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Dark Lotus	By : PeachyKeen83 Category: Naruto > General Views: 1187 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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�So, what�s the mission Granny?� Naruto asked, excited to be leaving Konoha for the first time in nearly a month.
�We�re waiting on two more members of your team,� Tsunade replied, �Since Sai is . . . Busy; I�ve found a suitable substitute for him.�
�And the fifth member?� Sakura asked curiously, it wasn�t often five jonin were put on the same team.
Tsunade opened her mouth to speak when Genma walked in, hands in pockets, senbon in his mouth, �Sorry I�m late I had to help-�
�Shut it,� Tsunade said, her left eye twitching once, �You�re mission is a fairly simple one to explain. A village in the Land of Honey has hired us to investigate and possibly eradicate a band of robbers that have been praying on their trade route. At this point, you�re probably wondering why I�m sending five jonin on this mission. Well, one, that�s what they wanted, and what they�re paying for. Two, after hearing the report given to me by the man that brought the request, you may be dealing with some rogue ninja. That�s the reason I picked your fifth member.�
�Well, why aren�t they here?� Genma asked, raising a brow, �Seems a bit bad they�ve missed report.�
A low, silky voice suddenly floated from behind them, �Did I? I thought I was here the entire time.�
All of them but Tsunade and Kakashi turned around to look at the cloaked figure leaning against the wall.
�You�ve been slacking Shiranui. Getting soft since all you have to deal with are bratty genins that still want to be ninjas?� Nekomata asked dryly, the hood turned towards Genma and the smirk in the oinin�s voice obvious.
�Well, well. I thought you�d died,� Genma smirked back, �Still got a few lives left then?�
Nekomata straightened and walked over to stand next to him, �What do you think?�
Tsunade cleared her throat, pointing to an area on a map and circling it before she tossed it to Kakashi �Anyway, that is your mission, you have two hours to prepare. Shihasu, I want to see you for a moment before you leave. The rest of you are dismissed.�
Nekomata visibly stiffened before the hood bobbed, and there was a palpable tension in the air as the others left.
xxxx
�Shihasu? Is that that guy�s real name?� Naruto asked, putting his hands behind his head as they waited for the rest of their team, �I thought you said he was a woman. That�s not a very feminine name.�
�Isn�t it? I didn�t realize you were a sudden expert at names,� Sakura said sarcastically, �I asked Ino about her, and she said someone told her that the woman�s insane, like a real nut job.�
�That would explain the cloak,� Naruto said, his eyes closed, �I mean, what kind of person hides behind masks and cloaks all the time?�
Kakashi looked over the top of his book, �Yes, what kind of person does that?�
�That�s different Kakashi-sensei. We�ve decided you�re ugly,� Naruto teased, �Hey, maybe that�s it! Maybe she�s really ugly, like Granny when that genjutsu of hers wears off.�
�She�d kill you if she heard that,� Sakura said with a slight scowl, turning to Kakashi, �Is that why Kakashi?�
�I don�t care what you think I look like,� he sighed, turning back to his book.
�I meant about her,� Sakura huffed, annoyed, �Is this Shihasu person ugly?�
The book lowered again, his heavy-lidded eye looking bored, �Why do you think I know?�
�Well, you used to be ANBU, and she�s ANBU. I figured you�d seen each other,� Sakura shrugged.
�I never saw her in ANBU. Even if I had, I couldn�t tell you, you know that,� he replied, turning his head, �Genma�s finally here.�
The senbon using pervert waved casually, �Well, don�t we make a nice little team. Wait, we seem to be missing someone. Where�s the hag?�
A soft, dark chuckle came from behind them, �Your mother�s at home Genma.�
�You just get creepier and ruder all the time Nekomata,� Genma smirked, turning and looking at the cloak, �You gonna wear that all the time?�
�It�ll keep the perverts at bay,� Nekomata said, beginning to walk towards the gates, �By the way, has it fallen off yet Ecchi?�
�Wanna check?� Genma asked, suddenly catching a kunai that was aimed at his crotch, �I get the point.�
�I wish you had,� she said, a low chuckle coming from under the hood, �Kakashi, why don�t we get this little rag tag group going. We�re late leaving.�
The cloak nearly grazed the ground and swayed slightly as she walked, the only thing visible being the very bottom of her shoes and a slight glimpse of her heels if the breeze picked up. With a soft sigh, Kakashi shrugged noncommittally, beginning to walk after her. Genma followed, using the kunai that had been thrown at him to clean under his nails, Naruto and Sakura falling in behind him.
