Itsu No Hi Ni Mo

Chapter 27 : Missing

: missing :

: (something) can not be found

_____

"WHAT?!"

A hand slapped on Sakura's mouth as Kakashi panicked on his seat.

"Please keep it down" Shizune pleaded, but the pinkette harshly peeled off her mouth before she yelled in a whispered voice "Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata, and Shino are missing! Four masters of their arts! How do you expect me not to not keep it down?!"

"There's nothing we can do" The Hokage sighed "Except to form a team to find those trackers"

"Naruto needs to know about this..." The pinkette croaked out "The poor guy's been waiting day and night for three days now thinking the team's decided to just walk"

"We can't" Kakashi denied "There's still no traces of the Kyūbi other than from his seal. He is brash and irresponsible, and this is a very specialized tracking team that's gone missing. He might end up dead without the Kyūbi, I'm sorry"

"He at least has to know!" Sakura argued, only to be turned down again, "If he knows, there's no stopping him!"

Shizune looked down sadly, letting the ex pupil and sensei argue.

Wether way, no matter who wins the argument, she has no say in the situation. And knowing Kakashi, he's not changing his mind.

Sakura's shoulders slumped in defeat, "... Fine. At least let me join the search squad"

"Why else would I call you?"

- - - - -

"Good morning, Naruto-senpai!"

"Good morning, Uzumaki-sama!!"

"Have a great day, Naruto!"

Naruto grinned and simply waved at all the friendly villagers as he walked.

The sun just risen, and the moist morning dew were still present on each villager's glass window panes. The birds were humming to a lovely tune along with the morning bustle of the people of Konoha preparing for the day.

A mother with a basket hanging from her arm passed Naruto and kindly offered him an apple, along with her child giving him a lovely little flower, of which he both gladly accepted.

No minute passed that no body greeted the young hero, of which he only waved, smiled, or nodded at, not halting on his walk.

Bright blue eyes sparkled in hope and wonder as he turned the corner, finally seeing where opted to go.

"Izumo! Kotetsu!!!"

The two guards looked up from their posts and sweat dropped, Kotetsu scratched the side of his cheek and asked "Back again, Naruto?"

"Don't worry, I won't be here all day like the other days" Naruto said in a defeated voice "As much as I don't want to miss my friends' return, I still have Hokage training with Kakashi-sensei and Jònin lessons with Iruka-sensei"

"How about eating? Ichiraku's open, you know" Izumo teased.

"I got that covered! BEHOLD!!" The Genin cheered, raising a single apple, "My breakfast, lunch, and dinner, dattebayo!!!"

"What?!" "Sacrifices has to be made-ttebayo" He said as he dramatically clutched the apple to his chest.

Then he suddenly reverted back to his childish persona and said "Besides, Hinata and I will eat all the ramen we can when she comes back! Basically, we're gonna empty Ichiraku's! She has no choice but to do so, payback for leaving without telling, hehehe"