Like a distant memory, the colossal gates that bordered Konoha were massive with huge pillars on both sides of the doors. Each pillar held two guards with telescopic devices so they can see a great distance along the wall. A little startled seeing what appeared to be the legendary Jiriaya and Hokage Tsunade herself.
"Hokage-sama.." one of the guards said as he landed a few meters before the doors that began to creak open. Upon view the two, a look of skepticism and confusion rose on his face as the woman spoke.
"Something wrong Mr……. Starken…mey…er…?"
"Staukenmayer maam'…uh…I mean Hokage-sama." The guard quick stammered as a slight look of fear filled his features.
"Well… Is there a problem or are you just wasting my time?" The Tsunade look alike asked as she began cracking her knuckles.
"Uh…" He began to utter while trying to remove his gaze from her chest, or lack there of. Her eyes slowly began to narrow in frustration often like the 5th's does.
"No no, it's nothing at all, sorry to have bothered you." He said frantically as he quickly bowed and moved to the side while the two sannin walked by with a slight smile on their faces. As the sweat stopped pouring off his face, the guard returned to his post and the doors creaked shut.
"You know you'll probably pay for that…" the pervert said with a big smile across his face.
"Who's gonna know, besides, its not like I was spying on naked woman or anything…" Naruto said with a slight glare that caused the hermit to choke on his tongue slightly. "It's research runt."
"Research my ..."
"Look!" The hermit quickly interrupted as he pointed to a very confused Shizune leaving Naruto with a slight look of shock.
"Tsu…Tsunade…sama?" The apprentice looked upon Naruto's form with a little confusion.
"Everything alright Shizune-san?" Naruto asked with a hidden grin. This was just too much fun. Everyone was buying his disguise even without Tsunade's overwhelming "assets." This would prove to be a fantastic day after all. As the three made their way through town, Naruto couldn't help Shizune's constant glances at his midsection while trying his best to keep his laughter in. Why not a little more fun?
"Something bothering you Shizune-san?" Naruto asked cocking his head as the hokage often did when frustrated.
"Uh…No…not at all Tsunade-sama. I was just…"
"Just…"
"Its nothing, did you get a chance to look over Sakura-san's mission papers yet? Maybe sending her to wind country when Akatsuki could be attacking may be too risky at her current level."
The words brought Naruto to a screaming halt. "Sakura-chan…" He mumbled to himself as if he lost all track of his current situation. Appearing dazed, the brunette looked up at her sensei and frowned.
"I am not saying she isn't ready… I just mean, this organization is pretty dangerous and sending her into that kind of situation when she isn't experienced enough could prove fatal." Her words fell on def ears as all Naruto's fears came back in a rush of charka. Not only was Gaara in danger, but now Sakura, and why would the old lady send her to aid in the fight against Akatsuki? It doesn't make sense. Just as Naruto's confusion was beginning to lean towards anger, the hermit quickly cut in.
"Sakura has been studying under the hokage for nearly three years now so I am sure Tsunade wouldn't be so rash as to send Sakura on this dangerous of a mission without being sure she could handle it… Right Tsunade?" The pervert asked trying not to blow the boys cover but it seemed Naruto had already tuned the hermit out. In the blink of an eye, Naruto shot to the roof of a nearby building and flew across town in a flash of light.
"Shit…" Jiraiya uttered as he hung his head.
"TSUNADE-SAMA! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" The dark haired chunnin screamed as she took off after whom she assumed was her sensei. Jiraiya quickly followed behind in hopes to lessen the beating he will get from the 5th.
"What's going on, if the hokage knows of the danger the Akatsuki brings, why would she endanger her own student? Sakura isn't strong enough to take on those guys. I will talk some sense into that old granny!" Naruto thought to himself as he reached the hokage tower and sprinted up the steps in blinding speed. Many guards caught sight of the intruder and began their chase but were too late as Naruto made it to the doors and kicked his way in.
"GRANNY TSUNADE, WHAT THE…" Naruto froze as the Hokage jumped from her seat and in her reflexes tossed her entire desk towards the intruder. Barely dodging to the side as the desk impacted the two guards that chased Naruto knocking them unconscious. As the sweat dropped from his head, Naruto noticed what seemed to be a large red mark across the cheek of Tsunade and came to the obvious conclusion… SHE WAS SLEEPING! But before he could comment, Tsunade's death glare was focused on him with an intent to kill! Shaking off his fear, he remembered why he came barging in her office to begin with, Sakura.
"Is it true that you plan on sending Sakura-chan to Suna village to help fight Akatsuki." The mention of Akatsuki would have normally thrown the hokage off balance but her glare only increased as veins began to bulge across her forehead.
