Dream Walkin

Chapter 6: Missions and Marriage

Konoha – Hokage's Office – 09:00 – 3 Months into Naruto and Ino's Relationship

Naruto had made it to the office before Tsunade this morning and started going over the stack of mission reports and the dossiers of the teams currently in the field. Most of the genin teams, currently, were nothing spectacular. However, compared to the Konoha 12 in their genin days, the others just kinda fall flat, except for Konohamaru's team, who were preparing for the Chunin exams in 2 months.

There was a certain peace about Naruto for the past 3 months. To say that things were going well with Ino would be a gross understatement. Both kept some things at the other's apartment, and either he would stay over at Ino's, or Ino would stay over at his place. The previous night, there was talk about them just taking the plunge and moving in together, which Naruto could honestly say, he was seriously considering doing.

The building he lived in, he owned, thanks to some serious renovations done to it after the Pain attack. His landlord was killed, and since he was the only tenant (thanks to no one wanting to live near the Kyuubi kid when he was younger), he just took it over, and rebuilt the place using a small army of clones, and advice from Tazuna of Wave, who had come to aid in the rebuilding of Konoha, with his grandson, Inari. He could easily rent out the 20 units in the building, and just move in with Ino.

"You look like you belong there already," came the voice of the 5th Hokage, as she entered the office, "Anything interesting?"

"Not much on the mission side," Naruto replied, "There's a genin team on a c-rank delivery mission to Hoshigakure, though that gives me pause for concern. Intel shows a bandit gang operating in that area, and current estimates of that gang's strength are what makes me concerned. A name has been batted around where they're concerned."

"What name?"

"Bipolar Juugo," the toad sage answered, "Aside from that, things seem quiet. Oh, and I'm considering moving in with Ino."

"That's a big step," the busty blonde kage noted, "But what's this about Juugo's name being batted around as being involved in this gang? I've not heard his name since the war, and thought he was killed."

"You'd have to ask Sasuke for specifics on Juugo's skillset, but if his name is being listed as among them, then this genin team is in some serious trouble." Naruto then hands Tsunade the dossier on the team. "The genin have some promise. None of them are from prominent clans, and the young kunoichi is actually from a civilian family, but their jonin sensei is a joke. Seriously, Ebisu's stronger than this guy. There's times I wonder why Kakashi-Sensei had to retire after the war. How did this guy make Jonin, anyway?"

"Field promotion during wartime," the Fifth explained, "We needed a few extra jonin, and his name was on the short list."

"We need to reinstitute the Jonin trials, this year," Naruto cursed his luck, "We need some better senseis. As it stands, the only ones among my age group that's taken the Jonin plunge has been myself, Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru and Neji. Choji, Lee, and Tenten would be excellent teachers, as would Hinata and Shino. Kiba would do well in the ANBU hunter division."

"And Ino?"

"No doubt she'd make a great sensei. I just wonder if she'd be willing to take on a team, what with her practice in the hospital. I'll bring it up to her tonight."

Shiho, from the cypher division, came running in the office, out of breath. "Lady Tsunade," she panted, "Our genin team has fallen under attack near Hoshigakure. The young kunoichi's been kidnapped, the sensei's dead, and the two boys are seriously injured, but alive in Hoshigakure."

"That guy should never have gotten a team," Naruto seethed, "I'll handle this one. ANBU, I need Neji Hyuga, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Ino Yamanaka in here….NOW!"

"Interesting team," Tsunade commented, "Reason?"

"Sakura's the best medic we've got," the blonde sage explained, "Neji's byakugan could lead us to the poor kid, and guide Ino and Sakura to her, while Sasuke and I make mincemeat of the bandits. As for Ino, that poor girl will be seriously traumatized by this experience, and will need Ino's help to get through it. Sasuke and Sakura were my team, and we work well together. I've fought both with and against Neji and trust him with my life. As for Ino, she's excellent in her field, and in the field. We'll need her skills on this one."

"What about Kiba and Akamaru? They could also aid in tracking the missing genin," added Shiho.

"He's 2 weeks from getting married," Naruto continued, "I'm not going to have him run the risk of missing his wedding day. Hiashi would be furious, and Hinata would be devastated."

"Excellent reasoning," came the voice of Neji Hyuga as he entered the office, followed by Sasuke and Sakura. A minute later, Ino arrived by shunshin and Naruto began the mission briefing.

"You're telling me that Juugo's name has been listed among this gang?" Sasuke asked, "What happened to Suigetsu Hozuki and Karin?"

"Suigetsu Hozuki's been reinstated as a shinobi of Kirigakure, by the Mizukage," Tsunade explained, "And as for Karin, no one's seen or heard from her since the war. She's assumed dead. Sasuke, just how dangerous is Juugo."

