AN: Alas, Naruto is still not for sale, so I cannot buy it... Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing!
-demonicnargles
"Speech"
thought / talking in mind
"Demon speech"
Demon thought / talking in mind
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Kakashi analyzed the situation. The three bandits were armed with swords and knives. The bandits did not appear to have had any ninja training, but that did not make them easy opponents.
The jounin turned to team seven. "Sakura and Sasuke, you will go in there and capture those bandits. You don't have as much experience as Naruto in real combat situations, so this will be a good chance to test your skills. Naruto, you stay near the entrance of the cave. If any of the men try to run, you are to capture them yourself. And if Sasuke or Sakura have too much trouble, go in there and help them."
The genin turned to leave, but before they had gotten very far, Kakashi added, "Do not kill anyone unless it is absolutely necessary."
Sasuke looked at Kakashi strangely. Why would he think it necessary to tell us that? He shouldn't be worrying about genin killing anyone. Sasuke scanned his sensei's face for clues, but the jounin's expression was unreadable.
Sakura rolled her eyes. Kakashi-sensei is so transparent when he tries to compliment our skills.
Kyuubi flinched, but quickly recovered. "Don't worry, sensei," he drawled, trying to sound casual.
Sasuke was mystified by the relieved look he caught on Kakashi's face. It had disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving Sasuke wondering whether he had seen it at all.
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Sasuke lay flat on his belly behind the small boulder he had used earlier, listening to the thieves conversation. Sakura, at Naruto's suggestion, was on the ceiling clinging to the stalactites. Her excellent chakra control made it almost effortless for her.
"I'm telling you, this is the sort of knife that those ninja-types use!"
"Don't be stupid! Any real ninja would have finished the job!"
"That's what I'm saying! We need to leave before they come back to finish us!"
"Look, we can't leave. If that was a real ninja, then we're probably toast anyway. But that knife was probably from some kid playing ninja. Whoever it was hit with the blunt end of the knife, and no real ninja would do that."
"But what if they were just trying to knock him out? I heard that there is reward for our capture, so-"
"Just shut up! I'm not going anywhere, but if you want to leave, fine."
Sasuke couldn't make out any specific words from the man's grumbling, but soon saw from the shadows that the men were seated. They talked in low voices.
Sasuke leapt up from his hiding spot, drawing a kunai. Sakura, seeing his attack, dropped from the ceiling and pulled out a kunai.
"Surrender yourselves," Sasuke commanded, holding his blade out in front of him.
The two men drew their swords, and the third his long, serrated knife. Wordlessly, they attacked.
Sasuke threw his kunai at one of the swordsmen, but the bandit dodged out of the way. The man with the knife followed the first swordsman towards Sasuke. The remaining thief charged at Sakura.
Sasuke rapidly formed several seals, then blew a giant fireball at his assailants. The light cast by the technique lit the entire cave in a blinding yellow light. The men were thrown back, singed, along with the stool and some nearby equipment.
Sakura blocked the swordsman's initial strike with her kunai, and lashed out with a sweeping kick. The man jumped over her leg and swung his sword striaght down, aiming for her head. Sakura moved to the side, narrowly avoiding the sword, and grabbed the man by his shirt. Using all her strength, she threw him into the back wall of the cave, where he landed beside his comrades.
"Surrender," Sasuke repeated. The men ignored him, grabbing their weapons from where they had dropped them and returning to the fight.
Sasuke unleashed another fireball, sending the men flying into the rock wall again.
I can't do that again, Sasuke realized. Damn my low stamina! I can't beat Itachi like this!
Not revealing his worry on his face, Sasuke spoke in a calm voice, "This is you last warning."
The men jumped back to their feet, obviously determined to fight to the end. Seeing this, Sasuke drew another kunai and sprinted into their midst. He kicked the knife-wielder in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Sasuke blocked a sword with his much smaller blade, grabbed the sword-blade with his other hand, and pulled. As the man fell forward, Sasuke leapt into the air. The second swordsman, who had been swinging for Sasuke's head, instead hit the first swordsman in the neck, halfway-decapitating him.
Sakura, seeing her chance, kicked the horrified bandit into the recovering knife man. They both fell to the ground, unconscious.
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From outside, Kyuubi could hear the end of the fight. He nodded at Kakashi, who was waiting in the trees. The jounin dropped to the ground and lazily sauntered into the cave. Kyuubi followed behind him.
After tying the men up, Kakashi congratulated Sasuke and Sakura on their success.
"You have improved since our last mission. To beat a hardened bandit without receiving even a scratch is very good for a genin. So if you three will each carry one of them-"
"You lazy bum!" Sakura screeched. "Why don't you carry one of them!"
"Because I will be carrying their things."
Kyuubi sighed as Sakura continued to complain. It's bad enough putting up with a mortal body, without having to listen to this female's incessant whining.
She has a name, Naruto commented. Even if she doesn't seem worthy for you to call by name, it's good practice for talking to others. You'll get a lot of weird looks if you call her 'female' in front of anyone else.
Kyuubi conceded this point as he picked up one of the men and slung him over a shoulder.
"Back to Konoha, then," Kakashi said once everyone was ready.
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Team seven handed the men over to the burly-looking men standing near the client. It had been an uneventful journey back, since they had knocked the bandits on the head any time they stirred, ensuring that there were no escape attempts.
Kakashi said that he would take care of reporting their mission success to the Hokage, and dismissed them.
Kyuubi immediately departed for the training field, to make up for the time he had not been allowed to train while on the mission. Sasuke stuck his hands in his pockets and walked off without a word, leaving Sakura outside the Hokage's office. Sakura waited outside the office to talk to Kakashi about extra training. Although Kakashi had not said anything, Sakura knew that she was weaker than her teamates. She listened to the voices from inside.
"Very good, Kakashi. Now, I think you may be aware that the Chuunin Exams are coming up. Based on their record, I think that you should allow them to enter. It's up to you, of course. You have the best knowledge of their skills."
"That sounds like a good idea, Kokage-sama. I'll ask them what they think about at our next meeting."
Sakura smiled, while Inner Sakura ranted about her awesome skills, and how she would be the best kunoichi in the Exams.
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End of chapter. Please review!