I don't own Naruto in any way shape or form. I'm just a fan of the series.

XXX

"You bet Lady Tsunade. What are you signing us up for?" I smiled truly meaning it. I was genuinely happy to receive a mission with my new team.

"Well since you are all very talented shinobi, for your first mission I am assigning you to a C-rank mission. I want you to escort an important princess from the Fire country to the Land of Lightening. She has an important meeting to attend to there with her mother. Guard her with your lives Team 7."

"We will do our best."

"You can count on us."

"Hai!"

"Lady Tsunade, when do we set out?" Kakashi asked.

"You can leave tomorrow morning at the gate, she will you meet you there as well. Oops! I forgot to give you her name. She is Princess Aiko, I expect you to call her as such. Good luck team 7. I'm counting on you. Dismissed."

XXX

They all headed home, but me to check out my new apartment. As I opened the eccentric green door my eyes widened. It was soooo much better than my last apartment, probably because no one knew I was the host of the Nine-tails here. There was no peeling paint in this one, with no trash the villagers had thrown in it. Inside it was just perfectly good bed with clean sheets and some sparse furnishings. I looked at my closet and saw tons of new clothes just my style hanging on hangers. Red and not to showy, just how I like my life to be. Suddenly I felt a chakra presence in the room. "Hello Ushio sensei, I can't thank you enough. Wait your not Ushio sensei." Whoever this was didn't have that much chakra, Ushio had at least a hundred times more chakra than the person spying on me. The voice I heard was someone I did not expect, the voice was a younger and annoyed by the sound of it.

"Hello," the person who answered was in the doorway giving me a surprised look. "It's impressive that you were able to sense my chakra, only jounin know how to do that. Proves my theory about you in one respect."

"Shikiari Nara, what are you doing here? Why did you follow me here?" Rape crossed my mind but I quickly erased that horrible thought. It had happened before but this guy was my age they probably didn't even know what rape was yet. 'Guess that makes me number one sexy perverted ninja of the land of fire as well.

He sighed rolling his eyes, "To find out more about our new acquaintance who just popped up out of the blue and just happened to be talented enough to become a genin without going through academy training. To work as a team we need to know a lot more about your abilities. More than just your hobbies."

"And I bet you were about to ask the same thing Mitsuki, ehh?"

"You spotted me too?"

"I didn't spot you I could sense you. And you are never suppose to let your guard down no matter what is happening. And as for your question, you will find out soon enough," I stated. "You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you now anyway." Feeling horrible for the last time I opened up to a new team they got scared of me. Releasing my anger without going on a rampage I balled up hands into fists. I couldn't look at them anymore, downcasting my eyes, I walked away further into my apartment. "See you guys tomorrow for the mission okay?" They both sighed and nodded walking out silently.

XXX

(From Shikiari's perspective)

"She is so beautiful and mysterious, but why is she being so secretive. But I have a crazy feeling I've seen her before. But that girl I saw before was to experienced to be a genin, sh- she saved my life. Even though the girl looked about my age at the time," he confessed boring into my eyes pleading for an answer. "I want to know more about her, even if it kills me." Pointing his thumb at his chest he looked up in a smart fashion.

"How did she save your life? What happened man?" I asked genuinely interested.

He began, "Well I was about seven years old at the time and I was playing ninja with some of you guys in the forest. I was all alone when three ninja's, chunin by the looks of them wearing dark capes came and tried to grab me. A hideous girl with straight red hair was about to stuff me in a burlap sac when I saw her come.

(Flashback)

"Haa, ha, ha we got the new Uchiha kid. We're gonna get one hell of a bounty for handing this kid over."

A flash of red and black whizzed around the group causing the attackers to freeze in terror at the speed of the person, or was it even a person. "Ha! Fat chance you are taking this kid away. On my watch there is noooo way! You bet." The young girl who said this had hands in her pockets looking very calm and composed considering the enemies she would have to face and at her age too.

The fattest of the group of attackers laughed long and hard at her. "How do you think you a measly kid can fight us and win."

