Cat Fights and Girl Bonding
'Sasuke, I'm at point B'
'Sakura, I'm at point C'
'Kari here, at point D'
'Naruto I'm at point A Dattebayo!'
'Naruto you're too slow... Squad seven the target has moved! Follow it!'
'Over there!' Naruto whispered.
'What's your distance from the target?' Kakashi asked.
'Five metre's' Naruto replied into the headset. 'I'm ready, just give the signal'
'I'm ready too' said Sasuke.
'Same here' I said.
'So am I' said Sakura.
'Ok... NOW!' cried Kakashi.
The four of us jumped out of our hiding places.
"I GOT HIM I GOT HIM!" Naruto cried, having grabbed the brown tabby cat. The unimpressed cat attacked Naruto with no mercy. Sinking its razor sharp claws into Naruto's soft skin. Naruto screeched in pain, squished the cat and just infuriated it more. I took the cat out of Naruto's grasp and soothed it by stroking it gently. It growled at Naruto eyes flashing, fur on end.
"Geez Naruto, if you'd squished the cat anymore it would've exploded" I said. Naruto gave the cat a seriously dirty look. The cat quickly returned with a hiss.
'Is there a ribbon on the right ear?' came Kakashi's voice.
"Affirmative, we got a positive ID" Sasuke replied.
'Right, Lost pet Tora captured, mission accomplished' said Kakashi.
'CAN'T WE GET A BETTER MISSION THAN THIS I HATE CATS!! BEEEEEP!' Naruto screamed deafening poor Kakashi to no end.
"AWW! MY POOR TORA! Mommy was worried about her little fuzzykins yes!" cried a lady squishing the poor cat even more than Naruto had been. The poor cat mewed loudly as the lady rubbed her face against it.
"HAHAHA! STUPID CAT! IT DESERVES TO BE SQUASHED! HAHAHA!" Naruto cried rubbing his scratched hands.
"No wonder it ran away..." Sakura said quietly. The lady dropped a small bag of money on the Hokage's desk and walked away with poor Tora, who was mewing helplessly. Sending a reproachful look over the lady's shoulder.
"Now for squad sevens next mission we have several available tasks" said the Hokage boredly, shuffling his many papers. "Ah, among them: babysitting the chief councillor's three year old, helping his wife do the shopping, digging up potatoes and-"
"NOOOO!" Naruto hollered, his arms in front of him in a defiant 'X' shape. "I WANNA GO ON A REAL MISSION SOMETHING CHALLENGING AND EXCITING NOT THIS LITTLE KID STUFF! COME ON OLD MAN!"
Me and my two other young team mates silently agreed in our heads. Kakashi sighed having known this was coming.
"HOW DARE YOU! YOUR JUST A BRAND NEW GENIN WITH NO EXPERIENCE! LIKE EVERYONE ELSE YOU START WITH SIMPLE MISSION TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND TO PROVE YOURSELF!" shouted a brown haired man with a scar across his nose. Naruto had told me he was Iruka-sensei and he's really great because he buys him Ichiraku ramen, and that he taught them at the academy.
I knew this from the anime but I couldn't exactly tell them that could I?
"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?" Naruto hollered. "BABY SITTING IS NOT A MISSION IT'S JUST A STUPID- AAAAAH!"
He was cut off by Kakashi whacking him on the head, making him fall face first onto the floor.
"Will you put a lid on it."
Naruto whined holding the bump on his head and sat up.
"NARUTO! It seems you do not understand the tasks you have been given. Listen, many different tasks are given to our village every day. From babysitting to assassinations. These requests are carefully recorded, analysed, and then ranked A, B, C or D depending on their difficulty. We ninja are also ranked by abilities Hokage at the top, Jonin, Chunnin and Genin at the bottom. At the highest level we select missions and apply them to ninja who have the appropriate skill and experience and if the mission is successful you receive a fee towards our village and our work. Since you are untried genin just starting down the shinobi path you are give D level assignments of course-- Hm?" said the Hokage.
"So I had this ramen yesterday and I was thinking miso ramen today..." Naruto said to me, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi who had not listened to a word the Hokage had just said.
"SILENCE!" the Hokage cried annoyed. Me, Sakura and Naruto jumped out of our skin. Of course Sasuke wasn't phased in the slightest.
"Heh... Gomen" Kakashi apologised, rubbing the back of his head. Knowing he was probably going to be scolded later for the behaviour of his students, and Naruto's rudeness.
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS LECTURE ME LIKE YOU'RE MY GRANDFATHER OR SOMTHING?! I'M NOT THE LITTLE BRAT WHO USED TO PULL PRANKS ALL THE TIME I'M A NINJA NOW AND I WANNA NINJA MISSION!" Naruto demanded.
