A Performance to Remember
Three very obedient students waited by the same little bridge they had always waited at before setting off for missions or their daily training. When it came right down to it, they owned that bridge. Now it was a seemingly normal day, Sasuke was being his silent, brooding self, Naruto was whining about something or other and dear little Sakura was debating with herself over whether or not she should shut Naruto up or try and strike up a conversation with Sasuke. Both seemed rather hopeless.
"Yo."
"You're late!"
"Ah, warui warui, you see there was this-"
"Liar!" Sasuke sighed in annoyance; it was the same, always the same. Coughing into his gloved hand, Kakashi straightened up signaling the news he was about to give. Naruto's azure eyes instantly grew wide with excitement. A mission, finally they'd get another mission.
"We've been assigned a mission-"
"Yatta!"
"Shut it Naruto!" Sakura intervened, slamming her fist onto the boy's head, bringing him back down from his momentary high. Sweatdropping Kakashi continued feeling a little sorry for the boy.
"Right, as I was saying, it's a D-ranked miss-"
"Nani! Why is it so low? We should be getting…" A dark look from the pink haired girl shut him up.
"So what's the mission Kakashi-sensei?" He smiled, waiting in anticipation of their reactions.
"You're to perform a play for Konohamaru's birthday."
"A play?!" Naruto cried out unhappily, the words spilling from his mouth as if they were the foulest thing on earth. Even the normally uninterested Uchiha turned his head in alarm. There were many things he was willing to do, but acting was definitely not one of them. Kakashi chuckled enjoying their reactions fully.
"Uh, say Kakashi-sensei?"
"Yes Sakura."
"Do we all have to participate in it?" The jounin nodded pulling out his favorite little book.
"The scripts should be here soon enough." Turning the page, he immersed himself into the story pulling his attention away from his still mortified students. It wasn't long when the clinking sounds of footsteps approached, as a white haired man approached the group.
"Eh, ero-sennin? What are you doing here?"
"Ah Naruto."
"This is quite unexpected." Kakashi commented peering over his book.
"Kakashi." He regarded the jounin with a nod.
"Don't tell me you're here to give us the scripts!" Naruto yelled in shock.
"Scripts? No, I'm not."
"Then why are you here?" Jiraiya grinned as he glanced down at the blonde.
"Business Naruto, business." Naruto eyed the Sannin suspiciously.
"More like something perverted if you ask me." Coughing, he disregarded the comment before continuing.
"I'm meeting with my publisher to discuss my new project."
"New project?" Sakura asked looking up at the white haired shinobi.
"Mmmm, yes it should be something quite good for my fans." Kakashi's ears perked at this tidbit of into but remained focused in his book.
"What kind of project?"
"Don't ask Sakura-chan, it's just something perverted." Glaring down at the boy, they both were at a stand still as a fine electrical spark shot between them.
"Sorry I'm late." Breaking between the two, Shizune tried to regain her breath.
"Shizune-neechan."
"Here are your scripts. Ah Jiraiya-sama, I thought you had somewhere important to be right now?"
"Un, I almost forgot." Waving his farewell, the white haired Sannin departed leaving the group at the bridge.
"Ano, Nee-chan were you talking to ero-sennin earlier or something?"
"Un, he stopped by to drop off your scripts."
"Eh!" Naruto screeched, his eyes bulging slightly out of his head. Now there was really no way he'd be accepting this mission.
"Hai, Tsunade-sama had him write something for the party at the academy. She looked it over and approved of it this morning." Closing his book Kakashi looked down at his students.
"Well now that you have your scripts I suggest you go and memorize your lines. The performance is tomorrow." Grinning at them through his mask, his one eye closed. Team 7 sighed not liking this mission one bit.
"Hai."
----------------------------------
Sitting upon her bed, Sakura looked at the script that lay in front of her. She really wasn't happy with having to perform, but a mission was a mission. She had already wasted all the time she possibly could to avoid thinking about the dreaded play but she had soon run out of things to work on. "Might as well get this over with." Picking up the envelope, she pulled out the script her eyes moving towards the top to read the title. Instantly the only female member of team seven froze, the color having drained completely from her face. "Eeeeeh!"
----------------------------------
Gulping down the last of his ramen, Naruto exhaled fully satisfied, eight empty bowls piling high to his right in an unsightly stack. Feeling as though he was forgetting something, he hunched forward, straining his mind to try and recall the forgotten task. "Hmmmm, eto…eto, mmmm…"
"Naruto is this yours?" Looking up at the stand's owner, two cerulean orbs brightened as they focused on the large envelope, remembering what he was supposed to be doing.
"Souka, I have to practice my lines. Sankyuu!" Taking the envelope Naruto hopped off the stood leaving what he owed on the smooth countertop before walking away. Strolling down the street he fumbled with the envelope a bit before he was finally able to open it, and pull out the script. "Let's see…eh?" Halting abruptly, tanned fingers gripped the pages he held tightly, eyes fixed onto the words that made up the title. "Sonna bakana!"
----------------------------------
Finishing with the last of his training, Sasuke wiped the sweat from his brow, shifting his dark bangs a little to the left. Satisfied for the moment he glanced over to where he had left the bothersome script. He thought the entire ordeal ridiculous and a waste of time but a mission was a mission so who was he to argue. He'd just have to deal with it for the moment despite his silent objections. Making his way over he gazed down at the hateful envelope wondering how things could get any worse. It was bad enough he had to be teamed up with Naruto and Sakura but also he had to deal with sad excuses for missions.
Frowning he sat down opening the small flap, revealing the short script inside. Sighing he pulled it out figuring there was no use stalling the inevitable. Quickly glancing at the title, he turned to the first page where his fingers stiffened. There was no way he had read that correctly. Turning back he carefully re-read every word slowly, making sure his eyes were not deceiving him.
He was wrong; things could get so much worse.
----------------------------------
"Ah Jiraiya-sama, you're late."
"Yoshiro-san, gomen gomen. I bumped into the hokage's assistant on my way and then well it doesn't matter."
"I see, have you brought it?"
"But of course, I'm sure you'll find it to be to your liking. I have quite a few of these planned." The Sannin chuckled happily, as he took his seat.
"Your work has been quite impressive thus far. I'm quite a fan you know." He chuckled a bit to himself. "So let's get down to business." Nodding, the snow haired shinobi brought out his envelope, pulling out the script for his oncoming project.
"Hm?"
"Is something wrong?" Staring at the tile, the Sannin was filled with confusion. Something was wrong with it, very wrong. Puzzled by Jiraiya's silence, his publisher gazed down at the title.
"Little red riding shinobi? That's an interesting title there."
"Iie, this isn't the right one. Mine is called…"
----------------------------------
And now for what you've been waiting patiently for!" Iruka began as every student from the academy sat before the stage as well as various other shinobi who had heard of the news, amongst them the rookies and their sensei's. The room had been decorated accordingly, balloons and streamers taking up every possibly corner and then some. Konohamaru seated up front in the center so he could get the best view.
Backstage three very uncomfortable ninjas stared hard at the wooden floor, too embarrassed to look each other in the eye, their faces fully flushed. "Give a warm welcome to team seven and their performance in…huh?" Iruka gazed down at the title they had written down for him. "One…steamy…night…Icha Icha Style?"