A/N: Yay for me i got another chapter out! Okay, so i wasn't really inspired to do anything funny when i began writting this but i hope it's funny enough for all of advance, i apologise for any errors, i'm just too lazy to check it again and such and i'm sorry if i seem to be Sakura bashing slightly, i really don't mean to but i feel i'd be annoyed if i had someone hanging on me 24/7. Oh and i hope you watched what i suggested in the last chapter and enjoyed it.

It also occurred to me that I've never thanked anyone before (It think?) so anyway thanks to PepperCornPie, i hope she's less Sasuke-ish now but she was unsure in the beginning and played it safe. And i have read one of Darkpetal16, it was truly brilliant! And Sasuke's skills, well i couldn't figure out a way to make it so she wasn't found out straight away so i decided to create something sort of like an inner Sasuke to help with her skills, her 'Ninja Senses'. Thanks to Misaki, shadowclone076, Allykrau, CareBearCara101, Baow, CrystallizedSiren and DMV for the reviews, i love hearing how much you're actually enjoying this. And W... I think a pikachu alarm clock would be awesome too! And don't worry about being excitable, my friend who forced me to post this right away is too. And last but not least, Renavelia, glad you checked out the episode! If i forgot someone, you have full right to kick my ass mentally, i'm sure i'll feel it.

Thank you and R&R

Chapter seven

"Hey Tazuna-san?" Sakura asked… Here we go again, maybe she enjoys listening to her own voice…

"What is it?" He asked back.

"How long did you have to grow your beard for?" I asked suddenly, cutting Sakura off for fun, she's always making some sort of noise be it from shouting at Naruto, fawning over me or asking either Kakashi or Tazuna questions or other times it was her humming… Ninja are suppose to be dead quiet.

"That's an odd question?" Tazuna asked, turning his head my way and I just shrugged as I shifted my hands in my pockets.

"Just curious… anyway, what was your question Sakura?" I asked with a sigh as I looked up… When was that damn puddle coming up so I could jump in it?

"Ah… Okay? Tazuna-san, you're from Nami no Kuni right?" Sakura asked.

"What about it?" Tazuna asked with slight annoyance.

"Kakashi-sensei, are there also ninja in that country?" Sakura asked across me at our sensei.

"If there were ninja from that country, do you think Tazuna would have come all the way to Konoha to hire ninja?" I asked with sweet annoyance but Sakura just blushed, not catching my irritation… Why was I so irritated? Ah, that's right, we chased after a cat half the morning, got this old drunken and disrespectful geezer as a client to escort then Kakashi had Naruto run me over… Right… Oh! Then there was Sakura's annoying sounds.

"Aaahhh, I guess I never thought of it that way, you're so clever some times Sasuke-kun." Sakura said with excitement and I decided just to give her a sweet smirk as she blushed again. Stupid first crushes, I had two of those so I know how to 'mould' Sakura per say.

"But still, even though culture and customs of different villages are different, hidden villages and ninja do exist." Kakashi explained. Oh god, it's one of those moments Kakashi actually teaches us something! "To the many countries that exist on this land, the existence of ninja villages is the equivalent of the country's military power. In other words, that is how they are able to maintain the relationship with neighbouring countries. But the villages aren't under control of that country. They are supposedly equal in position. On the small island countries like Nami no Kuni, the Land of Waves, where it is difficult to be influenced by different countries, there is no need for a ninja village. Among the countries that have a ninja village, since the Five countries of Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind and Earth occupy a large mass of land and their powers are immense, they are known as the Five Great Ninja Powers. Hi no Kuni's Konohagakure, Mizu no Kuni's Kirigakure, Kaminari no Kuni's Kumogakure, Kaze no Kuni's Sunagakure and Tsuchi no Kuni's Iwagakure. Only the leader of each hidden village is allowed to carry the name of Kage; Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage and Tsuchikage, otherwise known as the Five Kages are the ninja that reign over the tens of thousands of ninja that exist in the countries throughout the world." Kakashi explained.

"Wow, so Hokage-sama must be a great man!" Sakura gushed with her arms up against her chest.

"But isn't it possible for leaders of the smaller ninja militarised countries like Takigakure, the Hidden Village in the Waterfalls and Kusagakure, the Village Hidden in the Grass possibly as strong as the Kages?" I asked, I was always curious about this. Kakashi's eyebrow raised and he nodded surprisingly at me.

"It's a possibility but their country's size as well as it's military force has never been able to measure up to one of the Five Great Nation's power before." Kakashi explained and I couldn't help smiling slightly, thinking of the Suna and Oto invasion coming up in four months from now, I'll ask Kakashi the same question then and see what he says then, one thing to shove in his 'I am higher than thou' face. "Oi, you just all doubted Hokage-sama didn't you?" Kakashi asked as we all froze and Naruto and Sakura shook their heads mechanically but Kakashi just put his hand on Sakura's head. "Don't worry. We won't have any ninja battles in a C-ranked mission."

