Disclaimer: My army of dwarf hamsters has assembled!...but they still need to be trained, they seem to think eating carrots and running on a little wheel and going no where is more importatn than world domination...they will learn soon enough! when i rule the world it all shall belong to me!
"For those that do not already know, a team of Jounin and ANBU have been sent to retrieve a missing nin." A small group was assembled in the hokage's office. "They departed the village early this week. Their mission objective to find and bring back, Uchiha Sasuke."
"The elders have decided that Sasuke is too large a threat to leave to his own devices." Shizune spoke up, standing just behind Tsunade's chair. The hokage, herself, had her feet propped up on her desk; however, for once the ever-present bottle of sake was missing.
"Thanks to the help of Suna, we have valuable information on Uchiha and his whereabouts." Temari stepped forwards, Kankuro remaining in the corner, leaning against the wall, bored expression in place.
"We recently learned that he is on the run from bounty hunters. All we know is that some powerful ninja wants him, preferably dead. The kazekage, Gaara, was on his way here to inform all of you of this, but must have run into the group from Konoha and we haven't heard from him since." Worry laced her features as she stood in front of the group.
"You have all been summoned here as the teams previous teachers. You are the ones that know how they think." Shizune added.
"Who went?" Kurenai finally asked, she hadn't seen any of her old students the past week, having just returned from her own mission.
"Lee, Ino, Kiba, Shino and Naruto." Iruka spoke up from his seat next to Kakashi. He sat near the window, remaining quiet until now.
"The brat wasn't supposed to go on this mission." Tsunade's amber eyes narrowed, as she glared out the window.
"Why not?" Everyone turned, staring openly at the silver haired Jounin. "Naruto is the one that has been training to bring Sasuke back for years. Why shouldn't he of gone?"
Her fist met the wall, creating a large dent in it. "He's going to get himself killed or worse! There are still people out there after the kyuubi, not to mention that it's Uchiha Sasuke that they're bringing back! They nearly killed each other when Sasuke left!" The room went silent, half waiting for someone to reply. They were not disappointed, however they were surprised.
"I mean no offence, Hokage-sama, but I have known Naruto longer then anyone else here. I taught him and watched him grow. He is completely dedicated to the village and his friends. I myself worry everyday about him and whether he will come back alive, but we do not need to worry. Naruto is strong, and if anyone would be able to bring back Sasuke, it would be him." Iruka finished, blushing at the open stares. Forcing himself not to scratch at his scar, he continued to stare down the hokage. "Now, there is no point on focusing what has already past, when we should be focusing on what is to come, like these bounty hunters." The tanned man finished, retaking his seat. Kakashi's foot pressed up against his in a silent display of affection and support.
"Iruka-sensei that is no way to speak to the hokage-"
"No, he's right Shizune." Tsunade cut her friend off, anger fading from her face. "Naruto went against my orders, but I should of known he would have anyways. Iruka is right, we need to focus our efforts on the future."
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A large group of ninja's were quickly approaching his position. There was no way for him to avoid them, judging by their chakra, they were strong and at least attempting to suppress their chakra.
They were gaining on Sasuke quickly and he was so tired of running. The area around him was crowded with trees. That would be to his advantage. He'd been avoiding taking the trees, because anyone following him would most likely try tracking him through the branches. It was slower travelling by ground, but it appeared to be safer. Thankfully the trees around him would provide cover for him.
No more running, they'd know soon enough what a mistake it was to cross an Uchiha.
Forming the hand signs, he created five clones and waited. The enemy nin appeared in the clearing not long after, surrounding him and his clones.
Sasuke's kunai clashed with the closest nin to him, a plain black mask covering his features.
"So, we've finally caught up to you. Come with us and we wont have to hurt you too badly." Sasuke merely smirked, delivering a painful blow to his enemy. Dimly he realised that two of his clones had been beaten, he'd have to hurry.
Disposing of the masked nin, he moved quickly, springing a surprise attack on two of the other attackers. He pinned one against a nearby tree with a few kunai, before using his fire jutsu to take care of another. The one he had pinned to the tree, freed himself, attempting to attack him from behind. He dodged the attack, but felt something sharp burry itself in his thigh muscles.
A kunai was buried deep in his leg tissue. Grimacing in pain, he pulled it out, using it to kill his attacker. Two more clones's disappeared. That left one more and he needed to save his chakra for the remaining ninjas.
His leg was throbbing, but he'd had worse. If only he could heal like Naruto could, he reflected, wryly. Naruto, what would Naruto do now? Grinning, he threw a series of poison needles, hitting one of his marks, then kunai in hand ran straight at the other.
Something heavy hit him, knocking him to the ground. A large, round ninja sat on his back.
