'Naruto-baka! Why don't you just make clones and we can get this over with quickly', Sakura threw the blonde an annoyed look as they cleaned the river, yet again. Why do people throw rubbish in this one anyway? This was so disgusting.

'Why would I do that, Sakura?' Naruto asked, cocking one eyebrow up, aware that Kakashi was paying full attention to them, whilst lounging about on the tree branch.

'It's called teamwork, baka!' Sakura growled at him, and quickly grabbed the nearby piece of floating plastic bag.

Before he could answer though, Sakura's scream of 'EWWWWW', rang through the creek they were in. 'DIGUSTING!'

Naruto looked over to her and burst out laughing. Her hand was covered in shit, the plastic bag apparently had some baby pampers in it.

'NARUTO! THIS ISN'T FUNNY!' Sakura yelled, and attempted to flick off the shit from her hand onto him.

'Oye! Watch it!' Naruto shouted and quickly dove underwater to avoid the thrown shit.

'Ugh' Sasuke too quickly sidestepped and watched the shit taken away by the current. 'Watch it, Sakura.'

'Oh, I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun!' Sakura apologised all the while glaring at the re-emerging blonde on the other side of the riverbank. 'If the baka would just summon up clones, we would be done with this mission by now', she said, washing her hands in the flowing water.

While Sasuke and Naruto had the job of walking in the river, picking up trash with nets and putting it in the bag, Sakura however was training as well as doing the mission, by swimming up and down. Presumably, it was to work on her stamina, according to their useless sensei.

'And I already said no', Naruto was adamant at doing such a thing. 'Tell them Kakashi-sensei.'

Sasuke looked over at the blonde, wondering what the hell was going on with him. Usually, he was all for doing the missions as quickly as possible, by spamming out his endless clones and then getting back to training.

Since when did Naruto not want to train? Apparently, he wasn't the only thinking such a thing as Kakashi said to the blonde, 'Mah mah, Naruto. I don't see any problem in doing so. Besides, Sakura does bring up a good point. It is teamwork.'

Naruto bristled at the unfairness of it, but refused to give into the anger which was blossoming now. Why would he ever think Kakashi-sensei would ever support him?

'It isn't teamwork because I would be doing their share of the work. And since I'm doing more work, then I should be getting paid more!' with that, he threw a glare at Kakashi and turned away, getting out of the creek seeing as they were done.

Now though, all three were looking at him as if he had grown another head or something. 'What?' he asked, annoyed, drying himself and putting him clothes back on.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him, 'Nothing, loser.'

Kakashi however was not convinced. Since when did Naruto care about how much money he made? His genin was changing right in front of his eyes. He didn't know the reason but he could predict what the effects of it were going to be on the team. And none of the scenarios looked too good.

Sakura mumbled something about Kakashi-sensei not telling Naruto off, to Sasuke under her breath but the blonde heard it. And he had had enough of it. 'What do you say?' he glared at the pinky.

Sakura who was almost hanging off of Sasuke's arm looked at him heatedly. 'I said you, like always idiot, are ruining our teamwork and then Kakashi sensei doesn't teach us anything because of it!'

'Me!' Naruto momentarily raised his voice at her, shocking all three of his teammates. He never yelled at Sakura. Ever. 'It's you who is asking me to do your share of the work because you're just a lazy too do it! And how is me refusing that ruining the teamwork? Kakashi-sensei never teaches us anything anyway.'

Naruto looked from her to the sensei who casually walked, reading his smut, as if he wasn't being accused of not teaching his students.

Sakura was momentarily frozen in spot, staring at the blonde who glared at her, wondering what had changed within him. She was about to retort, when Naruto continued pointing at Sasuke.

Kakashi just shook his head at their bickering, just as Sasuke ignored them, or pretended to anyway. It was the same as everyday this past week. Naruto had gotten increasingly confrontational with Sakura and Sasuke.

While Kakashi himself, wasn't an advocate of taking shortcuts, this recent reluctance of Naruto's to help his teammates using Shadow Clones spelled something bad for the future of the team. Just like that, his suspicion was proven right when the blonde goaded the Uchiha.

