We stood in front of the Hokage, and Yugi-sensei was telling him our mission report.  Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door behind us.  The Hokage told them to enter.

Naruto's team entered the door.  In Naruto's arms was a cat, with a bow on its right ear.  His face was all scratched up from what I assumed was the cat's claws.

Shortly after, a woman entered and grabbed the cat, smothering it in her chest.  She exited the room, cooing to the cat, while the cat gave us all a glare over her shoulder.

I shuddered at the entire scene.

Our team stepped aside, allowing Team 7 to fulfill their mission report.  After doing so, the Hokage started listing off more missions for them to do.  Naruto reacted.

"No way!!  No thank you!!  Borrrring!!  Give us something different to do.  Something important!  Something amazing!!"

I saw the looks of agreement on his teammates' faces.  I looked at my own team, and saw the curious looks on the face of the twins, amusement on that of my sensei.

Iruka yelled at Naruto, and the Hokage put in his two cents.

It was painfully obvious that Naruto wasn't even listening.  He started talking about ramen.

"Are you even listening?"

"I don't want to hear it!  All the old fart ever does is apologize and then give me a lecture.  But it's not fair.  There's more to me than the trouble-making screw up the old man thinks I am!"

I saw Kakashi-sensei sigh.

But as I glanced back to the Hokage, I saw a little bit of pride shining in those old eyes of his.  He glanced over at Yugi-sensei, and they nodded at each other in a silent understanding.  I was left confused.

"Very well.  Since you put it that way, I will permit you to attempt a C grade task; the protection of a certain individual.  But there is a catch to this mission.  This will be a mission that requires two teams working together.  If it is OK with the sensei, I would like to also assign Team 11 to this mission as well."

Yugi-sensei and Kakashi-sensei smiled at each other.  They nodded in approval.

Naruto got really excited.  "Who is it?  Some great lord?!  The Daimyo?!  A princess?!"

I chuckled slightly at his excitement.

The Hokage spoke.  "Compose yourself.  I'll perform the introductions. 

The Hokage signaled the ninja standing at the door to let the client in.

The door slams open, and the blunt smell of alcohol hit my nose.  An elderly man with glasses, spiky hair, and rope tied around his head leaned against the door frame.

"What's going on here?  They look like a bunch of wet-nosed brats."  The man studied us.  "Especially the midget.  He's got the face of an imbecile."

He paused again to take a swig of the bottle that was held in his left hand.  "It's a joke, right?  You kids aren't really ninja, are you?"

The six if us genin stared at the man in shock.  Naruto quickly compared all of our heights.  He was definitely the shortest of us all, but not by a lot.  I was only taller than him by a half of an inch.

Naruto realized the meaning of the man's words.

"I'll kill him!!!!"

Kakashi-sensei held Naruto back by the collar.

"Wrong.  No killing the old man you've been assigned to protect."

I chuckled silently when Naruto slumped in Kakashi-sensei's grasp.

The man introduced himself.

"I am Tazuna, a bridge builder of ultimate renown.  Until I am safely back in my own country, where I'll be completing my next bridge, you'll be expected to protected me...even if it costs you your lives!"

I reeled back slightly at his statement.  He was so blunt about what he wanted from us, but the serious facial features that were being expressed were seeming to hint that something about this mission wasn't quite right.  I shook it off, though.

With introductions finished, we were told to meet at the front gate in 1 hour.

I ran home, and quietly entered my house.  I paused, listening for any sign of my parents.  I heard some commotion in the kitchen, and silently ran up to my room.  I quickly packed a bag with spare ninja gear, a first aid kit, and lots of extra bandages.  With this mission being the first C-ranked mission that either team has ever attempted, I'm sure that they will be needed.  Grabbing some extra ninja tools, I sneaked back out to the front part of the house.  I glanced into the kitchen, to see my mom cooking dinner.  I crept in, keeping my eyes and ears open for my father.  Stopping behind my mother, I gazed at her.  Her once long, silky dark brown, almost black, hair now lies in choppy waves, having been chopped off by my father in one of his fits of rage.  I gently gave her a hug from behind.  She jumped.

"I'm leaving to go on a mission.  I won't be back for a while, since the mission takes me outside of the village.  I just wanted you to know before I left." 

She turned to face me with a small smile adorning her lips.  She kissed the top of my head lightly.

"Good luck, Toshihiko.  Come home safe."

I nodded my head, and ran out the door.  I sprinted towards the front gate.

Butterflies flew in my stomach.  This will be the first time I have ever been allowed to go outside of the village.  I was excited, but nervous as well.  This mission was C-ranked.  There was a possibility of my teammates getting injured, and I know that I will have to be prepared for anything.  I took a deep breath as I neared the front gate.  Tazuna, Yugi-sensei, the twins, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, and Sakura were all already there.  I guess we are just waiting for Naruto now.  I came to a stop beside the group, panting slightly after my sprint across the village.

Yusuke chuckled lightly at my winded appearance.  "Have a nice run?"

I glanced up at him, and joined in with his chuckle.  "Try getting here from the other side of the village in only 3 minutes without sprinting!  It's hard, but fun.  Maybe we should race one of these days, Mr Taijutsu Master."

His eyes lit up at the challenge.  "You're on!  But only after we get back from our mission."  He stuck out his hand.

I took it, and we shook on the deal.

Shortly after, Naruto arrived.

"All right!  Road trip!!"

Sakura glared at the hyper ninja with disdain.  "What are you babbling about?"

Naruto practically jumped over to the group. 

"This'll be the first time in my life I've ever been outside of the village!"

I nodded.  "This is my first time venturing outside of the village, as well."

Naruto offered me an excited fist bump, which I gladly returned.  However, when our fists met, I almost froze at how much raw power I could literally feel boiling under his skin.  I tried to play it off as nothing, but I could still tell that he had little to no control over that immense amount of power.

Tazuna's voice cut into my thoughts.  "Am I really expected to place my life in the hands of this fool?"

Kakashi-sensei sighed deeply.  "There's no call for concern.  Yugi-sensei and I are both elite ninja, and we will be joining this mission, too."  Yugi-sensei nodded in agreement.

Naruto considered this exchange between the adults before adding his two cents.  He pointed at Tazuna.

"Listen, you old geezer!  You don't mess with ninja.  Ever.  Especially not a really good one, like me!  I am the cream of the elite.  In fact, one day I'm gonna be the next Lord Hokage!  So remember my name.  It's Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Hokage, eh?  The Lord of your village?  The best there is?  I don't think someone like you has it in him."

Naruto retorted immediately.

"Well, you're old and stupid! I am doing all the right things, and I'm doing them fast.  And when I become Hokage, you're gonna wish you were a lot more respectful to me right now!!!"

Tazuna took a swig of his ever-present bottle of alcohol.

"Respect you?  I don't think so.  Not even if you did become Hokage."

Naruto seemed to snap, and found himself being held back by Kakashi-sensei, once again.

I sighed slightly at the dispute.  I approached Tazuna.

"Sir, we should get moving, so that we may get you to your home country as quickly as possible."

With those words said, I turned on my heel, and strode out of the gates of Konohagakure, my team closely following behind me.

Stepping over the threshold of the gates, I took a deep breath.  This is the first time since my grandfather came to this village that any of my family members had stepped outside the safety of the village.  I could only hope that this mission will be successful, so that I can prove that my family is important to the village.