Team 7 was discussing the mission. Naruto grinned as he summoned a huge yellow and blue fox the size of a small civilian building. Everyone went slack jawed as Naruto climbed onto the fox. "Natsu-chan. I don't wanna walk to the Land of Waves. Can you give me a ride."
Natsu's voice was feminine and warm. "Of course, Naruto-sama. But you do remember my price."
"Yay! Sasuke, wanna ride too?"
Sasuke blinked. He climbed on too. "Since when can you summon foxes, dobe?"
"Eh. A while, ttebayo. Do you have a summoning animal?"
"Cats. Why do you think Tora keeps appearing? I still can't get that part right."
Naruto snorted. Her eyes caught sight of Sakura trying to get on Natsu. "Oi, Sakura. What are you doing?"
Sakura huffed. "It's obvious, isn't it? Hurry and tell your fox and let me on too."
Naruto stuck her tongue out at the pinkette. "Serves you right. You've been abusing me for years. As if I'm letting you on Natsu-chan. Kaka-sensei can come on too, but Natsu hates alcohol. So Tazuna and Sakura stay on the ground."
Natsu nodded in confirmation. "What makes you think I want to let you on, pinky? Naruto-sama speaks of you often. At least the dark one does not abuse he--him."
Sakura fumed and shrieked, demanding to be let on the fox. Natsu raised her tail, ready to slam the pinkette, but Naruto stopped her. "Ignore Sakura, Natsu. Come on, Kaka-sensei! Do you want to join or not?"
Kakashi hid his exasperation and declined politely. "Let's be real, Naruto. If I did, there would be nobody to protect Tazuna. Let's go then." Natsu happily started walking towards the Land of Waves, the silver haired Jounin, pink haired kunoichi and the drunk bridge builder following quickly.
Naruto and Sasuke resisted laughing as they watched Sakura suffer from the heat and exercise. "Dobe. I have never liked you more."
"Aw! I love you too, teme! We're best friends forever and ever and ever, ttebayo!" This time Sasuke couldn't avoid the hug that came at him. He just rolled his eyes at the blonde. He really was starting to get attached to the dobe. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Sasuke shoved Naruto off after a while. "Alright, that's enough, dobe. I've got enough Uzumaki germs on me."
"Would you prefer Sakura germs then? Or Ino germs? Or--"
"Okay, I get it. Shut up."
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Near the Land of Waves, Natsu was skipping along the road, when she saw the puddle of water. They thought she was an idiot. "Naruto-sama, may I?"
Naruto giggled evilly. "Do it, Natsu-chan."
So Natsu did. She easily released her faeces in the puddle, and buried it in soil. Sasuke was having a hard time stopping his laughter. Kakashi kind of pitied the ninjas in the puddle. As soon as Natsu was done, she snickered and skipped off. "Did I do good, Naruto-sama?"
Naruto nodded and hugged the fox as much as she could. "Yeah! I love you, Natsu-chan, dattebayo!"
The Demon Brother hidden in the puddle were screaming with rage. At first they planned to take out the Jounin first, but they changed their minds. They would KILL the blonde kid first, and then the fox.
They emerged from the puddle, and released their poison chains, aimed at the kid. Surprisingly, they watched as the kid deflected the chains with a Demon Wind Shuriken. "You brat!"
Kakashi, Sasuke, Naruto and Natsu jumped into action. Kakashi and Sasuke easily took out the one with longer hair by punching his throat and stomach, Sasuke serving as a distraction. Meanwhile, Naruto had his Demon Wind Shrunken pin the other down, as Natsu released her jutsu. Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance. The spiral of fire gave the second Demon Brother three degree burns all over his face, and torso, as well as his legs.
Naruto was satisfied with their work. "Good job, Natsu-chan. Looks like we're near the Land of Waves, so if you want, you can go now. I'll pay tonight."
Natsu smiled as her favourite and only summoner slid off of her back and as she pet her snout. "Understood, Naruto-sama. Until next time."
"Of course, dattebayo!"
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"NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!" Naruto whined. "I don't wanna go home yet! I wanna finish the mission! Kaka-sensei, you're demoted to Kaka-baka again! I don't like you anymore!"
Sakura grew a tick mark as she punched Naruto on the head, earning a glare from Sasuke and Kakashi. "Naruto! Don't be an idiot! This is a B-rank! We're just Genin. We're not experienced enough for this."
"No one asked for your opinion, Sakura," Sasuke said coldly, watching as the pinkette's face fell into confusion. "Unlike you, Naruto and I train hard to achieve our ambitions. You just spent all of your time in the Academy fawning over me. You...are weak."
Sakura gasped, unable to believe that Sasuke called her weak. "Naruto and I have years of effort, while you have none. Don't forget that if it weren't for Naruto, your ninja profile wouldn't have 35 completed D-rank missions written on it, even if you did nothing. You're a nuisance and a bother to the team. You have no right to judge Naruto's will to continue this mission."
Kakashi, Naruto and Tazuna watched. Whoa, that was harsh, Naruto thought.
I think the Uchiha brat likes you, kit.
Ha? Of course he does, Kyuu. He's my best friend, remember?
No. No, kit. I mean he likes likes you.
...WHAT?! No! No way right? I mean, he still thinks I'm a guy!
Who knows. If it's not that kind of like, then at least he's crushing on you and doesn't know it yet.
EEEWW! Kyuu! I don't like him that way!
Just suggesting...
Naruto shook the very thought away. It felt wrong to think of Sasuke as anything other than a best friend. She looked at Sakura's near to tears expression. "Ne, Kaka-baka, can't we please continue the mission? This Gato guy that Tazu-san talked about sounds like a bad guy. I want to help Tazu-san's country. Please?"
Kakashi gasped as he watched Naruto's face morph into Kushina-nee's signature pleading look, that brought every ninja in Konoha down to their knees. Kushina had the ability to morph that expression and bend many ninja (including Minato, Jiraiya, and Kakashi himself) to do anything she desired. Now...To see it again on Naruto, but with Minato-sensei's much bluer eyes...Damn. His resolve was being destroyed. Damn Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee for having such a cute child! "Fine," he gave in. "We will continue this mission, but I will need to send the Hokage a report."
Naruto raised her hand. "Yay! Kaka-baka, you've been promoted to Kaka-sensei again! Fuyu has space-time ninjutsu. He can send it straight to Jiji and get a reply quickly if you want."
Kakashi smiled. "That would be very helpful, Naruto."
So, they continued their journey. They got onto a boat at the pier of a misty body of water. Naruto could barely see anything. Thank God she was a sensory ninja. The ferryman rowed the boat for a long time. Naruto was getting impatient. "Can't we go any faster?" she whispered.
Tazuna shook his head. "No. We travel quietly like this to avoid Gato's men. If we used the motor, they'd discover us quickly."
Naruto pouted. "Sasuke, I'm bored. Entertain me."
"I'm not your servant, dobe. Entertain yourself."
"I can't. I feel like this gloomy mist is sucking out all my cheer and creativity."
"Poor you."
"Woe is me."
Sasuke smirked. "Yeah. Sure. Dobe, you have anything to eat?"
"Do you even know me?"
Naruto unsealed his food scroll and summoned some onigiri for the entire boat minus Sakura, who said she was on a diet. Sasuke mumbled as he ate. "Anorexic b*tch."
Naruto choked.
A/N: Hint 5: Rowling