Squad Seven: Reunited! A Naruto (Shippuden) Fanfiction

Chapter Three

Naruto's pov

"Look at how big this place is!!!!" I noted out loud, informing my friends.
Ahead of us was a big resort that was for Shinobi that the Kazekage and Hokage of the Leaf Village and Sand Village choose. Luckily, Squad Seven and Squad Eight were chosen as the lucky squads to go to this resort and stay at it for a four-day weekend. Thanks to Grandma Tsunade, of course. She called it a mission for our squad and Kiba's squad, and told us not to get too excited. She wouldn't even tell us why, other than the fact that she said that she suspects someone who's not supposed to be there staying there. I guess at that point, it couldn't have been that important. But seriously, this place looked pretty cool! I decided quickly that I was going to just enjoy myself.
Plus, I overheard Kakashi mentioning something about a pool, amusement park, and hot springs. Now that I think about it, I forgot who he was talking to.
"It's nothing special," Sasuke admitted from my side.
We were all looking out from a boat, which was close to shore. Soon we were going to be at the resort!!
Sasuke was wearing his normal clothes, since he was able to wear it in pretty much any kind of weather. I was wearing a short sleeved light-blue shirt with a pair of black shorts. I usually wore orange, but I figured I'd go for a change since it was really hot here. After all, it was next to the Sand Village.
"Oh man, I'm getting all excited just looking at it!!" I admitted, then a smile crossed my face.
"Yeah it does look pretty nice," Sakura admitted. "I heard that there's also a hot springs and a big pool, too."
"Don't think we're only here for fun and games," Kakashi-sensei started, "remember why we're really here. The mission."
"Yeah yeah, I know. But just imagine all of the fun things we can do!!! There's a pool, and a hot springs, and even an amusement park as a backyard!!" I reminded him.
"I've never been to an amusement park," Sai admitted. "Is it fun, Naruto?"
"You bet it's fun!!" I stated.
"I-I've always been scared of the rides," Hinata admitted shyly.
"Aw come on, Hinata," Kiba started, running across the boat with Akamaru. "You've got to stop being a scaredy-cat and live a little."
"I know, Kiba," Hinata started, "It's just that when the rides go up high and fast, I get scared."
"Don't worry, Hinata," I started, "we can hold your hand when you get scared!!"
Her face turned a bit red. "Thank you, Naruto."
She was wearing a purple shirt, which was short-sleeved, and a pair of knee-length denim shorts. Her now-long hair was all put into a French braid, which Sakura probably made.
"Sasuke, have you ever been to an amusement park??" Sakura asked Sasuke with interest gleaming in her eyes.
"Once," he admitted, "but it was a long time ago."
"Does anyone care to ask me if I've ever been to an amusement park??"
I turned my head and nearly jumped out of the boat.
"Oh.. Shino.."
Shino was wearing his normal clothes, even though it was really hot outside. I guess his bugs liked the sweaty jacket.
"I guess it doesn't matter, right Naruto??" He asked, starting to get annoyed.
I flinched. It seemed like anything I had in mind to say to him would just get him even more annoyed!
"It's not like that, Shino," I started," it's just that I didn't see you there..."
"Is it because I'm not worthy or being visible to your eyes, Naruto?"
"Aw just calm down, Shino," Kiba yelled as he stopped his running with Akamaru near Shino. "We have other things to worry about than that. Like this mission of ours."
"I guess you're right," Sakura admitted. "But it is considered a C-rank mission, so it can't be that hard."
"That may be true, but the details were quite disturbing," Sai admitted. "I would have never expected people getting poisoned and kidnapped at a resort that seems to pleasant."
Sai was his usual self, wearing his usual clothes in the heat. I mean, I guess that worked, since his shirt was a crop top and it was short...
"I agree with Sakura," I stated. "It is C-ranked, so it must be the usual bad guys who think they're cool. Piece of cake."
"N-Naruto, maybe we shouldn't get too excited before we actually know what's going on," Hinata said shyly. "There could be more to the story that Lady Tsunade isn't aware of."
"Hinata is right," Kakashi-sensei started. "From now on everyone we meet inside that resort could be a kidnapper. Stay on guard. Especially you, Naruto."
"Me??" I asked, a bit confused and surprised. "Why me?"
"Well, to kidnappers the best person to kidnap is the ones who are... Well, a bit distracted," Kakashi-sensei admitted.
"Hey and what is that supposed to mean?!?!?"
