Title : Twelve days of Akatsuki

Disclaimer : Standard disclaimer applies. I get nothing at all for writting this, except a few laughs. I'd like to see you try and sue me for those..

Characters in this chapter : Tsunade, Gai, Neji, TenTen, Lee, and Sakura

Rating : This chapter is PG rated for a small swear at the end. No.. don't scroll down to look at it... read the chapter first.

The fifth day of Christmas, Hokage Office

"Explain to me what happened one more time," Tsunade asked coldly as she tried to stay calm. What she really wanted to do was chuck the eye sore called Lee out of the window, kick Sakura out the door, and start drinking from the stash of Sake that Shizune had not yet found. "Hopefully," She mumbled under her breath.

Sakura and Lee had finally made it back to Konoha after a day's journey, and when Naruto had not returned with them, Tsunade forgot about the uncompleted mission. She had dragged them into her office and wouldn't dismiss them until she found out exactly what happened. Sakura had already told the story twice now, but Tsunade's thoughts had been so unorganized that she couldn't concentrate.
Sakura cleared her throat and started again. She knew that she could dilute the truth because Lee was hopelessly in love with her, so he would not deny her version as being the truth. "We had been walking since morning and we came upon a stream. I went to get a small drink of water when I saw what looked like two red eyes reflecting off the stream. I believe that at that time, a genjustu had been cast upon us because Lee walked over and pointed out that it was just two turtles. We then felt as though we should hurry and depart in order to finish our mission. Instead of heading to our destination as I had believed, we had been walking back to Konoha. The genjustu was dispelled right as we passed the gates. That is when Lee and I realized that Naruto was missing."

"Right, that settles it then," Tsunade banged her fist on her desk and the door opened. In walked Gai, Neji, and TenTen.

"Hokage, you look as though you will always be in your springtime of youth!" Gai said as he flashed her one of his eye blinding, toothy Nice Guy grins.

"Naruto has been captured by the Akatsuki, or more precisely, Uchiha Itachi." She rummaged through her desk as she continued to talk. "It will be your mission to retrieve him, at any cost." She pulled out a small box from a concealed compartment in the desk. "Gai, Neji, TenTen, Lee, and Sakura will more then likely need these to retrieve him." Tsunade opened the case, "Because this is an S-class mission, it will be dangerous. These Five Golden Rings are charka laden. If you all rub the rings and repeat what is written on these cards, then both Jiraiya and I will appear to help you. These rings are like a temporary summons justu. But be warned, once you use it, it will drain half of whatever chakra you still have remaining. Use these rings only as a last resort." They turned to leave but she stopped them, warning them once more. "Never, under any circumstances, use this justu without chakra." The group of shinobi nodded in understanding and left.

"Finally," Tsunade sighed, "Sake time."

Some time later that day, near midnight, Tsunade woke up and looked at her stash of sake. There, nestled in between two bottles wedged in the far back, was a small rectangular box. "Shit, I gave them the wrong summoning rings." She slumped over, unconscious once more.

End of the fifth day
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