Disclaimer – If I owned Naruto, there would be a swimsuit issue.
Spoilers – This contains spoilers for the anime and manga. Spoilers up to MANGA chapter 177(final spoiler warning will be for chapter 228 aka time skip)
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Water Runs Red – Chapter 25
When Kakashi woke up the next morning, he was alone in bed. The spot next to him was cool, but the blankets that Iruka had been under still smelt like him. When he opened his eyes, the sun was well up and the clock confirmed he had slept in. He sat up in bed and saw a note on the nightstand. It simply said 'Damn leash'. Kakashi shook his head and laughed. That answered where Iruka was.
He stretched his arms and got out of bed. He had just pulled on the standard blue uniform when he heard a noise at the window. A small bird was incessantly pecking at the glass. Upon closer inspection, it was one of those birds. Kakashi frowned and muttered to the bird, "I'll be right there."
The bird took off and flew away as Kakashi finished getting dressed. He made his way to the Hokage's office and was gestured in by her ANBU guard. She was flanked by not only Shizune, but also Izumo and Kotetsu, both of whom were obviously neck deep in backed up paperwork
Tsunade looked over at Kakashi as he walked in, "How are you feeling, brat?"
He didn't raise to the bait of being called 'brat' instead he just assumed his normal slouched posture, "Like my sick leave is about to end?"
She smiled, "Sorry about this, but I need this run to the council of the sand village. Top priority, top secrecy." She tossed him a scroll, "I need you to leave as soon as you can get packed."
He nodded and left with a bow. He knew they were short handed, but a runner mission was not expected – Unless it was more critical of a message than she had let on. He hurried back to his place; he wasn't sure where Iruka was, so his only option was to leave a note. He flipped over Iruka's note and placed it on his pillow. 'Mine too' and he signed the note with his little scarecrow face.
Iruka
When Iruka met up with the rest of his team for lunch, he found out Kakashi had been sent on a mission. He got no further details since Izumo spent the rest of the time trying to get Kotetsu to stop picking on their 'poor love sick comrade'.
No one had heard anything new about whatever had been spotted outside the village earlier, so with lunch over, Iruka headed off to check on his students. With classes out for such a long time, he wanted to make sure they were doing OK. Many of them had lost family in the attack and he wanted to make sure no one had been forgotten in the hustle of rebuilding the village.
It was four hours later when the last child had been talked to and taken out for a treat. Everyone in the village was so busy with the rebuilding, that it was easy to forget the quiet ones. As he walked back to the administrative building, he tried not to think how many of those quiet kids would end up on his recommendation list for Ibiki when they graduated. He was almost there when he was suddenly pounced on by an orange blur of energy.
He took the boy to the ramen stand, again. It wasn't as if he had a boyfriend at home right now anyways he could eat with. As Naruto was eating his noodles, Iruka started to think. Even the youngest of his students were helping in rebuilding the town. The genin were being asked to do missions that just a few months ago would have been done by an entire team, sure they were still D rank missions, but now solo D rank missions. "Naruto ..."
The boy looked up at him, "Hmmm?"
Iruka paused as he thought for a moment how the village had recovered so far in the month he had been gone, "You've grown a great deal since the time you wanted one of these forehead protectors." He repositioned his as the boy looked up at him.
Iruka couldn't hold back a smile as Naruto practically glowed from the praise, "Really? Really? You think so too?" Iruka didn't even have the heart to scold him for talking with his mouth full, "See the headband you gave me, it fits really well doesn't it!"
He tried not to smile, "Haha, what are you getting so arrogant about. You've still got a long way to go." It took all of his will power not to point out to the boy that he was now pouting like a toddler. He sighed, "Naruto." The seriousness of his voice couldn't be ignored, "This is a hard time for us leafs. Including our third Hokage, we lost many talented shinobi. We've lost nearly half our forces. However, we still need to complete all the missions requested of us just as before."
Naruto seemed confused, "Why's that? If we don't have the men, why can't we just refuse them?"
Iruka frowned; the younger ones who didn't remember how depleted their forces had been after the fox attack didn't understand, "We can't do that… See, we've been keeping the balance of power with other nations steady with out village's forces. If we were to turn down some of the missions, it's like telling the other nations that our village is getting weak. That's why even the ninja academy has been temporarily closed. Even I have to complete some field missions." He didn't add that those would be publicly acknowledged field missions instead of just his normal covert ones. "I heard Kakashi has already been assigned a mission although he's still recovering."
Naruto seemed to think for a moment, "hmmmm." The boy frowned, "I see … that sucks…"
Iruka's mouth partially fell open before he could stop himself. How Naruto could be so clueless sometimes, "Hey, you too. You've got that forehead protector now, so you have to do your share for the village too."
