Chapter 7
It has been a month since the funerals and everything has fallen into a routine for team 7. Naruto and Sasuke arrive at training ground 7 first at 8:00am and after a few moments of silence the two start to bicker. Then at 9:00am Sakura and Miyoko who have become close friends, jog up to the training field together. After the funerals Sakura wanted to become stronger and went to Miyoko for help. Sakura had improved by leaps in taijutsu showing that she was a taijutsu prodigy. Her reserves were no longer small but were around average now and she no longer fangirled over Sasuke much to his relief. And Miyoko had gotten her to leave the dress behind and now she wears blue shorts and a red shirt with white trimming and a Haruno circle on the back. Now after the two jog up they see the boys constantly bickering and hit the boys on the head before starting on some taijutsu training or chakra control. Then at 10:00am Kakashi-sensei would show up and be shouted at ("YOU ARE LATE!") then would make an excuse ("LIES!") After that they would go on some D-ranks then finally would come back to train which they would all part ways after to go and do their things around 3:00pm. But of course every day varied and this was one of those days.
Today the boys were not bickering and Sakura jogged up alone. "Hey Sakura-chan! Where is Miyoko?" Naruto shouted as she came into his sight. "She said she had to make a few stops on the way here and would be here before ten. She didn't say what she was doing but her grin when she said that 'It is a surprise' scared me." They all exchanged nervous looks knowing that she was planning something that might possibly end with someone in the hospital by the end of the day. The boys waited nervously knowing that they would likely be the ones in the hospital at the end of the day while Sakura started to practice taijutsu hoping that no one got seriously injured by whatever Miyoko was planning.
At 9:15am Miyoko ran up grinning scaring the two boys and making Sakura nervous. "Sorry about being late guys. I had to stop at the store and visit the Hokage. I have a new mission!" Team seven groaned that she had a new mission without them that was higher ranked while they were stuck doing chores. "What can you say about the mission?" Sasuke asked. She always said what she could about her new missions to them. She sighed, "Sadly there is little information that I could say due to this being more confidential than the others. This one will happen after the chunin exams which is the latest it could wait as it is very important. This going to be a solo mission for me because there is a lack of background spies like me and my team is out for now due to Hina's pregnancy and we can't send in a spy that blends in amongst them and just gets the information by what they reveal to them. We need someone that listens from the background like me but it isn't a likeable job causing lack of spies." The breath stopped for a second in the teams throats. They were worried for her. A solo mission for a high ranked mission? What if she was caught? She could be killed by the enemy ninja because of this mission. "Don't worry guys." They all looked at her smiling. "I'll be okay. I have 5 years of experience in this area. I'm the only on fully qualified for this mission on the available list." The worry decreased only slightly. Miyoko sighed. 'They worry about me too much.'
"Well on a lighter note!" They looked up in curiosity. "I have brought some chakra paper to see what our elements are. Once you all finish tree walking and water walking I will give you the first exercise or just hand you off to someone with your element. Okay." They all nodded. "You seem like a sensei sometimes Miyoko-chan." Naruto said laughing slightly. Miyoko laughed, "Well someone has got to do it. Kakashi-sensei is too lazy to do so sometimes." 'No, he is just too caught up in the past to focus on being a better sensei.' Her mind told her as she took out the chakra paper. "Watch this guys. You channel chakra to your hands then the paper reacts, see?" They all watched as her paper crumbled. "I have earth you see. It is weak against lightning but I don't know what it is strong against. Now Sakura you give it a try." Sakura took the paper and after a moment it also crumbled. Miyoko clapped, "Yay, I have an earth buddy! Now Naruto give it a try." After a minute it cut in half. Miyoko let out a low whistle. "Naruto, you have the rarest element, wind. Strong against lightning and weak against fire. Nice Naruto. Now it is finally the great Uchiha Sasuke's turn, may all cower in fear?" Sakura giggled and Naruto laughed loudly. Sasuke scowled as he took a paper. His paper crinkled. "Well Sasuke has Lightning which is strong against earth but weak against wind. Don't glare at Naruto, the quality of the jutsu counts too." Sasuke reluctantly stopped glaring at Naruto and looked at Miyoko.
