The mission sounded really simple when they'd received it. And, to be perfectly honest, it turned out fairly simple for Team 7.

The problem was…the subject of the mission. Up until that point, the genin had been carrying out stuff that sense.

None of the genin felt that this was something particularly meriting their time. Sure, yeah, returning possession to their rightful owners could, in the right circumstances, merit hirelings.

But catching a cat?

Did this task really require people with trained chakra networks or extreme fitness for their age and social rank? Did it require fledgling mercenaries, schooled in the fine arts of hurting people?

Where helping out fellow shinobi, who were of a different culture and mindset, or assisting civilians in typically backbreaking work- experience in which would help them assume a role undercover as well as toughening their bodies for strain on more advanced missions down the road…catching a cat? Where did that figure in?

This stinks of somebody with too much time and/or money on his hands.

In this case, it was the resident daimyo's wife who had too much of either on her hands; the woman's precious pet, Tora, had run away.

Cue shitstorm and the commissioning of Konohagekure no Sato's services.

Be that as it may, it provided the instructor of Team 7 with the excuse to inflict another teamwork exercise on them. Joy.

~xxx

Surprising as it was, tracking down the flightful feline was not as dull as originally presumed, and made for better exercise of the assorted nin's abilities than anticipated.

Still, it wasn't too long before the team had the cat ostensibly cornered.

"What's the distance to the target," Kakashi-sensei prompted, acting as radio command for the operation.

"Five meters," came Naruto's response, "We are ready at any time."

"Same here"

"Likewise."

"Okay, gang, on my mark- ready, steady, GO!"

Using a basic flanking maneuver, Sakura and Sasuke flushed the beast out, in the direction they'd planned. The cat made to get away with surprising agility, considering its wouldbe captors, darting into the brush in an instant.

Silence.

In a rustle of leaves, Naruto emerged from a bush. He held a writhing ball of fur in one hand, seeming as if to not even notice the frothing whirlwind of claws and matted hair.

"Shu~," the blond sighed, "I'd say we're done with this mission, neh?"

"Lemme check," Sakura said, turning away to 'speak' to Kakashi, "Left ribbon on ear, auburn fur, and 'energetic' makes this Tora, right, sensei?"

"That's an affirmative. Bring it in, guys, we're heading back to Mission HQ."

~xxx

"Ah~, man," Naruto exclaimed, stretching his back while the team walked "That was fun, guys."

"Hmm," Sasuke grunted, absorbed in his own after-mission ritual of examining his hands.

Although still fairly dainty in comparison to the blond's rough palms, he'd built up a fair amount of callousing everywhere imaginable, and had taken to using a rasp he carried with him everywhere to wear down the hornier patches of skin. He'd also had picked up the habit of oiling his hands and feet to keep them moisturized and supple as he'd heard Iwa nin of old were rumored to have done. Naruto occasionally gave the brunet a fair amount of ribbing about his prissy habits, it was all in fair play and was never really all that serious.

Sakura glanced down at her hands, giving her nails a once-over before giving the boys their once-overs. If one were anybody but an insider, the changes everybody on the team went through was nonexistent, but as the girl of the team barely missed anything if she could help it, she'd picked up on a gradual molding in the individual personalities and the overall team dynamic.

At the beginning, everybody was fairly cagey around everybody else, not really feeling the need to share anything. The situation was fragile and if she had to make some sort of determination about the successfulness of Team 7, taking her personal feelings out of the equation, she would have judged them doomed to failure.

But now everybody seemed to come together, and it took little guesswork to figure out the cause:

Just a little insertion into the lives of his compatriots, with his genial conversation and measured intrusion on the team's daily norm, Naruto had shocked everyone out of their self-centered attitudes and in his clever way forced them to open up and bond. Although there were many tales of legendary teams bonding through blood, steel, and suffering, Uzumaki had forged the team together through laughter and food, patiently manipulating even the enigmatic Kakashi into commiserating with his charges.