'Besides, why don't you ask the bastard here to do it', Naruto narrowed his eyes at Sasuke, who only raised an eyebrow. Whatever else Naruto hated about the teme; he was impressed by how Sasuke managed to exude extreme arrogance by an action as simple as raising of an eyebrow. He had to learn how to do that.

'What do you mean, Naruto-baka!' Sakura yelled, looking from Naruto to Sasuke, trying to figure out why her crush looked disturbed.

Kakashi had foreseen this coming a mile away, and quickly moved to intercept the oncoming disaster. 'Mah mah, Naruto. I agree with you. You shouldn't need to create clones just to finish a mission earlier than expected.'

Naruto was seemingly surprised. Never had Kakashi agreed with him, especially against Sasuke. But what the sensei said next, dashed his hopes.

'But on the other hand, a teammate should always be ready to use any of his skills to the aid of his teammates. Someday, your lives may depend on it', Kakashi said seriously.

He had learned this the hard way and dearly paid the price for his ignorance. He would not wish the same for his students. Even if they were very accomplished at giving him a headache with their endless bickering.

Naruto grumbled; the pervert had a point. Hell, it wasn't that he was overly worried about money. No, that was just an excuse to hide the real reason. He needed a more solid argument if he wanted to steer them away from realising the truth.

Suddenly, he remembered a passage in Tobirama's book. Surely, the Nidaime would know better than a perverted jounin.

'A ninja should always conserve his chakra on missions, sensei. He should only use ninjutsu as a last resort', he said, hoping this will halt the oncoming disaster.

All three looked at the blonde as if he had just asked for their kidneys. After a long, pregnant pause, Sasuke snorted, 'Says the idiot whose only response to any situation is to throw shadow clones at it.'

Sakura burst out in giggles, 'He is right, Naruto-baka.'

Naruto narrowed his eyes, not seeing the inquisitive look on Kakashi's face, 'Oh yeh. If he's so right then maybe he can do the damn jutsu next time.'

Sasuke's smug smirk turned into a glare. Directed at Naruto, who knew he was onto something. Internally, the blonde smirked, 'I'm sure he's stolen it by now', and knew he was right by the way Sasuke's eyes narrowed at him.

Indeed, he had previously seen those damn Sharingan spin, and Naruto had suspected he was copying the jutsu.

Kakashi could have slammed Naruto's mouth shut if it meant that Sasuke wouldn't be goaded. But as it happens, it would have only spurned on the Uchiha more. Damn Naruto! He just had to go there.

Indeed, Sasuke had brought up this exact problem before, and Kakashi had shut it down quickly. He just wasn't ready to attempt the dangerous, forbidden jutsu. He simply didn't have the reserves that his teammate had. And so, Kakashi had vehemently refused to teach it to him.

Naruto however, didn't stop there. 'Or is it that the oh-so-great Uchiha can't create Shadow Clones that I can spam out in my sleep?', he laughed seeing the disgruntled face of the Uchiha. 'I'm right, aren't I? You can't do it.'

'Dobe!' Sasuke growled, annoyed enough that he was about to lunge at the troublesome blonde when Kakashi interrupted.

'Enough Naruto! I have specifically forbidden Sasuke to use the shadow clone jutsu!' Kakashi gave Naruto a stern glare but it did nothing to wipe off the smug grin on the blonde's face.

Natuto looked from Kakashi to the annoyed face of the teme, and immediately came to the only logical conclusion. One that pleased him to no end. 'Aha! You', he pointed at Sasuke, 'Don't have enough chakra for it!'

'Naruto!' Kakashi said again, just seconds away from reprimanding his genin.

'Sasuke-kun doesn't need to throw shadow clones uselessly, Naruto-baka!' Sakura yelled, seeing the increasing tension between her two teammates.

Naruto whipped his head to the pinky, enraged at her hypocrisy. Not two minutes ago, she was telling him off for not creating them. 'Nobody asked you, you flat-chested chopping board!' He had just about had it with her and her bullshit. He couldn't take it anymore.

Naruto, paying no mind to the pinky, turned to and started to walk away. He heard the gasp and sharp of intake of breath from Sakura.

Sakura stopped dead. Then the words registered in her mind. 'Flat chested! Chopping board!'