"Then there's no worry of meeting a foreign ninja." Sakura said with a praised puppy like look and I couldn't stop myself from a huge evil smile consuming my face and my shoulders jumping up and down as I faced forwards, ahead of everyone luckily… Now, where is that damn puddle?

"Of coarse." Kakashi eye smiled and I couldn't help letting out a slight laugh. "Is something wrong Sasuke?" Kakashi asked and I mechanically shook my head.

"No, nothing at all sensei… So there really aren't ninja in your village Tazuna-san?" I asked sweetly as I turned around and looked directly at our client who seemed to sweat slightly at my 'Uchiha glare' I managed to nail within my three months of being here… You need one with the amount of fangirls I have constantly stalking me and all they do when I try and talk to them is squeal and then faint with blood coming from their noses.

"Oh no, definitely not." He said back at me, waving his hand up and down at me like he's a girl waving her husband goodbye while he leaves on a train. I just rolled my eyes and continued walking and Naruto decided to walk just that little bit ahead of me and I just sighed silently and let him do it as I put my hands back into my pockets.

We crossed a bridge, because everyone is making a bridge these days and then there was… A PUDDLE! I think Kakashi saw the evil childish glee come over my face as I deviated on my path slightly, jumped a little bit and splashed into the puddle, making everyone stop and look back at me as I continued to jump. Oh, if only I could feel Killing Intent probably coming off those Demon Brothers right now…

"Sasuke-kun, stop splashing in that puddle please?" Kakashi asked sweetly with an eye smile and I just grinned as I shrugged, replaced my hands into my pockets and walked up next to him and the client as he fell back slightly… Aw, like a mother hen… Queue epic battle sequence music!

We all reacted at the sound of chains rattling as we turned around to see Kakashi caught in chains connecting to both of the Demon Brothers before they pulled and 'ripped Kakashi' apart. Sakura screamed and Naruto yelled for our fallen teacher passionately… Okay, maybe I shouldn't be thinking of this as like a joke or something but well… I may just be a slight masochistic? The Demon Brothers moved behind Naruto and my Ninja Senses were telling me to move, FINALLY! Naruto cringed and looked over his shoulders as the chains were flung carelessly and my body moved, jumping into the sky. Why? I don't know but I did it anyway! My hand moved to my leg pouch, pulling out a kunai and shuriken as I threw the shuriken, catching the chain and hitting a tree as I threw the kunai to embed it into the tree permanently and landed on either of the Demon Brother's arm mechanisms where the chains came from.

Oh, it gave me great satisfaction to kick those two bastards in their faces as their chains broke off from their arm mechanisms but they quickly recovered their footing. One charged behind Naruto and the other went for Sakura and Tazuna… Okay this was one thing I never accounted for but sensei got to us in time right, the look of fear on Naruto's face had me really fearing for him as well… God, I really am going soft and getting attached when I could just wake up suddenly sometime or not but I remembered I needed to keep with how this went as I moved quickly towards Sakura and stood in front of the stupidly brave girl and glared at the Demon Brother.

A flash of grey made the one coming right at me and Sakura disappear as you could hear the clash of limb against limb as Kakashi's arm caught the brother in front of Naruto with a headlock and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey." Kakashi said care freely and I pouted with an annoyed look… Stupid show-off scarecrow. Naruto's face was awed before realisation came over him and he looked to where Kakashi was 'killed' as he laid on his stomach. "Naruto, sorry for not helping you out right away, I got you hurt. I didn't think you wouldn't be able to move." Kakashi said before walking over to Sakura, Tazuna and I. "Anyway, Sasuke, good job. You too Sakura." Kakashi praised but strangely I just levelled him with an angry glare and walked over to Naruto who still seemed a little shocked and a little disappointed in himself.

"You're hurt you silly scaredy cat." I said, holding my hand out to him but all he did was get up and punch me in my face as I fell back and a hand to my stinging cheek right away.

"Naruto! There's poison on those guy's nails, we need to take it out right away." Kakashi said as I wiped the blood from my face that Naruto had placed on me when he punched me. "We have to open your wound up and leech out the poisoned blood. Don't move much or the poison will spread through your body." Kakashi said as Naruto looked at the three scratches on his hand and I decided to continue sitting there… I was a little pissed at Naruto, damn childish brat. "By the way, Tazuna-san…"

"W-What is it?" Tazuna asked, a little sketchy when Kakashi called him but there was annoyance to Kakashi's voice.

"I need to talk to you." Kakashi said as he walked over to a tree and began tying the Demon Brothers up and I got up and walked over, closer to the group, why was I so pissed right now… Just thinking about it was making me angry but deep breath, I just calmed myself down, I could punch Kakashi after Zabuza hurts him and I can kick Naruto later back at Tazuna's house.

