Ayame- Iris- Fem Harry Potter

Shiriusu- Sirius – to-san/father

Ryu – Dragon – Draco- itoko/cousin

Miya – Beauty – Narcissa – oba/aunt

Asebi – Andromeda- oba/aunt

Takeo – Ted – oji/uncle

Maiko - Nymphadora– itoko/cousin

黒い村 Kuroi mura- Kuroimura- Black Village

Chapter 51

"Possible target sighted"

"Confirm target?"

"red bow, target confirmed"

"Release the bait." The genin team had converged on Ryu's position within the forest at his confirmation of target sighting. Ryu dropped from the trees to the ground silently, making sure to stay up wind and released the small clockwork mouse. The other two held their positions within the trees as they watched their target take the bait and pounce upon the mouse. Ayame slipped down from her tree and gathered the cat within her arms. Tora immediately settled within her arms and purred as she stroked the cat behind it's ear.

"Target captured" The trio returned to their sensei who awaited them outside the mission's office entrance. Seeing his team approach Hizashi sighed,

"You could have taken longer than half an hour."

"Why, it only took us that long to locate Tora-chan?" His team always finished their missions ahead of schedule. The Capture Tora mission usually took a genin team all day, and his had not quite broken Kakashi's record but where so much faster than most. Hizashi knew there was no point in explaining to his team as they would just argue back using shinobi logic and with Ayame's ongoing political training she was the worst. Hizashi had learnt his lesson last time she had managed to talk him into agreeing to buy lunch for the team and he still couldn't work out how a discussion on trap setting had ended with him buying lunch but it had.

"Come along then we shall return Tora-chan to its owner."

Madame Shijimi, wife of the Fire Daimyo, was not in the mission office when they returned with Tora, having expected the team to take longer to track down the stubborn cat, and had gone to a near by tea-house to wait for her pets return. Hizashi allowed Ayame to take the lead, it would be good for the Hime to practice her political skills. Plus, Hizashi wanted to avoid dealing with the vain woman, he understood that the Daimyo's wife provided immense funding for Konoha's charitable organisations but he felt that she only did it to increase her reputation as a philanthropist and balance out her spendthrift qualities, not from actual charitable thoughts.

"Excuse me Madame Hostess?" Ayame address the waitress managing the seating, "Could you please notify Madame Shijimi that team one has returned with Tora-chan? We shall wait for her outside so that we don't disturb other customers."

The hostess nodded to the young princess and left at once to inform the highest-ranking client in the tea café of her message. Team one waited outside the café within clear view, Tora purring happily within Ayame's arms as she stroked it's ear. Itachi reached over to pet the cat and was rewarded with a scratched arm, apparently the cat only liked Ayame and not the boys of the team.

"How was your training this morning?" Ayame questioned both her teammates, due to their wishes to specialise they trained separately for half of each training day. The other half was filled with missions or group training. They trained with different chunin and tokubetsu jonin in genjutsu, taijutsu, kenjutsu and ninjutsu expanding their all-round skill sets.

"Starting on internal injuries." Ryu had advanced quickly with his medic training mainly due to his natural affinity for the healing arts. Tsunade would give him extra training whenever she could, a front line male medic was an almost unknown within shinobi culture and if Ryu could make a name for himself hopefully it would encourage more, much like her own success had lead to young kunoichi attempting to emulate her.

"General rounds." Itachi was apprenticed within the Konoha Police force and had to participate in 'walking the beat' as it was called, being a public face and deterrent for crimes and an approachable presence for those in need of the police force. Itachi hated rounds as it meant he might have to interact with people, though it did improve his attention to detail and observational skills; his partner for rounds would always point out things Itachi needed to look out for to gage the general mood of the citizens.

Ayame sighed, she hadn't expected much better from her teammates but just once it would be nice to have an actual conversation. "Well I had an enjoyable morning with Utatane-sama, we discussed the best weapons for a kunoichi to hide upon their person in an undercover mission or somewhere you are expected to be visually unarmed. She also showed me some kunoichi assassination techniques, she knows so much about being a kunoichi its amazing. Utatane-sama has seen so much and she has so many stories to share. Hiashi-sama is very knowledgeable also, its an honour to have such teachers."