"If he can keep his urges under control, he's not dangerous at all," Sasuke explained, "But, his body chemistry is what makes him so dangerous. Somehow it emits an enzyme that was the catalyst for Orochimaru's curse mark. It also drives him into a murderous, insane rage."

"Let's move," Naruto told his team, "There's a kunoichi that needs rescuing." The five shinobi all left the office via the window and made their way out of the village.

Konoha Team campsite – Time: 20:00 hours.

"It'll be one more day to Hoshigakure," Neji stated, "Naruto, who was this team's Jonin sensei?"

"To say the least, Neji, this jonin was nowhere near the caliber of ninja of Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai or Guy," Naruto explained, "He only made jonin due to a field promotion during war time. I explained to Tsunade that Ebisu has a better mission record than this guy. He never should have gotten a genin team, which is why I'm going to start making some recommendations for the next Jonin trials as soon as we get back."

"Who are you recommending?" inquired Sakura.

"Choji, Lee, Tenten, Hinata, Shino, and Kiba," Naruto replied, "Ino, I wanted to talk to you about it, before I recommended you for the trials. I know you have your practice at the hospital. I'm also going to pull Sai and Yamato from the ANBU. Ino, you did wonders with Yugao, and she's promised me to take on a team from the next graduating class at the academy. That leads me to the next discussion. Sasuke, I want you to take over training this team we're rescuing."

"Why me?" the Uchiha queried of his teammate.

"Because you'll make sure they're strong enough to face what's coming, and look out for them too," the future Hokage told his friend, "You remember Kakashi-sensei's teachings about teamwork, and you're the only one I trust to do it."

"I'll do it," Sasuke nodded, "You're right."

"And I'll take the trials, too, Naruto," Ino said, "It might be nice to spread Asuma-sensei's teachings to another generation. Has Shikamaru taken on a team?"

"He's taking a team from this next class. He's already said he wants to be the sensei to Kurenai's son, when he comes out of the academy. His team should have made Chunin by the time that happens."

"Let's get some sleep," Sakura suggests, "Naruto, can you have some clones keep watch?"

"Already have."

Next Day – Time: 12:30 hours.

Halfway between their camp from the previous night, and Hoshigakure, Neji's byakugan spotted a large camp a couple of kilometers from their location, so they decided to check it out.

"There's one massive chakra signature in the camp," the Hyuga reported, "It looks corrupted, twisted, if you will. Just not natural."

"That has to be Juugo," Sasuke noted, "We've found the right camp. Have you found our genin yet?"

"Yes. She is in a tent of the far side of the camp. We'll need a distraction to get in to her."

"That's where Sasuke and I come in," Naruto nodded, the golden aura of the Kyuubi's power surrounding him, "Ready, Teme?"

"Bring 'em on, Dobe," Sasuke smirked, his eyes turning red, showing the activation of the Sharingan.

"We'll circle around the perimeter of the camp, and move in when you two strike," Sakura advised, "Come on, Ino, Neji."

"Good luck, Naruto," Ino said to her boyfriend.

"Stay safe, Hime," Naruto replied, and watched Ino follow Neji and Sakura.

A couple of minutes later, Naruto and Sasuke both leapt out of the tree they were hiding in, and struck out at the bandits. Sasuke's sword and Naruto's kyuubi power made short work of most of the gang. However, that wasn't to last very long, as sensing the power of the strongest of the biiju had brought out the fullest of murderous intent from Juugo, who struck out at Naruto. The blonde jinchuuriki ducked and dodged around several sloppy attacks from the monstrous Juugo, before grabbing him by the arm and throwing him through a tree or two.

"Finish off the bandits," the jinchuuriki told his best friend, "I'll handle Juugo."

"On it," Sasuke responded.

"You'll handle me?" came the sinister sounding voice of the maniacal fighter, "I can't see how."

"How about like this? Wind Style: RASENGAN!" Naruto shoved the wind enhanced sphere of pure chakra into Juugo's chest, shooting him backwards into the forest for half a mile.

Sakura's team.

Neji led the team around the camp and waited for Naruto and Sasuke to start the diversion. As soon as the two powerful shinobi struck out at their enemies, every bandit in the camp rushed off to fight.

"Clear path to the girl," Neji told his friends, "Let's get in there and get her out." Neji took the lead again, and escorted both kunoichi into the tent where their genin was being kept. What they found, when they got in, was, to say the least, horrendous. The poor girl's clothes were little more than tatters, Her brown hair was a matted mess, and she had a blank, almost soulless look in her hazel eyes, as if the bandit gang had taken turns with the poor girl during her captivity.

