A/N: Ahh, sorry it's so late everyone! I had a lot to do and really couldn't find time (or inspiration, bleh) to work on this. But here we are finally, chapter two! Let me know what you think— also, if they're any experienced betas out there who could help me with plot and characterizations, go ahead and drop me a line. Thanks!
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"Itadakimasu!"
Though Naruto was now in his early twenties, it was no small surprise to Iruka that he still ate like he was twelve.
"Naruto, shouldn't you slow down?" his former sensei sighed, watching the jounin consume his lunch with an appalling lack of civility.
"Nope!" Naruto answered, with a mouth full of ramen. "Gotta make up for all the meals I missed, you know."
Iruka shook his head in defeat and returned to eating his own meal. Or he would have, had they not been interrupted.
"Yo," Kakashi waved and sat down next to his former pupil.
Naruto grinned. "Kakashi-sensei, are you ever on time?"
"Eh? I had to help a cat out of a tree!" Kakashi replied, throwing Iruka a wink. Iruka colored slightly.
"Sure, sure," Naruto laughed, polishing off his second bowl of oshiruko ramen. "Oi! You're paying, right, Iruka-sensei?
The chuunin instructor rolled his eyes. "Didn't you just get paid yesterday?"
"Yeah," said Naruto, pulling out his nicely padded coin purse with a smirk. "But you promised you'd treat."
"Ne, are you going to treat me too, Iruka-sensei?" Kakashi grinned as he ordered his own bowl.
Iruka threw his arms up in the air. "I'm not a bank, you know!"
The trio laughed and resumed their meal, the silence occasional punctuated by a lewd comment from Naruto or Kakashi and an exasperated rebuttal from Iruka. Finally, when they were finished, Kakashi stood up and clapped Iruka and Naruto on their respective backs.
"Well, I'm off. Oh, and the Hokage wants to see you, Naruto," he said, before disappearing.
Naruto frowned and turned to Iruka. "I just saw her yesterday... what could she want now?"
-
"Another mission? But I just got back, Tsunade-baachan!"
Tsunade frowned, still holding out the mission scroll for Naruto to accept. "I know Naruto, but this is urgent. The Kazekage requested you personally."
"Gaara?" Naruto frowned and took the scroll from her outstretched hand. "Why?"
"He believes that Iwagukure may be planning an attack on Suna," she explained. "They've been having problems with the Tsuchikage, and their last negotiation went unfavorably for both countries. There have also been many rumors of an offensive mobilization within the Hidden Village of Rock."
Naruto sighed. "So, this is just politics."
"Precisely," affirmed Tsunade. She rose from her chair and gazed out the window. "Scare tactics, more like it. We're going to position you and three other jounins outside the entrance gates—"
"Guard duty."
Tsunade shot him an irritated look. "Yes, guard duty. You're not above it. Now, we don't want a war, and neither does Suna. When Iwagukure sends scouts to Suna and sees that Konoha has posted some of its jounin there, they'll back off. Once they see that the Sand has our support they'll be much more compliant toward compromise."
"Sakura-chan is gonna be furious," Naruto grumbled, shoving the scroll in his pocket. "All right, when do I leave, and who are you assigning to my team?"
"Eight AM, sharp. Your team will be composed of Hyuuga Neji—"
Naruto whistled, interrupting once again. "Man, Neji's gonna be pissed, too."
"Will you let me finish?" Tsunade protested, scowling. "Hyuuga Neji, Inuzuka Kiba, and Akimichi Chouji. It should take you no more than three days to get to Suna."
"I know how long it takes to get to Suna," Naruto rolled his eyes. The Godaime cuffed him on the ear lightly.
"How old are you now and still have no respect for your elders? 19, 20...?"
"22," pouted Naruto, bringing a hand up to rub the side of his head. "And I have respect for you, Tsunade-baachan."
Tsunade smiled softly. "Well, I'm glad to hear—"
"After all, it would take a lot of respect not to laugh at an old lady with a face like yours!" Naruto snickered, watching as her face crumpled with fury and giving her a mock salute. "See ya later, Tsunade-baaba!"
Naruto disappeared from her office with a pop, leaving behind an irate Hokage. He smiled to himself as heard her incensed scream of rage all the way into the streets of Konoha. Absently scratching the side of his face and trying to suppress the laughter that rumbled up from his stomach, he took off down the street.
"Oi, Naruto."
The jounin whirled around to find one Inuzuka Kiba, smiling cheekily, riding on top of a full-sized Akamaru.
"Kiba! What's up, man?" Naruto grinned, folding the back of his hands behind his head. "How ya been?"
