mom!" Tenten said as she began to walk towards the door but paused when she saw Naruto give her mother a deep bow before he walked to Tenten. She smiled at the blond and the pair walked out of the store and onto the dirt road of Konoha.

"Sorry about that Naruto-kun, she always worries," Tenten told him as they began to walk to the gate.

"Don't be sorry…It was nice," Naruto replied softly. "I'm just not used to having someone actually worry about me after losing Kyūbi…"

Tenten looked to Naruto and felt sadness fill her heart. While she was used to her mother being a worry wart, Naruto didn't have that luxury. "Oh Naruto-kun…I'm so sorry. I never thought about that…"

"Don't worry about it. Truly," Naruto replied. "I'm just happy she cares…."

"Mom does care. You really mean a lot to her," Tenten told him truthfully.

"She means a lot to me too," Naruto replied. "She reminds me of Kyūbi was to me. Kind and warm…"

Tenten didn't know if she should be proud that Naruto compared her mother to the strongest of all demons or insulted. But judging by the small smile on his face, she knew he meant that as a compliment.

She wasn't sure how she felt about Kyūbi not only being a woman but one filled with warmth, compared to what destroyed their village and killed many.

It was a strange whiplash to have…

"Hey Naruto-kun…Did the Kyūbi ever tell you why she attacked the village?" Tenten asked him.

"Tell me? She showed me," Naruto replied. "Kyūbi was sealed inside of my mother…All I know about my mother was she had bright red hair…" Naruto paused and took a small breath. "I don't know her name or anything but Kyūbi was sealed in her."

Tenten was shocked.

The Kyūbi wasn't just a demon that decided to attack but it was sealed inside Naruto's mother?!

"My mother was so exhausted after giving birth, it was easy for that man to rip out of her seal. The thing Kyūbi remembers the most was his eyes….The man had glowing red and black eyes that seemed to spin…and that's all she remembered. By the time she regained her memory, my mother was dead and she was left mourning…" Naruto replied sadly. "At first I thought she was lying but I guess because of the seal on my stomach, I could tell she was telling truth…Even at that young age…"

"T-That can't be…If that's the truth then…" Tenten then stopped.

"Yeah, that means that she was used as weapon and did nothing of her own accord…" Naruto replied softly. "I thought about that and it only makes me…sadder. She was used a weapon. Killed someone she thought of as a daughter. I would ask Kyūbi about my mom you know and s-she would always break down and cry…"

Tenten couldn't believe it but she was starting to feel sad for the Kyūbi of all beings. But again, if it was true then Kyūbi was as much as a victim as their village. "Does anyone else know about this?"

A look of grief appeared on Naruto's face. "Yeah…The Hokage and you already know the end of that story…" Naruto answered sadly.

"Oh…" Tenten said sadly as she took Naruto's hand into her own. "I-I'm sorry Naruto-kun. I should've never asked."

"It's okay…" Naruto told her with a small smile. "I lost the Kyūbi. I don't know for how long but I have…But you and your mom make me feel happy."

Tenten smiled back at him and leaned close and replied "And as long as you're alive, I'll always make you happy."

Naruto fumbled a bit before he glanced at her with a soft expression. Seeing such an gentle look made Tenten's heart sped up unexpectedly.

Did Naruto not know what his looks were doing to her?!

"You know something…Saying that makes me feel cared for…I really like it…" Naruto admitted with a small blush. "But you should stop saying things like that or you'll make me fall in love with you."

Tenten laughed but inwardly, she felt her stomach flutter at the words and the blush on Naruto's face.

Tenten licked her lips nervously as the pair continued to walk, his hand in hers as she gazed at his face, thankful that he was looking ahead of her. 'Would that be so bad Naruto-kun?' Tenten thought as she felt a tender smile appear on her face.

'To make you fall in love with me?'

"Yo! Tenten-chan! Naruto-kun!" Lee's voice shouted, snapping Tenten out of her thoughts enough to see Lee but weirdly enough, she didn't see Neji.

