Naruko: A Story Redone

By: dbrame91


Chapter 5: Naruko

"All units check in." Kakashi ordered over his headset, sitting on a tree branch as he watched his three genin running around among the trees, trying to catch something unseen from his position.

Sighing in irritation from how he had to respond Sasuke called back, "Foul mood, in position. Target is in sight and in position for ambush." Pressing his back to a tree, hiding himself quickly, Sasuke peeked around and waited for the rest of the team.

"Fan-girl also in position. Confirming subject is the target." Sakura was hidden like Sasuke was but behind her own tree and a bit closer.

"Plucker in position. Trap is ready, waiting to spring." Naruko sighed forgetting to release her head set before expressing her lack of appreciation for the code-name.

"Plucker, mix the clones. I want two water and two shadow. Foul mood, pressure target into the trap. Fan-girl get the binding ready. On my count of three." Kakashi shifted his position so he was on his feet instead of sitting now. "One." Looking at the Namikaze girl as she made her clones. "Two." Sasuke was tensing up to spring forward and Sakura had pulled out the bundle of leather cord. "Three!"

All three of his students went into action perfectly. Naruko's clones sprang up from the sides while Sasuke charged forward. With its quick reflexes the target went airborne, where the real Naruko dropped down on it, catching the target in a large grab. With the target in Naruko's hold Sakura came up and began to tie the leather cord around the neck of their target. "Foul mood confirms target is Tora the cat. Ribbon on the ear and matching stripe pattern."

As Kakashi heard the confirmation he also heard the blond girl of his team swearing loudly and saying something about drowning the target with her Water Prison technique. "Good job Team 7. Leave target unharmed and return to me." Sakura held the makeshift leash as the three teens returned to their sensei's position. Naruko was covered in scratches and dirt. Sasuke was better off, only a few small scratches on his hands and arms. Sakura had been the luckiest, except Kakashi, and was only a little winded from all the running.

"Why do we always get new code names Kaka-sensei? You always choose something annoying too." Naruko vented. She had realized that her teacher's name generation always came from what they were doing when he met with them. Today Naruko had been testing her three stringed instrument after just restringing it. Sasuke had come in with Sakura at his side and for some reason was in just a plain grumpy mood. The two dating team members coming in together meant one thing to Kakashi, that they had spent the night together, so his naming her 'fan-girl' was a pass at Sasuke's clan symbol not her old academy obsession of the dark haired teen.

"Simple. I want to change them." Kakashi responded with not even a second of hesitation. "Let's go turn in this furry monster and see if we can get another mission." Taking out his trusty book as he started walking away the Jonin sensei of Team 7 chose to ignore the irritated faces of his "precious Genin." His students followed after him, half dragging the cat Tora as they went. After about ten minutes they got to the Missions Office and reported their success. Once the Daimyo's wife collected her cat and payed for the team's services the Hokage went down a list of D-rank missions for them to do next.

"We have a few missions available. Walk the Inuzuka clan dogs. Babysitting for a few of the council members." Suddenly the Daimyo's wife could be heard outside the building calling out to her cat who had just escaped again. "Give it another three minutes and their will be another capture Tora mission."

"No way. Those are all boring chores, not missions." Speaking up, Team 7's blonde crossed her arms across her chest as she complained. "We deserve something more challenging, we've been doing D-ranks for two months now." Naruko begged uncrossing her arms and pointing a finger at the head of the village.

"Are you trying to say that you are better than every other team in the village?" The Hokage's tone was gentle but lecturing. "It has been the method used since the founding of the village. All new teams take on D-rank missions until they have acquired skills that allow them to be better suited in tougher missions. Every mission is unique and requires proper care before being distributed to any member of the village. D-rank is our lowest level, and usually consists of as you called them chores. C-ranks are tougher but not by much and usually require the participants to leave the village; such as delivery missions, or escort missions." Looking at the four people in front of him, Sarutobi Hiruzen brought his hands together under his chin. "B-rank missions are usually taken by Chunin and above, they can be anything from gathering intel and spying to elimination of foreign shinobi threats. A-ranks are much tougher, these consist of assassinations and espionage. S-rank missions are high priority and high secrecy missions, and while a lot of them will be missions found in the A-ranking, the targets themselves cause the need for the higher rank."