"Just make sure to be extra cautious," He advised. "Besides, there could be people who are looking for the Nine-Tailed Fox. They may want to somehow use you to get some other type of power. Or they may want to take your power. No matter how unlikely it is, we can't just discard that possibility."
"Don't worry, Sensei," Sasuke said and smirked. "Naruto is probably too afraid to go somewhere on his own."
"Oh yeah?!?!?!" I asked as I clenched my fists and turned to Sasuke, "I'll show you that I can go to all sorts of different places by myself!!"
Sasuke just scoffed, then turned back to Kakashi-sensei.
"Wouldn't it be smarter to split up and have at least two people per group or more while we're on the resort's ground?" Sasuke asked. "I mean, there's no telling what's in store at the resort."
Kakashi nodded and (as far as I can tell) smiled. "You're as sharp as always, Sasuke. I was just going to suggest that you stayed in groups."
"But Kakashi, we're not little kids from the academy anymore! We can handle ourselves independently!!" I complained. Not only that, but I wanted to show Sasuke that I could go places by myself, even though the mission in itself was kinda creepy.
"Now, now, Naruto, you know well enough that complaining won't take you far. Now, since Sakura and Hinata are the only girls on this mission, you two should stick together."
They both nodded. Kakashi then looked at the last four of us. He glanced between Sasuke and I and Shino and Kiba.
"Well?" Kiba asked, growing impatient and anxious.
Kakashi sighed. "Well, I guess there is no telling how badly things could end up if we keep Sasuke with Sai and Naruto or Kiba and Shino together," he started.
That just ticked me off. "Hey, just what do you think you're saying, you old-"
"You're right, Kakashi," Kurenai agreed, "Things could turn messy."
Kakashi nodded yet another time.
I mean, I knew they were referring to Sasuke and me and our big fight to the death not too long ago, but still. Sasuke was just going through a rough time.
"Shino, Sai, and Sasuke, you are all a group. Try to stay together. Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru, you are also a group. Try not to stay out of sight of each other. Kurenai-sensei and I will go try to gather some information on the kidnappings for a while. The smarter thing to do would be to wait until tomorrow before any of you start questioning people from the resort. Otherwise, if we do bump into the enemy, they will know we're here. Also, when you do go asking people for information, please try to ask the... least suspicious people."
"Can't you just stick me with Sasuke or something and put Sai in a group with Kiba instead?!?!" I pleaded.
"Hey, I'm about just as glad as you are to be in the same group as you, doofus, so just shut up already," Kiba admitted with annoyance.
"Now then, you shouldn't argue," Kakashi advised, "Or else that would mean that this mission will take longer than it should to get over with."
I sighed, but gave up. I mean, Kakashi was kind of right, even if I didn't want to admit it. What good would it do to fight with someone I'm partnered up with for four days?
"Wait, Sensei," Sakura started. "If we need to make sure we're not suspicious, shouldn't we be going around and doing the activities here??"
"Yes, go ahead and enjoy yourselves. Just don't get too carried away."
I smiled. "Alright!!! I wonder where I'm going to go first.."
"As for the girls, Sakura and Hinata will team up," Kurenai decided.
Sakura smiled. "Right."
"Don't forget that Lady Tsunade said that there would be a special person helping us out on the case," Kakashi said. "But don't panic when you seem them, they really just wanted to see everyone again. Especially you, Naruto."
"Me??? What now??"
"Nothing, it's just more likely for you and Kiba will run into this person," Kakashi-sensei admitted.
Akamaru barked loudly.
"And Akamaru. Sorry about that."
"Sensei, do the girls get their own separate room from the boys?" Sakura asked.
"I am sure that Lady Tsunade set it up that way," Kakashi started, "so yes."
The boat finally docked the island, and I began to get excited again.
"Hey Sasuke," I started, then faced Sasuke.
He faced me.
"What now, Naruto?"
"I bet I'm going to go on more rides than you," I challenged and smirked.
"Yeah? Let's just see about that," Sasuke accepted my challenge and a small smirk crossed his face.
And if I do go on more rides than you, you have to buy me all the ramen I want when we get back to the Village," I decided.
"Well that's not going to happen, so don't start getting ahead of yourself," Sasuke replied. "I'll be nice and spare you the embarassment for when you lose."
"You're going to regret saying that..."
"Alright guys, enough fighting for now," Sakura said. "Hey, where did Jiraiya go?"
I looked around and quickly scanned the boat.
"He probably jumped out just so that he would get to the hot springs faster," I noted.