"hn" Ryu had picked up the Uchiha's signature noise having spent so much time with them. Shisui had despaired at there being another one, who wasn't even an Uchiha, he'd claimed he'd have to be twice as happy to make up for the corruption done to poor little Ryu. Well, thought Ayame, at least they listened when she talked. The trio stood to attention as the tea house's front door opened and Madame Shijimi emerged.

"Team one returning Tora-chan, Madame Shijimi." Ayame stepped forward as she spoke and bowed slightly to the daimyo's wife. The women's eyes narrowed at the perceived slight to her station and she fully intended to report them for disrespect. Frostily she asked

"And who do I have to thank for my precious' safe return?"

Smiling gently Ayame introduced the team; "Uchiha Itachi, Kuro Ryu and Kuro Ayame."

The names unsettled Madame Shijimi, she had recognised the distinctive looks of the Uchiha but she had not realised that the child holding her Tora was the young Hime of Konoha, and the green haired boy behind her was another member of the elusive clan. Well elusive to the upper-classes, it seemed the shinobi were full integrated with the rich Clan, that was headed by an actual Lord if you were to believe rumours. Shijimi blinked as a purring Tora was placed within her arms, and the young hime directed her to scratch behind the ears to keep Tora relaxed.

"Konohagakure thanks you for your continued patronage." With another shallow bow from the princess and slightly deeper ones from her male counterparts, the genin team were gone before Madame Shijimi recovered her wits at the surprise of being confronted with a source of much gossip within her social circles. Oh, this was a juicy piece of news, she would defiantly be requesting team one for other missions if only to make a connection to the Kuro clan. Shijimi knew she wouldn't be the only one requesting the team after the information became general knowledge, but for know she had an advantage over others. Shijimi smiled to herself as she continued to scratch Tora behind the ears and her precious pet remained contently within her arms. She headed along the Konoha streets towards the house her husband kept in the village, thinking about what missions she could request the obviously genin team for, that would allow her prolong contact with the Hime.

-page break-

"Konohagakure thanks you for your continued patronage." Bowing again to Madame Shijimi Ayame led her teammates away.

"We have to write up the mission report to submit, I suppose that's my job again?" at the sheepish looks from her team mates Ayame sighed, this job of being spokeswomen was becoming more involved. Not just conversing with everyone their team came into contact with, she now had to complete all forms of communication.

"It's good training," Ryu spoke up.

"Ha ha, very amusing. Perhaps you should take over as spokesman to improve your bedside manner." Ryu quickly held his hands up in a placating manner, no way did he want to have to deal with people when he didn't have to. He had already planned to become good enough that he can take an apprentice to deal with the face to face side of medicine so he could concentrate on the healing side, there was no way he could be comforting to a practical stranger.

"Well I'm not writing it alone, the pair of you can sit with me as I write." Both boys nodded to Ayame, resigned to suffering with her. Mission reports were long and boring to fill, especially for D-ranks; half the standard form didn't apply but still had to be filled out. The form could potentially take longer to fill out than the mission itself. Ayame was seriously considering filing out a new style of mission form that dealt with D-ranks alone, it was a waste of time for both the teams and the paper-nins who had to read through the forms. Ayame understood that it was to help prepare for later missions, so they are used to filling out the forms but after the first few months surely it would be better to switch to a simpler form or start with a simpler form and work up to the more expanded form as the missions' progress.

Ayame quickly and efficiently filled out the form, she also double checked every piece of information she wrote with her teammates just to make sure they suffered through the tedious task with her. Rolling up the complete report Team One returned to the mission assignment desk to submit their report and see if Hizashi wanted them to preform another D-rank today.

"Ah, Team One, is that you're completed mission report?"

"Hai, the retrieval and return of Tora to her Owner, Madame Shijimi."

The chunin manning the mission assignments desk accepted Ayame's report and scanning it quickly placed it within the 'completed' pile.

"Well done, Madame Shijimi has already put in a commendation for your quick return of her pet and your polite manners while doing so. That will be added to your team records along with the other commendations you have received from your other clients. Congratulations on being our best preforming rookie genin team, in two months you have received more good reports than any other genin team."

"Thank you, we hope to continue our excellent performance rates."

