Chapter Three: My First Mission!
I started going off on Anko-sensei, who wasn't even paying attention. Gosh, she's almost as bad as Rai!
"Hello, I'm talking to you!!" I yelled at her.
"… Huh? What?" said Anko-sensei as she apparently came back to earth.
I sweatdropped as she started to rub the back of her head.
"I'm sorry, Natsumi… I was thinking about dinner." she chuckled.
Growlllll… said my stomach.
I blushed a little as she laughed. What's so funny? I've been training for 6 hours straight! Yet I haven't seen her do anything except yell at me and sit on her butt!
"You can come eat too, Natsumi, as well as your comrades." she invited.
Wait, what? Rai's gonna be there?! Wow, I really think Daddy Hokage chose the wrong sensei for me. Great. Now I have to run all around the village searching for my enemy, to take him to dinner. How ironic. Guess I'd better start running… Hey, le duh! What am I thinking?
"Byakugan!"
Anko-sensei sighed and said, "Why does my team have to be the laziest?"
"Oh, shush. So I'm lazy. It's one of my greatest attributes!" I said enthusiastically.
I scanned the whole village (except the restrooms, of course) and found Takara at Ichiraku's and Rai on the training field.
"I found them! Takara's at Ichiraku's Ramen Bar and Uchiha's at the training field."
We both stood in silence.
"Well? Are you going to get them?" she asked.
"What?! I have to get them too? What the heck, woman?!?" I cried anime-style.
After pointing some well-thought-out words under my breath, I took off to get my teammates.
"Natsumi needs some R&R…" she laughed as she rubbed her neck.
Suddenly, two ANBU black ops appeared in front of her.
"Lady Anko, your presence is requested by Lord Hokage." one said in a matter-of-fact manner.
"God, people, what is up with the world? Someone really hates me out there, am I right?!" Anko-sensei yelled to the sky.
Lady Anko… Do you need to be admitted to the hospital? Is everything okay?" he asked, and stepped back once.
"I think Lord Hokage's Genin is finally getting to her," the ANBU whispered.
"No… I'm fine – this is what happens to Anko when Anko doesn't get food at dinner after 6 hours of training. Anko gets ticked." Anko-sensei stared at them with her temple pounding.
Probably frightened, the two ANBU had disappeared when she had started talking in third-person. She sighed and took off toward the Hokage tower, leaving the three Genin.
(Back with Natsumi)
Man, they move fast! Now Takara's at her house, and Rai is apparently window shopping with Ren and Hyuuga. Why does everything have to be so complicated? Believe it! Oops. My bad, it slipped… I absolutely love Takara's house, and her mom is one of my role models!
I knocked on her door and I heard many little footsteps and little kids yelling stuff like "I got it!" and "It's my turn!"
"Who is it?!" yelled a little kid.
"Um, Uzumaki Natsumi."
"It's Natsumi-niichan!!"
"Open the door then!" screamed another.
The door swung open, and then I saw about 8 kids less than a year apart pushing and screaming "Get out of the way" and "Ow, that was my foot!"
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
The kids stopped pushing and jumping and stood there frozen, all except for their hands (which were copying someone's hand sign).
Shikamaru Nara showed up at the door and said, "What a drag. Never have kids."
"Shika-kun!! Who is it, why is it so quiet, and I thought that you were frying bacon?!?!" a high voice yelled from inside the house.
"Crap. And never get married. Come in, Natsumi-chan." Shika-niikun invited.
"Thank you, Mr. Nara, but I won't be long… I just wanted to stop by and grab Takara-chan." I said.
"Okay, that's fine I guess…" he responded.
"Shika-kunnn… Who is it?" Ino yelled from the kitchen.
"God, Ino-chan! It's Natsumi." he sighed.
"Really? Hold on, Natsumi, I'm coming." she squealed.
Ino Nara came running from the kitchen and through the frozen kids.
"Aww, I haven't seen you by here in forever! What's up?" she asked, looking at me with sparkling eyes.
"Umm… I've been training my butt off with Anko-sensei. I wanted to get Takara-chan, so we could go get something to eat." I responded.
"Where are you going, sweetheart?"
"Anko-sensei said that she was going to treat all of us at Ichiraku's."
"Well, that's nothing… How would you like to stay here and celebrate Hachiro's birthday? There's vanilla icing!!" she trilled in the same high-pitched voice as before.
"Thank you, Mrs. Nara, but I really think that I should be going…" I started.
"Oh, nonsense, child. Go upstairs and wash up for dinner… Shika-kun's got the kids controlled, so you won't get stuck in line for the sink, and Takara's up there."
Suddenly, a loud noise and the smell of something burning came into the room.
"Oh my gosh, Shika! Did you cut the oven and stovetop off?" she asked frantically.
