I have returned! So, I had a dumb moment earlier. I, forgetting that the server is on a fritz made the poll for the thing I mentioned last chapter, if Ren should or shouldn't have a love interest, then I realized no one could really vote... Yeah not one of my most brightest moments. I hope it gets fixed soon. Anyway, for right now enjoy the fic! Hope you enjoy this!

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto I would own Naruto.

Ah, I've missed plant life so. And while the rain was starting to get on my nerves I was very much starting to enjoy the change of scenery this mission has provided. Kinda still disappointed there was no hot cocoa whatsoever in the shop. After asking the clerk dude about it he informed me that they always sell out whenever they get new shipments of them.

Hopefully there will be some in the other stops? Like in the hidden grass? Who knows, better not get my hopes up.

Running through the forest with my team, we kept the same quick pace we had yesterday covering more ground than we did in the desert, for obvious reasons. I hope we get out of the rain soon. All this rain is getting to me quickly, and I can't do much in this rain aside from just running.

I still don't really know much of the blonde chick, Temari. She really does look familiar and I feel that once I remember I will feel beyond stupid.

The Grass was an interesting place to say the least, it looked like it was surrounded by the tall grass in pokemon! Ca- can I find a Pikachu? Doubtful, but I will keep a lookout just in case.

Right now we were still, you guessed it running! The grass was hitting us but Baki hasn't said anything, so I guess we just keep going? I yawned as I had stayed up with Gaara last night, I did get a few hours of sleep though so I should be good for a while.

"Alright, now as I had said earlier before we departed on this mission. The residents here are skilled at diplomacy and the like so it is hard to get a read on them for the most part. Therefore I will do all the talking, many have been swindled by shop owners being sold something at a much higher price than normal and they don't even realize it."

Ah, that sounds like my world, but with apps and the like. All the swindling and scamming and people don't even realize it. Guess no hot cocoa? Dang, there is always the final destination I guess?

As we ran some more I started to see something that were not of the green or brown variety out in the distance. They were buildings! Finally, something other than grass.. I thought I would get sick of it from being smacked in the face so much by it!

"Now, remember what I said just let me do all the talking." We got to the gate and there were two people who were also shinobi, but you couldn't really tell what they were feeling. It was hard to pinpoint, it wasn't emotionless just... something else.

"Halt! What business do you have with Kusa?" One of the two stopped us with the second very much calm... or at least I think so. It really is hard with the way they carry themselves and their faces. It really didn't help that the guys voice was just as descriptive of him as his face, which was none at all.

"We are here on official business. Our purpose is to complete the request to safely escort a merchant to the hidden stone village." Our teacher, who I technically can't call a teacher since he has yet to teach us a thing, calmly and concisely replied. He was just as stoic as the other. Maybe that is why he is doing the talking? I mean, he would fit right in from what I've seen thus far in this really limited interaction.

He handed over the same scroll that got stamped by Mushi I think was his name? After the guard looked at it he handed it to his companion who also went over it then stamped it, passing it back and the first guard passing it back to Baki.

"You're all clear, don't try any trouble in the village and you will be fine." This last piece of advice was given with the same tone he had been going the whole time.

To this Baki nodded and strolled into the city. We all followed suit into the city.

Inside it looked like it had much more substance to it than the other village we have been to. That made sense, more people lived here and they probably had hot cocoa. There were a bunch of people meandering the streets, all going to a new destination. Most of the hair colors you could see were brown and black. Curiously I could see one red head bobbing throughout the sea of people, it was more dark than Gaara's was for sure.

Finally, after much walking and running we have done it! We can now start the mission... dang that was less satisfying than I thought it would be to say.

We walked into a small building and in there greeted us a man. He looked quite lean and fit, and he looked like a young adult along with brown hair. He wore some well worn but somewhat rich looking clothes.

"Ah, hello ninja! I see you are here to escort me?" Hmm? This is the merchant we are escorting? I thought merchants were more... big boned than this guy. I had cultivated the image of a big boned man that was jovial and had money to burn and that's why he had us escort him.

"Oh excuse me, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Haruto and I am the merchant you will be escorting." Huh, he's really polite. I think I had read wayyy to many novels and the like if I really thought that many merchants were either happy fat men or one of the most vile greedy people there...

