After taking the Tora mission five times, Naruto was ready to scream. They made their way into the Hokage tower, a thoroughly terrified Tora in Sakura's arms. The cat didn't even struggle as it was handed to the Daimyo's wife.

"Tsunade-Oba-san.....I think a C-rank is in order at this point. I'm killing the cat next time." He said sweetly.

Tsunade grinned, but complied, tossing a mission scroll to Kakashi. "This mission is C-ranked, however, the client is hiding something. Be prepared for B or even A ranked trouble." She said.

"An escort? Escorting a bridge builder home to Wave. Why would B and A rank nin be after a civilian?" Kakashi asked, scanning the contents of the scroll. If it was suspect to rank, why was it being given to his team of freshies? He looked questioningly at Tsunade.

She just smiled. "Here is your client now." 

Naruto watched as a surprisingly not drunk Tazuna walked in. He had all of his things, and actually looked decent. Hs eyes were sharp, not clouded with fear like the Uzumaki was expecting.

"So..." Tazuna drawled. "This is the protection I get? An Emo kids whose hair looks like a ducks ass, A pink haired stick, and a short kitty brat."

"Oi!" Naruto exclaimed. "Fox not cat. Fox okay!?" He did not have kitty whiskers. 

Tazuna laughed. "Of course." He said, mirth in his voice.

"Team 7 this is Tazuna. Your mission is to protect him while he finishes his bridge." Tsunade said.

"Hello Tazuna-san. I am Hatake Kakashi. These are my students, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Uzumaki Naruto. We will protect you to the best of our ability." Kakashi said, voice nonchalant.

Tazuna nodded. "I'm leaving in an hour." He said.

"We'll be ready." Kakashi drawled. "Meet up at the main gate in one hour. No tardiness." He disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto too disappeared in a swirl of leaves. He needed to find Hinata and Shikamaru and tell them of the mission.

Shikamaru was training, hacking away at a tree with trench knives formed from the shadows. Naruto sighed and Shikamaru's ears twitched, and he stopped, not even a bead of sweat on his brow.

"Naruto. What's up?"

"It's the Nami mission. Tazuna.... he is different. Not drunk, strangely happy... I'm not sure what to make of it. We already determined the reason Tsunade-baa came back, but I'm not sure if Tazuna was there...."

"Last I checked, he was alive at least..." Shikamaru mused. "Who knows? Just keep an eye on him. Everything will be fine. And remember...."

Naruto smiled sadly. "I know Shika.... trust me. I know."

Naruto bid Shikamaru goodbye and body flickered to training ground 8. Hinata was with her team, and she stopped her spar with Kiba immediately, gaining shocked looks.

"Naruto-kun. What is it?" 

"Hina. It's time for the Wave mission. I'll be back soon. Go to Shikamaru for the details. Okay? And keep him in check... Chunin exams aren't that far off and Temari will be here soon."

"Okay Naruto-kun. Be safe okay? And I'll see him later. Are you planning to save them?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. And I will. Bye!" He hugged her firmly before leaping off. Hinata smiled after him. 

Naruto raced to the gates, he already had everything he needed sealed in the body seals he had on him. He waited for the rest of his team, thinking about how he would convince Zabuza to join Konoha without killing him.

Zabuza was an unknown factor. Naruto learned stuff after Zabuza died about the nin, but didn't know much personally about him. So the Uzumaki needed something absolute... He perked up just as the rest of his team showed up. He knew what he could do now.

"You seem happier than usual Naruto." Kakashi commented as they set out.

Naruto hummed. "I just figured out something that will help me greatly later." He grinned, blue eyes sparkling, not even a hint of the strange grief Kakashi had found lurking in the deep blue depths of the cerulean orbs.

"Ah. And what would that be?" Normally, Kakashi wouldn't care, but for some reason, he was intrigued by the blond Uzumaki.

Naruto chuckled. "Hehe, Secret~!" He sang lightly.

Kakashi found himself pouting under his mask. "Maa, fine."

Naruto just chuckled again as he noticed the whine hiding in the undertones of the Copy Nins voice. The pain wasn't as intense, but it was still there, so he didn't look back at the silver haired man. He hummed softly as they walked, acutely aware of the two chakra presences ahead.

An hour passed in silence, and Naruto sighed. He didn't like silence for too long on missions, it made him paranoid. So he took a deep breath before beginning to sing softly. It was a song he discovered Kurama liked when it came on one day.

 "I'll keep quiet you won't even know I'm here, You won't suspect a thing,you won't see me in the mirror~"

He took a breath and noticed that he had everyone's attention. He smiled and kept going.

"But I crept into your heart, You can't make me disappear, 'till I make you~
I made myself at home in the cobwebs and the lies. I'm learning all your tricks, I can hurt you from inside
I made myself a promise, you would never see me cry, 'tll I make you~

He took a breath and grinned.

"You'll never know what hit you!

Won't see me closing in!

I'm gonna make you suffer!

This hell you put me in, I'm underneath your skin!

The devil within~               You'll never know what hit you."

Naruto laughed under his breath. His team looked so shocked that he could sing. Tazuna just looked chill though, almost like he was enjoying it and expecting it. Naruto decided to keep going. The enemy was far enough away it wouldn't hurt. 

"I will be here when you think you're all alone, seeping through the cracks, I'm the poison in your bones.." His smile turned a bit sad.

"My love is your disease, I won't let it set you free, 'till I break you...

You'll never know what hit you!

Won't see me closing in!

I'm gonna make you suffer!

This hell you put me in, I'm underneath your skin~!

The devil within~       You'll never know what hit you~"

He took a breath. " I tried to be the lover to your nightmare, look what you made of me, Now I'm the heavy burden that you can't bear!

Look what you made of me, Look what you made of me

I'll make you see~"

Everyone was amazed by the emotion in his voice. There was anger, sadness, frustration, and a bit of desperation. Naruto felt a grin rip it's way across his face as it did everytime he sang this part.

"You'll never know what hit you!

Won't see me closing in!

I'm gonna make you suffer!

The hell you put me in, I'm underneath your skin~!

The devil within~       You'll never know what hit you!"

 Naruto looked at his team. Kakashi was looking at his book, but obviously not reading it, as hs shocked gaze kept finding its way back to the blond. He couldn't believe his student could sing so well. It was a good song too.

Sakura just couldn't believe Naruto could sing. 

Sasuke found himself smiling slightly. He found that he didn't care that the song was the same one he often found himself listening to.

Naruto laughed, and a puddle exploded.

Kakashi cursed because he had lowered his guard. Sakura moved in front of Tazuna and Sasuke's eyes widened. 

Naruto just turned around and laughed. "I did say You wouldn't know what hit you." He chuckled, and the ground blew up. The ambushers didn't even have time to scream before they were knocked out by the force of the explosion.

Demon brothers, down. Naruto sighed. That was too easy. He looked at Tazuna who was just standing there. Chilling. Not scared.

Naruto walked up to him. "Care to explain to the Great Naruto why those guy are after you?"

"Well, I am a Great Bridge builder who is trying to save my home from the reigns of a tiny geezer tyrant who needs to die, but other than that, I have no clue."

Naruto sighed. "Old Man, you coulda just said that! C'mon, no time to waste, we got a mission to complete."

The others were still blinking. They didn't quite get what had just happened. It had been fast, and loud. So they nodded and set off again.

Next up, Zabuza versus Improvising dumbass who somehow did it!