Naruto - Neglected Sage

A month has passed since the bell test and Team 7 had gone and set a record for the highest rookie team that completed D rank missions. Their current record is 108 successful D ranks. It wasn't hard for the team to complete said missions especially since almost all the members know how to perform the Shadow clone jutsu.

During this month Kushina and the twins had been actively trying to bond with Naruto by inviting him to eat some Ramen at I Ichirakus. Most of the time he would just ignore their suggestions, but sometimes with a little urging from his Hime(Princess) he would agree although reluctantly.

The teams dynamics and strategic formations had also greatly improved, Mito takes charge most of the time while Hinata and Naruto would provide some insights every now and then. The main attack force is Naruto, Hinata and Naoko, while Mito and Sasuke provides support with Kunais, Shurikens, and long range Jutsus. Naoko is in charge of scouting with her clones and Naruto and Hinata for tracking and espionage.

All in all they were a perfectly balanced team. Though they had yet to go on any higher rank missions that challenged their abilities.

It was another day, and Team 7 had a meet up before doing another round of D ranks. Naruto and Hinata were on time for the meeting...but as usual Kakashi wasn't. Everyone was just sitting while they were getting annoyed by Kakashi's...sense of punctuality. Even Kushina placed a comment one time, but most times she just dragged him there, but it didn't seem to bother Kakashi since he always seem to be 'lost on the path of life'. Finally he showed up and explained the 'mission' that consisted of capturing a cat called Tora...again.

Naoko w.h.i.n.ed "Nooo..not that stupid cat again! This is the fourth time this month! Can't that stupid lady put a leash on that thing!"

Even Hinata and Mito's eyebrows were twitching. Naruto just stayed quiet, he actually liked the cat.

Kushina muttered "I hope she does. If I have to do it more then 5 times this month I will bring it back to her...piece by piece."

Kakashi "Now now girls..and guys, please don't hurt the objective or else we won't get paid and the village will lose a frequent client."

Sasuke sighed "That little shit is really getting on my nerves. Let's just catch that stupid cat again so that we can return home and I can continue my training."

Kakashi eye-smiled "Now that's the spirit Sasuke" as Sasuke just 'Hn' in reply.

30 minutes later:

Team 7

"This is Mito at point C." said Mito into the radio.

"This is Sasuke at point B, I'm in position, let's make sure it doesn't get away this time" said Sasuke with a scratched up face.

"Hey! I said I was sorry. Oh and this is Naoko at Point A, target is in sight." said Naoko with an equally scratched up face.

"This is Hinata at Point D" said Hinata as she giggled at their antics.

"Aright team move on my order." said Kakashi into his radio.

"Target is on the move!" suddenly shouted Kushina.

"Alright team Go No-" Kakashi couldn't finish his instructions as he saw Naruto walk up to the cat and picked it up.

"I've got the Cat let's go" said Naruto.

Everyone sweatdropped when he heard him. 'What the heck?' they thought.

For the past month during all their Tora missions. Naruto had always been the one to capture it. Unlike other ninjas, Tora doesn't avoid Naruto. Instead the cat itself goes to him like it feels safe with him, especially when it gets cornered, like now. It jumps either to Naruto's shoulder, l.a.p, arms, or head, then snuggles with him.

Kakashi walk up to his team seeing most of them covered in claw marks, and looking quite fed up. Then he looked towards Naruto who had the hell spawn Tora in his arms, purring.

"Mission retrieve lost cat Tora, is complete." said Kakashi as they walked towards the Hokage Tower.

Because Sarutobi had the day off, they reported to the Hokage's office. When they got there they witnessed the Hokage once again in an eternal battle of man versus paperwork, and losing once again. They politely greeted them and gave Tora back to her owner Madam Shijimi the Fire Daimyo's wife. The team had different reactions seeing the feline being tortured by strangulation and smothering.

"Oh my baby Tora, Mommy was so worried, yes she was, yes she was." Said the Fire Daimyo's wife.

Naoko was taking a vindictive p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in watching Madam Shijimi squeeze that cat. And from the looks on Kushina and Mito's faces she wasn't the only one. Sasuke was just enjoying the scene of revenge for the cat turning his face into a scratching post, and muttering 'suffer you bloody furball.' Naruto sighed and felt sad for the cat.

