"Kana!" Naruto exclaimed, running down the hallway to catch up to her and Kaneki. "I have to ask you something!"

"Hey Naruto," Kana replied, turning to face him. "Good timing, I have to talk to you."

"What's up?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Apparently we have a new mission," Kaneki shrugged. "Pein told Kana while we were busy with the second exam."

"Then should we go to the training room?" Naruto suggested.

"Yeah," Kana nodded. "Might as well train, I've been slacking lately."

"I'm down, but let's make this quick," Kaneki sighed. "I can only imagine what's going on back at headquarters without me."

The trio walked the familiar hallways of the Akatsuki base, their feet bringing them to tall wooden double doors of the training room they often used. Inside, the walls, floor and even ceiling were littered with long, deep gashes.

"So, this mission..." Naruto began, idly spinning a kunai around his finger. "What kind of mission are we talking about?"

"An A-ranked search and retrieval mission," Kana replied, drawing her own double kodachi, a gift from Kisame. "Konohagakure sent the request, the Hokage wants us to locate and deliver Tsunade Senju to him."

"Why would the Hokage request us?" Kaneki asked. "Doesn't Konoha have it's own tracking ANBU unit?"

"They do," Kana answered. "But by the sounds of things all of Konoha's ANBU have been busy with other missions, and Tsunade avoids Konoha Shinobi at all costs, so no one can even get close to her."

Naruto flicked his wrist, sending his kunai flying into the second ring from the center on a target. Kana flicked one of her own kodachi at the second target, her blade landing dead center. She smirked at the fuming blonde.

"So we leave after the Chunin Exams, right?" Kaneki asked, rolling his eyes at the two.

"Yeah," Kana nodded. "Until then, we just focus on the Chunin Exams. After all, Naruto here still needs to pass."

"I'll pass!" Naruto exclaimed. "I swear I will!"

"Anyway, now that the business talk is out of the way, what did you want to ask Naruto?" Kana said, turning to him.

"Oh, everyone from Konoha, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro are all going to hang out today," He began. "Even though you already passed the Chunin Exams, they said it would be fine if you came along!"

Kana glanced over at Kaneki. "Well, I suppose I could go, I don't have anything I'm doing today, do you want to tag along Kaneki?"

"I'll have to pass," Kaneki replied, declining the offer. "I'm needed back at headquarters, besides, I have a feeling not everyone would be comfortable around me."

"Alright," Kana shrugged. "Are you sure?"

"Very sure," Kaneki nodded. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have a business to attend to."

Kaneki spun on his heels, giving Naruto a nod on his way out of the training room.

"Well then," I said, turning to Naruto. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "I told everyone to wait for us outside, so let's hurry up."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Naruto! I am glad to see you and Kana joined us!" Lee exclaimed from his wheelchair.

"Lee?" Naruto gasped. "I didn't know you were here."

"I came to cheer Sakura on!" Lee grinned. "Unfortunately I cannot enter the Chunin exams, none of the doctors in Konoha know if I'll ever get to."

"I feel a little bad that I failed now," Sakura blushed, holding an umbrella above herself and Lee's wheelchair. "Lee worked so hard to help me train."

"That's true," Tenten chuckled. "I don't think I've ever seen Lee so fired up about something before."

"Anyway guys," Choji cut in. "I think we should go get some barbeque."

"Of course you do..." Shikamaru sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Naruto, Kana," Ino said. "You guys live here, know any good places to eat?"

"Not really..." Kana replied awkwardly.

"What do you mean not really?" Kiba barked.

"I eat at home all the time," Kana replied. "I never really eat out."

"Me neither." Naruto shrugged.

"Whatever," Temari sighed. "I'm sure we can find a good place to eat around here somewhere."

Kana rocked on her heels nervously, hoping for some kind of divine intervention.

"Yo! Kana!"

Kana turned around, grinning from ear to ear when she spotted her favourite Jashinist. 

"Hidan!" Kana chirped. "What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you, I have some sacrif-" He cut himself off, his eyes scanning the group of genie. "Fuck, I mean, I have something I need your help with."