�I think you were right about the crazy part,� Naruto whispered, swearing he saw the hood turn just a fraction.
Xxxx
They stopped for the night near the border of Kusa and the Land of Fire, setting up a small, cozy camp near a meandering stream. Five fish were cooking on sticks over the fire, and the group was all preoccupied in their own tasks. Naruto and Genma were playing cards, Kakashi was doing his usual reading, Sakura was lounging on the grass staring up at the stars, and Nekomata was sitting a small way from the fire, arms and legs crossed.
�You�re cheating you bastard!� Naruto yelled, throwing his cards down for the fifth time.
�How can I be cheating? You�re shuffling and dealing the cards! Quit being a brat and just deal the next hand!� Genma shouted back.
A soft, hard voice carried over to the duo from across the fire, �Both of you shut the hell up. You�re being entirely too noisy.�
They paused, looking over to the cloaked figure.
�There�s nothing out here,� Naruto said, frowning slightly, �So why should we bother being quiet?�
�Because you can�t always trust there�s not something in the dark,� Nekomata said, �Want to take another look? Kakashi?�
�Two?�
The hood bobbed, �They�re not going to stop. Something important I�d guess.�
�What are you two talking about? I don�t hear or see, or even feel, anything!� Naruto snapped.
�How can you when you�re being so damn loud Chibi,� Nekomata said with a slight growl, �If they weren�t two of our own, I�d let them gut you like one of those fish.�
Naruto twitched from her passive threat, but more so at being called �Chibi�, �What gives you the right to-�
Two ANBU suddenly appeared behind Nekomata, and one kneeled and whispered something to her.
�I see,� she said, getting up and following them into the darkness to return a few moments later, �I�ll be back before we leave tomorrow.�
With that, she was gone again, and Naruto turned on Kakashi, �Why don�t you say something to shut her up?�
Kakashi�s visible brow rose, �Because, she was right. You need to understand something Naruto. Most ANBU don�t speak unless they actually have something to say. Nekomata is no exception. However, admittedly, she could probably be less . . . Abrasive, but you�ll just have to get used to it for now. She is a part of this team after all.�
�Yeah, Chibi,� Genma smirked, earning him a punch from Naruto, �What the fuck?!�
�You shut up you damn pervert! Or else I�ll spill everything!� the kyuubi-container growled, glaring at the older man.
�You�d be telling on yourself then too,� Genma smirked, still rubbing his cheek, �Though if you really want to tell sweet little Sakura-chan, go right ahead?�
�Huh? Tell me what?� she asked, sitting up and spotting the guilty look on Naruto�s face and the smug smirk on Genma�s, her eyes narrowing dangerously, �Tell me what Naruto?�
Kakashi rolled his eye as the boy began stuttering and fumbling over some pitiful example of a lame excuse, and he stole a look out over the dark grasslands, wondering what was happening out there.
xxxx
�She said she�d be back by now, I say we leave her ass.�
�You do realize she�d just catch up to us don�t you?�
�Would it cause her any trouble?�
�No.�
�Well, fine, we can wait dammit.�
Kakashi fought against a chuckle as he looked at the sulky blond, knowing he was pissed off because he�d been forced to wake up earlier than he�d planned to take over the last portion of what was supposed to be Nekomata�s watch, �We can let her catch up. It�d be less trouble for us.�
�Then let�s go,� Naruto said, already beginning to walk away from the camp.