As the aged leader finished he looked over at the team only to see them all ignoring him as Naruko was talking about her most recent attempts to get Juugo used to the village. Since the day Juugo was moved into the Uzumaki estate Naruko had been the only person to not set him off in one of his rampages. With Jiraiya and Kushina keeping his seals mixed up so he didn't end up getting used to them, his mental breaks were usually short lived and more of just a sudden psychotic outburst than a full slaughter like his stories of what he used to do. Juugo's response any time he was asked why Naruko never set him off was just kept at a shrug of his shoulders.

"So I took Juugo to one of the hot spring baths, something simple and nice to keep him calm, but Kiba came around and..." Naruko was suddenly cut off by Iruka, who was helping in the missions office today, as he yelled at her about listening when her elders are talking to her. The only acknowledgement he got was a weak apology and his own dose of being ignored.

"It is okay Iruka-san, they are young." With a hand on the Chunin's arm, Hiruzen calmed the man and pulled him back into his seat before clearing his throat to regain Team 7's attention. "Kakashi, do you think your team can handle something more challenging at this point in time?" He locked eyes with the silver haired Jonin as he waited for the answer.

"I do Hokage-sama. They have grown a lot lately, both in individual skill and team skills." He then gave a breakdown of what he had been working on with each of his students. "Sakura is currently working on increasing her chakra levels by adding chakra to her strikes, the current result is minimally increased damage. Sasuke is still trying to unlock his sharingan but is working on his genjutsu as well. Naruko is still hopeless when it comes to any part of genjutsu practices but is capable of making hundreds, if not thousands, of Kage Bunshin at a time."

Hiruzen nodded his head with his eyes closed. "And do you think your team is being under utilized in their current mission rank bracket." The masked Jonin nodded. "Then you can have a C-rank mission. It recently came to my desk actually." The Hokage picked up a piece of paper and looked it over to find the right mission label to match it to the right details scroll. "The request is to escort a bridge builder back to his home land in the Land of Waves. Do you accept this mission Hatake Kakashi?"

With mutual agreement from his students Kakashi accepted the mission and took the scroll from Iruka. After a short introduction to a drunken man named Tazuna, Team 7 was set free by their sensei to get ready for the mission. Sakura was to go get any medical supplies they would need. Sasuke was assigned to food and water. Naruko got the short end of the stick and had to put everything into storage scrolls. All three of them also had to pack their own clothes and any other needed items, such as ninja tools and weapons. After an hour of prep time all three were standing in front of the large gates to Konoha waiting for their client and teacher.

All three had also changed into more appropriate travel gear while they completed their tasks. Naruko had changed into normal black shinobi sandals, a pair of black pants that were tucked into the top of the sandals, and a jacket similar to her normal one with orange lining but without the flair of color. On the blond's hips she wore her regular holster with personal sealing scroll inside, as well as the large scroll used to hold the team's equipment and supplies that rested just above her shapely ass. Sasuke was in baggy shorts with several pockets that he was using as extra ninja tool pouches and a sleeveless black shirt with the Uchiha fan on the back. Sakura's outfit didn't look any different than her regular red and white shirt and beige split skirt over black shorts, but she said that these clothes were actually made from a more durable material than her normal clothes.

