AN: Alas, Naruto is still not for sale, so I cannot buy it...In the future, I will probably be updating about once a week, because a) I'm lazy, b) I have no typing skills whatsoever, and c) School starts soon. I have received many requests for Kyuubi to eat Ino's soul, and a paltry few for NaruIno. If you want NaruIno, speak soon or forever hold your peace! Enjoy this chapter!

-demonicnargles

"Speech"

thought / talking in mind

"Demon speech"

Demon thought / talking in mind

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Kyuubi was pleased with the progress he had made in his training. Once he had picked up the first set of weights, he had begun using them immediately, and now the results were showing in his practice sessions with himself and his Shadow Clones. He had the extra weights at home, and it was about time to switch to the second set. Kyuubi was already about twice as fast as before. Granted, it was because he spent almost every waking hour performing techniques while sprinting through the forest, and he only had to let this body recuperate a few hours a day. The body's chakra capacity was improving, though not as fast as Kyuubi would have liked. And he was learning human customs from Naruto, who seemed almost pathetically nice to the demon.

I guess he really was lonely.

Kyuubi walked towards the Hokage's office to meet with his team. They were supposed to be getting another mission today.

With any luck, it will be an easy one like finding that stupid cat. Then I can get back to training.

Before entering the office, he instinctively checked the genjutsu on his eyes. Still there, and it felt fine. Kyuubi walked into the office.

"Naruto! You're an hour late! Don't you care at all!" Sakura screamed at him.

Kyuubi looked around. Kakashi isn't here yet, so why is she getting so worked up? Females...

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About 15 minutes later...

The door opened, and Kakashi slouched into the room. "Sorry guys, but there was an old lady who needed help carrying some groceries, and-"

"NO THERE WASN"T! YOU LOUSY-"

"Ahem."

Sakura glanced over at the Hokage, who was looking at her with an amused smile.

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama."

"It's fine. Team seven, now that you are all here," the Sandaime glanced pointedly at Kakashi, "I can give you your mission. Due to a lack of requests for missions lately, you will be getting a C-ranked mission."

Sasuke smirked. Now I can test my skills against other ninja. Then I will know how much more I need to train to kill Itachi.

Sakura smiled, happy to get a mission that didn't involve retrieving cats. Inner Sakura ranted on about impressing Sasuke.

Kyuubi forwned. This probably means that the mission will take more than a few hours. I need to train! I need to be able to defend myself, and stay alive!

Sarutobi continued, "You are to escort a man, Tazuna, to Wave country. You will be protecting him from bandits and highwaymen. Once you arrive, you will continue to guard him until a project he is working on is complete. You will be protecting him from bandits and thugs while you are there. You may return once his project is complete, or after staying there for a month. Tazuna will be taking care of your meals. You will be leaving tomorrow morning. Dismissed."

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Team seven waited by the gates for Tazuna. Even Kakashi had only been five minutes late.

Kyuubi was unhappy about the mission. I need to train! At least we only have to worry about bandits and such. But it takes away from my training time. At least I can train on my speed and endurance while we're out there.

Kyuubi felt himself to make sure that the second set of weights was firmly in place. Naruto had said that Kyuubi could train on speed and endurance by acting hyper and running around, because no one on the team knew about the weights. It would make him look silly, but at least he could train.

He watched a man dressed in shabby clothes approach. The man was drinking from a bottle as he walked. He walked up to them, but instead of passing, he stopped.

"Are you guys ready to go?" the man asked.

"Yes," Kakashi said. "Let's go."

Kyuubi frowned. We have to escort this guy? How on earth could he afford a C-ranked mission? Kyuubi followed behind Kakashi and the man who must be Tazuna. This was going to be a long mission.

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Kyuubi ran in circles around the group. He ran into the forest and back out. He jumped over Kakashi and Sasuke. After the first hour of this, Tazuna and the rest of Team Seven just ignored him.

The dead-last must be excited about the mission, thought Sasuke.

They walked along, Kakashi and Tazuna talking about the project Tazuna was working on, a giant bridge. They passed a puddle.

Kyuubi stopped. He smelled something. What is that smell? It smells like there was a person... no, two people here just a few minutes ago. And I smell metal, like the stuff they use in kunai. Ninja? Maybe we aren't the only people out on a mission. Kyuubi ran to catch up with the group, splashing through the puddle in his hurry.

Two shapes silently rose from the puddle. The first clutched his head, and muttered curses. Then they both silently followed team seven.

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Kyuubi was sprinting around and around the group, when he saw the two figures creeping up behind them. He ran towards Kakashi, and whispered, "Two behind," before continuing to sprint around team seven like nothing was the matter.

Kakashi was pleasantly surprised that Naruto had noticed the stalkers. Although Kakashi had noticed the puddle that should not have been there due to a lack of rain, he had not known exactly how many there were. Maybe Naruto isn't as shallow as I thought.

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"Aren't you excited to be on a C-class mission, Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke said nothing.

Sakura pouted, while Inner Sakura yelled that true love would conquer all barriers.

Suddenly, two cloaked men appeared on either side of Kakashi and wrapped spiked chains around him. They both pulled, ripping the jounin into shreds. Then they charged at Tazuna and the two genin. Kyuubi was running around in the forest.

Sasuke drew a kunai for each hand, and dropped into a crouch. The cloaked men flung their chains around the genin, hoping to catch them inside. Sakura grabbed Tazuna and got both of them out of the way, while Sasuke leapt straight at their assailants.

The two men fought Sasuke for a while, dodging kunai and swinging their spiked chains and gauntlets. They couldn't touch Sasuke, but neither could Sasuke touch them. Suddenly Sasuke jumped back, rapidly forming seals. He put his hand to his mouth and blew a large fireball at the cloaked men.

When he stopped, Sasuke saw nothing but scorched ground. The two men dropped from above him, landing on either side of him. Their chains were held ready. Sasuke braced himself for the end.

Then he saw a crowd of Naruto's pour out of the forest from every direction. The men flung their chains out to intercept the attack, but there were too many to stop.

Sasuke, seeing their distraction, stabbed them both in the back with his kunai. Then the men were knocked back into a large tree by flying punches by two Naruto clones. Before they could leave, they heard a chillingly cheerful voice say, "Did you just hurt Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura wailed on the two men senseless until Kakashi stepped out of the trees and said, "That's enough, Sakura."

"Kakashi-sensei! You're alive!" Sakura squealed.

"Obviously." Sakura face-faulted. "You guys did well. Naruto, good job with the sneak attack. Sasuke, you took advantage of Naruto's attack very well. Sakura... you knocked them unconscious for us. Good job, everyone."

"Tazuna," Kakashi turned to face the sheepish bridge-builder. "You have some explaining to do."

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End of chapter. Let me know what you want done with Ino. If you have suggestions, comments, corrections, etc., about Ino or anything else, feel free to let me know. Please review!