Today's D-Rank mission: find lost pet, Tora. Team 7 was not happy about this mission. So far, they've been doing these boring missions from pulling weeds to walking dogs. Kagome knew that they were genin now, so they have to do D-rank missions for a while. But Team 7 were starting to get angry at the Sandaime for giving them so many of these missions. It was just a matter of time until they argued to get a C-rank mission or above. Was asking for a better mission too much to ask for?!
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"Sasuke, Point C."
"Sakura, Point A."
"Kagome, Point B."
"Sakura, you're a little bit slow."
"Kakashi-sensei, how far are we from the target?"
"Not that far. You should be able to see it."
Everyone waited for their target to move and for Kakashi-sensei's signal. Kagome caught sight of their target: a cat.
"Now!"
Kagome, Sasuke, and Sakura ran after the running target. But Kagome went ahead them and stopped the cat in its tracks. Before it could try to run the other way, Kagome quickly grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck and held the reluctant cat against her chest. Then she started purring. Soon enough, the cat calmed down and started to cuddle against her chest. Kagome gently scratched behind the cat's ears. The cat started to purr very loudly. Sasuke and Sakura appeared in front of Kagome.
"How did you..." Sakura began to say as she pointed at the cat.
"That's my little secret." Kagome said with a closed eye smile while scratching the cat's ears. The cat meowed as Kagome began to scratch its chin.
"Before you two get more comfortable, do you have positive ID?" Kakashi asked through the microphone.
"Hai, there's a bow on its left ear." Sasuke said when he spotted the bow on the cat's ear.
"Well done. Lost pet, Tora, has been found." Kakashi said.
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"I can see why the cat wanted to run away." Kagome whispered to Sasuke.
"Hn." Sasuke whispered back. Kirara 'mew' in agreement. They sweatdropped as they watched the cat's owner hugging it. Suffocating is a better word for it. They couldn't help but feel sorry for the cat. Then the lady paid the Sandaime and left the room. When the Sandaime announced more D-rank missions, Kagome couldn't take it anymore.
"Sandaime-sama." Kagome said.
"Hm?" Sarutobi asked.
"If it's not too much trouble, could we please ask for a higher rank mission? No offense, but I'm really starting to hate these kind of missions." Kagome said, "Actually we all are."
"Kagome-chan, you're all still genin! You have no experience in taking on higher rank missions! So you have to do D-ranks for now!" Iruka said with a tick mark on the side of his head. Kagome knew that they would be taking these kinds of missions for a while. But how long will they have to wait in order to get a higher rank?
"We're not exactly gaining any experience by taking on these D-rank missions, Iruka-sensei." Kagome said.
"I fully agreed with Kagome." Sasuke said as he raised his left palm up.
"I have to agree as well." Sakura said. She was only saying that since she really was starting to hate these missions.
Sarutobi sighed. He could easily tell that Team 7 was getting tired of D-rank missions and wanted a better one. He knew that Kagome and Sasuke were stronger than most of genin at their age. But it looked like Sakura still needed experience. He glanced at Kakashi and could see that he wanted to complain as well. But decided to stay silent.
"Very well. I shall give you a C-rank mission." Sarutobi said. Team 7 brightened at the announcement of a C-rank mission.
"You'll be bodyguards on this mission."
"So who are we guarding?" Kagome asked.
"Send him in." Sarutobi said. The door opened and a old man who looked drunk appeared. You could easily tell by the pink color across the nose area and the bottle of sake in his left hand.
"So these are my bodyguards?" The drunk man asked after he chugged down the last contents of his bottle of sake, "A bunch of snot-nosed kids?"
Unfortunately, that grew a tick mark on Kagome's and Kirara's head. They already hated their new client.
"Who are you?" Sakura asked, pointing at the drunk man.
"I'm Tazuna, a bridge builder. You'll have to escort me back to my home with the cost of your lives." Tazuna said.
"No problem." Kagome said. Tazuna turned towards Kagome and scoffed.
"I'm not all that sure that I can trust my life with these brats." Tazuna said. That gained another tick mark on the side of Kagome's head.
"Say one more insult and I'll make sure to beat the life of whatever you have left." Kagome said, raising her fist in front of her.
"Like I should be afraid of a little girl like you." Tazuna said.