"Ah, good to see all of my precious Genin are ready for their first big mission." Kakashi walked up to the three teens with his book in hand and a standard issue pack slung onto his shoulders. The bridge builder was also walking with Kakashi, having run into the masked man as he left one of the cheaper liquor stores in Konoha. "Let's use a diamond formation around Tazuna-san. Sakura in front, Naruko on the left, Sasuke on the right, and I will take the rear." The always aloof Hatake put his book away and his hands in his pockets. "Come on everyone, let's get going. It will take us about a week to get to the boat we will be using to get to Wave." With that the four Konoha shinobi got into position and began the long trek.

After traveling for 5 hours, having left the village at noon, the present Jonin of the group called it a day and began to give orders for setting up camp. "Sasuke, you collect fire wood and get a fire going, no Katon. Sakura, I'm going to leave food prep to you." Hearing the pink haired girl about to whine he stopped her with a raised and open hand. "I normally eat ration packs, even when we are in the village. Naruko has not skill at the culinary arts unless cup ramen counts, and that is information from her mother." Looking up at the sky and judging the weather Kakashi looked over to the team's blond and gave her assignment, "Naruko set up the tents and sleeping bags. One bunshin to assist. One tent for you and Sakura, one for Sasuke and I, and Tazuna has already set his up."

In a couple of minutes the group of travelers were sitting around the fire waiting for their food as the last of them could be heard in the background swearing in agitation. "Fucking stupid tents! Why do these things have to be so annoying?" Just as her words left her mouth a strong wind came through the campsite and pulled at the fabric walls of the tent, ripping it from her hands. "MOTHER FUCKER! Sensei, can I please use more than one clone? This is impossible with just two of me." Naruko complained, her voice shifting from anger to an annoying whine.

Kakashi was the only one sitting on a log using it as a makeshift seat, Sasuke and Sakura were siting together on the opposite side of the fire from him. Tazuna was lounging on his left side, bottle of sake in his hand. Angling his head up a bit but not towards his student Kakashi spoke up, "No. You get one clone for this task. Figure out a way to make it work." Returning to the book in his hand, not his usual Icha Icha Paradise but still one of the Icha Icha books, he began to relax as he read the tale of the lonely young widow finding sexual gratification with her new lover. Having become completely absorbed by the book he failed to notice the blonde leave her task in the hands of two clones, the second having been made by the first clone, and come up behind him. He finally noticed when he felt her press her chest into his back and whisper in his ear softly.

"You know sensei, we could share a tent tonight, let moody and pinky share the other." Yoko immediately sent a strong shiver across Naruko's back as she said that. 'What the hell Yoko-nee? I'm just trying to get him to okay an extra clone or two.' Leaning in a bit more and letting her fingers graze his book she spoke up again, "I just need to set up these tents first if you want to do that." Kakashi's single eye looked around the fire. Sasuke and Sakura were still talking, not having noticed the new situation. The bridge builder was currently visiting dreamland with his bottle of sake slowly spilling onto the dirt under him.

'Naruko-nee, that is more than just trying to get your way. I know what you are trying to do, and you should stop before he agrees and it goes to far.' Yoko huffed internally to her sister, only getting silence in reply. 'Fine, but when he agrees you better not complain to me about it.' Returning her focus to herself and her room Yoko sat down and curled into herself for a nap.

Relaxing his body's response to the unexpected stimuli was tougher than he first thought, though it didn't help that she was breathing in his ear and still hanging on him. "No Naruko. You can not use more clones, and that is final." The Jonin closed his book and put it away, knowing that the book had a scene similar to what just happened. The only difference being that in the book the widow was begging her lover to touch her in a certain way, not Naruko's attempt at easier work. 'She probably knows all of the books in the series with Jiraiya being her godfather. That means I won't be able to read around her when she wants something.'

"...Fine, I won't make any more clones." Throwing her hands in the air she turned to the two clones already out and signaled them to make one more clone each. "And I would have done something you could only dream of for you too." Sitting down at the fire with her fellow Genin, the blond Namikaze girl began to talk with the pink haired team member about medicinal plants in the area.

