Rabbit Princess [Gaara] [1]

☾ 62 ☽

It had been a week or so out of their last adventure for Tsukiko. Tsunade had kept her promise and moved to help her out with Medical Ninjutsu. Sakura had also joined their sessions but Tsukiko had been relentless in her training. She didn't care about going slowly like Sakura, she wanted to be stronger so she could bring Sasuke back. Naruto couldn't be the only one to do that anymore. How could she leave Naruto to deal with that burden on his own?

Tsunade had refused Tsukiko from going out of the village until she was able to hold her own. Apparently, Tsunade had been scolded by the elders for letting Tsukiko go after Uchiha Sasuke in the first place, since her status was now almost of a 'princess's'. She was no longer allowed to be gone from the village for long. Especially after the Stone of Gelel thing.

Tsukiko was rather disgusted at the thought of the elders thinking this of her. Now that they know she is a descendant of the Senju Clan, they suddenly care? But Tsukiko also suspected that Tsunade was keen on keeping this going. Not because her status in the village had dramatically changed, but because Tsunade feared Tsukiko being captured by Orochimaru's lackeys next.

So, when Shikamaru told her that Tsunade had allowed her to go with him and some of the Genins on a special mission, Tsukiko had been rather surprised. But once she got to know that they were going to assist the Sunagakure in retrieving back one of their students, Tsukiko hurriedly agreed. They had done the same for them, after all.

"It's almost time!" Choji said as he, Tsukiko, Shikamaru, Ino, Lee, Kiba and Akamaru gathered at the village gates. "Is this everyone, Shikamaru?" Tsukiko glanced over her shoulder as she looked around at the place.

"One person still hasn't come," Shikamaru replied. They looked back into the village and saw Naruto rushing hurriedly toward them. Tsukiko moved aside as he came to a skidding stop next to them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Naruto shouted. "I can't do a mission hungry so I stopped by Ichiraku Ramen for a bit,"

"What?!" Choji said. "That's not fair just you getting to eat! I'll also..."

"All right!" Shikamaru cut into their conversation. "Now that we've got all our members together, we're off!" Tsukiko nodded.

"Huh?" Naruto remarked as he looked around at everyone who had gathered for their mission. "What? This is it?! I'd heard this was an operation with a mobilisation of the Genin remaining in the village!"

"This is everyone, I'm telling you," Shikamaru replied.

"That's messed up!" Naruto complained. "Setting aside Sakura-Chan, who's training, there should still be Shino, Neji and Hinata!"

"No mistake, it's weird Akamaru and I being the only Ninja with search ability," Kiba commented from the back.

"So, is this team a go for it super attack type?" Lee asked. Tsukiko didn't know what that meant really but she wasn't sure she wanted to know either.

"Yeah," Shikamaru replied. "I name us 'Team Return-the-Favour'," Everyone around him sweat-dropped but Tsukiko nodded wholeheartedly.

"What lame naming!" Naruto said.

"The Sungakure Ninjas came out and helped us during the Sasuke Recovery Mission," Tsukiko reminded them. "In a similar manner, this operation is returning the favour from that time,"

"All right!" Naruto shouted. "Guys, let's make sure to return the favour from that one time!" Tsukiko and Shikamaru sweat-dropped.

"You're not the leader!" Kiba told him. Akamaru barked in agreement with his partner.

"Shikamaru the Chunin is the leader of this platoon, right?" Choji added. "Even after Shikamaru, we have Tsukiko the Chunin as well!"

"That's fair..." Naruto trailed off before turning around and shouting, "Jeez, then let's settle on a strategy and get going as soon as possible! Are we going in one line as we did for the Sasuke incident?"