Chapter 9
A new assignment
A few days later
"We are finally getting a new mission!" Naruto yelled while he, Sakura, Sasuke and Karena were walking towards the Hokage's office.
"What rank do you think that it will be in?" Sakura said.
"It better not be some boring D- Rank mission." Naruto mumbled.
'You have no idea Naruto...No idea'. Karena thought.
"Were getting an A- Rank mission." she said looking avoiding their looks.
"Yeah right, we're only Genin!" Sakura exclaimed.
'She doesn't know anything! I bet that just embarrassed her in front of Sasuke! CHA!' Inner Sakura thought.
Karena stopped.
"Is that so, Sakura?" Karena said. "Do you really think that I just embarrassed myself?"
'What? How did she know what I am thinking?' Sakura thought.
Karena just walked forward while she left the others behind pondering.
"Oh by the way, I heard that too." Karena said while stopping and then starting to walk again after she finished her statement.
Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were confused.
"Sakura what is she talking about?" Sasuke asked.
'I don't know...' Sakura thought. 'I don't know'.
"Well it's about time you showed up!" Tsunade said while the four of them walked in.
Tsunade looked at Karena, "Karena." Tsunade said with a smile.
"Now then, where is your teacher?" she asked.
"We don't know." Naruto said.
"He's always late. It's Kakashi after all." Karena said.
Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke looked at her.
"Well anyways what rank will our mission be?" Karena quickly asked.
"Well I've got a C- Rank mission for you-"
"A C- RANK MISSION! THAT'S IT!?" Naruto yelled.
"Well I could go back down to a D- rank..." Tsunade started to say while going for the D- rank scroll.
"No. No. C- Rank is fine." Naruto said.
"I though so." Tsunade said, "Well you mission will be to-"
Just then a cloud of smoke appeared.
"Well it's about time Kakashi." Tsunade said, "As I was saying, your mission will be to guard, him." Just then, someone opened the door. An old man with a bottle of beer in his hand came in.
"That's him?! That old GEEZER?!" Naruto yelled.
"Mind your manners Naruto!" Karena quietly said to him.
Naruto looked at Karena, then looked at him. Naruto made a quick face then turned away.
"This is Tazuna. I hope that you six will get along." Tsunade said. "Now go."
"Well we will be traveling to the Land of Waves. So take good care of me!" Tazuna said while chugging down the rest of his beer.
"You're just an old man! Why should we take care of you?" Naruto asked.
"Naruto it's our mission." Sakura said.
"So were going to the Land of Waves." Sasuke said.
"That's right. I'm the bridge builder." Tazuna said.
Karena stopped, "You mean the bridge builder!" Karena said.
"Yes I am. I am the very person who has spent years on building the bridge so that the Fire Country and the Mist Country would be connected." Tazuna said.
"It is a privilege to meet the bridge builder." Karena said while bowing.
"You don't have to be so modest. Besides a pretty girl like you should be looking for a mate." Tazuna said smiling while lifting up Karena's chin to match with his.
Naruto, Sasuke, and even Kakashi were all looking.
'HM! She is such a loser!' Inner Sakura thought.
Karena moved Tazuna's hand off her chin and just walked away.
'She is such a beauty!' Tazuna thought.
'I'm gonna kick his butt!' Naruto thought.
Sasuke looked at Karena while she passed him.
'Lucky.' thought Kakashi.
"If you weren't the person we had to protect, I would have slit your throat right there." Karena growled.
Tazuna's face went a pale blue. 'Well she sure is a ferocious one alright'. Tazuna thought.
Then they all started to walk again.
A few hours passed by and Karena was still in the lead, far away from Tazuna.
'I wouldn't blame her either.' thought Kakashi.
Karena stopped, so did Kakashi. Karena took out her samurai sword. Kakashi took out a shuriken.
"What's going on!" Sakura said while a kunai passed her head.
