Author's Note: Told you I'd get another chapter up! :)
I hope you guys enjoyed chapter three! Some very, very slight hints of fluff. Haha. Thanks again BlackRose 723 for the review!
The action begins in chapter four! And I hope you all enjoy. :)
Reviews would be amazing. :D
Four: The First Real Mission
The next morning, I awoke before my alarm had sounded. I had slept like a log; no dreams, no waking up, hell, I didn't even think I had moved. After wiping the sleep from my eyes, I sat up in my bed and stretched my arms over my head, a relieved sigh escaping my lips as I hit the spot. My eyes darted over to the window, half-expecting Kakashi to be perched there, reading his pervy book just like yesterday. He wasn't, however, so I slid off my bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.
I nearly fell back to sleep as the hot water trickled over my body and engulfed me in its pleasant warmth. Before I could, however, I squirted some shampoo into the palm of my hand and gently massaged it into my long hair. After a minute of doing so, I rinsed, combing my fingers through my hair as I did so. When my hair was clean, I lathered my body with soap, rinsed, and proceeded to shut the water off. The cool air chilled my skin as I stepped out of the shower, so I quickly grabbed a towel off the rack and began to dry myself off.
After running a comb through my hair to loosen any knots or tangles, I wrapped the towel around my body and tiptoed back to my bedroom to find something to wear. I twisted the doorknob, pulled the door open, and headed straight for my closet. I shivered as the breeze from my opened window danced across my exposed skin. As I sifted through the articles of clothing, my eyes widened as I had a sudden realization.
I had never opened my window this morning.
Afraid of what I would find if I turned around, I did so slowly, praying that I had for some reason left my window open last night and that I had no reason to worry. My eyes shifted to examine the room, and I nearly screamed when I saw Kakashi sitting wide-eyed on the edge of my bed.
"Kakashi!" I yelled, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Enjoying the view?" Kakashi shrugged, his cheeks burning a light pinkish color.
"Well don't just stand there! GET OUT!"
"Come on, it's not like you're naked."
I was blushing furiously. Moving behind my dresser, I attempted to cover everything that my towel did not, which was a lot more than I would have liked.
"Kakashi, please," I pleaded, trying to maintain a tough exterior while on the inside I was so embarrassed that I was near tears.
"Alright, alright," he held his hands up in defeat, "I'll be out on the balcony." And with that said, he spun on his heel, shoved his hands in his pockets, and nonchalantly trudged out of the room.
I quickly picked out something to wear before sprinting back into the bathroom and slamming the door shut. Dropping my clothes on the countertop, I angrily ripped off my towel and threw it to the floor. My embarrassment quickly faded and all that remained was irritation. My fingers gripped the countertop, and my narrowed eyes glared back at my own reflection in the mirror. All my imperfections magnified: the scars, the bruises, and the disfigurations. I lifted my hand to trace the long scar that ran from my chest, snaked around my middle, and ended just past my left hip. As I did so, my tensed muscles relaxed, and my eyes fell to the floor.
Unable to bear the sight any longer, I grabbed the black pants from the countertop and hurriedly stepped into them. I then slipped on a sports bra, followed by a grey t-shirt and my Jonin vest. I put my still wet hair in a high ponytail before brushing my teeth and applying a bit of eyeliner and mascara, not even bothering to look in the mirror before exiting the bathroom.
I tied my headband around my forehead as I plodded to the balcony to face Kakashi and the awkward situation. I approached silently, placing my elbows on the railing and leaning against it just as Kakashi did, bracing for whatever ridicule or smart remark was about to come.
"So," Kakashi started, his gaze still focused on the village, "what's on the agenda for Squad Thirteen today?"
Surprised by the question, I stupidly asked, "Huh?"
"Plans for Squad Thirteen today," Kakashi repeated, turning his head slightly to look at me, "Let me hear 'em."
"Oh, right," I said with a nervous laugh, "Well, first thing on the agenda is to head to Mission Reception to figure out if we're picking up litter, finding a stupid lost cat, or cleaning bird shit off of peoples' windows."
Kakashi laughed.
"We'll complete the task in about an hour or two, then I'll probably use the remainder of the day to train my Genin. Should be home around five or six."
"Sounds eventful."
"Oh, shut up," I laughed, lightly shoving his arm, "What about Squad Seven?"
