Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto then Sakura would have jumped him already. :P

1st out of 3 books.

AN/ Just bored and thought up a story. I have written for so long and my vocabulary is very simple and repetitive now. Hopefully when I get back the feel I get back some better looking words. Lol. On with the show!

*QUICK EDIT 09-JUN-2012*

"Dammit. Why did Baa-chan send me on this boring assignment!" Naruto shouted while walking the busy street with his hands behind his head. Sakura shook her head. For all the growing up he did, some things just didn't change. Sure, he had his moments when she would swell with pride at the maturity he exhibited when it mattered. But then times like this made her wonder if he really did learn anything at all or if he was still the same annoying brat she met in the academy.

But despite that no one ever questioned his abilities anymore. Twenty years old and already a top Jounin.

No.

That was an understatement. He was the top Jounin. After all, why else was he the Hokage elect.

His body had grown as well. She had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. He'd often rumble in his deep voice that he could place his ramen bowl on her head before eating it. She'd tiptoe before knocking him to the floor. Then she'd pretend to be mad at him, but secretly, she didn't mind one bit. When he was rubbing his head his biceps did tense ever so wonderfully. Yes. Uzumaki Naruto had become a bonafide heartthrob all over Konoha. Hell he even had an entourage of girls here in Suna that followed him around like lost puppies whenever he would visit.

Gone was the black and orange jacket and replaced with a tight black muscle t-shirt. He still wore orange pants but it was much less baggy and was now a more muted shade than the blaring bright he wore years ago.

"Naarutoo" Sakura almost sang while scolding him. "Tsunade shishou thinks that you being Konoha's ambassador for the Chuunin exams is good way to practice your politics. You're the next in line to be Hokage and you'll have to deal with powerful people by diplomatic means. Cha. Not everything about Hokage is going to be you running around 'beating up the bad guys' you know."

Naruto couldn't help but smile. Sakura was frowning the way she always would when she thought something was common sense. He thought it was cute. Actually, everything about Sakura was cute to him. She certainly wasn't 'scrawny' and 'flat chested' anymore. He eyed her legs while they walked. They were his favorite feature about her after her eyes. The breeze blew her half skirt and her hair, resulting in her raising her hand, tucking her bangs behind her ears with slender fingers. Naruto felt the smile spread through the rests of his body.

"Naruto are you even listening to me?"

Naruto jumped. "Sorry Sakura-chan. I'm just a little hungry," he lied. Sakura sighed dramatically. "At least you had the decency to be embarrassed about it." Naruto started to sweat and laughed nervously while rubbing the back of his head. "Heh heh. Yeahh…"

He thanked Kami she didn't know what really made him blush.

The third person in the group followed in silence reading his same book he had been reading since the series' author had died five years ago. Needless to say, Kakashi hadn't changed one bit. "You will get to eat when we meet up with Gaara-kun, Naruto. He's probably had different flavors of ramen prepared for your arrival."

"RAMEN! YATTA!" the blond screamed while jumping to show his excitement. Sakura couldn't help but giggle at the antics of her teammate. He mood quickly turned solemn at the thought. 'Teammate.'

"Sakura-chan? Is something wrong?"

She looked up into the concerned azure eyes, genuine concern filling them. "I'm fine Naruto," she said, reassuring him with a sweet smile.

Naruto's lips lifted as well, mirroring hers. 'I love her/his smile.'

Emerald locked on to the azure, and their footsteps fell in time, sinking in the sand filled road. The smiles ebbed away, replaced by intense gazes with swirling emotions behind them… until Naruto almost collided with a lady.

"Gomen nasai," he said softly while passing the woman.

'Kuso... I need to be more careful,' Naruto thought. His shoulders slumped.

If he had only spared a glance at Sakura though, he would have seen her blushing.

Kakashi held back from shaking his head in frustration.'Idiots.'

He realized the awkward silence as his former students dragged their sandals against the sandy road. "Now Naruto, remember. We will only begin your training of mastering nine tail mode/sage mode combo after you've completed your diplomatic duties as an ambassador of Konoha. Naruto once again placed his hands behind his head and mumbled, "Why am I doing this boring diplomatic thing in the first place. Should be on an S-ranked mission."

Sakura and Kakashi fell down anime style for a couple seconds while the blonde walked on oblivious to the fact. They then sprang to their feet and looked at each other with sweat drops, seemingly talking telepathically. 'Did he not hear a word I/You said?'

They brushed off the dirt before realizing Naruto was a good distance away. "Naruto! Chotto matte!" Naruto slowed his pace a bit while thinking, 'Oh well. At least I get to see Gaara and Matsuri.'