He walked towards Madam Shijimi and asked "Excuse me Madam, if I may inquire a moment of your time?"

The woman stopped killing the cat and stared at blonde haired boy in front of her.

"It is my observation that your fine feline friend here, doesn't seem to comfortable with her current situation."

This had evidently been a repressed thought in the lady's head as she started to tear up at what Naruto pointed out. "Are…sniffle… are you saying…sniffle… that my little Tora-chan doesn't … sniffle … sniffle … love me?"

Now everyone in the room, except Naruto, was getting anxious. There were few things worse then having the wife of their Daimyo mad at the village for a genin's rude tongue. But before Minato could say anything, Naruto struck first.

"Perish the thought Madam. I imply no such thing. If you require any proof, then simply look at my teammates behind me."

The Daimyo's wife looked around Naruto to see the scratched up faces of Team 7. "It is instinct for any being to lash out at things they do not like. Your clear, unblemished, and unscarred skin proves that little Tora cares deeply for you." The woman cheered up at that statement if only to have Tora groan from the sudden squeeze. "I simply wish to impart some knowledge so that both you can enjoy each other's presence." Naruto outstretched his arms in an accepting motion. "If I may."

For the next ten minutes, and to the astonishment of the shinobi in the room, except Hinata. Naruto continued to instruct the Daimyo's wife on how to carry Tora with care and a gentle touch. But what really caught them off guard was that Naruto was talking in a manner and tone that if they didn't know better, they could have sworn he was a born and raised noble. This was actually the formal ethics training he received from The Land of Snows Princess, it was one of the many tactics he wanted to use to confess his feelings for Hinata. But that's a story for another time.

By the end, the Daimyo's wife left the office with Tora in her arms purring like she was in kitty heaven. That is after the woman paid three times the cost of the D-rank, and giving Naruto a generous tip for his instruction.

After the door closed, silence reigned throughout the room as everyone was looking at Naruto.

"Wow, Naruto you did great" complimented Minato, while the others were still shocked.

"Thank you Hokage-sama" he said in a deadpanned tone, making Minato and Kushina smile wryly at his indifference.

Kakashi coughed to get his attention and said "So Hokage-sama, about that next mission?"

Minato blinked a few times before coming to his senses, "Ah, yes, right. Well there is field tending, cleaning the Inuzuka kennel, painting a house…"

"NO! NO MORE OF THESE CHORES!" Everyone in the room turned to Naoko. Naruto just smirked; he knew Naoko would lose her patience eventually. "Come on Tou-chan, we've been training really hard and our teamwork is good. What we need now is some field experience."

Minato was about to speak, until Kushina stepped forward. "Actually Hokage-sama, I think that they are ready for a field mission."

Minato sighed as he felt a oppressing aura from his wife and began moving through the C-rank registry, "Well let's see… Oh, here's one that just arrived. You will escort a man to the land of waves. He is a bridge builder and you will protect him until he finishes his bridge."

The hokage gave a signal to let the client in and soon he walked through the door, holding a bottle of sake.

The man said "Hi my name is Tazuna and I am a master bridge builder...What? They are sending brats now? How are they able to protect me on my journey? Especially that blond guy with the stupid look on his face!"

Everyone froze at his statement, suddenly they felt some wind while Naruto was holding his katana. And then without any warning the bottle of sake fell apart...it did not break it just...slided apart in pieces!

'When did he?' thought Kakashi, Kushina and Minato.

Naruto said with a deep dark voice "I am quite capable and sometimes I have a short fuse so I advice you to never talk about me like that.... got it?"

Tazuna nodded with eyes big of fear and the hokage spoke again with a sigh "I assure you Tazuna-san that they are more than capable of protecting you against bandits and thieves, but in the offside that something does go wrong, both their jonin sensei's will intervene"

"Jonins huh? well I guess that's fine" said Tazuna as he was woken up from his daze when he heard two jonins was coming with them.

"Good, then" he said as he faced all of them "You will return to your homes and pack for the journey and equip yourselves. Now dismissed."