Tsunade returned to her office to see that Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were there waiting for her.
"Is there something that you two want?" the Fifth Hokage asked.
"Yes, we would like to talk to you about the Kyubi Jinchuriki and your second apprentice," Koharu told her.
"Their names are Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno," Tsunade told her, not liking how she referred to them by the titles they held rather then their real names.
"That's not what is important here. What is important is that the mission Naruto is on regarding his finding of one Sakura Haruno should be void and he should be listed as missing nin along with Sakura, whose status should be changed from MIA to missing nin," Homura said.
"What are you talking about? Naruto hasn't come back from his mission yet and you want to label him a missing nin because of it?" the blond Sanin asked trying to keep her cool.
"Well, it has been over six months and neither he nor his teammate has been made contact with Konoha. Also there's the fact that a pink-haired teenager that reported to be around fifteen in age with superhuman strength going around and brutally killing not only bounties, but apparently might be contact to string of murders that have been popping up around the numerous country outside of the Fire Country's borders," the former female teammate of the Third Hokage stated.
"Sakura has been captured by the Akatsuki member known as Sasori who stated to turn those he had defeated and had an interest in adding more puppets of his human puppet collection. This man had no problem with converting children or the elderly to his collection so why should your apprentice be any different? The only reason we have demanded that she be consider KIA is because of her connection to the holder of Kyubi leaving the possibility that she might still being alive," Homura informed her.
"Wait, 'had'? Does this mean that Sasori is dead? Since when?" Tsunade asked
"Of course he is dead. Sasori died almost two months ago according to the date on the report that we have just got recently. Also this is part of the reason we wished to have Naruto added to the missing nin list as he has possibility endangered Konoha and us all by releasing Kyubi from the Fourth's Seal," Homura said.
"Again, just based off the fact that he used an unusual amount of the nine tailed demon's chakra, we should ban him for it. Tell me, if Kyubi is truly free, then why has not he come back here to kill us all? He would surely have a reason to do so after being forced live sealed within a human for the last fifteen years," Tsunade asked.
"The demon can be influencing his action thus he should be consider a danger," Koharu stated.
"Really now. Naruto could have been hearing Kyubi's voice for years, yet only realized that it was him three years ago. I am sure that the mightiest of the tailed demon would not sit around for twelve years before beginning think up to a escape plan. Would not it have been better to try when Naruto was looked down upon by almost the entire village?" Tsunade said smugly.
"You have a point, but we will not give up on this effort as when we have solid evidence of Naruto's and Sakura's supposed actions you will have no choice by to label them missing nin as we have suggested you do now," Koharu told her.
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'I wonder what Tsunade-sama will think of this,' Shizune, the first apprentice of Tsunade, thought as she made her way to her master's office.
On her way there though, she noticed two council members make their way down the hall that she was going up.
"Stubborn woman! She's too soft on that Kyubi brat, just like Hiruzen was," Shizune could hear Koharu mumble as they passed by each other.
"Tsunade-sama, what was that about?" the black hair woman asked as entered her office to see that she was drinking a bottle of sake.
"Tsunade-sama! What are you doing? It's still too early to be drinking any sake yet!" Shizune asked making her usual comically reaction to her master when she did things like this.
"I just needed a drink real quick. Koharu and Homura sure are dead set on making Naruto and Sakura missing nin," Tusnade told her.
"Really, but how is not Naruto's mission still valid?" Shizune asked.
"The council is trying to void the mission I made that prevents Naruto from being labeled a missing nin and now they want change Sakura's status from MIA to missing nin because that bounty hunter that was going around killing not only bounty brutally but thought also thought to be a massive serial killer," Tsunade sighed.
"Well, the report we got from our informants and Jiraiya's states that there is a bounty hunter that appears to be near Sakura's age with her unique hair color and super strength," Shizune said as this cause the blond Hokage to glare at her.
"I am sorry, Tsunade-sama, I know that Sakura would never willingly do these things that she's being accused of. However, I know that Sasori is able to alter a person mind as that how he and his partner got past Suna's gate without lifting a finger. Then there is his sick habit of turning his enemies into his puppets," Tsunade's first apprentice said.
"I know already, but still, Naruto and Sakura are like family to me as until they came along the only ones I cared for were you and Tonton. Naruto helped get me over my fear of blood and rekindle my fighting spirit. Sakura does remind me a little of myself at her age as well progressed in leap and bound compare to where she was two and half years ago" the Fifth Hokage sighed.
"Though, it's strange that they are so adamant about making them missing nin when simply mentioning Sasuke and missing nin in the same sentence gets them worked up," Shizune said.
Though stranger still was that two Konoha elders would want Sasuke to remain off the missing nin list so bad when these were the same people that decided it was better to kill the Uchihas rather then at least trying to solve the problem peacefully when the Uchihas were planning to revolt against Konoha for the unfair standing the Uchiha Clan held despite being one of the village's two founding clans.
