"Naruto… are you sure about this?" Kakashi asked him.

The Demon Brothers were laid out by the road, freed from the struggles of a life of being a missing nin, and free of the weapons that had found themselves lodged in their heads.

"Oh yeah, he's cool." Naruto and Lok'Tar both shrugged. "He's my uncle."

"I'm not really seeing a family resemblance." Kakashi deadpanned, looking at the large blue troll.

"I'm adopted."

"Alright, alright, if you way so." The silver-haired man turned to the client. "Now, Tazuna, I have a couple of questions to ask you if you don't mind." He pressed on, not bothering to wait for an answer. "You see, these two unfortunate gentlemen were Chūnin, so they probably weren't here for me. I'd like to think I'm somewhat renowned around these parts, you see. They definitely weren't here for these two." He motioned to Sasuke and Sakura. "They only just became Genin a little while ago. And Naruto here's been away for a long time. So that just leaves you."

"They could be here for the blue one." Tazuna took a step back.

"Possible. But somehow I find that hard to believe." Kakashi shrugged.

"Fine. Here's how it us. My country's been taken over by some guy named Gato, who used to have a small shipping company. Since Nami is completely separated from any other landmass he quickly rose to power. I, being the super-awesome bridge builder that I am, started making a bridge."

"Go figure." Naruto whispered to his mount.

"But there has been some opposition from Gato. So I went to Konoha to see if I could find some guards or something."

"So you lied to the Hokage?" Kakashi stared at the man evenly. "Yes, that was a super-smart move."

"I'm so very, very sorry." Tazuna gave a small, wobbling bow. "We don't have enough money for a higher mission. We barely scraped enough for this as it is."

"I see…" Kakashi hummed. "Well, be that as it may, this sounds like a B-Ranked mission at least, possibly A-Rank depending on the ninja Gato sends next. Oh yes." He nodded when he saw the surprised looks Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna were shooting him. "These two failed, somewhat spectacularly at that." Kakashi motioned to the side where the Demon Brothers were laid down. "From what I heard of the man I doubt he'll just quit and hand over control of the country. I mean, we could ask, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Taking all that into account, we should probably just turn back and send an Anbu team or two in our place."

"But… but…"

"You're looking at two Genin fresh out of the Academy, whatever those two are supposed to be, and just me by my lonesome. The best decision should be going back."

"Fine." Tazuna nodded, wiping imaginary tears. "I'll just head to Nami by myself. Really, it's not your fault. I'll just go and die making the bridge, taking all hope my country has with me." Naruto sweat-dropped, sharing a look with the other two members of the Horde. "My daughter will be devastated, of course. The poor thing will be left parentless, probably crying her eyes out every night."

"Seriously?" Naruto muttered.

"And not to forget my poor young grandson. He's still in the single digits; he'll be completely lost without the stable influence of his grandfather looking after him."

"Alright, alright, I get the idea." Kakashi deadpanned. "How's about this, I'll let my cute little Genin decide. What do you three think?"

"I want to go." Sasuke spoke first. "I want to face these stronger opponents." If I can defeat them, then I'll one step closer to killing HIIIM!

"Cha! We can't leave these poor people like that!" Sakura yelled. Now finally Sasuke-kun will finally acknowledge his undying love for me!

"Might as well." Naruto shrugged.

"Don't let him fool you, he's itching to go. He's got a hero complex."

"Dammit Lok!"

"Alright then, might as well go. We should be fine." Kakashi took his book out. "Let's move out then."

"You coming uncle?"

"Why not."

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After the troll joined them, despite half-hearted protests, they set of towards Nami at a somewhat quicker pace. Kakashi took point, nose-deep in his book but thinking the new blue appearance very carefully, followed by Sasuke and Sakura who were flanking their client, one of who was thinking about the various injustices in power distribution in the world and beyond while the other wasn't thinking much of anything. And finally bringing up the rear were the three members of the Horde.

"How have things been?" Lok'Tar asked the troll.

"Fine enough." Rokhan shrugged, which looked rather comical on his hunched-over frame. "Thing's be going well wit' da hummies."

"Then why the backup?" Naruto asked after a few moments. Rokhan looked at him with an odd expression. "If things are going so well, why the backup villages?"

"Just in case mon."

"There's something you're not telling me uncle."

"There be many things." Rokhan nodded. If anyone looked closer they could see an almost proud glint in his eyes. "Orders from da chief. He wants you 'unburdened'."

"You've been here for all of an hour and you've already failed." Naruto sighed. "Look, I know I have this thing with my skin but that doesn't mean-" Rokhan's hand interrupted him with a very quick slap on the back of his head.

"Not one dere thinks ya any less ork. That be insulting, mon. An' certainly not da chief. He jus' doesn't wanna worry you."

"Well he's off to a fine start." Naruto grumbled. "I'll have to have a… talk with him when I see him then."

Rokhan sweat dropped at that. The last time Naruto had a talk with his father the whole city of Durotar was littered with arrows for a week.

"You do dat."

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It was when they got to the large body of water separating them and Nami that they encountered a problem.

"What do you mean 'no room'?" Kakashi was talking to a man standing on a boat.

"Exactly what it sounds like." The man stared at Kakashi. "No room. My boat can only handle five people, myself included, and it certainly can't handle whatever that thing is supposed to be." He motioned to Lok'Tar.

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, its obviously a wolf." Kakashi tried to placate the man.

"It?"

"Worgen, actually." Naruto interjected, patting Lok on the head to calm him down. "And he's not an 'it'."

"Right, sorry, sorry."

"Either way, even if I somehow managed to fit… him, that would leave room for only two more. Three at the most." The boat driver looked them over. "And I'm counting six more. So, sorry Tazuna old friend, but no room."

"Ah, I got it." Kakashi closed his book, putting it back into his pouch. "I have the perfect solution. Naruto, you and your two friends take the boat with the client. The three of us will walk."

"Walk? What do you-" Sakura was silenced when Kakashi hoisted her and Sasuke on his shoulders and started running on top of the water.

"You guys coming or what?" He called back to them nonchalantly.

"Ninja are weird." Tazuna muttered, looking at the man.

"You don't know the half of it." Naruto chuckled. "Well, let's get going then.

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Getting started is the hard part. After that it's actually pretty easy. The only problem I have is when I read the older chapters of these stories. I don't know if it's just me, but my style today clashes too much with the lack of one I had all those years ago.

I thought up Lok'Tar as a Worgen before I learned they were playable in a WoW expansion (or were they Wargs; is there a difference?). Which I still haven't played. Either WoW or any of its expansions. I got a month for free when the movie came out, but it was during an exam month. Either way, it looks like I'm going to have to do some research sooner rather than later.