Disclaimer:

I don't own Naruto, they belong to Kishimoto. I wish I owned Naruto though, or at least had permission to write for the filler arcs. Then I could get this story animated.

Summary:

A young boy has been found in the Ocean Country with unusual features and a hidden power. Is it one of the vessels of a tailed-demon? Konoha has sent a team to find out, and bring the boy in. But with the threat of Akatsuki ever-present, and other dangers, can a small team of Genin succeed against the odds? Takes place sometime after the Sea Monster Filler Arc (and thus anytime during the other Fillers) and before the Timeskip. Rated PG-13 for action violence and some light cursing.

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Fifth Hokage Tsunade, granddaughter of the First Hokage and one of the most gifted Medical-Nin in all of Konoha, if not all of the World... was bored.

Idly running a hand through her blonde hair and giving an exaggerated sigh, she flipped through the latest stack of reports that had just arrived. There was never any end to them, really, reports and missions had piled up high since she'd started the job, and with her working part-time at the hospital as well, she was a busy, busy, busy woman.

And all she really wanted to do was enjoy some sake and a nice hot soak in the springs.

Another sigh, and she finished up her last paper, tossing aside a report from the Jounin spy they'd set up in the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Nothing really to report, the usual machinations of the political leaders, the backstabbing of the fellow ninjas. Cloud seemed to be largely content to keep to itself these days, and Konoha was content to leave them to themselves.

She reached down and picked up the next report, quirking an eyebrow at the name written boldly across the top. Jiraiya. That was a touch unusual. She hadn't heard from her perverted teammate in many weeks now, not since he'd left to study Akatsuki. Perhaps he'd found out something. With an unusual show of vigor she flipped open the papers and began to read. As her warm brown eyes roamed over the page, a scowl began to develop, a crease in her forehead and a frown on her full lips. It grew darker as she read on.

Sometime later, the door to her office opened, and Shizune stepped in, noticing immediately that her superior (to say nothing of friend and teacher) was awake and alert, as well as intently focused on the report in her hands. This meant bad news, and she was immediately ready to carry out orders.

"Tsunade-sama?"

The Fifth Hokage nodded in acknowledgment of her presence, then deftly flipped the package of papers up and into the air. Shizune caught them easily, then turned them over.

"A report from Jiraiya-sama?" she asked.

"Read it," replied Tsunade, steepling her fingers, already deep in thought about her next move. Curious now, Shizune did just as she asked, and began to read the report, noting that Jiraiya's handwriting, normally crisp and bold, was jagged as if written in terrible haste, and many unreadable words had been quickly crossed out and fixed in his haste.

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"Hokage,

During my recent trip to the Tea Country, I found myself in a back-alley brothel (scratched out) I mean respectful inn gathering information for my mission. Nothing could be found on Akatsuki in the local area. I did find (scratched out)... nevermind. Afterwards, however, I found a boy in the streets marked with unusual features. I've included a full description and a picture I managed to sketch roughly at the end of this document. I think he might be one of those children. The ones like Naruto.

I lost sight of the boy, but he struck me as a local to the village, or at least someone who lived nearby. An orphan or a beggar. I have to move on, Akatsuki is on the move heading west towards the Wind Country, and I have to follow them before the boats leave, but I thought perhaps you could send someone to find the boy and confirm what I found. Plus, if he is one of them, I don't want Akatsuki to be made aware of it if they haven't noticed the boy.

Love as always,

Your Gallant Jiraiya."

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Shizune flipped over the parchment, and got a rough sketch of the boy. No more than eight or nine years old, as far as she could tell (the Legendary Jiraiya, for all his talents as a ninja, never was a very good artist) and it was written down his hair was blue and his eyes were green. Not exactly common features in the ninja world. And it said he had reptilian pupils. The rest of his features were sketchy, as were his clothes.

The loud slam jostled Shizune up from the rest of the report, including date and time and other such irrelevant data (Jiraiya was racking up a huge expense for his 'information gathering' and was quite glad to use Konoha's money to do so, since it was technically a mission on behalf of the village) and turned to see her mentor rummaging through a very big, very old book. It's pages were yellowed with age, and Tsunade, despite her haste, was handling them with delicacy so as not to break them.

"Here it is... Sanbi."

"The Three-Tails?" asked Shizune, eyes wide in amazement.

Tsunade nodded, tapping her finger against the page in question, which had a rather vivid image of the creature in a question. A three-tailed turtle of monstrous size and great power, laying waste to fishing routes and chaos general destructions in the waters and sometimes further inland. It had three tails that lashed out behind it, it's head was partly protected by it's shell, surrounded by sharp spikes not found on the smaller, more normal species of turtle found in the world. And the coloration depicted in the picture in question was that of a shiny cerulean.

"Coloration matches... found in the Ocean Country... and he's about the right age... that idiot might've actually found something this time," stated Tsunade thoughtfully.

"What is our move then, Hokage-sama?" asked Shizune, as always more respectful when her mentor was acting most professionally.

Gently pushing aside the book for later study, Tsunade reached down to her desk and pulled open a drawer (making sure that her assistant couldn't see the bottles of sake hidden towards the back) and pulled out a set of what looked like ordinary playing cards. However, each card wasn't marked with numbers and symbols, but by pictures of Konoha's Genin. It was easier to arrange them about and know who was on what mission.

To her dismay, she only had a few to work with. And one of them was grinning up at her from the cards.

Ah well, perhaps it was fate, she mused, as she barked out for Shizune to gather those on the cards she lay down on the desk before her.

