And so begins my first Naruto fanfic. Don't get me wrong, I've wrote a bunch of fanfics (under a different name). This is my first Naruto one. And so, depending on the feedback I get, I might actually continue this story for as long as I can or for as long as the story goes. If you want more, just simply type "Update please" in the comments box thingy. If you wish to leave more than that, go right ahead.

My knowledge of the Naruto Universe: I am up to date on both manga and anime(chapter 322, episode 199, and the first two movies). This will be based a bit more on the manga, with Naruto leaving after the failed mission to get Sasuke back, and the ninja academy closing for a while do to shortage of ninja.

Story: I am sorry if this seems to be similar to another fanfic. As far as I know, the plot is mine and the characters/universe belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Warnings: I will be hinting at/going for an Iruka/Kakashi relationship in this. Nothing more than maybe making out will happen (if I continue to update). If I get braver than that, I shall place this on my account. Comments welcomed, suggestions even more so, and flames will be used to help dry my clothes during the rainy season here in Japan.

HKUI

Iruka didn't know why he was on the mission. Scratch that; he knew why. The ninjas in the village were severely down in numbers, low enough that the academy was closed for a while in order to give the teachers missions. What he didn't know was why he was on a B rank mission with Kakashi. He was a Chuunin Academy teacher, one who only gets most of his training nowadays by avoiding weapons thrown by young hellspawn or taking said hellspawn on fieldtrips around the village if he didn't make it a point to wake up early every morning for self-training. He figured that one of the actual mission Chuunins would get the mission of escorting royalty back home.

Kakashi just showed up at his door one day, holding a scroll with his name and Iruka's name on it, his expression oddly blank. Try that the only part of Kakashi's face that Iruka could see was his right eye and a bit of a cheek, but that would give away at least a little information about what was going on.

Luckily, the mission was to escort two daughters of one of Konoha's Lords through a peaceful country to a diplomatic meeting in the Land of the Sparrows, and escort them back afterwards, with the only dangers being that from nature and maybe a few ninjas along the way. And so, Kakashi was walking in the front by the carriage horse with his nose stuck in the middle of a worn out Icha Icha Paradise novel, and Iruka walked in the back, able to watch both sides of the carriage from his position. He was getting covered in dust, but after working with children for so long, he tended to ignore it until the end of the day when he was able to get a bath and wash it all off.

He hoped he would be able to wash it off. The princess, never seen without their bodyguards and complete covered, were not objecting to camping outside during the travel, to save on money and time by being able to push past the small towns with in if they passed one mid-afternoon, knowing that there wouldn't be another one for many more hours of travel.

"Yo!"

Iruka jumped and glared at the silver hair ninja. "Don't sneak up on me like that, Hatake-san!"

Kakashi merely grinned from his perch on top of the carriage. "I'm supposed to sneak. Besides, you're supposed to be on the look out."

"For things dangerous, such as wild predators and enemy ninja, not allies." Iruka's eyes flickered to the window of the carriage where one of the curtains moved, one of the princesses summoning a guard. The two spoke for a few minutes and the guard turned and made his way to Iruka and Kakashi. Iruka frowned a bit but held his tongue.

"The princesses are making a request to stop at the next town or area with water. We're close enough to the village where the meeting is being held and they wish to have everyone looking more presentable tomorrow."

"Sounds reasonable. Personally, I wouldn't mind washing all of this dust as it is. Hatake-san?"

Kakashi nodded once. "I'll scout ahead." And then he disappeared in a poof of jutsu smoke. About fifteen minutes later Kakashi reappeared, claiming to have found a waterfall and lake that drained out to a good size river further down. The princesses gave their approval and the small delegation followed Kakashi to the site that they would claim for camp.

When they got most of everything sat up, Kakashi left to go catch something for dinner, trusting Iruka and the bodyguards to hold off any attackers. Iruka was sitting at the fire he made, feeding it gradually until it reached the size he wanted. He looked up as one of the masked bodyguards walked over to him, the facial covering marking him as a personal bodyguard assigned to one of the princesses.

"Hime-sama wishes to speak to you, Umino-san."

Iruka stood up and followed the bodyguard back to the princesses' tent. The two daughters haven't demand anything outrageous, but that didn't mean it would never happen. He bowed respectively to the two ladies. "You asked for me, Hime-sama?"

"Yes. There is something we would like to test…"

HKUI

Kakashi walked back into the camp, a good dozen fished hanging from a string while one hand held his book in front of him. He dropped the fish by the fire and ignored the jump of surprise he got.

"I told you not to sneak up on me like that! And please put away that book!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow and looked at the scowling face. "Ninja. Sneaking is required. And where is Umino-san?"

"I am Umino!"

"No, you're not. Umino-san yells at me to put away my book, and doesn't blush like that anymore. His voice is a bit deeper, his chakra different, and he doesn't have breasts."

Startled, the person looked down at the flat shirt just as muffled cursing came from the princesses, followed by a yelp and the sound of someone coming out. Kakashi looked up and just stared.

Iruka was in a kimono of various shades of blue and silver, his hair tie gone to let his hair brush his shoulders and frame his face. Part of his scar was covered by make-up, leaving him with a half finished look, but that wasn't the worse of it. The kimono wasn't properly done, leaving a lot of chest and long, lean legs bared. The obi trailed behind him and he cursed the cloth, picking it up and winding it around his arm so he could walk again. That's when he noticed Kakashi staring at him and blushed enough for it to show from under the makeup.

He marched straight to his impersonator, holding out his hand. "If you would give me my bag, Hime-sama, I would like to go change."

The person cheerfully handed him his bag and went back to cleaning the fish, leaving the real Iruka to stride into the forest toward the lake, hiking the kimono up higher so it wouldn't drag. Another person left the tent, arms crossed over her chest.

"I still say that Azarashi would have been a better choice to try."

"One of us had to try. Besides, I thought I got my chest properly strapped down this time."

Kakashi looked between the twin princesses, now understanding a bit more of why the Hokage assigned the Chuunin to the mission. The two ladies looked as if they could be related to Iruka, and with only a bit of makeup, could make the ninja near identical.

A short while later, Iruka came back, his pack over one shoulder, carrying a carefully fold kimono and obi. His hair was tied back loosely and shined wetly, showing that he took a quick bath. He handed it to the princess near the tent who wordlessly took it from him and went into the tent. Iruka sat down near the other princess, took out a kunai, and began to clean one of the fish.

"You shouldn't be doing this, Hime-sama."

"Why? It's been such a long time since Azarashi and Hitode took us camping and I miss this!"

The other princess came out of the tent, followed by a man and a woman nearly the same age. Both had identical eyes, noses, mouths, and other facial structures. If they weren't twins, they were near close enough in age.

"Hitode!" the princess cleaning the fish called. "Come over here and help us. The quicker we get done, the quicker we can eat!'

The woman walked over to them and began helping out. Iruka muttered something under his breath but continued cleaning the fish. Kakashi could tell that it was going to be an interesting trip.

HKUI

So, continue?

Random info: Hitode means starfish, and azarashi means seal(as in the sea animal). Any suggestions for the princesses' names would be helpful. I'm no good with names.