Up and Out

Delays

"And the village you're allied with?" The guard asked as he glared at the foreigner.

"None, Freelance." The ROOT agent answered.

The guard raised an eyebrow wondering why anyone would want to work in this career alone, but in the end he really didn't care and let the ROOT agent through the gates. Naruto immediately started looking for the address he was supposed to go to. It didn't take as long as he thought. The house was only a few blocks from the gate so he wasted no time knocking on the door ...

A young woman with knee length mouse brown hair and green eyes wearing a blue sundress answered the door, "Hello?"

"Are you Yuki Nata? A friend of Kyo Ishi?" Naruto asked remembering what his client said so he could identify that he has the right person that the package is meant to be given to.

The woman's eyes lit up, "Yes! Is Kyo coming to my wedding? I know he doesn't approve of Gato, but I want Kyo to understand that I'm happy ... Oh! Are you escorting him?"

(Oh crap.) Naruto thought as he realized that he was the bearer of some bad news. "I was sent by his mother. Her son had a package he desperately wanted to get to you, but ... he was killed."

"He ... he was k-killed?" Yuki mumbled ...

The ninja saw her eyes roll back and caught her before she fell to the floor ... it seems she fainted ...

XXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke woke up and found a note on the bed side table. He quickly picked it up hoping it was a message from Naruto's clone saying Naruto was coming back, but it wasn't. Well partly, the note was from the blonde's clone, but it wasn't the news he wanted ...

'Hey – there was a delay in the mission and this may take much longer than the boss thought so don't worry about him if the boss does not return for a week more or so.

P.S. The civilians were planning another fox hunt so I moved that little fox family into our hideaway with a few bunnies to hunt – burn this.'

"I guess I can survive a while longer ... I just need to be more careful around Sakura." Sasuke sighed as he did a tiny fire jutsu to burn the note before getting ready for the day. He made a quick breakfast consisting of a couple fried eggs on toast and ate. As he munched he wondered if he was sensing right and he looked out the window. "I feel four ... maybe ... did Naruto leave more clones than just the one for school?" Sasuke mused out loud and was gifted with the sudden appearance of a clone of the blonde ROOT agent standing on the branch.

The clone shook his head as Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, "Nope. The boss wants this to be your first mission."

"But Sakura could kill me! Can't I start with something safer like the D-ranked missions Itachi told me about?" Sasuke pleaded hoping for some chance to avoid getting caught by the pinkette and brutally murdered.

"D-ranked missions are to help build teamwork. You need a team to do teamwork, Sasuke." The clone chuckled in amusement as the young Uchiha pouted. "Don't worry we won't let anything happen to you." The clone said just before disappearing from view.

"Fine." Sasuke sighed and finished his breakfast. With everything cleaned, his bag packed and his lunch prepared for later Sasuke only had one last thing to do before he could leave. He grabbed the red packet Naruto gave him and raced for the door after tucking the packet into his backpack. If he was careful he can dump the packet and not have to worry about getting caught until Naruto gets back. As he entered the school he shivered in fear and sure enough a mob of fans surrounded him. This time he was lucky because Iruka called for everyone to class, which apparently was starting outside today ...

Iruka smiled a slightly strained smile as Ino and Sakura began glare at each other while clinging to Sasuke, "Good to see you all made it- ... Naruto we're out here!" He called out making his assistant, Mizuki, roll his eyes as the orange clad goofball jumped out the first story window where the usual classroom was and ran over to join them. "Ok, now that everyone is here we're going to start by working on some target practice. Since we will go back in the classroom later you can go put your backpacks down next to your assigned seats." He said firmly making sure the fangirls got the point, which it looked like they did.

(This would be the perfect chance to give Sakura the packet.) Sasuke thought and was about to grab the packet in his bag when someone came up behind him.

"Hey Sasuke, let's go together," came the voice of the very pink haired girl he feared.

Sasuke snorted as he subtly shut his backpack to hide the packet from view. (PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!) He mentally pleaded as he walked away with the pinkette who latched onto his arm and was soon followed by Ino who snagged his other arm (I'm not sure which scares me more. The fangirl or the fake fangirl.)

Soon everyone was lined up outside and waiting to start the target practice. One after another each person was called up and was given a circular target to throw a set of kunais at from twenty feet away. Sasuke had to keep from laughing when Naruto deliberately missed the target twice, but the two kunai nearly impaled Mizuki who wasn't paying attention. It looked so much like an accident that Iruka defended Naruto when Mizuki yelled at him. If they knew the blonde like Sasuke does then they would know that it was completely deliberate.

"You all did very well ... Sakura, you might want to practice more along with those who also had trouble with your grip. Let's get back to the classroom and finish class there." iruka announced and everyone left.

As Sasuke passed the row of targets he spotted Sakura's, (She didn't miss any of them.) He thought as he mentally took the kunai from the regular target sign and placed them where they would be had it been a human training dummy instead ... she hit all the main vital points ...

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto pulled the tea kettle off the stove and started to pour a cup. All his ninja gear was still in place including his mask since his job was not done and he was in Yuki's home. A soft groan could be heard from the other room and realized that the lady of the house was waking up. He picked up the fresh tea and went into the living where Yuki was laying across the couch. "I brought you some tea, miss. Careful, it's hot." He cautioned as he set the cup on the low coffee table in front of her.

"Thank you." She said sadly as she slowly sat up. A few moments passed in silence as Yuki recovered. "What happened?"

"All I know is that he was killed, but nothing else. His mother found this with a note. Kyo meant for it to go to you so she hired me to bring it." Naruto said and handed her the infamous package in question, which turned out to be a file marked with Yuki's full name.

With great care she took the file and took a deep breath before opening it. Only two pages in she broke down crying, but she kept reading and soon her sadness turned to anger, "Does this mean what I think it does?" sShe asked with a dangerously calm voice.

"I never saw the contents. My job is to deliver not pry." Naruto said, but the woman handed him the file clearly asking for his opinion. The ROOT agent took the file and skimmed through the papers and it was easy to see why she was so angry. "It proves that you have a massive inheritance and the man you intended to marry, Gato, knew about it. Gato used his own wealth to murder your father and kept tabs on your mother who went into hiding with you when you were a baby. When you came of age he arranged for your mother to have an accident and used your grief to his advantage and since your mother never told you of your fortune you never suspected anything." Naruto summed up. It was all there in black and white. Kyo even broke it down to the day certain things happened. How he got this information is a wonder, but it explained a lot. "I was attacked on my way here by a team of ninjas."

Yuki glanced up at him with a sad look on her face, but it seems his comment confirmed everything for her, "Ninja-san ... can I hire you for something?"

"I can spare some time before returning to my own village. Would I be correct in assuming you wanted some last minute changes done for your wedding?" Naruto guessed.

An immensely relieved smile spread across her face and she nodded shakily, "After the wedding in the morning please ... kill my husband."