�Other way dumb ass!� Sakura snapped, tired of his grousing, �God, you�re so hopeless!�
Naruto pouted the next hour they were on the trail, looking more like he did when he was a genin than he had in years. He felt someone next to him and scowled deeper as he saw Nekomata was walking past him, �You found us.�
�Here Chibi,� she said, handing him something, �And don�t trip over your lip.�
He raised a brow, looking down at a round bento box, seeming to realize that it was indeed lunch. He saw her hand one to Sakura, and turned around, seeing Genma had one as well. Turning forward again, he glanced down at the box, taking in its round shape.
xxxx
When they finally stopped for lunch, Naruto finally got to appease his curiosity and opened his bento to find pre-cooked ramen noodles with nori and spiral kamaboko placed to look like a frown, and a broth packet. He shot Nekomata a look, only to find that she wasn�t there, and raised an eyebrow, looking around.
�What is it?� Sakura asked, taking a bite of onigiri.
�Nothing,� he shook his head, �Say Sakura, what have you got?�
�No way,� she said, pulling her bento out of reach and sight, �You�re not getting any of mine. What�s wrong with yours that you want to know?�
�Nothing, I was just curious,� he said, taking the kettle of water from the fire and fixing the broth, beginning to eat with gusto.
Genma rolled his eyes, �You eat ramen like I eat-�
�Shut up!� Sakura hissed, throwing a rock at the back of his head.
He ducked it, the stone hitting a tree with a dull �thunk�, �Damn it! I was gonna say wagashi! I�m not a pervert all the time, okay!�
x
�You�re not eating?�
�Already did. What about you?� Nekomata asked, looking down from the limb she was on to see Kakashi reading below her.
�Same,� he said, glancing up at her, �What was last night about?�
�Classified,� she said, crossing her arms, �You know that.�
�That wound of yours classified too?� he asked, smelling the distinct smell of iodine on her as she jumped silently down, �You should have let them heal that Shiha-�
�Don�t call me that,� she said, something flashing behind the hood.
�It is your name,� he said, �I know this mission doesn�t require you to keep that codename.�
�I prefer to,� she said, turning her back to him, �We need to get moving. I�m sure the others are finished eating.�
Kakashi watched her leave, stretching his back as he got up and put his book away, feeling like there was something she wasn�t telling him that she should be.
xxxx
�What areas are they attacking?� Kakashi asked, looking over a map with the town leader.
�Here and here,� the man said, pointing his bony finger at two places along the main road, �Due to the density of surrounding vegetation, this is really the only way to get into the town. Unfortunately, there was not thought given to this kind of situation when it was built.�
He was referring to the fact that the town was built at the end of a large valley, with only one entrance, and an exit that was the same, even if the surrounding forest wasn�t an issue. While it created a great initial defense, it also created an obvious problem. With only one way in and out, if one controlled the road, they controlled the town.
�What makes you think it�s ninja that are responsible?� Kakashi asked, glad the rest of his team were occupying themselves elsewhere, so he was free from distraction.
�Who else could take out ten samurai?� the old man asked with a sagely frown, �We hired them to guard the last shipment of supplies, and we never heard from them, or got the supplies, even though we got word they were on their way here. All we saw of that shipment were the pieces of the wagons floating past in the river.�
He nodded, knowing the river was out of the question because it was too shallow. A boat laden with a village-worth of supplies would simply come to rest on the bottom and be a sitting duck, �I see. Well, we�ll see what we can do. One more question, how are you paying for all of the supplies you�ve lost? This doesn�t look like a very rich town.�
The old man closed one eye and looked him over, �I guess I�ll tell you. We won�t be in any more trouble if you know. A few months ago, before all this started, we found gold in the river. There�s a mine just outside the city, and as of yet the vein hasn�t run out. It just keeps getting bigger. Well, I suppose the first time we sent someone to trade it for supplies we sent too much, or he had a loose pair of lips. Either way, that�s when it started. I don�t have to tell you it�s easier to resell goods than it is to trade large amounts of gold and not raise suspicions as to where it came from. Our people mine it and risk their lives to get it, and these thieves steal mundane things like the grain and cloth we trade for it. Now, we�re getting desperate. Winter�s coming, and things are running thin here. As I said, ten samurai were no match for them, so we hired five Konoha ninja. The best. If you can�t do anything, we�ll be forced to abandon the village, and the mines.�
Kakashi looked back at the map, the quick mind behind the lazy-looking eye already formulating a plan.
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Dark Lotus