Two people appeared by Tazuna and started to attack them. Just before they were about to attack, Karena and Kakashi appeared in front of him, blocking their attacks.
"If that is the way you want to play, then you've got it!" they yelled.
Both of the men took a long line of shuriken. One went onto the other side of Karena and Kakashi then the two men circled the shuriken around Karena. "NO!!" Kakashi yelled as they pulled and Karena was sliced into pieces.
"No...No...NO!!!" Sasuke yelled as he charged toward one of the men.
He took a kunai out of his pouch and charged at one of the men that had killed Karena. One of the men took a blow from Sasuke in the stomach with his kunai. "I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU KILL ANYONE ELSE!!" Sasuke yelled.
The man fell to the ground.
"You're next!" Sasuke yelled looking at the other man who had killed Karena.
"I won't go down so easily!" The man said.
He revealed that one of his hands had a metal glove on it that had sharp claws. He threw an acupuncture needle at Sasuke. Sasuke just stood there, unable to move. The man charged toward Sasuke. Kakashi and Naruto were already knocked out, and Sakura stood there like a scared rabbit.
"SASUKE!" she yelled, "NO!"
When she opened her eyes then man with the metal glove stood there stabbing someone, it was Karena, but Karena was also there with a blue ball of energy in her hand that was forcibly pushed into the mans stomach. The man and Karena fell down to the ground.
Sasuke looked at Karena while she fell to the ground, 'She is just like her. My mother...' Sasuke thought.
Before she fell completely, Sasuke caught her in her arms.
"Sakura, pick up Naruto, Tazuna you pick up Kakashi-sensei. Follow me." Sasuke said while leading them into the forest.
Karena woke to a harsh light. She touched her stomach; there was a bandage around it.
"Who..." Karena started to say but then coughed up blood. Sasuke quickly ran over to her.
"You have to rest." Sasuke said while removing the cloth from her cheek to get a new one. The cloth felt good on her face when he placed the new one on her head.
"Thank you, Sasuke." Karena said quietly.
"You're welcome." Sasuke replied.
Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura and Tazuna appeared around her as well.
"You're going to be okay." Kakashi said happily. "You might need to rest for a few days."
Karena looked down at her stomach; there were purple and green stains on it as well.
"How long have I been asleep?" Karena asked.
"Surprisingly, an hour." Sakura said smiling.
"Oh no." Karena said while sitting up.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked.
Karena started to undo her bow, but then said, "Turn around all of you." Then she resumed. She took off her bandage, then looked at her wound.
"Sasuke, give me a kunai." Karena said. Sasuke quickly gave her a kunai.
"You can all turn around now." Karena said.
All of them were surprised when Karena stabbed herself in the same place her wound was.
"What are you doing?!" Tazuna said, looking worried.
"The claw was infected with poison. She is releasing all of the poison from her body." Kakashi said while they were all looking at Karena's wound.
Karena was breathing hard. The poison had spread too far. It took a few minutes before the poison was out of her body. She neatly wrapped the bandage around her stomach again and redid her bow. She started to get up, but then staggered. She fell to her knees. She took her hand and placed it above her clothes where the wound was, "Heal!" Karena cried out.
A green glow emitted from her palm.
"You shouldn't do that!" Kakashi said while coming to her side.
"No I'm fine."
As she was done she started to get up again.
She started to fall, but Kakashi caught her.
"I'll carry her until she wakes up." Kakashi said.
* * * * *
Karena opened her eyes to find that she was resting in Sasuke's arms.
"Good morning." he said to her.
She just looked at him. She started to get up to look around where she was. She was on a boat in the mist. Next to her was Kakashi. Across from her were Sakura and Naruto and Tazuna, who was rowing the boat.
"Where are we?" Karena asked.
"We are in the Land of Waves. Welcome." Kakashi said with a smile.
'The Land of Waves...Finally...' Karena thought while they were heading towards the shore of the Land of Waves.