Several weeks have passed since Natsumi's first mission on her squad. By now, the entire squad has begun to get sick of the D-Ranked missions. They wanted something harder than just manual labor! Especially Natsumi.
"I am not going after that demon again," she decides as she stares at Hiruzen, who was smoking on his pipe. By demon, Natsumi meant a runaway cat, Tora. She rubbed the scratches that were now nonexistent on her forearm. She quickly pulled her sleeve down to hide it. Last thing she needed was everyone to know the monster she held inside of her—figuratively and literally. "I want to go on a real mission, Lord Hokage," she said.
"The Dobe has got a point..." Sasuke said and Sakura nods, agreeing. Kakashi sighs and has a sheepish expression. Iruka sighs.
"You're just a brand-new genin with no experience. Like everyone else, you start simple missions to develop your skills and prove yourself!" Iruka yells and Hiruzen tips his hat forward a little. Natsumi glared at Iruka.
"Babysitting or finding cats are not missions," she said. Hiruzen sighed.
"Natsumi," he addressed.
"Yes, Lord Hokage?"
"It seems you do not understand the tasks you have been given. Listen, many different kinds of requests come into our village every day from babysitting to assassinations. These requests are carefully recorded, analyzed, then ranked A, B, C, or D, depending on their difficulty. We ninja are also ranked by ability. Hokage at the top, Jonin, Chunnin, and Genin at the bottom. At the highest level, we select the missions and assign them to ninja who have the appropriate skill and experience. And if the mission is successful, we receive a fee that supports our village and our work. Since you are genin, just starting your path as a shinobi, you are given D-Rank missions." Hiruzen paused and took another smoke. Sakura and Kakashi were shifting their weight, getting fidgety out of boredom. "However... perhaps you may be ready for a higher ranked mission—a C-Ranked one," Hiruzen said and the three genin's faces brighter up.
"Really? What kind of mission?" Sakura asked, excited. Hiruzen laced his fingers together, propping his elbows on the table.
"You'll be bodyguards on a journey."
"Really? Yes!" Sakura cheered. "Who will we guard? A princess? Or some counselor?" Her hands were clasped together, happily fantasizing their future adventure. Hiruzen smirked a little, amused.
"No need to be so impatient. I will bring him in now." He looked at a man who sat on his right. "Send in our visitor." The man nodded and got out of his seat. They left and then came back minutes later. They stay next to the Hokage again.
In the doorway stood a middle-aged man holding a bottle of sake. He was definitely tipsy if not all out drunk.
"What the—? A bunch of little snot-nosed kids?" The man asked with a deep, slurring voice. He took another drink of his sake and some of it drizzled down his mouth. He then leans on the door frame, probably by this point having issues supporting himself. He looks at Sakura. "And you, the one with the pink hair and idiotic look on your face. You really expect me to believe you're a ninja?" Sakura snarled in anger and Kakashi had to hold her back from completely obliterating him.
"I'll demolish you, cha! Let me get nut hands on him and I'll destroy him!"
"You can't demolish the client, Sakura," Kakashi lectured. Sakura eventually calmed down and clenched her gloved fists at her side. The drunk man took another drink and then lets out a dramatic sigh.
"I am Tazuna," the man said. "I am a master bridge builder, and I must return to my country. I'm building a bridge there that will change our world, and I am expecting you to get me there safely even if it means giving up your life." Kakashi and the squad nod.
"Don't worry," Kakashi began. "We'll get you there safely. My squad is perfectly capable of doing this. Even if they weren't, I am an elite shinobi, perfectly able to do this job," he explained to Tazuna. The man just nodded, too busy drinking to care by this point. "We'll take the mission, Lord Hokage." Hiruzen nods.
"Very well." He took another smile out of his pipe and Kakashi turned towards the squad.
"Go home and pack for the mission. Be back at the Konoha gates in thirty minutes." The genin nodded and began walking back toward their homes.
Natsumi was the very last to arrive at the gates. She was several minutes late.
"What took you so long, Dobe?" Sasuke asked, tugging on his black backpack. Natsumi shrugged.
"My house is farther away." Sakura looked at her in confusion.
"But don't you live in Konoha? It can't be very far," she noted. Natsumi just shrugged again.
"Shouldn't we go ahead and leave so we can make some progress?" Natsumi asked and Kakashi nodded. He pulled out his perverted book and began walking.
"Yes, let's get going," he began, and Tazuna and the squad followed along. Kakashi walked in the front with Tazuna behind. Sasuke was to the drunk man's left and Natsumi to the right. Sakura walked behind the drunkard.
"Say, Mr. Tazuna?" Sakura asked.
"What is it?" He asked, annoyed.
"Your country is the Land of Waves, right?"
"Yeah. What of it?" Sakura looks at Kakashi.
