East Front Gate

[Naruto Uzumaki]

[Lan Hayabusa]

Late at night Lan was walking along the pathway quietly thinking of all the things he had done, he learned a new jutsu, he even gave the beautiful lno a dozen of specific flowers to state his feelings towards her even he haven't seen her since after that, it was okay though he tried his best anyway maybe she didn't feel the same for teen jounin. He wore a navy blue cloak with wild gray designs and a long matching headband making his way to escape to begin his own quest to learn more by himself alone.

[Tiacaro Manato]

The evening was dark and calm and seemed to be a perfect time to head out on a mission. The ANBU trainer found it odd that he was asked to accompany three Jonin and one chunin on a mission to the village hidden in the clouds.

He appeared behind Lan dressed in his normal tan cloak with the hood covering his head and the cat mask he wore proudly over his face. The purple eye remained out of sight hidden under that mask. Under his cloak was his normal black clothes and a green flak jacket.

Looking at the back of Lan, Tiacaro spoke in a soft tone "hello" he stated not sure what else to say as this jonin never had once looked for training so they didn't have much contact other than the day a cloud ninja entered the village without permission.

[Inoichi Yamanaka]

Inochi stood in the darkness of the shadows watching Lan and waiting for his daughter and his best friend to arive. This would be the first mission that his daughter would be on and he was actually looking forward to seeing her in action.

The night wasn't bad though he found it odd that five people would venture out in the late evening as most missions are started in the daylight and rest when they hit nightfall but he wasn't the one running this mission.

Inoichi wasn't going to say a word till he knew that the entire party was around and they were ready to start so he remained in the shadows hoping to remain unnoticed.

[Ino Yamanaka]

Ino walked down the dark path yawning, why didn't her dad wait on her? He could have carried her to the entrance and saved some of her energy. This was the first time she ever left for a mission at night and she wasn't happy at all. Walking up to the entrance she saw two shadows ahead seeing one was Lan and some anbu guy....girl? She never knew with them.

She jogged towards the two hoping they knew where her dad was so she could yell at him for going on ahead without her.

"Hey guys have you---Oof!" Before she knew it she had bumped into something and was flat on her butt. Looking up she saw her dad was being a creeper and lurking in the shadows. Already angry at him previously this caused her to go irate on him. "DAD WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING HIDING IN THE DARK!"

There went her relaxed entrance.

[Inoichi Yamanaka]

"well hello there slow poke, I see you made it. Now we just need to wait for that lazy good for nothing best friend of mine to show up" he said to Ino as he reached down to offer her a hand so she could stand up from the ground that her tiny butt had now been sitting on.

"I was simply waiting for everyone to show up. I was not hiding but now that everyone knows I am here I might as well step into the moon light" he told her and the other two. Inoichi was now clearly visible with his normal red sleeveless vest covering his normal flack jacket and travel suit. His long blond hair was tied back into a tight ponytail.

"seems to be a good night even if its odd we are going to leave the village at night after hours" He said and smiled at Lan giving him and Tiacaro a nod.

[Shikaku Nara]

"Oh man this is such a drag," Shikaku yawned as he approached the bickering father-daughter duo. He had known Inoichi since they were kids and knowing Ino since she was a baby he knew they were just alike; whiny and fussy. "The only thing that would make this any more of a drag is if my son came along. Good thing he has to stay home and tend to the deer." He yawned again not happy to be leaving during what was suppose to be his nap before bed.

[Lan Hayabusa]

Lan was standing a foot from the gate see a little bit of comotion from everyone Mr. Yamanaka which was kinda of a problem and last thing he wanted was him to expect and know of his feeling for Ino so the best thing to do is to clear from him, then he turned his attention to Ino who fell on her butt from bumping into her father he snickered silently trying not to laugh at her he clear his thought of who else is here. He turned to the ANBU the same guy that popped out when he was with Samui Lan lowered his eyes with a narrow look thinking of how to deal with this guy. Then he turned back to Ino and her father seeing Mr. Nara popping out he wasn't late or anything since it was...well late. Tightening his fists kinda he was getting annoyed for a second he was supposed to go alone "Um....you all know Im leaving the village right, and this is not a mission right?" he waved his fingers to them in a questionable matter "You all know Im doing this to my own accord to find myself, for better training right?" he asked explaining his quest

[Tiacaro Manato]

Tiacaro was quite offended that the man didn't address him and showed a lot of disrespect when he had said hello. He looked at the man as he examined the party that was assigned by Tsunade herself to into the land of lightning and the village hidden in the clouds.

"It does seem as someone doesn't know this is a mission!" Tiacaro spoke with his grimace hidden under his mask. Finally seeing how this pampas youthful man was disrespecting his elders in such a way. Each on of the Jonin who were on this mission were very high up in the top of the Leaf Village society and anyone would be honored to have one of them, let alone all of them accompany them.

"You do know that each of us has been assigned by Tsunade to go with you, don't you?" he spoke with a harsh tone. The man looked right at him through his different colored eyes. "You do know that if the four of us do not go than you will be considered a rouge ninja? he added.

Looking directly at Lan he added "and we have to hunt down and rogue ninja and bring them back to the village by any means necessary and if they survive would surely spend awhile incarcerated and questioned by Ibiki." Tiacaro said than folding his arms as if he was a Hyuga.