"All that Sasuke kid really has going for him really in terms of helping the village is his Sharingan and his skill as a ninja. However, no matter how skilled he may be or what bloodline limit he might have, the kid is still just one person that only has his last name to fall back on when his skills and Sharingan are useless. However, when it comes to Naruto, he has personal connection to almost a dozen heads of state, some of which include two recognized Kages (Tsunade and Gaara) and two heads of smaller ninja villages, has been a big part in saving multiple countries, and mastered Justus that have taken others years to master in only a quarter of the time. While Sakura has shown the potential that she could be a better medical nin then both the late Chiyo and myself by not only finding an antidote to a poison we could not but by making all antidote to poison even if it was only for three minutes. They're reason the three of them are not here. Sakura was captured by Sasori, thus she didn't willingly leave. Naruto left to go after Sakura and bring her back. However, Sasuke not only left for selfish personal reasons, but left to go join someone that wishes to destroy this village," Tsunade grumbled.
"Ummm….Tsunade-sama, here the result from the last report we have got from Kakashi and Team Eight regarding the strange new jutsu they have run into while in the Land of Water on their recon mission as well as newer report that had just got here," her first apprentice told her as she wanted to get this done before she got too drunk.
She looked over the report as usual but then her eyes came across a certain part of the newest report Kakashi had sent her. This one regarded the two girls and old acquaintance of Naruto, Kiba, and Hinata. She blinked as she looked it over once and then re-read it again to make sure that she was reading it right before slamming the report on the desk.
'That brat! I am sure that this is him. I guess the saying 'like father like son' applies here to as just like Jiraiya and his perverted Transparent Escape Technique which allows him spy on woman without being caught, but strangely enough is also great for spying in general. Naruto turned the Sexy no Justu into the perfect disguise,' Tsunade thought as she was not sure just who might being listing in.
"Shizune, go get me Tenzo this minute!" Tsunade yelled.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama," the black hair woman said as she was left to carry out her master's order, wondering why she wanted Tenzo of all people.
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"Tenzo, I called you in here because I want you to go the Land of Water, which is the last nation I am sure that Naruto was last seen in. Also it's possibly that the seal might have been released, but because there have been no reports of a giant demon fox roaming the land nor has Konoha been attacked by it again, I am guessing that Naruto is still keeping the Kyubi sealed somehow," Tsunade informed a brown hair man with a weird metal helmet-like thing on his face.
"I am going to doing this alone. Can I use a codename instead of my real one?" Tenzo asked.
"Of course, the possibility that Naruto might not fully be himself is high so Asuma's team might be of good use in this instance. Also, Kakashi and Kurenai's team are currently in the Land of Water. You can serve as each others' back-up, since according to their latest report, they have already had a run in with Naruto and Sakura as well as encounter a jutsu we have never seen before. As for using your codename, I see no problem with you going by Yamato instead of your real name. In fact, I think that a good idea," the blond Hokage told him.
What Tsunade and the other did not know that someone had overheard what they had been talking about.
That person that overheard them happened to be Ino Yamanaka, who currently using the Shintenshin no Jutsu to control a bird's body. She really had not meant to spy on her master. It was just she was interested in what she might be doing and things just happened as they did. She'd been practicing on animals again, since controlling a person was one thing, but there were times that it would be better to use animals instead to doing reconnaissance as well as helping increase her focus since animals could do things that people could not, like birds being able to fly. For Ino, to be able to fly while in control of bird's body, she has to concentrate on flying since it was not something that came natural to her.
'It all makes sense when you think about how villagers used to treat Naruto, the fact that his birthday is the exact same day as Kyubi 'supposedly' being killed, and that strange chakra that appeared during his match with Neji in our first Chunin Exam,' Ino thought as she made her way back to her body since she needed to get ready to look for help Yamato look for her best friend and rival.
Shikamaru sighed as he sat back looking up at the clouds from his favorite spot while also keeping a eye on the Ino's body while she was out practicing with her family jutsu.
"This so troublesome. I cannot fully focus on what I want to while having to watch Ino's body like this" he sighed.
Just then Ino blinked as she got within range to transfer her mind back to her body.
"Hey, Shikamaru, did you know that Naruto is…" Ino started by was cut off by her teammate.
"The holder of Kyubi. Yeah, I have known about for a few years now. It was not that hard to figure out once I actually thought about all the holes in the story we were told, how Naruto was treated by the villages, his birthday being the same day Kyubi was 'killed', and few other things. I just never said anything about because we are not supposed to know," the Nara Chunin sighed.
"Well, do you know where Naruto is right now then?" Ino said sure that Shikamaru could not tell her this.
"Probably the Land of Water," he sighed as he knew what was coming next from Ino.
"What!!! How could you know something like that?" she demanded loudly.
"Quiet or you will attract unwanted attention but I am sure that I ran into Naruto while we were part of the Niju Shota task force. That guy is certainly a genius in his own right like Rock Lee and Hinata for coming with practical use for something like that. Though nevertheless, it was thanks to information he gave me on Hidan that Asuma-sensei is still alive. As for how I know what Naruto might be currently be there, I noticed a huge chakra source pass over my head about two months ago while on mission and I am sure that I saw something pink for a instant before it vanished," Shikamaru told her.
"I thought that Asuma-sensei's near death experience caused you to be more serious as you managed to beat Hidan on your own with knowledge you got from his battle with sensei, but here you were just watch the clouds like you normally do," Ino sighed.
"Of course you would think that, but maybe I'm here to simply to give off the impression of slacking off. Did you ever think of that?" her teammate asked as he was really there thinking of ways to help Naruto find Sakura or keep them from become a missing nin.
Before Ino could continue, Choji appeared on the roof and told them of the mission they would be taking soon, which dealt with finding Naruto and Sakura and acting as Kakashi and Team 8's back up.
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