“Team 7, the mission is….”, Kurenai began and all three Genin anxiously awaited the briefing. "... collecting herbs...", she read aloud before being interrupted
"What? That's not a C-rank mission!", Sakura complained. Indeed, it sounded more like another D-rank mission.
Their sensei wasn't really pleased with the interruption. "I wasn't finished yet. The herbs we are supposed to collect are found in a thick forest between the Fire Country and the Grass Country. Now, we are not at war with the Kusagakure, but we also know that they would likely judge us to be spies, therefore we have to stay covert while on this mission.", Kurenai outlined the mission.
"Ino, your knowledge of botanics will come in handy, so I will give you the list of the flowers our scientists want to have. You will lead our efforts there.", Kurenai said wile looking at the blonde Yamanaka girl. She thus handed her a smaller scroll, which undoubtedly contained the specifics of the plants they were to collect.
Ino swallowed hard, already she felt the weight of responsibility thrust upon her shoulders. "Alright, I'll do my best!", she said as she accepted the scroll.
"Don't worry Ino-chan, we're gonna help you, too!", Naruto encouraged Ino.
"Yup, I'm here too, Ino-pig, in case you screw up.", Sakura too expressed her support, although in her own manner.
Which didn't fail to spark a reaction from Ino. "What was that, forehead girl?", she snapped at the pinkette.
Before their argument could get any more heated though, Kurenai intervened by clapping her hands. "Alright alright, everyone go back to your homes and get your backpacks ready! We'll depart in an hour from now. Let's meet at the gates of Konoha."
As ordered, an hour later the team met at the huge gates of Konoha, each one carrying a backpack with him or her, inside everything they would need for the trip.
Kurenai looked over her eager team with a smile. "Right, we will approximately take two and a half days for this mission, one day each for travelling there and back and a half day for completing our objective. Let's give it our best, Team 7.", she said, and with that, Team 7 began its first C-rank mission.
The trip was largely uneventful, as they travelled at their own leisure (for ninjas, mind you) through the woods of the Fire country. When the dusk began to set, they had arrived at their destination...
They reached a large meadow, and here it was that Kurenai decreed they would begin their search for the herbs tomorrow. But for today, it was enough, they were all exhausted, and so they set up their tents at the base of a huge tree, where it was neatly hidden between its gigantic roots.
As they had set up their tents however, a new problem became apparent. "Okay, we have two tents for two people each. Which means, we have to decide who will share a tent with Naruto here.", Kurenai summarized it.
Indeed, they only had two tents for two people each. Thus, it would be impossible for all three females to comfortably sleep in one while Naruto was all alone in a bigger tent.
Sakura blushed a little, her gaze darting from Naruto to Kurenai and then back to Naruto. "I wouldn't have a problem with it.", she finally said.
That surprised both Ino and Kurenai. And it seemed like it sparked Inos rivalling nature. "Ah, you're just bluffing, forehead girl. You would run out the second Naruto begins snoring, I bet ya. I'll do it!", she said firmly.
"I'm afraid that I can't really allow any of you to share a tent with Naruto-kun, seeing as that might tempt Naruto too much...", Kurenai interjected.
Weirdly, all three females exhuded a somewhat competetive air, Naruto noticed. Where they all competing against each other to find out who would be in his tent for the night? Naruto wondered how that would turn out. |