It wasn't more than a week later that they'd been home before Team's Seven and Thirteen along with their two respective sensei's were called into the Hokage's Office for another mission "As the results from the escort to Cloud were impressive, I'm giving you six another mission together" Hiruzen explained.

There was nothing wrong with that "What kind of mission Hokage-sama" Inoichi was the first one to ask, glancing to his genin and hoping inwardly to kami that nothing went wrong on their mission as they'd found out the only girl on the team was a trouble magnet.

And everywhere she went she unknowingly attracted trouble "C Ranked Escort Mission to the Land of Waves, our Client is Tazuna the Bridge Builder, you eight are to escort him home to his village and protect him as he completes the bridge" the Third announced.

Just as a side door opened to reveal their so called client who was old and apparently a drunkard, it wasn't more than five minutes after the initial meeting that one of the genin on Team Seven wanted to pummel the guy for insulting him and calling him short.

Predictable "We understand Hokage-sama, you three pack for a couple of weeks" Kakashi turned to his genin and ushered them from the office despite their reluctant groans, the only girls being the loudest because she hated traveling and it had only been week since they'd gotten back.

"We'll meet you at the gates Inoichi-sensei" Genma called chewing on his senbon and exited the office, holding the door open for his sole female teammate as she followed after him, but forgot to wait for his other teammate and earned a scowl that was missed.

The other brunette on the team let out a long suffering sigh "Please for our sake I hope nothing goes wrong" Yamato pleaded as he hurried down the streets to his apartment, otherwise it was going to be a very trying mission.

Inoichi shook his head in mild amusement heading off to his own home to tell his wife that he'd be gone on a two week mission before packing a bag full of what he and his team might possibly need if his genin ran out of supplies to soon.

Plus he doubted Kakashi would bring extra for his genin, with that he bid Aiko farewell "Good luck dear and come home safe" Aiko kissed him chastely pulling away with a tender smile as she watched her husband go off on another mission with his genin team.

And found he was one of the first few to arrive, Yamato and Genma were already there, but Kakashi, Tazuna and the four of the genin were still missing, "Am I late" Naruto charged into view mere moments later carrying a pack on his shoulders that was stuffed full.

No doubt he wouldn't need half of what he'd packed but the more the merrier, the Uchiha on Team Seven skidded to a halt a couple seconds later "Damn I was hoping to beat the Dope" Sasuke scowled prompting around of insults between the two boys.

Third to arrive was the only red head "Yes no annoying pink haired weirdo to steal Sasuke-kun" Karin immediately latched onto Sasuke and he shook her off with a scowl, then took several steps away from his only female teammate, hating it when the girl touched him.

Only Kakashi, their client and a genin were all they were waiting on, clear across the village, the pink haired kunoichi entered her house only to freeze as she saw that her adopted parents were home for the first time in ages.

"Where the hell have you been all morning, this house is a wreck young lady" Mebuki whirled on her daughter, anger in her green eyes, the young girl frowned and looked around, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the house.

Her adoptive father winced "What your Mother means Sakura is the laundry and your room, which you better start cleaning and washing, right now, or you'll be grounded" Kizashi said in a warning tone missing the annoyance on his daughters face.

With a resolute expression "Hokage-sama summoned me along with my team and Team Seven, I can't we have a mission and I'm only here to pack" the pinkette stated knowing that she was wasting time and no doubt the others were already waiting.

What she wasn't expecting was for her adoptive mother to lunge and try to slap her clean across the face, if it weren't for her developing reflexes she would have been to "Don't you ever back talk us again, now go to your room, your team will just have to complete the mission without you" the blonde ordered.

Sakura was tempted to roll her eyes "And don't you even dare try to sneak out your window, if you do, I'll be waiting and you'll be grounded for months" the dark pink haired male said, though she fully intended on ignoring that.

For she knew for a fact her window was open and with a simple cloaking genjutsu she'd be gone without her adoptive father ever realizing it, so without another word walked calmly up the stairs to her room and began packing.

Then peered out the window and there he was stood below in the street, with a roll of her eyes a genjutsu that cloaked her was used and she slipped out the window and leaped clear over her father's head and tore off down the streets.

Until the gates came into view only then did she remove the jutsu, having sensed her, no one was really surprised "What took you so long brat" Tazuna, who'd arrived with Kakashi ten minutes before hand and they'd all been waiting for her.

After situation her pack properly she let out a long suffering sigh "My parents were home, they ordered me to do their laundry and clean my room and when I told them I had a mission threatened to ground me and tried to keep me from leaving" Sakura announced.

Looking extremely angry, but was tamping down on her temper pretty well considering, nothing more was said as the nine of them signed out and set off down the path in the direction of the Land of Waves, Tazuna's home village.

"No offense but do your parents not realize that you're a shinobi now and regular rules no longer apply to you or are they just plain stupid" the raven haired male in the group spoke up wanting to know what was wrong with the girls parents.

Sakura shot him a look "Hate to agree but Uchiha's right Sakura-chan your parents aren't exactly the most loving and their always leaving you on your own so don't even know half of the stuff you've been through" the brunette with brown eyes chimed in.

