(A/n- Here's the bonus chapter for 30 powerstones, Enjoy!)
Chapter 9: The Great Orange Deluge
As the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and gold, Sora found himself wide awake, eyes darting nervously around his room. He'd spent the entire night on high alert, jumping at every creak and shadow, expecting Naruto to burst through his window with some elaborate prank at any moment. But as the night had stretched on, nothing had happened. No water balloons, no itching powder, not even a measly whoopee cushion.
Sora yawned, stretching his arms above his head and wincing at the popping sounds his joints made. He felt like he'd gone ten rounds with Might Guy without the benefit of actually getting any exercise. Dark circles ringed his eyes, and his normally vibrant red hair looked distinctly lacklustre.
"Maybe," Sora mumbled to himself as he sluggishly got dressed, "Naruto forgot about the whole thing. Yeah, that's it. He probably got distracted by a ramen sale or something."
Even as he said it, Sora knew it was wishful thinking. Naruto forgetting about a prank war was about as likely as Kakashi showing up on time for anything.
Deciding that his usual training ground was probably booby-trapped six ways to Sunday, Sora opted for a different location. He made his way through the still-quiet streets of Konoha, eyeing every pebble and leaf with suspicion. A cat meowed, and Sora nearly jumped out of his skin, whirling around with a kunai in hand only to find a very unimpressed feline staring at him.
"Right," Sora muttered, sheepishly pocketing his weapon. "Get it together, man. You're the Crimson Prankster of Konoha, not some jumpy genin on their first C-rank mission."
As he rounded a corner, lost in thought about how he could possibly avoid Naruto's pranks for the next... he checked his watch... 12 hours and 43 minutes, Sora nearly collided with someone. He stumbled back, an apology on his lips, only for the words to die in his throat as he realized who was standing before him.
The man's posture radiated authority, his presence demanding attention even in the early morning quiet. The wide-brimmed hat adorned with the symbol of fire cast a shadow over weathered features, but there was no mistaking the keen intelligence in those eyes.
It was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage himself.
Sora's brain short-circuited for a moment. What was the Hokage doing out here at this hour? Was this some kind of test? Had his pranks finally landed him in hot water with the village leader?
"L-Lord Hokage!" Sora stammered, bowing so low he nearly toppled over. "Good morning! I mean, it's an honour! I mean... uh... nice weather we're having?"
Hiruzen chuckled, a sound that somehow managed to be both grandfatherly and slightly intimidating at the same time. "At ease, young man. There's no need for such formality."
Sora straightened up, trying (and failing) to look nonchalant. "Of course, Lord Hokage. Is there... um... something I can help you with?"
The Hokage's eyes twinkled with an emotion Sora couldn't quite place. Was it amusement? Mischief? Whatever it was, it made Sora distinctly nervous.
"As a matter of fact, there is," Hiruzen said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I've heard some interesting reports about you, young Sora. Particularly concerning your... shall we say, extracurricular activities?"
Sora gulped. This was it. He was going to be exiled from the village. Or worse, banned from Ichiraku Ramen. He briefly considered making a break for it but quickly dismissed the idea. There was no outrunning the God of Shinobi.
"You mean... my pranks?" Sora asked hesitantly.
Hiruzen nodded. "Indeed. Your most recent escapade was particularly impressive. Flooding an entire classroom with red paint? That takes quite a bit of planning and skill."
Was... was the Hokage complimenting him on his prank?
"However," Hiruzen continued, his tone growing slightly sterner, "such actions cannot go without consequences. Property damage aside, you disrupted an entire day of lessons. That's not behaviour befitting a future shinobi of Konoha."
Sora hung his head, shame colouring his cheeks nearly as red as his hair. "I understand, Lord Hokage. I'll accept whatever punishment you deem appropriate."
To Sora's surprise, Hiruzen's expression softened. "Now, now, let's not be too hasty. I have a... proposition for you."
The Hokage reached into his robes and produced a scroll, holding it out to Sora. "This contains a series of tasks. Complete them all before 6 PM today, and I'll consider your transgression repaid. Moreover, if you succeed, I may even consider recommending you for early enrollment in the Academy."
Sora's eyes widened. Early enrollment in the Academy? That was practically unheard of! He reached out, taking the scroll with trembling hands.
"R-really? You'd do that for me?"
Hiruzen nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Consider it both punishment and opportunity. Now, I suggest you get started. You have quite a day ahead of you."
With that, the Hokage turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Sora clutching the scroll like a lifeline.
It took a few moments for Sora's brain to reboot. When it did, he quickly unrolled the scroll, eager to see what tasks lay ahead. His eyes scanned the parchment, widening with each line:
1. Examine the Village Gates
2. Pull weeds from Training Ground 7
3. Arrange supplies in the Konoha Library
4. Monitor the receptionist at the Hokage Tower
5. Walk the Inuzuka Clan's ninja dogs
6. Help deliver ramen at Ichiraku
7. Write a report on all completed tasks and deliver it to Training Ground 3
Sora let out a low whistle. It was quite the list, but nothing he couldn't handle. And with the promise of early Academy enrollment on the line, he was more than motivated.
