Chapter Two : Journey to the Hidden Rain Part One - Akamo, you did what?!

I ran out my bedroom door to the kitchen. Mom had learned from Ayame at Ichiraku Ramen Shop how to make the special broth at home. The ramen was always the best. I wasn't watching where I was going and bumped into my sister. "Aiyee!" I yelped falling backwards. I opened my eyes only to see Najin. "Onee-sama, you're home early. Guess the mission to the Cloud finished sooner than we expected?" She looked to me and hooked her kunai pouch on her uniform. "Yes, Kumera. It finished earlier than expected. I hear from Dad that you're going on a mission as well tomorrow."

I acted like my usual self and scratched the back of my head, "Yeah, it's not that much of a mission really. Just a document delivery to the new leader of the Hidden Rain." I wasn't wanting to let on that this mission depended on my history as an elite ninja like her, but it seemed like she already knew that I was in trouble at the academy. I gave her a hug, "Come on, don't wanna miss Mom's ramen, now do we?" I continued on my way into the kitchen. "Be there in a little while, Kumera," she shouted back at me.

My mother was standing at the stove and pulling bowls down from the cabinet. I walked up behind her and tried to scare her. "That won't work this time, Kumera," she said turning around showing she had her Byakugan active. "Ahh Mom, that's cheating," I said giving her a kiss reaching for the bowls so I could help set the table. She was pregnant with our new sibling. I was secretly hoping for a little brother that I could torment Dad with, but then we'd all be in trouble. She wasn't due for several more months, but she was already showing.

"I heard that you needed to not mess up on this next mission, right?" she said bringing the pot over to the table sitting it on the warmer in the middle.

"Gosh, I just got back from his office and everyone knows, even Najin," I said, pouting a little at what was going on.

"Kumera, you are 13 years old. How many more times are you going to get into trouble before you realize that your father and I cannot keep your butt from being punished?"

I looked down at the bowl after she used the ladle to give me some of the broth for the noodles. "I know Mom, but I just feel like there's something inside of me that wants me to be a free spirit. I don't know, it's just how I feel."

Her face turned sour before we heard Dad come in. "Well, if it isn't Ichiraku to-go," Naruto said with a smile. He always knew the aromas of the specially cooked ramen recipe.

"Hello dear, how was your day?" Hinata asked him.

"Oh it was a busy one. Najin brought me her reports and I learned that the Hidden Cloud village is planning for a summit between the two of our nations. It would be nice to see Bee again, since he is the Raikage now after all."

"Well, that's good. I was just talking to Kumera. She's excited for her mission tomorrow," Hinata said, hinting at the fact that I was ready to become responsible with my duties.

"Oh? Well, Kumera, Kitami has told me for you to be up at the crack of dawn and at the front gate to leave when the rest of Squad 13 is," he told me.

"Yessir, I'll be there," I reassured him. I took a sip of the broth and pulled apart the chopsticks to begin eating once I knew he was sat down. Najin came in a little later, having taken a shower.

"So, Mom made Ramen...again?" she asked, leary of not wanting to eat the meal for the 4th time this week.

"Hey, when your father wants it, I make it. And he made a special request last night, so enjoy it and I'll make Spicy Bean Bento for you tomorrow," Hinata chimed in.

Najin, always her cool and collected persona, did a little 'yes!' motion when Mom mentioned the bento. That's my sister's favorite meal - bento and sticky rice.

I helped Mom clean up the kitchen a bit but had to get to bed early. I crawled into my bed and looked up to the moon that was gleaming outside my window. "Tomorrow, I'll make everything different."

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep. I hit the alarm clock and turned over before I realized that the sun was soon coming over the horizon. "Oh no! I'm gonna be late!" I attempted to jump out of bed and fell quickly onto the floor having gotten tangled up in the sheet. I rubbed my head and got to my feet, quickly pulling my clothes out of the closet. After putting them on, I looked in the mirror to see that I had put my shirt on backwards, my pants were inside out and my hair was still a mess. I rushed putting on my tabi boots and pulling my headband from by the bed. I pulled my hair back into a small ponytail and ran out the bedroom door. I was running so fast that I bumped Dad into the wall. "Sorry pops! Gotta run. See you in a few days!" I grabbed the bento from Mom's hands and kissed her quickly before running out the front door.

"Good gods, will that girl never learn not to run through this house?" Naruto asked Hinata pulling on his Hokage cloak.

"Just leave the girl alone, Naruto-kun," Hinata said giving him a kiss and handing him bento. "She's trying to make you proud."

I could see the sun was making it above the horizon now. "Dang it! I'm not going to make it." I pulled out one of my kunai that Dad had made for me and Najin and teleported to the front gate. I ran straight into Kunji, having misjudged the trajectory of the teleportation jutsu.

He quickly moved out of the way and looked over in my direction. "I don't know how you mastered Flying Raijin so fast, Kumera," he said moving to help me up. "Akamo and Kitami-sensei aren't even here yet."

"And she told me to be here early," I said panting. I was boiling at this point because I thought I was going to be late. I could sense her chakra nearby and knew she probably was just waiting in silence near us. I shrugged as I sat down on the ground near Kunji waiting for Akamo.

The silence was deafening since Kunji kept to himself. "So how's Minabi Yamanaka and Konoto Nara doing?" I asked him, trying to clear the air since he wasn't making any effort to speak anyway.

He shrugged and said, "Eh, so-so.." before he turned around and started watching a butterfly that was sitting on a petal nearby. "Gosh, this guy is weird.." I thought to myself. The silence returned but not for long since we heard Akamo running up the pathway at light speed. I was the one this time that had to dodge out of the way since he was running so fast that he couldn't stop. He tumbled out of the way, making himself dirty as he finally came to a stop. "Ahh, ouch.." he said before standing up, dusting himself off. "Oh, sorry I'm late.. I had to help an old lady murder her garden.." he said panting.

"Akamo, you did what?!" I exclaimed as he continued dusting himself off, walking back towards us.

"I had to help her turn her garden ground over," he explained. "You never let me finish, Kumera."

"Oh, sorry, haha," I said, trying to make like I was innocent in this. We then heard a familiar noise behind us as we turned around. "Good, you're all here," Kitami-sensei said to us. "Yeah I just wonder how long you've been here, Kitami-sensei," I thought to myself, knowing she had been hiding. She's a lot like my Dad's old Sensei, Kakashi Hatake. He told me stories of how Kakashi used to show up late to all the missions.

"Well, are we going to be heading to the Hidden Rain now?" I asked, wanting to get on our way.

"Yes, Kumera.. We are going to deliver this document to the leader there for his approval. It should take us about a day and a half to get there, and the same time coming back," she said holding up a thick scroll. "We will encounter bandits and rogue ninja. I know you three are prepared enough to handle this. Any other questions?"

We all shook our heads no and she turned around, "Then, let's get to it," she said leaping into action, with us following suit.