This took me ages to finish. I have some time to kill though, since my school is closed down for _ due to the… well… ya know. Gonna be honest, I've been putting this off because this has become so draining. I hate watching something I used to lose working on become a thing I dread everytime I open my Google Docs. But I promised and I ain't backing down.

Here it is.

Also tad note, the reason Naruto was having trouble with the shadow clone jutsu was that he was FORCING himself. He was forcing himself to hold back becuase he's been doing it his entire life. He doesn't want to hurt anyone. But… that might not last much longer.

ps: "Do your foxy magic!"-Sasuke 2019

Chapter 14: The Land of Waves

Naruto tightened his pack, kunai littering the floor of the apartment. He should have enough, considering what they'd be doing.

He threw it around his waist and got up. He picked up the key, locking it tight behind him. Didn't need a repeat performance of last week.

Naruto ran through the streets, the wind flinging through his hair. He wasn't running late but you can never be too early. If he's lucky, he'll beat Sasuke and get to see his smug little face frown. Then again, he was always frowning.

Couldn't blame him, Naruto usually didn't feel like smiling either. But he did. Didn't know why. But he did.

He got there, Sakura and Sasuke standing around waiting for him.

"You're late, Naruto." Sasuke said, rolling his eyes.

"You're early." Naruto said, resettling the pack. He threw his hands behind his back and waited for Kakashi. Being late was a thing for their Sensei.

"Honestly Kuyybi, you could at least get here on time."

"You could at least have another opinion other than Sasuke's."

Sakura blushed, her face igniting on fire. She slammed his fist onto his head. Naruto jerked back in surprise and glared at her. He shouldn't have been surprised, Sakura was more violent than Sasuke could ever be.

Or him for that matter.

"What was that for?!"

"For being incompetent." Sakura said, scoffing

"You should hit Kakashi then too."

"Well, seems we need to fine tune our team a little bit, won't we?"

Naruto felt his skin heat. Ahhh yep, shouldn't have said that.

"Glad all of you are spry today because we have a lot of work cut ahead of us today." Kakashi said, closing his eye, and waving a tad.

Naruto was weird, but he wasn't terrible, Sasuke had determined. He still didn't like him; he was just dead weight to him, but he wasn't anything like he'd imagined.

It's hard to be afraid of someone who got mauled by a stray cat when trying to get it out of a tree. If anything, it was kinda a bit disappointing that he was such a useless idiot.

He was always trying to pick a fight with him though. Did he just have something he wanted to prove? Or was he just that arrogant to think he'd be anything of a challenge?

Had to admit, it was kind of entertaining.

Sakura pulled Naruto off the ground, after a beating from a seriously angered garden woman.

"I can get up myself," Naruto mumbled, tightening the headband.

"Then maybe stop getting beaten to a pulp!"

He laughed and slung his arms over his head, grabbing at his neck, slightly ringing it back and forth.

They headed back to report to Kakashi to turn in their reports.

"I swear, everywhere you go, you just invite trouble right on in, like it's an old friend or something!" Sakura sighed, glancing back at Sasuke.

If she was trying to earn brownie points, then that wasn't going to work.

"Oh shut up Sakura."

She flinched back and quickly turned around, facing the road. Naruto stared ahead, "You shut up."

"You're the idiot here."

"You're the jerk!"

"And both of you need a restraining order it seems." Kakashi popped out of seemingly nowhere. He tended to do that a lot and Sasuke didn't appreciate the sneak attacks. Was he always watching them? Maybe he's the one who needed a restraining order.

"I can't leave you three alone for five seconds, can I?" Kakashi said, closing his eye slightly before continuing on, "Come on, we still got a lot of work to do."

"What next, a lost dog?"

"Oh shut up, Kuyybi."

"We talked about this Sakura. His name is Naruto."

"I know what his name is," Sakura mumbled.

"Naruto's right acutally. When are we gonna do something that ninja actually do?"

Kakashi grumbled, " Ninja your age ARE doing this sort of stuff."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He can't be wasting all his time doing menial chores. He needed to fight strong opponents to get stronger. And here he was, walking someone's dog.

"Sasuke is right, Kakashi Sensei. We're bigger than this." Sakura said.

"I think that's up to me to decide."

They entered the building, people hurrying left and right, signing off missions and assignments. The whole room was busy, scurrying off to and fro. Sasuke leaned into the wall, staring at Naruto, who had taken a seat on the floor. He almost always had his arms above his head, thrown in an almost cocky demeanor, but not.

Sasuke didn't understand him. He didn't seem to be a threat and he definitely didn't act like a threat, more annoying than dangerous. But something still kept him on edge. A twinge of doubt, of fear.

