"GET OFF ME!" Sakume yelled as she pushed Nikamaru off her. He had pushed her against a tree and tried to kiss her. Nikamaru Uzikeey was a boy from the hidden star village. He was in Konoha on the Hokage's orders.

"C'mon you know you like me." He started towards her again, but was interrupted by Shino.

"Back off, she said to leave her alone." He stood in front of the medic.

"Whatever…she'll be back." He walked off, headed who knows where but he was gone. She sighed in relief.

"The Hokage wishes to see us." He turned to her.

"Us?"

He nodded.

"Ok…" Her fire started as sparkles, as it got thicker, they faded. They reappeared outside the Hokage's office to see Shizune standing there, waiting to escort them in.

"You wanted to see us my lady?"

"Yes, there is a package arriving for me at the gates of the cloud village. Shino Aburame, Sakume Zukeero…I am assigning you both to this mission, Do you accept?" They both nodded in agreement. Even if they didn't want to, they would have had to. It was always funny that she asked, even though you don't have a choice really. "It will take you one day there, and one day back. I expect the package to arrive safely and in one piece…that goes for you two as well. You are to leave first thing in the morning, so when you get home, go straight to bed if you plan on getting enough sleep to perform properly tomorrow. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am." Sakume responded.

"Good…dismissed."

Shino and Sakume both left and nodded each other goodbye as they went their separate ways. Sakume walked down her street and stopped at her house. Sakume of course was a bit different, like Naruto in ways. She didn't live with her father Orochimaru, but that was to be expected, He killed her sister along with many innocent people. She used to be an outcast having enormous chakra levels and abilities because of her father's tests. She had developed the Sharingan, the Byakugan, and Orishigan. She had normal eyes…blue with black pupils, no trace of the Kekegenkai until it's power was activated. It was amazing how she could control fire without chakra. She didn't live with her mother either. She hadn't seen her mother since the day she was taken by her father at the age of 6. Also stolen from her best friend, Sasuke Uchiha. Their moms had been friends since they were little, so naturally…their kids became friends as well. Tsunade had taken Sakume in, not only as a pupil but she became a mother figure.

Sakume went upstairs and packed her bag for her mission tomorrow. She took the Hokage on her suggestion and went to bed early.

Time skip

:BREEP BEEP BREEP BEEP BREEP:

"Shut up! Stupid alarm."

:SMASH:

"Uggh…oh well I'll get a new one when I come back." Sakume stretched her arms and yawned as she went into the bathroom. She came out in her ninja attire. She walked over to her dresser and tied her headband on above her bangs. She picked up her pack and put it over her shoulder. She went downstairs and locked the door behind her as she left. Sakume arrived at the gates thinking she had beaten Shino, but she was wrong.

"I see you finally showed up." A voice stated. It was indeed Shino.

"Yes, I thought I was first here, but I see I was mistaken."

"Yes, in fact you were. I was thinking of a plan for our mission."

"Shino…our mission is pretty straight forward, we go to the village, and come back, practically making sure not to drop the package. There really isn't that much to plan out."

"I suppose, but you never know."

"I guess. So, if there is nothing we are waiting for, we should get going."

He nodded as they left and started on their way.

"So how's Hinata and Kiba?"

"Their good we haven't all been assigned a mission together since the mission with the three tails."

"Yeah I regret being off on a mission at that time, I hear the sealing team really could have used my strength and chakra control to help Ino, not to mention my healing skills. I hear there were a few injuries."

"Yes, we certainly could have used your help. How is your team doing?"

"Good, we haven't been put all together lately either. MoMo is on a mission right now. As for Serenity, she is doing chores around the village until she gets another mission."

"I see. It's pleasant to know everyone is managing well."

"Things are pretty good around here lately." She smiled.

"I agree, it has been quite calm."

"Let's hope it lasts for a bit, I'm actually getting to like having some down time once and a while. Usually between missions, the hospital, and training I don't have a lot of personal time."

"I know what you mean. I have had a little more time on my hands as well, it's relaxing."

"You can say that again, it's nice to have a break."

"Well it doesn't look like there is a break coming anytime soon on this mission." He looked up at the sun and sighed slightly.

"Maybe we should pick up the pace a bit?" She suggested.

He nodded as there speed increased.

