AN: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form, it all belongs to Kishimoto-dono
Chapter 4
At lunch time, one would expect to hear the usual sounds that fill a village, the bells signaling break for workers, families talking about their days so far, what to eat, etc… On this fateful day however, the only thing heard in the Village hidden in the Leaves were two inhuman screeches coming from the forested area surrounding Konoha.
Emerging from the shadows of the trees we see Kakashi and Shikamaru walking casually almost bored, Hinata with a cat purring contentedly in her arms, and Naruto hobbling out looking as if he had been in a battle with a wheat thrasher.
What could have caused this?
The most feared mission in all of Konoha: Capture Tora the cat.
"Hey Kakashi-sensei, why is it that we have had to get this cat FIVE TIMES in the last two weeks?" Naruto asked still feeling the effects of the cat's attack on him.
"We just happen to be there at the right time I suppose" was the casual reply.
Once our group entered the Hokage's office to return the cat to its owner, all three Genin quickly remembered why the cat was constantly being searched for as its life breath was being crushed out of its tiny lungs by its obsessive owner.
'I almost feel sorry for it' was the common thought of the team.
"Now Kakashi, what D-Ranked mission would you like your team to handle now?" the Hokage asked.
"Actually Hokage-sama, I was thinking of requesting a C-Ranked mission considering that my team has already accomplished 23 D-Ranked missions"
"In that case I do believe that I have one for you. It is an escort mission to the Land of Waves where you will be guarding a bridge builder, would you please enter." Sarutobi called in the guest which turned out to be a drunkard claiming that he was an amazing bridge builder before he noticed the team to protect him.
"These brats are to guard me? They would wet themselves at the first sign of trouble."
Hearing this, every member of Team 7 was infuriated until they heard the Hokage speak up yet again.
"Do not worry yourself Tazuna-san for there shall be another team joining this youthful squad" the Hokage said with a playful tone in his voice unnerving the masked ninja whose visible eye widened out of fear.
'He can't possibly mean…' was all that Kakashi was able to think before everyone in the room was deafened with twin cries of "Dynamic Entry".
As the dust settled, two figures were visible, both clad in sickeningly green one-piece jumpsuits, shiny black hair in the shape of a bowl, iridescent smiles and thumbs raised. However the most startling thing about the duo was the gigantic eyebrows.
'Their eyebrows are alive Dattebayo!!!!' Naruto mentally exclaimed.
'Is that chakra running through them?' Hinata pondered in bewilderment.
'Man this is troublesome. I bet that they are going to be too loud for even me to nap around.' Shikamaru thought with sadness.
"Well Kakashi my eternal rival it appears that our two teams are to go on a mission to test our flames of youth against each other, right Lee" the taller of the duo asked the miniature clone.
"Yes Gai-Sensei, our flames of youth shall burn brightly for all to see in the mission that we shall receive" the boy named Lee replied.
"Huh, did ya'll say something?" was the well timed reply from Kakashi and Naruto who shared sly smiles with each other when the neon duo fell face first from the comment.
"Kakashi my rival it appears that you have a disciple who follows your ways. Be that as it may your hip attitude will never prevail against the flames of youth!" the older man whose name was apparently Gai.
'Why are you doing this to me Hokage-sama, why' was the only thought Kakashi could manage during this time.
Meanwhile the Hokage was laughing maniacally on the inside thinking 'finally, payback for being late to every meeting.'
"Naruto, didn't Neji-nii-san say that his sensei was someone named Gai?" Hinata asked in a voice that showed her bewilderment at the scene before her.
"Now that you mention it, I think he did. I pray for Neji's sake that this isn't him" Naruto whispered back still in shock from the unorthodox duo.
Both startled slightly when they heard two voices behind them exclaiming "Yes that is our sensei. I do not see why fate has done this too us." Neji exclaimed.