The paper-nin chuckled at the seriousness of the youngsters, they would relax as they got older and realised how much they could get away with in Konoha, at least if they continued the way they were going, the elite ninja of Konoha had a lot of leeway with their behaviour, Hatake Kakashi's continued lateness being a good example. It had started with only being a few minutes late but now Kakashi was happily an hour or two late to any non-important meeting and his behaviour was excused and even worked around.

Hizashi had been waiting for the return of his team in the office, he knew it wouldn't take them too long to return Tora and fill out the mission report, his team were so independent that he barely needed to supervise them, in fact he felt pretty obsolete as a jonin instructor. The most he had done was arrange training with others for his team, well and evaluate all of their performances.

"Team One," the genin faced their jonin sensei, "You may have the rest of this afternoon off, we shall reconvene at 9 outside the mission's office."

"Hai, sensei." Ayame spoke as the boys bowed before they shunshined away.

"What C-rank missions are available that start tomorrow?"

"There's a bandit clearing mission, a merchant escort mission and the annual escort and protection detail for the Suna/Konoha market."

"Sign Team One up for the market mission, it will be a good experience for them with the added back up of the other more experienced escort teams."

"Hai, Hizashi-sama, Here's a copy of the mission parameters."

Hizashi collected the scroll and left the office, he had to pack for tomorrow. He'd use it as a test to see how well his team packed for leaving he village by giving them a time limit to pack in the morning.

-page break-

"Good morning team, I've already picked up our mission, you have 3 hours to read over the parameters and pack accordingly. I'm testing your ability to pack properly for missions."

"Hai sensei, is there anything you could add that isn't in the parameters?"

"Not this time, I want to see how well you can plan for a mission before I can advise you on areas you may be lacking in, but to do that I need to know where you are lacking, some of it will only come from experience."

"Hai sensei, may we be dismissed."

Hizashi nodded to Ayame and handed her a copy of the mission scroll. With that he left his students and observed them from a distance.

Ayame unrolled the scroll and read through its contents before passing it on to Itachi who read and passed the scroll on to Ryu. Once all 3 genin had read through the scroll Ayame started her summery of the mission, waiting for input from her teammates on any points she may have missed.

"Our mission is to help escort a merchant train that is heading to the Land of Rivers, near the border to the Land of Rain, that will also be attended by Suna merchants and Shinobi. We are to work with our Suna and Tani counterparts to patrol and protect the week-long market before we escort the merchant train back to Konoha. Travel time is estimated at a week and a half to the Land of Rivers and a week back, so we should prepare to be away for a week, so we will be away from Konoha for about a Month. Its not expected for us to go anywhere near Tanigakure so we won't need to prepare for entering a foreign Ninja village. The climate of the Land of Rivers is similar to the Land of Fire, so we won't need to pack any clothing for extreme weathers, it will become warmer the closer we get to the Land of Wind though,"

As Ayame spoke the team wandered along towards the Kuro compound. They knew that 3 hours was more than enough time for them to prepare for a long-term trip, and it was better to take their time assimilating the information and planning what they should pack instead of just grabbing anything the think they might need.

"So, we should pack lighter weight clothing for that. Quite obviously there will be a lot of rivers that we will need to cross some of these will have bridges some will have ferries, we will be following a pre-planned path so we shouldn't have to worry about forging a crossing, but it would be good to be prepared in case there is a problem with a bridge or ferry. IT's unlikely that there will be bandit attacks due to the significant shinobi force that will be with the train but that isn't certain, and we will mostly be looking for petty crimes while we are at the actually market. That will be where you take the lead Itachi, your training within the police force will be needed. On that thought we've got people we need to inform of our long-term mission. We're all going to need tents, Itachi you're more than welcome to take a Kuro tent for your use."

Itachi nodded one of the Kuro's magical tents would make this mission much easier to complete, he'd be able to have some home comforts as well as being able t pack more inside his tent that would remain there, extra weapons, clothing, even food within the cold boxes in the kitchen areas of the Kuro Tents. He'd fully stock his pack with everything he would need to reach quickly but everything extra could go into the ten without taking up more space within his pack that the tent itself.

