"This is Ino, I've located the target"

"Good. Shikamaru, it's going your way, be ready."

"Sure. Ah, here. KAGEMANE NO JUTSU!"

The Nara's shadow suddenly extended towards their target's until it reached it. As soon as the two were connected the target could no longer move and Ino jumped out of her hiding spot yelling "SHINTENSHIN NO JUTSU!"

Team 10 had now total control over their target. They had been really efficient and coordinated, something they were supposed to be, but Asuma couldn't stop himself from sweat dropping. "Guys, maybe you overdid it, I mean Tora is just a little cat after all."

Naruto, who held the little cage in which Ino made Tora go before releasing her jutsu, turned towards him, "This thing isn't 'just a little cat.' I read a lot of books, and trust me sensei, I'm sure it's a relative of one of the tailed beasts. No, listen, the two tails is a demon cat and-"

Asuma decided to stop listening to his speech, he already had his own memories of chasing that dem- Tora, and he just may begin to believe his student. He really hoped Naruto started to feel sleepy again soon.

His sanity, as well as his other student's, wouldn't survive if he kept up his rambling.

Whatever doubts the jounin sensei had about the Senju heir's weirdness were sadly confirmed: he fell asleep at random times, made rants on the good qualities of sponges of all things, and he liked to do D-rank missions. Asuma was genuinely scared to ask how he could enjoy doing them.

Once they reached the hokage tower, they went in to give their report. After doing all the formalities, Asuma dismissed his genins, giving them the rest of the day off. Ino and Shikamaru went home, while Naruto decided to go to the hospital.

Sasuke wasn't having a good day. Well, it was more like he wasn't having a good week. Or the last couple of weeks.

Ok, he was having a bad time since he graduated; hell, how was he supposed to know that he'd have to do D-rank missions, that in reality were nothing more than mere chores.

He thought that once he graduated he'd do real missions, face strong opponents, do serious training, gain some damn power!

Instead he was struck doing chores with a fangirl and a sensei who, even if powerful, was just a lazy pervert.

The only member of his team he could stand was Shino because he left him in peace and was actually smart and strong.

And to make his day worse, they were now running errands for the hospital. Couldn't they find someone else to bring there their medicines?

"Kakashi! How are you?" a medic with light brown hair and two red marks on her cheeks greeted his sensei.

"Hello Rin, I'm fine thank you," the copycat ninja answered putting his orange book away, "My team has brought some supplies for the hospital, do you know where they can leave them?"

"Sure, follow me. Hey Kakashi, do you know that Shizune has become the head of my ward? She's really a great medic and a very nice person, she's even trying to convince Tsunade-sama to come here more often now that Naruto has graduated. By the way, your students were his classmates, right? He's always here, maybe you'll see him around."

"Yeah, they were all in Iruka's class. He should be in Asuma's team, right? But what's he doing in the hospital? Does he get hurt often?"

Sasuke mentally scoffed, how dumb could that idiot be to get hurt doing these D-rank missions? He had never understood how that no-good could have been the second best student in their class, he supposed it was because he read a lot like Sakura.

"No, he's fine. He comes every now and then to say hi, he's very smart you know? And he also knows a couple of medical jutsu, but I suppose that's natural when your mother is the mistress of modern medicine."

"Really?" The one eyed jounin asked clearly impressed, "From what I remember medical jutsu require a kind of control that no academy student has."

"Yeah, I know. Shizune told me that Tsunade-sama has trained him in chakra control since he was really young, at first she made him doing the exercises like a game. He doesn't have the same control of an expert medic nin, but I think he's as good as any jounin, which is really amazing considering how large his reserves are."

By now Sasuke was seething, how come that Mr. Goggles was so good?

Of course the last Uchiha didn't think much of medical jutsu, and power and jutsu were more important than control in his book, but even he had to admit that it was surprising that the orange clown had such skills.

As for his team mates, Sakura didn't hear a word, so busy she was carrying the box of medicine and looking at her crush; while Shino simply raised an eyebrow. Aburame weren't exactly known for displaying their emotions.

"Here we are. You can put those boxes there and... Wait a second girl, I need these" Rin said opening Sakura's box and taking a couple of bottles. The pink haired girl mentally cursed, couldn't she wait until she put the damned box down? It's freaking heavy!

"So, tell me Kakashi, how is it to be a sensei?" the medic nin asked.

"Maaa, it's really good, we're having a lot of fun doing D-ranks, aren't we guys?"

His eye-smile didn't help the newly promoted genin's mood as they glared at him.

Rin chuckled shaking her head, it seemed that her old team mate was really enjoying putting his students through the torture of D-ranks.

She still remembered when they had to do them: baby-sitting, catching Tora, painting fences, catching Tora, buying groceries, catching Tora...

"RIN-CHAAAAAN!" the loud voice of a twelve year old boy entering the storage room surprised the five ninjas "My team has just finished our mission, we had to catch a cat called Tora, sensei wouldn't listen to me but I have a theory about it being a relative of the Nibi no Nekomata."