Kakashi woke up the group early the next morning to break down the campsite. Taking this as a chance to work smarter Naruko put the first tent over one of the seals in her large scroll without taking it apart and storing it in the advanced technique. Taking the second tent, which had been her and Sakura's, she sealed this one away as well and rolled up the 4 feet of scroll she had pulled open.

This trend of camping and fire side meals continued for the next three nights. On the morning of the fifth day the group was huddled around a map that showed the path they were going to take to the closest docks, Kakashi dragging his finger along the route. 'Naruko-nee, we shouldn't go that way. I smell two strangers in that direction and a lot of blood too.'

The blond leaned in a bit and looked at the map closer, noticing that there was a village not marked on it that she was very familiar with. Speaking up is easy for the hyperactive teenager. "That way sucks. We will have to spend another two days to go around that. That means at least one more night of sleeping on the ground and no baths." Crossing her arms over her chest she continued, "I know a village that is on the way if we cut through this area here." She then drew her route on the map with one of her fingers going through a forested area on the map. "Half the distance to travel, and real beds, baths, and not camp fire meals."

"I already told you brat, I only had enough money to hire your team for this mission. That means I don't have enough for expenses like hotels." Tazuna said as he stood up. His people depended on him to come back and that was what he was going to do.

"I'm not taking no for an answer old man, and besides, it will be all free after we all help out." Taking the map and folding it up she tucked it away in the inside of her jacket and began to walk in the direction of her desired destination. 'Yoko-nee, we're finally going back. After seven years I hope it hasn't changed too much.' The other four began to follow her, figuring that there was no way to convince the blond off that course of action.

Three hours later the group of five stopped on the outskirts of a town, the overhead sign in front of them reading "Koriyo Village: The Village Bathed in Neon." Taking a deep breath as a smile grew on her face Naruko laughed in joy. "Okay ladies and gentlemen, please hand your hitai-ate and all ninja gear to me so they can be stored away while we are here." Taking off her own forehead protector she opened her small scroll and put it in the seal with all her clothes, doing the same for her team mates after telling them, "They aren't big on shinobi here, some people even try to take the hitai-ate knowing that they can be sold for a lot to collectors." Looking at her sensei after taking his she thought to herself briefly, 'Oh wow, the scar makes him even hotter, at least he wasn't just hiding his eye to look cool.' Kakashi had no plan of opening his eye while he was here, the sharingan would be an even bigger prize to the right people. "Now then, welcome to Koriyo Village, the largest red light district in the Land of Fire, and my former home of five great years." Smile still on her face Naruko began to follow her memorized route to the Golden Garden brothel.

After about ten minutes of walking, all the men in the group getting calls from pretty women along the way, they had arrived. "Ta-da, the Golden Garden. Koriyo's first and best brothel." Looking up at the familiar building and sign she tilted her head. "Hey they changed the paint job, it's gold and green now." Naruko reached a hand out and opened the door shouting out to anyone willing to listen. "Can I speak to Orchid Ayame!?"

Her reply came in the form of someone else coming up to her. "Orchid Ayame retired two years ago. This is my establishment now. What do you want?" The woman in front of Naruko was a slightly older version of the Rose she remembered from her past at the Garden.

"Hello Orchid Junko. It has been a long time. My friends and I are wondering if you could spare two or three rooms, for one night, in exchange for some free labor." Naruko bowed politely as she took in the inside of the building, everything being as she remembered it perfectly. Taking a small step to the side, to allow her team and client entry as well, she stepped on a squeaky floor board and smiled. 'Exactly as I remember.'

"That deal is only for the girls who work here." Junko replied quickly and tersely. It had been a long tradition for the Garden to provide for its working girls, and Junko was not going to change that seeing as she had used it herself.