"Oh, you will be." Kagome said, narrowing her eyes at the old man.
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Team 7 stood at the gate to the village. Sasuke and Sakura were excited yet nervous about leaving the village for the first time. Kagome and Kirara were also excited about this mission. She felt like she was going to the feudal era once more. Then she felt two auras nearby.
Enemies? Already? Are they after us? Kagome thought. For some strange reason, it looked like these two were waiting for them to come out. But who are they after? Was it them or maybe...
"So, are we all set?" Kakashi asked, breaking Kagome out of her thoughts.
"Ready when you are, Kakashi-sensei." Kagome said, smiling.
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"Kakashi-sensei, are there any shinobi in the Country of Waves?" Sakura asked as she walked beside Kakashi and Tazuna with Kagome and Sasuke in front of them.
"No, there aren't. This is a C-rank mission. There will be no battles." Kakashi said. Sakura sighed in relief. She was glad that she didn't have to fight. She looked ahead and saw Sasuke walking along side Kagome. She couldn't understand why Sasuke would spend more time with Kagome than of his own team. But then she remembered the reason why he would. She was surprised that he had asked Kagome to go on a date with him. Sakura was starting to wonder how the date went.
Kagome felt Tazuna's aura change when Kakashi-sensei had mentioned that there would be no battles on this mission. She had a feeling that the bridge builder was hiding something. Did it involve the two auras that had been following them since they left the village? At the corner of her eye, she noticed a puddle on the side of the road.
A puddle? There shouldn't be one here. It hasn't rained in days. Kagome thought when she looked up at the sky. Then she concentrated on the two auras that were nearby.
So they're waiting for an attack. Kagome thought. Suddenly, two long metal chains were wrapped around Kakashi. Then they were yanked and Kakashi was in pieces.
"KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Sakura screamed. Everyone watched with wide eyes when Kakashi was torn to shreds. Kagome sensed one of the auras coming towards her. She quickly placed a barrier around herself before the ninja could attack her. Then she grabbed the end of the chain and swung the ninja into the tree. She sensed the other aura behind her. Before she could attack, Sasuke went behind her and attacked the other ninja. She turned her head and saw Sakura standing in front of Tazuna with a kunai in hand as one of the ninjas headed towards them. Kagome and Sasuke quickly got in front of them with a weapon at hand.
Unexpectedly, the ninja was caught in a headlock. The one who caught them was someone who they thought was dead a minute ago.
"Kakashi-sensei, you're alive!" Sakura said with tears of relief in the corner of her eyes.
"Yo." Kakashi said as the two ninjas struggled in his strong hold.
"Substitution, right?" Kagome asked.
"Good guess, Kagome-chan. Great job to you three." Kakashi said.
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Kakashi was tying the two ninjas to a tree as his team and Tazuna watched.
"How did you that we were following you?" One of the ninjas asked.
"You two are complete idiots." Kagome said. Everyone turned towards her.
"There was a rain puddle on the side of the road. It hasn't rained in days and it's sunny out. So a puddle shouldn't even be there."
"Correct, Kagome-chan." Kakashi said.
"If you knew that then why did you let these kids fight?" Tazuna asked.
"They were after you, Tazuna." Kagome said. Everyone turned to Kagome once more.
"I sensed two people outside of the gate before we left. These two are chunin from the Hidden Mist Village. If they were really after us, they would have attacked all of us at once. But instead they distracted one of us and headed towards Tazuna."
"Great speculation, Kagome-chan." Kakashi said, "I believe she's right, Tazuna-san."
"This is a B-rank mission, right Kakashi-sensei?" Kagome asked.
"What?" Sakura asked, blinked in confusion.
"Hai. Genin aren't suppose to risk their lives on C-ranks." Kakashi said. Tazuna looked away from Kakashi.
"I'm sorry." Tazuna said as he stared into the ground. Everyone was quiet at that moment. They couldn't believe that Tazuna had lied to them. But why would he do such a thing?
"Kagome, you're bleeding." Kakashi said, looking at her left hand. Kagome glanced down and saw a cut on the back of her hand. How come she didn't notice before?
"Those claws had poison on them, Kagome. You better not move for a while." Kakashi said.
"This mission is too advanced for us. We should head back and find a doctor for Kagome to get the poison out." Sakura said.
