𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐆𝐀 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐍

The Akatsuki's Return

The next day, Hanara went to the Missions Desk and got the most boring mission ever: guard duty for the Hokage Tower. She was stationed on the roof and was told to use her Byakugan to scan for any remote threats, note who entered the building and who left the building, and what time they entered and/or exited. So... maybe not too boring.

The day went by as usual with a ton of Academy students entering and exiting the building along with the handful of shinobi. Nothing was out of the ordinary until Hanara saw it.

"Hey, Ahma," Hanara called to her partner, "Did Lady Hokage mention any letters from the Sand arriving today?"

"No, why? Is there a hawk coming?" Ahma asked.

"Yeah..."

Once the hawk came, Hanara untied the scroll from its leg and sent the hawk on its way.

She read the note, mentally deciphered it (being in the Cryptanalysis Team helped with that), and gasped.

"I need to get this to Lady Hokage straight away," she informed Ahma after scribbling down the deciphered version underneath the note.

Not questioning it, Ahma nodded, causing Hanara to run down the side of the building and enter through Lady Tsunade's window.

"Lady Tsunade, terrible news," Hanara said, walking in.

'Oh, I guess Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi-Sensei are a team now.' she thought, noticing the three in the room, 'Oh, are Iruka-Sensei and Shizune helping them? I wonder what's going on.'

"What is it now?" she asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Emergency dispatch from the Sand," Hanara said hurriedly, walking up to her and handing over the scroll, "I deciphered it as quickly as I could."

"What the–" Tsunade gasped.

Hanara sighed and nodded grimly.

Iruka-Sensei and Shizune looked over Tsunade's shoulder and wore equal expressions of shock.

"It can't be!" Iruka-Sensei exclaimed.

"No way," Shizune murmured.

"What is it? What happened?" Naruto asked hesitantly.

Hanara looked to Tsunade, who gave her a nod.

"It's the Kazekage," said Hanara shortly, staring Naruto right in the eye, "He's been taken prisoner by the Akatsuki."

"You mean... Gaara," Naruto said.

She nodded.

"We've been studying them, so we know more about the Akatsuki than any other village. Therefore, the Sand has officially asked for our help," said Lady Tsunade.

"Granny, please. Let us do that mission instead," Naruto requested, unusually serious.

Lady Tsunade seemed to be thinking it over.

'Seriously? You're just gonna hand over Naruto to them? Well, I suppose she doesn't have the time to call another squad...'

"M'lady, you can't be giving in to his–" Shizune started.

"This is urgent, I haven't the time to dispatch another squad. Besides, we have two people here that have fought the Akatsuki."

Hanara startled, 'Me? I didn't do much other than shoot my mouth off... She can't be considering me!'

"Alright, Team Kakashi, I'm assigning you a new mission. You're to go to the Sand Village at once. Find out what's going on there and keep us informed. Remain there and follow their orders. Give them any backup necessary. And, Hanara, you're going to join them and be their team captain. This is your first month off the Cryptanalysis Team since becoming a Jonin, correct? This will be your first mission as a Jonin captain."