"So you want us to catch a cat?' Naruto asked Hiruzen with a somewhat baffled expression.

"Naruto, watch how you speak to the Hokage." Iruka reprimanded him and Hiruzen raised his hand.

"Yes, her name is Tora. Or maybe this is too hard for you, do you think you're not up to the task?'' Hiruzen asked with a smirk and Naruto's eyebrow twitched. This is too easy...

''Of course we are, you will see! We will get it in no time!'' Naruto turned around and started to walk out of the room, only to stop at the door mid-step, ''Umm… what does this cat look like?''

Hiruzen took a picture from drawer and placed it on top of the desk, ''your next mission will depend on how you deal with this one.''

Yakumo took the picture and studied it with Sai for a few seconds.

''Fine, you will see. Let's go fetch this cat and get this over with.'' Naruto then left the room and Hiruzen sighed, then shared a glance with Itachi.

''We're sorry Hokage-sama, he's just…'' Yakumo started and Hiruzen shook his head.

''You're still here? Go on with your teammate.'' Hiruzen waved her off and ushered them to leave the room. They would need to hurry to catch the cat, especially because it already had a good head start.

After they had left the room, Hiruzen took a little orange book from the inside of his drawer.

''Naruto, you cannot walk out on the Hokage like that.'' Yakumo said to him as she reached him. ''He's the village leader, you need to treat him with respect.''

''Hmm?'' Naruto turned to her, "did you say something?''

Several tick marks appeared on her face. She felt like hitting him, but instead just crossed her arms and huffed, ''fine, be that way.''

''Huh? What did I do now?'' He asked, only for her to ignore him completely. He scratched the back of his head and sighed, ''well, can I see what the cat looks like?''

She ignored him for just a few more seconds, before huffing and handing him the picture.

''Sensei, what's the catch on this mission?'' Sai asked Itachi while Naruto analyzed the cat.

''Tora is the beloved cat of the Fire Daimyo's wife, she is known for constantly escaping. Rumors say that she is adapting to the capturing methods and is becoming more difficult to catch.'' Itachi informed Sai and Yakumo, Naruto didn't seem to be paying much attention.

''I think I know this cat…'' Naruto said to himself, rubbing his chin with his free hand, ''yeah, I'm sure I've seen it around. I think I know where he might be.''

''You do?'' Itachi asked with his eyebrow slightly raised.

''Yeah, it's right around the corner, this way!'' He started walking down the street in a moderate civilian's pace.

''And there he goes…'' Sai said to himself, then shared a glance with Yakumo and Itachi.

They walked and followed Naruto for around five minutes to nearby a dark alley. In there, there were several cats that scattered when they arrived. Some stayed behind, being either too lazy to leave or curious about the newcomers.

The team did, however, manage to get a look at the ones that ran, enough to see that none is the one that they were looking for.

''There are a lot of cats here, but not the one we are looking for.'' Sai stated and Naruto's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

''I noticed…'' He started tapping his foot impatiently, then snapped his finger as if remembering something, ''ooh! No, it can't be… Can I see that picture again?''

Yakumo handed him the picture and he stared at it for a little longer, then suddenly his eyebrow shot up, ''what?''

'"Oh boy..." He said to himself and gave the picture back.

"Is something wrong?" She asked noticing his distress.

"There is this cat that stops by at my apartment every couple of days. I don't remember seeing it with a ribbon, like in the picture..." he shook his head as if re-assuring himself, "but I'm almost sure it is this one, there is one problem though..."

"What's the problem?" Sai asked as a cat started playing with his toes

"You'll see," Naruto bent down with his back to Yakumo, as if inviting her to 'climb' on. "We should get going now."

"Fine, but you better be right, we wasted a lot of time already." Yakumo told him and then climbed up his back.

Itachi just remained silent, seeing that they didn't need his view on the matter. If Naruto is right, then that would be good for the team. If he is wrong then they will just waste some more of their time but might end up learning something from it. Sometimes the best thing a teacher can do is to let his students make their own decisions.

