The Meeting
Naruto walked trough the gate to join his other teammates. Once again, their sensei and team member, Kakashi Hatake, was late.
"Is he late again?" asked Naruto with annoyance in his voice.
"What do you think, Naruto?" Sakura replied.
"And I bet he's going to use the same old excuse. 'I got lost on the path of life.' Give me a break," mimicked Naruto.
"Stop complaining. You're giving me a headache," stated Sasuke in his plain annoyed tone. He got up and walked towards the gate cuffing a hand over his eyes looking into the over crowded village.
"Good morning," Kakashi appeared right besides Sasuke with the same innocent smile.
"YOU'RE LATE!!" exclaimed Naruto and Sakura in unison. Sasuke, as usual, just walked towards his teammates not even shaken by the sudden appearance of his tardy sensei.
"Calm down, idiot," remarked Sasuke giving a sideways glance towards the stricken Naruto.
"Don't call me an idiot you jerk!" exclaimed Naruto as a tint of red flickered in his demon like eyes.
"Make me!"
"Come over here and I will!"
"Fine!"
"It's on!"
Naruto raised a hand to land a punch in the ungrateful Sasuke's face when Sakura got the first hit.
"OOOF!" spluttered Naruto as he spit out blood from his now bleeding lip. "What was that for?"
"You're always starting fights, Naruto. When are you going to grow up?" Sakura glared in Naruto's eyes as his clear blue regain control of the red. She felt guilty for punching him, but he had to control his emotions, especially in front of Kakashi-sensei.
"Ok, let's get down to the real reason why I called you all here," stated Kakashi, his face wiped clean of his smile. "Tsunade- Sama has ordered us to meet her at her office. I have a feeling that this is very important since the Akatsuki are starting to plan their attack. Remember that they are looking for the kyuubi so that means," he gave a worrying glance towards Naruto, "Naruto will be their main target."
As he finished saying this last reminder, Naruto's stomach lurched with the uneasiness that he felt every time some one mentioned that there was a killing monster sealed inside him like a starving tiger was locked in his cage. Sakura looked over and placed a soothing hand on his cheeck which immediately turned scarlet.
"Sakura-chan," thought Naruto silently in his head. She had been closer to him the past year and a half and he didn't know how to express his feelings. Would he just come out and tell her, or would he play it smooth like Sasuke would? Girls! Why were they so confusing. Maybe when he become hokage, he make a law that girls need to stop being so hard to figure out. Yeah, that's a good law. All the other boys and men would be thanking him.
His day-dreaming was soon interrupted by a crash. "What was that?"
"It is I, the magnificent seventh Hokage. Bow down before me if you wish!" stated a rather short fifthteen year old.
"Oh, it's just you, Konohamaru," Naruto breathed while letting out a huge sigh of relief. Ever since he knew that the Akatsuki were taking more aggressive action on capturing him, he couldn't help but feel anxious with fear and caution.
"Naruto! Call me the seventh Hokage!" exclaimed the dramatic teen.
"But the last time I checked, you were just Konohamaru. That's all,"
"Just Konohamaru? Watch who you're talking to! I might not be Hokage now, but once you end your riegn as Hokage, the whole village will choose me!" hissed Konohamaru. His face turned red with rage as he saw Naruto break down in laughter. "What are you laughing at?"
"Well first of all…" started Naruto but was cut of by Kakashi.
"Enough. We do not have anytime for this. We must get up to Lady Hokage as soon as possible, but with you two arguing it doesn't seem likely now does it?"
"Sorry Kakashi-Sensei," Naruto said guiltly.
"I understand that you're sorry but we can apoligize later. Right now we are expected in the Hokage's office so let's get moving,"
Kakashi led the group with Naruto in the back silently bickering with Konohamaru. One punch from Sakura and he fell dead silent, literally.
"You're late!" shouted Tsundae as a vein throbbed so hard in her temple that it treatended to pop.
"I'm sorry Master," appoligized Sakura. "We had some trouble on the way." She gave a glare over towards Naruto who was still massaging his now black eye.
"I'm asuming that it was Naruto who caused the tardiness," sighed Tsundae.
"Well Konohamaru started it!" claimed Naruto.
"I don't care! You're nineteen years old! You shouldn't be acting like this!" yelled Tsundae. She had been angry with him before but he never seemed to learn how to behave.
"I'm sorry," muttered Naruto keeping his head down towards his feet.
"Well, you better start acting like it," Tsunade said while her red face finally toned down. "How can you expect to beccome Hokage if you act like that?"
"I'll shape up! I promise! I won't act like a kid anymore!" shouted Naruto
"Fine, I'll have to take your word on it," sighed Tsunade. How many more times will she have to put up this behavior? "Ok, now let's get started with the main reason why I summoned you all here. Akatsuki is planning to attack Konoha, and I am taking members from each squad to go on a special mission. I have already picked Neji because of his byakugan and since he is one of the few jonin besides Naruto and Temari. I've also picked Ino, because she is a medical ninja, and Shino, because of his many talents and communictation skills."
Naruto had quickly passed the chuunin exams after he returned from his three year training. After that, he trained with his squad and had made the jonin rank.
"Also," continued Tsundae, "I have included Naruto in this squad for many reasons but mostly because he is the target himself. And because of this, I have selected Yamato to come along in case Naruto's anger takes control of him, as it usually does."
By that time, Naruto's mind was raceing with all this news. Even though he has been on countless missions, he still got the excitement when he was chosen for a special mission.
"This is awesome!" exclaimed Naruto. "I'll show those freaks whose boss!"
"Don't get over excited. You're not physically fighting. This mission is to get information on Akatsuki and to come right back." Answered Tsundae.
"Oh, come on!"
"What happened to not acting like a child?"
"Did you really think that Naruto could pull that off?" rebarked Sasuke.
"What did you just say?"
"I said that you could never pull of not acting like a child and I was right!"
"You better shut that mouth before I kick your…"
"Shut up!" yelled Sakura giving Sasuke a punch this time.
"Thank you, Sakura," said Tsundae.
"Your welcome, but I have a question. If Naruto was the only one going on the mission in our squad, then why did you tell all of us to come?"
"Well, Sakura, I wanted to make sure that we were all on the same page," Tsundae answered simply. "But," went on the hokage, "before you leave, I need to talk to Kakashi. ALONE!" yelled Tsundae while giving Naruto a warning look.
Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke walked out of the room while Kakashi stayed behind. Naruto looked around him making sure that Sakura and Sasuke were around the corner when he quietly put his ear to the door to only receive a good whack in the head by Tsundae. Naruto finally gave up and joined his retreating team mates.
Inside the office, Tsundae was giving Kakashi important information. This piece of information would change many lives. Either for good or bad, he had no idea.
As he left the office towards his students, a piece of parchment was crumpled in his hand with new information leaving an uneasy lump in his throat. He passed quickly by Naruto, who seemed to be trying to get Sakura away from Sasuke but having no luck, and slipped the paper inbetween his fingers.