"We do thank you for your concern but this isn't even the worst of it. They are somehow able to utilize a genjutsu that even Kurenai-san cannot break" replied a girl that appeared to be the same age as Neji. She had a pink sleeveless shirt, black Capri type pants, and twin buns on her head that were brown.
"Naruto, Hinata, this is my teammate Tenten who happens to be an expert marksman. The smaller version of our sensei is a young man named Rock Lee who actually gives me a run for my money in spars" Neji stated introducing his team. If one were to look closely, they would have seen Neji blush as he mentioned Tenten.
Since they had met on the previous year on their team, both Tenten and Neji had started to develop feelings for each other, though neither have tried to form a relationship yet.
"Gai, you and your team are to go on a C Ranked mission" the Hokage said; Kakashi trembling with every word, "Your mission is to scout the area north west of the north gate for any signs of bandit activity. This mission is to last for one week where you will report any and all activity that is spotted, is that understood?"
"Yes Hokage-sama. My team shall fulfill this assignment or we shall do three hundred laps around Konoha on our hands."
"Yosh Gai-sensei, I shall defeat more bandits than Neji or I shall do an additional four hundred laps with an added weight of 1,000 lbs on my legs" Lee exclaimed in his overly enthusiastic way.
"That is the spirit Lee. Let those Flames of Youth burn brighter than any fire in history"
"Gai-sensei"
"Lee"
"Gai-sensei"
As soon as Lee responded for the second time, Neji and Tenten grabbed a hold of Naruto and Hinata to cover their eyes to avoid the worst genjutsu in history, thinking that Shikamaru had already drifted to sleep.
Unfortunately for the lazy genius, this was the moment that he decided to wake up leaving him, Kakashi who with all of his speed could not turn away fast enough, the Hokage who had yet to bear witness to this dangerous technique and one drunken bridge builder who had no clue as to the happenings around him trapped in the unbreakable sunset genjutsu.
None of the observers would be able to break the scene from their nightmares for months afterwards.
"Lee let us go ahead and take a few laps around the city to demonstrate our Flames of Youth"
"Yes Gai-sensei we shall burn for all to see"
'If you want to burn I have some explosive tags for you two troublesome idiots'
'Which Katon (Fire Style) jutsu should I use to ensure that their 'Flames of Youth' truly burn' Kakashi wondered.
'Karyuendan (Fire Dragon) would be useful against that but how does Lee do that genjutsu when he is unable to use chakra?' the Hokage thought in bewilderment
'WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!' Tazuna mentally exclaimed not having the slightest clue as to what was going on.
All Tenten and Neji could do was be thankful for preventing Naruto and Hinata from being tortured and rendered hostile towards their sensei.
"Now that they are out I shall inform Team 7 as to who is accompanying them on this mission. You are to meet up with Team 8 at the East Gate tomorrow at 7:00 AM sharp. Anyone late is to be on Gate Watch with Gai for a month" the Hokage stated looking at the paled Kakashi.
"Hai, Hokage-sama. We shall be there at the right time and not one second late. Team 7 until tomorrow you are dismissed" Kakashi said walking out while visibly thinking about the consequences if he should be late.
After seeing the petrified look on his sensei's face, Naruto made a startling realization. A realization that was attached with a plan that was worthy of the title most devious prankster in the Land of Fire.
"Hinata, Shikamaru I have an idea that will get Kakashi anywhere on time from this day forward."
"What is the idea Naruto-kun" Hinata asked.
"What do you have up your sleeve, Naruto" Shikamaru wondered.
"All we have to do from now on is tell Kakashi-sensei that if he is late to anything then ojii-san (old man, or in Naruto's case a reference to the Hokage) will find out and place him on guard duty with uber-bushy brows" Naruto slyly exclaimed while still twitching at the mere thought of the unreal eyebrows that Neji's sensei had.
"Naruto, that is mean, cruel, troublesome and most importantly very sneaky and devious. Very nice." Shikamaru said liking the most possible out comes of what would happen and enjoying the mental image of his lazy sensei paling and squirming under the threat.
