Howl of Konoha Book II

Here's Your Next Mission

"Leader-sama, you wanted to see me?" I called through the door of his office.

Breakfast was over and I somehow got the boys roped into doing the cleaning up while I went to meet with Pein. Amazing how far puppy dog eyes will get you in this house.

"Come in." Pein's voice resonated through the crack of the wooden door. I walked into his office to find him already hunched over his desk. Every time I come in here he's always doing the same thing; working, filing, investigating. Sometimes I would find Konan in here with him when I got back from a mission. Today though, she wasn't in.

"Natsuki, I have a job I need you to do for me." Pein said, his eyes never leaving the scroll he was looking at when I entered.

"Of course. What's the mission?"

"I have an acquaintance in the Land of Lightening I need you to collect information from." Pain pulled his eyes away from his reading to meet my eyes. "He's taken up residence in the Hidden Cloud Village. I was informed that he has found some valuable information the Akatsuki could use. Take Tobi with you for good measure."

I nodded with a straight face. I was a little annoyed he wanted me to take a partner with me on such a simple mission, but I don't dare to question Leader.

"Understood. What's the name of your associate. It would be easier to track him down if I knew who it was I was looking for." I asked.

Pain nodded approvingly and handed me a small stack of papers. I took them and begun to flip through the information.

The man I'm looking for is a jounin in the Hidden Cloud Village named Itou Satoshi. From what I can gather from the document, he shouldn't be too hard to find. Pft, this is too easy.

"Leave as soon as possible." Pein ordered. I bowed and left the room looking for Tobi.

I found the childish man sitting on the floor of the lounge annoying Deidara. I rolled my eyes at the two bickering and rubbed my temples to ease the burn of a growing headache.

"Alright you two, quit fighting."I walked up and smacked them both on the head.

"Oww, un! What was that for!"

"Owie~ Natsu-chan hit Tobi!"

I shook my head and patted Tobi on the shoulder. "Tobi, we've got a mission."

"Yay!~ Tobi's going on a mission with Natsu-chan!" Tobi cheered and groped me in a hug. I awkwardly patted his back until he let go and ran off to his room to grab his things. He has a bad habit of packing too many unnecessary things when he goes out on a mission.

I felt an arm slung around my shoulders and the blonde artist pouted as he leaned his face into mine. "Why are you letting Tobi of all people go with you, un? Wouldn't it be better taking me with you, sweetheart?"

"As much as I would love to bring you along, I can't. Leader-sama told me to take Tobi along. Don't ask me why, 'cause I have no idea myself." I said sighing.

"Hmm. We'll what's the mission, un?"

"It's to go collect information in the Land of Lightning. But I just don't understand why a solo mission requires me to take a partner?" I furrow my eyebrows together in thought.

"Maybe Leader thinks you should have some company with you this time, un. You do always come back agitated from a solo mission anyway." Deidara said and removed his arm from my shoulders.

I watched the blonde begin to walk down the corridor to our rooms.

"Don't think too much about it, un. All those worry lines will ruin that pretty face of yours." He said and waved over his shoulder at me. Tobi came back shortly after. His hands waving excitedly in the air reminding me of seaweed underwater.