Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Everything belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, except for the plot and any I introduce.

YELLOW:

Yellow is very happy, warm, stimulating, and expansive. It draws people out and makes people more talkative. Yellow encourages optimism and hope and helps to focus attention and stimulate intellect. It is also the colour which reflects light the most.

Chapter 4: Two Blondes and a Brunette: part I

The feel of numb fingers was definitely a splash of cruel water...or rather like a big drop of lime in my already open wound. My body was failing. If weakening muscle control wasn't enough of a sign then my darkening vision surely was.

No no. It wasn't like in the movies.

First the vision blurred. But that was due to the tears. How come I was tearing up? Maybe it had something to do with my choking breath. And the uncomfortable hands choking my neck. Now the edges of my field vision was getting dim.

Aw fuck. Now I'm blind.

It's no use trying to breathe in. The muscles around my ribs are in paralysis.
Heh. The herbs were really effective.

Why the hell I'm blabbering when I'm about to die?

Wait.

'About' to die...or dead already? Coz the suffocating ache in my lungs are absent.

And shit! I can see 'the end of tunnel' light.

11:30, 24 hours, 33 minutes ago.

One thing different about the missions from central was the food source. In our district, food pills are the standard source. We were ordered by the Shinobi Office itself. The central didn't have such rules. If you have money you use food pills. If you don't, then go the traditional ninja way.

And no one in our team was that financially stable.

So traditional way it is...

Hunting.

Uzumaki left for it. Yamanaka was preparing the tents. While I was combing the forest for edible herbs. It was winter and all I got was withering cilantro and some wild yellow flowers that are also found in Konoha. I've used them before. They taste like egg when cooked! That was all my luck could afford in the winters. If I had my byakugan then maybe...

That Uzumaki was really exceptional in hunting; when I came back she had three dead rabbits on the log. The poor animals gave me the 'dead' stare as I skinned them. I almost felt pity.

Almost.

I have a thing for animals but that thing never came up as I beheaded them, skinned them, dressed them and boned them. In fact I was glad they were dead, and about to fill my stomach. I must be running on instincts.

These didn't have much meat as the domestic ones. But three of them will do well. I cut the meat into justified strips. That and instant sauce cubes. Into the pot they go. Some water. The cubes turned into a nice reddish brown sauce. Hmmm...now some of that flower. Add salt to taste. I wonder if the flavour of the cilantro goes with that of the sauce...

Did I say that I was running on instinct? That was definitely the instinct of a chef.

I rolled up my kimono sleeves to...well ...our standard shinobi dress was replaced by kimono. Yamanaka-san had soft beige on her. I had navy blue and Uzumaki had (thank Kami) a brick red one. Kimono also meant that we couldn't wear our standard weapon pouches. That sucks coz we have to hide our kunai in all weird places. It also sucks that the Uzumaki is in my team coz she hasn't shut up since we started walking; saying something about her first ninja mission. Why am I doing this when I hate it so much?

Actually

.
.

...the trouble arrived, disguised, in an envelope. I had the choice to avoid it. But it lured me with money. Twelve thousand ryos to be exact. And I, a solo shinobi with no family to financially rely on, gladly accepted it.

Inside the envelope was a summon to the Hokage Tower. All it said was that I was summoned for a twelve thousand ryo mission. My absence would automatically lead to my elimination from the team going for the mission.

I fussed little over the arrangement. By eight I was at the tower.

"You three are here for an A-rank mission. Secrecy may not be necessary, but I advise you to never discuss the details of the mission outside of this room", she signalled her assistant who set up some privacy seals, "now, let me tell you that Ino will be the team-leader. Naruto will be on the stealth department, and you are the taijutsu expert."

"The fire Daimyo's sword was stolen. We have to get it back. The primary suspect in Otokagure's Daimyo. Apparently, he has a great taste for women, so we are to exploit his weakness. Otokagure is a nearby city. It'll take you at least a day. Daimyo has requested immediate action, so you all will be leaving by ten this morning."
So we were going to risk our lives to get back a stolen toy?

Yes. Definitely.

And we only had two info to rely upon:
1) the knowledge that the palace will be heavily guarded, and
2) the flooring plan of the palace.

The plan devised by the hokage was simple: Seduce. Confuse. And steal.

Geisha. We were supposed to be geisha.

I never understood them. I mean, who goes fluttering about around thick-necked rich men pouring sake and shit? Yes, someone with a financial problem. Maybe I'm being cruel. Or simply mean...after all they weren't the only ones with financial problems. It still bugs me though. I'm a feminist. So, some years ago, when Kurenai-sensei told me about the geisha training I had to take, I had narrowed my eyes.

'But aren't you a feminist?!"

"Its standard kunoichi training."

That's how she convinced me.

And this is when that training comes to play...

Another thing that was different about the teams from the central was that the people were...

I looked at the two blondes resting in the circle of light cast by the fire. One was cooing at the ceremonial kimonos we were to be wearing tomorrow. And another was eying the boiling pot of stew with hungry puppy dog eyes.

Only one word fit – bizarre.
Yea. I never thought that people from the central were so bizarre. The team wasn't exactly in sync. Technically the team was just right-

Yamanaka san as tracker. I'm the taijutsu specialist. And Uzumaki? I don't know how, but she is in for 'stealth'.

Pfftt-

Yea.

That eyesore who dons orange all the time and also has flaming yellow hair, is in for-

Stealth.

I doubt the Hokage's decisions. Even I am nothing but a useless additive on this team. I've just got my dancing to compensate. My tracking skills died with my byakugan.

*sigh*

My old tracking team.

I miss them. Now that was a team in sync. Not this.
I turned my eye towards my present team. Yamanaka was still cooing over the fabrics. As for Uzumaki...

"Oi! Uzumaki! No touching the stew!" she put down the spoon she'd armed herself with.

Maybe I could get used to this.

.

.

.

Later that night I saw Uzumaki reading a book.

"What's it about?"

"It teaches 'how to act like a geisha'." She answered casually. Flipping a page.

Wait! Didn't she have standard training! o_O

A/N: Sorry about the boring chapter! FYI, the yellow flowers mentioned really exist. And the really taste like egg when cooked! Read and Review!