Wow…Sorry for the lateness my peoples, it has been awhile. ;] Since it's been forever since I updated, I have been busy reading, watching, and checking into other anime and manga series. Im sad to say I've lost touch with my inner Naruto fan-girl. :[ sad right? Well, I am working on reconnecting! Im getting back into Naruto and these fics. There is not Beta...I am warning you now, I havent really done all that much proof reading...I just wanted to type this up and throw it out. Im tired...Sorry. ^^'
Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Though, it's be totally epic if I did.
Regular conversation: "…."
Thoughts: "…."
Kyuubi: "…."
"So you are telling me you had nothing to do with this?"
Tsunade stared at the blonde standing in front of her, foot tapping impatiently.
"Yes Baa-Chan! I'm telling you I didn't tell anyone except-"
"Except" who? The whole village?"
Naruko winced at the tone of the Sannin's voice. "No, I only spoke of it to Teuchi and Ayame down at Ichiraku!" Suddenly Naruko's eyes widened. "Oh no, what if someone heard us!"
Tsunade sarcastically clapped her hands. "Good job! So the award for most obvious conclusion goes too…" The young teen childishly glared at the older woman who then sighed and leaned back into her chair.
"This is great…I wanted to keep this under wraps for a while, but it is pointless now."
"I'm sorry." Naruko apologized quietly.
Tsunade's expression softened; she knew the girl hadn't meant any harm. "Nah, its alright, it would have happened eventually." The other chuckled.
"Yeah, but it didn't." The young Jinchūriki sighed, running a hand through one her blonde 'ponytails.' Silence then reigned in the room before it was disrupted by voices outside.
"Excuse me, Danzou-Sama; you can't just burst in here like this, you-" Shizune's voice sounded somewhat irritated, though it was slight.
"I don't care, I have about every right to, and we need to talk."
The elder opened the door without bothering to knock and strolled in to stand next to Naruko who stepped away to stand to the side of the room; he ignored her.
"What are you doing here? Can't you see I was in the middle of something?" She motioned to Naruko.
"I'm sure, though you will make time for me." He spoke gruffly.
"Well then, what can I do for you, Danzou?" The Hokage asked in mock politeness.
"You know very well what," he snapped." What is this about Sasuke Uchiha?"
"I really don't think that concerns you." Shizune spoke up as she took her regular position by Tsunade's desk.
"It concerns me just as it might concern the rest of this village-"
"The Uchiha brat is currently resting in extensive care at the hospital. He has my best and trusted anbu guarding him, but because of his current state he won't be fully conscious for the next few of days." Tsunade spoke with total authority in her voice. "Once he does regain conscious he shall be taken into questioned and a punishment decided."
What the boy needs is an award, not a punishment." Danzou told her. "Not only did he kill traitorous genius Itachi Uchiha, but also the other traitor Orochimaru, the Sannin who was the cause of the Third's death. Both were huge threats to Konoha, but thanks to him, we not longer have them to worry about.
"That might be true, but there are others." Naruko suddenly shot back. Danzou turned to look back disdainfully at her, but she just ignored it. "There's still the Akatsuki! They-"
"Whose fault would that if they attacked here, hmm? Who would be responsible for more unnecessary deaths and casualties? Just more grief caused by the demon." He spoke calmly, yet his tone was dripping with venom.
The blonde dropped her gaze ever so slightly towards the floor. Shizune, knowing, where it was going tried her best to intervene.
"Now that's really unnecessary."
Danzou talked over her. "It is the truth. That organization is after all nine Jinchūriki, and since they have at least seven of the nine it won't be long until they come to this village seeking the kyuubi's power! In the end it will only cause more destruction to the village. We should have gotten rid of you when we had the chance."
"Now that is enough!" Tsunade stood abruptly. "We do not need that kind of talk here, leave." The elder man grimaced, but reluctantly followed the order. "Of course, Tsuande-hime." With his sarcasm ignored, he bowed and stepped out, Tsunade glaring at his retreating figure the entire way.
"That guy pisses me off." The godaime ran a hand through her tasseled blonde hair.
"It's alright Naruko, just ignore him. He just doesn't realize anything, he is an old goat stuck in the past."
"No, Shizune Onee-chan, I'm alright. I'm used to it by now; I guess it was stupid of me to think that the village had gotten over their feelings of us." By 'us' she refers to herself and Kyuubi. Even though they were both in her body, they were both separate beings; something the village had failed to understand in the past.
"They just like having something to vent their anger out on, the idiots. Tsunade grumbled as she now turned to stare out the window of her office. Shizune looked between the unusual gloomy face of Naruko and the pissed off one of Tsunade. She coughed.
"Naruko, didn't you come here earlier to ask us something?" The woman asked, remembering why she originally showed up.
"Oh yeah!" Naruko's face brightened up. "I was wondering, could I have a mission?" The two women blanched.
"Why? Didn't you just get back from one yesterday? You need time to rest and-" Shizune stopped at the teens shaking head.
