Chapter 1

I opened your eyes to numerous paws batting at my face right before the alarm turned on the radio. Sitting up and petting the 8 cats encircling me on the bed while I listened to the reports of the weather, something that happened to a few celebrities, and the crimes in the local area.

When it began to play a song I got up, switched off the radio, and changed into sweats. Exiting the house, the prediction of rain looked evident. Dark gray clouds covered the sky and a dense mist seeped around houses.

I sprinted to one end of the village, then jogged to the other side, then jogged half way to my house before walking the last of it. Muscles buzzing, clothes sticking to me, I felt good. I stretched the now awake muscles, loosening them.

In my room I stripped and walked into your bathroom. Turning my iPod dock up, I playing Cascada's "Evacuate the Dance Floor" so it blared and echoed in the small room. After showering, I couldn't help but sway my hips and danced to "Miracle" in my towel.

Sashaying into the closet, I grabbed a long sleeve, tight black shirt and dark blue jean shorts. I tied up my brown sandals to the middle of my calf, then for the final touch I tied my forehead protector around my waist. It hung loose and rested on my hip.

It hadn't been altered since the first day I got it, 3 years ago. Gods, it was annoying being skinny.

Going into the kitchen I grabbed an apple, some milk, and chocolate syrup. Munching on the apple as I stirred the milk, I wondered what the Hokage wanted. The scroll had said it could wait till morning, so it wasn't urgent, but I hadn't been summoned by the Hokage like this since the Third had called me in to announce me a Chounin.

I tossed the core and drained the milk, making a second after I feed all 22 of the cats. (Yep, I am the neighborhood cat lady) I rinsed the glass then left.

Nodding to other early risers as they walked either for exercise or to go to the shops to look at the new items that may be in, I soon arrived at the Hokage's Tower. I gave the guard on duty the scroll and he waved me on. Up many flights of stairs, I saw the symbol of the leaf village above the door.

I stepped through to see Lady Tsunade drinking sake out of a small cup. I waited patiently just past the door till she noticed me. "Name?" she said, straight to the point.

"Sasaki Umeko, Hokage-sama," I bowed and waited for her to speak.

"Yes, that's right. The Solo Kunoichi. Well, I've decided that you will be joining a team from now on."

I stared in shock as she calmly took another drink of saké. "But I requested that I be allowed to be solo on all of my missions, Hokage-sama."

"You did. You do excellent on all of them. But now I want to see how you do with other ninja. One team has just had their team mate take a leave of absence. You will be joining their team."

"…do you actually want me to spy on them?"

She gave me the you can't be serious look. An anime sweat drop appeared at the back of my head as I quickly replied, "Gomenasai, Hokage-sama. What would you like me to do then?"

She laid a folder on the desk with a slap and said, "Train with them, get to know them, go on missions with them. I can't stand hermits like you."

I blushed at the insult, the bowed my head as I walked up to the desk. "Hai, Hokage-sama. Gomenasai." I took the folder and left the office.