Time skip

"Shino we're almost there, and from the looks of it, with time to spare."

"Good if we keep our velocity we should arrive back to Konoha early."

"Just as to be expected." She smiled.

"Yes, just to be expected from us."

"Look, I see the gates." She looked at him. He nodded. She nodded back. They quickly leapt to their destination.

"Hello, welcome to the cloud village. Can I help you?"

"We are ninja from the leaf. I'm Sakume Zukeero, and this is Shino Aburame. We're here for…" She was cut off.

"The package." The guard finished.

Sakume didn't like to be cut off at all, but she forced her annoyance down and smiled. "Yes, right."

"Here it is." The man pulled out a box from behind the desk he was previously sitting at.

"Will you be staying the night?" He asked.

She thought of what Tsunade said to her.

_xx FLASHBACK xx_

"Now Sakume, when you arrive there, you might be asked to stay, but trust me, the hotels in that village are dirty and gross. I've been there, they aren't kept very well, so I suggest you camp instead."

"I understand, thank you my lady."

"Anytime, and Sakume?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

"I will, it's just a retrieval mission."

"I know, just take precautions."

"I will." Sakume smiled and exited the room. Tsunade smiled as she resumed her work.

_xxx END OF FLASHBACK xxx_

"Umm…"

"No, we are expected back as soon as possible." Shino answered.

"Are you sure, the Hokage will cover the costs."

"So that is why she wanted us to camp instead." She shook her head. "No really we are fine."

The guard nodded. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Well if the Hokage would cover our room. Does that mean she would cover all our expenses?"

"Yes."

Sakume smirked. "I would like a large cup of tea."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Ok, just a second." He walked down to a nearby shop just down the main street and walked back with a steaming cup of plum blossom tea.

"Wow my favourite."

"I had a feeling, just with your name and all."

"Thanks."

"No problem, have a safe trip home."

"Will do." She waved goodbye and turned back to Shino.

"So, since you're in such a rush, why don't we use…" She was cut off.

"No, we aren't using you're fire. I'm not in a rush. I still think using you're power is cheating."

"Again with the cutting off! But still it's not cheating. It's helpful when time is the essence."

"Yes, I agree. Right now time isn't the quintessence and I would rather be out here than back at home doing nothing at all."

"Oh I see, you have a bit more spare time than you know what to do with eh?"

"It's something like that."

"Ok, we will take the long way then, let's walk."

"Thank you."

Sakume giggled to herself. She stopped and jumped to the ground. Shino looked behind him to his surprise she wasn't keeping up. He returned to her spot and jumped to the ground as well.

"Why did you stop?" He looked puzzled.

She looked up into the sky as he did the same.

"We'll camp here." She knelt and started to unpack.

"Very well. I will go get some wood for the fire."

"Ok. I'll set up the rest."

She took out a blanket. It got quite cool at night. Shino returned with his arms full of logs. It was pitch black, so he started the fire as the both sat beside each other with the orange glow from the fire on them and surrounding a perimeter of five feet.

Sakume yawned.

"You can go to sleep. I have everything under control, there is no reason for both of us to be up."

"I'm not tired." She mumbled as she dozed and her head rested on his shoulder.

"She's not tired eh? I knew it, but she wouldn't admit it and I bet if I woke her up, she still wouldn't admit it. She is so stubborn, but I like it…I'm not sure why, it just makes everything so much more interesting around her, she is unpredictable, but somehow you know everything will be alright in the end, no matter what she does." He smiled to himself.

Time skip

The birds acted like an alarm clock, a less annoying one, and also the fact that whatever she was sleeping on…was moving. She opened her eyes and looked beneath her to see Shino's shoulder.

"You woke up."

"Yeah. I'm really sorry about falling asleep on you."

"It's ok. It reminded me why I needed to stay awake. I didn't really mind."

She smiled. "Well I guess we should be on our way."

"I agree.

She didn't know what it was, but there was something about him that made her feel safe. She would always get these butterflies in her stomach when he walked towards her. She dismissed it because she didn't have time to think of that. Right now she needed to focus on successfully completing this mission. Which would be a piece of pie. She liked pie more than cake. So for her it was a piece of pie, elderberry and plum pie to be exact.

"I will carry the package." Shino offered.

"No, it's ok I'll carry it this time, can't let you have all the fun."