Coming from the Shadows: Leaving the Chores Behind
It has been a month since they graduated. A month since they became a team and forged a bond built through blood, sweat, and tears. A month filled with training by, in their very unbiased opinion, the most insane Jounin-sensei in Konoha. Uchiha Itachi.
"Sensei, can we go on a C-Rank now, we should have the skills for it." Naruto asked, seemingly to the air as Itachi wasn't in the area. Or so a casual observer would have though, as Itachi walked out of the shadows.
"Perhaps." Itachi said. "It depends on what is available."
Smiling, as they restrained the temptation to cheer at his answer. The three quickly leapt to the ground with such ease that showed much dedication and practice, not something one would expect from a genin only recently out of the academy.
"Lead on. Sensei." Ino said, with an amused inflection in her voice.
Rolling his eyes, Itachi just turned and left, knowing his genin would be able to keep up with his sub-shunshin speeds.
Arriving at the Mission Assignment Desk, Itachi said, "Team Seven, reporting for duty, Hokage-sama. My team requests a C-Rank, and I believe them to be ready for it."
Raising an eyebrow, the Hokage nodded wordlessly - and knowingly, and pull out a mission scroll. "Escort mission to wave - Tazuna, a bridge builder, comes to Konoha to request protection."
Itachi shook his head, as his instinct virtually screamed danger. "No, that will not do. Not at all. I suggest you don't give that to any genin teams, Hokage-sama. My instincts are rarely wrong, and they scream danger about that one. That should properly be considered B-Rank or A-Rank if my suspicions are correct."
Frowning, the Hokage made a note on the scroll before setting it aside. "If not that one, how about this one?" He said, before grabbing another scroll. "Another escort mission. This time, however, a young lady requests protection from bandits as she makes a trek to the ruins of the great village once known as Uzushiogakure. Expect a long trip lasting around three weeks barring any severe complications."
Nodding in consent, Itachi took the scroll. "Team Seven accepts this mission and will see it through to completion."
"You will find your client at the MeirusutorÅmu hotel. Dismissed."
Taking their leave, Itachi glanced through the mission details as they headed towards their client's location.
Entering their hotel, Itachi went up to the receptionist and asked, "Where may we find Uzu-san, we have a mission involved with her, receptionist-san."
Glancing up at their foreheads, as if to confirm their claim as shinobi, he said, "You may find Uzu-sama in room 309. Here is the key, please return it before you leave." He said, handing them a silver key with the room number affixed to it.
"Treat this as one of my tests, Shino, Naruto, Ino." Itachi said, "We are going on a potentially life-threatening mission for the first time, and we have to go meet our client. What steps should be taken before we arrive?"
He gestured to Ino first, well aware that usually Naruto and Shino go first. "As we don't have time to do a background check on the lady, perhaps Shino should send a couple Kikaichu in the room before we enter to get a feel for the woman?" Ino said, hesitantly as she worked through it.
Not answering, he then turned to Shino and waited. "Outside of the potential possibility of employing my Kikaichu allies, we additionally have the option of having a clone do some basic surveillance as there are some limitations as to what the Kikaichu can relay back to me."
Itachi, again, silently moved on and waited for Naruto to continue. "Outside of basic surveillance, we should make sure we are also prepared in case something unforeseen happens. Whether we have our weapons available and ready for combat. Basic medical supplies, rations, perhaps even emergency soldier pills."
Pausing, Naruto muttered, "Even if they are obscenely expensive."
Continuing, he added, "We should also make sure we have appropriate attire for a mission. No fluttery clothes, hair up so it isn't within easy reach of enemies and couldn't use it to their advantage. Dark clothes so we can blend in with our surroundings."
Frowning as he couldn't think of anything, Naruto said, "Did we miss anything, sensei?"
Wordlessly, Itachi shook his head no. "You have learned your lessons well, the three of you. Now follow those suggestions. Wouldn't make do to have the knowledge to take proper precautions but not act upon them."
Nodding, the three went through the steps to make sure the three of them were properly prepared.
