I don't Own Naruto, I do own Kaisho.
Bold is supernatural speech.
Italics are thoughts, flashbacks, the like.
-Chapter Three: The Lost Cat-
Naruto was standing in front of all the ANBU and his friends.
"And now, presenting the youngest ANBU since Hatake Kakashi, meet Namikaze Naruto!" Yamato held out his hand. "At sixteen he managed to pass the course in fifty four minutes, leaving only minor injuries, he's been trained by the legendary Hashin Kaisho, as well as his elder brother the late Hashin Jiraiya. Naruto's accomplished a lot in a little time. And he'll help us accomplish much more." They all clapped as Yamato presented Naruto his mask. People began chanting speech. Naruto shrugged.
"You know, there's not much to say, this is another step to becoming Hokage, and I couldn't have done it without my friends who helped me the whole way. I was there when Sensei died, he killed one of the members of Akatsuki, they travel in pairs, and the other man escaped, but not before killing Jiraiya." Naruto had made up this report because he didn't want people to know he had found a way to use more than four tails of the Nine Tail's chakra.
"I've seen many people die, and I want to end it. If that means I have to kill, then I will, but I also want to save lives and bring peace." Naruto shrugged, "That's all folks." Everyone began clapping.
There was a party afterward, the ninja were all celebrating their new comrade. It was very rarely that new ANBU joined actually, all in all there was about one hundred and fifty, not even one fifth of the total ninja population of approximately four thousand. The total city population was five thousand, and many civilians that were still so were often ineligible or unwilling to be ninja.
By the end of the party, most of the people there were plastered. Iruka, Shikamaru and Naruto were the only sober members.
"So Naruto, you've downed five bottles, how in God's name are you still sober?" Shikamaru asked.
"I have a very special ability." Naruto tapped his stomach. "And it burns off all the alcohol."
"Well not all of it… About ninety eight percent. You have about the equivalent of two cups of sake in your system." The fox corrected.
"I see." Shikamaru knew about the Nine tails, but found it too troublesome to mention the fact.
"Sooo…. Naruto, how are things going with you and Temari?" Shikamaru laughed as the sake came from his nose.
"There's nothing going on between us!" Naruto wiped his nose. That burned.
"It's a shame, she was saying 'he seems like a great guy, he's loyal, and he's got a great body!' I think you should go for it." Shikamaru was playing matchmaker for one reason. When that woman came to the village he didn't have to spend his time escorting her around. He could sleep.
"I think you're lying." Naruto said. Shikamaru drank his tea.
"Have I ever misled you Naruto? It would be too troublesome." Naruto shrugged. Shikamaru was an honest person.
The party slowly dissipated, Naruto was the last to leave. Walking down the street, he sensed something. Turning he saw a man standing there.
"Hello Sasuke. Come to take me out in my own home have you?" Naruto saw that he had been beaten to a pulp, his clothes were in tatters.
"No, I want to come home." Sasuke said.
"Uchiha Sasuke, the world's first S-class missing ninja that came back home. Come on, we're staying at the Uchiha place today. Anko's at Kakashi's house." Naruto turned and they walked towards the Uchiha manor.
"Why are you staying with Kakashi?" Sasuke asked. Naruto explained the situation. "I see. Fine then, we'll go to my house."
"Did you ever kill your brother?"
"I did. My new goal is to rebuild my clan. And to build it the right way." Sasuke explained the truth of the Uchiha massacre.
"Well then, we'll take you to go see Tsunade-sama tomorrow afternoon." They then went to what Naruto was calling his home for the night.
Morning came fairly quickly, Naruto dressed and went in search of Sasuke. He found him sitting in the courtyard drinking tea.
"That's a nifty toy you've got there." Naruto said, pointing to the Kusanagi.
"You look to have some new toys yourself. You're ANBU now?"
"As of yesterday night." Naruto flicked the mask that was sitting on the top of his head. "I start my duties tomorrow. My first mission is to be the ambassador for Konoha. I'm supposed to spend three months in Suna." Naruto grinned. "If Tsunade lets you resume ninja duties what do you think you'll do?"
