DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, any characters affiliated, any ideas affiliated, any cultures affiliated, any real-live people affiliated, pretty much anything that is affiliated to Naruto, except for these fanfics. In short, Masashi Kishimoto pwnz m3. bcuz h3 15 1337! ...I also do not own hacker speech or '1337'. Oh, and I don't own Nine Inch Nails (NIN) or any of their songs.

Kiba and Shino still weren't talking to each other. Kiba was going to do the mission, but he and Akamaru were also going to be very irritable. So, of course tension was quite palpable at the village gate when Team 13 arrived.

Shino and Kiba wouldn't look at each other, and stood at the opposite sides of the road. Hinata stood with Kurenai in the middle, nervously fiddling with her backpack's strap. Akamaru seemed very confused; he agreed with Kiba, but he also didn't understand why his best friend was standing separated from his childhood playmates. Akamaru would run from Kiba to paw at Hinata's leg, then he'd run and quickly sniff Shino's shoes, then he'd run back to Kiba and sit for a moment until the cycle started all over again. But of course, once Team 13 arrived, the cycle was broken: now Akamaru had four comrades to wrestle with.

Akamaru greeted first Inel, then Korii, then Deniizu, and finally met Michiko with his best sad puppy eyes. With the Four Musketeers to back him up, Michiko didn't have a chance.

"Fine," Michiko grinned, patting each dog on the head, "You're off duty until we go past those gates, ok?"

D'Artagnan spoke for the group when he jumped up to plant a slobbery kiss on Michiko's cheek, and then there was a dusty cloud and the dogs were gone.

"Did you teach him that?" Inel asked curiously.

"He has a mind of his own," Michiko answered, half-smiling as she wiped drool from her face.

Deniizu, in her Tenten-like, grey clothing, had a backpack on to carry her things for the trip, while Michiko had her bookbag, as well as what looked like a green, woolen obi with pouches on it around her waist. Korii had a very forlorn-looking backpack swung over one shoulder and a curved sword on his belt, and Inel also had a bookbag, since he had his violin strapped onto his back as usual.

"What's with the obi?" Kiba asked bluntly, looking at Michiko, "It's got pouches and things on it."

"Is it for medicines and bandages, like a first aid kit?" Hinata guessed.

"Yeah," Michiko grinned, making a peace sign with her right hand and patting the sash with her left, "I thought about using a vest, but that would make me look like a chuunin, and that's like bragging."

"It would look weird, anyway. Who wears a vest and a skirt?" Deniizu shrugged.

She's so ready to become a medical ninja, Shino thought fondly.

"...Korii nii-chan, your backpack..." Hinata started.

"Yeah, about that," Korii touched his forehead protector, which he did when he was embarassed (for Korii) or nervous (again, for Korii), "I sometimes had to use it as a defense or weapon."

The black backpack was in poor shape; the strap which he wasn't using was snapped, and the strap that he was using had been tied back together again. The zippers no longer worked; they were precariously tied together, and anybody could see what Korii had inside.

"Don't you want a new one?" Kurenai asked, astounded.

"I ask him the question all the time, but he no listen," Inel said, putting his hands up to the side, palms up, with a 'what-can-you-do' expression.

"That's Korii for you," Michiko said, she and Deniizu grinning.

Inel walked straight to Kurenai to discuss the mission, and as Team 13 walked over to the side of the gate that Shino was at, Hinata joined them.

"How's Kiba doing?" Deniizu asked in a low voice.

Shino's jaw clenched and looked even more serious than usual. The others sweatdropped when they saw him, and turned to Hinata. The white-eyed girl sighed.

"Kiba's only doing the mission because Kurenai-sensei's making him," Hinata explained, "He's still upset, though, since it's the Chatora clan that we're helping. He couldn't even tell his mom or sister about this mission's objective; Kurenai-sensei had to tell them that it was survival training. And he and Shino still haven't made up about yesterday."

After glancing at Kiba, who was staring at the ground and muttering to himself, the group turned back to Shino. The bug-user crossed his arms and remained adamant; obviously, he would not be apologizing to his best friend any time soon.

"You're such kids," Michiko chided, shaking her head and walking towards Kiba.

Am not, Shino thought childishly, then realized the truth of Michiko's statement, Why does she have to be right?

"You sure you're not going to talk to him?" Deniizu asked while adjusting her backpack's straps.

"Because you really should. Any mission needs cooperation within the team," Korii added, and Hinata looked pleadingly at Shino, but the boy still wouldn't move.

