My granddaughter Kaida,

I am glad that you and Sakura have graduated. I am immensely proud. From my son's letter, he informed me that that Hatake is your teacher. How is he? If he is not as credible as the rumors say, I will contact Hokage-sama and have you and the rest of your team transferred. Are you faring well in your Kenjutsu and Taijutsu?

Uzumaki Naruto may come to the family celebration. Nanami is impatiently waiting to see where he will be added to the Uzumaki Family Tree. As for this clan celebration for Konohagakure's next generation graduating, I give you and Sakura permission to attend. I know I do not have to tell you both not to embarrass the Haruno Clan, even if it is not recognized as a clan in Konohagakure no Sato, yet. But please use this as a reminder.

I wish the best for you and Sakura with your team placements. If I recall my son's team placement correctly, I am sure I know which placement you have and I look forward to hearing about your adventures through others.

Be well my Dragon,

Lord Haruno Kaname

Kaida smiles softly at the letter before rolling it back up. She sets it down on her desk and stands up.

"Kaida-chan, are you coming? Kakashi-Sensei had said to be at the bridge by 1000 hours," Hinata asks, landing on Kaida's window sill from outside.

Kaida nods her head. "Of course! I want to berate him for taking us on non-stop D Rank missions for the past two weeks."

"In front of Hokage-sama and Iruka-Sensei, I assume?" Hinata asks curiously. The pink haired girl hums with a small shrug as the two jump out of the window.

"Maybe. Is Naru-kun waiting for us?" Hinata nods her head.

"I didn't mention it, but I like your new outfit," The blue haired girl compliments softly. Kaida smiles while glancing down at her outfit. She wore the same thing from her Genin test.

"You look like a weak noble, but I guess that's good." Inner Kaida is ignored by the pink haired girl. "Are you going to buy more shit like this? You aren't using your mission pay for anything yet."

"A noble's wife needs help with babysitting her two kids and an elderly lady needs help with trimming her yard," Hiruzen says, holding two scrolls.

Kaida inspects her red painted fingernails, face carefully blank. "Are there any C Rank missions?"

"Kaida-chan!" Iruka scolds lightly.

"Haruno-san, your team are Genin. Which means you will take the D Rank missions. When you have more experience, there may be a C Rank for you," Hiruzen says before taking a drag from his pipe.

"Out of the four teams, mine has the most 'experience' as you put it. We hit the required number of D Rank missions to receive a C Rank last week. The only reason we are still taking D Rank missions is because Kakashi-Sensei is still pouting that I saw through his Genin Test," Kaida argues back and stares at the Third Hokage.

"I am not upset–"

"Kakashi-Sensei, you laughed menacingly at our boredom two days ago," Naruto points out with a frown. Kakashi blushes a bit and coughs awkwardly.

Hinata hums innocently. "Not only have we reached the requirement, but one C Rank mission will teach us so much more than 50 D Ranks."

"Hm..." Hiruzen gives a small shrug. "I see your point. I do have one C Rank mission just for you."

"We finally sabotaging a country?" Inner Kaida asks in excitement. Kaida internally rolls her eyes.

"That would be an A Rank mission, Inner.""Fuck off! I know that!" Inner Kaida shuts up after that.

"Team 7, you four will be escorts for a bridge builder to Nami no Kuni. Hatake, here are the mission parameters," The old man says and hands a scroll to Kakashi.

"Just a bridge builder?" Naruto mutters and pouts slightly, making Kaida smile. She gently nudges him and gives him a small look.

"It's better than babysitting." The reminder perks the blonde right back up.

Hiruzen waves a hand at one of the shinobi by the door. "Bring him in." Kaida couldn't help but scrunch her nose in disgust when alcohol practically permeates through the air. She was barely able to hold herself back from gagging.

"What? These little nosed brats? They're supposed to protect me?" An old man with an open bottle of alcohol and slightly ragged clothes exclaims. Kaida's expression goes blank, making her friends pale a bit.

"A little pink princess, a creepy-eyed girl, and the blonde brat with an idiotic looking face?" Kaida straightens her posture and takes a deep breath at the insult to her friends.

"I advise, sir, not to judge future shinobi by their appearances. Or insult them," The pink haired girl says in a false tone of calm. Her tone takes an icy edge, but the bridge builder doesn't notice it.

"Haruno Kaida," Hiruzen calls out. Kaida relaxes her posture and lowers her head a bit, jaw clenching.

"Self control, Kaida-chan~" Inner mocks with a smirk.

"I am Tazuna!" The drunk man exclaims with a proud air around him. "I am a Master bridge builder and you will take me back to my country. I'm building a bridge to change the very world and I expect you to get me home, even if it costs you your lives!"

"Cost us our lives? He's hiding something." Kaida narrows her eyes, but doesn't speak up again.

"Hey, don't go tossing us to the side old man! We're stronger than you think, dattebayo!" Naruto explodes angrily. Kaida is relieved for the break in the tension she caused.

Kakashi cleared his throat with a strained smile. "I wouldn't worry, while they're Genin, I'm an elite Jōnin and I'll be more than enough to protect you."

"Well then, I want to leave within the next two hours!" Tazuna announced, turning on his heel and leaving, almost hitting the door as he left.

"Okay, my insufferable little Genin, this is going to be a pretty extensive mission. We'll be going at Tazuna's pace, so it's gonna take a week there, a week back and then we have our stay there, which might be a few weeks. So pack accordingly, okay? Make sure you bring all the gear you're going to need. Only what you need," Kakashi says, giving Naruto a small look. Naruto looks offended, but Kaida couldn't blame their sensei.

"Meet at the gate in an hour. Don't be late~!" The silver haired man disappears. Kaida rolls her eyes at the hypocritical statement and turns around to face Hiruzen. She takes out a scroll and tosses it to him.

"Dad wants that to be sent to Sofu-sama. Sofu-sama should be sending some packages in a month or so." The pink haired girl gives a bow before walking out of the room. Hinata and Naruto quickly follow after her–Naruto much more rude to the Hokage than Hinata and Kaida was.

"...can I bring my seals?" The blonde asks hopefully. Kaida's mouth twitches slightly and she gives her friend a small, playful eye roll.

"You were going to bring them anyway. I'll grab some more from Dad's stash. Knowing you, you'll get easily bored."

"No I won't, dattebayo!"

Hinata and Kaida giggle at the false exclamation. "I seriously won't!"

Kaida checks her pack one more time before nodding in satisfaction. She had enough supplies for at least two months. In never hurts to be prepared.

"I'm going now," Kaida calls out from the front door.

Mebuki walks out of the living room with tears in her eyes. "Here. Your Dad wanted it to be a surprise, but I want you to be safe."

She hands her daughter a beautiful ōdachi. The hilt was wrapped in bright red and a gold dragon pendant hung from the end on a jade green string. Snow and cherry blossoms were engraved into the sheath. The blade was obsidian.

"Is this–"

"Chi no Hana. You were meant to have it," Mebuki says softly before hugging the pink haired girl. "Be safe and watch out for your team."

Kaida forces back the tears and hugs her mother back. She takes a deep breath and breaks the hug. Smiling up at her mother, she places the ōdachi in her obi before she turns around and walks out of the house.

Nami no Kuni awaits her and her team.

Hey! Hope you like the new chapter! Things are going to get interesting. I hope anyway.

Hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Bye!

WhovianWhoudini