Dare to be naïve or how I learned to be a silent killer. Part 1.

Location: Large Restaurant in Suna

Timeframe: 5 months after the Attack on Konoha during the Chunnin exams.

Naruto Uzamaki sat in the Restaurant reading the local rag looking at the various news articles and personals ads. For the first time since his departure from Konoha, he had left the perfection of the Southern Provinces during the off-season. He had just started the last portions of his 3 goals. He had made progress. He now understood a great portion of the seals of the Kyuubi, he needed some cross-reference materials to check his work and verify it. The Rasengan base jutsu was finished, But elemental inclusion was difficult, it tended to go unstable quickly. He believed he needed more chakra control and a better feel for it to work. Philosophically, he was somewhat content with himself that was going to be tested shortly.

This was a learning vacation for him, One thing Itachi had stressed was you can never stop learning, If you do, become predictable, Uzamaki were never predictable. Reading the local rag, he saw all the news about Suna's negotiated victory. Apparently the Godaime Hokage, Danzo had been killed during Suna's co-invasion with the Sound. Without leadership, Konoha was occupied by Suna.

During the initial battle, The Kazekage attacked the hokage, losing his arms. The Kazekage was revealed to be Orochimaru. He fled shortly thereafter, taking his troops with him. With all Kage's not being alive or in the field, the senior Suna Shinobi called a truce, with his troops occupying Konoha until the Suna Senior Council made their decisions. Konoha's remaining clans, along with the remains of a Decimated Jounin Corps, sent search parties out for a group of Leaf Nins rumored to be in Wave. They had offered the Hokage slot to the group, the response they got wasn't what they expected, A giant toad, dropped the bodies of the group sent at the gate and dropped a scroll for the new council of Konoha and the Senior Council of Suna.

To the Councils of Konoha and Suna,

Your generous offer to take a leadership post of the country of fools is rejected. Suna may send its Shikaku host to wave to have his seal inspected and adjusted if needed. Suna may send him and 2 escorts to be met at the Great Hope Bridge for escort into Wave Proper. Any Konoha Nins approaching Wave will be killed on sight, no questions asked. 8 years ago, Konoha slaughtered a clan for nothing; we have the proof provided by the Sandaime. Konoha abused and mistreated the son of their greatest hero whom saved them from the Kyuubi by being born. It is justice for Konoha to be a Suna territory. Wave will support Suna and agree to a treaty with Suna if Wave is accepted as the fifth Major village. We have a vast advantage economically, and after your mass butchering of each other a near equality numerically and vast advantage in current quality.

Signed,

Tsunade of the Sannin, Shodaime Namikage.

Suna responded with great enthusiasm over the response, Konoha's civilians were terrified. The Sannin had abandoned them because of the Uchiha and the now revealed Demon brat being the Namikaze heir. Suna Nins preyed upon the civilians, Men of working age engaged in cleaning up the mess and rebuilding to the Occupying Troops satisfaction. Civilian Women and girls of age disappeared; Most assumed they were sent to Suna to repopulate their Forces for the future. Male children were enrolled in Shinobi and Samurai training. The Daimyo of Fire was dead, The Wind Daimyo seizing the opportunity to occupy the capitol of Fire and claiming it as Part of Wind Country. Five months had passed since the battle and the Godaime Kazekage was about to meet the Shodaime Namikage for the final treaty Signing.

As Naruto sat there reading the Paper, 3 Suna Nins sat there watching him. On the table they were at, was a Bingo book. In there, they were looking at the first entry of its type.

Civilians of Interest:

Reward for information and location of Naruto Uzamaki Namikaze:

Status: Civilian

Age 14:

Description: Height and Weight unknown:

Eyes: Cerulean Blue

Hair: Blond

Distinguishing Features: 3 Whiskers on each Cheek.

Background: Left Konoha age 7 ½ during Uchiha Massacre, Wanted for questioning. Trained by Uchiha Itachi. Known to have Materials to learn many B-S ranked Jutsu. Estimated Ranking if Shinobi, A-class Jounin. Approach peacefully, attempt intelligence operations, and do not engage in battle.

Reward for Information: 50000 Ryou Payable by Wave.

Reward for Delivery unharmed: 200000 Ryou payable by Wave.

The trio at the table had just returned from 3 months in Wave. Now a true family again, Gaara the bearer of Shikaku's burden was now much better and sane. Kankarou, the puppet user, learned seals and poison's from several people in wave, thus making his puppets much more dangerous. The Young woman at the table was often found with the Namikage. They hit it off immediately because the Namikage was constantly reminded of Naruto Namikaze's mother by just about everything Temari did. All three had heard numerous stories of the young man's parents, and all three felt they owed Wave, the Namikage and the group of powerful shinobi a great debt for their compassion to Gaara and the training they received as part of the treaty. Deciding to interrupt, Temari walked over to the young man Tapped him on the shoulder, and stood there tapping her foot. A huge grin breaking out over her face as the whiskered young man turned to face her.

"Yes?"

"Want to buy me lunch?"

Sweat-dropping briefly, "Um, Why?"

"Shouldn't a young man in a strange place, buy a stranger lunch to learn their way around?"