With Yakumo now steady on his back, Naruto leapt out of the alley to a rooftop. Sai had to pry the cat off his feet before following the blond along with Itachi.

Stopping on the outside of his apartment's door, Yakumo got back on her feet and Naruto turned to the group.

''Before we go in, there are some things that you guys have to know,'' he started and they listened closely, ''my sister gets startled very easily, so don't scream or raise your voice. Also don't curse near her because I don't want her to learn those type of things, and lastly, don't touch her. She freaks out when strangers touch her, it sort of interrupts her thinking, and she has been very sensible these days, got it?''

''You have a sister?'' Sai asked and he facepalmed. Out of everything that he had said, it was all that the boy adsorbed.

''Yes, so you guys understand, right? No screaming, no cursing and no touching.'' He repeated and both Sai and Yakumo nodded, ''alright, let's go in.''

Opening the door, the first thing that they saw was the small red-headed girl on the chair. Curled up on her lap was a brown cat with a line running down its forehead and two lines crossing it horizontally. Entering the room, they started to notice other details, like the light blue kitten pajama that the girl wearing, the red ribbon on the floor, the paintings on the wall.

The cat seemed to have fallen asleep to Nana's slow and gentle petting. Seeing it, the members of Team 9 held no more doubts about the cat's identity. Naruto stepped forward, scratching the back of his head.

''And there is the problem…'' he said, and then gestured to her. ''It's hard to make her let go of something.''

''Can't we just ask her to give it to us? We need the cat for the mission,'' Yakumo told him and he sighed.

''If only it were that simple…'' Naruto replied in a soft tone, and then walked over to Nana.

The red-haired girl showed no signs of noticing him,she just continued to smoothly pet Tora, which had opened a single eye to observe the newcomers.

''Umm… Hey Nana…'' he started and gave her a smile,''this cat… Err…''

He glanced around, trying to find the correct words. ''She has an owner, that wants it back really badly and 'asked' me to take it to her, can I take her?''

''Meow.'' Tora glared at Naruto briefly, understanding what is going on, only stopping once Nana's petting regained its effect on her.

The two siblings stared at each other. Naruto searched for a sign that she'd let him take the cat, but her eyes remained empty as she kept stroking Tora.

''Just go!'' Yakumo whispered to him.

Her attitude irritated him, but he kept his cool and took a deep breath. Calm once more, he slowly reached out for Tora.

Grasping Tora with both hands, he attempted to pick her up, only to stop upon feeling Nana's pajamas being pulled along with it. He looked underneath Tora and then saw that the cat had its claws firmly into it. Nana also held onto the cat, further preventing him from pulling it away.

''Mrow~'' Tora complained as the two got into a standstill, until Naruto decided to let go of the cat.

Taking a step backwards, he rubbed his chin in thought and considered his options. He could yank the cat from her lap and just stuff it in a box, but that would tear her pajamas and possibly scratch her…

''My…'' Her mouth opened as she softly stroked Tora. ''Kitty…''

Her voice came out low, soft and sweet, but still loud enough for everybody to understand crystal clear. Those were the very first words that she had said in the year. Naruto could count the amount of times that she had spoken on a hand, such is the rarity of the event that he took a step back in surprise.

Oh crap… Naruto thought and got back up. She's really attached to it, this may end up being harder than I thought.

With Naruto backing off, Tora closed her eyes once more and started to purr.

''This is bad…'' he said, joining the others.

''Why is that?'' Sai asked and Naruto rubbed his chin.

''The last time she got this attached to something was with her last teddy, and she cried for an entire day when it got torn apart. Don't think we can just take Tora from her,'' he answered, and Yakumo took a bag of potato chips from the kitchen.

''Well you're the one that wants to do C-Ranks, what do you want to do?'' Yakumo asked, taking a seat and starting to eat the chips.