The medic nin blinked and stared at him. For a second she believed him, then her good sense kicked in.

However she knew that arguing was useless, so she changed the topic, "Naruto-kun, it's nice to see you again. This is Kakashi, my old team mate I told you about, and you already know team 7, right?"

"Sure. It's a pleasure to know you Kakashi-san, hello guys." the orange clad boy said bowing and waving.

Shino acknowledged him with a nod of his head, Sasuke 'hned', and Sakura muttered something.

"What was that Sakura?"

"I said that I almost pity Ino. Really, what ninja are you calling a little cat a demon? Sasuke-kun would never say nonsense like that, I wonder how some of the other girls could have thought you were cool."

Naruto smirked, "But I do have my good qualities Sakura, it's just that I'm quite hard to please when I look at possible girlfriends."

The pink haired girl scoffed "Yeah, right. The truth is that you have no charm whatsoever."

Naruto simply gave her another foxy grin, "Whatever." He then looked at their one eyed sensei with interest, "Kakashi-san, can I ask you something? Why do you wear a mask? Do you feel ugly?"

"Naruto, manners," Rin reprimanded.

"I was just curious, besides if I had been your team mate I would have felt ugly too, you know, standing close to such a beautiful girl."

Kakashi sweat dropped seeing Rin blush lightly and grasping him in a hug. "Awww, you're so sweet. Tell you what, I was saving them for later, but I think I'm going to give you them now. Here, a set of needles for you."

The copy-cat ninja shook his head at them and left with his students.

As soon as they left Rin looked at Naruto expectantly, "So?"

The boy happily gave her three orange books while a horrified shriek from just outside the hospital was heard throughout all of Konoha.

Rin grinned evilly while stroking Naruto's soft orange hair, "You're such a good boy."

A week later Kakashi stopped breaking down in tears asking 'why' every time he saw Naruto, Asuma was showing withdrawal symptoms because of lack of smoke, and team 10was doing a great mission... painting fences.

Naruto and Shikamaru were snickering much to Ino's and Asuma's irritation. Just before getting down to work the two boys decided to make a bet with them involving the color of the paint.

Naturally they won, they had managed to make the old lady change her mind thirty-four times about the color with an argument that went on for two hours. In the end they were painting the fences red.

When they finally finished and made their report, Asuma choose to have a little revenge on the two lazy boys and lead them to their training ground for some training.

On their way there however, they noticed a perfectly square rock following them. The jounin sensei sighed, 'What have I done to deserve all of this?'

Naruto, who had been much more playful lately, made to sit on the obviously fake rock.

It failed under his weight and the orange genin found himself sitting on top of three academy students who were screaming at him to stand up.

"Hey guys, did you hear that? I've found a speaking rock!"

"You baka," Ino yelled "stop being an idiot and let them go!"

Shikamaru ignored them and went to watch the clouds, while Asuma turned toward the little intruders, "Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi, what are you doing here? You know that you shouldn't come to the training grounds without a sensei, you could get hurt from a stray kunai."

"But uncle, we wanted to see your team, gramps said you wouldn't mind."

The jounin had no doubts about his father setting the kids to that just to have some time to read a certain book his student wrote.

Maybe he'll ask Naruto to take them like Rin did for Kakashi's.

He heard Ino make a rude comment about ninja playing ninja, just to have Naruto replaying something about kunoichi playing princess.

In the end their training was transformed in a chasing game with Naruto and the kids fleeing from an angered Ino.

Asuma sighed and made his way to Shikamaru, "What about a game of shogi, kid? You said it's your hobby, didn't you?"

The pineapple haired boy shrugged and sat up straight.

It didn't take Asuma much to realize that the young Nara was a genius, they made three games and the genin won all of them.

He made a mental note to have him take an IQ test, it was strange that he could be so good at strategy given his low grades at school.

Minato groaned. In front of him were a mission request and a spy report. Both of them were from the same country and if he was right in his assumption their hopeful client was lying knowing it.

However, to be sure, he had called this Tazuna to speak with him.

The man who entered his office was old and slightly drunk.

"What's up hokage-sama, have you finally found someone to escort me?"

"Not yet. If you don't mind I would like to have a word with you about your request. You see, it has come to my attention that your country is having some problems lately."

The fourth's blue eyes stared intently at the older man who shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Uhm, yes, it's not a good period, but once my bridge is finished our economy will certainly improve."

"Because Gato will be no more able to control Wave through his shipping company," the blond hokage said sharply, making Tazuna pale, "Have you ever stopped to think that lying on the rank of the mission could get my shinobi killed? I should imprison you myself for purposely omitting information like this, and I'll do if you won't give me a good explanation for your actions."

The bridge builder gulped at the threat, the young leader in front of him was considered one of the strongest ninja alive, and he already got him upset. Sighing in defeat Tazuna told him everything confirming all of Minato's fears.

The yellow flash then dismissed him, saying he'll think about his situation.