"Good, good. Heading for a mission briefing right now," the Inuzuka answered, nodding his head in the direction of the Hokage's tower.
Naruto laughed. "Ehh, good luck with that. I kinda riled Tsunade-baachan up a bit."
Kiba looked at him incredulously, shaking his head. "I'll never figure out how you get away with that."
"Heh, she just likes me, what can I say?"
"Naruto-kun!"
The two jounin glanced up to see Shizune tearing down the street. She ran up to the pair and stretched her hand out, offering a scroll. Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"From Hokage-sama," she panted, still holding out the scroll. The blonde shrugged and plucked it from her grasp, breaking the wax seal.
And then the scroll blew up.
Kiba burst into laughter. "I guess she just likes you, huh?"
"Exploding note," Naruto grumbled, checking to see if his eyebrows were still intact. "She could have done better."
"Ah, gomen, Naruto-kun," Shizune smiled apologetically. Naruto waved his hand nonchalantly.
"I'll get her back, don't worry."
The Hokage's assistant gave Naruto a small bow and turned, only letting the devious smile break across her face when she was out of sight. How boring life would be without Tsunade-sama and Naruto-kun's antics...
Kiba shook his head, still chuckling. "Alright man, I'll see you around."
Naruto nodded. "Probably more sooner than later."
"Heh, know something I don't?" the Inuzuka quirked a brow. Naruto shrugged.
"Guess you'll find out, won't you?"
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"What?"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, trying to look blameless. "Ehh, you know it's not my fault, Sakura-chan. I told the old hag you'd be mad."
Sakura clenched her teeth, seething anger. "How could you take another mission? You haven't been home more than a day!"
"Sakura-chan..." the blonde sighed, sinking into a chair. "I have to do this. It's for Gaara."
"Kazekage-sama?" Sakura frowned, some of her anger dissipating. "What does he need you for? It's nothing serious, is it?"
Naruto shook his head. "No, no. Political tension or some shit. He wants me to stand at the gate and scare the Rock-nins."
"What, with your face?" the kunoichi grinned slyly.
"Oho, a joke! Does this mean you're not angry anymore?" laughed Naruto, standing up from his seat and giving Sakura a devious look. She tried to force her face back into irritation, but could only smile.
"Fine, fine," she waved him off. "But you have to tell Takara that you're leaving."
The jounin pulled a face. "She's not going to like hearing that."
"Which is why you," Sakura poked a finger into his chest, "are telling her."
Naruto grumbled, but headed back toward his young daughter's bedroom, turning the doorknob once he was in reach. "Takara-chan?"
"Otouchan! Is dinner ready?" Takara smiled brightly, looking up from her doodling. Naruto grinned and shook his head, stepping inside and taking a seat on the floor.
"What are you drawing?"
"It's a picture of Shikami-chan!" She giggled, showing Naruto the crayon drawing, which he though more closely resembled a four-legged blob with antlers.
"It's very pretty," Naruto grinned, ruffling her hair.
"Hey, otou-chan, can we go fishing tomorrow?"
The jounin sighed. "Takara-chan... otouchan got another mission and he has to leave tomorrow morning."
Takara screwed up her face in displeasure. "Why?"
"Well, otou-chan's old friend, the Kazekage-sama, is in some trouble. And he asked Hokage-sama if I could come help him out."
Takara looked at him with curious, innocent eyes. "What's a Kazekage-sama?"
Naruto had to fight back a chuckle.
"You know how Konoha has the Hokage, right, Takara-chan?" Naruto began, and the young girl nodded in affirmation. "Well, to the west, there is a land called Suna, a hot and dry desert, just like you'd expect. There they have a Kazekage, not a Hokage. But Konoha and Suna are allies, so your otou-chan is friends with a lot of their ninja. Actually," Naruto smiled at his daughter. "Shikami's okaasan is from Suna, originally. She's the Kazekage-sama's sister."
Takara stared at Naruto, eyes full of wonder. "Wow, otouchan. You know a lot!"
"Sure do!" Naruto grinned widely. "You gotta know a lot if you want to be Hokage!"
"Dinner's ready!"
The two shared a look, twin pairs of blue eyes alight with the idea of food, and then scrambled out the door, laughing all the way to the kitchen.
-
The next morning, a four-man cell left for Suna through the West Gate. Naruto frowned as they began their journey, looking over his shoulder as Konoha faded from view.
"Something wrong, chief?" Kiba asked, looking concerned as three of the foursome began to pick up the pace, leaving Naruto still lost in thought. He shook his head.
"Nothing. Just a weird feeling," The blonde replied, leaping up into the trees and trying to shake the sense of foreboding that clung to his subconscious.
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