By now, Michiko had reached Kiba. She could hear snatches of phrases like "damn Chatora" and "I hate cats" as he grumbled away. After looking at him thoughtfully for a moment, she decided that maybe humour would be the best way to get to him.

"You know, you look crazy talking to yourself like that," she said, a half-smile on her face.

Kiba looked up at her dully; he wasn't in a very good mood.

"What?" Michiko raised an eyebrow, "Are you going to yell at me? Or are you just going to act insane again?"

Kiba stared for a moment longer, then cracked a small grin.

"That's better; that's the Kiba we know and love," Michiko smiled, "Now tell me what's on your mind."

Kiba sighed, nodded, took a deep breath, and began.

"I really don't want to do this mission. The Third's making me escort Chatora..." anger rose in his voice, but he paused, shook his head, and continued calmly, "You know about the rivalry between my clan and theirs. I just...I hate them so much, and now...and I couldn't say goodbye to Pooriin either...I couldn't talk to my mom or Hana...And Shino! Shino's being such a...I can't...It's just..." Kiba scratched his head irritably, then sighed, resigned, and looked at Michiko sadly, "Help me get through this mission? Please?"

"What're teammates and friends for?" Michiko asked by way of answering, giving her almost-relative a hug.

"Right. Right," Kiba laughed, then suddenly sniffed and froze, "They're here...I smell four cats," Kiba growled.

"Easy boy," Michiko warned, then gave a quick whistle for her dogs as Kiba called for Akamaru.

The five dogs came a-running, and Michiko put a hand on Kiba's shoulder, hoping that she could keep him from charging if one of the twins made a mean joke about dogs. She also hoped that Kiba would take the restraining hand as a reminder to be careful. But there was no need; Kiba had noticed the girl that was walking with her twin brothers down the road.

"No..." Kiba whispered, as the three Chatora clan members reached their chaperones.

"Team 8, Team 13," Kurenai said in a clear voice, "I'd like you all to meet Chatora Goudon, Bitko, and-"

"Pooriin," Kiba whispered with his sensei's introduction, "...Pooriin is a Chatora..."

Cue 'Sadness and Sorrow' from the Naruto Original Soundtrack! ...Do it...

Shino, Hinata, Deniizu and Korii all looked over at Michiko and Kiba on the other side of the street. And promptly looked back at the three Chatora; the look on Kiba's face was not exactly...joyful.

Kiba-kun...Michiko thought, I'm so sorry, Kiba-kun...but Hokage-sama thought this was the best way.

Don't look at me like that! Pooriin thought, seeing the look in Kiba's eyes.

Kiba didn't know what to think; he should hate her, or be sad, or at least shocked, but he felt numb. Numb and freefalling in a sickening way.

This does not bode well, Korii thought sagely.

Hm. I should've shaved this morning, Goudon was thinking, and Deniizu sweatdropped when hearing his thought. (A/N: Stop music here.)

"Um...hi guys," Pooriin said in a small voice as she waved.

Hinata started to wave back, then noticed that doing so probably wasn't the best idea, and played with her fingers instead. A few awkward moments passed, then D'Artagnan and Akamaru ran up to Pooriin and sniffed her knees by way of greeting her.

"Hey," Pooriin greeted them, stooping down to pet them.

"Dogs," Bikto muttered, annoyed, "What can you see in them?"

"Give it up, bro," Goudon warned in a low tone.

"Good morning, my name is Yuuhi Kurenai, and this is my collegue, Satoki Inel," Kurenai introduced, shaking each of the Chatora members' hands, "We and our teams will be escorting you three."

"Yeah, we figured as much," Bikto said caustically, rolling his eyes.

Pooriin adjusted her backpack's straps timidly as she quietly stood by her brothers. Goudon stood between her and Bikto; he was wearing an unneccesarily huge backpack, and had one of his cat companions (an albino Persian) perched on his shoulders. His other companion (a red tabby) was walking beside him on the ground. Bikto, who also wore a backpack, carried his one of his companions, a black Manx cat (no tail) with one white ear, and the other cat (a silver tabby) walked right beside Goudon's.

"Can we go now?" Bikto asked, annoyed, after another awkward 30 seconds had passed.

"Um..."

Kurenai was confused; everyone was being so quiet all of a sudden. Inel decided to step forward so that she could sort herself out.

