Chapter Two
The day started normally for the odd-numbered team seven. Shinrin was in a tree meditating, Sasuke was practicing Katas, and sakura was fawning over him squealing when he did a kata that showed his muscles, and naruto was still trying to master Water-walking, he was to the point he could walk in the water and only sink to his ankles.
Kakashi son arrived, startling the students, Sasuke faltered in his katas, Naruto fell through the water, but Sakura just kept staring at Sasuke as if she was a moth to a light. Even Shinrin was surprised, she jumped down from her tree and watched kakashi warily to see if he was their real sensei, or a marauder.
"Yo." he said, with the signature eye-smile and a hand raised. He caught a Kunai that was chucked at his head with deadly accuracy. He opened his eye to look at Shinrin.
"Alright, it's the real kashi." She grumbled, still confused as to why he was there on time.
"Well, I know you wondering how I actually managed to get here on time today, well kiddos, today I believe you are ready to have a C-Rank mission, so I am taking you to request one. Naruto, be respectful, Sakura, no squealing, Sasuke, no emo-ing, Shinrin… um… no… Kunai?" he said the last part in a question feeling the need to give her an order, even though she knew how to behave around the Hokage.
The team entered the office, iruka stood by the desk, obviously having been talking to the Hokage about something, he looked heckled and irritated over something. Kakashi stepped forward, and his students lined up behind him,
"Good day, Lord Hokage, Team Seven reporting for Missions, I, Kakashi Hatake would like to request we be given a C-Rank mission." he said respectfully, ending with a bow.
"What?" Iruka turned and glared at kakashi, "How could you endanger these children like that, they cant be ready to take on a mission outside the walls of the village! I trained them for six years, they are not ready!" Iruka exclaimed,
"With all due respect, Umino," Kakashi eye-smiled, but his voice was cold and angry, and two of the four students sent hurt glares at the chunin instructor, "I have been training these students for three months, Naruto has almost mastered Water Walking, Sakura has gotten better at One man defense, Sasuke has increased his chakra capacity, and Shinrin has increased ehr chakra capacity, her leadership skills, and completed training on a few A-rank jutsu." It was obvious which one was being groomed as a squad leader.
Iruka's mouth opened and closed as he tried to come up with another reason two of his favorite students should not leave the village,
"Thats enough Iruka, thank you for your input. You are dismissed." Iruka snapped his jaws shut and sent a glare to Kakashi as he left. When the door closed, the Hokage began to speak again, "I agree, kakashi, I believe that team Seven is ready to go outside the village on a simple C-Rank Mission."
"Yattah!" Naruto jumped up and cried out in joy, kakashi sent a glare back and Shinrin grabbed his shirt and pushed him back into a respectful standing position, but his eyes still glittered happily.
A man was brought in, he was short fat, and carrying a jug of alcohol.
"Oi, I asked for real Ninja!" he claimed, "Not four pipsqueaks and a skinny old guy." He hiccuped. Kakashi's eyebrow twitched- he wasn't old dammit! He was one of the youngest jounin!
"I promise you sir, you have one of the most capable squads in the Rookie-nine here, if you wanted something more than Gennin to escort you you should have paid for a higher rank." Kakashi growled, he did not like having to defend his team's qualification two times in less than an hour.
"Ah. Alright, whatever." the old man grunted.
"This is Tanzua, he is a world famous bridge builder, and he just needs to be protected while he goes home, then during the building of his bridge- uh, rogues and bandits have been attacking his building crew." the Hokage explained.
"Sounds simple enough." Kakashi said, "Team Seven!" The four genin stood at attention,
"Hai Sensei!" They said,
"Go pack for a month or more."
"Hai Sensei." they bowed to kakashi and left the room. The Hokage was impressed, and tanzua was even more impressed.
"I am surprised that you were able to get some of the most unruly students in that kind of shape, kakashi, i am truly impressed." the Hokage praised. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly,
"Oh, it's just a sharp training regiment." he said, Not to mention they just want to look good in the presence of the Hokage- they would never do that in the privacy of our training grounds. He thought.