"I think so…"
As he shrugged his shoulders, he accidentally lost control of his jutsu, causing the kids to run around screaming. It was really a sight to see. Kids running around in circles screaming because of the noise and smoke, Ino trying to calm the kids down (failing horribly), Takara-chan running down the stairs to see what the commotion was about, Shikamaru fanning what was left of the bacon and mumbling to himself, and there I was, just looking at all the chaos in the Nara home. Takara-chan miraculously got through the room, with a giant sweatdrop on her head and her head held down. Gosh, I feel bad for her. Obviously I won't be staying here… I better go ahead and grab Takara-chan before she gets mauled by the midgets…
I pulled Takara-chan through the front door and closed it. We stood there for a while, reveling in the silence, when suddenly we heard what sounded like Shikamaru yelling, "Everything is so troublesome!" Then a frying pan come flying out the window next to us, hitting the neighbor's mailbox across the street.
A man came out of the house, looking horrified and talking on the phone.
"Yes, sir. I'm pretty sure that the pan came from my neighbor's house across the street… Yeah, that's 156 Ichiala Street. Thank you…" he just started crying anime-style.
Takara just looked at me real quick and said, "Come on, before somebody notices that I'm not there, or we get arrested..."
We took off, and when we got to where I last saw Rai, he wasn't there.
"Oh, come on! Why can't everybody just be lazy for once," I spoke out loud, "Byakugan! Again…"
I once again searched up and down the streets… Still no sign of Uchiha.
"I can't find him…" I told Takara.
"Umm, Natsumi-chan?" Takara poked me.
"Yes?"
"He's right in front of you."
"Do you really expect me to believe that? I mean, come on, I think I'm a bit smarter than that… Aahh!" I screamed, as I saw two green eyes staring at me.
"Hn. I thought that Byakugan didn't have a blind spot… looks like it's right in front of your face." chuckled Rai.
"Oh shut up."
"So, where we going?"
"Ichiraku's. Anko-sensei's supposed to be treating us."
"So… you girls hunted me down, huh?"
"A-and what's that supposed to mean?" I asked.
I knew that I had blushed, but I still kept a serious face. You see, I really like Rai, but he seriously ticks me off sometimes.
"Oh, nothing…" he shied off.
We started off again with Rai this time, so of course there were more interruptions. One being that Takara-chan accidentally flew face-first into a tree after falling asleep while jumping. I called her a baka, but then I gave her a hug so I wouldn't hurt her feelings.
She was like, "Traveling is such a drag."
Takara had a big red mark that took up her whole forehead the rest of the journey to Ichiraku's.
A little while later, we reached the Ramen Bar… Where the heck is Anko-sensei?!
"Where the heck is Anko-sensei?!" I yelled as I stomped my foot.
"It's already getting dark, so maybe she got tired of waiting," Rai suggested.
"Yeah. That's what I would have done, anyway…" Takara agreed while rubbing the red spot.
Rai noticed how bad the spot looked, and walked up to Takara-chan and placed his hand on her forehead. I turned bright red when I saw this… Why the heck is he doing that?
"Takara-chan, that looks bad. Come on, Natsumi, let's take her to the hospital to get some ice or something." Rai said as he "helped" Takara-chan to walk, like she was injured.
"Rai, I don't need any help, thank you though." Takara-chan made Rai let go.
I was still a bit red but just then, a poof of smoke uncovered an ANBU black op!
"Dude, where'd you come from?!" I yelled as I jumped back.
I noticed that this ANBU's mask was that of a cat with his own eyes.
"Lady Anko Mitarashi has requested your audience at the left wing of Hokage Tower. Afternoon, Team One," he said politely, "Miss Uzumaki, if I can say something a bit personal to your teammates and yourself?"
"Yeah sure, go for it," I waved off with my hand, "and please call me Natsumi."
"Yes, Natsumi-chan. Team One, you might be going to one of the most valuable places in all the villages that you will remember for the rest of your life. You will always remember these teammates beside you: Uzumaki Natsumi, Nara Takara, and Uchiha Rai along with your life. Good day, Team One."
He disappeared in the same manner as he had appeared. We all stared at each other. Takara-chan looked like she was going to cry (even though she had NO idea why), Rai looked down at the ground intensely, and I was just looking bored to death.
"Well, he should write sappy greeting cards." I said, with a sigh.
The other looked at me sweat dropped and looking down at their feet while I just rubbed the back of my head.
"Natsumi, Takara. Let's go. Maybe we'll have as good news as that ANBU went on about." Rai told us.
"Okayyy…" said Takara.
"Whatever, Rai-baka…" I said.
He sighed, shook his head, and started off down the road. We reached the Hokage Tower and I wasn't impressed.
"How come we had to go to my house, huh? Why couldn't we have gone somewhere cooler?" I whined.
Hey, what am I saying? Rai and Takara-chan have never seen my room or my parents! Actually, I don't know if they've seen Daddy Hokage… I'm gonna ask!
"Have you two even SEEN Daddy Hokage?" I asked.
"Daddy Hokage?" Rai chuckled.
"Shut up Rai!" I fumed.
See? What'd I tell you? Jerk. Gasp! Oh my gosh, is my room clean?!
