CHAPTER TEN

Team Seven was currently queuing outside the mission room for another mission "Damn, I hate that cat!" Sato said.

"How are your scratches?" Naruto asked.

"They could be better…"

"Our missions could be better." said Sakuma.

Kakashi was just about to lecture them but Emori stopped him. "They're not going to listen, they're too stubborn," he explained.

A few minutes later they walked into the mission room. "Team Seven here to collect their mission." said a bored Kakashi, who was just as bored with the D-rank missions as the genin.

"Very good. Today I think I will give your team a low C-rank," said the Hokage.

"That is perfectly fine Hokage-sama, but might I ask why?"

"Because your team has done over 40 D-rank missions in the past month along you've earned it, while their teamwork isn't the best it is only an escort mission, plus if anything goes wrong there are two jounin."

At this moment the four genin and Emori were either grinning or smirking. "You will be helping escort Tazuna the bridge builder back to the land of waves and protecting him until he's finished the bridge connecting the fire country and Wave."

Just as the old Hokage finished his statement, an old man stinking of booze came in, causing them to drop.

"I thought I asked for ninja! Instead I get some brats, a perverted cyclops and um... well I got one decent ninja." Team Seven glared at him, Kakashi looking just as bored and Emori was smiling at the man shaking his hand.

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One hour later team Seven, minus Kakashi and Tazuna were standing at the main gate.

"Well, I guess I'm stuck with you." said a mildly drunk Tazuna.

"They are qualified ninja sir, plus you will have two jounin on this team as opposed to the usual one." said Emori.

"Well at least I'm ready. Can't say the same for you and that blonde kid, can I now? Why don't you have any bags? Are they too heavy for you?" Tazuna asked, trying to act high and mighty. Emori just quirked an eyebrow.

"Let me show you something old man," said Naruto walking over to the pair.

"As long as you're quick, brat. We've got to get moving when the other guy gets here," he said, swigging some Sake for good measure.

Naruto took a sealing scroll out of his pocket, unrolled it and placed it on the floor. At this point the others had come over to watch. He poured some of his chakra into it, there was a loud 'poof'. After the smoke had dissipated, everyone could see on top of the scroll was a bag extra weapons soldier pills and a sleeping bag. "Old man Emori and I don't have bags not because they're too heavy…because it's just easier to seal them in a scroll then get our stuff when it's needed, also it's more convenient in battle," Naruto explained.

Tazuna nodded, slightly smirking he wouldn't admit it but he was impressed.

"Kakashi's here!" Naruto said standing up, as Kakashi poofed up behind them all. "How..?" Sato started to say when Kakashi interrupted him.

"Sorry I'm late, I got lost on the path of life. Happens every other day…Anyway let's get going ".

They all walked out of the gate. Now at average genin level speed it would've taken about three days, chunin two, jounin one, one and a half and Anbu half day travel. However civilian pace took five days to a week and so at least three shinobi in team seven, at this moment, were bored.

"I hate civilian speed, it's turtle speed, ya' know?"

"Kid…I could not agree with you more".

"On another note, Old man, yesterday you came home smelling like blood? Oh, and you're buying me some air-freshener."

"Because the guy…um... Mizuki? Yeah, that was his name. He turned out to be a traitor and when I went out for a walk I saw him trying to steal the scroll of sealing. I apprehended him and he was nearly dead when I'd finished with him."

"Mizuki…? He's the guy I shoulder barraged out of a circle to get my hitai-ite. (A.N - sorry if that's spelt wrong) But ya' know, you didn't have to go that far."

"He bad-mouthed our clan and the called you a demon."

"Fair enough then."

*A couple miles down the road*

Naruto was talking to Sato about water techniques, walking past a puddle when Naruto took out a paper bomb connected to a kunai handle and threw it in the puddle nonchalantly.

As it exploded, two men jumped out the puddle, they had scorch marks all over their bodies. Suddenly, they went for Kakashi cutting him in half with the chain that holds them together.

"Kakashi-sensei!" screamed Sakuma and Sato in unison.

Still walking, Emori unsheathed his sword and sliced the chain in half. "You guys protect the client. He's got this, I'm going as back-up," Naruto said.