"Understood, do you have everything you need with you?" Baki replied after the introduction.

The man, Haruto nodded. "Yep I have it all it's right outside." We followed him and outside there were carriages galore. He went to one and gestured it.

"This is my carriage that has the cargo, ain't she a beauty?" Looking at it I guess it looked nice but I don't really see much in it. Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder eh?

"Now we shall set off in a bit, just let me get my driver. Then we will be on our way." He walked off quickly and we stood around for a bit. I took the opportunity to relax. Then I remembered about the water balloons. I pulled one out from a pocket, went inside a bathroom after excusing myself and filled up a few balloons with water. I went out and then just waited for the guy to get back. I can feel that this will take a long time to get to our final destination.

Slosh

Swish

Slosh

Clop

These were the same things I heard for the time that we have been on the escorting. The sloshing was from the balloon having the water moving around on my account. I remember I'm supposed to make it burst but I can't really quite remember. What I do know is that it doesn't burst pathetically. Actually, playing with the water inside it was pretty fun! I can make it go fast or slow. Well, it goes slow when I make it spin left rather than right for some reason.

The clopping is from the infernally slow horses drawing the carriage. We shinobi were outside of it and just walking each on one side. I was on the bottom left of the carriage area. Baki said that we needed to do that to ensure the safety of the merchant. I get that... but why do we have to be so fucking slow! Even before I got all this speed and fitness level in this life, I could easily out pace this in my old body! Gosh, at least I get to practice with the Rasengan.

"What are you doing Mr. Shinobi?" I look up from the Balloon and see the merchant sticking out his head of the carriage.

"Ah, this? I'm just moving around the water in the balloon with my chakra. It's good practice." Ha, yes BS mode never fails. Although it probably is good for practice.

"So, why are you going to Iwa? Just out of curiosity." He had a smile on his face.

"It's not a problem, I actually live there. I bring wares from multiple areas to there. I have shinobi escort me always as they are more reliable than just guards." Ah, that's why he's all good around certified killers for pay. I see.

"Then why don't you have someone from Iwa pick you up?" He shook his head at that, the brown bangs moving with his head.

"It's not that simple, Kusa does not allow Iwa to have ninja in the village. They can barely let them be near it to drop me off!" He sighs at that.

"That is why I contact the sand, despite the relations it has with the leaf, Iwa tolerates them for the most part." Ah yeah, didn't Naruto's dad literally killed a whole bunch of people from Iwa really quickly? I can see why they wouldn't like the leaf.

"Oh ok, then how long have you been doing this?" He laughed quietly, from my question.

"Well, I guess it hasn't really been long has it? It's been like a few years, I'm taking over for my father who taught me everything I needed to know. He wanted me to take over and get some experience. If I may ask, how long have you been a Shinobi?" This time it was my turn to laugh.

"Well, this is actually my first mission. But don't worry we are the best graduates so we are fully capable of taking on some thugs or anything like that." He had a more of amused expression rather than the worried one I would have gotten if I was told that the people I hired were rookies and new to the job.

"Ah yes, I remember last year when some kids told me it was their first mission. I freaked out at first but I was fine when they were able to escort me with no problems whatsoever."

With nothing else to really talk about between the two of us he went back into the carriage and I went back to the balloon, trying to pop it with little success. Okay fine, so I went back to playing with it alright? So what if I am being entertained by something really easily, I have the actual excuse of being a kid!

Right before I could actually do this seriously I heard a pop and felt water hit me downwards. I see that the balloon was popped with a shuriken in the ground. Knowing full well that my sensei is a hardass and wouldn't do that I could only go to one conclusion, an attack. We are currently under attack.

"HEY! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!" I yell extra loud just in case they can hear me and we all jump into action. I see a bunch of people surrounding us, getting out of hiding places, some with slashed out headbands from an assortment of villages. On my end I could count at least three.

"Alright, don't freeze up and kill with prejudice!" Our teacher had yelled this out to us.

"Don't let them get to the client, no go!" And so I dashed forward to the three ready for the long fight that will ensue.

Alright! That's a wrap, what did you think? I hope you liked it. I will be working on the next chapter soon so look out for that!

Until next time, peace!