Sasuke sighed as they took yet another break to allow Tazuna to catch his breath. This mission, which had already started off the wrong foot when the old drunkard had insulted his team in front of the Hokage, had taken a trip south since then. Continuously. Not only was their travel speed abysmal because of the old man, no due to his drinking (where did he keep all the booze? Sasuke might have to search his package this night and do something against it!) and constant derogatory stares, mostly towards Naruto, this was almost as bad as the usual D-Rank. And he had so hoped that it would involve some fun. A battle or two, disposing of some bandits, with luck collecting the bounty to their heads, a quick travel, delivery of the old man, and done.

Another inaudible sigh escaped his lips. At least the weather was nice. Sunny, dry, warm but not hot, perfect to travel. He took a swig from his canteen, wiped his lips and went to get Naruto, who was actually supposed to fill their water reserves at a nearby stream but had forgotten to take Sasukes canteen with him. And was late yet again. As much as he (sometimes) liked the blondes idealism and pranks, his tendency to take absolutely nothing assigned to him serious was something he loathed.

After 2 minutes he found his orange-clad teammember, standing near the stream and watching the water intently. He didn't seem to have heard him approach, so Sasuke decided that it was time to show this Naruto what he had shown "his" long ago. That just because he was a member of the dignified Uchiha Clan that didn't mean he could not return a little pranking to those who so willingly gave it. He silently moved towards Narutos back, intending to "accidentally" scare him, causing him to fall into the stream. He was just about to do the deed as Naruto suddenly bowed and shot his right hand into the water, just to pull it out almost as quickly, a silvery fish caught in its grasp. "Yay, got you!" he yelled and jumped up, which caused Sasuke to step back. Only that someone was standing behind him, into whom he now crashed. Which felt unexpectedly soft... He frantically tried to catch his bearings, but Naruto chose this exact moment to turn around and start running, most likely intent to brandish his fish to them, without looking ahead, causing Sasuke to evade to the left, where he slipped on something wet, falling into the shallow stream himself. The water was COLD. The shock made him almsost swallow some of it, but he controlled himself.

When he pulled his head out of the water, his hands beneath him, and looked towards whatever had caused him to stumble, he saw Sakura standing there, red as a tomato, clutching her modest chest. OK, so that had been the soft...never mind. Next to her Naruto snickered. "Man, that was a stunt. I`ve never seen someone fall into a stream after colliding with his teammates like a ping pong ball, never mind with that much grace. Must be an Uchiha thing, eh?" Sakuras face almost immediately turned an angry red instead of an embarrassed one, but Sasukes mirthful chuckle cut her reaction short. He had deserved that barb, how funny that must have looked... His musings where however cut short by the fact that both Naruto and Sakura where staring at him like he had grown another head.

"What?" His tone was now slightly annoyed. Naruto fidgeted. "Eh, you just laughed about a joke I made, one targeting YOU..." His tone was only marginally short of incredulous.

"Yeah, it was damn funny. Especially since you are absolutely right, I should have been more alert." The stares intensified. "What, am I supposed to be some sort of arrogant, prickly snob who cannot value a good joke from friend only because he is the target?" Sasukes tone of voice suggested that he did NOT think that to be a fitting description.

"Ah, well, uh …. yes?" Narutos answer was accompanied by a slight reddening of his cheeks. Friend? Had Sasuke just openly called him a friend? After he had laughed at him?

"Damn..." Sasuke sighed. Changing their perception of him might take a while, but he would do it. Being snobby to ones friends and ignorant of ones fallibility where, after all, the safest way to ensure failure of the team, and hence the mission, short of actual incompetence. He sighed as he climbed out of the water. Standing there, his hair dripping into his eyes, blue shirt and black trousers dripping wet, he was (for the second time only) really glad about uncle Obitos choice of Jutsus he had taught his nephew. He performed a quick series of 5 handsigns, and a small and entirely non-flashy (and combatwise entirely useless) Fire-Jutsu quickly dried his clothing, producing small clouds of steam. Sakura had obviously reclaimed her slipping grip on reality and watched him with an "Oh, he is SO cool/Hot" expression. Which for once he did not mind at all. After all, he had just been (rightfully) laughed at. A little admiration was not THAT bad as compensation...

Dry and with filled canteens the 3 Genin made their way back to Kakashi and Tazuna, who would no doubt continue to throw them condescending glances and spread alcoholic fumes.

After this short (but fun) episode they continued towards their second intended resting place (Sasuke had watered and collected some dirt to produce earprotectors against Tazunas snoring, after not getting much sleep last night) with renewed vigor. Well, most of them, Kakashi never showed any signs of vigor or fatigue anyway, and Tazuna...better not think about him too much, Sasuke decided.

"I'll take point if it's ok with you. I need something to get my mind working." He said to his sensei, who simply nodded. And so he brought some distance between himself and the group, "scouting" ahead just within sight of them, as long as the road was straight that was. This had actually not even been an exaggeration, he needed to get his dulled mind working again, and there was nothing better to do that than scanning the area for dangers with his Sharingan. Seeing the paths things would take and thinking about what he could do was always good exercise. Not that he expected anything, mind that, but being lazy just wasn`t Sasuke.