Five minutes later team Seven were faced with three things: One being that the two people who attacked them were chunin level nuke-nins from Kiri, who were being left behind tied to a thick tree for Anbu to collect after Kakashi had interigated and knocked them out. Secondly, the fact that their mission had now transcended into a middle B rank mission. Finally Kakashi wasn't dead he had replaced himself with a log at the last moment. Kakashi now very serious about this mission, especially after Tazuna explained why he lied to them, he lead everyone straight to the wave country and surprisingly he wasn't reading his smut.

Their small group was quite the rest of the way until where they stopped at dusk. Kakashi took charge.

"Alright. Naruto, catch some fish, Sachiko and Sato collect fire wood and Sato set up camp and Emori-san can you set up a perimeter. And Tazuna…stay out of the way."

About half an hour later team Seven and Tazuna were all sitting around a fire eating grilled fish with some vegetables Emori found circling the camp. When everyone had finished eating Kakashi called for their attention. "Okay, now everyone, get some sleep, all right? We have a long walk tomorrow and we are going to need guards staying awake while the rest of us sleep. We will have shifts. I will go for the first few hours then Naruto and Sato then Sakuma and Sachiko then finally Emori."

"Hai," the genin said in unison.

"Good night, guys. Have fun in a tent!" said Naruto as he swung into a tree and faced east. Emori walked up a tree but faced west. They both sat with their backs to the trunk, swords across their hips and legs crossed. The others went into their tent and went to sleep.

At dawn, everyone were awake and ready to leave. They were walking in silence in a protective circle around Tazuna, when Sato asked Naruto, "Oh, hey Naruto…I was wondering, why do you sleep in a tree?"

"Because there are some dangerous creatures. Plus if an enemy was spying on us and he didn't see me go up the tree I would have a better chance at either ambush or escape. In a tent, however, you're easily visible."

"…Okay, that makes sense."

They crossed over into Wave country by boat and when they were only about half a mile away from Tazuna's house, Naruto threw a kunai at a bush, effectively startling everyone. Walking over, he examined his quarry before speaking.

"Sorry, it was just a rabbit…but I swear I sensed someone…"

Kakashi was wondering what was going on as a sudden thick mist was crept in.

Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He shouted to everyone, "Duck!"

As the others ducked out of the way of a huge sword swinging over their heads, Naruto jumped over, Emori un-sheathed his sword and spiraled around the sword, Kakashi just side stepped.

"Zabuza Momochi…Demon of the Hidden Mist," observed Kakashi as a man stood on the huge blade that went into a tree. He was a tall, muscular man wearing no shirt, with arm warmers, his face and neck bandaged with grey baggy trousers and black shinobi sandals and to finish it off a mist hitai-ite slanted on his forehead with a line through the middle.

"I'm really happy that even Kakashi of the Sharigan knows who I am." Zabuza jumped off of his blade and pulled it out of the tree."Sharigan?" Sachiko asked, perplexed.

"Ah, Kakashi…are you not telling your brats everything?"

The two glared at each other filled with killing intent, and well, if looks could kill… "Look after the client." Said Kakashi. Naruto un-sheathed his katana.

Zabuza laughed as the mist got thicker.

"Eight places: Neck, liver, kidneys, heart, spinal cord, jugular and the lungs."

Sakuma starting shaking with fear and even got a kunai out, "Don't worry, Sakuma I won't let my teammates die." stated Kakashi through the mist. Naruto, having had enough of it, decided to clear the mist.

"Futon : Hitofuki!" (Wind Style : Gust)

Kakashi, now being able to see, traded sword to kunai with Zabuza for a bit.

All the while, Emori was thinking 'He looks familiar…but…why?' Then suddenly, it clicked.

"Hang on, Hang on!" Emori shouted.

"What?" Kakashi said, in shock that his comrade was stopping his fight.

"Zabuza Momochi, now there's a name I haven't heard in about...oh, umm twenty odd years, right butcher Momo?" he said smirking and sheathing his sword.

Zabuza hissed.

"No one's called me that since that brat from Wave before the War." Zabuza didn't drop his offensive stance.

"…With an older sister that would kick your ass if you picked on me."

"No. It-It can't be…could it?"

Zabuza sheathed his sword, and at once walked up to Emori and gave him a bear hug. "Hey Haku! Get out here, there's someone I want you to meet, someone I thought was dead!" he shouted, smiling, his arm round Emori.

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Thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it sorry about the delay! :D

SomeDamn Author beta-note: Beta authenticated. Enjoy the cliffie, folks!

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