"Kakashi sensei, there are ninja in that country too, aren't there?" He no longer looked at his book and put it away and now looked at Sakura.
"No, there are no ninja in the Land of Waves. But in other countries there are hidden villages each with their own different customs and cultures where ninja reside. To the people of this continent, the existence of Shinobi villages means strength—military strength. In other words, that's how they protect themselves and maintain the balance of power with neighboring countries. The ninja villages are not controlled by any government. They're independent and have equal status. Now, a small island like the Land of Waves has natural protection from the sea, so there's no need for a ninja village. The five ancient lands that possess Shinobi villages are the Lands of Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind, and Earth. They each occupy vast territories. Together, they are known as the five great Shinobi nations. The Land of Fire as the Village Hidden in the Leaves; the Land is Water, the Village Hidden in the Mist; the Land of Lightning, the Village Hidden in the Clouds; the Land of Wind, the Village Hidden in the Sand; and the Land of Earth, the Village Hidden in the Stones. Only the leaders of these hidden villages are permitted the name kage, which means 'shadow.' Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, and Tsuchikage—these are the leaders known as the five shadows that reign over thousands of ninja. They—"
"Shh! Be quiet!" Natsumi whispered harshly. Everyone but Kakashi stares at her in surprise.
"What?" Sakura whispered quietly, unsure of what was going on.
"So you noticed it too," Kakashi said. Natsumi nodded.
"Notice what?" Sasuke asked quietly.
"We're being watched," Natsumi whispered and Kakashi nodded.
"For now, just keep walking," Kakashi instructed. Everyone nodded and did just that. Natsumi looked at Tazuna to see him sweating a bit.
'Either the drinking is getting to him or he's not telling us something...' Natsumi figured it was the latter. She glared slightly at him in frustration and kept moving.
Everyone crossed a bridge before reaching flat land again. They passed a puddle and Natsumi quickly turned around just in time to see a disguised figure sliding out of the puddle. Everyone else did the same in surprise. Suddenly the figure was launched by another figure sliding out of the puddle. The launched one threw a long spiky chain at the group, tying Kakashi.
The chains crushed him, obliterating him. Everyone stared with pale faces. Natsumi was shocked.
"Hatake!" Natsumi shouts. To be honest, she did not know how to feel. She hated him, yet she felt remorse. Or was it guilt? She quickly shook it off and Kakashi's killers appeared behind her, laughing.
"Now it's your turn," one of the men said. Natsumi quickly turned around and as the men flung the chains again, she jumped up to get out of the way. This time the men turned, going towards Sasuke, smiling like a maniac. They flung the chains at him and he paled, unable to move. He was frozen in fear. As Natsumi began to land, she pulled out some shuriken and threw them at the chain. It landed on the chain and embedded it into a tree trunk. The bandits were stuck and couldn't move since the chains were attached to the right gauntlets they wore.
Sasuke was gasping slightly in shock and Natsumi landed on the men, with a foot in each of their gauntlets, squatting. She pulled them back, and they broke from their gauntlets, now being rendered useless. The bandits ran to Tazuna, eyeing him, and Sakura stepped in front of them, scared. She grits her teeth in anticipation, waiting to be hit. It never came, though. Somehow, Kakashi appeared in front of her and put the bandits in a choke hold, and quickly went unconscious. Everyone stared at him in utter shock and confusion.
"Hi," he said casually. Sakura smiles and Natsumi frowns as if wishing he stayed dead. Tazuna stares at the man.
"But weren't you dead?" He asked in disbelief, and took a gulp of his sake. Everyone stared at where Kakashi died to find a bunch of broken sticks.
'Substitution Jutsu. Figures...' Kakashi looked at Sasuke as he held the unconscious men.
"Sasuke, sorry I didn't help you right away. I just didn't think you would freeze up like that," he said, looking a little guilty. Sasuke just glared at a tree. Natsumi did not consider Sasuke to do something like that. He walked over to Natsumi. "Good job, Natsumi. Very smooth. You too, Sakura." Sakura smiled, proud and appreciating the compliment while Natsumi just brushed it off, glaring slightly. It seemed like no matter what, she was going to hate him... Natsumi watched Sasuke sigh in frustration and clench his fists. Natsumi smirked slightly.
"Hey, you're not hurt, are you?" She asked in a slightly mocking tone. "Scaredy-cat," she said, continuing to smirk. Sasuke frowns and flares at Natsumi, angry at her insult. He clenched his fists tighter but said nothing.
"By the way, Mr. Tazuna?" Kakashi asked, ignoring Sasuke's and Natsumi's banter. Tazuna flinched in surprise and clenched his fists.
"Yeah, what?" Kakashi turned towards him.
"We need to talk." Kakashi tied the now conscious bandits to a tree trunk. "They were Chunnin from the Village Hidden in the Mist. Their specialty is relentless attack. They keep fighting, no matter what the sacrifice." He looked at the bandits.