''I don't know yet, let me think…'' Naruto said and started to pace around the room, ''it's not like she will listen to us if we ask…'' He said to himself in thought.

''Maybe she isn't understanding?'' Sai asked and Naruto stopped to listen. ''Maybe can explain it to her differently?''

''Explain it differently…'' Naruto repeated and then snapped his fingers. ''Of course! She understands things better when they are written or illustrated, maybe we could work something out to try and explain it to her?''

''We?'' Yakumo asked with an amused smile, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

''Fine, you and Sai.'' He said and she giggled, ''gimmie a break will you?''

''Since you're asking soo~ nicely…'' She got up from the chair and walked over to Nana's drawing stand, looking over at her drawings on the walls as she passed them by. ''What should we do?''

''Umm, we're short on time, so something simple just to show that Tora has an owner and that we need it?'' He suggested and both Yakumo and Sai nodded. ''By the way, Sai. How do you know these type of things?''

''Experience,'' the black-haired boy answered simply, ''will she mind if we use her paper?'' Sai asked about her drawing stand, mentally noting that they don't have a big variety of tools.

''Don't think so, go ahead.'' Naruto told them and the two artists of Team 9 took out their tools.

''How about we do four panels, you start layout and I fill in once you get onto the next page?'' Yakumo asked Sai, preparing her ink.

Sai stared at the paper for a few seconds before tilting his head towards Yakumo, ''what should I start with?''

Yakumo in turn shifted to Naruto, ''she understands better when things are displayed as a story, right? Let me see… We could start the first panel by drawing Madam Shimiji holding Tora, on the second one we do one of Tora running away or getting lost, third one of her asking us to get Tora back and fourth, one of us here? I've seen Madame Shimiji before, so you can just leave a blank spot on where she is, if you don't know how she is or I can start the first.''

''Alright,'' Sai took his brush and dipped it into his ink bottle, ''it's alright, I know how she is.''

Naruto chose to just watch along with Nana as she stroked the weary Tora.

The two tried their best to get it done as quickly as possible, a few mistakes were made on either of their parts but in the end they managed to get the job done in no less than ten minutes.

''Umm… Tadah?'' Sai and Yakumo 'presented' the paintings to Naruna, whom just simply continued to pet the cat. Because they had painted it all in front of her, she had followed the entire progression of the paintings with full attention, even if it seemed as if she had no interest, ''what now?''

''I don't know, let's wait a bit,'' Naruto sat on one of the chairs and watched.

Itachi was the first to notice, a twitch of Nana's toes, and a change on the rhythm in which she stroked Tora, and then finally, she grabber Tora with her right hand by the back of her spine and stood up, her left hand supporting the cat's weight from below

''Meow!'' Tora protested and used all her strength to escape, but all that she could do was slightly twitch her limbs.

''...'' Naruna remained silent, and slowly made her way to Naruto, her eyes maintained the usual 'nothingness' or 'uncaringness'.

''Mew…'' The immobile Tora looked at Nana with pleading eyes.

''...'' She stopped in front of her brother and carefully extended the cat to him, keeping a firm grip on its spine to not let it escape.

Sai took out a cage and opened it, Naruto stared at his sister and Tora, amazed at how Sai's idea is working, for getting her to listen has always been very troublesome.

''Meooww!'' Tora wiggled more forcefully, making Naruto snap out of his thoughts, take it and immediately put it inside the cage, ''Hsss~!''

''Whew, glad that's over with.'' Naruto said to his teammates, Yakumo wiped some sweat from her brow. Tora started to hiss, bite and rattle against the cage.

Nana didn't pay no mind to the cat and instead turned around.

''Where is she going?'' Yakumo asked Naruto, to which he shrugged in response.

''To our room I suppose, who knows what's going on in her head.'' He replied and turned to leave, ''we shouldn't keep the old man waiting.''

''And this 'old man' is the Hokage, you shouldn't call him that.'' Sai told him, going to get his painting supplies.

