A/N: And we're back with another chapter of the story. Time for Rise's first mission. Or rather, the start of it. I don't have much to say beyond the usual. Thanks for reading and reviewing. And to those who actually favorited the art I came up with for the characters, thank you. Let's begin
Chapter Twenty-Six: Firsts
Rise awoke in her bed the day after Kaze had returned. Today was the day she had her first mission. Rise dressed quickly and she hurried out into the front room. Kaze was already waiting for her. They looked at each other nervously and laughed.
"We should go."
Rise said. Kaze looked in the direction of the kitchen. Kushina was putting the finishing touches on boxed lunches. She wrapped them and handed them to the pair. Rise counted and she looked at her grandmother.
"Why four?"
Kushina hugged her granddaughter and she kissed her cheek.
"For your entire team of course. Your teacher has always loved my cooking. Send my regards to your sensei. Now get going. He's meeting you at the training field."
Rise hugged her grandmother and the pair left. Naruto and Hinata were off on a mission until tomorrow, as were Syao and Lyn. Rise looked down and she stopped walking suddenly.
"I'm a little nervous."
Rise whispered. Kaze put his arms around her and he whispered.
"I know you are. Just be strong. I'll be with you."
Rise nodded and she started to walk again. Kaze kept silent the rest of the way there. Rise noticed this, but she kept silent. The training field was just outside the village gates. Rise and Kaze arrived on the field, only to see Serah leaning against a wooden log. She waved at them and the pair ran to her.
"Why are you here Serah?"
Rise asked. Serah laughed.
"Same reason as you. To meet my sensei."
Rise couldn't help but smile. Her team was the two people she cared about most. Serah, Rise and Kaze sat down to wait for their teacher. A few minutes a cloud of smoke erupted from behind them and Kakashi Hatake looked down at them, smiling.
"Yo."
Rise stood up and she hugged Kakashi.
"Uncle Kakashi!"
Kakashi patted the girl's head and he laughed.
"Its Kakashi-sensei now Rise. Don't forget, you're a Shinobi now."
Rise smiled and she stepped back shyly.
"Yes sir, Kakashi-sensei!"
Kaze held her hand and he smiled. Serah fell into line beside Kaze as Kakashi explained the mission.
"Ok, to business. We're to protect a certain someone in the Land of Earth. Odds are Akatsuki will be looking for us, and there are many dangers along the way. Tsuchigakure and Kumogakure aren't on the best of terms right now, and the person we're supposed to be guarding is the key to the peace between the countries."
Serah nodded and she spoke.
"If he's this important, why are the four us guarding him?"
Kakashi thought to himself. She's definitely Sasuke's daughter. Kakashi then spoke.
"Tsunade thinks the three of you can handle this. She has a lot of faith in all three of you. So let's do our best and not let her down."
The three Genin saluted their sensei and they checked their equipment. Rise drew out the boxed lunches that Kushina had made. Kakashi sighed.
"We'll eat later, Rise. Right now, we really need to leave."
Rise nodded and she packed the lunches away. They headed out into the forest and leaped into the trees. The journey went by slowly for Rise. Her natural stamina gave her the energy of three people. Serah was not faring as well. After seven hours of nonstop traveling, Kakashi called a halt. They had just crossed the Tenchi Bridge when the four Shinobi sat. It was nearing five in the afternoon. Rise then pulled out the boxed lunches. Kakashi nodded and the four of them ate in peace. Serah looked over at Rise and she whispered.
"How do you have so much energy?"
Rise swallowed her food before she answered.
"Like its a surprise. You've known me since we were babies. But to answer, I'm not sure. It probably has something to do with what I was born with."
Kakashi overheard their conversation and he nodded.
"All three of you are special. Rise and Kaze hold Bijuu, and Serah, you inherited the power of the Cursed Seal that your father once held. I think that explains why you're tired though. That power saps your energy quickly."
Serah nodded and she finished her food in silence. No one spoke for several minutes. Rise closed her eyes in peace, and she rested. Kakashi instructed his students to rest while he kept watch. Kakashi summoned Pakkun to help him. Rise laid her head down and she fell into a deep sleep. Kaze wasn't very tired, but he lay down next to Rise and he held her hand as he rested. Serah sat next to Kaze and she whispered.
"She must have been more exhausted than I was."