"We will in a moment, Chatora-san," the former sound-nin said, "But first our team needs to discuss the logistics in our formation. Korii," Inel turned to the side where most of the genins were, "Could you and Shino please come forward? Both of you are co-leaders, so both of you, go lead."

Korii motioned for the three Chatora, Kiba, Michiko, and the five dogs to come closer so they could hear better, and when they did, he started speaking.

"Ok, you heard Inel-sensei; Shino and I are leading this group," he said, half-boredly, half-firmly, "If there are any problems, just come talk to Shino and me. ...what is it, Bikto?"

"I have a complaint."

"What is it, Bikto?" Korii asked tiredly.

"I hate you all."

A couple seconds later...

"Moving right along," Korii continued, ignoring Bikto who was now nursing a huge lump on his head.

"Korii, you can't do that!" Michiko exclaimed, trying to get a good look at Bikto's head so she could help.

"And why can't I?" Korii asked mock indignantly as Deniizu tried to suppress laughter.

"H-he's the client!" Hinata stammered, still shocked at what her cousin had just done.

"I have learned over the years that there are some exceptions to the 'Don't hurt the client' rule," Korii said calmly, "Make a note of that Shino; you'll be leading your own group soon."

Shino shrugged and Korii continued.

"As I was saying...yeah. Shino and I are leading you guys. There's a specific formation that I think would be best for our small parade," Korii said, taking out a scroll that he had in his backpack, and began reading it, "'Let me penetrate you' oh, sorry, wrong scroll. Give me a minute..."

Most of the group sweatdropped as Korii went rummaging into his backpack while Inel and Deniizu laughed to themselves, both thinking, That's classic Korii for you.

"Here it is," Korii finally said, and unrolled the scroll so that all the group could see, "In the middle, obviously, is the three Chatora. Pooriin, I'm sorry, but since you're the only one with almost no training, you get to be in the exact middle, which should be the safest place in the group."

I'll try not to feel hurt, Pooriin thought as she nodded.

"Goudon, you stay to her right, and Bikto, you stay to her left. Arrange the cats in whatever way you think is best for feng shui or whatever shit you care about; just keep them out of the way. Inel-sensei will be the furthest to the right, and Kurenai-san will be the furthest to the left; they'll be the ones doing the real guarding. You two twins don't really have to protect anybody, but a good ninja never gets caught off guard, so remember that. We may be escorting you, but you're still shinobi.

"I've placed Deniizu in the front, and I'll be right behind and covering her; Byakugan helps me look for anything big that might attack, while she looks for specifics like traps that need to be cleaned up. Shino will be right behind me; as co-leader, he needs to be close by to direct whoever's behind with hand signals. Then it's the group with Pooriin and all the other people with her, and Michiko is directly behind; the medical ninja also needs to be protected, and she also needs to be close to the clients in case they need to be healed.

"Then there's Kiba, with Akamaru as his backup, to help take care of Hinata, who will scout out with her Byakugan for anybody who'll ambush us from behind. Michiko, I also want you to choose two of your dogs to guard Shino, and save two for yourself. That way, nobody is left without backup. Does everybody understand?"

Korii rolled up the scroll and replaced it in his backpack, and everyone nodded.

"Got it," Deniizu answered as the other five genins nodded.

"...but it sounds so stupid," Kiba said after a moment, "All this fuss for three people, two of which are already ninjas."

"I guess our clan leader actually cares about his clan members," Bikto jibed.

"Are you saying that ours doesn't?" Kiba growled, suddenly angry again.

"Boys, break it up," Inel said commandingly, before either of them could say another word, "We have to travel together, so let's try to get along, yes?"

Kiba and Bikto glared at each other for a moment, and instead of answering, both merely walked to opposite sides of the street and waited impatiently to leave.

"Ok, guys, let's move out," Korii said, marching towards the gate with Deniizu.

None of the group, other than the two sensei, moved until Korii turned around and glared at them all.

It's going to be a long trip, Kurenai thought, already stressed.

A/N: Hm...to arrange cats in a way that is feng shui. Is that even possible?

Kiba: I don't care. I hate cats. (starts mumbling to self)

Michiko: You're looking crazy again.

Kiba: Shut up! (looks at reader) Hey, what're YOU staring at?

A/N: Um, he didn't mean that! He just wants you to review!

Kiba: No, I want them to stop staring at me!

A/N: (laughs nervously) J-just review! There's no rabid dog-user here!

Kiba: WHAT?

A/N: Meep! (runs away)