Naruto woke up to the gentle motion beneath him. Where was he? He slowly opened his eyes. It was very dark, and someone was carrying him on his back. Kakashi-sensei! Where was he? Why did he feel like he was forgetting something important?
He glanced around himself. He saw Sakura supporting Sasuke, as they sped along with him and Kakashi.
"Don't try too hard, Sasuke, maybe it will come back if you don't think too much about it." Sakura was saying, worried.
"Wazzz going on?" Naruto mumbled.
"Oh! You are awake, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, glancing back at him.
"Kakashi-sensei.. where are we going? And how did I end up here?" Naruto was confused.
"So you don't remember anything too?" Kakashi asked.
"Remember? Uhh.. Hmm.." Naruto concentrated hard, his eyebrows pulled together as he thought back. He remembered falling asleep at his home, clutching the photo."Yeah! I fell asleep in my bed.." Naruto told him, which earned him a sigh from his sensei.
"Then?"
Then... Then what? "I don't have any idea what happened after that. Why are we in this forest, Kakashi-sensei? Shouldn't we be sleeping?" Naruto pouted.
"Naruto, it seems you and Sasuke were taken captives after you were put under some sort of genjutsu." Kakashi told him, thinking hard. It still didn't account for the cuts and gashes on Sasuke, as if he had been fighting someone. And Naruto was dangerously low on chakra, Sakura had discovered. Something weird was going on.
They had discovered them in the middle of the forest, both lying unconscious. After a thorough search of the area, no clues had turned up about the enemy. All traces had been expertly cleared. When Sasuke came to, they discovered that he did not remember that happened after reaching Naruto's home. His memory had wiped out from when he entered Naruto's room. After learning everything they could, Kakashi told Gai, Asuma and Kurenai to go on ahead to Sasuke's apartment and inform others to carry on with the surprise party. At least some things should go right.
"We were taken captives? But who would do that? Why would they want both of us?" Naruto asked.
"I don't know, Naruto. I will inform the Hokage on this incident. But we don't have anything to lead us on to the enemies." Kakashi could not tell him that they wanted only Naruto, Sasuke might just have been an interruption to whatever plan they had.
Naruto was looking at Sakura and pouting. Sakura was smiling foolishly with Sasuke's arms around her. Sakura caught him gazing at her.
"What are you staring at, Naruto!" She yelled at him.
"N...Nothing, Sakura-chan!" Naruto gulped.
"Hah! I am glad you two are okay. I mean, I would've been sad if something bad happened to Sasuke.." Sakura chanted happily.
"But what if something had happened to me, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, anxious.
"That would have shut you up for some time.." Sakura said, with a I-don't-care-at-all attitude.
"Sakura-chan!" The bulb in Naruto's face was switched off.
"Heh.. baka." Sasuke smirked.
"You shut up! Teme! By the way.. where are we going, dattebayo! My home is that way.." Naruto pointed a finger in another direction.
"Right. But we have another mission today, Naruto!" Kakashi smiled.
"Mission? In the middle of night? Is it some A-rank mission only I can handle, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto was almost jumping in excitement.
"A-rank? heh.. just wait and see, Naruto! It will be better than you expected. And stay still. You are heavy already."
"Better? Is it an S-rank, then?" Naruto's eyes were wide with enthusiasm.
"You wouldn't be allowed within a hundred mile radius of an S-rank mission, idiot." Sasuke told him.
"Yeah! You will mess it up, anyway." Sakura supported Sasuke.
"Hey, Hey.. I am the guy who will become the Hokage. So they need to train me earlier on with tough missions like this." Naruto grinned happily. But really? Am I that worthless? Naruto kept the doubt to himself.
I am being lazy.. =/ I will try better next chapter! Please review =3