"These guys are chunin classed ninja from Kirigakure. They are ninjas known to keep fighting no matter the cost." Kakashi explained as the Demon Bothers glared at Kakashi.

"How were you able to detect our actions?" One of them asked.

"It hasn't rained for the past few days and it's sunny today so a puddle shouldn't exist… Plus there was all that intent from when Sasuke was splashing in that puddle." Kakashi explained to them.

"Why did you let the kids fight when you knew that?" Tazuna asked the jonin.

"If I was up to it, I could have killed these two in a blink of an eye…" Kakashi explained, ignoring my snort of annoyance. "But, I needed to know who their target was."

"What do you mean?" Tazuna asked.

"He means he wanted to check whether you were lying to us about not being targeted by ninja you dimwit or if it was someone in our squad they were after." I snapped at him which made Sakura flinch and Naruto look at me with surprise.

"You requested to be protected from armed groups like gangs and robbers. This is a mission that's above a B-rank and our job was to support and guard you until you completed the bridge. If ninja are our enemy, this mission would have been an expensive B-rank. It looks like you have reasons but it only troubles us if you lie in your request details. This wasn't part of the mission." Kakashi explained with irritation… I hadn't really ever heard Kakashi irritated before… Gosh, now I'm going all mushy on my teammates…

"This mission is out of our league. Let's quit." Sakura said disheartened.

"This isn't academy Sakura, this is all of our lives right now, especially Tazuna's." I said to her.

"But we need anaesthesia to take the poison blood out of Naruto too… We need to go back to the village and see a doctor." Sakura said. Kakashi looked to Naruto who was still looking at his hand before he looked up and Kakashi looked away, bored but there was concern in his eye when he was looking at Naruto.

"This sure is a burden. Let's go back to the village to cure Naruto." Kakashi sighed and Naruto gritted his teeth with annoyed anger at Kakashi but at himself. But he quickly took a kunai out and stabbed it into his hand and I smirked slightly, Mission number one, Make Naruto not a scaredy cat, accomplished… With a slightly swollen cheek. I did feel slightly satisfied at Kakashi's surprised face, finally, someone got that cocky look off of his Cyclops face.

"Why am I so different…Why am I always… Dammit!" Naruto cursed and Sakura moved towards him slightly.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sakura questioned with worry.

"I should be stronger… I've accomplished lots of missions and I've practised techniques every day… I'm never going to do something that will require someone to save me. I'm never going to be frightened and try to back out of things. I'm not going to lose to Sasuke. I vow that to the pain in my left hand. I'm going to protect the old man with this kunai. This mission is still on." Naruto said, turning to face us with a grin even if he was still flinching slightly from the pain but I couldn't help a slight smile to my face a I put my hands in my pockets.

"Naruto… It's nice you got the poison out so spiritedly but you're going to die from blood loss if any more comes out." Kakashi stated coolly as Naruto's face went completely pale before he started to sweat and Kakashi went to his side and bent down with an eye smile. "It's not good if you don't stop it right away. Seriously." Kakashi said with an eye smile and Naruto began to flail as Sakura stood with her hands on her hips.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! I can't die like this!" Naruto flailed.

"Show me your hand." Kakashi sighed and Naruto gave his hand over as he still flailed slightly.

"Naruto, you have a self abusing personality. That's called masochism you know?" Sakura scolded.

"Does this happen often?" Tazuna asked me quietly and I shrugged.

"No but he's the type to come bouncing back again." I explained with a sigh as I leaned on one leg.

"Um… Um… Am I okay? You have a serious look on your face?" Naruto asked shakily. Kakashi just took a roll of bandage out of his pouch and began to wrap Naruto's hand in it.

"You should be okay." Kakashi said as he bandaged his hand and I couldn't help but see an almost endearing yet saddened look in Kakashi's eye… Dammit, I am going soppy as I cried animatedly in my head but maybe I should get use to it… I don't know how much longer I'll be in this world, maybe for another hour or maybe for another eighty years, I won't know until I actually live them as I let a small smile cross my lips. "Let's get moving again." Kakashi said as he took the lead again and I quickly dug in my bag and threw a small chocolate over at Naruto as he caught it and gave me a slightly bewildered look.

"It'll help with any light headedness you might feel from your loss of blood… Just eat it dobe." I said, looking away from Naruto who said nothing and just ate it, still looking at me with slight confusion in his eyes.

"How's your cheek?" Kakashi asked, coming up on my other side and I shrugged.

"It was just a punch… I'll deal." I said but Kakashi's look also lingered on me with something soft in it… Dammit! Enough fluffiness!