"Now, now, Naruto," Another voice added. "No need to disrespect me."
I looked around, but didn't see anyone. Did I imagine it?
"Uh.. Sakura, did you hear that??"I asked her, feeling a bit creeped out.
"I was about to ask you the same thing..."
Everyone looked around for Pervy-Sage, but didn't find anything.
I heard a chuckle come from nearby and jumped.
"I refuse to believe it!!! Ghosts are not real!!!!!"
"Calm down, Naruto," Jiraiya's voice said. Jiraiya began to slowly appear in front of me. "I was trying out my new invisibility jutsu."
I probably would have passed out if he didn't say it was a jutsu.
"Don't go sneaking up on me like that, Pervy Sage!!!" I yelled.
"I thought you'd like to see the new jutsu I was going to teach you," He admitted, then sighed. "Well I guess since you didn't think it was cool, I'll teach it to Sasuke instead."
"No fair!!!! I was just shocked!!! When can I learn it???"
Pervy Sage smiled. "We can do some training at this resort. After all, we do have four days to find out what's going on and Lady Tsunade gave me permission to stay a bit longer and train with you."
"Alright, but try to keep your research to a minimum," I demanded, "Or else, you won't teach me anything."
"Fine, as long as I do get some time to carry out some of my research."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't tell me you're going to make me do that jutsu..."
"If you have a problem with my research then I guess I'll just teach it to Sasuke instead..."
"Why is it always me?" Sasuke mumbled.
"Hey!!! Alright, fine!!!" I decided.
He smiled.
The boat finally docked, and I was about to go home out of it but Hinata stopped me. "N-Naruto??"
Everyone began to quickly escape the boat and were on the sand near the beach, but Pervy Sage stayed behind. He winked at me and did some weird hand-signs, his body slowly disappearing. I shivered at the thought of ghosts being real.
"W-Well I wanted to know when your squad was.. Um, g-going to the a-amusement park..," She said as her face turned red.
"Wow you're face is really red," I noted. "Is that sickness of yours that bad?? Maybe Grandma Tsunade can help you with it."
"S-Sickness?" She asked, looking a bit offended. Did she not want me to mention anything about her sickness to her and remind her?"
"Hey!! You doofus!! I'm waiting here!!!" Kiba yelled.
"Hinata, please hurry!" Kurenai called.
"Looks like everyone is getting impatient," I informed her. "I'll talk to you some other time. Later."
I got off the boat and walked towards Kiba and Akamaru.
"It's about time you showed up," Kiba snapped.
"Just save it already," I snapped back. "And you can stop hiding, Pervy Sage."
The Pervy-Sage came back into view.
"I thought I told you already, Naruto. I wasn't hiding. I was practicing my new invisibility jutsu," he said with his arms crossed.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let's just decide what we're going to do first."
"Well, I don't like the amusement park since Akamaru can't do anything with us, so I say we go swimming," Kiba decided.
I looked back at Sasuke, who wasn't paying much attention to what his group was saying. Was he going to go to the amusement park and beat me?
"I say we go to the hot springs," Pervy Sage decided. "Besides, I am a bit behind on my research lately."
I rolled my eyes. "It's morning, Pervy Sage. No one goes to the hot springs in the morning when it's hot outside."
"Well you never know," He started. "Once I-"
"Sorry, Akamaru isn't allowed to hear conversations like this," Kiba interrupted, and Akamaru agreed with a bark.
"Like I would tell a story that intense to younger children!"
"Yeah, I don't know about that," I mumbled. "I guess going swimming here is one of our best options. Pervy Sage, you're going to help me with my jutsu, right?"
He sighed. "I guess."
I smiled. "So it's settled."
"Alright," Kakashi-sensei said loudly. "Team Jiraiya, where are you going?"
"We're going to go swimming," I informed him.
"Alright then. Team Kurenai, where will you be heading?"
"We were also going to go swimming," Sakura admitted.
"I see. So I guess it would make sense if we all just stayed together," Kakashi-Sensei decided. "My team will be joining both teams with swimming."
"I'll be training with Naruto on the beach here, so try to not get him distracted," Pervy Sage said, obviously looking at Sasuke.
"Don't worry, I'm not in the mood to remind him of his stupidity," Sasuke ensured him.
"Yeah right, I'm the stupid one," I mumbled.
"Settle down, Sasuke and Naruto," Kakashi-sensei stopped us. "Lets go put all of our stuff inside of the rooms first."
"Sounds like a plan," Kiba admitted, and smirked as Akamaru barked.