Ok, really sorry this one took so long to put up, but it just wasn't cooperating with me. I still and not a hundred percent happy with it, and if you don't understand the mission, don't worry, it'll get cleared up in the next chapter or two. Anyway, enjoy! And yes, the last couple of paragraphs are just corny, but I LIKE corn! It's yummy, so bleh, haha.
The lightheaded good mood from dinner was instantly sobered. "What!?" Sakura demanded, slamming her hands down on the Hokage's desk.
Tsunade sat with her eyes closed, fingertips pressed together in front of her face. "It's true."
Sakura looked back over her shoulder at Naruto in worry. He stood rigid, his eyes wider than she'd ever imagined they could be, his jaw tight, knuckles turning white from the amount of pressure her was applying to his fisted palm.
"I'm sorry, Naruto," Tsunade whispered. "I thought you should know."
Naruto did not move, did not breathe.
"I wanted your opinion on who to send out," her voice was quiet and serious. She did not open her eyes, nor remove her fingers.
Naruto released his fingers from their fist, slackened his jaw, dropped his head, and closed his eyes. He remained this way for a moment, then bent his arm at the elbow, staring at his palm, now with a few slits of blood. "Konohamaru," he muttered.
"Naruto . . ." Sakura moved for him, but he turned away.
"Tsunade-sama, I want this mission."
The Hokage shook her head. "No, Naruto, you have your students, this is a B-rank mission. I can't allow it.
"How can you possibly consider giving anyone else in Konoha this mission?!" he shouted, enraged, turning on her, shoulders hunched hostilely.
"What choice do I have, Naruto?"
"Send me!"
"No!"
"Send me!
"NO!
Sakura watched as Tsunade dropped her fingers, opened her eyes narrowly, and slammed her hands down. With each word she and Naruto drew closer, angrier. Tsunade and Naruto were inches away, Naruto's eyes on the bridge between his monstrous side, Tsunade's eyes were pained but firm.
"I'm going whether you allow it or not," he warned her.
Sasuke suddenly intervened, pushing Naruto and Tsunade away from each other. "Naruto, you will not go without the Hokage's orders," he said evenly.
"Just you try and stop me!" Naruto shouted.
"Tsunade-sama, please allow us to take on this mission," Sasuke ignored Naruto.
Sakura's eyes widened in surprise, she hadn't expected Sasuke to ask this.
"Are you insane, Sasuke?" the blonde woman demanded.
"If you look through the files of missions throughout the years, I believe you'll find that the three of us," he indicated himself, Naruto, and Sakura. "Successfully completed an A-rank mission as genin, after having the same training stint as our current genin."
Tsunade was taken aback for a moment, but the harshness returned to her gaze as she spoke again. "Had Konoha been aware of the circumstances of said mission, you would never have even been informed of the mission, let alone assigned to it."
"Even so, we completed the mission."
"You nearly died!" she shouted.
Sakura admired how Sasuke didn't so much as flinch at this, let alone remove his gaze from the floor, nor his arms from keeping Naruto and Tsunade at non-lethal distance.
"That mission was one of the best things our team ever did, it brought us to our senses and forced us to work as a team. I would like to request again that we be assigned this mission."
"Shinobi shouldn't let personal connections tie up in their mission," Tsunade relied.
"This is often times true when the feelings are contradictory, however, when they are of devotion and determination, the scenario shifts. This feeling drives Naruto, as you know as well as anyone, he will not abandon the mission, nor will he turn back or give up."
"You could get hurt with such a large group," Tsunade was obviously searching for any reason to deny them the mission.
"When I said we, I meant Sakura-chan as well."
"No, the group is too large, nine genin and three senseis?"
"Sakura's genin are learning to be healing ninjas, correct?"
Tsunade nodded, her eyes narrowed.
"So far as I've heard, Yaminaka Ino does not currently have any students, due to the healing genin being a new program with limited resources. I doubt she would mind very much overseeing the training of Sakura-chan's students for a few days."
Kami knows what possessed her to speak, but Sakura nodded as she spoke. "This is true, I've spoken to Ino-chan. She has expressed disappointment in the lack of sign ups for healing ninja training, she had been hoping to be assigned a team."
Tsunade threw a betrayed look to her pupil. "I can't let you go, we don't know whether Konohamaru-kun left on his own accord or if he was taken, depending on the situation it could be too dangerous."
At this Sakura looked up at the Hokage, as she knew Naruto and Sasuke were doing as well. "Too dangerous?" she almost scoffed.
Tsunade looked absolutely furious. "Genin shouldn't be trusted with this kind of mission when there are plenty of jonin that are more than capable, if anything, maybe over qualified!"
"Tsunade-sama," everyone turned to a much calmer Naruto. He was clutching her necklace, making her draw back a little, the angry fire in her eyes died a little. "Please allow us to take on this mission. I know I'm responsible for my genin. I will protect them with my life, but I need to take on this mission," he had a glow of pain, frustration, and sadness in his eyes so powerful Sakura lost her breath. "Konohamaru. . . he's my little brother."
Tsunade instantly averted her gaze at the mention of little brothers.
"Tsunade-sama, please," he begged, his grip tightening on her necklace. "I'm begging you, let me—let us go," he waved his hand over the whole team seven. "I need to. Please."
Tsunade stared at his palm, clutching her necklace, then turned to Sakura. "Would you willingly relinquish your genin to the care of Yaminaka Ino for the length of time in which you'd be gone?"
Naruto turned his heartbreakingly pained look to her. She obviously had the choice to say no, but not in a million years would she when her friend was hurting like this. "Yes, I give Yaminaka Ino complete charge of my genin for the indefinite time period."
She turned to Sasuke and Naruto. "You must protect your students by any and every means necessary."
"Hai," they replied as one.
She sighed. "I will assign this mission to teams twelve, and seventeen, their designated medical ninja being Haruno Sakura. You will depart from the South Gate tomorrow morning."
"Hai," the jonin replied, inclining their bodies in formal bows before exiting the main office of the Hokage.
Sakura watched Naruto from behind as he stalked forward. Sasuke reached forward to put a hand on his shoulder. Upon contact, the bond tried to shrug it off, but Sasuke kept a firm grip.
"Baka, don't try and walk away. I won't let you," the Uchiha warned
"I'm so scared!" Naruto yelled, wheeling around to glare at his fellow jonin.
"We have to discuss –"
"I don't want to-"
Sakura knew it was her turn for peacemaking, as she broke in between them. "Both of you! Stop it now!" She addressed Naruto. "You can't let yourself get out of control before we've even made move on this mission. I understand that this mission means a lot to you, but don't you start blocking people out." Her attention switched to Sasuke. "Don't make him speak if he doesn't want to. I agree that he should talk, but that's not our place."
Both avoided her gaze. "This isn't going to be an easy mission, the location is already dangerous, and depending upon the situation of the mission, it could be even more so, with traps and such On top of that, we're in charge of six green genin. Even so, we have to remember one thing," she looked up, her green eyes powerful. "We're team seven, the greatest ninja in any village, right?"
Naruto and Sasuke stared at her for a moment and her cheeks began flushing.
"Yeah," they nodded.
"Well, then," she straightened up. "I suppose we should inform our genin."
Naruto stared at his feet a moment; Sakura could swear she heard him mutter, "What did I get them into?" But his doubt was so short-lived, she dismissed it, though not without a second thought.