''Well it is true…'' Yakumo added offhandedly, also getting her things.

''Doesn't mean that you should say it, it isn't right. Tell them sensei.'' Sai gestured to Itachi, who was staring in the direction that Nana had left to. ''Great, thanks for the support, sensei.''

Yakumo and Naruto snickered quietly, Sai is the most 'patriotic' among them. Yakumo's feeling towards the Hokage and Kurenai borders hate, while Naruto just doesn't simply care about formalities on ranks.

She really has talent… Sai thought as he placed away his ink and looked at her drawings. He looked at her stand and the materials she used and noted how simple they were. Poor Naruto, he hardly understands a thing about what equipment she needs. But at least he tries.

Upon finishing packing up, he opened his bag and placed his things back on the painting stand.

''What are you doing?'' Yakumo whispered to him, after noticing what he did.

''She needs it more than I do.'' Sai replied and smiled, an actually true smile, that looked great on him.

Yakumo stopped packing, and looked around. She saw what Sai had just seen, and what she should have noticed before. Deciding to follow Sai's example, she too unpacked once more.

It was then that the Naruna returned, with a large frame on her hands. In its surface is a drawing of Tora, seated on the window with the sun behind. Nana walked to her brother and extended the 'picture' to him.

''That's Tora…'' he said to himself, remembering when she had made it a few days back, ''you want me to take it to it's owner?''

Nana pushed the drawing onto him and he took it, then she turned around and returned to her seat on the couch.

Naruto blinked owlishly and sighed, ''you guys ready yet?''

''Yea, lets go.'' Yakumo answered, and Sai nodded.

''You sure? You forgetting all your stuff,'' he pointed to their brushes and paint by Nana's stand, ''geez guys, hurry up!''

Yakumo's eyebrow twitched, ''these are for her, we want to see what she can make with them. I have a lot at home anyway… and Sai can just buy himself some more.''

Sai visibly 'deflated' at the thought of how expensive his ink is, and Naruto gave a half-smile.

''Ah… Thanks a lot guys!'' his half-smile turned into a big grin, "now let's go, Jiji better have a good C-Rank for us."

He seemed excited and content but it wasn't the usual grin that they had gotten used to. Something seemed off about it, but they all came to the collective thought that they shouldn't probe any further.

A few minutes later-

"Here's your cat." Naruto placed Tora's cage on top of his desk. "Hey Iruka-sensei."

Hiruzen looked at the angry cat, at the drawing frame on Naruto's left hand and then at Team 9. They didn't have the best time that he had seen, but they were the first team to arrive this calmly with 'spiritual peace' after meeting Tora. He had observed them through his crystal ball and it answered several of the questions that he regarding the cat and why it would suddenly disappear for hours.

Behind them, the door opened and a 'plump', fancy lady walked inside.

''Oh my Tora!'' She said upon seeing the cat on it's cage, and then ran towards it to free it and squeeze it to death, ''I missed you so~ much!''

''Meoow!'' Tora protested and tried to escape from her grasp, only to be hugged with even more strength.

So that's why it runs away, poor cat. Naruto thought, feeling sympathy towards the creature,

''Right on time, Madam Shijimi. They've only just arrived.'' Hiruzen said, gesturing towards Team-9.

Madam Shijimi gave a quick glace at Team-9. Her s in a hurry - show, don't tell

''it was no trouble,'' Naruto scratched the back of his head with his usual grin, then blinked a few times,''oh right, I'm supposed to give you this.''

He extended her the frame with Tora's drawing.

"This, for me?" She looked at the drawing, giving Tora some breathing space. "It is lovely.

She got a good look at it, and took in every detail, then looked around the room and noticed another similar drawing hanging on the wall, "there is no signature, I've seen a few of these around, soo much detail, who makes them?"

"My sister made it, she likes Tora." He replied casually and turned to the Hokage, "she wanted me to give you it."