Imagine his surprise when he saw a small puddle of crystal clear water on the road roughly 80m ahead. It had not rained for days, yet there it was. Could it be that some really really dumb Ninja thought that would be a good method to ambush travelers? Surely even regular bodyguards would notice that, not even mentioning any even remotely respectable Ninja. He decided to give the wannabe ambushers (always expect more than one ambusher, his father had drilled into him, and prepare accordingly) a little surprise and made a Shadow Clone, sending him towards the small nearby forest to circle to the other side of the puddle. He had immediately stolen Narutos Jutsu once he saw him do it the first time, though due to his lack of an extraordinarily huge chakra reservoir he could only make one clone without severely hampering his options. Still, 2 Taijustu-prodigies with the Sharingan and the advantage of surprise should be more than enough to handle anyone that stupid. He smirked. Even if he could laugh about his deserved ridicule, presenting the single handedly captured ambushers to Kakashi and his team (and that idiot Tazuna) would be oh so sweet. He sped up again, as now his clone should be close enough, and walked briskly towards the puddle, expecting the attack to happen once he had his back to it (at which point his clone would be in THEIR backs).

He was not disappointed, as soon as he was 3 meters past the unnatural water, 2 Ninja jumped out of it, both equipped with strange clawed gloves, connected with a chain, and wearing scratched Kiri headbands. He evaded the expected attack easily, his Sharingan spinning. Their technique was sloppy, only their speed and the ambush posed a true threat to any competent Ninja. While they tried to attack him again his clone exited the woods and jumped behind their backs, Shuriken already flying towards their legs. Further prove of their incompetence was that they didn't manage to evade them. Only the one on the right was able to continue the attack, and Sasuke decided to let him. He evaded 2 clumsy attacks with the (probably poisoned) glove, then his counterattack connected to the attackers stomach, followed by a straight kick to the chin. He went down without a sound except for the clinking of his chain. The other Ninja however had managed to complete the hand signs for a water bullet. Evading the projectile was hard, Sasuke managed to get out of the way only partially, so his left shoulder was hit by a glancing blow. Painful, but not too bad. His clone however kicked the offender into the back of his head rather viciously. And the deed was done.

Sasuke got out his wire and bound the 2 to a nearby tree. He also removed all their weaponry, and while their technique (and likely intelligence) might have been lacking, their gear was of high quality. The kunai were at least of excellent quality, and while strange their gloves looked even better at close inspection. He piled up all the weapons and gear for now, he would claim his portion of the bounty later, and dispelled his clone after making sure no one else was near, sitting down on a tree trunk to wait for Kakashi and the others. It had become a good day, despite the crappy start, Sasuke decided. A smirk on his lips he leaned back, massaging his hurting shoulder.

A smirking Sasuke relaxed leaning on a treetrunk was the sight that greeted Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto and Tazuna when they reached the place of the unsuccessful ambush about 5 minutes later.

"Well, Sasuke you seem to have had some …. fun." Kakashi drily remarked while looking around in a casual way. "Yep. Result of said fun is back there." Sasuke replied, just an air of superiority in his voice while pointing behind himself. "Turns out some really stupid Ninja tried an ambush here..." He added more quietly as Kakashi went by him. Kakashi merely nodded and went on to see what his prodigy had caught. Just to stop rather abruptly. "Those are the "Demon Brothers". Missing Nin from Kirigakure." He turned toward Naruto. "Make a few dozen clones and station them around, will you?" He did not wait until said deed was accomplished but turned towards Sakura and Sasuke. "Keep Tazuna safe. I will interrogate Sasukes captives." And he went off to do exactly that.

A few minutes later Sasuke and Naruto sat next to each other, watching Sakura, 4 Naruto-clones and Tazuna talking. "Well done Sasuke, you caught 2 missing Nin. Were they hard to beat?" Naruto asked.

"Nah, wouldn't have been hard to beat for anyone with a little talent. They actually tried an ambush by hiding in a puddle on the road. Even you, being less than a good observer would have realized that it is far to dry for such a thing." His tone was slightly mocking, but in a friendly way. "I actually beat them by using a Kage Bunshin though..." he added with a smirk, at which Naruto obviously didn't know if he should feel honored or insulted, so being Naruto he went for honored.

"Hey, the great Sasuke using my techniques? I feel honored..."

And so they bantered a bit, somewhat reacquainting with each other during the process, Sasuke telling the whole (short) story, passing the time until Kakashi returned.

Which he did after roughly 15 minutes. "Well, it seems that we have to have a talk with our bridge builder. Following the "Demon Brothers" Tales, which I deem reliable, a man named Gatou hired them and other missing Nin to kill Tazuna. Which makes me believe he intentionally lied to us about the mission." At that Kakashi ominously looked at Tazuna who was sitting against a stone and drinking. "I think we should teach him a lesson." Sasuke knew what Kakashi had in mind, and grinned towards Naruto. "I'm in." The orange clad boy nodded. He had wanted to get back at the old man since the first time they met and he had insulted them. This would be fun...

He followed his sensei, who's one visible eye was hard as glass as he walked towards their client. he stopped not 2 meters from the drunkard, looking down at him. "I do not like being lied to. Neither does my team. You knew that enemy Ninja were trying to kill you, yet you only payed for a C-Rank and told us you were afraid of bandits. This has put my team in danger, and if Sasuke had not acted as professionally as he did, you might actually be dead right now." The Copynins voice was hard and cold, his body language betrayed nothing. Sasuke smirked evilly at him. Naruto looked angry.

Tazuna blanched and gulped. Three Ninja were mad at him, and they were the ones supposed to protect him; this was bad...

AN: Here you go, The mission has begun. And one old bridge builder has it coming for him ;)

On a sidenote I am a bit miffed about the lack of reviews (especially for the last chapter, whats wrong?). So: Go review. Tell me you like it, or that you dont, feedback is what I need to improve (or praise is what I want to hear if I dont need to ;) ).