XXXXXXXXXX

"Jungle life, so far away from nothing… It's all right we won't miss home… Take a chance, leave everything behind you come and join me… You won't be sorry, it's so easy to survive… Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ." Damn, where was one of those guitar shaped keyboards when you need one. The mist sucks, the water sucks and this whole trip… Uh, I mean missions sucks. Period. This song does not give you the real impression of the 'Great Out Doors'.

"Sasuke, you do mean the meaning of being quiet right?" Kakashi asked as he interrupted my song.

"So Sakura's allowed to hum but I can't sing one of the most loved songs of the eighties?" I questioned and Kakashi just raised that annoyed eyebrow and I scowled at him.

"He has a point there sensei." I heard Naruto say under his breath and I added an annoying smirk in to my glaring contest with Kakashi.

"Hey, you're the rower!" I said excitedly. If everyone else could be annoying then so can I."

"Um… I row but I'm not the rower or who you might be referring to…" He responded. "By the way, could you try and keep quiet, it's the whole reason I'm rowing and we're not using the engine."

"Don't be silly, there's no one around." I shrugged. "Oh, sing the rowing song!" I asked him again as everyone gave me that alien look once again… I thought they had all gotten over that.

"The what?" He asked me with a slight smile of amusement, maybe he thought I was brain damaged too… Oh well, it just adds another person to my list that is continuously growing.

"You know… 'Oh I sure like to row with my… Ore. ROW ROWing! Sing along with me as I row my boat!' You know, that song." I said, rolling my eyes with an innocent smile.

"No, unfortunately I don't sorry kid but can you please keep quiet now, we're nearing shore soon." He asked and I shrugged and began tapping another tune on the rim of the boat.

"Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do. What I want, you got it might be hard to handle'… Itai!"

"Cut it out." Kakashi sighed after hitting me on my head as I cradled the small bump forming and I pouted but kept quiet… this time.

"We should be able to see the bridge soon." The rower said. "If we move along the side of the bridge we should be at Nami no Kuni." He said as Naruto leaned forwards, squinting through the mist as he sat at the front of the boat and the bridge finally came into some sort of view.

"It's huge!" Naruto said and I whacked him on the head like Kakashi did to me and I pouted at his annoyed look but he just grinned.

"Tazuna-san, before we get to the pier, there's something I want to ask you." Kakashi began, killjoy. "The identity of the ones who are after you and the reason they're after you. Or we can call this mission off when you get to shore."

"It looks like I have to tell you the real story. I mean, I would like for you to hear my story. As you said, this mission is most likely out of your job description. An extremely terrible man is after my life." Tazuna explained as the atmosphere turned serious… Damn, I was just starting to get into a better mood from earlier… This day is beginning to feel extremely long…

"Who is it?" Kakashi asked.

"You should have all at least heard of his name… Marine transport billionaire, Gatoh." Tazuna said and Kakashi's eye widened… Wow, twice in one day someone's caught him off guard of his stoic attitude.

"Gatoh? The one from the Gatoh Company? He's one of the richest men in the world." Kakashi said out in surprise.

"Yes, he is the president of a marine transport company on the outside. But underground, he uses gangs and ninja to smuggle drugs and contraband goods and he also does nasty jobs like takeovers of other companies and countries. A year ago he set his sights on Nami no Kuni and entered the country using violence as his shield and he quickly took over the islands sea traffic and transportation. On an island like Nami no Kuni, controlling the sea means ruling over the wealth, politics and people of the island. And one thing Gatoh is afraid of is the completion of the bridge that has been under construction for quite some time." Tazuna explained.

"What an asshole." I muttered.

"I see. So you as the one building the bridge became an obstacle to him." Sakura mused.

Like those ninja earlier but there's probably more out there, probably stronger too that are working for him." I mused just because I can and Naruto put two fingers to his temple to process the information.

"But I don't understand. He's a dangerous man that uses ninja. Why did you hide that fact when you came to us?" Kakashi asked… Dumbass.

"Nami no Kuni is a really poor country. Even the Daimyo, Feudal Lord, doesn't have much money. And we do not have much either. We don't have the money to request an expensive B-rank mission or above. If you quit your mission after I land, I'll be killed for sure… While I go home. But there's no need to blame yourselves… Only my cute eight-year-old grandson will cry and cry and cry some more. And my daughter will just hold a grudge against Konoha ninja and live a lonely life… But it's not your fault." Tazuna explained over dramatically as all three of our faces fell in realisation of his act and Kakashi scratched at his headband.

"I guess it can't be helped… We will continue to escort you." Kakashi said sheepishly… Wow, I think this is more emotion in one day we've seen on Kakashi, mark it on a calendar, it's going to rain blood… Well when Zabuza shows up it might…

"That's good to hear." Tazuna said, pulling a clearly obvious peace sign behind his back. Shore was finally coming up and I grinned, facing out towards the sea… It's show time!