The ANBU Shadows

Chapter 9 - The Herbal Request

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own this fic as well as any original techniques and the like.

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So before I begin, let me say that I wasn't too happy with how this chapter initially was written, but I really didn't want to scrap it and start over, so I tweaked it a bit and added a few new things to it. I also couldn't find a good place to break this chapter into two part, so it's going to be posted with more words than my normal set limit, though Chapter 8 had a few chapters like that. Thanks again to my beta NyteBlayde904 for running through this chapter and proofing it for me. Anyways, enough of my rambling. Here's Chapter 9.

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4/2/19: Corrected my error of labeling Team Eight as Team Ten

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===A Few Days Later===

Naruto is sitting on his bed and meditating, Obito is in the shower, and Yuu is out on a mission. Naruto shifts – although not completely – into his Kitsune form, leaving him in what he calls his hybrid form, similar to that of Kurama's human form. His silver tail swishes gently back and forth before finally coming to a still on the mattress; but that fact still doesn't interrupt his meditation, as he continues breathing deeply.

Obito exits the bathroom and moves to his futon. He looks to Naruto, but remains quiet so as not to interrupt the silverette. He rolls his eyes when he notices Naruto's hybrid features, and how the silverette is oblivious to them. He then lays down on his bedding and stares up at the ceiling.

The room remains quiet for a while before Naruto finally opens his eyes. He moves to get off his bed and his tail brushes up against his hand. He grabs it and lightly strokes it, running his fingers through the soft fur, before finally returning to normal and standing, stretching.

"So what are you going to do today, Obito?" Naruto asks, looking down to the older youth. Obito tilts his head back a bit to look at Naruto, albeit upside down. "I'm not sure. What about you?"

Naruto shrugs. "I was thinking on maybe going on a mission today. I haven't gone on one in a while... I'll be back later." He says disappearing in a flicker of silver, reappearing outside Hiruzen's office. He knocks, then enters once given permission to do so. "Ohayō, Jijī."

Hiruzen looks up from his paperwork. "Ohayō Naruto-kun. What can I do for you today?"

"Are there any missions? I haven't done one in a while, and I'm kind of just looking for something to do."

Hiruzen looks to his desk and spots a note, which he reads. He then moves to the requests and pulls out a few and places them on his desk. "I've got these available, but I'll need to ask a favor."

Naruto moves to the desk and examines the requests, frowning at the difficulties. "I'm assuming you want me to fill in for another squad captain, is that correct?"

Hiruzen nods. "That is correct. The team's Jōnin sensei is out on another mission at this moment, and the team had been promised to be taken on a non-D-Ranked mission.

Naruto sighs, before looking at the requests again, and one catches his eye; an acquisition and delivery mission. He shows it to Hiruzen. "This one doesn't seem to be too difficult, and I think it would also allow the Genin a chance to study geography that isn't Hi no Kuni (Land of Fire)."

Hiruzen looks at the request and nods. "So Kusa (Grass) needs some fairly rare herbs?" He says, before taking and studying the list on the request. "To be honest, I don't recognize any of these herbs, and I'm not sure if we would even have them in stock." He says, handing the request back to Naruto, who studies it once more.