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All things considered, Naruto had been the easiest one to track down, simply because of the time of day.

Every lunchtime, Uzumaki Naruto could always be found in exactly one place in all of Konoha, and that was the Ichiraku Ramen Stand. By the time Shizune arrived, a healthy stack of bowls was already in place beside the blonde-haired, hyperactive ninja, and he was happily digging into a fresh one with gusto. She shook her head in mild disbelief. The boy sure did love his food.

"Naruto?"

"Mmfg...?" he started, then swallowed his noodles noisily. "Shizune-san! What brings you here? Time for your lunch?"

She smiled at that. "No actually we have a mission for you. You're to report to the Hokage's office immediately."

"Oh... okay then!" he said, placing his chopsticks down and sliding his bowl back across the bar to indicate he was done. He reached down to his side, fish for his frog wallet. Shizune waved him off, saying she would handle the expenses so Naruto could get on the move. Although, as he sped off and the owners of the Ramen Stand watched with hungry expressions, she couldn't help but wonder how much it cost Naruto to eat so much every day.

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By the time Naruto arrived, Kurenai's team was already in place inside of the Hokage's office. Kurenai herself and Shino stood ramrod straight and at attention, waiting for orders. Hinata stood a respectful distance behind them and with white eyes downcast, content to be ignored until she was needed. Her gaze lifted, however, as she caught sight of her favorite blonde idiot charging into the room as loudly as possible, proclaiming his presence in no uncertain terms.

"Tsunade-baachan! I'm here!"

"I noticed," replied the elder kunoichi, rubbing her temples. Honestly, sometimes she wondered why someone else couldn't have the job of dealing with hyperactive idiots. "And as -you- surely noticed, you have a mission... you'll be accompanying Kurenai's team."

Naruto smiled, he always enjoyed hanging out with Team Eight. Of the Rookie Nine, he liked them the most, partly because of Kiba's presence amongst them. Fellow active misfits and all such. Then, of course, he noticed something.

"Hey where's Kiba?" he asked.

"Away on a mission with his sister Hana," replied Shino tonelessly, having fully anticipated the question. He even managed to beat Kurenai to it.

"Oh... so it's just us then, right?" replied Naruto, now a smidgen disappointed. If Kiba was one of his favorites of the Rookie Nina, Shino was definitely at the bottom of that list. Hinata was nice though.

"Y-yes," replied Hinata, nervously twiddling her thumbs.

Tsunade slammed her hand down on the desk to get the attention of the Genin back on her. Honestly... kids!

"This is a B-rank mission," she stated in a clear tone of voice. "We don't know what kind of enemies to expect, how strong they are, or where they might come from, so I expect you all to keep your wits about you. Understood!"

"Yes ma'am."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Sure thing!"

"You mission is to travel to the Tea Country to the south, and make your way to the port city on the edge of the peninsula. Naruto is familiar with the territory, but just in case he gets you all lost Kurenai has a map of the area."

Naruto gaped, a vein bulging on his forehead, and bit back an angry retort about his never getting lost. Just his luck Kiba wasn't here, he'd never hear the end of it.

"In the village there's a boy... we have a rough sketch here..." she said, holding up Jiraiya's picture for them all to study. "Find him, and bring him back to Konoha as quickly as you are able. Gently, if possible... but by any means necessary if the boy is reluctant."

"What's so special about this boy?" asked Naruto. "Is he a noble?" he asked with just a little dread. He hated dealing with nobles and noble children. They were always such spoiled people, so selfish and vain.

"Let's just say he's a special kind of child, and leave it at that," replied Tsunade carefully, her eyes darting briefly over to Kurenai, who nodded. None of the Genin noticed this interplay between the older shinobi.

"Get him back here alive is your top priority."

"You got it! We'll bring him back or my name isn't Uzumaki Naruto!" shouted Naruto, throwing his fist into the air. "Believe it!"

Tsunade groaned, rolling her eyes, but Kurenai smiled in a warm sort of way. She loved children a lot, especially those with such fire in their spirits. One reason she'd so thoroughly enjoyed her teaching of Team Eight.

She swept out her hand. "Gather at the South Gates in half an hour," she said. "I'll see you all there."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Yes, Kurenai-sensei."

"YEAH!"

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After the Genin had left, of course, was when Kurenai slipped back in unseen. The Hokage had requested her ear for some information alone, and she did not take that lightly. It had to pertain to their mission, after all.

Tsunade explained to her the situation as she, Jiraiya, and Shizune knew it. And now Kurenai. They four alone knew the possibility of finding the Three-Tails on this mission, which would've normally knocked the importance of their trip to A-rank, if not S-rank. But they needed to keep the kids in the dark for the time being. Particularly if what they surmised was right.

"Your team was chosen to get in and get out quickly," said Tsunade, fingers steepled, voice low. "Shino and Hinata can see trouble coming a mile off... and you are one of the very best Genjutsu specialists here in the village. You can slip past trouble, rather than confront it. Kiba would've also been ideal but we don't have the time to wait for him."

"I understand that much," replied Kurenai, having already worked it out in her head. "But, if I may ask... why are you sending Naruto along?"

"Because if this boy -is- what we suspect he is, he may be difficult to bring back to Konoha... especially if he resists. He may be too strong for you team. But Naruto can talk to him... identify with him... on a deeper level than that."

Kurenai whistled in appreciation. "Clever."

"Good luck, Kurenai," said Tsunade with a smile.

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Author's Notes:

Please wait until the story is done before critiquing it's place in Naruto continuity. I am aware of current Manga events (though I never read the manga, just summaries) and have taken them into account.