Chapter 4: Tsukai (Mission)

Characters and setting belong to Kishimoto-sensei.

Thank you Starkiss666 and quarterdark for keeping up with this story! I hope this will be fun for you two!

Tsunade was, for once, doing paperwork. However she would have personally preferred going out drinking… but alas, there was work to do, and Shizune had finally gotten some guts and threatened to sedate her if she tried anything. Even when she just arrived back from the Gokage Summit there was paperwork.

Two short taps were heard from the door. "Come in." She beckoned.

Kakashi walked in nervously. "Kakashi Hatake reporting,"

"You're late." she replied flatly, returning to her paperwork. Kakashi noticed that her eyebrow was twitching, likely as she was holding back from giving a fiery lecture.

Shizune gave him a why-did-you-have-to-be-late-and-make-her-more-irritated look.

The silver haired ninja shrugged apologetically.

Finally, after a couple drinks of Shizune's tonic, Tsunade addressed the jounin curtly. "As you and the other jounin have heard, we are gathering up to move out to join in joint army in the Land of Lightning. I'm going to make this announcement public later today. The reason that I called you here is that you will be going off on a side trip. I need some very rare medical supplies from The Land of Hot Springs. You're job is to escort the two medics there and back with the supplies and also proof that the village will continue to provide us with their products.

"And" she added with a smile, "there is the little bonus that I'm expecting it to take at least three days. So if you are quick, you could get a full day of vacation."

"Alright, I'll assemble a team." Kakashi nodded, a little too eagerly. It was a little known fact, but the copy ninja did have a weakness for onsens, and it had been far too long since he had last gone.

"No need, I've already assigned Raido, Ino, and Sakura." Tsunade responded. "The details of the mission and any potentially valuable material are on this scroll."

Kakashi accepted it and bowed. "Thank you Hokage-sama."

"Ok, run along," she waved.

After the man left Shizune asked nervously, "Are you sure that was a good idea? It's not like we have a lot of available time for play."

Tsunade laughed, "Then why do you think I assigned the job long before I actually needed the supplies, it could take them seven days and it wouldn't matter. Besides, those four deserve a bit of relaxation."

Shizune nodded, but inside she was fuming, So they deserve a vacation and I don't?

Sakura was sitting in front of her mirror. She did not like how boring her hair looked. Should I grow it out long again? She asked herself. Or maybe I could pin it up somehow?

Pulling out some pins she first tried pulling a side of her hair back. She tried various other styles, until she finally sighed, choosing a basic ponytail. She opened up her drawer for her plain black band but paused.

I forgot about that one! She pulled out a silky green ribbon. Her dad had given it to her as an apology for breaking… something, she could not remember. But she did learn how potent a few tears could be on a man.

"Boy I was terrible." she laughed. After tying up her hair she looked in the mirror and made a poses. The ribbon actually looked really nice. When she started to look at the rest her face, figuring how she could make herself look better she suddenly stood up and laughed. "Why am I primping? I haven't done that in ages!" She looked in the mirror. "I look quite pretty enough to practice raiken. It's not like the crows care that much."

Music was pounding in Ino's ears as she stood lay in her bed watching the clock. She did not have man the shop for thirty minutes. So in the meantime she put on an upbeat song, hopped from her bed and started her morning exercises as she looked at people walk by her house below. It was then she noticed Sakura wandering aimlessly down the street.

Ino smiled and ran onto her balcony, "Hey, Forehead, what are you doing today."

"Hm?" Sakura looked up to see her friend. "Hey Ino-Pig, put some clothes on!"

Ino rolled her eyes as she looked down at her pyjamas. "Really, Sakura, when did you become such a prude, it's not like I'm showing anything. Hey, I'll be right down, wait right there!"

Sakura sighed and began tapping her foot. Really, that girl has no reservations! Doesn't she know that boys get weird ideas when they see a girl dressed like that? Besides, it's embarrassing because… well it is!

Ino ran out, properly attired, "Hey Sakura, what are you doing here?"

"Actually I was heading to the training grounds by the lake."

"Oh," Ino stood back, "training? Why?"

"The fact you have to ask 'why' explains why I'm a better medic than you." Sakura jibed

Ino rolled her eyes, "I didn't mean it that way. What do you want to train?"

Sakura thought a moment about whether to tell the loudmouthed blonde, but after realising that there wasn't anything the girl could feasibly mock, she answered. "I'm learning a ninjutsu called Raiken."

"Really?" Ino exclaimed. "That is so cool! You totally have to show me. So you are a lightening type?"

"Um, well yeah."

"That's odd." Ino muttered.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Sakura cried.

"Well," Ino put on a very sincere face. "It's not like you have right aura, you're more of a plain, earthy type of girl. Not much to you."

"What!" Sakura shouted.

"Calm down, it's just that lightening type people are typically more… edgy, like really apart from everyone. You're too sociable and, normal. Though at times you are a Godzilla; so I could see you being fire type."

Sakura's eyebrow twitched dangerously. "You know Ino; you're probably wind type then."

"Huh?" Ino stepped back in shock. "How did you know?"

Sakura laughed evilly before answering darkly. "Because you're mental faculties are practically on par with those of a certain team-mate of mine."

This time it was Ino's turn to be irritated, though she was considerably more vocal, especially as she expressed her utter disgust at being considered in the same category as that idiot Naruto. But Sakura was surprised when Ino's voice cut out. She looked over at her friend and saw that her face had become very thoughtful.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked cautiously.