The boy nodded, "yep" going right back to eating, "But first things first, I need to feed my stomach!"
Iruka smiled despite himself, that's why he ate lunch with the boy he was always so … Naruto. He laughed, "You haven't changed." He reached out and tussled the boy's hair. "Good luck." With that, he headed off, leaving enough money for the boy's three bowls of ramen. (1)
Iruka was almost home when his tattoo started to tingle. He hurried to the Hokage's office. It was her summon he was feeling. The third had summoned them so rarely; it had seemed a waste of time for Izumo to have made the two summoning scrolls feel different. Now it was looking like that was going to pay off.
He made sure to have several files in his arms as he approached the ANBU guarded door. He bowed low, "ANBU-sama, I have files Hokage-sama wanted as soon as possible."
One of the ANBU slipped inside and then quickly returned, "Hokage-sama was expecting you." Iruka bowed again and walked in, doing his best 'frazzled desk ninja' impersonation.
When he got inside, Ibiki was standing next to Tsunade's desk. The interrogator gestured to the chair and Iruka sat without a word. Tsunade looked tired and Ibiki looked irritated. Iruka looked from one to the other, "Where do you need me to go?"
Tsunade nodded to Ibiki. The older man frowned before speaking, "This could be very dangerous. You're the only one of the four still in the village, but we aren't comfortable sending you alone on this. We need to decide who can be your backup."
Iruka nodded, "Who do you have in mind?" The fact that Ibiki hadn't just assigned someone, meant there wasn't anyone that had worked with him before available.
Tsunade looked up, "I don't want to send you out without someone of at least jônin level, preferably ANBU. Kakashi won't be back for several days, so I was going to assign Minamino Natsumi."
Iruka nodded, "That's fine." He vaguely knew here. She had been in one of the classes he taught for Ibiki about poisons. Her little brother was also one of his students. Nothing exciting about her, and no real potential for undercover work so he hadn't really considered her abilities.
Ibiki walked to the door and spoke to the two ANBU outside for a moment. He was followed back in by one of the two guards. The guard was obviously female and had long black hair. Ibiki gestured towards the other seat in front of the Hokage's desk, "You can remove your mask."
Iruka stood up as she walked in and bowed, "Minamino-san."
She looked confused as she looked at those assembled in the office. She nodded at Iruka, "Sensei." She took the scroll handed to her by Tsunade.
As she was reading, Ibiki started speaking. "'Iruka, you remember Kuroda Takumi?"
Iruka nodded, "Rock country drug lord. Wanted by three countries. Specializing in high end products like chakra powder as well as more typical drugs but has a reputation for being able to attain the unattainable. Clientele all over Rock and grass. Ties to several missing nin."
Natsumi looked over at him. A brief second of surprise showed on her face, but she quickly repressed the emotion from her face.
Ibiki nodded. "We just got information decoded that he is trafficking in some chemicals that are of a more medical nature."
Tsunade nodded, "There are very few things these chemicals can be used for and all signs point towards his client being affiliated with Orochimaru. We to get as much information as possible as soon as possible."
Iruka nodded, "We should leave in an hour?"
Ibiki nodded and looked towards Natsumi, "Can you be ready by then? This isn't ANBU, standard Jônin uniform but be prepared to dress in civilian clothes as well."
Iruka stood up facing the black haired Kunoichi, "I'll meet you five miles from the front gate. We should leave the office separately." When no one contradicted what he said, he walked out the front doors, slipping right back into desk-ninja mode.
An hour later, he was five miles down the road from the main gate of Konoha. Iruka stretched and cracked his back as he waited for Natsumi to show up. She landed on the road next to him looking very serious, "If we can make good time we should be to our destination by sundown tomorrow. If you need to rest, just tell me, sensei."
He just nodded and yawned, "No problem."
"You're tired?"
He shrugged, "Just got back from a mission day before yesterday, so yeah a little tired, but I'm fine. Oh, and please, it's Iruka. The sensei thing is making me feel ancient."
She raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't say anything before starting off towards rock country. Iruka followed without any problems. The sun set and they were still well within fire country. They kept going, although she occasionally looked over her shoulder, presumably to check on how Iruka was doing.
It was almost midnight when she stopped, "We should grab something to eat and take a quick rest."
Iruka nodded, "Sure." He sat down and pulled out a ration bar from his pack and started to eat it, his eyes closed as he relaxed. He wasn't sure how long she was going to make the 'break' and he wasn't in the mood to fight her about getting rest since she was obviously pulling the spot of team leader. It would be easier if he didn't disillusion her of that until they were near the target.
