His Gift to Her (Mary Sue Series)

Chapter 7

Naruto was fuming again at Iruka Sensei.

"Naruto, you're not ready for this!"

"I don't care! I want a real mission! Not do simple chores!"

"Naruto, every ninja has to go through these basic missions!"

"Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah." Naruto plugged his ears up, making Iruka Sensei even angrier.

"How about a C rank mission?" Lord Third finally offered.

"Hokage-sama! They are not quali--"

"Really!? Awesome!"

Although the rest of Team Seven didn't speak, Sasuke was eager to do a unique ranking mission, and Sakura was happy to avoid more chores. Only Qui was reluctant to do a higher task which might risk battle.

"You will be escorting Tazuna back to his home--come in, Tazuna," Lord Third said, directing his attention to the door. Team Seven turned and came face to face with an old man holding a liquor bottle.

"This is Tazuna, and you will need to make sure he gets home safely in the Land of Waves," Lord Third continued.

"You asked for a higher mission, Naruto," Iruka Sensei grumbled, causing the boy to scowl.

"Who rn th'se runts?" Tazuna asked, taking another swing from his bottle. "Yer all gonna protect me or what? The shorty doesn't look like she can hold her groun'!"

Instantly, Sasuke looked at Qui who just below his height. Then the pair looked at Naruto who was just as tall as Qui. Then the trio stared at Sakura who was the shortest of them all.

(I changed the height difference among the members of Team Seven on purpose. I wrote this detail for my entertainment.)

"What?" Sakura gaped in anger. She was more than ready to beat the living daylights out of this old man! How dare he!

"Okay! Let's meet up at the gate!" Kakashi Sensei said, trying to steer the team out the door and prevent Sakura from murdering their client.

"He called me short! Who does he think he is!?" Sakura screeched furiously as Team Seven waited at the gate. Qui hung upside down from a tree branch, and Sasuke stood right below it. Naruto tried to placate Sakura, but she didn't stop her speech.

"Naruto, orange is the worst color to wear! Stop wearing orange! It's obnoxious!"

"Huh?" Naruto looked confused at her sudden word vomit. All he heard was "Naruto!" and "Orange!"

"Sasuke-kun, you're perfect as usual~!"

Sasuke ignored her, favoring the puzzle Qui had handed him.

"Qui, stop wearing black! Whose funeral is it anyway?"

Qui looked up and sighed, tilting her head to one side. "Haven't decided yet."

Tazuna came ambling along, and with that, Team Seven set off.

Qui clasped her hands together, the sleeves of her kimono top concealing the puzzle. Her fingers moved slowly and deliberately, wiggling the two pieces gently. While she was playing with the toy, her eyes were alert, watching and waiting.

Well, not that there weren't any threats, but it was good to stay on guard.

"Are we there yet?" Naruto asked, turning to Tazuna.

"Shush! Stay quiet!" Tazuna hissed at him. Naruto scowled but remained silent.

The team and their client continued to walk in the bright, sunny morning, not a cloud in sight. As they walked, Kakashi Sensei eyed a large water puddle on the roadside. Instead of bringing attention to it, he continued with the team as if nothing was unusual.

Ckrshing!

"AUGH!"

Everyone whirled around to see spiky chains wrapped around Kakashi Sensei, two ninjas holding the ends, before shredding the captured body into pieces.

"Sensei!" Sakura screamed. However, the two intruders weren't done.

In the split second Team Seven had been distracted by Kakashi Sensei's dead body, the two ninjas targeted Qui.

"Oh, no you don't," Sasuke scowled, kunai and shuriken in hand. Qui simultaneously took out more kunai and retreated, the two rouge ninjas coming from behind to attack her. In a few swift moves, Sasuke pinned the spikey chain into a nearby tree and gave a good kick to the two in the head.

Although miffed at Sasuke, a mere child, for stopping their strong chain, the two rouge ninjas snapped their end of the chain from their arms and turned to a new target, Naruto. The two dashed towards the blond boy, sharp claw-like weapons outstretched to kill the boy.

Prepared for a second attack, Qui flung the kunai at their loose cloaks, pinning them to the ground, causing them to pause for a moment. Although she had cut their attack by seconds, it was enough for Sasuke.

The Uchiha survivor lept at the two ninjas and gave a solid kick in the head. But Sasuke wasn't done yet, and neither was Qui. Sasuke pinned one down using his body weight and an uncomfortable position for arms and legs, and Qui took out a strange puzzle, seizing the second ninja's arm and leg and locking them into her device then giving a sharp turn in no small cog, a loud crack resounding. The masked ninja gave a muffled cry of pain.

Before Qui could do the same to the one Sasuke had apprehended, a familiar voice said, "Good work, Sasuke, Qui," his hands clapping.

"Sensei!" Sakura cried in happiness. "You're alive!"

Stepping forward, Kakashi Sensei took hold of the two ninjas, letting Qui take off the puzzle from the man.

"Are you alright, Naruto? I didn't know you'd shake up so badly," Kakashi Sensei said, turning to the boy, slinging the two around like a sack of potatoes.

"Y-yeah."

"Sakura, next time, you need to be aware of Tazuna-san. He is a client requesting for safety, so you must protect him. Today was your first time being in a situation such as this, but be more mindful in the future," Kakashi said, nodding to Sakura.

"Sasuke, again, well done. Qui...did you break the guy's hand?"

"Mhm. I also broke his shin."

"I see."