Burning Cherry Blossoms
By
Ragnorokrising
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Chapter Two: C-Rank Mission
Kakashi held up two golden bells on a red string. He put them around his belt and pulled out an orange book. "Get the bells from me before the timer goes off. Whoever doesn't get one gets goes back to the Academy."
"He's a Jounin. One-on-one he'll kick our asses. Attack together as one unit." Siooon and Naruto drew their swords and Sasuke started making hand signs. He made a tiger sign and put a perfect O to his mouth.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" a giant boulder of flames roared forward towards a surprised Kakashi. Naruto and Soifon rushed forward on either side with their swords. Kakashi jumped into the air and flipped to the side of Soifon and Naruto. He pulled kunai out and tossed them at Soifon, Sasuke, and Naruto.
Sasuke made new hand signs and jumped up into the air, right as Naruto launched Soifon into the airs. Naruto cupped his hands as Sasuke put his feet in them. He pushed Sasuke upward into Soifon's hands. Once Soifon tossed him up into the air, he put another O to his fingers and shouted "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Twenty small balls of fire rained down on Kakashi, who flipped backwards and danced around the explosions. Soifon threw her jacket away and rushed in to attack Kakashi. Her sword was held in a reverse grip and swinging dangerously close to Kakashi's face. Soifon sliced a piece of his hair off and he kicked her away.
Naruto sent five clones in with swords to occupy Kakashi while he activated his Shikai. He held the sword vertically in front of his face, with the blade turned so that it looked like it wasn't there. Then he turned it so it covered part of his eyes and his nose. The fourteen clones by his side did the same and they yelled in tandem "Scatter, Senbonzakura."
The weapons melted into the small blades which rushed Kakashi. Kakashi dove under ground and appeared in front of Naruto, kicking the sword handle from his hand. He hurled kunai into the clones, making them disappear. The petals disappeared if they were created by clones and the real ones returned to the sword handle.
Soifon came behind Kakashi and slid underneath his guard, kicking his chin and sending him into the air. She appeared in the air and did a front flip, ax kicking him back to the ground. Kakashi landed on the ground right as Naruto pressed his sword to Kakashi's throat. "So, are you going to take the bells?"
"No, Sasuke and Soifon can have them. I've already failed twice. Now that I have the Shadow Clone Jutsu, I can pass easily. I'll be fine." Soifon appeared behind Kakashi, placing her sword at his throat.
"I'm not staying if blondie isn't. He may be annoying, but he's got potential." Sasuke appeared with two kunai, one placed on Kakashi's heart, the other on his right eye.
"Naruto's my friend. Either he's on my team, or I'm not on a team." Kakashi eye smiled at them and disappeared, leaving them confused.
"Well, in that case," he said, standing on one of the stumps and pulling out his book, "you all pass. Congratulations. Report here tomorrow for missions."
(One Week Later)
Naruto, Soifon, and Sasuke jumped through the trees of Konoha's forest. They chased after a black blur about the size of a cat. It jumped into a clearing, right into the arms of Soifon. She hit a pressure point on Tora's neck and she started to purr. Naruto pulled the microphone of his head set to his mouth. "Kakashi, we've caught Tora. Tell the Fire Lord's wife we'll be there momentarily."
"Copy that." Naruto tilted his head towards the Kage tower and the started jumping through the trees.
All week, they had done nothing but D-rank missions. Picking weeds, baby-sitting, cleaning up a river, walking dogs and catching Tora the cat. It was getting very tiring.
However, Naruto had also been going to the new candy store that had opened up in Konoha, which was owned by one Kisuke Urahara, everyday. He'd found out Yuruichi and Soifon's squad specialized in stealth and Taijutsu. Between the two of them, his Taijutsu had rocketed to high Genin- low Chuunin level. He was also learning how to use the spiritual side of Chakra to make something Urahara called Kido.
They reached the tower and gave the cat to its owner, who proceeded to crush it in a bear hug. The Hokage started shuffling through D-rank scrolls as soon as she had left the room.
"Let's see, you can baby-sit, buy groceries, clean the river, clean a house, paint a fence…"
"TORA!"
"Or catch Tora."
"I mean no disrespect Lord Hokage," said Soifon. "But I do believe we are ready for a higher rank mission. We've done ten times as many missions as the other Genin, we've proven as a team we could kill a low-Jounin level ninja, and we're tired of D-ranks." Iruka stood up to protest.
"I agree with you." said the Hokage. "According to your survival test scores, you could have killed Kakashi just by surprising him with your sword level. I have one here that's a good fit. AN elderly man needs an escort and body guard on his trip to the Land of Waves while he finishes a bridge that will take the country out of poverty."
He threw them a blue scroll with a green C on it with the mission details. "Mr. Tazuna, please come inside." he yelled. An elderly man in tattered clothing with a sake bottle in his hand came in and hiccupped.
"These are the ninja that are supposed to protect me? That blonde one and the girl look like they can barely hold those swords, let alone cut with them." Naruto put a hand on Soifon's shoulder.
"Do you want to cut off his balls while I slit his throat and shove that sake bottle down it, or what?"
"I'll cut his balls off and shove that bottle up his ass. You pull one of his eyeballs out and make him eat it." they drew their sword and started to advance on Tazuna. Kakashi put a hand around both of their waists and picked them up, making them kick and scream.
"Sorry about that. They get pissed off easily. We'll meet you at the village gate in twenty minutes." Tazuna gulped, nodded, and left.
"Sasuke, I missed you!" someone yelled. Sasuke's face lit up in a smile as a girl with purple hair in a white jacket and blue pants flew into his arms.
"Hinata, guess what? We got our first C-rank mission!"
"That's great Sasuke! How long will you be away?" Sasuke looked at Kakashi.
"About a month." the Jounin said. Hinata started to pout, making Sasuke laugh. He kissed her and her face lit up.
Naruto noticed Soifon looking at them longingly. "Something wrong Soifon?" she turned and noticed him noticing her.
"Oh nothing. I just always wanted a relationship like that." she stared off into space. "I always dreamed of a boy bringing me flowers and chocolate and us dancing in the light of the full moon." Naruto rolled his eyes, but on the inside, he noted to buy flowers and chocolate. Soifon was at times annoying, but she was starting to mellow out. Not to mention she had a smoking hot body.
"Okay Team Seven, go pack your bags and we'll be off."
Soifon and Naruto jumped out of the tower and onto a roof. Together they ran towards Urahara's shop.
"Welcome to Soul Candy Store! How may I help you?" said one of the three new people Urahara had brought in, Ururu. "Oh, hello you two."
"Hi Ururu. Is Kisuke here?"
"I'll go get him." she went into the back and a moment later Urahara appeared.
"What'd you need?"
"We're going on a C-rank mission for a month." said Soifon. "I need that book of Kidos and some Soul Candy, incase i run into any hollows. And ask Yuroichi for a change of clothes." Urahara disappeared. When he came back, he threw Soifon a scroll and a blue rectangle with a rabbit head on top of it.
"The scroll has the book and the twenty variations of Yuruichi's outfit. Oh, and your teacher wishes to speak to you." she thanked him and walked into the back of the shop.
"Urahara, I need a favor." Urahara walked over to Naruto.
"Ask and it shall be done."
(Thirty Minutes Later)
Naruto and Soifon arrived at the gate with Sasuke right behind them. They stared at Kakashi, who had somehow managed to be on time.
"What, is something on my face?" they sweat dropped.
"Let's just go already." said Tazuna. The huge gates of the village swung open and they stepped out, prepared for adventure.