Naruto/Azula

Chapter 5

(Location: Konoha)

"Damn, do I need a drink!" Minato said aloud as he went through the paperwork on his desk. He pushed back away from his desk and looked out the window. The afternoon sun shined down on the village, sometimes getting obscured by the occasional cloud. All-in-all, it was a perfect day "It is times like these that make me think of places he could of been." He thought, remembering a certain blonde. "Where are you, Naruto?"

"Lord Hokage!" Asoka  yelled from the hallway, bursting through the doors. She was a new secretary

"What's the matter, Asoka?" He asked, worried that something had happened.

His secretary  held out a scroll for him. "This just came through the transport seal. It's from Mito's  team and was marked urgent."

Minato took the scroll, opened it and began to read it. After a few minutes, he looked up from it. "Asoka, get Team Asuma and Team Guy in here, ASAP." He ordered, still holding the open scroll.

"Them? They just got back from a mission, why do you need them now?" The secretary asked. Minato simply showed her the open scroll. She stood completely still, reading and re-reading the first sentence. "I'll go get them right away." She said before leaving the office.

Minato put the scroll down and reached for his hidden stash of sake. If one were to take a look at the open scroll, this would have been the first sentence:

Lord Hokage

Naruto Uzumaki has been found.

(Location: Azula's camp)

He walked into the camp (which was neatly created) and went straight to Azula's tent

When he stepped in, he saw Azula sitting in a meditative pose in front of three candles. breathing in and out. As she did, the fires on the candles raised and lowered with her breathing.

"Naruto," She said, making him stop at the tent flap. "Those people today, the ones that were shocked to see you. Who are they?" She knew that they knew him in some way, but that was it.

"...My past," He answered shortly
" yes but who are they?" She emphasized the word 'who'

"...." Naruto stayed silent.

He sighed " those were ..." He stopped ,trying to find the write words " former comrades of mine , the group of 12 rookies ... Or at least part of them. You know the story" after that he just left the tent.

"Indeed I do, but there's more to it than that. What are you hiding from me, Naruto?" She thought to herself. Deciding to think about it, she went back to her exercise.

"You're going to tell her sooner or later, kit." The Kyūbi told his Jinchūriki as the blonde went to set up his sleeping bag.

"I know, Kyūbi. I just hope it's later." He mentally replied.

(Location: Konoha)

Both Team Asuma and Team Guy stood in the Hokage's Office, having gotten the request to come urgently. Minato looked at them from where he sat. "I'm grateful that you all got here quickly." He said to them.

"What's the problem, Lord Hokage ?" Asuma asked. Even though he and his team had been summoned right away, he remained relaxed. To him, this was just another mission.

"As you all very well know, a month ago Team Mito set sail for what we have always known as the Bending Countries. They were given an A-rank mission to protect someone." He began to explain.