"Hold on guys! Stay right here. Don't move! I have to uh… go… tell… Mama Uzumaki to… go… do somethi- HEY LOOK! A DISTRACTION!" I pointed at the sky behind them.
I zipped in the front door, ran up like, three flights of stairs, and busted into my room… or so I thought. I had run into the door, thinking that there was nothing behind it… I slammed my head against the door…
"Ow! Stupid door! God! Get out the way! Rai-kun's coming in!!" I yelled at the inanimate door.
I pushed the door with much struggle and finally got into my room, which was (not to my surprise) very, very messy.
"Why me? They're gonna be sooo impatient. Especially since I didn't even tell them why… I'll never get all of this picked up before they come in… DOH! I'm so stupid! Kage bunshin no jutsu!" I yelled as I did some hand signs.
Once again, I had many real images of myself around my cluttered room.
"Okay, girls. Listen up. Rai-kun will be up here soon, so I don't want ANYTHING messy OR embarrassing just lying around here. Got it?" I asked my clones.
"Got it!" they all yelled.
My clones took off around my room, cleaning everything and putting things where they belong. I sorted through a pile of clothes thrown in a chair next to my closet and started putting them in there. After a while, everything seemed to be in its place… Better call up Rai-kun and Takara-chan!!
"Rai! Takara-chan! You can come up now!!!" I yelled down the stairs.
"Finally!" Takara-chan yelled.
They got up to my room and I let them in humbly. I was smiling as they looked around my room, checking out everything. Takara was going through my closet, occasionally saying things like, "Oooohhh, Natsumi-chan! You're so lucky!" and "I sohave to borrow this." Rai went into my bathroom and a few seconds later, we heard him yell.
"Aahhh!"
Takara-chan and I went rushing to the door, with me in front. Rai was holding one of my bras that had been drying on a rack! Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!! There is NO WAY that this could have happened. Why couldn't Takara-chan have gone in there first and told meeee??
I rushed over to Rai and grabbed my bra from his finger (the only thing on his body he would let it touch), and with my face completely bloodshot, I stuffed it in my drawer.
"Rai, you never saw that, right?" I asked him.
When there came no answer, I walked back into the bathroom where I saw Rai passed out with a nosebleed on the floor. That pervert! I ran some cold water in the sink then.
"Takara-chan, please lift up Rai and prop him up in front of the sink." I asked politely with a devious smile on my face.
She did as she was instructed. Then I pushed Rai head-first into the freezing water! Hahaaaa!!
He jumped up a foot in the air sputtering, his face soaked. Me and Takara-chan fell down on the floor laughing. His Sharingan had activated and he was furious.
"Don't be mad at us. You had that coming, you little perv!" I teased Rai.
He deactivated his Sharingan and was now turning different shades of pink, with us two girls stifling our laughs.
"Okay, enough fooling around! Natsumi, give me a towel and let's go find Anko-sensei." Rai ordered.
"Okay, Rai-kun." I added.
I walked off to the door, leaving Takara-chan and Rai-kun standing with their mouths wide open. Umm… What'd I do? ……………… Oh crap. Tell me I didn't. I DID!!
"Did you just say Rai-KUN?" Takara-chan and Rai-kun said together.
"Maybe." I trailed off, while blushing.
Man, I blush way too much. I need a cream to hide it or something… I'll just get them to hurry up and come with me. Maybe they'll forget!
" 'Kay, haiyaku!(hurry up)" I pushed Takara-chan and pulled Rai-kun by his hand.
"B-but, Natsumi-chan…" Takara-chan stuttered.
"Shut up and walk." I snapped.
We found Anko-sensei, finally, after much arguing about which way to go between Takara-chan and Rai-kun. I had gotten tired of it and reminded them that I actually live here and know where I'm going.
"It's about time, you little squirts." Anko-sensei said to us as her way of a greeting.
All three of us stared at her like she was Orochimaru or something with disgust at that remark.
"Nice to see you too, sensei…" Rai-kun said.
"Yeah, I know. Anyway, I've got great news." she exclaimed.
"That's been said…" Takara-chan told her.
"Smart aleck… Ya know, when I was-" she started.
"GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!" we yelled.
"Okay, okay! Sheesh, don't have a cow. We're all going on your first mission ever!!!" she squealed.
Me, Takara-chan, Rai-kun, and Anko-sensei cheered, jumped, and hopped at this awesome news. I mean, DUDE. My first mission ever as a Genin! How could this day get any greater?
Just then, caught up in the moment, Rai-kun ran over to me and kissed me on the cheek. When he stopped, he realized what he had just done, and turned completely red in the face. I just stood there in shock, paralyzed with a surprised look on my face.
"I… I was just so caught up in the moment! I-it must have been… the Sharingan! Yeah, that's it. Hehe, it was the Sharingan. It made me think that Natsumi was you Anko-sensei." Rai tried to explain.
"Boy, you better hope it was Natsumi that you saw." Anko-sensei said.