(07MAY20) A rework of my first Naruto fanfic. Definitely have potential for something. Changing some things because good golly.
DISCLAIMERS: I am in no way making any profits off this, and Naruto rightfully belong to its many owners of merchandise, etc-especially Kishimoto-san. Only thing that belongs to me is the plot.
That's the first and last disclaimers I'll put up.
SUMMARY: Naruto's a bodyguard for Sasuke. For what? Well, they don't know. All they know is that all of hell's going to break loose. And soon.
-x.x.x-
Predicament
Problem I
-x.x.x-
When I first learnt of my newest assignment, I had two completely different reactions: one) resist the ever-building temptation of strangling my sensei and the old geezer to death and two) whoop in joy.
You'll see why soon.
-x.x.x-
"What? Are you serious, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto's eyes widen in utter disbelief. He just had to have heard that wrong.
"Yes, I'm serious," nodded the older brunette, solemn expression tainted with a small smile.
Shit.
"You expect me to baby-sit that spoiled, snobby, rich, 'I'm-rich-so-I'm-better-than-you' brat?"
"Now, now, Naruto-kun," tsked Iruka with a displeased frown. "He's about your age, so I think you two will get along just fine. And you're not 'baby-sitting' him, you're protecting him."
"From what exactly?" Naruto didn't look convinced. He had already seen his charge's picture, and from the first impression, the client certainly didn't look like he needed a bodyguard but rather a psychiatrist with his gloom-and-doom expression. "Against teen angst? Sorry, but that's the psych's specialty. Mine's the one where you have to go do important missions that requires actual skills." The blonde turned around, planning to leave the office until the door smacked opened on his face. "OW!" Immediately, both his hand slapped over his bleeding nose, frowning at the figure that just entered, "Why didn't you knock, old man?!"
Ignoring the pout and insult thrown his way, the Third Hokage rolled his eyes. "You are going to do that assignment whether you like it or not, Naruto. And this office happens to be mine's." The older man strolled ahead of Iruka, white robe billowing behind him, and seated himself behind the desk. Stacked high with paper, the Hokage muttered, "Gone for a few minutes and the documents piled up." Shaking his head, he pulled out his trusty pipe and lit it up. He can deal with the paper later. "You'll be his bodyguard twenty-four-seven until the target is eliminated."
"I said I wasn't going do it! Get Kakashi-sensei or Iruka-sensei to do it!" The youngest among them huffed indignantly, now having two pieces of tissue wadded up his nostrils to stem the bleeding. Naruto really really did not want to play bodyguard when there were more pressing things to do. "They have nothing to do, so why not them?" His hand pointed to the brunette beside the oak desk with his arms crossed, exasperated expression painted clear across his face and another seated figure by the large window, engrossed with an orange book titled 'Icha Icha Paradise'.
"I'm a teacher, in case you've forgotten, Naruto-kun," Iruka rolled his eyes at the other with a sigh.
"And I'm on an assignment!" the silver-haired jounin chirped without peeling his single eye away from the novel.
The three other beings stared at the one called Kakashi.
"If you're on a mission, shouldn't you-y'know, not be here?" A questioning blond brow rose.
"Oh, I guess you're right." Nodding, Kakashii marked his place in the book, closed it and tucked it away within his vest. In seconds, he vanished in clouds of smoke that generated out of nowhere, leaving behind a single leaf in his place.
"You're still doing it, Naruto," stated the elder man with a finality to his voice. He began leafing through papers and manila folders with disinterest.
"C'mon, old geezer!" said being whined childishly for a supposed twenty-two-year-old that held the a relatively high rank in Konoha Special Task Force Agency. "Can't you get someone else?"
The Konoha Special Task Force was something like the FBI and CIA mixed together. Even though they are supported by Konoha City's government, most of its inhabitants don't even know the KSTFA exists, believing that it was the local police doing the good deeds. The headquarters was located in the heart of the large city, standing in front of the four huge carvings of the heads of the four previous Hokages of Konoha in the mountain, towering over the city with a sense of safety and protection. KSTFA were individuals, called shinobis, whose works range from search and rescue missions, acquiring information to swift assassinations and espionages. That included body-guarding, too. Every year or so, only a carefully hand-selected individuals, regardless of age, are put to a rigorous test to see if they were worthy to be part of the elite organization. (1)
"This assignment requires your level of skill, Naruto-kun," Iruka solemnly said, knowing full-well the blonde's weakness to flattery. It was either that or drop a paycheck to pay for Naruto's ramen. The brunette hoped the former worked.
The young adult ceased his whining once realization hit, now widely grinning, "Why didn't you say so? Alright, I'll do it, old man! It better pay well since it has me in it!" Then, he added as an afterthought, "So all I gotta do is protect him until the threat's gone, right? It shouldn't take more than a week at most if Kakashi-sensei is the one behind the assassination." Whipping around so he can point at the other man, "Iruka-sensei, you're treating me to ramen at Ichiraku's!"
"Wha-"
Before Iruka could even splutter out his surprise, the spontaneous blond vanished in a similar fashion to that of Kakashi.
With a defeated sigh, Iruka fished around in his pockets for his wallet, seeing if he had enough for the bottomless-pit-for-a-stomach blond. Prior to even counting his money, muttering something akin to being broke before he even retires, the elderly man cleared his throat to catch the chuunin's attention with ease.
"Yes, Hokage-sama?"
"I'll pay for it. Just tell the owner 'Bitter melon taste like pear'."
"..Right." Nodding his head unsurely, surprised that the elder even ate ramen, the teacher ventured a question, "Hokage-sama, how much is the client willing to pay?"
"He doesn't know about it."
"What? If that's so, then why-"
"He needs it. He's the only one left."
"But isn't-"
"No. 'He' is not one of us. 'He' is the traitor. And I have a feeling 'he' will come back to finish him off."
"But why Naruto? Doesn't he need to know about-" he gestured with one hand "-all of this? And who's going to pay the fee?"
"Isn't Naruto waiting for you at Ichiraku's?" The Third Hokage opened another folder, eyes skimming the papers' content before scribbling a note down with a brush, even though there was a pen nearby. "If you're not there, he'll probably eat until his stomach explodes."
Iruka was about to protest at the abrupt change in subject before sharp black eyes wordlessly bore into his.
'Drop it.'
With much reluctance, the brunette disappeared on sight to meet up with his favorite pupil, who happened to be on his fifth bowl and going on for more.
-x.x.x-
...Okay, so I exaggerated my reactions at the beginning of the story, but you get the drift though right?
Anyhow, I definitely think that I did waste all of Iruka-sensei's check that evening. Well, serve him right for making me wait for so long! What did he have to talk about the old geezer about, anyways? Oh, and I am so gonna get paid by the hour if I can help it. Better be enough so I can eat miso ramen everyday!
And my charge...He doesn't seem like the social one...
Oh, is he in for a rude awakening when Uzumaki Naruto enters the scene!
-x.x.x-
Welps, here you go! My first try and it came out rather well. Not sure I like the last part between Iruka and the Hokage...
Any errors either in spelling, grammars, or on Naruto, say so in the Reviews or drop me a line at
-EDIT- (2.3.06)
(1) Think of it as something similar to Naruto's world what with the ranking, training, etc, after the 'test'/recruiting thing.