"Gonna make a pretty penny off of you. Doesn't matter if you're in one piece though." Before Sasuke had a chance to show him exactly why it was a bad idea to cross him, the guy let out a startled "umph!" and slumped to the side, shuriken sticking out of his scalp. A strangely familiar chakra made its way into his senses.
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"They work in groups of anywhere between two and ten, anywhere between Chunnin and ANBU levels. Some have specialty jutsu's or blood line traits and others do not." Temari finished, holding up one of the bounty hunter's forehead protectors.
"There's not much we can do from here." Asuma spoke up, taking the headband and inspecting it. "I've never seen one of these without the engravings."
"We should be out there fighting with our students!" Gai struck his pose, only to be pulled back down into his chair by Kurenai.
"I hate to say it, but I agree with Gai." Kakashi added in.
"If you send anyone out, we're going with you." Kankuro stepped out of his corner, next to his sister. "My brothers out there."
"Alright, I'll send a second team out after them. They'll need all the help they can get." Tsunade stood, walking over to the window. "Shizune, which ninja's currently are not on a mission?" Shizune grabbed a folder off of the hokage's desk, flipping through it.
"Chunnin- Nara Shikamaru, Jounin- Hyuuga Neji and Hyuuga Hinata."
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Shino was avoiding him. Avoiding all them, actually, or as much as one could on a high-ranking mission. Kiba had tried repeatedly to get the Aburame to talk to him, but it was almost like Shino was afraid of him, which stung more then he wanted to admit.
Letting Naruto and Ino pull ahead, taking the lead, he fell back until he was running parallel to his boyfriend.
"Shino." Tell me what's wrong. He didn't need to see the dark eyes behind equally dark glasses to know that Shino was about to deny anything being wrong. "Tell me." He had waited, longer then he normally would wait for anything, he was not patient, everyone knew that about him, he had to be given some credit waiting this long before questioning Shino again.
"It is nothing." Came the quiet reply that had him stopping, grabbing Shino's arm and pulling him to a stop and up against a thick tree branch.
"Tell me!" Kiba was dimly aware of the others coming to a stop, keeping their distance.
"We'll rest here." Came Ino's voice, she was giving them a chance to work it out. He vaguely realised that his nose was bumping against the unresponsive teens; foreheads pressed together, their ANBU masks hanging off their belts.
"Trust me!" He hissed, gripping Shino's coat tighter.
"I do." The quiet admission had him blinking in surprise. He had known Shino trusted him, but it had never been said aloud.
"Then tell me." Kiba repeated, grip loosening, hands coming up to rest loosely on Shino's shoulders. "Let me in."
"Dreams." The word was whispered, so quiet only he could hear it. "Of losing control."
"That's it? Shino, you're the most in control guy I've ever met, losing control once in awhile isn't going to kill you."
"Something else controls me. And…and I hurt you." Kiba's eyes widened. That was what Shino was so afraid of? A silly dream?
"Shino, you'd never hurt me. Sides, I can totally take you in a fight." He joked, checking to make sure no one was watching, not that he really cared, more for Shino's sake, before wrapping his arms around the taller teens neck and bringing their lips together.
He pulled back, grinning wolfishly. "Too bad we're not back in Konoha." Smirking suggestively and enjoying the slight pink tint that appeared on the Aburame's cheeks.
That was when he smelt it. So faint, but there. Blood. Kiba glanced up sharply, checking to see if Naruto had smelt it yet. Naruto's eyes widened comically, before narrowing.
"Blood." Gaara's voice travelled around the small clearing, from where he stood on a branch, Lee sitting next to him. Kiba glanced back over to Naruto then to Shino, before tying his dog mask firmly in place, covering his face.
FLASHBACKNaruto sat up in his bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
"Teme, what the hell are you doing here?" He mumbled, sliding out from under the sheets, and stumbling over to the window.
"Nice hat dobe." Sasuke smirked, climbing into the room, to stand before the sleepy blond.
"Shut up, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?" He snapped, checking his clock to make sure that, yes, it was way to early to be awake. Sasuke chose not to answer, instead stepping around the blond to sit on the unmade bed. "You're weird." Naruto decided, sitting next to him.
"Not as weird as you." The raven-haired teen replied, no real vehemence in his voice.
"Alright teme, if you don't tell me why you're here I'm going back to sleep." He declared, moving to lay down.
"Do you still like Sakura?" He sat up at the sudden question, confused.
"You woke me up to ask me that?" Stupid bastard! Just because he was insane and didn't sleep, didn't mean that Naruto didn't sleep! "Sakura is my friend. It took me awhile, but then I realised that I didn't like her that way." He paused, glancing at him suspiciously. "Why? Do you like her?"