"What…WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?" She screamed as she stormed across the room with her arm cocked back, ready to deliver a death blow her intruder. Barely escaping the wrath, Naruto jumped to the ceiling attaching himself to the boards with his charka.
"Wow wow, sorry about waking you up, but you shouldn't be sleeping on the job." He yelled as he squeaked by a kick to the face while darting around the room trying to escape.
"I'LL KILL YOU RUNT!" She swore as she continued her pace. Jiraiya finally made it there as he watched in fear from the hokage's window. "Sorry boy, but your on your own on this one." Shizune finally made it up the stairs and passed by the unconscious guards and busted desk. The look of confusion returned as she watched One Tsunade chase the other around the office. "This is just too weird."
"Is this any way to treat the future hokage old lady?" Naruto yelled back while dodging more blows.
"Future hokage my ass!" She yelled in return as she continued to make chase. Naruto soon lost his footing on a loose board as the hokage finally landed a punch to his face sending him crashing out the window impacting pavement in a sickening crunch. With eyes bulging from his face, Jiraiya decided it would be best if he made his exit. Best not to let his former teammate think he had anything to do with it or he would catch the same beating. "Sorry kid, time to go do some research." And with a puff of smoke, the hermit was gone.
Naruto twitched a few times as a lump the size of a basketball rose from his forehead and a moan rose from his throat. "Old…granny…"…"Ouch…"
"Well… Did you learn your lesson runt?" Tsunade asked as she looked upon his mangled form.
"What the hell is wrong with you, what did I do?" He asked while trying to get feeling back in his face.
"Ehem… " She uttered as she poked his chest. Looking down at himself he quickly realized that he was still henge'd as Tsunade, but a little "flatter" version.
"Oh…shit…"
"Uh..huh" She responded tapping her foot. Naruto did a quick henge to his original form as he tried to lift himself back to his feet. Dusting off his pants and jacket, he looked up to see Shizune slide to a stop next to the hokage as a look of shock turned grin covered her features. "Heh, kids… Are you alright Tsunade-sama?" She asked trying not to laugh at the bruised face of Naruto.
"Is she alright? Are you kidding, did you see my face?" He asked pointing to the pulsating purple bruise on his head.
"You're lucky that's all you got. Did Jiraiya talk you into this?" She asked as Naruto stopped his answer before it left his throat. Speaking of the hermit, where was he while he was getting the beating of a lifetime? "Oh, he'll pay for this." He thought to himself with a smile.
"Yes, he made me do it." Naruto said attempting to use a puppy dog look that made Tsunade almost melt.
"I see." She said narrowing her eyes a bit as she carried a sort of wicked smile that made even Shizune flinch.
"Naruto… Is that you?" A woman calls from behind the group. She was tall, slender, with silky pink hair that rested on her shoulders. Her uniform seemed to be customized which suits her personality quite well. Instead of a one piece dress, she wore a tight sleeveless shirt bearing the same donut symbol and red hue. Se also seemed to wear low cut shorts with a custom medical chap that also served as a weapons holster. But what had Naruto practically drooling was the long, almost knee high boots that supplied most of the covering on her legs. He was speechless for a couple seconds before the pink haired vixen wrapped her arms around his neck.
"It is you, I am so glad your back." She said not realizing the fire that covered the blonde's cheeks.
"Sakura-chan…"
"So how is everything, did you become strong like Tsunade-sama told me you were?" She asked with a sort of admiration in her eye that he remembered her showing towards his old teammate turned traitor.
"Well…uh…" Still stammering over his words as he felt his whole face burning up. He quickly tried to cover it up as he rubbed the back of his head. "Of course, the pervert had me practicing all sorts of jutsus. How about you Sakura? You seem so… confident." The words kind of slipped out but he couldn't help it. The blonde had never seen her like this before. She seemed like a splitting image of the 5th. He scowled as he reviewed that thought, which would probably mean that her temper is just as high also…
"Well you know, I have been training to become a medical ninja and Tsunade-sama says I am improving at a rapid rate." She said with a slight blush, obviously quite proud of herself.
"That's great Sakura-chan. I heard granny Tsunade plans to send you to wind country which is why I came. I am coming with you."
"You think so?" Tsunade said in a flat tone, trying to hint to the boy that he doesn't make the decisions our here. She was met with a similar glare that she bore earlier which brought a sort of smile to her face.
"Very well Uzumaki Naruto, you will be accompanied by your former sensei, kakashi, Sakura, and…"
"And…" Naruto asked hanging on Tsunade's words. It strikes him as odd that she would pair another ninja in their group but he was curious as to who it would be.
