Another path

The bridge builder : Tazuna and the Wave country

" - Wolf in place at point A.

- Butterfly in place at point B.

- Crow in place at point C.

- Fox in place at point D. Target in view.

- Very well. Then proceed !

- Hai !"

Three shadows sprang from the trees, quickly descending on the unsuspecting target.

" - I got him !

- Naru, get it away from me, it's scratching my face !

- Hn.

- Now team, we need to report to Hokage-sama."

The silver-haired shinobi sighed. It had been three weeks by now that they were a team and yet those children didn't seem to be making any progress. Even scheduled meetings outside of work, having them train together or talking about their interests so they could relate and form bonds didn't work. He was starting to wonder what could bring them together.

Once they arrived at the Hokage tower, team 7 handed the demon named Tora to the Daimyô's wife. It soon became evident why the pet was so adamant about not coming back home : Naru could swear she heard its bones crack under the pressure of the hug of its mistress.
The two departed and team 7 turned back to face the Hokage.

" - Good job, team 7. Now, I have many other missions for you : babysitting, carrying groceries, painting a fence...

- Excuse-me, Hokage-sama, but with all due respect, I suggest we move onto a higher ranked mission.

- Naru ! Do you realise you're just fresh genin ? You can't pretend to be able to handle a C-rank mission !

- The point of the D-rank missions is to build teamwork, right ? Well, I'm sorry but we won't be doing better in three months than we already are. The fact is : Sakura is Sasuke's fangirl so she tends to consider this team a two men cell, Sasuke thinks he would be doing better on his own and that we are slowing down his progress, and I do not trust them because I know they don't care about me. Not that I do either.

- Then why would you want a C-rank ? You three obviously aren't ready !

- I think it will force us to put faith in each other. I will have to trust them with my back even if I don't want to. Sakura will have to acknowledge more than just Sasuke. And Sasuke will be forced to accept the fact he can't do everything on his own.

- This is just too reckless !

- Actually, I agree with Naru, Iruka. It might actually be the only way to make them work as a real team.

- ... Very well. Iruka, take him inside.

- I-... Very well, Hokage-sama."

The chūnin sighed in defeat and went to open the door. A tall man with a tan skin, a dirty shirt and a bottle of booze came in. There was no doubt he was drunk.

" - Team 7, this is Tazuna, a bridge builder from the Wave country. He required our help to get back home safe from bandits.

- I hired shinobi, not toddlers ! What the hell can they do ?!

- I can assure you they are very competent. Does everyone understand the mission ? - the three genin nodded in agreement - Then let's meet at the Gate in thirty minutes."

Naru went home and packed everything into scrolls, one for food, one for weapons and one for varied items such as a compass or a note book. All this took her about 10 minutes since she always keep said scrolls ready for missions.

" - Are we ready ?

- I think we are ! It's going to be my first trip out of the village, I'm so excited!

- Hahaha, that's great ! You will see, the Wave country is a beautiful place... once the fog lifts, that is. It is very close to Uzushio too....

- Our homeland ? I hope we'll get the chance to see a bit of the place !

- That would be nice... Urgh, what the hell is that noise, it sounds like something dying !

- Why her ?..."

As you may have guessed, "her" is no one else but Sakura who was screeching at Naru for not preparing properly as she didn't have a backpack.

" - I won't share anything with you, Naru-baka, so don't even ask !

- What a bother... You really are a banshee and an idiot. Ever heard about scrolls ?

- Wha-

- Can't you just shut up ?

- Sasuke-kun, you're here !

- No shit he is...

- Shut up, Abazure !"

Suddenly, Hell broke loose. Kakashi arrived just in time to see Naru holding Sakura's right arm in a strong grip, ready to break it while the pinkette was screaming like a dying pig, tears streaming down her eyes. Sasuke just watched this with mild interest and Tazuna, who had just arrived as well, looked absolutely terrified.
"How does it always come down to this ?"

The copy ninja stepped in.
" - Naru, let go of her arm, she's your teammate.

- You don't call your teammate a slut.

-... Really now ?

- I'b sowwy senzei, she was maging fun ov us again !

- Sakura, stop crying, I don't get a word of your whimper.

- When do we leave, Kakashi-sensei ? - Sasuke was impatiently standing past the gate, waiting for the rest of his team to get moving.

- We... we are leaving. Right now. Get moving everyone."

*Time skip*

After a long and uneventful walk through the woods, Kakashi started relaxing. He was still on guard, he was on a mission of course, but not having to worry about his students trying to physically harm one another sure was a relief.

Just then, he noticed a small puddle near the trees. He gazed at his students only to see Naru bent over it. She looked at him and grinned. She lifted her leg up to the point her foot was over her head, and slammed it down just in front of the puddle. The two shinobi in hiding jumped out of the way and decided that considering the turn the events took, it was safer to attack Tazuna right away and try to make it away after it.
Unfortunately for them, the three rookies had anticipated it. Kakashi watched his students handle the matter : Naru went for the shinobi on her left while Sasuke attacked the one on the right. They kicked them on opposite sides so hard the chain linking them broke. Each rogue skidded on the floor until they crashed into a tree. Naru then strapped the same paper seal she used on Kakashi on the forehead of the enemy shinobi. At the same time, Sasuke had struck him on the neck, rendering him unconscious.
Sakura was standing in front of Tazuna with a kunai in case the rogue shinobi escaped her teammates.

The three heard clapping and turned around to see Kakashi eye-smiling.

" - Well done. You three reacted very well and your work division was perfect. I can't believe it really took a surprise attack to bring out your potential... Don't forget about this, ok ?

The genin nodded in agreement, aware of the fact it was because they put their differences aside that they didn't fail the mission - and were still alive for that matters.

Suddenly, a dark, deadly aura starting coming off Kakashi. Everyone went stiff and looked at the object of Kakashi's wrath, wondering what they did to warrant such anger.

- Now, Tazuna-san. Would you kindly explain to me why shinobi tried to kill you when you said you were afraid of "bandits" ?"