"Alright," he said, cracking his knuckles dramatically (and immediately regretting it because ow, that actually kind of hurt). "Let's do this!"
As Sora made his way towards the village gates, a small part of his brain couldn't help but wonder why these tasks seemed oddly... convenient. Almost as if they were designed to keep him moving around the village all day. But he quickly shook off the thought. After all, this was a mission from the Hokage himself! There couldn't possibly be any ulterior motive, right?
Right?
The sun was climbing higher in the sky as Sora approached the massive gates of Konoha. He'd always found them impressive, a symbol of the village's strength and the first line of defence against outside threats. Today, however, they looked suspiciously... normal.
Sora narrowed his eyes, scanning for any signs of orange paint, trip wires, or suspiciously placed banana peels. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, which only made him more paranoid.
"Oi, kid!" a voice called out, making Sora jump. He turned to see two chunin lounging in the gatehouse, eyeing him curiously. "What are you doing out here?"
Sora recognized them as Izumo and Kotetsu, the eternal gate guards of Konoha. He'd pranked them once or twice before, usually with relatively harmless stuff like water balloons or stink bombs. They seemed to have forgiven him, though, judging by their relaxed postures.
"Good morning, Izumo-san, Kotetsu-san," Sora said, trying to sound as official as possible. "I've been tasked by Lord Hokage himself to examine the village gates."
Kotetsu raised an eyebrow. "The Hokage sent you? No offence, kid, but aren't you a bit... short for a gate inspector?"
Sora puffed out his chest indignantly. "I'll have you know I'm perfectly average height for my age! And besides, the Hokage must have recognized my superior observational skills and unparalleled attention to detail."
Izumo snorted. "Right, because those are definitely the traits that come to mind when we think of you, oh Crimson Prankster of Konoha."
"Hey!" Sora protested. "I'll have you know that pranking requires a keen eye and meticulous planning!"
"Uh-huh," Kotetsu said, clearly unconvinced. "Well, if the Hokage sent you, who are we to argue? Go ahead and... examine away."
Sora nodded, approaching the gates with exaggerated caution. He circled the massive structures, running his hands along the wood, peering at the hinges, and even sniffing suspiciously at a few spots.
"Hmm, yes," he muttered loudly, stroking his chin as if he had a beard. "The wood grain appears to be within acceptable parameters. Hinges show signs of recent oiling - good work on the maintenance, gentlemen. And the smell... ah yes, classic Konoha oak with just a hint of... is that pine?"
Izumo and Kotetsu exchanged bemused glances. "Kid, are you sure you're not just making this up as you go along?" Izumo asked.
Sora waved a hand dismissively. "Please, leave the expert gate analysis to the professionals. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to check the upper portions."
Before either chunin could protest, Sora was scaling the gate with the agility of a squirrel on caffeine. He clambered up the wood, muttering to himself about "structural integrity" and "wind resistance coefficients" - terms he was pretty sure he'd heard somewhere but had no idea what they actually meant.
As he reached the top of the gate, Sora allowed himself a small grin. He'd made it this far without encountering any of Naruto's pranks. Maybe the blonde prankster had overslept or-
SPLASH!
A torrent of orange paint suddenly cascaded over Sora, coating him from head to toe in vivid, garish colour. He spluttered, wiping paint from his eyes just in time to see a puff of smoke materialize next to him.
"Gotcha!" Naruto's voice crowed as the smoke cleared, revealing one of his signature shadow clones. "That's one point for me! Your red hair really sticks out, you know? Made you way too easy to spot!"
Before Sora could retaliate, the clone dispelled with a cheeky grin and another puff of smoke.
For a moment, Sora just sat there, dripping orange paint and wondering where exactly his life had taken such a bizarre turn. Then, with as much dignity as one can muster while covered in neon orange, he climbed back down the gate.
Izumo and Kotetsu were doubled over with laughter by the time he reached the ground.
"Oh man," Kotetsu wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes. "I haven't seen a prank that good since Naruto painted the Hokage Monument!"
Sora glowered at them, which only seemed to set off another round of laughter. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. You try avoiding pranks when your opponent can make hundreds of clones!"
"Hundreds?" Izumo asked, his laughter dying down slightly. "Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"
Sora shook his head, sending droplets of orange paint flying. "Nope. Trust me, Naruto's got clones all over Konoha by now. It's going to be impossible to avoid getting spotted!"
As if to punctuate his point, a distant shout of "Believe it!" echoed from somewhere in the village, followed by the sound of something exploding and a chorus of surprised yelps.