"No, let's continue the mission." Kagome said.
"But Kagome, you have poison in your wound and we don't have anesthesia to get it out!" Sakura said, panicking.
"There's no need for that." Kagome said as she placed her hand on her wound and a pink glow surrounded her hands. Then it diminished. Kagome knelt down and took out her canteen a water and a cloth from her bag and wiped the blood away. There was no evidence of a wound on her hand.
"There, let's go now." Kagome said as she turned around and walked down the road.
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After an hour or two of walking, Team 7 and Tazuna sat in a boat that was taking them across the river. Then the row man cut off the engine and started rowing with an oar. Kagome could see something emerging from the fog.
"Is that-?" Kagome began to say.
"That's the bridge that's under construction." Tazuna said.
"Wow." Kagome said.
"Tazuna, before we get to the pier, there's something I want to ask you." Kakashi said, "Who is after you and why? If you refuse to tell us, we will abandon the mission as soon as we port."
Tazuna sighed. He had a feeling that they wouldn't trust him very well after the two ninjas from before.
"It's Gatō, is it not?" Kagome asked, "Gatō the marine transportation billionaire?"
"Hai. Gatō is one of the richest men in the world. On the outside, he's the president of a marine transportation company...but on the inside, he uses gangs and ninjas to smuggle drugs and illegal goods. He does horrible things like taking over countries and companies as well. Around a year ago, he set his sights on the Country of Waves and entered it with violence and wealth as his shield, which he quickly took over the sea traffic and transportation." Tazuna paused before continuing, "An island like our own, controlling the sea means ruling over the wealth, the politics, and the people of this island. The one thing that Gatō is terrified of is the completion of the bridge that has been under construction for quite awhile now."
"That's why he fears you? Because you're a bridge builder?" Sakura asked.
"Those ninjas from before were hired by Gatō, right?" Sasuke asked. Tazuna nodded.
"There's one thing that I don't understand." Kakashi said, "Now we know that he's a dangerous man who uses ninjas. Then why did you hide that fact when you came to us for help?"
"Financial problems." Kagome said. Everyone looked at Kagome.
"Hai. It's because we're a poor country that we couldn't afford to pay for a B-rank mission or above." Tazuna said, "I apologize greatly for not telling you this."
"Because if you told us, we wouldn't have taken the mission, right?" Kagome asked.
"Hai." Tazuna said, nodded.
"Don't worry, Tazuna-san, we'll continue the mission, right Kakashi-sensei?" Kagome asked, turning towards her sensei.
"I suppose so." Kakashi said, smiling underneath his mask.
"Thank you." Tazuna said with a small bow of the head.
"Let's get you home safely, Tazuna-san." Kagome said, smiling at Tazuna.
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They walked through the forest after leaving the pier. The boat man wished them all good luck. But Kagome knew that their luck could only last for so long. For some strange reason, Kagome felt an aura following them. It felt like a repeat of the two ninjas from before. Suddenly, she heard rustling in the bushes and threw her kunai towards it.
"What the heck, Kagome?! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Sakura yelled. Kagome ignored her and walked towards the bushes. She pushed them aside and found a white rabbit that looked like it had a heart attack. She gently lifted the rabbit in her arms, comforting it from its trauma. Then Kagome noticed something strange about the rabbit.
This is a snow rabbit. Why is its fur white? Their fur only turns white in the winter. That means- Kagome didn't finish her thought when she heard a twig snap.
"GET DOWN!"
Kakashi pushed Tazuna to the ground as Kagome, Sasuke, and Sakura dropped to the ground as a huge blade flew over their heads, intending on decapitating them, and lodged itself onto a tree trunk. Then a figure appeared on the blade's hilt. It was a male, probably around Kakashi's age. The male had short spiky hair, brown eyes, and the bottom half of his face was covered by bandages. He was shirtless with two belts that formed an 'X' shape on the front of his chest and on his back. He wore matching cameo arm warmers that went from his wrist to his elbow and leg warmers along with baggy pants with pinstriped pattern and black ninja shoes. Lastly, he wore a hitai-ate with the symbol of the Hidden Village of the Mist on it which was slanted sideways on his head.
"Well, if it isn't Momochi Zabuza." Kakashi said.
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A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
- Charles Spurgeon