The girl disappeared for not even a hundredth of a second reappearing behind the attackers, Mitsuki in hand. Once there she made some very quick almost unreadable hand signs.

"Fire style, hidden fist jutsu." She punched the gowned with great force and waited for the jutsu to take effect.

"What the hell was that little girl. A joke that didn't even do anything."

The mystery girl smirked, "Are you sure because I would be running away now if I was you."

There was a great rumbling almost like an earthquake coming from the ground beneath the men cussing some to cry out in shock and fall over. Suddenly a massive fiery fist, the size of a small house erupted from the ground scorching the men.

The girl massaged her back a little, "Man I haven't done that in a while, didn't take much." Realizing she had company staring at her like she was one of the most wonderful and scary things on this planet. She stated, "Geesh, you too. Why does everyone look at me like that. Well the least I can do now is take you home. Where do you live?"

The boy just stared dumbfounded, but managed to stutter, "The Uchiha C-compound, a-about one m-mile from here."

"Alright. Get on my back. Zestful vamoose! Yo."

Mitsuki said, "What the hell?" As they sped off.

(End Flashback)

"What does zestful vamoose mean?" I asked weirded out.

Mitsuki replied, "I looked up the words separately zestful is an adjective meaning with great enthusiasm or energy. And vamoose means escape. So a very happy and energetic escape."

"Well we will find out who she is soon enough or maybe me for that matter. We should just give her time to tell us. Can't you wait?"

"Sure," he grumbled pouting. "I can handle it, after all I am an Uchiha."

"I have to go," I said, "See you tomorrow in time for the mission."

"Okay see you tomorrow," Mitsuki replied. But the look on his face was of extreme sadness. 'How could the feeling for someone he just met be so great. Or did he really just meet her. That person he said that was a lot like her seemed to have made a lasting impression on him.'

XXX

(From Katsumi's perspective)

The next day was bright sunny and cheerful with not a cloud in the sky. Waking up earlier than usual because it was the best sleep received in weeks, thanks to my new apartment and soft mattress. Humming and walking I made my way to the broad, green gates. The ones that separated the Village Hidden in the Leaves from the rest of the Land of Fire, and where my first mission here was about to start. I was always overly early because one of the first facts my sensei drilled into my head is that if you're on time you're late. Damn him and his friggin life lessons.

Getting nearer to the gates I noticed a wooden booth with two jounin ninja inside. Clearly they were there to supervise who came and went from the village. The man on the left had spiky black hair aiming in all directions and a slight beard. And the other on the right with brown straight hair and curiously a senbon in his mouth. The word emo rang in my head but shook it out again when remembering ninja rule number 47.

"All that hurt themselves purposely or with suicidal thoughts are not fit to be ninja for that can cloud your judgement in battle. If any of this behavior is noticed regularly your status as a ninja will be withdrawn."

Suddenly a voice coming from one of the guards startled me out of my state of thought. "Never seen her before, what a beauty, looks ready for a mission."

I know they didn't think I could hear them because they thought I was some weak genin. Senbon man agreed with his partner and yelled hi to me. Giving my signature wave and sighing I walked up to the booth.

"Hello, um I am Katsumi Izanagi. Who are you?"

The man with the black hair and beard spoke quickly, "I'm Kotetsu Hagane and this is my partner in crime," he winked, "And friend Genma Shiranui."

"Nice to meet you," I beamed.

"So why would a pretty girl like you be a ninja. Surely you could be doing something less harsh."

"I chose this life because it was the only path given to me," I paused looking down, "Anyway it was nice to meet you two. Guess I'll see you around. Can't be late for a mission."

Genma's senbon was close to falling out and Kotetsu had an eyebrow raised. Kotetsu finally laughed sheepishly, "Umm, y-yeah we'll see you around." Genma just nodded in response.

I walked far enough away so they thought I was out of earshot until hearing Genma say what kind of girl or guy doesn't get to chose their path in life.

The nine-tailed fox doesn't.