Chapter V: The Kazekage's News

"What is it Gaara?" Naruto said, the sinking feeling settling even deeper, as Gaara turned to him with a look of concern.

"The Sand spies have found Sasuke Uchiha. He is outside the Rice country." Gaara said his eyes burned with a smoldering flame of dislike, as he said these words.

"WHAT? YOU FOUND SASUKE-TEME!" Naruto shouted out in shock.

"Yes." Gaara replied, his eyes still burning slightly.

"You should have told me sooner!"

"I did not want to disturb my siblings happy reunion with old friends. Konkuro really wanted to see Kiba, and Tamari wanted to see Shikamaru. I needed to tell you this, and that is the main reason we are here. I know you are the only one who can match Sasuke in battle prowess, and I thought of doing it, but I know I would have ended up killing him... I do not like him..." Gaara said, his hands curling into fists.

"Gaara? Are you sure it is Sasuke?"

"Yes. My shinobi are well trained in spotting missing nins. We have an organization that is like ANBU, but not as developed as yours. They saw Sasuke Uchiha, and I believe them."

"Okay. I'll go talk to Grandma Tsunade about it. She will probably want me to take a team..." Naruto said with a sad face.

"We shall go talk to the Hokage together. She should here the whole story."

"Yes. We should go now!"

"Yes. Let us go." Gaara stood, and walked toward the large building that was the Hokage's home.

When they arrived, Shizune said that they had to wait, because Tsunade was meeting with Kakashi.

"This is important! Sand has found Sasuke Uchiha! We must assemble a team, and go after him! He is in the Rice country, and we could get him!" Naruto pleaded, giving Shizune a look of sadness.

"Okay, I will tell her what you have told me." Shizune knocked on the door, and slipped into the room, closing the door behind her.

After a few moments, they heard Tsunade say loudly, with a voice of disbelief, "What? They have found him?"

"Yes Tsunade, the Sand shinobi, and the Kazekage are here. The Kazekage is waiting outside this room, with Naruto, and they say that they have found the Uchiha boy."

"Well then, let them in! Don't be impolite to our honored guest that Kazekage of Sand! Open the door!"

"Yes Hokage-sama."

The door swung open and Gaara and Naruto walked in, and stood in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Granny! Did you hear that the Sand have found Sasuke-teme? They found him outside Rice country! We need to go get him... I need to kick his teme-ass, and drag him back here!" Naruto shouted, his eyes hopeful.

"We need to assemble a team if you where to go. Who do you think you should bring? You are old enough to decide." Tsunade said.

"Well... I think Hinata and Kiba would do well... Kiba for his nose, and Akamaru because he can track, Hinata for her Byakugan, and may be Lee for back up." Naruto thought about what things would help him, and thought that those two would make a good team.

"I think that that is a good team for this job. A well-balanced team, defense and attack, as well as good tracking abilities, wow Naruto, I would not have expected it from you..." Tsunade said with a slight smile appearing on her lips.

"You can go ask them if they are willing to go. I think that at least Hinata would go. When you have assembled your team, come back here, and we can discuss what is going to happen."
"Thank you Granny Tsunade!" Naruto beamed, and Tsunade smiled as well, because she started to like her nickname, even if it was a little odd.

"Go Naruto, Kazekage-sama, please sit. Tell me all you know about what you have found." Tsunade said, but Gaara shook his head.

"I prefer to stand, an you can call me Gaara. I am not one for the formalities."

"Neither am I, so you can call me Tsunade if you wish." Tsunade said, nodding to Gaara.

"Thank you Tsunade. I would be glad to."

"And I am as well Gaara."

Naruto left, and went to find his team.

He walked by Ichiraku's, and saw Tamari and Shikamaru sitting side by side, eating ramen together, Tamari laughing about something Shikamaru said.

Naruto smiled.

"About time those two got together. They have avoided this like the plague, and would not admit it to each other!"

Naruto found Hinata first, and ran over to her, throwing his arms around her shoulders, and hugging her tightly.

"N-naru-to!" Squeaked Hinata, as he let her go.

"Hinata-chan! How are you?"

"Um... I am good Naruto-kun. How are you?" Hinata had gotten over her shyness, and she did not faint anymore when Naruto touched her.

"I am fine... But I have a favor to ask of you."

"Yes Naruto-kun, what is it?"

"I need you to come with me on a mission to find Sasuke-teme. They found him outside the Rice country, and I need a team to go find him. Would you?" He asked with a sincere look.

"They found Sasuke-kun? And you want me to go? Sure Naruto-kun! I'd love to!" Hinata's face lit up, and her eyes sparkled at the idea of going on a mission with her boyfriend.

"Thanks Hinata-chan!" He hugged her again, and she smiled quietly to herself.

He released her from the bear hug, and looked around.

"Do you know where Kiba or Fuzzy-Brows are?" He asked, his blue eyes scanning the area.

"No but I could look for them. Byakugan!" Hinata's eyes widened, and veins appeared around her eyes.

She scanned the village, and found Kiba in the woods, training with Akamaru and she found Lee also training, but in an open field.

"Follow me." Hinata said, walking off toward the woods which where closer.

They found Kiba leaning against a tree, panting hard from his training, Akamaru, now far too large to fit under his hoody, laying next to him, with a large doggish grin plastered onto his face.

"Good boy Akamaru! Here is your treat!"

Kiba tossed Akamaru a large piece of jerky, which Akamaru chomped on contentedly.

"Hey Naruto, Hinata! What brings you here?" Kiba said even before they could see him.

"I have a favor to ask you Kiba. It is important!" Naruto said, coming into view, with a serious look on his face.

"Yeah, what?" Kiba said.

"Would you join me in Sasuke hunting? They have found the teme-ass outside Rice country, and I got sent to collect a team to go get him." Naruto replied.

"Hmmm... Akamaru? Should we help Naruto?" Kiba asked.

"Woof! Rawr rawr ruff!" Akamaru replied.

"Akamaru said he'd like to help, but that you need to take a bath first." Kiba laughed, as he translated Akamaru's barks.

"I took a bath this morning!" Naruto said, giving Akamaru a look, but laughing at the idea of a dog telling him to bathe.

"Well Akamaru said he could smell you a mile off, and that you still smell bad... But yes, I will join you on you mission to retrieve Sasuke." Kiba stood, and walked with Naruto and Hinata to go get Lee.

When they found Lee, he was pounding a training dummy to splinters, using his masterful taijutsu.

"Lee! I need to ask you something!" Naruto called out, as Lee's fist snapped the dummy's head off, sending it ten yards across the ground, and causing a small crater to explode into the ground.

"Yes Naruto-kun?" Lee said, as he aimed a mighty kick at the dummy.

"Would you join me to go find Sasuke? They have found him outside Rice country, and I thought you might like to help." Naruto asked hopefully.

Lee's foot sent the dummy flying clean across the clearing, splintering it to a million bits against a large tree.

"Yes Naruto-kun. It would be an honor to go get Sasuke-kun back from Rice country. I will go!"

"Thanks Lee! Okay, now that we have everyone lets go to Granny Tsunade's and tell her that we are going to go get ready!" Naruto said in an enthusiastic and happy voice.

"Yes." Said the others in unison, and they headed for the Hokage's house.