Yasuko's POV

My legs swung back and forth as I sat on a branch. Ru slept below me, finding our current mission not worth his energy. I sighed, mentally agreeing with my friend, but knew that a mission was mission, no matter how boring it was.

I yelped as I fell back from the sound of the intercom coming on. I focused my chakra to my feet, allowing me to hang upside down on the branch. I let go of the breath I was holding and released the chakra, flipping in the air, and landed like a cat, carefully avoiding the sleeping tiger. Standing straight, I walked over to a small clearing and crouched behind a bush as I spotted our target.

I saw the rest of the team take position through my peripheral view. I heard a buzzing sounds coming from the intercom giving the signal that our mission was about to begin.

Placing hand on the earpiece I listened as the rest of the teamed called in.

"Where are your positions?" I heard Kakashi say through the intercom.

"Sasuke, point B."

"This is Sakura, arrived at point C."

"Yasuko, at point D." I reported.

There was a moment of silence before Naruto finally responded.

"This is Naruto, I'm at point A."

"You're slow, Naruto," Kakashi said in his usual uninterested tone, "Okay Team 7... hmm... The target has moved! After it!"

We all ran forward chasing after the target. The team hid behind the trees that surrounded the victim. He was in clear view.

"What is the distance from the target?" Kakashi asked.

"Five meters. I'm ready to go." I heard Naruto call in.

"I am too." Sasuke.

"Me too." Sakura.

"Ready when you are." I replied.

We were all in position waiting for Kakashi's order.

"Okay," Kakashi started, "Go!"

I launched forward and saw the others to the same from different angles. We had the target trapped. She let out a furious hiss but was otherwise frozen with fear.

"I got you!" Naruto said grabbing the tabby cat. It let out another hiss and swiped at Naruto's face.

"Is there a ribbon on the left ear?" Kakashi asked through the intercom, "Are you sure this is the target, Tora?"

"It's the target for sure." Sasuke confirmed.

"Good. 'Operation Capture Tora the Lost Pet' complete."

"Naruto-nii, you are holding the kitty wrong." I said, biting my lip as the cat pulverized Naruto. I walked towards Naruto and almost immediately; Tora stopped swiping and turned in my direction. She jumped out of Naruto's hold and into my arms. Tora purred and snuggled under my neck causing me to giggle as her fur ticked my skin. I heard Sakura awing at the sight.

"ISN'T THERE A MORE EXCITING MISSION WE CAN WORK ON?!" Naruto yelled through the intercom.

I winced and took of the intercom at lightning speed and threw it on the ground, smashing it with my foot. Naruto's yell affected me the most, since my senses have been enhanced when I trained back at the Akatsuki for any case scenario.

"NARUTO YOU BAKA! DON'T YELL THROUGH THE INTERCOM!" Sakura yelled as she hit Naruto on the head.

"Sakura-nee, you know that is hypocrisy? You told Naruto-nii not to yell when you are doing it yourself." I said and in turn Sakura blushed in embarrassment.

We re-grouped and headed back to the Hokage's office.

I handed the poor cat Tora back to her loving owner, the wife of the Fire Country's Feudal Lord, Madam Shijimi. I stared sadly as she squished the poor cat. No wonder Tora ran away.

"Oh my cute little Tora-chan!" madam Shijimi cooed, "I was so worried about you!"

"That cat's getting what he deserves." Naruto muttered.

"Naruto-nii, I do not think anyone deserves that fate." I whispered.

"No wonder he ran away..." Sakura sweat dropped.

Madam Shijimi smiled at my team but when her gaze landed on me her eyes grew hearts. My instincts told me to run but before I could, she had already pulled me into a hug with Tora.

"Oh what a cutie! You're almost as cute as my little Tora!" She complimented, I think, as she hugged me like she had with Tora. My team stared worriedly at me, as I turned a bit blue. I couldn't breathe!

'This lady is going to kill me!'

"Hokage-sama, if I ever need help please get this little angel to do it." Madam Shijimi smiled as she let me go. I fell on my butt and gasped for air as she left. Sasuke helped me up as I continued to catch my breath.

"Ojiisan, are you really going to make me work for her whenever she needs it?" I asked scared for my life.

The Hokage chuckled at my expression and shook his head. I sighed in relief and ran towards him. He picked me up, placed me on his lap and placed his Hokage hat on my head. I smiled. The Hokage turned to my team as he read a list of D-ranked missions.