"I'm alright, you know that all I need is a few hours of sleep and I'll be fine."
"That's not the point here. I mean, you finally got Sasuke back and you're just going to leave without waiting?"
That's when Naruko had the wave of guilt wash over her, but she shook it off, she has already decided on this break.
"Its not like I'm leaving for a while, all I want is a simple mission that will get me out for a day or so. I'll be back before he wakes up! I just want to chill out and have sometime to think." Tsunade raised a delicate brow.
Naruko looked at her pleadingly.
"Please, Baa-chan! I just want to get out."
"What team would you be with?"
"I wish to go on a solo assignment."
"You want a solo assignment? What about the Akatsuki?"
"Its not big deal since they won't be coming for me for a while. Ero-sennin said so. I'll be fine."
"I see…" Tsunade thought quietly while, always the impatient one, Naruko fidgeted impatiently where she stood. Finally the godaime let out a sigh of defeat.
"What kind of mission were you exactly thinking of?" The teen practically jumped for joy.
"Yay! Thank you Baa-chan!"
"Yeah, Yeah, now hurry and tell me before I change my mind." The older woman was particularly agitated that she was so used to that nickname by now. Naruko stopped her antics to adopt a more thoughtful pose.
"I don't know, maybe a delivery one or something…like to a nearby town or village. One that'll give me at least a day to clear my head on…things" The rooms other two occupants exchanged a quick glance towards one another, somewhat confused by the last comment: what 'things?"' Tsunade cleared her thoughtful before shuffling through mission assignments.
"We have a C rank one. Some monks at a temple between here and Suna have arranged plans for a transfer of a certain artifact, but other black market companies, thieves, and bandits have their eyes set on it.
"Why? It is just some dingy old artifact like a bowl or something?"
"No, it is not a 'bowl or something' and it is not some 'dingy old artifact.' This artifact is rumored to have enormous unknown powers held within it and its brother-"
"Brother? How can it have a brother?"
Tsunade collapsed back into her chair only to stare at the young genin before continuing slowly. "Figuratively speaking of course, its not really, it means they just are the same, except one is already at the temple and that the monks there are waiting for the other so they can be put under extensive care and watch. Those power hungry mongrels who have their eyes on them can't reach it."
"So these monks are waiting somewhere here for a delivery guy?"
This time it was Shizune who nodded and responded.
"Yes, they needed the protection of the village until they could find an able person, so they have all be staying at a disclosed location within Konoha." She explained.
"Well that's great, where are they?" Naruko was feeling happier now; pre-mission jitters sending shivers of anticipation down her spine. Shizune continued on, ignoring the slight interruption.
"As I said, since there are people looking for the item in question, the monks are in a hidden location that only Hokage-sama and I know of."
The blonde nodded, but then went to ask, "What if I'm followed on the way there by an enemy? That could be a problem."
Tsunade leaned forward, elbow resting on the desk which allowed her to rest her head on the palm of her hand. "Yes, that is what we've had a problem figuring out; if we sent someone like Kakashi, Yamato, or one of the other elite Jonin, whoever is here looking for them would be alerted to the activity and catch on." Naruko nodded excessively during the explanation. "Though, if you, a simple hyper active genin are chosen for a simple 'out-of-village' delivery then they'll think nothing of it. Hopefully."
"No one will know of the exact meaning of this mission except us and the monks," Shizune spoke as she wrote something down on a sheet of paper before handing said sheet to Naruko. "Here is the place they are, as soon as you get ready, destroy this note and head over there. We'll send word ahead so they'll expect you."
She nodded ever so eagerly in agreement as she took the location from Shizune.
"Okay, not get going. You do not want to be late." Tsunade waved a lazy hand, signaling the younger's dismissal.
"Hai." Naruko turned to leave, but was called back at the sound of Tsunade's voice.
"Oh, and Naruko," she waited until she once again had the girl's attention. "Don't tell anyone about this mission got it? Not Sakura, Kakashi, or anyone down at Ichiraku; this artifact is important to a lot of monks."
"You got it, not a word." She followed with the movements of zipping her mouth closed and throwing away the key.
"Good, now I will see you back here with that mission report later when you return, dismissed." Tsunade concluded and then the blonde was gone.
"I hope she does alright, she seems a bit distracted." Shizune sighed absentmindedly as she leaned a hand on the desk beside her. "What do you think Tsuna-what's wrong?" She had turned around to see Tsunade looking down at some papers on her desk with a somewhat horrified expression. Shizune walks over to peer over Tsunade shoulder to glimpse at the papers below. "What is it?"
"Shizune." The elder's voice came out somewhat blank.
"Yes?"
"I just won this week's lottery."
Wow, I am SO proud of myself, chapter 3!! Yay! Lol. ;] It is crazy to say, but with all the computers in my house, none had an Microsoft word. None. Lame right? I've been idling around here without updating. But we've gotten it on this laptop so maybe finally I can get somewhere with these fics. R&R!!! :D
~Aiko~
