Chapter 44: Finding The Enemy
The next few days were strange. Although Naruto hadn't seen Tsunade since the meeting with the twelve, everyone who did said she was more on edge than ever. Apparently the elders really got to her, and she was starting to vent on the ninjas when she was giving missions.
This was possible the only good thing about not getting a mission, because Naruto was sure Tsunade would lay it harder on him than the others, because he was there. That didn't stop Naruto from wanting to have missions though.
Naruto was currently sitting at the edge of one of the training fields. With him were Grim, Frost and Sasuke. They had spent the morning sparring in pairs and were now breaking for lunch. They had finished eating, but had yet to resume the training.
"Why do you guys hold back?" Sasuke asked.
"We don't want to kill you," Grim said.
"Wait, you've been holding back?" Naruto asked.
"Grim has, and I'll bet Frost has too," Sasuke said.
"No, I can't afford to hold back. I'm on the weaker end of the twelve when I don't use my ability," Frost said.
"You're one of the weakest?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, but with his ability, he's one of the strongest," Grim said.
"Not true," Frost said.
"Took me out with it," Grim said before taking a drink of his water.
"And you're the strongest?" Frost asked him with an eyebrow raised.
"I'd like to think so," Grim said and Naruto and Frost laughed.
"Alright, enough talk, lets get back to training," Frost said standing up after he finished laughing.
"Don't hold back this time," Sasuke said.
"I ain't gunna hurt ya kid," Grim said.
"I know, that's why I'm telling you not to hold back," Sasuke said with his superior grin.
"No, I don't want to that's…" Grim trailed off and began looking around.
Frost turned to look in the direction of the village, and in a moment, a ninja appeared at the edge of the training ground walking towards them, "found him Grim," Frost said and Grim turned o look at the ninja.
"Guess the trainings over," Grim said.
The mystery ninja turned out to be Kiba and he stopped when he reached the four, "Hey guys, Tsunade wants to see you," he said.
"Yeah, we're on our way," Frost said.
"No, Naruto and Sasuke," Kiba said pointing at the two he named.
"Us, what does she want us for?" Sasuke asked.
"Maybe it's a mission," Naruto said excitedly.
"No, she wouldn't need both of us for a mission," Sasuke said as they began to follow Kiba back to the village, Grim and Frost stayed behind and started sparring.
"Hey, Kiba, where's Akamaru?" Naruto asked.
"Hospital," Kiba asked.
"What? What happened?" Naruto yelled.
"Nothing he's fine. He's guarding Link," Kiba said.
"Link?" Naruto asked.
"He's the only one she lets in to see her, aside from the doctors," Kiba said.
"She's embarrassed about her actions," Sasuke said.
Kiba didn't say anything, it was very apparent he wanted to get out of this line of conversation. "So, any idea what Tsunade wants us for?" Naruto asked.
"No, I was just told to get you," Kiba said.
x-X-x
Naruto and Sasuke entered Tsunade's office to find Strag and Sakura there with her. Kiba had stopped at the doors to the office.
"Sakura what are you doing here?" Naruto asked.
"Waiting for you two," Sakura said with a smile.
"The four of you have a mission together," Tsunade said.
"What?" Sasuke asked.
"Ha, I was right," Naruto said pointing at Sasuke.
"Strag knows the location of the Alliance's base, but only spatially. He doesn't know what region its in. you three are to go with him to find out," Tsunade said.
"Why all three of us?" Sasuke asked.
"Incase you run into the Alliance. It needs to be a small team, and all of them need to be able to fully handle themselves," Tsunade said.
"So we're just finding where they are. We're not attacking?" Naruto asked.
"No, do not attack them. If they attack defend and try to escape, but don't lead them here," Tsunade said.
"When do we leave?" Sasuke asked.
"Noon tomorrow, unless Strag wants to leave sooner," Tsunade said.
The three jounin nodded and left. Once they were gone Strag turned to Tsunade, "I know the Kid is good, but what about the other two?" he asked.
"You'll see for yourself, if it comes to that," Tsunade said.
x-X-x
At noon the next day Naruto and Sasuke were at the front gates to Konoha waiting to leave. Sakura and Strag had yet to show.
"Any idea what's taking so long?" Sasuke asked.
"Sakura's at the hospital, if something happened she'd want to take care of it," Naruto said as he slid down the door to sit on the ground.
"And Strag?" Sasuke asked picking up a rock and tossing it back and forth between his hands.