There was some kind of magic about the boy, although for the life of her Sakura could not fathom it. She knew in her heart of hearts that Naruto was cold and calculating, but she often found herself convinced that the boy lost himself in his own machinations, allowing himself to be connected and human just like the rest of them.

The girl shivered a bit, hugging herself a bit, before relaxing and telling herself to just enjoy the walk back to the village central.

Kakashi seemed content to shove one hand in his pocket and act as if he was just gazing around at the scenery, trailing behind his genin. In reality, he was inwardly pensive.

Would this team really work out? Are they really cut out to be ninja? It's too early to really tell for sure, but their teamwork is pretty amazing, Naruto, especially; the boy just didn't seem to have a limit to his generosity or willingness to give himself over to the team. He always came prepared for all the basic contingencies and didn't hesitate to jump feetfirst into the mission, ready to make a difference.

Sakura wasn't too far behind, from what he could tell. She'd near immediately taken his lessons to heart and dove headfirst into training, pushing herself harder than either of the boys, apparently determined to make a difference on the team and to herself. Whether Naruto had anything to do with her sudden change in motivation was debatable, but either way the girl's progress as a ninja was beginning to border on incredible for one right out of the gate.

The Uchiha, too, was showing some remarkable improvement. When he'd first laid eyes on the final scion of the Sharingan, it seemed like whatever humanity he'd had was lost. After the test, though, it seemed like he was gradually, but surely, coming out of his shell. Insane though it might have sounded to anybody else, Sasuke was positively functional nowadays…given that he still answers almost everything with a grunt and has an unshakable proclivity to laconic one-liners.

But the most bizarre thing about the brunet orphan was how readily he attached to Naruto, of all people. Now, they were both initially loner types and were given to seclusion from most social events or peer groups, but they were also markedly opposite each other. Uzumaki was the black to Sasuke's white, the wet to his dry, the hot to his cold. And yet the two coexisted in class day after day, without incident or cause for suspicion.

Come the aftermath to the test and somehow they're practically bosom buddies. It wasn't anything amazing, their synergy, but what they had hinted at a near instinctual connect, without need for explanation or thought. Watching the two work in tandem was something bordering unreal. Imagine what they could accomplish were they given a serious mission.

Hmm. That bears some consideration. The team had definitely completed enough missions, after all. Perhaps something simple to get them warmed up for the field…

~xxx

After handing over the cat to meet its fate, the team stood back and watched the ecstatic, makeup-plastered woman inflict her love on her pussy. It was a grave, telling scene- one that all four turned their backs on, Sakura sparing a lingering glance, remarking "No wonder it ran away…"

Kakashi responded with an offhanded wave.

"Nevermind the cat, Sakura; it was the mission's benefit that was important."

The Jōnin sighed, a smile creasing his face-mask. "My assessment was that you guys did pretty well as a team. Not just this mission, but the last few, too. You also seem to be bonding pretty well in your free time, something I approve of."

"Sure, that's nice, sensei," Naruto said, lacing his fingers behind his head, "But where is that gonna take us? I've been promoted to genin…and I'm not getting the 'ninja' vibe from these missions."

The blond noticeably watched the business happening in the room, rocking a little on his heels as he did. "I mean, I've been doing this crap since before I even met you, sensei. Ain't too much too it, not to sound insensitive or nothing."

"I've gotta go with Naruto on this, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura piped up, fiddling with the hem of her skirt, "I feel like we're just doing this because we're new and we're filling the least wanted position."

Kakashi glanced down at the girl, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh- um…I'm not ungrateful or anything, and I don't think I'm super-ready for bigtime nin-work, but, u-uh…"

The Jōnin laid a hand on the young kunoichi's head, patting it good-naturedly "It's fine, Sakura. I'd thought you guys would get around to saying something like this eventually."

"Hmn."

"Well said, Sasuke."