"Here, We can cover her with this," Ino said, taking Naruto's sage cloak out of her bag, "Naruto handed it to me last night." She then touches the girl's head, scanning through her memories, while Neji drapes the cloak over the girl's shoulders. "It's a good thing Naruto and Sasuke are killing them all. Because if they didn't, I sure would."

"What do you see?" asked Sakura.

"Believe me, Forehead, you don't want to know." Sakura just had to whistle quietly. The medic continued her medical scan of the young genin.

"She's badly beat up," Sakura reported, "But her physical wounds aren't anything I can't heal. I'm more worried about the psychological or emotional."

"That's where I come in, Sakura," Ino told her friend, "I'll be able to do more, once we get her back to the village. Still, I wouldn't want to be them right now."

"I wouldn't either," came the voice of Naruto as he and Sasuke entered the tent, "they're all dead, along with Juugo. It took a wind enhanced rasengan to take him down. How is she, Sakura-chan, Ino-hime?" Naruto listened intently to the two girls' reports. This particular genin, 16 year old Akane Shiratori, had been beaten several times, and then taken by 3 of the bandit leaders. To say the least, he was glad that the bandit gang had all been slaughtered. "Ino, Neji, let's take her back to the village. Sasuke, Sakura-chan, you two proceed to Hoshigakure and pick up her two teammates," he orders, "And I hope there's a special place in hell for these…monsters. To think they call Kurama a demon. The true demons are these bastards." Naruto knelt down and picked up the still catatonic genin kunoichi. "Neji, Ino, hang on. I'm going to use Hiraishin to get us there quicker." The two nod and hold onto Naruto's shoulders, then they disappear in a flash of orange, leaving Sasuke and Sakura to make their way to Hoshigakure to pick up the two genin boys.

Konoha Hospital – 3 hours later.

"It'll take me several mindwalks, just for a start," Ino said to Naruto and Tsunade as they stood by young Shiratori's bedside, "She's been through such an emotional shock that she's gone catatonic. She's retreated into the recesses of her mind, where it'll take me some time to find her, and bring her back out of it. Then, after that, she'll need weeks, if not months, of counseling and therapy. This poor girl's been through a fate that every kunoichi dreads. Naruto, I'm going to bow out of this year's jonin trials. She'll need all the help I can give her."

"And there's one reason I love you so much: that compassionate heart of yours, Ino-hime," Naruto smiled, "Do what you feel necessary." He then turned to Tsunade, with a hard look in his eyes, "Baa-chan, I want to see the files on every jonin that was field promoted during the war, including mission records. If any jonin of this village with a genin team is anywhere near as horrible as her sensei was, I want him busted down to chunin as soon as possible, and will only be recommended for the jonin trials when I feel they're ready. Also, I want to see Lee, Choji, Tenten, Hinata, Shino and Kiba in the office in one hour."

"You're sure pissed," Tsunade noticed.

"Her jonin sensei should have been able to go up against a bunch of bandits. Hell, Juugo's fighting style was as bad as mine was as a genin. His curse mark power just made him hit harder. He could have been defeated by a jonin of Kakashi-sensei or Guy-sensei's caliber. We NEED more competent jonin in this village. We may not be in a war time right now, but we still need competent shinobi in this village. We can't get complacent, just because of the peace that the last war has afforded the world. There's still going to be threats that need to be dealt with." Naruto then turned and walked out of the hospital room. He wandered the streets of Konoha, until he ran right into one person he was hoping to.

"Long day, Naruto?" asked the cycloptic, now retired, jonin sensei of team 7.

"You have no idea, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto replied, and then went on to tell the man what he could of the last mission. Considering Kakashi was an ANBU captain and elite jonin in his career, he still had his security clearances. He just wasn't an active field operative anymore.

"Sounds like there's a need for more of our better chunin to take the jump up to Jonin," Kakashi stated, "Guy and I can't be in the field forever. No matter what he may say about youth, neither of us are as young as we used to be."

"I still don't like it, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto fumed, "We sent out a team of genin with a joke of a jonin sensei. I'm remedying that ASAP." He turned and headed to the Hokage tower.

Hokage's office – Time: 17:30 hours.

Choji Akimichi, Rock Lee, Tenten, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuga all stood before Naruto, who was sitting behind the Hokage's desk, with Tsunade at his side. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you in here at this hour," Naruto said to his friends, "It's because I recently had a terrifying epiphany, when one of our genin kunoichi was kidnapped by a bandit gang on a mission. We need to have more competent jonin senseis to train our up and coming genin, and with Kakashi-sensei retired, Kurenai no longer active, and Guy still recovering from the war, that means we need people to step up and take the jump to Jonin. I'm reinstituting the Jonin trials, and there will be one this year. 4 months after the end of the next Chunin Exams. You now have 6 to 7 months to ready yourself for the trials, because I'm recommending all of you for Jonin. Shikamaru and Yugao Uzuki are taking teams from the next academy class, and Sasuke is taking the team we just had to rescue. I'm going to talk to Neji about taking a team, too. Guys, I'm serious, we can't have jonin teaching our up and coming generations that have no idea what they're doing."