"I can seal fresh food into preservation seals that would keep them from rotting over our travels. We will also need to take something for our down times, I can seal up any books or scrolls you wish to take with you for your personal studies. We have a good political relationship with both Tani and Suna so there shouldn't be any problems with our interactions to the other nin. Is there anything I've missed?"

A quick glance at both boys showed that no they couldn't think of anything Ayame hadn't already mentioned.

"Ok, Itachi you head to the Police Station and inform your duty manager that we shall be gone on a mission for about a month, then if you could hit the supermarket and stock up on food, everything breakfast, lunch, dinner, meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk, bread, ration bars, quick snacks to eat on the move everything 'Tachi. Ryu you head to the hospital and do the same if you could also stock up on medical supplies for all of us as you'll know what 's best to take with us. If you need something sealing I can do that. I'll head to the Hyuga compound and have a message delivered to Utatane-sama, I'll then head to the Kuro armoury and restock our weapons and grab tents. Are there any particular weapons you'd like other than the norm?"

"Extra ninja wire and shuriken, some exploding tags?"

"I can grab some from my supply of seals, and I'll double up on what I was planning to grab for you. Anything for you Ryu?"

The greenette just shock his head. "So, if we meet at the training ground in an hour? That should give us enough time to collect anything else we might have missed as we share out the supplies." Ayame had barely finished speaking when she felt her two team mates take to the roofs and head in different directions. She sighed, before taking to the roofs herself heading towards the Hyuga compound. Landing in front of the compound gates Ayame left a message with the guard to be passed to Hiashi-sama, apologising for missing their scheduled sessions and that she would be away on a mission for about a month.

Instead of trying to hunt around Konoha for Utatane-sama, Ayame headed to the message office and left a note to be passed to her other tutor saying the same as she had to Hiashi before she hopped over to the mission's office to ensure that the ongoing training missions that were for her team's benefit were suspended for the next month. She didn't want to waste her tutors time that they could use for other things. Leaving the building via a window in the corridor, Ayame roof-jumped across the village of Konoha to Kuroimura where the clans armoury was located underneath the public library.

Slipping through the door Ayame headed straight to the retired weapon-master shinobi who had been hired to run the Kuro's armoury.

"Ayame-hime, how may this one help you this day?"

"Hello Hiro-san, I'm collecting weapons for my teams first C-rank, we will be outside of the village for a month so if I could have a double pack of the usual ninja supplies for the three of us and an extra pack of ninja wire and shuriken? I also need a spare sword each for Ryu and Itachi in case something happens to their current blade. If you could also grab 3 fully stocked sharpening kits and a single pack of senbon? 2 rolls of ninja rope, 3 child sized body mesh sets, and armour pieces; full sets I'm not sure which parts the boys will want to use. If you could also get me a full set of sealing inks and a packet of sealing paper, oh, and 3 of the family's tents. Is there anything else?"

"3 double filled packs of Kunai, shuriken, ninja wire and a small selection of different exploding tags and an extra pack of ninja wire and shuriken. One child sized straight blade, and one small wakizashi. 3 full blade repair kits, and a pack of senbon. 2 rolls of ninja rope, 3 armour sets and mesh body sets. One set of sealing inks, a large packet of sealing paper and 3 Kuro tents. I would suggest Hime, that you go to the civilian camping store and get yourselves some expanded water canteens, fire-starter sets and some campfire cook ware? I only suggest as I know you are adept at sealing at the cookware will make your journey easier."

"Thank you, Hiro-san, where would the nearest shop be?" As she spoke Ayame sealed away the items Hiro-san had gathered for her before slipping the scroll up one of her wide sleeves. Hiro-san directed Ayame to a shop that sold camping supplies within Kuroimura. Thanking him again Ayame quickly went to the second shop and gathered the recommended supplies for her team.

Seeing that she had 20 minute until she had to meet up with her team mates Ayame quickly returned home and gathered her expanded backpack and a selection of her pre-written seals; preservation for the food Itachi would be collecting, flash-bang tags, large exploding tags, smoke tags, normal exploding tags, prisoner transportation seals, enemy body transport scrolls, friendly body transport seals, empty storage seals, storage seals that already contained extra weapons and water. Lastly, she gathered up some of her lightest weight clothing and sealed them away to be unpacked in her tent later. Leaving a quick note for Shiriusu and Naruto t inform them of her mission Ayame left the house and speed to the training ground.

