Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto series.
Enjoy!
Chapter 4
Mission
"Why do you always have to pick on people who are weaker than yourselves?"
Sasuke was standing face to face with the boss while his half beaten comrades were groaning on the floor.
"You shouldn't pick on people way out of your league, either."
Sasuke-kun's words hadn't left her mind ever since yesterday. Yesterday was overwhelming, but she was certain that since her little dance at the river she was ready for yet a new day. And she couldn't let that distract her from her first C-rank mission. Besides, she knew she was lacking behind. She knew that if she tried to outdo herself more than her sensei gave her permission to, she would fail and become a burden to them. Maybe they would fail the mission. She couldn't let that happen.
"Oooiiii! Hinata~! Over here!" She chuckled from Kiba's enthusiastic tone. She waved back and greeted her two teammates.
"I've gotta show you something cool! You ready?" She shyly nodded, even though she knew what the cool thing was.
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A red light hugged Kiba's figure. As it faded into reddish glitter, Kiba's foot wear had extended onto his shin adding foot protectors with fur surrounding it's outline. His jacket was gone and replaced with a sleeveless, loose, light grey kimono reaching his laps, with a bandage wrapped around his waist. It had the silhouette of wolf plastered on the back. What fascinated Hinata was that the Inuzuka Clan symbol was painted on Kiba's torso and his gem shaped as a fang hung from his neck. Kiba's comrade dog, Akamaru, also had the Inuzuka Symbol painted on his back.
"Akamaru didn't get that much of an upgrade, but he still looks cool!"
"Woof woof!"
"I-I-I'm h-happy for y-you, K-Kiba-kun."
"Thank you! Hey, hey, let me see your Armor!" Hinata's smile slowly faded by the thought of her being the only non-Armor mate of the team.
"You mean, let us see your Armor." Kiba huffed Shino's correction off and drove his attention back on Hinata.
"I-I-"
"-Morning, Team 8! Glad to see you all well armored and ready for today's mission," Kiba raised an eyebrow when she said 'all well armored' Hinata was missing, "we have been assigned to a rescue mission. The son of a Konohagakure ambassador disappeared while he was on his way home from a play date with his friends. The ANBU found him captive in a small village southeast of Land of Earth. That village has apparently been deserted for quite some time now. We believe that they are a couple of bandits."
Hinata's heart skipped a beat as she knew that from now on, she would have to keep her guard up at every moment. She can't have Kurenai-sensei or her team keep an eye on her.
"Furthermore, this mission wasn't assigned to show your worth as a guardian, but rather to improve your strategic way of thinking as a ninja. Guardians aren't only about chakra boosting."
"But what about those scrolls we are supposed to protect as Guardians?"
"Not every Guardian are assigned on a mission at the same time. We will only assign you to your respective scrolls if we detect any unusual activity in Konoha." This was thrilling, but at the same time scary. Hinata imagined that they first mission would be a D-rank.
"Ready, Team 8?"
"I just have one question." Kiba turned back to Hinata, Hinata sighed inwardly.
"Why haven't you activated your Armor yet, Hinata?" Hinata had to be careful with what she said. There was only one explanation, but there were different ways to express it. And she didn't want to take the wrong one.
"I-I-I'm s-still w-w-working on i-i-it." Was the only thing she could think of saying while fiddling with her fingers. Kiba grinned and patted her on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, we'll keep every threat away from you!" Kurenai smiled from the encouraging reply.
"A-Ari-gato, K-Kiba-kun."
"I will lead the way while Sakura guards Tazuna. Naruto, Sasuke, you guard our backs." Team 7 nodded to their given roles. Kakashi's Armor took over in a flash.
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Naruto and Sakura had themselves geared in no time. Sakura was always perplexed by her Armor design. She felt more ninja with the lap-reaching tights, knee-length booth, carmine arm warmers followed by black gloves. This is too awesome, cha!
She looked at Sasuke who had yet to reveal his Armor. She hesitated to ask, she hadn't spoken with him ever since he marked her as an annoying being.
