Get Lost

Chapter 3

Team 11's first mission was walking a dog. Their second was cleaning a fountain for an elderly lady. Then finding a lost cat. Then trimming hedges under a very picky man who had lost the use of his right hand due to a shearing incident. Then they moved on to sweeping streets, grocery shopping, cleaning houses, helping move, keeping company, and babysitting. 

Sonomi wouldn't stop complaining. Everyone's nerves were wearing thin and her constant whining wasn't helping.

"Jurai Sensei, this work is for people who can't do anything else. We're ninja. We should be fighting or protecting the village or something. This is humiliating. How am I supposed to tell anyone about the exciting things I've been doing when the most excitement I've had recently is when pickled ginger has been on sale for 18% off?!"

"You have only been ninja for a week. Your headbands are still so new you can smell the metal polish. The village needs help and we're sending our best and brightest."

"Don't patronize me," Sonomi said glumly. "Just give us one C-ranked mission. Just one."

Out loud, Kazue wouldn't disagree with Sonomi. She was getting bored of these missions too, but secretly she was glad for the extra time to practice everything about being a ninja. These were missions she could handle. There was no fighting to be done. She didn't have to humiliate herself just yet. Maybe by the time they got to actual missions, she'd be good enough that she could hold her own. The hope was a dim one. 

"You'll get C-ranked missions when you earn them or when the village runs out of D-ranked missions to give."

Team 11 stood near the back of the room. The Hokage and an assistant sat behind a long table with boxes of scrolls on it. Each held different ranks of missions.

A woman with her child entered and approached the assistant. "Excuse me, I'd like to post a mission."

Sonomi watched the woman with apprehension.

"Alright, ma'am," the assistant said, pulling out an ink brush and a new scroll. "What can we help you with?"

"I'd like a babysitter."

Sonomi burst forward, jutting her arm out in front of the woman. "No, no, no she doesn't. Her baby is the chosen one, the child of legends. It glows at night and she's afraid assassins are coming to kill her baby. In fact, she's already seen them before and had to fight them off herself. Isn't that right, woman? Right?"

The woman stared at Sonomi in shock. "Uh, no, no that isn't true at all!"

Sonomi deflated and slumped back to Team 11. She thumbed over her shoulder. "There's a new mission for us."

---

Team 11 sat in the park. It was an exceptionally hot summer day. There wasn't a cloud in sight. Kazue and Sonomi slumped on a bench with Rokuro lying at their feet. Jurai Sensei leaned against the tree that they were all under.

"So we're gonna get to do more missions like that from now on, huh Sensei."

Kazue opened her eyes as an extremely loud boy approached. Entering the park was Team 7 with their Jonin sensei Kakashi. Naruto was the one who had asked the question. Kazue closed her eyes and groaned. How could any kid have so much energy on such a hot day?

Sonomi, however, sat up, suddenly alert. She stood up as Team 7 got closer. 

"Missions like what, Naruto?" Sonomi called. Kazue opened her eyes to watch. 

Naruto came bounding over. His team followed at a more respectable rate considering the temperature. 

"Hey there! We just go back from the Land of Waves."