"Baka, Sakura isn't the one I like."
"So you admit you like someone then! Who? How come I don't know? Is it a member of your fan club?"
"I'm not telling you. Because you're an idiot and no." Naruto poked him in the side, glaring at the arrogant intruder.
"What?"
"I answered your questions." Leave it to Sasuke to still be an asshole at 3 in the morning.
"Well, if it's not Sakura…what about Hinata?" Naruto asked, now fully awake and more interested in finding out who had managed to catch the cold Uchiha's attention. Not that he was jealous of course. He just wanted to…find out who it was so he could warn them…right. Sasuke for his part looked slightly shocked.
"When have I ever spoken to Hinata?"
"Right." He searched his memory for girls that Sasuke had spoken to. Plenty that he had ignored, but how many had he actually spoken to? "What about ten-ten?"
"No."
"Well you have to give me a clue!" He exclaimed, exasperated. Sasuke him a look that clearly said, 'no I don't', but still seemed to relent.
"They are…blond."
"Ino!"
"And an idiot." Naruto's smile fell, frowning.
"You shouldn't call Ino an idiot, she got some of the top marks in our class!"
"It's not Ino."
"Oh." The room went silent, Naruto desperately trying to think of any blond villagers that could of caught his friend's eye. If it had of been anyone else, he would of shrugged it off as nothing, but this was Sasuke and Sasuke didn't get crushes. Especially on his male teammates. Life was cruel. "Well who is it then?" He demanded, suddenly angry. Angry at being woken up, angry at this conversation and angry at knowing he never had a chance with the bastard.
"Baka." The raven-haired teen muttered fondly, before resting a hand at the base of Naruto's neck, tugging him forwards gently. Warm lips covered his, moving gently. The blond sat there shocked, eyes wide gazing at the face so close to his. Sasuke had already started to move back, before Naruto remembered to respond. Surging forwards, he gripped the soft fabric of Sasuke's shirt, tilting his head to deepen the kiss.
They pulled back to breathe, pleasantly flushed expressions on their faces. Then something occurred to the blond.
"Hey! I'm not an idiot!"
"Whatever you say baka."
Sasuke left Konoha not long after that night.
END FLASHBACKThe scent of blood let them right to the fight. Naruto launched himself right into the fray, Ino's shuriken hitting its mark in the back of the enemy nin's skull. His kunai ripped through the ninja closest to him, knocking him to the ground. More bounty hunters, who ever they had been attacking was on the ground still covered by the dead ninja.
Growling, Naruto formed a clone to deal with the ninja attempting to sneak up on him. There weren't many there, he discovered quickly as Gaara's sand took care of another one of their opponents.
"The bounty is ours!" The man Naruto had wounded growled, forming a few hand seals, summoning a katana. The lethal blade swung at his head, blocked by Naruto's kunai.
"I don't want any bounty!" The blond spat, pushing the man back with his own weapon. Striking out he lodged the kunai in between the mans ribs, watching with grim satisfaction as gravity pulled the dying body towards the ground.
His reflexes kicked in, already spinning around at the person about to attack him. What he saw made him freeze. Uchiha Sasuke was in the middle of the clearing, fighting another one of the bounty hunters. His body moved of its own accord, knocking his own attacker unconscious before moving swiftly across the clearing, appearing in front of his old friend. Sasuke may not recognize him through the mask, but his chakra had to be enough to give it away.
His fist slammed into the attackers chest, the impact sending him flying backwards to hit a nearby tree with a resounding crunch! The fight had died down around them, as Naruto turned around to face his friend, removing the fox mask.
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. During the fight Naruto had interrupted, he had backed up, moving towards the opposite side of the clearing. Shocked when the blond had removed the mask, he paused, then turned and ran, taking to the trees.
"Oh no you don't!" Naruto yelled, taking off after him, tossing his mask to Lee, as he too took to the trees. The two were evenly matched. The both knew it. However Naruto had learned some tricks from Kakashi-sensei, choosing to use one at the moment. Concentrating his chakra, he disappeared, appearing on the branch right behind Sasuke. Using his momentum, he tackled the figure in front of him, wrapping his arms around him and refusing to let go as gravity pulled them down to the forest floor. He landed with Sasuke on top of him, before flipping them over, pinning the struggling teen with his body weight. He'd waited so long for this, so many things he wanted to tell the other, so many things he wanted to do. He could hear the others gathering around them, staring openly at the sight before them. What he hadn't planned on was a strange wetness running down his cheeks, dripping off his face to land on the pale face below him. He didn't know where the tears were coming from or why they were there. He was happy, but angry. Sad but relieved and he didn't know which emotion to focus on. So he chose one.
"You bastard! Why'd you leave me!?"