After about half an hour he called his secretary "Kanede, please summon all the sensei of this year's rookies, and made sure that Kakashi thinks he was supposed to be here four hours ago."

"Sure hokage-sama."

Minato controlled the documents another time while waiting for the teams.

Ten minutes later his secretary informed him that they had all arrived and he told them to come in.

"I'm glad you've come here so fast. Now, I want to share with you a problem that has arisen on a mission we have been asked to perform. Our client had initially withhold some info on this particular mission because he can't pay for an higher rank. The economy of his country is in crisis, but almost certainly, if he manages to ultimate the construction of his bridge, it will become rich again soon enough."

Kakashi put away his book and eyed his old sensei, "But we can't just do this mission without payment, after all our economy is based on what we receive for our services, like all ninja villages."

The hokage nodded, "True Kakashi, but if Wave country were to free itself from the control of Gato's company it will become an important commercial outpost, and if they were in debt with Konoha we could benefit greatly."

Kurenai spoke up, "Excuse me hokage-sama, but why are you telling us all of this?"

The blond man smiled mischievously, "Well, as you know I can't send higher level shinobi on a C-rank, and neither can I classify this mission as a B or A-rank without the proper payment; so I was wondering if your teams could perform a nice C-rank in Wave, and since they're rookies they could go all together."

"Numbers instead of quality?" Asuma asked skeptically.

Minato frowned, "It's the best I can do to go around the rules, and after all in this way I can justify the presence of three jounin, it shouldn't be too hard unless that Gato has hired someone like Orochimaru."

Asuma nodded, but soon after his expression darkened.

Kurenai, noticing this, turned towards him, "What's with that face? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, it's about one of my students, Naruto, I just know he'll find a way not to let me smoke for the entirety of this mission."

The genjutsu mistress smiled, now that she thought about it this may be the perfect chance to help Hinata with her crush.

"Really," Asuma continued, "the first day he stole my cigarettes and began saying how they caused cancer, impotence and whatnot."

"Oh, don't worry," a new voice called out from the door, "I'm sure that that problem has nothing to do with smoke, it just happens when your girlfriend is Her majesty the ice princess."

Kurenai had to use all her self control not to kill Anko right then and there.

She wouldn't let her get away with it, and facing the snake kunoichi, the red eyed beauty spat out with venom, "But I suppose that someone like you could help anyone in this village with their sexual problems, right Mitarashi?"

The purple head narrowed her eyes at her, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Enough you two. Anko you need to learn that you can't just storm into my office anytime you want or need something. Kurenai, Kakashi, Asuma, you're dismissed, I want you and your teams ready to leave by tomorrow," the young hokage said sternly, he couldn't help the two women with their issues, but he'll be damned if he allowed them to have their arguments in his office.

Later that evening the nine genin were packing their stuff for an important mission like their respective sensei told them. Naruto in particular had put all of his tools in storage scrolls, gifts from Jiraiya, and the scrolls in a normal backpack. Obviously he had more things than any other of his fellow genin.

Now he was sitting on the couch next to Tsunade, with his head in her lap while she stroked his hair.

There was something he wanted to tell her before he left even if he was worried it might upset her.

"Kaa-san?" he said hesitantly.

"What?"

"I think it's finished, I haven't felt anything for a week now."

Tsunade froze and looked him in the eyes, "Are you sure?" He nodded in answer, looking back at her.

"That would explain why you slept less and less lately. How do you feel now?" She wasn't able to completely hide the worry in her tone.

"Good, I'm fine," Naruto answered, then he looked at his hands while clenching and unclenching his fists, "My chakra is a bit more restless and I really want some action every now and then, but I don't have problems controlling it. But it's a good sensation, you know, it's like I was missing something and now I have it. I feel more complete."

Tsunade stared at him for a minute while caressing his head. It seemed that even if the process was finished he didn't change.

She was so relieved, she had feared that he would have... It wasn't important, he was the same as ever, her son.

"So, what was that mission you were talking before? How much will it take?" Tsunade asked, fidgeting with her necklace.

"We have to protect a bridge builder and his country till he completes his bridge from a business man, Gato. It will take at maximum three weeks, depending on how much the work will be hindered."

The blond woman hummed before making him stand up. The boy looked at her confusedly until she said him to close his eyes. He did that and felt something being put around his neck. Opening his eyes he saw his mother necklace now hanging from his neck and turned to her shocked.

"But this..."

"Shhh," Tsunade silenced him with a smile,"That's a gift, it will help you."

It was true, Naruto could feel his chakra flowing more calmly, just like when he was near his kaa-san.

Her presence had always made him feel serene and at peace and now with the necklace was the same sensation. However he still felt a little bad at accepting it.

"But mom, I thought that this was for a future hokage?"

"The hokage is a powerful protector, and even without that title that's what you are. As long as you remain yourself and you'll protect what's important to you, you won't need to be hokage to wear that."

Naruto stared at her for about three seconds before tackling her in the biggest hug he could manage.