"How should I know?" Naruto asked.
"You seem to be with them the most," Sasuke said shrugging.
Naruto was about to answer but something cut him off, "Hey, sorry I'm late," Sakura said running up to them.
"Any idea about where Strag is?" Sasuke asked once Sakura had reached them.
"No, why, he isn't here yet?" Sakura asked.
"Nope, and we don't know where he is," Naruto said standing up and walking over to Sakura.
"I have no excuse, lets go," Strag said as he appeared just outside the gates.
All three snapped to look at him, "where were you?" Naruto asked.
"I just said I have no excuse. Now let's get moving, we're already late," Strag said turning around and walking away, the three quick to catch up.
"About how long will it take to get there?" Sakura asked once they caught up with Strag.
"Kid, how long did it take to get back from when you met all of us?" Strag asked.
"Uh, three days," Naruto looking at the sky.
"Then about four or five," Strag said.
"That was two days away from the Alliance?" Naruto asked looking at Strag.
"We told you to be quite there Kid. We had a reason," Strag said.
"So, you gunna tell us what took you so long?" Sasuke asked.
"You're thicker that the Kid. I already said I have no excuse. He asked and I repeated myself. Why do you need three times?" Strag asked.
"I know you have an excuse, and I'm wondering if you're going to tell us," Sasuke said turning to look at Strag.
"Just pray you never find out how right you are," Strag said.
There was silence for a long while before Sakura spoke, "um, Strag-sama, where did you get your name?" Sakura asked.
"What brings that question on?" Strag asked.
"I was just wondering, I mean, I understand some of the names, like Sage, and Nomad. And I'm sure some have to do with their abilities in battle, but I don't know where yours comes from Strag-sama," Sakura said.
"You know, you don't have to call any of us sama. We're not highly authoritative. We were footmen in our war," Strag said.
"Sorry. I'm just…" Sakura said looking down.
"Yeah, yeah I know. My name comes from strategy," Strag said.
"But, Strag isn't in strategy," Sakura said.
"I said comes from, that it's origin is strategy. I didn't make it up, and I'm not sure who did," Strag said.
"Then why use it?" Naruto asked.
"We needed codenames. The people of the village called us these names when we weren't around. And so we decided to use them," Strag said.
The conversation continued in a similar manner until nightfall when they set up camp. Once the tents were pitched, the fire made and the food cooked they all ate dinner. There wasn't much of a conversation to have; they had worn nearly every topic to nothing over the past several hours.
Once he had finished eating Strag stood up and walked into the trees at the edge of the path, "don't follow me, I'll be right back," he said as he vanished between the trees.
"What's up with him? is he always like this?" Sasuke asked.
"No, something's probably going on," Naruto said.
"Should we follow?" Sakura asked.
"We don't know what he can do, I doubt his bloodline is intelligence, he could see us coming," Sasuke said.
"What do we do then?" Naruto asked.
"Wait it out. Eventually, we'll have to find out," Sasuke said.
x-X-x
The days passed in a somewhat uncomfortable silence and every night Strag disappeared into the trees after dinner. Then on the fifth day of the journey, a few hours after lunch, Strag stopped.
"We're getting close," he said turning to the others.
"How close? Hours?" Sasuke asked.
"Minutes. We have to be silent from now on. We'll go until we see the building then back away to about here where you can figure out where we are," Strag said.
The three nodded and followed Strag silently as they left the path and entered the trees. A few minutes later and they could see the hazy figure of the building in the distance. They slowed to a near crawl to be sure they wouldn't be heard.
They finally reached the edge of the clearing that held the building. The building that was the base of the Alliance. The four ninjas crouched there in silence, not just because of what Strag had said, but because they weren't alone.
Two members of the Alliance were outside the building. One boy and one girl, judging by their appearance, they were Kids like Link. The four stayed put, not wanting to be spotted on the retreat.
"You gunna stay there all day, or you gunna attack?" a voice asked from the trees behind the four.
They turned to see a woman in blue looking at them from a tree branch.
"Blue, what the hell's going on?" the boy asked.
"We got intruders Zigg. You, me, and Lerah should be able to handle them though, three are just children, even if one's a legend," Blue said jumping down from her branch.
Strag stood up and looked at Blue, "you recognized me?" he asked.
"How could I not, we resurrected you," Blue said.
"Kid, Sakura, Sasuke we got a fight on our hands," Strag said and the three stood up beside him.