He then turned his back on the Hokage, sat down, folded his arms and puffed his cheeks out in annoyance. Looking exactly like a four year old having a tantrum.
The Hokage cackled.
Ooooh, evil old man chuckle… Creepy...
"So Naruto wants us to know he's not a brat, he's a former brat? Well... So be it" said the Hokage.
Naruto turned around and stared at him excitedly. While myself and Sakura exchanged surprised looks. Even Sasuke seemed interested.
"Since you are so determined I'll give you a C-ranked mission, you'll be bodyguards on a journey" said the Hokage.
"Really?!" Naruto cried. "WHO? WHO? Are we guarding a princess? Or a measly councillor?" Naruto asked bouncing up and down with excitement. His eyes wide, his grin wider.
"Don't be so impatient, I'll bring him in now" the Hokage replied. "Send in our visitor!" The door opened to reveal...
"What the? A bunch of snot nosed kids?" said the man taking a drink of the bottle in his hand.
"Well Naruto there's your princess" I mumbled.
The man was in his mid-fifties, he wore glasses and a hat on his head. His eyes were unfocused and even from here I could smell the alcohol. His voice was low and slightly croaky with age. He was tan and his arms were toned, showing he was a working man. He wasn't quite Kakashi's height, but he wasn't that far off.
"And you, the little one with an idiotic look on your face, you really expect me to believe you're a ninja?" he said.
"HA, HA, HA! Who's the little one with a idiotic-" Naruto began. We stood round him.
I was a little taller than Naruto by an inch and shorten than Sakura by the same amount. Sasuke was around an inch taller than Sakura, his height increased by his spiky hair. But then again, the same could be said for Naruto, and Sakura did have a rather large forehead.
"WHY YOU-!! I'LL DEMOLISH YOU! JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!!" Naruto screamed, arms and legs flailing around madly as Kakashi held him back.
"You can't demolish the client Naruto, it doesn't work that way" Kakashi said. Tazuna took another gulp from his bottle.
"Aah... I am Tazuna a master bridge builder. I must return to my country. I'm building a bridge there that will change our world and I expect you to get me there safely, even if it means giving up your life" said the client guy. Nice to know our lives matter to him…
"Hey…What do you think's in the bottle?" I whispered to Sasuke. He gave me an irritated look.
"All right Team Seven, you are excused. Oh and Kari, you should go get some ninja clothing and weaponry for your mission, Sakura will take you. Here's some money to start you off" the Hokage said handing me some money. It was different to money back home. Ryo I think it's called. "I didn't think you'd want to stay wearing Sasuke's clothes through your mission."
True, I'd had to borrow Sasuke's shirt for today and it was a bit too big.
"Arigatou, Hokage-sama" Hey, at least I knew honorific's eh?
Naruto had run off already but Sakura, hearing her name, had stayed. I told her I needed to tell Sasuke where I was going, as he'd probably think I was useless and got lost again.
"You're really lucky Kari, most girls would kill to live with Sasuke-kun" Sakura said wistfully. I knew she'd trade with me in an instant if she had the chance.
"But he's such a misery guts!" I said. "And he's not particularly a good conversation. He just grunts and gives me annoyed looks." Sakura chuckled.
"It's the way he is, I can't believe you don't like him."
"He's alright on the appearance scale, but I need some personality and fun, and especially humour."
"Oh… He's so handsome… I'll meet you back here, ok? I need to tell my mom I'll be late" Sakura said. I nodded and chased after a long gone Sasuke.
"Hey! Hey Sasuke wait up!" I called as I spotted his spiky raven hair. He stopped and looked round at the sound of my voice.
"Nani?" Again with the Japanese? He must be annoyed for some reason, probably with me for speaking to him in public. Or even just the fact I'm speaking to him. Apart from some complaints in the morning, the interrogation and introduction we hadn't really spoken. I knew little about him, but I knew he wasn't too bad at heart.
"I need to get some ninja stuff, Sakura's going with me so I don't know what time I'll be back" I said. "Is that ok with you? Don't attack me, thinking I'm a thief or something."
"Hn, whatever. Just don't get lost again. I don't want to have to come find you again." I found myself scowling slightly but shrugged it off.
"I'll try. Catch ya later Uchiha" I said, as I ran back in the opposite direction, weaving through the crowd and heading back towards the Hokage's place.
I waited patiently for five minutes, until Sakura came into view.
"Gomen Kari, have you been waiting long?" Sakura apologised.
"Nah, just got back" I said simply, allowing the pink haired kunoichi to get her breath back. I'd gotten used to her hair colour now and couldn't imagine her any other way. We started walking along the streets, chatting contentedly.