"Now then, for Team 7's next mission, you can babysit Yojyu-sama's boy, grocery shopping at the neighboring town, help dig up potatoes at-"

"No!" Naruto interrupted, forming and X with his arms," No thanks to all of those! I want to do a more exciting mission! Choose something else!"

I laughed nervously knowing this would have happened sooner or later. From the team's expressions they probably thought the same.

"Idiot!" Iruka yelled, slamming his hands on the desk, "You're a novice ninja! Everyone needs to start with the easy missions to gain experience!"

I blinked at this, tilting my head in confusion, "But Iruka-sensei, how can one get experience from basic chores that civilians can complete?"

"Yeah! Yasu-chan's right! And all we've been doing are these dumb missions lately!"

"Cut it out." Kakashi said, punching Naruto in the back of the head causing him to face plant. I winced feeling sorry for Naruto.

"Naruto," Hokage-sama started, "It looks like I need to explain to you what missions are. Listen, a lot of clients come to this village everyday. They request things from baby-sitting to assassinations. On the request list, a variety of requests are listed on it and they are separated into ranks A, B, C, D, and S according to difficulty. In this village, we separate people into Jōnin, Chūnin, and Genin according to their abilities. And if we complete the missions, we receive a fee from the silent. You have all become Genin just recently; so D-ranked missions are best for you. Hm?"

I held in my giggles as the others ignored the Hokage. They weren't even paying attention and instead were listening to Naruto talk about what ramen he had yesterday and the ramen he would have today.

Hokage-sama grew an anime vein, "Listen!"

"I'm sorry." Kakashi said sheepishly, rubbing the nape of his neck.

"You always lecture me like that, pops," Naruto said, "But I'm not the kid who used to pull pranks anymore!"

Naruto pouted as he turned away from Hokage-sama. I giggled at his childish antics. I saw Iruka stare at Naruto before smiling. Hokage-sama had taken his hat from my head and put it on his own. His head was bowed but I was able to see the smile on his face. Both men were very fond of Naruto and this made a smile appear on my face as well.

"Okay, I understand," The three Genin looked up in surprise, "if you insist, I will allow you to take on a C-rank mission. It is to escort a certain person." I smiled as the others continued to stare, shocked at the sudden decision. Of course Kakashi just appeared uninterested.

"Really?" Naruto asked excitedly, "Who? Who? The feudal lord? Or a princess?"

"Don't get so hasty," Hokage-sama chuckled, "I'll introduce him right now. Can you please come in now?"

I jumped out of Hokage-sama's lap and ran to my team's side. My team turned around as the door slid open. In came a man with a backpack on and basic villager clothing that was much different than those used by villagers here in Konoha. From the style I guess that this man was from the Land of Water maybe near the Hidden Mist or the Land of Waves.

'Why is a villager of the Land of Water all the way here in the Land of Fire, much less a shinobi village like Konoha? He certainly does not look like a merchant.'

The man took a swig of his drinks and stared at us in confusion.

"What? They're all kids!" The unidentified man said.

He took another gulp of his sake and leaned against the doorframe with a hint of blush on his cheeks. From the smell he was most likely drunk. I covered my nose as I smiled the alcohol drifting through the room.

"Hey, the shorty there, is he really a ninja?" Asked the client.

Naruto began laughing and looked at the rest of us, "Who's the shortest one?" We Genin magically ended up in a line. Sasuke was the tallest, then Sakura, than Naruto, and finally ma. But it made sense since I was four years younger than them.

"Hey Sasuke, are you really going to let that guy call Yasu-chan an idiot?" Naruto yelled as he pointed at our client.

"Dobe, Hime is not an idiot and she's four years younger than us. That's why she's the shortest. Plus the client said 'he' not 'she', baka." Sasuke stated.

Naruto blinked as he let the information sink in. When it finally did, he launched at the client his fists ready.

"I'm going to kill you!" Naruto yelled.

Kakashi caught Naruto in midair, but Naruto continued to struggle out of his grasps.

"Don't kill the man you're supposed to escort, idiot." Kakashi scolded.

"And what about the little girl, she can't possibly be a ninja. She looks as if she couldn't even hurt a fly." Everyone went silent as they heard the man's comment.

They all turned in my direction. Ru growled at the client causing him to step back a bit. I frowned at the man's comment, which surprised the others since they hardly seen me without a smile. I stared at the client and turned away with an uncharacteristic humph.

