Title: Plushie no Jutsu

Chapter Six: Mission Part I

Series: Naruto

Author: Miali

Genre: Humor/Romance

Disclaimer: Another verse, same as the first, a little bit louder and a whole lot worse.

A/N: Whoo, I'm back. I have a crack fic to post sometime soon that I wrote with my friend Black-n-white-stockings. I should get that up tomorrow… Ah, I'm afraid I have some bad news after that. My dad has taken away my computer. I don't know how often I'll be able to write on the one downstairs, so there might be a large chunk of time between updates. Very sorry.

! -! -!

"I-I am?" Iruka looked blankly at Naruto who was now sitting at the table, looking at the plushie. Iruka busied himself in the kitchen already lost in thought. Today is a Saturday, yes, so I don't have classes that I have to teach… But I can't just let Kakashi-sensei's team not train on weekdays… And I CERTAINLY can't have Naruto around the students. Konohamaru already looks up to him more than enough in some areas. The teacher sighed. I guess I'll have to get a sub then.

Naruto looked down at the plate of pancakes that had appeared before him. "Thanks Iruka-sensei!" he managed to say before digging in. Iruka sat down across the table from him and noticed the Kakashi plushie had been moved. It now lay face-down next to Naruto who had apparently been studying it.

The plushie in question had heaved a sigh of relief to find that his mask had been sewn on to his face unlike the headband.

Iruka looked back up at the blonde who was still shoveling food into his mouth. "Ths're rwwy goo Iwka-sensei!" The boy swallowed figuring the teacher would understand enough from his smile and there was no sense in wasting the time to repeat the statement.

"Thank you Naruto." The teacher took a small bite of his pancake, "So did you have anything in mind for the team today?" The blonde nodded energetically and Iruka was suddenly slightly afraid.

"A mission."

! -! -!

Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto reconvened in Iruka's kitchen while they tried to decide which course of action to take with their new assignment. It was a D-rank mission, and a fairly simple task, but all three males were dreading it. The pink haired genin on the other hand was smiling happily.

Sasuke looked at Naruto. The boy had tried to con the special jounin at the mission desk to give him a better assignment but had failed miserably. Firstly because their usual leader was absent (they didn't want another wave-country incident without Kakashi) and secondly because Naruto was just annoying. In fact, Sasuke believed that they were given an even more mundane task because of this.

The raven-haired boy's gaze shifted to the chuunin, who was looking relatively miserable. He had tried to pull some strings with Genma behind the desk to get a better assignment but had also failed. Sasuke discovered an interesting bit of information however. It had become almost instantly apparent that Genma had some sort of blackmail on Iruka by the suggestive flick of the senbon along with the bandana-clad man's sly smile. Iruka's was only further proof of the theory.

"All right!" Sakura said glancing at the clock on the wall, "Is everyone ready to start our mission?" She gave them a quick once-over to make sure no one was forgetting anything and her sea-green eyes fell on the forgotten plushie on the table. "Hey! This could come in handy…" She grabbed the doll and stuffed it in her bag before turning on her heel and walking out the door. The three male members of the "new" team seven had no choice but to follow her.

! -! -!

The four arrived at a large house on the very edge of Konoha within a few minutes. It was the home of one of the council members of the village and it was where their day-long task was to take place. To Iruka, Sasuke, and Naruto it couldn't have looked more foreboding. Sakura just smiled and rang the doorbell, pushing the white button into the brass plate and releasing it. Her smile widened as the door opened.

"Hello! I'm Haruno Sakura, and these are Umino Iruka, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke. We're here to look after Kimimo-chan."

The younger woman at the door smiled, "Thank you so much for coming! Please, come in and make yourselves at home." Sakura slipped off her shoes as she stepped into the house. The others soon followed after her, their gazes wandering around the spacious hall.

"Your house is so lovely Tachima-san!" The pink haired ninja stated as she followed after the owner.

"Oh thank you, I've just begun remodeling you see and…" Mrs. Tachima and Sakura exchanged small talk as the three nins got a good long look around.

"Man, this is the kind of house you could get lost in." Iruka turned and looked at Naruto. Sasuke just rolled his eyes.

"Don't make me come and rescue you if you get kidnapped by dust bunnies, dobe." Naruto stuck his tongue out at the young Uchiha. "And don't even think about losing the kid." Iruka ignored the two bickering and hurried to catch up with the two women. He walked quietly behind them and making careful note about where emergency supplies and other necessities were located. Finally he laid eyes upon their charge and blanched.

Kimimo's big blue eyes looked up at the five of them standing in the living room. "Mommy!" she smiled before heading over to her mother. Once in her mother's arms it was as if she finally had seen the four ninja gathered next to her. She hid her face in her hands and pressed as much of herself into her mother's shoulder as she could fit. Iruka sighed. At least the kids at the academy are above the age of seven… This one's barely five, if that.

Sakura smiled at the little girl. "Hi Kimimo-chan, I'm Sakura!" She glanced around, "Are those your dolls over there?" The pink haired ninja pointed to a pile of plastic things in dresses and the little girl nodded. "Can I play with them?" Kimimo nodded again. "Can you help me?" Reluctantly the girl nodded once more and her mother put her down. The two quickly descended upon the dolls and were soon immersed in a game.

Iruka turned to the woman. "Don't worry Tachima-san, your daughter will be safe with us." The woman nodded before giving her daughter one last hug and heading out the door. "Have a good time!"

Naruto glanced at Sakura and Kimimo playing happily. "This'll be a piece of cake."

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And so ends chapter six. This'll either be in two parts or three parts… It's far too long to make into one. XD I actually really like this part of the story so I may write the second part tonight/tomorrow. It all depends, I suppose.