"Sasuke-kun?" Her heart skipped a beat from the cold, yet cool look he gave her. "Where is your Armor?" Naruto's ears twitched from the sound of a non-armored Sasuke Uchiha. Sakura was patiently waiting for an answer.
"I don't need such a thing."
"SAS-U-KE hasn't unlocked his Armor yet, that's why. Now, Sakura-chan, do you see why I'm much more worth than him?" Sakura pushed Naruto out of her sight.
"A ninja shouldn't rely on an item, rather on what you got," he poked his forehead protector with a smirk, "in here. Something you don't have."
"What did you say?!"
"Hai, Hai, that's enough. This mission isn't an infiltration, so I'll let it go this time."
"But you said that a Guardian is never to show their true identity!"
"I know what I said. Sasuke, however, isn't likely to unlock his Armor on this mission therefor the enemy will have no idea who he is if he escapes." Naruto rolled his eyes over to the figure that was walking up to them.
"The Hokage informed me of the rank of the ninjas, but you guys don't even look ninja material." Naruto felt pissed by that snarky remark and fired back with a comment on his sense of style.
"Naruto! He's the one we have to safely escort back to the Land of Waves, be nice," Kakashi bowed at the man, "These aren't ordinary genins, they are the Guardians of the 5 Forbidden scrolls. I can assure you, that you won't sense any form of danger with these around."
"Ooohh, I thought the Guardian thing was over. Well, take care of me. My name is Tazuna"
"God, I'm so excited! I've never been outside of the village before! Ne, ne, Kakashi, will we get to fight any strong ninjas?" Kakashi sighed from Naruto's restless nature.
"Are you sure that this kid is capable of this mission?" Kakashi didn't have the urge to answer that, really. Naruto gave the glare from behind him Who does the old geezer think he is? I wasn't chosen as the Guardian for no reason, you know!
"Hey, don't underestimate us! I'm a great ninja, just you wait and see! I'll become the Hokage, dattebayo!" Tazuna almost tripped over a stone while holding his laugh in.
"You? The Hokage. Too much responsibility for a child like you."
"Oh, you little!-"
"-stop it, Naruto. Ne, Kakashi, are there any ninjas in the Land of Waves?"
"Don't worry, there aren't any ninjas in the Land of Waves. The culture and costumes may be different, though. But hidden villages and ninjas do exist."
"Will we fight any other Guardians?" Kakashi shook his head.
"There aren't any other Guardians but the ones from this generation, meaning you and the other ones." Sakura nodded, taking every bit of information in.
"Are the scrolls located in the Hokage's office or is it the spread tactic? Will there be any to protect the scroll your team were assigned to protect?" Tazuna asked, Sakura looked at him with fascination from the question and then back at Kakashi for the answer.
"I'm not allowed to spill such information. But yes, our scroll is currently being protected by one of the former Guardians. Though, it won't be needed."
"Will we get to see where the scroll is one day?" Kakashi nodded, he planned on showing them after this mission. Their journey had been peaceful so far, crossing mini bridges, taking breaks in between, and enjoying the sunbath. Kakashi spotted a small puddle which he found odd because of the high temperature. Once they passed the pond a head emerged from it, followed by a body. The figure sprints from the pond with a chain trialing his arm. Team 7 and Tazuna are stunned by the sudden man in mid-air and another one behind them. Before any of them could react, barbed chained attached to their arm guards caught Kakashi.
"First One!" The lot is winced, aghast at the bloody shreds of Kakashi.
"K-Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto, still petrified by his sensei's sudden death, was caught off guard as the two ninjas came from behind. Sasuke, snapping himself out of it, appears in mid-air, pulling a kunai and shuriken from his pouch. He successfully tethered their chains to a tree. He stomped his feet down on their arm, thereafter landing a kick on them both. But the two ninjas quickly detached themselves from the chains and split. One aiming after Naruto while the other after Tazuna.
Sakura, still shaken from the sudden event remembered what Kakashi taught her in these unexpected situations. Fight. She pulled a kunai, stood before Tazuna, readying for the attack. Here he comes! Stay strong, Sakura! Sasuke, however, made it in time to guard them both.