"So what did Sasuke-kun say?" Sakura asked. A slight blush rose to her cheeks and that twinkle in her eye appeared at the mention of the dark-haired boy. It was almost like Hinata with Naruto, but not quite as adorable. Sasuke was too moody and closed off for Sakura's affectionate, fiery personality. He just seemed to find her annoying. Who knows? Maybe in time…
"We'll start here" Sakura said, stopping in front of a clothing store. I wasn't particularly into shopping. I found it quite tedious actually, but it could be enjoyable if I was in the right company. "You'll have to get measured up so that you can get the right outfit. Something that will allow you to move around freely and is comfortable and light" she said knowledgably.
I had a tape measure wrapped around various parts of my body by one of the staff, and then was taken to the section for my body type. I was one of those people that liked wearing black. Not in a gothic way, just because it was simple.
I got a sleeveless net shirt with a black tank top over the top. As my hands are naturally sensitive to the cold, and my knuckles are rather sharp, I got black fingerless gloves that went to half way between my elbow and shoulder. They had metal knuckle guards similar to Kakashi's, to protect my hands from damage. Then I got black Capri's and trademark black ninja sandals. They fit comfortably, a little tighter than my usual clothing, but Sakura said it was easy for clothes to snag when ninja jumped through trees. They felt very light, and made me feel as if I could float. Definitely a change from the jeans I'd been wearing! Sakura told me to get three of the same, as ninja tended to wear the same outfit most of the time.
"You'll blend into the shadows well" Sakura said with a giggle. I winked and spat my tongue out childishly. "Colour suits you more though. You seem to fit with most colours." Sakura had attempted to get me into a range of different outfits in a range of different colours. She hadn't succeeded very well.
We headed into a few more places to get the essentials, and some few casual clothes to relax in, as well as sleepwear. As comfortable as Sasuke's t-shirt and boxers may be, I doubt he'd let me use them much longer.
"Should we go get some weapons? You need to go get ready for the mission too you know. We're leaving tomorrow morning" I pointed out.
"Shame, we'll have to go round all the other shops another time" Sakura said, seeming a little disappointed.
"Sounds like fun" I said smiling, trying to cheer her up. Sakura was pretty perky though, and so lightened up. I got the usual ninja weaponry such as kunai, shuriken and smoke balls. I got a few metres of thin wire as well. I got the pouches for my weapons and also some bandages, which most ninja wore. I was right handed so my weapons pouch went round my right leg. I put my Katana's on my back in an X shape. The straps holding my sheaths crossing over my torso, camouflaged against my dark top. I also got basic medical equipment to be on the safe side.
"Arigatou Sakura-chan, you really helped me out" I said appreciatively, giving her a light hug. She smiled and returned the gesture.
"It was fun Kari-chan, I'll see you tomorrow morning. Bring Sasuke with you" she understood that I was his roommate and that I barely knew him. But she couldn't hide the fact she was envious of me.
After I had told her how I managed to get lost wandering around Konoha, she agreed to walk me back to Sasuke's apartment. To thank her, I bought us both an ice cream for the journey back. We passed a large gate and a shiver went through me. I looked round to see that same symbol painted on the gate that Sasuke had on the back of his shirt.
"That's where Sasuke-kun used to live before the massacre" Sakura said sadly noticing my gaze.
Massacre? What's she talking about?
I decided to keep silent though. It seemed to upset her and that's the last thing I wanted, after getting to know her and making friends with her.
"Here we are" Sakura said. It was rather close to the Uchiha compound, yet I never noticed before. I knocked three times on the door. No answer…
"Hey Sasuke! You in there? If not where'd you hide the key?" I called. The sound of footsteps sounded on the other side of the door before it flew open.
There was a glimpse of a soaking wet Sasuke with a towel draped around his waist before a shocked look spread across his face and the door slammed in our faces. Sakura was wide eyed and bright crimson, looking where Sasuke's naked torso had been moments before.
"W-well I'll see you s-soon!" Sakura squeaked before running off. I knocked again, feeling stupid just standing on the doorstep.
"She's gone! Can I come in now?" I asked. The door opened a crack and an onyx eye peaked through. Seeing I was alone, he allowed me in. With a sigh I went into Sasuke's room and dropped the bags on the floor. He looked slightly amused at my exhaustion. "You can have your shirt back, I got some stuff. Though Sakura got a little on the enthusiastic side. Konoha's got good ice cream.'
"Can I change now."
"Please do" I said covering my eyes, only now noticing he still hadn't put a shirt on. I walked out and left him to change in peace.
After a quick shower I went straight to bed, before Sasuke, absolutely exhausted. I had no trouble sleeping tonight.
Though I had a gut feeling this mission wasn't going to be as simple as it sounded. I'd have to see if Neji wouldn't mind a quick train in the morning before I went. I knew I'd need it…