"Now I shall teach you tree walking. Now as you may have figured out, one of us may be in the hospital after this with a concussion." The others sweat dropped. 'Knew it!' "Now we will be using chakra in the soles of our feet to act like wet glue almost where you can pull away effortlessly but still stick to the tree. Like this." They watched in amazement as she walked up the tree and hung upside down on a branch. "You guys will run up and mark your progress with a kunai. And don't use too little or too much as you will be repelled from the tree. Okay, start!" They all took off. Miyoko watched in amusement as Sasuke was repelled off and Naruto did the same but landed on his head. Sakura made it up first and joined Miyoko on her branch. Soon the girls were sparring upside down on the tree and vertically while tree hopping.
When Kakashi arrived this is not what he was expecting to see. He did not think they would try to do tree walking already or that Sakura would use the skill while sparring with Miyoko. He smiled, "I see that Miyoko has stolen my job again." "Hey sensei! Miyoko showed us our elements but we can't learn them until we complete tree walking and water walking!" Naruto yelled down to their sensei. "Well I'm sure you can tell me all about your elements on the way to the mission office." The team groaned at the thought of another D-rank mission. "Sensei, can we have a C-rank mission please? I think we are ready for it." "Miyoko, You guys are fresh genin which means that you get more D-ranks until you have enough experience." "But sensei, how do we get experience if we don't actually do missions that give us experience. D-ranks are to build up teamwork and we have enough teamwork now. Plus a C-rank will only involve bandits at most so can we please get a C-rank?" Kakashi sighed. That is a pretty valid argument. "Bring up that argument with the Hokage and maybe we will get a C-rank Sakura." The whole team cheered loudly. The whole village could hear them and so could Suna.
At the Hokage's office Sakura and Naruto were arguing with the Hokage for a C-rank but Sakura sounded more respectful while Naruto, "Come on Old Man! We are tired of these chores! Give us a real mission!" well Naruto sounded like a child throwing a tantrum. "Please Hokage-sama, we have completed the required amount of D-ranks and have good teamwork. Plus this mission will only have bandits at most and we are more than capable of handling bandits." The Hokage pulled his pipe out of his mouth. "I guess I could give you a C-rank." The team cheered minus Sasuke who once again smirked. "Come in Tazuna." An old man with a drink walked in. He took a drink of the alcohol. "These are my escorts, are they even real ninja? Especially the two shortest ones. "Ha-ha, who are the shortest ones?" They all lined up with Miyoko and Sasuke as the tallest and Naruto and Sakura the shortest. "Cha! Who are you calling short?" Sakura yelled while Miyoko restrained her laughing. Naruto was also yelling at the man while being restrained by Kakashi. "We are protecting him, not trying to kill him." Kakashi sighed while restraining Naruto. Miyoko let out a laugh, "Yeah and don't steal cookies from them either! They get really mad when you do that for some reason.." Everyone gave her a strange look. "What?" "Miyoko, you tried stealing Mr. Kori's cookies by jumping on his back and pull them from his bag while giving him a wet willy." Kakashi explained slowly. Sasuke snorted, "And you are how old now Miyoko? I thought you stopped that years ago." "I did. That was when I was eight." They stared at her again. "Just focus on the client again." Tazuna grunted, "These brats are supposed to protect me?" "Ah, don't worry they are very capable. Miyoko and I will be there and we are very experienced." The Hokage interrupted, "Actually, Miyoko needs to stay and finish some bissuness here. She will meet you in the Wave Country. Now go."
After everyone left the room Miyoko went into serious mode. "What is it Hokage-sama?" We got someone with Ibiki right now." "Why does this concern me Hokage-sama?" "This ninja is from the last mission."