"Hmm." Sasuke began. "I think I'll take the ANBU test. Just so you don't show me up too bad." He smirked. "Let's go get some breakfast. I'm starved." Sasuke had changed his outfit so that he was now wearing an outfit very similar to Naruto's but he had no mask and there was a small Uchiha crest beneath the collar on the back. And he was wearing ninja sandals instead of boots. They went in search of breakfast.
After breakfast, they decided to go see Tsunade.
"Come in." Tsunade said to the knock at the door.
"Hey Tsunade-sama, I've found our lost kitten." Naruto said as they came in. Sasuke walked in and smirked.
"Yo."
"So where'd you find him?"
"He caught me on the way back from the party." Naruto shrugged. "Remind me to never let Temari have alcohol again."
"What to do with him though?"
"I say we test him and align him with whatever group needs him."
"But you realize that he was a missing ninja for nearly three years."
"Technically so is Rin." Naruto smirked. "Didn't think I knew she was still alive huh? What d'you think Kakashi would say if he found out your little secret? I say we let him back onto the force." Tsunade glared at the boy.
"Fine, but if he does anything stupid I'm holding you responsible. I'll have him do the test tomorrow. Or you could test him."
"Sure. It's been a good while since I've had a good match anyway." Naruto looked at his long lost friend. "Let's go do testing Sasuke. I'll be back with a report in a few hours."
"Alright, don't hurt yourself, you're supposed to leave tomorrow." Tsunade waved them off. She began on her paperwork. Mostly mission reports, and an application from Kakashi to re-join the ANBU force.
Naruto and Sasuke were standing face to face, about ten feet away from each other. Naruto stood, his hands resting in front of him as if they were on a cane, his feet were about shoulder width apart. Sasuke was intrigued and proceeded with caution. As a safety measure he activated his Sharingan, and immediately wished he hadn't.
All around him were hundreds of phantom Naruto, each moving to attack from every direction. He deactivated his clan's eyes. "How can he move so many ways from such a relaxed looking stance?" Sasuke drew his sword and made to attack.
That was when it happened. Sasuke's sword was suddenly thrown from his grip and he was on his back with a knife pressed against his throat.
"Got you." Naruto moved back, allowing Sasuke to get up. He stepped back and Sasuke took the initiative again, Naruto ducked the blade, as he tried for an elbow strike Sasuke kneed him in the chin.
Naruto took the blow and rolled back, when he came up he did a back handspring to gain more distance. He drew his sword, standing with it in his front hand, feet still shoulder width apart. He was in a bladed stance now.
"My turn!" Naruto was gone so fast that Sasuke could barely block, even then the blow sent him stumbling.
Naruto continued his assault, knocking the sword away, he took Sasuke in one arm as he sheathed his own.
Sasuke struggled against Naruto's powerful arm, Naruto sheathed his sword and used his other arm, taking Sasuke's shoulder and neck he flipped Sasuke onto the ground. From there he began to choke Sasuke with the rear naked choke, Sasuke quickly tapped out, when they stood up, Sasuke grinned.
"You're good at hand to hand, but how about your jutsu?" Sasuke flashed through seals. "Art of the Fireball!" Sasuke launched the small sun in Naruto's direction.
Naruto dodged the ball, and made his own seals "Art of Ice spikes!" Many spires of ice grew from the ground, each trying to impale Sasuke at a different angle. Sasuke jumped away.
"Art of Dragon Fire!" Sasuke launched the massive dragon of fire at his adversary. Naruto dispelled this with his "Art of Water Shield". Naruto made to attack close again. He caught the first arm as it barreled toward his head, and then took the other, he slammed Sasuke into the ground.
"I win Sasuke." He stood up. Offering Sasuke a hand he helped the ninja up. "I'd say at least a high Jounin level, about my skill level."
"But you beat me."
"There's two reasons for that. The first being that I move more efficiently than you. Second, my elemental affinities oppose yours. Wind and Water oppose Fire and Lightning."
"I see." Sasuke looked to his side to notice they'd attracted an audience. Iruka, many of the original gennin teams from their year, Kakashi, Temari and Tsunade were watching. As well as several ANBU.
"So Tsunade-sama, what do you think?" Naruto looked at his boss.
"I think your observation was correct. Go pack your stuff, you're leaving tomorrow. I'll take care of Sasuke's paperwork." Tsunade waved him off.
