Heroes [Naruto]

33 ; BRATS

"Hm? Bolt?" Ushio wondered, watching the hawk fly towards them. Kakashi paled a bit, familiar with his glare. 

The hawk rushed towards her, telling Ushio the information so quickly she could barely understand his words.

"Wha-- The Fifth needs us now? But-- Bolt! Calm down, I don't... A situation with the Genins?" she tensed, "I see. Thanks Bolt, you're such a good friend," she ruffled his feathers, turning to Kakashi. "Kakashi, there's a situation with the Genins and I have a bad feeling about it, Tsunade-sama wants us to hurry."

"I'm guessing it means bad business."

"Yeah."

"With Sasuke."

"Yeah."

"How fast can you go?" Kakashi questioned, making Ushio grin, shooting off at top speed. Kakashi grinned to himself. They were at matching speed. They'd be at the village in an hour.

►

"You sent only the rookies after Sasuke?!" 

"I didn't have any other choice," Tsunade waved off Kakashi's concern. "The state of the village is how it is."

"And you wanna tell me there was no Chunin to send off with them?" Ushio asked rather boldly.

"I sent Shikamaru--"

"Shikamaru that hasn't left on even a single mission as a Chunin or a team leader and only has basic squad leading--"

"Ushio!" Tsunade growled, making the girl fall silent. She bit her lip.

"I apologize, Hokage-sama."

"I've sent the Sand brothers as reinforcement, and I need you to go after them, while you, Kakashi, go on the S rank-- Oi, Kakashi! Where are you going to?! Your mission's selected already!"

"I'll finish my business and come back quickly, don't worry. Ushio, let's get going." Ushio nodded, following her teacher. 

"Kakashi! Ushio!" Sakura called, running over. The red haired looked her best friend over. Her short pink hair was strangely messy, eyes puffy and face pale. She looked like she was crying the whole day. "It's already been two days since Sasuke's left the village... but Naruto and the rest aren't back yet..."

"Yeah, I know roughly what's going on," Kakashi said simply, making the pinkette stare at him with wide eyes.

"I trust Naruto, I do, but if anything were to happen between the two of them--" Kakashi rested a hand on Sakura's shoulder reassuringly. She looked at him in surprise.

"Sakura, don't worry," he smiled. "Leave the rest to us."

"You... two?"she wondered, looking over at Ushio. Her eyes widened, seeing her flak jacket that screamed Chunin and the small bag slung over her shoulder, obviously from a mission. 

Ushio grinned as Kakashi started walking off, bumping her fist against Sakura's shoulder lightly. "We'll do everything we can, Sakura. Just don't cry." Ushio quickly followed Kakashi, leaving Sakura behind.

The girl bit her lip, before rushing after them to the gate. Kakashi summoned his dogs, while Ushio called Bolt and two other birds that were friendly and loyal enough to her. 

Kakashi instructed his dogs to look for his two students, while Ushio asked the birds to look for all of the other Genins. 

Bolt called out first. 

"I'm off, Kakashi." Ushio saluted. "Bolt found Neji." She tensed, quickly creating a clone. "Get the best medic nin you can find, Neji's at bad shape." The clone nodded, bounding off.

"Ushio," Kakashi called before she jumped away.

"Hm?"

"Make sure you make it on time."

She grimaced, "you too, Kakashi."

►

"I can hold Akamaru--!" Kiba hit Ushio's head hard as the rain poured down, making her glare. "Oi, asshole, I was sent to make sure you're safe, I can hurt you and say you've been hurt in the fight. Everyone will believe me!"

"Except for me," Kankuro pointed out.

Ushio turned to watch the sand ninja with a grin. "You matter not, Just Kankuro." he pinched her ear, glaring.

"What was that, Shio? I couldn't hear over the sound of your brattiness."

"Honestly though, Kiba," Ushio frowned, "your wound isn't deadly, but it's deep. Let me heal it best I can before the medics get here. Neji and Chouji are in life threatening condition, so once I told them you and Shikamaru are not as bad, they said that I should whatever I could until they're here. Shikamaru's back, but I can't carry you, and you can't go back. Sit down, hand me Akamaru, let me treat him and you."

Kiba cussed, but told Ushio to sit down. She obeyed, allowing him to place the small dog on her lap. She felt around, healing the cuts. 

"Is something wrong?" Kiba asked nervously at Ushio's frown. Kankuro seemed intrigued, sitting next to Ushio. Ushio raised her glance to Kiba, shaking her head with a soft smile.

"I'm just worried for Akamaru," she grinned, "so the frown is inevitable. Either way, he's got a broken bone or two, and tendons in all four of his legs had been ripped- I can't do anything for it, I'm not too familiar with dog anatomy, and even if I were, I'm not sure I could help. His cuts aren't too bad. I've healed most. Now, shirt off," she instructed. He didn't make a comment as Ushio thought he would, simply taking off his shirt, flinching in pain. 

She put her hand against an obvious self-inflicted wound, healing it softly.

"I thought you're more of a fighting type," Kankuro commented.

"I am," she smiled lightly. "My mom's a nurse, and I've been hanging at the hospital since before I even started training. I learnt basic medical jutsus, and eventually managed to better myself to a certain point. I'm not excellent, but it's the necessary first aid."

Ushio felt Kankuro's eyes on her, but she didn't look him over, healing Kiba's wounds.

"You said that Shikamaru's not bad either," Kiba commented. "How is he?"

"Better than you, he's got really minor injuries," she shrugged. "Worry about Akamaru and yourself for now, leave us with worrying for the rest."

She grinned warmly, starting to bandage the wound. "They're my friends--!"

"Kiba, just shut up. I know you care for them, but right now, you should care for yourself. I really don't know what went through Tsunade's head when she's sent you on this mission, knowing she's against Orochimaru's people."

Ushio stood up, holding Akamaru delicately. Kiba stood up, the pain much better. He held out his arms, and she placed the small dog in his arms gently.

"If you're feeling any pain on our way back tell me."

"Tell me," Kankuro waved off. "It's not like she can carry you," he waved off.

"I can," she frowned.

"Let me be a gentleman," he flicked her forehead. She laughed lightly, and Kiba started walking. The two sweatdropped. "We're gonna walk the whole way, aren't we?"

"Yeah."

"Well, we'd better start walking then," he sighed, cheeks tinted red. His hand was held out towards Ushio, and she smiled widely.

"You're so cute."

"Shut up brat!"