Itachi and Ryu were both waiting when she arrived, Itachi surrounded by an array of shopping bags and Ryu with different medical supplies within his expanded back pack. The boys had also taken the time to collect their personal belongs that they would need for the mission. Removing the scroll from her sleeve Ayame settled herself on the floor as she unsealed the items and started to separate them into piles. One tent, standard pack, repair kit, fire-starting kit, expanded water canteen and full armour set was placed in each pile then the personal additions were added.

Ryu split the medical supplies silently, keeping the more complicated supplies to himself as the other did not have the training for them, but bandages, soldier pills, splits, burn creams even supplies for sewing up large gashes; these Ryu knew were all things his team mates were capable of using having been trained in the academy.

Itachi split the food evenly between the three piles, something of everything going to each of the team, so that if they were separated each individual member would still have enough food to survive. He knew that they were all capable of living off the land, having had plenty of survival training but that didn't excuse poor planning.

Just as they finished splitting supplies Hizashi appeared from where he had been observing his team. Once again his team had surprised him with their fore-thought and planning, though he really shouldn't have been, considering it was their usual operational procedure towards anything the three genin did.

"I am pleased with how you've packed I can see nothing that I wouldn't have suggested but are you prepared to carry all that weight?"

Ayame smirked up at her sensei from her seat near her pile of supplies. She passed each of her team-mates a handful of seals. The team then proceeded to seal away anything that could be considered extra supplies, the food, cooking set, clothing, some of the extra weapons and repair kits. These seals were then placed within the bottom of their packs. Shuriken and Kunai were restocked within the pouches carried upon their bodies, Medic kits were sealed and placed within different pouches (or up sleeves), tents were rolled up and attached to the bottom of their packs and anything else that they would not need to grab immediately but wasn't worth sealing away was placed within their packs, before the two boys looped the ninja rope to sides of their packs and all 3 genin stood to attention in front of the jonin sensei. It had taken maybe 5 minutes for the three to pack up their piles of supplies and shoulder their packs.

Frowning slightly Hizashi reached over and felt the weight of the pack upon Ayame's back, even with most of the supplies sealed away it should have been harder for his genin to lift their packs then it had been. The pack weighed less than a feather! Spinning his genin round, who giggled at his actions, Hizashi opened her pack and saw everything in there all nestled tidily in a way that wouldn't cause discomfort.

"Is this one of those Kuro tricks I have heard about?"

"Hai sensei, we have the ability to make a bag seem weightless not mater how much is stored within." Ayame did not mention the tents, she had promised her tou-san that she would get photographs of anyone's face when they discovered the Kuro tents special features.

"Huh, interesting." Ayame knew here sensei was thinking of the practical applications of weightless bags, removing another storage seal from within her sleeve Ayame handed it to Hizashi.

"There another bag in there for you Sensei." A slight widening of the eyes and a small upward twitch of the lips were the only thing that expressed Hizashi's pleased surprise at the gift. He quickly unsealed the bag and repacked his own belongings within the new bag. Shouldering it Hizashi had to take a moment to get used to the discrepancy between what his brain expected and what he actually felt. Hizashi could easily forget he was even wearing a bag.

"Thank you. I can see nothing wrong with the supplies you have gathered so we shall head to Konoha's western gate to meet the rest of the shinobi and the merchant train."

"Hai, sensei" and with a Shunshin from each the training ground was left empty.

2 hours later, long after Team One had left Konoha Shiriusu discovered Ayame's note. This led to a hysterical crying fit about his baby being gone and how she was in danger and needed saving. Asebi had to petrify Shiriusu o stop him from running after the merchant train. It took the rest of the day to persuade the frozen Lord that he couldn't go running off after Ayame, that she was considered an adult now according to Konoha laws and he couldn't stop her from taking missions. He should be grateful that there were lots of more experienced shinobi accompanying Ayame and her team mates and that everything would be fine, Ayame would return in less than a month just like her note said.

When she heard about her father's reaction later, Ayame was very glad she left a note instead of finding her tou-san and telling him in person. She would've been late for her first real mission if she had.