"I am aware of that Orchid Junko." Opening her scroll and taking out her shamisen Naruko asked her raven haired team mate to hold the instrument before calling up a henge of her 8 year old self and speaking again, in the softer voice belonging to that age. "Poppy Kobayashi Naruko, ready to work," before undoing the disguise. "My friends can all help out too. The pink one is a medic-nin so she could take a look at the Flowers and give a few physicals. Mr. Moody over there is a real tough guy, almost never loses. Looking out front you could probably use some kind of bouncer. The older man in the funny hat is a bridge builder so he and the silver haired one can do some maintenance on the building. And I would obviously play music."

Staring into the serious and honest blue eyes of the former Poppy, Junko had no choice but to agree. "Fine, but only one night. Do you still remember all of our songs cutie?" After receiving a nod Junko lead them all to different spots in the building. Sasuke was just inside the door, Sakura was set up in a spare changing room with a line of patients immediately, Tazuna and Kakashi were lead around to the back and given several tables and chairs to fix before moving on to repairs on the walls and roof. Naruko was taken behind the stage where she started helping the Poppies, Daffodils, and Lotuses get ready. She wasn't going to be on stage until later, when the rest of her group were done with their tasks.

As 6 o'clock rolled around Team 7 and their client gathered in the main entertainment room of the Golden Garden and placed their orders. Naruko took the list of desired dishes to the kitchen and popped over the counter to yell it to the cook. Naruko returned to the table shortly after and sighed. It had been years since she had done so much makeup for other people and her fingers ached lightly from the usage. As she flexed feeling back into her fingers the food was brought out for them, just as the young Namikaze girl's stomach roared to life. Trying to play it off as nothing the blond turned to her companions and asked about their day.

As they ate they all talked about what they did. Sasuke had mostly just stood at the door waiting for something to happen, turning away a few people who were too young to be visiting the Garden. Kakashi had done more repairs on the walls than on tables and other furnishing. Tazuna had been reluctant to work without something alcoholic to drink, and had worked on leveling out the furniture while sipping sake. Sakura had been the busiest of them all, especially as she didn't have any form of physical clone to help her with the work, caring for the Flowers and writing up recommended supplements they could take for whatever ailed them.

"Well that is good. Keeping busy is the best way to avoid the three vices of shinobi. Or at least that is what Ero-sennin always says." The blond picks up her bowl of now noodle-less ramen and sucks the broth down before putting it back on the table with a decent clinking sound. "Well, it is almost show time so I will be right up there for a bit if you need me." With this she pointed to the stage and got onto her feet before going backstage to get ready. 'How is everything looking Yoko-nee? Anything else stand out to you since this morning?'

'No. I haven't noticed anything Naruko-nee. Those two along the original route had remained in a certain spot just inside my range, however when we turned towards Koriyo we eventual left them behind.' Yoko was lounging around in her room, fighting off slight exhaustion. 'What do you think about Junko being the new Orchid? It seems a little weird not having Miss Ayame in charge.'

'Thank Kami, I did not want to fight today. I think so too, it was always Miss Ayame's business.' Getting back stage the blond undressed and redressed in a kimono that was a sharp blue like her eyes and accented with light blue and white details. "I wonder if sensei will like this kimono." Naruko said out loud as she looked herself in the mirror, a mischievous grin spreading on her face as she began to adjust the soft fabric. 'I'm going to take a page from your race's book tonight Yoko-nee.' She undid the obi and adjusted her feminine assets before pulling the kimono closed again, with the shoulders falling off. Looking at the mirror again Naruko smiled and nodded. 'Just like all that folklore about Kitsune.'

Chapter End


A/N Thank you for reading up till now. Next Chapter is going to be a bit of Naruko's performance and some more stuff, before ending right when Zabuza makes his first appearance.

To the reviewer naruita14: I am glad you like my story. I had to run your review through google to know what it meant, but knowing that my story had a reader who called it beautiful (especially in French) was an incredible feeling for me. Thank you.

To constant reviewer kaylafike500: Thank you for your reviews and PM's. It has been great to have someone to talk to about possible directions for this to take. I also feel that I should thank you for your helpful recommendations.