While Sasuke looked extremely disturbed at the news "And not only that probably don't even know you've met some of your birth family" the brunette with onyx eyes walking on her other side spoke and a smile curved her lips upwards.

"Do you still have that necklace Raikage-sama gave to you Sakura-chan" the older blonde with blue-green eyes inquired and Sakura tugged the pendant out from beneath her shirt collar, signifying her status as family to the Raikage.

Off to the side Karin harrumphed in displease, jealous that the pink haired girl got all the luck "Kakashi-sensei how long is this going to take us" the red head complained in the next moment already tired of walking.

Kakashi was tempted to scuff her over the back of the head "Several more hours Karin, now pick up the pace and stop dragging your feet" the silver haired nin ordered, he was seriously going to have to up that girls training otherwise she'd never make it in the world.

Naruto eyed his teammates then wandered over to his best friend "Ne, ne Sakura-chan what were you always doing when you went off with that big guy on that really cool island" the young blonde of the group questioned.

She gave him an indulgent smile "Training Naruto, Raikage-sama taught me the water walking exercise and we found out that I have the same chakra nature as him, lightning and water based natures and fire, but not the regular kind of fire" the pinkette chattered.

Drawing the boy into a detailed explanation of everything she and the Raikage had done during the various times they'd left the bungalow during her meditation training 'Koneko-chan two chakra signatures ahead' Matatabi interrupted partway through.

The girl jolted and her eyes shot forward becoming quiet "At least nothing's happened yet" the bridge builder commented, missing the sudden eerie silence coming from the group of shinobi as they all noticed one of the genin becoming tenser by the second.

First to her side was her sensei "What is it Sakura-chan do you sense something" Inoichi lowered his voice as the group of nine came to a slow stop, still several meters away from where Matatabi had sensed the two chakra signatures.

"Mhm two ahead, their chakra is dark like rogues, their laying in wait for us" Sakura nodded eyes becoming cat like, letting the man know Matatabi was just beneath the surface ready to defend her host at a moments notice.

Inoichi straightened "Best thing we can do is let them ambush us and take care of them, keep together you six and protect Tazuna is that understood" Kakashi snapped his book shut, he'd already felt the chakra, but for one of the genin to have as well was a little bit of a shocker.

He would have kept silent and let the ambush play out cause he felt something off with this entire mission like Inoichi did but the genin were none the wiser, at his order the six genin surrounded Tazuna, two in front, two on the side and two in the back.

With the two Jonin in the lead the group of nine continued their trek until they passed by a puddle where the two chakra signatures were emanating from but they passed it by, it wasn't more than ten feet later that chaos erupted through the group.

The only red head in the group let out an ear piercing scream as her sensei was cut in half in several pieces as the two rogues charged, one went straight for Tazuna and experienced eyes picked up on that.

Karin was still screaming like an idiot when Sasuke jumped in front of her, who was stood in front of their client, while the other went after Naruto, upon seeing this Sakura didn't hesitate in jumping in front of her friend and release an on the spot punch.

"S..Sakura-chan" Naruto whimpered huddling into her back as the two males on his best friend's team surrounded them, Kakashi chose that minute to return and take out their two attackers and everyone thanked the kami when the red haired girl stopped screaming like a bloody banshee.

Like seriously, Sakura turned 'Poison Koneko-chan, Kurama will burn it out of his system and heal the boy if he wants to survive now let me take over for a minute to speak with those two' the feline tailed beast rumbled gesturing to the two jonin.

Who were tying up the rogues, "You'll be alright Naruto, just a little scratch" Genma knew instantly that his teammate was no longer in control of her body when her eyes became mismatched and slit like a cats and wandered in the direction of the two jonin's.

Naruto sniffled "Here let me help you wrap that" Yamato offered knowing it was going to hurt for a bit until the fox sealed inside the boy finished healing it up, the boy thanked him quietly and held perfectly still for Yamato.

In the mean while Sakura with the two tails in control reached the two Jonin and both of them realized that it wasn't the girl they'd come to know "Those two were after the bridge builder, something is off and he's not telling the whole truth" Matatabi growled under her breath.

Kakashi nodded and Inoichi who'd somewhat suspected nodded finished up with the rogues before heading for their client, only then did Matatabi give control back to Sakura, who was holding up surprisingly well with all that had happened that morning.

"Sasuke-kun you were so cool how you jumped in front of me like that" Karin squealed in the next moment and emerald eyes rolled upwards in annoyance, while the Uchiha tried to get away from his female teammate.

By snapping at her "I was only protecting our client you're just an annoyance and completely useless why don't you start training instead of letting others protect you" Sasuke snapped irritated with the way she kept clinging to him.

Like usual the insults went clear over the girls head and Sakura scoffed under her breath, she was almost certain that Karin would be the first one to die on a mission and with how the one they were on was turning out so far it would be soon.

Eventually Kakashi and Inoichi managed to coerce the truth out of their client and suddenly their mission went from a C Rank to an A Ranked, ten times more dangerous, but the old man had grown on them a little.

"So you'll still protect me" Tazuna asked amazed at the loyalty shinobi possessed even if the mission was extremely dangerous and they could possibly die, they were still willing to see the mission through to the end, they all nodded and once again they started down the path.