Haha, yeah right.

Best to watch him though.

Those thoughts are interrupted by a man walking into the room. He had gray hair that stuck upward, and was tan. He had a cloth right in hand, ready to wipe away sweat. A construction worker of some kind. But what does a construction worker want with ninja?

He approached the main desk and said, "I am a bridge builder and I need bodyguards for thugs and things like that. Here." He dropped a bag of coins onto the desk.

"I'm sorry sir but we are booked right now and-"

"Please."

"Sir, we are busy-"

"Our team isn't," Kakashi said, waving a little. Sasuke perked up. Really?

"Kakashi, are you sure they should be engaging in this?"

"Sounds like a C-level mission so it shouldn't be too much of a problem."

Sasuke stretched as Naruto hopped off the floor. Finally, a challenge.

Naruto stepped outside of the gate, looking behind him. The wall was large and tall, a massive structure.

This was the first time he'd ever set foot outside the village. This was so weird.

The man seemed grateful, but also skeptical. It made sense. You don't really picture a bunch of kids as bodyguards.

But he was gonna prove it. Prove it wasn't a mistake, whatever was out there, he was gonna face and do his job.

He just has to prove it to himself first.

They walked down the path, Tazuna was mainly silent, didn't seem like the talkative type so he probably couldn't talk to him. Sakura hated his guts and Sasuke… well, Sasuke.

Naruto hadn't realized how chatty he actually was until… until he didn't have anyone to talk to. It felt odd, like something was missing.

But he didn't want to talk to that darn fox for the rest of his life.

Silence would do.

Sakura was always gazing at Sasuke, though he wasn't sure why. He didn't get what made him so "special" that all the girls fonned over him. He was cool, sure, but he wasn't that cool.

He heard a ruffling in the bushes, faint but present. He stopped, staring at the bushes. But his concentration was broken when Sakura slammed in him.

"Oof, stupid Kyuubi! What are you staring at?"

"Sakura, I told you, don't cal-" Kakashi Senei trailed off. His eyes caught unto the bushes.

A bunny popped out from the bushes, its fluffy bushy tail following suit.

Heat raced to Naruto's face, he really was an idiot.

"Tsk what are you, hungry, Kyuubi?" Sakura said, smirking at him.

"Oh shut up," Naruto mumbled, lowering his head into his turtleneck.

The old man chuckled, releasing pent up tension. Naruto caught Sasuke rolling his eyes and folding his arms tighter.

The only one who didn't seemed amused was Kakashi, he stared at the bunny.

Naruto glanced at Kakashi, who had seemingly grew more and more concerned.

"Everyone, form a defense around Tazuna! Now!"

Naruto immediately raced over to the old man, shifting into his position, locking himself into place. He stared at the woods, scanning a glimpse of- of what? He hadn't told them…

Kakashi kept flicking back and forth, trying to spot something.

His chest grew heavy as Naruto continued with the search. But he couldn't see anything. What… what was it?

Naruto shifted his feet, cold water splashing onto his toes. He jumped but calmed. A muddy puddle. A muddy puddle… was is there a minute ago?

But-

You blithering idiot, get away from the-

"WATER!!" Kakashi yelled.

Naruto yanked back, sending everyone behind him flying. The ninja had launched from the puddle only moments after, reaching out with large metallic claws, grazing Naruto's hair.

They hit the ground and Kakashi immediately punched the man straight in the face. It hit hard, knocking the man out cold.

Naruto breathed, though a little too soon, as another man spat from the water and launched went for his neck.

Time seemed to slow as metal clashed, sparks flying through the air, black hair flicking from movement.

"Pay attention next time," Sasuke snipped at Naruto, who was still on the ground. He hopped up and mumbled, "You too Sasuke."

They had both of their backs to each other, as the man came after them again. Kakashi Sensei slammed the man back into a tree. He kept scanning the ground and sighed.

Sasuke and Naruto released their stance, the man wiping away sweat. Kakashi tied the men up so they couldn't escape. Can't have them reporting back to whoever that was.

It was over, it seemed.

Didn't feel over, it just got started.

Can't think right today.

Oh and… thanks.

Tsk. I was just annoyed at how dense you are.

Kakashi was still on edge, brimming over with tension.

"Well, let's keep moving. We have a lot of ground to cover."

Sasuke pushed his way ahead of him, leaving Naruto to scowl into his back. He glanced over at the man, calmer but still nervous.

Naruto swung his arms over his back and realized one was bleeding. He looked around, no one seeming to notice.

Good.

Good.