AN Hey guys! I'm back! And I pinky swear I will be continuing my other stories (sans Trap Door) in the form of sequels most likely. Someone mentioned they'd like if I did another multi-chapter non-AU fic, so I wracked my head for ideas and then suddenly this came to me. This is short because I'm merely introducing the concept. R&R xoxo

Lady Ruby: Chapter One

Sakura stumbled through the gates, half-heartedly waving at Kotetsu and Izumo, her team following behind in similar exhausted fashion. It had been Sakura's first mission as captain since she made jounin, and although the mission required no fighting, nothing ever went according to plan. The pinkette was sent to lead a group of medical research trainees from the Nara clan, a very high privilege for someone not affiliated with any clan. It had been a grueling six months of mountainous, boring terrain peppered with small villages. The objective had been simple enough, they were to gather ingredients only found in Rock Country and compound a specialized drug to use during a seduction assignment where the goal is merely information gain.

As she slipped through her front door, Sakura lazily kicked off her shoes and began the slow journey to her bed, with every step she shed an article of clothing until a her entire jounin uniform formed a trail from the door to her room. She sighed, happy to know her mother probably stopped by to clean her house and put fresh sheets on her bed. Six months of military-style housing with a bunch of teens could ruin anyone and Sakura certainly missed the comfort of her queen-size bed. A small chuckle escaped her lips at the thought of calling her team 'a bunch of teens', she sometimes forgot she herself was still only nineteen.

"Do you always sleep naked, Ugly-chan?"

Sakura's eyes shot open and a scream erupted from her. Quickly grabbing her comforter, she shielded herself from the ANBU's eyes and glared knowingly.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Sai?" Her knuckles turned white and the thread of the comforter began to pull, making a tiny rip in the fabric. Sai instinctively took a step back, shaking his head and pulled up his mask.

"At least pretend not to know who I am when I'm in uniform, or are you stupid too?" His voice was calm and teasing, but Sakura could still trace the forced smile in his words. Had she had more sleep, Sakura might have found this banter humorous. Well that's not true. Sai never failed at pissing her off.

"Will you please tell me why you were watching me sleep naked?" She asked through clenched teeth. Sai merely shrugged.

"Of course. The Hokage needs to see you in his office immediately. He asked me to stop by on my way out to tell you. He said it is urgent." Sakura nodded in response, her mood rapidly deflating. She just got back and she was already requested for another mission? Did the gods hate her? Sensing that the message was adequately relayed, Sai pulled his mask back down over his face and disappeared through the window.

It only took Sakura fifteen minutes to shower and dress. Shrugging into a clean uniform, Sakura stepped over the trail of clothes only stopping to grab her vest and shoes. Once outside Sakura sighed thankfully. At least she'd missed Konoha's terrible heatwave this summer. Now the leaves were changing and the air was cool and crisp.

In true Kakashi fashion, Sakura dove into the Hokage's office by window and landed swiftly in front of his desk.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! That was super fast!" Naruto gave her a grin so bright and infectious, Sakura had to used all of her concentration to remain deadpan as she bowed deeply.

"You requested to see me, Hokage-sama?"

"Ugh cut it out with the 'Hokage-sama' stuff! Are you mad because I woke you up? Well I've been here since last night!" She continued to stare, unamused by his declaration. "Don't you at least want a chance to see if your drug works?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing a bright pink blush to dust Sakura's cheeks before embarrassment turned to rage.

"Naruto, you perverted toad!" She screamed, throwing a punch to the cheeky blond's face, but only to have it caught in his hand.

Naruto continued to laugh incessantly as Sakura struggled to pull her hand free from his grasp to no avail. "Not test it with me, Sakura-chan!" His smiled grew wider and she couldn't help but smile in return. He let go and handed her a small black bag and a mission scroll.

"Ugh, Naruto-sama, can't you just tell me what it says so I won't have to read it? It's too early to read." She complained, a small smirk twitching at the corner of her mouth when he complied, his demeanor shifting from playful to serious.

"Hai! I need you to go assist Kakashi-sensei in the completion of his mission. The mission objectives have changed and he needs immediate back-up with a skilled poison user, so naturally I chose you."

Sakura blushed at the compliment. "What about Shizune?"

"I need your specific skill-set. You are capable of fighting without ninjutsu, and this mission requires the use of your new drug." She gave him a bemused expression, urging him to expound. "He's at the Lightning Daimyo's compound, which has recently had a massive influx in security measures, so no one within the compound can use ninjutsu or genjutsnu, et cetera. His presence was requested because the Daimyo's concubine, Sangaku Kouryou, believed someone was trying to kill her within the compound and wanted absolute discretion, but that isn't the case exactly."

"I apologize, Hokage-sama, but I fail to see the need for my back-up."

Naruto sighed, exasperated. "Let me get back to that in a moment. A few of the Kages, including me, have expressed concern. Many carrier-ninja are being ambushed or disappearing in Lightning territory. I have reason to believe that the Daimyo, or someone within his compound is responsible for this. Lightning Country has suffered a recession since the war, so less people can pay their taxes, meaning less money for the Daimyo."

"So you think he's stealing from other countries to earn a profit on the black market.." Sakura said slowly, her mind trying to piece everything together.

"Right. Now only a few people would know where the Daimyo was keeping his most prized possessions, and it just so happens Kouryou had ulterior motives in asking for Kakashi-sensei to come investigate. Apparently she thought she could seduce him. Which puts us in an advantageous position."

Sakura's face twisted in confusion, at both Naruto's sudden improvement in vocabulary and the situation itself. "And what purpose would that serve..?"

Naruto chuckled. "It's quite devious actually. The Daimyo's wife is rumored to be barren, according to Kakashi-sensei's letter, but Kouryou has reason to believe that the Daimyo is actually just sterile because all attempts to conceive with her had also failed."

"Oh!" Realization dawned on Sakura, lighting her green eyes. "She was going to use Kakashi to get a male heir! That would put her in a pretty big position of power."

"Mm." He agreed. "I told Kakashi of your research project before he departed. In his letter he said if you'd perfected the drug he could use it to gain information from Kouryou. So that is why you are here Sakura-chan. Has it been perfected?"

She nodded slowly. "It hasn't had any testing in the field yet, but yes it is stable and completed."

"Good. One of Kouryou's hand-maidens just happened to fall very ill this week and she is hiring a replacement. Your disguise and credentials are inside the bag. I want you to meet up with Kakashi-sensei and explain how the drug- what is it called?"

"Iku-hontou."

"Explain how the iku-hontou works and assist Kakashi-sensei in it's use. Then you will extract information about the Daimyo's dealings or the whereabouts of the stolen property as best possible. Do not engage, report back immediately. Your rendezvous is in six days, so I suggest you leave as soon as you can. You won't recognize him, he will seek you out."

"Hai!" Sakura bowed and took her leave, suddenly excited at what the mission could hold.

...