"Nevermind, this will do." She noticed the uncomfortable looks she received from both Sakura and Naruto so she decided to leave the broken team as it was. "You two, go find Kakashi and return to my office and I will fill you in on the details."
"Right." The two said in unison before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
"Now; to find that pervert and crack his skull!" She said as her wicked smile returned while popping her knuckles.
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"We have looked everywhere and that pervert is no where in sight. Any ideas?" Naruto asked in mid stride as they leapt from roof top to roof top.
"There is one more place, remember where we had our first test?"
"Ah, got it." He responded as the two bolted towards the training grounds. Nothing but silenced passed between them. Nothing needed to be said, team seven was about to go on a mission, but it wasn't the same; not without Sasuke. Naruto often wondered what the boy was doing. Time was running out and Orochimaru would soon make his move to take Sasuke's body. The question that plagued him the most was whether or not it matter to him anymore. He would bring Sasuke back, if not for Sakura's sake alone.
"There he is." Sakura announced as they spotted their former sensei looking upon the gravestone of heroes. Catching notice of the approaching ninjas, he quickly removed his book from his vest and waved them over. Kakashi never was one to show emotion of any sort, so it often became acquired to him. Seeing the two shinobi coming his way, a true smile beneath the mask emerged. He often reflected on the past and wondered if he repeated the mistakes when training team seven. He thought pairing Naruto with Sasuke would change the young man's heart, help him realize that he was not alone. That there was others out there that shared his pain; shared his loneliness. But there wasn't… Sasuke could not be saved; as long as Itachi walked the earth, there would be no saving.
"Kakashi sensei." Naruto called out as the two landed a short ways away.
"Naruto… Sakura, good to see you." He replied as he placed his book back into his vest. "Judging from your excitement, it seems we have a mission?" He asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Right, Tsunade-sama instructed us to locate you and report to her office for the details."
"It seems were headed to the village of sand." Naruto quickly added, seeming to be anxious to go.
"I see, well lets not keep the hokage waiting. Shall we…" he added a hand gesture as the 3 took off back to the tower.
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As they walked through what was left of the hokage office doors; Jiraiya, Shizune, and the Hokage were already seated waiting on the three visitors.
"Well, I'm glad you decided to make an appearance." Tsunade commented with sarcasm dripping from her jaws.
"We got lost traveling in.." Before Kakashi had a chance to finish, Tsunade finished for him. "the road of life, yes I know the line." As she finished, the hermit turned his head to glare at Naruto with his black eye. "You'll get your payback runt, trust me." He said as he pulled a small green, but plump, frog wallet from his inside pocket and jingled its contents before returning it in his vest.
"YOU SON OF A…" Before Naruto could finish, Sakura had Naruto in a choke hold with her hand over his mouth. "Are you crazy, show some respect." She uttered as the blonde struggled for air.
"With that aside… I will explain the details of your mission. In front of you are what Jiraiya's contacts have given to him on Akatsuki's most recent plans. It seems that Naruto is not the only one their after. An order has been given to infiltrate Suna village, the details are small but we fear that Sabaku no Gaara is their target. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura, your orders are to get to Suna Village, assist the Kazekage and relay the status directly to me by carrier. Is this understood?" Tsunade asked as all three remained silent.
"HOKAGE-SAMA!" A guard yelled pushing his way through the damaged doors.
"What is it?"
"We just got a message from Suna Village, they were attacked and their Kazekage was taken by one man in a black cloak. They dispensed a squad to track their movements but need aid quickly.
"WHAT?" Tsunade yelled kicking her chair across the room.
"We need to go help him now!" Naruto said grabbing his bag from the ground.
"NO! That's what they want, I will not allow Akatsuki to get their hands on you." Jiraiya responded quickly in an attempt to deflate his apprentice's swelled head.
"But who will help Gaara?" He quickly responded.
"His fate has already been decided Naruto, by chasing after him, you will suffer the same fate." It was Tsunade who chimed in this time. She immediately regretted her words as Naruto looked at her through a different set of eyes, foreign eyes, red eyes.
"I will not give up on him! Not while I am still breathing!" He said in a growling tone as Kakashi watched him closely before giving a short sigh.
"I guess it can't be helped."
Tsunade sighed as well as she became slightly nerved by the look in his eyes. "Fine, but you better come back safely. I am also dispensing another team to aid you, but they can catch up to you along the way."
"YES! " Naruto screamed as he threw one arm in the air and sweat dropped from the heads of everyone else in the room from the sudden change in his attitude.
"Lets go, we need to hurry." Naruto said as he took off out of the office. The rest soon started to filter out as Jiraiya called Kakashi back.
"I need to tell you something before you leave."
"Right." He responded knowing it involved Naruto.