Sorry guys! I just got over my intense writer's block, but anyway, here's your new chapter.
Chapter 1
A hawk flew through the dark skies. Its soaked wings heaved in the rain as it glided down into Konoha. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, enough for the hawk to spot the central building residing in the village. It angled its wings and descended. It landed on a window sill and tapped the window with its beak. The window opened for a split second, and the hawk disappeared,
Tsunade cursed under her breath. Her clothes were saturated in water, and the floor around her was wet. Tsunade sighed. "Shizune!" yelled Tsunade.
Shizune threw open the door, holding a bottle of sake. She had a slightly irritated expression on her face. "Okay, okay, I found your sake." replied Shizune. "No need to yell."
"It has nothing to do with that," said Tsunade. "I just got..."
Shizune gasped and said, "Your soaked! Let me get you a towel." Shizune trotted out of the room before Tsunade could stop her.
Sometimes, her diligence as my lackey pisses me off, thought Tsunade. She looked at the roll of paper she was holding. It was botched and stained from the rain, and it dripped water onto her feet. She carefully unfurled the paper so it would not rip.
"Damn it," she said. "The ink is running." She walked over to the fireplace and held it in front of the fire to dry it. The flames crackled as they heated the room and the paper. After a minute, she took it away. The paper was crisp beneath her fingers, even shedding slightly. She turned it around as Shizune entered the room. As she read the message, her eyes slowly changed from annoyance to surprise, and eventually fear. The paper disintegrated immediately afterwards.
"What was it?" asked Shizune.
"Call every single jounin we have in the village." stated Tsunade. "We have an emergency on our hands."
"I'm sorry, but you haven't forgotten, have you?" replied Shizune. "All jounins were sent to subdue the insurgents plaguing the Fire Country's northwest sector."
"Even Neji?" said Tsunade.
"Oh, your right! I'll call him right now." Shizune walked outside the room.
"Wait. Also call in Shikamaru, Sakura, and Shino."
Shizune nodded and left the room.
Tsunade sighed and fell back into her chair. She put her hand expectingly on the table, and then moaned. "She forgot to give me my sake..." Her nose shivered and she sneezed, scaring a crow of her window sill. Her eyes flared and she screamed. "She even forgot my towel!" Tsunade sneezed again.
Neji walked into the building, completely dry despite the downpour outside. As he navigated the floors and hallways, he ran into Sakura.
"Oh, hello Neji." said Sakura reservedly. Her clothes were drenched, and she stared at Neji suspiciously. "Were you called here too?"
"Yes. Apparently, its very important," replied Neji. "Shizune said Shikamaru and Shino were coming too."
Sakura frowned. "Shino's coming too?"
"No, I'm already here." said a tall figure in a raincoat.
Sakura shrieked and fell backwards. Shino was standing right in front of her. He was wearing sunglasses, as usual. Even in an impractical times like this.
"Are you gonna get up, or should we leave you here?" stated Shino impertinently.
Sakura groaned and got up. "You know, doing that doesn't..." She looked up and they were both gone. "It's times like this that I miss openly emotional people like Rock Lee." She ran through the corridors.
When she got to the Hokage's room, she knocked on the door.
"Get in here, Sakura! Your late." replied a commanding feminine voice.
A shiver ran through Sakura's spine as she opened the door. Shikamaru, Shino, and Neji were standing by Tsunade's desk, where she was sitting. She had a fierce look on her face, but worry was also manifest in her expression.
"Took your sweet time getting here," grunted Tsunade. "Now, listen. We have a huge problem on our hands."
Shizune took over: "It has been three days since Naruto, Kakashi, Rock Lee, and Kiba were sent on their mission. They were sent to retrieve information about any Akatsuki movements that might take place soon. But we got a message from Kakashi today that explained why they are taking so long."
Shikamaru cut in. "Do you have the letter?"
"Unfortunately, no. It had a time-deteriorative jutsu placed on it, so it's gone." said Shizune.
"It was that important?" asked Neji curiously.
"You have no idea." said Tsunade.
What could have happened to them? wondered Sakura. "Wasn't it a bit dangerous to send Naruto out on a mission involving Akatsuki?" asked Sakura.
"Well, I expected it to be like the last time. Especially with Kakashi with him ." said Tsunade.
"Can you just get to the point?" groaned Shikamaru brazenly.
Anger suddenly flashed across Tsunade's face. "Why don't you shut your mouth," started Tsunade, getting up from her chair. "and let me finish!" She slammed her palms on the desk and it splintered and cracked. Chips and bits of wood went flying into the air. Tsunade's face was contorted in violent impatience.
Everyone stared wide-eyed at Shikamaru (except maybe Shino, because of the glasses). Shikamaru was unfazed:
"So, let me guess. Naruto was captured by the Akatsuki and we were called up here to locate Kakashi and the rest at a safe point. Most likely, the group is extremely injured from fighting Akatsuki, which is why you also called Sakura here. And since we are going after an elite group of criminals, they probably devised traps to slow us down." He took a lethargic yawn and continued. "That's why you brought three of the smartest chuunins," he nodded towards Neji and Shino, who looked at him raptly. "to plan a counterattack and possibly lure them out so that a faction of our group can engage the Akatsuki to distract them, and the other faction to retrieve Naruto."
Shikamaru grinned. Even Tsunade was gaping at him. Shizune looked slightly worried. There was a moment of silence, and then Tsunade stood up. She took a square of ruffled paper off of her desk and shoved it into Shikamaru's hand. "That's Kakashi's location. You have your mission, so your dismissed!"
End of Chapter 1
Hehehe. I'm done. Wait for Chapter 2 this August.