"Of course if you wish to go to the village hidden in the clouds by yourself in this late of night without any of the four who were assigned to you than by all means go. We don't need to leave with you." He told him as he knew that they would have to follow him but at least he could get a head start. "just say the word and all four of us will simply turn our backs and not see you leave" he added not happy with this young man and his poor attitude.

[Inoichi Yamanaka]

Iniochi the mind reading part of the same division that Ibiki was in and who all the ANBU turned to when they need his special skills looked at Lan as he told them he wanted to go off alone and not be part of this whole group that had been asked to go to the Land of lightning.

Iniochi knew full hand that there was a lot of trouble at this time. Akatsuki, missing Nin and supporters of all were on the rampage. Also with the war coming every single village was at tension and did not trust any outsiders so one guy from the leaf showing up would be almost certain to not even be allowed in. Especially after Sasuke attacked them and Killer Bee.

"Look Lan, you may not want any of us along for the ride but lets face reality, there is a war coming. It's very dangerous now and to be out alone with nobody to watch your back is not a very wise choice to make." He told Lan as he thought about what Tiacaro had said. It was all very true and as much as it would suck to be out at this time with all that is going on and to trust that Tsunade after just waking up from a coma would allow two of her top generals to go on this mission was a surprise. "We can't stop you if you want to go alone but we will catch you and Tiacaro is completely correct in what he said" Inoichi said not sure what Lan wanted to do next or what he would say.

[Ino Yamanaka]

Accepting her dad's help she stood up and dusted the dirt off her tiny purple outfit. The wind blew and nipped at her. She should have thought about wearing something a little warmer leaving at night. She was about to complain that her dad should give up his jacket to her but seeing Shikaku walk up she thought it be a better idea to ask him for one. He was like an uncle to her and she knew he was so lazy he wouldn't even put up a fight.

Ino didn't even have a chance to ask him for it as Lan went on about this mission not being a mission. Hearing the obvious offense from her dad and the anbu operative she was almost afraid to speak up. She liked to whine and complain to her dad but when he took that kind of tone when working even she didn't mess with him.

Shikaku being the closest to her she whispered "Does this mean we can go home...?"

[Shikaku Nara]

Shikaku was standing off away from Tiacaro and Lan beside Ino with Inoichi beside her. He wasn't the type to get offended when young punks said things, he was one himself at a time. But he was usually not one to say his thoughts out loud. He had a million things to worry about with this war going on and him being the Head Jounin and the master mind behind the whole army's strategy when it came to their defense after the Pein Invasion. The last thing he was concerned about was this romantic mission of someone finding them self but he always did mission Lady Tsunade asked of him and would never think to turn any of her requests down.

Though he wasn't ready to jump the kid he was now wide awake staring at his long-time teammate and the highly respected anbu member Tiacaro. If you offended these two, you know you're doing something very wrong.

Shikaku almost laughed when Ino asked if they could go home, he appreciated she had a lazy side to her, probably rubbed off from hanging around Shikamaru over the years. "I don't know but I wouldn't object if this mission came to an abrupt end..." he trailed off thinking about the joy of sleeping in his bed.

[Lan Hayabusa]

Lan stared at everyone with his backpack he raised a eyebrow seeing these guys seem offended somehow which was "Look if you wanna sign me up for the missing ninja club thats fine by me and somewhat pointless at the same time I tend to go to other villages at somepoint but I don't know where....and plus this is too much company to have" he said talking to the ANBU showing him all the rest of the ninja near them. "I tend to go alone if you wanna follow be my guest but Im not responsible for your safety for whatever comes my way" he said as he pulled his headband strips tightly ready to roll out like he suppose to all he wanted was learn how to wield this so called senju latent power. "Now am I able to pass now?" he shrugged wondering if this ANBU guy was gonna be a problem.

[Tiacaro Manato]

Tiacaro tilted his head slightly to the left and look past Lan who seemed to now have his back to the half opened gate. With his eye, he could see well past the gate and deep into the forest. To the luck of the rest of them, there was no sign of any vagabonds or vagrants around.

"You are free to pass us but if you wish to leave the village you might want to turn around" Tiacaro said as he knew passing the party assigned to accompany this man in his mission would lead him to the heart of the village and not out of it.

"Basically I just want to know if you wish for us to leave with you or if we should go back home and get a goods night rest before we track down a missing nin." Tiacaro stated. He knew where Tsunade was at this point in the night and could feel her presents so if Lan wished to go, the others would go to bed and rest for the night and after he spoke with Tsunade they would head off in the morning. Tracking a ninja with his eye and training wouldn't take long if he didn't stay on the path he had wanted to travel.

[Inoichi Yamanaka]

Inoichi shook his head. "You know it might have been wise to not request a party if you wanted to go on this mission alone. We are not expendable pawns. You have the ANBU trainer here! He could be used to train Genin, Chunin, and Jonin in new jutsu so they are better prepared for the war. You have the commander of our defenses here! He could be thinking up strategies for the war. You have one of the top medical students and the next in line to take over my position with the interrogation division. Then there is myself, I need to question and a new inmate and see what she knows of the whole Orochimaru and Akatsuki situation. I planned on bringing Ino along to learn as well so each of us have other things on our plate that could be a better use of our talents but we are here for you!" he told him.

The man was not happy with Lan who got everyone out this late at night and now acts as if he didn't want them to come with him. He knew for a fact that Shikaku would have been sleeping and Ino had closed the shop early to catch a good rest for this mission. Nobody would be happy when they had to chase him down and drag him kicking and screaming back to the village. This nice peaceful mission was slowly turning into a long painful one.