"Must have been horrible, what happened to that poor girl," Lee stated.

"I won't terrify you with the details," the future Hokage explained, "But she went through something that no kunoichi should have to go through, and it's all because her sensei should never have even been promoted to jonin in the first place, much less have a genin team." Hearing that, Hinata, who already had a somewhat pale complexion, looked like a ghost. "Kiba, Hinata, I know you're getting married in a couple of weeks, and I hate to bring this up so suddenly, but it's important. Will you take part in the jonin trials in 7 months?"

Kiba looked to everyone else standing there, who all nodded at him. "I speak for everyone here, when I say, we're all in," the Inuzuka heir proclaimed, bringing a smile of relief to Naruto's face. If there was one particular group he knew he could trust to step up, it was his friends.

"Thanks, guys," Naruto nodded, "Dismissed." After they all filed out of the office, Naruto slumped back in the chair and breathed a sigh of relief.

Naruto's Apartment – Time: 20:00 hours.

Naruto walked into his apartment to find Ino lying on the sofa with a rag over her forehead. "Headache, Hime?" he asked.

"You have no idea," the blonde mindwalker responded, "I may have nightmares from all I saw in that poor girl's mind, and that was just from the first mind walk. The utter depravity of those…I shudder to use the word 'men', because a real man would never do something so awful. The operative word with those…things, would have to be 'monsters'. It was more horrifying than someone could imagine. She's retreated so far into the back recesses of her mind that it'll take me a long time to even find her, much less bring her back from it. Then the therapy and counseling. She'll be out of it for some time, if she ever comes back to the shinobi ranks. She may just ask to be dropped all together, once I can get her out."

Naruto walks over and sits down with her, resting her head in his lap, as he stroked her arm. "I've already gotten confirmation from our friends," he stated, "They're all in for the jonin trials. Now, tomorrow, I'm going to go through the field promoted jonin from the war, and any that doesn't pass muster will be busted back down to chunin."

"Any thoughts on what we talked about before the mission?"

"Yeah. I'm all in if you are. How about I move into your apartment, then we can rent out all the units in this building."

"You own it?"

"My landlord was killed in the Pain attack, and since I was his only tenant in this building, I just took it over, and rebuilt it, even better than before. It's amazing what you can do with shadow clones." Ino just gave a weak laugh as she continued to nurse the monster headache that the long mind walk had given her.

"Naruto-kun, carry me to bed, please?"

"You need only to ask," Naruto replied as he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.

Two weeks later – Top of Hokage Tower – Time: 12:00 hours

Kiba stood before the entire crowd with his best man, Shino, and his two groomsmen, Naruto and Neji. Today would be a joyous occasion. When the music started playing and Hiashi escorted Hinata down the aisle, Naruto just leaned in and whispered to Kiba, "You're a lucky man, Mutt." Kiba just chuckled. Standing on the other side of the altar were Hinata's maid of honor, Sakura and her two bridesmaids, Ino and Tenten. Officiating the ceremony was Tsunade, as current Hokage. Naruto thanked Kami he hadn't actually taken the hat yet, as he would have had to do this.

The ceremony went off without a hitch, and it was beautifully done. After Hinata and Kiba exchanged both vows and rings, Tsunade proclaimed them married and what a kiss was seen from the two. As Naruto escorted Ino back down the aisle after the ceremony was over, he was getting images sent to him, by the fox, of what his wedding may look like to Ino, and to say the least, he was liking the idea more and more. He would have to talk to Inoichi and Reika sometime in the near future.

After Kiba and Hinata had their first dance, a slow song started playing, which brought Naruto and Ino out to the dance floor. Holding each other as the slow song played, Ino whispered, "Ever think what our wedding would be like?"

To which, Naruto answered, "Think about it, I get images of what it could be like from that furball in my head. I know we've only been together a few months, but it's been the best few months I can recall, and can honestly say that I can't think of anyone else I'd want to spend my life with."

Ino just smiled. "Me too, Koishi, me too."

End Chapter 6

A/N: This chapter got a little dark, but I can't keep it depressing too long. I just wanted to add a little action to the story, and a rescue mission seemed a good way to do it. Anyway, I'm going to have to figure out where I want to take this story now. I have an endgame in mind, but now, I just need to map out a way to get there.