Ino turned a moment then looked back toward the lake they were approaching. "Oh, um, well I was just thinking how Naruto has grown up. We really do owe our lives to him. And… Well, don't you think that he's gotten taller and more handsome? He's really tough, cute, still stupid, but in an endearing way. I suppose in retrospect, you complemented me."

Sakura looked at her black boots and spoke quietly, "Huh, I really can never insult you, Ino-pig." She's right. Naruto is a warrior now. He's saved the village single-handedly, how can I beat that? I can at least hope to surprise him.

"So here we are Sakura, going to show me that jutsu?" Ino asked.

Sakura sighed and wove the signs. She focused as she restrained the wild chakra in her hands. Bright white sparks gathered into a pulsating, spiky mass above her cupped palm. Within moments Sakura felt it, she was loosing control. "Oh dear," she said just as the lightening escaped out of her hand and shot outwards over the lake. Further down the shore they saw a limb catch fire and the water carried back the sounds of a panicking work crew trying to put it out.

"Drats!" Sakura whined. "I can't aim it all."

"But that was really cool. Once you can figure out how to use it it'll be better, but wasn't it kind of pretty?" Ino asked.

Sakura smiled. "I guess."

"I can help with chakra form though." Ino offered. "Asuma taught me a lot, and just recently, I learned how to use one of his techniques."

"Really?"

Ino raised her hand. It glowed green with normal healing chakra then the green glow grew brighter and extended beyond her hand, making a high pitched hissing sound. "This is a chakra blade." She ran towards one of the log targets, and in one slash it was sliced in two.

Sakura's jaw dropped. "You used your medic style to do that!"

"Yep," Ino replied smugly. "It was dreadfully hard to learn, but I'm glad that I did. I was hoping to be able to smash things like you, but I couldn't figure out how. Besides, with a blade, I don't have to worry about chipping my nails." She smiled blissfully.

Though she was tempted to roll her eyes, Sakura honestly was impressed. Now that she thought about it, lightning chakra would me much harder to form into a blade than air chakra would. Why did lightning have to be so inconvenient?

"Hey, Shizune!" Ino yelled as the black haired jounin came to a halt from a run. "What's going on?"

After a few moments of panting Shizune spoke, "Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka,"

The two girls stood at attention hearing their names spoken formally.

Shizune continued, "You have been given a mission from Lady Tsunade to go to the Land of Hot Springs and acquire some important herbs and concoctions."

Ino smiled brightly, "Land of Hot Springs? Really? How long does she plan the mission to take?"

"Three days, starting from the point in which you leave the main caravan heading to the Hidden Cloud. So if things go as planned you should get a full day's break." Shizune said, adding a little too much distaste into her voice as she said the last sentence.

"So it's really happening," Sakura muttered. "The unified ninja army,"

Shizune nodded solemnly.

"Things must be pretty bad then." Sakura surmised gloomily.

"Yes, it is bad," Ino ranted energetically. "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't look forward to some fun before the storm!"

Sakura smiled in agreement.

"Oh, one last thing," Shizune added, "You are to join up with Kakashi and Raido, who will be acting as your bodyguards, at the North Gate. You are to stick together as you travel with the caravan and assist with the moving of goods. And bring casual clothes, it would be advantageous if people couldn't recognise you and ninja."

"Yes madam." Sakura and Ino saluted.

"Good, you two should probably get packing." Shizune suggested, turning around and muttering darkly about her lack of good treatment.

"Well, want to spar, or should we go pack?" the blonde asked.

"We should probably pack and get rested, tomorrow is going to be a long day." Sakura answered.

"Always sensible," Ino muttered, "Ok, see you tomorrow!"

As Sakura headed her own way, she considered stopping by her grandmother's house, but then she remembered the dangerous look in the old woman's eyes when she told her, 'Don't dare come back until you master that ninjutsu!'

"I should probably wait. However, I won't be able to see her again until after the war." Sakura was faced with a dilemma. She really wanted to learn the genjutsu, but her grandmother terrified her. I'm going to see her. Sakura made up her mind. I've defied must scarier people before; this grandmother I barely know should be nothing in comparison.

And so, Sakura turned the opposite direction from her house.

The orange light of the setting sun shone into Kakashi's small bedroom. He had just finished packing his weapons and necessities and now he was considering what personal items he should bring. He picked up one of Jiraiya's books, Icha Icha Violence. However just as he started to slip it into his pack he hesitated.

I probably shouldn't, Sakura would complain that I was a pervert. He thought, and then wondered why he should care. Nah, there's no harm in having a little fun. Again he made to put the book into his pack, but something stopped him. However, it would be less than pleasant at the onsen afterwards if she was mad. Just this once I could bring something… else. I did get that historical novel, it's still a romance, but at least she would think I was a bit of an intellectual rather than just a lecherous fiend.

So, without further debate, he picked up the milder piece of fiction, though he was still confused why he should care. Perhaps now that she's older I'm realising she is more of a co-worker, not just some kid whose opinion isn't as important. That's probably it… and I'm getting o-…ol… more mature.

Once he finished packing he grabbed the Icha Icha book and lay down on his couch. She can't complain if I read it here though!

Outdoors the village was in a frantic bustle as the ninja prepared for their departure, and all over there were parties, tearful goodbyes, hugs that went on longer than was necessary, no one knowing if it would be the last time they would see one another again.

Well day 4 is done. If you are wondering what went down with Sakura's meet-up with her grandma, that'll be covered later. Look forward to the next chapter when everyone is setting out. I want to put a little more focus on Kakashi… but I can't seem to give him enough "screen time". I always have been better at writing about girls (that's what I get for living with sisters… tonnes of them).

I was really planning on having Kiba pop in… but alas he didn't. ;_;