Chapter Three - The First Mission
I made it to the house faster than it took to get out of it. I heard yells outside. iAt least they didn't break any thing./i I walked inside to prepare food for them before they realized I was home. It took me a whole thirty minutes to fix. Twenty of them I spent alone, until the kids came in for water and rest. I served them each their portions before taking a small amount for myself. I wasn't all that hungry, but I finished the food on my plate in record time. I decided to go back to bed, I was tired.
"Migoto, you're in charge. If anything happens, I want to know why. I'm going to bed." I told the kids as they ate.
"Go to bed on time, you know the drill." I said, then went down the hall and into my room again. I dropped the holster on the nightstand and curled up on the bed, fast asleep.
I woke up to my alarm. I sat up groggily and peered at it. iFive in the morning. Already?/i Slowly I climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom to take my shower. Thirty minutes later found me clean and dressed. After attaching my holster to my right hip, I went banging on doors.
"Get up! You're gonna be late!" I yelled. I heard a lot of grumbling and groaning. Kei ended up getting the shower first, after a lot of fighting. I waited for everyone to be up and clean before starting breakfast. We were eating at 6:20, and I was out of the house ten minutes later.
"Don't be late!" I yelled and I left. I walked leisurely towards the practice area. The sky slowly began to lighten as I reached the training area. It seemed I was the first one. Then, I caught sight of Neji in a tree, looking down at me. I sat down at the base of a different tree and closed my eyes, resting against the cool bark. I heard Lee and Tenten arrive, greating the two of us warmly as they walked into the clearing. Seven came around, and Gai-sensei appeared.
"Hello my youthful students! We are not training today." He declared loudly. I looked up, curious.
"Instead, we are going on a C-ranked mission." My heart froze and I clutched the roots next to me. I felt a shudder run through my body as I relived the memory, my eyes wide in horror. I didn't even hear what the mission was about, or when it was to start.
"Akari? Are you okay?" I faintly heard Tenten. I bit my lip as the tears wanted to fall. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
"Y-Yeah, Tenten. I'm great." I replied softly. "What was the mission again?" Tenten gave me a strange look.
"We're escorting some guy to the Sand Village. It should only take us a few days, the most would be five. We'll be back before you know it. We gotta get going though. We meet at the gates at nine this morning." She replied. I stood up slowly. I noticed the clearing was empty.
"Okay, I'll meet you there." I replied, before walking away.
It took me fifteen minutes to get back to the house. It was empty and quiet. I wrote a quick note to the kids.
iKids,
I'm off on a C-Ranked mission. I'm going to escort someone with my team to Sunagakure. I'll be back soon, five days at the max. Migoto is in charge until big brother gets back, which should be tomorrow or so, hopefully. Be good. Don't break anything.
Akari./i
After placing that on the table where they'd see it, I grabbed my pack from the closet. I placed in it extra clothes, weapons, and food. After a second thought, I grabbed small pouch of soldier pills. You never knew when you'd need them. I heard something down home. I grabbed a kunai and quietly made my way down the hall. I peered around the corner, and I see someone rumaging through our closet. I silent move towards them and place the kunai at their neck. Only then do I realize that it's Migoto. I breathed a silent sigh of relief and replaced my kunai.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be training?" I asked her quietly.
"I could ask you the same thing." She replied. "I have a mission I'm going on. We're taking some documents out to one of the farther villages in the Fire Country, so I'll be gone for a few days. What about you?"
"I'm going to Suna. Great, I have to fix my note." I glanced at the clock. It read eight thirty already. I ran to my room and grabbed my pack, yanking it onto my back. I went to the note and scratched out the word Migoto, replacing it with Kei. I explained that Migoto was on a mission as well, and that Kei better not leave Koubai alone here if he happened to get a mission as well. Then I ran out the door with a quick farewell to Migoto.
I sprinted the whole way, so it took about ten minutes to get to the gate. Everyone except Gai-sensei was there, so I knew I wasn't late. Gai arrived about four minutes after me. He introduced us to our charge. His name was Oroka Kaeru. His position was nothing special. He had been visiting friends and he wanted an escort home. Easy. iHopefully.../i The last "easy" escort had ended as the loss of two genins and a jounin. We took an easy diamond position. Tenten took the lead, Lee the left, Neji to the rear, and myself to the right. Gai stood in the middle with Oroka, for easier protection. I half listened to the chatter that was produced between Oroka and Gai, listening to the forest. The trip to our first camping spot was easy. We had only taken one rest break between Konoha and the camp. Neji went out for water and Tenten took care of the fire wood. Tomorrow it would be me and Lee searching. Instead, we provided the extra protection that didn't seem to be needed. They returned quickly and night soon fell. I provided the meal for the night, seeing as I didn't do anything else that night. Neji took the first watch that night. Tenten was second, I was third, and Lee was fourth. I curled up under a tree with my pack and quickly fell asleep. It was too soon that Tenten was waking me up. I could've sworn I'd fallen asleep only two seconds before.
"Your watch. It should be easy, seeing as this is a super easy mission." She whispered with a tired grin. She found her own spot to sleep in and I took watch in the branches above my bed. I left my pack below, hidden in the roots. I leaned against the trunk and sighed. I kept one hand on my holster, as if something would happen.
iWe didn't think anything would happen last time either, and people died for it./i A tear rolled down my cheek as I remembered the bloody night. They had been like my family after I lost my family. Now all I have left is a brother and some annoying cousins. I lost two families, I don't know if I can loose this one too. A second tear followed the first, then came sobs. I buried my face in my knees, keeping myself silent as I weeped. I kept my senses alert, just in case, until I finally stopped crying. I checked the moon. I was almost time for Lee's shift. I stretched and jumped down off the branch. I shook Lee's shoulder.
"Lee, get up. It's your turn." I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. He was up and stretching almost immediately. I turned so he couldn't see my face.
"Good night, Lee." I whispered, and went back to my bed.
"Good night, Akari." He replied, going to his position. I passed out.