Ink's Notes:

Gosh, people like my story! I'm so happy~! Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

Chapter Three

Sakura heard Naruto's yells from the shower and she knew it was going to be a long day. Due to the roar of the water, though, she couldn't tell what he was yelling about. She figured he was yelling in excitement about the interesting bird that was in her kitchen, so she didn't feel any need to rush, and continued showering leisurely.

It was only when she came out about fifteen minutes later that she realized Naruto had not been yelling in excitement.

"Crazy bird! Crazy bird!"he was yelling, running around the room and scrambling over furniture as Marco soared after him, periodically swiping at the orange-clad ninja with a talon or a wing, and when the bird cornered her hyperactive friend he began pecking at his face until Naruto cried mercy.

Minutes later, Sakura couldn't help but feel proud as Marco sat on Naruto's back, pinning the blond to the ground while keeping his hands firmly planted behind his back. Sakura had no idea how the bird had managed to get him into that position, but it was certainly amusing to see him sitting on top of Naruto's back, looking incredibly smug about the entire situation.

"Sakura-Chan," Naruto whined, lifting his head and resting his chin on the floor, "Why didn't you tell me you got an attack bird?"

Sakura took a break from laughing to speak. "Marco is not an attack bird," she wheezed out, before looking to her still closed front door. "How did you get in?"

"Your window was open," Naruto pouted. "I figured it was an invitation to come inside, but when I came in I think I woke him up and he started attacking me."

Sakura fought the urge to facepalm from the stupidity. "Naruto. He probably thinks you're an intruder. If you wanted to come in, you should have knocked on the front door like a normal person."

"But Sakura-Chan!" he whined. "I'm a shinobi, not a normal person!"

A few rapid pecks from Marco told Naruto that what he'd just said was not the right answer, and the orange-clad ninja whined out an apology. Apparently satisfied, Marco removed himself from Naruto's back and glided over to the kitchen table. Sakura went to her fridge and took out some leftovers from last night, setting out some for Marco before chewing on her own. The bird happily began eating as Sakura stared down her friend and teammate, who was now sitting cross-legged on her floor and nursing the peck wounds on his face with a whimper.

"So, Naruto," Sakura began once she'd finished eating. Marco finished just after she began speaking, and was now watching Naruto with piercing eyes. "Why are you here?"

"We've got a mission," Naruto explained, shooting a glare at the bird, who outstretched his wings as if asking Naruto to try and attack him. "Kakashi and Sai sent me to get you. We better hurry, or they'll come and see what's taking me so long."

Marco perked up and looked towards the window as Sakura brought a hand to her forehead in annoyance. "Considering how often Kakashi makes us wait, I think they can stand to-"

She was cut off by Marco's familiar cry of "Yoi!" as he turned to fully face the window. Both Sakura and Naruto's gazes followed the bird's. No sooner than they had turned to look, Kakashi appeared on her windowsill.

"Yo, Sakura," he greeted, lifting his hand in a lazy wave before looking at Naruto with his uncovered eye. "Naruto, what's taking so long?"

Naruto only lifted his hand to point at Marco, who Sakura could swear was glaring at Kakashi. This detail was not missed by the older shinobi, whose eye narrowed as he looked at the bird. "And who's this?" he asked, hand already moving towards his kunai pouch.

"His name is Marco," Sakura explained, trying to diffuse the situation. "I freed him during my last mission and he helped me out not long after, so I brought him home with me. Marco, calm down, these guys are my friends. You don't need to try and fight them."

Marco turned to look at Sakura, and she could swear the look in his eyes was saying that he'd fight them if she wanted him to, before he nodded and settled down.

Kakashi hopped into her apartment, and Sakura quickly decided to close and lock the window before all of Konoha decided to come in. Once she'd taken care of that, she sighed and turned to her teammates. Kakashi was examining the wounds on Naruto's face, and Naruto was pouting with his arms crossed, saying he wouldn't drop his guard around the bird again.

"Kakashi. Naruto said we had a mission?" Sakura asked, cutting into their conversation. The two turned to her and nodded.

"That's right. We're to go and protect a village a few days from here. They're being threatened by some missing-nin," Kakashi explained as he passed her the mission dossier. Sakura flipped through it and nodded, passing it back to him. "We'll leave as soon as you're ready." She nodded again and gathered her supplies, heading for the door.

"Yoi!" Marco exclaimed, his tone almost offended. Sakura turned to him in confusion, just in time to see him flying over before he perched on her shoulder and folded his wings across his chest. "Yoi."

"It would seem that Marco wants to come with us," Kakashi said, and Sakura could swear that he sounded amused. "Do you think he can take care of himself?"

Naruto frowned. "I don't think that attack bird needs any protection," he muttered, only to find himself being pecked in the face by Marco again. "ACK- I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Sakura-Chan, call him off!"

Sakura smirked as she opened the door, and Kakashi walked out ahead of them. "Sorry, Naruto, but you brought this upon yourself." Marco seemed to take this as approval of his actions, and upped the ante by scratching at Naruto with his talons. Eventually, Naruto managed to fend him off with a kunai and the phoenix returned to his perch on Sakura's shoulder.

"Sakura-Chan, I think your bird hates me," he pouted as he walked out of the apartment.

"Your own fault for being mean to him," she responded, closing and locking the door after them.

That brings this chapter to a close! I hope I got everyone's personality right here. Thanks for reading, and thanks for all the kind reviews~!

-Ink