"well then there is a perfect spot for it on my room, right Tora-chin?" She Nuzzled/suffocated the cat, until she saw the clock on the wall, "oh my! Look at the time, I'm going to be late for the tea party, good bye child, Hiruzen."

After she left the room, a loud 'meow' was heard, followed by the sound of something crashing against the floor.

"Well that's that… you want a C-Rank, is that right?" Hiruzen leaned back into his chair, "very well, you can have one.

"Yes!" Naruto cheered, pumping his right-fist upwards. "what type of mission is it, protect a princess? Beat up a group of bandi-"

Itachi glanced at Naruto, and he immediately shutted up.

"Umm, Hokage-sama. Are you they are ready for a C-Rank mission?" Iruka spoke, bringing their attention to him.

"Are you questioning my decision?" Hiruzen asked, making Iruka look down, "I believe they are ready."

Hah! Naruto thought, with a mischievous grin.

"One of our ninjas was requested to return here for a task, but… hasn't responded our messenger hawks. Your mission is to give this to her and bring her back." He placed a sealed envelope on top of the table.

"That sounds boring…"

"There are plenty of houses to be painted still…"

"We'll do it!" Sai surprisingly interjected, apparently wanting to move up as much as his other two teammates.

Naruto huffed and took the envelope, "yea, fine. How's this lady like and where was she last seen?"

He's making the objective questions? Everybody on the room blinked and looked at him strangely.

"Oy! C'mon, don't look at me like that! I can see the things that we need to know for this…" he looked around the room for some support, but they continued to look at him strangely, "even you, Yakumo?"

Hiruzen cleared his throat, and pulled several pictures from his drawer, "her name is Tsunade. She is accompanied by her assistant Shizune and her pet Tonton. They were all last seen on a inn, near Tanzaku Gai."

He placed the pictures on top of his desk and the members of Team-9 went further to take a look. Upon seeing Tsunade, Naruto rubbed his chin in thought.

''I think that I've read about her before, in a book…'' Naruto said to himself, then snapped his fingers, ''right it was a book on regeneration! Or was it healing? Can't remember which, but you sure this is Tsunade? The book said she looks like a old hag.''

Hiruzen's eyebrow twitched, and Yakumo pinched Naruto's elbow, making him yelp

''Idiot, that's Tsunade of the Sannin!'' Yakumo whispered into his ear, ''she's the Hokage's student!''

''Ooh…'' Naruto nodded to her, ''So she is a old-hag! But why she look soo young?''

Yakumo facepalmed, and then upon noticing how close she is to him, she took a step backwards.

He's doomed if he says that in front of her… Hiruzen knew which book it was that Naruto had read, and was actually surprised that he had it. Tsunade hadn't been pleased with it and very politely asked for them to be rewritten and republished.

"Right, no time to lose," Naruto made his way to the door, "we have an old hag to fetch."

Yup, he's screwed… should I tell him? Nah, she will teach him some respect. Hiruzen sighed heavily, "you are all dismissed, except you Naruto, you stay."

''Huh? Me? Why?'' He looked at his teammates, Yakumo shrugged, Sai gave him a 'I told you so' look and Itachi… Itachi just left the room.

''You're on your own now, buddy.'' Sai told him as he passed by and left.

''Good luck, Naruto.'' Yakumo left right after Sai, leaving Naruto alone with the Hokage and Iruka.

''You too Iruka. I need to speak with him alone.'' He gestured for Naruto to sit down. Iruka obeyed and quickly left the two to themselves.

Naruto looked at the chair, at the Hokage and saw the seriousness in his eyes. Sighing he took a seat, ''what did I do now?''

''A lot of things, but only one is the case now.'' He took a file from underneath some papers on his table and opened it to show a picture of Kurenai Yuhi. ''At first, I wasn't going to give you this mission, but after some thinking I came to the conclusion that you may be the best person for this''

''What does this mission have to do with her?'' He took the file, in it is written a bunch of medical terms that he couldn't quite comprehend.

