The Color Wheel
Arc I, Childhood: Tiger / Orange
Synopsis: Their first C-rank is not what Shikaku expects...
When Hokage-sama reads out the C-rank mission list, Shikaku is both apprehensive and worried. With the war breaking out, D-ranks are now either being regulated to Academy students or dropped completely, something that Shikaku doesn't like all that much. It's not so much that he actually likes painting fences or babysitting little brats, but more the prospect of venturing closer to the actual battlefield than ever before.
He doesn't admit it to anyone that he is terrified and scared, not even to his best friends and teammates, Inoichi and Chouza.
He is so wrapped up in his nervousness that he barely misses the dark, gleeful look that overtakes Ryoga-sensei's face for mere moments, and the unnatural expression on the normally laid-back Jonin's face sets off alarm bells in his head. He curses himself for not paying more attention, especially when the Hokage sets down the mission list and looks at him and his team expectedly.
"Ne, Hokage-sama, which missions are most urgent?" his sensei asks calmly, though with an unmistakable glint in his eye. Shikaku sees this and sends the man a nervous look.
The aged man's lips quirk into a smile of amusement and mischief, though smiling rather benignly. "The courier mission to the outpost near the Kusa border is rather important..."
"We can handle it, Hokage-sama!" Inoichi says boastfully, his chest puffing up. Shikaku looks at him in exasperation, though with a slight grin, and catches Chouza's eye.
Peacock, Shikaku mouths behind Inoichi's back, and although Ryoga-sensei loks down at him with raised eyebrows he snickers along as Chouza fights to hold his laughter.
Hokage-sama smiles at Inoichi, and Shikaku marvels how the man manages to not look patronizing at all. "While I'm sure you are very capable, Inoichi-kun, it's up to your sensei to decide which missions you are prepared for. Though... if courier duties are a bit too much, the Lady Damiyo has requested a retrieval mission within the bounds of the village, to be carried out immediately."
"I think we'll take the retrieval mission for today," Ryoga-sensei says mildly, his excited eyes betraying his calm exterior. "Start these guys on something nice and easy first."
"Aww, sensei," Inoichi gripes, bordering on whining, and this time even Chouza sighs.
"Maa, maa, a retrieval mission's no joke either, Inoichi," Ryoga-sensei scolds lightly, but Shikaku recognizes the false levity in his sensei's voice. There is carefully hidden glee beneath the placating tone, and suddenly Shikaku is hit by a wave of dread.
"Perhaps we should take the courier mission, sensei," Shikaku says carefully, trying to hide his discomfort. "Aren't courier missions supposed to be easier and safer than retrievals? It'd be more logical to take the courier one, especially since we can practice our travel formations and tree hopping."
Ryoga-sensei pats Shikaku's head, ignoring the disgruntled look on his face, and says, "But this courier mission would take us out of the village, whereas the retrieval is limited to Konoha's boundaries. This lowers the difficulty and danger levels significantly, to the point where it may as well be a D-rank mission... so we'll take the retrieval, Hokage-sama!"
Shikaku doesn't miss the shared look between his sensei and the Hokage as the mission scroll passes hands, and bites his lip. How troublesome.
"Thank you, sir," Ryoga says, herding Shikaku and his teammates to the door. "By your leave, Hokage-sama."
The moment the door closes, Ryoga gives them an unnaturally large grin as he scans the scroll. "To the roof, my little Genin! Our target was last seen in the Market District, so that'll be a good place for you to start."
"Who're we looking for sensei?" Chouza asks.
"Well our client kindly included a picture of the target, which makes things a lot easier on your three," Ryoga-sensei muses in disappointment, and Shikaku can't help but liken the image of the man to a petulant child. "But here it is! Lady Tora-chan!"
Shikaku looks between the image and his sensei's smiling face once, twice, and three times, before his eye starts twitching. "Our target... is the Lady Damiyo's pet?"
"Well, the official title is Lady Tora no Honeko," Ryoga-sensei corrects him mildly. "Lady Tora is an exceptionally important figure amongst the Fire Court's feline populace."
"But... it's a cat," Chouza says in disbelief, looking terribly confused.
"A very important cat, Chouza," Ryoga-sensei chides, and Inoichi finally explodes.
"What d'you mean very important? It's a damn cat!" Inoichi sputters indignantly, somehow managing to look both offended and amused. "Are you serious, sensei? This is D-rank work!"
Ryoga-sensei looks at them with a cheerful smile. "Perhaps, but it's being paid like a C-rank, Inoichi. Which means four times the pay."
At the glint in the blonde boy's green eyes, Shikaku sighs and looks at Chouza, exchanging equally frustrated looks. Inoichi's greed is somewhat of a contention point amongst them, and as much as Shikaku likes Inoichi as a friend, he isn't blind nor immune to the faults in the blonde Yamanaka.
Not to say that he, Chouza, or even Ryoga-sensei are perfect by any means, but Inoichi's flaws are so obnoxious that he eclipses all three of them.
"Well it looks like I'll be able to buy those exploding tags after all." Inoichi smirks, and Shikaku nearly groans as confidence and assurance spills over Inoichi's form. "Let's do this guys!"
Inoichi bounds off in the direction of the Hokage Monument, looking all the while like a pervert with Tsunade-sama at his heels. Shikaku and Chouza make to follow their enthusiastic teammate, but are stopped by a hand on their shoulders.
"Mission ends at sunset, so make sure you have the right cat," Ryoga-sensei says with a grin. "And by the way, he's going the wrong way."
This time, Chouza heaves a sigh too.
"Well, this is most unexpected." Hiruzen takes a few puffs on his pipe, looking over the three roughed up Genin standing in front of him in both embarrassment and shame.
Ryoga sighs, shaking his head in disappointment, but sends Hiruzen a quick, devious grin over the lowered heads of his Genin team. "Team Ryoga, reporting the retrieval mission a failure, sir."
Hiruzen sighs theatrically, years of practice allowing him to quell the smile threatening to rise on his lips. "I suppose it had to happen at some point."
"We're very sorry, sir," the Akimichi boy murmurs, and the Yamanaka and Nara boy at his sides echo the sentiment. Hiruzen barely hears the blonde's words, but the tell-tale redness spread across pale skin is proof enough.
"As team captain, sir, I take responsibility for the failure of this mission," Ryoga says seriously. "Therefore, I volunteer my team for the same mission every day until it has been fulfilled."
The utter horror that blooms on the faces of the three young shinobi is enough so that once he is alone, Hiruzen bursts into laughter.
"If you do not expect the unexpected you will not find it, for it is not to be reached by search or trail." - Heraclitus