"How did you know about our ambush?" One of them asked.
"A puddle in clear day, when it hasn't rained in weeks?" He asked. "Not to mention being able to hear."
"And scent," Natsumi added. Kakashi seemed slightly confused about what she said, but didn't say anything. Tazuna looked at Kakashi.
"In that case, why did you leave them to the genin to do the fighting?" He asked.
"I could have taken them out easily and quickly. But then I would have learned nothing. I had to know who their target was," Kakashi explained, seeming to be specifically targeting the last few words towards the drunkard. "And what they were after."
"Hmm? What are you getting at?" Tazuna asked. Kakashi turned towards him.
"This: I wanted to know if they were after us, ninja attacking ninja, or if they were after you, the master bridge builder." Kakashi narrows his eyes—well visible eye at Tazuna. "When you put in your request, you asked for standard protection from robbers and highwaymen. You didn't say there were ninja looking for you, hunting you down. If we knew this, it would be a B-Rank mission or higher. Our task was to simply get you to your destination and protect you while you finish your bridge. If we knew we'd be fielding an attack from enemy ninja, we would have staffed differently and charged for the cost of a B-Rank mission." Tazuna looks down. "Apparently, you have your reasons, but lying to us is unacceptable. We are now beyond the scope of this mission."
"We are not going back to Konoha," Natsumi said. "We're here to complete a mission—not bail on one."
"But Natsumi, we're genin. We haven't been trained for this!" Sakura said, trying to reason with her.
"I'm with the Dobe," Sasuke said as he still glared at her. "I'm never backing down ever again." From his tone, he certainly seemed to mean it. His fist remained clenched, still frustrated with himself. Kakashi sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Alright... let's keep moving then." Everyone nodded and began walking once again.
Some more time passed, and they got into a boat and set sail towards the water.
"This fog is so thick, you can't see anything," Sakura said, trying to look around as she squinted her eyes.
"The bridge isn't far now," the man paddling the boat said. "Our destination is just ahead, the Land of Waves." Just minutes later, there was a tall structure ahead. It must have been the bridge. Kakashi looked at Tazuna.
"Mr. Tazuna. Before we reach the pier, I want to ask you something." Tazuna seemed to gulp in anticipation. "The men who are after you, I need to know why. If you don't tell us, I'm afraid I'll have to end this mission when we drop you ashore." Tazuna grunted in frustration and a few minutes passed before he spoke again.
"I have no choice but to tell you," he said. "No, I want to tell you the truth. Like you said, this is beyond the scope of the original mission. The one who seeks my life is a very short man who casts a very long and deadly shadow."
"A deadly shadow?" Kakashi asked. "Who is it?"
"You know him. At least, I'm sure you've heard his name before. He's one of the wealthiest men in the world. The shipping magnet, Gato." Kakashi's eyes widened.
"Huh? Gato? Of Gato Transport? He's a business leader. Everyone knows him."
"Gato is a very powerful tycoon from a famous company, that's true. But below the surface, with the same ruthless methods he uses to take over businesses and nations, he sells drugs and contraband using gangs and ninja. It was one year ago when Gato first set his sight on the Land of Waves. He came to our island and used his vast wealth to take total control of our transport and shipping. Anyone who tried to stand in his way simply disappeared. I am an island nation, a man who controls the sea controls everything. Finance, government, our very lives. But there's one thing he fears: the bridge. When it's complete, it will join us in the land, and that will break his control." Tazuna looks up. "I am the bridge builder." Sakura puts a hand on her chin.
"So that's it. Since you're in charge of the bridge, you're standing in this gangster's way," she said. Sasuke nods.
"That means those guys in the forest, they were working for Gato."
"I don't understand," Kakashi said. "If you knew he was dangerous, knew he'd send ninja to eliminate you, why did you hide that from us?"
"Because the Land of Waves is a small, impoverished nation. Even our nobles have little money. The common people who are building this bridge, they can't pay for an A or B-Ranked mission. It's too expensive. If you end the mission when you drop me ashore, there will be no bridge. They'll assassinate me before I reach home. But don't feel bad about that! Of course, my sweet little grandson will be upset. He'll cry. Granddad! I want my Granddad!" He exclaimed, imitating him. He goes back to his normal grumpy voice. "Oh, and my daughter will condemn the ninja of the Hidden Leaves denouncing and blaming you for abandoning her father and living her life in sorrow. Oh, well! It's not your fault. I completely understand." Everyone else sighs, slightly annoyed and frustrated at him.
"Well, I guess we have no other choice. We'll have to keep guarding you," Kakashi said.
"We're approaching the shore," the paddler said. Everyone nods. The first part of their mission was complete; but now came the challenging part.
Either way, Natsumi was dedicated to completing this mission.
Even if it was the last thing she did.
AN:
What did you think? Please leave a review!