''Everything, our medics don't have the knowledge and skill to completely stabilize Kurenai. They've been keeping her alive, but they can't completely revert her condition. Time is running out and Tsunade is the best medic-nin there is.''

A pang of guilt struck his heart. He knew that it wasn't his fault, he repeated those words for an entire night, but it still wasn't enough. ''How much time left?''

''Our medics estimate that they can keep her alive for another week, before her organs start failing completely.'' Hiruzen closed his eyes, he didn't feel good for telling those things to Naruto, quite the opposite actually. He had been avoiding for years, but he knew that sooner or later the boy would have to learn what his ability truely does to its victims.

Naruto hung his head down and stayed in silence for a few seconds. He blinked a couple of times, raised his head and looked at Hiruzen straight in the eye with a newfound conviction, ''That won't happen. We will find her and drag her back kicking and screaming if we have to.''

''Very well, then you are dismissed. Time is of essence. '' Hiruzen 'shooed' him out with his right hand. For as much as it'd be amusing to see… I doubt that will happen within the decade.

And so Naruto left the room to meet up with his team outside the Mansion. Both Sai and Yakumo were expecting him to come out downtrodden or sad, but were surprised with the determined look in his eyes.

''So guys, what's the plan?'' He asked as he joined the group.

''Well, me and Sai need to re-supply on ink. You might as well get ready also.'' Yakumo started looking at him expectantly.

''We don't want to leave before dawn. we leave in two hours.'' Itachi told them and body-flickered away.

''Pfft, show off...'' Naruto kicked some dirt and then rubbed his chin, ''I need to pass by Ayame also, she agreed to look after Nana if I left on any long missions…''

''Well, see you in two, in two hours.'' Sai waved them off and left via roof-tops. Leaving Yakumo to stare at Naruto.

''...'' She looked at him with a blank face, and averted his eyes awkwardly.

''Wha- ohh… you can just ask, you know?'' He chuckled and turned his back to her. ''You mind if we stop by Ichiraku?''

''Really, you want rame-?'' Yakumo raised an eyebrow.

''Stop right there, don't say it!Ramen is always welcome, always.'' He interrupted, turning to her once more. '' But while I do want it, I know we don't have time for that now. I just need to ask Ayame to check up on Nana while we're gone.''

She blinked, having forgotten about his sister momentarily.

''Fine, yea, lets go.'' She walked behind him and climbed his back. Is it bad that I'm getting used to this?

The corners of her mouth twitched upwards.

Wham!

''Itaaaii~!'' Yakumo smacked Naruto behind the head, ''what was that for?''

''That's for interrupting me, now lets go.''

Omake - Nana's betrayal - Tora translation

Nana grabbed Tora with her right hand by the back of her spine and stood up, her left hand supporting the cat's weight from below.

''Nooo! Don't do this!'' Tora protested and used all her strength to escape, but all that she could do was slightly twitch her limbs.

''...'' Naruna remained silent, and slowly made her way to Naruto, her eyes maintained the usual 'nothingness' or 'uncaringness'.

''Stop, please…'' The immobile Tora looked at Nana with pleading eyes.

''...'' She stopped in front of her brother and carefully extended the cat to him, keeping a firm grip on its spine to not let it escape.

Sai took out a cage and opened it, Naruto stared at his sister and Tora, amazed at how Sai's idea is working, for getting her to listen has always been very troublesome.

''Noo! Don't do this to me!'' ' Tora wiggled more forcefully, making Naruto snap out of his thoughts, take it and immediately put it inside the cage, ''Noooooo!''

''Whew, glad that's over with.'' Naruto said to his teammates, Yakumo wiped some sweat from her brow.

''I HATE YOU!'' Tora started to hiss, bite and rattle against the cage. ''You were the chosen one! You were supposed to be different from them! You were supposed to protect me, not sell me out! You were my family! I loved you…''

-Omake end-

Sorry for the wait guys, I've been editing and re-writing the previous chapters, and been very busy.