"Sasuke heads up!"
Sasuke snapped to attention as the cat ran past him.
Naruto and Sakura charged past him, chasing the cat down a nearby alley. Kakashi was nearby, speaking with Might Guy.
Guy's students were standing nearby, observing team Kakashi in their chase.
Sasuke looked their way, a scowl forming on his face.
"Your team looks like a handful," Neji commented. Kakashi gave a weary grunt.
Might Guy laughed, slapping Neji on the back. Neji ignored it, meeting Sasuke's gaze.
"Is he the Uchiha?" Lee asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah," Tenten said. "I heard he's strong."
Neji scoffed, turning away.
"What do you think?" Kakashi asked, turning to Guy.
Guy scratched his chin, smiling.
Kakashi waited, watching as he wiggled his thick brows. He sighed.
"Why don't you ask Iruka," Guy suggested.
"I got it!" Naruto shouted from a nearby alley.
A moment later he started shrieking in pain.
"Get it off! Get it off!"
The cat came running from the alley, Sakura on its trail.
Sasuke and Sakura cornered the cat. Sasuke picked it up, seeming to have calmed it down.
Naruto trudged out of the alley, covered in scratches.
"I suppose I will," Kakashi said.
X
Kakashi found Iruka at the memorial stone.
He was kneeling in front of it, eyes closed.
Kakashi knelt beside Iruka, placing a hand on the stone.
"It's been a while," Iruka said. He smiled at Kakashi. "Well?"
"You're an incredible teacher," Kakashi said.
Iruka snickered, a smile forming on his face.
"What makes you say that?" He asked.
"You've been training those kids," Kakashi said. "A lot more than you're expected to."
Iruka turned his attention to the stone.
"They almost work like a team," Kakashi said. "Almost."
Iruka nodded.
"A compliment from the great Kakashi," Iruka said. He stood and wiped his eyes. "Promise me something."
Kakashi looked up at Iruka.
"Promise me you'll take care of them."
X
"I want harder missions!" Naruto shouted.
Hiruzen laughed.
"You could hardly handle catching a cat!" Sakura snapped.
"You weren't any better!" Naruto snapped back.
The two of them went back and forth arguing.
Sasuke grumbled a complaint.
"Lord Third," Kakashi spoke up over the bickering. "You said you had a mission for us."
"I did," Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe. He gazed off into the distance for a moment.
"Hey, old man!" Naruto yelled, pushing past Sakura. "If I'm gonna be the Hokage, I need harder missions!"
Hiruzen shrugged his shoulders.
"Sure, why not?" Hiruzen revealed a scroll and tossed it to Kakashi.
Kakashi inspected the scroll and nodded.
"Where is he?" Kakashi asked.
"At the village gate," Hiruzen said.
"Let's go." Kakashi left the room, the kids followed him out.
Moments later, Asuma and his team appeared in the doorway.
"Good morning," Asuma said with a smile. "You had a mission for us?"
Hiruzen blinked and laughed.
"It seems I've given it away."
Team Kakashi made their way through the Leaf Village.
Naruto and Sakura were walking a few paces ahead, debating about who would win in a fight between Kakashi and Guy. Naruto was on the side of Guy, Sakura was on Kakashi's.
Sasuke hung back, walking alongside Kakashi.
"What kind of mission is this?" Sasuke asked. "Are we going to leave the village?"
"We're escorting a bridge-builder," Kakashi said. "To the Land of Waves."
As they approached the village gate, Kakashi spotted a man standing just outside of it.
"These brats are supposed to protect me?" The man asked, waving a bottle. "What has the Leaf village been doing? Raising runts? I'd be better off fighting off bandits with my bare hands!"
He laughed at his own comment before taking a long swig from his bottle.
"Who's this old jerk?" Naruto asked. Sakura made a disgusted face.
"You're Tazuna the bridgebuilder, I presume," Kakashi said.
Tazuna looked him over and lowered the bottle.
"I am."
"I am Kakashi Hatake, and this is my team." Kakashi nodded at Tazuna. "We are your escorts. We'll keep you safe on your journey to the Land of Waves."
"At the looks of you, it seems I'd have to protect you!" Tazuna laughed.
"Who do you think you're talking to!" Naruto shouted. "We're elite ninja!"
"I'll talk to you however I please," Tazuna snapped. "You're tools for me. Nothing else."
With that, Tazuna walked away, starting onto the path.
Naruto stood, watching him for a moment. Sakura and Sasuke shared a look. Kakashi patted Naruto on the back.
"Come along," Kakashi said. "Sakura and I will walk in front, Sasuke and Naruto will follow at the back of the group."
The team took their positions around Tazuna. He grumbled complaints at them, waving his bottle around.
It was an hour into the journey. Tazuna' s complaints had dwindled into mumbles.
Naruto yawned, scanning the treeline.
"Do you think anything will happen?" He asked, turning to Sasuke.
Sasuke shrugged.
"You know, you don't talk much," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "Were you always this quiet?"
Sasuke stopped walking. Naruto noticed Kakashi had stopped walking as well.
"What's wrong?" Sakura asked.
"What's your problem?" Tazuna asked, pushing past Kakashi.
Two blurs rushed from the treeline, dragging a chain between them.
The chain wrapped around Kakashi.
He was torn apart.
"Holy crap!" Naruto stood slack-jawed.
The two ninja rushed at him, chain flying into the air.
Naruto was frozen.
Sasuke threw a shuriken, pinning the chain to a nearby tree. The two ninja froze for a moment, restrained. Sasuke appeared between them, landing kicking both of them.
The ninja recovered fast, detaching from their chains. One rushed for Naruto, the other for Tazuna.
Sakura jumped in front of Tazuna, raising a kunai. Sasuke appeared in front of her, lunging.
Kakashi caught the rushing ninja, hooking his arm around his throat. He'd already restrained the ninja attacking Naruto.
The children stared at him. Naruto turned to the wooden planks on the ground.
Substitution Jutsu.
He balled his fists.
Tazuna laughed dryly.
Kakashi dropped the two ninja, unconscious on the ground.
"I thought I was done for!" Tazuna said. "I'm surprised!" He tossed his bottle aside.
Kakashi approached him. Tazuna frowned.
"I suppose I owe you an explanation."
X
"Those ninja who attacked us," Sasuke said. "Were hired by this Gato person…"
Sasuke Kakashi and Tazuna were standing together, talking.
Naruto and Sakura were a bit away.
Sakura was still holding her kunai. Naruto was staring at the ground.
"So much for elite ninja," Sakura said quietly. She put away her kunai. "We couldn't even protect an angry old guy."
Naruto did not comment.
"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Kakashi asked. "With more information, we could've been better prepared."
"Our land is not wealthy," Tazuna said. "You were all I could afford."
Kakashi sighed.
"Well. I suppose it can't be helped." He gave Sakura and Naruto a dreary look. "Give us a moment."
Kakashi gathered his team.
Tazuna sat down a few paces away, picking his teeth.
"Um. Let's see." Kakashi scratched his head. The kids stared at him. "You kids did pretty well back there."
"Don't lie," Sakura said. "Sasuke's the only one who did anything." Naruto lowered his head.
Kakashi sighed.
"Well, you did good Sasuke," Kakashi said. "Let's get into formation."
Kakashi mentally scolded himself as the group took formation around Tazuna. He was no good at this.