Inner Sakura yelled in indignation, grabbing her chest protectively. Outer Sakura fumed, grinding her teeth, fist clenching in rage! It wasn't her fault that she hadn't developed a chest like Hinata or even Ino-pig! She had even tried to look up jutsus for it.

'WHAT DID YA SAY NARUTO!'

The enraged yell could have been heard from the other side of Konoha. As was the battle cry that followed. Sakura cocked her arm back, intent on sending the blonde idiot who dared to comment on her chest, into next week for this insult.

Naruto heard the yell and knew what was coming. Yet he didn't turn. The punch landed on top of the blonde's head and everybody expected the same as always. Naruto lying on the floor, massaging the painful lump forming on his head.

Which was why the prompt bursting of Naruto into smoke shocked them all. A Shadow Clone! Since when?!

Elsewhere, in the library, Naruto chuckled.

'This is a mistake', Harui grumbled, as she, her sensei and teammates trudged along the path to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. They had left Kirigakure a week ago, and she felt increasingly uncomfortable in the new country.

'It may well be. But it is a mission from the Daimyo', her sensei replied, not at all worried about the presences following them in the trees. She may be a fourteen-year-old genin, but even her sensei had said that she was a sensor unlike any she had seen before in Kiri.

Unfortunately, while that wasn't a death sentence in her village, it did cause her to be looked at with suspicion and caution. Bigoted, idiotic villagers and they're stupid superstitions. More than once, she had wondered why she even stayed in Kiri anymore. What was there that was left for her?

But then, she remembers her sensei and her teammates and the promise of fighting for something better, a future village she could be proud of, and she's pulled out from her treasonous thoughts. Thoughts, which in a country like the Land of Water, would be enough to get her executed, if found out.

Ashamed by the route her darkening thoughts had taken her again, she chose to observe the surroundings again, feeling a slight jealousy.

As their group travelled towards the large village – which was more like a city – known as Konoha, the passed the thick copse of trees, lush vegetations and even plentiful farms and fields.

It was no wonder that the Land of Fire was one of the richest countries in the world. Not only due to its size and large territory, but the frankly immense amount of business it does importing and exporting valuable commodities such as vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants, wheat and barley.

After all, a person could live without a kunai. But he couldn't live without food in his belly. And Fire Country capitalised on it greatly. It was obvious the moment they had set foot on the harbour village.

From there that they had been followed and still were, on the road leading to Konoha. Like every genin in her village, she had been taught and made to memorise not just their own village's and country's history, but others as well.

The world, or at least the mapped and known world, was divided into five main countries, known as the Five Great Countries, with other minor ones scattered here, there and in the middle.

Each country was governed by its political ruler, the Daimyo and but some have their own shinobi Hidden Villages. Only the Five Great Villages' leaders were called Kages. While the Daimyo was like the King of the country, the Kage was akin to a General, in charge of shinobi forces in said country.

She hadn't been to many other countries, due to her own being embroiled in a civil war, but from the casual and common sight of shinobi in civilian cities, it was obvious to her that Land of Fire was the first country to adopt the organised Hidden Village system.

While it was true that the Kage served the Daimyo, much like every ninja serves the Kage, it was also true that neither could function properly without the other. Thus, there existed a tentative peace and partnership between the two, in most countries with Hidden Villages.

The Daimyo of each country had his own forces, usually consisting of legions of samurai, and a smaller contingent of hired ninja, not affiliated with the Hidden Village and loyal directly and only to the Daimyo.

While the VIP civilians still used ninja for missions, protection and information gathering, it was an accepted fact that shinobi weren't usually trusted very much, even by the Daimyo hiring them.

That may be in part due to their lack of honourable tactics in battle, or due to the nature of the work they did, requiring stealth, secrecy and sabotage.

This, more often than not, put most shinobi at odds with the samurai who worked with a code of conduct, or Bushido as they called it.

The relationship between the Kings and Generals varied from country to country. In the Land of Fire, the Daimyo even hired exceptionally talented ninja to serve as bodyguards for him and his family, called the Guardian Ninja Twelve. This was not the accepted norm in other countries, such as Lightning, Wind and Earth.

It was however, common to Land of Water where in the past, the Water Daimyos have hired and even wedded and bedded ninja from Kiri. It was also an accepted fact of the allegiance (or service) between the Hidden Village and its country, that any war that the Daimyo engages in, the Hidden Village would have to supply ninja to fight in it.