Naruto ducked the brunet's swipe at his head, cackling. The other two shook their heads, the man of the group sending a glance toward the briefing desk.

"Tell you what, gang- I'll see what I can do…"

Kakashi walked up to the desk, making a beeline to the Hokage, quietly discussing whatever it was the younger ninja had in mind.

Sakura craned forward a bit to try and pick up something or other, but it seemed like they just got quieter the closer she got.

"Five notes say she either bites her tongue or sensei calls her out on it," Naruto mutters to Sasuke, elbowing his side. The Uchiha just grunted back, as per his usual response.

"Good one, Sasuke."

The boy casually dodged a willful shot at his kidney, throwing his neighbor the best "shocked" look he could manage with his specs while trying not to stumble into Sakura in the process.

"Hey guys," Kakashi said, turning his head only as much as he needed to, "I'm gonna be here a while to finish up all the little details. While I'm doing this, go home and pick up anything you think you're gonna need for a week long mission, then get your asses down to the village gates; we've got ourselves an escort mission."

The girl of the group fought to compose herself as smoothly as possible when her sensei turned his eye on the group, but his declaration caused her to trip up and nearly fall to the floor in a heap. Sasuke's eyebrows rose, his lips pursing as he nodded his approval, though whether it was because of the prospect of a semi-serious mission or that Sakura had her butt thrust out on an angle due to her attempts to remain upright was uncertain.

Naruto didn't miss the opportunity on the way out, though, tweaking both his teammates' rears, much to his amusement. The two receiving weren't too amused, though, so they joined together to kick the meddlesome blond down the stairs.

~xxx

"Hey guys- woah, I hope you brought more than one change of clothes."

Kakashi had arrived with the supposed client in tow, chancing upon the scene of two virtually spotless, prepared genin, and one rather beat up, but mostly ready genin.

"Get in a fight on the way here, Sasuke?"

"Hn," the boy said, rubbing some dirt off his nose with his thumb.

"Well, I hope you won at any rate- let's get going."

And so…they set off- TO THEIR DESTINY

"How long do you think this will take, Sasuke?"

"Hmn"

"Good one, Sasuke."

"Naruto-kun, quit provoking Sasuke-kun!"

Then again…

~~xxx

Not quite the length I'd wanted, but it'll have to do.

A very common complaint.

Oh well. It's another chapter. I'm not letting this fic go, guys.

**EDIT**

Okay, I just wanted to add my responses to a bit of buildup of Anon reviews (and other stuff I can't normally respond to in private).

LXS : Well, well! What a unique review! Dunno if English is your first language, but I'm happy about your appreciation for bits I worked especially hard on! I honestly wanted to show Kakashi off as something other than an inexcusable jerkoff, going as far as to cast a truly negligent sensei as his precedent. I'm also glad you took particular interest in the bit on the test, as well as the situation of essentially child-soldiers in the Narutoverse; it's refreshing to have similar observations being made by my readers, as it tells me I'm at least doing something right. Thanks for the review :)

Guest (1) : I understand where you're coming from, but I'm being skimpy on the info for a reason. As for your complaints about "mysterious backstories", my response is that it's only a plot hole if the damn story isn't completed yet. Sure, I know my plotwriting isn't anywhere near perfect, but, sheesh, gimme a break!

Guest (2) : Pfft you did your homework (somewhat), but you obviously didn't watch the actual movie. Boris the Animal, the inspiration for this story, snagged himself a girlfriend, one fell for him hard enough to pick up the Weasel for him and spring him out of solitary. Plus...God damn, that tongue action. Anyways, I tackled the whole "transformation angst" bs, I gave it a fair explanation and shame on you for not noticing.

Now that that's over with...I hope I don't have to deal with nitpickery like that too much down the road...but I can only be so lucky.

Anyways, I welcome all reviews, nitpickery or not, and I'll be happy for your feedback on the latest chapters!

Also, please be sure to stop by my profile- I have a poll there that I'd love for people to vote on!