Standing in front of room 309, Itachi knocked on the door. They waited a few moments, as a few soft sounds were made in the room. The door opened, to reveal their client, Uzu Senkai in a dark brown dress with a complementing green jacket through over her shoulders. "Yes?" She asked.
"Uzu-san. We are Team Seven, and we've accepted your mission to protect you on your way to Uzushiogakure." Itachi said, then gestured to his students. "These are my genin, Aburame Shino, Yamanaka Ino, and Naruto. I am their Jounin-sensei, Uchiha Itachi."
Uzu Senkai frowned lightly as she took in the three genin before her. One of them had no last name and with his flaming red hair...she shook her head. Couldn't be, just a coincidence as he lacked the traditional violet eyes of the Uzumaki clan. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my name is Uzu Senkai. I look forward to working with you all." she said politely.
They just nodded her head in turn, while Naruto could barely restrain himself from showing his thoughts. She looked like an Uzumaki! And with that name...
He shook his head, no time to get distracted.
"Uzu-san, my team still has some preparations to undergo, as I expect you do, yourself. We'll be leaving in two hours, be at the gate then." Itachi said, as he turned to leave.
Biting her lip, she opened her mouth as if to ask something and changed her mind. "I'll be there."
Naruto arrived home, after the team split to make their own precautions.
He dispelled his clones as it wouldn't do to have his mind split on several unrelated actions while away on a mission.
Gathering up his needed supplies, using his self-taught fūinjutsu, he sealed them away into a few key locations so as to have a few access points. Taking out his weapons, he went and prepared each of them, hoping he wouldn't need to make use of all his preparations.
With a soft sigh, he got to work, he had a long day ahead of him.
Arriving at the gate mere seconds before the two hour deadline was up, he found his team - and additionally their client - waiting for him. "Don't forget your training, you three. This will be the first time you may be required to make use of it."j
They nodded and without a word, the five of them departed Konoha.
As soon as they were far enough away from Konoha, Naruto couldn't resist the temptation any longer. "So, Uzu-san. When were you going to tell us you were an Uzumaki?" Naruto asked, split between pleasure at seeing a living, breathing Uzumaki besides himself, and displeasure that she hid it. His two teammates let out soft gasps in surprise, they didn't think any Uzumaki had survived.
Hiding a grimace, she asked, "And what makes you think I am one?"
Narrowing his eyes, Naruto said, "Listen lady, if there is one thing I hate, it's those that lie to their family."
Raising her eyebrow, Senkai merely asked, "Oh?"
Blanching with a grimace, he realized what he had inadvertently revealed. Seeing no way out of this, Naruto sighed. "Ino, Shino, I ask you not to reveal a word of this to anyone. Please. I ask this of you as my friends."
Gaining two nods, he turned to their client. "I ask the same to you as my family, as it seems." Garnering a soft smile from her, she nodded her head, as well.
"I'm an Uzumaki. I go with no surname because to take one up - one that wouldn't sully my parents would be to call upon their enemies as the Uzumaki were a greatly feared clan - as can be attested for by the fact the Uzushiogakure, home of the Uzumaki, was destroyed during the war by a contingent made up of Kiri, Kumo, and Iwa Shinobi. Few things require a concerted effort made up of three of the great hidden villages in order to destroy it. Uzushio was one of the few."
With a slightly angered visage, he said, "Your turn, lady."
"I'm also an Uzumaki - though I lack the ability to mold chakra, my real name isn't Uzu Senkai, but Uzumaki Nagare. But like with Naruto here, please continue to refer to me as Uzu Senkai. As much for my protection as for his. A single discovered survivor of the Uzumaki clan will bring about a fierce hunt by those that wiped out Uzushiogakure."
With an over-exaggerated bow, Naruto mockingly said, "Of course, Senkai-sama."
Giving Naruto a fierce glare, Senkai merely strode forward purposefully.
Meeting his teammates eyes, Naruto grinned mischievously. She was going to be so fun to tease.