Elsewhere

Konohagakure

Godaime Hokage, Tsunade of the legendary Sannin, sat behind her desk. Her fingers locked while blocking her face. She looked at the man in front of her. One of her best and most trusted. She removed a hand to get a folder from the drawer before handing it to the Anbu before her. He accepted it without a word. As he always would. Tsunade looked at the hawk mask knowing the face she was really speaking to. Her fingers locked again and she resumed her previous position looking the Anbu dead in the eye and speaking. "There's been some talk about a gathering of S ranked Nin close to the border of Fire country. You are to gather your team as well as another and lead them both into the territory marked in the folder and find out if the rumors are true. If they indeed are true, you are to eliminate any nuke Nin of Konoha or any Nin that poses a threat to Konoha. Understood?"

The Anbu captain simply bowed and said, "Hai." He turned around, now heading to the door. He was stopped as he stuck his hand out to turn the knob.

"Shikamaru," Tsunade called. The captain stopped. Tsunade decided to chose her next words carefully. "These S ranked Nin may be members of Akatsuki. I know you may feel emotional and want revenge for As-,"

"It's not that," he cut her off. "Asuma-sensei has been avenged and my life is no longer about mourning for his." The hawk masked man turned his head to look at his Hokage. "But they DO endanger my village's future as well as my sensei's son. Also…."

Tsunade saw the mask tilt to the floor and look at his sandals. She narrowed her eyes and read his mind. "Naruto," she stated more than asked.

He looked up and stared at her for a good couple of moments but he then his body straightened and she could practically feel the determination radiating from him. "I won't let them take away another one of my precious people," before exiting the room. Tsunade just watched as he closed the door before leaning back in her chair and smiling. 'Heh. That brat can really change anyone can't he?'

Suna

"Gaara! Long time no see!" the blond shouted while throwing an arm around the Kazekage's shoulders once they were in his office. This was short lived however as Sakura grabbed Naruto and yanked him off before giving him a light knock to the head. "Naruutooo." There she goes with that sweet singing of Naruto's name again. "Call him by his title of Kazekage-sama!"

Gaara smirked at the blonde's predicament. "You know I don't mind Sakura." Sakura with a fist full of Naruto's shirt while he hung limply turned her head to Gaara and smiled. "Hai. I know Gaara. But Mr. Hokage-wannabe here is in training. So he should start using proper titles!"

Naruto just rubbed his head while a raincloud appeared above him. "Sakkkuuraa chaaannn," he whined lowly. Gaara couldn't help but laugh. It was interrupted when Matsuri entered the room with a baby in her arms. "Oh. Sorry Gaara. I didn't know you had guests."

Sakura's eyes lit up. "Matsuri-chan!" It was only then that Matsuri realized justwho the guests in the room were. "Sakura-chan! Naruto-kun!" Sakura rushed over to give her a hug before looking at the bundle in her arms. "Ohhhhhh he's sho cute. Yesh you are! You're a little cutie!" she said while playing with the baby's hands and making him laugh. While she was doing that she barely heard Naruto mumble out, "So much for being professional."

"I'm not the one practicing here!" she bit back before returning her attention to the baby. Kakashi and Gaara had a chuckle as an even bigger rain cloud replaced the previous one over Naruto's head. "I'm not sure I want to be Hokage anymore."

All the members of the room were laughing now.

Border of Hi no Kuni

The forest is dark and smells musky. The scents of the earth, animals, rain all mixing together. The ground and trees are slippery from moss and rain. Not to mention the mist that lingers beneath the canopy of the trees. It's a scene from a true horror story. It makes it worse when one sees four cloaked figures walking slowly through the forest. Their bodies were fully covered and their cloaks were up. It looked as though there wasn't anything under the clothes at all or maybe…something that you won't want to see. They silently trekked on the path, their destination unknown and, by the pace the quartet was moving, not in any real rush to get there. Suddenly one of them stopped. Even though it was only because the hood faced up implying that the wearer was now watching into the trees…it seemed to do it…gracefully.

"You can come out now," it said in a calm, smooth voice but nothing happened. He waited a couple more seconds before speaking again. "You've been following us for the last half mile. There were ten of you and now there are only five. Do you still think I don't know you're there?"

The Anbu members looked to Shikamaru for orders. The genius only narrowed his eyes at being caught and let a single curse slip. "Kuso." He looked at his subordinates and nodded. They sprang out of their hiding spot and surrounded the four cloaked people. Shikamaru stands in front of the group while drawing his sword. "Lower your hoods," he orders. The three in the back seem to look at the head figure. At first, it seems he is not going to do anything. But then his hand slowly reaches up and slides the hood back slowly revealing a black haired, black eyed man. Shikamaru jolts visibly at the face before him. The man's back is to the other four Anbu but their eyes widen as well when they hear Shikamaru throat out,

"Uchiha….. Sasuke!"

AN: pls read and review. Nothing like a good review to make a writer feel she's done something good and make her want to run and do that next chapter. :)