Kaze smiled.
"No. She just sleeps as much as she can."
Serah chuckled and she reached for Kaze's hand. Kaze moved it away, but Serah looked into his eyes pleadingly. Kaze, in his heart, cared dearly for Serah and Rise. He was fourteen, and at that age, he was indecisive. Kaze rested his hand on Serah's, and Serah laced their fingers together, smiling. Serah closed her eyes in peace and she fell asleep. Kaze closed his eyes and he too fell asleep. Kakashi looked at his students and he smiled. Too bad their parents didn't get along this well.
Morning came quickly for the Shinobi. Serah was the first to awaken. She kissed Kaze's cheek before she hurried to find Kakashi. Kaze awoke half an hour later and he stirred Rise from her sleep. Rise sat up sleepily, mumbling.
"Morning already?"
She said, rubbing her Hyuga eyes. Kaze nodded and he kissed her cheek before he stood up and he hurried to find Kakashi. Rise stood up and she dusted her clothes off. She fixed her hair just as Kakashi arrived with Kaze and Serah. Kakashi had a look of disapproval on his face, aimed at Rise.
"Rise, there is no time for vanity on a mission. You're going to bleed and get dirty a lot, and you can't stop to fix your hair every time you get it messy. Understood?"
Rise felt her spirits drop. It had only been a day and she was already being scolded. She nodded meekly, but Kakashi knelt down.
"Rise, just because your father was my student and your grandfather was my sensei does not meant that I'm going to give you any special treatment. I want to see you grow as strong as your father. I'm not going to coddle any of you. You're all fourteen. Now, Team Seven, let's move out!"
The three of the Genin responded immediately.
"Yes sir!"
Rise grabbed her bag and she plodded along with her team. Serah was smiling, and Kaze had a stoic expression on his face. Kakashi had an eye out in every direction, thanks to Pakkun. Suddenly, Kakashi stopped. Four people dropped down in front of them. Kakashi stood in front of his students and spoke.
"Kumogakure Shinobi. They've found us already. Four Chuunins. Rise, Serah, Kaze. Be ready to fight."
Rise nodded and she assumed her battle stance. Kaze was already drawing sand up from the ground, and Serah had already drawn knuckle blades from her waist pouch. Three of the Chuunin leaped away. Rise, Kaze and Serah followed them in separate directions.
Serah landed on the ground in a forest. Her opponent was a young female no more than a year older than she was. Serah held her blades up and she lunged forward, delivering a right hand strike into the girl's stomach. Serah's punch went right through her as they girl's body crackled and faded.
"Lightning Clone?"
Serah yelled. She felt a sharp pain in her left arm. Serah had been stabbed by a kunai in her left forearm. She wove seals and she touched the wound.
"Healing Palm Jutsu!"
The wound closed instantly, and the Chuunin laughed.
"Not bad kid. See how you handle this!"
Serah was already forming seals at the same time as her opponent. Serah was faster.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Serah blew a large cloud of fire forward. Her opponent took the blow full on and she faded again.
"Lightning Clone Jutsu. Truly, my signature technique. Now, try my secret Jutsu! Lightning Style: Thunder Arrows!"
Serah focused Chakra to her feet and she ran, trying to avoid the arrows of lightning that the girl had created. Serah couldn't escape. The girl pinned her to the nearest tree and she drew a small knife from a sheathe at her waist. Serah opened her mouth and she wove as best she could. Serah took a deep breath and she breathed out a purple mist. Her opponent dropped to her knees and she started to cough.
"What are you?"
She asked through deep breaths. Serah had the ability to create poison with her chakra, a technqiue she had learned from Shizune.
"I'm Serah Iris Uchiha, the last thing you'll ever see."
Serah wove seals and she took a deep breath.
"Fire Style: Dragon's Flame Jutsu!"
Serah blew out an enormous cloud of flame, which engulfed her opponent. There was nothing left of her opponent when the flames and smoke cleared. Serah wiped her brow and she hurried back to where Kakashi was.
Kaze had landed on the other side of Tenchi Bridge, on a small sandy shore. His opponent was clearly younger than he was, but Kaze knew better than to let his guard down. Kaze was encased in the Sand Armor. His opponent drew back his fist and struck Kaze in the face, drawing blood. Kaze thought to himself. He's using Chakra in his strikes to make them more powerful. I may as well lose the Sand Armor. Kaze formed the ram seal and the Sand Armor melted into his body.