The impact never came on both parties, Naruto raised his head and saw the two choked by Kakashi. How did he?
"Sorry, I didn't make it in time."
Kakashi-sensei!
Hm, show off.
If he is here, then the Kakashi over there was-
"Kakashi-sensei used the replacement technique."
"Naruto, sorry I couldn't help you right away. I got you hurt. Though I didn't think you could move." He went over to Sasuke and them and re-assured their safety.
"Anyway, good job, Sasuke. You too, Sakura. I'm glad you listened to me."
"See, Naruto. I didn't need an Armor to proof my worth as a ninja. I just got the brains, after all."
"Nnn..! SASUKE!"
"This must be their hideout. Hinata, can you check and see if the kid is in there, and how many we are against?"
"Hai!"
Byakugan!
"There are 7 of them, the child is roped," a figure seemed to be demanding something from the boy, "the leader is trying to get information from him." She deactivated her Byakugan.
"Thank you. Now, remember. Shino's bugs will distract them, while they are distracted Kiba, Shino and I will keep them at hold. Hinata, you get the kid. Understood?"
"Hai!" Team 8 got into their positions, waiting for Shino's bugs to cause a reaction. Sooner or later, you could hear crippling sounds coming from the bugs infiltrating the abandoned village house.
"W-What the-! Look at all these bugs!"
"Hu.. EW! Kill them!"
"There are more! Where the hell are they coming from?!" The door was slammed open, it startled the young heiress. "Oi, we got some visitors!" 4 bandits came at sight. Hinata's heart was once again skipping like mad, there were still 2 bandits left, and it must have been the boss and his right hand. She expected the boss to be only one keeping an eye on the boy, though.
"Let's go!" Kiba and Shino charged as planned while Kurenai scattered into a dozens of leafs.
"What the hell?! The guys are on their own, now? After them!-"
"Woof! Woof!"
"A~nd the dog?" The 4 bandits surrounded the boys in no time. They wasted no more seconds and fired a kunai at their heart causing a painful cry from them. The 3rd kunai sliding through Akamaru.
"Tsk, that'll teach them." With their victory, they turned over to their basement. Surprisingly enough, the woman, and the 2 boys and dog who they just killed were standing before them in a fighting position.
"What the-" He looked back at the corpses, only to witness a couple of leaves. Before he knew, his companions had already been taken down, leaving him alone. "You bastards..."
Hinata took the chance to sneak in. She climbed the stairs and found the boy bandaged around the mouth. "Don't worry, I'll help you." She knelt down and untied the ropes. "Mhmm!" Before she could defend herself the predicted attack struck her, a blade was pierced through her abdomen. The boy watched in horror as the bandit played with the blade, before he forcibly pulled it out.
"Stupid girl. Tie him up again." The boy was too paralyzed to point at his companion laying unconscious on the floor. "Oi, I said tie him up!"
He still got no answer, he decided to do it on his own and yell at his companion later but the ropes were no where to be seen. His glare was back on the boy, "did you do this?!" He sneered, stomping his foot on the ground as to scare the kid even more.
"I'm your opponent." He turned towards the quiet voice.
"How did you-?" The person who he thought he killed turned out to be a bunch of leaves. "How did you do that?! How did you take him down?"
"N-Ninja d-dakara."
"Orochimaru-sama, a little change in our Plan B." Kabuto knew that Orochimaru hated when there were changes in his plans.
"What could that be?"
"That Hyuga girl who bears the Yang crystal is in possession of the Yin as well."
"What?! How did that happen?"
"I saw Sasuke throw his gem away in a river, but as I was about to retrieve it she had already found it and I was left to retreat." Orochimaru hadn't foreshadowed this one. If the girl finds a way to control both crystals at the same time, his future plans would be ruined!
"Has she earned the gem's trust, yet?" Kabuto shook his head, which relieved Orochimaru.
"She just made it 10x easier, then. Get me Yoroi, he can be of use to us. He he he."
Hope you're enjoying the story so far :) Have a nice day ^^
Translation:
Ninja dakara- Because I am a ninja