He opened his eyes to look at her as she cleared her throat. She was looking at him oddly, "What are you eating?"
He blinked and then yawned, his jaw cracking, then his neck cracking as he tilted his head, "Umm, a ration bar?"
"What are you doing with a ration bar from hidden mist?"
"Oh…" He mentally kicked himself for not thinking he'd be paired up with someone not used to working with him and more than likely suspicious after a traitor in leaf was found not even two months ago. "They taste better. Want one?"
She blinked, "How did you get your hands on that?" She was obviously suspicious and ready to attack.
Iruka just sighed; he was too tired to deal with this. "I just returned from there on a month long mission for Ibiki. Their food tastes better. I still have some of it and I haven't been home long enough to repack my bag anyways. I only get chuunin pay and it isn't enough to make me want to eat that reconstituted cardboard they have in the supply area back in Konoha."
She nodded, "I'm trying to figure out why they sent a chuunin on this mission. Normally something A-rank would be two jônin."
He frowned, "There is no way this should be A-rank. B on a bad day. I've worked this guy for information many times and really, it isn't an A rank thing. So don't worry about being stuck on an A rank with me, ok?"
She nodded, "Yes, sen… Iruka." She smiled, "Sorry my little brother is always talking about you."
He smiled, "He's a good kid. Needs to work on his throwing arm and his chakra control. Of course if his stopped pulling Choko-chan's hair when he should be listening to lectures that would also help."
"I should give him a good talking to as his big sister." She stood up, "Are you ready to continue?"
"I'm a chuunin not a princess, I can keep up." He shouldered his pack. "Would you be more comfortable about going faster if I set the pace?"
She thought for a second and then nodded, "I don't want to accidentally go to fast."
He just nodded and started off towards their destination. The girl's chakra control was good and she had a much higher reserve than Iruka, but his control was better. He really didn't like being underestimated though. It wouldn't be the first time he pissed off an ANBU member about it either.
He started at the same pace they have been at. Slowly, he increased speed making sure there were no signs of the speed increase in his chakra. Smoothly, he brought the pace up to jônin levels, then ANBU levels. He could tell she was using more chakra now, but she hadn't said anything and he was pretty sure she hadn't noticed his gradual increase. They were at least making good time now and should be at the village before noon. Iruka decided to push it. As the pace got faster, he listened carefully to the ANBU behind him. Then he heard it, her foot slipping off a branch. She managed to catch herself before falling, but when he turned and doubled back, she was sitting on a lower branch with her back against a tree truck catching her breath.
She looked up at him, confused, "What was that for?"
He smirked, "Will you start treating me like a capable shinobi and not some useless person?"
She nodded, "I'm sorry. I just … we're short staffed so I know missions are being done with …"
He cut her off, "Look. I was not assigned to this because we are short staffed. You are the one who was assigned to this because we are short staffed. Once you catch your breath, we are going to continue on, and you are going to set the pace as fast as you can. I have a lot to set up before we meet the mark tonight, and I do want to do it tonight and not tomorrow night."
The rest of the trip to the village went without incident. They stopped just outside of the town and put on civilian clothes. They walked in to the town, acting as if they were just travelers and Iruka lead her straight to a quiet hotel that wasn't too far from the bar their mark often hung out at. It wasn't long before they were in a hotel room. A very simple room with its own bathroom. There was a futon folded in one corner and a small couch, a table, a desk, and a TV.
Iruka grabbed one of the blankets and walked over to the couch, "You can have the bed. I'm going to get some rest because I am exhausted. The mark normally gets to the bar around 10 so we have nearly twelve hours."
She frowned, "The scroll said we should be there are six."
He sat on the couch, curling up around himself, "Scroll is wrong. The guy never shows up before 9 at the earliest and never leaves before 11."
She cleared her throat, "I don't know what your problem is, but I am the ranking member of this team."
He sighed, "This isn't ANBU, check the mission scroll."
She frowned and pulled it out of her pack. "MABU?"
He nodded, "Not ANBU, if this was an ANBU mission, you would be calling the shots, as it isn't, I am in charge of the actual contact with our mark."
She re-read through the scroll and nodded, "It seems to say that. What is MABU?"
He half smiled, "If you needed to know, you'd already know." With that, he curled up on the couch to go to sleep.
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(1) Conversation from chapter 174
Originally I was going to have the female ANBU be Yaagao (sp? the purple haired ANBU chick) but I decided this is long enough I can come up with an OC without anyone thinking I'm doing some self insertion crap. Oh and the little girl getting her hair pulled is a cannon character ;)
Please review, I would love to know what people are thinking of this. The story is now in it's final third.