"I dislike liars." I mumbled loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

The client's eyes widened at this clarifying my suspicions. The Hokage and Kakashi stared at me questionably, but I ignored them opting to playing with Ru's fur. The client cleared his throat after regaining his composure and after taking a sip of his sake he introduced himself.

"I am the bridge builder expert from the Land of Waves, Tazuna. Once I have returned to my country, I will have all of you protect my life with yours while I complete the bridge."

'The Land of Waves? Wasn't it under the control of Gato the last time I was there? Kisame-oji explained that he was making sure that the land was filled with poverty, so why the sudden change and having a bridge built to the main land?'

I blinked once I pieced the pieces together. I nodded, understanding how this mission with go, "It is our mission and as shinobi we shall complete it with the best of our abilities."

Tazuna nodded at me hesitantly. I knew that this wasn't your average C-rank mission. It might be B or even an A-rank mission. I've been to the Land of Waves before with Kisame and it was a sad and poor country. Not many lived with food to support their family. But I understand why Tazuna had lied. The Land of Waves can't afford a B or A-rank mission.

I know that it's wrong of me to not report any of this to the Hokage and possibly endanger my team, but I feel that this mission will have a huge impact on out ninja careers, push this team in the right direction and give them insight of how the shinobi world works.

I sat on Ru's back as he jumped from roof to roof back to Kakashi's house. We decided to go on ahead since Kakashi had to discuss the details of the mission with the Hokage. I went to my room and began to pack everything I needed. Considering this wasn't a normal C-rank mission, I should be prepared for any attack.

I changed into one my Akatsuki training clothes since my current outfit wasn't very mobile for this mission and any battles that we may confront. It's better to wear something that wouldn't constrict any of my movements.

I wore an off white long sleeved shirt, A black sleeveless jacket on top with the Uchiha Crest of the back, black shorts similar to those Sasuke wears, black shinobi sandals, a read sash around my hips with a utilities belt on top, and a read scarf around my neck. I had place bandages on my calves and under my weapon pouches, which were on my upper right thigh and lower left.

I took out my scroll that Papa had given to me before our mission. Unraveling the scroll, I summoned everything placed into it. I saw several pouches of weapons, poison, my scroll filled with information of shinobi that I had collected, chakra pills, clothes, and more. I placed a couple weapons in my weapons pouches, consisting of kunai, shuriken, senbon needles, paper bombs, string and 10 of my special kunai.

Grabbing some medical supplies, I placed them in my utilities belt. Mentally checking everything off I nodded. Placing everything back in the scroll, I made sure to place a blood seal so only an Uchiha can open it, and strapped it to my back considering it had everything I would need for the mission.

I blew my hair out of my face, grabbed a comb and proceeded to place it in a high ponytail. I used a red ribbon to keep it up and placed my forehead protector on, and brushed my loose bangs over it.

Looking in the mirror I smiled and made sure everything was secured. I had strapped my katana so it hanged loosely on my left hip.

Before leaving, I slipped on some black leg warmers with white linings. I hid weights under them to restrict my speed. Papa, Konan and Leader-sama had told me that if I were captured or out of the Akatsuki, I was to not show any true potential, especially in the shinobi villages. I can't have them knowing especially with certain figures that resided in this village.

Grabbing a black cloak, I ran downstairs noticing that some of Kakashi's stuff was already gone. I climbed on Ru's back after locking the door and slipping the cloak over my shoulders. With a nod, Ru and I were on the roofs, running towards the gates.

Excitement filled me enabling me from hiding the grin on my face. I couldn't help it, as this will be my first time leaving the village since arriving. I can't wait.

- - - - - - - - - -
Tora - tiger
Shijimi - basket clam

So here's the chapter I promised. It's kind of boring though so sorry! I don't know if I'll be posting next weekend since I might be busy but we'll see when the time comes.

Not much to say. Thanks so those who helped me with finding out a nickname for her mom. I'll be mentioning the change in chapter 15 and dedicating the chapter to the person who's nickname I chose.

Now all that's left to say is please comment, vote and follow me if you want. Till next time,

This is Yoru / Yume, over and out.

PS. If you'd like the next chapter dedicated to you be the first to solve this riddle.

"When you have me you want to share me, but when you share me, you don't have me. What am I?"

Just tell me the answer and reason to your answer in the comments. Thanks! 😄