"What makes you say I'm in a strange place?"

"All the dark clothing in the desert."

"Oh….So…I'm Kyu…Nice to meet you"

"Temari, Temari of the Sand….. So what brings Mr. dressed in black and mysterious to our humble village?"

"Vacation.. Off-season for my job, Figured I'd head out of town, Visit places I've never been, Work on my hobbies, Visit a bunch of new libraries, maybe meet a pretty girl. "smiled Naruto with a bright grin Temari almost melted to.

Over at the table her brothers were watching intently, looking for hostile intent, finding none they got up walked over and coughed.

"Oh, hey guys, these are my brothers, Gaara and Kankarou."

"Oh, Hey, I'm Kyu"

"Hey"

"Hello, I'm Gaara, You have a strong aura to you, and do you know how to spar?"

Sweat-dropping, Pondering exactly what the hell was going on, he couldn't sense any mal-intent on their part, other than being over-protective brothers, "I'm not a ninja, I couldn't possibly spar with you guys. But if you guys want to teach me stuff, that's cool. But how about we finish lunch", Folding up his paper and putting in the shoulder bag he was traveling with. "I hadn't heard anything about Konoha and you guys, Can you fill me in?"

"You must live under a rock," even though a negative comment, Temari stated it with a smile, She found herself getting lost in those bright blue eyes that were filled with calm, She hoped to Kami they were right, 3 months of stories about the Namikaze's were spellbinding.

"Nah, I live in the sticks, my job and my own being nutty about physical fitness, along with a maddening impulse to study every book I can, takes all my time, so I never get into the news."

3 hours later, the group broke up, with Gaara, Temari and Naruto looking for a good hotel for him to stay. Checking in, He promised to meet them for lunch after his morning excursion to find the library.

In his room, he thought about the smiles, and the way Temari kept putting her hand on his at the table. "So that's what its like, Wow, I could get used to that. Wonder if the library has old books about the Demonic chakra barriers. "

At the Kazekage tower, the sand trio reported, The Godaime excusing them from all other duties, their main focus was to be the newly arrived Kyu. Gaining him for Suna, if he was what they thought he was, was an S-class priority.

At the hotel, a Maid sent a message to her superior, the son of the Yellow Flash Sighted, Awaiting orders.

The next day, Gaara, Temari, and Kankarou met Kyu at the same restaurant, in his bag were several books he had purchased relating to Demonic Chakra, Sealing, and Wind Jutsu.

"Interesting Reading for a civilian"

"Hobbies, they relax me, someday, I'll make a living off this stuff."

"ahh, planning ahead, We need to get you some good looking White clothes, Then we're going to go watch the sunset from the wall, and my brothers are going to leave us alone or I'll beat them with my battle fan."

All 3 males at the table sweat-dropped yet again, and then Naruto replayed that statement in his mind and blew Tea out his nose coughing afterwards.

After Lunch, The man known as Kyu, was dragged to every store and stall in Suna, he had decided to make a game of it, Modeling all kinds of clothing from dress to battle, reactions from Temari ranging from mild blushes to flat out drooling with the dress Evening Wear.

That evening, sitting on the roof of the hotel Naruto was at, Temari figured she had nothing to lose, she turned to Naruto.

"Kyu, can I call you your real name?"

Turning to Temari, "What do you mean?"

"Listen, I Know you don't trust me all that much, but, we aren't going to share your Identity with anyone. My brothers and I spent 3 months in Wave, and I heard so many stories from Tsunade, and when we saw you, I just knew I had to meet you. You have my word, and the word of my lame ass brothers we won't share. Tsunade told so many stories about Kushina; she is your mother right?"

Stepping out of the shadow, Gaara quickly acknowledged that yes he was there to protect his sister, but to possibly meet a Bijuu holder as well, 3 Months in wave made him curious as well as to how he managed to get through everything he went through and still came out as well developed as he appeared.

Deciding, based on the longing look of Temari's, he took the first chance in his life and trusted someone other than his Sensei. His mother had written in her journals that all love was a chance, and her smile was just intoxicating.

Sticking his hand out, "Hi, I'm Naruto, Naruto Uzamaki."

Four hours later, he felt he had won the lottery, 2 new friends, and people he didn't have to hide his identity to.

In Iwa, 3 days later, a messenger arrived at the Intelligence & Defense headquarters. The decoder paled when he read the message, flagging a Chunnin, he ordered her to deliver this to the head of Intel, interrupt him if necessary. Use the S-class code to get into his office if in a meeting. 2 hours later the Tsuchikage stood in front of a specialized ANBU squad.

"You have trained for this for years, Akatsuki's request for information demands he be kept alive and unharmed. You will infiltrate Suna, Capture and restrain the Namikaze and perform the jutsu in your mission scrolls. Any permanent wounds to him from your group are considered mission failure. As much as I want him dead, Akatsuki would destroy us if you screw up. Akatsuki will be sending observers to verify mission integrity.

He paused, "Don't fail me; If you do, don't come back, your families will be dead. Dismissed."

With that the team left, they would travel at top speed to the Wind country border, switch to civilian clothing and travel by civilian routes and transport. Their mission phase 2 would start in Suna in a week.