"Oh okay," Kana replied, glancing at the group of genin. "Sorry guys, but it looks like I have something to do after all. I'll catch you all later!"

"Goodbye, I guess..." Shino mumbled. 

Kana and Hidan dashed back into the tower, breaking into a fit of giggles.

"What's got you two in a good mood?" Haku asked, smiling politely.

"Hey Haku," Kana responded. "We going to go sacrifice some heathens!"

"Fuck yeah!" Hidan whooped.

Haku didn't flinch at the profanity. "Just remember not to stab any major arteries, you wouldn't believe how hard it is to get blood out of clothes, curtains, rugs, hair. It just gets everywhere."

"Got it," Kana nodded. "See you later!"

Hidan and Kana took off down the hallway laughing, ignoring how Zabuza shook his head at them, noting that they looked like cackling hyenas. 

~~~~~ With the Konoha and Suna Genin ~~~~~

"What have you been doing in Ame, Naruto?" Gaara asked.

"A lot of training," Naruto chuckled. "A ton of missions too."

"So do you have a new squad then?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, I'm actually working with an ANBU unit," Naruto replied. "Kana is on my team as well."

"ANBU?" Shikamaru asked. "But you're still a genin."

"Technically I won't officially, be a part of ANBU until I pass the Chunin Exams," He explained. "For now I just work under them, sort of like job experience."

"That's actually pretty cool," Choji said, munching on a handful of chips. "Good for you."

"Man this really sucks!" Kiba groaned. "Even the dead last of our class is better off than me! I failed in the first exam! How the hell did he pass?"

"Kana made me study a crapload," Naruto laughed. "But I guess it paid off!"

"Good job, Naruto..." Hinata smiled softly.

"Thanks!" Naruto chirped.

"That reminds me," Ino said. "Is it really true that Kana was responsible for organizing the exams this year?"

"Yep," Naruto nodded. "She spent weeks planning it all."

"Why would they let a fresh Chunin organize the exams?" Shikamaru asked.

Naruto fidgeted uncomfortably. "I probably shouldn't say too much, but Kana is really close with the guy currently in charge of Amegakure, our boss, and he plans on making her the first Amekage."

"So inspiring!" Lee exclaimed, tears welling in his eyes.

"Damn," Choji said. "And she's only our age."

"Impressive..." Neji agreed.

"Anyway, Kana aside, are you guys ready for the tournament?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not too worried," Shikamaru shrugged. "No point in stressing."

Temari's forehead twitched. "I'll kick your ass in the tournament."

"What a drag..."

Naruto chuckled. "I'm not too worried either, I've trained hard."

"Don't underestimate me, boy." Kankuro scoffed. 

"I'm facing Gaara," Shino mumbled. "Hopefully I can win."

Gaara glanced at him, not bothering to reply.

"What about you Neji?" Tenten asked.

"I am up against that boy from Otogakure," Neji replied. "I think the proctors were calling him 'Aka.'"

"I really don't like him," Kiba growled. "Something is off about him."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "I noticed that too."

"You guys don't think that it's..." Sakura trailed off.

'Sasuke...' They all thought.

"It's possible," Ino said. "He did go to Orochimaru, who is the founder of Otogakure."

"I'll see what I can do when I fight him in the tournament," Neji sighed. "I will do what I can do either break his mask or worm information out of him."

Naruto pushed his barely touched plate of food forward, standing from the table.

"Thanks, guys, it was nice to see you all," He said. "But I should get going, I'm going to be expected back soon."

"See you later Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Bye!" Naruto replied, ducking out the door.

Immediately he ran for the bushes nearby, throwing up the little bit of food he did consume.

"Gross..." He wheezed. "I'm never going to get used to this."

He felt a tingle in his eye, his stomach rumbling slightly. Licking his chops, he stood up, making his way to the tower. Surprisingly pleased at the thought of fresh human flesh.

With a sad smile, he laughed.

'What's wrong with me?'

A/N

Sorry that most of this is filler, but it would feel wrong to me if I skipped straight to the tournament, so that will be the next chapter. I hope you all have enjoyed this book so far! Please vote, comment and share, I want to have my stuff recognized!