"Hey Lee!" Naruto exclaimed happily. "Glad to see you bright and early!"

"Likewise. Unfortunately, it'll be just us three. Neji-kun came down with a serious case of sickness. He's currently in the hospital. Gai-sensei will be back momentarily," Lee explained.

"Aww that's too bad," Naruto said with a dry tone.

Tenten couldn't stop herself from letting out a giggle and nudging Naruto in his side.

She was surprised to realize that the pain of Neji's rejection the night before was all but forgotten. It had hurt but Naruto's singing had dialed the pain back completely but she was also thankful that Neji was gone from the mission.

While the rejection didn't hurt, seeing him would make her feel humiliated nonetheless.

"I hope he gets better soon then," Tenten said.

"Yo!" A voice shouted from behind them. Naruto and Tenten turned around to see Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Hyūga Hinata with their sensei, Yūhi Kurenai walking towards them.

Tenten noticed that Naruto looked apprehensive and tightened her hold on his hand. He looked at her and smiled and began to look more confident. "Well, well, well…" Kiba said with a grin. "Hey Uzumaki. It's been a while."

"It has…" Naruto replied with a wry grin.

"I'm honestly shocked you haven't pulled any pranks since becoming a shinobi," Kiba said.

"Haven't had the time. You know how it is," Naruto replied with a shrug.

"Naruto-san," Shino said with a nod.

"Shino-san…" Naruto replied with a polite nod of his own before he looked to Hinata and said "Hey Hinata-san."

"Hello N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata stammered as her face reddened.

Tenten didn't know why but Hinata blushing at Naruto made her stomach clench up in aggravation. "Good morning Team Nine," Kurenai said with a welcoming smile. "Where is Gai-san?"

"I am right here Kurenai-san!" Gai's boisterous voice exclaimed, which prompted the group to look up to see him on the top of a roof. He effortlessly flipped off the roof and performed three full rotations before he landed on the ground and said "Neji-kun is currently well rested at Yondaime General Hospital so we are off!"

"But before we leave, we should explain this mission," Kurenai said. "A group of Konoha's top scientists have gone rogue and our job is to retrieve them and destroy the scientific weapons they have created."

"Seems pretty easy," Kiba said cockily.

"There have been rumors however that they are supplying these weapons to a very powerful individual," Kurenai continued after silently admonishing Kiba with a glare, which made him shrink back some.

Much to Tenten's amusement.

"Ah yes, the very powerful Akechi Samanosuke," Gai said with a thoughtful tone in his voice.

Tenten tilted her head.

"Akechi…Samanosuke…" Tenten repeated before her eyes widened. "Wait…I know that name. My mother battled him during the Third Shinobi War!"

"She sure did," Gai said with a frown. "Akechi Samanosuke also known as the Akechi of the Wailing Dark. A fierce Kenjutsu user. Once he unsheathes Wailing Midnight, his special sword, many have known to perish. Your mother was the only person to defeat him in battle."

"Whoa…" Naruto whispered before he glanced to Tenten and said "Your mom is so cool,"

Tenten flushed and said "That's why I want to become the best shinobi in the world. Just like her."

"Yes but even she will admit that it was mostly luck," Gai told them seriously. The mission for us is to destroy these weapons and capture the scientists. If he is there, Kurenai and I will defeat him."

"So our mission is to destroy these weapons and capture the scientists…" Shino summarized.

"I-I hope we a-are ready," Hinata stammered out nervously.

"No need to be nervous," Naruto said, a rare confident tone in his voice. "As long as we stick together, we can knock this joint mission out of the park."

"Yeah, this will be easy," Tenten replied with a grin on her face.

"Ah, I love the look of confidence in the morning," Gai said with a large smile. "Very well. Let us depart!"


Naruto: To be Continued


Rain: Hey guys, Rain here. So the mission has been set and believe me when I say…This mission is not going to be pretty so until the next chapter!

Naruto (Oath): I don't like the sound of this…