Naruto decided he'd go get tea first.
"You're just going to see that Temari girl." Kyuubi accused him.
"No I'm not, I want some tea."
"And I want out of you just to stretch my legs. I'm inside of your mind boy, I know what goes on in here." Naruto shrugged, beaten.
"So what, I can't get what Shikamaru said out of my head. I have to settle matters." Naruto then cut the fox out of his head.
When he arrived Temari was sitting at her usual table.
"Hey Naruto. Coming to get some tea after your show?"
"You were there too?"
"Everyone who could recognize your chakra was there. Do you realize how much you were pumping out?" Naruto shook his head. "It was quite a lot."
"Well, I didn't realize so." Naruto shrugged. Ordering his tea he looked at her. "So Shikamaru has been telling me some rather strange things lately." Naruto looked at the girl. "Mind helping me clear them up?"
"Sure, what was it?" Temari's heart beat faster, if what he was talking about was what she was thinking, things were going to get awkward really quick.
"Well he was saying you had certain feelings for me…And that you said I had a great ass." Temari had chosen that moment to take a drink of tea, this was a bad idea in that it was now all over Naruto.
"WHAT?!" Temari shouted.
"So it wasn't true?" Naruto was feeling slightly disappointed.
"It…It was, but I hadn't expected him to say anything to you about it." Temari was currently a color of red that is often reserved only for tomatoes and certain flowers. Naruto smirked, raising an eyebrow.
"I see… Well then, Allow me to take you to dinner tonight."
Smooth Naruto, real smooth." Temari thought. "Sure, come pick me up at seven?"
"Sounds good. Well I've got to go then." She placed went to place some money on the table, but Naruto stopped her, paying himself. "Thank you Naruto-kun." She said as she kissed him on the cheek, taking her leave.
"Smooth kid, real smooth." The Kyuubi growled from his cage.
"Shut up fox." Naruto simply sat and drank his tea.
Several hours later, Naruto had showered and dressed, he'd made some reservations at a restaurant earlier that day, he then went to get Temari.
He was wearing black slacks, a white dress shirt, he'd not tucked it into his pants, and a black jacket and tie. He'd left his headband, and all his weapons, he did however have a telescopic night stick in his right pocket. It was made of steel and when extended was about sixty five centimeters long, that was in case he needed to fight with more than his bare hands.
He arrived at Temari's current lodging, it was a house built to accommodate guests to the country. Currently Temari was the only person lodged there. The blond knocked at the door, waiting patiently. Temari answered, and Naruto literally had to step back. The Sand ninja stepped out in a white kimono with gold trim and bamboo leaves, at her waist was tied a white obi, she wore tabi and straw sandals, in lieu of her usual ninja sandals.
"Temari, when you dress up, you really dress up. That kimono could not have been less than fifty thousand Ryou." Naruto looked at the girl in front of him.
"You like it? Gaara actually got it for me as a gift. It's imported from Snow country, and I think it was closer to seventy five thousand." Temari looked him over. "You're not looking so bad yourself."
"Kaisho sensei insisted I buy some formal clothes when I got back. Now I'm glad I did." Naruto grinned. "Shall we go?"
At the restaurant they ate, talked and did things that are generally done on a first date. As Naruto took her home he had the strange sense he was being followed.
"Well, this is your stop. I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow." Naruto smiled, before she went in though, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a kiss. "Now we're set. Goodnight Temari-chan." Naruto grinned as he saw the blush on her face.
"G-goodnight Naruto-kun." She turned and went inside.
Naruto walked home, hands in his pocket, he turned around, drawing his night stick, he saw Sasuke.
"Smooth dobe."
"You're the second person to say that to me today." Naruto collapsed his night stick. "And it never gets any less annoying. Let's go." Naruto grinned.
Inside her house, Temari was leaning against the front door blushing.
Did that really just happen? She thought, replaying the whole thing in her head. I hope Gaara doesn't kill him. She shook her head, and then went off to bed.
-Chapter Three: End-
Author's Note: I covered a lot of ground in this chapter. I felt like there needed to be some NaruTema, I plan on making Sasuke struggle to get his reputation back. Struggle a lot. Next time: Naruto goes to Sunagakure, gets questions from the family, adjusts to the desert and heat.