The Briefing
Exhausted after the test Ino went home to her parents to rest before this mysterious briefing that was tonight at some compound.
The Yamanaka clan was a fairly small one they didn't have a large compound just a few houses surrounding greenhouses for there flowers. It was a peaceful place. Ino walked into the house behind the flower shop. Her parents aren't home. 'Dads still at work and mom is probably in the shop' she thought. Ino went to her room and collapsed on the bed with a sigh 'what a day' she thought as she drifted off to sleep still in her clothes.
Ino was awoken by her father telling her it was dinner time from the ground floor. Groggily she lifted her head and climbed out of bed. Her mother and father were seated at the table when she came into the kitchen. They spent dinner talking about her test and teammates, both were curious about the blond having never heard of him before. When Ino described his chakra cloak her father got rather quiet with a distant look in his eye but made no comment about it. They both knew of Sasuke of course he was her classmate after all. Inoichi was talking about the sharingan and its benefits when there was a knock at the door. Ino went to answer it only to be greeted by an ANBU at the door.
"Ino Yamanaka, you are to come with me at once"
Shocked, she turned to her parents.
"Go on Ino when the ANBU wants you to go somewhere you go." was the only thing her confused father said.
The ANBU wasted no time in grabbing her shoulder and disappearing in a shunsin.
The ANBU and Ino arrived at a door that looked like lead to a small concrete bunker with no windows. They went in and descended a long staircase and followed a tunnel for what felt like several miles. The two passed many steel doors on the way until they came to one and opened it and climbed a set of stairs. This set of stairs was much shorter than the ones they went down. They stood outside a steel door covered in rivets.
'We must still be underground' thought Ino
"Welcome to the stronghold" Said the ANBU who knocked on the door.
The door opened to reveal a conference table in a windowless room.
"I have retrieved Ino yamanaka as requested" said the ANBU
"Good, good, dismissed" Said a very old man covered in bandages
Ino took in the room for a moment. Naruto, Sasuke and the old man were the only ones here. All were seated around the conference table.
"Hello, Ino Yamanaka, my name is Danzo Shimura. I have worked with many of your clan for years. Please have a seat. We are still waiting for our other guest."
Ino sat next to Sasuke and across from Naruto and Danzo. They waited in silence, Danzo's visible eye boring Sasuke and Ino. Naruto broke the tension with a laugh "I think you are scaring them Shimura-sensei"
"I am just trying to get a read on them. Me and Hiruzen chose your teammates very carefully but this is the first time I have seen them in person." Said Danzo
"I have worked with the most gifted members of both of your clans for close to 60 years. Figures you may have just heard of like Kagami Uchiha, and Inorashi Yamanaka or people you know like Itachi, Shusui and Inoichi have all served under my command. I do hope you live up to there prowess."
The door opened suddenly to reveal the Hokage. "I see i am late. I was caught up with a meeting before this." Said the Sandaime Hokage
"Jiji!" exclaimed Naruto
"Hello Naruto-kun"
The old Hokage took a seat at the head of the table next to Danzo. "Shall we begin?" seeing Danzo nod the Hokage started to speak. His words were more directed at Sasuke and Ino than the others in the room.
"It has become necessary to read you two in on some of the leaf villages secrets. If anything about this meeting becomes publicly known you will be punished severely. Do you understand?"
Both Sasuke and Ino nodded rather meekly.
"Good. Now Naruto here is what is called a Jinchuriki. That means he has the Kyuubi no kitsune sealed within him. This makes him an extremely powerful ninja as I am told you have both seen during your test with Tenzo. All of the other major villages have Jinchuriki but they rarely work with a team as most ninja simply cannot keep up with there power and stamina. In Fact when it comes to Chakra there are no ninja in the village including myself who can compare to young Naruto here." The third paused to take in the twos reactions. Seeing no signs fo concern he continued.
"The two of you have been picked to be his partners for very specific reasons your age being one of them. Sasuke, you are a member of the Uchiha clan and your Sharingan is a tool we think will pair well with Naruto, Naruto has in fact worked with your cousin Shusui before to great effect."
Sasuke sat up a bit straighter proud of being selected to be on the team.
"Ino, you are a Yamanaka as such have access to the telepathic jutsu of your clan as well as being a sensor type your job is to communicate orders to Naruto and prevent your team from falling into an ambush." Ino looked a little nervous but proud at her new important task.
"Now the hope is that Naruto will always be in control of the Kyuubi but he has been paired with you two and Tenzo because all of your abilities have the potential to suppress the fox and prevent it from escaping. Konoha has known that the Sharingan and the Mokton have had this ability since its founding but it was your cousin Fuu that proved a Yamanaka could help with this process only last year." said the Hokage
"I think it is my turn Hiruzen." spoke Danzo
"Yes, I agree. Their training is your prerogative." agreed Hiruzen
"Sasuke, Your training will be to enhance your physical abilities as well as your Sharingan for now. You will spend the next few weeks fighting Shusui and another Jounin every day until your Sharingan Matures to its third stage.
Ino, You will be working with your cousin Fuu and Naruto to enhance your ability to communicate with him and the Kyuubi. It is our hope that it will only take a week for you to synchronize. Once this happens you will undergo the ANBU sensor type training course.
Naruto you will be working with both of your teammates as well as myself to improve your control of the fox and to further enhance your ninjutsu arsenal. It is my hope to pass on my futon jutsu as well as some of Konoha's… lets say exotic ninjutsu.
Once all three of your training courses are complete the team will undergo a few test missions before being entered into the Chunin exams in 5 months. If all goes well you will then be Konoha's Rapid Response Team taking missions specifically selected for your unique abilities and responding to emergencies with overwhelming force or the threat of it."
Sarutobi and Danzo both watched as the young team absorbed the information. Satisfied they left the three to talk.
"So how do we leave this place?" Asked Ino
"Ha, I forgot you two didn't know. This is my house. We just have to take the elevator to the top floor. Its at ground level." said a smirking Naruto.
"Wait what?!" Ino and Sasuke exclaimed together