"Probably not a whole lot. I'm heading over to the Fifth Hokage's office to submit the report from our last mission, and then I'm not sure. It's might just be a lazy day for me."
"Lucky."
Kakashi looked at the rising sun and gave a small sigh. "I should get going," he decided.
"Me too," I agreed.
"Want to walk with me to the Hokage's office?"
I shook my head. "I would, but I have to meet my Genin first."
"Alright then," Kakashi said as he leapt onto the railing. He balanced there for a second before turning to me and saying goodbye.
I hurdled the railing and landed gracefully after the two-story drop, a cloud of dust forming at my feet. After wiping the dust from my pants, I shoved my hands into my pockets and began heading to Ichiraku Ramen, which was where I had set for the team to meet. The morning air felt crisp against my skin, causing tiny goose bumps to form on my arms. I ignored the cold and turned down a side street. Ichiraku Ramen was in sight, and I could see Toshiro and Hana waiting for my arrival, but Nikko was nowhere to be found. Not surprised, I rolled my eyes and greeted my students.
"Oh, h-hey, Sensei," Hana smiled shyly. Toshiro greeted me with a wave.
"Where's Nikko?" I immediately asked.
Neither of them could answer. I sighed in annoyance and leaned against the side of the building, peering down both ends of the street.
"What are we doing today, Kaeda Sensei?" Toshiro asked, adjusting his forehead protector with his thumb and index finger.
"Well, once Nikko gets here, we're heading to Mission Reception to see what Lady Hokage has for us today," I explained. As I glanced to the right, I noticed a head of messy red hair approaching nonchalantly, with his arms crossed over his chest and his gazed focused on the ground. "Nikko!" I shouted to him. His bored eyes lifted to stare back at me. "One hundred pushups before training tomorrow for being late."
In a split second, his expression changed from bored to irritated. "That's not fair!" He shouted back at me.
"What, don't think you can handle it?" I knew that a challenge might spur his enthusiasm.
"Of course I can!" He countered, pointing his finger at me accusingly, "Just wait until tomorrow. You'll see just how strong I really am!"
"I'm sure I will," I laughed under my breath. I ignored Nikko's angry grunts and began walking in the direction of the Hokage building. "Follow me," I ordered the three Genin.
Ichiraku Ramen wasn't far from the Hokage's office. We had arrived in a matter of minutes. Ascending the stairs, I listened as my students debated over what type of mission they would be going on today. Nikko was just as optimistic about his own skills as ever, saying that no matter what type of mission they received, it wouldn't be tough enough to challenge him. I rolled my eyes and smiled; he really was an amusing kid.
When we reached the Hokage's office, I knocked on the door and awaited her orders. "Come in," I heard Lady Tsunade say from inside. I did as I was told, pushing the door open and walking inside. My Genin followed closely on my heels.
"Good morning, Lady Hokage," I greeted politely.
"Squad Thirteen," She immediately began, her face as stern as it always was, "I have an important mission for you today."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Nikko perk up. He was obviously expecting more cleaning duty, and, to be honest, so was I.
"I know you're only Genin," she continued, "but I've already sent all available teams on other missions. One of our merchants needs to be escorted to Tanzaku Town. I know it's not that far, but lately there have been reports of bandits ambushing travelers in the forest and stealing their goods."
"Bandits?" Hana asked, a hint of worry in her voice, "Are we really ready for that?"
Lady Hokage faced Hana with a smile. "Don't worry," she said reassuringly, "I wouldn't have assigned you this mission if I thought you were going to fail."
"Alright!" Nikko cheered, throwing his hands in the air victoriously.
"Kaeda," Lady Tsunade said to me, "if you think I should have any reason to doubt the abilities of your team, speak now."
I grinned confidently back at her. "Lady Hokage, I believe you have made an excellent decision. We won't let you down."
"Good," she replied, "then I'll introduce you to Merchant Makoto Akiyama."
A middle-aged man stepped into the room from behind another door. His chestnut brown hair was receding, and his hazel eyes wrinkled as he smiled gratefully back at us. He carried on his back a portable stand that probably held inside all the goods that he hoped to sell during his stay in Tanzaku Town. "Thank you for doing this," the man said.
"No problem!" Nikko immediately answered, "You'll be safe with us!"