Disclaimer: Do I really need to repeat that I do not own Naruto? All I own are my student loans and the sea of random thoughts known as my brain.

Nira was sitting at her table when she detected an unfamiliar shinobi chakra approaching her door. She slid a kunai out of her pouch and waited next to the door, suppressing her chakra signature . A knock came at the door. She waited, not saying anything. A second knock came, accompanied by the words "Tsunade-sama wishes to see you." Nira released her concealment of her chakra signature, but kept her hold on her kunai while she opened the door to the foreign ninja. "She wishes to you to meet her in half an hour." The messenger disappeared in smoke and reported to Tsunade.

"How did she take the message?"

"She sensed my presence from a fair distance and suppressed her chakra signature. When I mentioned my purpose, she allowed me to sense her, but greeted me with a kunai in her hand."

"I see." So she's still skittish. "Dismissed."

"Hai."

Kakashi strolled into the Hokage's office, looking like he hadn't a care in the world, to see Naruto, Sai and Nira waiting impatiently for him. "Sorry, I got lost on the road of life."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "THAT WAS YOUR EXCUSE A WEEK AGO!"

Kakashi simply ignored him and turned to Tsunade. "You had a mission for us?"

"Here is you mission: guard this prince to the Land of Sugar. You will probably be attacked by ninja hired by other suitors of the princess of the land of Sugar. You depart immediately."

Nira gaped at the spectacle coming out of the prince's manor. The spectacle was a deep purple box decorated with huge amounts of gold leaf, carried by four overly muscular men. The prince, she assumed, must be in the box. As the ninja approached, one of the bearers of the box said "His highness does not wish to be disturbed." They shrugged, and stationed themselves, one at each corner. Nira found herself at the back of the box, staring at the gaudy designs. At least she wasn't stuck next to Naruto.

Kea stopped in the woods where she traveled parallel to the team and their escort. She raised her head, scenting the wind. Humans. And they were nowhere near a town. She gave a gentle tug, then two tugs in quick succession on the line stretching from her collar to her mistress.

Nira felt the tugs. Enemies. And two tugs meant from the west. She coughed and rubbed her hand across her throat twice. Kakashi understood her signal, but did not change outwardly. It was a good idea to station Kea in the woods to smell assassins, and set up a code to communicate. They will have no idea that we are on to them when they decide to attack. They continued, feigning ignorance.

The other ninja kept pace with them until they reached a narrow pass between rock faces. The perfect place for an ambush. Nira could smell them on her own now, four distinct scents, but all tinged with the scent of rain. Are they water users, or from the Village hidden in the Mist? Whoever they were, they chose that moment to attack. 2 jumped in front of the caravan, 2 behind it, all of them wearing the hitai-ate of the village hidden in the mist. Sai whipped out his scroll and paintbrush. "Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll." While the Ninja behind the caravan avoided the stylized lions, Nira released near-invisible shuriken while one of the ninja was in the air and less able to dodge. He held out his kunai to deflect the shuriken, but they sliced through his kunai and through him. With a poof, he disappeared. A shadow clone? She reached through the purple curtain of the box, grabbed the prince and forced chakra into her feet as she leapt away from the caravan, which exploded while they were in the air.

Nira landed, coughing as smoke entered her nostrils. Damn. Now I can't smell them. Well, I'm sure they will come to me. I have their target, the prince. The rest of her team settled in around the prince who was pouting and holding his wrist. They waited. The smoke cleared, and Nira could smell again. She took a deep breath in. I can't smell them anymore; all I smell is the prince's perfume. "Kea" she called. Kea trotted out of the woods and barked "I can't smell them either."

Nira relaxed slightly. "I think they've withdrawn to regroup."

"We should take a less obvious route the rest of the way. Nira, will you follow us and take care of our trail?"

"Hai, Kakashi sensei."

"What about me?" demanded a petulant voice. "You let my chair get blown up, and that bitch nearly broke my wrist." The prince whined, a pout dominating his face.

Nira glared at the flabby, whiny man decked out in midnight blue silk and gold embroidery, but Kakashi simply replied in a flat tone. "You commissioned us to escort you safely to the Land of Sugar. Your mission description included nothing about your chair having to be intact, and Nira saved your life."

The prince sniffed, his nose high in the air and said. "Of course I should have realized that barbarians like your selves would have no sense of how civilized men behave. Now escort me to the Land of Sugar. Immediately." He demanded.

Nira stayed by the original trail as the rest of her team split off. At least if I stay behind to cover the trail, I don't have to listen to the prince whine anymore. Or smell that awful perfume he wears.

Back in Konoha:

Kiba took a deep steadying breath and headed for Nira's apartment. My friends are right. I should just ask her out. But as he neared her door, he saw a note stuck to the door. "Gone on an escort mission to the Land of Sugar with Kakashi, Sai and Naruto. Do not worry." Kiba's heart sank.

Maybe some training will get my mind off of her. He headed for the training grounds, only to hear a soft voice call his name.

"Kiba-kun."

"Hinata? What is it?"

"Tsunade-sama wants to see us in her office. We have a mission."