Shinrin strolled down the road, she was on her way home- she only had to go get her cat and her clothing scrolls, she had to find someone to care for her while she was gone. She went into her home and began clicking her tongue,
"Sukoshi, here kitty kitty." The little white kitten mewled from a bundle of bedding and a ruffled white head popped up and she detangled herself and trotted over to Shinrin. Shinrin stooped and scratched her behind the ears, and she purred loudly. She smiled and picked up the little kitten, and placed her in her hood where she quickly got comfortable and fell asleep, She grabbed her clothing scrolls, as well as a new sealing scroll that she put Sukoshi's litter box, litter and food into, and sealed it away. She put both into a bag, and put it on. As she was walking contemplating who she would have cat-sit for her, then she remembered that Genma liked cats.
She approached the jounin door, she had heard him complaining the other day that he was stuck on gate-duty for a month, so she was sure he's still be here to care for Sukoshi while she was gone. She had only waited a few seconds after knocking before Genma answered, she seemed to have roused him for either bed, or a movie, his brown hair was tousled, and he was wearing rumpled pajama pants- but he still had the trademark senbon in his mouth.
"Oh, hello there Hime, what can I do you for?" he asked in a sultry voice, but there was a joking gleam in his eyes- he was just playing around, knowing it annoyed the hell out of her.
"How often have you stabbed a hole in your tongue with that thing," she snarked back, gesturing to the senbon.
"Oh wouldn't you like to find out, little Kunochi?" Genam teased, laughing softly at the annoyed glare she was giving him. He was far better at this game. "I'm sure you didn't come here to ogle me in my shirtless wonder, what do you need Shinrin?"
"I need you to cat-sit for me," she reached back and pulled Sukoshi from her hood,
"Ohh! Shes so pretty," Genma gushed, playful-perversion forgotten, "What's her name?"
"Sukoshi." Shinrin replied, an amused look in her eyes
"Where did you get her?" Genma looked back up from the little cat.
"A friend." she smiled, "He got her for me as a birthday gift."
"He got her for you?" Genma's eyes took on a mischievous gleam, "Who is He little kunochi?"
"What? What are you… no no Genma, that's NOT the kind of 'He' I'm talking about!" Shinrin said,her voice getting high and a blush blooming on her cheeks.
"OH! It IS!" Genma hooted, "Don't worry little Kunoch I'll find out who 'He' is."
"Shut up Baka." Shinrin grumbled and handed him a scroll, "This has her litter, litter box and food for the moth. I'll be back to get her after my mission."
Later, she went to a general store and bought a large amount of food, dried fish and beef, lots of water bottles, and some fire-starter. Yes as a ninja she should be prepared to hunt, and gather wood and such, but she wanted to make it easier on herself, focus more on protecting Tanzua, and she was sure their charge would feel better about eating store bought jerky than wild caught rabbits.
Later she met her team at the gate, her bag full of scrolls and her bedroll, she was the last one to arrive.
"Your Late!" Sakura screeched, Shinrin flinched, her voice hurting Shinrin's sensitive ears.
"Well you see…" she said
"Your turning you just like Kakashi-sensei." Sakura continued scolding, causing Shinrin to start getting annoyed,
"Why don't you shut your blathering fly-trap and instead of wasting more time we can continue on to the mission, yes?" She snarled.
"Good Idea Shinrin." Kakashi chimed in, "Let's go children, Defensive Formation A." he ordered, and the Students obliged, they closed around Tanzua, Shinrin in front, Sasuke on let, Sakura on right and Naruto at back with Kakashi leading the way, he was the only one who knew the way to the Land of the Waves- other than Tanzua who couldn't very well lead them since he was the target.
They walked in silence for a while, aside from Naruto's exited pointing out of things they don't regularly see in the village, such as wild foxes, or wild deer here and there. But, Shinrin noticed that there were puddles up head, but it hadn't rained in the village for days… but maybe there was just an isolated shower out in the forest- but wait… water doesnt smell like Chakra…
"Get down!" She yelled, and everyone ducked- except for Kakashi. Chains wrapped around their sensei and ripped him apart.
"Kakashi!" Shinrin screamed, just before her vision went red.
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-Ari the Fox