The opposite was however, not true. If a Hidden Village was embroiled in a war, its Daimyo usually didn't bother helping, leaving the shinobi to clean up their own mess. In the case of Land of Water, its ninja village, Kiri had a Kage who was an accepted psychopath, engaged in the genocide of his own people. Well, those who carried a Kekkei Genkai at least.

The Daimyo, who usually wouldn't have bothered, in this case was also a distrustful, suspicious, maniac in agreement with the extremist policies of the Mizukage. As such, not only did he approve of the Mizukage's actions, but he also supplied his own men to 'keep the peace' as it were.

As a result, not only had Kirigakure been engaged in a civil war between the Mizukage's forces and the bloodline clans, for several years, the country was also completely isolated and off limits to outsiders, on orders of the Daimyo. It was yet another tactic to isolate the Kiri rebels and leave them friendless.

But all of that politics was thrown out of the window when the Daimyo of said country was targeted by one of his own vassal ninja. And when that ninja – subsequently gone rogue – was killed in battle, naturally the Daimyo would send a group to contact the shinobi who did good deed.

Civilian or shinobi, Daimyo or Kage, if there was one thing she learnt from her sensei, it was that 'all those who gain power, are afraid to lose it'.

And that was what she suspected was going on here, under the cover of their 'mission'. Harui cursed herself for being distracted by her own wandering thoughts, as they came within sight of the large green open door, in the absurdly large wall built around the village.

Stilling, she composed herself, knowing that a reprimand from her sensei was coming soon. And she was right.

'Stop fidgeting, Harui', said her sensei not looking away from the two chunin in the checking booth and several guards who had also turned up, some not even bothering to hide their gawking. Pathetic!

She didn't know how her sensei did it, or perhaps she revelled in it, but if it was her, she would be highly annoyed if every man she met looked at her breasts first.

'Hai', Harui replied, even if she felt that her sensei should have directed the reprimand to the boy standing behind her. Carefully she took up the offensive position behind the opulent carriage they guarded, whilst her other teammate yawned, casually standing in front of it.

'Halt', said one spiky, black-haired chunin at the gate, who even as he spoke had a blush covering his face. 'State your business please.'

'Here on a mission from the Water Daimyo with his daughter, the Princess, to see the Hokage', her sensei replied, handing over their papers to the chunin.

Harui vaguely wondered why he had the strip of bandage covering the bridge of his nose. Had he been decked by some girl he perved at? Probably.

His friend, the one who wore a bandana, struck her as more serious and was watching them suspiciously.

'Of course,', the chunin replied, motioning forward with his hand. 'Please, follow me', he began to lead them inside almost immediately, confirming her suspicion. They had already been aware of their approach. News sure does travel fast in this country, she mused.

They hadn't even passed the outpost even a few hours ago! Was it ANBU that had been tailing them? They must be pretty pathetic if she could sense them.

Her party was led towards the large, central red building with the kanji for Fire on it, which she presumed was the Hokage Tower. Harui was constantly on guard and was incessantly annoyed by her teammate for being so relaxed. Not only were they in a potentially hostile village whilst escorting a VIP, she had heard how Konoha hordes Kekkei Genkai.

Kami forbid if they learnt about hers. That wasn't the only reason she hadn't wanted to come to this village. Konoha still likely bore a grudge from what Kiri did in the last war. And that did not bear well for them.

And even if the Fire Shadow was an old man, he was still the same person who was hailed as the God of Shinobi, the Professor and the one who had killed the Second Raikage in single combat. That alone was enough to set her on edge. Not that she showed it…. much.

They ignored the increasing whispers from the villagers who blatantly looked and whispered, some even going as far as pointing them out to their friends. It was to be expected. The Princess' opulent carriage was guarded by no less than ten samurai and her team, that they were foreign was blatantly obvious from their clothing and headbands.

Aside from that, one didn't see samurai many times in a shinobi village. All in all, it was practically impossible not to be in the sight of every bystander.

But even as the Princess was greeted by the old man in red and white robes, Harui wondered about the ninja the Kiri hunter-nin had told them about: Naruto Uzumaki.