"Not bad."
Kaze said and his opponent sneered.
"When I'm through with you, you won't be able to even speak. What's your name?"
Kaze shook his head.
"Same to you. My name is Kaze. Kaze of the Sand and Leaf."
The foe opened his mouth to speak.
"Yosuke Ichijo."
Kaze then formed seals as fast as he could.
"Sand Manipulation Jutsu!"
Kaze's body melted into the sand of the beach, as Yosuke wove his own seals. He drove his hand into the sand and he fired a blast of electricity into the ground. Kaze was forced back into his normal form and he sighed.
"I have the ability to cancel out Jutsu like that one. Try fighting me head on!"
Yosuke drew a kunai and he rushed at Kaze. He spun it and he struck. Kaze blocked with a kunai of his own and he scowled.
:"Try fighting me head on. Basic attacks won't work on me."
Yosuke responded by kicking Kaze's legs out from underneath him. Kaze fell onto his back and he was pinned to the ground by Yosuke.
"Say goodbye!"
Kaze only smiled. The beach sand was creeping slowly along the ground. Kaze kicked his leg upwards and he pushed Yosuke off of him. Kaze held his right hand out, palm open. The sand encircled Yosuke and Kaze clenched his fist. The sand began to constrict Yosuke slowly. Kaze them drew his arm back and pushed it forward. The sand imploded and Yosuke Ichijo was thrown outwards, dead. Kaze sighed and he also hurried back to the Tenchi Bridge.
Rise and her opponent had landed far away from everyone else. Rise and her foe landed in an open clearing surrounded by a lake. He opponent shimmered and disappeared. Rise felt two sharp blows to her stomach and one to the back of her leg. Rise fell to the floor and she hacked up a little blood. Rise stood up and she assumed her stance.
"Byakugan!"
Rise popped out the veins surrounding her eyes and she focused. Her opponent was under the water. Rise wove seals and she whispered.
"Wind Style: Gust Dance Jutsu!"
The wind started to blow hard. The water began to churn and seethe wildly. The girl Rise was battling was blown out of the water and into a tree. She picked herself up off the ground and she formed her own seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
The water took on the shape of a dragon and hurtled at Rise at high speed. Rise took the brunt of the attack head on, being thrown backwards into a tree. She hacked up blood again and she narrowed her eyes.
"Time to get serious!"
Rise said. She wove seals and she grinned.
"Secret Taijutsu: Gentle Tornado Fist."
Rise's hands were enveloped by the wind and she dashed at her opponent. Rise's prowess was in her agility and stamina. She could easily dodge attacks at close range and she could fight longer than anyone else. Rise dashed in close and she started to strike as fast as she could. Her opponent, now that she could see her closely, was a teenage girl about her own age with long blonde hair. Her opponent kept up with her well, landing as many strikes on Rise as Rise landed on her.
"You're not bad Kyuubi brat."
Rise struck at the girl's heart, causing her to double over and cough up blood. Rise then drew back her fist and sunk it into the girl's spine, which crushed her spine and sent Rise's Chakra coursing throughout her body, instantly killing her. Her opponent fell to the ground in a heap. Rise looked down at her hands and she started to shake violently.
"I... I killed someone."
Rise hurried back to where her sensei was waiting.
Serah had arrived at Kakashi's side first. Kaze arrived shortly after Serah. Rise had arrived a little later, just after Kakashi had defeated his opponent. Rise arrived shaking and covered in blood. Serah looked at her friend, and Kaze hugged her.
"Are you alright?"
He asked. Rise nodded and she buried her face in his neck. Kakashi broke them apart and he checked her for injury.
"You seem whole. What's wrong?"
Rise looked down at her hands and she shuddered.
"I killer her."
Kakashi sighed.
"Rise, you're a Shinobi. You should know by now that this is a kill or be killed existence. I know its hard, but you did what you were supposed to."
Rise looked up at him and she nodded.
"Yes, Sensei."
Kakashi then nodded and they began their march again. They were only a few hours march from the Land of Earth. All the while, they had been watched by Kenshu Ichijo. His son had just been murdered.
TO BE CONTINUED...