Begun July 18, 2006

8/24/06

Author's Notes - 'Ello, everyone! Yes, yes, I know... it's been quite a while... but as I'm sure you know... I've been without a computer for quite some time...

The Divine Nataku - :pouts: I have, too, y'know...

But this is about me, so shh::sticks out her tongue: Anywho, now that I've got a working computer (god it took forever!) I can get back to work on all my fics that have been dying for updates. But, being the kind of slacker that I am... I decided to instead to post a new one to the mound...

The Divine Nataku - Though I can't blame you... I, too, have become a Naruto-junkie...

Wufei - Pshh... weak females... :face pales when he's sees their heads snap around to face him:

:author and Miss Chang Po glomp him: Wufei-chan! We missed yoouuuuuu!

Wufei - -;;;

Naruto

"Clan"

Prologue - Debriefing

The Godaime no Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, Slug Mistress of the Legendary Sannin, was engaged in a battle of wills against one of her most hated foes, a battle in which only one could possibly emerge victorious. She was almost certain the tide was about to turn in her favor when a knock on her office door caused her to momentarily lose her focus.

"Come in," she ground out, turning back to her eternal nemesis. She would not be beaten just yet! She refused to surrender! She was the Hokage, damnit!

The door opened and in stepped one Hatake Kakashi, pausing at the amount of killing intent the blonde kunoichi was directing towards a stack of paperwork sitting in front of her. His one visible brow raised slightly at the sight.

"Ahem, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade blinked, her battle aura diminishing as she focused her gaze on the droopy-eyed Jounin. "Kakashi-kun… back already?"

The infamous Copy Ninja approached her desk, laying a plain unlabeled manila folder out before her. "Here's our mission report."

"Kinda thick," Tsunade frowned, sparing a glance at the already increasing mound on her desk.

"Yes, well," the Jounin scratched his masked chin absently. "Quite a bit happened…"

"Was the mission a success, at least?" she asked hopefully. The last thing she needed was another botched mission with Kakashi's group. The last one had nearly caused an international incident which had meant lots and lots of paperwork.

Tsunade hated paperwork.

"Yes, we were able to deliver the scrolls to their destination. But," Kakashi paused, taking notice of the twitch Tsunade was rapidly developing as she paged through his report. "We ran into a little interference."

"I was assured that the route I assigned you would be free and clear," Tsunade replied.

"We had to take a different route." Kakashi answered.

"And why is that?" asked the Hokage, the storm clouds slowly brewing around her head. Kakashi opened his mouth – though you couldn't tell – but Tsunade cut him off sighing in frustration. "Nevermind, I don't want to know; I'm sure it's all in here." She set down the folder and closed it. "This is the third time, you know."

Kakashi closed his visible eye. "Yes, Hokage-sama,"

"Even the simplest of missions put in Jeopardy because of petty genin-level mistakes…" Tsunade rubbed the bridge of her nose. "It's not good for business."

"The mission was a success," Kakashi reiterated.

"No doubt because of your presence, I'm sure," Tsunade scowled. "I can't afford to have you tailing them around when you're needed elsewhere. Those three should be able to work together by now...they're all Chuunin now for God's sake!" She sighed once again, this time almost desolately. "I wonder it was a mistake reinstating their team."

The jounin tensed. "They were happy when you did so," he said simply. 'I was, too…'

"I know," she agreed sadly. "But they weren't ready. They were nowhere near ready."

"Naruto and Sakura worked well enough together on the missions they were assigned." Kakashi argued. "They passed the Bell Test." 'But by throwing Sasuke back into the mix…'

"Yes, I remember you telling me," Tsunade said. She remembered the Jounin's report on the brat and her young apprentice. The younger man's voice had held pride for his students, tempered with sadness at the neglect he had shown them in the past as well as the fact that one of them was missing. Tsunade had felt for him, but she was more angry at the fact that there were more people taking blame for the boy's absence than the ones actually responsible.

"They had to work together," she murmured, staring down at her hands. "They needed each other to stay sane."

Kakashi didn't comment.

Tsunade flipped through the report again, frowning when she came across certain parts that she didn't like. She glanced back up at Kakashi, her expression neutral.

"All other matters aside," Her voice brought the Jounin out of his own morose thoughts. "How's the Uchiha kid doing?"

Kakashi scratched his head. "He shows no lasting effects from any of his injuries as they've all pretty much healed," he answered. "Although with the curse seal still in place, he seems a little leery of using his stronger jutsus…"

'Jutsus learned from Orochimaru no doubt,' Tsunade thought. 'No big loss.' "And the Sharingan?"

"The seals you and Jiraiya-sama placed on the Mangekyou notwithstanding, I don't think he can't activate the full Sharingan without fear of waking the Curse Seal."

Tsunade snorted humorlessly. The Prodigy without his precious Kekkei Genkai… what that would do to that ego of his... 'If that's not poetic justice I don't know what is…' "How's he dealing?"

"A little upset about it, understandably," Kakashi answered. "But…"

The Hokage tensed, noting the genuine hesitation in the other ninja's voice. "But…?"

"He found out what happened during the mission involving his recovery."

The file folder slipped from Tsunade's fingers, falling to the desk with a barely audible clatter. Brown eyes darkened in frustration.

"Damn,"

End Prologue