"Sasuke I'm at point B" "Sakura I'm at point C" "Nameki point D" I whispered into the microphone quietly listening to the static. "Naruto at point A believe it." Static overtook my earpiece before Kakashi sensei spoke up "You're slow Naruto, Ok squad seven. The target has moved follow it" he whispered urgently. Eying the rustling bush i quietly leapt forward into a new tree stealthily following our target.
"What's your distance from the target?" Kakashi asked "Three meters" I replied followed by the others reply of varying distances. "On my signal, Ready? Go!" We all jumped towards the cat but it ended up being Naruto who caught it. I stood off to the side picking at my gloves as Kakashi's voice again buzzed through the intercom "Can you verify a ribbon on the right ear" he asked. "Affirmative we have a positive ID" Sasuke replied. "Alright missing pet Torah found mission accomplished." Kakashi sensei stated joining the group. I smiled at him pleased with our success before turning to Naruto just as the cat clawed his cheek "Can't we get a better mission than this i hate cats!" he exclaimed causing me to wince at the buzzing in my ear.
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"Oh my poor little Torah, mommy was so very worried about her naughty little kitty. Yes she was!" The lady exclaimed hugging the abused cat to her chest. "Stupid cat that kitty deserves to be squashed." Naruto laughed, "No wonder he ran away." Mused Sakura. "Now then, for squad sevens next mission we have several available tasks. Among them babysitting the chief counselors three year old, helping his wife to do the shopping, digging up potatoes-"the third Hokage began. "No!" Naruto made his arms into an X, "I want to go on a real mission something challenging and exciting not this little kid stuff, come on old man!"
The Hokage sighed before speaking "Naruto you're just a rookie and like all rookies start out with simple missions." he then went on to explain the A,B,C,D ranking system of missions to all of us. I listened only because Naruto talking of Ramen didn't interest me. THe Hokage finally noticing that people weren't listening shouted for our attention "Hey Listen up!" At this Naruto turned and began to yell back. "All you do is give lectures! I'm not a troublemaking brat anymore i'm a ninja a real ninja who deserves a real ninja mission!" The Hokage's next words surprised us all. "Okay then." He paused for a moment "If you want it that much i'll give you a C-rank mission."
Naruto jumped up and down in excitement while my only reaction was apprehension, I wasn't sure that we were ready for this but i trusted the Hokage. "In this mission your objective is to protect a certain individual and bring him to his home safely." The Hokage explained. Naruto became even more excited speculating that we would be protecting someone along the lines of royalty. The Hokage ignored this and asked for a man to be sent into the room with us.
I wrinkled my nose as a strong scent of sake invaded my nostrils, soon after i smelt the sake a man carrying a bottle emerged from the door that the Hokage had gestured to moments ago. "Whats this a bunch of snot nosed kids?" the man questioned waving his hand dismissively before his gaze zeroed in on Naruto. "And you the short one, you really expect me to believe that your a ninja!" he exclaimed guffawing. I sighed and waited for Naruto to lunge only for him to be held back by Kakashi-sensei "We can't demolish the client Naruto." he scolded holding him off the ground as he began to struggle. Kakashi then turned to address the team "We meet at the gates in an hour." He then disappeared in a cloud of smoke leaving Naruto to drop to the floor. I waved goodbye and left towards my apartment to pack.
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"I can't believe you're going on such an important mission already Naki-chan" Aunt Saki exclaimed throwing her hands up in excitement. I smiled up at her and resumed packing my bag full of my essentials, "You're cousin Naki-chan is so big and strong isn't she Kazuki-kun?" she cooed at her baby as he played with a rattle fashioned of a bottle and rice. I stopped packing and spoke up my concerns about leaving "Will you be alright to take care of Kazuki-kun and Jiji?" Saki paused in her cooing and reached over to hug me before whispering in my ear. "Dont you dare worry about me Nameki, just make sure you come back safe and sound." I smiled into her shoulder as I returned the hug grateful for her support of my decision to be a ninja.
Coming from a mostly merchant family it was tough sometimes to learn ninja techniques having no other shinobi in the family to teach me. Aunt Saki quickly helped me finish my packing before shooing me out the door and to the gates to join my team. I thought a lot as i hurried towards the gate, I lived in the center of the village so there was always foot traffic when i went anywhere.
I finally saw the gate and broke into a sprint arriving just before my hour was up,everyone was there except Kakashi and the client Tazuna. Soon enough the pair arrived walking with each other Kakashi looked the same a usual and Tazuna had discarded his bottle of sake. As soon as Kakashi arrived we set out .
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It was a short while later that Sakura seemed to got fed up with Naruto's over excitable attitude. "What are you so excited about?" she questioned irritation obvious in her tone. "This is my first time outside of the village, I'm a traveler now believe it!" he exclaimed. "Hey am I supposed to believe that my life will be safe with this runt he is a joke?" Tazuna questioned just loudly enough for Naruto to hear. "Well there is three more of us and I'm a jounin so don't worry." Kakashi said giving a smile.
"So tazuna your from the land of waves correct?" Sakura questioned breaking the silence that we had settled into. Tazuna nodded and she asked another question "Kakashi sensei are their ninja in the land of waves?" Kakashi answered her question continuing to explain to us about the kages and hidden villages and told us we could all relax as there wouldn't be any enemy ninja on our journey, his reassurance soothed some of my lingering nerves, although Tazuna still seemed very nervous.
Tazuna was making me very nervous, he kept looking over his shoulder and jumping at the slightest noise. I was sure Kakashi was right that we wouldn't encounter any enemy ninja but there was still robbers which is what i believed Tazuna to be nervous about. In my nervousness withdrew a piece of paper from my pouch and began folding it into a flower shape. The origami helped me calm down, in my distraction I almost stepped into a large puddle on the side of the road, I walked around it and ahead of Kakashi to walk near sakura hoping to give her the flower.
Suddenly there was a metallic clink, I turned to catch the eye of Kakashi sensei just before he was ripped apart. I dropped the flower into the dirt in shock and clumsily withdrew a kunai from my pouch taking a protective stance to one side of Tazuna. I was terrified Kakashi was gone and we were on our own as two ninja appeared from the puddle. "Second target." The one nearest me mumbled locking his gaze on Naruto. My knees locked in terror as I watched them head towards a frozen Naruto. I screamed in my head for me to move only for Sasuke to intervene.
Sasuke threw a shuriken pinning the ninja to the tree by the chain that connected them to each other and kicked the simultaneously dislodging them from the tree. One ran towards me and the other towards Sakura as she told Tazuna to get behind us. Sasuke quickly appeared in front of us a kunai in each hand and just before the enemy struck Kakashi sensei appeared with each of them in a headlock a smile on his face.
